"We were children,
thrust into war,
and once it ends:
what will we become?"

*****************

Lilly's POV

"Let's get out of here," Chase's words broke through my foggy thoughts, and I blinked, meeting his gaze. My brows furrowed as I asked in a whisper, "Go where?"

He shook his head, his warm hand engulfing my own, "To another city, another country, another continent even if you want," He said, a bit of an enraged flame blistering behind his cloudy gaze, beyond frustrated at the whole situation, "Anywhere else, Lilly, any place far away from here, from them, and all of this madness."

Weakly, I shook my head, "But running away won't fix this," I mumbled; although the urge to bolt was more pressing than anything else at the moment, because I had no clue how to fix this anymore. I lost sense of what's right and wrong, of who is the innocent and who is the guilty in this story.

"You can't keep worrying about trying to fix what happened," Chase shook his head, "This is not about running away, Lilly," He said, an edge to every word he spoke; like he desperately wanted to pull me into his own island and allow us to drift away, just him and me, wrapped up in a serene sanctuary where no one could bother us again, "You need a break," He said, "And if you stay here, you will always get brought and dragged right into the middle of this chaos."

I was sitting on the couch, in the hotel room Chase had booked prior to coming here, and he was sitting on the table across and so close to me, my knees almost touching his, and I could easily lean forward and fall into his embrace. My hand was sinking in his warm grasp. He ran soothing patterns over the inside of my palm, "Let me take you away from here," he requested, his voice softer now as he gazed at me, read the thoughts in my head, and tasted the agony seeping into my veins.

"You saw what happened," He shook his head, "It's not your fight, Lilly, it's theirs, so let them figure it out on their own," He added, every word of his made so much sense but—

"But it feels like my fight sometimes because —because I started all of this."

He shook his head, disagreeing, "The way I see it, you started nothing, you only hit play on something that was happening for so many years."

He brought his other hand forward, his fingers gently brushing the side of my face, tucking the loosened strands of my hair behind my ear, "I know that it's guilt —it's what's keeping you here and pushing you to do this," Sadness quenched his brows, his thumb delicately brushed the top of my cheek, his voice a mere whisper that echoed so loud in my heart and ears, "But Lilly, Noah's death is not your fault."

I shook my head, and involuntarily, my eyes glistened with tears, "But it is," I mumbled. Images and memories of that horrendous day pushed and pulsed, berating me for every sin and wrong.

"It is," My lower lip trembled slightly and I visited a pain I was trying to heal from over the past month, "It's my fault, it's Nathan's fault, it's Nikolas's fault, it's dad's fault, it's Emma's fault, we all...we all failed him, all of us," I shook my head, "He shouldn't be dead, he didn't do anything wrong, he was...he was only trying to protect me, he should be alive, not me, him."

Every word of mine alleviated the fire in his eyes, diminishing its intensity and leaving only devastation, one feeling I always brought into his life, "Lilly, but nothing is going to change what happened," He whispered and I knew that and I hated that. He shook his head and I felt so helpless, "Nothing."

"I know, but—" I whispered, my words getting choked midway and my gaze fell to the ground, a few tears pushed past the threshold and trickled down my cheek.

Chase edged closer, ready to surround me from every corner and shield me away from all of this. His hand over my face, urging me to look up and face him, brushing my tears away and I shook my head, "I can't do this anymore, Chase," I finally waved the white flag, unable to take more, incapable of more, "I can't," the more tears he whisked away, the more that fell, "Since the day I came back, I am stuck in this never-ending war and I can't get out, I can't—"

I pressed my eyes shut, the tears flowing through my closed lids. I wished to go back, all the way back, I would do everything so very differently; I would either never leave or just never come back...anything but this.

"I tried to do it, I swear I tried," I said, gazing at him through my blurry vision, "I tried but it's not working, I am not equipped for this, none of it, the more I try to fix it, I end up ruining it more, and somehow I keep ruining my relationship with Dad —did you see how he looked at me," I shook my head, "He used to never look at me like this before," I whispered, the ache of this more prominent than anything, "So angry, so disappointed, so hurt like he would never forgive me."

My heart was breaking all over again, "You know, I tried to focus on work, to at least excel in one part, to prove that I am at least capable of doing one thing right, maybe...maybe he would see me as anything other than this major disappointment, but he didn't care, he doesn't trust me one bit, which is why he pushed you to be with me," I said, the ache of everything felt like it would never leave me, "And the more he does that, the more I go out of my way to prove something to him, to prove that I am more than this failure, that I can be better, than I can be his little girl again but—"

"But, it's not working, the harder he pushes, the harder I pull and the further I fall down this never-ending pit," I sniffled and Chase listened as he brushed my tears away, "Because how...how could I ever feel that I am better, believe that I am good, when the one person who loves me the most doesn't think that of me anymore."

Worried lines creased Chase's forehead as he grasped the depth of my inner struggle. A low breath pushed off his chest, "Lilly, but that's the thing, I don't think he is okay either," He said, his voice heavy with a realization I keep running away from, "I know that we always see our parents as these super-beings, who can handle anything but," He shook his head, "But they are just human like us, and like us, they break down too."

"We place them on pedestals and expect them to do everything right and with utter perfection. In our logic, they are not allowed to make any mistakes because we idolize them, I mean how could we not, they're the ones who kissed away our tears, pulled us up when we fell, chased away our nightmares, and seemed to have all the answers to life's hardest questions."

"So, we seem to forget that they falter too sometimes, they stumble, and they break, just like we do. There are things that they can't handle either," He added and I felt myself get sucked into every word, they resonated so deep within me. In my eyes, my dad was always more than human—he was an untouchable, invincible, infallible being who could do no wrong.

So when Christian showed me those videos, it shattered the illusion, broke the mirage, breaking something inside me too that I can't seem to rebuild again.

