Summary: Lucas has a nightmare from his 'heat oppressed brain'.
Idk why I felt the need to quote Shakespeare...I had my English Literature exam this week.
This takes place roughly two years after the Tsunami, just to confirm I haven't gone into extensive research for this oneshot into the family's experience about the years that followed the events in Thailand so instead I created my own scenario with strictly the characters and their personalities shown in the film The Impossible.
Their physical injuries have been recovered from, more or less, and I haven't got a clue which country they live in now but that's not all that relevant.
Enjoy x
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Maria's POV:
"I'm going to go check on Lucas." I said as I pulled the blanket off my legs as sat up from my position on the sofa, I had been cuddling with Henry but something didn't feel right.
"Maria, I'm sure he's okay. You need to calm down." Henry said rubbing my back, but I couldn't calm down.
We had sent Lucas to bed with flu-like symptoms, it didn't seem serious but I didn't worry any less than a mother should about their child when they're sick. Or it could be my instincts as a medical practitioner, one of the two.
"I just think I should check, that's all." I said as I put my slippers on my feet, standing up with my stiff legs.
"Alright, we should probably head up to bed anyways." He replied as he turned the television off and collected our mugs to take back to the kitchen to be washed eventually.
"You go, I'll lock up." Henry said before leaving the room. I gently made my way upstairs, trying not to make too much noise against the floorboards before looking into Lucas' bedroom.
I can see him there, moaning as he tossed and turned, and crying!
I turned on his lamp and sat on the edge of his bed, I held his hand and softly rubbed his chest.
"Lucas Sweetheart, it's okay, I'm right here my darling." I whispered softly to try and calm him.
His eyes snapped opened as he gasped as if he had been holding his breath for the longest time, his breathing was speeding up and he looked so scared.
"Sh-sh-sh, you're alright." I whispered as I ran my hand through his curly hair, I could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
"M-Mum." Lucas croaked out, I could tell his throat was sore. He doubled over with his hand to his chest as he broke into a coughing fit, I reached my hand under his shirt and rubbed his back, warm and clammy.
"Aww Darling, that's a nasty cough you got there." I sighed sympathetically. Once he stopped, I stacked the pillows up behind his head and peeled his shirt from his body, it was soaked through with sweat
"Sooo c-cold!" Lucas moaned as he shivered into his blankets, he wasn't happy with me.
"Sorry Love, but your temperature is way too high." I said as I grabbed the thermometer from the bedside table, I put it into his ear and held it there for a moment until it came back with a reading.
Lucas was at 39.7° (103.6° Fahrenheit) which wasn't good for anyone.
"Henry! Could you come here for a second?" I called down to him, Lucas just laid there in an uncomfortable state, I knew he was hurting really bad from all of this.
"I'm here. Lucas, are you alright Pal?" Henry asked at he looked at our son's weak state.
"Could you get me a bowl of cold water and a flannel, and those paracetamol tablets?" I asked him, I would have gotten them myself but Lucas was holding onto me so tightly. I just couldn't leave him like this.
Henry had already left to fetch those thing for me, bringing everything I needed. I dabbed the cold flannel across my poor boy's forehead, neck and chest to cool him down.
I knew he hated it, but something else was bothering him, he seemed so frightened. I gave him the tablets which he swallowed with some water before we laid him back down.
"There you go, think you can get back yo sleep?" I asked him as I ran my thumb over his knuckles. Lucas' eyes widened with fear and panic and he gripped my wrist tighter.
"I-I can't!" He cried out.
"Why not, Sweetheart? Were you having a bad dream?" I asked him, he nodded as a tear drop slid down his pale face.
"Aww Lucas, do you want to talk about it?" Henry asked as he sat at the foot of the bed.
"T-The w-water...the *cough cough* water hit us!" He sobbed.
Bless his little cotton socks!
It had been a while since his last nightmare about our trip to Thailand, it took quite a bit of therapy to help our children, and ourselves, get passed the torture.
"Hey hey, we're okay Lucas. We're all at home together and safe from anything like that." I said softly as I cradled him in my arms, I just wanted to make the pain go away for him.
I gently rocked with him and planted kisses onto his temple to try and calm him down. Poor thing was still very emotional.
"Mum...Dad...what's going on?" Simon yawned as he appeared in the doorway with his teddy bear, rubbing his eyes with his first.
"Nothing Simon, Lucas is just feeling a bit poorly. Let's get you back to bed." Henry said quietly as he picked up our tired little boy, his head leaning against his shoulder.
"Why is he crying?" Simon asked, he sounded worried.
