Alex is beyond ecstatic when he came out of the bedroom alone wearing that pearly smile on his lips.

"We're doing grill. Sammy get the meat out would ya? I'll get the grill ready." He yelled in a split seconds only giving them a seconds to react. But Samuel didn't waste time and he could hear him yell back a Texan yell clapping his palm together before disappeared into the kitchen and ordered for the help to get more cut meat for their grill. 

Alex was fully occupied with task in his hand, cleaning up the dirt and the residue of the old grill on the metal bar when Shan approached him carrying the rest of the grill utensils he needed. He sat it down on the table next to the grill before he faced Alex again.

"Are you sure its a good idea?" Shan asks him abruptly but Alex didn't even lift his gaze to answer him and instead he hummed in replies.

"Its a good day Shan, lets not ruined it shall we?" He says lightly before Shan let out a sigh staring at Alex in a cold demeanor. He tried to avoid his questions best that he could by asking him to pass around the utensils he needed to finish the cleaning.

Shan watched as Alex moves on to lighting up the charcoal to burn, getting it preheating the grill before the girls decides to join them carrying a trays of already seasoned meat. It wasn't much and it was last minute so the only thing Sammy could get it done in such a short period is marinated chicken drumsticks, beef patty and cut up ribeye that would make up for the day.

Henry came out a while later, hair damp after his shower wearing the exact clothes Alex laid out for him bare footing from the house towards the lawn where they set up the chairs for them to enjoy surrounded around the firewoods later for the night.

Alex smiled when he saw him carrying a jug of lemonade in his hand carefully walking besides Sammy carrying the stacked glass in his one hand limping his way without his cane. Henry walked at his pace knowing Sammy couldn't walk as fast as he could but the sight made Alex's heart spread with warmth. Especially when he saw Henry laughs at whatever Samuel lame joke about.

Their eyes met when Henry finally came closer and Alex could see the brightness in his eyes grew when he saw him in that strip apron over his front with his shorts underneath. Henry snorted at the sight that makes Alex looks like he wore a skirt instead of a shorts since the apron rested right below his pants.

"What?" He asks at Henry's amusement after he sat the jug down on the table and immediately Nora poured the drinks into the glasses. Henry let Alex slides his arms around his waist carefully holding him close to his side before he whispered into his ear.

"That apron make you look soft Diaz." He whispered that formed a smirk on Alex's lips. Henry gummy smiled is the one thing he was yearning for after days of dealing his illness and his nightmares. He leaned pulling Henry waist closer and pressed their lips together.

"I love you." Alex whispered softly into their kiss and caught Henry stares at him in shock. He thought Henry would pushed him away but instead, Henry sealed their lips in another deepens kiss before resting their forehead together. "I love you." He replied sealing their lips together.

"Hey Romeo, you're burning the meat!" Zahra yelled pulling them both from their kiss before Alex grunted at her. "Don't worry. It's for you anyway!" He yelled back but Henry smacked him on his chest with a scowl on his face.

"You can't give pregnant mothers a burnt burger!" He told him but Alex laughs made him chuckled instead which later he reassured saying he won't.

They ended up spent quite a rather nice evening with the amazing food Alex and Sammy had prepared and for once in his miserable life of being captive not once but twice, he was happy. He felt home, he felt he belong here with these small group of people he called family.

Nora pulled out June's old polaroid camera and starts taking pictures of them enjoying the day including Henry being wrapped around Alex between his legs on the chair. He looks happy, although she still could see him worn out from the events earlier, but he was smiling, happily and she never thought she would heard that cackling laughs again coming from both of them, him or Alex.

The sun finally sets on the horizon, Alex lit up the fireworks and they all enjoyed a nice cup of warm drinks as the night chill grew in. Sammy gave them couple of knitted blankets to wrap around each other telling stories of his past living in the house.

Henry eventually falls asleep on Alex's chest holding his cup of tea. Alex moves the cup away from his hand and wrapped the blanket around him making sure he's nice and warm. He was rather proud of him for able to eat half the burger and eventually just ended up eating most of the fries and the corn instead.

Alex was already in his fifth beer bottle feeling a little tipsy from the whisky Samuel poured him and Shan earlier. He stopped and enjoyed his cup of coffee instead when suddenly his phone rang. The number displayed on the screen was one of his men that he had called earlier to gather information about this Leon guy.

