Her Home, His Heart | ✓

☆*✿FIFTY-THREE (53)❀*★

♪♪I lived a million miles of memories on that road

With every step I take, I know that I'm not alone

You take the home from the boy

But not the boy from his home. ♪♪

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ [Who says you can't go home] - [Bon Jov]

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 "Vera!" A frantic, gruff voice pushed through the sounds of hurried footsteps coming in their direction.

Kian pushed forward just as Vera slumped and the other voice reached the doorway, catching her before she could hit the floor.

"Što se ovdje događa?!" The older man at the door holding onto a walking stick asked. His coca brown, jewel-like eyes shifted from Kian holding his wife and stopped short at the sight of Esmé by his side, his mouth falling open. (What is going on here?!)

Esmé looked up at her father, but before any of them could make any statement, Kian spoke.

"She's breathing, but I need to move her in right now."

Vinko turned to Kian and then turned to Vera in his arms. His eyebrows squished together, and he looked around, opening his mouth and then closing it right back, shaking his head. He tousled his left hand in his raven black and grey hair, an action that could almost make Esmé burst into tears whilst laughing herself silly that he still did that, but for the circumstances, they were in.

She had no intention of making him any more confused than he already was. Esmé turned to Kian and then back at her father.

"On je doktor, zna što mu je činiti," she said. (He's a doctor, he knows what to do)

Vinko shared one last confused look before he turned to Kian. "This way, please."

Vinko led the way into the house and a room. Esmé sighed and picked a whining Archie up from the floor, following suit into the house.

The enormous living room welcomed them in. With no mind to pay any attention to the changes or familiarity of the living room, she rushed forward to the room Vinko had directed Kian to. She hovered by the door, watching Kian place Vera on the bed and Vinko standing by the side.

His eyes stared every other minute from his wife to Esmé, checking every minute that he wasn't wrong.

Kian looked up from Vera after checking and making sure all her vitals were sharp. Seeing the distance between the two, knowing that they wanted more than anything to close it up, he nudged his head to Esmé and mouthed, "Get him out of here. I'll take care of the rest."

Esmé sucked in a breath and walked over to Vinko, who now focused his gaze entirely on her. He held his breath, which each step she took until she got to him.

"Tata? Jas am. Ivana," she said at the cautioned gaze he gave her. One she remembered so well that he had any time he either didn't believe something or he was unsure about something. (Dad? It's me.)

He shook his head, looking away from her to Vera on the bed, then back at her. His eyes watered as he opened his mouth and closed it back. "I- Iv- Ivana?"

She nodded her head repeatedly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"A- ali Kako? M- mtrav si..." (But how? You're dead.)

Esmé shook her head continuously. "Ja nisam. živ sam." (I'm not, I'm alive.)

Vinko lifted his hands so slowly to her cheeks. The feeling of warmth against his hands made him release a loud breath, letting the tears that had pooled up in his own eyes fall down. "Ivana," he croaked before pulling her into a hug.