"And Lilly, I think your father is really struggling to handle everything that happened in the past year, just imagine all of it, one after the other, hitting him like a storm," He added, "This is not the Alex we all know and you are aware of that; the realization that everything he worked so hard for is unraveling right in front of him, it ought to break him too, Lilly."

I sucked into a stuttering breath that suffocated me, the realization hitting me like a hundred shattering waves at once. He was just like me, a human, in pain, and hurt, someone who fell, who cried and broke down too many times, like I am.

He is on the edge too, he is unraveling too, he had lost a lot, much more than I ever did and now he is terrified of losing more. The notion broke me like no other, and I wanted to go and rush back to him, to attempt to protect him from any more pain, it felt so silly for me to want to protect someone who shielded me from all the monsters my whole life. 

"I don't think he is disappointed in you, Lilly," Chase added, the truth behind every word ruining me more, "I think he is disappointed in himself that he couldn't shield you away from all of this," he added, "Because that's what parents do—they try to live up to this invincible image we draw of them, and when they don't, it chips away at them, piece by piece."

His words tore away the lid bottling up all of my feelings, a low sob tore out of my throat, my vision getting blurrier and Chase wasted no time in gathering me between his arms and pulling me into his embrace. I sank into him like I always belonged there. He tightened his grip around my body and cradled my head as I buried it into his comfy chest.

"When will it be over?" I mumbled into his chest, my words muffled but he understood them. I felt his hand in my hair, his lips pressing softly against my head and temple, "I just want it to be over," I mumbled, tears staining his shirt, "With no one hurt, no one, not...not even Nathan anymore, I just want it to be over already."

"It will be over soon, it has to," He said, a desperate plea behind his words, wishing for a final closure like I am. I lifted my head, looking at him through wet lashes, sniffling lowly, "Take me away," I said, accepting his offer, "Away from here and everyone," I added and he nodded his head, more than ready to do anything and everything for me. His hand caressed my cheek, "I'll take you anywhere you want."

I brought my hand to his face, touching his cheek, my fingers fluttered over his skin, feeling him after what felt like ages, "Thank you for being here," I whispered.

"You never have to thank for that," He whispered back, "I should've come earlier, I can't imagine you going through any of this alone."

Amid my sea of wrongs, I must've done one thing right at least, or else why would this man still be here, by my side?

"I don't know what I would've done without you," I mumbled, my hand moving to the side of his face, gazing at those beautiful eyes, their calming waves always eased down my chaotic mind; the longer I gazed, the faster I floated to the surface, finding my oxygen and breathing again, "When you are away, I feel like a part of me is lost," I confessed, feeling as if a piece of my soul was tethered to him, awakening only in his presence—the part responsible for quelling the madness within me.

That madness was there, always in my head since day one. I never comprehended its origin. It was just who I am, who I grew up to be; too chaotic, out of control that I could spiral, and I always sought out ways to keep myself restrained.

Lots of people found it silly, meaningless even, the way I assigned colors of ribbons to feelings, but it was like my safe blanket, my way of rearranging my emotions, guarding them down, of sorting through the chaos that had been tumbling within my being since childhood.

My hand drifted from his face to my hair, fingers instinctively finding and brushing over the blue ribbon still nestled among a few strands.

And blue was always my favorite one.

Blue, to me, meant calm; it meant him, it meant safe, it meant home, and it meant love.

"Chase, I can't do it without you," I said with a shake of my head. This life, this craziness, all of this —I can't without him.

He was an integral part of me, one that, no matter how hard I tried to separate, my very essence still yearned for. He was imprinted too deeply, etched into the very fabric of my soul, coursing through my blood, woven into my bones, and encoded within my very DNA.

He shook his head, the blue of his eyes darkening as similar thoughts swirled through his head, "I can't without you either, Lilly," He said, his voice tight and aching, yearning like I was and his eyes flickered up to my ribbon as he added, "You are the little ribbon I always kept with me since I was only a little boy. I hid it, tucked it far away from everyone else," He whispered, a different meaning behind his words that only recently I came to understand.

I always wondered where he got this ribbon from; he gifted it to me on my birthday but that didn't feel like the first time anymore...

His eyes fell back into mine, a little story behind them, "You lost it on that day," His eyebrows pulled closer, "I think it was a wedding, I can't recall whose, all I know is that I found it. I never understood why I kept it, I could've thrown it away, could've given it back to you, but I didn't," His fingers gently brushed the old tears from over my cheeks, "For years and years, I kept it, hid it in my pocket," He added, "Always carried it around, for some reason."

"Looking back, at that little kid who stole your ribbon," One corner of his lip lifted up, his smile a bit pained, slightly heartbroken but also serene and nostalgic, "That kid, even he loved you, and he didn't know what love really was," He added, drawing images of a past I forgot, "He tried to cling to any piece of you he could, so he stole your ribbon and kept it."

Tears of a different type glistened in my eyes as I looked at him, unable to get a grip of the whirlwind of emotions he kept stirring in me, "And that kid grew up," I carried the story on his behalf, "And he knew he had to give it back one day," My lips twitched somberly, "And he did, on my birthday, right after I kissed him."

His faint smile mirrored my own, "Yeah, it was his very first kiss."

My eyes grew a bit wide, "It was?" I asked and he silently nodded his head. I always thought he had done things before we started, but turns out he waited, for me to wake up, to open my eyes and see what was always right there in front of me all the damn time.

"Teenage Lilly was so stupid," I mumbled in annoyance, sad for all the years I spent going after the wrong guy.

He chuckled lowly, "No, don't talk about her, she was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"But she hurt you so many times," I added, a frown pulling up between my eyebrows at the mere thought.

He shrugged and playfully added, "Who said love was easy anyway," His eyebrow arched, "Also, teenage Chase wasn't all perfect, he didn't know how to fight for the things he really wanted," He added.

I shook my head, imitating his previous words, "No, don't talk about him, he was flawless and the best to ever happen to me."

