𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 • 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯

thirteen

Grayson's parents rush back home after hearing the news. Lisa arrives sobbing, she instantly runs to Grayson bringing him into a bone crushing hug.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you sweetie." She cries into his shoulder.

Sean hurries closely behind her and hugs them both. His warm arms tighten around them.

"I'm so sorry, son." He says patting Grayson's back while crying.

"We're so glad your okay! I mean, a break in?That wasn't even a possibility in our minds." Lisa exclaims in disbelief as tears roll down her face.

"We came back as fast as we could. We're never leaving you alone again." She adds.

"Well, I wasn't alone."

"What?" Sean questions with a concerned expression.

"Who was with you honey?" Lisa questions while cupping his cheeks.

"Ethan." Grayson answers.

Sean's face instantly drops as he hears the name.

"Ethan? Ethan as in my patient Ethan Grant?" Sean asks sternly.

"Yes." Grayson nods.

"What the hell was he doing here?" Sean further investigates.

"I invited him. He's my friend." Grayson says.

Sean's head spins at this new information, Ethan is the last person he'd want his son around.

"No, No, No." Sean repeats to himself like a mantra while shoving his hands over his face.

"Dad, it's oka-" Grayson assures.

"No Grayson! No It's not!" Sean cuts him off.

"He's dealing with mental problems. I don't want you around someone like that!" Sean yells.

"Well... Maybe I like being with him because he understands me. I actually want to be alive when I'm with him!" Grayson snaps before storming off to his room.

Sean and Lisa watch him go before looking at each other in shock.

—

Lisa unpacks her luggage on their king sized bed as Sean frantically paces around the room looking just as insane as his patients.

"I think your overreacting." Lisa mumbles.

"No I'm not!" Sean grumbles throwing his hands in the air.

"He saved our son's life for christ sake! If he wasn't around and Grayson was here by himself who knows... maybe we wouldn't have a son anymore." She declares tearing up.

Sean thinks about her words and stops his pacing. He walks to their bed and hugs Lisa, wrapping her in his embrace as he starts crying too.

"All I'm saying is Grayson likes him, he obviously likes Grayson. He helped him in a life or death situation." Lisa sobs.

"And Grayson even told us himself he only enjoys life when he's around Ethan."

Sean hugs her tighter once the words leave her mouth.

"We should at least give him a chance, he confides in you the absolute worst in him. He obviously comes to you because he wants to get better."

"You know what? You're right." Sean agrees nodding in between tears.

After their realization they decide to talk to Grayson and hear all about what happened directly from him.

"Honey, can we come in?" Lisa asks as she knocks on Grayson's door.

Grayson lays on his bed, his face is in his pillow which is now coated with wet tears. He hears the door creak open as his parents cautiously walk in.

"Oh sweetie, we're so sorry." Lisa sighs hurrying to her broken son as she grabs him and hugs him tight. Sean joins in, Grayson cries against his mom's shoulder.

"It's okay." Sean says calmly in his ear, he adds a kiss to the side of his head.

Grayson sniffles, and keeps his eyes shut.

"We want to know what happened." Lisa asks cupping his face, giving him a sad smile.

"I- Okay." Grayson stutters letting out deep breath.

"I was waiting for Ethan after inviting him over, and I suddenly heard a knock on the door. I opened it and saw no one. A few moments later the knocking began again only louder, Ethan showed up at the perfect time because once he did..." Grayson trails off.

"The house was broken into as three guys in masks walked in. We hid in my room, until Ethan decided to go downstairs to get a working phone since they stole ours. I hid under the bed waiting for him until I was dragged out by one of the intruders." Grayson explains to them as his mom sobs and his dad wipes tears off his cheek.

They told me they were gonna kill me as a tribute. I later escaped and found Ethan." Grayson sighs.

"Don't you guys get it? He stayed and risked his life for me. He helped me and refused to leave without me even though he could've. I don't care what you guys say, I'm not going to stop hanging out with him. I'm not going to stop talking to him. Anyone who goes through a situation like we did and sticks by your side, that's a true friend." Grayson concludes shaking in passion.

"I'm not gonna allow you guys to take my one friend away from m-"

"Honey, we won't." Lisa says with a smile as she puts a comforting hand on Grayson's thigh.

"Me and your father agree with you, we're so grateful that Ethan was here for you when we couldn't be." She says glancing at Sean.

"Yeah, Ethan is a challenging patient with issues but he's getting better, and it's clear you care about him. We don't want to take that from you." Sean adds with a smile.

Grayson hunches his shoulders in relief, he was prepared to run away with Ethan somewhere but now that his Parents actually agree with him he doesn't have to.

"Thanks." Grayson mumbles, wiping tears from his cheeks. He brings them into a hug, and for the first time in a long time...

They actually feel like a family again.

—

Sean sits across from Ethan, it's been two weeks since they've last met. The last time wasn't the best for Sean because of his patients inappropriate words regarding his son. That made Sean much more skeptical but after what happened he doesn't care anymore.

"I want to thank you for helping my son" Sean says with a genuine smile.

"And saving his life, I don't know what he would've done without you." Sean's voice cracks as he holds back tears.

"Trust me Mr. Dolan... the pleasures all mine." Ethan assures with a warm smile.

"He means a lot to me, I would do it again if I had to."

"That's very nice of you, Ethan. We can tell you mean a lot to him as well."

"I just don't know what I'd do without him honestly." Ethan shakes his head in disbelief, his eyes drift off staring blankly around the room.

"I love him."