Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Alex Mercer was not having a good day. It was Friday and he has had a dreadful feeling in his gut all day. When he woke up this morning his parents refused to acknowledge him, and he has no idea why. His anxiety skyrocketed. When he got to school, he was hoping that seeing his friends and boyfriend would help him feel better, but that didn’t happen. Willie wasn’t in school today because he got sick skateboarding in the rain. He hasn’t even seen Reggie and when he tried to talk to Julie and Flynn, they ignored him in favor of trying to get some last-minute studying done. Luke waved but that was it. Alex’s anxiety and overthinking got worse and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet.
Alex made it to lunch! Luke and Reggie were at their normal table, but the girls were spending lunch in the library, according to Luke anyway. They have a huge history test today so they wanted to get in some extra studying in. Despite being with his brothers, his anxiety and dreadful feeling don’t go away. By the end of the day, Alex is a shaking mess but he makes it home. This is where shit gets… well shitty.
Calling out to his parents, Alex made his way through the family room to the kitchen. Stopping short in the doorway of the kitchen he finds his parents. His mother crying into her hands and his father red-faced and livid.
“What’s going on? Mom are you okay?” Alex asked making a move to his mother.
“DON’T COME ANY CLOSER” his father bellows. Alex is shocked and starts to get scared.
“Wh-what is going on?” Alex asks again, voice becoming shaky.
“You dare disgrace us?!” His father yells again, his mother choking out another sob. Afraid to move and talk but not knowing what is happening Alex tries to speak to his mother.
“M-mom?”
“Why? Why would you do this to us, Alexander?” His mother sniffs out as she holds up a small rainbow flag that Flynn had given Alex.
“What do you mean mom? I haven’t done anything,” Alex was terrified.
“DON’T YOU LIE TO US BOY!” Alex forgot his father was there. Jumping at his father’s shout Alex quickly turns to face his father.
“Well boy! Are you a fag?” His father spits as he grabs the front of Alex’s hoodie. Not being able to lie Alex mumbles out a yes.
“Speak up!”
“Yes! I’m Gay!” Alex all but shouts. His mother starts sobbing again. His father’s face goes purple. He throws Alex against the kitchen island. Alex hits his head.
“Get up! Get out! Don’t ever show your face here! I will not have a faggot son!” His father yells as he kicks Alex repeatedly. Alex staggers up and out the door. Alex makes it to the pier near Reggie’s house somehow. Alex sits down at the end of the pier and just…. Stares. His brain silent for once. He doesn’t know how long he’s been sitting there but the sun is setting now. Alex moves to stand but his brain is so fuzzy, and his vision is blurry. He misses and falls forward.

Chapter Text

An ear-piercing scream attracts the attention of many nearby. One of those attracted to the scream is a surfer. The surfer sees a young couple, the woman hysterical, the one who screamed, and the young man franticly trying to find a way to help. The surfer follows the gaze of the two to see a young man fully clothed, not moving, in the surf below the pier. The surfer races over as fast as they can. Getting to the body, the surfer recognizes the body as Alex Mercer a junior at their school. The surfer quickly gets Alex onto their board and brings him to shore. Keeping Alex on the board, the surfer starts CPR.

"Come on bubba, you ain't dying today!" the surfer grunts as they do chest compressions. The sound of sirens in the background getting louder. The paramedics and police finally arrive. Paramedics taking over the chest compressions, applying a spinal collar to Alex's neck, and getting a breathing bag going. The surfer steps back. The officer asks the surfer about what happened.

"I don't know much but I heard a scream from the pier and saw Alex in the water," The adrenalin is starting to wear off and the Surfer is starting to shake both with shock and cold.

"You said, Alex? You know him?" The officer asks.

"I don't know him, know him. He goes to my school, Los Feliz, as a junior. I don't even know his last name. Sorry," The surfer replies. One of the paramedics notices that the surfer is going into shock and their lips are turning blue. They provide the surfer with a thermal blanket and lead them to the ambulance. Alex is already in the ambulance, the surfboard still under him. Once the surfer is loaded into the ambulance, it leaves for the nearest hospital.

Alex wants to open his eyes but they just won't listen to him. He doesn't know where he is and that scares him. The rhythmic beeping suddenly starts to get faster. He really, really, really wants to open his eyes. He tries to clench his hands. He can't tell if his hands are doing what he wants. The beeping gets faster again.

Suddenly there are voices. 

"Hello Alex, can you hear me? My name is Dr. Keneth Mullins. You had an accident," The voice- the Doctor, says. He was in an accident? The beeping spikes again and he starts to breathe faster.

"It's okay Alex, you are okay. We need you to calm your breathing so we can take the breathing tube out-" He can feel someone grab his hand "- I want you to squeeze my hand once for yes and twice for no. Can you do that?" One squeeze. 

