August in the Fall (A "Lab Partners" Fanfiction) *COMPLETED*

The One and Only Luka Frost (Reprise)

One Week Later.

Wednesday, October 2nd, 2018

14 Days Until The Deadline.

"Are you sure about this, Noah?" Elliot asked as we stood outside Luka's hospital room door. It'd been a few days since I'd seen him last, and felt terrible knowing he had no idea what had happened. He was in the dark about everything, and he was the one person who didn't deserve to be. How would he react when he hears the news? He's going to want to do something about it. Luka might not be in good enough shape to do anything, and if he is.... Holiday suggested Elliot and I go check on Luka's progress, while she maps out a plan on how we!re going to catch his father. We were down to two weeks left. There was no time to waste.

"I have to be." I mumbled, grabbing onto the door handle. Pushing the door open, I slowly and quietly stepped inside the room. Luka was staring blankly at the television screen above him. I knew that look. It was the look of emptiness. Nothing to do, nothing to say, having a need to do something, but you just can't. You're totally helpless. Stop it. I told myself. The last thing Luka needs is your negativity. Be positive. For August. For Nick. Walking closer to him, it took Luka longer than it should of to notice two presences in the room. Once he did though, he turned to me, and smiled.

"Hey!" He greeted, his voice raspy as always. Luka smiled so wide, it almost made me forget about what happened here. The good thing was that he was better. At least, enough to be awake. "It's nive to see you, Noah." I gave him a small smile. Luka turned his head and looked at Elliot. 

"Uh, Luka. This is one of my Dads. This is Elliot Goldman-Hughes." I held out a hand to my Dad. Elliot looked at Luka and smiled. 

"I've heard a lot about you." Elliot commented as Luka sat up in the bed. I saw that he tried not to look too hard at Luka's scar.

"Ditto." He replied, then he twitched. "Well, not a lot. Just some things. Like how nice you are, and stuff." Luka chuckled. It was nice to hear him laugh. I hated the fact that I was going to ruin it by telling him the news. 

"How are you holding up?" I asked, stepping closer to the bed. Luka looked away from me, like he was ashamed. He didn't deserve anything he's received. He didn't deserve an abusive Dad, a dead mom, no home, and a bullet wound. That wasn't even the half of it. I felt so bad. 

"Don't give me your pity." Luka snapped suddenly. His eyes didn't look angry, but his tone told me otherwise. I took a step backwards. Luka looked up at me again. "The last thing I want is for someone to say that they're sorry for me. Like I'm helpless. I am most certainly not helpless. I've survived on my own for over ten years. I don't need 'I'm sorry.' I don't want that." He looked away again. "Every time I hear that, it reminds me of how helpless I was when I was little. I don't know how many times I cried in that alley, praying to God for someone to help me... I'd ask myself every day what I did wrong. I was totally fixed on the thought that I was a mistake. That I wasn't wanted. That I should just die. Why not? Nobody cared." Luka didn't say anything after that. 

Elliot frowned sadly, then turned to me. "Noah, if you don't mind, I'm going to step outside to make a phone call." I nodded, and Dad turned towards the door, and smiled at me before stepping outside. I turned to Luka. He still wouldn't look at me.

"Luka, I'm s-" I stopped myself. 

"I'm doing okay." He said suddenly. He looked at me now, smiling. "Sorry I didn't answer your question before." Luka apologized. "I got out of hand." I smiled. 

"There's no way in Hell you need to be sorry, Luka." I said, taking a step towards him again. "I can't even imagine what you've been through. Sometimes, I forget how hard it must be for you. To live the life you have. If I could take you away from all that, I swear I would. You wouldn't have to survive anymore." I clenched my fists at my sides, and looked down. Luka must have noticed that something was off.

"Noah...? What is it?"

I was afraid that if I looked at him, his eyes, his blue hair, his damaging scar, that I just might break into tears. I had to be strong for him. I exhaled. 

"I have something to tell you.." I mumbled. Luka gave me a worried look and twitched. I exhaled again. "August...." I sighed. "August and Nick were kidnapped." Luka's eyes widened. "They were kidnapped by your father, and if I don't bring you to him in two weeks time, he'll kill Nick.. then August.. and he'll keep killing, and killing, and killing..." I broke into tears then. Until everyone I love is dead. Luka swore out loud.

"That Bastard!" He shouted angrily. "I knew he wouldn't give up quickly, but to go to lengths like this! I'm going to fucking kill him!" Luka kept shouting profanities, and threw his arms up in the air. I sobbed quietly. I felt like it was all my fault something like this was happening. "Once I get my hands on him, I'll-" Luka stopped talking. "Noah.." He whispered. Suddenly, his arms were around me, and I was pulled into a hug. I didn't notice this before, but he had a really nice smell. Something like strawberries. Luka didn't hug me too tightly, but it was something to show me he was there. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this.." He whispered. "When I get out of here, we'll straighten this out."

The door to the hospital room creaked open, and Luka slowly separated himself from me. Looking over at the entrance, my eyes landed on Elliot who shut the door behind him. His cell phone was in his hand, and a straight look was painted on his features. "Well," He said, slipping his phone into his back pocket. "I went to the front desk, and requested the doctor that takes care of you." He looked at Luka. "He said based on your charts, you should be ready to go home in about two days." Pushing his blue hair out of his eyes, Luka smiled.

"That's great!" He cheered. I smiled. Finally things were starting to turn out right.

Elliot cleared his throat. Both of us turned to look at him. "One more thing Luka." His tone was serious. We both looked at him. Confusion crossed my eyes and Luka twitched. What now? Elliot stretched the back of his head. "I talked to my husband, and um.." I was starting to get worried. "I didn't Okay this with Noah, and I know this will be okay with him and Nick, but..."

Luka looked worried too. "What is it?" He whispered.

Elliot looked up and faced him. "Luka, when all of this is over, what do you say to us adopting you?"