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***Alexei's POV***

"It's nice to formally meet you." I put my hand out for Joshua Lincoln. He grabs it softly. I can feel how weak he is.

"You as well. Thank you for loving my son, correctly." Joshua stares at me with kind eyes. It is odd. I did not expect him to behave like a human after our last meeting. I guess time has changed him.

"It isn't an easy task. However, he makes it worth it." I admit. Loving Gavin takes patience. That is something I never thought I could gain. Yet, here I am, all patient and shit.

"Nothing worth having is easy." Joshua agrees with me.

"So, looks like you are going to be my father-in-law." I state. I don't know what else to say. I must start somewhere.

"My kid calls me by my given name. I will be your Joshua-in-law." He chuckles.

"Yes, he has a way of proving a point without coming clean." I confess. He can be fucking passive-aggressive. Some would call it petty. It's efficient to say the least.

"It doesn't bother me. I earned it." Joshua admits with a grimace.

"Want to know something else about your kid?" I ask my future father-in-law. I have some Gavinisms to share.

"I want to know everything." Joshua informs me. He is off in the correct direction. Loving Gavin is a sure way into my heart.

"He can be a real shit. I mean it. He can be heartless or cruel even. Gavin has a tenacity that is unmatched." I start with the rough edges of my kitten.

"Those would be my genes." Joshua acknowledges.

"His love comes with a price, Joshua." I divulge right away.

"I will pay anything. I owe that to him." Joshua immediately signs up without knowing the cost.

"Trust." One word. A huge word. It is everything to my heart. My kitten will burn you alive or burn himself to save you over that one word.

"I don't know how I could possibly earn that after all I have done." Gavin's father confesses. I imagine he feels hopeless. However, the fact that I am sitting here talking to him speaks volumes.

"Gavin looks for reasons to believe there is good in everybody and in everything. If he hates, distrusts it is because he has searched and found nothing left to excuse. I have a suggestion." I offer.

I don't know why I feel so compelled to share my secrets with the man.

Yes, I do. Gavin.

"I will take whatever advice you have to give." Joshua promises me.

"Don't give him a reason to run out of reasons." I pat his hand. I want this to work. My kitten wants this to work. Whatever his reasons may be, he wants this. I will do everything in my power to meet that need.

"Why has he come?" Joshua asks. His question catches me off guard. I do not know if it is my place to tell. Of course, I know the answer. The question is, should I expose it.

"Finding out who you are now is more important than hating who you were." I make a decision to state that one fact. The rest is up to Gavin.

"Fuck." Joshua breathes out. I hear it. I feel it. The decisions are being made as the breath is expelled.

"Care to share?" I ask with a chuckle of humor.

"Are we sure we don't need a DNA test?" Joshua laughs deeply.

"I think with enough time, that will become unnecessary." I disagree.

"I think I am one lucky bastard. Gavin is somebody no one could possibly deserve. Maybe one person, you." Joshua decides finally.

"I sure hope so." I agree.

"So, what's next?" Joshua asks for a little direction.

"That's up to Gavin. The first step was waking up. Thank you for that, by the way. I couldn't stand to watch him making decisions. I didn't know if he would settle on forgiveness or murder. I would have hated to visit my husband in prison." I half-heartedly joke.

"They allow conjugal visits." Joshua laughs out.

"Silver lining." I concur.

"Hey." Gavin's voice graces my ears.

"Hello, Kitten. Did you find out anything?" I ask as I open my arms for him to come sit with me.

"Nothing that made me happy." Gavin huffs. He plops down in my lap, sighing as he wraps his arms around me.

"What have they done to disappoint you, Love?" I ask. I will do my best to correct it.

"They don't have fucking Oreos. What kind of place is this? I thought we had Joshua in a state-of-the-art facility. I'm not so sure." Gavin whines theatrically.

"I will go get you some right now, if necessary." I promise him.

"No. Mak is on the way. He already said he was on it. Doesn't change the fact that THIS PLACE BLOWS!" Gavin bellows out.

