Tu Es Ma Lumière

55 - Harm, Part 3

"Hey, mon frere." Francis wheezed, a few days later. He winced, leaning over in his wheelchair to hold his half brother's hand. He wrapped his other arm around his injured ribs, wheezing with the effort it took to simply talk and sit for more than a few minutes at a time. His father sent him a worried glance as the young Dauphin clenched his face in pain and strain. He walked over to him, in an effort to try and help his second-born back into his wheelchair, but the young man shook off his father's concern, simply stayed where he was and looked over at his comatosed elder brother.

Bash looked...normal. He wasn't bruised or bloody. His skin wasn't pale and there wasn't a sheen of sweat laying over his body. He looked like he was merely sleeping. Yes, that's how it looked to be. If the young Dauphin could convince himself that his half brother was simply sleeping, everything would be a great deal better. The breathing tube and the tubes coming out of his brother's chest were there just to make sure he was sleeping better. Yes, that's why they were there. If he could convince himself of that, everything would be okay.

"I know you're a deep sleeper, but come on." he chuckled tiredly. "This is taking the piss, don't you think?" he asked, reaching up to touch his brother's wrist.

Bash didn't respond. The machines were too loud. Beep beep. Womp. Beep beep. Womp Beep beep. Womp.

"Ya know, France's hailing you a hero, jumping for a gunman who was tryin' to hurt your girl." he stated absentmindedly. "You don't know it now, but the baby's gone. Kenna's heartbroken. She's barely holding it together, all we need is a little something from you. Move, even a little. Come on, Bash. You can do it." Francis begged. "Have you ever seen a crown Prince beg before? I don't think so, but if that's what it takes, then I will." he nodded, resting his head on the hospital bed. "Come on, brother. I don't know how to live without you, you've always been there for me. Regardless of if mother and our father tried to keep us separated. You have to pull through, brother. Not just for Kenna, but for me, too."

Francis waited in the loud quietness of the hospital room for any one sign at all. One came, but not from his brother. But from the loud gait of his father.

"Francis," he stated, coming up behind his secondborn son and resting his hands on Francis' shoulders.

"What?" Francis asked.

"Oh, God." Henry sniffled. "Look at you." he stated. "Look at you both," he glanced at his eldest and second-to. Francis looked down. "my boys." he said, clipped on another cry.  "My little boys, look at you both." he sniffled. Francis sighed.

"Father, I-" he was cut off by a sharp hiss of pain. Henry's eyes snapped up at the sound, saw him trying to get up. Henry rushed over.

"No, don't get up." he insisted. "You're too weak right now." Francis gave his father a look, but obeyed. Henry kissed his son's blonde curls as the younger sat back down into the chair.

"What did doctor Ramsdon say?" he asked. "Can they wake him up?"

"His heart was injured in the shooting. I'm no doctor, I don't know the exact thing he said, but something about the ventricles or something. Keeping him asleep for now is the best method of treatment until we know what's going on with him." Henry replied softly, looking over at the elder of the two. "Don't you want to see Mary and the baby?"

"What?" Francis nearly gave himself whiplash he turned around that quickly. "I can?"

"They've been trying to get her ready for you for a while, now. Come, the nurses will tell us if anything happens to you brother. But, it won't. Sebastian is strong." Henry stated, walking behind his heir and taking the wheelchairs handle's in his hands, begging to push the Dauphin out of the room. Francis made sure to grab one more look at Sebastian before the door closed.