Hold Me Close

7. Support

CHLOE

I held Beca close, her head on my chest. I wish none of this ever happened. I wish I could have prevented it. But, the past is the past and I will be there to protect her from now on.

"We should get you to a hospital," I said gently.

She tightened her arms around me and mumbled into my shoulder. "No. No hospitals."

"Beca, you have a big cut on your head. You going to need stitches."

"Please. If I go then there will be questions and I can't do questions. Not to mention press and then more questions and Jesse finding out and..."  she grabbed my shirt. She just needed something to hold and I honestly didn't care.

"I won't let that happen Beca. You know that. Please. Just let me take you."

"Why don't you do it?"

"Beca..."  She looked up at me. There was so much in her eyes. Pain and fear and loneliness and so much more.

"Please..." She whispered. I sighed.

"On one condition," I said.

"What...?"

"If I stitch it up, we go to the hospital just for good measure. I won't let them ask any questions and," I leaned closer to her hear. "I'll let the other Bella deal with the press."

She looked at me and nodded. I climbed out of the bathtub where we had been sitting. Beca tried to follow suit but nearly fell. I grabbed her arm which made her flinch but then she let me be her support. I got her out of the bathroom and into one of the kitchen chairs and went to go find a needle and thread. Once I found some I pulled another chair up close to hers so I could take care of her wound.

BECA

Chloe pressed a wet washcloth to my forehead. I flinched and whimpered in pain.

"I know, I know," She said putting her other hand on top of mine. "This is gonna hurt okay?" she said holding a needle and thread.

"O-okay..." She started to stitch up the cut on my forehead. It hurt a lot. I bit my lip and tried not to cry. My head was pounding. A few tears fell and it started to freak me out.

You're so weak. You are nothing you deserve nothing good. My hand went to the area under my collarbone that it always does. I started to claw. Chloe stopped stitching my head and took my hand in hers.

"I know its scary but you're ok. You're safe and you have nothing to be afraid of. I'm right here." She put her non-dominant hand in mine. "Squeeze as hard as you need to but don't claw ok?"

She went back to stitching. I squeezed her hand tight. She gave a gentle squeeze back. After a little while, she was done. I didn't want to let go of her hand. It just felt so right in mine. I went to stand up, Chloe stood right up with me putting an arm around my waist. Good thing she did as my knees started to buckle. She held me close to her and basically allowed me to put my full weight on her.

"Right. Hospital now." She said to someone I think it was Aubrey maybe? I felt like I was in a fog. I was no longer panicking so I could kind of start to evaluate everything. Everything hurt. My head hurt the worst though. Not just where I had the stitches but also farther back on my head. I think Jesse hit me with a bottle? I'm not entirely sure. I heard Chloe say something but I really couldn't hear her. Everything was so loud in my head. I remember getting into a car but other then I think I passed out.

CHLOE

As Aubrey drove to the hospital I kept a close eye on the tiny brunette passed out on me. I was almost certain she had a concussion. She seemed peaceful at that moment. As if none of this had happened. She had her mouth open a little and was drooling slightly. But it was kind of cute. Her head was on my shoulder and our hands were still connected. It felt so right. When we got to the hospital I didn't try to wake Beca. I just scooped her up and hoped it didn't cause her to be in more pain. She was super light. I knew she was small but I didn't think she would be this small. Then put Beca on a gurney and took her took check her over. I knew she would be fine.

"How did you calm her down?" Aubrey asked.

"I just held her. Why?"

"Haven't you read anything on her? Nobody can get her to calm down."

"I don't like to read what people write about her," after a moment I added, "What do you mean nobody can calm her down."

"According to interviews, people have tried to calm her down when she has a panic attack but nobody can. Okay, they don't really call it a panic attack but I think that's what they are talking about."

I shrugged. " Beca's brain is different. Sometimes she just needs to be reassured that someone is there..."

"She needs to Chloe."

"I know. I just wish..."

"Help her. She needs support and she's clearly not getting it from Jesse."

"I know. I want to be there but she won't let me be."

"Catch her when she falls Chloe, just support her. You're her rock."