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Leonardo woke up with a significant ache in his back.

It had been two days, and he was still experiencing the constant sensation of pain spreading across his back.

"At least you didn't break anything," Marco positively continued as he stepped away from the windowsill to face him. Leonardo groaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up on the bed.

"When's the doctor coming? I want to be discharged home."

"I'm not sure that's something you can decide for yourself," Marco slowly replied, although he knew whatever the Don says goes. Leonardo shot him a small glare.
"I'm fine," he responded confidently before wincing as he held onto his shoulder, the stinging pain returning. He refused to keep his arm in a sling like the doctor had recommended.

They were in their private hospital. It looked like a home, and that was the main idea of it: a hospital bed designed to be a normal bed and a spacious room that was neutral-themed to relieve one's mind. It was comfortable for sure, and away from anything and anyone. Secluded and peaceful. But nonetheless, nothing beat home, and it had been a little while since Leonardo had seen Amalia. He had been avoiding his mother's calls, knowing that she was worried and that he hadn't seen his daughter. There was a lot Leonardo still needed to sort.

Marco chuckled. "You know, it was kind of cool seeing you fall out the window like that." Leonardo glanced up at Marco, holding onto his shoulder as he winced again, sharply hissing. Despite the pain, he still wanted to go home. Marco shook his head in admiration as he exhaled, a grin on his playful face. "I mean, you were like a hero or something, flying out just before the explosion hit. A second later and you'd
be—" Marco shook his head again, sighing. "I really have a cool boss."

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "Get a girlfriend, Marco. You're clearly too single to be thinking so stupidly." Marco laughed, leaning back on the wall.

As strange as it sounded, it was the first time Leonardo actually sounded like himself. Since the fire, he had hardly spoken, reserved and distant. Leonardo may have passed out, but he woke up sooner than Maria did. He saw it all, the moment she was taken from his arms and transported to the hospital, the commotion, the noise, the overwhelming emotions hitting him. It took a toll on him.

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed, glancing at the clock. It was already midday. "Ria," Leonardo suddenly said, the atmosphere of the room suddenly lowering. He swallowed, thinking about her. "She's been passed out for two days." Leonardo was worried sick; he hadn't heard much on Maria other than she was stable but unconscious. She needed the rest, but he was concerned. How would she wake up? How bad was her trauma? Leonardo never wanted Maria to experience PTSD, but he worried that she would, just like him. Her mental state was his greatest concern.

"She'll be so sad," Leonardo quietly murmured, looking out the window by Marco. Marco stood straighter, his eyes filled with sympathy as he could tell how distressed Leonardo was inside. Leonardo lightly scoffed, sighing. "The last person she'd want to see is me."

"I disagree." The two men's heads snapped towards the direction of the door. Iris stood with her eyes cast towards Leonardo. His wide eyes looked at her in surprise.

"She's awake," Iris informed him, lighting up Leonardo's face. He blinked a few times as he began to fear even seeing Maria. His teeth began to gnaw on his bottom lip as his heart rate quickened. The anxiety ate at him at the thought of her condition. "And you know what the first thing was that she said?" Iris questioned.

"'Leonardo.'." Iris held a soft look in her eyes, slowly exhaling.

"H-How is she?" Leonardo asked her hesitatingly. He pushed the sheet away and sat on the edge of the bed, thinking about the last time he saw Maria. Her rough condition had struck an arrow into his heart.

Iris simply smiled, her arms wrapping around her, holding onto her oversized sweater. "Wanting to see you."

"Does she remember...?" Leonardo asked, the fewer memories Maria had about the fire, the better. He didn't want it to torment her.

"See for yourself," Iris gently replied, "I thought I'd best tell you instead of the doctor that she's awake. We're talking; she's talking. How about you freshen up and then come in?" Iris' smile extended slightly. "I'm sure you guys have a lot to talk about, so get some lunch down you too."


Maria's room was only a few rooms away.

She was staring at herself in the handheld mirror that was on her bedside table. A small sigh left her as she gazed at her face. The bruises had definitely lightened up, but it was the first time Maria had seen herself for a while. It was almost horrifying to see how she looked: prominent bags under her eyes, dark bruises that were starting to fade on patches across her face. She hated it. She hated how weak and sick she looked.

Maria placed the mirror down, focusing on what the doctor was saying. "—And then we'll take things from there, but don't move too much. You broke your ribs after all, amongst other injuries." Maria's arm was in a sling too. Her whole body had been battered and bruised; she felt so heavy and unable to move. It was only the strong medication she had been given that was keeping her from crying out in pain. It suppressed the majority of the pain she had endured.

