angel baby (heavy editing)

37.5

       Chris cried for two hours straight, the volume of his cries never dwindling. Oliver didn’t think it was possible until he saw it. He stayed on the floor of his bedroom all through and not once did Lia pull away from the embrace she had him wrapped him in. She whispered words only him and her could hear. Oliver never left, neither did Lena. Lena told everyone else to leave to give mother and son some privacy. He wondered why she didn’t tell him to. Oh wait, he was very connected to the family and just like her, he had been staying with them for the past few days. What Oliver did through out was either sit or pace around.
Eventually, Chris’s tears turned into small whimpers and Lia made him stand and walked him towards his bed. Oliver watched. He even looked smaller than he was.
So broken.
She helped him sit. He still looked out of it. Once he was tucked in, she slowly caressed his forehead.
"Do you need anything, baby?"
Chris shook his head closing his eyes. He looked to tired to cry or do anything. But Oliver had no doubt Chris would wake up crying again.
Lia kissed his face whispering "I love yous" to him. At that moment, he realized just how hard it was for Lia too. She loved Kathy almost as much as she loved Chris. And he still couldn't believe Kathy was gone. It felt unreal.
She stood up and together, the three of them left the room. But before he could, Oliver intuitively  turned and caught Chris's gaze watching him. The boy didn't say anything, not that Oliver expected him to, as they stared at each other. Chris broke eye contact first after a few seconds by closing his eyes and Oliver released a breathe he didn't know he was holding.
Fuck.
Maybe he should listen to his mother and go home, at least for a few days.
He closed the door behind him and walked to find both women.
He found Lia alone seated on the couch in the living room. She took sip of water from a water bottle and rubbed her forehead sighing. He was sure she needed an alone time but he had to tell her he would be going home.
He cleared his throat. Oliver hated the way she flinched. Then she smiled.
Oliver had changed these past few months an that was why he could admit that she was undoubtedly the best person he knew.
"Uh, I have go home for a few days"
"Of course, of course", she stood up, "you've done so much for us already. Your presence here has made things a little bit bearable"
Oliver refused to acknowledge the sudden high feeling he got in his chest. No, nope. It was just a compliment. A simple compliment.
He walked towards her and hugged her. She hugged him back. Oliver wished he had grown up with her.
"It'll get better", he whispered to her.
She nodded patting his back.
"Thank you", she pulled out of the hug and patted his cheeks, "tell your mother I'll come show my gratitude. I haven't properly thanked her for what she did"
She forced a marriage proposal on us all but okay.
Oliver still didn't believe he was engaged. Engaged.
He just nodded and said, "You don't mind me staying here, do you? Like if-"
She interrupted him, "Of course not. Like I said before, I love having you here and spending time with you, though it's not in the best situation. And it's selfish of me because I can't fathom the thought of Chris leaving my sight for a few days to stay with your mother but I love having you here"
Oliver nodded and smiled a bit still feeling awkward. Maybe it was unfair that he was staying here rather than home. But then, he was an adult and his mother better get used to it.
Fuck. Nothing made sense.
      Later, Oliver was walking out the door to his car. Though he said he would be back in a few days, he didn't think so. He still felt like he was intruding, like he was a stranger. He was lost in his thoughts that he almost bumped into someone. He looked up.
Derek.
Oliver frowned. He didn't even try to hide his discontent at seeing him. He knew his most of his hatred for Derek was irrational but he still hated him. He irked Oliver. Oliver didn't like irky people.
Neither of them acknowledged each other in greeting so Oliver stepped aside and began to walk to his car.
"After all this is over", Derek's voice stopped his steps. At first, he thought he might have been taking to someone else but he was the only one outside with him within a mile radius. So he turned.
"After all this is over, I'm going to tell Chris I just want to be friends"
Of all things Oliver expected him to say, that wasn't one of them. For as long as Oliver had acknowledged Derek's existence, Derek had always seem smitten by Chris, giving him heart eyes and all and now he wanted to break up? Break up would mean they were dating in the first place and Oliver doubted they indeed were but what did he know? Then he got angry. Who did Derek think he is?
"And you think that's such a good idea because?"
Derek blinked at him confused.
"What do you mean? I thought you would be happy"
For someone who sounded smart, Derek was fucking stupid. And fuck it, his hatred for Derek was completely rational.
"Don't you think Chris has had to deal with enough changes lately?"
And you call yourself a practitioner of medicine.
Chris was autistic in case anyone had forgotten but that aside. Though he might still have remnants of his sanity left, if Derek went along with his idiotic plan, Oliver feared Chris would only be a shadow of his former self. But then his disability alone is reason why Derek's plan was total bonkers.
"I just-"
"Fuck off Derek"
He turned to go before he did something stupid like punch him in the face.