A/N - we're almost at 9k tf
TW - contains scenes some may find upsetting...
~~~
Scott
Nobody knows how much I cried that day.
After I excused myself from the hospital room to go and get some stuff for Xav, I cried like I'd never fucking cried before.
I had to pull over on the street because I couldn't see and I felt like I was gonna pass out...what had he done? It had been two weeks since everything had happened, now the 16th of May- they're meant to turn 18 in just over a week. I didn't know where we'd be tomorrow, let alone in a week's time.
Xav had been up and down in those two weeks, they'd brought him out of his coma the next day but he didn't respond well- a fucking seizure, I was still counting my blessings because Caleb had taken Isabella home ten minutes before it happened.
After his seizure, which was probably the worst thing I'd ever witnessed in my life, he'd fallen into a fucking coma- not medically induced this time, and I'd never seen Xander in such a state in my life.
He was nothing without Xav, and it was showing.
He, along with Zane, Chase and I hadn't left Xav's bedside for two weeks; taking it in turns to sleep and stay awake to keep an eye on him although nothing was changing.
Caleb had come by four times in total, I knew this was too much for him and I couldn't blame him at all; he was reliving everything he'd just started to get over, so he was occupying himself by keeping Isabella occupied.
Isabella.
The girl was probably stronger than all of us combined, she'd speak to Xav daily: telling him anything from the fact he owed her a million rewatches of Tangled to how much she loved him and needed him to pull through. We all needed him to pull through.
He was a fighter though, it was the Delgado blood running through his veins; he was breathing on his own and beginning to respond more and more to commands- I'd never seen Xander smile wider than when his twin squeezed his hand two days ago. It was just a waiting game on when he'd wake up.
"And then he tripped, fucking crushed your legs, which I'm assuming you felt", Xander hadn't stopped talking to his twin all day, and while I was finding it heartwarming - I was terrified for the guy, "don't know how you play hockey with the guy, he's clumsy as fuck".
"Xander, why don't you go freshen up or something? We'll keep talking to him yeah?", Chase offered, only to receive a shake of the head in return.
"Get me some deodorant or something, I'm not moving", his eyes stayed fixed on Xav as he squeezed his hand tighter, "I'm not leaving him". I made eye contact with Chase and his lips narrowed into a straight line.
"You haven't moved from that chair in two weeks-", I tried to reason with the boy, but we all knew reasoning with Xander was near to impossible.
"And he hasn't moved from that bed in two weeks Scott", he snapped, "as long as he's there, I'm staying here". And that was that.
Isabella
I'd sat and spoken to Xav for a whopping two hours today, he'd been a little more responsive today and I knew he was gonna wake up soon - I could feel it.
Caleb drove the pair of us home and Ezra came over; my brother went to go and pay a visit to Theo. That's how I knew he wasn't in the right frame of mind - he left me alone in our house with Ezra willingly.
My boyfriend wasn't in the best of moods today either, if the short hug and kiss he'd given me as he walked through the door and the fact he was physically avoiding me like I had the plague were anything to go off of, I'd say he was having a bad day.
"You gonna tell me what's wrong?", I eyed him carefully, the gap he'd created feeling all the more prominent, "Ezra".
"I'm fine darlin'", he kept his gaze on the tv, "nothing you need to worry about".
"So there is something?", I leaned forwards slightly, "I've been through just about everything these past few weeks, what's one more thing?".
"One more thing", he muttered, "is that what this is? Just another thing to chuck onto the list?". What was up with him?
"What is going on?", I stared at his bouncing leg, his trembling chin and the way he was fighting not to make eye contact with me, "hey, talk to me". His eyes finally met mine and I jumped into action when he started crying, judging by the fact he'd been apprehensive to touch me since he arrived I settled on just running a hand up and down his back.
"I'm sorry darlin'", he inhaled slowly, "shit, I didn't mean to take it out on you- I just, today's not a good day for me".
"It's okay, you don't need to apologise to me Ezra", I promised, "you know you can talk to me right?".
"I know, god I know Izzy", I always found it weird when he called me that, "I uh- something happened to me seven years ago today, I don't like talkin' about it". When he was ten?
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to", I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, "is it...to do with why you don't like being touched?". The look he gave me told me the answer and my heart clenched, it was just bad news after bad news recently.
