𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘆𝗲𝘀, ( 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿 )

[25] ALL WAS WELL

THE FEW THINGS MARIELLA MAY NEVER FORGET IS, the police lights and noise. The amount of fire trucks and tears she cried. She sits in the back of an ambulance, blanket wrapped around her as her head bobbed back and fourth in shock and exhaustion.

"Mariella? Mariella? Marlie!" Charlie DeGray's stern voice bellows through the packed parking lot as he runs around in search of his daughter. His precious, Mariella. His only child. He had a late night at the firm, working on a case when he got a call from the police. Saying they needed him at the school that moment. He forgot to even call Emma, he had left so quickly.

He found her finally, her eyes tiredly drooping and body shaking underneath the blanket she wore over her clothes. He lets out a breathe he didn't realize he was holding and ran toward her, lifting her up from the ambulance and hugging her tightly. "It's okay, Marlie. You're okay," He whispered. And, Mariella chose to believe it.

♧

They sat in the hospital now. Mariella's head laid on Mike's shoulder as she closed her eyes and played with his fingers, absentmindedly. She bounced shook her leg up and down at the same time.

Lucas and Dustin had passed out in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs while they waited to hear news on Will. Mariella opened to eyes slowly before looking to Mike, her hand still playing with his.

"Do you think Will's okay? I mean, obviously he might be scared and of course there will be superficial injuries. But, do you think he's gonna be okay, okay?" She rambles looking at him tiredly. "Sorry. I'm being annoying," She adds.

"No, you're not, Mars. I'm sure he's okay, alright? Just try to relax. I need you to relax," Mike responds, gripping her hand and smiling softly at her.

She nods in response, her head falling back onto his shoulder. "Maybe El's okay," She mumbles before closing her eyes again.

"Maybe she is," Mike responds, agreeing as he looks around the packed waiting room. Everyone was either sleeping or distraught.

His eyes light up when he sees Jonathan approaching the door, opening it with his bandaged hand and everyone who was awake turning towards him. Mike and Mariella stare at him with hopeful wide eyes.

"Yeah," He nods to them, keeping the door open as he watches them both shake at Lucas and Dustin.

"Guys. Guys, he's up. Will is up. Guys, Will's up," Mike says, shaking Lucas while Mariella grabs Dustin's shoulders and shakes him as well.

"Wake up! Wake up!" She shakes him, Dustin's eyes fluttering open and Lucas already looking around at them.

Once they were up, they were all rushing out of the room excitedly and down the hospital hallways and into Will's room. Mike throwing open the door with a wide smile and Mariella bumping into his back, she was running so fast. Dustin and Lucas bumping into hers. Will's eyes light up.

"Byers!" Lucas shouts out as they all run towards him laughing, Mike and Lucas embracing him.

"Be careful. Be careful with him," Joyce frets, as any mother would do.

"Guys, guys. Go easy on him," Jonathan chuckles as he watches Dustin hug him tightly before Mariella tugs him off and tosses her arms around Will with a toothy smile.

"You won't believe what happened when you were gone, man," Lucas says, smiling at Will happily.

"It was mental!" Dustin laughs.

"You had a funeral," Lucas pipes in.

"Jennifer Hayes was crying," Dustin recalls.

"And Troye peed himself," Lucas says, Will exclaiming and laughing at the comment.