Chapter 27

Mila's POV:

Watching Emma go was hard. My heartfelt incomplete and broken. Whenever she wasn't with me, I always felt like something was missing from me, a vital piece of me that I needed. Everything is amplified now more than ever. Every moment with everyone I love is now more precious than they ever were before. Every moment is precious, don't get me wrong, but when you're staring death in the face, those last moments are more significant because, at any time, they could be the last ones.

Lately, I feel like I'm not spending enough time with everyone. When I look down at my arm and stomach, I notice the infection has grown further up toward my heart; all I see is my time running out. I could almost hear the clock ticking down. I can feel the virus growing stronger every second, minute, hour, and day. I was now starting to feel worse, it isn't fully unbearable just yet, but I know it will be here soon. It's pounding on the front door, trying to break its way in and rob me of my life.

"Alright, Mrs. Ambrogio, it's that time of day again." I sighed and stuck out my arm.

"Nina, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Mila. I deserve to be called by my first name; I mean, I am your favorite science experiment." Nina laughed a little at my "joke." It really wasn't a joke, though. Between the amount of blood they take from me and the amount of tests they perform on me in a day is ridiculous.

"You're not a science experiment... Mila." I huffed but ultimately smiled when she called me by my first name. Nina was one of the main doctors in the trio that Emma had hired. She was the one working on the cure for cancer.

"It sure feels like it sometimes. I like when you are the one who does them, though. I can never joke around with the other two. They are way too serious." She gave a light laugh.

"Yeah, they are kind of tight asses, but they are damn good at their job. All three of us together have made a lot more progress than just one person could have." She sighed out sadly. "I'm sorry you're going through this." She picked up my arm to inspect it and then went to grab my shirt. She looked up at me. "May I?" I nodded my head. I like that she always asked for permission. She was a very caring and all-around phenomenal doctor.

"The infection has definitely progressed further up toward your heart. How are you feeling?" You could see the concern written all over her face.

"I can feel the symptoms growing stronger, but it isn't anything I can't handle." She gave me a look like she didn't fully believe me. Then, she put my shirt back down.

"Just let me know when that changes, okay?" I looked at her and gave her a wink.

"You mean IF it changes?" I emphasized the if and tried to joke, but she wasn't buying it.

"When," she said with finality. "The way the infection is progressing, I will say in another two to three days, the point of the symptoms becoming unbearable will start to set in." I sighed. All I wanted to do is just keep the mood light. I didn't want everything to be doom and gloom, and I was so tired of it. All I hear is bad news this and bad news that. I was honestly tired of everyone being so serious all the time.

"Of course, Nina. I will let you know." She put her hand on my shoulder. "I'm going to do everything I can to save your life." She squeezed my shoulder and gave me a sad smile before she made her way to leave the room.

I was tired of everyone looking at me sad or forcing themselves to look happy around me. I can see through it just as easily as it is to look through a window. I'm not dumb; I'm not oblivious. I can see their true emotions; I can see that they are breaking every single time they see me. I hate that when the people I love the most look at me, and instead of lighting up with a genuine smile, it is a forced one with pure sadness behind it. The only ones who are the closest to giving me a genuine smile and showing genuine happiness around me are the kids. Emma tries, but she still isn't as good at it as the kids.

Yet, I can't sit here and be a total hypocrite. Whenever I look in their eyes and see my reflection, I also see the truth. I see that I am scared, fearful, anxious, and sad too. When I go to the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror and watch as I silently cry. I watch each tear roll down my cheek as I think about my kids, Emma, my mom, and my whole family. I think about how I'm not going to be there to see the kids grow up or be there for Emma and show her all the love she deserves. I'm not going to be there when Elisia and Chloe have their babies. I won't be there for anything, none of the most important and impactful moments of their lives.

I sighed audibly and turned onto my side to where I was looking at the lab. I was just watching mindlessly as everyone walked by. Every once in a while, you could catch one of the employees look inside at all of us as they walked by. You could see a piece of them break.

"Mila! I have a little bit of good news." My eyes snapped up to Nina, who was standing on the other side of the wall. I sat myself up and looked at her expectantly.

"What is it?" I finally asked once I realized she wasn't going to say anything till she was asked.

"We've made a bit of a breakthrough with the enzymes from your immune system. We were finally able to amplify them enough to where it will at least slow the progress of the infection." I smiled at her.

"That is really good news." She gave a small smile, but then her facial expressions turned serious. Here comes the bad news.

"It still won't cure anyone or save their life, but it will at least prolong it." She put her hand under her chin. "Something is missing. It seems like there is just one more thing we need, but I don't know what it is." She looked at me, and I saw the sadness in her eyes. "I don't know what it is, Mila." Her facial expressions started to contort a little bit. "I don't know what it is, and since I don't know what it is, people are going to continue to die." She took in a deep breath, trying to control her breathing. "It means that you'll die, and I don't want that to happen." Her armor had finally cracked as the first tear fell down her face. I put my hand up to the plexiglass.

"It's okay, Nina." She shook her head no, and I nodded my head yes back at her. "It'll be okay." I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but I was failing at it. "I will be okay." I felt my tears break free too. "I promise, Nina. No matter what, I will be okay." She was about to say something, but I cut her off. I already had a feeling of what she was going to say. "And If I do die... It will not be your fault. Okay, Nina. Do you hear me? It will not be your fault." Her tears intensified, and she looked down away from me.

"I don't know if I will ever not blame myself if you die." I just shook my head and let out a shaky breath.

"How can you blame yourself when I wouldn't?" She snapped her eyes back up to mine.

"Because this is supposed to be something within my control. This is supposed to be my field of expertise. I have already failed millions; I don't want to add your name to the list. I remember every person's name that has died here under my watch, and every night I ask each person for forgiveness. Each name haunts me and keeps me awake at night. I don't want your name to be added to the list. I don't want to be haunted by you too." There was so much intensity in her voice and eyes. It broke my heart seeing her like this. A woman that has only known me for a couple of weeks is breaking this badly; it makes me think how bad my family will be breaking if I die. How haunted they will be.

"The reason I'll ever haunt you is if you keep blaming yourself, okay?" I joked just a bit, trying to lighten the mood. She shook her head, letting out a very sad and weak laugh.

"No jump scares, okay? I don't care if you flicker the lights." My tears had stopped by now, and I let out a laugh.

"Flickering of the lights it is then." She took a deep breath and gave me a small smile.

"I'm going to do everything I can, so hopefully, that isn't what our form of communication becomes. I'm going to go over there and work some more. I just wanted to let you know the news." I waved her off as she left, going back to the research area of the lab. The area was filled with so many tools and instruments it was crazy.

In the matter of a month, a virus has killed millions of supernatural creatures; my daughter almost died. Emma is on a journey to find an ancient witch that will hopefully know what to do. Everyone around me is breaking, and what about me, you may ask? Well, me, I am dying. In just a month, my life was now slowly being taken away from me.

"Hey, momma!" I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard Alyx's and Aleksey's voices. I hope I didn't look like I had been crying.

"Hello, there, my little bears. I have missed you so much." I was sitting on the floor right in front of them and met their small hands pressed up against the plexiglass with mine.

"Hey there, Mija. I brought some guests along with me." She gestured behind her, and I saw Julia, Asha, Julian, and Jazmine right behind her. I looked up to her with a grateful look and mouthed a thank you. She nodded and mouthed; you're welcome. I just wished I could spend time with everyone. I couldn't help the happiness that swelled in my heart. My family was here, well, most of them. The only ones who were missing were Emma and Chloe. I hope they are doing okay.