Chapter 77
The Ring

"Yes. No, I'm sorry I haven't called, I've been really busy. I'm sorry, deduhska. I know you've been worried and you are right to be. Is babushka okay? That's good to hear. Weather's been really bad lately. I'll come back to visit soon. Okay. Lyublyu tebya. Goodbye." Hanging up the payphone in the hospital, Lukas rubbed the back of his head. He felt guilt, not contacting his grandparents. But, then again, you didn't exactly have the time.

Home… The word was strange. Ever since the bus crash he had been in the hospital so often that it had almost become his home. Shaking his head ever slightly, Lukas walked towards the ever so familiar hospital room and stopped still as he opened the door. "Dominika!"

Dominika turned away from the window on a pair of crutches, her tanned face and curly raven hair framed in a silhouette. She smiled brightly. "Hey Lukas."

"What are you doing up?" Lukas stepped into the room, allowing the door to shut behind him. "In fact, how are you up?"

Dominika chuckled nervously. "Well, yesterday night when you were out I was talking with my step-dad on the phone. I wasn't expecting to tell him about this but… well, one thing led to another and before I knew it he had sent money into my account." Dominika rubbed her cheek with one hand. "So I paid for the surgery then and there. It cost more, but he gave me enough. While you were asleep they installed a metal part to keep that bit of spine in place where it should be so it eventually heals. I could immediately feel my legs. No more threat of paralysis. They did say I should take it easy, but just being up and about again is blestyashchiy." Dominika caught the look in Lukas' cobalt eyes and her smile faltered. "What's wrong?"

Lukas stepped forward, lightly pulling Dominika into a hug. "Durak. You should have told me…"

"But I wanted it to be a surprise…"

"It was but… what if there were complications during surgery? I care about you, Dominika. If something had happened –" Lukas went quiet as Dominika put a finger to his lips.

"But nothing did happen. Everything is fine, Lukas. Chances are I'll have the metal plate in there for a long time, but they predict that I'll be able to start walking again within three weeks. It's all good."

"Even so…" Lukas touched foreheads with Dominika. "You gotta tell me about these things…"

Dominika chuckled slightly. "I didn't think guys you met in bars could be so sweet."

Lukas just shrugged. "That's not the point."

"Lukas, listen, I am fine. That is all that matters, right?" Dominika pulled away from Lukas and got over to the bed, sitting down and placing the crutches on the bed-side table. She patted the bed. "Come tell me a story."

Lukas blinked, caught off guard. "A story?"

"Yeah. A story."

"What kind… I… I'm not that good at stories…" Lukas scratched his cheek slightly.

"Well, why don't you tell me about your life? You've always avoided the question but I think it's high time I got to know."

"I don't think… that's suitable." Lukas murmured.

"Come on, it can't be that bad." Dominika said.

"It is. It is that bad." Lukas sighed. "Fine. It'll get me talking and pass some time." Lukas finally sat down on the bed. He put his elbows on his knees and trained his eyes to the floor. "Nothing much went on for the first few years of my life. The same old thing, you know? They had just enough money to get by. One thing I knew was dad was shady, and that mom would never talk about him. Once I asked her when I was young – I didn't know any better. She gave me this glare you would not believe." Lukas smiled sadly, remembering the memory. "I remember I felt guilty – foolish when I grew up – but she passed away when I was eight. I thought it was my fault. I thought that because of my question she died on me."

"How…?" Dominika asked quietly.

"An overdose." Lukas shrugged. "That year, dad was having a hard time getting money and mom didn't have a job. Put in raising a kid and that stress would be enough for anyone. She swallowed a bottle of pills and that was that." Lukas blinked slowly. "She was ill, anyway. A problem with her heart." Blowing out breath between his lips, Lukas straightened up and changed his gaze from floor to roof. "Well, that was that. Dad was… well, it was as if he were separated from his body. He cared for me as best he could but I knew he was thinking that perhaps he should follow my mom. It was a hard time. Then when I was twelve, my dad caught a break. I don't know what he did but suddenly money came in.

"Together we fixed up the house – painted the walls, carpeted the floor. He even let me use the hammer, although I damn near broke my finger. It was a bonding experience, really. The only bonding experience I ever had with him." Lukas stood up suddenly, pacing around the room as he searched for his words. He started twisting the silver ring on his finger although he wasn't aware of it. Dominika just watched, waiting for Lukas to continue. "Then we went to a bar. 'To meet a friend that'll make everything right again'. He said. So we went to this bar. A seedy place." Lukas chuckled slightly. "Probably the sort of place you'd love. Alcohol to send you into a coma. When my dad wasn't looking I snuck a sip of his drink. I practically coughed up a lung."

Lukas shook his head, still pacing and moving the finger on his ring more frantically. "Then his so called 'friends' came in. Next thing I know, bullet shots. Loud, shattering glass. Bottles breaking, screams of patrons. My dad was shot down like nothing. I hid under the counter. God knows how they didn't see me. Or maybe they did. 'Cause they lit the place up afterwards. The fire was so hot I thought I was gonna die. I practically did. I wanted to. I was far too young to be experiencing that. I go unconscious from smoke inhalation and next thing I know I'm in a hospital room.

"From that point onwards, I was raised by my grandparents. Thankfully I recovered from the shock." Lukas sat back down finally. "So there we go. That's my tragedy. Not quite Shakespeare, but it'll work."

"Your poor man…" Dominika brushed her lips on Lukas' cheek. "That must've been hard."

"The hardest." Lukas nodded. He noticed Dominika looking down. "What is it?"

"I can't help noticing that you were fiddling with that ring." Dominika pointed towards the blank silver ring on Lukas' finger.

Lukas' mouth twitched slightly before he pulled the ring off and laid it on his palm, raising it so it was at both his and Dominika's eye level. "This is a reminder of how bad I was effecting by the situation. I had… anger problems. I was just a nice kid so every now and again I have these… bouts of anger. It grew worse after my parents. Now-a-days I can handle a lot of grief. Nice guy Lukas, that's me… Well, other than the thing with Joshua but…"

"…But the ring?" Dominika pressed.

Lukas clenched his fist over the ring. "As I said, a reminder. A horrible reminder. But that's enough stories for now Dominika, I hope you understand." Lukas saw Dominika's expression of hurt and winced. "Look, it's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that I'm not ready. It's something that only people I truly trust can know about. Only my grandparents know about it, and even then they don't know the whole story."

"…So you don't trust me?" Dominika blinked.

"No, I do trust you, Dominika, I do. But… it's just…" Lukas frowned and shook his head. "I'll be honest. I'm scared. I'm scared that you're going to leave if I tell you. And you've been the most wonderful person in my life thus far. I do not want to lose you." Lukas straightened up. "Everyone has skeleton's in their closet, Dominika…" Lukas shut his eyes. "I'm going to… I'm going to get a drink. I'll be back soon." Lukas quickly exited the door so as not to reveal his wet eyes to Dominika. He opened his fist again and stared down at the ring.

"Don't, no, don't do it, don't do it! Lukas! Stop, stop please, it hurts, stop… it hurts, stop it… please…"

Lukas grit his teeth and moved away from the door, pressing the ring back on his middle finger. Everybody, Dominika. Everybody has skeleton's…

A/N: - And there's your special second chapter, still assuming the world hasn't ending. Although, speaking of that, I never get the so called 'day'. I mean, everywhere's days are different. Will the apocalypse bounce from like America to Australia to England etc. etc. They should an apocalypse month so that all countries can take part.

Anywho, I am frickin' tired but I got to force myself to stay awake… Uurgh... 'till next time!