Linkin absolutely hated it, behing at the hospital felt like he had done something wrong.

Every time a doctor got too close to seeing old scars or tried to examine other areas he blatantly refused. He only let them check the cut on his face and the bruises he had gotten from the fight.

Ryan true to his word stayed with Link for the whole ambulance ride. They talked and he learnt that Ryan was in the Army as soon as he turned 18, that he liked to play guitar and that Ryan was a pretty funny guy. When they got to the Hospital he stayed for the the examination.

When decided to hold Linkin and gave him a room for overnight observation, Ryan had to leave and get back to work.

Linkin was by himself. It had been a while since I was completely on my own and he didn't really like it that much. All the beeping and the smeel of old people and steriliser, not to mention the whole placejust made him feel off. It took him a while but he eventually went to sleep. But all Linkin saw in his dreams was Tanner get mudered on repeat. He didn't wake up until the next morning to a knock on my rooms door.

"How are you?" Ryan's voice trailed walking in as Linkin opened his eyes.

"I'm in a hospital." He moaned. "How dose it look like I am." He sassed tieredly. He fully opened his eyes and realised Ryan was still in his uniform. "Did you only just finish work?"

"Yep." The man saod with a soft smile.

"Then what are you doing here? You should be at home and sleeping." Linkin said confused.

"I was just on ym home and thought I'd drop in." He said.

"Oh." Linkin spoke suprised. "Well thanks." He added with a small smile.

"Hey Link. I'm sorry I didn't stop by last night, I didn't even know you were in the hos-" Bonnie froz her rambling as she saw the firman standing in her firends room. "Hi." She said dreamily making the man chuckle.

Linkin cleared my throat snapping Bonnie out of her state. "Sorry, I didn't know someone else was in here." She said immediatly on guard incase it was someone from Linkins family.

"Oh,no no no. Your fine, I was just heading out." Ryan said befor turning to Linkin. "Do you still have my number?" He asked the boy in the bed making Bonnie go wide eyed.

"Yair I do." Linkin said fighting back a blush as the tall man gave him a warm and reassuring smile.

"Good. Remeber you can call me whenever and I'll listen if you need me." He said not moving until Linkin nodded reassuring the man he would. "Okay then. I'm gonna head out." He said turning. Nice meeting you Bonnie." He said in farewell to the Bennett girl qho watched as the man left. She may or may not have been staring at the mans behind.

"Whay was that?" She asked teasingly with a big grin in her face.

"Nothing." Linkin immediatly said defensively.

"Really?" Shw asked still grinning madly.

"Yes." The boy replied as emotionless as possible.

"Then why are you blushing." She said.

"What?" Linkin squealed in immediate panic making his best friend laugh.

"Bonnie Bennett!" He yelled acusingly making her laugh more. He just glaired at her until he started laughing too.

The Bennett girl had finally pulled herself together and went over and gave her friend a hug. "He's really hot though." She said.

"He really is." He admitted and Bonnie rolled her eyes playfully. "You realise hes to old for you right?" She said.

"He's only 24." Link said dismissively. "Besides, with my lifestyle I dought I could have a relationship." He added and Bonnie's smile dropped.

"You shouldn't be thinking like that." She scolded him.

"But am I wrong." He said with a half smile.

...

Bonnie had left when a doctor came in for another check up.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Fell." She introduced looking over a check board in her hands. "The nuser said that your cut will be fine an heal in a couple of days. He did however ask me to check the other apparent scars and bruises you refused to be examined." She said looking up from her board meeting Linkin wide eyes.

"Ah yair no thanks. I'm fine and can be discharged." Linkin said immediately.

"I can't let you leave witho-"

"I said no."

The woman took a long breath before she put the board down stepping closer. "How's your home life?" She asked suddenly.

"Why?" He asked asked.

"It was just a question." She said kindly with a smile.

"Its okay." Linkin said plainly.

"Hows your father?" She asked an he couldn't stop himself from slightly flinching. Doctor Fell semmee to get her unasked question and Linkin realised what she was doing.

"If you were trying to subtly look for signs of domestic abuse, your barking up the wrong tree." He told her with a hard glair. "Now, I'm going to go home." He added sternly before getting off his bed grabbing his stuff and walked right out.

Linkin took in a deep breath of fresh air as he passed the front doors. He has also realised no one was there to pick him up. "Shit." Not wanting to get dragged back in by the doctor he started walking.

It was nearly nightfall when he heard the honking of a car behind him on the road. Linkin turned to see a very familiar baby blue 1969 Chevy Camaro convertible. What mad ematters even worse is the driver. "Heya kiddo." The ass cood with a slight wave and overly charming grin. "You look like you could use a ride."

"Go jump off a cliff Damon." Linkin huffed befor walking again.

