Let Go

6: If I'm There 2

Thomas' pov:

*trigger warning for suicide and blood*

"I bandaged his arms to stop the bleeding, but he had already lost too much blood," I recalled the scene in my head. My brother, naked, in a tub overflowing with diluted blood. Crimson shades splattered across the cold beige floor.

How could they be so stupid? Leaving a pair of scissors in the open around Harken was such a dumb idea. But then again, I couldn't blame Magdalena. After all, she didn't expect a suicidal guest.

I was running with the paramedics as they rolled the gurney toward the operations room. I dreaded it because I had to leave him soon. He wasn't conscious, to begin with.

"God, I can't take any more shocks," I told the nurse that was beside me, only to realise it was my husband's identical twin. It used to creep me out at first, but not anymore.

"He'll be alright," Aiden said reassuringly, but I've been here too many times to know that they said this to everyone.

And then everyone disappeared into the operating room. I was left alone in the waiting area with my racing heart.

I stood outside the hospital, the smell of it rendering me tired. The fresh air was a much better alternative.

Dad's cars appeared out of nowhere. Two black SUVs parked with screeching tires.

"Where is he?" Dad's tall figure appeared before me. "Is he alright?"

What was I supposed to say? He bled till he fainted? He killed himself?

For a family followed by trouble, it still shocked us when things went awry.

"I tried, I really tried," I sobbed. Everything was hitting me at once. I might have lost my only brother, and I was just waiting an announcement from a doctor to tell me he was gone.

Dad's arms were around me in seconds. "It's okay," he said, but how was any of this okay?

"It's not okay," I screamed against my will. Two of dad's bodyguards got on their feet. Yeah, as if I was gonna hurt dad. The great leader of the underground chaos of Rivertown. "How is any of this okay? My brother is moments away from death, how can you be so calm about it?"

Dad took a deep sigh. "Your brother hasn't had it easy, but my brother is in there too, and I trust he'll keep my son alive with all his strength,"

"And if he doesn't?" I asked coldly. "If he doesn't keep him alive, then what?"

"We arrange a proper funeral and accept that he was brave, but his mind got the best of him."

That didn't help with the crying.

We had to wait a few more minutes outside. We were shrouded in silence, and I pondered if Dr. Grayson was actually going to manage to keep my brother alive.

Dad calling Dr. Grayson his brother came back to me. I remembered how a few years back, he wouldn't even acknowledge his existence. So much has changed in this town, and dad was on top of it all.

Dr. Grayson, or in other words Uncle Liam, joined us outside. He was calm. Too calm; I hated this family. Uncle Liam left the family when he was younger, changed his name and adopted the last name Grayson. He wanted to raise his family away from anything related to the Reds; us.

Blood is thicker than water, uncle Liam, and blood itself was Red.

"I don't have a lot of good things to say, I'm afraid,"

I was on the verge of ripping everyone's throat out of their necks.

"What are we dealing with?" dad said as I couldn't speak.

"He lost a lot of blood," Dr. Grayson explained, "No injury to the nerves, which is remarkable for a wound that deep,"

"There's something worse and I know it so just tell me,"

"He went into shock," Liam said, "the ER team is doing what they can,"

For the first time in my life, I saw dad shed a tear. The great Alfred Red was crying.

"If we're lucky enough, he'll end up in a coma with minimal damage to his organs," dad sat down and stared for the longest time. He stared into nothing, but I knew he was calculating every second from now on, making every decision and thinking of every single mishap.

"Darryl," Dad barely whispered, but Darryl was all ears and alert. "be on the ready for a funeral,"

"Yes sir," Darryl affirmed.

"There's a good chance he will make it. One of our nurses is providing him with blood, but we'll need more. Get anyone with a B negative, the more the merrier," Liam said.

I wasn't worried. Liam was the head of the hospital, and a good one at that. If Liam had felt that Harken was going to be done for, he never would've left the operating room.

I knew Liam didn't control life and death, but I had a little faith left, and it all poured into Liam and this hospital.

"I'll get you the blood, take care of my son." Dad said lastly. Liam disappeared back inside, and I was once again alone with my racing thoughts.

My phone rang, causing my racing thoughts to cease. "Are you guys okay?" my husband's voice sounded frantic. Magdalena must've told him about what happened. "Magdalena told me," he confirmed.

"Harken isn't doing well at all," I repeated the story to Raiden.

"Do you need me there?" he asked. "Who am I kidding, I'm on my way," he didn't wait for an answer. I couldn't tough it out this time. I did indeed need him here with me.

The air outside was turning freezing cold, with rain starting again. I dragged my heavy body inside and sat at the nearest chair. It didn't take long enough for Raiden to arrive. He took me in his arms and for once in our miserable life, Raiden was the one comforting me.

"Are you okay, Tommy?" He took one good look at my face and winced. "Stupid question. I'm here, baby," he sat next to me and linked his fingers in mine. "How is he doing?"

"He needs a lot of B Negative," I said, barely audible. I was growing sleepy and tired as the clock raced itself towards three a.m.

"And you didn't tell me?!" Raiden spoke a little louder than I could handle. Then I remembered that Raiden was B Negative.

That meant that Aiden was most probably the nurse giving Harken blood.

I should've told Raiden that his brother was on his shift, but he was already on his way to donate. He hasn't been speaking to his brother for years.

Ironic how blood was going to bring them together again. I didn't know what to expect out of this, and honestly, I couldn't think anymore. I let my body limp down against the uncomfortable plastic chair. My eyes grew heavy, and as I started to fall asleep, I wondered if my brother was going to wake up like I would, or I'd lose him forever.

Harken was a strong man, but it wasn't a matter of strength anymore.

I wanted nothing more than to be in his place, but I too had a lot at stake. My husband was once in Harken's place; I've bandaged him too, and I watched him grow up from a suicidal teenager into this beautiful strong-willed man that was my partner now and forever.

I wouldn't trade him or our son for anything.

I just wished my brother would have enough life in him left to realise he was worth much more than what he valued himself at.

He just needed a chance at something beautiful, and it was starting to seem like he wouldn't be getting it.

A/N: thanks for reading. I know this story has some triggering stuff. If you wanna talk about anything drop a comment here or dm me, I don't mind.

It's important to talk to someone when you feel like it's the end, because if you can feel the end, then it's not an end. Don't force it to be.

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