divulgence // luke hemmings au

61

Honor Walk: a ceremony held in a hospital to pay respect and express gratitude to a patient who has chosen to donate their organs.
— definition via google.
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2 weeks went by;

Elliot was in the intensive care unit fighting for life, Luke staying by his side through it all. Despite little to no improvements being made.

Luke was the only one who was optimistic through it all, until the neurology team came in one more to do a full assessment on Elliot, coming to conclusion that complete brain death was near, and to start making arrangements such as organ and tissue donations if possible.

Luke was in denial, while Sabrina, faced reality, persuading him to look ahead and look at the facts in front of him.

Luke and Sabrina came to a decision, within twenty four hours, allowing Elliot to donate what was deemed necessary to whatever recipient's needed them and were at match.

When it was time for the procedure to happen, the Hemmings family surrounded Elliot, confessing their love to him and their goodbyes taking part in the honor walk moments later.

The doors opened, and Luke saw out into the hallway, it was packed, doctors, nurses and other staff lined the walls prepared to pay their respects.

Luke stood on the left and Sabrina stood on the right, as the honor walk team pushed Elliot's hospital bed and equipment down the hallway.

All eyes on them, it was a somber moment. Luke holding back everything as him and his family reached the end of the hallway which was the  doorway to the transplant operating room.

Sierra was standing outside the door way, dressed in surgical scrubs and a mask, hands by her sides in a respectful manner.

She allowed Luke and Sabrina to hold, hug, kiss and speak to their sign a final time remaining professional for her best friend and his family.

When Luke felt like the time was right, he walked up to Sierra, swallowing hard as the two of them looked into each others eyes, Sierra placing a hand on one of his shoulders as she looked at him solemnly.

Sierra did this, knowing that Luke would do the same for her if the roles were reversed. She looked at him sympathetically, hand still on his shoulder making sure he was listening, "I'm doing this because I know you'd do this for me and I know they won't allow you to be in there with him. Luke, your family is my family too, Elliot deserves to have someone he knows in there while he takes his peaceful trip to heaven."

The last few words struck a nerve in Luke, it felt like he'd been shot in the gut.

"Thank you" he muttered trying remain intact long enough to finish the conversation. "You have no idea how much this means to me and my family. I just wish, I could be in there and hold his hand a final time."

"I'm sorry, Luke, but you know that can't happen, take as long as you like with your son before we bring him in."

She removed her hand from Luke's shoulder and Luke turned around walking a couple of inches over to his son's hospital bed, Sabrina holding one of his hands as Luke took the other.

Luke held Elliot's hand with both of his looking at him, "it's crazy how I remember the first time I held you in my arms twenty three years ago, one of the most amazing moments in my life, I remember how you looked up at me with those big beautiful blue eyes and we're studying me like I was your whole world. And now Elliot, twenty three years later, I'm holding you in my arms again, the final time in our lives. I never thought it would come to this but I need you to understand that we did everything we could, and when I say everything I mean everything. I need you to know that you'll always be my baby-boy no matter what, I'll ever stop being your father even if that means we'll be living in two different worlds. I promised to be your daddy till the end and here I am, at the end of your short but beautiful life, still loving you and caring for you. I'll love you forever with my entire heart, I'll never stop thinking about you and how much you've impacted this family and the community around you. Don't be afraid when you see that bright light, it's okay to go toward it, I want you to be free, at peace and now longer in pain, you hear me?"