Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > The Mixed Tape
Somehow, she knew it. She knew that that particular day, was going to end disastrous. I, as a completely unbiased narrator, assume that when it's a catastrophe concerning one's flesh and blood, you just sort of have a gut-feeling. A sort of...spidey-sense. Cassandra was having that sensation. For a whole day, she felt sick, as if something was coming.
"Something wicked, this way comes." Cassandra said, and she was sitting on Peter's legs on the ouch, drawing circles on his back. He propped himself up on his forearms and did his best to turn and look at her.
"What? Don't be creepy." He said, and she chuckled.
"I'm not being creepy. I'm alluding to the horrible feeling in my stomach. The one that's making me think my whole world is going to explode." She got up off of the couch, and laid on the floor. "It's fine. Maybe I'm just about to start my period or something." He laughed, and got up and laid on the floor next to her.
"I know what kind of feeling you're talking about. I also know that it's usually nothing. You're fine." She nodded slightly and turned to face him.
"I'm tired." He said, face in the carpet.
"Me too. Let's go take a nap." He nodded and stood, offering a hand to Cassandra so she could do the same.
They made their way down the hall, silently. Since Peter's room was before Cassandra's, he stopped in front of her, kissed her cheek, and slipped into his room. She stood for a second, then decided to follow.
He had his back turned to her as he removed his shirt and his pants, leaving him in nothing but boxers. He was startled when he finally did notice her, but then he laughed.
"Do you need something, Cass?" She just looked down. She was ready to cry, but had absolutely no good reason to feel that way.
"Can I sleep in here?" She said it quietly. He noticed how afraid she was, and pulled her to him.
"Cass, I don't know what's got you so worried, but I'm sure it's going to be fine. Of course you can stay with me. Come on." He sat down on the bed, and took her hand, making her do the same. He kissed her cheek again, and she removed her over shirt and pants, leaving her in her hamburger shirt and boyshorts. They snuggled deep under the covers, and he pulled her as close to him as possible. He had no idea what had her so distressed, but he had never seen her this way. Not since the day her mother had died. As his eyelids got heavier, he reasoned her fear as symptoms of sadness from the one-year anniversary of her mother's death that had taken place the day before. That had to be it. These feelings of fear were simply repercussions. He looked down at her, and noticed she was already sleeping. Sure enough, minutes later he was doing the same thing.
RRRRRRRING!
Cassandra's cell phone was making an obnoxiously loud noise from under her pillow, waking her up, and scaring the shit out of her. She answered it.
"Hello?" She said, groggily.
"Hello. This is Mercy Hospital. Am I speaking to Cassandra Combs?" Cassi's heart stopped, and her words came out, broken and barely audible.
"Yes. This is she. Is something wrong?" She was panicking, and as Peter woke up, he noticed it immediately. He touched his hand to her shoulder.
"Your father, Brent Combs, is in critical condition. We assume he jumped from the balcony of your 3rd story. His condition is extremely unstable. I'd hurry."
"Thank you." Cassandra was shaking violently, and Pete quickly held her, trying to calm her down and get some answers. She couldn't cry. She couldn't move, or breathe.
"Dad....jumped....unstable..." She was stuttering, muttering, completely inaudible. He lifted her chin and made her look in his eyes.
"Cassi. Talk to me. Breathe." She closed her eyes and swallowed, exhaling.
"My dad's in the hospital. He tried to kill himself. Take me to him." Pete's eyes got wide. Immediately, he helped her out of bed, and to the car, driving faster than he had in forever.
When they arrived at the emergency room, Cassi rushed to the front desk.
"I'm Cassandra Combs. I got a call. My dad's here." The receptionist gave her some papers that Cassandra quickly completed, and directed them towards the ICU.
When they arrived at her father's room, a nurse was waiting by the door. She extended her hand, and when Cassi went to accept it, the nurse held her tight, for quite awhile.
"Cassandra, I assume?" The nurse was speaking in a comforting tone, Cassandra noticed as she nodded.
"Your father isn't doing so well. Right now he's in a drug induced coma as we go in and do our best to stop the internal bleeding. His brain has hemorrhaged twice, so whether he lives or dies, he'll never be able to talk to you again, most likely." Cassandra was still unable to cry, and she couldn't even begin to process the information she shoved into her still tired brain. Pete thanked the nurse, and led Cassandra to a chair in the waiting room.
She finally lost control, and began sobbing.
"Peter. I'm an orphan. I've lost both of my parents." Pete just rubbed her back, not knowing what to say.
"I should have been there. I should have stayed at home, and made sure my dad knew there was someone left who loved him limitlessly like mom. He needed me to be there. I never was. I was too busy worrying about me, instead of being a good daughter and making sure my dad was healing. My dad is dying, and it's my fault." She was crying so hard Peter could barely understand her, but he'd heard enough to know she was blaming herself for this mess.
