Guardian (A TBP Fanfic)

Confusion

*Kimberly POV*

I hadn't even had a moment to realize what had just happened! Grace just zoned out and then left! She rambled on about not wanting to hurt my family or anyone else, and then she just bolted! I shook my head and ran out the door, grabbing my phone in a shaking hand. I called random people until someone picked up: "Miranda Lambert, and why the hell are you calling me at 5:30?" She sounded exhausted, like she had just woken up. Well, it was like 5am. 

"Miranda, it's Grace! She left and and she hasn't come back and I don't know where she is, I'm so worried I hope she's ok, I don't want her hurt again.." Miranda cut my rambling off, "I'll go find her. You stay there if she decides to come back. She couldn't have gotten far, it's gonna be ok." She hung up. I breathed a little sigh of relief, Ran would find her. I sat and felt my heart stop, I have to tell Reid and Neil. I sat on my bed, head in my hands, deep in thought. I can't believe this! What did I do? Why did I have to act like the nosy big sister that I am? I hope she's ok. I looked up with my last thought and knew it was time to tell the boys. 

I walked out, my heart racing. I had no idea what they would say and only pray that Miranda found her. Each step felt like a heartbeat as I reached the door, Neil's room. I opened the door and turned on the light. Neil mumbled and put the pillow over his head. "Neil! Wake up!" I said, ripping off the covers. "No. Leave me alone. Ugh, what time is it?" He asked. He still acted like a teenager! "5:30!? What could you possibly want at this hour!? And don't say Starbucks again." He huffed. "Grace is gone." Was all I said. "Oh, ok. That's it?" He rolled back over. 

"WAIT!? WHAT!?" He yelled, springing up out of the bed. "Ran is going to find her, we better wake up Reid too." Neil ran past me, practically throwing me down to get out of the room. "Put on a shirt first!" I yelled after him. He didn't answer. I slowly got up and walked over to Reid's room. He was flopped on the bed, limbs everywhere, covers thrown off. "Reid! Get up! Grace ran away!" Reid jumped out of bed and ran to me. 

"What did you do Kimberly!?" He snarled. I had never seen my brother so angry, it was maybe partly because of Lack-Of-Coffee-Disorder. "I was having some girl talk with her and she just freaked..." Before I could say more, my phone rang. "I found her." I was so happy, I couldn't even remember the rest of the conversation! Until I had hung up the phone, and had the ATV keys in my hand. I ran down the stairs and  out the door. My pink ATV was sitting around from the garage.

I sped off toward our barn, riding top speed over the bumps and down the hill, almost falling off a few times. I finally reached the pinkish barn after about 5 minutes. I began to feel really angry and upset, but overall confused. I didn't really know what to say to her. I just took my helmet off and climbed off before opening the barn door. 

Grace was leaning against Romeo's stall door, his nose was nuzzling the top of her head. Miranda watched me with calm eyes. "So." She said, getting up to face me. Grace had tear tracks running down her face, still leaning against the stall. I said nothing, I felt so angry at her and at myself. "Kimberly... I.." She started. "Just save it." I said, surprising myself. Grace looked as if she was going to cry. "Kimberly, let's have a little chat." Miranda said to me, she looked a bit angry with me. "There's nothing we need to talk about, I'm just going to take her home." I said plainly. 

To my surprise, Miranda grabbed my arm roughly. "Follow me." I obeyed, really because I didn't have another choice. She dragged me outside the barn and sat me down on a lonesome haybale. "Grace is scared. And I mean real scared. Just try and be nice to her. I know what she did was wrong, but she was just trying to protect you." I sat still for a moment, without saying anything. "I'm just going to bring her home, and see what happens." With that, I walked away. I walked into the barn and ripped open the door. Grace was sitting where she was a moment ago, watching me closely. 

"C'mon Grace, let's take a drive." I said shortly. She was still in her clothes from last night. I was in my shorts and t-shirt that I wear to bed, but I didn't care. "Miranda, how will you get home?" Grace asked quietly, her voice soft. "I'll just walk, it's not that far to their house, honey. My car is in the front of their house." She smiled at Grace before handing her a mason jar half full with liquid. "Thanks." I handed her a helmet and drove away.

