We raced down the street, gasping and panting, as fast as we could to the house. We arrived just in time to see the paramedics slam the ambulance door and drive away. The front door of the house was wide open, and a pale, tear-stained Don was talking to the two cops. We rushed over to them, ready to demand answers. They looked up at our approach. One if the cops, a sullen-looking woman with short blonde hair, scowled at us. "Look kids, this ain't a show, now-" Don cut her off. "These are my sons, officer, and their friends. They- they need to know." Fresh tears spilled over from his eyes. We all stared, and the cop cleared her throat. "Well, um... I'm afraid there was an attack on your house. Someone broke in and fired off several bullets. One of them hit Mrs Way, in the stomach." I heard the sharp intakes of breath from the boys around me. Tears clouded my vision, and I reached out impulsively to grasp Gerard's hand. He clutched mine back just as tightly, and asked in a hard voice, "Did you get the bastard who did it?" The second cop, a small, young-looking man, spoke up at that point. "Not yet, but we will. He's not exactly a criminal mastermind, we have his description from your father and two other people who saw him. Judging by what we've been told, he was under the influence of substance abuse of some kind, be it alcohol or drugs." I shuddered at the word 'drugs'. It reminded me too much of Mitch. Wait. Mitch... "Wh-what did he l-look like?" I stammered. Don looked at me worriedly, but answered my question. "He was big, tall and wide, shaved head, with a snake tattooed around his neck." I quivered, as my fears were confirmed. "I know who he is." Tears were sliding furiously down my face. The policewoman put her hands on my shoulders. "Honey, tell us everything," she commanded. I looked down. "My... legal guardian, Mitch," I didn't like calling him my dad. "He got caught recently, for abusing me and dealing drugs. I've stayed here with the Ways since. This guy... he was buying drugs off Mitch as soon as we moved here. They must have known each other or something, I don't know. But he looked like Mitch's best customer..." I trailed off. The male cop studied me. "So much so that he would do Mitch's dirty work?" "Maybe, I don't know." I whispered. I was shaking and sobbing now. This was my fault. All my fault. The policeman voiced my guilt. "Well, it appears that this attack wasn't random. It looks like the attacker targeted this household as a kind of revenge on Mitch's behalf." My sobs wracked through me even harder. "That's only speculation, of course," he said quickly, seeing my distress. "The evidence will have to be studied further. But, one last thing, do you know anything about this guy? Name, address, anything like that?" I thought hard, and suddenly remembered one conversation I'd overheard, a long while ago. I'd been in my room, unpacking my meagre belongings, and our gate had clicked. I'd been to the window, and seen that guy approach the house. Mitch had let him in, and I overheard their greetings... "Mitch called him Tommy, once." I murmured. The cops glanced at each other. "Thankyou," the woman said. "We'll find him. Don't worry." And with no other words, they left. Their car pulled away, and all stood in silence. Tears stained every face. Gee wrapped his arms around me, and I buried my face in his chest, while he pressed his chin into my hair. Guilt coursed through me mercilessly. This was all because of me. I got Donna hurt, that guy had showed up because I was staying here. I pictured her, deathly pale and haggard in a hospital bed, her life draining away from her, because of me. I hurt everyone. I'm like a plague, no-one is safe. The more I care, the more people get broken. I didn't deserve to live, the world would be so much better off without me. Suddenly, the urge to harm myself was crashing through me like a tidal wave. I needed the sweet release of pain in my system, like a crack addict in need of a daily hit. Gerard still held me, but I wanted to pull away, I wanted to run from him and hurt myself before I hurt him. But I'd already hurt him, hadn't I? I'd gotten his mother shot. How could he ever want to be with me after what I'd done to her, to his family, to him? They must want me gone so badly, so they could return to their normal lives. I should leave them all alone, and let them live without my misfortune hanging over their heads. I had to go. "We should go to the hospital." Don's voice shocked my out of my reverie. I felt Gee nod, and I pulled back out if his embrace. Frank and Ray said they would go home, tell their families, and visit Donna later. So Gee, Mikey, Don and I got into Don's car and drove to the hospital. I leant my head against the window, gazing out unseeingly, clawing at my wrist fiercely with the nails of my right hand and deciding once and for all to leave the Way family in peace.

Notes

I'm so so so so sorry this has taken so long!!!! I feel like I've neglected this story. It's my baby. But I had an English Lit exam, which I'm pretty sure I failed epically, and then I got stuck writing this chapter. Hence the general crappiness of it. But I'll pick it back up in the next one, I swear. And I'M SORRY FOR HURTING DONNA!!! DON'T HATE ME! That's how the story has to go. It made me cry :'( but it had to be done.