Broken ones [Andy, Susan]

[Deleted]

-End of April-

Braelynn woke to voices. Unfamiliar voices, speaking in hushed tones. She attempted to move, to open her eyes, and her body burned with pain. She was hurt. How? Letting out a whimper she tried to move again, and her body obeyed, her eyelids parting at last and bright light assaulted her eyes. Everything was blurry, but she could make out two darker shapes. Who were they? One of them spoke, but she didn't understand, her mind sluggish and desperately trying to keep up with what was going on. Where... Where was she? Her heart raced, pounding painfully in her chest as she felt a wave of panic. What was going on? A cool, kind hand pressed against her forehead, followed by more words. Still they didn't make sense. So she closed her eyes and let the darkness take her again...

She was in an out of consciousness for two weeks. At first it had been brief, never coherent or conscious for only a few minutes at a time. As Braelynn's weak and battered body healed though, so did her mind. As if stitching itself back together. She never said anything though. Never uttered another sound past that first whimper and sign of a few days after..... After what...?

As her mind and body healed she tried to piece together what was going on. On where she was. Who were those people she kept seeing flashes of? How did she get here? How had she been injured? Her mind felt like a puzzle that had been broken apart, with no picture to help you put it together. Lost, confused. trying desperately to piece it together but never getting more then one or two pieces together.

After those two weeks, she was.... mostly mentally sound. At least she knew who she was by this point. She could remember everything. Everything up until Zander.... When they'd taken Zander. Everything after that was so fuzzy and disorienting that she'd only been able to figure out one thing that had happened. One detail.

Desirae had tried to kill her.

Braelynn didn't know why. It didn't make sense. Desirae had.... done this to her? Whatever this was. When she realized that, the girl just shut down. These people, they were trying to heal her, nurse her back to health. but Braelynn didn't want to get better. Her own sister tried to kill her. She'd betrayed the boy she loved more then anything and wanted to protect. Ethan was dead before of her. As each of these pieces fell into place, Braelynn uttered the only words she'd spoken since she woke. "Just let me go." She didn't even know if they were in the room when she'd mustered the strength to say it. They must have. Because the next day there were two different people in the room....

@lestrange
@susanvictoria
@carson (carson is welcome if he'd like to jump in, entirely up to you.)

(...... Bay makes me wanna cry.)

[Deleted]

It had been an insane month for Andy, and for many others of course. Still, she had received a message from Carson, whom she barely knew, stating that he needed her to come to his place and help her with something. She had no idea what he could possibly want from her, but she went anyway. He told her not to bring anyone, that it was a delicate situation or something. She arrived to find a Braelynn near dead, Carson telling her that they had to pretend she was dead for now and he made her promise not to tell anyone other than Susan. Apparently Leigh had remembered that Andy and Susan were close to Bay and had told Carson they were the only ones he could trust. Andy had never felt so much pressure in her life. She and Bay had just become good friends this year but... she cared about her, very much. She was surprised that Leigh had noticed it. Still, she was grateful that she was someone Bay could trust right now. The only issue was, she had to keep this a secret from Phil and Zander. It was easy to avoid Zander, considering he had been hiding out at home for the past month.

So, ever sine that day Andy and Susan had been going to Carsons on the weekends to try and bring Bay back and heal her wounds. With the help of Carson and his wife but they still weren't getting very far. Andy had taken on a sort of motherly position on this, setting strict rules on what was to be done when she was at school and whatnot. Her and Susan where there now when Bay spoke for the first time since they had brought her. Well, the first time her words resembled English. Andy flew to her side, taking one of her hands. "Susan, grab the water," she asked, her eyes on Bay. "Braelynn, hey. We're here. We can't let you go," she said slowly.

@braelynn
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

It had been difficult, not telling another living soul that Bay was alive and in the care of Carson Abbott and his family, especially since she had been in and out of conscious all week. She had had lunch with her little sister earlier in the week when things had looked worse; she had nonchalantly asked her sister about her healing work, and while she was more than happy to jabber on about it, Susan had mentally taken notes and reported back to Carson what she said. Now, it seemed that her unknowing assistance was paying off. "Of course," she said as Andy directed her to grab the water, already three steps towards the pitcher and glass. Andy had taken on a motherly role, and had been the one to tell her when Bay was brought in. Susan didn't mind though; Andy had been close to tears at all times when their friends were still kidnapped and she was happy to see that this leadership role was keeping her busy.

