I'll Be There For You, When The Rain Starts To Pour

1:34 a.m. I was soundly asleep, cuddling with my fiance on our comfortable bed. Until the phone rang... several fricking times. I ignored it and was willing to drift off to sleep again, but it annoyed Two-Bit so much to the point he had to stand up to answer it. I sighed as I repositioned myself between the sheets. I didn't make an effort to listen to the conversation, until Two-Bitch handed me the phone murmuring "It's for you." I'm not gonna lie. I was tempted to hang up and just go back to the cuddling, but then I thought that if anyone was calling this 'late' at night they must have a reason or it was important. So between a deep tired sigh, I spoke. "Hello?" The voice was shaking, crying and I frowned in confusion. "Sorry KitKat, Dimitri wouldn't pick up his phone. Sorry to bother you." Well of course he wouldn't pick up his phone, it was freaking one in the morning. "Elena? Um, don't worry." I heard Two-Bit groan in disagreement and I couldn't help but chuckle. Then I started thinking why the hell would Elena call me at this hour. I knew she was in California but whatever it was couldn't wait till the morning? My question was half-answered as I heard cars driving by. What the hell? "Hey, where are you?" My voice sounded concern. Something told me this couldn't be good. "I'm outside on the sidewalk...crying in Riverside, California." She sounded so worried and freaked. That made me freak a little bit too. I made an effort to hide the worry in my voice but the words alone betrayed me. "Why are you on the sidewalk? Where are your siblings? Please tell me you're not alone." Two-Bit turned to look at me, looking concern for the first time since the phone rang. His expression cleared asked me what was going on but I was too busy listening. For all I knew, this could only be a one-opportunity call. "They kicked me out...I'm alone...and it's so fucking cold!" I cringed my teeth smoothly. The family was starting to get on my nerves. How could they kick her out? What could she have possibly done that was THAT bad? It made me mad. I knew Elena wasn't a rose petal, but that didn't gave them any right to abandoned her like that. I knew Darry would have NEVER even dreamed of kicking me out because of something I did, and hell have I done it all. I took a deep breath trying to relax myself. I was not thinking straight of Elena's family and I didn't want to say something that I knew I would regret. "Ok, uh, hang on. E, do you have any money on you?" My first wild solution would be to have her come back to Tulsa, but I had my second thoughts about it. So I waited for her answer to determine my ultimate decision. "15$." I sighed. Even if she had had more money, I wasn't about to let her come home alone. I knew I had to get her myself if I wanted to make sure she was face. I glanced at the clock, fighting my desire to give in to sleep, and I rolled my eyes frustrated. "Ok, Elena, listen to me." I said placing the phone closer to my ear and mouth and speaking as clearly as I could. "Stay safe. Don't go with anyone or do anything that draws attention. I'm coming over to get you." Her voice was still shaking but it seemed a little bit calmer. "I'll be at the bar here...thank you, KitKat!" I nodded, forgetting for a moment she couldn't see me. "Stay there. It shouldn't take long for me to get there. If anything happens call me or Two-Bit, got it?" I said. "I got it." She said and hung up.

I sighed as I dropped the phone and enjoyed the five seconds I still had in the comfort of my bed. "What was that all about?" Two-Bit asked. I turned to look at him, with an empty face. "That was Elena. She's all alone in god-knows-where California and I'm coming to get her." I got up and walked towards my drawers. Putting on the first shirt I saw, some jeans, converse and a big jacket and walked over to the bathroom. "What? Wait Kitty, I can't let you go. Not when you're in this-" I walked out of the bathroom wrapping my hair into a ponytail. I looked at Two-Bit indignantly. "When I'm in what?" I asked. Two-Bit looked at me with an uncomfortable look. It annoyed me, the way he was pitying me. Maybe even anger me. "C'mon, say it." I said. "I dare you to say it." He sighed looking down. "In that condition." He whispered sofly. I nodded. "Well Two-Bit, as far as I'm concerned, I don't need your approval." I said grabbing only the essentials, placing them on a small bag, and walking to the door. As I got in the car I tried to think of how I could get to California faster. During the ride I went over my argument with Two-Bit and realize I had been really immature about it. I was tired and he just wanted to help. I mentally bitch-slapped myself about it. It's just... I didn't like to talk about it. I was still in denial. Yeah, I know that's a bad thing but at least keeps me as close to being happy as I could possibly get. I made a mental note to apologize to him later.

It took me eight freaking hours to get there and I almost fell asleep driving multiple times. I arrived at nine in the morning on Riverside and though my common sense yell at me to go to a hotel and get some sleep, I fought the need and started to look around for the bar she said she would wait on. There goes an hour more of my life. But I found her. She was sitting on a corner, tears still on her red eyes, and shaking none stop. I walked/run towards her, wrapping my delicate arms around her shoulders and conforting her like I remember my mother used to do with me. After a few minutes and as I washed her tears away, I looked at her and spoke softly. "E, what happened?"