(Never) without you - Chp. 7
Title: (Never) without you
Chapter: 7
Characters: Luke, Reg, Tony, Damian, Noah, Dr. Henderson
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,005
Beta: geezlouise from the Wiki, thank you!
Disclaimer: This is just for fun. I don’t own, characters belong to ATWT, CBS, P&G, etc.
Author's Notes: Sequel to the real me. Comments are very welcome.
Luke bent over the water fountain in Oakdale Memorial's Shock Trauma Unit and pressed the machine's button for a sip. A few water drops landed on his sweatshirt. Luke pulled on the shirt's hem to brush off the drops, when he suddenly stopped. There across the top of his right sleeve and chest was a now fading ruby-red colored imprint left by Noah's bloody head.Luke flashed back to the scene a few hours earlier aboard the GSL tug boat. He'd reached the door to the crew's quarters in time to see Damian strike a defenseless Noah across the side of his head with the ship lantern. Luke raced across the room to pull Damian away before he could deliver a second blow.
Members of the rescue crew used metal cutters to snapped the anchor chain that had held Noah captive to the bed frame. As Luke held his boyfriend, he begged Noah to open his eyes. The only response from Noah was loud, labored breathing.
Jack Snyder, an Oakdale police detective and Luke's cousin, knelt down beside the couple and spoke to Luke. "You've got to let the paramedics have Noah now, Luke. They need to get him to the hospital. The doctors are waiting there to help him."
Jack and the other first responders gently pulled Noah from Luke's grasp and carefully lifted him onto a stretcher. The paramedics tended to him and then carried Noah out to the ambulance for the short ride to Memorial.
Luke was now pacing across the green and white linoleum floor in front of doors leading to a treatment bay where Noah was being attended to by a team of medical personnel. Doctors, nurses and technicians scurried in and out. But no one stopped to speak to Luke.
Across from where Luke stood sat Tony with his head leaning against the wall.
"Luke, come and sit down. They'll come get us when you can see Noah."
Luke let out a deep sigh as he looked toward his friend. "What's taking so long, Tony? Why won't they tell us anything?"
Tony walked over to Luke. "I'm sure they'll tell us something when they get a chance. Right now, I guess they're working on stabilizing Noah. We just have to believe that Noah is going to be OK."
"How could Damian do something like this?"
Tony shrugged his shoulders."I guess he figured that Noah was a threat to you staying straight after coming home from that camp. Let's face it, Luke. Your bio-dad is certifiably nuts!"
Luke began to tear up."Maybe if I had just agreed to talk with Damian, this wouldn't have happened? If I had just listened to Noah. Or if I just had gotten on that boat faster."
Tony placed his hands on Luke's shoulders. "Listen to me. Stop trying to second guess yourself. Damian did this. Not you. It's not your fault what happened to Noah."
Luke nodded as a member of the Shock Trauma team approached them.
"I'm Dr. Daniel Henderson. Are either of you related to Noah Mayer?"
Luke sniffled. "Noah doesn't have any family here in Oakdale. I'm Noah's boyfriend, Luke Snyder, and this is our friend, Tony Conte."
Dr. Henderson nodded and then peeked over his glasses at Luke. "I thought I recognized you. I worked on your mom's coma case a couple of years back. I remember seeing you at Lily's bedside at all hours.You were a major player in her recovery."
"Yes, sir. I'm grateful for all you did back then. But can you please tell me how Noah is?"
"Let's step in here." said Dr. Henderson as he escorted Luke and Tony into a deserted staff break room. The three sat down at a small lunch table.
"How is Noah, Dr. Henderson? When can I see him?"
The doctor sighed. "Noah is unconscious, Luke. He's in critical condition."
"But he will wake up, right? Right?"
"Noah suffered a severe blunt force trauma when he was struck with that lantern. If he wakes up, he-“
"Wait! If he wakes up? Are you saying he might not? Oh God!"
Tony wrapped his arms around Luke and held him close.
"As I was saying, if he wakes up, Noah could have severe, perhaps permanent neurological defects. He could be left with paralysis, seizures or difficulty with speaking, seeing, hearing, walking or understanding."
