"Yeol..." Minseok bit his lips as he looked at his feet. "What happened? Tell me!" Chanyeol roared at the two doctors who looked at each other. 

"He had suffered a concussion and a massive blood loss and the bullet had missed his heart by a few centimetres," Minyoung hearing that was close to passing out.

"We had to put him under general anaesthesia and he's slowly stabilizing," said Kyungsoo and the raven head smiled, "That's good then. When will he wake up?"

Chanyeol was too happy to see the 'but' in the sentence but the others were well aware. Yifan took a breath and stepped beside his friend, "But?"

"He's in a temporary coma."

"He'll wake up soon. I trust my Baekhyunie." Chanyeol smiled but everyone at a glance knew it was fake and forced. Yes, he was glad that Baekhyun was doing alright but he did not want to hear about their baby despite his strong urge to. Call it a father's instinct, but the raven head knew the doctors did not have good news about their little Marshmallow.

Minyoung clenched her fists as she decided to ask the question everyone had been dreading, "What about the baby?"

At the question, both the doctors visibly paled, "Mrs. Park," Minseok began as Sehun and Jaehwan held her shoulders, "The baby's heartbeat is slow and unstable. There was almost no movement either. If Baekhyun doesn't wake up soon, the baby would die." 

Minyoung sobbed as Sehun shushed her while Chanyeol remained frozen, "Yeol, are you okay?" Yifan asked his friend who ignored the question and turned to Minseok. 

"Is there no way you can help the baby?" 

"There is," everyone's ear perked up at that, "But that could risk Baekhyun."

"Don't then. Don't do anything."

"But the ba--" Chanyeol glared at Minseok, "Baekhyun is more important to me."

Everything rested in Baekhyun's hands now and everyone could only pray to the heavens above for a miracle. 

__________

While Yifan patted his friend's back, everyone's eyes focused on the person behind him with a child sleeping in his arms. 

"He's the guy who caught Minhyeok. Since he helped us, I assumed he was your friend and told him where we were," said Yixing while Sehun and Jongin stared at him frozen. 

"Yifan," the dancer called and the elder nodded his head, "What?" He turned his head as Jongin pointed his finger and felt his legs become jelly, "Tao..."

"I think we need to talk," said Zitao while Yifan could not move his eyes from the little sleeping boy who had his plushie clutched tightly in his grip. "I can take him while you guys talk," Jongin volunteered and the Chinese man nodded before passing his son to the other's arms. 

Zitao looked at Yifan before walking over to the elevator. Sehun shook his head before pushing his frozen friend behind him to the elevator. It was too silent, that the two even held their breath as they looked at everything but each other. 

When they finally got to the roof, the two looked at the ground waiting for the other to start the conversation. It was extremely awkward, the two only wished for the ground to swallow them up as they stood there facing the busy street under them. 

"Have you been well?" Yifan initiated not wanting the other to feel more awkward than it already was. Zitao only hummed at that, "What about you?"

Yifan smiled a little, "Could be better." Again the silence surrounded them and the elder cleared his throat, "Thank you," the shorter one looked at him, "For helping us catch Minhyeok." 

"Don't mention it," Zitao smiled. "So," Yifan bit his lip before continuing, "You have a family now?" His heart broke on the inside as he forced out a smile and it broke further when Zitao nodded with a soft smile playing on his lips. 

Yifan wanted nothing but to hold him in his arms again and make him happy as he always did but knowing he belonged to someone else, he could only wish that he was happy with that someone else.

"Oh, right," Zitao stood up only to kick on the other's shin forcing him to the ground. "Why? How dare you create those pictures with that tiny guy?" Yifan narrowed his brows. 

"Tiny guy? You mean Baekhyun?" 

Yifan could not help but laugh when the younger nodded. "What's so funny?" Zitao asked crossing his arms in front of his chest. The other shook his head, "Just imagining what Baekhyun would have done if he had heard you."

