His eyes opened against his wish and he started to sit up but someone pulled him back on the bed. There was only one person who would dare do that and Stuart sighed as he fell back on the bed and allowed Leon's arms to cuddle him in place. Leon hummed against his neck and that sent a cool shiver down his spine.

"Bloody hell," he grumbled as he turned and he heard Leon's low chuckle.

He was so real. His skin was as white as ever and the lustful glint in his eyes shone as it normally did on a good day.

"I miss you, Stuart," his voice was what felt like it wasn't there. It was cold and void of its usual teasing tone.

Stuart immediately broke character and clutched to his shirtless body. "I miss you, Leon. Please come back to me."

     A smile etched on his face. "Find me." It came out more like a whisper and he leaned his head down and as usual, Stuart expected a kiss but it never came.

He opened his eyes, not even remembering when he had closed it and gasped when he saw no one on the bed with him. Glancing around, he cursed loudly when he realized he was in the hospital but this time, as a patient.

Stuart couldn't remember what had happened after he took his fourth bottle of beer but if he had to wake up in the hospital, then he must have had an episode.

     Groaning in pain, he tried to sit up but his entire body felt heavy and he only fell back on the bed. Stuart wouldn't have mind and waited for the sedative to wear off but Leon wasn't with him and he hadn't returned back to his side even when he had promised to remain with him until he got his memories back.

    With that in mind, he took a deep breath before pushing himself off the bed. His legs shook but he managed to get it to walk out the door, and having stayed in the hospital for a week, it had become like a second home. And as much as he hated it, he loved how it helped him back to Leon's room. He had hit his head on the wall on the way and it had managed to clear his vision to the point he was able to see Leon's name on his door and opened it to see the man playing with the remote which was in his hand.

Stuart smiled and he closed the door behind him but when he took a step toward the man, he felt the sedative hit him with full force and his vision immediately blurred.

"Stuart?" Leon called and Stuart quickly followed the voice until he found him.

"Leon, I found you," His voice came out weakly and he searched the bed desperately for his hand. "I found you."

"God Stuart, are you on drugs? You shouldn't have left your bed." His voice was panicked and if he hadn't cupped Stuart's cheeks, Stuart would have lost his mind.

     Leon tilted his head back to him and Stuart reached his hands up to copy the act. He smiled and said, "I wanted to be with you."

"But Stuart-"

He never finished what he wanted to say or maybe it was just Stuart who decided then was the best time to pass out.

~::~

Andres checked his watch. 05:23pm. If Vlad said he was coming, well, he was 23 minutes late and if Andres knew anything about Vlad, it was that he hated being late. And that meant the awkward silent between him and Vlad's grandma was going to grow until she realized that her 'Vnuk' wasn't going to show.

He had sent the kids over to Stuart the minute she called and said she was coming over to have a talk with her 'Vnuk'. He wasn't sure if he was ready to have the kids eavesdrop as Vlad's grandma reduced him until he was nothing before her.

     That had been an hour ago and the only thing she had uttered to him was, 'where's my Vnuk? He called and said he was coming.' And when Andres replied with 'he isn't here yet', she had hiss and sat quietly in their dining.

Andres could now say she was a very quiet woman. Opposite of Vlad.

"What is time?" She asked, glancing at him with a stern yet bored stare.

"Five twenty-five. He's not coming, is he?"

She only stared at him in response and he sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck.

     Andres had never been comfortable living in awkward situations and in his line of work, outside the island, there had been so many awkward situations. Out of everything in his life, this was the worst.

"How old are you?" She asked so suddenly that Andres stupidly looked back to be sure it was he she was talking to.

"Do not do that." She frowned at him when he looked back at her and it was awfully similar to Vlad's expression when he got mad.

He licked his bottom lips then answered, "Thirty."

"When did you both meet?"

     For the one month and a week he had been stuck on the island, no one had once asked him how he met Vlad. They all just knew he was married and that was it. They were mostly only curious about how they took care of the kids since Vlad was a full time nurse and he worked 12 to 12 on cases.

"Um, we met on... a case. I was on a case. Some criminal ran over seas to prevent his capture and my team had to go get him back."

She rose a questioning brow. "You married over your case?"

Andres shook his head quickly and smiled. "No, the third time I went back. He said we should make it small and we did. A year later, he said he wanted kids and I gave him two. One old enough to take care of the other just in case I had work."

"And he did not take care of them with you?"

Andres thought this would be the best time to guilt trip her. "He picked you over me," he said softly then used his hands to cover the smirk on his lips. "He said he couldn't leave you."

Andres expected to see some sympathy, empathy, something that showed his bloody guilt trip was working, but her eyes only hardened and that slapped the smirk out of his face.

"Why you?"

That wasn't what he was expecting, but how could he know? The woman had no heart.

"Why me?"

"Why did he pick you?"

Andres shook his head. "I don't know. Why did he pick me? I feel that question is left for him to answer."

Then a smirk appeared on her lips as she turned fully to him. "Then a question for you."

"Da."

"Do you love him?" She tilted her head and continued, "Because my Vnuk loves you to the point he called me to tell me how much he does. And I have heard it too much that I don't know what to feel about you. I cannot say any girl will do because look at his papa, his wife left him, Vnuk's mother left him. I do not want anyone leaving my Vnuk. I'm the only family he has left and I know my time in the world is counted. If he wants to make a family with you,"

She took in a deep breath, exhaled then continued, "then okay, but don't use his feelings as a means to stay with him. If you don't love him, tell him. Love is blind and I believe it. I held my crying son to sleep after he came back to me from the woman he had once called his wife. I do not want to hold Vnuk like that."

     Andres was stunned speechless. He hadn't expected that acceptance speech and the fact that she had a heart for her family was heartwarming.

"I promise not to hurt him." Andres answered as sincerely are possible.

She gave him one last look before standing up. She said as the Columbian escorted her out. "I would be leaving town tomorrow so I doubt he would be able see to me. Tell him I came and that I love him no matter what."

"I will."

She stepped out on his porch and gave him a familiar threatening face when she said, "And if you hurt him..."

"I'll kill myself before I even dare."

She nodded and turned away from him.

Andres watched her enter the car before closing the door and sending a quick text to Gala, telling her to bring the kids back.

     After a good gulp of water from the fridge, Andres decided to call Vlad. As usual, it went to voicemail but he didn't let that stop him as he waited for the electronic beep.

Beep!

"Come home. We need to talk."

___________________________
Vnuk means Grandson.