His heart stammered and his fingers trembled to answer but eventually he slides his thumb over the screen before he heard the tired voice behind the speaker.

"Boss. You were right. Something is fishy about this Leon guy."

Those were the first word he heard from him that already set his heart beating out of his chest.

"Call me in ten minutes." He says defensively before ended the call.

"Who's that?" Nora asks as Alex's entire mood shifts as he set his phone down. He didn't reply to her but softly shakes Henry by his chest whispering softly in his ear.

"Baby, let's get to bed." He says watching as Henry yawned tiredly and turned his head slightly to face him. "What time is it?" He asks rubbing his eyes before sitting upright.

"Doesn't matter. Let's get you to bed." He says pushing him up from the chair and joined him walked up to the house leaving the rest of them puzzled and confused.

"I'm fine Alex. I can walk to the bed myself." Henry protest as Alex manhandled him into their bedroom. "I know but I can't risk you waking up my dead grandmother by knocking her expensive vase anymore." He joked which Henry didn't find it amusing at all.

"Really? Dead joke? That's all you get?" He asks as Alex pulled the blanket off and ushered him to get in.

Alex chuckled tucking the blanket around Henry. He sat with his one leg crossed over the bed while the other rested firmly on the hardwood floor.

"Here. Take this." He handed Henry a couple of pills slipping it through his lips before guiding the glass rim over his lips. Henry swallowed the pills smoothly and Alex glad he didn't even flinched at the sight of the pills like he did before. He knew Henry trusted him enough at this point without even asking.

"Sleep well my prince." He whispered softly brushing his fingers over Henry's blonde hair.

"Come and join me." Henry says pulling Alex's arm closer but Alex pulled back knowing he was expecting a call in minutes and his men are precise.

"I can't darling. I have to deal with something and I will be right back. I promise." He says pressing a kiss over Henry's forehead. He pouted but his eyes are betraying him right now for unable to keep it open. Eventually he fell asleep right after with a soft snores escaped his cute little nostrils.

Alex closed his bedroom door softly before headed to his office and locked the door for the rest of the night ignoring the calls or the taps on the door whether its Nora or Shan or even Samuel. He didn't even bothered and kept his EarPods in to avoid all the noise to distract him. He knew his office door is sealed and they won't be able to eavesdrop his conversation anyway possible. His father made it sure for the room to be completely sealed.

When the clock strikes two in the morning, Alex finally came out of the room noticed the angry stares coming from the living room with Shan, Nora, Zahra and even Sammy stood staring at him angrily.

"Wanna explained what's going on right now?" Shan asks but Alex could only sighed and plopped himself down on the leather chair next to Nora completely drained.

"I think I found her." Alex short sentence sending gasped around the room and they all gathered closer to hear the rest of the story.

"Leon was arrested that prom night because he tried to rape June. He spiked her drink and brought her somewhere hidden but fortunately one of her friends looked for her and caught him carrying her. Dad never told me anything cause they didn't want the news to spread so they sent him to jail but he was early released and no one knew about it, not even June." Alex says before taking a sip of his coffee.

"The day he was released, he disappeared from the world and people thought he was in rehab or something but no one bothers cause June already moves to New York. But then few years later, June was kidnapped. He made it seem like she was murdered because he wanted us to stop find her." Alex could see the look on their faces made him want to stop but the story gets better and he knew he couldn't stop now even if he wanted too.

"He had a family home located in Maine, a lighthouse. He was presumably dead after an incident took place at the same lighthouse." Alex pulled out an article his man sent him on his phone and showed them the local newspaper article dated few days after June disappearance.

"A local man jumped from the same lighthouse where his family own and his body were never found. There were reports saying that the guy went manic after came out of prison and lives his life in solitude until he took his own life. Which is what they saw but it could be just a dummy tossed into the ocean cause they said the body was never found." Alex explained and they still kept silence.

"Not until Henry mentioned him in the picture that made me questioned. So I asks Cash to help them find the truth." He pulled back the phone and scrolled through another picture before he showed them. "That was him, a day ago. Dressed differently in disguise with beards and all, also with different colored hair." Alex says and this time, Nora gasped.

