Long Time No See

@ BadStreetBoys

"Luke? Oh, thank goodness I got ahold of you." Wren's mother sighed, clearly sounding distraught on the other end of the phone. "It's Wren, she.. She tried to take her own life. Thank god we found her but," She let out a shaky sigh, taking a moment to compose herself on the line. "Do you know what might have happened last night to make her do this? She woke up for a little while earlier, but we haven't been able to get her to talk to us about it." She frowned, hesitating for a moment.

"She... She did say that she didn't want to see you when she realized we were trying to call you." She frowned. "Did something happen, Luke? I don't understand why she'd just go ahead and do something like this.. A-And the doctor said that she had older scars on her too, like she's done this before, and I just... I-I can't believe I never knew." She sobbed on the other end of the phone.

@ katahdin
Luke tried to listen to Wren’s mother as best as he could. His mental capacities were trying to focus on driving and doing both was a struggle. All he knew was wren had hurt herself so there was only one place she could be. Luke sighed and shook his head. “Mrs. Morisson this is a lot to talk about on the phone. I’ll talk to you when I get there.” He barely got out in a normal voice.

Luke got to the hospital without getting pulled over or getting in an accident. He hurried inside and a nurse pointed him in the right direction. He found Wren’s parents and began to walk to calm himself down and sober up as quickly as he could. “Hello.” He said and looked between them.

@ BadStreetBoys

Mrs Morrison tried to protest that he not come but he hung up before she got very far. When he arrived she was out in the hallway with her husband speaking with a doctor, who walked off shortly before Like got to them. Wren's mother had clearly been crying, and frowned when she looked at Luke, taking a moment to look him over before wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "It's late, sweety. You should be home." She said as she pulled away, giving his arms a squeeze. "Wren's asleep still, I'm not sure when she'll be awake or willing to talk to anyone."

@ katahdin
Luke nodded slightly, hugging her back. He took a deep breath as he pulled away, looking at her but then quickly down to his feet. He wasn’t sure what to say or do. “I understand.” He murmured and stepped back. Luke rubbed his eyes hard. He knew he couldn’t go through the events of this afternoon and explain everything to her parents if he was still this disoriented from drinking too much. “Okay so we should sit somewhere. I’ll explain.” He mumbled and looked back up at them, bloodshot eyes.

@ BadStreetBoys

Wren's mother frowned, glancing up at her husband. The pair seemed to share a silent conversation before they turned back to Luke, and it was Wren's father who spoke. "Luke.. We appreciate you coming. We really do, but I don't think that you're in any state to be here.." he said, clearing his throat a bit. "Let me drive you home, and you can come back tomorrow when you've sobered up and tell us what happened, alright?" He said, resting a hand on the man's shoulder to steer him back toward the hospital entrance.

@ katahdin
Luke shook his head. “No this can’t wait.” He said angrily, shrugging her father’s hand off his shoulder. “Just find somewhere to sit so that I can talk.” He said and took a deep breath. Luke wasn’t going to want to do this tomorrow when he felt like there were actual repercussions to his words and actions. “I drove here so clearly I’m fine.”

@ katahdin

@ katahdin

@ BadStreetBoys
(Sorry! Could of sworn that I'd replied to this)

Wren's mother frowned as he shrugged her husband's hand off his shoulder, sharing a worried look with him before nodding. "Alright, Luke.. Here, drink this, it'll help." She said, offering him the water bottle she'd just gotten from the vending machine before moving to an empty waiting area so they could speak.

@ katahdin
Luke grumbled to himself as he accepted the water bottle begrudgingly. He followed the Morrison’s to the small waiting area. He waited for them to sit down before he sat. He opened the bottle and took a few sips before he set it at his feet. Luke refused to make eye contact and was writing his hands together as he began to speak. “This is like. The spark notes version.” He mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Wren told me she was raped after senior prom. And we were at the class reunion. I drank too much. And this girl from high school kissed me and I didn’t do anything because I couldn’t think.” He said angrily snd put his face in his hands. “Wren saw and was upset, so she was leaving and I tried to follow after her and explain but she wouldn’t listen. And one of the guys who hurt her in high school had her cornered.” His voice sped up and seemed to crack as he began to talk. “And I just. I was drunk and I was angry and I went after him and I pulled one of my knives. The guy left. And wren wouldn’t listen to me still so I ended up leaving with the girl who kissed me because I was so mad. I don’t even know if I was mad at her or myself.” Luke told them and let out a sob, crying into his hands as he finished explaining.

