Alex's POV

It was beautiful.

The way the sun casted its golden rays upon the clouds, turning them bright red; fire red.

Looking towards the horizon, I could vividly see the fiery red orb slowly dip into the ocean as though engulfed by it. Mesmerized, I watched as the leaving sun dyed the heavens a bright orange and turned the ocean a deep blood red.

I sucked into a deep breath as I pulled my knees up and crossed my arms over them before i rested my head on the top. The side of my temple touched the skin of my arm while my eyes stayed focused on the scenery ahead of me.

I liked this place. I liked this house. I liked it here. His absence allowed a different type of freedom to rush through my veins. His absence gave me peace..something i didn't realize i was craving this long.

His absence — i closed my eyes and took in a fresh gulp of air — allowed me to finally breathe.

A hand on my shoulder pulled me out of my trance. It startled me, for a moment, it even scared me. I shook that thought away as i lifted my head up looking at the intruder that interrupted my moment of peace.

William gave me a small smile, nodding his head to the house, he said, "Come inside, dinner is ready."

I shook my head, "I am not hungry."

"But you are not eating well since you came back." He said, his eyebrows furrowing together in worry. Dad also used to worry when I didn't eat well.

Something heavy pulled at my chest. The thought alone reminded me of the weight i am still carrying. Of the nightmare i cannot escape, neither at day nor at night.

A long breath sneaked past my lips and I shook my head again before I turned it back and eyed the sun, the sea and the sky.

They were similar to us in a way.

The sun and the sky stayed together, hand by hand they went through the day. But when the night came, the sea pulled the sun down, tearing it away, leaving behind this bloody red lines, a living proof of its struggle.

"What did he do to you?" William said, it wasn't a question that he needed me to answer. It was a way of putting together words that showed worry, that showed fear, and that reflected care. The words hung in the air as he, minutes later, stood up and went back inside leaving me alone to my thoughts.

It's not what he did to me...It's what he made me do. It's the peace that he took away from me, it's the knife he made me hold, and the bullet he made me fire.

It's the promise that i made, the one i still carry over my shoulders, heavy, tiring, and hard for me to keep.

I blinked trying to kick every bad though away and trying to indulge myself into another moment of peace. The source of light had left us, sinking back into this raging sea. Night was ready to take on, darkness waiting the best moment to swoop in and envelop every corner.

I took in a deep breath, letting the fresh air back into my lungs. I was ready to get up and get inside but something stopped me. The sound of footsteps nearing made me freeze in my spot.

I swallowed hard when the footsteps were so damn near. I turned my head to the right and my eyes widened as they took into the man now standing by my side.

I stumbled as I hurriedly stood up and backed away from him, allowing some distance to separate us.

His eyebrows pulled together at my action but he shook it away as a small smile crawled to his lips, he extended his hand, "Alex, come here son."

I shook my head as i took a step backward. He inched forward, lines itched his forehead in confusion, "What?" He asked, he lightly shook his head, "Are you scared of me now?"

My jaw tightened and I shook my head, "No."

"Then come here." He said ushering me to step forward, "I wanna take you back home. I was angry that time, I made you leave so I wouldn't hurt you son but now it's gonna be different I promise, I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do." His eyes held the look that always soothed me when I had a bad dream, a short breath left him before he said, "I missed having you by my side."

But this time, neither the look in his eyes nor his words relieved me. They didn't. Not even one bit. I ignored them as I asked, "Where is he?" My heart pounded harder, "What did you do to him?"

The softness his eyes held moments ago faded away. He shook his head, "He is no longer there." There was a short pause, "He is dead."

My eyes widened and I stumbled backward. My heart skipped a beat or maybe two as he said the word out loud.

My lips parted but nothing came out. The air was rushing in and out of my nose but why did it feel like I was suffocating to death.

"No." I weakly whispered.

He nodded, "He is no longer there." He said, "So come back, you wouldn't have to hurt anyone. It'll just be you and me again."

I didn't hear a thing he was saying. My mind going around and around over one little word. Dead.

"NO!" I screamed. Anger, hot pure anger brimmed my chest as I marched forward, "You killed him!"

I balled my hands into fists and I hit him. I hit his chest with everything I had in me. My little figure would cause him no harm, it wouldn't hurt him - but I was angry, I was furious and I wanted him to feel at least one bit of the pain i was feeling, the one that wrapped itself around my lung, leaving no gap for oxygen to pass through.

"You killed him! I hate you. I don't wanna live with you!" Another hit. Another. Another.

Another.

His hand came up and held my wrist stopping my movement. It wasn't harsh or forced. "Alex, listen to me.."