His lips twitched and he edged closer, softly pecking my lips, the little gesture erupted goosebumps all over my skin. My hand ran through his hair, keeping him close and unwilling to let go yet as I deepened the kiss, sighing into my favorite taste.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked; the entire world spread out before us to pick.

"It doesn't matter, anywhere would be fine," I said, "Even hell feels like heaven with you right now." 

He smiled, my words relaxing his tensed muscles, "But Chase, before we go, I should talk to Dad first," I said and he nodded his head in understatement, "He would get worried if I just disappeared, at least he'll be a bit more comfortable knowing it's with you," I added, unwilling to think back to our last encounter, refusing to push that image into my memories and store it there.

"Also, all of my things are at Uncle Roman's place," I mumbled with a low sigh. I wasn't ready to go back there yet.

"Okay, how about we go there first thing in the morning and quickly pick them up, you'll talk with your dad, I will take care of the rest and we'll head off right after," He suggested and I nodded my head, it was already way past midnight now, "Sounds great," I mumbled, placing my head against his chest again, resting my eyelids as I listened to the soothing rhythm of his heartbeats, "Let's just stay like this for a minute longer, okay?" I whispered. 

He wrapped his arms around my body, tucking me closer, both of us reveling in this little peaceful moment that we somehow managed to steal away.

Memories of my drunk self kept rushing back and I winced slightly at some of them. Lines etched my forehead, "You didn't get me a cake," I said with a small pout, lifting my eyes to look at him, "You promised me a cake," I said, "And lots of makeup sex," I added, recalling bits and pieces.

He chuckled lowly at my silly words and nodded his head, "I promise, I will get you your cake once we get out of here," He assured me.

My eyebrows raised, "And makeup sex?"

Tease fluttered all over his lips and the devil played music in his beautiful eyes. He rested his fingers under my chin and angeled my face right before he edged closer and consumed my mouth into his, "That too," He murmured into my lips, sucking all of my oxygen and filling me with everything that is him, "We can even start now."

I was desperate for him, yearning for his touch; God, I had missed him so much, and my life was so miserable now I needed to focus on the good. He was the good, the only good. I shifted in his embrace until I was practically straddling his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. The air crackled with tension as our lips made a dance of their own, igniting a fire that churned at the pit of my stomach.

The deeper he kissed, the tighter I clung to him, never wanting to separate.

God, we shouldn't separate, he was my person, my one and only, my forever. It would be so cruel to drift us apart once more—so cruel.

With each kiss, each touch, each whispered promise, the intensity of the moment took higher levels, it filled the room with raw, unbridled emotion.

Chase lifted me effortlessly in his arms, carrying me to the bed. He lowered me onto the soft mattress, our lips never parting as our bodies pressed together with a hunger born by the distance and time that kept coming between us. Fate, always cruel, seemed to delight in separating us.

Fate, just like death, ruthless and unpredictable, it takes without warnings too and I never wanted it to take this man away from me. Never again.

I pushed aside every other thought as I unbuttoned his shirt, feeling his hands pulling my shirt away and tossing it aside. Time and space blurred as clothes were discarded, leaving us skin to skin, heart to heart, my broken beat to his strong rhythm.

Time seemed to stand still as we lost ourselves in each other, our souls merging in a dance of ecstasy and yearning. Every touch, every whispered word dissolved, sinking into the depth of the connection we shared.

Fate —can't take this from us again. It can't.

It shouldn't.

I won't survive it this time around.

*****************

"Maldives?" I suggested, scrolling through endless options on my phone. "But what about the Bahamas?" I added, considering other possibilities. "Oh, how about Bali? Or Fiji?" I grumbled at the array of choices. "There's Spain, and, oh God, Hawaii too—"

Turning to Chase beside me, I pouted. "I can't make up my mind," I mumbled.

His eyes briefly left the road to glance at me, a small smile playing on his lips at the little inconvenience I was causing, "I can take you to every one of them, don't worry," He suggested and I rested the side of my head back against my seat, gazing at him, as he reached for hand and engulfed it. Bringing it to his lips, he left a tender kiss on it.

I can't believe he is going to whisk me far away from all of this. How did he figure I needed that before I even noticed it? How can he have everything so figured out, all the time? I hope with time, he'll teach me some of that too.

My eyebrows furrowed, "How will we do this, don't you have to go to work?" I asked.

He shook his head, "I haven't used any of my vacation days since I started," He said, "I have plenty."

I sighed lowly, "Lucky you, I should talk with your dad before we go, maybe he would let me continue working online or something," I said, pouting again, "God, I feel like he is going to fire me if I keep doing this."

Chase chuckled lowly at my silliness, "I can bargain with my dad on that, don't worry."

"See, I knew I loved you for a reason," I said, edging forward and pecking his cheek.

He glanced at me, his eyebrow raising, "Just because I am your boss's son?"

"It's one of the perks," I said and he brought his hand to playfully cover my face and push it back into the seat, "I will show you all the perks later," He said teasingly and I chuckled as I tried to push his hand off me.

I knew that I had to focus on this, on him only, so I could at least enjoy this, so I could give us a chance to get out and heal together from all of this. I couldn't let my brain trespass that threshold, I couldn't think of the mess I would be leaving behind, because if I did, I would stay and if I stayed, I'd ruin everything all over again.

Chase approached the main gate of Emma's mansion, coming to a halt by the closed metals. My eyebrows furrowed when I noticed someone standing by the security guards, engaged in an argument of sorts, "Is that—"

"Christian?" Chase echoed, his confusion evident as he noticed him too.

"What is he doing here?" I asked, leaning closer to the window to get a better look. As Chase drew nearer, I rolled down my window to peek at him. He heard the approaching car and turned around, his eyes locking onto ours. Letting out a sigh of relief, he moved closer. "They're not letting me in," he complained, and I shot him a knowing look.

"Of course, they won't," I added matter-of-factly.

