chapter twelve
salt meets wound
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"Why are you taking that off?" Aria asked as she saw Hanna struggling to keep the sticker on her cast. "I'm not. I'm trying to keep it on, believe me, I don't wanna see the autograph that's under it." she explained to her friends, causing Josie to sigh softly. "Well, we can get you another sticker," Josie offered as she, Spencer and Emily brought in all Hanna's gifts inside. "Yes, this time why don't you try something mellower like 'Save the Planet'" Aria suggested. "Hey, there were not a lot of choices, okay?" Spencer defended their choice of sticker. "It was either 'Humpty Dumpty' or 'Jesus is Coming. Look busy'." Josie added with an amused smile.

"Oh god it's still there." Hanna sighed when pulling off the sticker. "Hanna, Hanna don't, okay?" Josie said as she bent down to help put on the sticker. "Don't look at that. Just look around you. Cause you're safe, you're home, and you're alive." Josie said, trying to comfort Hanna. "Well, I thought I was safe in my hospital room too," Hanna shot back, making Josie sigh. "Now what's going on with Noel Kahn? Is he A? Have you talked to him?" Hanna asked, looking towards Aria. "No, I avoid him. I keep telling him I'm busy" Aria said, "Busy freaking out every time I look at him." Aria muttered but they all heard her. "Well, try being run over by him" Hanna said, making the girls share a look, before Emily noticed a Panda. "Who got you this panda?" Emily asked as she held up the panda plushie. "Sean?" she asked.

"Lucas," Hanna corrected with a sigh. "Aw, sweet," Emily said while Josie smiled. "Is anyone else starving or is it just me?" Hanna asked. "Your mom said she left a special dinner for you in the fridge." Spencer said. "Pass," Hanna said, "I want a Pop Tart." Hanna said. Earring looks from the girls. "What? I've been on hospital food for three weeks. I want to eat something that doesn't look like it already has been chewed." she admitted making Josie laugh quietly.

"Okay, well, why don't you eat while we go get the rest of your stuff." Aria offered as Josie squeezed her shoulder as the girls went to pick up the other things from the car. "Hanna," Aria said as the girls entered the kitchen area. "If you're gonna stay down here tonight we were-" Aria started but Hanna cut her off. "Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Down here's good," Hanna said nervously.

"What happened?" Spencer asked when she saw several boxes laying on the floor by Hanna's wheelchair. "Nothing, just knocked a few boxes down." Hanna said. "Well do you-" Josie was cut off as the girls bent down to pick them up. "No! No, no, you don't have to clean, uhh, you can go. Seriously, my mom is gonna be here soon." Hanna said quickly, making the girls look at her. "Wait, so now you want us to leave?" Aria asked confusedly. "You don't have to put on a brave face for us, okay?" Spencer added. "We get it. If being alone is freaking you out we can absolutely stay as long as-" Josie was cut off by Hanna.

"No, no, I'm just-I'm fuzzy and I think it's from this pain medication." Hanna said, hoping they'd get it. "Yeah, I need a nap." she said with a small laugh. "Okay, can we help you to the couch?" Emily asked. "No, you've done enough. Seriously you guys, go." Hanna said to them. "Okay." Emily said, reluctantly.  "Call me," Emily said, making Hanna nod. "Yeah," Hanna agreed. "Yeah. Me too, any time." Aria added. "Me too, you know," Josie added in with a soft smile before the girls slowly left the house.

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"So Hanna's okay?" Jennifer asked her daughter as they ate breakfast. "Yeah, she's doing fine, sore but fine, she's at home with her mum now," Josie said as she ate a piece of her toast as her mother nodded with a smile. "That's good, ima send over a care package later, let them know we're here," she said as she got up and put her plate in the sink and grabbed a coffee cup, making herself a coffee. "I'm just glad her injuries weren't worse," Josie admitted as looked at her mother.  Jennifer nodded. "Well, like i said, Hanna's a tough cookie, she can get through this, but you better get to school, don't wanna be late darlin," she said as she handed Josie a to-go coffee cup. "Thanks mum" Josie said as she left for school.

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Josie, Emily and Spencer were walking out of class, Emily talking about the dinner she was having tonight, the one with Maya and her family. "I'm just not sure I want to be there." Emily admitted making Josie frown. "I'm sure it'll be fine Em," Josie said as she gave her friends a comforting smile, hoping to relax her. "Just... make sure Maya doesn't do all the talking." Spencer said as the three walked down the hallway. "You know, If she starts going over a cliff, you grab the wheel." Spencer added as Josie nodded in agreement but before she could speak up, a voice calling out to them was heard.