"And what about my leg?" Maria asked. She cleared her throat and winced. It was the worst soreness ever, a scratchy and burning feeling in her throat. Her voice was practically gone, hoarse and quiet. It hurt to speak for a long time. She glanced down at her legs, covered by the white sheet. Maria couldn't feel a thing; she was told it was because of the medication.

The doctor seemingly gulped, losing eye contact with her as she turned her head to the side slightly, her grey eyes intently staring back at him. "We're just waiting on some results... We can discuss your leg a little later, if that's okay." Maria slowly nodded, rubbing her arm. She didn't feel any pain, so it didn't bother her as much in that moment.

Iris knocked on the door despite it being open. Maria smiled, her whole face brightening at the sight of her again, as the doctor excused himself and left.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," Maria managed to say, coughing. Maria had already expressed her gratefulness to Iris but couldn't stop the gratitude in her heart for her best friend. She groaned lightly, her hand on her chest as her head began to spin again. Even coughing hurt her throat. She sighed, resting her head backwards on the bed.

Iris walked in and sat on the edge, gently holding Maria's hand. It wasn't easy seeing Maria in that condition. The moment Maria noticed the tears welling up in Iris' eyes, she chuckled, squeezing her hand. "Hey...I'm okay, really." Iris covered her face with her other hand, beginning to cry again.

"No, you're not," Iris wept, her hand shaking. "You're pretending to be strong so you don't upset me." Maria swallowed, blinking rapidly as she felt her heart beginning to hammer in her chest again. She looked down, trying to ignore the haunting memories of her captivity in her mind. Iris wiped her red face, her teary eyes gazing up at Maria.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Ria. I don't know what I would've done if—" she stopped, unable to make herself any more upset. Iris fanned her face with her hand, trying not to cry. Maria warmly smiled, blinking back the tears beginning to sting in her own eyes. "Thank you for being my best friend," Maria whispered, a reminder of Camille entered her mind. "For loving me, for looking out for me. For genuinely caring for me. I really appreciate you, Iris."

The waterworks started again for Iris as she burst into tears once more. Maria chuckled again, bringing Iris in for a hug with one arm. Iris buried her face into Maria's shoulder, holding onto her tight as she sobbed. "I love you too, you crazy chick! I'm so happy you're okay!" Iris pulled away as Maria smiled, wiping the stray tears running down her cheeks. "It'll be hard for a while, Ria," Iris gently croaked out, sniffling. Her eyes met Maria's. "It'll be difficult trying to move on and deal with the trauma."

"But Ria, it's okay," Iris's eyes reassured her. "Talk when you feel upset, when you just want a conversation, when you have a lot on your mind. And cry when you need to." Iris chuckled, wiping her wet eyes again. "Cry when you're angry at the world; cry when you need a shoulder. You're strong," Iris smiled. "I know that. You'll pretend that you're fine for the sake of other people. Don't, Ria."

"Don't bottle it all in," Iris smiled kindly. She deeply inhaled, finally able to stop crying. "I'll be with you every step of the way." Maria nodded, biting her bottom lip and pulling Iris in for another hug, holding in her tears.

"Thank you, Iris," Maria genuinely emphasised, feeling at peace. "Thank you."

Iris pulled back and brightly smiled. "I am not going to tell you anything about Dream or work, the performance—nothing just yet!" Maria lightly chuckled, followed by a cough. She did want to ask Iris about work but knew there was no way of getting any information out of her after saying that. She accepted it; maybe she did need a little break from work.

"I want you to focus on recovering first. I've got it all handled." Maria nodded, feeling reassured. She exhaled and smiled in agreement. Maria knew that she could rely on Iris.

"Just..." Maria hesitated as her eyebrows narrowed. Her eyes flicked upwards to Iris', "I don't want Luna here."

Iris frowned, blinking rapidly in confusion. "You don't? Luna has been wanting to come all this time. Why, Ria?" She gently asked, concerned. Maria looked down for a moment before meeting Iris' eyes.

"I don't want Luna to see me like this."

Iris parted her lips to most likely reassure Maria, but Maria had made up her mind. She shook her head and explained, "She can see me when I'm discharged and at least have some bruises off my face." She more quietly added as she looked down, "It would break Luna's heart even more. Please just tell her I'm alright and I'll see her soon."

Nodding, Iris respected her wishes. "I understand." Iris stood, surprising Maria. Her eyes followed as Iris brushed down her leggings.

"Where are you going?"

Iris smiled, eagerly looking back at her. "The person you want to see should be on their way soon." Maria's eyes expanded in surprise. She could only think of one person Iris was referring to.

"He's here?" Maria hoarsely asked, her pulse racing. "He... He actually wants to see me?" Iris narrowed her eyebrows at her.

"Maria, you are seriously underestimating this guy's love for you." Maria looked up at her in confusion.

