Hours melted into days, and days into weeks as Blair and Blaise fought for their lives, then their quality of life with every single breath.

Ezra basically lived at the hospital, and Connor wasn't much better - neither wanting to have any real distance between them and the two people under their care.

While they were still both in the ICU they were in side-by-side glass rooms, and Connor had worked from the nurse's station - much to the nurse's irritation - frequently. Every second was important, every check in vital. He refused to be further away than required unless he could help it.

Before Blair was woken up after the 4th day, she'd to have a surgical rib fixation - the flail chest was serious and it needed to be stabilized before she even woke up. He'd come right out of Blaise's 'second look' surgery within the 48-72 hour window to walk straight into hers.

He'd nearly passed out right in the break room after the two back-to-backs - the strain on his own body monumental. He knew his limits were his own body's failures, the power source of the exoskeleton able to far outlast him - and it made it even more frustrating when his body gave out.

Still, he'd insisted he handle both surgeries himself - he wouldn't allow either of them to settle for less than the best.

Once Blair woke up, they had to focus on interventions for her lung and start talking about her shoulder reconstruction. She was mentally struggling with being in a hospital, and the security only helped a little - the primary way to keep her calm was for Jackson, Connor, or surprisingly, Ezra, to be present.

Connor wasn't sure how he felt about how fond of Ezra she clearly was, but he'd already determined that even if Ezra was his friend he'd judge him by nothing less than Jack's standards. Life debt or not, no one messed with Jack's little sister.

Yet, that irritation and suspicion took an energy he didn't have, and he found it slipping away as he focused in on Blair and Blaise's health.

Connor had performed the Fasciotomy Closure just before they woke Blaise up, and then started preparing for Blair's shoulder surgery next.

Waking Blaise was the hardest part for Ezra. He hadn't known what "ICU Delirium" was before that, and it was one of the hardest things he'd ever witnessed. He thought once Blaise was more awake it'd be better, but what really happened was far harder.

The second Blaise started putting pieces together - recognizing faces, understanding where he was - he looked down at his legs in panic. With the trach in place, even with his mouth free he couldn't speak - but he could mime in panic. It didn't take them long to figure out he couldn't feel his legs, and he was terrified they were simply not there.

He'd cried before they revealed them, and then cried when he saw the state of them.

At first Blaise was nonresponsive, then he lived in a horrifying panic that had them strapping him to the bed for his own safety. After that he fluctuated between knowing what was going on and not, but regardless of which state he was in Blaise was emotional and overwhelmed. Now, after 4 weeks, he just seemed exhausted - like he'd gained just enough awareness to stop fighting.

They had followed all of the advice when the specialist explained that every time he woke up he forgot he was in an accident, talking to him calmly in short sentences to keep him grounded and calm.

You were in an accident. You are at the hospital. You are safe. Your legs are still here.

Over and over Ezra murmured those sentences to a glaze eyed, barely cognizant Blaise who just stared at him blankly - the doctor had warned him that Blaise might not know him right now.

Ezra wasn't handling it well.

Unfortunately, they didn't have time to focus on themselves while Blair and Blaise hobbled through their recovery. After Blair's shoulder reconstruction finally happened two weeks after the accident, the pivot to Blaise's reconstruction was next - and his situation was delicate. His bowel, liver, and vertebrae all needed attention - all while his kidneys were struggling and his nerve damage was severe.

The moment Connor recovered from performing one major procedure, he was doing another.

Even now, with Blair's discharge finally being processed after nearly 4 weeks of hospitalization, Connor made it clear that Blaise had a long, long way to go. The fact that Blaise was moving to the acute care wing was its own relief though. Yes, it was the beginning of the recovery - which was its own grueling reality - but Blaise's life was officially no longer in danger.

What Jackson hadn't told any of them was that beyond the hospital walls, things were getting even more complicated.

Blair's identity had been leaked, and her worst fear had come to pass - her mother had found her.

Jackson had spared no expense in the hospital security, guards posted at both Blair and Blaise's doors, either end of the hallways, and amongst the nursing staff under the guise of being PRN travel nurses for the duration of their treatment. Ezra noticed, but didn't comment on anything - he knew his grandfather was taking care of it, and he needed to focus on keeping his company afloat while simultaneously being there for both of the people he pulled out of that car.