Dr. Henderson explained that staff members had already performed a CT-scan on Noah; taken blood and other X-rays along with treated the patient for dehydration with fluids and a heavy dose of antibiotics to fight against an infection caused by the anchor chain being clamped on his wrist.
"Of course, we won't know how severe Noah's head injury is until we get the results of all the tests along with the blood work," examined Dr. Henderson, glancing over his notes. "When and if Noah regains consciousness, we'll have a better indication of what we're dealing with."
Luke hung his head and slumped against Tony.
"This can't be happening," Luke thought. “Noah can't die. I love him so much. Dear God help him."
Gathering up his courage, Luke looked up at the doctor.
"Thank you for sharing what you could with me about Noah's condition. Can I see him now?"
"Sure. You can sit with him until we take him upstairs. We're just waiting on a bed in
the neurological intensive care unit up on 7." The three walked out into the hallway and toward the doors leading to the exam bays. Dr. Henderson cautioned Luke about what he was about to see.
"Noah's hooked up to a lot of machines designed to constantly monitor his heart rate, respirations, brain wave activity and other functions. There a lot of tubes and wires along with bells and beeping noises. Just so you understand..."
Luke nodded. "I do. I just really need to see him."
As Dr. Henderson pushed open the door, Tony tugged on Luke's sleeve. "Luke, I'll wait here while you go in. I'll be here if you need me."
Luke offered a half smile in response, took a deep breath and entered the treatment bay.
His breath hitched when he laid eyes on Noah lying on the gurney. His head was swollen to nearly twice its normal size with electrodes attached carrying data to monitors beside the bed. Noah was covered with a white sheet and blanket from the waist down. He wore a monitor gauge on his right index finger leading to machines with digtal displays of his heart, respiration and and pulse. A nurse changed the IV bags and checked on the dressing on his left wrist.
Dr. Henderson said something to Luke. But he didn't hear it. He was struggling to take in all that was happening to his boyfriend. The nurse silently offered Luke a stool and motioned Luke to take Noah's hand. Luke bent down and gently kissed the hand of the person he loved more than anyone else in the whole world.
Maintaining a secure hold on his boyfriend's hand, Luke sat down. Using his thumb, Luke drew soft circles on Noah's palm. He leaned forward toward the head of the gurney.
"Noah, it's me. I love you so much and I'm so sorry. Our life together just starting. Please don't leave me now, Noah."
***********
Back outside in the hallway, Tony pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial for his boyfriend, Reg. The call connected after the first ring.
Reg was all apologetic. "I am so sorry about earlier day, babe. I know that Luke needs us right now. Please don't be mad at me?" There was a loud silence. "Babe?"
Tony sighed. "I'm here. Look I'm sorry, too. But that's not why I'm calling. We found Noah."
"What? He didn't leave town? Wow that's great. So are you still with them? Wait...do I hear sirens in the background?"
"Yeah. We're at Memorial in the Shock Trama Center. Noah's been hurt. Can you get-..."
"Wait...you're at the hospital? What the hell happened?"
"Look, I'll explain it all when you get here. But things don't look too good right for Noah. If anything happens, Luke is going to need both of us."
"I'm leaving right now."
Ten minutes later Reg met Tony outside the examination room. Tony embraced his boyfriend and quickly explained what had happened.
Reg cursed himself for what he was said earlier that day. "I am such insentive idiot. I said Luke should just get over Noah leaving town. I didn't really mean it." Reg buried his face in his hands. Tony rubbed his back.
"Yeah. I know. There's no way you could have known that something like this would happen. None of us did."
Reg nodded and looked up. "Honestly, how badly hurt is Noah? Could...could...he...die?"
Tony shook his head. "They've put him on the critical list. I really hope Noah makes
it. If Luke loses him...I just don't want to go there."
Reg interrupted his boyfriend's prayer with a kiss on the cheek. "We'll give them both all of our support."
Tony offered a slight smile. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. They're my friends, too." The two fell into a hug broken by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
Reg and Tony looked up to see an Oakdale policeman starring at them.
"Excuse me. Is one of you Luke Snyder?"
"No. Luke's in there," answered Tony, pointing toward the examination bays. "Is something wrong?"
"Can you please get him for me?"
"Sure," Tony approached a nurse about to enter the area and asked her to get Luke.
