Falling for the unloveable

Finding her

Elias:

"Gracie what was that all about?" I walk back inside shocked by Iris' sudden and highly dangerous departure. Her father was driving at top speeds before she had time to put her damn seatbelt on for fucks sake. What is his problem?
"Nothing" is all she can say to Mal's question, who is passing Diego over to addy.

"Clearly it was something, he drove off three times over the speed limit when she had barely closed the door" Jake, Aidans and Malcolm's faces harden with anger while the girls frown. Iris may have pushed us all away but we all still care about her just as much as before.
"Wait does this have something to do with what was on her back-" addy abruptly stops talking when Gracie cuts to her with a sharp head shake.

"What was on her back?" I'm first to question with more than intrigue-I'm concerned-fearful of the answer. Addy shrinks back from our unyielding eyes that literally surround her.
"Nothing" she squeaks and Mal sighs.
"Girls we only want to help your sister but we can't do that if we don't know what's wrong" Gracie bites her lip and emotion bubbles in her eyes oh god that's not a good sign.

"There's nothing wrong" she barely whispers and it's clear it's a blatant lie. "Gracie please" Kim squeezes her hand in comfort and reassurance.
"I can't" she shakes her head edging toward the door. "Wait where are you going?"
"I need" her voice shakes and she pauses to breathe in slowly. "I need to see my sister" I frown, why is she so desperate to get away. Is the secret so terrible?

"Wait which one?"
"Ava" she's halfway to the door already and before another person can question her, she races out of the house. "I'll go after her, are you two okay here?" I look to addy who nods solemnly. I take her confirmation and jog off to catch up to Gracie who has barely made it down the road.
"Gracie wait up!" She must hear me because she speeds up. "I won't ask you about it but you can't leave!" I quicken my pace until I reach her side.

"Your sister left you with us, so you're safe, please don't go. She'd never forgive us, I'd never forgive us if you got hurt" she sniffles but slows to a stop.
"Hey what's wrong?" She dabs at her eye.
"I'm scared for her, Elias"
"Because of your dad? He won't hurt he's her father" I assure but my confidence wavers as more tears fill the corners of her blue eyes.
"Right Gracie?" My heart drops as she shakes her head before launching herself into my chest.

She sobs, wetting my shirt but I can't pay any mind to that as I hug her back. Her own father? How can she not be safe with him?
"Does he hurt her Gracie?" She cries louder and I take that as a yes. Fucking hell. My poor girl.
"What about you and Ava? Does he hurt you too?" She shakes her head, peering up at me.
"She never let him, she always put herself in front of us so she'd take the hits instead" oh my god I knew she was selfless but it takes a certain kind of person to willingly get hurt in place of others.

"You can't tell anyone" Gracie pleads.
"No one can know. She'll hate me, she'll never speak to me again if she finds out I told you" she's terrified of that absurd idea, Iris could never hate her. "I can't promise that Gracie" as soon as my words register she wrenches herself out of my embrace and backs away from me.
"No, no, no" she shakes her head repeating the same word to herself.

"What have I done?" Her eyes go wide with terror of her own actions. Her hands are shaking though I'm not sure she can see that through her blurred eyes. "Gracie it's going to be okay i promise" I edge closer, my hands up to show I'm only trying to help. "You can't promise that. She has done everything for me and I couldn't do this one simple thing for her" her breathing gets shallower as she continues to panic about how her sister will react however, I think she's just as overwhelmed with madness at herself.

"Gracie you're going to have a panic attack if you don't calm down" my words go over her head as her hands start to claw at her chest.
"Gracie look at me" I hold her arms, just below the shoulder, now that's she's stood in one place.
"Tell me five things you can see" her eyes dart to mine, begging me to fix whatever is happening to her. "Five things kid, come on"
"Y-you" she forces out with a scratchy voice and i nod. "Well done, four more" I coax.