Let Me Go

Chapter Three

Victor's POV

Hearing the cries of Kota broke something within me. I think within all of us. It was a sound we never thought he was capable of making. Even after everything he's been through, he's always been our rock. To know that someone, a stranger to the rest of us, could cause him such grief is heartbreaking. Is it because of how she looks? Or is there more to the story?

My feet are hesitant to take me closer. To see the full destruction of my brother. But to also see the girl who has brought Kota to this point.

There have been instances where our blood families have injured us to the point where we've been hospitalized. I'm not sure if we'd sensitized ourselves to the experiences, but it wasn't as much of a shock when we got the redline that one of us had been hurt due to a family situation. And that was saddening to learn. Why were we okay with what our family did to us? Especially when we knew it was wrong? Sure, we did everything to avoid such things from happening, but that wasn't always the case. Our job, our purpose in life, is to help those in need. Yet, here we are, allowing harm to come to those we have chosen as our family. Is that not a double standard?

Those thoughts lead me to thinking I need to have a conversation with Mr. B. We need to get everyone out of their situations. It took a random girl, to us at least, for me to see the errors in our ways. Yes, I had my reasonings for staying, but the more I think about them, they no longer seem valid. What's to say it won't be me in this girl's situation next? Or Gabriel? Any one of us could suffer at the hands of those who are meant to love us and they take it too far. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the next time would be too late. We've gotten some of the more "violent" offenders removed, but it's a Band-Aid on an open wound. Guarantees are not a sure thing. Things happen.

Just look at the girl that Kota was able to keep secret from us.

We've got set in our ways over the last several years. Our checkups and family meetings are more of a hassle than our get togethers. We don't ask for anything beyond the mandatory questions. It's how we missed that he had what essentially boils down to a secret life. And we work for the Academy for goodness sakes. Our whole purpose, work life, is a secret. Maybe that's how he got so good at hiding something like this. Yet, we are supposed to be brothers, family. If he felt he needed to hide her from us, what does that say about our family dynamic?

Something needed to change. Starting today. Just after we tend to our brother and this girl.

Steeling myself for what I'm about to see with my brother, I make sure my emotions have been masked. There is no reason for what I'm feeling to cause further anxiety for my brother. He deals with enough as it is. My issues don't need to be laid out for him.

The door is pushed open, Doc in front of all of us. His first concern will be the patient, looking her over, before turning to our brother. Even if everything is screaming to make sure Kota is okay. There's no telling exactly what we will walk into after hearing him cry out in anguish like that. I watch as Doc goes into full doctor mode, looking over the various machines hooked up to the small figure laid out in the bed. I can't make out much of her features due to Kota being draped over her, though I do notice he is making sure to watch for all the wires and things on her body.

Once he makes notes in her file at the end of the table, he turns to Kota.

"Kota, come, sit here." Doc has a chair situated near the bed so he can stay near the girl but is more comfortable.

Kota doesn't necessarily acknowledge Doc with a response, but he does move to the chair, laying his head on the bed while clutching at the girl's hand. When he speaks, his voice is no more than a croak. More tears threaten to clog his throat, yet he makes a conscious effort to hold them at bay for us to understand him.