Chapter Text
Ethan Green has never been the smartest guy.
Sure, he’s good with cars. He’s had his hands under a hood since he knew how to walk, after all. When it comes to common knowledge type stuff though… well, he’s just not the brightest of the bunch. Not just when he was in school, he doesn’t give a shit about school. Lex did real bad in high school, but she’s the smartest person he knows. No, it's more like in life. He never knows what to say to people, never knows how to word what he’s thinking in a way that makes sense.
He never knows how to make people stay, that one’s sure.
Which is how he finds himself here, sitting in the dusty nostalgia that is his room, completely alone. He runs his thumb over the torn up old crochet blanket his Ma made for him in rehab once. That was back before he met Lex. Back when he was just a screwed up little kid with a screwed up mother. She wasn’t always sober. She certainly wasn’t all there, but she tried. She’d sit him up on her lap and sing in a round, breathy voice, and she’d make him lumpy pb&j’s when she couldn’t be trusted with knives.
Then came the cops, and the courts, and Mr. Keane. Then went his Ma, running out of Hatchetfield before she could be charged. Then went his old life, but it was fine. He met Lex, and Hannah, and he made it through high school. He was okay. Until he had to go and screw it all up. He runs a gloved hand over his face, gaze lingering on his phone. Maybe he should just call her. Tell her he’s sorry, and that he knows he’s an idiot, and he’ll never do it again.
Maybe he made it worse.
A pit of dread settles in his stomach, and he’s already reaching for his phone when it starts ringing. He breathes a moment’s sigh of relief when Lex’s name pops up, and he’s hitting ‘accept’ before he can even think of what to say.
“Lex!” He starts, breaking out into an incredulous smile. “God, Lex. I am so, so sorry. I didn’t-“
“Ethan.” A smaller, more direct voice than Lex’s answers, a little shaky. “Lexie’s hurt.”
His heart drops out of his chest again. He grips the phone tighter. “Hannah, what-“ He cuts himself off. Time for that later. “Where are you right now, Banana?”
“Lexie’s room.” She answers. He can hear in her voice that she’s been crying. “Momma’s wrong. Meteor showers. The songs in black and blue.”
Ethan doesn’t know what the hell that means, but he doesn’t want to upset Hannah by saying as much. He searches around frantically for his keys before finding them in his pocket. “I’m on my way.” He assures, trying not to sound as panicked as he feels. “How’s Lex doin’, huh? How's she hurt?”
“Momma hit her on the head.” Ethan pulls the phone away from his head to swear under his breath, pulling it back as fast as he can.
“Is she breathing?” He asks hurriedly, slamming his car door. His heart is beating a mile a minute.
“Yeah.” Hannah says tearfully, and Ethan wants to scream or punch something or both, because how dare anyone make his girls cry. “She just fell asleep.”
“Passed out.” He corrects, regretting it even as he does. He doesn't wanna freak her out any more than she already is. “I’ll be there in five minutes, Banana. Are you safe? Where's your mom now?”
“She left.” She sniffles, and Ethan breathes. The first real respite he’s had in this conversation. “Ran away when I screamed. Momma’s wrong.” Hannah repeats. “Rotten fish. Songs in black and blue.”
“Everything’s gonna be fine, Hannah.” He interrupts whatever spiral she's about to go down. He wouldn't know how to respond to it anyway. “Hang up on me, and call your sister an ambulance, okay?”
“No!” Hannah exclaims, as if he’s being the crazy one here. “No hospitals. They put poison in your blood. They turn you all blue inside.”
Ethan’s brow furrows in worry. Hannah’s always been weird about stuff, but this paranoia’s a new one. “They turn you- Hannah, Lex needs a doctor.” He tries to keep his voice calm and even, but it doesn't really work.
“Nuh-uh.” She insists, tone getting stubborn in the way he's all too familiar with when it comes to the Foster girls. “No doctors. Lexie needs you.”
“I don't- I can't help her like a doctor can.” He argues, taking a sharp left through an empty street. “Look, you stay right where you are. I’ll be there any minute. I’m gonna hang up and call nine-one-one.”
“No, Ethan-” She starts, but he hangs up on her before she can talk him out of it. The genuine fear in her voice sends a pang of guilt running through him, but he puts it aside for now. He fumbles with his phone one-handed, speeding down the street to witchwood forest. It's a miracle he doesn't run himself off the road before he dials nine-one-one. What he's met with is something… unexpected.
“Thank you for calling emergency services,” Rings a chorus of smiling voices, all in unison. Their customer service tone sing-songs up and down in a way that's almost entrancing, if it weren't so unsettling. “Your call is important to us, as it means that you have not yet been found by your apotheosis. Please stay on the line while we trace your call. The police will be there shortly.”
“What the hell?” He mutters, pulling his phone back to check the number, confused when it's exactly what he dialed. He listens again, but is met only with static and the quiet sound of breathing in unison.
“Fuuuuck that.” He concludes, hanging up and focusing back on the road. He doesn't know what the hell is going on, but he will be goddamned if he lets it keep him from getting to Lex and Hannah. Not now. Not when they need him.
He's not messing this one up.