Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Inside Out ❯ The beginning of an End ( Chapter 14 )

Voices drifted in and out of his mind, as did occasional sounds, eventually bringing him to consciousness. The floating sensation he had been feeling for the past… he didn't know how long, dissipated, and his body began to feel again. Mind hazy, Elias simply lay where he was, letting his body adjust to the firmness underneath him. Shifting carefully, he winced as the mattress underneath him did not give, and he could not help the small gasp of pain that escaped his lips.

 

“How long is he going to be here? He's been out for a week.”

 

“Now, Mr. Taylor, patience is required. The healing process has just started, and if we don't allow things to progress slowly, he won't—”

 

“Why is he sleeping so much? Is it the painkillers?”

 

“Mr. Taylor, I don't think you're listening to me when I tell you that—”

 

“Lucas?”

 

Both voices ceased almost immediately, and a warm hand fell onto Elias's own. He struggled a moment to open his eyes, but when he did, the blurry vision of his brother came into focus. Someone was behind him, and he assumed from the white lab coat, that it was either a nurse or a doctor. Probably the latter.

 

 

His bed sank under new weight as Lucas sat down beside him, and the hand holding his own tightened some.

 

“Elias? How are you feeling?”

 

The boy groaned in response, and tried to prop himself up on his elbows. Lucas's palm pressed against his chest, and guided him back down against the bed. Leaning over him, Lucas pressed warm lips against Elias's cheek, before sitting back. The doctor had come round the opposing side of the bed, and with some sort of clip board in hand, he looked over the several machines that the boy was hooked up to.

 

“I was trying to tell you,” he began patiently, “that he is healing. He needs rest, and his body knows it.”

 

Shooting the doctor a dirty look, Lucas said nothing in response, and the doctor smiled down at Elias. Patting his head gently, the older man shook his head slightly and turned on his heel. “I will get a nurse to bring him his medication. He can stop having it fed through the I.V now that he is awake.”

 

 

As soon as the doctor was gone, Lucas helped Elias into a seated position, and repeatedly adjusted the pillows behind his back to make sure he was comfortable. He was fluffing one of them while leaning over the boy, and as he pulled back, their eyes lingered on one another a moment. Elias sniffed and Lucas closed the distance between them. His lips pressed hesitantly against the boy's as if to test his reaction, before the pressure increased. Elias tilted his head back to allow his brother more access, and Lucas's tongue swept along his upper lip before easing into his mouth.

 

Elias let out a small mew before Lucas pulled back to press a small, chaste kiss against his jaw. In turn, the boy lifted his arms to wrap around Lucas's shoulders and they stayed in that embrace for several moments, before Lucas cleared his throat to speak.

 

“They won't tell me how long you're going to be here,” he said carefully, measuring his words. He wasn't particularly sure on what he should and should not tell Elias, for fear of upsetting him. Elias listened quietly, and continued to play with the strands of hair that curled gently at the base of his brothers' neck. “And they won't tell me anything about mom, either. All I know is that they've settled a court date for him.”

 

Nodding, Elias leaned back in his brothers' embrace, and looked up through disheveled bangs. Green eyes met blue, and they stared at one another before Elias asked; “When is it?”

 

Lucas's reluctance to respond sent alarm running through Elias's veins, and he tilted his head, before his hands slipped from his brothers neck and dropped into his lap. Lucas lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair away from his face, before giving a soft sigh.

 

“February 3rd.”

 

Eyes widening at the date, Elias nearly choked on his words. “February 3rd?”

 

Lucas nodded grimly, before leaning back and away from the boy. “He refused to plead guilty otherwise, and the judge wants a clean case.”

 

Tears were burning in Elias's eyes, and he covered his mouth with his hand. The sensation felt odd, for the painkillers were still in effect, and he pressed his palm flat against his pursed lips to prevent a small sob.

 

“That's horrible,” he muttered through his fingertips. “Why would he do that?”

 

“I don't know,” Lucas replied, shaking his head. “But as long as that bastard pleads guilty, I'm happy.” He paused, before looking down at the bed sheets that were draped over Elias's legs. “The court date is only two weeks away,” he continued softly. “And I don't know if you'll be out of the hospital.”

 

“Can't I come and live with you again?” Elias pleaded. Lucas smiled, although it didn't reach his eyes. Running a hand through his dark hair, he let out another heavy sigh.

“I won't be legal until the court date, Elias. Hell, I don't even know if you'll be out of the hospital.”

Elias parted his lips to speak, but just then a nurse came into the room. She was holding a small cup, no doubt with his medication, and she flashed a bright smile towards the boy.

“Hello, Elias!” she chirped, coming to kneel down by the bed. “I have your medication for you. Do you think you would be able to take it?”

 

Nodding warily, Elias accepted the cup with the pills in it, and the small cup with water the nurse held in her other hand. As he swallowed them, she set about around the several machines by his bed, and removed a few things from the I.V rack before marking something down on the checklist by the wall.