"NO!" I snapped as I pulled my hands away from his hold. "I hate you!"

"You killed the only friend I ever had!"

"He wasn't your friend." He stated.

"Yes! Yes he was!" I snapped, "Every time you left the house, I went to him. Every time you left him hungry, i gave him food. Every time you left him cold, i gave him something to keep him warm. Every time you hurt him, i went down and tried to make him forget—" Tears were flowing down my cheek, the anger was slowly fading, leaving me with nothing but pain, severe, heart-wrenching pain.

"He was my friend and you killed him!" My voice cracked, "I promised him, I promised that I'd save him-" my vision was blurry, i could barely see him, "But you made me break that promise."

"I don't want to come back with you. I don't want to ever see you again, you are a monster, you tortured him, you killed his mother and then you killed him! I hope you die. I really hope you die.."

My knees bounced as I turned around and ran as fast as i can into the house. My legs shook but they kept me steady, they didn't fail me as I stormed into the house and ran into my room. I slammed the door shut behind me and immediately locked it from inside. I pressed my back against it as i heaved the air in and out of my lungs.

I pressed my eyes shut and ignored William's voice as he worriedly called my name.

The legs that kept me up this long, now failed me as I slid down the door and collapsed into the floor.

I pulled my knees up and buried my face in them, letting the left tears escape, hoping they'd take some of that pain away.. but it stayed there, pulsing, throbbing, and pressing against my chest.

"I am sorry." I mumbled, my voice muffled with tears, my shoulders shook and a sob threatened to escape, "I am sorry I couldn't keep my promise."

Noises came from outside but I didn't allow myself to listen. My dad's voice, William's voice, they all mixed making a frenzy of madness lit up inside the cells of my brain.

If he didn't survive this... then maybe I shouldn't either. If he didn't make it out of there alive, then maybe I don't deserve to live either.

It was dad's fault. But it was mine too.

He moved my hand but I was the one holding the knife. He pressed the trigger but it was my fingers who were wrapped around that gun.

The pain only intensified to the point it became unbearable. I didn't think, I didn't listen. It felt like my body was acting on its own accord. Doing things I never thought were possible.

My legs took me to the bathroom and my own hands opened the cabinet under the sink, they moved and moved, searching for something.

Tears had stopped by now and the fear was replaced with something else; determination.

When i felt the coldness of the metal touch the inside of my palm, I realized that this is what I was searching for.

I've seen this before on TV. It never made sense to me how this metal can cut through my veins and take my life away.

It never made sense to me why would someone do it.

It's not until this moment that I understood the look he gave me when the gun was pointed at him. I understood why he wasn't scared of death then. It was the pain, it was unbearable.

It was the fear of leaving the sky and sinking into the raging sea of the man just outside my room.

I saw the blood. The crimson red lines seeped out, resembling the ones the sun left behind.

*****

My dream ends abruptly, and I feel like I am being shaken back into reality. Within seconds of realizing I am unconscious, i rise from a heavy slumber. My eyes open, my eyelashes faintly batting against my lids as I blink and try to kick the dizziness away.

My dream still vivid, hunting my consciousness as I drink in the feedback of all my senses.

I straighten myself as I learn how to breath again. The hair at the back of neck stands up when I realize that it wasn't just a dream.

It was a memory.

It wasn't fiction. It was real.

I lean backward against the wall and close my eyes trying to let go of whatever was holding me back. I shake every other thought away as I try to make sense of where I am and what I am doing here.

I am first aware of the coolness of the air and it's loamy fragrance. The ground is lumpy as if I am sitting on a pile of rocks. I try to sit straight again but fail when a known type of pain throbs so violently around my skull — it feels like it would just crack it open.

I groan as I rough a palm over my face and last night's memories start to rush in. The movement of my hand pauses when it all dawns on me. My hand drops from my face and my eyes take into what lays ahead of me. They drift around making more sense of my surroundings. I turn my head to my left, my muscles flex in shock and I kind of let out a sound that's so similar to a scream.

Well yeah, that pitchy sound that echoed in the room, yup that's me.

He was about a meter away from me, his back pressed against the wall and his head that was facing the other side, turned to me due to the sound that came out of my mouth. His eyebrows pulled together and he gave me the what-the-fuck look.

"Why in Jesus's name am I sleeping beside you?" Panic flared in my tone as I sat straight.

I pressed my eyes shut and mumbled to myself, "Oh god please let me still have my clothes on. Please let me still have my clothes on." I slowly opened them and hesitantly looked down at myself.

A loud sigh of relief sneaked past my lips as I found myself still fully clothed. I turned my head to him and my eyebrow raised, "Did you do anything to me while I was sleeping?" I both flinched and cringed at the thought, "You know, given to your reputation and all."

