Hit and Run
This story has been prompted by H20xspelboundfanx and the prompt was Jason is injured in some sort of accident, though Darren is there to help.
Because I'm unimaginative as hell, you can probably guess what sort of accident Jason is in by simply looking at the title. Anyway, enjoy guys!
Even though Darren had found out Sandy Roscoe was his real mum and that he had five brothers he never even knew existed just over two months ago, he had done very little with the information. There had been no big reunion, no family dinners with all six of them sat around the table (7 if you counted Lindsey, she was more of a Roscoe than Darren would ever be).
There had been nothing except for the occasional strained word in the village from Sandy when they ran into each, the casual feigned ignorance from the three older brothers when they entered the pub, never making eye contact with one another as they swapped money for a pint, or the quiet shushing from Jason as Robbie muttered ill hidden insults in Darren's direction whenever they passed by each other.
And he hated it, hated the tense atmosphere everytime he ran into a member of his 'family' and the stares he got from them all. But that wasn't going to change, not anytime soon anyway. The landlord couldn't find it in himself to forgive Sandy after what she had done, all the lies she had told to not only him but to the others too.
And he knew that wasn't his brothers fault, but their actions since they had found out had spoken loudly to him, and Darren found himself grateful that he hadn't had to grow up with them. He had thought for a moment that he would have been able to have a relationship with Joe at least.
The two men had respected each other and Darren found himself enjoying the company of at least one of his half brother's. But that had all been ruined when he learnt that Joe had slept with Nancy, something he didn't have any right to be angry over, but it still left his blood boiling at the thought.
Since then he hadn't talked to a single member of his newfound family, all of them glaring heavily at him from across the street for ruining Joe and Lindsey's big day, despite the couple soon reuniting after the fiasco.
They were even boycotting the pub in some sort of silent protest, though Darren wasn't too sure what to make of that, though it was mainly indifference on his part. Ever since learning that Nancy had slept with his half-brother, Darren's head had been in a spin and he had barely found enough energy in himself to care that whatever small steps he had taken with his brothers were more than wiped out, leaving him at square one again.
It all came to head a few weeks later though, when Darren had found himself at the outer skirts of the village, desperately trying to calm down after yet another argument with Sienna. He did love the other woman, not as much as Nancy, but his feelings were strong enough.
Despite that though, her incessant demands were exhausting and Darren hadn't even spent any quality time with her in weeks.
She was having his baby and he couldn't even sleep in the same bed as her! After shrugging him away for what felt like the hundredth time in days, Darren had found his patience snapping and had left the pub in a hurry, before he said anything he would later regret, which is what led him to the road that ran to town at half eleven on a Saturday morning, with no money in his pocket and no destination in mind.
His dour mood only worsened after passing Robbie, the young Roscoe aiming yet another dig towards his oldest brother, only laughing when Darren snarled back. He noticed he wasn't the only one feeling so annoyed a few minutes later, watching half-heartedly as Jason rounded the corner, one of his youngest brothers having a seemingly heated argument over the phone.
"Look Holly this ain't my fault. You can't just... Oh don't say that." Darren watched on, smiling as he realised just how like Holly was to Cindy, in regards to getting exactly what she wanted.
Jason briefly made eye contact with Darren, giving a small smile in greeting before he went to cross the road to go back to the main section of the village, still chatting to Holly, his tone steely, though Darren could hear that he was already being worn down by the younger blonde.
As he stepped of the pavement, a squealing sound of brakes hit Darren's ears, his eyes widening as he helplessly watched the car race around the tight bend, not even slowing to assess the catastrophic damage that it had caused.
Jason went flying as the car hit him, a large thud echoing through the otherwise still morning. The young lad laid motionless on the ground, as the car tore away, barely slowing at what had just happened, and Darren found rage layering over his shock, at the pure heartlessness of the tear away driver and what they just done to the teenager.
Within seconds Darren was by Jason's side, pure relief running through the landlord as he saw that his brother was still breathing. Jason's leg was bent at an odd angle, making it clear that it was broken and his hair was slowly soaking through with blood.
Knowing that he couldn't do anything else to check on Jason, after all, moving him could only cause him more damage, Darren pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled for an ambulance.
"999 what's your emergency?"
"I need an ambulance. My brother's just been hit by a car, he's unconscious and he's got a really bad head wound."
"Okay sir, please stay calm," the cheery voice on the other side of the line practically chirped. If it was meant to keep Darren calm and with a positive mindset, well it really wasn't working. "We need your location so we can dispatch the ambulance."
"Just outside of Hollyoaks Village on Station Road. Just please hurry." Darren stayed on the phone till he heard the faint roar of the ambulance coming down the road. When he hung up, he realised his hands were shaking and his throat was blocked after choking down sobs.
The paramedics swiftly placed Jason on a stretcher once they arrived, moving him into the ambulance within seconds, whilst Darren watched on with despair, hating how pale Jason had already turned after just a few minutes since the accident. He moved to go in the ambulance too, not wanting Jason to be on his own, and having to know if he would be okay.