"No DNA test required. That's my son." Joshua laughs boisterously.

"Oreos?" Gavin asks with a quirk of his brow.

"Oreos." Joshua sings the word out as if it were mana from Heaven.

"What did you two get into while I was gone? Did you build an empire? Take over the world? Find the cure to cancer? Solve world peace?" Gavin asks as he looks between me and his father.

"Close enough." I smile at Joshua.

"Guess what I found?" A very familiar voice comes in. My teeth grit. That is a very unwelcomed sound. I glare at the door knowing I am going to be unhappy until that voice is silenced.

Nik walks in, smile lighting up the room but darkening my mood. I grip Gavin tighter, placing my lips in the crook of his neck to calm myself. I hear Joshua laughing behind me.

"What's that?" Joshua coughs out nervously.

"A birdie told me my favorite patient wanted Oreos." Nik states while pulling a package from a grocery store bag.

I grind my teeth. I wouldn't mind snapping this nurse's neck. He is pissing me off.

"What did the birdie look like?" Joshua asks. I turn to look at him. He winks.

"An angel." Nik smiles flitting his eyes to the man in my arms. I slide Gavin over standing to have a conversation about etiquette.

"Daddy!" Gavin wraps his hand around my bicep. He pulls on me. It does nothing to keep me from moving.

"Nik, is that your name?" Joshua questions the imbecile of a nurse.

"Yes, Joshua. You know that. It's on your board." Nik laughs as he points to the informative bulletin.

"I wasn't sure." Joshua states. I turn to look at my future father-in-law. Where is he going with this?

"Come closer, Nik." Joshua beckons the helpful incubus.

"Need something?" Nik asks politely as he hands the Oreos to my fiancé.

"I do. To tell you something." Joshua confirms. He looks serious. Joshua is on a mission.

"I'm listening." Nik smiles, sliding his eyes between Joshua and Gavin while studiously ignoring the brooding demon who is about to throw him from the hospital window.

"Do you wear glasses normally?" Joshua asks.

"20/20 vision. So, no." Nik shakes his head. A chuckle leaves his perfectly pink lips.

"Good to know. I was wondering." Joshua takes a pause. I am really fucking interested in what Joshua was wondering.

"What was that?" Nik asks. He takes a seat that happens to be right beside my heart.

"Do you like breathing? Can you not see the fucking ring? Can you read a damn room? Is my son sitting in his Daddy's lap not blaringly obvious enough for you?" Joshua grinds out.

"I was being nice." Nik lies.

"I'm not that stupid. And while I am going to take those cookies because they are my favorite, I am going to suggest you request a patient change. My son-in-law is about to put your stupid ass through that fucking four-story window, and I am going to encourage it. Forget about Gavin and walk out of here with your legs still attached to your body." Joshua instructs.

"DAD!" Gavin shouts with a giggle that I love.

"Son. He is disrespectful." Joshua complains.

"I like you, Joshua." I admit.

Nik ducks out disgracefully while I wave bye to his ass that seems to be on fire.

"Dumbest mother fucker this side of the Hudson." Joshua shakes his head. I pass the Oreos to Gavin's father. He earned them.

"I think he just likes getting under your skin." Gavin concludes as he climbs back into my arms.

"I think he is stupid enough to think he has a shot." Joshua argues. I think I like Joshua Lincoln more every second.

"Well, he would be fatally mistaken." Gavin calmly proclaims.

"Fatally?" I ask wondering about the choice in his words.

"Daddy, if anyone threatened to come between you and I. Just. It's their death warrant." Gavin shakes his head.

"Where is my best friend?" Mak's voice makes its way into our room. I smile, seeing Grey holding onto Mak's waist possessively.

"I see that shit is still hanging around." Mario remarks as he slides in with Kip attached to his hip.

"Where is Sebastain, Mark?" I ask. There is no way they aren't with this crew.

"Nik winked at Daddy Martin. Mark is out there tearing into his ass. Sebastian is getting a hard on." Grey informs me.

