Chapter Twenty-Three

Luke's sneakers crunched on the broken glass in the entranceway. He nearly tripped over himself as he sprinted up the stairs. Following the sounds of Sasha barking and crying, he skidded into the bedroom and stopped short. "Fuck me, no." Jordan lay crumpled on the floor, his face battered and bloody. His arms rested over his head as if he'd tried to protect himself from further blows. Fortunately, Luke could see the subtle rise and fall of Jordan's breath in his chest.

"Hey, Prep School, can you hear me?" He dropped to his knees next to Jordan's too-still body. It was only then that he saw the blood seeping into the rug beneath Jordan's head, and he froze. "Shit, fuck." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911, reporting the break-in and that they needed an ambulance. The next call he made was to Tash.

"Hey, Luke, what's—"

"Listen." There was no time for small talk. "There was a break-in while I was gone. Jordan's been attacked, and he's unconscious. I called the ambulance, and they're on their way."

"Okay. They'll take him to Beth Israel, so I'll meet you there."

Luke disconnected and listened for the wail of sirens but heard nothing. "Come on, you fuckers. What's taking so long?" Luke checked Jordan again and let out a relieved sigh to see he still breathed steadily.

He remembered that Jordan's friends were coming and knew he'd have to call and tell them what happened. Since he didn't have Drew's number on his phone, he picked up Jordan's cell phone from the floor and scrolled through until he found it. After only a split second hesitation he hit the Call button.

"Hey, Jordan, we were about to leave. What's up?"

And of course, since this was the worst fucking day of his life in years, Ash had to answer Drew's phone.

"It's Luke. I need to speak to Drew."

"Luke." Ash's voice turned sharp, all humor gone. "What's wrong?"

Fuck it . "It's Jordan. The house was broken into while I was out, and he was attacked." Now he heard the sirens. "Look, the ambulance is here; I have to go. They'll take him to Beth Israel."

"We'll meet you there."

Luke clicked off and ran downstairs. He'd never been so happy to see the red-and-white FDNY EMS truck as he was at that moment. "In here," he yelled as he watched the two EMS techs jump out. "He's upstairs."

After pulling out a collapsible stretcher and a medical bag, they followed him up the stairs to the bedroom. Luke stepped aside as they took over. One of the guys, heavily tattooed and bald, knelt at Jordan's feet; the other, lanky with a thin goatee, stood by his head.

"Is he on any medication that you know of?" This from the tattooed EMS worker, whose name tag read Caruso.

"Yeah. He started taking flumazenil this morning. He's being treated for Xanax dependency."

"Okay. Anything else? Who are you, a friend?" The guy with the goatee, Hernandez, was taking notes. "Were you the one who called it in?"

"Yes. I'd gone out to the store. We were having friends over for dinner. When I got back, the dog went crazy and ran up here and I followed her." He swallowed hard. "Is he going to be all right?"

Caruso didn't answer. "Luis, get the stretcher." Hernandez sped out to the hallway, and Caruso snapped on a pair of thin rubber gloves.

After checking Jordan's pulse and blood pressure, Caruso turned to him. "Any other medical issues?"

"No, none."

Hernandez came back in then, and begrudgingly, Luke had to admit they got Jordan on the stretcher and down the stairs within minutes. Except for a few moans, Jordan didn't make a sound. When Luke tried to get into the ambulance, Hernandez stopped him.

"Sorry, sir, you can't come with us. Family only."

Unwilling to hold them up, Luke merely nodded and watched them drive away, the red taillights receding, taking his heart with them.

~ ~

By the time Luke arrived at the hospital, Jordan had already been whisked into an examining room in the ER. He jammed his hands into his pockets and nervously rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet as he waited to speak with the woman at the desk.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have no information on his condition at the moment." She offered him nothing more than a sympathetic smile. "Have a seat, and I'll let you know when his status changes."

