Chapter 6 ("Angels and Demons")
Ethan had never been a fan of Halloween. At least not in his adult years.
It's not that he didn't like it per say, he just didn't care so much for the gore and the horror.
He saw enough of that on a day to day basis while in the Army. And then just as much so once he had started working in hospitals more regularly.
He could go without the 'thrill' of blood and guts.
He got enough of that as it was.
And after having spent the night trapped at the theater with Amanda and Ian, he was definitely over Halloween for good.
He had been thankful when he was able to save them both. And after having gotten them settled at Angels he had made his way downstairs, Heather at his side, only to find out that everyone at the hospital was having a worse night than he was.
Jesse had informed them quietly of Charlotte's death. Of how the girl had been shot trying to protect a young patient. Of how she had died in Center Stage with her friends by her side.
Ethan's heart had broken in two when Jesse told him how Leanne had been so upset about it. About how she had cried as she called the girl's time of death.
But then he had told him that Eli had been there for the whole thing. That he had witnessed the shooting and that he had hid under a chair while a drug-raged gunman shot up their waiting room.
He felt like he was going to throw-up at the nurse's words.
He knew that something like that could traumatize a kid. That it could surely break his already fragile soul.
He had driven home with tears in his eyes, contemplating over and over again if he wanted to stop at Leanne's before going to his place.
But then he realized that it was almost midnight and that they were both surely already in bed and he had refrained.
Instead, he had taken a quick shower and thrown on his pajamas before grabbing his phone and dialing Leanne's number without a second thought.
"Ethan?" She sounded groggy and he could hear the sadness in her voice as well.
It nearly broke him in two hearing her so down and out.
"Hey." He said softly, falling back against the pile of pillows on his bed. "Sorry to call so late."
"It's okay. Is everything alright?" She sounded downright exhausted and he hoped that he hadn't woken her.
He would never forgive himself if he had.
"I just wanted to make sure you guys were okay." He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. He wanted to be with them more than anything right now but he knew that it wasn't his pace. "I heard what happened to Charlotte. Jesse said that Eli was there, that he saw what happened. I just wanted to make sure he was okay. That you were both okay."
"We're okay. I promise." He could tell that she wasn't telling him the entire truth and he started to panic.
"No injuries?" He knew he had no right to worry, but dammit, he couldn't help himself.
"No injuries." She whispered softly, and he let out a sigh.
Thank God for that.
"Did he get to go trick-or-treating?" Leanne had told him yesterday how incredibly excited Eli had been to get to go trick-or-treating that year.
Apparently he had been sick last year and had missed all the excitement.
He was even more thrilled knowing that his mom was taking him this year.
No ifs, ands, or buts about it according to her.
"No." He could hear the regret in her voice. "But after tonight, I don't know how much fun he would have had."
"I'm sorry to hear that." He wished the kid hadn't had to miss out on the fun.
As much as he may have disliked the holiday himself, he would have loved to have taken the boy out and watched him get his candy.
"Mommy…?" He heard Eli's voice in the background and he felt a smile come across his face.
He had barely gotten to know the kid and he was already smitten.
"Hey sweetie." Leanne's voice was so soft and it made his insides flutter. He only ever heard her talk like that when it was with Eli. And boy did it do things to him. "What are you doing up?"
"I can't sleep." He heard the boy moving around on the other end of the phone and he could only imagine that he was probably crawling into bed with his mother. "Who are you talking to?"
"Ethan." He was so glad that she had finally started calling him by his name and not his title. "Wanna say 'hi'?"
"Hi Ethan." Eli's voice was sleepy and he could only imagine that the kid had to have been beyond tired.
"Hey pal." He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, his body relaxing at the sound of the boy's voice. It was good to hear that he was doing somewhat okay. "How you feeling?"
"Sleepy." He let out a soft chuckle at his response.
"Yeah. I heard you had a crazy night." He didn't know if the boy would say anything to him about it or not, but it was certainly worth a shot.
He knew that he was pretty quiet, pretty reserved and distant at times.
He doubted he would be any different with him.
"Yeah." Eli said softly. He heard him let out a yawn and he felt his heart melt.
"I'm sorry you didn't get to go trick-or-treating." He wished he could make it up to the kid. That there was something he could do to make it better.
He made a silent promise to himself that he would think of something.
Even if he had to go buy him a bunch of candy himself.
"It's okay." He knew that it wasn't exactly okay, but he also knew that Eli was trying to be brave.
That's just who Eli was.
Just like his mother.
"What was your costume?" He didn't remember Leanne mentioning to him what the boy was going to dress up as, but he bet he looked adorable nonetheless.
"I was Hawkeye, from the Avengers." He could picture it now, it was the perfect costume for the kid.
"Aw man, he's my favorite." He wasn't a big comic book fan, but he wasn't lying when he said that Hawkeye was his favorite.
Robbie's had always been Thor.
He was pretty certain they had dressed up as them for Halloween one year. Back before the Avengers were even really a thing.
"Mine too." Eli whispered.
"Well hopefully you can show me your costume sometime, huh?" He would have loved to have seen him all dressed up. He bet he was the cutest Hawkeye out there.
"Yeah." He could hear him practically falling asleep on the other end and he let out a soft sigh.
"Why don't you try and sleep okay? We can talk later." He wanted the boy to rest, just like his mother should be doing as well, and he hoped that if he promised a conversation at a later point in time that he would turn in for the night.
"Okay." He let out another yawn and Ethan could just picture him snuggling into Leanne, his eyes closing as he started to doze off. He felt his heart seize in his chest at the image. He wished he could be there with them both right now. "Goodnight Ethan."
"Goodnight Eli." He whispered.
"I'm gonna go and see if I can get him to sleep." Leanne's voice came over the line quickly and her voice was quiet and full of sleep.
"Okay. Call me if you need anything." He meant it too. Anything at all that they needed and he would be there for them. No questions asked.
"I will." She said softly.
"Nighty night." He whispered his phrase to her as a small smile came over his face.
He bet she was rolling her eyes at him.
She always did when he said that.
"Nighty night." She whispered back. And then the line was dead and he was listening to nothing but silence.
He tossed the phone onto the bed next to him and he let out a sigh.
He missed them so much it hurt.
And they weren't even his to miss.
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