CHAPTER ELEVEN

Owen and Damian arrived at the hospital on a record time with the latter driving as fast as he could, it's a miracle that he didn't break any traffic law with the speed he was going but that wasn't what mattered at the moment. It was Samuel. And on their way to the hospital, the child had went alarmingly pale, and he started groaning as if he was in pain, and that made Damian drive faster.

As Damian rushed to the hospital, he had felt something for the child and it was strange to feel the way he felt when he barely knows the child. They were practically strangers to one another but dare he say felt very worried for the child as if he was the child's father, that's how worried he felt and it was rather strange but Damian decides to ignore that for now. He had to have a clear mind and focus on the matter at hand.

After arriving at the hospital, Samuel was immediately rushed to the emergency room and not long after Joshua came running in, dressed in his white coat and proceeded to give Samuel a full check while Owen and Damian were instructed to stay out of the emergency room until the doctor calls them in.

The wait was the most excruciating thing Owen had to do. Never in his life have he thought that his son would be back at the damn place called a hospital. He thought that when Samuel was finally released after battling and winning over cancer, that he won't ever need to go back to the hospital again, that he won’t go through that again, that he will be stay perfectly healthy. For four years, it has been like that but why did it have to change suddenly? Why now?

Owen was on the verge of tears again but he tries to keep it together. He needs to be strong for his son, he needs to..........he has to. He has to stay strong for Samuel. But can he do that when it feels like his heart was being ripped apart. It hurt him to see his son hurting and knowing there’s only little he could do about it.

Meanwhile Damian decides to give the angel-like man some time alone and went on a corner to call his son. As he dialed Luca’s number, he notices that the angel-like man was doing the same. Phone pressed against his ears as a single tear fell from his eyes. That sight alone made Damian's heart clench and there was nothing more he wanted to do at that moment than to wrap the angel-like man in a warm, comforting embrace and tell him that everything will be alright.

But Damian knew he can't do that. Other than he might scare the angel-like man instead of comfort him as they were still strangers to one another, it wasn’t Damian’s place to do so and the angel-like might misinterpret his kind gesture for him just taking advantage of him. That could ruin Damian’s chances and that would be the last thing he wanted.

Few rings later, Luca finally answered and he was immediately bombarded with questions before he could utter a word. He waited until his son was done asking and as much as he could, answers a few of the questions he understood clearly from his son's rants.

"By the way, Mr. Wen offered to give me and Ezra a ride back to our houses to get stuffs for the boys. Is there something you want me to get for you dad?" Luca asked after his father answered all his questions.

Damian rubs his forehead and sighs. Right. His boys, He almost forgot about them but he is very thankful for his eldest being a responsible older brother. He made a mental note to do something for his eldest to show how thankful he is.

"Yeah, just pack pajamas for the boys and also don't forget Maverick's nebulizer just in case his asthma attacks then Diego's medicines too. Bring your phone charger too because I want to be able to check on you boys, are we clear so far Squirt?" Damian knew he hasn't called his son that nickname for a while and a pang of guilt hits him. It's been a while since he had spent time with his eldest and he just hopes his son doesn't hate him for that.

Luca sighs and lets out a soft chuckle. "Are you sure you don't want me to bring you something dad? A spare shirt? Anything? I can send it there through Ezra because his uncle called him to go there later."

Damian turns to the angel-like man who no longer has his phone on his hand nor was sitting down on the waiting bench. He was now pacing back and forth on the corridor, looking more anxious than before.

Just then the Emergency room door flung opens and walks out Joshua with his stethoscope hanging around his neck and a chart board on his hand.

Owen notices his best friend and rushes to him. The look on Joshua's face worries Damian. He looked too serious, it was kind of scary. Not only that, he was also looking at Owen with guilt in his eyes.

"Just bring me one of my sweaters. Listen, I'll have to call you back later, Okay? Love you Squirt. Bye." And Damian ended the call with Luca grumbling something under his breath then the line went dead.

Damian slips his phone back in his pocket and walks back to where the angel-like man stood, still trying to get some answers from his best friend. Owen looked distraught as he listened to the doctor who was trying his best to explain what happened.

“We don’t have anything conclusive yet Owen. We’ve administered antibiotics and gave him fluids. Right now we have to keep a close eye on his fever, pray that it worsen overnight. The paling of his skin was likely due to dehydration. We’ve also taken urine sample, the result should come back first thing in the morning. Right now, all we can do is let the child rest and hope for the best.”