Opening my door, I stepped out, and Chase did the same, joining my side as we tried to understand the reason behind Christian's visit. His gaze flickered from Chase to me, then back to Chase, "Look, I need to talk to someone, to Nikolas, to Emma," He looked back at me, "Even to your father, I don't care," he said, his tone edged with frustration.

Furrowing my brow, I asked, "Did something happen?"

He nodded. "Kind of," he mumbled, running a hand over his face in frustration. "Well, if not yet, it will happen soon. I just need to talk to someone—"

Before he could continue, the sound of another car approaching caught all of our attention. I glanced back as Uncle Roman parked his car behind ours, Emma was next to him, her eyes scanning the scene, taking notice of the unwelcomed presence before she stepped out. Pushing her shades up onto her hair, she fixed her scrutinizing gaze on Christian alone.

"Well, well," she said, anger buried deep beneath her tone, "If it isn't another one of Nikolas's long-lost children."

She paused only when she was so close to him, crowding all of his personal space. The muscles of Christian's jaw clenched and he took a step backward, building a bit of distance, because Emma looked like she could shoot him on the spot, the energy vibrating off her was so negative, considering all that unraveled last night.

"Ma'am, we need to talk," Christian said, his tone turning more respectful, making my brow crease. If I am not mistaken, he looked slightly terrified of her. Can't blame him there.

Her eyebrow arched in skepticism, "And why exactly would I listen to you?"

Uncle Roman paused by our sides as well, his questioning gaze on me, and I cluelessly shrugged, not quite sure of what was happening.

Christian's eyes flickered to us then back to Emma, "There is this one thing that you all might not know," He spoke, going right into the subject before Emma goes kicking him down, "But there is a man who looked after Nathan for all these years, someone Isaac left behind to take care of...everything," His throat bobbed and we all listened, "He is the one who helped Nathan, and gave him all the information and the resources he needed."

"His name is Alastor, he was Isaac's right-hand man," Christian informed, and Emma's eyebrows pulled closer, "I remember him," she grated out, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

"Yeah, and Alastor paid a visit to my house," Christian's eyes briefly flickered to Chase, "Almost right after you and Nikolas left," he explained, his focus returning to Emma. "He asked about Nathan," He shook his head, "I didn't tell him a thing because I never trusted the man, but," A harsh breath pushed off his lungs, "He got this phone call, and he sounded so angry, he just stormed off afterward," Christian added, "So, I am not sure what will happen, but I can assume it's not going to be something good."

I looked at Chase, who met my uncertain gaze, the weight of the unknown situation pressing into my fearful instincts. Emma took a step backward, her attention shifting to Uncle Roman, especially when his phone rang. Confused lines etched his forehead as he pulled out his phone, opened it, and navigated through some kind of app, "Damn it," he grumbled under his breath.

"What happened?" Emma asked, her tone tinged with both rage and concern.

His jaw ticked, and he lifted his gaze to meet hers, "Nikolas just got inside the unit. He found out where we are keeping him," he grated out, and Emma's eyelids fell down momentarily, attempting to calm herself before she'd explode in frustration, "My brother sure acts fast," she grumbled in annoyance.

"Alex went there too, like an hour ago," Uncle Roman added, prompting me to look at him in surprise.

"Wait, is—" Christian's voice interrupted, drawing our attention back to him, his brow furrowed in concern, "Is this unit by any chance next to some type of lake?"

Emma's eyebrows knitted together, "How do you know that?"

Christian's gaze flickered between Uncle Roman, me, Chase, and then back to Emma. "I overheard Alastor mention a lake on his phone call. He...he must know where Nathan is."

"Goddammit," Emma cursed, pulling out her phone. "Roman, get the guys ready," she ordered, already making her way to the car, "We need to get there fast!"

They sprang into action mode quickly, preparing for the task ahead. Christian walked closer to us, his eyes shifting away from Emma, "God, she scares me," he mumbled under his breath before gesturing ahead. "We're going too, right?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

A lump formed in my throat, and I turned to Chase beside me. Just when we thought we could take off and escape...The burn in my throat intensified, and I rubbed at it, "Dad is there," I whispered in fear, my voice barely audible.

Chase nodded his head, understanding my silent message, "Let's go," he said, already opening my door. I climbed inside. Christian joined us and hopped into the backseat, earning a glare from Chase before he got behind the wheel and pulled the car behind theirs, speeding down the road toward an unknown destination.

I picked up my phone and dialed Dad, and then Nikolas, but neither of them answered. Anxiety gnawed at my nerves as the worst-case scenarios played out in my mind; fate proving to be the winner yet again.

This war wasn't over yet, and sometimes— it feels like it never will be.

******************

Nikolas's POV

"Why is she here again?" I shot out, glaring at Ronald.

"She knows how you'd sacrifice me at the first chance, so she is here to ensure I'm safe," Ronald answered proudly, turning to look at Celia, who smiled and nodded her head, pulling her gun and clicking the safety off, "So, who are we killing?" She asked, very much excited and ready.

I sighed and ran a hand over my face, internally praying for patience. I'd had as stressful a day as it could get, "We are not killing anyone," I grated out, warning them both, "Anyone stands in your way, you hurt them only, no killing, they are still my sisters' men, and they're one of us."

Celia rolled her eyes, edging closer to her husband and mumbling, "He used to be more fun."

I glared at them both, and Ronald sighed. "Okay, okay," he said, "Let's just find Nathan and get the hell out of here," he added, his gaze drifting to the wide space within the unit.

"I'll go left, you both go right," I ordered, and they both nodded, heading in their respective directions, parting ways as we searched for Nathan.

It wasn't too hard to figure out where Emma was going to keep him. I knew every hideaway she owned like the back of my hand, and I knew the way her brain operated, much similar to my own. Not to mention that some of her men were still loyal to me, so figuring this one out within hours only wasn't that difficult.

I resumed walking, my gaze flickering right and left, assessing my empty surroundings. I went down the metal stairs, and the sound of my footsteps echoed off the walls, bouncing back to me in a haunting rhythm.