Said vampire just rolled his eyes driving along side him keeping up with the humans slow pace. "Look kid, I'm just trying to offer you a ride. I'm behing friendly." The blue eyed vamp exclaimed to which Linkin gave him a deadpanned look. "Agh, fine!" Damon groaned dramatically. "I ha e anterior motives." Linkin faced the vampire who showed his blood shot eyes and sharp fangs in a show of warning while stopping the car.

Blood sucking bitch. Link mentally huffed getting into the car but not without slamming the door.

"Dick move." Damon scoffed. Before pressing on the accelerator sending them off.

"What do you want?" Linkin asked not in the mood for the mans games.

"Aww well, you see." He began an the Lockwood couldn't help the eye roll. "I just moved into town. Find out my brother is here and not suffering like I promised he would. Also ironically find a Katherine look alike that Stefan is with and ontop of that I seem to have this very annoying little witch problem." He finished through gritted teeth glacing at Linkin when he finished.

"Maby if you stopped trying to hurt people said witch wouldn't be interfering so much." Link fired back staring out into the world infront of him through the windscreen.

"Well if people stopped taking what is mine then maby I would." Damon replied in moch thoughtfulness just as quick.

"And what have me and my friends taken from you?" Link shot back at the man looking at him like he was an idiot.

"Well.... The... You." Damon tried.

"You were saying." Linkin exclaimed.

"Shut it twinky." The Vampire growled.

"Bite me."

Damon turned to look at the boy gazing up an down. Linkin watched as his eyes turned blood red and black veins budged under them, popping out his fangs.

"Rember what happened last time you tried that." Linkin reminded the man.

"Touche." Damon said letting his face turn normal.

The sound of the engine filled the as the ywo fell into a silence. Not a few minutes later they rounded a corner and were turning down the Lockwood estate driveway. Linkin couldn't help the look of disdain from showing down the cement road. Everywhere he looked all he could seem to see, even at night was the places he had been beaton by his father or bullied by his brother. He hated it, all of it. He hated his father and Carol, even Tyler.

"Not a fan of the old homestead?" Damon asked seeing the look on his passengers face.

Linkin just huffed not answering the vampire who just rolled his eyes in response.

The house quickly came into view and Damon followed the driveway around the fountain stopping infront of the stone steps leading to the large oakwood doors.

Linkin got out of the car without a word. "Your welcome." Damon grumbled before speeding off.

Linkin had rung the door bell by the time Damon left from view. A angry looking Richard Lockwood opened the door, only his scowl deepened seeing his son. "Where have you been?" The man growled gritting his teeth.

"I was at the hospital." Linkin said looking confused. Did he seriously not know?

"Don't lie to me." He hissed. Richard quickly glanced over his sons shoulder looking for anyone who might be present. At seeing no one he swiftly gripped Linkins ear dragging the boy inside and slamming the door behind them.

"I'm not lying!" Link squealed grabbing his glasses off his face and pocketing them. He couldn't loose another pair.

"What have I said about talking back!" His father yelled at him letting go Linkins ear. Said boy turned to look at his father only to get a foot to his chest making him drop to the floor. The wind was knocked out of him and everything went fuzy for a moment when the back of his head hit the floor.

"Stop.. please." Linkin wezzed as tears sprung in his eyes.

His father just scoffed as he looked down at him. Richard reached down and lifted his son up by the back of his collar choking him as he dragging him down the hall.

Linkin grabbed the inside of his colalr trying to breath, he felt his legs flail about uslesly behind him nit able to get to his feet. "I'm sorry." Linkin croaked as his face turned bright red.

His father stopped dragging him and instead hoisted him up before slamming him against the wall knocking stuff of a side table. "Whay did you say." Richard spat into hsi sons face. The veins bulging out of his neck in rage.

Linkin quickly caught a breath. "I'm sorry." He shuddered before he started to sob.

Richard just started laughing in hia sons face. "You think I care what your feel." He barked out laughing until his expression turned cold. "As far as im concerned, your a pathetic waste of space that shouldn't of been born." He growld before letting Link go.

Linkin just stood in his spot shaking from fear. Richard just scoffed tieredly before walking off. Link stood there until he just started sliding down the wall. He brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as he cried into his knees. He didn't even know how long he had sat there for until the sound of heels echoed down the hall coming to a stop infront of him.

He didn't need to see who it was to know who it was. "Pathetic." Teh woamn 'tsk'd before her heels clacked down the rest off the hall. After a few more minutes Linkin wiped his tears and slowly got to his feet. He took in some depe shaky breaths befor making his way to his room.

Hello readers 👋.

I haven't posted in a bit and this is kinda a filler chapter. But the next one is founders day and maby some more.

Any potential ships?

I also plan on letting Link have some much needed growth in the next few chapters.

Anyone got any plot ideas or theory's they wanna throw out there?

Sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. I'm an amateur and by no means a professional writer lol.

If you liked this story and chapter don't forget to hit the vote button at the bottom left of your screen.

Okay, chow guys and see ya soon.