 

“Dr. Samuel said that you can be taken off of the I.V today,” she stated brightly. “And now that you can take your medication orally, that will be fine.”

 

“What about the pain killers?” Lucas queried, turning to look at the nurse. She gave him a warm smile, her eyes sweeping over his figure appreciatively, before she cleared her throat and assumed a business-like manner. “The Doctor hasn't said anything in specific, but I'm sure it will be alright for him to continue with it for a few more days. At least until we can get a physiotherapist in here to have a look at him.”

 

“A physiotherapist?” Lucas asked, sounding alarmed. “He told me that nothing was damaged.”

 

The nurse shot a glance to Elias before stuffing her hands behind her back and looking at the chart beside the wall. “Well, I'm afraid I am not inclined to divulge that kind of information, Mr. Taylor. I have no legal right to hand out medical advice or—”

 

“What's wrong with him?” he seethed, getting to his feet so fast that it startled Elias.

He hadn't seen him like this since…. Before. And it brought back rather unpleasant memories which he didn't care much to remember. The nurse seemed startled, especially since Lucas easily gained around four or five inches over her, and she tilted her head back to meet his gaze. Her smile faltered, before she looked towards the door and then back to him.

 

“I can go ask the Doctor to come back and exp-explain things to you,” she stuttered, inching closer to the door. “I'm sorry I am of no help, but I really am not authorized to give out such informatio—”

 

“Just go get him,” Lucas snapped, and cut the woman off mid-sentence. She jumped, nodded, and made quick work of getting herself out of the room. Elias doubted whether or not the doctor would come, and he settled back onto his pillows and looked up at his brother. Lucas's eyes were trained on the door, and his fists, which were held at his sides, were clenched in anger. Elias noticed that his knuckles were white.

 

“Where is Sheek?”

 

 

“He's at work. He usually comes to pick me up around five. But never mind him, you didn't answer my question.”

 

Turning from the door, Lucas laid a hand along Elias's forehead. “You don't feel feverish anymore, but you still look out of it.”

 

“I feel okay,” Elias replied, ignoring the dull ache in his lower back. “I'm sleepy, but I'm okay.”

 

Lucas watched him for a moment, and they shared a sort of comfortable silence. Elias did not tell Lucas of the many reoccurring dreams he had had, of the times when he had been his object of fear; he did not voice his uneasiness about their father's court date, and he absolutely refused to acknowledge the dream of his mother's death.

 

His stomach rolled, and Elias tilted his head back and closed his eyes. Lucas's fingers sifted through his hair, and he let out a sigh as his hand ran down the side of the boy's face, before cupping the nape of his neck. His thumb ran over the vein that was hidden behind his ear, and he bent to bestow a kiss upon his clammy forehead.

 

“You had me really worried,” he said with a small tremor in his voice. “You just wouldn't wake up.”

 

“I'm awake now,” he whispered, able to feel Lucas's breath on his lips. Lucas's mouth curled down in a frown. He looked as if he wanted to say something, when someone behind them cleared their throat. Lucas muttered a small `fuck' and stood up, turning at the same time to see who had interrupted them.

 

“Enjoying your reunion?”

 

Lucas's shoulders relaxed, and Elias slid further under the covers, his cheeks growing warm at being discovered in their position. Sheek stood in the doorway, a carton holding two coffee's in one hand, and his cell phone in the other. A smirk fell along his lips at the sight of an embarrassed Elias, and he stepped into the room and set the coffee down onto the table beside the bed.

 

“You're lucky it was just me,” he said casually, shrugging out of his jacket. His narrow body was adorned in a casual black fitted sweater, and a pair of snug jeans clung to his long legs. His hair, which was held back in a ponytail, betrayed him, and several errant strands fell forward, around his face. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, before leaning over to pat the boy on the head.

 

“Glad to see you're alive and well,” he said in a friendly tone.

 

Lucas snorted, and crossed his arms over his chest. He was being oddly silent.

 

“What time is it?” Elias asked, remembering that Lucas had said Sheek picked him up around five. Fright boiled inside his stomach, and he shot a fearful gaze to his brother. The look registered in the other's eyes, and he frowned before looking to Sheek.

 

“Why are you here?” he asked, voicing Elias's thoughts word for word.

 

Sheek gave a small shrug of his broad shoulders, and gracefully sank back into one of the hard plastic chairs situated beside the table. He removed his glasses and set them on the hard surface, before pinching the bridge of his nose betwixt his thumb and forefinger.

 

“Someone called in and offered to take up the rest of my shift. People around the University like to keep in touch with everyone, and somehow, news of your… dilemma, if you prefer, has reached all ears.”

 

Crossing his legs, he tilted his head back and gave a smile. It was a slow, lazy smile, and Elias realized just how attractive the man was. Blushing further, he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. The action was not lost on Lucas, and the bed sank once more under his weight as he sat down beside him.