"Bay? It's us, we're here and we're not going anywhere," she whispered as she pressed the water glass into Andy's hands as hers were starting to shake. She trusted Andy to be able to administer the water better than she, for it was the first time their friend had said anything since her arrival two weeks ago. She felt her eyes begin to well up, and she brushed the tears away impatiently. Now was certainly not the time to show any sort of tears, not if Bay was about to open her eyes and return to the world of the living.

@braelynn
@lestrange

[Deleted]

Words. Someone was trying to talk to her. What were they saying? Braelynn tried to discern the words, concentrating to understand at least a little. But like water they seemed to slip right through her fingers. Bay let out a shaky breath, turning her head a little as she forced her eyes to open. Just like before, they were dark shapes and blinding light. Unlike her hearing though, her eyes began to focus a little, sharpen just enough that she could start to make out what, or rather who, those two dark shapes were.

Her friends, Andromeda and Susan.

Her vision blurred and and stung as her eyes watered, barely containing the tears. Why were they here? Wherever here was. Why did they look so concerned and relieved at the same time. "... sorry.... all my.... fault..." the words almost didn't come out, and they left a burning sensation. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, hoping, praying the darkness would take her back. Take her far from here. It wouldn't come though.

@lestrange
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

Andy caught Susans eye as she handed her the glass of water with those shaking hands. Andy tried to give her an encouraging smile, but her lips didn't really move. Hopefully the look in her eyes was enough. She turned back at the sound of Bay's voice. "... sorry.... all my.... fault..." Andy leaned forward, trying to ignore her own tears threatening to appear as Susan wiped her eyes beside her. Andy's self appointed roll of the head healer in this entire situation was the only thing that was keeping her from completely losing her head. That, and the fact that Phil was being very good about not trying to force her to explain what she was doing on the weekends.

She tilted the water glass toward Bay's lips. If she didn't take it, Andy would use her free hand to open Bay's mouth, guiding her to drink it. "It's just water. We promise," she said, trying to encourage the half conscious girl to take the water. Even with all the magic in the world Andy believed that water was always the best cure, at least to start.

"Bay. I'm going to ask you a few questions. Try to answer them. Just try," she prompted, pulling the glass back. "What is your name?" An easy one, to start.

@susanvictoria
@braelynn

[Deleted]

Susans' heart just broke for Bay as she tried to speak. All she had been able to say was 'all my fault'. Oh Bay, Susan thought sadly, what happened to you? She almost couldn't believe that was one of her best friends lying on the bed. Who had done this to her, and more importantly, who would actually want to harm someone as sweet as Braelynn Rousseau? Whoever it was, they would pay, Susan thought determinedly. Since the attacks, Susan had felt herself begin to change; she stood up to will for the first time almost ever, and had asserted herself as an adult. She had even sided with Edmund, and the two of them always butted heads in family arguments. She imagined if she went home this summer there would be some awkward conversations, but right now her attention was now focused on Bay, and how happy she was that she hadn't gone home with William.

Susan moved to the other side of the bed and sat next to her friend. Gently, she reached out and covered her friends pale hand with one of her own. She knew sometimes just a reassuring touch could be immensely helpful. She looked across to Andy. "I can help hold her head up if you want to try and get some water in her," she suggested.

@lestrange
@braelynn

[Deleted]

Why did it have to be Susan and Andy? She'd betrayed both of them, and they didn't even know it! No, Braelynn had betrayed everyone. She'd been the perfect chess piece for Elaine, because no one had suspected that sweet, smart Braelynn could possibly be involved. No one would have even believed it possible. Did Susan and Andy know? She didn't know. And it scared her. Not knowing what they did, and didn't know. OR what had happened to her. What had happened to Zander. Zander.... His name still made her heart hurt.

They were trying to help her. Nurse her back to health. Braelynn forced her eyes to open again, and focus on Andromeda, the one who currently held the glass of water. She didn't say anything though, and refused to open her mouth. While the rest of her body seemed quite content ignoring any and all commands to move, at least her own head was responding. In her eyes was a silent begging though. For Andy to just leave it be. After another moment she closed her eyes and turned her head away, letting out a shuddering breath.

Braelynn refused to speak, keeping her eyes closed and head turned away.

@lestrange
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

Braelynn was being stubborn, that much was clear. Bay focused in on her and Andy knew what she was thinking. She just wanted to die. She wanted Andy to give up on her. Andy had felt that before, but maybe not to this extenet. She wanst going to let that happen, not if there was a poissiblity that Bay could be saved. Plus, she couldn't bear seeing Zander the way he had been these two months. Andy had only gone to see him once, but she had been keeping tabs on him and it was... not good. She was not only doing this for herself or for Susan or Bay. No, she was doing this for Zander too. Someone she barely knew. But if she was in this condition and Phil was even half as upset as Zander was, she would beg someone to bring her back. If only for Phils sake.