That looked like it kicked him in the gut. The muscles of his jaw worked before he turned his face away. "Oh what, did I hit a nerve there?" I mockingly said.

Light reflected off a something laying on the ground. It grabbed my attention and my gaze fell on it. My eyebrows pulled together, "Hey! I remember searching all over the place for this and not finding it." I said as I leaned forward and grabbed the key in my hand.

My gaze went back to the bitch beside me and I suspiciously eyed him. I felt like he had something to do with this.

"So the keys are right here, the car is just outside, the door is opened and you didn't escape.. i mean are you stupid or something?"

This stupid excuse of a human ignored my question and kept his head turned the other way totally not interested in my conversation. I shot him a glare and pulled myself up. I winced as I straightened my back and felt the pain travel down my spine, "Man I would never make it in a prison." I mumbled as I rubbed at the base of my neck, my muscles ached from staying on floor the whole damn night.

That bitch of a person scoffed so i turned my head and narrowed my eyes, "What?" I innocently said, "Do you know what happens to hot people like me in jail?" His eyes shot to me and he gave me a confused look, the same look Lilly gives me when I open a conversation that her little mind can't make sense of, "It starts with ra and end with pe." I shrugged, "I mean you'd know better, you're more familiar with that word that i am."

Anger surged through his eyes, "Will you stop with that already!" The bitch snapped. He dares to raise his voice on me. Bitch.

My lips lifted in a sneer, "Why? Does it bother you?" I bent down, leveling myself with him, "It bothers you when I talk about it?" My eyebrow raised and I clenched my jaw to stop myself from saying more, "Didn't it bother you when you actually did it?"

His eyes stayed connected with mine, behind the anger was something else, something I couldn't point out. Air pushed out of his nose and he stayed silent, all the words in this language failed him at the moment.

My hand curled into a fist, trapping the anger that threatened to spur forward. I pulled myself away and straightened my body as my eyes dropped down to his dirty bloodied ripped clothes before they went back to his face.

"You know, there is a place in hell reserved just for you." I said as I ran my hand in my hair removing the long strands that fell over my forehead.

Man i really need to cut it.

But you know...priorities first.

"Yeah, I know." He muttered, his hand went and scratched the side of his neck — a thing he does way too much — his eyes settled on me again, "It's called the throne."

I chuckled but I immediately stopped myself. My eyebrows pulled together and I shook my head, "No no no! Hey no! You are not allowed to do that!" I pointed at him and my eyebrow raised, "You don't make jokes. I am the funny brother, I am the one who makes jokes. You.." I waved him over, "You just be the fucked up you. You're the evil brother who does bad things. Stay like that." My eyebrows furrowed, "Go back into being the big bad wolf." I gave him a disgusted look, "I don't like this, it's way too easy." I referred to how he wants to be here more than Roman or I want him to, "I mean what's the fun in that!"

His eyebrows pulled together as he confusingly stared back at me, "You're.." he paused for a second as if thinking of the right word to say, "You're weird."

My mouth hung open in shock, "Bitch." I mumbled and shot him a glare, "And you know what, shut up too. I liked it better when you didn't talk."

He still gave me that weirded out look and his lips lifted up in annoyance before he looked away.

"And for your info, what happened yesterday won't ever happen again." I said pointing at his stitched up wound. God, I need someone to punch me, i really do, maybe i'd wake up from this haze.

"You make me feel as if we slept together or something." He mumbled with a low annoyed voice.

"Hey hey!" I shot out making him face me, "What did I say before?" I motioned him to zip his mouth shut. He ignored me and turned his face to the other side. I rolled my eyes and let out a sigh, "God, and when i thought you couldn't get any more annoying."

He stayed silent after and that was such a relief. My eyes left his face and landed on the bandage covering the side of his neck. I bent down, my fingers went to the bandage's edges and within seconds tore it away from his skin.

He flinched and moved his head away. The muscle of his jaw tightened, grinding his teeth against each other as he gave me a hard look. I looked at what the bandage hid and a small smile came to my lips. I tapped my two fingers over it, "Oh, looks like that is gonna leave a mark." I said with fake worry.

I leveled my gaze with his, "Now both sides of your neck match." I gave him a wink before I pulled my hand away.

But his hand shot up and his fingers wrapped around my wrist stopping my movement.

My eyebrow raised at his action, "You really want to die today, don't you?"

"Why?" Was the only word that came out of his mouth.

"Ha?" I stared back at him confused, "Why what?"

His eyes left mine and fell onto my wrist. One second, two seconds, three passed till I made sense of what his eyes were focused on.

