Forever and Ever // Lams

Forgiveness, Can You Imagine?

(The fan art is by caw_chan, who's an amazing artist. Also, it doesn't have anything to do with the story but it's really cute sooo :)

JAMES MADISON'S POV

I couldn't take in what had just happened. I was gripping Thomas' arm, crying. Everything was blurry. I heard voices talking to me, telling me to let go of Tom. I couldn't. Eventually they were lifting Thomas onto a stretcher and I was forced to let go. I was still sitting on my knees sobbing. Someone lifted me to my feet, I still couldn't fully comprehend what had happened...

I was standing there, reduced to a coughing and sneezing fit by my tears.

"Son?" I heard a familiar voice say.

I turned and saw Principal Washington standing there, his hand firmly on my shoulder.

"M- Mr. Was- Washington?" I hiccuped and coughed my way through the sentence.

"They said they had asked you for your parents number and you had said the school's, son." 

"I- My p-parents a- aren- aren't around an-y- anymore." I sobbed. "I s-said the fir-first number I c-c-could think of!"

"It's ok, son. I'm glad you called me, I needed insight into this situation anyway, and I'm also here to support you." He said softly in a fatherly tone.

I wanted to shrug his hand off my shoulder, but I didn't have the energy, and - although I didn't want to admit it - it was comforting.

"I- Is Thomas ok? D-Did the-they take him t-t-to the hospital?" I still couldn't speak, since I kept sobbing and hiccuping.

"Yes, they did. I'm not sure if he's ok, but I'm pretty sure the bullet didn't hit any vital organs. I bet he'll be ok, son."

"Can I- Can we go s-see him?" I asked hesitant to speak to my principal.

"Sure, son. I'll have to drive you in my car, that's ok right?"

I raised my eyebrows, surprised he was asking. I guess he had to since he worked at my school. "Y-Yeah, of c-course."

We walked out to his fancy black sports car, that surprised me even more. He noticed my expression and chuckled. "I had to bug Martha for ages before she'd let me buy it." 

I faintly laughed, not actually feeling any joy. He caught on and we were silent for the whole car ride.

When we got to the hospital, we asked for Tom's room. They said we could visit him in about an hour when he was out of surgery.

We sat down and I couldn't help but beginning to sob again. I was so worried, that when they said he was out of surgery, I felt like I had waited months. I tried to stop crying for Tom, but there were still tears silently sliding down my face. Washington waited right outside the door, and I walked in.

"Hey." I smiled softly at him, still standing in the doorway.

He looked up at me, eyes shining with tears that threatened to escape his eyes.

"I love you, James." Was the first thing he said.

"I love you too, Tommy." I walked over to him and gently took his hand. "How are you feeling?"

He laughed weakly. "As good as you can you can feel after being shot and going through surgery to have the bullet removed."

I smiled lovingly at him, a real, genuine smile. We didn't say anything else, just looked happily at each other for a moment. 

"Hey Thomas?" I said, my voice so quiet it was nearly a whisper.

"Yes?" He matched my volume.

"You nearly sacrificed your life for mine..." The tears were falling faster now. "You literally took a bullet for me."