Thank you for all your support. I would love to hear some more chapter suggestions so I know how to carry on the story.
"How are you my boy?" Derek walks in to his son's hospital room. It had been three days since the accident. George had been discharged, so he and Ella were staying with Owen and Cristina whilst Luke was still in hospital for monitoring. Derek and Meredith were both back at work, satisfied with their son's progress. That way they could be in the same building with him, both of them stayed overnight in his room to keep him company. George and Ella visited him every day after school. In three days he would be discharged though.
"I'm so bored" Luke moans "Can I please just go for a walk?"
Derek sits on the bed next to his son and looks at him thoughtfully. He had to admit it must be very boring for him sitting there day in and out, especially for Luke, who would constantly be doing something. His face still had a few cuts and bruises, but his arm was in a cast. He and George both got matching blue ones. The bleed in his brain had left no permanent damage, so it probably wouldn't do him much harm to walk around.
"How about instead of going for a walk, you go and sit in the canteen with Jackson and Owen?" Derek suggests, thinking that was the much safer option, and knowing his son loved to hang around with Jackson and Owen.
"Yeah sure!" He smiles happily "But I'm not wearing this" He grabs at the hospital gown he was wearing.
"I'll get you some clothes" Derek smiles. He opens the bag of Luke's things Meredith had collected. He pulled out a pair of grey jogging bottoms and a navy hoody. Skinny jeans probably weren't the best idea after just being in a car crash and a hoody would easily go over his cast. Derek helps his son get changed before walking him down to the canteen.
"Hey! Look who it is!" Jackson says loudly when he sees Luke walk through the door.
"I'm allowed to come and sit with you guys for a bit" He grins pulling up a seat in between Jackson and Owen.
"Get some food, you can't live off hospital food for the next few days, I'll come and get you in about half an hour, alright buddy?" Derek smiles down at his son, handing him $10 to get something to eat before kissing him on the top of the head and walking off.
"Ever since the crash everyone has been so nice to me" Luke grins fondly.
"That's because everyone was scared you wouldn't make it" Owen replies "People couldn't imagine a world without Luke Shepherd in it"
"I could, and it would be a lot quieter" Jackson jokes, ruffling Luke's hair.
"I never actually said it, I know everyone else did but I didn't. I want to thank you two for saving my life, you're both really good surgeons and I will be eternally grateful for what you did" Luke admits seriously, he was always up for joking and messing about, but sometimes you have to be serious.
"Buddy, you don't need to thank us, we were just doing our jobs. We're just glad both you and George are okay" Owen replies honestly.
"Yeah I mean we could never forgive ourselves if you had died on that table" Jackson adds
"Well anyway thank-you for saving me and my brother"
"You're welcome, so how much trouble are you and George in? Grounded until you're 30?" Jackson smirks.
"Mum and Dad haven't said anything yet, but I'm guessing they're waiting for me to be allowed home. However according to George, he's going to get in the most trouble because he broke their promise, he's older and he was the one driving. I was only a passenger"
"But wasn't it your idea?" Owen asks knowingly
"Well yeah it was my idea, but George should've said no, Ella told him to"
"So you're saying this was George's fault?" Jackson eyes the boy
"No" Luke replies sternly "Not at all. I'm never going to blame George, and I'll kill anyone who does. It wasn't his fault, if anyone's it was the person driving the van that hit us"
"You're getting a lot of compensation for it though"
"I know, because we're only young, both George and I get $150,000 each. Also, since the driver was drunk we might be getting an extra $20,000" Luke grins, at least there was one positive.
"What are you going to do with all of that? By an island?" Jackson suggests
"Mum and Dad are making us put the $150,000 in our savers account for college or when we're older, probably when we're older, because we're most likely all getting scholarships to college. You know, we got the smart gene and all. But we're allowed to spend the $20,000"
"What are you spending yours on?"
"Well both George and I agreed we would give $1000 each to Ella because well I don't know why, but we're. With the $4000 I'm just going to keep it around in case I ever want to buy anything, and with the remaining $15,000 I'm giving it to the family of the driver"
"The family of the drunk driver who nearly killed you and your brother?" Owen and Jackson ask confused.
"Yeah, he had two little boys. They're only 8 and 6. His wife doesn't make that much, so I don't see why they should suffer because he made a mistake" Luke explains.
"You're a great kid Luke. Not many people would be able to do that but the fact you can, and you're only 14 is amazing" Owen says proudly.
"Age doesn't define anything Owen, I'm probably a lot more mature than a lot of 20 year olds"
"Little Luke is growing up" Jackson teases poking him in the side. Luke pushes his hand away and grins.
"Shut up A-hole Avery"
"I'm an A-hole huh?" Jackson asks grinning. He pulls Luke on to his lap and attacks his sides. Luke laughs and tries to pull away but Jackson holds him tight.
"J-Jackson!" Luke says breathlessly between laughter. Jackson stops and smiles down at him "What would I do if something happened to you buddy?"