I swallowed hard and felt the hot blood in my veins turning cold, freezing me dead from the inside. He gave me a questioning look, determined to find an answer.

I tore my hand from his grip; the beating of my heart took on full speed as the remnants of my dream haunted my consciousness. My breath came out all ragged and my words harsh as i said, "None of your business."

I pulled back, turned around and walked away, ready to leave this hell hole.

"Guilt." One word left his mouth, one word only stopped me dead in my track, leaving me beyond confused.

I stayed in my place, my back facing him as he carried on, "You asked why I didn't escape even though I had the chance to." He said, "That's why."

He was answering my question. But what he didn't know is that he was answering his recent question as well.

I turned around, "You want to convince me now that you really feel guilty for what had happened?" My tone alone showed him that I am no way near believing his lie.

He didn't answer so I continued on his behalf, "Let's say you are actually feeling guilty for what happened; What does that change? Would it magically rewrite the past? Would your guilt make Cara forget what she went through?"

I shook my head, "It wouldn't." I said, "So don't ever think your guilt would earn you forgiveness."

He shook his head, "I am not asking for forgiveness."

I scoffed at his response, "Of course you are not."

But his answer after startled me, his eyes told a truth his face couldn't reveal as the words parted past his lips, they conveyed a despairing chill as he muttered, "I am begging for it."

*********

Cara's POV

"Mommy." Lilly whined for the umpteenth time, "Hungry."

I sighed, "Baby look, I am preparing you breakfast-" I showed her the pan i am using, "See, i am almost done with the eggs."

"Okay." She muttered sounding beyond annoyed.

The sound of the main door opening made her jump off the chair, food long forgotten as she stormed out of the kitchen.

I first heard Alex's voice and then Lilly's squeal and laughter before their footsteps neared the kitchen.

I stayed focused on the task in hand ignoring with all my being the man who just stepped into the house.

For the past week, after our fight - if you may call it a fight - we didn't talk, like not at all.

We are merely two people sharing a house, not living together in it. The only thing keeping us from drifting apart is this little girl who turned hundred eighty degrees from sad and hungry into happy and satisfied when she saw him.

He spent the night out yesterday and I am not one bit interested in knowing where he was.

Yeah, right.

I turned off the oven and cut the omelet in half before I placed one half on Lilly's plate and poured her a glass of orange juice all while she and her father were talking and laughing about something that I didn't pay attention to.

I turned around, the plate and the juice in my hand as I walked to the table and placed them over it. Alex had Lilly in his arms, standing a few inches away from me.

"Lilly come on, your food is ready." At my words, Alex walked forward and placed Lilly on the chair, he leaned in and gave her a long kiss on the cheek.

When he pulled away, Lilly's hand tugged at the sleeves of his shirt, "Alis, stay."

He chuckled and nodded his head, "Okay."

I looked up at him, "Are you hungry?" I hesitantly asked, "Do you want me to prepare you something?"

His gaze met mine and my heart squeezed tight in my chest when I realized how much I missed those eyes looking into mine.

He blinked and I breathed. He shook his head, "No, thank you." His words came out soft - not harsh like I expected - melting my heart in the process.

The doorbell's sound pulled me out of my thoughts, "I'll take that." Alex said before he walked away.

Linda came into the kitchen after and she gave me a smile, i returned it as I said, "Can you stay with her as I see who came?"

She nodded her head, "Of course." She said as she seated herself by Lilly and helped her finish her food.

I tucked my hair behind my ear as I left the Kitchen and went to check. I first saw Alex standing by the door, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyebrows furrowed, "What are you doing here?"

"Well hello to you too." I heard Liam's voice, "Is Cara here?"

"Liam?" I said as a smile crept its way to my lips.

He stepped inside pushing Alex away from the door and looked at me, he smiled, "Hey little girl."

Alex shot him a glare to which Liam totally ignored as he stepped inside the house. I inched closer too and gave him a small hug.

"Niam!" Lilly said, no wait, screamed from behind me before she came running so fast toward him. His smile widened and his eyes lit up at her sight. He bent down and took the little girl in his arms.

Lilly's arms immediately wrapped themselves around his neck and she hugged him so tight. Liam chuckled and kissed her cheek. She pulled her head from his shoulder and a big smile spread across her face as she looked at him. He held her face in one hand, "I missed this face so much!" He said as he kissed her again.

A low sigh sneaked past my lips as I stared at her happy face. In the past two years, Roman, Liam and Dad were the only family she had, well in addition to the man she thinks is her dad. She was used to see them every day but that changed now.

"Lilly, sweetie you didn't finish your fo-" Linda's words stopped midway. Liam's head snapped to the voice's owner so fast. The happiness that engulfed his features when he held Lilly seconds ago now faded away and was replaced by shock and something else I couldn't point out.

