16 hours.
16 hours they waited while he was in surgery. But finally, the doctor came. "Luke Hemmings?" Ashton was the first one to his feet followed by everyone else. "I-is he okay?" He asked. "He is fine. He lost tremendous amount of blood, he flatlined a couple times during surgery, the bullets were in hard to get places, that's why it took a little bit longer than usual, recovery should be just fine, he hasn't woken up yet, but you guys are allowed to go see him."
They all walked to Luke's room and there were many wires connecting him to the machines that were surrounding him. The sight was really horrible and heartbreaking, but seeing him breath just relieved him so much. But Ashton couldn't step foot in the room.
"I-I can't." He muttered as everyone stared at him running away. "We'll go get him." Michael spoke as him and Calum followed him.
Ashton ran outside sitting on a bench near the entrance. "Ashton, you know if he wakes up and you're not in there he's gonna ask questions." Michael started sitting next to him. "I-I know Mike, but I'm scared." Ashton started.
"What if he never wants to talk to me again when he wakes up? What if he's mad at me? What if he never forgives me?" Ashton trembled. "Why would he do that?" He asked.
"Because I promised him I would do everything I can to keep him safe. And look where that ended up. I couldn't even do anything when he was bleeding, I was so helpless and he might never wake up because of it. I-I could've tried harder to fight against Victor but I didn't. And because of that I broke all the promises I made." He cried into his hands.
"Okay yes, you couldn't do anything, but you had a good reason for that and Luke knows that. I'm pretty sure he knows you were with him when you were able to, you were with him all the way to the hospital, because of you, he didn't die." Michael assured.
Ashton sighed not knowing what to do, Michael stood up going to leave, but Calum shooed him away so they could talk.
"He loves you, you know? He would always talk so highly of you. He didn't give up on you when things got hard or when people like Victor were targeting him, so you need to be there for him and not give up because right now, he needs you Ashton. If not for you, or Mike, or your Dad. Do it for Luke." Then he left.
Ashton sighed, thinking long and hard about what could happen, but he never thought of what was happening at this second. Luke needed him, he realized that. He also realized that he needs Luke too. He had to face his fears and just be there for Luke no matter what he says to Ashton.
He felt his feet start moving and before he knew it, he was outside Luke's room. His eyes were still closed and he's never wanted to see those blue eyes more than he did right now.
Everyone in the room stared at Ashton, trying to figure out what he's going to do next, then Andrew moved off the chair closest t Luke, so Ashton could sit. "Where are his things?" He asked.
Michael handed him a bag with all his personal things that were on him before they prepped him for surgery. Ashton dug around hoping the thing he was looking for was still here, when he found it, he could feel everyone's stares on the ring.
"I-it's not an engagement ring. Even I know we're too young. It's just a promise ring." He spoke while walking over to Luke and sliding it on his finger again. He brought his hand up to his lips, kissing it softly as his eyes watered. "I'm here baby. I'm right here."
"Ashton, we're gonna go down to the cafeteria, you want anything?" Michael asked to which he shook his head to.
When everyone left, he inhaled with some shakiness to it and started speaking.
"I don't know if you can hear me, but honestly, you may not even want to. I'm sorry for causing you so much pain that a seventeen year old should never have to go through. I'm sorry I'm such a shit boyfriend, you were never a bad boyfriend Luke, never. You were the greatest one a guy could ever ask for. I'm so sorry I could never live up to my promises, I tried though. I really fucking tried. Maybe if I wasn't such a fucking screw up, then none of this would happen. You're probably mad at me because I could never keep you safe, I would be mad too, i-if you want nothing to do with me when you wake up...then so be it. I'll go away for you. I'd do anything for you Luke, if you asked me to rob a bank, I'd probably fucking do it. I never loved someone this much before and at first that scared me because I always thought no one could love me when I'm a killer, because of my past, then you showed me the impossible Luke. All because of you, I opened my mind up to so many more things I closed myself off of for years. You made me a better person, whether you knew it or not. I'm sorry for being such an asshole to you before we got together, I am so so sorry. Sometimes, I think that everything would be easier if I never came into your life, that you wouldn't even be here if I wasn't in your life, but I know we were meant to meet and I'm so fucking thankful for that and you. I love you so god damn much princess, I can't lose you because thats like losing a piece of me and I don't think I'd be able to handle that."
Ashton cried into his hands, but as he did he felt movement that wasn't coming from him. He thought he was dreaming or hallucinating from the lack of sleep when he saw Luke's fingers move slightly. Then when his eyes opened, that's when he realized it was no dream. Those baby blue eyes that make Ashton weak at the knees, the ones he's been waiting to see. They finally opened.
All Ashton could do was smile with happy tears running down his face. He's never smiled this much before in his life, let alone this big of a smile. Luke was confused as to where he was at first, he started messing with the wires connected to him, started tugging on them. Ashton gently pulled his hands away.