The space seemed vast, with corridors branching off in different directions, each one shrouded in shadows that seemed to dance and shift with the flickering light.

I couldn't shake that eerie feeling, something nagging at the back of my head, and after all these years, I've learned to always trust my instincts. I pulled my gun out, grasping it tightly, ready to aim and fight if needed. The air was heavy with the scent of oil and machinery, and the distant hum of generators reverberated through the corridors.

Once I rounded my way, my eyes fell on two men, standing by a closed door, and guarding it, mostly probably shielding Nathan behind it. Their respective gazes fell on me and they straightened up in alert, their gazes wary as I advanced.

One of them quickly stepped ahead, his hand reaching for his gun, "Sir, we don't want to fight you, but," He tried to say, trying to sound as respectful as he could, "But our orders were clear," He added, shaking his head, "No one is allowed inside."

I nodded, edging closer and he tightened his grip on his weapon, sensing my hostility, "Sir, please back away," He said, on edge because his orders were to keep everyone out but he knew Emma would kill him if he hurt me too. It sucks to be him now.

I was so close, and they moved in defense. Closing the gap swiftly, I left neither of them time to react. My free hand curled around the guy's wrist, twisting it harshly until he dropped his gun, and then I shoved him back into his companion, delivering a sharp kick. They collided with each other, disoriented.

Without hesitation, I aimed my gun and fired at the first guy's leg, "Sorry," I muttered, though my eyebrow arched, betraying my lack of genuine remorse.

The other man struggled to his feet, groaning as he lunged at me. I dodged his punch with a quick reflex, my hands curling over his collar and driving him back into the wall, "You all seem to forget that I am still—me," I hissed, mocking his feeble attempt to overpower me. Gripping his hair, I slammed his head against the wall, knocking him unconscious as well.

I wiped my hands and stepped away, my gaze took one quick notice of both of their unconscious forms, checking for one last time. Just as I was about to advance further and step into the secluded room, I heard very faint footsteps from somewhere behind me, followed by labored breathing. My grip tightened over my gun and I whirled around, aiming it and ready to fight.

My eyes widened and I lowered my gun right away, "Wyatt," I said in shock, "What the hell are you doing here?"

His gaze fell onto the two unconscious men before his eyes went back to my face, "He is in there, isn't he?" He grated out, the muscles of his jaw working and for the first time, that unhinged look in his eyes reminded me so much of Emma.

He attempted to step forward but I blocked his way, my hand reaching for his shoulder, "You need to get out of here, now," I shot out, bewildered at him. God, these kids really like to interfere in every damned thing, don't they?

I couldn't help but wonder where they got this stubbornness from, but then again, perhaps it was from us...

His eyes shot up to me, the red veins in the white of his eyes more prominent, furious as he spoke, "I heard mom and dad talk, he is in here, I know," He said, trying to push past back me but I held him back still, "What do you think you are going to do, huh?" I shot out, my eyes falling into the knife he held tightly in his white-knuckled grip. 

First Lilly, and now him? Maybe Alex was right, we should just lock them up forever.

He shook his head, furious, "Noah is dead because of him," He shot back, his voice rising, it hit the walls around us, the agony pressing harder into his gaze, glistening them with unshed tears, "What more do you want!"

My jaw tightened as I instantly disarmed him, his attempts to resist futile against my strength. I held him firmly in place, my hands gripping his shoulders, "Look, I understand, I get it, okay," I began, attempting to reason with him, but he refused to listen, shaking his head in frustration. "No, no, you don't, no one fucking gets it!"

I reached for the side of his neck, my grip firm but not unkind, "Wyatt, hey, look at me. I know how you're feeling, okay? You've lost someone, and it hurts," I said, trying to offer some semblance of understanding. He continued to shake his head, his expression torn, helpless, and grieving still.

"It fucking sucks, I know," I said and his jaw tightened even more, trying to get a grip on himself, "But this is not the way to deal with it," I shook my head, "Nathan didn't kill him."

"But—"

I shook my head, "Listen to me, go outside, wait for me there," I said, "We'll deal with all of this later, come on," I said and he shook his head.

"Wyatt, you trust me, right?" I asked and he nodded his head, his lip trembling slightly as he fought not to fall headfirst back into the pain.

"Okay, believe me, we'll fix this," I said with a low sigh, "Just please, go and wait for me outside," I added as I handed him my car keys, "Wait for me there. I promise we'll figure it out, somehow, but not like this."

I tapped my hand over his shoulder in reassurance, "Come on, listen to me," I added. He had no other choice, so he gave me a small nod, trusting in my words, turning back, and following my order.

I hefted out a loud breath and rushed a hand over my face, "When did I become the peaceful one in here," I grumbled mockingly under my breath.

That same nagging feeling persisted and I turned around, in desperate need to get this done with quickly. I reached for the closed door, pushing it open as I walked inside, crossing the threshold. My eyes fell on Nathan, his back pressed into the wall, sitting down on the unforgiving floor, his head tilting uncomfortably to the side, unconscious. Bloodlines trickled down his nose and at the corners of his mouth.

My jaw ticked and I rushed forward, crouching down by his side. My hand reached for his face, cupping one side, and my other brushed his hair away, "Nathan," I said in urgency, tapping my hand over his cheek, trying to pry him back to me, "Nathan, wake up."

His forehead creased, and slowly, his eyelids fluttered open before they fell back down again, the exhaustion wearing him down, "Nathan," I called again and he forced his eyelids to stay open, his gaze so hazy as he tried to focus his heavy-lidded eyes on me. His lips twitched just slightly before he winced lowly at the pain eating at him.

"Come here," I said, taking his arm to wrap it around my neck, attempting to pull him up but he didn't nudge the slightest, his energy fully depleted.

I quickly pulled up my phone and sent Ronald my location so he'd come and help before more of Emma's men showed up. I pushed the phone into my pocket and focused on Nathan, "Hey," He whispered lowly, the side of his lip pulling up ever so weakly, "Missed me?" He whispered hoarsely.