"Well, isn't he just racking up the murder plots today." Gavin asks as he pushes his hand out to Mak to get his fucking Oreos.

"The kid has balls. Too bad Mark is handing them to him." Kip laughs out.

"He bought Gavin Oreos." I huff out. I am still on edge. I might get up to help co-sign Mark's chewing.

"That kid doesn't have enough dick for Gavin." Grey chuckles. I smile. Damn right he doesn't.

"Oh, sorry Joshua. We didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Mak smiles, waving at my future father-in-law.

"I am not uncomfortable. This is Gavin's life; I am a willing participant." Joshua excuses our crude conversation.

"Dad is being cool about all this. He woke up to Alexei choking me. We were just about to take it to the bathroom." Gavin confesses without an ounce of shame.

"Jesus. In his room. While he was unconscious?" Daddy Martin comes in smirking. He is impressed.

"He could have been taking his last breath. When Daddy's hand clamps down, my cock has needs." Gavin wraps himself around me, kissing on my neck deliciously.

"How long you in here for?" Grey drags the conversation back to the patient. I don't mind because my hands are groping Gavin's ass.

When Gavin's lips attack my neck; my dick has needs too. There is still an available bathroom. I might find a reason to slip into it.

"No one has come in besides the dead man walking. I couldn't tell you." Joshua shrugs. He doesn't seem bothered by me mauling his son.

"I can find out for you." Mark offers.

"You should stay in the room. I don't trust you not to seek out that nurse." Sebastain puts a hand on Mark's bicep, squeezing it to keep him grounded.

"I will go get some information. And, if Nik has anything more to say then we can see how well he can fly from a four-story fucking window." Martin offers. Gavin, Joshua and I burst into laughter.

"How are you feeling Joshua?" Mak finally makes his way from Grey's hold to come get my fiancé and they look over Joshua Lincoln.

"The physical pain isn't nearly as bad as I would have thought. I am here with my son, so other than the minor inconvenience of this catheter, I am fine." Joshua acknowledges.

"Well, the sooner you get the fuck out of here, the sooner I can plan my wedding, and we can start catching up." Gavin informs his father.

"I was going to get around to asking you when the big day was." Joshua mentions. That reminds me that my love owes me an answer to that question. I won't press it right now.

"I am working on that answer. Waiting on a few calls." Gavin smiles at Joshua and then sends one of his sexy winks in my direction. We can go home anytime.

"Finally working on that?" Grey asks. "I was beginning to think the ring was just a collar." Grey laughs while sending me a pointed look. I know he is fucking with me. He knows I have been ready since before I popped the question.

"Does your mom know I am alive?" Joshua asks Gavin. Joshua smiles fondly. It is easy to see he still holds Mrs. Eloise close to his heart. It makes me wonder what he must have felt all those years ago to transform into such an insufferable monster to turn on his family. That thought is scary. The man laying in this bed seems normal, loving, remorseful. He is nothing like the Joshua I met that very first time.

"She does. She is very happy that you are getting better. Mom asked me to have you contact her when you were feeling up to it. She said she missed you. She told me she missed me too." Gavin informs Joshua. I stare at my heart and wonder if this is the part where he finally gets a chance to heal from his past. He deserves at least that.

"I will take care of that later, when you go home with Alexei." Joshua's tone is quite instructive. I send him a smile. He must know that his son has spent too much time watching him in this room.

"Where is your home?" Gavin asks suddenly. The question catches me completely off guard.

"I have one Gavin. It's safe. Don't worry. I live in an apartment near where I was hit. I was walking home from a meeting." Joshua tries to console my kitten who worries about everybody.

"Do you have friends?" Gavin questions. I can feel the air shift. Gavin needs these answers. He wants to know that his father has people to look out for him.

"I mostly hang around Diane and Hank. It's hard to keep friends who don't judge or won't encourage certain behaviors." Joshua admits.

