Luna was scared. Earth had just coughed up blood, and Dante and his Mom were in the tent, and she didn’t know what to do. His brother seemed to be dying, and he was just sitting here, crying…
“Oh my God…” Muttered the adult behind him, who quickly rushed over to the sickly child, “We — we need to get them to the hospital!” She said, worry evident in her tone.
“You can’t,” Terra hastily intervened between coughs, “If you do they’ll separate us! Put us in the system as wards of the state, and we won’t stay together!”
“Earth…” the humanoid satellite started, tears falling down into her lap, “You need to go…”
“But —”
“NO! No ‘but’s! You need help!!” Luna shouted, “You just coughed up blood!”
“Luna, I…” The planet started, trailing off.
“Terra, please.” Luna sighed, grabbing her brother's hands in hers, “Please go to the hospital. I — I can't lose you!”
“I — I’m sorry..” Earth mumbled feverishly before passing out, scaring his brother.
“EARTH! Wake up!” Luna cried, “Please.. This isn’t funny!” Desperate, he turned to the adult in the tent, “Please help him! I don’t know what to do..”
“Okay. Okay, first I need to get him to the car..” she shifted slightly and moved to pick the ill child before pausing and turning to Luna, “Am I okay to pick him up?”
“Y— yes.. Just please help him.” Luna sniffled, standing up to give the adult space. Silently, she pulled Dante to her side so his mother could pick Earth up.
“Alright,” the mother said, picking up the sickly child, blanket, and all, “If there’s anything you need, grab it quickly! We need to get him to the hospital fast!” she told the children.
Luna nodded as she watched the woman run out of the tent, turning to the young child next to her. She sighed. Dante was crying, and so was Luna. She shook her head, focusing on the task at hand, and quickly stuffed the small pile of clothes into the bag, which was already teeming with food. After which, she slid the satchel across her body and grabbed Dante’s hand, running out to the car. It took her less than five minutes to do so, but those five minutes felt like an eternity, and her worry making time seemed so slow and drawn out.
“Come on, hop in! Quickly now!” Dante’s mother said as she herded the two children into the back of the car where Earth already sat. She got them situated — Luna was buckled into the middle seat and Dante in his car seat — and she hurriedly got into the driver's seat. She started the car, and Luna turned to her brother.
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Nothing felt real. It was all just too much. Earth was very ill — he coughed up blood for sol’s sake. Would he be okay? He’s not going to die, is he? He can’t die. He’s all she has. Earth promised to stay with her! He promised!
Luna was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a small finger poke his shoulder. It was Dante. “Hm?” Luna hummed, looking up. There, he spotted Dante’s mother unhooking him. “Oh..” he muttered as he unbuckled himself. She and Dante got out of the cars as his mother went to get Earth.
“Can you go get a wheelchair, please?” The mother started, “I don’t want to jostle him too much.”
Without saying a word, Luna ran into the ER entrance and grabbed a wheelchair, quickly bringing it down to the car. “Here you go, Ma’am.”
“Thank you,” she gave a small, reassuring smile to the child as she set his brother into the wheelchair, “Let’s get him inside. Dante, make sure you and your friend stay close, okay?”
The little boy responded with a nod as he grabbed Luna’s hand. Nervously, Luna squeezed his hand for reassurance. He knew what a hospital was, and he knew that the people here would help his brother, but he also knew that they might get separated. He doesn’t want to lose Earth, not now, not ever.
“Alright, then,” the woman started, “let’s go.”
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When they entered the waiting room, Earth was immediately rushed back. It made sense, reasoned Luna, after all, they were the only ones there, and his brother had blood dripping from his mouth. They tried to follow the nurse back, but only Dante’s mother was permitted to go to the back room. He thinks it’s because she’s an adult — even though Luna is much older than her, this earthling body of his looks young. It had been hours, and there’s been not a sign of Earth or Dante’s mother or even another patient.
A while ago, Dante had ended up crying himself to sleep on Luna's shoulder, which had rendered her unable to move. She was stuck there in her thoughts, worrying about her brother. Just then, two men in suits walked into the lobby, drawing the attention of the lobby nurse.
“Excuse me,” one of the men started, “we are with Child Protective Services.”
Luna felt his heart drop.
“Oh!” the nurse exclaimed, “I will page Mrs. Solar right away, sir! One of the children is currently being treated, but the other one is over in the children's waiting area if you want to talk to them.”
“Thank you,” the second man nodded, walking over to where Luna and Dante were sitting.
No. No, no, no, no, no! They’re going to take him away from Earth!
“Hey buddy,” Luna's head snapped up to the man in front of him, “We’re here to get a few things sorted out, okay?” he spoke softly, but Luna didn’t trust him one bit; he glared at the man, refusing to say anything.
For a short while, the man and Luna just sat there in awkward silence until Dante’s mom came running through the doors, panting just slightly. “I apologize for taking so long,” she started, “I was making sure the other would be okay.”
“It’s alright ma’am,” the man said as he stood up and turned to shake her hand, “we understand that this is a stressful situation for everyone involved.”
The other CPS man approached with a briefcase, “We looked through your file, Mrs. Solar: Your foster license is still clear,” he started, “however with your husband's job and the circumstances, there’s a lot of paperwork to be done. Are you sure you still want to do this?”
“Of course I am. But first,” she started before turning to Luna and Dante, “I need to make sure it’s okay with them.”
“Of course,” one man agreed, “it’s their choice as well.”
With a slight smile, Mrs. Solar came and knelt down in front of Luna, much like the man did before, “You and your sibling want to stay together, correct?” she asked as she took his hands in hers.
He nods.
“Well, what if I told you that I can make it happen?”
YOU ARE READING
Solarchanged
FanfictionEarth's not sure how they got here. One moment, he and Luna were in their orbit, and the next, they were on his own surface. He doesn't know where the others are, but he's sure they aren't looking. He was a jerk, after all. Or maybe they think he's...
