AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Thank you all for your continual support, I really appreciate it. Enjoy.
Chapter 14 – Arguments
NORMAL POV
The following day Kyle and Heath came to visit at the hospital and saw Brax hunched over on a chair next to Casey's bed.
"You been here all night mate?" Heath asked. Brax just looked at his brothers.
"How is he?" Kyle asked only to receive a shrug from Brax.
"Well that's great just keep it to ya self why don't ya!" Heath yelled.
"Heath." Kyle warned. "What? He..." Heath started.
"Just leave it..." Kyle argued back. Brax groaned.
"Look, what do you want me to say? I sat here all night hoping Casey would wake up but he hasn't even moved! Nate says he's okay for now but may never wake up! Is that what you want me to tell you! Well is it Heath?" Brax shouted.
Kyle stared at his older brother and sensed how much he was hurting.
"Don't you go shouting at me I didn't put the kid in the hospital bed! You're not the only one worried about him Brax! So stop being so self- centered and let us be there for Case too!" Heath yelled and turned, storming out of the hospital room.
"Call me if anything changes!" Heath snapped.
Kyle gave Brax a sympathetic smile when he turned to watch his brother leave, he knew this was hurting all of them and he shouldn't be taking his anger out on any of them.
"The doctor was right Brax, when he said we shouldn't blame ourselves for this. Casey wanted us to believe he was going okay. He fooled us all."
Brax looked at Kyle. "I never said I was blaming myself." Brax replied in a short tone.
"I know...It's just..." Kyle sighed, figuring it wasn't any use arguing with Brax about how he was feeling. "Look I have to go work my shift at the restaurant. Just let me know..."
"Yep." Brax replied harshly.
"Brax...Just look after yourself too okay..." Kyle added quietly.
Brax was about to yell back when Kyle interrupted. "You look tired. We can't be worried about you too." Brax nodded in acknowledgement of what his brother was saying.
"I'll be back later and don't worry about Heath, I'll talk to him." Kyle said.
"Thanks." Brax replied quietly and turned back to Casey as Kyle walked out of the room.
Kyle had taken a break from his shift and walked down to the surf club where Heath was doing a shift. Seeing Kyle out of the corner of his eye, Heath stormed away trying to avoid his brother.
"Heath!" Kyle yelled.
"What do you want?" Heath snapped.
"I just want to talk to you about what happened at the hospital this morning."
"What's to say Kyle? The big fella is just thinking about how he feels, not giving a stuff that it's my baby brother lying in that bed too!" Heath spoke in an agitated tone.
"Heath I don't think it's like that!" Kyle yelled.
"You don't think? Well that's great Kyle glad we had this little chat!" Heath shook his head and replied in annoyance.
"Heath will you stop! I know you're hurting and so is Brax. So am I! But we can't keep arguing we have to be there for each other through this." Kyle yelled.
Heath sighed. "Heath just go back to the hospital and talk to Brax." Kyle said quietly.
"You're right. You're not as dumb as you look mate." Heath replied, giving a small smile.
Kyle nodded and walked back to Angelo's, leaving Heath to decide on his decision.
Heath walked back into Casey's room and stared at his brother lying motionless, with cuts down his arms and machines attached to his body.
Brax glanced up and saw Heath in the doorway. "Hey." Heath greeted.
"Hey" Brax replied sadly.
"Look Brax I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have said that." Heath apologised.
"It's fine mate." Brax replied.
Heath slumped down in a chair near the door. "You mind if I stay here with you for awhile, just to be here with Case?"
Brax nodded. "I'd like that mate and so would Case."
Heath sat hoping Casey would pull through soon. Before long Heath's mind faded into a memory of the day Casey was born.
Flashback-
Cheryl rested in the hospital bed as Brax took the tiny baby from her arms with a big smile on his face.
"Hey there little guy. Welcome to the world." Brax said softly.
Heath stood next to his older brother. "Why is he so small and squishy?" Heath asked.
"That's because he's just a newborn baby. You were like that too." Brax replied.
"Really? Why won't he open his eyes?" Heath asked.
"Because he needs lots of rest and doesn't have much ability to open his eyes yet." Brax explained.
