I've been having bad writers block so thought I'd try this, idk tbh but hey I hope yall like it.
David woke up in an unfamiliar bed in a weird room, but that wasn't all that unusual. What was unusual was that the room was in a hospital and he was on his own. He pushed himself to sit up, ignoring the ache in his muscles as he did so, he tried to swallow but his throat was dry, there was a plastic cup and a pitcher of water on the table over his bed but when he tried to reach for it he felt a blinding pain course through his head.
"Shit." He mumbled under his breath. He wasn't one to swear much but he had learnt it from his brother. His twin. He sucked in a breath. He shut his eyes and saw the impact, there wasn't really much to see, it was all a blur, it all happened so fast; all of those cliches.
"Good morning, Mr Nolan."
David's eyes snapped back open. A doctor in a stark white coat and gelled hair smiled down at him. It was that pitying smile which felt worse than a punch.
"Hi." His voice was horse and he pushed himself to sit more upright, his mother was always telling him to do so. The doctor passed him the cup of water and he took a sip.
"How are you feeling today?"
What was David supposed to say to that? He had survived a car crash, just, and the many surgeries he had needed, but his mother and brother had died. And he was now alone. He shrugged his shoulders, clenching his teeth as pain shot through them. "I'm okay."
The doctor levelled him with a look making it clear he didn't believe him, but he also didn't push, instead he moved on to examining David.
The longer he was awake the past week, or AC (after crash) as he had taken to calling it in his head, came back to him.
The lawyer had visited the day before. David hadn't even realised that Ruth had a lawyer. There wasn't money to be had to need a will, or family to argue it over - she had stolen some money from his father's dodgy business when she had run when he and James were ten, they had spent the next nearly six years in a series of motels and short stay lets.
She had never mentioned a lawyer and she had certainly never mentioned the letter which was to be opened upon her death. He had read it, he was so hopped up on pain meds still from surgery, it had taken several reads and the lawyer explaining it twice to get the facts to sink in.
Ruth had never been his mother, his brother, his twin, James was neither. He had been given to Ruth by her sister, the Auntie Mal he had heard of but never met, who apparently couldn't handle having a baby. The letter kept saying how much Ruth loved him, how he was her son in every way that counted, but if that were true then she should have told him sooner.
The only sweet relief was that Robert was not his father, he was an uncle through marriage, and David was not about to be sent to him. He was going to be sent somewhere though, he had already spoken to two social workers, they were trying to track down Mallory and/or his bio father, Robin Locksley, if not he would be shunted off to some foster family or some group home.
He wished he was back in that car wreck.
Robin poured himself another mug of coffee, he forewent his usual sugar and creamer, he didn't want it to taste good, but he wanted to feel awake. He wasn't going to be able to, he felt like he was in a dream, or perhaps a nightmare.
He scrubbed his hand over his face.
"Have they called yet?"
Robin nearly jumped out of his skin, he had thought he was alone in the kitchen, in the house in fact, Regina must have come home early. He had called into work sick, it wasn't really a lie, he felt sick. He turned to face her.
She was perfectly made up, with classy deep red lipstick, straightener raven hair, and a low cut shirt under a fitted pantsuit. Not an eyelash was out of place, like nothing in her life, until now.
He nodded his head, trying to find his words, any words.
"You're not-?" Regina asked slowly.
He shook his head. "I am." His voice came out as a croak. He tried again. "I'm the kid's father."
Silence filled the kitchen. Regina closed the space between them, she took the mug from him and placed it down on the marble countertop, she took his hand in hers and stared at him. "So, what's next?"
"I don't know."
"Robin-"
"They can't get hold of Mal. Or they got hold of her and she, she wasn't interested," he shrugged, "I didn't really listen after the main part." He scrubbed his face again and felt Regina squeeze his other hand. "How could she not tell us? Weren't not as close as we used to be but she still exchanges Christmas cards and gifts for the kids, emails here and there- she set us up! For god's sake! I mean it was a couple of months after she and I- she knew, then and there she knew, and she didn't tell me. She hasn't said a word for sixteen years!" He was shouting by now but not as loud as he could be, should be.
"You're right, she should have told you, she should have given you the options." She pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "But she's not picking up our calls so let's put that to the back of our minds, for now. What are we going to do?"