"It's okay, you're okay. You're at the hospital Luke. Do you remember what happened?" He asked. "I-I got shot. Did you get them?" Luke asked hoarsely. "Yes we did baby. For good this time. They won't be messing with us anymore."
Luke's face grew a smile just as big as Ashton's, with tiny tears falling at the relief that he suddenly felt when he knew he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder constantly or feel like someone's watching him.
"I heard what you said Ash. You're not a bad boyfriend, you never were one. I know you tried to protect me and I know you tried your best. No one's perfect, it's okay Ash. Please don't blame yourself or your mistakes or your past for what happened to me, okay? I could never be mad at you Ashton, not when I knew you did everything you could. After my eyes closed, I could still hear, but it just felt like all my energy just left my body. I know you were there for me, until you weren't allowed to be." Luke assured.
Ashton cried some more as he engulfed Luke in the safest hug and he kissed his lips as if he never have in years.
"Look who's awake!" Michael's voice boomed throughout the room. "How you feeling Luke?" The doctor asked as he walked in. "Okay, as you'd probably expect." He smiled.
"That's good, are you feeling any pain or discomfort?" She asked. "No, I-, n-no." He stuttered then as his eyes rolled back shut, his heart monitor started beeping rapidly which led to nurses come running in the room. "Luke? Luke!" Ashton yelled as he tried to come closer, but was held back by his dad. "You have to let the doctors work Ash. He's gonna be okay."
It only took 30 minutes to stabilize him, the doctors said it was totally normal, especially after surgery. He went into shock and had a mild fever, which caused his blood pressure to drop. She also told them she'd be checking in often and to watch his heart rate, if they notice any major spikes or decrease then to alert her.
"Hey Ash, why don't you go home shower and change and I'll stay here." Andrew suggested. He wanted to protest but he figured that, that was Andrew's polite way of saying he wanted some alone time with Luke.
Ashton nodded since they still needed to get rid of Victor, Shawn, Mason and the two men. They had tied them up in his basement, just like they did to them in the meantime.
"Luke is going to be just fine, no thanks to you." Ashton harshly spoke to the men in his basement. "Now, it's my turn to have fun." He smirked.
-
"We can finally relax with all this fucking shit." Michael sighed as they stepped in the van to go back home.
They tortured and beat all of them. Even Mason and Shawn, they knew too much and they couldn't risk it. Victor probably had the most overkill from Ashton, along with Mason and Shawn. Shawn more than Mason, but that's besides the point, Ashton had a lot of anger held in.
The only logical way they could think of to dispose of the bodies is by chemically burning it with acid. So that's what they did, after the bodies were gone, they hid them in plain sight at the junkyard where they new a lot more oil drums would be.
Going home, the weight on everyone's shoulders was not there anymore. They couldn't believe it, it was finally all over. They could relax without being so cautious. Everyone was happy.
As soon as everyone went home, they all showered. They smelt like blood and chemicals which isn't a good combination. But when Ashton was done, he drove to the hospital.
"W-what're you doing? No I don't want it." Luke pleaded to the nurse who was giving him something for the pain.
Luke was still traumatized by Big X and he just woke up so his brain was still loading. Ashton went to Luke who was fighting against the nurse.
"A-ash, tell her I don't want it." He begged as his eyes stared at the needle in fear. "Luke baby, that will only help with the discomfort you have. Nothing else. Okay? I promise." Ashton assured as he gave her an apologetic look while giving Luke the pain medicine.
"See?" He smiled lightly at Luke who relaxed when realizing it didn't hurt. "Where did you go? I-I woke up and you weren't there." He asked. "I had something I needed to take care of, m'sorry princess, but it's all over now so we don't have to worry about it."
They talked aimlessly, until Andrew came back in. "The doctor said if everything looks good, you can come home tonight." Luke's face lit up as he threw his head back on the pillow in joy.
They all were talking to Luke when two police officers came in, everyone looked worried besides Ashton who knew they were his dads friends, but they asked to talk to Ashton and Luke's dad. Andrew was nervous to talk to them, but when Ashton explained to him that they knew everything, he calmed down. They had to make it look like a real investigation even though they know exactly what happened. They asked the usual questions, and Ashton told them everything, even what they did with the bodies. Soon, they left and finally, they can put it all behind them.
"Andrew, I'm sorry if I crossed a line earlier today when you told me to go home. I know you wanted to be with Luke and I'm sorry cause I know it probably feels like I want him all for myself."
"You didn't cross a line Ashton, but thank you for apologizing. It did feel like it, but I understood that he was safer with you because if he was with me and something happened I wouldn't know what to do. I just missed him you know? When he comes home, you're more than welcome to stay." He smiled.