Kellie Moonlight

Kelly. you Need

Chapter 25 – Nice to Meet You

The avalanche roared with a mighty thunder and swept through the tiny Hardy village encamped in the surgical waiting room of Mercy Hospital. Katie wailed in response to her big brother's words, and to the fact that he was screaming them in rage not one foot from her face. James was startled and began to cry. Adults began shouting, trying to restore order, Jenni and Sophie added their sobs to the mix, and Natalie jumped out of her skin, dropping the can of soda she had, spilling it all over the floor. Within moments, hospital staff was running towards them.

Liam, still unable to rein in his turbulent emotions, kicked over a table hurtling cold soup, warm coffee, and outdated magazines across the room. In less than thirty seconds, the whole scene was over, leaving destruction and raw nerves in its wake. Liam, fists clenched and breathing heavily, bolted from the room. Kayley's tear-filled call to him did nothing to slow him down.

Frank sprang to his feet from where he had been crouched in front of Jenni and quickly placed his hand on Kayley's shoulder before running down the hallway himself. "I got him, Kay."

Liam had no clue where he was running, or possibly even that he was running. Without conscious thought, he opened the door to a stairwell and began running down the steps. Fortunately, Frank saw which door he went in and was able to follow. "Liam! Liam, stop, please! Liam, it's okay. Let me help you! LIAM!"

Liam flew down two flights before any smidgen of his wits returned to him. It was a small smidgen, but it was enough to make him realise that he needed to stop running for some reason. He stopped on the ground floor landing, still inside the stairwell, and leaned with his hands against the wall, panting. As Frank came up behind him, those pants turned into sobs. Great, big, hysterical sobs.

Frank took a deep breath himself and rubbed his hands over his face to gather his own thoughts about him before he reached out to his nephew. He didn't actually have anything planned out beyond knowing he had to catch up with the young man.

Looking to the walls for inspiration, no words came to Frank. He reached out carefully and began to rub Liam's back in comforting circles. It was the same soothing motions he had always used on his own children…and on Joe when they were younger. Eventually his ministrations reached his young nephew and Liam was the first to speak. His voice hitching and his throat raw, he gasped out "That, th-th-that's h-h-how D-D-Dad always d-d-does it."

Frank had held it together for everyone. He felt he had to be strong for his own family, for his parents, and especially for Kayley and the kids, but those words wedged the cork out of his bottled-up emotions and he just couldn't hold them in any longer. "Oh, Liam…" was all he managed to rasp out as he himself broke down sobbing. It was all it took though. Liam turned and flung himself into his uncle's arms. The two clung to each other and cried themselves out in fear for the man that meant so much to both of them.

Frank ran his hand over Liam's head, smoothing his hair back from his face as Liam remained in a desperate clutch against him. God, his hair feels just like Joe's when he was younger. The young boy whispered the words, but still they were loud enough to startle his uncle"You must hate me!"

"What! Liam, why would you ever think that?" Frank pulled the boy even closer as he sensed Liam trying to pull away.

"It's my fault! It's my fault you may never see your brother again! You just got to see him after all these years and it's my fault he might die!"

"Oh, Liam, no, no Kiddo. Not your fault. Not your fault at all," Frank soothed as he rubbed his hand over his nephew's back. His other hand remained stroking Liam's hair. "Your father loves you, Liam. He made the choice to try and protect you and he would do it again if he had to. That was HIS choice. He loves you so, so much, Liam. It would have killed him if something happened to you."

"He's gonna die anyway!" Liam's sobs began in earnest again.

"Shhh, shhh, Liam. It's okay. He is NOT going to die, Buddy. Your dad is a fighter. He has always been a fighter and he IS going to survive this. He is going to recover and then we are all going to spend some time getting to know each other."

Liam's sobs eased down to whimpers but still he clung to Frank's now soaking wet shirt. Frank continued to hold him, part of him relishing in the fact that he was holding his little brother's first-born son. Tenderly he reached down and kissed the top of that blond head. So, so much like Joe's…

Carefully, reluctantly, Frank pulled away from Liam while still holding on to his shoulders. Frank then released him altogether, and with a wry little smile offered his hand out. "I don't think we've actually been introduced. I'm your Uncle Frank."

If Liam had a beverage in his mouth, he would have spit it all over his uncle as he let out a solid laugh. "Hi, Uncle Frank, I'm Liam." He replied as he shook his uncle's hand with one hand while swiping at his face to remove some of his tears with the other. He actually giggled as he continued "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too, Buddy!" Frank reached out and tousled his hair before pulling him close again. "Your mom must be frantic by now, Pal. How about we go see how she is doing and see if there is any word on your dad yet?"

"Sounds good, Uncle Frank," Liam replied as he nodded and began ascending the steps still with his arm around Frank's waist and Frank's arm about his shoulders, "and, um, thanks. Thanks for everything."

Frank squeezed the shoulder he held a little tighter and whispered, "No need, Buddy, no need."

As they reached the door to the third floor landing where the surgical waiting room was, Liam stopped and turned to Frank before pulling the handle. "I can see why Dad always said you were the best big brother ever." Liam's face was earnest as he offered Frank a small smile.

Frank was unable to reply, his emotions having gotten the best of him again. He squeezed Liam's shoulder and returned a small smile before ushering him through the door.