She couldn't see why. She deeply frowned. "But he wouldn't. The last time I saw him..." She could feel her heart sink again, the reminder of the pain she felt when he found out the truth. Maria could never free herself from that guilt.

"He saved you, Ria," Iris could only say, a warm smile on her face. "That's a good enough signal in itself." Iris approached the door, and Maria blinked a few times, trying to reprogram her mind. Leonardo was looking for her the whole time; he still fought to save her despite their decision for a break. She could remember it, the feeling of his large arms around her as they fell in the air, the loving protection over her.

Leonardo had saved Maria's life. Though she couldn't exactly remember everything during the fire, that fact was true.

Pieces of that night were beginning to fill Maria's mind after Iris left. She closed her eyes as she buried her head in her hand. Maria's heart ached inside from her agony as she began to remember it all. All she had endured, all Leonardo had done for her. It was finally forming a picture in her mind.

Then a soft but decipherable knock made her lift her head. Maria bit her bottom lip hard again, her heart beating faster and faster as she realised it must be him. She sharply inhaled, blinking as she tried to contain the tears that were already threatening to spill out. She'd have to face him again.

"C-Come in..." She managed to croak out. Seconds later, the door slowly opened and a pair of long legs began to enter. Iris slipped out of the room to allow the two of them to finally reunite alone. Maria's eyes slowly lifted up the tall frame and met a familiar, comforting pair of hazel eyes.

His soft lips separated, a shocked and emotional look on his face. Leonardo's eyes ran down Maria. He hadn't seen her since the fire. Her marks were already beginning to get better. Her condition had improved; Maria finally had some of her colour back to her face. Her grey eyes seemed to have some vitality in them. She gazed at him through her wet lashes, swallowing roughly.

She sniffed, trying her best to not cry. He was there, standing right before her. The man that she deeply loved was there. It was a healing moment to simply look upon him. Maria had felt so relieved and safe in his presence. All she wanted was him.

It broke his heart, seeing Maria like that in a hospital bed. She shouldn't have been there; he should've protected her. If Leonardo had, Maria wouldn't be in that predicament. He was in immense guilt. Leonardo felt as though he didn't even have a right to speak to her, filled with remorse.

"H—" Maria's greeting was halted the moment the door shut and Leonardo fell to his knees.

Her wide eyes stared down in complete shock at his sudden action.

Leonardo looked down, swallowing down the lump in his throat as he tried not to cry. He kept his hands together, battling down his emotions as he tried to speak. "I—" he stopped, trying to compose himself as he was already starting to show his anguish through his voice. "Maria, I—"

"If you dare try to apologise," Maria interrupted in her hoarse voice, a stern and authoritative tone to her quiet words. Leonardo's head snapped upwards, staring at her in confusion and guilt. She looked away, fighting back the tears.

"Leo..." Maria croaked, momentarily closing her eyes. "Please just..."

"Ria, it's my fault—"

"How is it your fault?" Maria snapped as her eyebrows narrowed; her throat burned as she spoke. "How is it your fault, Leonardo?" She repeated strongly, holding in a cough.

"I didn't protect you. I said I would protect you." His voice was filled with regret. He closed his eyes as the tears spilt out, lowering his head away from her. His bottom lip quivered while the tears streamed down his face quickly.

"You saved me!" Maria reminded him, her hoarse voice filled with desperation. She sniffed as a single hot tear rolled down her cheek. Her arms extended out as she gazed at him. Maria sincerely missed Leonardo. "I don't care about anything else—you saved me!"

"Now come here and hug me," Maria whispered in a commanding yet soft tone.

The second Leonardo's arms wrapped around her, Maria couldn't hold in her tears any longer. Her head buried into his neck as she sobbed. She cried harder than she had ever cried for Leonardo; her whole heart poured out right there for him. She missed him; she longed for him. She was grateful, content and relieved being with him. Leonardo was her safe place, her refuge. Her hands clutched onto him tightly as she cried, her whole body shaking with pain.

Leonardo's arms never wanted to let go. He held onto her with love, the tears running down his cheeks as he silently cried. His head pressed against hers. He placed a kiss on her temple, his hand holding her head at the back as he held her to him. She was alive, she was safe, and she was right there in his arms. Leonardo had never been more relieved. He was vulnerable before her, crying in a mix of emotions. Nothing else mattered in that moment. They were alive, and they were together.

They stayed like that longer than expected. Leonardo wiped his face, pulled away slightly, and gazed into her tear-filled eyes. She softly whimpered, unable to contain her emotions. The his hand ever so gently wiped her cheeks, Leonardo softly pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear, their eyes never leaving each other's. The feeling of love between them was immense, Leonardo never wanted Maria to ever leave his sight again.