I turned my head to see Linda standing by the door, her lips parted a bit, the words she wanted to say got trapped in her mouth and her eyes were wide as she stared back at Liam.

My eyebrows pulled together as I tried to figure out the reason behind this sudden tension that took over us. Liam's jaw tightened and his gaze fell on me again, "Can we go somewhere else and talk?" He asked, his tone gave nothing in so I just nodded my head, understanding the need for him to get out of here i said, "Yeah sure, let's go to my room."

I ushered him to go up the stairs and he immediately did, Lilly still in his arms, mumbling something. I paused my steps and threw a glance behind my shoulder to see Linda seating herself on the near coach looking dazed and if i am not wrong on the verge of passing out.

Alex sat by her side, his hand rested on hers, "Is there something wrong?" He asked, worried.

I noticed the bob in her throat as she gazed back at him, she weakly shook her head, "It's just that...that's a face I never thought I'd see again."

I know that Linda used to work for Alex's father and so did Liam before, so probably there was something going on between them, right?

I didn't give it much thoughts as I turned again and followed Liam to my room. He was already sitting on the bed's edge, eagerly listening to Lilly as she mumbled some words from her own creation.

I latched the door shut behind me and walked forward, "So, what just happened down there?" I asked teasing him as I sat down as well.

He shook his head and gave me a bored look, "Nothing important." He said, "Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about me, so tell me, how are you? How you've been holding up?"

I hated how his question added to the tightness over my chest. I swallowed past that bitter taste in my mouth and lied, "I am fine."

His eyebrow raised and he gave me an understanding look, showing that he didn't buy my lie. I let out a low sigh and looked down into my lap as I fidgeted nervously with my fingers.

"I just miss him." The sentence left my mouth on its own, putting all the pain I still feel deep down into four words.

"I know." He said.

I lifted my head up, "I was such a bad daughter, right?"

His eyebrows pulled together and shook his head, "No."

I nodded, "Yes, I was. For these past two years, i used every second I had to shout at him, to snap back at him, to blame him for everything when I could've used them to at least tell him how I really felt." I shook my head when I was no longer able to let the words leave my clogged throat, "There is so many things I wanted to tell him but...but it's too late now. I lost that chance." The rock lodged in my throat expanded, making me choke on my words, "He died thinking that I hate him."

He shook his head, "No, he didn't. He was your father Cara."

Lilly went off his lap and scurried off to somewhere. He inched closer to me, "He understood you better than anyone. He's the only one who knew how you really felt."

Tears pricked my eyes and my heart stuttered, "Really?"

He gave me a small smile and nodded, "Yes. You are the only thing he ever talked about. The only name that could get him to smile was yours. All he ever wanted was to protect you and It killed him that he couldn't save you from Nikolas's hand right away."

I wiped the lone tear that left my eyes and listened to his words, "When he was working on getting you out of there, he -" Liam cleared his throat before he pulled a paper from his pocket, "It's like he knew he wouldn't make it out of this alive." The muscles of his jaw tightened as he tried to stop pain from seeping through his words. He took in a breath and his gaze fell on me, "He made sure that everything he owns goes half half between you and Roman and gave me the responsibility of handling this if anything would ever happen to him."

I shook my head, "I don't care about the money."

He nodded, "I know. But it's my responsibility to deliver his will." He said as he placed the paper on the counter by the bed.

He turned to me, "Actually, I didn't come here to only talk about this." He said, "I am worried at your brother."

"Is Roman okay?"

"He is, for now at least." He shook his head, "Revenge is the only thing he is thinking about lately and I am pretty sure he has no idea what he's getting himself into. He isn't listening to me at all so maybe if you talked with him he would."

Worry crept its way to my chest at his words. Losing dad was something, but losing Roman too, that would destroy me for sure, "Today I am meeting up with him after I pass by the hospital. I'll make sure to talk him out of it."

He nodded, "Yeah, try to convince him, because the path he's taking will only end up with him getting hurt."

"I will." I said. I will do my best to change his mind. He is hurt and he isn't thinking rationally. I understand that better than anyone, I understand his motives so i'll find the suitable way to drag him out of it.

"Thanks Liam." A small smile touched my lips at how worried he sounded as he talked. He really cares about Roman and that means a lot to me.

He shook his head, "I am just looking after your brother. That's what your father would've wanted me to do."

"You also looked after me." I said taking my mind on a trip back in time, "You stood against Nikolas for me and I'll never forget that."