"They can't find any of Mal and Ruth's family. It's either he is placed with a foster family or he," his words slowed down as though debating each and every one before saying them, "comes and lives with us…?"
Regina watched him, she would have supported him either way, but it was obvious which choice she was waiting for him to choose.
"He can't go live in a home."
Regina nodded her head.
"Mal might change her mind and want him, or they might find relatives he actually knows, but for the time being we have a spare room."
Regina knew he was just in shock, she was sure he would change mind once he met his son for the first time, but they would get used to this all, and Robin would regret even thinking of sending him away.
"When is he going to get here?"
"The social worker said he would be getting discharged tomorrow, she'd drive him here then." He had thought about offering to fetch him himself but he was in a hospital in Pittsburgh, it would take over a whole day to drive out there and back to Maine. And although he might not say it out loud he didn't think he'd be able to be in a car for that long with someone who was a stranger yet so connected to him.
"We'll tell the kids tonight then."
David picked at the loose threat on the t-shirt he had been given that morning. It was probably new but it was rough and two sizes too big so that it could fit over his bandages. He perched on the edge of the bed as he waited for the social worker to sort out the insurance forms, he remembered the fear of how to pay for treatment whenever one of them would get sick, they had barely enough to move around on as it was and that was with Ruth picking up bartending and waitressing shifts.
One of the nurses handed him a box of chocolate and a book as a parting gift, he was almost certain it was because they felt sorry for him, after all he had lost everything in the crash, some of his and his family's things had been salvaged from the crash but only the things which had flown from the car like he had. Everything else had burnt with Ruth and James.
He thanked her quietly and busied himself sticking them into the backpack the social worker had given him, apparently a charity made packs for new kids entering the system. David wasn't sure if he would prefer to be entering a normal group home than having to go live with this stranger and his family, and all the expectations. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick he had for as long he could remember.
"You ready?"
David looked up to meet his social worker, Samuel,'s face. He was not but he nodded anyway.
Telling the kids had gone well, they had taken it much better than Robin had expected; Roland and Margot had been excited, though it had taken a while for the six year old to realise that she couldn't choose for David to be a sister instead.
Henry was older and a little more uncertain, he was thirteen and had accepted Robin and Regina as his parents when they had adopted three year old him, and had been happy the twice they had adopted Roland and Margot, but they had talked to him for months beforehand. This felt different, but Robin assured him it wasn't, he hadn't even known about David until a few days before, while he had been father to Henry for a decade.
The next day all three of the kids begged to stay off school, Regina pointed out that she would be going to work and David wasn't due to get there until the afternoon, the only reason Robin wasn't also going to work like the rest of them was because he would be having to sort things out, registering David at schools and hospitals, and sorting out the spare room for him.
Robin kind of wished that he could have gone to work, lecturing law to university students was a whole lot easier than trying to figure out what a kid he had never even spoken to would like. He also found himself trying to contact Mallory, but she must have blocked him, or was simply ignoring him.
The longer the day went on the more he found himself pacing and staring out of the windows, apparently there had been some sort of set back in the journey, several in fact, but other than that Robin had no idea where they were.
It was night time by the time they pulled up outside of the large house in the small town. David found himself stuck to the seat staring out the window at the grand house. He thought of the places he had grown up, even when he had a permanent home when he was really young it had been a cramped double wide.
Cold air hit him as the door was pulled open, Samuel (or 'call me Sam' like he had kept telling David during the hours long car ride) looked at him with that patient pitying smile which David knew would have made James punch someone.
"It's this house?" He raised one of his eyebrows. Samuel looked down at his notebook, back at the house, then nodded, even he looked surprised. David wasn't an expert in houses but he was almost certain this was classed as a mansion.
"Yeah." Sam said slowly, he looked back at the mansion as the door opened. "Let's get in there, I'm sure they're looking forward to meeting you. Do you need any help?"
"Yeah I'm sure they're made up." David mumbled under his breath as he undid the seatbelt his voice full of dark sarcasm.
"What was that?"
"I said I'll be fine." He covered up with a quick smile.
Getting out of the car took more effort than he had expected, his ruined body tired from the long car ride, he followed behind Sam up the drive, glancing from the perfectly placed driveway stones up at the house, the open door, the man in it, glancing back down every few seconds.
The driveway was too short because it took only a minute to reach them. For Sam to introduce himself to the man.