Her hand slowly reached out to his arm. She gently pulled up his sleeve and let out a shaky breath of sadness, hiccuping on a sob. The scars were worse and not only that, she could see a new bandage around his arm, a plaster coming from the back of his shoulder blade to his neck. Her eyes moved down to his hands. One had a bandage wrapped around it. She softly held them, and he watched as she turned them over to his palms, her heart dropping at the sight.

She sniffed, holding in a sob as her throat tightened. "Y-You..." She couldn't say it. Maria's eyes welled up with tears again as she met his eyes again. "You got hurt,
Leo...because of me, you have more scars. You went into your worst fear—the fire—it burned you, didn't it?"

Leonardo deeply inhaled, and she shut her eyes, her face crumpling again as the tears took over. She cried in remorse before him, the guilt eating away at her. "You must have been so scared. You already have so many. I'm sorry, all I ever do is hurt you, Leo. I'm sorry—"

"Ria, if I was burnt from head to toe and you were alive, I wouldn't care about myself," Leonardo told her, his voice filled with sincerity. He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes, an assured look on his face. "I would do it again and again to save you. Don't blame yourself, Ria. That's the last thing I want you to do."

Maria wiped her eyes, gazing into Leonardo's eyes. It had been a long journey without him. His hands reached out and softly cupped her face, his thumb caressing her skin delicately. "I'm so glad you're here, Maria. If—" he couldn't finish, not even wanting to imagine what could've happened.

He focused on her. "You saved me first," Leonardo smiled, his hazel eyes sparkling under the sun as he remembered their first encounter. "So I will always protect you."

Maria held a small smile on her face. She wiped her eyes and deeply inhaled. Her eyes uncontrollably dropped down to his lips and their faces drew nearer, lips almost touching until there was a knock on the door.

Leonardo let go, sitting up on the edge of her bed as Maria called for the person to come in. He quickly wiped his face and cleared his throat. They glanced at each other, a compassionate gaze held between the two of them as they braced for whoever was on the other side of the door.

The doctor entered once more, and that time with two additional nurses. Maria looked at them in surprise that they had come back so quickly.

"How is she, doc?" Leonardo seriously asked, immediately changing from his vulnerable state before to his authoritative one. Maria's eyes flickered back to him, noticing his change. She still felt the little butterflies in her stomach when he felt concerned for her.

The doctor bowed his head in respect. "Don."

The doctor looked hesitant. It gave away the news straight away. Maria's eyebrows furrowed at how long it was taking him to speak. She blinked a few times, hoping she was just overthinking things.

"Speak," Leonardo was also perplexed as to why there was a sudden silence. "What is it that you're finding so hard to say?"

The doctor, who seemed like a respectable, educated older man, seemed to struggle still. Maria then knew it was something serious. Her frown deepened; she didn't know what to say. All she wanted was to hear his thoughts. He pushed his thin glasses up his nose, his hand noticeably shaking. Maria was growing anxious as to what it was.

"You mentioned your leg earlier, and I said I would get back to you," the doctor said, inhaling through his teeth as he focused his eyes back onto Maria. She nodded slowly, hopeful to find out what was so troubling for him to say.

The doctor glanced down at his notes for a few seconds before meeting her eyes again. It was as though he was trying to find the right words to say whatever it was to her. "Go on," Maria softly probed, unable to handle the anticipation. "What is the result you mentioned?"

He licked his lips, slowly taking off his glasses to see her better. "Miss Amante..." Maria almost didn't want to hear it.

"While you were unconscious, you had surgery, as planned, and it was successful." She nodded; Iris had told her. Maria shakily let out a breath; she could still remember the agony she had experienced from her ankle. Her eyes moved to look at it, although her legs were covered. It was no longer in pain. In fact, she had no feeling of it.

"However..." He hesitated again, adding to Leonardo's impatience. He shot him a glare, wanting the doctor to get on with it. "There wasn't a result we were waiting for, but a more appropriate time to tell you." Slightly surprised, she blinked, nodding again.

"Miss Amante, your left ankle was shattered and operated on, which means..." The doctor's face seemed to get redder and redder.

"You won't be able to participate in sports. In turn, that means you cannot dance for at least a year. Possibly two. To add, you'll undergo physiotherapy throughout. That might lengthen your time away from your pointe shoes."

Maria couldn't believe what he was saying. It hadn't registered in her yet, and she lightly scoffed in disbelief.

"You're saying I can't dance? I can't do ballet."

"That's correct, Miss Amante." Maria's face froze as she registered what the doctor had just told her.

"You cannot do ballet."

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~ Author's Note ~

A much-needed, sweet reunion came but followed with some terrible news?

How will Maria deal with this? Being unable to dance is something she never expected to hear in her life.

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