Clockwork

fourteen.

POV: Erik Carter

I set Spencer down on the couch, watching as his eyes fluttered. The doorbell rang, and I ignored it, focusing all of my attention on my brother, and on trying not to cry. It rang again.

I did not move my eyes from Spencer's face, instead shouting "It's open!" across the floor. My front door opened, and Lexi's older sister walked in, then came and settled herself on the chair next to the couch that I was on.

"What happened?" She asked simply, her elbows resting on her knees.

"I..." I started, but found myself unable to continue. A single tear trickled down my face, and I was quick to wipe it off. Men don't cry. Crying is weakness. "He passed out. Twice. We don't know why."

She looked at me sympathetically. "When's the ambulance getting here?"

I ran my fingers through Spencer's hair, combing through it carefully. "Maybe five minutes?"

She hummed, then turned to the stairs. "Xandri, ¿estás bien? Why are you going with them?"

I followed her gaze to see Lexi holding Londyn's hand, at the bottom of the stairs. Lexi responded softly; I could barely make out her words. "Spencer wanted *click* me to. He told me before he *click, whistle* passed out again."

"He barely knows you, though. Why would he do that? I don't think a hospital is the best choice for you, Xandri." Bennett raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed, looking down.

"I know."

Sirens sounded in the distance, and my head jerked up. I carefully scooped up Spencer and walked towards the door. I think Lexi followed me.

The loud wailing got closer and closer, and an ambulance stopped in front of my house. Three paramedics climbed out of the back, pulling a stretcher with them. I quickly made my way towards them, and one smiled.

"Hi, my name is Dr. Rey, I'm gonna be in charge of this kiddo's care. Can I have his full name and age?"

I nodded. "Spencer Wayde Carter, and he's seven."

"Okay." Dr. Rey snapped his glove. "Lay him here, please. What's your name and relation?"

"Erik Carter, and um, brother." I tried not to stammer, but it was taking all of my focus.

I laid Spencer down on the stretcher, and watched as the paramedics placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, and a pulse oximeter on his finger. They were about to place a blood pressure cuff on his arm when he blinked his eyes open.

His breathing picked up and he looked around, locking eyes with me. His voice was muffled from the mask, but I heard him whine, "Erik? What's happening?"

I rushed over to grab his hand. "Hey, Spence, you're okay! We're gonna go to the hospital and get you checked up, okay?"

He nodded. "Where's Lex? I wanted her to come too, 'cause Mom can't." Tears pricked his eyes, threatening to fall.

"I know, I know. She's, um..." I looked around frantically, spotting her watching us from the porch. I waved at her, and she jogged to meet us. "She's right here."

"Hey, bud, you doin' okay?" She whispered, coming up behind me.

He nodded, then Dr. Rey shouted to another paramedic: "Vitals stable! Heart rate 84 BPM, O2 sats 93 percent, BP 114/82, fully conscious."

She responded with "Load him up! We have room for the brother and his girlfriend if they want!"

My eyes widened, and I looked at Lexi, but she had all of her attention on Spence until the doctor tapped her arm. "I need you to let me roll Spencer into the ambulance, please. If you're coming, you can sit up there." He pointed to a bench inside the vehicle, and she closed her eyes for a second, as if thinking.

Removing her hands from the stretcher, she looked at me. "Do you want me to come, *click* or stay here?"

"Um... could you come? F-for Spencer?" It was also because I didn't want to be alone, but I couldn't tell her that.

She nodded, then patted her back pocket. "Sure. I have my *click, whistle* phone, too, in case we need it."

I gave her the smallest of nods, and climbed onto the ambulance, with her following closely. I noticed her send a quick text before I buried my face in my hands.

×

They said he's fine. If he's "fine", then why is he currently getting a CT scan?! I paced Spencer's hospital room, waiting for him to return. Lexi was sitting in a chair, watching me.

"CT scans don't *click* hurt, you know. He's completely safe." She spoke up for the first time since they took him.

"I-I know, it's just..." I sighed and turned towards her, stopping my pacing for a second. "I need him to be okay."

She gave me a soft smile. "I know. And he will be." She jerked her head, and I threw mine back, looking at the bland ceiling before continuing my pacing.

After a few more minutes, she grabbed my hand. "Here, sit down. You're only *whistle* stressing yourself more." She pulled me towards the seat next to her and moved to release her hand, but I held on tighter. Her cool skin on mine was calming.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "This is probably the worst tutoring session you've done."

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault. And considering *whistle, head jerk* it's the only tutoring session I've done, it's *click, whistle* bound to be the worst, but also the best. And Spencer will be fine."

I sighed and ran my free hand through my hair. "Okay," I whispered uncertainly. She removed her hand from mine, and I was about to protest, but then she wrapped her arm around me, pulling my head to rest on her shoulder. I sighed and whispered again, this time a little more sure, "Okay."

×

My phone rang, and I sat up from where I was leaning on Lexi. Spencer had been asleep for the past hour, and she had pulled me into the same position we were in before. It was 6 at night.

I looked at the contact and sighed, standing up. Lexi raised an eyebrow at me in interest, looking up from her kindle book on her phone. I picked up the call.

"Hi, Mom." I said. Lexi nodded in understanding and returned her gaze to her phone.

"Is Spencer still alive? Do you have any idea what happened?" Her tone sounded like she didn't really care, but was obligated to ask.

"He's fine. The doctors are gonna do some tests when he wakes up. They said they had a suspicion, but it needs to be tested."

"Mhm. What's their suspicion?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't asked, Mom."

"Well, do that. Be responsible for once, please. Are they planning on calling CPS? Because I don't really feel like coming home, but I will if it means avoiding another legal problem." I could practically hear her roll her eyes.

"No, they said they aren't calling CPS. I said you're on a business trip." I ran a hand through my hair, then leaned my elbow on the wall, my hand on my forehead.

"Okay. Don't go wasting all of my money, yeah?"

"Alright, Mom."

"'Kay, don't call again." And she hung up.

I sighed and dropped my arm, closing my eyes, then turned back to Lexi.

"They're such a pain." I whispered.

"I know."

I'm so sorry that this took so long! It took a while to figure out how to put this together, I was dealing with some serious writer's block. I should be back on track soon!