Anxiety. [LT AU] I

» 04.

"son, you haven't spoken in a good hour. are you okay?" steve asks louis with a concerned and worried expression as they both sat with vivian and ashleigh in the waiting area at the hospital. an hour had passed, and still nobody is allowed to see ms tomlinson.

louis merely nods his head in response. he doesn't feel comfortable in talking to steve despite his nice attitude towards louis, and events have left louis already feeling pretty overwhelmed.

a few more minutes pass and eventually ashleigh has enough of the silence and gets up, stands in front of louis, waits until he looks innocently up at her, then speaks, "let's go to the café and get some food. i'm starving." he just nods his head, following closely behind her as she leads the way.

vivian and steve exchange a look to one another both thinking the same thing, "poor kid's life is messed up."

they want to help him he just is so hard to help, that is why counsellors have given up on louis. he's just so .. confusing?

then again that's an understatement.

+++


once at the café ashleigh turns to louis who perches himself down at a table and rests his head on it. ashleigh sighs, wishing she could stop the pain louis was feeling right now, despite how much hurt he had caused her previously. she didn't believe in karma and all that. she just believed that things happen, but there for a deep unknown reason. you learn from your mistakes as mistakes only make you human.

"lou. you know i'm always here for you if you want to talk to someone, or if you need a hug. i promise. we're going to be great best friends." silence was louis' response causing ashleigh to sigh once again in frustration.
"what are you worried about the most louis, talk to me?"

this time he eventually answers, "losing the best thing in my life, my only sense of happiness, my will to get up every morning."

"oh, she's going to be okay. your mum is incredibly strong." ashleigh reaches across the table and touches the top of louis's hand for comfort which he jerks away from, offending her terribly deep down.

but doesn't show it.

++

minutes turned to hours and hours felt like centuries to louis and each second that went by, louis became even more anxious and scared for his mother. what's worse he believes that he would never stop beating himself up if his mother dies because of her injuries; he believes he is responsible. more responsible then the driver that hit her.

ashleigh wanted more then anything to make louis happy by whatever she would try and do, wasn't enough. firstly she needs to learn that nobody would ever make him more happier then his mother. therefore if shes not in his life, it would be virtually impossible for him to be happy.

"mom, i don't know what to do. i'm trying so hard with him but it's just backfiring. he is shutting me out." ashleigh sobbed in her mother's arms. vivian had only known louis for a few hours now, same with ashleigh yet clearly he has made a massive impact on both of their lives without even  intending to? he's special.

he just doesn't see that.

"i know sweetheart, i know it's hard but you have to give him some space. he needs to be alone, to understand what is going on in his life right now. i can never say i can relate or understand what he's feeling, but we do need to empathise here." vivian was a trained psychologist, meaning she knows exactly what she's talking about. she understands louis and his anti social behaviour. she gets him.

"okay mom. i guess you're right, then again. when are you not?" vivian chuckles half heartily with ashleigh and then they stop when steve comes out of the men's bathroom.

"poor kid's in there pouring his eyes out." steve shook his head, referring to a distressed louis.
the family wanted to help more then anything.

louis just needs to let them in.

+

"where is mr louis tomlinson?" louis raises his head showing his tired expression on his exhausted face. a ever so happy for late at night nurse is smiling down at him, "the doctor has requested for you." louis doesn't know what to do. he wants to follow the nurse, but his body doesn't allow him to. it has a mind of it's own.

it stays put.

ashleigh gives him the encouraging thumbs up but he still doesn't move. steve doesn't understand why louis is ignoring the nurse for, he thinks that louis is being deluded seeing as all the time was wastes waiting for news on his mother, and now louis is acting like this. but vivian knows.

she gently takes louis' hand giving him time to adjust and not react badly by her touch. she helps him find a way to rise to his feet without fainting from panic. she then gives him a smile that radiates slowly to him and somehow he manages to walk the small distance to his mother's ward. still nervous as hell but not freaking out.

"mr tomlinson, hello. come in, take a seat." the section where the ward bed with louis' mother lay was covered with curtains which mentally pissed louis off, but he didn't show it on the outside. instead he does what he's told and thinks of vivian smiling.

it works.

"so, as you must know already, your mother is in a critical state from the car impact she has had in the accident. now i want you to know she is in safe hands, and everything will eventually be okay. she is also alive but we need to make sure her injuries haven't damaged her internally. it's going to take a good few days to do tests and figure out treatment but she will go home safe and protected soon." louis nods his head slowly, not knowing what to say, but then again even if he did, he wouldn't say anything would he?

"right, so we need to make arrangements for you to stay somewhere as you're still under eighteen therefore you must sty under the roof of a guardian by law. do you know where your father is?" louis had hardly asked about his dad because it always had been a touchy subject for joanna.

louis shakes his head.

"oh okay, grand parents? siblings?"

he shakes his head again.

"any family at all?"

louis shakes his head firmly.

the doctor sighs, running a had through his hair in almost frustration. "well i guess we'd have to put you in a care home for the time being until your mother is well enough to come home."

the word care home frightened the crap out of louis. being with so many people in one house, having to share a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom. it was bad enough having to go to school and now this? it's a no wonder louis' next words was so bad.

"fuck you."