"Cass, this is not your fault. You could have been there for your dad day and night and this still couldn't have been avoided. He wants to be where she is. Not even having someone there everyday to ease the loneliness would have kept him from jumping. This is not your fault in the slightest. Please believe me. She looked at the tile and breathed in the intense smell of 409. She cried harder. She felt sick Her head felt like exploding and her stomach was back at the house. Nothing could have made her feel better. Not even Peter. Just then, then nurse entered.
"Cassandra. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but now would be a good time to come tell him goodbye. There are too many irreparable damages. He won't make in through the night." Cassandra nodded and wiped her eyes. She had to be strong.
She walked into his room, and nearly threw up. There he was. The man that had taught her how to ride a bike, to play piano, to make hamburgers on the grill. He was the guy who had taken her to every first day of school before 10th grade, and had let her know it was okay that she didn't make the softball team. It was he who became best friends with Pete's dad. He was the reason Peter was in her life. But even those things considered, he was still laying on that bed. This would be the last place she ever saw him alive. She couldn't handle it. She went to leave but something stopped her. Her mother.
Cassandra knew her mother would have made sure her father didn't die alone. Her mother would have forced her to face her father, even if he was unable to hear her say she loved him in his last hours on earth. Orphan-dom was fast approaching, but the worst time for holding grudges was now. She turned back around and walked slowly to her father's side, sitting in an uncomfortable chair by his bed. She touched his hand, and spoke.
"Dad. Why? Mom's gone. I know. I know it's hard. But you still have me. I'll do anything. I'll be there every second of that's what you need. Just don't leave me here alone. You're not alone. You wouldn't want to be alone. SO please, dad. Please don't leave me here." She felt like she was talking to bricks. Sh couldn't sit here and plead selfishly. She didn't have time. She sighed and started over.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I can't be mad at you. I love you. SO much. And even though I don't understand why you're here right now, or why you needed it all to be over, I still love you. You're still my dad. Thank you. For raising me well. For loving me endlessly. I mean endlessly with no strings attached. If that's even possible. You taught me almost everything I know, dad. You've helped make me the person that I am. You gave me my sense of humor. And my blue eyes. Thank you for wisdom. Thank you for instilling your morals into me. Thanks for loving me even when I was a punk who wore too much make-up and always broke curfew with Peter. Thanks for bringing him into my life. I love you, dad, and I hope that you got what you wanted by doing this. I'll always think about you. How could I not? I love you so much." She couldn't talk anymore. He let go of his hand and buried her head in her palms, crying uncontrollably.
All of a sudden, his heart monitor started beeping faster, and closer together. Nurses rushed in, and forcefully rushed her out. She could only watch helplessly, as her last immediate family member slipped away. As the monitor made an ongoing beep, and showed a flat, green line, Cassandra froze, and did the only thing she could do.
She ran.
"Something wicked, this way comes." Cassandra said, and she was sitting on Peter's legs on the ouch, drawing circles on his back. He propped himself up on his forearms and did his best to turn and look at her.
"What? Don't be creepy." He said, and she chuckled.
"I'm not being creepy. I'm alluding to the horrible feeling in my stomach. The one that's making me think my whole world is going to explode." She got up off of the couch, and laid on the floor. "It's fine. Maybe I'm just about to start my period or something." He laughed, and got up and laid on the floor next to her.
"I know what kind of feeling you're talking about. I also know that it's usually nothing. You're fine." She nodded slightly and turned to face him.
"I'm tired." He said, face in the carpet.
"Me too. Let's go take a nap." He nodded and stood, offering a hand to Cassandra so she could do the same.
They made their way down the hall, silently. Since Peter's room was before Cassandra's, he stopped in front of her, kissed her cheek, and slipped into his room. She stood for a second, then decided to follow.
He had his back turned to her as he removed his shirt and his pants, leaving him in nothing but boxers. He was startled when he finally did notice her, but then he laughed.
"Do you need something, Cass?" She just looked down. She was ready to cry, but had absolutely no good reason to feel that way.
"Can I sleep in here?" She said it quietly. He noticed how afraid she was, and pulled her to him.
"Cass, I don't know what's got you so worried, but I'm sure it's going to be fine. Of course you can stay with me. Come on." He sat down on the bed, and took her hand, making her do the same. He kissed her cheek again, and she removed her over shirt and pants, leaving her in her hamburger shirt and boyshorts. They snuggled deep under the covers, and he pulled her as close to him as possible. He had no idea what had her so distressed, but he had never seen her this way. Not since the day her mother had died. As his eyelids got heavier, he reasoned her fear as symptoms of sadness from the one-year anniversary of her mother's death that had taken place the day before. That had to be it. These feelings of fear were simply repercussions. He looked down at her, and noticed she was already sleeping. Sure enough, minutes later he was doing the same thing.
RRRRRRRING!
Cassandra's cell phone was making an obnoxiously loud noise from under her pillow, waking her up, and scaring the shit out of her. She answered it.
"Hello?" She said, groggily.
"Hello. This is Mercy Hospital. Am I speaking to Cassandra Combs?" Cassi's heart stopped, and her words came out, broken and barely audible.