"Mr Locksley- Mills this is David."
David had kept his eyes down but he could see the hand coming out for him to shake. David finally looked up.
Robin was younger than he had expected, at least five years younger than Ruth. His hair was dark brown with greys scattering at the roots, he was frowning but he had clear smile lines, apparently it was David who was making him frown. He hadn't expected the accent but that wasn't a surprise considering he had never heard about him.
Everything about Robin was different than he remembered Robert, he was fairly certain the latter wore a lot of dirty wife beaters, but he could be mixing him up with stereotypes, Robin on the other hand was smartly dressed, he gave David a tentative smile which didn't quite meet his eyes, and David shook his hand. "Hey."
"I'm Robin, you don't have to call me that, any of that, you can call me whatever you want." Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Why don't you come in?"
David followed him inside taking note of the massive hallway, the edges of which were lined with side tables presenting framed photographs, or backpacks, shoes, toys. A home, an actual home. David rubbed the back of his neck.
"It's not usually this messy." Robin blushed, he went to rub his own neck but when he noticed David doing so he stopped. "This is my wife, Regina." he introduced.
David gave her a small smile but didn't take her hand, he did the same when Robin introduced three kids, all of which were dressed in actual school uniforms, all looked happy and David couldn't help but hate them all a little for that, even if he knew it wasn't there.
David looked so much like Mal, Robin thought as soon as he saw him.
He had never been in love with Mallory, David was the result of a night of drinking, celebrating passing the LSATS, Regina had been with Daniel at the time and had left early, he and Mal had drunk too much and had hooked up in a bathroom. It was a night Robin could barely remember, one they had both pushed to the back of their minds through embarrassment, that was the reason why he had assumed Mal had disappeared for a couple of years, they spoke but never about that night. She came back into their lives like she had never left, she had encouraged both him and Regina to go on a date together, she had been there through their firsts, through their lawyerly careers, she had been Regina's maid of honour. All the while she had known that he had a son out there somewhere and he hadn't.
He couldn't take his eyes from David, he knew most parents protested their kids looking like them but David was nearly the spitting image of him when he was a teenager, perhaps a little skinnier and his hair was lighter, and of course he hadn't been covered in cuts and bruises, bandages, and walking with a slight limp. But he really… he really looked like he could be Robin's son. It was hard to deny it now.
He ushered them into the sitting room away from the kids and only half listened as the social worker talked through things, he signed on dotted lines not really reading any of it, Regina would tell him if he missed things. Instead he just found himself looking at David. The longer he did the more he could pick out his and Mal's features, the more he could worry over each recent injury, the more he could ponder David's past.
"Why don't I go over the boring stuff and Robin can show you your room?" Regina suggested. "It's upstairs but if you can't make it we could set you up in the den?"
"I'll be fine." David cut in, giving that small smile he had used on her earlier. "I can get upstairs."
David could not get up the stairs, well he could but it hurt like a bitch and Robin was behind him as though waiting for him to fall, David clung to the handrail for life as he pushed his joint to work. "Where do you work?" He asked but only because he had heard Robin open his mouth and was scared about what he was going to say.
"I'm a professor of criminal law Hyperion University. Regina's a lawyer too but she handles estates and such. Your- Mal she was a lawyer, is a lawyer."
"I've never met her." David admitted when they reached the top of the stairs, he knew it sounded like an alibi. "My mo- Ruth, she told me about her, but they didn't really stay in contact."
He left the 'after Mallory gave Ruth a baby David like a late christmas present' unsaid.
Robin nodded his head and pointed to the right hallway. He was watching David so carefully, he wished now that he had set up a room downstairs for him instead, somehow, he wanted to give him a hand to walk but he was certain David would not accept it. "I knew Ruth, I met her a few times while we- er Mal, and Regina, and I were in college, she was a few years older than us but she seemed nice." He watched David look at the wooden floor, he gave a small nod of his head and cleared his throat. Robin felt bad for even bringing it up. "I'm sorry, for your loss, really I am."
"Thanks." David mumbled on default.
Robin stopped in front of a closed door pronouncing Roland's room and placed his hand on David's shoulder. Removing one of the hands when he saw David wince. "David I didn't know about you, at all, I swear. We see Mal all the time but she never even hinted at…" He trailed off with a shrug. "I'm not trying to replace your father."