"Spencer, Josie, Emily, wait up." Mona said, causing the three girls to stop so Mona could catch up to them. "I just found out that Hanna's mom's got some bank thingy in Scranton and won't be home till really late, so...I want to do a surprise party. You know, 'Welcome home Hanna. We love you with or without your spleen' I've checked with Mr. Hanna, and Sean's totally down with it." Mona rambled, making Josie share a look with Emily and Spencer.

"They didn't take out her spleen." Emily informed her with a shake of her head, making Mona look confused. "Really? Then I'll just change the theme." Mona said as she smiled and began walking away but before she could Spencer Stopped her. "Mona," she said, causing her to turn around to face them. "I'm really not sure Hanna's up to hosting a bunch of people at a party." she said gently, hoping it would stop it from happening. "Oh, please. She's been socializing with I.V. bags and bedpans. She'll love it." Mona insisted, making Josie sigh, she knew Hanna was nowhere near close to wanting to host a party. "If you guys don't want to come I'm sure she'll understand." Mona said with a smile before walking off making the girls turn to each other, with knowing looks.

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"I hope Emily's dinner party goes well, she was so stressed about it," Josie admitted to Richie as the two walked to Hanna's. Josie knew she had to check up on Hanna anyway, so why not go to the party, Richie heard about it from Sean so he was going with Josie. "Emily is going to be fine, plus she'll tell how it went tomorrow, tonight let's focus on Hanna." Richie said, as they entered the Marin house, Party already started. "There she is," Josie said as she spotted Hanna in the kitchen. The two walked up to her. "Hey Hanna Banana," Josie said as came to a stop next to Hanna.

Hanna looked up to see Richie and Josie standing next to her, making her sigh in relief. "Hi guys," she yelled over the music. Josie knelt down to be eye level with her, as well to hug her. "How are you doing Hanna?" Richie asked as he lent down and hugged her after Josie had. "I'm good, thanks, why don't you guys go enjoy the party? Spencer should be around here somewhere," Hanna said, as she scanned the kitchen area. "Alright, we'll check in later, alright?" Josie said as she linked her hand with Richies as Hanna nodded, making the teens wave at her as they left her in the kitchen, the two teens spotted Aria talking with Noel, but Josie tensed lightly, remembering he might be A.

The two walked over to them as the conversation ended as Noel walked away. "Everything okay Ari?" Josie asked, making Aria turn to her and Richie. "Yeah, just some complicated relationship problems," she said, covering up the real reason, just because she knew Josie wanted Richie to stay out of this for as long as possible. "Well, if he becomes an asshole, let me know," Richie offered as he sent Aria a smile as he wrapped his arms round Josie's waist, causing the blonde to blush. "Thanks," Aria said before walking off leaving the two alone.

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Later that night, Richie went to speak to a few friends, leaving Josie with Aria and Spencer as the three sat on Hanna's staircase. "You need to call Alex." Aria to Spencer. She had explained what happened, that A had gotten in between them and they had broken up. Spencer sighed and rolled her eyes before turning to her friends. "And tell him what?" she asked. "I can't undo this without telling him about 'A'." Spencer said with a sigh as Josie rested her against Spencer's leg from where she sat, a step below them.

"Unless you think I should go into the kitchen and ask 'A' to put down the piece of pizza and call Alex himself." Spencer said sarcastically, making both Aria and Josie sigh. "Stop," Josie said as she looked up at Spencer. "We don't know that Noel....is that person." Aria said, hesitating lightly. "And besides, I'm not even sure what 'A' wants anymore. Are you?" Aria asked, making Spencer rest her head against the railing.

"You know what happens when you stick four lobsters in a tank and cut off their food supply?" Spencer asked, making Josie sigh, knowing the answer. "They start to eat each other," Aria and Josie said in sync just as Noel walked up to them, hoping to get up the staircase.

"Can I get to the bathroom?" he asked but they didn't answer, they stared at him, frozen. "Is there a magic password?" he asked, confused but all Josie and Aria did was move out of the way so he could go up the stairs. "Okay, if we find out that he is who we think he is...what are we prepared to do about it?" Aria asked as she turned to her friends once Noel was out of sight.

⎯ AUTHORS NOTE
new chapter!! also richie & josie <3