unconsciousness would be an undesirable outcome

[self_composed]

On Sunday, Bella drives to the movie theater with Angela in tow, and her car breaks on the way home from Angela's house. She calls a tow truck, and calls her dad, and she goes home in the cop car and her station wagon goes on vacation to the mechanic.

On Monday, Charlie drives Bella to school.

As she's been discharged from the car and Charlie pulls away, a van driven by a panicking teenager screams out of nowhere towards Bella.

Making wishes is easy.

It is not automatic. It is not instantaneous.

The van creams Bella, good and proper.

Comments

[edgeofyourseat]

"Oh, I know your dad is not like my dad," he says. "But I don't... know it. You know? Like, I get it on the head level, but the gut level still wants to be about a state away from anything to do with him."

[self_composed]

Bella nods.

The Helpful Charts do list illusions of various sorts. She expends a square; convincing appearances of casts appear where there had previously been real ones. "This will probably hold up to casual scrutiny as long as no one tries to write their name on one and I don't absentmindedly scratch my arm," she says. "I don't suppose my phone survived impact. And I don't really want to see how long I can fool a doctor with fake casts. Can I borrow your phone?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Yeah," he says, passing it over.

[self_composed]

Bella dials her home phone number. This is kind of weird-looking, since the phone is passing through a few splints on her fingers.

Her dad picks up instantly.

"Hi, Dad," Bella says.

[edgeofyourseat]

Alice lets out a breath.

Hearing her talk to him helps, actually.

[self_composed]

"Yeah, I'm awake - don't get in the car now, I wanna talk," Bella says. "Okay, so. I'm awake. I am much, much less hurt than what you think you saw. I want to go home, and I can't leave against medical advice since I'm seventeen. Can you check me out of here?"

[edgeofyourseat]

Yeah. Hearing her talk to him helps a lot.

Alice smiles.

[self_composed]

"Well, Dad, I could explain that, and you could not believe me, and you could ask me to prove it, and I could do that, and you could spend all afternoon hyperventilating," Bella says. "Or, you could take me out of here and not have to take weeks off work to be able to visit me and I won't have to eat hospital food and you won't have to eat your own cooking."

[edgeofyourseat]

He giggles softly.

[self_composed]

"I'd really rather not prove to all the doctors that I'm ready to leave first," Bella says. "I think I can prove it to your satisfaction - yes, Dad. I know you are not a doctor."

[edgeofyourseat]

(Snort.)

[self_composed]

"I couldn't stand on my head even if I hadn't been hit by a car," Bella says. "But I can walk around the room. Will you take me home if I can walk around the room? Please?" Pause. "I'll make the nice chicken recipe for dinner..."

[edgeofyourseat]

...Alice takes out his notebook and writes something in it.

[self_composed]

"Yes, that one, with the capers and the lemon juice. C'mon, Dad." Pause. Pause. "Yes, contingent on my being able to walk around the room, without doctor or nurse supervision. Then you roll me out in a wheelchair - well, Dad, no I don't think lying to my doctors would be a great idea normally, but telling them the truth, which you declined to have explained, would get a lot of attention. From, like, reporters."

[edgeofyourseat]

Write write write.

[self_composed]

"Okay, Dad, I'll see you in a few minutes. Love you too."

Bella closes the phone and hums to herself happily.

"What'cha writing?"

[edgeofyourseat]

He turns the notebook around and shows her.

It says:

I love you.

I'm really, really glad you're okay.

It's kind of amazing how you talk to your dad.

I love you.

[self_composed]

Bella squirms and smiles.

"Did I hear you say you were crying?" she says archly.

[edgeofyourseat]

"You did," he admits. "And I did. Twice."

[self_composed]

Aww.

Footsteps approach. Bella lies down and plays injured.

"Visiting hours are over in twenty minutes, fair warning," says the nurse who sticks her head in.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Okay," says Alice, just to make her go away.

[self_composed]

The nurse closes the door. Bella opens her eyes.

"Charlie'll be here before then," she says. And "Do you want me to try explaining to him why I call you 'Alice'?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"...I dunno," he says. "What'll happen if you do?"

[self_composed]

"Probably? He'll shrug, say he's going to call you by your legal name but we can do what we want, and then mutter to himself about my weird friends."

[edgeofyourseat]

"Fuck me," says Alice, rolling his eyes. "Think we can bargain him down to Laney?"