Chapter 44: A Family Stands Together

The hospital room was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of the monitor beside Elias's bed. Lani sat on the edge of the mattress, watching over him while Lily slept curled up beside her father, her small hand clutching his shirt. Luca had dozed off in the chair, arms crossed, his face peaceful despite the long night.

Elias had been awake for hours, just observing them. His family.

It still felt surreal—having them by his side, knowing they cared about him despite everything.

Lani let out a quiet sigh and glanced at him. "You're supposed to be resting, not staring at us like a lovesick fool."

Elias chuckled softly. "Hard not to when I have such a beautiful view."

She rolled her eyes but didn't pull away when he gently squeezed her hand.

A nurse came in after a while, checking Elias's vitals. She smiled at the sleeping children. "Looks like you've got the best kind of medicine."

Elias smirked. "Yeah, they're stubborn enough to keep me alive."

Lani nudged his arm. "You better stay alive. I won't forgive you if you don't."

He looked at her, seeing the unspoken emotions in her eyes. Fear, frustration, love—all tangled together.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

Lani studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Good. Because we still have a lot to figure out."

Before Elias could respond, Lily stirred, rubbing her sleepy eyes. She looked up at her father and then at her mother. "Daddy's not going away, right?"

Elias kissed the top of her head. "No, princess. I'm right here."

Lily smiled, then curled back up against him, satisfied.

Luca, who had just woken up, stretched and grumbled, "Good. Because I don't want to deal with Mom being grumpy if you don't get better."

Lani narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

Luca smirked. "You heard me."

Elias laughed, shaking his head. He couldn't believe how easily they made him feel at home, like he truly belonged.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Olivia walked in, carrying a bag of food. "I figured you'd all still be here."

Lani stood, stretching. "You know us too well."

Olivia handed her a coffee, then looked at Elias. "How's the patient?"

Elias grinned. "Annoyed that no one will let me sneak out of here."

Lani shot him a warning glance. "Don't even think about it."

Olivia smirked. "I see she's keeping you in line."

Elias sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately."

Lily giggled, and even Luca looked amused.

For the first time in a long time, despite the circumstances, everything felt right.

They were a family. And no matter what came next, they would face it together.

The hospital room was quiet again after Lani and Olivia left for work. Elias had convinced Lily and Luca to go home with the driver so they could get some proper rest, though Lily had been reluctant to leave. Now, he sat alone, flipping through channels on the small TV mounted on the wall, already bored out of his mind.

A knock on the door made him turn his head.

Before he could say anything, the door swung open, and Leo strolled in, hands in his pockets, a backpack slung over one shoulder. He looked around, unimpressed. "Well, you don't look dead yet."

Elias smirked. "Nice to see you too."

Leo plopped down on the chair beside the bed, setting his backpack on the floor. "Lily and Luca were talking about you all day at school. Lily even made a 'get well soon' card, but she wanted to give it to you herself."

Elias smiled softly. "She's sweet like that."

Leo shrugged. "She's been acting different lately, though. More… attached." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't know what happened while I was gone, but something changed."

Elias's expression remained calm, but he knew exactly what Leo was referring to. Lily and Luca had finally learned the truth—that he was their father.

Leo sighed. "I mean, I get it. You're good with them. And it's not like they had a dad before." He hesitated before adding, "Not that they knew of, at least."

Elias studied him for a moment. "And how do you feel about it?"

Leo shrugged again, but there was something guarded in his expression. "Doesn't really matter what I think, does it?"

Elias raised an eyebrow. "It does if you're upset about it."

Leo scoffed. "I'm not upset. Just… surprised, I guess." He leaned back in the chair. "Luca's still trying to process it. He won't say it, but I can tell. Lily, though? She's already acting like she's been calling you 'Dad' her whole life."

Elias chuckled. "Yeah, she doesn't hold back."

There was a brief silence before Leo spoke again, more seriously this time. "You're not gonna leave them, right?"

Elias's amusement faded. He met Leo's gaze, understanding the weight behind the question.

"No," he said firmly. "I won't."

Leo studied him, then nodded. "Good. Because if you do, I'll have to kick your ass."

Elias smirked. "I'd like to see you try."

Leo rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile on his lips. "Whatever. Just don't die, alright?"

Elias reached out and playfully ruffled Leo's hair, making the boy scowl and swat his hand away.

"I'm working on it," Elias said.

Leo stood up, grabbing his backpack. "Alright, I gotta head home before my mom freaks out." He walked toward the door, then paused. "Oh, and don't tell Lily I came. She'll get all emotional and hug me, and I don't need that kind of attention at school."

Elias laughed. "Your secret's safe with me."

Leo nodded, then left, leaving Elias alone again—but this time, he didn't feel so alone.

To be continued…