"...I feel bad for ignoring my other stories, but I like this one :) R&R?..."

A Vow of Silence-Chapter 2

Grief-Stricken

Hank Lawson ran up to the Bryant household, banging on the door as soon as he reached it. Libby opened it immediately. She didn't waste time on casual 'hellos' or 'how are yous'; she pulled Hank into the upstairs bathroom where her bleeding boyfriend laid.

"What happened?" he asked as he started fussing over Tucker.

"He...he went to the bathroom, but when he went to wash his hands, his hands were shaking so bad that he dropped the glass soap dispenser." Libby said, the words rushing from her lips. It was obvious that she was on the verge on panicking again, and Hank knew that if she did it wouldn't help the situation any.

"Calm down, Libby. He'll be fine. It's not as bad as it looks, which, considering he's a hemophiliac, is a very good thing. Get the factor-8 pack, okay?" Hank asked.

"Yes, of course." Libby said, pushing back tears as she descended down the stairs.

Hank turned his attention back to Tucker, who had a pen in his hand and a piece of paper on the floor. Hank watched as Tucker scribbled something out and flipped it over for Hank. It read two simple words: I'm sorry.

"What are you sorry for?" Hank asked. But before Tucker could write out a response, Libby came back. Tucker threw the paper aside and placed the pen underneath the sink so Libby wouldn't know.

"I got it." Libby announced.

"Good, give it to me." Obediently, Libby passed the pack over to Hank. He set it up for Tucker, who then took it over. "You should be fine." Hank smiled. "You know, you've been lucky so far. All the bleedings you've experienced so far have either clotted on their own or you had a doctor around to fix things. I'm glad, you know."

"Just imagine if he had gone on that African Safari." Libby added.

"Yeah, really." Hank said with a tight smile. "You feeling okay, Tucker?" Tucker just nodded his head, keeping his eyes downcast. "Do you want me to stay to make sure things run smoothly?" Tucker shook his head no this time. With that, Hank went to stand up, but Tucker grabbed his arm, stopping him. "What is it?" Tucker reached back over to the pad of paper and then pen he had gotten rid of just minutes earlier. He wrote out, 'Stay.'

"But you wanted me to leave..."

'No, I didn't want you to stay for medical reasons.' Tucker wrote.

"Then why do you want me to stay?" Hank asked.

'I need you.'

The sentence took him by surprise. Tucker needed him. He could help but feel a little happy about that, but it also upset him. Tucker was too young to need emotional help- he was too young to go through what he had to need the help in the first place.

'And I need you to know.' Tucker added.

"Know what?" Hank asked.

"What happened his mom." Libby spoke up. Then, she turned her head to Tucker. "I think you should tell him, Tucker." Tucker just nodded, agreeing with his girlfriend.

"You don't have to tell me." Hank said.

'I want to.' Tucker wrote. 'Not now, though. I want you to hear the story.'

"Of course." Hank said, nodding his head. "I understand."

"Thanks Hank, for everything." Libby said with a hint of a smile.

"No problem, Libby. I'm glad you called." Hank reassured.

Suddenly, Libby's phone rang three times, warning that she had gotten a text. She quickly read it before sighing loudly. "I am so sorry Tucker, but I have to go. My parents want me home for the night- we have company over."

'I understand. Thanks for staying so long.' Tucker wrote.

Libby gave Tucker a quick kiss before leaving, a fake smile plastered on her face.

As soon as Libby left, Tucker looked at Hank, his eyes sad and watery. Hank frowned as he approached the younger boy. He extended his hand for Tucker to grab, which the young boy did. Tucker leaned against Hank as he escorted him into the living room. He sat down on the couch next to him,letting Tucker lean his head on his shoulder. He let himself cry with Hank watching, something he never used to do.

"You can cry, Tucker. No one's going to say anything about it." Hank whispered. Tucker nodded his head; he already knew that. He tried to control how much he cried, though, but with little success. Before he knew it, he was balling his fists up and trying to stop his erratic breathing pattern. Hank pulled Tucker closer, letting him go through the phases of grief. He had done the same thing for Evan when their own mother had passed away. He held him as he gently stroked his hair. He was too familiar with the position that Tucker had been put in, and he knew too well how much pain Tucker was in.

The two friends stayed in that position for the rest of the night. Hank didn't mind, though. He didn't want to leave Tucker alone, and he was glad that he wasn't trying to push him away. Finally, after hours and hours of crying, Tucker fell to sleep, but even in his dreams the grief stayed with him...

"...Next chap will be up by tomorrow and will tell what really happened to Tucker's mother. It will also be the last chap- you have been warned! Thnx for reading! R&R?..."