Boxed In
Title: Boxed In
Summary: AU Season 14. Abby and Luka deal with the realization that their son may be autistic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Luka, Abby, Joe, or anyone else whose name looks familiar. If it's not familiar, I may own the character.
"Joseph!" Abby Lockhart called after her son again in frustration as he zipped away from her at breakneck speed and started digging through a desk drawer, screaming with amusement and halfway dancing with some items he'd pulled out of it. Rushing over to scoop the 22-month old child from the place she carried him out of the room, resulting in an ear-piercing shriek from the toddler, but no real tears. "Aiyuuuu!" "Joe, I don't understand you…" Abby said with a frown as she closed the door, placing him on the floor and kneeling to his eye level. "Try again…" She sighed in frustration. Joe had been an early talker, babbling a mile a minute and picking up several new words a week since he was just 14 months old. Now, for about the past two or three months, increasingly more often than not, he had reverted back to screaming and babbling nonsense when he was excited or upset, and not saying much at all when he was calm.
"Joe…" She looked at him and frowned a little as she noticed him squirm, turning his head to avert his eyes from her own, making jerky movements to escape. The lack of coordination she could have easily chalked up to a minor neuro-reflexive delay from being premature. He'd outgrow it by the time he was 5 or 6 or so. But the eyes… he made such an effort to avert his eyes from her own. Those big brown eyes just two months ago had been so deep, so observing and soulful. Her eyes. Now, they were like two empty brown saucers. The eyes were what terrified her the most.
She was a doctor, for goodness sake! She knew the signs and it scared her to death. She knew though. She knew she'd talk to Luka about an evaluation, just as soon as he got home from work. She knew they'd go through the motions; doctors, testing, long scientific discussions. Statistics and prognoses. She knew, deep down she knew, what she feared so much would come. The day they told her that her fears were founded.
She wanted to scoop him up and run. Just run away. Somewhere where she wouldn't have to voice her concerns to Luka. Somewhere were countless doctors and specialists would test and examine and scan her child. Her baby boy. Her only baby. The well meaning acquaintances who would shake their heads and sigh that it was such a shame. She wanted to scoop him up in her arms and run far, far away. To a place where it wouldn't matter. Where she could protect him from all of it.
But she couldn't run. She didn't even really have the answers yet. He needed the appropriate help he deserved, if it was warranted at all. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to stop the bit of panic that had taken over and simply lifted him up again, speaking softly and reassuringly to him as she carried him into his room for a nap.
She'd talk to Luka later.