Frustrated, he jerked a nod of thanks and stalked back to the row of uncomfortable plastic chairs and slumped down in one of the few vacant ones available. As usual, would-be patients and their families crowded the emergency room. It had been over ten years since he'd set foot in a hospital and the harsh, antiseptic smell remained as familiar as his aftershave, overtaking his senses. It evoked the dark memories of the night he'd been brought in, broken and bloodied after that cataclysmic fight between him and his foster father. Even now, he struggled for air, recalling the days of pain that followed. How alone he'd been when only Mrs. Cartwright from down the road had come by to see him, to tell him his "family" had left in the middle of the night and no one knew where they'd disappeared to.

No fucking way would he allow his head games to start now. Luke squeezed his eyes shut, willing away thoughts of the past. All his concentration needed to focus on Jordan.

"Luke."

He opened his eyes to see Drew and Ash in front of him.

"I don't know anything. They won't tell me. You could find out though, Drew." Luke jumped out of the chair and grabbed the man by his arm. "Come on. You're a doctor; they'll let you in to see him. Excuse me." He pulled Drew over to the woman behind the desk. "This is Dr. Klein. He's a friend of Dr. Peterson, who I came in with. He can go in and see him, right?"

Drew showed her his credentials, and she nodded. "He's in room three, Doctor. Through those doors and past the nurses' station."

"Thank you." Drew gave her a brief smile, then led Luke back to the waiting area. And Ash. "You wait here, and I'll be out as soon as I can." Drew surprised Luke by pulling him close in a short, hard hug. "Don't worry. Jordan's not going anywhere except home with you." He walked swiftly through the swinging doors, and then Luke was alone.

With Ash.

He expected to have to make excuses not to talk to Ash, but his fears were unwarranted as Ash sat in a vacant seat. A faint yet sardonic smile crossed his lips. "I'm not going to try and speak to you; don't worry. There's a time and a place for everything, Luke. This qualifies as neither."

Feeling as if a small weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Luke collapsed into a chair. "Thank you for that." Jordan's face rose in his mind.

See? You can do it. Remember what I said the other night. I fucking love you. Own it; take control of it. You're stronger than your fear.

As if a switch had turned on inside him, it all clicked into place. Not knowing Jordan's condition, whether he was critically injured, made Luke take stock of himself and his own life. What purpose did his hatred of Ash serve? They couldn't go back. But maybe they could use this tragedy—or he could, at least—to make himself stronger and move on from his anger. He loved Jordan. He was certain of that fact, and if loving him meant putting up with seeing Ash occasionally, it was worth it to keep Jordan in his life.

"Hey, Ash?" Luke almost laughed at the look of shock on Ash's face.

"Yes?" Ash's cautious voice wavered.

"Hopefully, Jordan will come out of this and be home soon." Luke took a deep breath. Although he'd made the decision to put it out in the open between them, the reality of saying it proved harder than he'd imagined. A drop of cold sweat trickled down his back. "I'd, um, I'd like us, along with Drew and Jordan, to get together one night. To talk."

Ash blanched, turning into a marble statue. His pale eyes glittered in the harsh fluorescent light of the waiting room. "This isn't some sort of cruel joke you're playing on me, is it?"

"No." Luke shook his head. "Sometimes it takes a crisis to see what's important." He stared off, unseeing, into space. "Nothing's more important to me now than making sure Jordan is all right. I finally get what you feel for Drew."

Ash's lips curved. "Scary as shit, isn't it?"

Luke joined him in that smile. "Yeah. It sure is."

They sat in silence. Luke remained fixated on the swinging doors where he'd seen Drew disappear. One hour turned into two. Before he'd come to the hospital, Luke had contacted Mike and Rachel, and they'd picked up Sasha to bring her home with them. Rachel had texted him, letting him know Sasha had settled in fine, and that Mike was on his way over to the hospital.

After another half an hour, where Luke thought he'd jump out of his skin every time the door swung open, Mike had shown up, so the three of them sat around together, feeling useless, Luke thought bitterly.

"What's taking so fucking long?" Lucas couldn't stand sitting anymore and paced the small waiting area. "It's been hours already. He must be worse than we thought."

