Just a quick note, but the parts in italic is where Lucas is using sign language to speak to other people. He still isn't talking.
Chapter 27.
The next morning, Lucas awoke to find Bridger already up and dressed. He watched as Bridger hurried around the room, making tiny adjustments to both his appearance and the room's. Bridger suddenly turned around and glanced at Lucas. Noting the teen was awake; Bridger walked over to him and crouched beside his bed, so his face was level with the sleepy teen.
"Hey pal, how are you this morning?" Bridger asked, stroking his hair away from his face. Lucas used sign language to say he was all right. "I spoke to Matt last night. He told me how the detectives pushed a bit too far and about the notes."
Lucas looked away at the mention of the detectives, but was surprised when Bridger's hand found its way under his chin and forced the younger man to look at Bridger.
"Hey, it's not your fault. I know Matt's spoken to you about the notes so I'm not going to, but I just want you to know that I'll always be here for you and that you can talk to me about anything, OK?"
At Lucas's nod, Bridger changed the subject. "How's breakfast sound? I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Lucas eagerly nodded. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get changed and we'll go down to the restaurant!"
Bridger chuckled as the teen jumped out of bed and into the bathroom, where he re-appeared fully dressed.
***
Lucas shrank back when he first looked at his friends talking with his brother, but couldn't move back because he had a tray in his hand and Bridger was standing behind him. Noticing the movement, Bridger was glad when Matt spotted the pair and waved them over. Lucas seemed to relax at the sight of his brother and walked over to the table.
When they reached the table, Lucas realised that Emily wasn't with them. Looking around, Lucas tried to spot her in the restaurant. Matt glanced at Lucas, trying to figure what his kid brother was doing. When he realised he was looking for Emily, Matt said,
"You ain't gonna find Emily here, if that's who you're looking for. She and Barry went down early to see Baz…I said we'd catch her up, if that's OK."
Lucas just nodded, looking at his food more than his elder brother. Matt noticed that Lucas looked more relaxed than he had yesterday. Smiling, Matt was glad that he had confided in Bridger, he could tell that he had grown fond of Lucas. Most people did. After breakfast was finished, Matt told Lucas he would wait for him at the reception desk to take him to the hospital.
***
At the hospital, they found only Barry in Baz's room.
"She's gone to get me some coffee," Barry explained about Emily's absence. "She's only just left; you'll probably catch her if you go down the corridor."
Lucas tugged on Matt's jacket, making the elder brother look down at him.
"I'm going to find Emily and get some drinks." Lucas signed. Matt reached into his pocket.
"OK, don't be long and don't get lost." Matt warned him. Lucas accepted the change and scurried off to get the drinks. Matt watched him tear after Emily with a sad expression on his face. Barry noticed this and asked,
"What's wrong?"
"Do you know why Baz and Lucas aren't talking?" Matt spoke finally.
"Yeah, Baz told me that night. Why?" Barry frowned, trying to figure where Matt was leading.
"Well, I don't understand it! Lucas told me a million times when we were growing up how he wanted Baz as a father and he acted like it was a big secret…And now when he's got a chance to have Baz as a father, he rejects him. It's like all those things he told me about wanting Baz to be his father is a lie and I don't understand it." Matt began to pace around the room, while Barry watched him carefully.
"Have you ever thought about it from Lucas's point of view?" Matt looked at Barry, confused. "I mean Lawrence was Lucas' dad right? And look what he did to him. I think Lucas is scared that if Baz did become his real dad then he will become violent towards him like Lawrence was. You and I both know that Baz won't, but Lucas is confused because Lawrence is the only father figure he's ever had and he doesn't want Baz to turn out like Lawrence did when he's fathering him."
Matt looked at Barry, finally understanding that Lucas was pushing Baz away in fear. His train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of Emily and Lucas, with three steaming cups of coffee and one hot chocolate.
"Drink up, guys!" Emily announced. "While they're still hot."
They gratefully accepted their drinks and began to slowly sip on them, knowing they would be there almost all day unless something changed. Throughout the day, Emily, Matt and Barry took turns sitting at Baz's bedside and talking to him. Lucas still hadn't plucked up enough courage to do so yet…The betrayal still too fresh in his mind and eventually he fell asleep on the hospital chair.
***
Lucas awoke suddenly and panicked as he felt like something was pinning him down. Looking around, he realised he was wearing Matt's jacket and it was pulling so tight, it gave the impression he was being pinned down. Releasing the jacket, Lucas suddenly jumped up screaming, as an arm fell and hit him in the face. Sitting in the chair next to him, Matt yelled as his arm hit the wall. He had been asleep until his arm hit the wall. Barry, watching events from a safe distance, sat back in his chair and began to laugh.
"OW! What did you do that for?" Matt cried, waking up Emily.
"I didn't do it on purpose! I just felt an arm hit me in the face, what would you have done?" Lucas signed back.
Emily tried to hide her laughter, as she realised what had happened and Barry had managed to get his laughter under control by this time.
