Through the Dark

Chapter 24: Hope

If Ezra could swear one truth about bloody Physiotherapy, it was that it hurts. He felt like his limbs were on fire, and his joints were made of metal and heavy.

"Now, one...two...three..." Charles Cazalon counted slowly, letting him adjust.

But damn it, it was painful as hell. Ezra winced everytime he tried to lift his legs, because they won't move at all. Frustrating, time consuming and annoying were the words Ezra could use to describe what this physiotherapy session was.

"Ugh!" He growled and slammed his fist on the wall.

"Hey! Hey. Mister Hartford, please. I know it hurts, alright? But please, refrain from punching things. The other patients are still to need that wall," the physiotherapist, a man called Rey Fremont, who happened to be Charles' cousin, reprimanded Ezra. Ezra snapped his head and glared at Rey and slammed his fist on the wall again.

"Do that again and I'll be forced to take you out of the rehab center."

As if I'm afraid of that, Ezra thought with a scoff. He was not some child that would be easily tricked. He pays them well, after all.

But when Alec's smiling face appeared on his thoughts, Ezra sighed and slumped back against the wheelchair. He withdrew his hands and contented himself to rest them on the wheelchair's armrest. Damn it! If it wasn't for Alexander, Ezra wouldn't do this at all. He wouldn't allow himself to be degraded and to be fussed over by these people.

He continued to do as he was told, and Fremont beamed up at him everytime he concedes.

At the end of the almost four hour session, Ezra felt exhausted, but he does not want to go home. He wheeled up to Hunter's room and positioned himself near the bed. He watched as a nurse took Hunter's vital signs and when she left, he then took Alec's hand on his own, and just like those nights at St. Mungo's, he found himself talking to his son.

"I went to the Rehabilitation Center today. It was...fine. I promised myself I would never give up, Alec. It hurts, but I'm fine."

He hoped Alec was listening like before. He wished that they didn't land on the situation they were in at the moment. It was exhausting to have had problems one after the other.

"I am actually hoping that you would open your eyes and tell me that this is all a joke. Please, Alec," he murmured as he caressed the boy's dark locks, "please tell me that we didn't do anything wrong, that this is all a nightmare."

Ezra felt as helpless as ever. How he wished all this was just a dream. Just a nightmare that haunts his sleep. Hoping that Alec would wake up and say all this was a joke. Sadly, it isn't. Alec is on the bed sick while he is paralytic.

He continued to caress the boy's hair hoping to get comfort. It was just like St. Mungos. The boy looked so peaceful. So young.

------

Hunter was sleeping. He felt so at peace. He could stay here forever. He didn't want to wake up.

He heard a voice talking to him. The voice sounded distant and tired. He recognized the voice but he couldn't put the name to the voice. Everyday, he hears the voice talking, coaxing him to wake up but no! He's happy here, thank you very much!

'I can flex my toes now, and rotate my foot a bit. I hope you're here to see it. After all, you are the one who told me to do it.'

There he was again, and Hunter wondered what was it was exactly that the Voice was referring to. Something he told him to do? Hunter hoped that whatever he wanted the Voice's bearer to do was something good.