"Yes. This is she. Is something wrong?" She was panicking, and as Peter woke up, he noticed it immediately. He touched his hand to her shoulder.
"Your father, Brent Combs, is in critical condition. We assume he jumped from the balcony of your 3rd story. His condition is extremely unstable. I'd hurry."
"Thank you." Cassandra was shaking violently, and Pete quickly held her, trying to calm her down and get some answers. She couldn't cry. She couldn't move, or breathe.
"Dad....jumped....unstable..." She was stuttering, muttering, completely inaudible. He lifted her chin and made her look in his eyes.
"Cassi. Talk to me. Breathe." She closed her eyes and swallowed, exhaling.
"My dad's in the hospital. He tried to kill himself. Take me to him." Pete's eyes got wide. Immediately, he helped her out of bed, and to the car, driving faster than he had in forever.
When they arrived at the emergency room, Cassi rushed to the front desk.
"I'm Cassandra Combs. I got a call. My dad's here." The receptionist gave her some papers that Cassandra quickly completed, and directed them towards the ICU.
When they arrived at her father's room, a nurse was waiting by the door. She extended her hand, and when Cassi went to accept it, the nurse held her tight, for quite awhile.
"Cassandra, I assume?" The nurse was speaking in a comforting tone, Cassandra noticed as she nodded.
"Your father isn't doing so well. Right now he's in a drug induced coma as we go in and do our best to stop the internal bleeding. His brain has hemorrhaged twice, so whether he lives or dies, he'll never be able to talk to you again, most likely." Cassandra was still unable to cry, and she couldn't even begin to process the information she shoved into her still tired brain. Pete thanked the nurse, and led Cassandra to a chair in the waiting room.
She finally lost control, and began sobbing.
"Peter. I'm an orphan. I've lost both of my parents." Pete just rubbed her back, not knowing what to say.
"I should have been there. I should have stayed at home, and made sure my dad knew there was someone left who loved him limitlessly like mom. He needed me to be there. I never was. I was too busy worrying about me, instead of being a good daughter and making sure my dad was healing. My dad is dying, and it's my fault." She was crying so hard Peter could barely understand her, but he'd heard enough to know she was blaming herself for this mess.
"Cass, this is not your fault. You could have been there for your dad day and night and this still couldn't have been avoided. He wants to be where she is. Not even having someone there everyday to ease the loneliness would have kept him from jumping. This is not your fault in the slightest. Please believe me. She looked at the tile and breathed in the intense smell of 409. She cried harder. She felt sick Her head felt like exploding and her stomach was back at the house. Nothing could have made her feel better. Not even Peter. Just then, then nurse entered.
"Cassandra. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but now would be a good time to come tell him goodbye. There are too many irreparable damages. He won't make in through the night." Cassandra nodded and wiped her eyes. She had to be strong.
She walked into his room, and nearly threw up. There he was. The man that had taught her how to ride a bike, to play piano, to make hamburgers on the grill. He was the guy who had taken her to every first day of school before 10th grade, and had let her know it was okay that she didn't make the softball team. It was he who became best friends with Pete's dad. He was the reason Peter was in her life. But even those things considered, he was still laying on that bed. This would be the last place she ever saw him alive. She couldn't handle it. She went to leave but something stopped her. Her mother.
Cassandra knew her mother would have made sure her father didn't die alone. Her mother would have forced her to face her father, even if he was unable to hear her say she loved him in his last hours on earth. Orphan-dom was fast approaching, but the worst time for holding grudges was now. She turned back around and walked slowly to her father's side, sitting in an uncomfortable chair by his bed. She touched his hand, and spoke.
"Dad. Why? Mom's gone. I know. I know it's hard. But you still have me. I'll do anything. I'll be there every second of that's what you need. Just don't leave me here alone. You're not alone. You wouldn't want to be alone. SO please, dad. Please don't leave me here." She felt like she was talking to bricks. Sh couldn't sit here and plead selfishly. She didn't have time. She sighed and started over.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I can't be mad at you. I love you. SO much. And even though I don't understand why you're here right now, or why you needed it all to be over, I still love you. You're still my dad. Thank you. For raising me well. For loving me endlessly. I mean endlessly with no strings attached. If that's even possible. You taught me almost everything I know, dad. You've helped make me the person that I am. You gave me my sense of humor. And my blue eyes. Thank you for wisdom. Thank you for instilling your morals into me. Thanks for loving me even when I was a punk who wore too much make-up and always broke curfew with Peter. Thanks for bringing him into my life. I love you, dad, and I hope that you got what you wanted by doing this. I'll always think about you. How could I not? I love you so much." She couldn't talk anymore. He let go of his hand and buried her head in her palms, crying uncontrollably.
All of a sudden, his heart monitor started beeping faster, and closer together. Nurses rushed in, and forcefully rushed her out. She could only watch helplessly, as her last immediate family member slipped away. As the monitor made an ongoing beep, and showed a flat, green line, Cassandra froze, and did the only thing she could do.
She ran.
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