Long Wait

After the fight, Ijekiel left. Leaving everyone in the halls in shock at what happened and Lucas crying angrily on the floor with Jennette kneeling beside him as she watched Ijekiel walk out in shame.

"Hey, Lucas... Let's... Let's sit right here..." Jennette whispered as she carefully held Lucas to help him up to take a sit beside Athanasia's room. "The floors cold..."

Lucas sat down with Jennette still beside him. He was thankful that Jennette was here to try and calm him down. He needed someone, even just for a bit. He needs to keep up his thoughts, put down his anger and focus on the situation at hand. He has to stay strong at times like this, he has to...

But without Athanasia...

Without noticing, the doctor he spoke to earlier came to them. "I heard what happened..." They said, staring at Lucas in worry before going back to Jennette, knowing Lucas is not in the best condition to talk about Athanasia. "I still have something to tell..."

Jennette nodded. She starts to listen to the doctor with her hand still caressing Lucas' back. "What is it doc? Though before that, can't we come in to take a closer look at Athy...?"

"I was about to talk about that." The doctor gave a light chuckle. There wasn't a bit of amusement in their voice, just comfort. "We'll be moving, Miss Athanasia to a new room right now so that you two could come in. So please be patient and wait for us to come and move her."

Jennette nodded, smiling weakly as she looked down at Lucas, his head low with tears still dripping down from his bloodshot eyes. "Thank you, doc. We'll... be waiting here..."

"Then..." The doctor stepped in and gave Lucas a light pat. "It's going to be fine. We'll try our best for Miss Athanasia. Right now, you need to rest a bit and keep yourself together for her..." They turned to Jennette with a soft smile. "Not only I am asking for you to take care of Miss Athanasia later but also please take care of him. The news must be so shocking for him when he found out..."

"I will..." Jennette replied with another nod. And with that, the doctor left.

Lucas sniffled, wiping off the snot and tears on his face. He took a deep breath and slouched again. "Yeah... I have to stay strong..."

"It's fine, Lucas... You can take a break..." Jennette reassured.

"This is all my fault..."

"It's no one's fault, Lucas..."

"If I didn't put my trust in that bastard."

"Regretting what you have done will not make you feel any better."

"Athanasia... She's..."

"I know, we can only hope for the best... Take a deep breath, Lucas... Collect yourself..."

We can only hope for the best.

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An hour later, Athanasia was moved into a new room. Jennette and Lucas finally got to see her up close even if it was painful to see. It was a bit of relief that she seemed kind of peaceful but that doesn't mean they can now hide their worries away with it.

Jennette left to collect Athanasia's things after contacting Ijekiel again about the move. She made sure that Lucas has now calmed down from his breakdown before leaving. It's about time to give him space to watch Athanasia and to calm himself a bit with her close to him.

Lucas held Athanasia's hand tight but with gentleness, pulling it up to give a soft kiss on her knuckles. He closed his eyes praying as he held her in his hands, keeping her warm, telling her that he was right beside her through his actions and he was waiting for her to wake up.

"I'm so sorry..." Lucas kept mutterering that like a mantra. His eyes never leave Athanasia's pale face. He tried so hard to not cry again but can't keep some tears from escaping.

He stayed until dawn, holding her hand. Giving her all the love he couldn't express. He promised to take care of her until she gets better, he promised to pay for his faults through this, and he promised to not let go of her hand until she woke up. He promised a lot and there is no way he could break them.

And just as he promised, Lucas took care of Athanasia. Not leaving by her side, keeping himself together with the hope that she would wake up. He took care of her medications and her health, talking with the doctor about how is she doing. He did everything every single day.

Yes, Ijekiel sometimes came to visit with Jennette but Lucas decided that he would adjust himself and keep his anger toward Ijekiel deep in his heart. Though the two never talked again. Jennette was the only one to keep the room brightened up just a little, while the two are thankful for her attempt.

As the week had gone by, Lucas... Was slowly pushed to the edge as Athanasia still hasn't woken up.

It's not that he's tired of waiting. It's just he was not mentally stable to take care of her after a week. He needed courage not to regret the past. He needed someone to talk to.

He needed...

"You came home!"

Lucas was met with a tight hug from his mother as soon as he stepped into the house, almost tumbling them to the ground. Lucas gave a small smile and hugged his mother back, he planned it to be gentle but he found himself hugging his mother tightly.

"Lucas...?" His mother noticed, her hands found his back, rubbing it in circles. "Is there something wrong?"

Those words were enough to put Lucas on his knees, tears running down his cheeks. His mother then immediately dragged him inside out of panic and lets him sit down on a couch. She rushed to give her son a glass of water before pulling him close back to her arms.