She didn't bring that up just yet as Susan offered to hold Bay's head so she would drink. Right after Susan offered, Bay turned her head. Andy sighed, and turned to Susan. "We're probably going to have to force her," she said, nodding. "You get her mouth open," she said, gesturing to Bay.

@susanvictoria
@braelynn

[Deleted]

Susan didn't understand; why was Bay refusing their help? Zander had told them all that Bay had been the one who helped him escape. It was because of Bay that Carson had been called, who had sounded the alarm at both Hogwarts and the Ministry. The Headmaster, some of the professors and the might of the Aurors and Law Enforcement had gotten to the derelict old mansion where they had been held and had gotten everyone to safety. She knew one of the members of her own house, Cain, had been badly tortured, but other than some extreme emotional damage, most people seemed whole. “Bay, it's okay, we know you're a hero,” she whispered to her friend, squeezing her hand. “You're the reason everyone is safe, and you almost sacrificed yourself doing it. It's okay to accept help now,” she murmured soothingly as she reached for Bay's face. She gently started to pry her friends' mouth open so Andy could get some water in.

She thought of who had done this to Bay; her own sister, Desirae Rousseau. The thought of her own blood nearly killing her was enough to make Susan's blood boil. She and William had their differences; indeed their last encounter ended quite angrily. But she knew that Will loved her, and would never resort to doing anything like this. Nobody in her immediate family would. She knew though that someone had betrayed her father; she wondered if there was an afterlife, if her father knew the identiy of his assassin, the one who betrayed him. “Please, Bay. Stay with us,” she pleaded, the tears beginning to fall freely down her cheeks.

@braelynn
@lestrange

[Deleted]

They didn't get it. They didn't know. What she'd done. What she'd been apart of. So, at first, she didn't move, just refused to look at them, or move. Until Susan was speaking. Telling her she was a hero. Braelynn flinched, the word like a sharp dagger to her heart. "I'm not!" Bay's voice cracked as she forced the words out, anger and pain and self loathing in her voice. She didn't save anyone. "I'm not...." She repeated, this time only pain remained in her tone as she pulled her hands away from her friends, bringing them close to her chest.

While still recovering, she had enough strength to roll onto her side, curling up into the tightest ball she could and ignoring the shooting pain that ran through her body with the motion. "You don't know.... what I am. What I.... I've done." She muttered, barely managing to hold back a sob. "I could have... have stopped it. All of it. But I didn't...!" This time she had to pause to catch her breath, her chest hurting from speaking so much and her voice shaking with the barely contained tears. "I let them k-kill those students... I... I helped them." Now she was crying, but the way she was laying would make it hard for her friends to comfort her if they tried. "Ethan.... I... I let him die. I could have stopped it. It's all my fault...."

Guilt. overwhelming guilt. It was tearing the girl apart. Leaving her unrecognizable to even herself. What had she become..?

"Please... don't help me..."

@lestrange
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

Andy stared at Bay as Susan encouraged her, explaining that she had saved everyone. She bit her lip, trying not to let tears fall down her own face as Bay began to respond to them. Bay pulled her hands back and Andy didn't reach out to them, not yet. Bay was saying a lot of things and was clearly in hysterics. She could have stopped them? She helped them? She was pulling further away from them, panicking and crying and asking them to leave her. To not help her. That was what snapped Andy back out of her emotions and reminded her what she was doing. She didn't try to touch Bay, but she did reach over and place a hand on Susans shoulder as she spoke.

"Bay, we don't care about any of that. What you did or didn't do before. Things are different now," her voice was soft, at first, until she said Bay's name firmly. "Braelynn," she started, "Zander is alive because of you. They kidnapped several students, thirteen of them, and a lot of them were tortured but Zander was untouched. You saved him Bay. And..." she hesitated, glancing to Susan as if to warn her that she was going to break the big news to Bay now, "he thinks your dead. Desirae tried to kill you. I... he thinks your dead, Bay, and we were waiting until you were better to bring him here," she leaned forward now, removing her hand from Susans shoulder to place it on Bays arm instead, "if you can't try and get better for us at least do it for Zander." She hoped this would work. Not only was it a good tactic, it was all completely true.