"I'd hope you'd cry an awful lot, and Owen I'd hope if I died you would have another mental breakdown" Luke grins, he didn't mean it but sometimes in a bad situation you have to make jokes to forget it.
"I'd definitely have another breakdown, I might even re-join the army to make myself feel better" Owen smirks at the boy
"That's what I like to hear, hey look I can see your wife, and oh she's coming over" Luke waves at Cristina who was coming towards them.
"Hey Luke, how are you feeling?" Cristina asks sitting down next to her husband. Luke was still sitting on Jackson. He pulls up his hoody sleeve revealing his cast.
"I'm okay, you like my cast?"
"Yeah, blue's a good colour, matches the scrubs" She replies comparing the colours
"George and I got the same, he picked it, I wanted the green" Luke shrugs
"I saw George a minute ago"
"George is here?" Luke asks confused, his brother should be at school.
"Yeah he had to come and get his stitches re-done, he got in to a fight at school, and your parents aren't impressed" She explains. Derek was the one who got the call and he couldn't believe it, not from George, he would understand Luke that's just who he is but not George.
"George got in a fight?! That's amazing" Luke laughs. That's when he sees his brother and dad walking over to them.
"Well looks like you'll have some company Luke, as George was sent home" Derek glared at his oldest son who was looking at the floor.
"Did you get in a fight?" Luke asks his brother.
"Don't talk to him about it George, I'm not having him get worked up about it" Derek warns his son
"I will not! George tell me!" Luke begs his brother
"Luke" Derek warns him, giving him the 'be-quiet-or-I'll-kill-you' look.
"I want to know!" Luke argues, his dad was right, he was becoming worked up already.
Derek pulls up a seat next to his son and leans closer to Luke making direct eye contact with him. Their piercing blue eyes connected.
"Luke, stop. You're going to have to go back and sit in the hospital bed on your own if you don't calm down" Derek reminds his son who sighs but nods "Sorry" He mutters.
"Alright buddy, I'll come and get you and George soon and we'll go back to your room, George is staying with you at the hospital tonight, as he is suspended for fighting" Derek says eyeing both his sons.
"He got suspended? That must have been some serious fighting" Luke grins, excited at the fact he was no longer the only one to get in trouble at school.
"Your brother broke the other boy's nose"
"Go George" Luke grins, punching his brother gently in his non-broken arm.
"Don't encourage him, see you both later" Derek says squeezing his son's shoulders comfortingly. George smiles at him then sits down next to Cristina and opposite his brother. "Thanks for watching them guys" Derek smiles at his colleagues before walking off to look for his wife to let her know the news that now both her sons were suspended.
"So George what was the fight about?" Luke asks his brother. He figured it was acceptable now their dad had left.
"Luke" Owen frowns at him "It's nothing to do with you"
"I'm just curious, Georgie what happened?"
"Don't worry buddy" George smiles at his brother, but this only made Luke more anxious to know.
"Did someone insult your clothing choices again?"
"Shut up" scoffed George
"Tell me" Luke nags his brother, who he could tell was either going to flip at him or explain what happened, there was a 50-50 chance of him getting the right outcome.
"Luke, leave it" Jackson orders the boy who ignores him.
"It was about me wasn't it?" Luke asks knowingly. He guessed it had been about him, that and someone saying something about Ella would be the only reason George would ever hurt anyone.
"How did you know?" George looks at his brother confused.
"I just know, what happened? Someone say something about me?"
"No. It was just this kid. He was saying I tried to kill you and stuff, and saying all this stuff about how bad a person I am, I just couldn't deal with it, I already feel bad enough" George confessed, and you could tell he felt guilty.
"George it wasn't your fault. Don't listen to anyone who says it was" Cristina offers
"It was though, it was all my fault. I mean what if you had died Luke?" George asks he was becoming slightly emotional and everyone knew it.
"I didn't die, I'm fine, and I don't blame you George I never will" Luke replies putting a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.
"If anyone at school gives you any grief, don't do anything just come and find me" George urges his brother.
"No, if anyone gives either of you any grief at school, tell your mum and dad, Owen, Cristina or me, just anyone, don't try and sort it yourselves" Jackson insisted
"Yeah I will, once I've hit them in the face a few times" Luke grins and his brother smiles in return.
"Oi Luke, no. If I find out you've got in any trouble because of this I will not be impressed" Jackson says strictly, he forces Luke to look at him "Got it?"
"Yeah yeah, no hitting anyone, come and tell Jackson the superhero or Owen the army man" Luke mocks
"Luke shut up now" George orders his brother before he said anything stupid.
"You just both have to make sure neither of you let anything anyone might say get to you. If you ignore it people won't say anything" Owen advises the two boys.
"We won't" George smiles "I'll make sure Luke's okay"
"You're the one who broke someone's nose" Luke counters
"I know but you are one of the easiest people to wind up, and people at school know that" George explains. He made a promise to himself to never let anything happen to his brother again, even if it killed him.