"So, you hit me for taking those pictures with him?" Zitao nodded. "Why?" Yifan stood up dusting off his pants as he looked at the younger waiting for a reply. 

"What do you mean why?"

"Why do you care when you have someone else?"

He had not time to react when the younger slapped him across his face, "I don't have anyone, you asshole!"

Yifan who was rubbing his cheek glared at him, "You didn't have to hit me for that!"

"And, what else do you want me to think? You suddenly disappeared without a trace and I could not find you, no matter how hard I tried! You disappeared like the wind, how did you expect me to be?"

Zitao stayed silent at that watching the tears roll down Yifan's cheeks. 

"I missed you so much that I was going crazy. You showed me all the beautiful things in life, you showed me euphoria and vanished, just like that! Now when you're back, you have a kid with you. What else do you want me to think?"

"Yif--"

The elder's shoulders shook as he spat out every word, "You want me to think he's mine? That you suddenly disappeared and came back with our son?"

Seeing the younger become silent and look down, Yifan stood with mouth agape, "No... How? Why?" The younger looked up with a small smile with tears, "I was scared when I came to know about it. I was nervous as to how I should tell you and how you'd take it? So, I ran away to America."

"You should have asked me to know what my reply would have been, damn it! Is that what you thought of me? That I'd suddenly stop loving you, because of our child?"

Yifan stepped in front of him and held his shoulders, "I love you, Tao! More than anyone ever could and nothing, or no one could ever change that! You hear me?"

"You love me?"

Yifan nodded hugging him, "I love you more than anything, baby. I'll never leave your side, I promise, only as long as you'd stay too."

Zitao pressed a kiss to the other's lips taking him by surprise, "Now I have no reason not to. I love you too, Yifan. I'm sorry for running away like a coward."

"It's all in the past. Let's create a beautiful future from now."

The couple shared a passionate kiss under the moonlight holding each other tight hoping to never leave each other again. 

_______

Meanwhile, Chanyeol was slumped on his seat fumbling with the watch that Baekhyun had presented him. But every time he looked at it, he felt guilty. Guilty that he said it would be alright if Baekhyun survived at the cost of their baby.

But he was sure that Baekhyun was his priority. He told himself that he would take responsibility if something happened to the baby and live his life making it up to Baekhyun.

He leaned back on the seat thinking about something that had happened two days ago.

Chanyeol was on the couch working on his laptop while Baekhyun stood in the kitchen sipping on some lemonade. He had a visible pout on his face as he stroked his tummy feeling the kicks against his palm. 

Earlier, he had tried to ask Chanyeol to open the nursery but the man had completely turned him down and hid the key as perfectly as he could. "I need to see it," the blond nodded to himself before placing down his glass and walking over to his husband. 

"What?" The raven head stared at his husband as he took away his laptop and set it on the table in front of them. Before he could say anything, Baekhyun sat on his lap with legs on either side, "Hey, Yeol."

Chanyeol laughed sitting back as he held onto Baekhyun's waist. The petite male gave a sly smirk as he traced his husband's chest and the tattoos on his arm, "Will you do something for me, Yeollie?"

The CEO smirked back at his small husband as he sneaked his hand inside the younger's shirt which was originally the raven head's. He stroked the warm skin where he could feel the kicks while never breaking eye contact with his husband, "You're cute," said Chanyeol and the doctor smiled as he pecked Chanyeol's cheek. 

"Can you give me the key to the nursery, please? I just wanna have a tiny peek at it. I won't change anything, baby. Just once, love." Baekhyun husked out and leaned in. 

The raven head smirked before leaning in and crashing their lips together, "I know you too well, pup. So I'm not opening the door till Marshmallow's here."

"You're the worst, most stubborn man ever."

"Aren't you the same?"

Baekhyun stuck out his tongue and moved to get up until the elder held him in place. Chanyeol hugged him and closed his eyes, "Work is stressful, let's just stay like this." The raven head sighed sniffing the soft strawberry scent on the other's hair while the smaller smiled. 

