Strings of Love

Chapter Thirteen

Max was laying in bed with Luca, cuddling. "I love you,"Max said. Luca smiled and kissed Max. "I love you more,"Luca said. Max intertwined his fingers with Luca's and kissed his head. 

"Max,"Luca said softly. "Yeah, baby?" Max asked. Luca looked up at Max. "I need you to promise me something,"Luca said. "Anything,"Max said. Luca sighed. "If I don't make it,"Luca said softly, "Then you have to move on." 

Max looked at Luca and immediately shook his head. "No,"Max said, "I won't do that. You're going to make it and if you don't, then I'll die with you." "I'm being serious,"Luca said. 

"And so am I,"Max stated, "You're going to make it. I'm not moving on to anything without you. You're my first and last, no matter what. I love you so much." Luca smiled again and Max kissed him lightly. 

"Lukey!" Mariah smiled while running into the room. Max smiled and got off the bed. "I'm going to check on Kate and Alex,"Max said. Luca nodded, Max put Mariah on the bed, and he left. 

"Hi baby sister,"Luca smiled. "Are you okay?" Mariah asked. "Lukey isn't okay,"Luca said. "Why not?" Mariah asked. "...Lukey is sick, baby sis,"Luca said. "Is it bad?" Mariah asked, "Will you be okay? When can you come back home?" 

Luca smiled. "It is bad, but I'll be okay,"Luca said, "And I don’t know when I'll come back home."

 Mariah cuddled into Luca's chest and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Lukey,"Mariah said. "I love you too, Riah,"Luca said while hugging Mariah. 

Andy walked through the door. "What are you doing here?" Luca asked. "I came to check on you,"Andy said. "I don't want you here, please leave,"Luca said. "Look, I promise I'm not going to do anything. And plus, I can't leave, I brought Mariah here,"Andy said. 

"What the hell were you doing with my little sister?" Luca asked angrily. "Your mom asked if I could give her a ride,"Andy said while sitting down in the chair.  

Luca said nothing and played with Mariah's hair. "Luca, I'm sorry,"Andy apologized, "I never meant to cause you or your family any harm." 

"Riah, go find Kate and Alex,"Luca said while hugging Mariah and putting her on the ground. Mariah left the room and Luca sat up on his bed. "Andy, how many times do I have to tell you that I do not want any apologies from you?" Luca asked. 

"But if I don't apologize, then you'll hate me forever,"Andy said. "I've always hated you,"Luca hissed. "Not enough for me to be your first,"Andy said. "Without my consent,"Luca said, "It didn't count." 

"But you loved it,"Andy smiled, "You wouldn't stop begging and screaming." "I was screaming and begging because I did not want it!" Luca yelled, "Not with you!" 

"Then with who?" Andy asked while walking over to Luca and leaning closer to his face, "If I didn't take it, who would've?" "I can think of a few people,"Andy heard from behind him. 

Andy turned around and saw Max standing in the doorway. "And just who might you be?" Andy asked while folding his arms over his chest. Max smiled and walked into the room. "Step away from him,"Max said, "I wouldn't want him getting more sick than he already is." 

"Answer my question,"Andy said. "I'm his boyfriend,"Max said while taking off his jacket and placing it on the chair, "Now please, step away from him." "Is that true?" Andy asked while looking at Luca, "This is your boyfriend?" 

Luca nodded. "I'd step away if I were you,"Luca said. Andy moved closer to Luca and grabbed his hand. "You belong to me, Lucas,"Andy said. Luca snatched his arm back. "Not anymore,"Luca said. 

Andy was slammed against the wall and his arms were pinned by his side. "Now, I'm not sure if you're just deaf or plain old stupid, but listen to me very closely,"Max warned, "If you ever touch him again, I will make sure of it that you're never seen from again, got it?" 

Andy didn't answer and Max's grip tightened on his wrist. "I may not have been his first,"Max warned, "But he was definitely mine. And when others touch what is mine, I get angry...and when I get angry, I tend to hurt those who hurt mine." "Let me go,"Andy whimpered in pain. 

Max's knee was pushing against Andy's crotch. "Do not ever touch him again,"Max said angrily while applying more pressure to Andy's crotch, "I hope we have an understanding because if this happens again, then I'll hurt you. Got it?" 

Andy nodded frantically in pain. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you,"Max said as he applied more pressure. "Yes!" Andy exclaimed in pain, "Yes! We have an understanding!" Max let Andy go and Andy ran out of the room. Max looked at Luca and noticed that he wasn't breathing. 

"Luca!" Max yelled while running over to Luca and leaning towards his face. Max grabbed the code blue button and pressed it multiple times. 

A doctor ran into the room with a couple of nurses. "You can't be in here right now, just go wait with the others,"The doctor said. Max nodded and left the room. 

"What's happening?" Alex asked, "What's with the code blue?" "It's Luca's,"Max said softly, "I don't know what happened." "Why was Andy here?" Kate asked. "That doesn't concern either of you,"Max said, "Just know it was handled." 

"Handled?" Alex asked, "What the hell does that mean?" "I handled Andy, he won't ever come near either of us again,"Max said. Kate looked at Max. "Max what the hell did you do to Andy?" Kate asked. 

Max sighed. "I hurt him,"Max said. "How?" Alex asked. "It wasn't bad, but it was enough for him to learn to back off,"Max said. Kate nodded.

 "Where's Mariah?" Max asked. "Still in the playroom with the other kids,"Kate said. "Keep her there until we get an update on Luca,"Max said. Alex nodded and went into the playroom with Mariah. "Max,"Kate said. 

Max looked at Kate. "What?" Max asked. "You've been tense the entire time you came out here, what's wrong?" Kate asked. Max shook his head and sat down. Kate sat next to him. "What's going on?" Kate asked. 

Max ran his hands through his hair. "I...I can't lose him like I lost my parents,"Max said softly, "I'm scared to lose him." Kate put her hand on Max's and squeezed it. 

"You're not going to lose him,"Kate promised, "You're not." "What if I do?" Max asked. Kate stood up and grabbed Max's hand. She hugged him tightly. 

"Luca is going to make it,"Kate whispered in his ear, "If he is in the hospital weak, then he will walk out 10 times stronger. I know this, because he's my best friend. And you know this, because he is your boyfriend and we both love him equally so much that our love would be enough to save him. Lucas is stronger than you think, Max." Max nodded and Kate kissed his cheek. 

"We're going to the playroom,"Kate said. "What's there?" Max asked. "Kids,"Kate said, "Little kids who love taller kids." Max smiled and followed Kate into the playroom. Meanwhile, in the emergency room.

"I need you to fight!" The doctor yelled at the unconscious body, "Please fight! I can't lose another one today!" The person's ekg was dropping drastically. 

"300 volts!" The doctor exclaimed. The nurse grabbed the defibrillators and set them to 300. She shocked the person and looked at their ekg. Nothing changed. "Again!" The doctor yelled. The nurse shocked the person again. Nothing happened.

"We have to call it,"The nurse said softly, "Nothing is happening." The doctor shook his head. "I can't, there has to be another option,"The doctor said. "There are no other options, his ekg hasn't changed, call it,"The nurse said. 

The doctor sighed and looked at his watch. "Time of death….12:08 am,"The doctor said softly. Max, Kate, and Alex were sitting with the kids, playing around when they heard screaming. 

They ran out into the hallway and saw multiple people crowding around Ms. Williams as she dropped to the ground in tears. 

Kate and Alex ran over to her. Max stood there in fear. Kate looked at Max, and Max looked at Kate. She shook her head and Max slid down the wall and he cried. "...Thank you,"Max cried.