(this is the alternate ending to Infliction.)
(not proofread)
**set after chapter thirty-five**
TW: mentions of death
..
It had been nearly four months since Luke went into a coma, and just two since Gabi's parents had been convicted and imprisoned.
Things for the surgeon, however, had taken a turn for the worst. A few days ago his heart had stopped again, just when they thought he was getting better too. They did get him back after four minutes, but as a result of the lack of oxygen getting to his brain while he was down, he was pronounced brain-dead yesterday.
It had taken the nurses and doctors a little while to do the proper testing to determine if he was brain dead or not, but when they finished they knew; he was already gone.
Gabi now stood around Luke's bedside with Ashton, Calum, Michael, and Sierra.
The group had all collectively agreed on taking him off of life support and donating his organs. Because of how much Luke loved helping people, they believed that this could be one last way he could help.
"I'm so sorry, my love," Sierra spoke through her sobs. She reached her hand up to brush some of his now overgrown hair out of his face. "You won't have to suffer anymore, okay? I'll take care of Gabi and the guys agreed to help out in whatever way they can. You fought so hard, baby." She squeezed his hand and laid her head next to his, her tears hit the pillow that Luke's head laid on.
"No, stop!" Gabi cried out.
"What?" Asked Ashton.
"You're just giving up on him."
"Gabi.."
"No! He's all of your guys' best friends and your husband!" She pointed to Sierra. "And you're giving up on him just like that!"
"Gabi, nobody is giving up on him," Calum spoke up and leaned over to rub Sierra's back after she began sobbing harder following Gabi's outburst.
"Yes, you are! You're killing him today!"
"Gabi." Michael walked over and gently grabbed her shoulder to get her to calm down and stop screaming. "Relax. Nobody here is intentionally harming him, okay? Remember how we talked about him being brain-dead?"
"Yeah but-"
"Listen, honey. When someone is pronounced as brain dead that means they no longer have any functions of their brain. They've lost the blood or oxygen supply to their brain."
"But, he's breathing. Look, see!" She cried.
Michael shook his head and pulled her into a hug, his own eyes clouding his vision with tears. "That's the ventilator doing all the work. He's already gone, sweetheart."
And that's all it takes for Gabi to break, collapsing onto the floor and sobbing loudly. "It's not fair!"
Deep down when she had first heard the news a few short days ago, she sort of knew that Luke wouldn't be making it out of this. Yet she was in denial and did believe that he would make it out of this, but hearing those words from Michael sealed the deal.
This wasn't fair. Sure, she didn't know Luke as long as the guys or Sierra did, but she still loved him.
"Do we have to give his organs up?"
"Gabi." Sierra squeezed her. "You know how you always say Luke saved you?"
"Yeah.."
"Well by donating his organs he's going to save so many other people just like he did with you," Sierra explained, her eyes still filled with tears. "And you know that's what Luke loved. He loved helping people."
"I know but it still hurts to think he's not here anymore, that these are just machines breathing for him."
"I know, honey, I know." Sierra held onto her tight, her tears cascading down her face. "But we need to let him go today. There's nothing more anyone can do."
"Why can't you just go in, do surgery and fix his brain so it's not dead anymore?"
"Because that's just not how it works, hun." Ashton shook his head. "There is no reversal for brain death, unfortunately."
The room was silent as all of them held each other following Ashton's statement until there was a knock on the door, and in walked the surgical team that would complete the organ donation.
"Hi," the lead surgeon smiled sadly. "Sorry we have to meet under these circumstances, it's a difficult situation for all of us. We all loved Luke."
Gabi surely didn't know Luke as long as everyone else did, but in the short time she did; she grew to love and adore him.
She still felt betrayed and blame that her parents did this to him. They would pay the price in jail but none of that can ever bring Luke back.
Gabi listened sadly as the surgical team begin to explain the process of the organ donation procedure again. She knew from hearing from everyone else that it was a pretty lengthy process, and if she had things her way she'd be doing everything in her power to bring Luke back from this.
But that's just not how the human body works.
"We need to get to the OR soon," the leading surgeon announced and smiled sadly. "I'll leave you guys a few minutes before we have to take him. You guys can walk with him up until the restricted OR doors."
After the team left they all huddled and began to talk around Luke's bedside, well, all except Gabi. She was struggling with all of this, to be honest. If Ashton had just explained that Luke was already gone, then why were they talking to him? Could he still hear them all? Surely not.
It was much shorter than anticipated, roughly 10 minutes before Dr. Kisler was knocking on the door again.
"I wish I could give you all the time you need, but I'm afraid we have to go now."
Gabi followed Luke's bed out of the room with everyone else and she was shocked to see the amount of people standing in the hallway. Ashton had previously explained this to her as what is called an honor walk for people who are donating their organs.
She knew it would probably be a pretty somber thing, but there were so many doctors and nurses, along with other hospital staff that lined the hallways. Most of them also had tears in their eyes.
Luke was loved by so many people it seems.
She stayed walking behind Luke's bed as the surgical team wheeled him through the crowded hallway of people crying until they reached the restricted access doors.
Sierra leaned down and kissed him. "You fought so hard, Lu. It's okay now.. we will all be okay."
The rest of them said their goodbyes and it wasn't much longer before the surgical team open the doors to wheel him through the other side.
"Wait!" Gabi cried out just before they wheeled him out of her reach. She leaned down with tears spilling down her face and hugged Luke, gently kissing the side of the cheek. "You saved me. Thank you.. for everything."
