Lams One-shots

Don't Leave Me Pt. 3 (John Pt. 1)

Part 1 of John's POV

TW: Guns, abuse, major character death, angst, angst, and more angst, let me know if I missed any!

Me and Lexi were under our favorite tree together, hanging out like we usually do on the weekends. I was laughing at his joke, holding his hand. It was warm. Smiling, I looked to him. Seeing the sunset in the distance reminded me of something.

"Oh shit! I forgot I have to be home by dark, and the sun is setting! Come on Alex, I gotta get home!" I jumped up. Dad is going to be so angry!

We begin walking home. Hand in hand, we continued talking and smiling with each other. Alex already knew to walk away when we got to my house. Dad can't see him, he'll kill me.

I took a breath before opening the door. I could already hear my sister in her room with my dad. I cringe.

It didn't take him long to take his beer bottle to his room, I started walking to Martha's room to comfort her. That was until I heard a gun cock in his room, he began walking to Martha's room.

I listened to my instincts and called Alex. As soon as he answered I said, "Alex, you've got to come quick, Dad's gone crazy!" I felt like I couldn't breath. It hurt.

"Slow down, take a deep breath, I'm on my way back. What's he doing?" How is he so calm right now? It's a wonder how that man's brain worked.

"He's loading a gun. I don't know what he's doing right now, but he's got it and he's out of the room, he's headed toward Martha's room. Hurry up please!" I was sure he could hear my heavy breathing, but I couldn't control it. It's cold air, despite it being almost summer. It stings on the way in and out.

"I'm running John, can you get Martha out?"

"I can't, he'll kill me. He's coming this way! ...Oh no." He had Martha in a death grip. That was definitely going to leave marks on her neck.

"What? What's happening? Talk to me please." I probably shouldn't. I need to though. He needs the details and that will get his focus off of her.

"He's got Martha in his grip and-" I was cut off by my father.

His sharp "You've got someone on the phone, boy?" shut me up real fast.

"N-no sir, I was j-just talking to myself!"

"Don't you lie to me. I know you don't do that."

"I-I'm sorry, I swear I'll hang-" Again, I am cut off, this time by two gunshots. One hit my ribcage, the other hit my right hand. Fuck, guess I'm never writing well again.

"Laurens? John? Are you there? Please tell me the gun wasn't pointed at you!" Shit, he can still hear everything.

"I'm h-here Alex." I could hear the pain in my voice as my adrenaline slowly wore off. "He just shot me, please hurry."

I could hear him hang up as dad rushed out of the house, almost taking Martha with him, but she fought, sitting in the corner. She just watched me bleed out. (In real history John is 5 years younger than Martha, but for the purposes of this story Martha is 10 years younger than John. This puts her around 5-7 years old.) Granted, she doesn't really know how to help. This must have been terrifying for her as well.

I grabbed at my wound with my right hand, wincing in pain. I let go pretty fast. I can't really breath. I'm almost certain it hit my heart or lungs or something.

Just as I was thinking about this, my personal ambulance siren sounded as a "I'm at the house now, I just arrived." in Alexander's voice.

I think I faintly heard someone on the phone with him, but I can't be sure, I was about to pass out.

"I'm here now, they won't get here fast enough, and you said where he's been shot is important." was heard as he stepped into the house.

"Not yet, John!" Probably on the phone.

I could barely muster up a faint "Lexi?" to fall from my mouth. Partly because I wasn't entirely sure I wasn't dead and just dreaming, or maybe he was an angel. Partly because I had no energy.

Alex rushed into the room I was in. His face spoke fear and hurt as he ripped his jacket off, applying pressure to my ribs. "I'm here John, just breathe." I'm trying Lexi. I swear.

I heard murmuring from his phone, but it was too faint for me to catch at the moment.

As the murmuring happened, he reached for his phone, saying "Yes, I'm here, he was shot twice, one in his ribs, and once in his hand. I don't think he can last much longer."

Some more murmuring, which Alex ignored as he turned back to me. Tears in his eyes, slowly falling.

"Alex, don't cry." 

He continued to cry as he searched for any nearby fabric. The bleeding was too much too fast to be able to stop.

"Alex, come here please. Don't cry, I'll be fine."

"You don't know that John. Come on, something useful please!" He continued his search, leaving me to struggle to breath.

This may be my last moments, I have to figure out how to calm him down enough so I can spend this time with him. "Alex, please come here."

Finally with a, "Stay awake, help is on it's way," he sat down next to me, grabbing my left hand and laying my head in his lap. 

"I have never been this tired, not even when you insisted on us staying up all night together." I tried joking. It didn't work. He just cried more. "Alex, relax. There isn't anything else you can do."

He finally stopped fidgeting with the bandages on my chest.

"Please stay awake John, you can't fall asleep." He started rambling, but a sharp pain threw itself through my head.

"God, my head hurts."

"I'm sorry, my legs can't be a good pillow, I'll go find you one."

I quickly grabbed his hand, which he let go of. "Don't go! Your legs are perfect, not to mention a pillow doesn't have as good of a view as this." I smile, desperately trying to get him to relax.

 Still crying, he said, "I love you so much, you know that, right? That will never ever change. I promise."

"Right back at you." I grip my ribs in pain as he tries to get me to stop.

"No, don't move, save your strength and stay alive. Please."

"Oh my god, it hurts."

"I know. You're doing so well, here." Alex held out his hand for me to squeeze. "Squeeze it if you want, as hard as you want."

I grab the outstretched hand, holding as tight as I could muster. I could hear a faint crack, but it never registered in my brain.

"Stay awake John. Don't leave me." His crying subsided slightly. He's relaxed.

I could hear the sirens on the way as I said, "I will never leave you Lexi, never." I could feel my words get weaker and I lost my grip on his hand.

My vision went black and I stopped breathing.

Finally got to this. Just gotta do part 2 now.