 

“So why did they let you out early?”

 

“Because they know I come to the Hospital frequently. They figured I might want to be here for a change.”

 

Lucas snorted again, before Elias felt a hand on his side. It ran up and down, before moving to his back. The touch was considerably lighter then, but it was still comforting, and he found his mind growing fuzzy. Yawning, he buried his face into the pillow, but tried to remain conscious. He couldn't fall asleep yet.

 

“Any news of your mother?”

 

Lucas must have assumed Elias was dozing, for he lowered his voice. A deadly emotion laced its way through his words, and he could see the sneer on his lips. Elias shivered.

 

“I don't know; I could care less about that crazy bitch. It's Elias I'm worried about. What are we going to do, Sheek? If she dies, he won't have anyone.”

 

“What about his Godparent's?”

 

The silence in the room stretched, and Elias realized that they were not going to breech that subject. At least, not with the danger of him overhearing. His eyelids drooped as he tried to open them, and his body refused to roll over, so that he could give Lucas a questioning look. All worries slipped from his mind as warmth surrounded his body,

And he could feel himself drifting. A nap couldn't be that bad, could it?

 

 

-*-

 

He stayed for another hour or so and simply watched the boy sleep. His chest rose and fell evenly, and his position more or less remained the same. The worry had been building inside of his chest for the last week, and although the boy had come around from his drug-induced sleep, it was still worrying that he could once again slip into slumber so easily.

 

“I think maybe it would be best if we were to get back,” Sheek said, breaking the silence that encumbered them both. Lucas gave a sigh and reluctantly tore his gaze from Elias. His eyes locked with Sheek's, and he nodded before getting to his feet.

 

“I just don't want him to wake up again and I'm not here.”

 

“We should take this opportunity for you to go home and get some sleep. You know he's alright now, so you'll be able to relax a little.”

 

Sheek rose as well, and he snatched his scarf and jacket. “And you should eat something, too. You've lost weight, you know.”

 

Waving his hand, Lucas brushed off his comment before snatching up his own jacket and throwing it on. Sheek slid into his easily, and adjusted the scarf. He turned to look at Elias before nodding to Lucas some and turning to leave the room. Once he was alone with his brother, Lucas came to stand by the edge of the bed, and he looked down at the sleeping boy.

 

He had done so many things to him, and so many things had happened to him. The prime target for bullies, always on the receiving end of his own frustration, not to mention the sick attraction he felt for the younger sibling. He seemed to be growing on him though—he didn't always reject his advances anymore, but simply accepted them with an adorable shyness that only made Lucas want him more.

 

And it was wrong.

 

So wrong.

 

He extended a hand, and gently brushed aside a strand of the boys' hair. A small, rueful smile fell onto Lucas's lips and he bent to press a chaste kiss along his temple. Turning, he left the room silently, and closed the door behind him. Sheek was waiting for him, leaning against the wall adjacent the room. A nurse gave him a dirty look as she walked by, for he had a package of cigarettes in his hand. He ignored the look as he pushed himself off the wall, and came over to lay a hand on Lucas's shoulder.

 

“It's okay,” he said as they moved to the Elevator. “Everything will be fine.”

 

Lucas said nothing as they waited, and when they stepped inside the elevator, and the doors closed, he leaned his head back against the wall and let his eyelids drop. Exhaling shakily, he shook his head.

 

The doctor hadn't come, so he obviously wasn't too concerned over Elias's well being—or the nurse hadn't told him. Either way, they would hear from him tomorrow.

Sheek's hand remained on his shoulder as they exited the building, and he tilted his face towards the grey sky.

 

Snow was falling in small, wet flakes. The air was relatively cool, and it was already getting dark out. His face twisted into something along the lines of a grimace, and he followed Sheek as they meandered through the parking lot towards his car.

 

“I'm coming back tomorrow,” he stated, as he slipped into the front seat. Sheek gave him a questionable look, but said nothing as he put his seatbelt on and slid the keys into the ignition. Lucas leaned back in his own seat and fixed his gaze straight ahead.

 

“I think I should fix this,” he began carefully. “I love him, but I can't do this to him anymore.”

 

“That would be the wisest decision,” Sheek commented, and Lucas nodded in agreement.

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A/N: HOLY CRAP. I am so so so so so sorry that I haven't updated. I have been so busy over the summer, and I've only really had time to write a few things—which I will try and get updated soon too. I feel really horrible about this, and I swear I'm going to start updating more frequently. Please read and REVIEW. It encourages me to continue, especially now. ><;

 

And about the story being the end, IT ISN'T. xD It won't be the end until I put something like Fin at the end of the chapter. I accidentally put `complete' when I uploaded the first chapter (because it was all originally supposed to be a one-shot) and now I can't change it. X.x;