The Fallen One

Chapter Twenty-Five

Hi all,

Just a trigger warning that the end of this chapter talks about depression, suicide and self-harm.
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"He's going back to Washington today," I tell dad as we stand in front of the Carter house.

Dad nods. "Evangeline told me"

"How is she?" I force myself to ask.

"She's doing well, really well" he smiles, "she and Sam are having a baby"

I look over to my dad, leaning against his car door. A baby? The thought makes me smile. I have this feeling deep in my gut that the Eva I knew in school is a completely different woman to the Eva that exists now. I can't help but think that Sam is responsible for helping her heal.

"I'm happy for her" I admit, making my dad pat my back.

With that, I enter the house slowly, climbing up the stairs where I hear Ned on the phone.

"They're all such fucking dickheads" Ned said. "Especially Chris and his bratty kid, I'm leaving today so I don't have to see any of them for another couple of years...yeah I hate them that much, I wish Chris had a sister so I could bang her to piss him off"

I clench my jaw in fury, now standing at Ned's bedroom door where I find him with his cellphone pressed against his ear. When he ends the call, he looks over to me, cocking a brow.

"Yes?" He asks just as I storm towards him, swinging my fist against his face. "Ow, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I've always wanted to do that" Chris admit with a smile.

Hitting Ned felt better then I ever expected. Suddenly Ned takes a swing at my stomach, making me hunch over in pain. I struggle to catch my breath as I clench my fists.

"Doesn't feel so good does it!" Ned snapped.

I look up and see his bright smile. All I want to do is wipe that smile off is fucking face. I take my fist and begin pounding his face, making him retaliate and smash his fist against my chin. We begin hitting each other at full force for about five minutes before we take a step back to catch our breath. Ned's face is bruised and bloody, his knuckles red.

What would Elise say if she could see us now? That's when I shake my head, take a step back.

"Truce?" I suggest.

"Truce" Ned agrees, wiping his bleeding nose with his sleeve. "What's wrong with you man? Why do you hate me so much?"

It's like he doesn't hear himself when he speaks. He's allowed to talk as much shit as he likes then wonders why we get angry. I don't understand why Elise always stood up for him.

"She wasted so much time on you" I breathe heavily, "someone should have told her that you were a lost course"

Ned scoffs, "people did but that's the thing about love....you stick around despite all the bullshit fuckhead's like you say" he grabs suitcase and begins walking through the door.

"Pleasure as always" I say sarcastically.

"Likewise" he yells from the hallway.

I sigh, dropping to his bed. I run my fingers through my hair. My phone begins buzzing from my pocket, Sherry's name is flashing across the screen.

"Hey, babe" I greet.

"How did the intervention go?" Sherry asks.

"Crap" I admit, "in fact, Ned and I just finished beating the shit out of each other now"

"You're kidding? What the hell happened? I thought it was going to be a civilised conversation"

I nod "yeah, it was until he started calling all of us dumb cunts then stormed out"

"Wow" she sighs, "well, at least you tried, right?"

"Yeah but I won't be anymore" I admit, "it's impossible to have a conversation with him"

"Where is he now?" She asks.

"Dad is taking him to the airport" I explain, "he's our last shot, you know"

"Hopefully, Raff can get through to him"

"Are you coming for dinner?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'll be over around five? Then maybe you'll get lucky tonight"

I smile "I love you"

"I love you too, see you tonight"

"Bye" I end the call.

It was an hour or so later when Dad came back. I'm in the kitchen, sitting at the table, staring at the stove. I can almost hear Gina's voice, asking me to tell her all about my day then giving some Christian advice that made me almost want to believe in something greater then myself.

"Chris" dad calls as walking into the kitchen.

"How did it go?" I ask curiously, sipping on my coffee.

"We need to talk, Chris" he announces fearfully. "Ned told me something...something very serious and very important"

He takes a seat at the table, across from me, which makes my heart beat twice as fast.

"What is it?"

"It's about Blake..." dad says slowly, "Ned told me that Blake was diagnosed with clinical depression and has attempted to take his own life more then once..."

My eyes widen in disbelief "what?"

"Apparently he has a history of self harm and depressive episodes" Raff continues, "I haven't called Blake yet because I don't want to do anything without consulting you first"

I bury my head into my hands. My mind goes back to high school, where he would spend hours crying in his room, refusing to leave his bed.

"How did I not realise? What kind of brother am I?" I sigh. "I always thought his weird habits were responsible for the way he would act"

"What do you mean?" Dad furrows his brows, creating a crease across his forehead.

"He would go days without sleep...he was so full of energy that he would clean and reorganise the entire house then when he had done that three thousand times, he would take my car and drain it of gas...god how many fights we go into because of him taking my car at three am" I remember.

"And this would happen often?"

"Like clock work" I admit, "one week he'll be acting like he was on speed then the next week he'll be in bed, not eating"

"Chris, why didn't you mention this sooner?"

"What do you mean?" I blink.

"Chris your mum is bipolar" he reminds me.

I fold my arms "wait...you don't think—"

"I think we need to bring Blake home" Dad announces.

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A/N

Hi all,

This chapter correlates with Chapter 19 of The Broken One, where it shows this chapter through Ned's point of view.

Please VOTE if you're enjoying this book :)

Happy reading!

- Rose xxx