When You're Broken On The Ground

Chapter 9

Before we get going, thank you so much!!! All you readers have pushed this story over the 100th reader mark! I know it's not a big deal, considering how many other stories have 1k or 1m, but it's amazing to me so thank you again!!

Word Count: 2016

Trigger Warnings: swearing, panic attack, not following the speed limit.

Joan is driving right at the speed limit as Talyn calls up Terrence and Valerie. Their voice fills the car with "I can't get to Thomas... yeah we saw the news... no... fuck! We're on our way over anyway, try and see if you can-.... exactly. Thank you guys so much.... me too. Bye." They hang up.

"On their way?" Joan asks, cutting in front of a slow car.

"Yep. Apparently, the media has all of Sanders' houses on watch, so we'll probably be on TV in the next ten minutes."

"Shit."

"Exactly."

"...we're still going." They say it full of certainty.

"Unless you're having second thoughts, yeah."

"Perfect." Joan starts weaving through traffic, perhaps going just a tiny bit over the limit but no one pays attention to those signs anymore so who cares?

In no time, they arrive at Thomas' house, which has about ten TV station vans and a bunch of milling reporters. Joan smirks and drives right on through, forcing the gossip journalists to scatter. They park in the driveway, both of them running out of the car and to the front door. Ignoring the squawking people behind them, Talyn unlocks the door and ushers Joan in before following and locking the door again. 

"Where would they be?" Talyn asks as they glance outside at the indignant crowd.

"Living room I guess," Joan answers, leading the way. They stop at an opening, staring into it in shock. Talyn pushes their way forward and freezes. 

The Sanders are in the room, all accounted for. The TV is on in front of them. 

Thomas is on his knees, clutching his head in his hands, repeatedly saying, "I never should have gone out, I never should have walked home." 

Patton is staring off at the wall, his eyes glazed over, tears pouring down his face. 

Remus is scratching his wrists, whimpering out "Worthless, fuck-up."

Remy is staring at horror at his bloodied fingers, no doubt from the cuts on his bare arms.

Logan is scratching his chest with bloody fingers, muttering, "Robot, heartless, monster."

Devin is just staring numbly at his bare arms, which have fresh cuts on them.

Emile is shaking, hands held above his chest like he's holding a knife pointed at his heart. "I should have seen it," he whispers over and over again.

Roman is clutching at his arms, trying to hold it together, but his arms have blood on them.

Virgil is choking himself, tears threatening to fall as he gasps out "Couldn't protect Thomas."

Joan and Talyn can't tear their eyes away, can't stop watching the car speeding at another to it's  inevitable death. It's too similar to the scene they found after arriving back home via last minute airline tickets after hearing about Thomas. Six in hospital beds and three broken people next to them.

After what feels like an eternity, Talyn wrenches their gaze away and walks in, choosing Virgil to stop first. They start talking as reassuringly as they cautiously touch Virgil, dragging his hands away from his neck after he doesn't react. "Virgil, can you hear me? Virgil?"