These Broken Parts

Too Many Questions

Until...

"Evan!"

A hand touched his cheek, and he flinched at first, throwing his fist out and swinging wildly in self-defense.

"Whoa, whoa," the voice said, grabbing his hand and squeezing. "It's me, it's me!"

"C-Connor...?"

"Yeah, Ev, I'm here."

Evan's split lip trembled painfully as tears began to gush from his eyes. Everything hurt, but he managed to get up to his knees and throw his arms around Connor, sobbing into his jacket.

Connor rubbed his back, shushing him and kissing his cheek. He could hear the people around them whispering and talking, a collective intake of breath, but he didn't care.

Jared and Alana were there. Alana was frozen, watching them, but Jared was shoving people away, snapping at them to fuck off.

Then the assistant principal and some teachers were there, demanding to know what had happened, getting phones out to call for an ambulance, as Connor gently tugged Evan to his feet.

"Mr. Murphy, where do you think you're going?" demanded the assistant principle.

"His mom's a nurse, I'm taking him to her, try to stop me," he snarled, glaring his steely-eyed glare at the older man. He looked ready to protest, but shut his mouth.

Suddenly, Zoe was there, on the other side of Evan, grabbing him gently and helping Connor get him outside and to her car. Evan collapsed in the back seat, sprawled out with his head on Connor's lap. Connor gently stroked his hair, while Zoe drove as fast as she could to the hospital.

"No hospital," Evan groaned.

"Ev, you have to go, you could have a concussion or broken ribs or-"

"No," Evan pleaded, reaching for Connor's hand. "Mom... Too many questions..."

Zoe glanced at her brother in the rearview mirror, a question in her eyes.

"Please," Evan begged, squeezing Connor's hand, shaking like a leaf.

"I'm sorry Ev, but you have to go to the hospital," Connor said firmly. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Evan because he caved and didn't take him to the hospital to be examined.

When they got to the hospital, the siblings helped Evan from the car, moving him inside as quickly as possible. Everything was a blur for him, as he vaguely heard Connor and Zoe talking to the receptionist and asking for Evan's mom. He was taken in to a room quickly. Connor followed, but Zoe waited outside. Only a few minutes had passed when Heidi came running into the room.

"Evan! Oh my god!"

Evan was lying on the hospital bed. He was in pain, but still managing to at least sit up on his own, back against the pillows, which his foggy brain took as a good sign. He glanced up at the sound of his mother's voice. She ran to his side and grabbed him in a fierce but gentle hug. "What happened?!?" She looked from Evan to the tall, long-haired boy who stood to the side, confusion written all over her face. The boy looked vaguely familiar...

Connor clenched his jaw, glancing from Evan to Heidi, no idea what to say. Evan started to shake with nerves. This wasn't how he'd wanted this to happen. This wasn't how he'd imagined introducing Connor to his mom.

"Evan, talk to me! What happened?!?"

Evan opened and closed his mouth, trying to form words, just as a nurse came in.

"Heidi, please," the nurse scolded her. "I know you're upset, but you know how this works. You can't go upsetting my patient."

"Your patient?" Heidi cried, glaring daggers at her coworker. "He's my son!"