"Come on, let me get you out of here," I urged. 

"You can —leave me here," His voice was so low, barely audible, "I am okay with Emma killing me," He said, looking at me, smiling weakly, "You know...like father like son," His words were followed by a wheezed cough, one that tore at his throat, his upper body moving forward at its harsh force.

I held him steady, my grip tightening around him, watching as more blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. His condition had worsened significantly in the past month, and his refusal of treatment or surgery was driving me insane.

I looked at him, glaring at his previous choice of words, "You really don't know when to keep that mouth of yours shut, do you?" I muttered, prompting his weak smile to grow a bit wider.

He leaned his head closer, resting it against my shoulder. "Not gonna lie, when I die, I'm gonna miss you," he mumbled lowly.

I shook my head with a sigh, "No one is dying today, come here," I pulled the handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the blood on the corner of his lips and chin away. I took the medicine vial out of my pocket, "Open your mouth," I said, urging as I emptied its content, "This will make you temporarily feel better, now come on," I said.

I steadied his arm around my neck, and my arm went around his back, pulling him up on his shaky legs, allowing him to use me as support as he seemed to be faltering, ready to crash down onto the floor. He winced again, his face twisting uncomfortably as the pain chipped away at his insides.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed closer and Ronald came into view as he stepped into the room, his worried gaze taking notice of Nathan. He edged closer and assessed his state, getting the notion that we needed to take him out as soon as possible. His jaw clenched and he looked at me, "Celia is checking the perimeter," He informed, "Let's get out of here, quick," He added in urgency and I nodded.

"You stay ahead, clear my way, and I will get him out," I said as I attempted to walk ahead with Nathan on my side.

His fingers curled and tightened over my jacket, trying to fight through the pain and hold himself up as we exited the room.

Ronald halted to a sudden pause just outside the room as another two men showed up, attempting to block our exit. Ronald wasted no time, quickly moved forward, and launched himself at one of them. I pushed Nathan behind my back, "Stay behind me," I warned him as I pulled my gun out and aimed at the other guy, but he was quick to dodge my fired bullet.

Something about these two men wasn't familiar at all, and their intent to hurt us was more prominent, not like the other two. Before I could dwell on it further, the guy aimed his hand up, ready to fire at me. But just as I prepared to retaliate, Nathan shifted behind me, catching me off guard with his quick movement.

I saw as he quickly grabbed the knife from over the floor, the one I snatched from Wyatt, and with precision, he hurled it forward at the man, so fast, that the blade collided with his hand, pushing the gun out of his grip, the bullet pierced aimlessly through the air. He groaned as he stumbled giving Ronald the opportunity to aim and fire, bringing him down along with his friend.

My gaze shifted back to Nathan, amused with his perfect aim even in this state. My eyebrow arched, "Nice shot," I couldn't help but comment.

He smiled, that innocent smile that'll make you think he was just a small little kid, "Thanks," He mumbled.

Ronald cleared his throat loudly, urging us to look at him. His annoyed gaze flickered between us two, his eyebrow raising in exasperation, "If this proud father-son moment is over, can we leave?"

I shot him a glare at his very unnecessary words, "Shut up."

I ignored him and pressed forward, my gaze still fixed on the two men who had attacked us. I shook my head, "These aren't Emma's men," Ronald nodded in agreement, sharing my suspicion, "I sensed that," he confirmed.

"No, they're not," Alerx's voice broke through and I whirled around, my eyes falling on him as he walked closer to us. Instinctively, my hand reached for Nathan's arm, pulling him behind me again, my eyes scrutinizing Alex's not-very-welcoming body language.

Alex took notice of my protective gesture, his gaze fell into my hand, his eyebrow raised at the way I shielded Nathan away from him but he didn't comment on it. He brought his hand up and wiped the bit of blood on the side of his mouth, "I just fought one of them, he wasn't very nice," He added in mockery as he took another step forward.

I quickly glanced at Nathan behind me, and he met my gaze with a clueless look, "Don't move," I whispered, warning him, "And keep your mouth shut," I added, not willing to have him provoke Alex with his usual infuriating words.

"Now back to our main topic," Alex said, grabbing my attention back to him, his eyebrow raising, "What do you think you're doing?"

My jaw tightened and I shook my head, "I think it's better if we focus on the fact that we are not alone in here," I grated out, trying to look at the bigger picture.

Alex's glare burned holes into my skin and he scoffed, his fingers on the side tightening over his weapon, "I came here to do one thing only, so let me do it and we can deal with the rest later."

My jaw clenched, "Let me guess, that thing is killing Nathan?"

Alex nodded, unwavering in his resolve, never once budging on his decision, "Yeah," He tilted his head to the side, trying to look at Nathan, "I didn't take you for the cowered type, Nathan," He grated out, trying to trigger him on purpose, "Hiding behind your—" Alex's eyebrows pulled closer, feigning uncertainty, "What is he to you, anyway?"

His words dripped with mockery, "Is it brother-in-law?" He sneered, raising an eyebrow, "Or was it step-brother? I am not quite sure of this weird relationship going over here," He added, gesturing with his gun between us.

"Alex—" Ronald interjected, attempting to reason with him.

"Ronald, don't interfere," Alex shot out, the rage in his eyes wasn't his own. He wasn't himself, no way. The way he dealt with the whole situation back at Emma's place only proved my worries right. The look in his eyes resembled the turmoil I used to see in my own. He is frustrated, he is on edge, he is piling all of this shit on top of one another, and he is flailing, trying to grasp into control and failing.

"Of course, I will. He's my brother, Alex," Ronald said firmly, standing his ground.

Alex's jaw ticked as he directed his attention to Ronlad, "Yeah, well your dear brother stabbed my son!" He shot out, "So deal with it."

"Nikolas," Nathan mumbled lowly from behind me.

