therapy | luke hemmings a.u

:: Seventeen

:: S E V E N T E E N ::

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“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that,” Luke sobbed, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Ashton sighed and ran a hand through his messy, shaggy curls trying to come up with something soothing to say. So far he had nothing because instead he was breaking, probably more than Luke. Ellie was like a little sister to him and he seeing her lying there almost lifeless was too much to bear. But he had to be strong for Luke, he just had to.

“I know,” He faked a smile and patted Luke’s leg. He heard footsteps and looked behind him to see a wrecked looking Calum walk towards them with his head hanging down. His eyebrows were scrunched together and his lips were set in a frown.

He reached Luke’s bed and said, “Hey, Luke,” his voice sounding unusually throaty. Luke acknowledged him with a nod, his hands still covering his face as he tried to console himself. Calum turned to Ashton and bent down to hug him. An understanding passed through them.

“Did you see her?” Ashton whispered into Calum’s ear to avoid Luke overhearing while he hugged Calum.

Calum nodded and sighed. “I just, I just couldn’t bear to see her, Ashton. The doctors have tried to clean up all the blood but it is still all over her skin.” He whispered it all in a rush before letting go and looking over at Luke who had fallen asleep, tears staining his cheeks.

“He must be feeling awful,” Calum said, nodding in the direction of the sleeping boy. “First his mum and now he was right there when this accident happened.”

“He keeps blaming himself,” Ashton sighed. “I just hope that he doesn’t go into the phase he was, or worse, which is why the doctors won’t have him visiting her.”

They were quietly talking between themselves when a loud, sharp gasp echoed making Calum and Ashton whip their heads around to see Ellie’s mother standing behind them with a fear stricken expression. She approached them slowly with a glum Jake and John, Ellie’s father, trailing behind her as if each step they took would get them closer to their demise.

“Wh- where is she?” Jane whispered, holding a handkerchief close to her quivering lips.

Ashton stood up from the chair he had been sitting on since five in the morning and offered it to her. She collapsed onto it. One look at Luke’s pale face was all she needed to erupt in tears and from her already swollen, red eyes it seemed to be the second time she started crying.

“She’s on the floor above, Mrs. Hawthorn,” Ashton said softly.

Calum reached over and hugged Jake, giving him a reassuring pat on his back before letting go. Ashton walked over to John and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorn.”

John looked at him with tears pooling in his eyes and said, “It isn’t your fault, son,” he smiled ever so slightly. “Neither is it his,” he said as he nodded in Luke’s direction. “So don’t let him put the blame on himself. The driver of the truck was apparently very drunk yet not a scratch on that man.

He apologized of course but what good will that do? Anyway,” he said turning towards Jane, “honey shall we go to Elaine and talk to the doctors as well?” Jane nodded and followed him after bidding the boys goodbye. 

Calum and Ashton fell into a long silence, both of them too caught up in their own thoughts, but they were both thinking the same thing, how did we even end up here?

-

-

Two days later, Luke’s health was improving and he was regaining strength in himself. He could sit up straight and could walk with the help of crutches. He asked to change into some of his own clothes and, once allowed, he changed into a pair of black shorts and a black muscle t-shirt, throwing away the pale hospital gown he had to wear for the past few days.