“Please… don’t leave me… Michael…”

My baby boy… I turned around to find him. I couldn’t tell if I actually heard those distressed words whispered to me over and over again, or was it only my imagination. There was nothing in the darkness, but I followed that voice, following my instincts, searching… My baby boy… I couldn’t find him… but he was there. I could feel him right there… But where…?

“Stay with me…”

He was so scared… I had to find him! Why couldn’t I find him?!

“You promised…”

I did, and I’d keep my promise… I just had to find him…

“Michael…”

I could smell roses… That scent surrounded me. I had to be close. Yes, it was growing stronger, just a little bit further… Just a little bit… I kept turning and turning, searching through the endless sand, following the scent and his voice… But I… Where was he…?

I turned around again.

Ah, finally… The sand was gone, and so was the void above me. I stood in the middle of the most beautiful roses I’d ever seen. There were hundreds and hundreds of them, all different colors, the bushes tall and strong. My boy had to be close. I continued forward, though there was no pathway for me. I had to make my way through the bushes, but the large thorns didn’t hurt me.

“Don’t leave me…”

His voice was closer now. He had to be right there, right in front of me. I smiled and hurried my steps…

“Michael…”

My eyelids had never felt so goddamn heavy. My body felt like it had turned into stone. I couldn’t move anything. I couldn’t open my eyes. I tried, but gave up quickly. I was so tired… I wanted to go back to sleep. I needed to sleep for a thousand years… Yes… Good idea… I just wanted to sleep…

I felt gentle fingers on my chest, caressing my skin. I could smell the roses again, and their scent was strong. And I felt something pressed against my shoulder. My baby boy… There he was, resting right next to me.

I fought back the tiredness. My need to hold my boy was much, much stronger than my need to sleep. It was a long, annoying struggle, but I didn’t give up. I only needed to wrap my arm around my baby… I just needed to get my hand moving, but fuck, it was hard… I was so goddamn tired… My body was so heavy, cold and stiff, like a… like a corpse…

My baby boy sniffed and snuggled his head against my neck, curling himself tighter around me. Was he… crying…? He was… Oh, my boy… If only I could move… I needed to comfort him. His quiet sobs broke my heart. I had to… I had to fight harder. I needed to hold him. I needed to comfort him and make sure he was all right. I needed to make everything all right.

And finally, my body responded to my commands. It was nothing at first, just a flick of a finger, but soon I could move all of them, and more. I still didn’t have much strength, but I was able to touch my boy.

“Michael?”

My baby jolted up when he felt my fingers brushing against his back. I tried to say his name and tell him I was all right, that he didn’t need to cry anymore, but the sound that came out of my throat was a quiet, suffocated groan.

“Michael!”

I felt his gentle fingers on my face…

“What? What, what, what?” sounded a panicky voice somewhere close by.

So Francis was there, too…

“He touched me,” Rene said, his tears gone. “He… I know he did… I…”

“Are you… sure…?” Francis asked, his voice careful now.

“I…” My boy didn’t sound sure anymore.

I let out another groan, and moved as much as I could, which wasn’t actually much, but enough to show them both I was still alive, though not kicking just yet.

“He is moving,” Francis said, coming closer.

“Michael? Can you hear me?” Rene asked, his voice suffocated and weak. “Please…?”

My baby boy… I must’ve scared him. I could feel how broken he was because of me. I needed to make things right.

“M’here…”

It was easier and easier to wake up. I managed to open my eyes for a brief, brief second, and saw a glimpse of my boy and his red, puffy eyes. The second time was easier, and finally, I was able to keep my eyes partly open. Francis let out the deepest breath and turned his back to us to hide his emotions, while Rene had tears forming in his eyes as he stared at me.

“Hey, baby…” I croaked, coughed, and tried to continue. “What’s the matter… my darling?”

“Michael…” my boy breathed out, sniffed hard, and buried his face against my shoulder when his emotions took over. “You’re awake…”

“I’m here… baby boy…” I muttered.

