After the world had – seemingly – slowed down, it suddenly speeded up again and people started running. Luke saw how Zoë and Danny were taken under Will’s wing – assisted by Henry and Barbara – and watched how Reid and Gwen were running to the road. Waylon and Dave were running. Even Bob was running. For a moment Luke didn’t move, but then he found himself running too.
It was obvious the moment Luke arrived at the scene. It was in Reid’s eyes, when he looked up at Dave and shook his head. It was in Gwen’s face when she turned her head. It was in the scream of the young woman next to the car and her repeated “I didn’t see him, I didn’t see him…”. It was obvious. Tristan couldn’t be saved.
To one person it wasn’t that obvious, though. He stepped forward and shoved Reid with two hands on his chest.
“Don’t stand there, shaking your head! Do something! You’re supposed to be this brilliant doctor. Do something! Save my boy!”
While Gary stepped forward and held Waylon back, Reid looked the hurting father straight in the eye.
“Even I have my limitations. I can not resurrect the dead.”
“No!” The cry was loud and heartbreaking, “He can’t be dead!”
“I’m afraid he is,” Reid said calmly. “I’m sorry for your loss…”
“Don’t give me that shit!” Waylon was back at the aggression. “You don’t give a damn!”
Reid was not impressed and started giving instructions to the nurses who’d come rushing out of the hospital. He watched how nurse Lorraine took care of the upset driver and how Ali rolled out a gurney. When their eyes met, Ali just nodded. I made all the calls. Reid gave her a quick smile. He had a good team.
He turned to Luke and without a word, his blond came forward and they grabbed hands. Squeezing them three times. I love you.
“Could you get the fathers inside? I need to stay here and…” he pointed at the arriving police, “handle them.”
Luke just nodded and Luke put his hand on Dave’s back.
“Let’s go in,” he whispered and Dave reacted without really being aware of his surroundings.
Reluctantly Luke turned to Waylon, motioning him to follow and to Luke’s surprise he did without any arguments. All the fight apparently had gone out of him and without a word both fathers let Luke take them to a small room. After what seemed hours Tristan was brought in and put on a bed. It felt so unreal. The boy looked perfectly fine. Not a scratch on him. The only thing missing was a heartbeat.
Dave broke down when he took the boy’s hand in his.
“This can’t be happening, this can’t be happing…” Dave kept whispering and Luke felt like an intruder, so he slowly – and as unobtrusively as possible – moved to the door. He felt like pushing Waylon towards the bed, but he didn’t. Both men needed to deal with this in their own way. So he stepped outside, right into Reid’s arms.
For a few minutes they were just holding each other and just when Luke wanted to ask Reid how he was holding up, loud voices reached the hallway and without hesitation, Luke and Reid stepped into the room. Dave and Waylon were standing in front of each other with pure hatred in their eyes.
“I sympathize with your pain, but please keep in mind that this is hospital. If you feel the need to take each other apart, please go outside.”
Waylon turned to Reid, his eyes blazing and his face stony. For a minute Luke expected the man to attack the doctor, but something suddenly calmed him down and turned him into a tired and grieving man.
“You’re right,” he said. “I’ll leave. My loving husband,” the sneer made his eyes flicker, “ won’t even allow me near my boy, so I’ll come back later…”
“You stay away from him!” Dave yelled and this time it was Luke who tried to restore some order.
“Dave…please…keep your voice down.” Luke put a arm around Dave’s shoulder and turned him around, so they were watching Tristan and it made Dave sink into a chair.
“He killed my boy, Luke. He killed him…”
“No, he didn’t. You know he didn’t. It was an accident, Dave. Waylon is as devastated as you are.”
“No, he is not,” the man sniffed. “He was always complaining about Tristan. He always found something wrong with him…”
Reid watched Waylon wince, opened the door and motioned Waylon to come outside.
“He’s just venting…” Reid tried, but Waylon gave him a short and telling look.
“No, he’s not. And he’s right. That’s the sad part. I always managed to find something wrong with Tristan. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t love him…”
Before Reid could answer, Ali joined them with the latest news.
“The mortician is on his way. I’ve arranged an empty office where you and your husband can talk to him. Maybe I can show you where it is?”
After an approving nod from Reid, Ali took Waylon across the corridor and Reid joined Luke and Dave again. Luke had clearly been successful in calming Dave down, but his blond looked relieved to see him come in and that made Reid smile.
“It’s so sad,” Luke whispered, while seeking shelter in Reid’s arms.
“It is,” he softy agreed. This boy was about Danny’s age. He closed his eyes for a moment. He could only hope they would be spared this kind of grief. Then he took a deep breath and informed Dave about the mortician. The news slowly started to sink in and then the man rose to his feet. After one last look at his son, Dave turned and walked to the door.
“I’m ready. Tristan isn’t here anymore. It’s just his shell.” Just before he stepped outside he realized something, though, and the despair was back. “Oh God, my dad…this will kill him…he loved Tristan so much…”
Dave grabbed Luke’s hand. “He planned to spend the day at your grandmother’s farm, Luke. Could you call him?”
When Reid saw Luke pale, he put his arm around his blond but before he could offer to do it, Ali came to the rescue again.
“Sorry to interfere, but your father is already informed and on his way. Holden,” she turned to Dave, “Luke’s father, was on the site too and he informed his mother, without realizing your father was there.”
Dave nodded, feeling both relief and anxiety. But before he could imagine how his father would have taken the news, he could watch it. His father came almost running towards him and then his hug gave him the comfort he had been craving. Finally he could cry.
