Don't Stand By Me (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

ELVIS

August 9th 10:01

They say when faced with something like what we were going through, the best thing to do would be to not stress, try not to panic, and try and reminisce on the best memories you have with the person - that's what came up when Violet googled it anyway. It was difficult to think back on my favourite memories of Kiara as I stared at her, limp and essentially lifeless in that drab hospital room.

Violet had not spoken a word in twenty four hours, something so utterly unlike her it left a sinking feeling in my gut. We both tried to ignore something obvious - there was a very big chance Kiara was never going to wake up. We never vocalised this, especially in front of Cassie who couldn't be dragged from Kiara's side, but we knew deep down. It was just a matter of accepting it.

I hadn't said much either. Dixon had returned home to get some of his and Cassie's belongings and explain the situation to their father - with major editing. Fitz had been stuck at work, based off of the text messages he had sent me while checking up on Violet every ten minutes. He was dealing with the fallout of Richard's death at the canyon and the extraction team being unable to find his body. It was likely in pieces scattered throughout the depths. Brent and Pearl visited every day, but once Pearl would leave, Brent also remained silent in his visits, choosing to stand in the doorway and stare at Kiara, as if willing her to wake up with his eyes.

Despite the entire week that had occurred, this was somehow the weirdest part of it all, each one of us completely silent without Kiara there to poke fun at us for being so dramatic.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Fuck!" I snapped, running a hand through my hair, "We can't just keep sitting around like this."

"What else can we do?" Brent sighed.

"Maybe we could just talk. We haven't done much of that in the last few days."

"What the fuck are we supposed to talk about?" Cassie said quietly, almost to herself.

"Maybe we could share our favourite memories of Kiara. Her ego might wake her up. Like you googled, right V?"

Violet nodded hollowly, eyes trained on Kiara.

"Great. I'll start.' I paused, trying to wrack my brain which I had been not using in the last few days, "I think my favourite is the day we moved into our apartment. The power hadn't been switched on yet and our furniture wasn't delivered so we shared a mattress on the living room floor. We lit candles and spent the entire night making shadow puppets on the wall and eating cold pizza."

"I think my favourite memory with her is yet to come." Brent said simply and I gave him a nod and an encouraging smile.

"The night we went to go get gas." Cassie started, clearing her throat as her voice broke, "I woke up in the middle of the night, couldn't get back to sleep. I was too anxious, everything from the last few days was just really getting to me. I didn't say anything, didn't even move really and she woke up, asking me if I wanted to build a blanket fort." She sniffled.

"Vi?"

She shrugged, nestling further down into her uncomfortable seat.

"Come on, Vi."

She shook her head vehemently. And that was that. Our brief moment of peace and comradery was over as four of us sat in silence, watching over Kiara as her monitor slowly beeped to fill the void.