My hand tightened over his arm, keeping him in place, "Don't move, I said," I grated out, without looking, all of my attention on Alex only because if he got the chance, he would fire at him and I know by heart that he will come to regret it later. 

"No, Nikolas, I..." There was a bit of fear woven into Nathan's low voice, prompting me to turn my head and look at him, his gaze was on the ground, on one of the guys we had just killed, a flicker of recognition passing through them, "I think I know who is here," He whispered, his bewildered gaze flickering up and meeting my own.

My eyebrows pulled closer, "Who is it?"

"It's—"

"Well, will you look at that, all of you, in one place," The new unfamiliar voice said, drawing our attention to a man who had appeared at the entrance of the corridor, flanked by a couple of men. His eyes were fixed on me, a smug smirk playing on his lips, "Making my job so much easier," he remarked.

"Alastor," Nathan murmured quietly from behind me, and a surge of realization washed over me.

Alex's eyes met my own and I sent him a silent message that he quickly understood; we could bicker about our differences later but right now we needed to focus our energy on the common threat presented ahead.

"Nathan, don't you dare move, you hear me?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, meant for his ears only.

My jaw ticked and I held the man's gaze with a smoldering one, "Another one of Isaac's loyal dogs, I see," I commented, my eyebrow raising, totally unthreatened.

Alastor looked back at me, unbothered as well, "Nikolas," He addressed me, "It must sting, doesn't it, that many of us still believe in your father's mission, that we respect his vision," He said, shaking his head and adding in mockery, "Of course, we weren't about to blindly follow in the footsteps and the whims of an exaggerated excuse of some woman."

I shook my head, the anger simmering beneath the surface of my words, "You are so going to regret talking about her like that," I said, a threat woven into every letter. I can fight with Emma all I want but no one else is allowed to disrespect her in any way.

He took a step forward, "Now let's cut to the chase, drop your weapons down before people start to die," He said and I rolled my eyes, my weapon tight in my grip, my gaze taking notice of everyone and everything, calculating my next move.

"Nathan, buddy," He said, tilting his head to look at Nathan, "You seem to have switched sides, I see," He said, bitterness in his words, "Your father would be so disappointed in you."

"You lied to me," Nathan grated out, unable to stay put, moving from behind me, an enraged vibe echoing out of him. It was evident that this man's presence was igniting a different kind of fury within him, "You were the one who hurt me all over these years, lying, convincing me it was only Nikolas, weren't you?"

Alastor shrugged dismissively, his reply dripping with apathy, "I was simply following orders," he retorted and winked, "Don't shoot the messenger, right."

Nathan's jaw clenched, his fists balling up in frustration. He was on the verge of charging at Alastor, but I quickly gripped his shoulder, pulling him back, and moving to stand ahead of him. He was seething with rage, but I knew he was still weakened from his ordeal. He wouldn't stand a chance against him.

"Look, I don't know you that well, but you are already playing on my nerves," I said, undisturbed, refusing to be drawn into their twisted game, "So, how about you and I figure this one out on our own?" I added, aware of the fact that they were more in number, and I needed Alex, Nathan, and Ronald out of here before shit went down, "You see, I have a message that I need you to deliver too," I added with a mocking smirk, echoing his earlier words.

"Nikolas, what are you doing?" Alex hissed from beside me.

"Stay back," I grated out under my breath.

Alastor shook his head, unamused, "So, from what I gathered, you are not going to drop your weapons, okay, cool," He said, turning his head back, and with his fingers, he ushered for someone on the other side to get closer.

My eyes grew wide when they fell on Wyatt, on how one of the men held him down at gunpoint, the barrel pressed to his temple and I immediately sprinted forward, "No, no, step back!" He threatened, pressing the barrel harder against the boy's temple, making him flinch.

"Wyatt, what the fuck are you doing here," Alex shot out in bewilderment from beside me, "God, these kids are going to kill me," He grumbled under his breath.

That nagging feeling in my head intensified and I still tried to smartly calculate my next move, trying to safely plan our way out of here.

"Drop your weapons," Alastor said, his voice laced with menace, "Or we'll kill the future king of this empire," he added with a low mocking laugh at his last words.

My eyes focused on Wyatt, checking how they had his hands tied up, there was a bit of blood on the side of his face. I figured they must've caught him as he was trying to leave, goddammit, maybe it would've been wiser if I kept him by my side.

Wyatt's furious eyes met my gaze, asking for clues on what to do next. A harsh breath pushed out of my lungs and I gave him an assuring nod. I looked back at Alastor, "Okay," I grated out, ready to drop my weapon and launch forward at them. The man capturing him was ten times his size, there was no way he was gonna be able to break free on his own.

"Nikolas, don't," Nathan said from behind me, already figuring out what I was about to do. His hand curled over the back of my jacket, stopping me.

"Listen to me, I will distract him, and you...you need to take Alex and get out of here," He added, urgency in his tone, his voice low but it grabbed Alex's attention as well, and lines etched his brows as he listened to us, "Because Alastor will carry on with what I couldn't do."

"What are you talking about?" I hissed lowly, my gaze still focused ahead.

"I will really make them kill him, I am not messing around," Alastor warned again when I hesitated on my next move. I was still trying to analyze Nathan's words.

"I told you before, remember, I told you that I would kill the person you care about the most," Nathan whispered, "And I didn't," He added, "But Alastor will, that's why he is here, he is going to end it like I was supposed to," He said.

I turned my gaze to Alex, who heard every word Nathan said, and I turned my head back to him. Nathan's gaze flickered from me to Alex, "We all know who that person is," Nathan mumbled.

"He is here to hurt Alex," He added.

Alex's eyes darted between Nathan and me, trying to absorb the gravity of the situation. My jaw clenched as I met Alex's gaze and shook my head firmly, "Over my dead body," I grated out.