Moments later, Luke with tear-stained cheeks appeared.
"A nurse told me some cop wants to see me?" Tony nodded and pointed to the approaching officer. "
"Luke? Luke Snyder?"
"Yeah. That's me," he said weakly. "Is something wrong?"
"Detective Snyder asked me to come get you and bring you down to headquarters. He said your father's asked to see you-"
"Look. Get one thing straight. Damian Grimaldi is not my father."
"Take it up with the lieutenant. All I know is I'm supposed to pick you up and take you to headquarters. I'm just following orders, kid."
"But I can't leave Noah," Luke replied.
"I'll stay with him," Tony volunteered.
Reg put his hand on Luke's shoulder.
"Look, Jack wouldn't have sent someone to come get you, if he didn't think you should see Damian. Tony and I will take turns sitting with Noah until you get back. We'll call you if there's any change."
*********************
Awaiting transport to criminal court for arraignment on attempted murder charges, Damian Grimaldi sat at the table in the interrogation room at Oakdale PD. His left arm was tethered by a handcuff to a bar jetting upward from the table. A smile broke across his face when he saw his son walk into the room. He stood up to greet Luke.
"Luciano!"
"How can this bastard smile." Luke thought.
"It's Luke! Not Luciano."
"I'll be right outside, if you need me," said the patrolman to Luke as he closed the door.
"Luke."
Luke clenched his fists and glared at his father. "Damian, it's taking every ounce of self control I have right now not to strangle the living daylights out of you. I've just come from Noah's bedside. He's on the critical list! Are you satisfied now, Damian? Is this what you wanted?"
"Luciano I-" The clang made by the handcuffs hitting the bar interrupted Damian.
"How does it feel to be chained up, Damian? God...that was just the beginning for Noah's suffering at your hands."
"Let me try to explain.."
Luke banged his fist on the table. "Listen to me, damn it! I'm only going to say this once. If God forbid Noah dies, you're going to wish you were dead because I'll be your worst nightmare."
"I'm sorry. I was only try- "
"Damn you, Damian. I hope you rot in prison."
Luke stormed out of the room and headed back to the hospital and to Noah..
Chapter: 7
Characters: Luke, Reg, Tony, Damian, Noah, Dr. Henderson
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,005
Beta: geezlouise from the Wiki, thank you!
Disclaimer: This is just for fun. I don’t own, characters belong to ATWT, CBS, P&G, etc.
Author's Notes: Sequel to the real me. Comments are very welcome.
Luke bent over the water fountain in Oakdale Memorial's Shock Trauma Unit and pressed the machine's button for a sip. A few water drops landed on his sweatshirt. Luke pulled on the shirt's hem to brush off the drops, when he suddenly stopped. There across the top of his right sleeve and chest was a now fading ruby-red colored imprint left by Noah's bloody head.Luke flashed back to the scene a few hours earlier aboard the GSL tug boat. He'd reached the door to the crew's quarters in time to see Damian strike a defenseless Noah across the side of his head with the ship lantern. Luke raced across the room to pull Damian away before he could deliver a second blow.
Members of the rescue crew used metal cutters to snapped the anchor chain that had held Noah captive to the bed frame. As Luke held his boyfriend, he begged Noah to open his eyes. The only response from Noah was loud, labored breathing.
Jack Snyder, an Oakdale police detective and Luke's cousin, knelt down beside the couple and spoke to Luke. "You've got to let the paramedics have Noah now, Luke. They need to get him to the hospital. The doctors are waiting there to help him."
Jack and the other first responders gently pulled Noah from Luke's grasp and carefully lifted him onto a stretcher. The paramedics tended to him and then carried Noah out to the ambulance for the short ride to Memorial.
Luke was now pacing across the green and white linoleum floor in front of doors leading to a treatment bay where Noah was being attended to by a team of medical personnel. Doctors, nurses and technicians scurried in and out. But no one stopped to speak to Luke.
Across from where Luke stood sat Tony with his head leaning against the wall.
"Luke, come and sit down. They'll come get us when you can see Noah."
Luke let out a deep sigh as he looked toward his friend. "What's taking so long, Tony? Why won't they tell us anything?"
