"How To Save A Life"
Summary: "Well, you know what they say. If you're not living you're dying," Adam said grimly. "Or is it the other way around?"; Trigger warning – Trauma/Hurt/Comfort; Adam/Fiona pairing. Drew/Eli/KC POVs.
Author's Note: This is HEAVY. Seriously, it's a dark story. It examines heavy questions about life, death, violence, trauma, guilt, and love.
Rating: M for trauma/violence/rape.
Author's Note #2: If I could, I choose 3 main characters for this story – Drew, Adam, and Fiona.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Degrassi!
-oOo-
It was quiet. 'Too quiet,' Drew thought as he closed the front door. He expected to find Adam sitting on the couch watching TV. Instead the living room was as dark as the foyer. Drew flipped on the lights and took a good look around the empty room. He frowned.
He had just returned early from a play with their parents. Adam was supposed to accompany them, but decided to stay home at the last minute. It was only a few hours ago that he waved them all goodbye, insisting they enjoy it without them. Drew initially felt bad leaving Adam home alone. His brother had been through such a rough time these past few months. Owen's brutal attack had been emotionally scarring, but the aftermath was even worst. Drew shuddered at the memories, and forcefully focused on the present.
He walked upstairs. 'Where is he?' he thought, unnerved by the quietness upstairs. Adam had been much better the past few days. He was almost like his old self. He smiled, joked, and spent time with his friends. Drew felt he really didn't have a reason to be nervous. Yet, he was anxious. He had the feeling of waiting for the other foot to drop and he didn't know why.
Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the answer. He had his hand was raised, ready to knock on Adam's door when he spotted light coming from the bathroom. The door was just slightly ajar. In a few strides, he cautiously placed his hand on the door knob.
"Adam?" he said.
His heart dropped when he opened the door. Tears sprung to his eyes and wretched sob escaped from his throat. He ran to the bathtub where Adam laid fully dressed, seemingly unconscious. There was no water in the tub, but it was slick with red liquid. Adam had cut his wrists. One arm rested on the side of tub, with a shallow cut that left some blood on the linoleum floor. His other arm was more concerning. It had a deep gash, which caused a large volume of blood to pool in the tub.
Drew shook his brother roughly. "ADAM! ADAM, WAKE UP!" he cried desperately. After a moment Adam's eyes fluttered open.
"Thank God!" Drew exclaimed and hugged his brother. "I'm going to get you out of here!" he told him.
Drew reached up and grabbed some hand towels. He quickly applied them to Adam's wrists, and then fished out his cell phone to dial 911.
"Don't," Adam said weakly.
Drew looked at him wildly. Adam held eye contact. "Please… let me go…"
Drew shook his head angrily, "NO!" he shouted. He tightened the pressure on Adam's badly damage wrist to slow the bleeding.
"Hello? Yes, I need help right away. My brother is bleeding. His wrists are cut…" Drew started to tell the operator on the other line.
An ambulance arrived quickly. Drew followed them out as they brought Adam to the van. The neighbors looking on at the scene barely registered with him as he took a seat beside Adam. At the hospital they quickly admitted his brother and asked Drew questions about how he found him. It was all a blur. When he finally sat down in the waiting room he remembered to call their parents.
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Author's Note #3: I prefer to complete stories before I post them. Luckily, I have this one done (all 21 pages!), so I will post 1-2 chapters each day.