Cold Lonely Nights

Waiting

Luke can't bear to see Shane following that, every time he does, the boy bombards him with questions on Drew's return.

When Shane leaves the hospital wing he sits at the orphanage's gates, clinging onto a toy Drew gave him when they were together and looking out intently to see the car bringing Drew coming from a mile away. Every time the delivery of food comes along, Shane gets excited but becomes emotionally crushed when he finds out what it is.

When the sight of Shane like this becomes too much, Luke tries to talk to him.

"Aren't you cold?" The adult checks, wrapping the boy in his jacket.

"I shouldn't be waiting long now." Shane tries, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Shane, it's been over a week, come on, let's get you inside where it's warm." Luke offers.

"No, I just need to be patient." Shane replies. "He'll come back for me, I just know it!" He adds.

Luke strokes Shane's hair with a sad expression as he still keeps his eyes fixed on where he could see any sign of Drew's return.

"Do you have any letters from him?" Shane asks.

"He hasn't sent any." Luke tries.

"He's probably trying to surprise me." Shane smiles, forcing himself to believe in what he's saying.

Luke can sense the brief hesitation in Shane's voice and pulls him right up against his side.

While they're sitting together, a familiar wagging tail appears. Luke smiles at the sight of the puppy, scratching it between the ears as it presses its moist nose between them. Shane strokes the puppy, suddenly remembering the last time he did and bursting into tears.

Luke immediately hugs Shane, stroking his back. Shane clings onto Luke, crying even louder.

Luke's just about to make the puppy go away when Shane stops him. Luke understands what is being asked of him and smiles.

"Do you want the puppy?" He checks.

Shane manages to look Luke in the eye for a moment before weakly shaking his head, only just able to whimper. "I just want him to come back."

Luke sniffs at the sound of this and pulls Shane into another hug. "Just say the word and she's yours, you could do with a pet to help you to not feel too lonely without him." He explains.

Shane nods against Luke's chest with a weeping sob.

Luke notices how the puppy has started whimpering, matching Shane's feelings. "She's yours, what are you going to call her?"

Shane manages a choked chuckle before wheezing. "Wendy?"

Luke smiles at the name and pats Shane on the head lightly. "I'll make it okay with Jack for you to keep her." He tells the young orphan, seeing that Shane's moved onto hugging the puppy.

"Thank you Luke." Shane tells him quietly.

Luke nods again, leaving Shane with the puppy. Shane keeps stroking Wendy letting her lick his face and ignoring the pain in his stomach from where he hasn't eaten in a long time.

After a while, the lack of food catches up with him and he passes out next to the puppy.

-

When Shane wakes up, he's back in his room with the puppy lying next to him. He smiles and pets her looking next to him to see a plate full of food. He instantly helps himself to it, also drinking the glass of water next to it.

The puppy instantly perks up at the sight of Shane moving and manages a cute bark, licking his face. Shane giggles at the feeling of its tongue tickling his face and neck, patting the puppy on the head and rubbing it between its ears.

Luke turns up, smiling at the sight of Shane playing with the puppy.

"She likes you." Luke smiles.

Shane grins up at Luke. "Does she?"

Luke sits next to Shane, stroking the boy's fringe out of his face. "Yeah." He replies. "She hasn't left your side at all."

Shane gives Luke a hopeful look. "Has Drew arrived yet?" He asks innocently.

After taking a deep sigh, Luke pulls Shane into a hug. "I'm sorry Shane, it doesn't look like he's coming back." He tells the young orphan.

"But-" Shane tries.

"-She couldn't have known, the only time she's spoken to Drew was when he first got here. I know that he misses you very much but he's in a good place right now and is never coming back." He explains.

"N-no... he has to come back!" Shane whines.

"I know, I want him to come back too but he's part of a family now, you're the only reason that he'd look back." Luke continues softly, feeling partly devastated when he sees the completely heartbroken look Shane is giving him.

"I n-need him to come back." Shane can only whimper, feeling tears on his cheeks.

"Why don't we both watch some films like you and Drew used to?" Luke suggests, wrapping an arm around the boy.

Shane simply shakes his head with a quiet sob. "Why doesn't he want to come back? What did I do wrong? I waited for him but he never came! Luke it's not fair! What did I do?" He cries.

Luke instantly pulls Shane into a hug as he starts crying, stroking his hair to calm him down as he rocks the child slightly. "It's not your fault Shane, it'll be alright." Luke shushes. "Some chocolate will make you feel better." He adds, pulling a bar out of his pocket to put on the tray where all Shane's food is.

The puppy whimpers quietly before curling up next to them, yawning and falling asleep.

Luke waits for Shane to finish crying so he can put on the boy's favourite film to take his mind off Drew, keeping a reassuring arm wrapped around Shane the whole time.