"He's had a bad dream, Sweetie." I told him, being careful not to mention the events of what happened in Thailand for his sake.
"Does he need a hug?" Simon asked as he reached out his arms out for him.
"Aww, that's so sweet of you Simon! Come 'ere." I said, Lucas definitely needed more hugs. Henry placed him down gently next to his brother, the boy curled up into his side as Lucas nuzzled his face into his hair.
"Better now?" I asked Lucas, he nodded tiredly, he was ready to sleep now.
"Back to bed now, Simon." Henry said as he looked at the time, the boys had school tomorrow and it was very late.
"Have my teddy, Lucas." Our little boy said as he tucked his stuffed toy into the crook of his arm.
"Thank *cough* you." Lucas croaked out as he settled down into his bed.
As Henry put Simon back to bed I tucked Lucas back into his sheets now that he had cooled down, as he fell asleep I sat on the edge of the bed feeling so sorry for what had happened. It only took a fever induced nightmare to make him so afraid, not as if he was suppressing his fears prior to tonight but his efforts to recover from Thailand felt all but ruined to him.
"They're out for the count, Love." Henry said as he wrapped his arm around me, he kissed the crook of my neck and I leaned into his chest.
"Aren't they precious?" I sighed, Lucas looked so fragile.
"They really are." Henry agreed, we were grateful to have them all safe and sound.
- The Next Morning -
"Mum...i-it hurts to speak." Lucas whimpered as he came into the kitchen, he slumped down into his chair at the table and laying his head down. His voice was all croaky, a bit like a frog.
"Then don't speak." Henry joked before gently ruffling his hair.
"I'll make you some tea, Darling. Want any breakfast?" I asked him, he just whimpered again and shook his head.
"You two need to munch those shreddies or you'll be late for school." Henry warned the youngest two as he kept his eyes on the clock.
"Why can't we help you take care of Lucas?" Thomas asked us.
"Because you need to get an education, now get a wiggle on!" I told them.
I places the cup of tea on the table and gently lifted up Lucas' droopy head, caressing his cheeks softly.
"You've still got that fever, Sweetie." I sighed sympathetically.
"A couple days on the sofa should do you some good." I told him, pressing a light kiss to his forehead and sitting down next to him with my toast.
"Did you sleep better once we left?" I asked him, he just shrugged but I could tell something was bothering him.
"You can keep my teddy until you're better, Lucas." Simon said before sipping milk from his spoon.
"Thanks Simon, that's *cough cough* really nice of you." Lucas croaked out with a weak smile, I could see right through it though.
"Come on boys, we better get going. I'll try and get off work by lunchtime, Maria." Henry told me as he put the breakfast dishes into the sink.
"Great, have a good day at school boys." I said, they gave me and Lucas a quick hug and kiss before leaving just me and the poorly one in the house.
I moved Lucas onto the sofa with a blanket and a fresh cuppa, he got all cosy as he melted into the shape of the cushions. I sat beside him and ran my hand over his legs.
"Lucas, did you have another bad dream last night? About the tsunami?" I asked him, I saw tears fogging up his eyes as he nodded slowly.
"I-I'm sorry." The poor boy sobbed.
"Aww Love, you have nothing to be sorry for." I said softly as I cradled him in my arms again, gently rocking him to make him calm down.
"I think *cough cough cough* about i-it every day." Lucas confessed to me.
"Ssshhh, it's okay Lucas. I still get bad dreams too." I told him, it was often the last thing I picture as I fall asleep. The image of a wave of water crashing on the resort, pitch black and debris surrounding you in all directions.
It was absolutely gut-wrenching.
"This is good, we need to talk about these things more often Lucas. Maybe we should go back for more therapy sessions?" I suggested, we had had appointments in the past but stopped seeing our therapist in recent months as our lives started to appear next to normal.
It will take many more years for us to feel close to normal, but what if normal? This was just the way our life was now, but at least we don't need to bear it on our own, we all have each other.
"I will if you will." Lucas told me, we both needed to come to terms with how we felt.
"Deal." I said as I shook his hand. The pact was sealed. There's a deal being born.
When people talk about the Road to Recovery many don't open their eyes to the emotional damage. Yes, my body has healed but my mind is a wreck. This was a new beginning for all of us.
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Exam weeks are stressful, but my Prom Dress arrived this week!
Now all I need to do is grow a pair of tits 😂
Hope you enjoyed this one x
I absolutely loved The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series, can't wait to see what the future holds for Sam Wilson as Captain America x
I love you 3000 ❤