Dumping Ground: Daylight

Alex ~ Family

Fitting in was hard for Alex, and his anger boiled up when Ryan deliberately set him up and got him into trouble. Alex ran away after this, but he quickly realised that being out on the streets was hopeless. He returned to Ashdene Ridge and May-Li and Mike were very relieved that he had returned and that he was ok. He found Floss and apologised to them, insisting that he hadn't taken anything out of the office.
"It's ok Alex, we understand," Mike told him.
"Fitting isn't easy."
"And if Ryan did set you up..."
"Which he did."
"We're not going to take this any further. But you're starting to get a reputation as a thief, and it's best to get rid of that while you still can."
"Alright."
"Good."
"And thank you for finding Floss. Everything could have worked out very differently if she had been stuck down there."
"Exactly. Thank you," Mike said and they went quiet.
"That's it?" Alex asked after a moment. "No shouting or consequences for running away?"
"No."
"Why would there be consequences?"
"Because I left. Just ran away."
"And now you're back."
"We don't want you to do it again Alex. We were worried about you and anything could have happened to you."
"You mean that?"
"Yes, I do."
"And what about everyone else? They hate me."
"They don't hate you. Ryan is difficult, but that's just what he's like. The others just need time."
"You saved Floss today, you've shown everyone that you care and that you want to help them."
"We want you to stay Alex. It's what's best for you."
"I'll give you my answer in a few weeks."
"Good man," Mike said and Alex stood up to leave. He turned back to May-Li.
"You meant it? That you were worried about me?"
"Yes, of course we were."
"But I've been on the streets for years."
"And you're only 15. You could have gotten sick, or hurt," May-Li said and Alex nodded.
"Thank you."
"We're here to look after you Alex, as long as you want to stay," Mike said and Alex nodded.
"Alright, go up to your room and we'll call dinner when it's ready alright?"
"Ok," Alex said, and he left them. Mike and May-Li did care about him, and that was a new feeling for Alex.

~

Having never had a family before, Alex wanted to know what it meant. Did they really care about him and want to help him? May-Li had said that everyone was there for each other when it mattered, so Alex wanted to test that out.
"Alright Alex, I'm just going to the post office. I'll be back soon ok?"
"Ok," Alex called, and he heard May-Li leave. Everyone else was out at the zoo, so he was alone in the house.

Alex started down the stairs, with a plan to move a bookcase so it looked like it had fallen on top of him and knocked him out. The best way to see how much people cared was to be unconscious. However, Alex didn't make it down the stairs as halfway down he tripped, fell and hit his head against the bannister, knocking him out for real.

~

"...alright? He's unconscious Tyler."
"And he's bleeding."
"I know. Alex? Alex, mate, can you hear me?" Tyler asked as Alex came to his senses.
"I think we should lie him down. It'll help his blood flow."
"Yeah, it will help more blood flow out of his head."
"Chloe's right. We need to lie him on his side," Sasha said.
"His left hand side Tyler. Put him in the recovery position."
"Ok," Tyler said and Alex felt Tyler and someone else take hold of him, gently but firmly.
"Be careful."
"We've got him. Slowly Finn."
"I know," Finn said and Alex felt them lie him down and roll him onto his left hand side.
"There. Alex?"
"Alex? Can you hear us?"
"Alex?" People called, but Alex was quiet.
"He's still out."
"What are you all doing standing by the door? Take your coats and shoes off then scoot yeah?"
"May-Li..."
"I'm not cleaning up any mud that's traipsed through the house. Shoe's off now."
"But Mike..."
"Mike!"
"It's no good, they're not interested," Ryan added as Alex felt someone touch his chest. Their hair brushed again his mouth and they gasped.
"Maybe they didn't see him."
"He is low down," Billie and Toni said.
"He's not breathing," Joseph said and Alex felt everyone shift around him.
"What?!"
"He has to be," Sasha said and Alex felt Jody's hand touch his side.
"Jody?"
"He is breathing," Jody said, then Alex felt her taking his pulse. Everyone was here and they were worried about him. May-Li and Mike hadn't noticed yet, but aside from feeling a little bit dizzy, Alex was ok. "And he's got a pulse."
"Good. Don't do that to us Joseph."
"Yeah, that really scared us."
"Sorry, I've never had to check anything like that before."
"Do we need to get an ambulance? He's not waking up."
"Hasn't anyone called one yet?"
"No."
"I haven't."
"No."
"It's not that serious is it Tyler?"
"He's bleeding and unconscious. He needs more help than us."
"I'll call one now."
"Thanks Finn," Tyler said and Alex needed to wake up, before he was taken to a hospital.
"Argh..."
"Alex?"
"Alex, are you alright?"
"Can you hear us? You've fallen down the stairs Alex."
"Argh... my head..."
"Hold on Finn," Alex heard Chloe say and he hung up his phone.
"How are you feeling?"
"Dizzy. Where am I?"
"You're lying on the floor, at the bottom of the stairs."
"You hit your head on the bannister and there's blood."
"That will be why it hurts. Sis..." Alex said as he winced and he raised a hand up to his head.
"Careful," Tyler said and Alex gently touched his head.
"Argh..."
"Do you need an ambulance Alex?"
"Ambulance? Why?"
"Because you're hurt."
"You've been unconscious."
"Unconscious?"
"Yeah. Knocked out."
"You weren't moving."
"I'm alright."
"Not you're not."
"I'm ok. Can you give me a hand to sit up?"
"You should stay lying down Alex."
"No, it's ok," Alex said, and Tyler and Finn gave him a hand to sit up and rest back against the wall.
"Your head's still bleeding, I'll get you a cloth."
"Thanks."
"Can you open your eyes Alex?" Tyler asked and Alex did so. He saw all the DG kids standing around him with worry on their faces. He also saw the blood on the bannister.
"That's my blood?"
"Yeah."
"There's not too much," Alex said before he looked at his hand.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Joseph asked as he knelt in front of Alex and he looked at him.
"3."
"And now?"
"5."
"And now?"
"1."
"Ok. He's alright."
"Well, you're unlikely to be concussed."
"Here's a cloth," Billie said as she returned to Alex.
"Thank you," He said and he held the clean cloth up to his head.