"I'll give you the brief story - back in Cuba, I was uh, I was kidnapped", what the fuck?, "I was missing for a week, they didn't do anything like...that to me, but uh, I don't like to talk about it".
"It's okay", I told him, "and I'm so sorry that happened to you Ezra- you're so strong".
"Thanks darlin'", a small smile tugged at his lips, "I haven't asked how Xav was today".
"He's doing good, he was definitely listening to me earlier- we think it's only a matter of time now", I grinned, I physically couldn't wait for the day he woke up.
"That's good, really good Izzy", he smiled, "he'll be back to talkin' your ears off in no time".
"I hope so", I leaned into his side and sighed, we needed him back.
Scott
He was definitely waking up today.
Sure only 24 hours had passed, but in that small amount of time he'd been stirring more than ever; even opening his eyes and mumbling incoherent stuff under his breath. We were all gathered around him today, even Caleb had made it - I knew today was the day.
"Fifteen days", Xander muttered, running a hand up and down his twin's arm, "we haven't heard his voice in fifteen days".
"He'll wake up today, his lucky number's fucking fifteen", Cay smirked, "he's probably waiting to make some dramatic entrance". I cracked a smile at that, the kid was one for dramatic entrances.
"Or ask for some popcorn", Izzy chuckled and I smiled, turning my attention to Zane. He'd been almost as bad as Xander. He'd barely spoken, only really moved to shower and eat, or sort out his meds - apart from that he'd stayed put, just staring at our brother.
Who knows what was going through his head.
"Has anyone spoken to Jake and Parker?", Xander asked; Xav's best friends had visited every other day without fail, they sure cared about him.
"They'll be here soon", Izzy replied, "I spoke to Jake earlier".
"Good, because-", a groan filled the room and we all almost broke our necks looking down at Xav who was now squirming around in his bed. Holy shit.
"Xan?", he mumbled and I held my breath, watching as Xander leaned forwards and squeezed Xav's hand, "Xan?".
"Hey, I'm right here", he told him, "easy man, we're all right here". His eyes opened and he glanced to his left, where Izzy and Xander were sitting.
"What's- where?- I'm sorry", he squeezed his eyes shut, turning his head away and facing Zane and I instead, "no, no, get him away from me- where's Zane?". Oh shit.
"Easy, hey, I'm right here Xavier", Zane's hand engulfed our brother's but he flinched back, eyes frantic and searching the room for help.
"No, stay away from me, I don't want you near me- where's Zane?", he panted, "Zane said he wouldn't hurt us anymore, where's Zane?".
I'd never seen a facial expression on Zane's face like the one that was there right now. It was like someone had drained the last bit of life out of him, his whole frame tensed, his face paled, and I could just feel the pain radiating off of him.
He thought he was our father.
"Xav, just calm down man, Zane's right there", Xander pleaded, his voice shaky as he tried to comfort his twin, "Xav, listen to me-".
"Get him away!", he exclaimed, "he's gonna hurt us, get him away Xan, please".
I stared across from me, at Isabella, who was just as still as I was- Caleb too, I didn't know what to do right now. I jumped at the screech of Zane's chair, watching as he stumbled out of the room without a word- shit, Chase jumped up and followed straight after him in a heartbeat. Fuck.
Zane
He thought I was him.
My entire life has consisted of being compared to him: from the black hair and fucking green eyes to the personality- I was him.
I'd spent the past eight years trying to prove the opposite; I was nothing like that man, I'd die before I became half of what he was.
Seeing the fear, the fucking terror in Xavier's eyes the second he looked at me only took me back to how they'd look at him.
Like he was a monster.
Like he would hurt them.
I'd never hurt them- hurt him. And I knew, I knew it wasn't his fault; he was just confused and would come around soon, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
You're not him.
Even from afar (supposedly) he was finding ways back into our lives again and again; more so recently than ever before. Not only did the letter that he sent to Isabella shake us all to the core, it gave me a wake up call.
Eliminate the problem, Zane.
But hearing Xavier call for me while I was right there, seeing him so distressed and upset, hurt me. I had to get out of there, regardless of who followed - one of them always followed.
I gripped my hair and pressed my forehead against the wall, the cold surface grounding me and helping to keep my anxiety at bay. I didn't even know why it was having this much of a physical effect on me, I think I just panicked for nothing for the most part and it was-
"Hey", I hadn't even registered the fact that someone had come out of Xavier's room, let alone the fact that Chase was now standing next to me, "you know he didn't-".