**FLASHBACK**

Noises came from somewhere outside the room shaking me out of the sleep that threatened to take over. I shot up from my laying position and tried to listen. The door was ajar letting the voices easily get in, "Get out of my way Liam."

My heart pounded hard when his voice registered in my ears. My gaze dropped to Lilly by my side. She was wide awake, her hands playing with her little stuffed toy oblivious to anything else.

I went off the bed and steadied myself on shaky legs. They took me to the door's threshold so I can check what's happening. My fingers wrapped around the door's side as I took a peek.

Liam's back was the first thing I saw, his entire being seemed tensed, the muscles of his back bunching up and engaging, "You're not getting in." He said and that's when I noticed the man standing ahead of him.

"Her father and brother are not here, so she's my responsibility." Liam's words were harsh, void of any respect or fear toward this man, "So there is no way in hell i am letting you in."

Nikolas's eyebrow raised. Shocked by Liam's behavior, he questioned, "So you gonna stop me from seeing my wife?"

Sickness clawed at my stomach, revulsion boiled under the surface of my skin, my hands fisted and I tried with all my power to stay still in my place and not crumble to the floor.

"She is not your wife!" Liam's loud voice snapped me back. My eyes widened when I saw him march forward, his hands wrapped around Nikolas's shirt before he slammed him against the wall, "The girl tried to kill herself because of you! I don't know what the fuck you did to her when we were away but don't you ever think we'll let you come near her again! So if you really wanna get in, it's gonna be over my dead body."

My heart pounded harder and harder as seconds ticked by. I was scared, not only at myself but mostly at Liam. I never saw any of Nikolas's men disrespect him let alone do this. But always Liam told me that he's not one of Nikolas's men; he isn't a part of their family.

And Liam was stronger.

He was taller and more muscular than Nikolas, he was older too, probably in his late thirties if not beginning of forties but he still had a good shape and looked somehow younger than his real age. And at the moment, he looked like he can beat the shit out of Nikolas in seconds.

What shocked me more was Nikolas's calm demeanor and behavior toward this. When Liam let go of him, he simply just fixed the collar of his shirt and muttered, "I'll only let that go for old times sake, Liam." His words were measured, holding a threat behind.

His gaze left Liam and landed behind him, on me. His eyes met mine letting the past month's event all rush back into my head tightening the wild muscle beating behind my ribcage. He turned his gaze and walked away without uttering another word.

Liam cursed few things under his breath before he turned around. His eyes widened when he saw me hiding behind the door peeking at him.

"I didn't know you were awake." His words were soft now, the total opposite to the way they were minutes ago.

I smiled and shook my head, "Thank you. I really.." my voice shook a bit so I cleared my throat, "I really appreciate this."

He shook his head and the muscles of his jaw worked, "It's the least I can do." He said, guilt seeped within his words, "I wish I could've done more."

I wanted to tell him that this alone meant the world to me but I was interrupted by Lilly's loud squeal.

Liam's eyes lit up, his encounter with Nikolas long forgotten as he said, "She's awake?"

I nodded my head, "Can i see her?" He asked.

I smiled and opened the door wider for him to get inside. When he made his way to the bed, I closed the door shut, a part of me scared that Nikolas would come again.

I shook that thought away and focused my attention on Liam as he stroked Lilly's hair and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You seem to like kids a lot." I couldn't help but comment. When you first meet Liam, he looks like a huge big man with no feelings or whatsoever. That was my first impression actually. But in the last few months, he've proven me wrong, especially when he's around Lilly, he turns soft and treats her as if she is blood related to him.

He nodded his head, the smile not leaving his face, "Yeah. They're the cutest thing in this whole world." He said before as he tickled her side making her giggle loudly.

"Do you have a kid of your own?"

His gaze flickered to me and he shook his head, "No, I don't."

When he fixated his eyes back on Lilly, he brushed the short strands of her hair away, "It's their innocence that gets me somehow." He said, "I mean you can actually see it in their eyes. They've got something we all have lost on the way."

A low breath left his mouth, "I once saw how a little boy's innocence was stripped away from him." He turned to me, "I just don't wish to see that again."

My eyebrows pulled together and I crossed my arms over my chest, "Who was the little boy?"

He didn't answer right away, but when he did, it shocked me to the core.

"Nikolas."

**END OF FLASHBACK**

"You were there, right? You saw what happened to both Nikolas and Alex?" I asked as scenes from the past flashed in my head reminding me of this fact.

"Yes, I was."

"Were they close?" I couldn't help but ask. Alex never talks about his past so there must be another way for me to figure things out.

