The Luna's Nerd

~Chapter 26~

"Ty? Tyler! Wake up!" There's a slap on my cheek, and I groggily open my eyes. "Ty?"

"Where... am I?" I sit up and rub the back of my head. My hands are smudged with dirt, and my shoes are covered in it too.

"The Pack's hospital. Nicki's dad commanded that she be transferred here, and I heard you attacked a few guys for trying to get near her, and you took her here yourself." She seems kind of proud despite the dark mood.

"I don't remember any of that. Henry must have taken over and I... I blacked out. The last thing he told me was to protect her."

She nods in an understanding and smiles, "well, you did the right thing, Tyler. Titus is here, also. I-I don't know if you'll want to see hi-"

"I do. Take me to him. Wait- No, Nicole. Is she alright?"

She takes my hand and helps me up. I stumble a little and manage to balance myself. "Nicki's alright. She just passed out from the wolfsbane. As for Titus-" she pauses.

"I want to see him," I whisper.

"Ty, I don't think that's-"

"Now." I press further, and she sighs in defeat.

Without a word, she begins to walk down one of the corridors. Some of the doors are open, others closed. Some full, others empty. We reach one of the very last doors, and I can recognize Titus' scent. Rose slowly opens the door, and I can't believe what I see.

There's someone on the bed. It can't be my brother. He has pale skin and lips so blue it looks unhealthy. This can't be my brother. He lies motionless on the bed with machines hooked up to him and bandages all over his body. This can't be Titus.

"No," I mutter.

"I told you it's not okay for you to see him." Rose turns around and begins to push me to leave.

I stand still and stare into her eyes. They're about to burst into tears, and I shake my head 'no' to her. I need to stay. Titus is all I have. As soon as he wakes up I'm going to tell him how shit he looks.

I enter the room, and Rose begins to sob. I stand feeling drained and hear the door shut behind me as her crying cascaded down the hall. I stare at the person on the bed. How can this be him? Titus has had so many concussions from football. There's no way one wound is going to stop him. Nothing can stop him. He's a strong guy.

I walk over and sit on the chair beside his bed. I should bring him Chinese when he wakes up, just like he had brought me after the accident. "You're an idiot, Titus." I snort staring at him. I shake my head and take in a deep breath.

'I'm sorry, Tyler. He's not going to make it.' Dick informs out of the blue.

'Don't say that. It's not true.'

He sulks, 'I'm sorry to say it is. Aaron Pines has done this to your brother.'

I get angry at Dick. He can't do this. 'You don't know shit, okay? Yeah, sure, Titus is an asshole at times but he's still my brother. My brother. He's all the family I have right now, and I'm not letting him leave me. Not like dad, and not like mom.'

He remains calm, 'Your parents didn't pass by choice. They were killed, Tyler. Do you want to know who killed them?'

'No.' I reply gruffly and stare at Titus' pale skin. My parent's death is a completely different thing. Titus won't die. Dick doesn't know what he's talking about.

~•••~

It's been a month, and maybe Dick does know what he's talking about. I can only stay in denial for so long. The doctors say he's showing no signs of recovery and it's best to just "make him comfortable." It's shit. All of it. I'm sitting down in The Fields. It's the only other place I go besides Titus' room.

Nicole has also been visiting me, but it's hard to stay distracted from my brother. I stare at the drawing, and I rip it out of the book. I fold it and stuff it in my pocket. I toss the sketchbook in the water, and I watch it float. I can't stand to look through those drawings anymore.

I cover my face with my hands in frustration. I don't know how much longer I can play this waiting game. Titus has been like this for so long. I've heard that Cole and Nick are trying to track down Jacqueline and Aaron, but that's the least of my worries right now.

I get up and begin to walk back to the hospital. I sometimes talk to Titus, and I say things I know I'd never tell him if he's awake. The thought of him listening is still comforting. I reach the hospital after my short journey back, and I make it to Titus' room. The beeping is relentlessly annoying, but it carries the shrivel of hope I still have left that Dick is wrong for once and Titus will make it.

My thoughts diminish as the door opens. Nicole smiles at me sadly, and I don't smile back. It's hard to force emotions when the pain is so strong. She sits down and the smell of Chinese food reaches my nose. I lean against her shoulder. She's the only comfort I can find throughout all of this. Her presence makes me happy knowing that I haven't lost everything. Not yet.

She hands me the bag along with a gift box wrapped in a bow. "Merry Christmas," she says. Silently, I unravel the bow and open the box to reveal its contents. "Do you like it?"

I grin as I examine the set of paintbrushes that were in the box. "It's amazing." I open the box of Chinese and begin to eat. I stuffed my mouth, and realization struck me. "I got you something, too," I mumble with my mouth full. She laughs at me and rolls her eyes. I dig into my pocket as I swallow my food and pull out the paper. "Merry Christmas, Nicki." I hand it to her and she looks as if she's going to burst into tears.

She opens the paper and stares at it in awe. She stares at her drawing and holds in her tears. "It's beautiful," she finally compliments.

"I've been perfecting it for months. Ever since that day I was drawing in the library. I-I want you to have it."

"Thank you so much. This is the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me." My heart pounds against my chest.

"You're the only present I need," I smirk a little. It always makes her blush when I tell her cheesy lines.

She opens her mouth to reply, but there's a deadlier sound that rings throughout the room. Nicole and I both turn to Titus' bed. The heart monitor flatlines, and she jumps out of her chair in shock.

"Oh, my Goddess! Titus! We... We need a doctor. Titus wake up!" Everything seems to happen in slow motion. Nicole shakes Titus' body as if he's going to wake up somehow. I get out of my seat, and I begin to shake.

'This is your call.' Dick's voice echoes throughout my head.

Nicole and I were suddenly ushered out of the room, and Dick laughs like a psychotic bastard. 'This is it, Tyler.'

I stare at the ground and run a hand through my hair. My body becomes heated and I pace around the room. "I'm going to kill him," I grumble, and for once, it's not Dick controlling my body. This is me controlling my body. The rage inside of me that's been building up has finally toppled over. I know exactly who's done this. "I don't care what it takes," I growl. He has to pay for what he's done. My eyes meet Nicole's, "Aaron Pines will die."