"He isn't the only patient. They probably had to take him for X-rays and then wait to read the results." Mike's attempt to reason with him failed, as he felt no better.

"He's too damn stubborn to let a knock on the head keep him down." Ash flashed him a quick smile. "He's probably being his usual obnoxious self to the nurses."

Luke remained unconvinced. "I have a bad feeling." The doors swung open, and Drew made his appearance, looking worn-out and disheveled, but ultimately all Luke could see was the smile on his face. He ran over to Drew and skidded to a stop in front of him.

"Well, tell me? Is he going to be okay? Is he awake?"

Drew put up his hands. "Whoa. Let me tell you what I know." He waved to Mike and Ash. "Both of you come." He led the three of them to a more secluded section of the waiting area.

"He has a slight concussion and severely bruised ribs. They kicked him pretty badly in his side, so the doctor needed to make sure he wasn't bleeding internally from any ruptured organs."

"Was he?" Luke held his breath.

"No, thank God."

Drew paused and took a moment to rub his eyes. Luke could tell how drained he was, not only physically but emotionally. It struck him then that by falling in love with Jordan, he'd inherited an entire family in Mike, Rachel, Drew, and Esther. Funny how that didn't seem to rankle him as much as it had before.

Ash put his arms around Drew, and Drew sank back into the larger man's embrace. The tenderness between them went beyond anything physical. It spoke in the way Drew relaxed against Ash's chest and the brief brush of Ash's lips in Drew's hair. Something about the unassuming Drew Klein had so ensnared Ash he'd completely turned his life around and, more importantly, fallen in love.

Now the same thing had happened to him. Jordan completely shocked his senses, giving him something he never thought to have. A second chance. A home. They'd both been burned so badly, so hurt and beaten down by what life had thrown in their paths, that they'd scarcely recognized when the real thing hit them in the face.

"Is he awake? Can I see him?" Luke bounced on his feet, nervous and dancing as if he stood on the head of a lit match.

"Yeah. Tash is back there with him now." Drew kissed Ash and took Luke by the elbow, leading him through the swinging doors. "You won't be able to stay long, but I know he'll be happy to see you."

Luke swallowed hard, breathing through his mouth, so he didn't have to smell the noxious fumes of ether, antiseptic, and bleach. He kept his eyes trained on the top of Drew's dark head. The beeping of the machines, the moans of the patients, and the blare of the overhead speakers melded together until he could only hear a low whine playing in his head.

Shit. I hope I don't get sick.

They came before a curtained-off area. "He's in here. They don't have a room for him yet." Drew pulled the curtain and stepped aside. "Jordy. Someone's here to see you."

Luke hesitated, then grinned to himself when he heard Jordan's irritable voice. "Who is it? Christ, D. You didn't let Ash in here, did you? My head already hurts."

Peering around Drew's shoulder, Luke winced at the sight of Jordan, pale and bandaged. "Hey, Prep School. How're you feeling?" Black anger welled up inside of him at the thought of anyone laying hands on Jordan, touching him, hurting him. For everyone's sake, he swallowed down the rage threatening to swamp him with bloodlust.

"Like shit. I have a massive headache, my side is killing me, and I'm freezing." The smile Jordan aimed his way belied his complaints. "But I wouldn't mind if you came closer, you know."

As he entered the small space, Luke saw Tash standing off to the side, and acknowledged him, but focused his attention mainly on Jordan. "Try not to talk. You need your rest." It hurt his heart to see Jordan laid out in the bed, on sheets merely a shade whiter than the pallor of his skin.

"Yes, I know. But I need you to rest properly, so come here already." In his typical impatient fashion, Jordan waved his hand at Luke, beckoning him closer. "I'm not going to break. Tell him, D."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Come on, Jordan. Luke and everyone else have been outside waiting for hours. Don't give the guy a hard time. Besides, we can't stay here long. They're going to admit you."

"Why can't I go home? I'm fine." He pointed to his head. "It barely hurts anymore. I can take some aspirin and rest in my own bed."

"Don't be a dope," Luke scolded him. "I can't watch you properly."

