Northern Districts Hospital
"It's great that Nate might discharge you this afternoon, it means you're doing a lot better now than a couple days ago." Lucas says to his triplet, who was still being quiet.
"And if he thinks one more night in here has to happen, then it's not the end of the world." Tyler says, still not getting a reply. "Oi, don't ignore me baby bro."
"Don't call me that." Kyle glares.
"Why not?" Tyler challenges. "You were born last, so that makes you my baby bro."
"I'm not even the youngest in the family, Casey is." Kyle huffs.
"Yeah, but Casey isn't my triplet." Tyler shrugs.
"And I get called enough names by Heath, so you can have that one from Tyler." Casey says as the door opens, Ricky walking in with Brax close behind her.
"Hey, how are you today?" Ricky smiles.
"Still angry." Tyler says.
"Nate said he'll be in later, Kyle might be discharged today." Lucas says.
"Well that's great news. Means those extra couple of nights in here did you some good." Ricky says.
"His counsellor also said he's been doing well in the sessions he's had." Casey says.
"I can talk for myself." Kyle glares at him.
"What counselling sessions?" Brax asks, not having been told about Kyle having any until he was discharged, but Kyle didn't reply.
"Kyle's had to have counselling sessions twice a day since the other day for some bad thoughts." Lucas says. "They agreed two a day would benefit Kyle just while he's in hospital, then to see how he goes once discharged."
"Oh." Brax sighs. "Can you all give us some space?" He asks, them all nodding before walking out with Ricky. "I've heard you've not been doing great for a while." He says as he sits on the side of Kyle's bed, needing to be there for Kyle after what he'd been told by Ricky.
"I guess." Kyle mutters, glancing down as he fiddles with the blanket, desperately trying to hold himself together.
"Is it the reason why you said all that stuff to me the other day?" Brax asks.
"I'm sorry, I never should have said any of that to you. I didn't mean it, not really." Kyle says as some tears start to fall down his cheeks, quickly wiping them away.
"So why did you say it?" Brax asks.
"I just miss how things used to be, before all of this bad stuff and then being in here. I was just… I don't know, but it felt easier to take it out on you. It wasn't fair on you and I'm sorry. You're not like dad, you're not!"
"It's okay-"
"It's not! I don't even know why I said it. I guess I thought you'd always be on my side, be there for me when I needed you."
"You know I'll always be on your side, and I'm always going to be here for you but I couldn't, not then. I will always take the side of a doctor over yours, Nate knows what's best for you and that was staying here." Brax says.
"But I'm ready to go home, I don't want to stay here even longer." Kyle says.
"What happened to maybe being discharged this afternoon?" Brax asks.
"Alex thinks I should stay here longer so they can keep an eye on me." Kyle mutters.
"Why?" Brax asks, not having heard anything mentioned about Kyle's counsellor. "Kyle, why would he say you should stay here longer? It's obviously something serious. Lucas mentioned you've been having bad thoughts, that's why you've had more counselling."
"I don't want to be here anymore, I can't live like this!" Kyle cries.
"This isn't going to be forever, you'll be discharged before we know it." Brax says, not wanting to think of what Kyle really meant.
"I don't even care about that anymore."
"Then why don't you want to live like this?" Brax asks, needing to find out more so he could help his struggling brother.
"I've got no one, everyone hates me."
"That's not true!" Brax sighs, regretting that he stayed away for those couples of days, wondering if this would be happening if he stayed to work through their issues sooner.
"They do!" Kyle sobs, wishing he could have kept the tears in but he couldn't. "You hate me for what I said to you, even though I never meant it. Emily hates me and doesn't even want to be with me anymore. Heath and Casey hate me for what I said to you, Even Lucas hates me, I can tell he does. Tyler follows the crowd and he's really trying to be Heath's new favourite brother, so he listens to them-"
"Kyle, you listen to me, none of that is true. We do not hate, I don't hate you." Brax says, embracing Kyle in a tight hug, letting him sob it out. He didn't know how bad things really were and now he wished he didn't take off. He didn't think it would be this bad from what he'd been told by Ricky, but it was a lot worse. "If you weren't here, it would be worse for all of us. It killed all of us knowing you nearly died, and we're grateful for every second we've got with you now. Don't ever forget that."
"Then why does it hurt so much being here?"
"This is just temporary, you won't feel like this forever. You want to come home, I understand that you're lonely in here. You're missing out on so much and you feel like we're carrying on without you, but we're not." Brax sighs. "What did Alex say about this? You did tell him, didn't you?"
"Yeah, he made me talk about it. He just wants me to stay in here longer so they can keep an eye on me cause they've increased my antidepressants. I've been having two sessions a day but they're pointless. He doesn't want me to be discharged but I can't stay here." Kyle mutters.
"I'll talk to Nate and Alex, okay? I'll see if there's any other options for you, maybe if we were to keep an eye on you at home." Brax says as he pulls away to look Kyle in the eyes. "What will improve that mood of yours, 'ey?"
"I don't know." Kyle sighs as he wipes his eyes dry.
"What about having a niece or a nephew around?" Brax asks.
"Heath doesn't want Rocco around me. They prefer Lucas now anyway."
"I didn't mean Rocco." Brax sighs, taking a mental note to get that sorted so they can all be there for Kyle without any issues. "I meant this one." He lightly smiles, pulling something from his pocket before showing Kyle.
"Who's is that?" Kyle frowns, looking at the baby scan.
"Rick's. She found out the other day, we had the first scan before we came here." Brax smiles. "I'm going to need your help with him, so you get better for me."
"I didn't think you could find out the gender yet?" Kyle frowns.
"We can't, but I have a feeling it's going to be a boy. Let Heath have Lucas as a babysitter, cause I'm going to have you, aren't I?" Brax asks, wanting Kyle to have something good to look forward to, and he knew his brother would be a great uncle to his kid.
"You wouldn't need me, Ricky would make sure you're hands on with him." Kyle says.
"She wouldn't need to, but it would still be great having a brain box like you around." Brax smiles. "You'd be a great uncle to him, I know it."
"Do you though?" Kyle sighs.
"Yeah." Brax nods as Nate walks in.
"Oh, hi Brax. Wasn't expecting to see you in here." He says.
"We were just talking through some things. Are the others not outside?" Brax asks.
"No, I didn't see them." Nate says. "I've just come to get Kyle. It's time to get that cast off."
"Already?" Kyle frowns. "I didn't think that was until tomorrow?"
"There's been a cancellation, so the orthopaedist can fit you in today. Don't worry, I've checked over your latest scan twice and so has the doctor. Your leg has healed really nicely and it won't be weighed down anymore." Nate says. "We can also fit you in for a physio session this afternoon and then I may set you free from this place." He lightly smiles.
"But Alex said I wasn't allowed yet."
"No, he said he wanted you to be ready and in a good frame of mind." Nate says, having thought Kyle wasn't paying attention.
"And I'll be there to keep an eye on you when you're home, so that will help as well." Brax says, Nate nodding in agreement.
"Okay, but I'm definitely getting out of here today." Kyle says, shuffling to the edge of the bed as Brax stands up.
"You've still got one last physio session to impress me before I agree to that." Nate smiles as he helps Kyle with his crutches before making their way down to get Kyle's cast off.