I have to begin

a new struggle, a battle

but I will be strong

and prove the odds wrong

because my life

is not a game

and can not be played

for the devils fame.

"Alright Emma," Dr. Graham says, smiling, "I don't want to see you back here."

He's referring to the hospital, signing my discharge papers.

I laugh. "Don't worry, I don't plan on coming back."

He laughs again, giving the clip board to a nurse. He shakes my moms hand, then my dads before turning back to me. "Take care of yourself. You might experience some headaches and nausea for the next fews days, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to call my office."

A nurse calls for him down the hall and he leaves. My dad gets behind me, beginning to push me away.

"Are you ready to go home sweetheart?"

"I've been ready since I got in here," I say, laughing.

My dad has done some digging and has discovered that Liam Vaughn is a senators brother. And to avoid any public uproar in the social media, the judge agreed to give him a light sentence. Community service and a court ordered outpatient rehab admittance.

Its not fair.

My dad figures someone paid the judge off, and he's hiring a lawyer to investigate.

We make it off the elevator and just inside the entrance.

"I'll go pull the van around," my dad says, leaving out and wrapping his jacket around himself.

My mom sits down on the bench beside me, smiling.

"It must be cold out," I say, gesturing outside. "Is it supposed to snow soon?"

My mom nods. "Yes, its supposed to snow next week, but you never know."

I glance again outside. A boy comes into view, holding flowers. For some reason, he makes me think of Tyler. Maybe its his smile when he greets an elderly lady in a wheel chair, giving her the bouquet of pink roses, or maybe its the way his eyes light up when he's talking to her. Tyler was always kind and determined. He made anyone laugh, even if they were having the worst of bad days.

My mom stands up, squeezing my should. I follow her glance and see my dad has parked the van outside.

"You ready to go home?"

I nod. "Ready as I'll ever be," I say, silently wishing I could walk out but glad to be leaving, none the less. My dad helps me into the van, then shuts the door, folding the wheel chair and putting it in the back. The ride home is silent, my mom pipping up every few minutes to ask how I'm feeling, or if I'm too cold.

Once we pull up into the driveway, the front door swings open and Aiden, Ben, and Joey scramble out. My mom and dad get out, while Joey rushes to the van door, pulling it open with a grin on his tiny face.

"Emma, You're home!" He yells, then glances down at my leg. His goofy, happy grin disappears. "Are you going to get out?"

"Dad is getting a wheel chair for me," I say, glancing behind the seat. My dad has the trunk door open, pulling out the wheel chair. Ben goes to help him, while Aidan stares at me, not saying a word.

My mom kneels beside Joey. "Honey, why don't you go inside and tell your brothers we're home," she says, kissing his forehead. He pouts a little but sighs, running back into the house, dropping a mitten off his hand.

My mom sighs, shaking her head. "What am I going to do with that boy?" she asks as my dad pushes the wheel chair to the side door. "He loses his mittens and hat every other day."

Aidan chuckles. "He gives them to Bella, that's where they go," he says, finally speaking.

A smile tugs at my lips. "Awe, thats so sweet of him," I say.

After my dad lifts me from the van and into the wheel chair, we head inside, pausing first at the stairs.

My dad grunts, before lifting me up into his arms again. I cuddle into his chest, absorbing the warmth. "Aidan, bring that damn thing into the house," he says, walking up the few steps. "I'll have to build a ramp."

We enter the house, and in a sudden, starling moment, cheers erupt.

My brothers, friends, and neighbours stand in the kitchen, smiling and laughing while they welcome me home. Surprised and a little embarrassed, I end up laughing. Aidan opens up the wheel chair and I am lowered into it, facing everyone.

"Were you trying to give me a heart attack?" I ask, making a few chuckle. Balloons hang from the ceiling and float around, and a banner is tacked to the wall. In black its says 'Welcome Home Emma!', surrounded by happy faces and spontaneous scribbles.

My parents go into the kitchen, greeting some of the neighbours. I glance around, noticing Andrea'a parents are here and Austin's mom.

If Dianna is here, Austin must be too.

Andrea and Carter rush forward, grasping me in a hug.

Carter leans back, a smirk peering on his face. "Are you looking for your boyfriend?"

"He's not her boyfriend," Jude snaps, coming up beside Carter.

Andrea laughs. "Are you stupid or something? Have you not seen them kiss?"

Jude narrows his eyes at her. "Don't call me stupid," he says, turning to face Andrea directly. "And yeah, I'd rather eat roadkill than see them kiss."

I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Will you two shut up?"

They are worse than Jude and I bickering.

"I second that," a familiar voice says. I turn around and see Daniel.

My eyes widen. "What are you doing here?"

He hugs me, smiling. "I came to see my favourite sister of course," he says.

How cliche. "I'm your only sister, loser," I say, rolling my eyes.

"How are you feeling?" my oldest brother asks, eyeing my leg.

"Like I've been run over my a truck," I say, shrugging.

Daniel cracks a smile. "Under any other circumstance, that may be funny."

"Don't you have exams to write?"

Daniel nods. "Yeah, I got a deferral and I'll write them in January," he says, smiling.

For the next hour, everyone hangs out but eventually I roll over to the sofa. Andrea follows, sitting beside me. My friends and brothers continue to hold conversation, leaving us be.

"Where's Austin?" I ask, pointing out he's not here.

My best friend sighs. "I honestly have no idea," she says, shrugging her shoulders. She doesn't make eye contact, glancing at the wall.

"You suck at lying," I tell her.

Andrea shrugs, grinning. She's about to say something but my mom interrupts, asking who wants cake. Joey and Bella, who are prancing around her like she's a God, follow her into the living room, placing a chocolate cake in front of me.

She fends them off, giving them the first slices.

"Wow, you guys really went all out," I say, as she hands me a plate with a slice of cake on it. Aidan flops down on the sofa beside me. "Maybe I need to get hit by a truck more often."

"Emma, don't talk so foolish," my mom snaps, and I lower my shoulders.

"Too soon?"

Andrea chuckles quietly beside me, her head down. Aidan sits on the other side of me, nudging me.

"Shut up," he says, shaking his head.

I shut up. It must be the pain medication wearing off. It makes me irritable.

"Hey," I say. "Where is Quinn?"

He hasn't spoken to me since before the incident. Aidan gestures with his head to the very corner of the room. Sitting against the wall, Quinn has his head down, his fingers busy pushing the buttons on his phone.

As if he feels my stare, he looks up, meeting my eyes.

Quinn gets up off the floor, leaving the room without saying a word.

I can't follow him, so I just sit there.

I sit on the sofa until everyone is gone home. Andrea hugs me, saying something but her words don't register. Soon, I am alone and stuck with looping thoughts that tug at the edges, threatening to wear me down to a raw nothing.

****

"What do mean, Mr. Vaughn has no charges against him?" My dad shouts at the suited lawyer in front of him, his fists clinching in anger. My mom stands beside him, grasping his arm to calm him down.

We're in a lawyers office, trying to determine why Mr. Vaughn, the man who drunkenly hit me with his truck, is walking away, scotch free.

"I'm sorry sir," the lawyer states, his face passive. "I'm not at liberty to discuss Mr. Vaughn's case with you."

My dad snorts. "This is pathetic! He almost killed my daughter and he's getting away with it?" He shakes his head, laughing humorously. "No, he won't. We'll take him to court. I don't care if there's a trial. He will not get away with this."