𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛 ✔

𝟔𝟐. 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘

Aiden rushed out of the car, Taelyn hot on his heels as they headed towards the doorstep of Mint's house.

He knocked and waited, anxiously tapping his feet on the cement steps as footsteps neared the door.

Mint appeared at the door, dressed in a bathrobe and fuzzy slippers. She looked beyond irritated. "What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night. Where did you go-"

"Mint, this is important," Aiden cut her off. "Can I come in?"

She raised an eyebrow before stepping aside. "As you wish."

He and Taelyn rushed into the house, closing the door behind them.

"The Itch Gang, you know them- they know the location of this house," Aiden explained. "Taelyn was threatened and drugged. She had no choice, she told them against her will."

Mint's eyes widened as she looked at Taelyn. "You were-"

"Don't worry about it, Auntie," said her niece. "I'm fine now, and what Aiden has to say is more important."

Mint looked reluctantly at him.

"We went to the headquarters of the Itch Gang. We escaped, barely, but you and Jynni are not safe living here. Please, take my word and move out to a hotel," he pleaded.

"I will tell Jynni now."

_*_

Cara was adamant in escaping her hospitalization. She couldn't bear to stay in a hospital bed for another week. The atmosphere was so....white.

It drove her crazy not knowing what was going on outside of the four walls that encased her twenty-four-seven.

Willow, however, saved her from insanity by visiting every day and promising that her friends would be able to visit as soon as the week was over.

Cara was getting closer to recovery as the week dragged on. She was able to formulate sentences without stuttering, she was able to walk without trembling, and most importantly, she was able to sleep without waking up in the middle of the night, sweating as a vivid nightmare flashed in front of her eyes.

She was proud of herself.

She wouldn't say that the experience back in the headquarters was pleasant nor rewarding, but it shaped her into someone that she could love.

Someone that she didn't constantly curse at, someone that she could smile at in the mirror, someone that she was able to laugh with.

She didn't love herself, not yet, but she was willing to try. She was willing to understand.

"How are you doing, love? How's the food?" a familiar, flowery voice entered Cara's ears as she ate the stale bread that had been handed to her a few minutes ago.

What a poor excuse for lunch.

"It's just great, Willow, thanks," Cara replied with stuffed cheeks. She swallowed. "I was being sarcastic, for your information."

"I can't do anything about the food," Willow laughed. "Trust me, I've tried that stuff and it is repulsive."

"Damn right."

"I heard you did wonders with a handgun back there," the nurse grinned. "I was going to ask you about it earlier but I unfortunately had forgotten."

Cara's cheeks turned red. "It's nothing, I missed most of the time anyway."

"Hey, it's something! I'm proud of you." she paused. "Cara, love....do you think you're ready to talk about what happened?"

She swallowed, her throat suddenly feeling dry.

"Don't feel pressured, if you're not ready. I'll get you a glass of water, wait here-"

"No," Cara cut her off. "I want to talk about it."

Willow's eyes widened. She nodded for her to go on.

"In the time that I've been here, recovering, I've realized that running away from my problems was the worst thing that I could have done in that situation. I..." she took a deep breath. "I knew bad things were happening to me. I had nightmares, bad ones. Myself...I blamed myself. I didn't know what I was doing to myself...the harm I was doing to my mental health. But I ran. I tried to escape. I thought that if I didn't talk about it, didn't dwell on it, it would go away....but it did nothing but build all of that up. That's why I broke. That's why I'm here."

"You're growing," said Willow softly. "I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah, yeah," Cara mumbled sheepishly.

There was a moment of content silence before she spoke up again.

"What day is it?"

"You've asked this every single day since you were sent in."

"I'm bored," Cara groaned, splaying out her limbs and stretching on the little space they called a hospital bed.

Willow raised an eyebrow. "You really are something. Well, it's Friday, meaning you've been here for six days."

"Six?" She nearly jumped out of her bed. "That means I'll be released soon!"

"And your friends are coming."

Cara's heart jumped. That news made her serotonin levels surge. Six days without them, and she was nearly out of her mind.

"How are they?" she asked, trying not to squeal.

"Taelyn got released just yesterday. She didn't have any major injuries, but they insisted her stay anyways. Aiden was the same, he went home a few days ago."

"When are they coming?"

There was a knock on the door as soon as the words left Cara's mouth. Willow's lips tugged up into a grin.

"....Just about now."