We drove in uneasy silence, we were both wrapped in our own thoughts. I drove until I found that little stream with the patch of woods. I got off and prompted Grace to get off too, carrying the jar. I said nothing but walked over to the rock that overlooked our small stream. I sat down, taking my sweet time, while I could feel Grace watching me. I just sat and stared back at her. "So." I said. She just stared at me nervously. 

"I should technically kick you off the tour for what you just pulled. I hope you know that." I said, still pissed. "I know. You have every right to, and if you did, I would understand. I was just trying to protect you and your brothers, you know." She said, her voice sharp like obsidian. I sat for a moment, thinking. "I don't need anyone to protect us, but thanks anyway." I said, staring at her. She just shrugged. "What is it you're so scared of?" I fired at her.

"Why am I so scared? Wow, haven't been asked that before!" She laughed, mocking me. "Hey, just answer the question!" I growled. "Are we playin good cop n bad cop? And you just happened to be both?" She had me there. "No. Just why are you so scared? Why are you trying to protect us?" Her eyes turned dark and cold. The sun was up above the horizon, it seemed about 7:30-8. 

"I don't want you to get killed. So, don't come crying to me when your family is killed by my ex-boyfriend and the man with the car." She growled at me, she got up and walked away. My mouth hung open. What just happened!? Did she really say that? Did I just ruin my friendship? Why did I do that? 

I took off running. "Grace! Grace! Come back! I'm sorry!" I yelled into the woods. I grabbed my ATV and drove wildly through the forest. I couldn't find her, and there were a lot of woods around here. I just kept going and yelling. I reached for my phone, it wasn't there! Then I remembered with dread that I had left it at home. I finally slowed down and came to a stop.

I yelled in frustration. "C'MON!" I heard laughing and turned around. "Great job. you've lost her again." Miranda smirked. I threw my bike helmet. "Where is she now!?" Miranda asked, looking pissed. "Do you really think if I knew, I'd be runnin around and yellin her name?" I huffed. "Just checkin. I'm sure she's fine. Let's keep walking around. We can find her." Miranda told me, calmly. How could she be so calm right now!? "Let's walk this way." I said, pointing to my right. Miranda obeyed and walked behind me. 

"At least it's the summer and there's not a real risk of her freezing to death, I guess." Miranda told me. "Yeah, thanks for that little uh... ray of sunshine." I snapped back, I wasn't mad at her, but at myself. I was so stupid! We looked for a little while until we made it back to the spot we started. 

"Do you have your phone?" I asked Miranda, knowing I didn't have mine. "Yeah. Almost no service, but here." She handed it to me. I clicked on Grace's contact and it wend to voicemail. "It's off or dead." I sighed, she could be anywhere by now! "I'm sure she's ok. She's not that crazy." Miranda assured me. "Alright." I started to walk back to the house but stopped. Someone was talking! "Miranda, check over there." I whispered, pointing to where we kept the extra hay in a tiny storage barn. 

The door was half open. "I'm sure it's ok. You probably shouldn't've said that, but you were angry. She's probably not that mad, I mean, he did threaten anyone you would come in contact with. Did you tell Kimberly?" I tripped forward and fell throught the door. "Smooth move." Miranda growled behind me. "Thanks." I said, getting up. I met the eyes of Carrie Underwood, narrowed and icy. "Kimberly." She said curtly. "Carrie, how'd you find her?" I asked, Carrie shook her head. "Didin't. She called me all upset and I came over. What did you do?" I sighed. "I made a stupid mistake, and told her I should've kicked her off the tour."

Carrie looked at me, with what I had never seen before, hatred. "You really told her that? It's not her fault her ex-boyfriend is running around crazy and threatening to kill y'all. This is her dream, you shouldn't be threatening to take it away." I froze, that sentence hit me like a car. "What!?" I asked. "She was trying to protect all of you by leaving." Carrie told me. I looked at Grace with tears in her eyes. "Is that true, BabyGirl?" I asked her calmy. I walked to the bale of hay she was sitting on. "Yes. I'm so sorry!" She cried. I gave her a hug. "No, I'm sorry. I was being so stupid and not listening to you." I said, hugging her.