Ezra hadn't walked away unscathed, but the torn spleen and neck injury seemed minor when compared with Blair and Blaise. Still, he had his own recovery to balance with everything else.

Along with his investigation into the accident.

He knew Jackson would handle the news, their security, and the ugly details that Ezra couldn't focus on. Instead, Ezra and Jackson got together each evening after Blair and Blaise could no longer have visitors in one of the hospital conference rooms. Jackson stayed quiet and Ezra updated him on everything he had done, found, or dealt with.

Jackson handled everything else.

Today, as they prepared for Blair to finally leave, everyone noticed the insane number of guards and the armored vehicles. No one was coming anywhere close without losing their heads, and that had Jackson, Ezra, and Connor all relaxing just a fraction - even if they weren't taking her straight to her penthouse like they wanted to.

"Blaise is going to lose it when he finds out," Blair said.

"Yeah, well," Ezra sighed, running his fingers through his hair - a new habit he'd formed over the past weeks after basically living at the hospital, "We'll just have to make it up to him later by rescheduling the ceremony. For now, this is the best approach."

Jackson nodded, patting Blair's hand gently. If he was honest, he was a bit disappointed too, but the marriage being legal was the most important thing right now.

"We'll have the PR team create a few photos. They'll pass for the announcement for now. I've already got them taking care of everything," Jackson noted, "It'll be public tomorrow."

"Imagine if we did the pictures now - at least we've all got stylish wheels," Blair joked, looking between Jackson and Connor, before noting, "Except Ezra. He's the lame one, apparently."

"Oh yes, the one that can still go up and down the stairs on his own is lame," Ezra scoffed, shaking his head.

Blair smiled, the exhaustion clear in her face even as Ezra pushed her chair. She and Ezra had discussed everything earlier that day at the hospital, and the moment she was discharged they headed to the courthouse. A few calls and some money to grease the wheels helped speed everything along, and in less than an hour Blair was officially bound by contract just like she'd agreed.

She was officially Mrs. King.

"We need to get Blair home to rest," Connor said quickly, studying the dark circles under her eyes with worry.

He hadn't been too keen on the strain it would put on her to address their marriage the moment she was released, but their logic was hard to argue with now that he knew Blair's story.

She needed the King's name and the protection that came with it. Without that who knew what could happen? Now, though, he was anxious to get her home and on her recovery journey.

A name was still only a name - but the security at their building couldn't be argued by anyone.

"Did you finalize the lease on the apartment on the floor below ours?" Ezra asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to confirm as he pushed Blair's chair forward smoothly.

"Yeah, last week," Connor nodded, scoffing slightly as he added, "You have the top three floors, so I grabbed an accessible place on the floor right below. It's not a penthouse level like your three, but it's more than enough for me."

"Good," Ezra ignored Connor's tone and didn't take the bait, just glad to hear that Connor would be nearby if they needed him to be.

"Blair!"

Everything tilted the moment they walked through the doors, and for a second Blair forgot to breathe. While three men's faces snapped to the woman's voice beyond the row of guards, Blair's head instinctively lowered.

She couldn't look up. She wasn't ready. She wasn't capable in that moment, and possibly in any moment in the future, to face that voice again.

Jackson noticed first, his eyes flicking to Blair and seeing how the already pale woman, her arm in a sling and wrapped in bandages beneath her loose fitting clothes, had paled even further. Her breath, already shallow as her lung healed, suddenly coming in sharp gasps - like she couldn't catch her breath.

Connor noticed second, and his eyes darkened in understanding even as Jackson's twisted in rage.

"Blair, honey," the woman's voice cooed, her perfect makeup only highlighting the softening of her features - as if she were emotional at the very sight of Blair in the chair before her, "I heard what happened! You should have called! I'd have been there to help take care of you!"

Her eyes moved up to the now frozen Ezra, and the woman nearly flinched at the coldness she found in his eyes.

She didn't let that stop her though, a smile blooming slowly across her face.