"I'm his brother," he managed to choke out when one of the paramedics tried to block his path. Fortunately it was enough and Darren soon found himself kneeled next Jason as the paramedics moved around him, fitting on an oxygen mask and making sure there was nothing they had missed.
It was only as they tore down the streets, trying to get to the hospital as quickly as physically possible, that Darren realised that he had identified Jason, a boy that he barely even spoke to, as his brother. Not once but twice.
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"Jason Roscoe should be okay," one of the hospital doctor's told Darren almost an hour after arriving at the hospital. It had been one of the most stressful times of Darren's life, as he waited desperately for some form of news whilst waiting in the corridors outside Jason's room.
He had clean forgotten to call the other Roscoes until about ten minutes before the doctor came out of the room with news on Jason's condition, though had done so with haste the moment he remembered.
"Actually, considering the speed that we've estimated that he was hit at, Jason was extremely lucky. His left leg was broken, though fortunately it appears to have been a clean cut. Three of his ribs were also cracked and his left wrist was fractured. The head wound that Jason received wasn't nearly as severe as it seemed, and he should only have a mild concussion."
"Is he, is he uh awake yet?" Darren asked, unable to believe that Jason wasn't a lot worse. He had looked almost dead, splayed out on the floor, completely still.
"Jason is currently resting, due to his body going through so much, though when he wakes, I see little chance of there being even more damage that we've missed."
"Can I see him?" Darren asked, in the room within a fraction of a second when the doctor nodded, coming to a halt when he saw Jason. Despite being told that his half-brother was going to be fine, it was pretty hard to believe that.
Wires of every kind were attached to him, the steady sound of a heart monitor being the only thing to break the silence in the cold and clinical room. It was only when he saw his youngest brother, lying still and dead to the world, did Darren realise how fully out of place he was.
He didn't belong here, Jason might be his brother by blood, but they had no sort of bond between each other. There was little doubt that within minutes, at least one member of the Roscoe family would come rushing through the doors, and Darren knew with recent revelations and actions, that he would be less than welcome. But he couldn't leave Jason alone, even if he wasn't fully conscious and therefore unaware of his presence.
He might not like the Roscoes, might even hate Sandy for lying to him and Joe for sleeping with Nancy, but he couldn't find it in himself to hate Jason. He was just a kid, he'd done nothing wrong and he at least deserved for someone to stay with him until the others arrived.
So Darren sighed slightly and grabbed the lone chair in the room, moving it closer to Jason's bed. He didn't say anything emotional to try and rouse the sleeping teenager, this wasn't a Disney movie and he wouldn't know where to start even if it was.
But he did stay, waiting for the inevitable moment when the others would arrive and chuck him out. Darren hadn't been sat there for long, five minutes at most, when Jason began stirring. "Ugh where am I?" He groaned blearily, wincing as he tried to stretch.
"You're in hospital mate," Darren said, not surprised in the slightest when Jason startled in shock, whether that be because he'd realised where he was or because he, the absent brother was the one to tell him. "You were involved in a hit and run. Broke your leg and wrist, it's not going to be a fun recovery, but it could have been a lot worse, I mean just look at your phone."
At that, Darren pulled the mangled remains of Jason's phone from his pocket, smiling grimly at the way that Jason winced. "Your family are on their way too, so don't worry about that."
"Nah I weren't," Jason shrugged, biting his lip to stop himself from crying out in pain at the movement. "I mean, you're family."
"By blood, not a lot more."
"You could be though," Jason said, his voice showing that he truly believed what he was saying and Darren couldn't help but be touched by the optimism in the younger lad's voice, even after being hit by a car. "No-one hates you you know. Like Joe was really mad at you, but he got over it and so have the others. Seriously there ain't nothing to worry about. Mum's been thinking of asking you round for tea and all, but she doesn't want to make you uncomfortable."
Darren opened his mouth, ready to protest against what he was being told, unable to believe that a healthy relationship with his family would ever be that easy, though before he could say anything, he was stopped by someone walking into the hospital room, and his heart sunk when he turned, seeing Sandy staring at him, a confused look painted on her face.
"J's right you know. We all want to be closer to you and there's nothing from stopping that from happening. You just have to say when." Darren nodded, unable to say anything around the sudden lump that had formed in his throat.
"Yeah maybe. Come round to the Dog at one point, we can try and talk then." Sandy practically beamed at his words, still smiling when Darren made his way past to leave the hospital.
"Thank you for staying with Jase. It'll have meant a lot to him," she whispered to him quietly, glancing over to her youngest as he tried to make himself more comfy on the hospital bed, wincing as he failed and only knocked his wrist.
Darren shrugged, trying to act casual, though the small smile that graced his lips kind of ruined the effect. "I would have done the same for any of my brothers."
So a cute little fic in general, I hope you all enjoyed it!
To the people who posted prompts last chapter, thank you guys so much! Those chapters should be up between chapters 42 and 45, so keep an eye out!
Next chapter – Jason and Robbie's dad comes to Hollyoaks village for a stay, though he's not exactly good news – prompted by H20xspelboundfanx and Little Miss Bovver