"You have a lot more friends now, Dad." Gavin promises as he reaches for Joshua's hand. I watch as Joshua squeezes my hearts fingers, threading them together. It's insane to see the two of them on the same page. Absolutely, shocking that we are at this juncture in our lives.

"Do you drink at all or are you dry?" Martin asks. I haven't thought to talk about it. I guess we would need to know that. I wouldn't want to be an encourager of bad behavior.

"I have been doing this long enough to know when it's a good idea and when it's a bad idea. I will always be an alcoholic. I will always want the chemical a little more than the next guy. However, the real control is knowing when it is okay to indulge in a sip and when to walk away." Joshua explains while looking at Gavin not Martin.

"You fell off." Gavin reminds his dad.

"I knew exactly what would happen that night. I wanted it. I wanted the mind-numbing celebration. I wanted death, honestly. I was in pain. It was a moment of weakness, just so you know. I'm not suicidal. I had gone into a spiral emotionally and made a choice. I regret it." Joshua admits softly.

"Do you go to therapy?" I ask. I don't think therapy is a cure-all. However, for the pain of this particular family, I think it would do wonders.

"I do. Often. There isn't enough talking in the world to make what happened to us feel any better. It was a shitty situation. We lost our child. Then, I pushed my family away because I felt guilty. I was the one that encouraged Eloise to take that medicine. I wanted Eloise to enjoy her pregnancy the way she had with Gavin. If I hadn't let those doctors woo me with their promises of research and hope, my daughter may still be here." Joshua closes his eyes. It doesn't stop the moisture from running across the seams. I see it. I know Gavin sees it.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Dad. That was their mistake. You were the victim." Gavin promises as he reaches over, using his finger to draw up his father's tears.

"I know that. My heart knows that. Sometimes, the guilt is just louder than common sense. I sued. We won. That's what pays for your mother's care. Not that I wouldn't expend every penny to my name to do so. We just don't have to." Joshua exposes.

"Did the doctor get fired?" Gavin asks with concern in his voice.

"Case study. That's what they called it. My life was turned into an example without my permission. My kid's lives were covered under the cloak of a lesson learned." Joshua opens his eyes and there are pain, anger and sorrow right there on display for everyone.

"Maybe someone else was saved the heartache." Gavin whispers. I hear it. I know Joshua did.

"That's the only solace that could come from this, Gav. Maybe someone else didn't lose everything." Joshua agrees with a smile.

"I told you we didn't need a DNA test." I cough out.

"Who asked for a DNA test?" Gavin looks at me accusingly. I point at Joshua. I am not taking the fall. I am not a martyr.

"That is not how it happened." Joshua laughs, glaring at me.

"You two have explaining to do." Gavin huffs making me want to snatch him into my arms. I fucking love his attitude, when it isn't real and isn't promising me a night without him.

"You're just too good for this world. I knew you didn't get it from me. Wanted to be sure I was loving the right kid." Joshua states as he looks at Gavin like he is exactly the entire world.

"I got it from you. Accept it. You aren't the fucking monster you tried to be. Disappointing, I know. All that wasted effort." Gavin grumbles before standing up and falling over his father. He hugs him, awkwardly.

"Did anyone find out when we are out of this place?" I finally remember to ask.

"Well, I wasn't going to cut into the conversation. It seemed rude." Martin looks over at us guilt heavy in his smile.

"How long do I have, Doc?" Joshua asks.

"You can leave in a couple days. They need to keep an eye out for infection." Martin answers finally.

"Well, if that is what needs to happen." Joshua shrugs. He wiggles down into the covers and gets comfortable.

"Do you want some food? Anything?" Gavin asks. He is always a nurse.

"Actually, yes. I want a fat burger with bacon and cheese fries. This hospital food smells like Alpo." Joshua gags.

"Take a nap. We will go get something for you." Martin promises. I nod my head concurrently. I need a break.

"Make sure my son eats, both of them." Joshua states as he lets his head fall back and closes his eyes.

"Will do." Martin agrees with a smile.