"You didn't have to break my arm did you?" Matt carried, knowing it was probably only sprained. "Why do you have to be so violent all the time?"
"Your arm's not broken; it's probably not even sprained! Now stop being such a baby." Emily said, desperately trying to ease the situation. Matt's words had hurt Lucas badly, Emily could see.
"I thought you were supposed to be on my side!" Matt argued.
"I am on your side!" Emily shot back, but Matt had stormed out the room in a huff. Emily smiled at Lucas quickly before trying to find where Matt had gone, leaving Barry and Lucas alone with Baz.
"You know he didn't mean it don't you," Barry spoke out. Lucas didn't respond, he just started to pace around the room, trying to ease his anger. "Why don't you come over here?"
Lucas stopped pacing and stared at Barry, trying to figure out what he was doing. His gaze fell upon Baz and guilt flooded washed over him, making the teen look away.
"You felt scared when Baz told you he was your father, didn't you? Scared that he would become someone else you didn't want him to. Scared he would become someone like Lawrence was. You panicked and didn't know what to do; you still don't know what to do now, do you? Should you make up with him or stay mortal enemies forever? You're ignoring everything that's happened before the conferences haven't you? How Baz used to take you places and treat you to ice creams? How he looked after you when you needed him, how he rescued you from any more beatings and abuse from Lawrence? How he listened time after time to you after you woke up trembling from yet another nightmare and comforted you, made you feel safe? He saved you Lucas and without him, you wouldn't be half the person you are today...I mean look at you! You're on seaQuest at the age of 17; you've got lots of friends who care a great deal about you and the captain who adores you. How many other people can say the same thing? Not many I can tell you. Then when you heard that Baz had been injured badly, you felt guilty. Guilty that you hadn't gotten over you're silly little argument with Baz and…"
Lucas placed his hands over his ears, trying to block out what Barry was saying.
"Why don't you want to listen to what I'm saying, is it because it's the truth? You know Baz didn't plan on being you're father. It just happened and your mother never told him the truth until a letter in the post changes all of that. It came as a shock to Baz too, and you know what? Baz is one of the few people who believed in you, even when you didn't want to believe you could achieve something. He was always there, even when you thought he had forgotten you, he hadn't. He fought long and hard to get custody of you. He was there, Lucas. Whether you like it or not, he was always there for you when everyone else had given up. Don't you see? Baz was always there for you!" Barry finished.
Lucas slowly turned to face Barry, tears rolling down his cheek. Then he ran to where Barry sat and hugged him. Barry hugged him back and held him there for a while, gently rocking the teen and murmuring words of comfort in his ear, until he had calmed down.
"Oh Lucas, what are we going to do with you?" Barry mumbled fondly in his ear.
***
"Matt! Listen to me!" Emily cried.
"You were supposed to be on my side," Matt was angry.
"I don't believe you!" Matt turned to face her for the first time. "I was trying to ease the situation a bit, for Lucas's sake. Didn't you see how he reacted when you yelled at him for being violent? He was scared and hurt; I was trying to appease the situation. I would have thought you would have understood that of all people. I mean all he did was to have a bad reaction to your hand falling towards his face, and when you've only just woken up and you're still disorientated even I would have panicked too. Think about it, it makes sense."
"But he still hurt my hand!" Matt whined.
"Show me," Emily commanded. Matt did as he was told and as Emily inspected it, she said, "Well, you definitely haven't broken it…If it really does hurt then you've probably just lightly sprained it. I can put a cold compress on it and if it's still hurting, we can get a nurse to put a bandage on it." Emily studied Matt carefully. "Look, I know this is especially hard for you with Baz's situation. I understand that, I mean, before today I'm assuming Baz always comforted you two and Lucas always looked up to you to know what to do and to Baz for answers for the harder questions. Now that Baz is in a coma, you've suddenly been burdened with Baz's job too. That's going to be tough on anybody, but you don't have to do this by yourself, you don't have to hide your grief for Baz and even Lucas, you can share it with me. That's what I'm here for! Just trust me, I might just surprise you."
Matt studied her for a minute, before his vision clouded and he realised he was crying. Emily leaned her fiancée into a tight embrace, where Matt began to cry harder, but trusting Emily with his grief. Emily murmured words of comfort, as she held Matt, glad he had trusted her.
***
When Emily and Matt came back, they were surprised to find Lucas sitting on Barry's lap asleep. Barry looked relieved to see them back.
"I'm so glad you came back, I thought I would have to move him on my own! Can you help me lift him? He's exhausted, poor mite!" Barry explained.
"How did he get over there?" Matt asked in amazement, already lifting the teen. Lucas stirred, but didn't wake.
"He walked." Barry replied.
"You must be a miracle worker or something!" Matt responded.
"Not really," Barry wouldn't give any more information on the subject though.
"I'll take a turn now!" Emily volunteered, after ensuring Lucas was safely asleep and not pinned down by the jacket.
Matt eventually fell asleep, listening to Emily's voice slowly drifting away into the distance.
TBC…