"You're as cunning as a fox, my little vixen" Baekhyun laughed slapping his husband's chest and felt the vibration as the other laughed, "Not more than you, baby."

The two husbands smiled as they enjoyed the comfortable silence and each other's presence, "Baek?" the smaller hummed. 

"I love you."

Baekhyun pulled away from his chest before poking the other's shoulder, "Why would you say that so out of the blue?"

"Can't I? I love you and I'll say it whenever I want to."

The doctor laughed looking down before snuggling on the warm chest, "I love you too."

"I love you so much. So much that I'm afraid to even fall asleep," Baekhyun lifted his head to see that Chanyeol's eyes were glassy and felt the other's grip tighten, "Yeol."

"I'm afraid that one day I might wake up and you would be gone like a beautiful dream."

Baekhyun knew exactly why Chanyeol said those words. He had been making his husband read up about infant care and parenthood but the elder had stumbled upon the risks that accompanied the so-called most beautiful moment in life. Ever since the man had been on high alert and had been treating Baekhyun like a little fragile flower. 

"I'm not going anywhere, alright?" Baekhyun squished his cheeks together before pecking his nose and suddenly pinched his side making him yelp, "What was that for?"

"That hurts, right? So I'm not a dream but a real human being, understood?"

"God, Baek, I love you!"

"I love you 3000!"

The two men smiled never knowing what the future had in store for them...

A tap on his shoulder pulled him right out of his thoughts, "Wanna go for a walk?" Jongdae offered. The CEO nodded and followed the shorter man.

"How are you doing?"

"Sarcasm?" Chanyeol lifted his brows at the younger who shook his head. "It's perfectly okay to cry, you know? And I can see that you're accusing yourself for what happened," before Chanyeol could respond, the nurse beat him to it, "It's pretty obvious so don't deny, Park."

"I've been in many ORs but this was the first time I've seen someone operate on my friend," Chanyeol could hear the nurse sniffle, "it was scary. We almost lost him on the table but he pulled through. I can only imagine horrible it must have been for you."

Jongdae wiped his tears looking at the tall man, "I'm glad you chose Baekhyun so don't accuse yourself and the whole Minhyeok thing too, none of them was your fault. I know Baek wouldn't want you to feel this way, so strengthen up."

Shaking his head, Chanyeol sobbed, "I was the one he was after. If only I had reached him earlier, I could have saved him."

The nurse patted his back, "It's something called fate, you giant. Not your fault, you hear me?"

"What if Baek doesn't w---"

Jongdae hissed at him and smacked his head, "I know he will. He will 'cause he has a man to annoy for the rest of his life and a little Marshmallow to play with."

"But we don't kn--"

Smack!

"Say something pessimistic again and I'm gonna give you a concussion."

________

Two days had passed and there was no improvement with Baekhyun. The male was still as a log and their baby was not doing any better.

Chanyeol peeked through the glass watching his husband who looked so peaceful with a little pout on his face. He was not allowed to visit him yet and looking at him through the glass doors was his only way to keep himself from going crazy.

Meanwhile, Minseok sighed at the lady sitting in front of him. The same question which had been haunting everyone, "How's the baby?"

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Park but I don't think Marshmallow would get through the night. We gave three days for Baek to wake up and if he doesn't even after three days, there's no chance for the baby. It's already been two days now. He has to wake up today or he'll wake up with a dead baby inside him."

They never said anything to Chanyeol about either the baby or Baekhyun. Kyungsoo and Minseok only informed him that they were slowly improving.

"What?" Minyoung gasped with glassy eyes. Jaehwan held her trembling hands and stroked them. "The baby's heartbeats are slow and irregular and it's been two days since we felt any movement but Baekhyun is stable and showing good vitals on the other hand," the doctor tried to be cheerful but it was pointless to put up an act.

"So Baekhyun waking up would save the baby?"