"I know", I nodded, keeping my head against the wall as I closed my eyes, "it just-".
"I know", he repeated my statement and I smirked slightly as I felt him move; when I opened my eyes he was leaning against the wall beside me, arms folded and face full of concern, "do you remember when we'd play 'who can stay quiet the longest?'". We played that 'game' more than I saw them smile.
"How could I forget?", I asked him, thinking back to the nights when I'd lock all seven of us in my room, internally begging them not to make too much noise, "your point?".
"You protected us", he stated, "you protected us even when you weren't safe either, you saved us from him and you are not him".
Chase was one of those people who knew exactly what to say and when to say it, it was scary sometimes.
"Thank you", I said sincerely, knowing I'd needed to hear that.
He looked at me for a moment, a small smile on his face. I watched as he brought his right hand up between us, maintaining eye contact as he allowed his fingers to do the talking: five simple letters that he had signed to me hundreds of times over the years.
Smile.
Even I couldn't resist letting a small one show after that, Chase was...well Chase could always make you smile.
I pushed myself off of the wall and cupped a hand behind my brother's head, pulling him into my chest. We always teased Chase about being the shortest out of the 6 boys; while he was still six-foot-tall and the middle child I always saw him as the baby of the family. Aside from Isabella of course.
"I love you Zane", he mumbled into me, his arms wrapping around me and squeezing.
"I love you too Chase", I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and smiled; you're not him Zane.
Isabella
If there was one thing that I had in common with my eldest brother aside from the fact we were both born in the same month and had black hair, it was our crippling addiction to coffee.
And instead of fixing this problem, we were only feeding it. Since we'd come home to get more clothes for Xav seeing as he was slowly but surely getting there, we decided to stop at some coffee shop on the way back to the hospital.
"The Steam Room", I muttered, looking up at the sign, "what a name". Zane chuckled, locking his car and standing beside me; it was gradually becoming less weird seeing my brother in jeans- yeah okay, maybe not.
"That's what I thought when I came here for the first time", he told me and I peered up at him.
"When was that?", I asked and he smirked, adjusting the sunglasses perched on his nose. He claimed it was because it was too light outside, I knew it was because the guy had been sat up wide awake next to Xav ever since he calmed down and realised Zane was not, in fact, our father yesterday.
"I was 18", he replied, staring at the place longingly; imagine an 18 year old Zane coming here to get a coffee.
"All that time ago", I teased and he shoved my head playfully, "come on, I want coffee". He followed close behind as I led the way, shoving the door open and inhaling deeply...fuck yeah.
We sat at a table in the corner by the window, I thought the whole point of that was to actually look out of the window, but Zane had had his gaze fixed on the counter since we'd started drinking.
"You okay?", his green eyes met mine and he nodded once, "I didn't know counters were so fascinating".
"I was just thinking", he picked up his drink and sipped, glancing back one more time, "I had a uh, a friend who worked here". I never thought I'd hear Zane and friend in the same sentence, yet here we were everybody.
"A friend", I repeated, "where is this friend now?". He gazed back at the counter, a small smile tugging at his lips before he faced me again and it disappeared.
"He moved away", he shrugged, "I haven't seen him in about eight years". Eight years?
"You should get in contact with him, life's too short for that", I suggested and his expression faltered before he sipped again.
"It is, you're correct", he nodded, "have you thought about what to get the twins for their birthday?". Subject changer.
"I already got Xander a black apron and these matte black knives-".
"You're providing our angriest brother with knives?", he interrupted and I shrugged, he just waved a hand and told me to continue.
"I don't know what else to get him though", I carried on, "I got Xav a popcorn machine, a blanket with hockey sticks on it, and unlimited hugs- I dunno what else".
"Well you have 9 days", he told me like I didn't already know, "and don't we all get unlimited hugs?".
"Not if you piss me off", I shook my head and he raised an eyebrow, "sorry".
"I think I lead by example Isabella", he sipped his drink again, "we all know not to piss you off now". Zane swearing was something I'd never get used to.
"Precisely dear brother, precisely", I tapped my mug against his and he chuckled, they wouldn't dare to piss me off again.
~~~
A/N - okay but Chase >>>
What if I told you that last scene in Izzy's POV was a little hint to the prequel hehe...
Don't ask when I'll be back cuz idk✌🏾🏃🏾♀️