He nodded his head, "Yeah. They were. For two years, Alex saw him as a friend and Nikolas saw him as a brother. Whenever Frank would leave the house, Alex would ask me to take him to Nikolas." A small smile made its way to his lips, "He would always bring him food and water. Even when it was cold, he would get him one the jackets that were too big for him. He would go and play with him taking his mind off the things Frank used to do."

I smiled at the image I created in my mind of a younger Alex doing the things Liam just mentioned. I just love how through these years Alex never lost that pure heart of his.

He is changing, that's right. But I can still see it in his eyes. That little kid still lives in him.

"I think that the only thing that kept Nikolas from going crazy in those two years was Alex." Liam said adding more question to my confusion.

"But, from what I understood is that Frank made Alex hurt him, i mean isn't that why Nikolas blames him?" I asked.

Liam shook his head, "Nikolas doesn't blame him for those two years, he blames him for the three after. Alex left after these two years but Nikolas stayed."

My eyes widened, "Wait, so he stayed with Frank five years in total?" I asked to which he nodded in return.

Woah, no wonder he is what he is now.

"Even when Frank made Alex hurt him, that didn't break their friendship. Nikolas understood that it was only Frank's fault, but after that-"

"After that what?" I asked when Liam stopped talking curious to know more, Alex had left me in the dark all this time making my curiousity grow more.

"Look, I hate Nikolas with all my being and I want him to pay for everything he did to you but what everyone should know is Frank is by far the most fucked up person in this game. In the two years that passed, he physically abused him. But after that, he did more, he did worse, he mentally abused him, he played with his head, he made him believe it was all Alex's fault. He mingled his way into Nik's brain and by that stage Nikolas was vulnerable, his brain was too weak so he believed all the lies Frank fed him."

"Why would he do something like that? Why does it seem that all he ever wanted was to turn them against each other, to make them enemies? For god's sake, what does he get from that?" I was furious at everything that has happened.

I careless about Nikolas and whatever he went through, all I care about is Alex, he could've had a brother but Frank took that away from him. He cared about Nikolas and now he is supposed to hurt who he once considered as a friend.

"Yeah, you are right. That's all he ever wanted. To turn them against each other from such a young age. He even convinced Alex that Nikolas was dead so he'd never look for him ever again and in the same time he convinced Nikolas that Alex cared less about him, that he was never going to keep his promise of saving him. That he chose to leave him and go."

"Why? Just why?"

"The thing is, what fucked up Frank the most wasn't Leya. What fucked him up was Isaac, his brother.. his brother's betrayal. He betrayed the family and he betrayed him and that left him weak and vulnerable."

"You see, Loyalty is important to us, it's what they bred it in us from such a young age. They teach it to us long before they teach us how to speak, because without it the family would crumble to ashes just like ours did when Isaac took our secrets giving our opponents a way to destroy us.

Nikolas was Isaac's son and in the same time, he was Alex's brother. He wanted to make them enemies from the beginning so this won't happen later."

His words only showed how fucked up Frank actually is. If I hated him for killing my father, now my feelings toward him became indescribable.

"Brothers first and then enemies; that was the case with them. But, with Alex and Nikolas he took the shortcut and tried to make them enemies from the start."

"He had lots of motives to do everything he did; Revenge against Isaac, against Leya for keeping Alex away. Working to get to the throne by eliminating Nikolas and — what I just mentioned...they all were his motives."

"And I hate that he actually succeeded." I said loathing that fact with all my being.

"Maybe he didn't." Liam said confusing me at first but when I understood the words under the lines, I shook my head.

"Brothers first then enemies; that happens." I said, "But enemies first then brothers — I don't think that'll ever happen."

*******

When Liam left, I prepared myself and went to the hospital. Alex dropped me off, still not exchanging words with me, and then he left.

I wanted to stay for a short while and then leave to meet Roman but when I saw Chase there too, I couldn't help but stay more with the little poor kid and take him off Ashton's shoulders, who looked beyond exhausted.

"You know, when you were a little baby, I used to change your diaper all the time." I said to Chase who was sitting on my lap. I was only trying to take his mind off Katherine who is laying on the bed next to us. Still not moving nor waking up.

His big blue eyes stared at mine as he asked. "Really?"

I smiled and nodded my head, "Where was Lilly?" He asked.

I chuckled, "She wasn't born then. She was still in my tummy."

His eyes widened and he looked down at my stomach fascinated by that thought.

"Can you put her back in your tummy?" He asked, his blue eyes twinkling at the idea.

I chuckled and shook my head, "Why do you want me to put her back?"

"Because she won't hit me then." He innocently answered, "Put her back, okay?"

I tried to hide my smile and seriously nodded, "Okay, I will."

The silence that settled after our talk was broken by the sound of a cough coming from somewhere beside me..it wasn't me and it wasn't Chase either. My eyes widened and my head snapped to my right when I realized it came from Katherine.