Joshua waited for his best friend’s reaction and he grew concern when Owen only stared back at him with dead eyes. “This is all my fault.” He suddenly said.

“This is all my fault!” Owen repeated, louder this time as tears now stream down his face. “I should’ve seen it sooner! The fever, the constant tiredness, the loss appetite. It was all in front of me! Those were the signs and yet I didn’t see it. What kind of a parent am I?” he suddenly paused, catching his breath, “I’m a bad parent.”

Joshua decided it was time he interfere. He can’t have his best friend spiraling down in negative emotions, especially not in times like this. There’s a child out there fighting for his life and the child needs his father now more than ever. Joshua softly sighed and pulled his best friend in a hug, not minding that his coat was getting wet from Owen’s tears and instead focused himself into comforting his best friend. He softly hush him down, rubbing circles on his back. Soon he felt Owen relaxing in his arms.

“You’re not a bad parent Owen,” Joshua started, “Don’t say ever say that about yourself, ever. It’s not your fault for not seeing it sooner, you were sick too, Remember? Now get yourself together and just think of Samuel. He needs you right now Owen. He needs you to be at his side. So I’ll say it again.”

The two pulled away from the hug, Joshua used the sleeve of his coat to wipe the tear tracks away and stared straight at Owen’s hazel eyes that reflected nothing but sadness. “You are not a bad parent, okay?”

Owen stared back at him, looking unconvinced at first but it only took one glance at the emergency room where his son was, to change that. He nodded his head and wiped the rest of the tears away. “Can I see Sammy?”

Joshua smiled and nodded his head, “I’ll have him transferred in a different room then we can visit him together. room and for extra pre-caution because we don't want the child to contract any more viruses or harmful bacteria, you and only other two family member are allowed in the room and will be dressed in sanitized scrubs. Gloves, mask and all. You okay with that?”

A soft smile appeared on Owen’s lips as he nodded his again. Feeling lighter than he did before, Joshua is one great friend. “Yeah, I’ll be fine with that.”

“Good.” Joshua adjusted his coat. He gave Owen a pat on the shoulder, a short nod to where Damian stood then left the two in the hallway as he disappeared back into the emergency room.

...........................

"I know It’s not business or anything, but,"

Damian finally breaks the silence that has been blanketing the hallway since the doctor left the two of them earlier. The whole time, Damian stood patiently at the side. Watching as the doctor comforted his best friend. Just seeing the angel-like man cry like that made the brunette’s heart hurt as well. Such pain casted on someone so angel-like that he didn’t deserve it. Damian may not relate to how he feels but there’s one thing for sure, Damian knows exactly how it feels like to be helpless when the person they love needs him the most.

Owen now sat at the waiting chairs with the same saddened look on his face which Damian could tell the blonde was trying to mask. Ah, Damian knew how that felt either. Forcing yourself to stay strong for someone else’s sake when you can barely keep it together for yourself. It was a hard feeling but necessary nonetheless. It was selfless love at its finest and it was just as beautiful as it was painful.

“You’re son will be okay. Just continue staying strong for him and never ever leave his side. Make him feel that he’s not fighting alone. That’s the best thing you can do for him right now.”

"Excuse me? Who are you again? I’m sorry I didn’t even thank you for giving us a ride here." And Damian melted then and there as the angel-like man directed one of those beautiful smiles at him. Despite the tear stained cheeks, puffy eyes and flushed cheeks, he still looked ethereal. Damian could feel the familiar thumping in his chest and the butterflies fluttering inside him.

“Hello? Are you in there?” the angel-like man’s voice snapped Damian out of it and he instantly flushed red when he realized he was just caught staring. He started stuttering and blushing darker by the minute. Then the most beautiful sound reached his ears and he stared at the angel-like man in slight shock. The angel-like man just chuckled at him, granted it was at his expense, but it was worth getting to hear the angel-like laugh.

After a good while, Damian finally introduced himself. “My name’s Damian Charleston. We actually live next to each other.”

The angel-like man’s eyes lit up in recognition, “You’re Luca’s, Maverick’s and Diego’s father then?”

Damian nodded, surprised that the man knew all his sons name. “Yes, they are my boys indeed. It’s nice to meet you.”

