Against All Odds

Chapter 35

Lucas

Eve's head is resting on the side of my hospital bed as she sleeps soundly on the chair next to me. Even in sleep her face is etched with worry. Her little brother is lying in a coma. I feel my heart clench as realization dawns on me; it's all my fault. If I hadn't befriended Eve and her family then Benji would never have come running over to see me that fateful evening. Eve would never have come over to help me in the first place. I'd be the one lying in a coma or maybe even dead. I couldn't protect the family that had shown me the up most kindness. By allowing them to become part of my lives I caused this to happen. I put them all in danger without a second thought to the consequences.

I tear the few hospital tubes off my body, sitting up in bed and searching the room with my eyes. On the chair beside her, Eve had placed a set of clothing for me when they discharged me in the morning. Careful not to wake her sleeping form I snatch the clothes up, silently thanking Eve for thinking ahead while disguarding my hospital gown and getting changed hastily.

Without thinking, I lean towards Eve and tuck a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry." I whisper softly, guilt filling me, knowing what grief I'd caused her. My eyes sweep over her beautiful features and my heart aches to kiss her rough, chapped lips. But I don't. I bring chaos into peoples lives, especially those who don't deserve it. Especially those I care for deeply. I bring pain.

Taking a deep breath I know there's only one option; I have to leave this wonderful and strong girl before I destroy her life completely.

Eve

Someone is shaking my shoulder, ending my much needed sleep. It wasn't a peaceful sleep though. I haven't slept well ever since that night...

Groaning, I flutter my eyes open slightly and squint at the sudden light of the white hospital rooms.

"Have you seen Luc?" Harvey's worried voice wakes me up completely and I lift my head off the bed, sitting up in my chair groggily.

"He was here when I fell asleep." I gesture to the bed which I now realise is empty and then stifle a yawn, wincing at my horrible morning breath.

"I can't find him anywhere and he hasn't answered any of my calls!" Harvey stresses and his eyes flicker to the door as though waiting for Lucas to waltz through. "He discharged himself from hospital really early this morning."

As his words sink in I notice the chair beside me is empty - the clothes I'd brought for him are no where to be seen.

"Shit..." I mutter, swiping my phone off the desk beside the bed and searching for Lucas' number. I curse when it goes straight to voicemail. Why the hell did he leave the hospital?

"I don't no what to do, no ones seen him since he left. It's like he's just disappeared." Harvey is almost tearing his hair out and I feel my own worry growing. The situation is clearly serious.

"Just calm down, I'm sure he'll be at his house or something." I reason though I doubt my own words considering his house is a crime scene right now.

"He's not, Leo and I tried there already." Harvey explains. "It's still swarming with police."

"How long have you been searching for him?" I frown, assuming he'd woken me up as soon as he'd seen Luc was gone.

"Around three hours." He rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"And you only just woke me up now?!" I exclaim, jumping to my feet.

"You've barely had any sleep recently." Harvey defends his actions, his hands on my shoulders to steady me as I try to rush past him. "I didn't think it would take this long to find him and I didn't want to worry you for no reason considering the shit you're dealing with at the moment."

I step out of his grasp and run a hand through my hair which dearly craves a shower, letting my anger subside.

"It's fine. Let's focus on finding him." I decide, feeling suddenly determined not to let this boy get away. For some reason, he'd become my support line ever since he'd come into my life.

He'd stopped Mike from pushing me to far. He'd offered me sanctuary in his room when I'd been locked out of my own. He's protected Benji and I from that storm...not knowing where he is at this moment is scary. But what's even scarier is the thought of never seeing him again.