Heath peered over Brax's arms. "What's his name?" Heath asked.
"Yeah Mum?" Brax followed.
"Casey...Casey ...Braxton." Cheryl choked out the last word, knowing Casey was not Danny's son.
"Casey Braxton, hey little guy?" Brax stared at him with awe. "I'm your big brother Brax and see over there, that's your other big brother Heath. We're gonna keep you safe and look out for you no matter what."
Brax turned to Heath. "You wanna hold him?" Brax asked.
Heath pulled away. "I don't want to hurt him." Heath replied with uncertainty.
Brax smiled. "You won't. Here hold out your arms like this."
Brax showed Heath to put his arms in a cradle. "Good, now just support his head and body." Brax explained before he gently placed Casey in Heath's arms.
"Don't worry I'm right here mate. I won't let you drop him." Brax smiled.
Heath smiled at the tiny baby in his arms "We're gonna have so much fun Casey. I can't wait to teach you all the ropes." Heath told his baby brother.
Brax laughed. "It might be a while before that."
Casey gurled. "What's wrong with him?" Heath panicked.
"Nothing mate, babies just do that."
"He's really our little brother?" Heath asked with such innocence.
"Yep forever and always." Brax placed his hand on Heath's shoulder.
"Look Brax he smiled." Heath beamed.
"Yeah mate I see. I guess that means he likes ya huh?"
Brax smiled down at his younger brothers. He had never felt so overwhelmed, he'd only just met the little baby, and he already loved him. Brax took Casey from Heath and handed him back to their mother.
End flashback.
Brax turned to look at Heath staring into his own world.
"You alright mate?" Brax asked.
"Huh? Yeah...I was just thinking about the day Casey was born." Heath replied.
"Yeah?" Brax questioned.
"I remember you holding him then you handed him to me. It was the first time I ever saw him smile."
Brax nodded remembering that day.
"He was so small and fragile and it seems nothing has changed. He's still so fragile, except he's now this grown up kid...Why weren't we able to protect him Brax?" Heath asked.
Brax sighed. "I don't know Heath. I just wish that none of this had ever happened." Brax squeezed Casey's hand.
Casey's machines beeped and Heath stood up. "What's going on?" Heath panicked.
"Heath go and get Nate!" Brax yelled.
Heath just stared in panic. "Heath!" Brax shouted and Heath stormed out the door running his hand through his hair.
Brax raced out after him and saw Nate. "Nate! Hurry up, it's Casey!" Brax yelled.
Nate quickly ran into Casey's room and checked his vitals. The machines had gone off because his Oxygen and Heart rate had dropped. Nate quickly got to work.
"Brax I need you to wait outside while I stabilize your brother."
"No I'm not leaving him!" Brax yelled.
"Brax please." Nate pushed.
Brax walked out of the room and saw Heath slam his hand on a chair before storming down the hall.
"Where are you going?" Brax yelled.
"Away from here!" Heath replied and stormed out.
Heath couldn't stand being in the hospital watching his baby brother on the bed when the machines were beeping, telling them something wasn't right.
Nate had managed to stabilse Casey and as soon as he exited the room, Brax raced in and grabbed hold of Casey's hand. Nate sighed.
"How is he?" Brax panicked.
"He's stable again, but we will be watching him closely, in case of any complications." Nate explained.
"Complications? What complications?" Brax demanded.
"With Casey's drop in Oxygen level right now and with him already in a compromised state, it heightens the risk of him developing brain damage."
Brax stared wide eyed at Nate. "Please, you can't let that happen." Brax pleaded.
"You have to make sure my brother is okay! You have to make him okay!" Brax shouted.
"Brax I understand this is hard for you but I promise we are doing everything we can. Your brother is in safe hands, but it's up to him now to recover. You let me know if you need anything." Nate gave a nod and left the room.
Brax stood over Casey and gripped his upper arms. "Damn you Casey! Wake up! I won't lose you!" He shouted.
Staring at Casey's motionless body, Brax collapsed against his brother and began to sob as he held his brother tightly. "I love you Casey. You're my baby brother. Don't you dare die on me!"