@ BadStreetBoys

Mrs Morrison let out a choked sob as Luke explained what had happened to her little girl, tucking her face into her husband's arms, who held her tight as they listened. He frowned deeply at the mention that Luke had pulled a knife on one of his former classmates, even if it had been to defend Wren. "Luke, I thought we'd made it clear that you needed to leave your previous life behind if you want you and your family to remain safe.. I understand that can be hard, and I'm grateful that you protected Wren, but you can't just go around pulling knives on people and getting drunk." He explained, resting a hand on the man's shoulder. "I know it'll be hard, but trust me, putting that life behind you will be the greatest thing you ever do. You're a smart kid, Luke, you could be anything you wanted. And I know Wren cares for you and wants you to have a better life."

@ katahdin
Luke just shook his head in his hands. He didn’t understand anything at the moment. It made sense. Stop being a gangbanger and you’ll be okay. But he couldn’t separate himself from it. Luke looked up at Mr. Morisson with bloodshot eyes. A mixture of the alcohol and crying taking over his features. “I can’t just change who I am, sir.” He mumbled. “I know I’m not that smart and I don’t make the best decision. But I wanted to protect her, I wanted her to know I didn’t mean to kiss that girl. She was so mad at me, man.” He said and another tear running down his face. “She hates me. She’s never gonna wanna see me again.” He paused and ran both his hands down his face. “Fuck I need a drink.”

@ BadStreetBoys

"Lucas Galloway, enough with that poor attitude." Mr Morrison frowned, squeezing the man's shoulder. "You need to stop putting yourself down, need to stop telling yourself that you have to be tough and hard and whatever else you had to tell yourself to get through all the horrible things you did. You don't have to be or do any of that. When you were younger you wanted to run a repair shop, right? Why not get a job working at the one in town, learn the ropes and earn some money while you go back to school? You're so much more than a gangbanger, Luke, and Wren sees that in you and wants you to see it for yourself." He said, squeezing his shoulder again. "No, no drinking. Drinking will only make things harder. And I know that Wren doesn't hate you. She could never hate you. Being mad at you is a different story. But I think the easiest way to apologize and get her to forgive you is if you get yourself turned around and on the right track, and let us help you."

@ katahdin
Luke looked over at Mr. Morisson as he spoke. He felt like the man was just saying what Luke needed to hear. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. After a moment, Luke shrugged the other man’s hand off his shoulder. He didn’t want to be touched right now. He wanted to be left alone,, but also wanted Wren and wanted her comfort. But he knew that wasn’t gonna happen. He didn’t believe she didn’t hate him. He was convinced she did. The way she had looked at him, and seen him with his old high school fling. He knew that look and it was a hateful one. “I’m a grown man. I don’t need help. I can take care of myself and my family.” He said, his voice low and his eyes narrowed. Luke kicked the water bottle across the room before he stormed out. Luke was out in the hall, pacing back and forth.

@ BadStreetBoys

Mr Morrison frowned as Luke stormed off, hugging his wife tightly before they headed to Wren's room to wish her goodnight and promise that they'd be back in the morning to talk before heading home. Wren wasn't looking forward to talking to her parents in the morning, but was glad that they were leaving her alone for the night, knowing she likely wouldn't be able to sleep.

@ katahdin
Luke walked back and forth in the hall for hours. When he finally began to tire out, Luke grabbed a few chairs and pulled them together. He set the chairs in front of Wren’s room. He moved to the waiting area and found a pillow from the couch and brought it back. He went back to the chairs and curled up on them, holding the pillow close to his head. It took a bit, but Leo was able to fall asleep.

@ BadStreetBoys

Wren could hear a commotion out in the hall as Luke brought some chairs over to sleep, especially since a nurse came over to tell him that he couldn't be sleeping in the hallway. Wren forced herself to get up when she recognized Luke's voice, limping over to the door to open it a crack. "Luke...? Why.. Why are you here?"

@ katahdin
Luke frowned at the nurse, beginning to argue and tell her there was no way he was going to leave. He turned his head and his entire demeanor immediately softened when he saw her. “Wren.” He murmured. “Your parents called me.” He said softly. Luke moved snd stood in front of the door looking down at her. His eyes soft and tears brimming on them. “I’m so sorry for everything that happened, Wren.” He said quietly, his voice cracking.

@ BadStreetBoys

Wren frowned up at Luke as he looked down at her, self consciously trying to hide herself behind the door so he wouldn't see her in her hospital gown or see her bandaged wrists. "Oh.." she murmured when he said her parents called him, glancing up at the nurse who had been arguing with Luke. "It's ok, he can stay in here.." she murmured, opening the door a bit more so that Luke could come into her room before shutting it again after promising the nurse that she'd get back into bed. Once the door was shut she shuffled over and climbed back into bed, adjusting the blankets around her before looking back over at Luke for a moment before looking back down at her lap. "I'm sorry.."

@ katahdin
Luke glowered over his shoulder at the nurse before he slid into the room with Wren. He moved around the room and pulled together the chairs in there for him to sleep on. “Why are you sorry?” He asked, glancing over at Ween as she climbed into bed. Luke took his jacket off and laid in the newly formed bed of chairs, pulling his jacket over him like a blanket.