Pushing My Limits

"What the fuck, Man!?" Chris yelled as he was ushered away from the beach and towards a cruiser.

"Stay the hell away from Kathrine," Zacky pointed an accusing finger at him.

"I didn't do anything! I saved her!" Chris argued and Zacky scowled.

"You were trying to kidnap her and tried to kill her by drowning her!"

Without another word, Chris was violently shoved in the back of the police car. Leaving him to bang on the windows with cuffed wrists as he plead innocent. Angrily, Val approached her friend, "Why are they taking Chris away?" She demanded and Zacky turned to her.

"Jacoby told me that Elizabeth had a friend named Chris on tour and he seemed suspicious when police interviewed him about her disappearing," He explained.

"Chris has been protecting Kathrine this whole time!" Val exclaimed.

"Protecting her from what?" Zacky questioned.

"Like I know! All I know is that something happened over tour, involving Elizabeth, and Chris has been keeping her safe," Val said.

"Then what was he doing out there with Kathrine this late? You saw him, Val. She was laying there and Chris was over her."

"He was screaming bloody murder for help, Zack," Val put her hands on her hips, the signature sign to let Zacky know to stop talking.

After the police sirens had faded into the distance, the rest of the family- and curious neighbors- watched as Kathrine was wheeled on the gurney and into the waiting ambulance.

They climbed into Val's car and sped off to the hospital as Val debated on calling her ex-husband.

Matt turned over, groaning at the blasting ring tone of his phone. He stretched his arm out and snatched it off the charger and answered, "Who the fuck is calling me this late," He demanded and Val sighed.

"Your daughter's mother," She growled and he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Val, what happened?" He asked, already sensing something wrong.

"We're on our way to the hospital," She replied quietly as she wiped silent tears from her eyes.

"What the hell happened?" He asked as he jumped out of bed, grabbing a random pair of jeans and a shirt.

"We don't know, Matt. We all went to bed and in the middle of the night we heard someone screaming for help. We ran out the back and to the beach and we saw Chris, Kathrine's friend, on the beach. Kathrine was on the shore, soaking wet, and unconscious," She explained.

"Who's Chris?" He asked.

"The friend that," Val paused, but she figured this would be better if she spoke the truth, "drove Kathrine out here when she left Huntington." Matt almost crushed his phone our of anger.

"You told me you picked her up halfway," He accused.

"I know. I know. But when you called she really wasn't here yet. She told me she had to do something important and they really came a day later..." She trailed off.

"She drove all over Southern California with some boy I've never even met and stayed with him overnight?!" He yelled, "Valary, how could you be so irresponsible!" He grabbed his keys and slammed the door behind him as he jogged out to his car.

"I was doing everything I could to keep her happy. What she did sounded really important and I trust Chris," She argued back and he shook his head.

"Where is this Chris guy now? I he at the hospital? Because if he is you better tell him to get the hell out before I get there," He growled.

"Well," She paused.

"What is it?" He snapped and Val sighed.

"He's at the police station," She answered quietly.

"So you let her drive all the way to you with a delinquent. Great!" He stepped on the gas pedal a little harder.

"He didn't do anything wrong, Matt. It's just Zacky being paranoid."

"Zacky?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, when he came out of the house and saw Chris- I mean after he talked to Jacoby about Elizabeth. He just thought Chris had done something to Kat."

"Wait? Jacoby and Elizabeth?"

"Yeah. Alex told us that one day she asked Kathrine what was wrong and all she said was 'Elizabeth Greenway'. So Zacky sped off to talk to Coby. Coby said that Chris and some other guy- Elliot- had been her friends and that he didn't trust Chris," Val explained.

"Alex is there too?"

"They're all here. I thought you knew..."

"You're telling me that you let Zacky go down there and I can't even see my own daughter!" He was furious again.

"I thought you sent him to find out what was wrong!" Val yelled back.

"Me and Zack aren't on speaking terms right now, Val," He spat and Val sighed.

"The you know what, why don't you drive down here and settle things with him because I'm done, Matthew."

With that, Val shut her phone and turned to glare Zacky.

^^^^^

I groaned as I tried to turn in the bed, but I was immobile. My head spun and I felt like a weight was pushing down against me. Slowly, I opened my eyes to a burning light and was met with the starchy walls of a hospital room.

Remembrances from last night came back to me. Everything that I had done- jumping, drowning, and being saved. I also remembered my conversation with Elizabeth. Though I was in pain, I felt at peace knowing that everything was alright.

"Kathrine?" I heard Gena's soft voice from beside me. I turned to look at her and I saw tears in her eyes.

"Where's Mom?" I asked and she sighed.

"She's outside arguing with your dad," She replied. Dad? He's here?

"Why is he here?" I wondered.

"Well he wasn't going to sit at home when his daughter is in the hospital," She said softly as she put the back of her hand on my forehead, as if checking my temperature.

"Where's Chris?" I demanded suddenly. I heard him when I was on the beach, but couldn't see him. Gena remained silent, "Well?" I asked, "Where is he?"

"Zacky thinks he was trying to kill you... He's at the police station," She whispered and tears filled my eyes.

"He was helping me," I sobbed.

"Sweetie, Alex is outside. Do you want me to get her?" And I nodded.

Moments later, Alex slowly stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. She sighed and stood there, arms crossed over her chest, a disappointed look in her eyes, "You jumped didn't you?" It was more of an accusation than a question, but I nodded anyways.

"How do you figure?" I asked, moving so I could sit up in the bed.

"Well, I'm the only one besides Chris that has somewhat of an idea of what happened to you over summer," She said, not bothering to take a seat.

"Okay then...Let's hear what you think of me," I said and she sighed.

"I think you witnessed Elizabeth Greenway being kidnapped. I think you know who did it, and I think this person did something to you so you wouldn't say anything to the police. I think this person also knew Chris, but by the looks of things Chris doesn't seem to care about him very much. From what my Dad has told me, this Elliot guy- who's M.I.A.- seems to have something to do with it," She stopped, "So how right was I?"

"You seem to have everything right except for one thing," I said.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Elizabeth Greenway wasn't kidnapped," I told her.

"Then where is she?"

"She's dead."