@susanvictoria
@braelynn
(aaw -feels- these three <3)

[Deleted]

Susan's eyes widened as Bae finally spoke. She claimed to have done things, terrible things, been part of something terrible. But Susan knew deep down that whatever Bae did, it was not of her own volition. “Bay, you can't possibly blame yourself what happened, this can't fall all on your shoulders,” she pleaded with her friend. She looked over at Andy, feeling helpless. “Please Bay, listen to us. You must get well. Zander deserves to know you're alive; you saved him and that's what matters now,” she said softly.

Susan stood up and beckoned Andy over to her. “What do you think she means? Do you think Desirae had something over her?” she whispered quietly, so that Bay could not hear them. She glanced over at their best friend, lying on the bed, refusing to look at them. She was refusing their help; it was almost as though she felt guilty over what had happened. “Do you think maybe Des made her make an Unbreakable Vow? If Elaine did it to Ethan, I wouldn't necessarily put it past her,” she suggested, making a scowl of a face. Every passing moment a wave of anger flowed through Susan towards Bay's older sister. Desi had been a Ravenclaw as well, but she had always had the impression that she didn't have much time for Susan. Bay and Desi were night and day; Susan loved Bay like a sister should. She realized, in that moment, that she truly hated Desi for what she did to her friend. And she would pay – one way or another.

@lestrange
@braelynn

[Deleted]

Braelynn couldn't stop the sobs. And each one hurt. She deserved it though. She didn't know what she'd done, but she deserved it. Desirae trying to kill her. The look on Zander's face when he realized what she'd done. Seeing him get hurt because of her. She deserved it all. When they said his name though, her whole body froze. The tears stopped as she stared wide eyed at the wall. He thought she was.... was dead?

She felt a wave of relief. That he was safe. That he'd gotten away. Horror that he knew exactly who she was. Love for the boy that had so thoroughly stolen her heart. Grief that he wasn't here, and she couldn't try to apologize for everything. "He knows." she finally muttered. "He... he found out. He knows what I did..... he.... he.." she was crying again. "Please. Please don't tell him. I didn't do anything. I just.... I watched when they took him...! I let them hurt..." She pushed herself even farther away from them, until Andy's hand dropped to the bed instead of her shoulder.


@lestrange
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

Andy let Susan take the reigns for a moment and held her breath as Zanders name was mentioned. Bays eyes were wide as she looked at the wall realizing what they were saying. Andy bit her lip and turned away from Braelynn, letting Susan beckon her away. ”I don’t think so. Nobody is stupid enough to show their face to someone and not mess with their memory. I have no doubt that whoever this ‘big bad guy’ is that they probably made it so no one could talk about him. Even his followers,” she knew about how dark wizards thought and Unbreakable Vows weren’t the only way to keep information a secret. ”As for Desirae… I don’t think she knew what she was doing,” she frowned, turning back toward Bay with a bite of her lip.

Then Bay spoke again of how Zander knew what she did. How she watched them take him until she was too far to reach. Andy shook her head, turning back to Susan. "I don't know if the emotional stuff is really... in my skill set," she admitted with a sigh. She reached her hand over that was originally meant for Bay and placed it on Susans arm instead. "We need Zander," her voice dropped in volume, though Bay may have still heard it.

@braelynn
@susanvictoria

[Deleted]

Susan bit her lip and sighed sadly; it was clear to her that they were not getting through to Bay just the two of them.  How could she tell her friend that she needed to stop blaming herself?  That the other students had voluntarily joined this band of students who were involved in the kidnapping of the other students.  It was clear to Susan that it was not what Bay was about.  "Bay, you have to remember, you didn't choose to go with them; you really had no choice.  The other students that went willingly?  That was their choice.  That's what makes you different from them, your choices," she stopped for a moment, hesitating on what she was going to say next.  She and Andy had tried the soft, best friend route - perhaps it was time for a little tough love.  "Now Bay, you have a choice.  You can choose to lie here, feeling guilty about not being able to step in to help the people who got kidnapped, or you can scoop yourself up, remember that you still have loads of people who love you, and help us win this fight," she said strongly.  


With a look at Andy, she walked out of the room and went to go find Carson.  Andy was right; if the two of them could not convince Bay not to give up in the fight, then maybe Zander could.  She found them downstairs and she cleared her throat.  "Sorry to bother you," she began nervously.  "Is there any way to get Zander here?  I think that maybe his presence could really help Braelynn in her recovery," she told them.



@lestrange
@braelynn

@carson