Minseok nodded, "That's the only way, Ma'am."

"Mins," Jongdae entered the room and greeted the elders before continuing, "There's a lady who wants to see Baek."

"Lady?" Minyoung narrowed her brows, "He has no woman in his circle of friends and he only has a cousin, Taehyung. What woman?"

The nurse shrugged since she was a stranger to him too. The Park couple and the doctor stepped out to see the lady who was struggling with the two security guards.

"Let her go," said the doctor and approached the lady, "You're the one who wanted to see Baek?"

The lady instantly nodded with tears in her eyes, "I really wanna see him. I have to see him, please."

"Who are you?" Minyoung stepped forward and the lady looked up,

"I'm Kim Nayeon, Baekhyun's mother."

Minyoung raised her hand only to be stopped by Chanyeol, "Mom! What do you think you're doing?"

"Do you even know who she is?"

"I know she's Baekhyun's mom. I told her he's here, so what?"

Minyoung stood there looking at her son not believing his words, "You called her?" Chanyeol stood unfazed and sent away the security.

The tall raven head sighed before leading the lady to the ICU only to be stopped by his mother, "Move, Mom!" Minyoung replied nothing as she stood there in front of them. 

"How? No, why would you tell her he's here, Yeol? Did you lose your mind or something?"

Chanyeol glared at her mother, "She heard about this on the news and tried to reach me at my office and then contacted me. So I told her where Baek is. I don't see what your problem is, Mom!"

"That woman," Minyoung pointed at Nayeon eyes burning with hatred, "threw away Baekhyun for some guy she met and last time I talked she hoped for him to be dead. And, you too listened yet you called her?"

"I di-" Nayeon stopped when the lady glared at her, "He was your son but you threw him away as if he meant nothing to you. Now, why are you here? To make sure he dies--"

"Mom!" Chanyeol roared at her, "Not one more word, Mom. She is his mom and you need to stop digging up the past. I'm sure she had her reasons to do what she did but right now, please don't talk about anything. I don't want to be dealing with you two while hoping for my husband to wake up."

Minyoung glared at her son fuming in anger while Jaehwan held her back, "You heard he got married to a good family and you suddenly want to make up with him? Don't you feel ashamed as a mother?"

Nayeon's eyes twinkled as they gathered tears and she looked down, "Just once, I'll see him just once. You don't even have to tell him I was here."

"Let this be in the past, she wants to see him just once," Jaehwan tried. "I know how much you hurt Baekhyun and to think of you coming back into his life sickens me," Minyoung spat at the lady who continued to silently sob. 

"Mom, that is enough!" the raven head said standing right in front of his mother, "Did you hear Baek say he doesn't want to meet her? Did he? I know you don't like her but let her just see him, that's it."

"I don't have any intention of letting her hurt Baek either, so don't worry about it. She just gets to see him here and that's it," he held her shoulder with his right arm, "Please?"

"I think Baek would want to see her, though," said Sehun who had just come in. "Last time Baek talked about her, he wanted to know if she was happy and doing well. So, I guess he will be happy to see her, Aunt."

"When did he say that?" Chanyeol lifted his brows. "We're friends, too. And, what we talk ain't your business," replied Sehun and stuck out his tongue to mock his cousin who mirrored it. Minyoung stayed silent and moved to the side with a huff. 

Minyoung sat on the seat slowly observing Nayeon who was sobbing as she watched her only son through the glass, "Mom's sorry, honey. Please come back to me..." 

~~~~~

A/N

How was the chapter? Hope everyone liked it! And, yeah maybe one of them would survive, I swear at least one of them would! I won't kill them both, I'm not that heartless :') ~~~It's gonna be gonna be okay~~~ hehe did you get that ^^

Tao's finally here woohoo!!! I wanted to introduce him somewhere cool hehe ^^

I have exams from 21 to 26, so I might take longer to update the next chapter, sorry in advance :(

Stay safe and take care!!! Love you guys <3333

XOXO