Help Me (sequel to Save Me)

Chapter 113

Trigger warning. We've got a sad one :))

"You've told Remington, right?"

Emerson winces at Sebastian's question, looking at the man across the table. The two are having lunch together. "Not exactly," he says slowly, seeing how his brother's face turns from hopeful to disappointed.

The man's eyes widen. "You haven't told him? What the fuck, Emerson?" He keeps his voice low.

"I'm sorry! It's so hard to tell him. It'll break him."

Sebastian sighs. "You need to tell him! If you don't, I will."

"No, Sebastian, don't. I will, I promise."

"You promised that last week and yet here we are," Sebastian says sharply. "You've got a day. If he doesn't know by tomorrow evening, I'm telling him."

"No, Seb-"

"Tell him!"

Emerson looks down. "Fine," he mumbles, "fine, I'll tell him."

But then a day passes, and still Remington doesn't know. And when Sebastian asks Emerson in the evening, and the younger says he couldn't do it, he tells Emerson that he's going to break the news to Remington tomorrow, whether he's in a good mood or not. He needs to know. Emerson argues about it, says it'll break Remington, and Sebastian repeats over and over than he doesn't want to be doing this at all, and that Remington should have found out when he was first diagnosed.

Sebastian, Andy and Remington meet for lunch. "So why did you wanna meet?" Remington asks, oblivious to how he's about to have his day ruined. But none of them are aware just how much this news would affect him.

"Emerson has been hiding something from you."

Remington puts down his fork. "Oh? Is it bad?" He knows by the look on Sebastian's face that it probably is.

With a slow, pained nod, Sebastian hesitates, and then says, "he was meant to tell you weeks ago, but he's been putting it off and you need to know." He looks from Remington to Andy, and back again. He's about to destroy his little brother, who has spent years rebuilding himself after being broken in the worst way.

"What is it?" The singer queries, noticing how Sebastian is looking at him, all sad and on edge. "Sebastian?"

None of them are eating now. The air is thick over their table. Sebastian looks away. He understands why Emerson couldn't do it. It's heart breaking. Knowing his little brother is ill is one thing, but telling Remington, who can be pushed over the edge so easily, it a totally different ride. Who knows what this could do to him? "Well..." He trails off and closes his eyes for a few moments. Remington looks at him expectantly, waiting, and the man knows he can't back out. He takes a breath, leans forwards so his elbows are on the edge of the table, and says it.

Remington stops moving. He stares ahead of him like his eyes are detached from his body, like he's not actually seeing anything at all.

"Remington, say something," Sebastian urges, terrified of what his brother might do. He looks at Andy and the man looks back.

The boy stands up stiffly. He nearly faints, but doesn't. He pushes his chair back and runs, and by the time Andy and Sebastian have got to their feet, Remington is gone. Andy calls him and texts him and he doesn't reply. He calls Abigail, too, asks her to get back to him if Remington turns up there. She promises she will, and that she'll keep him with her if he does show up.

"I'll go home," he says, "he might have just gone home. We can't panic yet."

But Remington isn't at home.