"Hey, what are you all still doing here?" May-Li asked as she passed them, and she paused. "Alex? Is everything alright?" May-Li asked as she became worried and she walked towards them.
"Alex fell down the stairs and he was knocked out."
"What?!"
"We found him leaning against the bannister when we got back."
"He wasn't moving and he had his eyes closed."
"There's also blood on the bottom post."
"Why didn't anyone tell me? Alex, look at me," May-Li said as she knelt in front of him.
"I'm alright May-Li."
"You're not if you were knocked out. And what's this for?" May-Li asked as she looked at the cloth.
"My head's still bleeding a little bit."
"You're still bleeding? Let me see," May-Li said and she looked at Alex's head. "Ok, it doesn't look too deep. Toni, can you get me the first aid kit?"
"Yeah," Toni said and she rushed off.
"How are you feeling Alex?"
"I'm a little bit dizzy, and my head stings. But otherwise I'm alright."
"You should have hit your head harder then."
"Ryan," Chloe told Ryan off in disgust.
"Go to your room Ryan."
"Ok. I don't want to be here anyway," Ryan said, and he went upstairs.
"Do I need to get an ambulance?" Finn asked and everyone looked at him.
"No. Not at the moment Finn," May-Li told him.
"Thanks though mate. And thank you everyone."
"What for?"
"For being worried about me."
"You were unconscious."
"You weren't moving and you're hurt Alex."
"I've just never had anyone care about me like this before."
"Thanks Toni," May-Li said as she came back and handed her the first aid kit.
"You're here, part of our family. And we look out for each other."
"Yeah. We stick together."
"We're your family man."
"Thanks," Alex said and May-Li got an antiseptic wipe out.
"Right, now I have to play the strict parent. This will sting Alex," May-Li said and Alex removed the cloth from this head.
"Argh! Sis... Argh..." Alex said and he squeezed Finn's hand that was resting in his own.
"I draw the line at blood. I'm leaving before I faint," Candi-Rose said as she left the group.
"Me too. I'm not a big fan of... yep, ok..." Sasha said before she also left.

"Right then. May-Li... what's happened?" Mike asked as he passed them and saw her putting a dressing onto Alex's head.
"Alex had a fall down the stairs."
"What? Alex, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm dizzy but May-Li's given me some painkillers."
"Right. Do I need to get the car to take him to the doctor's?"
"No. He hit his head, but he seems to be alright," May-Li told Mike.
"Yeah," Alex said to them. "I'm ok."
"Alright. But we'll be keeping an eye on you for the next few hours ok Alex?"
"Ok," Alex agreed and Mike left to do his next job.
"Right, it's all done Alex. Tyler, Finn can you help him go up to his room. I'll get you some juice and be up in a minute alright Alex?"
"Ok. Thank you," Alex said and Tyler gave him a hand up before they made sure that he got back to his room.

~

"You gave everyone a scare Alex," May-Li said as she put the juice on the side.
"It was stupid. Getting knocked out on the stairs."
"Stupid or not, you could have been seriously injured. How long were you out for?"
"I don't know. I heard you leave to go to the post office, then I tripped on the stairs. Everything was black and I heard everyone's voices around me."
"I was gone for around ten minutes so you could be out for a long time. Maybe we should take you to the doctor's."
"I'm fine May-Li. If I feel any worse I'll tell you."
"Alright. Make sure that you do."
"And it was nice, in a way. To see how much people cared about me and that they wanted me to be ok."
"Of course Alex."
"I've never had that before, so it was really nice to experience it."
"It's called love. And the longer you are here the more you will experience it. But it also comes with fighting and arguments, sometimes."
"I can deal with those."
"Get some rest. I'll ask everyone to stay downstairs and give you some peace and quiet."
"Thanks May-Li," Alex said and she left him.

"Alex," Jody said as he arrived for dinner.
"Are you feeling?"
"Much better. I wanted to say thank you, for caring about me."
"Of course."
"It was nothing man. I'm glad that you're ok."
"So am I."
"And me."
"It was scary. But I'm glad that you're alright."
"Thanks Toni."
"Come on, sit down and get some food in you," Mike said and Alex sat down.
"Has your head stopped bleeding?" Sasha asked him.
"It has, but May-Li wants me to keep the bandage on for now."
"It will reduce the risk of infection."
"Oh, ok."
"As long as you don't take it off around me. If I see any more blood, you'll be taking me to the doctor's," Candi-Rose said and Alex smiled.

They ate dinner and Alex was very happy. He finally had somewhere safe and warm to call home. He also had people who cared about him and, Kazima was right, the DG was a family after all.