My heart sped fast and I didn't know how I took Chase off my lap and stood up, scurried forward and inched closer to the bed.

She pressed her eyes shut, her hand moved and her palm pressed against her temple as her face twisted in pain, she coughed again, her chest vibrated as an effect and her eyelids slowly glided open.

"Katherine!" My voice came out all hoarse and weak as I waited for a reaction from her.

Her gaze traveled to me, her eyes met mine and she blinked. She blinked again before she pressed her eyes shut again, pain countering her face. She groaned as she tried to place her weight on her elbows in an attempt to get up.

"Hold on, wait-" I shot forward and helped her sit straight. I rested her back against the bed's headrest. My palm rested at the back of her head where the bandage was afraid it may touch a things and hurt her.

She coughed again, it came all dry and hoarse, a proof of her dehydrated throat so I immediately took the bottle of water from the counter, poured it into a cup and placed it near her lips and helped her drink it. Her hand came over mine as she drank the water.

At her touch, my tears lost control and fell down my cheek. Tears of happiness. I smiled through my tears and mumbled, "I can't believe that you actually woke up."

"Mommy." Chase's voice was so low but it grabbed both of our attention. He was standing on the other side of the bed, his eyes full of tears threatening to spill over his cheeks as he stared at his mother.

Katherine broke into a smile at his sight, "Hey baby-" her voice came all chocked and gruff as she hasn't used it for a long time.

Chase climbed up the bed so fast and came crashing into his mothers arms. Katherine hid her pain when he hugged her and she hugged him back right away.

"My head hurts so bad." She muttered, "What happened? Why am I in a hospital?" She turned her head to me, her face all pale and skinny twisting my heart. Her eyebrows pulled together in worry, "Why are you crying?"

I tucked the hair that fell over her face behind her ear, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Her eyebrows pulled as she seemed to think it through. She winced, "My head hurts so bad I can't even think-"

With one arm around Chase, she used the other to massage her temple and rub at her forehead.

"I remember when I-" her eyes suddenly widened and she pulled Chase away from her, she held his face in her hand, "Baby are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She asked as she she checked his face and body.

I rested my hand over her shoulder, "He is okay, don't worry."

Her worried eyes shot to me, "They..They were taking him away from me and I didn't let them, I was fighting them but then...then I slipped and... I don't remember what happened after."

I pulled in a deep breath, something similar to relief rushed in my chest at the fact that she still remembers everything.

"Katherine, that was almost a month and a half ago."

********

Alex's POV

"I got you the appointment as a patient, so try and act like one." Ronald said making me shoot him a hard glare, "So what, I should act like I am crazy or something?"

He gave me an innocent look, "What was I supposed to do?"

I waved him off, "I'll try and talk to her, pretend I am doing this for a good purpose maybe then she'll tell me." I said before I made my way inside the doctor's clinic.

Her assistant asked me for my name, so I gave it to her. She checked something on the computer's screen ahead of her before she stood up, "Come with me, sir." She said and I followed suit on her steps.

We walked into a small corridor and stopped by the door at the far end. She knocked the door and then opened it, "Your new patient is her ma'am."

I almost rolled my eyes at the patient word but held myself for the sake of my act. "Let him come in." I heard the doctor say.

The assistant moved aside giving me space to enter. I stepped inside and walked to the doctor's desk as the assistant closed the door and went away.

I seated myself across of her, without introductions, i said, "Before we start this; first, I am not here for therapy. Second, your assistant is really hot. And third, I am here to ask you about one of your previous patients."

She smiled at my words and lightly shook her head. Lines had formed on the side of her eyes and under it showing that she's been doing this for quite sometime.

"First, you actually look you need some therapy. Second, I can give you her number and third, Sorry, I am not allowed to discuss any of my patients with anyone."

I shook my head, "You don't understand, it's important. He is my brother and I want to help him. He wouldn't tell me what happened but maybe you can. I think if I told you his name you'll remember-"

Lies. Lies. Lies.

Help him my ass.

I only want to know what happened. I have questions and she seems to have my answers.

She gave me a suspicious look before she leaned forward, "And who's that brother you're talking about?"

"His name is Nikolas." I said, "Nikolas Viarchi."

*************************

I didn't realize how much I missed writing until i turned on my laptop, opened the word document and started! Ahh, I missed this feeling.

I remember saying that there'll be like three left chapters but I think there may be a bit more than that. I am not quite sure if the events in my head can fit into three chapters only. We'll see about that anyways.

Just bare with me a little more, and you'll get the end that you are waiting or not waiting for XD

Love ya all♥️