"Perfect, good job, now when I say so, I want you to cough as hard as you can okay?" One squeeze.

"You're doing great... Okay, now cough," and so Alex coughs. With the breathing tube now out Alex tries to speak. 

"Don't try to talk just yet. Your throat is going to be very sore for a bit. But we'll get you some paper and a pen," Dr. Mullins says as he helps Alex sit up. Alex goes to touch his eyes because they still won't open. Alex feels gauze over his eyes. He snaps his head to the side where he thinks the doctor is, heart rate spiking a bit in his panic. 

"You have a head injury, the gauze is there to keep the bandage in place. I can take it off in a minute," Dr. Mullins says as he does something with a machine if the typing like sounds are anything to go by at least. 

"Okay, I'm going to take the bandage off of your eyes now," Dr. Mullins says reaching over. Alex squeezes his eyes closed, afraid to open them as he feels the bandage come off. 

"Alex, you gotta breath hun," a new voice says. Alex scrunches his face and squeezes his eyes tighter. His hands are starting to shake. 

"I'm sorry for scaring you sweetie, My name is Nancy and I'm one of your nurses," the new voice, Nancy, says. Alex un-scrunches his face and takes a deep breath in. Alex breaths slowly for a few minutes before he slowly opens his eyes. Looking around, Alex sees machines hooked to him, an IV in his left hand. Nancy is in pink scrubs and is standing on his left. Dr. Mullins is a middle-aged man wearing green scrubs with a doctor's coat on. In the corner sitting by the window, there is a girl about his age, just silently staring at him. Alex moves to speak only to have a pain in his throat. He tilts his head to the right and scrunches his eyebrows in a questioning manner at the girl. 

"My name is Lenaya, I was the surfer that pulled you out of the water and started CPR. We go to the same school," The girl says in response to his silent question. Nodding, Alex then turns to the doctor. 

"Right, well, here is a pen and some paper. Now that you are awake I would like to run some tests to make sure your head is okay as well as your lungs. The police would also like to get your side of the story that resulted in this accident," Dr. Mullins pauses with a sigh, "we also called your parents," Alex freezes and a look of fear takes over his face, "unfortunately, that conversation didn't go very well and because you are still technically a minor we had to call social services. I'm so sorry son, but you're safe now," Dr. Mullins says with a gentle squeeze on Alex's right shoulder before he leaves the room. Nancy smiles sadly and informs Alex of the call button in case he needs anything and she too leaves. 

Turning back to Lenaya, Alex writes 'what happened?' 

"You were sitting at the end of the pier by the bike shop and you fell into the surf. Someone on the pier saw you fall and screamed. I was the closest surfer so I swam over to you and got you onto my board. I recognized you and started doing CPR once we got to shore. Someone called 911 so the paramedics got there pretty quick. I didn't want to leave you in case you woke up but then your parents refused to come so I called my gramps, He and I have been taking turns staying with you," Lenaya says moving the chair closer to the bed. 

'thank you. what day is it?' Alex writes

"It's Sunday. The incident happened Friday evening." 

Alex jumps in shock at that. 

"Gramps is a certified foster parent, he's talking with the social worker right now. If it's okay with you and the social worker, Gramps and I would love to take you in. This way you won't have to leave Los Feliz and you won't get sent to live with some strangers," Lenaya says, while she looks down at her hands. 

"I know how close you are with your friends," she says at the sight of Alex's shocked and questioning face. 

Alex nods slowly, tears starting to form in his eyes. 

"Thank you" Alex whispers softly taking Lenaya's hand, tears rolling down his cheeks. 

Chapter Text

Willie is the laid-back one...

Willie is the go-with-the-flow one...

Willie is... panicking something mighty right now. Willie hasn't seen his boyfriend Alex since Thursday at school before he went skateboarding in the rain. He hasn't talked to Alex since Friday at about 2:30 before Alex left school. No matter how many times Willie calls or texts, Alex doesn't answer. Willie asked their other friends if they have seen or heard from the blonde, they haven't. If it were up to Willie, Luke, and Reggie, they would have gone to the police Saturday morning, but Julie, ever the level-headed one, convinced them to wait until after school on Monday just in case. 

So here Willie is, at the school Monday morning at 6 in the fucking morning waiting for his lov- boyfriend. Waiting for his boyfriend. The doors to school don't open for the students until 7:30 but Willie is too anxious to not have gotten there early. He doesn't want to miss Alex. Willie paces in front of the doors.

Students start arriving around 7:20. They ignore Willie, too tired to care or notice. 

Reggie is the next to arrive at 7:25. One look at Willie and Reggie can tell that Alex is still MIA. 

Luke is next at 7:30. Luke moves Willie away from the front doors so the other students can go inside. Reggie moves with them. The worry and nervous energy make the three boys restless. The girls arrive at 7:45, the boys look at them hopefully, hoping they have heard from their blonde. The girls shake their heads no. 