Owen was about to open his mouth to speak when an unfamiliar masculine yet soft voice interrupts them.

"Mr. Hayes, I'm here to bring you to your child's room. If you could just follow me." A male nurse smiled a small smile as he stood a few feet from the two. He wore a pink nurse uniform with a matching pink gloves and mask. His nameplate read Kristian.

Damian, as embarrassing as it is to admit outloud, finds the male nurse attractive but then he didn't feel the same way he felt when he first laid eyes on the angel-like man. There was no butterflies and heart hammering when he looks at Kristian. Only when he looks at the angel-like man does he feel those tenfold and Damian doubts he’ll ever feel that way for somebody else other the angel-like man next to him.

The angel-like man adjusted his sweater before standing up but instead of walking away, he faced Damian and stretched a hand out to the brunette. The latter only stared at him confusion making him chuckle and there it was again, the sweetest laugh Damian has ever heard. Aside from his own children of course.

"Please come with me."

"What?"

"I said. Come with me." And before Damian could comprehend what was happening, the angel-like man already pulled him by the hand and they started walking down the hallway as they follow the male nurse to Sammy's room.

Damian was in shock as he stared at his and the angel-like man's entwined hands. The latter's hand was smaller and it fitted perfectly with Damian's bigger hands. As if their hands were made for each other. He couldn't stop his blush at that thought and he tries to distract himself, his eyes wandering on their surroundings.

Damian frowns when they walked past the kiddie ward and continues to walk down a couple more hallways until they arrived at a ward that has the word Children Oncology Ward painted on the wall and Damian felt his heart drop as he knew what Oncology meant.

Finally after a long journey through endless hallways, they arrived at Sammy's room and Damian noticed how secluded the room was from the other rooms. Joshua really meant what he said earlier about the privacy thing.

Kristian made the two male dressed in scrubs and hair caps then gave them each a pair of gloves and face masks. When done, the nurse softly knocks on the door before opening it and for a moment Damian didn't know if he should really go in because he wasn’t really family, so he couldn’t help but feel like he was over stepping his boundary. He was intruding somewhere he shouldn’t.

Damian didn't get to say anything though as the angel-like man tugs him into the room and the sight that greets him broke his already broken heart even more.

The child looked so small laying at the middle of the bed with at least three different wires connected to his small body. Two IV drips and the heart monitor. He also wore an oxygen mask and his little head was covered with a gray beanie. He was dressed in a hospital gown and he looks so peaceful sleeping like that.

The angel-like man lets go of Damian's hand making the latter immediately miss the warmth but he kept silent as he watch the angel-like man takes a seat on the chair on the bedside and takes one of the child's small hands into his slightly bigger ones and pressed a kiss on it. Then one by one, his tears began to fall again.

Damian felt like crying himself as he couldn't imagine going through the same thing. He wouldn't know what to do or how he would handle if it were one of his sons laying on the bed with many wires connected to their small fragile bodies. He would die of heartache if that ever happens.

"I'll leave you two with your son. Doctor Hudson will join you in a minute. I'll be at the nurse station if you need something." And with that Kristian quietly left the room, closing the door behind him.

Damian noticed how the nurse practically addressed him as Sammy's other parent and he looks at the angel-like man's reaction to that but the latter didn't seem to have heard it nor have noticed the nurse leaving room. He was focused on his son.

Silence filled the room and Damian just stood there awkwardly as there aren't any extra chairs in the room while the angel-like man just watches his son sleep, his eyes filled with worry and fear.

Half an hour passed and Joshua hasn't come to the room yet. Nurse Kristian came back to check on them and told them that Doctor Hudson was just checking on another patient but promised to Check In on Sammy after he was done.

Damian's phone was barely alive so he tried to maintain the remaining power left because he still needed to check on his sons once every few minutes.

"Owen."

"What?"

Damian looks up from his phone with a frown of confusion on his face. That made the angel-like man to chuckle softly as his sad eyes met Damian's.

"My Name is Owen Hayes. Thought you should know." And the angel-like man, now known as Owen, already turned his attention back to his still sleeping son before Damian could open his mouth to respond.

He just stood there in slight shock as he didn't really expect that before a realization dawns unto him and a smile appears on his face.

Owen.

Finally, His Angel has a Name.