"Was it hard?" His mother softly asked, worry filling her eyes as she watched her son cry. Seeing Lucas crying in front of her was painful enough but seeing him shaking and looking in pain while crying hurts more. "Is it okay for you to leave Athanasia? I know that you wouldn't want to leave her..."

Lucas was gasping, wiping every tear that escapes. He couldn't utter a word as his cheeks began to turn red. Though he wanted to answer, so instead of trying hard to put it into words, Lucas shook his head in a nod, not meeting his mother's eyes because he knew that if he did, he would only affect his sadness to her.

His mother nodded, rubbing Lucas' shoulders gently. "It is, right...? Are you going to hold on then?" She asked another question, her voice careful not to hurt her son's sensitive heart. "While bottling up your feelings for her sake?"

Lucas nodded again. He took a deep breath, looking up to the ceiling in hopes that he could stop these tears. He took the courage to face his mother and smiled. "Is it this hard when you love someone?" He breathed, his voice shaking.

"..."

"I love her so much that I wanted to protect her and stay by her side but at the same, I want to let go, knowing she would choose that bastard... I knew that she love him... I know that damn well but..." Lucas' voice falters as an image of Athanasia in a coma appeared in his mind. An image he doesn't want to see. "... She doesn't deserve that..." He finished, his head dropping to his knees, clawing his hair out. "I don't know what to do...? I love her so much that I don't know what to do..."

His mother patted his back. Brows furrowed, she took a deep breath to pull herself together. She hurt her son many times and she promised for all her life that she would let her son would be the happiest when she got freed. She wished for his happiness always but when meeting her son again, the happiness she wished to give was given to that special girl.

"What does she deserve then?" She's been asking Lucas questions but she knew it would be better this way. She was not good at giving her son answers but at least she wanted to guide him there.

Lucas paused, his loud breathing was the only sound in the room. He turned back to his mother again with wide eyes, lips pursed into a thin line. "What she deserves...?" He repeated, eyes slowly looking down to his hands. "Athanasia..."

Memories flowed in his mind like a river. Those good memories of when he always makes her laugh. It was always her smile that is in his mind, as her smile reminds him of a clear sky that has never experienced rain, and is every day warm, wrapping his heart into a mess, a good mess. She was everything.

So what does she deserves?

That traumatic memory of her unconscious body was glitching in his mind against her beautiful smile.

What does she deserve?

"She deserves to smile..." He muttered under his breath. He looked back up at his mother. "She made everyone she treasure feel happy and bright but then..."

"I won't be a burden?"

"... Why can't she?"

A smile appeared on his mother's face, she was in tears, watching her son in front of her with those eyes. It was once filled with nothing but pain, and now...

"What are you going to do then?"

As Lucas was about to open his mouth to say a word, he felt his phone in his pocket, vibrating. He then took his phone to see a message from Jennette.

She's awake.

"I... I have to go, mom..." Lucas said as soon as he read the message. "Athanasia... She's..."

His mother nodded. "... Go..." She whispered. That was his answer.

Lucas finally showed a smile to his mother after coming home. His smile warmed her heart and made her smile. Though before Lucas could leave, he gave his mother a soft hug, catching her off guard.

"Thank you, mom..." He whispered. "You're the best..."

And with that, Lucas left.

A tear finally dropped. She immediately wiped it off, shaking her head, watching her son drive off from the window, a smile etched on her lips.

"I still wouldn't call myself that..."

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"Athanasia!!" Lucas showed up in Athanasia's room as if he has teleported from home. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were red from crying yet he didn't bother about it and met Athanasia sitting up on her bed while talking to Jennette.

Lucas' sudden appearance made Athanasia jump in surprise and turn in his direction. She was shocked to see him looking like... a mess, though she smiled, knowing that the latter would only care about what was in front of him, as he looked like that.

"Hey... What took you so long?" Athanasia joked, noticing the relief and tears coming down Lucas' face.

Lucas didn't answer and broke down, running towards her to wrap her in a tight hug. "Thank goodness..." He breathed. "Thank goodness..."

Jennette blinked, earning a confused look from Athanasia. Jennette only chuckled and shook her head in a telepathic reply which only made Athanasia frown.

With Jennette's telepathic advice, Athanasia's hands went to Lucas' back, letting him cry in her arms.

"You should be asking me that..." Athanasia muttered softly. "Sorry, I took so long... It must have been hard..."

While Jennette watched the warm scene in front of her, she noticed a figure at the door. Looking up, she saw Ijekiel who watched them with sad eyes.

--oh, look I updated!I've been feeling a bit rusty lately, sorry if you guys found the chapter weird :D