"Mr. King," she greeted Ezra warmly, "My name is Ruby Hamilton. I'm Blair's mother. I'm sure you're a busy man, so I can-"

"Leave," Ezra interrupted, ignoring the way Ruby's smile froze on her face, "You can leave, and never dare to show your face in front of myself or my wife ever again."

"Wife," Ruby choked, her eyes flicking between Blair and Ezra, "No, that's... that's not possible. I-"

"Are you calling my grandson a liar, Mrs. Hamilton," Jackson snapped, glaring at the woman openly, "You dare? Who do you think you are?"

"I wouldn't," Ruby insisted, waving her arms in denial - tears pooling in her eyes as if she'd been greatly wronged, "I was just... surprised. I would have assumed my daughter would reach out before making such a big decision."

"And why," Jackson asked slowly, the intensity of his presence making Ruby shrink back slowly, "would she need to reach out to you about such a decision? Are you suggesting my family isn't good enough for your daughter, Mrs. Hamilton?"

"Of course not!" Ruby insisted, irritation flashing through her eyes before she suppressed it quickly, "If anything... listen, Blair is... delicate. She needs proper care given her... unique mental health situation. I'm not sure if you realize that she's somewhat... unstable... at times-"

"Remove her. Clear the path."

Ezra's words were low, but clear and firm enough that they felt shouted in the quiet courtyard. The court house behind him was nearly vacant, only employees within, and mid-day sun shone brightly over the space that he had gone to great lengths to ensure was completely devoid of others when he'd rushed Blair over.

He had no idea how her mother managed to get so close, but he had no intention of entertaining her when Blair was in such a fragile state.

Now wasn't the time to fight or add more stress to the situation.

"How dare you," Ruby snapped, her façade falling for a moment as she glared at Blair, "Blair, tell them who I am!"

"Don't you speak to her," Connor growled, "You must take us for fools. Do you really think we don't know exactly who you are?"

Ruby hesitated then, her eyes flicking between the three men and the woman she'd been hunting for the past few years.

She was right there - just beyond arm's reach - but it felt as if, at least in this moment, she was untouchable.

The fury on Ruby's face couldn't be hidden.

"I am her mother," Ruby said, straightening, "and if you insist on keeping me from my daughter, I will go straight to the media."

"Have at it," Ezra mused, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sure there are lots of things the media would love to learn about you too, Mrs. Hamilton."

The guards circling them held her firmly at bay as Ezra quickly moved toward the car parked at the curb, ignoring the way Ruby yelled behind them.

Not once did Blair look up. Not once did a single sound make it past her lips. She simply stared at her lap - the only sign of the impact the situation around her had evident in the breaths she couldn't control.

By the time Ezra had eased her into the car beside Connor, she was wheezing and her lips were darkening in a way that was very, very concerning.

"Blair, I need you to breathe with me," Connor said, his voice tight even as he tried to get her to focus, "Blair Bear. Breathe with me."

"Jackie."

It was faint, breathed more than spoken, but it was enough to let Connor know he'd reached her beyond her panic.

"Breathe," Connor whispered, taking her hand and placing it on his chest, "Follow my breaths. Feel it? In. Out. In. Out. Breathe with me, Blair Bear."

Her breathe shuddered, but she managed - just barely - to slowly get her breathing under control. Ezra and Jackson watched from their seats anxiously, too nervous to make a single sound lest it break the delicate process Connor had barely managed to make work.

It wasn't until she appeared stable that Ezra finally glanced at Jackson beside him.

"How did she know where we'd be?" Ezra asked quietly, the darkness in his eyes impossible for anyone to miss.

"She's been watching the hospital," Jackson admitted just as quietly, even though his eyes remained fixed on his grand-daughter, "She must have followed us when we left."

"I thought we accounted for that," Ezra spit, his teeth clenched as tightly as his fists.

"I did too. I'll get to the bottom of it," Jackson said lowly, his eyes flicking to Ezra's face for a moment before adding, "It's not time yet. Blair isn't ready. Focus on your investigation. I'll handle the snake."

Ezra nodded, his eyes finally moving up to look at Blair and Connor with a particular focus unique to a man who knew exactly what needed to be done.

Not now... but soon. Soon, he'd make sure Blair and Connor got justice.

--

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