Fell in the Forest ( A Dear Evan Hansen Fan Fic )

Ch 20-Family Reunion

Evan had been spending all of his time at the hospital with Connor one he was discharged. Eventually he had to go to school, Heidi said, so Connor was waiting impatiently for his boyfriend to come back to visit.

But then Connor's family showed up.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Connor had been in the hospital nearly a month and they hadn't so much as texted him to see how he was doing. He'd expected that, actually, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"Is that any way to greet your family?" Larry sneered.

"I thought I wasn't your family," Connor countered.

Larry had no response, so he just glared at his son. Connor glared back.

"Well, Connor, I'm glad you're doing better," his mom stepped between the two, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Yes, I'm doing better. Want to know why? Because I got help. I'm on medication, I have people I trust with whom I can talk, and I have people who love me and genuinely care about me to help me get through it." He said, staring pointedly at Larry. Larry just rolled his eyes.

"I knew this was a bad idea, Cynthia. I'm just going to sit outside and yell at old people when they cough near me on their way past." Before anyone could say anything to him, he stormed out of the room.

"Good riddance." Connor muttered.

"Honey, I'm so glad you're getting help." Cynthia said, sitting on the bed, trying to hold Connor's hand. He moved out of her reach. He didn't like it when this woman called him that. He barely knew her. If he was being honest, Heidi felt more like his mom than Cynthia did. She never seemed to care about him. Sure, she said she did, but she always let Larry rule, and never actually did anything to help. After knowing Heidi a month, she'd done more for him than Connor's entire family had done in 18 years.

"Yeah, I am."

The room was silent as no one had anything else to say.

"I'm going to make sure your father isn't upsetting the elderly patients. Zoe, why don't you talk to your brother." Connor looked up, and sure enough, his sister was hiding in the corner of the room, watching silently. Unusual, Connor thought.

Cynthia left, looking sadly at the son she'd never get to have a good relationship with, and went after her husband.

Zoe cleared her throat and stepped forward. She sat on the chair near his bed.

"I uhm...I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Connor asked. This was new.

"I'm sorry this is the first time you've seen me." She said, staring at the floor. "I came here almost every week, trying to work up the guts to walk in, but every time I stopped before I could."

"Why?" Connor asked. He didn't understand why his throat was so scratchy and sore.

"Because...I was afraid." she admitted. "You've always been so...terrible to me." Connor winced. It was true. "You always yelled at me, and it scared me. When you'd come home high, pissed off at whatever, you'd always take it out on me." A tear slipped out of her eyes and she quickly brushed it away.

"So you came and visited now because mom made you? She wants her perfect family back?"

"No, it was my idea." Connor was surprised. "I wanted to come see you." she looked him in the eye. "I came by last night, and I actually made it to your room. One of the nurses told me which one it was. I stood in the doorway, but someone was in here. I didn't want to interrupt. I was going to turn around and leave, but the person was crying. I wanted to see what was wrong." Connor gulped, knowing where this was going. "I thought...I thought you had made him cry, and I was about to storm in and chew you out, but I realized you were comforting him." Zoe cocked her head to the side. "You took him in your arms and talked him through the tears and panic. You made him feel better, you told him he was important to you."

Zoe stopped.

"Yeah," Connor said. "That was my boyfriend. He was upset because he had to go back to school without me."

Zoe nodded.

"I've never seen that side of you before." She said softly. "It made me want to give you a second chance. I know you've made some bad decisions in the past, but I shouldn't let that define the person you are now." Zoe stood up and wrapped her arms around Connor. "You're my brother, and I love you. I want to be your sister, and I want you to be my brother. Do you think we can start over, maybe?"

Connor felt tears form in the corner of his eyes.

"I'd love nothing more than that."

Four hours later, Evan walked in on Zoe and Connor sitting on his bed, laughing and talking. It was a nice sight to behold, Evan thought. Two siblings, finally getting along. Connor had told him how they were never able to see eye to eye. They must have talked it out. It made Evan glad. He knew Connor was upset over the way he walked out on his family. He was glad Connor was finally able to make amends with at least one member of his family.

***

Hey all! Sorry the chapter is so short, I've had quite a week. I had midterms and started a new job and yesterday I drove my friend to a doctors appointment which was three hours from where we live and helped her mom plan a surprise birthday party for her and yesterday I auditioned for a musical (into the woods. It was my first audition ever. I don't think I got it because my voice, while it was clear and loud also was super shaky somehow and my entire body was shaking like a leaf the entire time. Before it was my turn to go up I told myself to calm down and make Ben proud, but it wasn't working so I told myself to act like I was Ben while I was up on stage 😂 didn't work as well as I'd have liked, but I hope if he saw me he wouldn't have been disappointed.) anyway then I went to my friends choir concert that was on tour from Pennsylvania and today I had to go to early church to meet this girl I met at a conference I attended after my audition yesterday. I'm just so ready for spring break, this week has been insane. Get ready for me to potentially finish this story by the end of the week. 😁 (I'm happy it's almost over but also really sad.) I do have an idea for another story that maybe I'll start over break. If I can get 15 votes on this chapter, I'll start on the new book too. Here's my idea for it:
Cynthia places an ad for a babysitter for her son online. An anxiety ridden boy, Evan Hansen, sees the ad and applies for the job in an attempt to help out his mom. Once he shows up for the interview Evan realizes he's been tricked and won't be babysitting a kid, but is hired to be friends with the school druggie and bully.

What do y'all think??

~hamilfan123987