"That's Michael!" Nora says shooting a gaze at Alex sitting next to him. "Who?" He asks and Nora clicked his tongue at him.

"The building maintenance guy! Remember I told you the guy is super creep and always give me a cold shoulder. That's how he got into the apartment! He had access!" Nora yelled but Alex pulled her back hushing her to lower her voice.

"I'm leaving tonight with my men. I don't want Henry to wake up and catch me leaving." He says and Shan was already on his feet to join him. "No! Shan you're staying. I don't want any of you there and if I was right, June might still be alive and I don't you guys set him off and killed her instead." Alex says abruptly.

"The hell you are! I am not letting you do this alone Alex!" Zahra yelled at him but Alex wasn't gonna risk anyone else's life like they did when they tried to rescue Henry. It could have been Shan whom get shot instead of him but they got lucky.

"Zahra you have a baby coming and I don't want to be the one responsible telling that kid that his father was killed because of me. And Nora, if June knew you got hurt because I didn't stop you from coming, she won't forgive me either." Alex explained.

"But risking your life is alright? What would I tell Henry when he asks where you are? How would I explained to him that you decides to do this on your own without our help and ended up getting hurt all by yourself?! Henry would never forgives me for this." Nora sobs but she knew Alex already make up his mind in this.

"Because if anything to happen to me or June, he needed you guys here more than anyone else. He would blame himself for what happened Nora. Because he's the one that pointed the guy in the first place. I can't have him risk his own life for this anymore." Alex stood from the couch and began to walk away before he stopped to face them again.

"Ten years I have been looking for her. If fate sealed that we both died, know that Claremont-Diaz family might end with us. But our legacy might still lives on. Because memory never fades and business is still running like usual. The company is all yours Shan, for you and your future children." Alex says silently hiding the tears in his eyes.

"But I need you to take care of Henry for me. Don't let him be in the dark. He deserves a life of his own, with or without me." Alex continues letting a tear fell on his cheek.

"Just promise us you'll stay safe and make it back in one piece asshole! Don't make me tell your stupid stories to your niece or nephew without you there with us." Zahra claimed with break in her voice. Alex nodded slowly opening his arms wide for them before they run towards his embrace.

"I love you guys so much." He whispered wrapping his arms around Zahra and Nora's body before Shan pulled him into another hug. Samuel joins him after he pulled away from them and tried his best hiding the tears in his wrinkled eyes. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid." Samuel says which Alex snorted without replies. 

Alex didn't waste time packing but by the time he was done, its almost three in the morning and he wanted to go and check on Henry before he leaves.

The door creaked open and Henry is still asleep on his side with the blanket covered his body. His back was facing Alex at the door and his arm sprawled on the pillow next to his empty side. Alex stepped closer and leaned down pressing his lips over Henry's temple feeling the tears slowly creeping into his eyes.

"I love you so much Henry. I couldn't thank you enough for what you did for me and my family. If this is a goodbye, I want you to know that you will see me again. I knew you would." He says sniffing his tears before pressing another kiss on his temple. He pulled out the bracelet he had on his wrist and softly placed it around Henry's wrist before pulling out the key necklace around his neck and placed it by the table side for Henry.

Alex took one last glanced at Henry and smiled trying to remember each and every details he had on him in this room. The smile, the pain, the tears was nothing compared to what he had planned for future if God forbids he would live through this.

He closed the door softly and left carrying the weight he had wrapped around his ankle and the heaviness he carried in his heart for leaving without having to explain to him. He knew it would be for the best knowing Henry wont allow Alex go without him. But Alex can't risk Henry's life being in danger over and over again.

.

"I love you so much Henry."

"Alex?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Alex, NO!"

Henry jolted from his dream with tears streaming down his face yelling out his name. The dream was horrible and he never had those dreams before. But the worst part is that when he tried to find Alex, he was no where around the room like he usually did.

"Alex?" He called and soon realized the sun shining brightly outside with bird singing in the trees indicating it was already morning when he woke up. He didn't remember much last night only Alex tucked him to bed and said he had to deal with something and promised he would be back. But he never did.