"I'm sure he's fine, Classes don't start until 8. There is still time for him to get here," Julie is the first to speak. 

The five continue to wait outside. 

By 7:55 the girls have convinced the boys that at the very least, should wait inside, knowing that convincing the boys to attend class would be useless. 

Lenaya doesn't arrive at school until 10, having promised Alex that she will talk to his friends and inform the principle what has happened. With all of the proper paperwork for Alex's guardianship change, doctor's note, and police report, she heads straight to the front office. 

"Excuse me? I need to speak with Principal Lessa," 

The front office worker looked up at Lenaya's voice. 

"Reason?" 

"None of your business, you aren't Principal Lessa" 

"Without a reason, you can't meet with the principal," the office worker said with narrowing eyes. Narrowing her eyes right back Lenaya snarls. 

"I don't give a flying rats ass about you or your shit. I need to speak with Principal Lessa about something important and sensitive and none of your business," Lenaya's voice starts getting loud at the end. Loud enough for Principal Lessa to come out of her office. 

"What is going on?" Principal Lessa demands.

"I need to speak with you," Lenaya replies before the office worker can, "it's important and only for certain ears," Lenaya finishes with a glare at the office worker. 

With a heaving sigh, Principal Lessa gestures for Lenaya to follow her into her office. 

It's almost 11 and the boys were forced to go to class after getting caught by a teacher after the last warning bell for the first period. None of them were paying attention, The girls tried but they are too worried, and the boys didn't even try. 

"Can Willie Convington, Luke Patterson, Reggie Peters, Julie Molina, and Flynn Ryder please come to my office," the intercom sounds with Principal Lessa's voice. The group, each in their own classes, jump up, gather their things, and head out, barely waiting for their teachers to give them their hall passes. All arriving at the front office out of breath from running from their classes, they all but run into the Principals office. They see a girl sitting there, recognizing her as a senior, and a grim look on Principal Lessa's face. 

"What-" Luke starts but is too anxious to finish. They know, in their guts, this is about Alex. 

"I'm sorry you five, there has been an accident. Your friend Alex is currently in the hospital-" Julie and Flynn choke out sobs while Willie drops to the floor. Reggie stands frozen while silently crying. Luke is shaking. The principal continues, "Alex will be okay but has to stay at the hospital for a few more days. I understand this is upsetting and that you five are very close with Alex," The principal gestures to Lenaya, "This is Lenaya, she is a senior here and was the one to find Alex after his accident. I normally wouldn't do this but I think it would be best for you to go see him. Lenaya agreed to take you five and I'm giving you all excused absences for the rest of the day, I'll inform your teachers," Principal Lessa finishes. 

Lenaya leads the five to her grandpa's van she borrowed. They all get in without a word, Lenaya behind the wheel, Willie in the passenger seat, Julie and Flynn in the middle row of seats, and Luke and Reggie in the back. 

Starting the van Lenaya finally talks. 

"Alex is okay, Hurt but okay," She pulls out of the parking spot. 

"What- What happened?" Willie finally finds his voice. 

"On Friday evening Alex was sitting at the end of the pier near the bike shop. When he tried to stand up he ended up falling off the pier and into the surf. Someone on the pier screamed alerting me. I was surfing at the time and was the closest. When I got to him I recognized him and got him to shore. I started CPR. Paramedics got there fast. Turns out he had a head injury. At the time we didn't know how he got the injury but the doctors at the hospital were able to tell that it wasn't from the fall. The police were able to figure out his last name and the doctors called his parents... they-" Lenaya chokes out a sob "they told the doctor to let him die. That he was no son of theirs. After that, the doctors called social services. I called my grandpa, he's a certified foster parent. Alex woke up on Sunday and was able to tell the police what happened. My grandpa and I were in the room with him. Turns out his parents found out he was gay and his dad hit him and caused him to bash his head on the kitchen counter before kicking him out. He somehow made it to the pier and when he noticed the sun going down he tried to stand up but got dizzy and fell in, falling unconscious on the way down. Alex asked me to talk to you guys to let you know what happened but I had to talk to Principal Lessa first, to let her know what happened and to give her the information for Alex's new guardianship. I didn't expect her to call you all to her office or let us all leave before the end of school," Lenaya glances at her passengers. All of them were crying, Luke looked ready to murder, Reggie, Julie, and Flynn were crying so hard they were shaking and Willie, Willie was just as, if not more murderous looking than Luke. Lenaya pulls into the hospital parking lot, "I know you are all upset but Alex needs you first, he needs you to be calm, not angry. The police are already working on getting a warrant for his parent's arrest. And remember this is a hospital, you need to be quiet and be gentle when you see Alex," Lenaya turns and looks each of the five in their eyes. "Okay?" Getting various okays and nods in reply, Lenaya gets out of the now parked car.

"Let's go see your boy"