"I'd rather you watch me improperly." His teeth gleamed, but as he attempted to sit up, an inadvertent groan slipped out and he paled.

In a flash, Luke was by Jordan's side, bracing his arm against Jordan's shoulder. His throat tightened. Jordan seemed almost fragile, his bones slight, as though they could easily be snapped by a too-strong wind. "Take it easy. Lie back down."

This time, Jordan merely listened and sank back into the pillow. A light sweat had broken out across his brow, and he closed his eyes. "Shit, my head is spinning and pounding at the same time."

"That's because you probably have a concussion, you idiot," Drew snapped at him. "Now lie back, don't move, and they'll be taking you to your room shortly. You aren't the only one who's exhausted. We've been worried sick for hours, especially Luke."

Impressed by Drew's out-of-character behavior, Jordan's easy compliance with Drew's orders surprised Luke. Sometimes the quiet ones fooled you, he mused, giving Drew a respectful nod of thanks.

"He'll bully you if you don't push back, you know." Drew hugged him as he prepared to leave. "Don't let him tell you what to do. He thinks only he knows what's best for everyone." He returned to the bed where Jordan lay with his eyes closed, his breathing light but steady. "Stop giving everyone a hard time. Listen to the nurses and hopefully you'll only be in here a day or so." Drew bent down and kissed his cheek. "Try and rest and I'll see you later. I love you."

Jordan opened his eyes. "Thank you. I love you too." He swallowed hard. "And thank Ash for me. I know he's been out there waiting as well."

Surprise flared in Drew's light eyes, but he simply nodded and gave Luke's shoulder a squeeze before leaving. Tash had left several minutes earlier when it became apparent that Jordan wasn't seriously injured. The events of the night hit Luke all at once, and he began to fade, but he needed to reassure Jordan all would be well, and he wanted to tell him about his decision to speak with Ash.

Lucas picked up Jordan's hand and kissed it. "I thought I'd lost you there for a moment, Prep School."

Keeping his eyes closed, Jordan smiled. "It would take more than a hard knock to my head to get rid of me." He licked his lips. "Shit, my whole body hurts."

Luke smoothed the hair off Jordan's brow. There were a cup and pitcher on the table next to the bed, and he gave Jordan a drink of cold water. "Drink it slow."

"Thanks. I've been choking all night; my throat's been so dry."

They sat, and after a while, Luke thought Jordan had fallen asleep. Almost dead on his feet, he rose to go home. He bent to kiss Jordan on his forehead. "I love you, Jordan. Don't ever leave me."

To his surprise, Jordan opened his eyes and grabbed his hand. "If I have anything to say about it, I never will. Having you here with me tonight, knowing I have you to come home to, makes the ride all worth it. There was only one thought going through my mind when they were beating me."

Luke bit his lip, unable to talk as Jordan continued.

"All I could think of was, God, don't let Lucas find me dead. If I'm going to die, I have to be able to say good-bye because I need to see his face one more time." Tears fell from his eyes. "I didn't want to die without you hearing me tell you how much I love you." Jordan's shaking hand clasped his. "Don't ever doubt your place in my heart and my life."

"I told Ash I wanted to talk to him," Luke blurted out, unable to hold himself back any longer. "When you get out of the hospital, I want the four of us to get together."

Jordan's eyes glowed. "I'm proud of you. But are you sure you want Drew and me there? Don't you want to speak alone with him after all these years?"

Unashamed of his emotions, Luke clutched Jordan's hand. "I can't do it alone. Please be there for me." Luke knew he and Ash faced an emotional battlefield and were bound to hurt one another. The history between them had never really been buried, no matter how he'd tried. It remained by the surface, bubbling up every once in a while. For years he'd smothered his pain by shoveling another layer of resentment on top, but the time had come to unearth the demons and put them to rest.

Jordan patted his hand. "If you need me, I'm there for you." His eyes slid shut, and Luke knew he'd fallen asleep almost immediately.

Luke kissed his cheek. "I'll always need you."