Returning my attention to Alastor, I locked eyes with him, keeping his focus only on me, "I'm putting my gun down. Leave the kid alone," I declared, a note of challenge in my voice, my rage resurfacing at Nathan's revelation. Alastor regarded me with a knowing look, awaiting my next move.

I bent down, to drop the gun, each one of my movements calculated, "Nathan, I will need you to do what you just did a moment ago," I whispered and then acted with the speed of light, quickly picking up the knife from the ground and flung it for him to catch before I marched forward at Alastor, pushing him away and out of the way.

In that split second, Nathan hurled the knife at the man restraining Wyatt. It struck him in the neck, blood spurting forth and Wyatt seized the opportunity to harshly elbow the injured man in the stomach and break free as Alex pulled him away.

Alastor retaliated and fought me back just as chaos erupted all around us; they came at us in dozens and pried him out of my deathly grip; all of his men, only against me, Nathan, Ronald, and Alex.

Yeah, this wasn't going to end well.

******************

Lilly's POV

Before Chase could fully stop the car, I was already bolting out, my feet pounding against the ground with urgency. The sight of Emma's anxious rapid strides ahead filled me with a sense of dread as she rushed out of the car, and without a moment's hesitation, I dashed after her into the unit.

"Lilly, wait, for God's sake," Chase's alarmed voice called out as he struggled out of the car too, but I didn't even slow down. I was fixed on Emma, panic erupted all over my chest at the one radiating off her in waves. She knows something I don't. I trailed after her as she seemed to be the one aware of the right destination better than anyone.

The echoes of gunshots reverberated around us, each one a piercing reminder of the danger they were in. Oh my god, dad. Despite the fear clutching at my heart, the one feeding off my oxygen, I didn't hesitate and kept running after her.

She halted for a fleeting moment, her gaze sweeping over the scene laid out before us. My eyes widened in an attempt to take in the chaos unfolding in an instant.

"Wyatt," Emma muttered breathlessly before she jolted forward, running toward her son, shielding him behind her and away from any stray bullet.

Nikolas was locked in a fight with two guys at once; Ronald too, Dad as well, and even...even Nathan was fighting alongside them.

It all happened so fast, the flurry of action was dizzying, unfolding too rapidly, with a speed I couldn't fully comprehend. They all were so busy fighting for dominance, that none of them, no one, they didn't —didn't notice the guy at the corner, but I saw him. He was the eldest among them, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he picked up the gun from over the floor and straightened his body up, ready to aim and fire at someone.

It happened so fast, but at the same moment, it played out in an excruciating slow motion right across from me. All of it, I saw it all. I saw how Nathan pushed one of the guys to the ground before his eyes flickered up and fell on mine, confused lines etched on his forehead as he was the first one to catch my presence.

It happened so fast; my gaze flickered back to that man, watching as he strode forward, a madman on a mission. Nathan followed my gaze, noticing what I noticed, watching what I watched.

It just happened so fast.

I watched in horror as the man brought his weapon-wielding hand up. No one saw him but me and Nathan. He aimed it at Dad from a far distance and my eyes grew wide. No. I think I screamed but my scream got stuck and choked somewhere in my throat, it got trapped inside the confines of my bleeding chest, and deep within the cells of my splintering fracturing heart. Nathan's gaze was back on me, his eyes grew wide when he read my intentions; when he understood what I was about to do, "Lilly, No!" He shot out at me, something akin to fear in his voice.

It all happened so fucking fast.

It unfolded in a blur of terrifying speed.

I didn't listen, I didn't hear, I didn't breathe, I just sprinted forward when I saw the man's finger move over the trigger. It happened so fast but played out so slowly, like a thread of flashbacks of every little moment I've lived, starting with my very first memory of him.

He was lying down, eyes closed, and sleeping on the couch.

I don't know which memory it was, or what was happening in it, or where we were; it just felt like it was my earliest memory ever.

My little baby fingers reached for his serene face and poked him. I remember that. His forehead creased and he brushed my hand away. I remember that too. I poked his cheek, gently prodding at it again till he finally opened his eyes and looked at me —looked at me like no one ever looked before. With a type of love and affection, no one had for me. Smiled, like no one ever smiled at me. A smile reserved only for me. He called me a bug, his bug—his little bug. I remember that.

It happened so fast and at once. I saw the bullet leave the barrel, it streaked through the air and I ran, I ran, desperation lending wings to my feet, painful tears in my eyes. Nathan ran too, attempting to push Dad away from the danger but he wouldn't catch him in time.

"Dad!" I shot out, finally finding my choked voice and it bellowed into the four walls with a primal intensity.

Chase's previous words echoed deeply into the chambers of my heart. Parents weren't invincible beings, they weren't immortal; they get hurt, they bleed, they...they die.

It happened so fast.

Fate—fate was so fast, so cruel, weaving its threads of destiny around us, poetically torturing us in its rusty shackling fingers.

The world spun on its axis; then the time finally stood still.

A choked gasp stuttered off my chest and bled out of my lips, my steps halting, faltering...just at the right time, and not by an order of my brain but because they buckled at the impact, and I felt it, it felt so little at first but then it rushed and spread like needles prickling at every nerve, spreading them open, cutting them, chipping away every feeling, and severing every connection to my five senses.

I heard my name till I didn't hear it anymore. I smelled fear till I couldn't smell it anymore. I saw Dad's eyes, Dad's face, till I couldn't see anymore. I tasted the metallic blood, out of my throat, between my teeth, on my tongue, till I couldn't taste it anymore. I felt pain, so much pain, like nothing I've ever felt, till I couldn't feel it anymore.

It happened so fast; but I was there in time.

In that fleeting moment, I had succeeded where I had always failed. I did one thing right, in my whole life, I finally did one thing right, as the bullet tore into my back, but never once grazing him.

As darkness closed in around me, I knew that I had finally done one thing right.

***********************************

So very little is left till we FINALLY put an END to this damned story! Are you excited to be done with it like I am? XD

Next chapter will most probably be up by tomorrow :)