All Kaldur remembered was being shot at in the water. The rest was a gigantic blur. He believed that he heard shouting and crying all around him. Then he felt something being taken out of his side and abdomen. He felt a needle being inserted inside his arm and felt a bit of blood leaving his body. Before he fell completely unconscious, he felt a rush as liquid enter his bloodstream. When he came back to his senses he felt something warm and small sitting on his chest. He felt tiny soft fingers touching his face. He forced his eyes to open so that he could see what was on him. He opened his exhausted eyelids and saw little Julian on his chest, slightly moving up and down with Kaldur's breathing. His tiny hands touched and played with Kaldur's bruised cheeks. Relieved that the child was safe, he sighed and lightly rested his hand against Julian's back.

"Hello there Prince Julian. I am truly sorry for the trouble I have caused you." Kaldur apologized softly with a hoarse voice.

Julian just stared at him and made a confused cooing sound. Kaldur chuckled lightly but his lungs decided to be difficult. He started to cough heavily, which seemed to frighten the young prince. Kaldur smiled weakly at him as he rubbed the infant's back.

"My apologizes." Kaldur said softly.

He looked around the room to see his King and Queen sleeping on the couch while Orm was asleep in a padded chair. He gently moved Julian to the open space on the bed as he slowly and as gently as he could sit up. His aching bones popped. He placed Julian in his lap and pulled the covers around Julian's chubby body.

"You rest now your highness. You have had enough adventure to last you a lifetime." Kaldur said softly as he used his thumb to stroke Julian's cheek.

He sat on the bed and watched over the royal family as Julian slept peacefully. He knew he was in deep trouble and that he might lose his new home on the surface. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the door open and his team walking into the room. Megan lightly screamed with joy before Kaldur shushed her as he pointed to the people sleeping around him.

"Kaldur, you're awake!" Megan shouted happily in relief as she hugged him tightly.

"I would not go that far, but I am well." Kaldur admitted with a small cough to clear his throat.

"I'm gonna get the nurse." Wally said as he zoomed out of the room.

"Can you please take Prince Julian to Queen Mera please?" Kaldur asked.

Megan took Julian in her arms and took him to rest him in his mother's arms on the couch. He instinctively snuggled into her chest as Mera wrapped her arm around him.

"We were really worried about you." Artemis said in relief.

"Killing an Atlantean, especially me, is a very hard task to complete." Kaldur said with his voice slightly hoarse.

"You're a stubborn fool, Kaldur." Conner said with a mixture of anger yet a bit of humor in his tone.

"I have been called worse." Kaldur said as he coughed again.

The doctor's came in the room as Canary woke up Arthur, Mera, and Orm. Mera started crying for joy while Arthur and Orm just sighed in relief. Mera started to sob with joy on Megan's shoulder repeatedly saying thank you. Kaldur and Mera were caught in a deep conversation in Atlantean.

"A jeni edhe biri im?" (Are you well my son?) Mera asked through her sobs.

"Unë jam gjobë mbretëreshën time. Për sa kohë që fëmija është i mirë." (I am fine my queen, as long as the child is well.) Kaldur said as he held her hand.

"Më vjen shumë keq që unë ju goditi. Unë kam qenë vetëm e mbushur aq me merak dhe frikë dhe-" (I am so sorry that I hit you. I was just so filled with worry and fear and-) Mera began to explain but Kaldur stopped her.

"Ajo është e mirë mbretëresha ime. Unë e kuptoj." (It is fine my queen. I understand.) Kaldur said as he held her hand.

"Faleminderit. Për të shpëtuar djalin tim." (Thank you. For saving my son.) Mera said with a smile.

"Ju jeni të mirëpritur mbretëreshën time." (You are welcome, my queen.) Kaldur said as he kissed her hand in respect.

Mera kissed his temple before embracing him. After the doctors ran some more test on him, they deemed that Kaldur was going to be fine. He would have to get lots of rest for his lungs, but he should be back to work in about 5 to 7 months.

Arthur just watched quietly from the door. He was so happy and relieved that Kaldur was going to be fine, he truly was. It killed him though that he, in the back of his mind, did not believe Kaldur. Arthur knew he had to apologize to him. When the Team, Mera, Julian, and Orm along with the doctors left, he went in quietly. He slowly closed the door behind him. Arthur watched his sleeping son from the side of the bed. He pulled up a chair and sat down. Kaldur started to stir before Arthur took his hand.

Kaldur was finally able to rest when everyone left. Even though he was asleep, he could still hear and sense everything around him. He was able to hear the door open the close before hearing the scraping of something being moved. Kaldur started to stir, trying to wake himself up. He froze when he felt a cold yet slightly warm hand touch his. He heard a soft yet masculine voice hushed him softly. His slightly red eyes started to open to see his king in tears. Kaldu was confused on to what was going on.

"My king, what is wrong?" Kaldur asked as loud as his weak voice could.

All Arthur did was cry into his hands as he clung to Kaldur's hand. Kaldur has never seen this side of his king. He sat up slowly and tried to comfort him.

"My king, what is wrong? Is the child unwell?" Kaldur asked worriedly.

"No, no. Julian is fine. Do you remember much of what happened before you were in your coma?" Arthur asked, wiping his tears away and clearing his throat.

"I remember people talking to me. I believe that you told me that it was ok to go. I was confused on where though." Kaldur explained as he started to sit up.

"Kaldur, I thought you were going to die. I did not want you to be in pain all because of your wish to keep your oath. I told you that if you needed to leave this world, if you were ready to end your pain, than you could join your mother and pass on. No matter how much it killed me inside, I could not stand to see you in so much pain. I could never allow that to happen again. I am so sorry." Arthur explained as he buried his face in his hands in shame.

Kaldur wa surprised to see his king like this. He finally realized that he was loved and that he was going to missed if he had died. Kaldur placed a hand on his k-father's shoulder.

"Annex, look at me." Kaldur said softly.

Arthur looked at him with a slightly depressed eyes.

"Do you remember when you were shot in the chest back in Atlantis. I was about 8 years old at the time. The healers believed that you would not survive. I told you as you slept that if you needed to pass, if you no longer wanted to live in pain, that it would be okay for you to pass on. It destroyed me to say that but I did. I only did it because I love you and wanted to bring you comfort. It seemed like the most compassionate thing to do. Annex, this may sound very strange but, while I was in my coma, I was able to actually see and hear the the words from my team and from you. I was standing near the sink with my-my mother. Part of me wanted to join her. To finally be with her again. But when I saw how my death would affect others, I knew I had to stay. I finally realized that I had so much to look forward to in life. My king, I am alive now, the hard part has past. Now all I have to do now is heal. Do not mourn and be saddened by your words you said in order to comfort me. Okay." Kaldur explained as he looked at his king,

Arthur smiled lightly as he stood up and placed a small kiss on Kaldur's temple.

"Your mother would be so proud of you." Arthur said in a soft whisper.

Kaldur, knowing how childish it was but didn't care, carefully scooted over to make a spot for his king. He patted the spot lightly and motion for him to sit. Arthur smiled widened as he sat down on the bed and allowed Kaldur to cuddle close to him. Arthur gently wrapped his arm around him in a protective manner. Before Kaldur could even say a word, Arthur began to softly hum to him, like he did when he was a child. Kaldur found comfort in the embrace and started to drift off to sleep. All Kaldur knew was that he was in deep water when he was fully rested.