He groaned feeling the headache is pricking through behind his eyes when he realized the bracelet around his wrist. He frowned at the sight and immediately turned to see the key necklace Alex left behind for him on the table. He was clueless by his gesture and proceed to the bathroom before he starts looking for Alex. 

Henry tried to calm himself down by splashing cold water on his face in the bathroom but the dream is too vivid and he can't get Alex's face out of his mind.

He was hurt, by the amount of blood dripping through his temple and he was standing by the ledge with the darkness surrounded around the room that felt familiar, too familiar around Henry. But he couldn't catch him in time and lost him from his grip. He could still feel the trembling on his fingers and his knees after he woke up and he couldn't shake it off.

He didn't waste anymore time and began to look for the asshole and wanted to hug and kiss the life out of him.

"Alex?" He called the moment he walked down the hallway thinking he might be in his office but he wasn't there. He walked further into the music room and the living room, he wasn't there still. Until he reaches the dining area where Shan, Zahra and Nora already seated for their breakfast with the unusual frowned on their face.

"Where's Alex?" He asks but neither one of them replied except for Samuel.

"He's gone for the day, I'm sure he will be right back soon." Sammy knew he couldn't lie to Henry since he can read people like a book. He knew when or not to trust people mostly based on his own personal experience and sense that he got from them.

"Where the hell is he Sammy?" Henry asks more sternly but he only smiled tapping Henry on his side before he left the dining hall.

"He had to work." Shan replied shortly sipping his coffee before continued on scrolling through his phone while Zahra and Nora kept their head low.

"What are you not telling me?" He asks but neither of them answer his questions.

"Either one of you confess or I'm gonna find out some other way. Where the hell is he?!" Henry yelled holding the chair in front of him in a tight grip that made his knuckles turned white. Nora looked up with her unusual red eyes before she replied, "Gone. He found a lead on the guy Leon and he wanted to make sure he's right." Nora replied that made Henry gasped.

"Where?" He asks but still silence grew between those three. "WHERE?!" He yelled again slamming his fist on the table that made them jump. "Maine." Zahra replied unable to look at Henry in his eyes. Henry didn't waste time before he left the dining area but Nora caught him from leaving.

"What the hell you think you're doing?" Nora asks grabbing Henry by his wrist. He flinched pulling away harshly from her grip with rage filled his eyes.

"You don't understand Nora. This guy is not some guy you want to play around with. It might seems easy to handle one guy compared to Phillip's men when you're trying to rescue me but something is different about him. Something is off." Henry says continued on his steps towards his room but Nora stopped him the moment they got into the bedroom.

"Alex knew!" She yelled turning Henry focus around facing her again.

"Knew what?" Henry asks.

"Knew that something is off with this guy. Which is why he didn't allow any of us followed him and told us to keep our eyes on you." She says that made Henry's chest burning with anger.

"More reason for you guys not allowed him to go on this suicide mission Nora! Why would you let him?!" He asks, tears soaking into his lashes as he stares at Nora's standing firmly before him.

"Because he told us too. He said that if anything to happen to him, he wanted us to take care of you. That the Claremont-Diaz family ended with them but the legacy continued on with us. He wanted us to make sure that you are safe Hen." Nora continues but Henry broke down in tears slowly slipping on the floor with his back against the bed.

"After all of that and he still worried I might get hurt?" He sobs clutching on his chest. Nora kneeled next to him pulling Henry into her chest letting him sobbed his tears away.

It took Henry a while to finally calm down but when he does, he shuts down emotionally and pushed Nora out of the room. "Leave me be." He says and Nora obeyed knowing he might needed the space.

Few hours passed and Henry didn't came out of the bedroom not even for breakfast nor lunch. They occasionally taps on the door for him but Henry didn't reply nor opened the door for them.

It wasn't until almost three in the evening when Shan decides to grab the spare key and unlocked the door of the bedroom. He worries if Henry might hurt himself due to Alex absence.

But to his horror, the moment the door opened, he was hit the sudden gushed of wind from the opened sliding door and Henry was no where inside the bedroom. He tried to check on the bathroom but no one is there and saw the key necklace with the Alex bracelet with a side note underneath it.

"I know it's selfish of me to leave but I won't forgive myself if anything happened to him and I wasn't there to protect him, just like how he protects me. I'll be alright. I promised I will bring them home."  H.