Finally, he was in my arms… safe and sound… My sweet baby boy. My love, my fated mate. I tried to comfort him the best I could, but he wasn’t calming down. He was completely torn. Because of me… Oh, how I hated it.

“I’m here… My love… My darling boy…”

“I thought… I thought you…” Rene murmured, but his tears stole his voice.

“Is all right… I’m fine…” I told him, feeling my strength slowly returning to me. “Don’t cry, baby…”

“How are you feeling?” Francis asked when he was able to face us and walked to my bed. Even his eyes had a red hue in them.

“Like shit, but… I’m fine,” I said, glancing at the room we were in. “A hospital?”

“Yeah, they uh… They dug out a shit ton of glass from your guts…” Francis said, his expression shaken. “They didn’t think you’d make it.”

I snorted dismissively. “You know me… Too stubborn…”

“That you are, Boss,” Francis said, smiling a little. He squeezed my shoulder lightly and left his hand there. He was shaking… “And thank god for that, to be honest… You really gave us a scare…”

I smiled at him, slowly moving one hand up on my boy’s back, and with the other, I reached to pat Francis. “I’m fine now. Don’t worry.”

Rene hugged me tighter, still crying against my shoulder. I rested my head against his, taking in his sweet scent, and hugged him as tightly as my weak body could.

“I’m fine, baby…” I told him in a whisper. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you…”

He only shook his head, still unable to talk.

“Your heart stopped… twice…” Francis muttered, shaking his head as he sat down next to my bed. “I thought we’d lose you…”

I shushed at him gently. “I’m fine now. Let’s not… okay? I’ll get over this.”

Francis stared at me, then nodded. “Sure, Boss. Sorry. I’m… I…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” I told him quietly. “So… When can we go home?”

Francis laughed lightly. “Sorry… That’s going to take a while.”

I groaned, then realized something. “Right… I don’t have a home left, huh…?”

“Sorry,” Francis muttered. “There was a fire…”

“Fuck me… So… What happened after I passed out?”

Francis let out a deep, slow sigh, shaking his head. I could tell he didn’t even want to think about it.

“The whole place was in flames when we got to you,” he started slowly. “There were at least a dozen guys… Maybe more… We had to shoot our way upstairs where we nearly got shot by your sweet little angel over here. Wouldn’t let anyone near you.”

“That’s my boy,” I muttered, kissing Rene’s temple. “Is everyone all right? Did anyone get…?”

“We’re all good. They clearly didn’t expect the whole crew to show up. Anyway, the second we got that little misunderstanding sorted out with Rene, the army arrived and nearly shot us all,” Francis continued. “Once we got that little misunderstanding sorted out, they sent you here in a chopper. Just in time to save your life, I heard.”

“The army?” I frowned.

“Yeah… I called them right after I got off the phone with you,” he admitted. “I got uneasy, too.”

“We suck at being mafiosos,” I said, laughing a little, but it sent waves of pain through my body. “So… Did they fix me?”

“Yeah, you’re all patched up,” Francis said. “But you’re not walking around anytime soon or your guts will fall out.”

Rene shivered, and I gave Francis a scolding glare.

“Sorry…”

I shook my head, then glanced at the door. There were windows on both sides of it, and I saw a couple of army guys standing just outside.

“We’re in trouble?” I asked, nodding toward the door.

“Well, it’s like you said, we suck at being mafiosos. Had to borrow a few bodyguards from Hale,” Francis said, smirking.

I curled my upper lip. “And why do we need bodyguards…?”

“No one is telling us anything, but…” he muttered and glanced at the army guys, lowering his voice. “They’re all worked up, like a hive of angry wasps. I’ve not seen anything like that in years.”

“What do you think is going on?” I asked. “Why would they care so much about a little old me getting attacked?”

Francis didn’t have time to answer. He was interrupted by a knock on the door, and we both turned to see the person behind it.

“We may find out now,” Francis muttered when Captain Hale stepped in.