Never Let Go ✔️

Chapter 41

Date: Saturday, April 16th

Luke walked into the room. He saw his baby sister lying in the hospital bed looking lifeless. Luke wasn't dumb. He is an ED doctor after all. He knew coma patients have a 76% chance of dying and even if they woke up they didn't have a good outcome. There is a slight chance she could wake up and be just fine but Luke was letting the negativity get to him.

He walked over to the side of Sophia's bed. He kissed her forehead and sat down in the chair by the bed. He grabbed Sophia's hand and squeezed it.

"Sophia, it has always been me and you against the world since you were born. Remember that song I wrote and sang to you every single night when you were little?"

Luke started to sing quietly, "The world's not perfect, but it's not that bad If we got each other, and that's all we have. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you. When the world's not perfect. When the world's not kind. If we have each other, then we'll both be fine. I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand. You should know I'll be there for you."

After a few minutes of silence Luke spoke again, "Sophia, I need you to keep fighting to live. I need you to wake up. I need to hear your voice and laugh again. I need to see your beautiful eyes and smile. I need my little sister."

At this point, Luke's voice was starting to crack, "I am not ready for you to create a beautiful sunset yet. I need my sunshine but I don't need that kind of sunshine."

"Soph, please just wake up. I love you so much," Luke finished his speech and tears started to fall.

At that moment Sierra walked in. Her heart shattered. She immediately walked over to Luke and kneeled down in front of him.

"Luke," She said softly, looking at him.

Luke looked at her and said, "Sierra you said I was strong but I'm not. I was trying to stay strong I promise I was. I didn't want you guys to think that I was weak but I am. I can't handle this. I kept telling myself everything would be fine with Sophia. She won't die because Michael is an amazing doctor but look at where we are. She has a very slight chance that she will wake up. Sierra, I don't want to lose my babysitter. I am not ready for that."

Sierra wanted to break down crying. Seeing the man she cares about pretty much just fall apart right in front of her. She hasn't seen this side of Luke since their mom died.

She was hoping for Luke's sake he would never have to go through this for many years but here they are this time with the one person she knows he loves more than himself.

When their mom died Sierra was afraid Luke would never turn back to his original self again but he actually did and that was because of Sierra and one other person. His little sister.

"Luke, you do not have to be strong for me and the guys. We understand how terrifying and upsetting this is. Being upset does not make you weak, it just means you have been strong for way too long. You just need to have faith that everything is going to work out in the end. You just have to pray that Sophia is going to wake up. Thinking that she won't isn't going to help anyone," Sierra said.

—-------------

Sierra went to get Luke and her something to eat while Luke sat in what is now Sophia's ICU room.

Luke was just scrolling through his phone trying to distract himself as much as possible.

"Hey Luke,"  Michael said walking into the room.

Calum and Ashton voted for him to talk to Luke since he has been Luke's best friend for much longer and they all know Luke needs a friend right now.

Luke put his phone away and looked up at Michael smiling a little and said, "Hey."

"How are you doing?" Michael asked him while leaning up against the wall.

"I'm fine," Luke said bluntly.

"No Luke. I am your best friend and I know when you are lying so do not lie to me right now," Michael said walking over to sit next to Luke.

"Ok, I am not fine. I am absolutely terrified that Sophia is going to die. I wasn't prepared for this. With my mom, I knew she was getting ready to die so I was able to prepare myself. This...this came out of left field. I thought Sophia was going to beat cancer but now it might actually kill her before she even has much of a chance to fight. What even happened? What caused this? Yes I am a doctor but I am completely lost at how this happened," Luke said, being truthful to Michael.

"Luke, I think you have the right to know what happened. She told me before she passed out that she had been feeling sick all week. Between the chemo, her being sick with what I think may have been the flu and then the stress of everything that was going on it just put way too much strain on her body and it shut down. Now, why did it put her into a coma? I honestly think her body just needs the rest and that is why it sent her into a coma but I am not 100% sure. By the looks of everything I really do think she is going to wake up. I just don't know when," Michael said.

He really did believe Sophia was going to wake up.

"Michael, do not make me believe something you aren't 100% sure about. There's a chance that she won't wake up," Luke said.

"Yes you are right, there's a chance she won't but Luke Hemmings you need to learn how to look at the positive side of things which I know you are good at so I don't know why you have all of a sudden turned into a negative nancy but think about the fact that there is a chance she will wake up. Just keep thinking positive thoughts. That's all we can do right now," Michael said.

"I hate waiting. I just want to hear her voice again," Luke said, softly.

"I know you do, buddy and just think that someday soon you will. Be positive," Michael said.

—------------

Sierra was on her way to the cafeteria to get food when someone grabbed her arm and dragged her into an empty hospital room.

"What the fuck? Let me go," Sierra said and trying to fight the person off. She then turned to look who it was and relief washed over her.

"Oh my god, you made me think I was being kidnapped? Why would you do that?" Sierra said, trying to calm her heart rate down. 

"Oh no. I am sorry. I just needed to get you alone," Crystal said.

"Crys, you could have just asked me if we could talk alone like a normal person would," Sierra said.

"But I'm not normal," Crystal said, shrugging.

"Clearly," Sierra mumbled.

"Anyway, I wanted to see how you were holding up. Michael told me what's going on. I am so sorry," Crystal said.

"I am fine," Sierra said.

"No, Sierra. How are you really doing? It's ok you can tell me," Crystal said with sincerity in her voice.

That's all it took. Sierra broke down in front of her best friend.

"I am so heartbroken. Seeing my husband broken like that and there's nothing I can do to take away his pain. Crystal, it's awful. On top of that my heart also hurts for Sophia. I love her more than anything else like she is my own little sister and there's nothing I can do to take away her pain. And to top it all off I'm...," Sierra started saying but stopped to break down crying.

Crystal immediately pulled Sierra into a hug.

"It's ok. Shh just let it all out. It's going to be ok, S," Crystal said trying to calm down Sierra.

After a few minutes, Sierra calm down a little and pulled away from Crystal.

"Crystal, there is something I need to tell you that I haven't even told Luke yet," Sierra said looking at Crystal.

"Ok, what is it?"

"I'm pregnant."