Damaged

Chapter 1

When Beau and I got the call, we were terrified to say the least. Luke was in the hospital. He had gotten hit head on by another car that was speeding and The other driver had died on impact. They didn't expect Luke to make it.

I was a nervous wreck and had no idea how to handle it if Luke died. He was my twin brother. My other half. Beau just guided me into his jeep and hurriedly drove to the hospital. I could tell that Beau was scared too, though. His hands were tightly gripping the steering wheel as he drove well over the speed limit to the hospital. He always freaked out when small things happened to Luke and I, so this had to be killing him.

When we were finally at the hospital and allowed to see Luke, I felt my heart break at the sight. There was my older twin. My older brother. Just lying brokenly and unmoving on the stiff hospital bed. I let out a sob as Beau put an arm around my shoulders in a silent form of comfort for both of us. I had to hold it back, however, when the doctor walked in with a grim expression on his face.

"I wish I had better news, but Luke is in a coma." The doctor started.

"When will he wake up?" I choked out, interrupting him. Beau shushed me so we could listen to the doctor.

"That's up to him. He may never wake up, but if he does we suspect severe brain trauma so he probably wouldn't be the same person you remember. I'm sorry boys. As I said, I wish I had better news." He explained, patting me on the shoulder before leaving the room. I buried my face in Beau's shoulder, suddenly needing all of the comfort I could get from my oldest brother.

"It's okay Jai." Beau whispered, trying to hold back his own tears. "Luke, wouldn't want us to cry over him. He'd want us to be strong. Do you think you could do that for him?"

"Not today..." I took a shudders breathe. "Today I just need my Lukey back."

"Maybe we will. There's no guarantee on what will happen. It's like the doctor said, they don't know what will happen. They can only make assumptions."

I nodded my head at Beau. He was right. Luke could make it, but the chances of that happening were slim to none. I let go of Beau and made my way over to my twin brother. I had always heard stories about people being able to hear you inside of a coma, but honestly I just wanted to talk to him.

"Hey Lukey," My voice broke, "I know you probably can't hear me, but I just need to tell you one last time how much I love you. You're my other half and I don't think I can make it without you by my side. So, you have to wake up. It was supposed to be Luke and Jai forever, right? I've never forgotten about that promise, and I hope you wake up so it won't be broken. Everything is better with you there, Luke. You need to wake up...Please..." I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Beau biting his lip and staring at me.

"Jai, he's in a coma. He's not going to wake up just like that. I need you to realize that." Beau spoke slowly, almost like he was trying to calm down a wild animal. "I need you to sit down and breathe. As long as that heart monitor is still going, that means Luke has a chance. So, do all of us a favor and calm down."

"I can't!" I yelled. "He may be your brother, but he's my twin! That's a big difference, Beau. You just don't understand, and you never have."

"Just because you two are twins doesn't mean that I'm less of a brother." Beau stated monotonously. He had used this same line on me countless times. He had said it to Luke even more. We had always been really close, and Beau often felt left out because of that. He just didn't understand. For a long time, Luke and I only had each other. When our dad left, our Mum was too busy for us and Beau was set in becoming the man of the house and couldn't take the time to play silly games with his bratty little brothers. I realize now that they were simply dealing with our father's abandonment in their own ways. Luke and I couldn't do that, though. We stuck together through everything, no matter how bad things got.

"No, but Luke's always been there for me when you weren't." I said before I could stop myself. Beau looked like I had slapped him across the face. Which, I might as well have. What I said to him was a low blow, and we both knew it.

"I have to go call Mum..." Beau wouldn't make eye contact with me, and I could tell he wanted nothing more than to cry. He wouldn't cry in front of me, though. I was his baby brother, and no matter how much I hurt him, he refused to break down in front of me. He left Luke and I alone, and that's when I really took in Luke's condition.

Luke was pale. His skin had seemingly lost its healthy glow in the mere hours he had spent in the hospital. He had cuts and bruises all over his face and what I could see of his body. His arm was in a cast and supported by a sling. They had apparently had to do surgery on his arm because of the type of fracture he had received from the crash. Most of all though, Luke didn't look like Luke. I was used to him looking strong and knowing all of the answers. Now, though, Luke looked broken and like a shell of what he used to be.