"I couldn't give a shit about him." David finally met Robin's eyes. "He's the reason why we were always moving, why we were even in the car. You don't have anyone to replace, and I don't need a dad."
Robin hadn't been looking to be David's dad, had he? Well the kid had come as a surprise and sure he had been in shock, he had looked for anyone else for David to go to but he wasn't so sure he would have sent him away. He was as surprised as anyone that he felt David's words sting.
"Well... I'm here anyway." He opened his mouth to say something else but had no idea what. Instead he opened the door next to Roland's and showed David inside.
It looked nice enough, David didn't have anything to really compare it to, it looked like a standard spare room like ones he had seen on TV, miles better than the motel rooms, but David felt dirty compared to the light beige walls.
"We'll do it up so it's more in your style." Robin started.
But David had had enough, his anger had been stirring inside of him for a week, being trapped in the car had only turned it into lava, and all of this was just too much. "Don't bother, I'm sure I'll be out of this place in a few weeks anyway." He didn't shout it or even sound angry but the cool displacement was clear.
"What gives you that idea?" Robin crossed his arms over his chest still holding onto David's backpack.
"Well it's not like you want me anymore that my aunt, mother, whatever, does. You just feel bad about this, but I don't need or want your pity or anything else. I don't want to be part of your perfect fucking family, once I'm healed I'm gone, I don't need my lying mom, I don't need some person who dumped me and ran away to have a better life, I don't need my brother, or your family, and I don't need some- some sperm donor who pities me!"
Robin's mouth fell open, he could feel his own temper stirring but he noticed the tears forming in David's eyes and the fire quenched. Instead he put on the voice he used on his kids and some of the more disruptive students. "I am not a sperm donator, and I don't pity you. You're here because you're my son, I'm sorry that you found that what you knew was a lie but that wasn't on me, and you get to be mad about it but do not take it out on my family, you can hate me if you want. You're not going to run away because I swear to god I will just bring you back each time, and I doubt you could run anywhere anyway. Another thing, quit swearing, until, for the foreseeable future you're living here under my roof, so you're going to listen to my rules."
He watched as David glared and sat himself down on the bed. He looked so young. Robin sighed.
"Dave, can we start again? We're both in shock, trust me, and you've gone through a lot so I'm going to be here if you need me, I know I'm a stranger to you but I'm here."
"Don't call me Dave." the teenager mumbled glaring a hole into the floor.
"Sure, Sunshine." Robin rolled his eyes, he knew he had been through a lot but he couldn't help but feel a little worried about David's temper, he could say something to any of the kids to upset them. But he couldn't really do anything about that. "The bathroom's across the hall, I put some clothes in the wardrobe and the dresser but we can get more if you need them. Have you eaten?" He received a nod. "Do you want anything else to eat or drink?" A shake this time. Robin sighed. "Okay. Do you want to come say bye to Sam? Use your words."
David rolled his eyes but finally looked up at Robin again. His outburst felt stupid, it wasn't even a proper outburst, James would have been throwing things and punching stuff, David had said a few testy words and had regretted voicing them almost immediately. He knew it wasn't Robin's fault but he didn't have anyone else left to blame.
"I'm feeling pretty tired… can I just get some sleep?"
Robin nodded his head. "Sure, sunshine." He let out a small chuckle when David groaned. "Sorry but you already vetoed Dave."
Once alone David pulled out the small cheap smartphone from the backpack, he rooted around until he found a charger and quickly plugged it in. He didn't have friends per say to text but he had photos of his family and their last texts and voicemails. The backpack contained standard toiletries but there were already some waiting on the dresser for him. He grabbed a toothbrush, paste, and some clean clothes and moved to the bathroom.
When he got back he dumped the clothes he had worn in the laundry basket and noticed a bottle of water and two of his pain pills on the side table, along with no less than nine flyers on things like recovering from injuries, family bereavement, and physiotherapy, along with a sticky note with all of the Locksley- Mill's phone numbers and contact details, the clear hint to put them in his phone. He did so, deciding to not use them unless it was major, he switched off all of the light and climbed into the double bed. When he was a kid he used to share with Ruth and James. He had never even considered he had been less than legitimately adopted, or adopted at all.
He placed the phone to his ear and waited to be directed to the voicemail.
"Hi this is Ruth I can't come to the phone right now".
He dialled again.
And again.
And again.