Tony walked over to Luke. "I'm sure they'll tell us something when they get a chance. Right now, I guess they're working on stabilizing Noah. We just have to believe that Noah is going to be OK."
"How could Damian do something like this?"
Tony shrugged his shoulders."I guess he figured that Noah was a threat to you staying straight after coming home from that camp. Let's face it, Luke. Your bio-dad is certifiably nuts!"
Luke began to tear up."Maybe if I had just agreed to talk with Damian, this wouldn't have happened? If I had just listened to Noah. Or if I just had gotten on that boat faster."
Tony placed his hands on Luke's shoulders. "Listen to me. Stop trying to second guess yourself. Damian did this. Not you. It's not your fault what happened to Noah."
Luke nodded as a member of the Shock Trauma team approached them.
"I'm Dr. Daniel Henderson. Are either of you related to Noah Mayer?"
Luke sniffled. "Noah doesn't have any family here in Oakdale. I'm Noah's boyfriend, Luke Snyder, and this is our friend, Tony Conte."
Dr. Henderson nodded and then peeked over his glasses at Luke. "I thought I recognized you. I worked on your mom's coma case a couple of years back. I remember seeing you at Lily's bedside at all hours.You were a major player in her recovery."
"Yes, sir. I'm grateful for all you did back then. But can you please tell me how Noah is?"
"Let's step in here." said Dr. Henderson as he escorted Luke and Tony into a deserted staff break room. The three sat down at a small lunch table.
"How is Noah, Dr. Henderson? When can I see him?"
The doctor sighed. "Noah is unconscious, Luke. He's in critical condition."
"But he will wake up, right? Right?"
"Noah suffered a severe blunt force trauma when he was struck with that lantern. If he wakes up, he-“
"Wait! If he wakes up? Are you saying he might not? Oh God!"
Tony wrapped his arms around Luke and held him close.
"As I was saying, if he wakes up, Noah could have severe, perhaps permanent neurological defects. He could be left with paralysis, seizures or difficulty with speaking, seeing, hearing, walking or understanding."
Dr. Henderson explained that staff members had already performed a CT-scan on Noah; taken blood and other X-rays along with treated the patient for dehydration with fluids and a heavy dose of antibiotics to fight against an infection caused by the anchor chain being clamped on his wrist.
"Of course, we won't know how severe Noah's head injury is until we get the results of all the tests along with the blood work," examined Dr. Henderson, glancing over his notes. "When and if Noah regains consciousness, we'll have a better indication of what we're dealing with."
Luke hung his head and slumped against Tony.
"This can't be happening," Luke thought. “Noah can't die. I love him so much. Dear God help him."
Gathering up his courage, Luke looked up at the doctor.
"Thank you for sharing what you could with me about Noah's condition. Can I see him now?"
"Sure. You can sit with him until we take him upstairs. We're just waiting on a bed in
the neurological intensive care unit up on 7." The three walked out into the hallway and toward the doors leading to the exam bays. Dr. Henderson cautioned Luke about what he was about to see.
"Noah's hooked up to a lot of machines designed to constantly monitor his heart rate, respirations, brain wave activity and other functions. There a lot of tubes and wires along with bells and beeping noises. Just so you understand..."
Luke nodded. "I do. I just really need to see him."
As Dr. Henderson pushed open the door, Tony tugged on Luke's sleeve. "Luke, I'll wait here while you go in. I'll be here if you need me."
Luke offered a half smile in response, took a deep breath and entered the treatment bay.
His breath hitched when he laid eyes on Noah lying on the gurney. His head was swollen to nearly twice its normal size with electrodes attached carrying data to monitors beside the bed. Noah was covered with a white sheet and blanket from the waist down. He wore a monitor gauge on his right index finger leading to machines with digtal displays of his heart, respiration and and pulse. A nurse changed the IV bags and checked on the dressing on his left wrist.
Dr. Henderson said something to Luke. But he didn't hear it. He was struggling to take in all that was happening to his boyfriend. The nurse silently offered Luke a stool and motioned Luke to take Noah's hand. Luke bent down and gently kissed the hand of the person he loved more than anyone else in the whole world.
Maintaining a secure hold on his boyfriend's hand, Luke sat down. Using his thumb, Luke drew soft circles on Noah's palm. He leaned forward toward the head of the gurney.
"Noah, it's me. I love you so much and I'm so sorry. Our life together just starting. Please don't leave me now, Noah."
***********
Back outside in the hallway, Tony pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial for his boyfriend, Reg. The call connected after the first ring.
Reg was all apologetic. "I am so sorry about earlier day, babe. I know that Luke needs us right now. Please don't be mad at me?" There was a loud silence. "Babe?"
Tony sighed. "I'm here. Look I'm sorry, too. But that's not why I'm calling. We found Noah."
"What? He didn't leave town? Wow that's great. So are you still with them? Wait...do I hear sirens in the background?"
"Yeah. We're at Memorial in the Shock Trama Center. Noah's been hurt. Can you get-..."
"Wait...you're at the hospital? What the hell happened?"
"Look, I'll explain it all when you get here. But things don't look too good right for Noah. If anything happens, Luke is going to need both of us."
"I'm leaving right now."
Ten minutes later Reg met Tony outside the examination room. Tony embraced his boyfriend and quickly explained what had happened.
Reg cursed himself for what he was said earlier that day. "I am such insentive idiot. I said Luke should just get over Noah leaving town. I didn't really mean it." Reg buried his face in his hands. Tony rubbed his back.
"Yeah. I know. There's no way you could have known that something like this would happen. None of us did."
Reg nodded and looked up. "Honestly, how badly hurt is Noah? Could...could...he...die?"
Tony shook his head. "They've put him on the critical list. I really hope Noah makes
it. If Luke loses him...I just don't want to go there."
Reg interrupted his boyfriend's prayer with a kiss on the cheek. "We'll give them both all of our support."
Tony offered a slight smile. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. They're my friends, too." The two fell into a hug broken by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
Reg and Tony looked up to see an Oakdale policeman starring at them.
"Excuse me. Is one of you Luke Snyder?"
"No. Luke's in there," answered Tony, pointing toward the examination bays. "Is something wrong?"
"Can you please get him for me?"
"Sure," Tony approached a nurse about to enter the area and asked her to get Luke.
Moments later, Luke with tear-stained cheeks appeared.
"A nurse told me some cop wants to see me?" Tony nodded and pointed to the approaching officer. "
"Luke? Luke Snyder?"
"Yeah. That's me," he said weakly. "Is something wrong?"
"Detective Snyder asked me to come get you and bring you down to headquarters. He said your father's asked to see you-"
"Look. Get one thing straight. Damian Grimaldi is not my father."
"Take it up with the lieutenant. All I know is I'm supposed to pick you up and take you to headquarters. I'm just following orders, kid."
"But I can't leave Noah," Luke replied.
"I'll stay with him," Tony volunteered.
Reg put his hand on Luke's shoulder.
"Look, Jack wouldn't have sent someone to come get you, if he didn't think you should see Damian. Tony and I will take turns sitting with Noah until you get back. We'll call you if there's any change."
*********************
Awaiting transport to criminal court for arraignment on attempted murder charges, Damian Grimaldi sat at the table in the interrogation room at Oakdale PD. His left arm was tethered by a handcuff to a bar jetting upward from the table. A smile broke across his face when he saw his son walk into the room. He stood up to greet Luke.
"Luciano!"
"How can this bastard smile." Luke thought.
"It's Luke! Not Luciano."
"I'll be right outside, if you need me," said the patrolman to Luke as he closed the door.
"Luke."
Luke clenched his fists and glared at his father. "Damian, it's taking every ounce of self control I have right now not to strangle the living daylights out of you. I've just come from Noah's bedside. He's on the critical list! Are you satisfied now, Damian? Is this what you wanted?"
"Luciano I-" The clang made by the handcuffs hitting the bar interrupted Damian.
"How does it feel to be chained up, Damian? God...that was just the beginning for Noah's suffering at your hands."
"Let me try to explain.."
Luke banged his fist on the table. "Listen to me, damn it! I'm only going to say this once. If God forbid Noah dies, you're going to wish you were dead because I'll be your worst nightmare."
"I'm sorry. I was only try- "
"Damn you, Damian. I hope you rot in prison."
Luke stormed out of the room and headed back to the hospital and to Noah..