I'll Always Choose You #Watty's2023

42. Gio

January 1, 2023 ( baby is one week old)

Christmas came and went and neither I nor the boys had been excited to celebrate the holiday not when both Nico and the our little girl were in the hospital fighting for their lives. Kenzie had to perform an emergency c-section to safe both Nico and our baby. Who would even be in the holiday mood when their partner and child were in the hospital? I mean I was willing to do it for the boys but not even they were excited to open their Christmas presents, not when their mama and baby sister weren't home.

"Daddy?" I shook my head and looked down when I heard Tanner's voice and he frowned holding his arms up for me to pick him up. I smiled and leaned down and picked him up and he placed his head in my shoulder as his arms went around my neck, "mama?"

I sighed, this has been a constant question. When was mama coming home? Why is mama not here? Is mama okay? And to be honest I didn't know how to answer those questions because even I, myself, didn't know the answer to those.

"He's still sick bud," I murmured and he whimpered as he buried his face in my neck, "well go see him tomorrow okay?" He nodded as he kept his face in my neck and I sighed, "come on, let's go to bed."

I headed down the hall towards his room where Kaluah—Carly and Zeus's daughter—was resting and liked up when we entered. She stood and walked over to the bed when her master whimpered when I sat him down in the bed, "I'm just getting your pjs and then we'll go to mine and mama's room to sleep okay?"

Tanner and Aros have taken to sleeping with me ever since Nico was rushed to the hospital after he was shot. They have been having night terrors due to it since they witnessed the shooting even if Jackie had tried to shield them from it.

"Arms up," I instructed and Tanner rose his arms and I pulled his shirt off before replacing it with his Pokémon top. I stood him up and changed his pants and underwear with a fresh pair and the matching Pokémon pants before picking him up and carrying him out of his room. Aros was already in bed when we walked in with Astro—also Carly and Zeus' pup.

"Alright, time for bed," I said as I placed Tanner down beside Aros and they quickly cuddled together, "I'll be back." They nodded as I kissed their foreheads and exited the room, leaving a small crack for the dogs to enter and exit the room. I pulled out my phone and dialed Tony's  number.

"Hello?" He answered in the third ring.

"Is he awake?" I asked and I heard rustling of chains on the other side of the line. Arrow must've woken him up as I heard the bastard groaned on the other end.

"Yup," he replied, "want me to come up to stay with the boys while you deal with him?"

"No, I'm going stay with them tonight, Tanner has been very clingy all day so I don't want to wake them up if I finish late. What I want you to do is torture him as much as you want before killing him."

"You got it, Boss." He replied before I ended the call. I sighed and rubbed my face. One week and two days since the shooting and Nico still hasn't woken up. Kenzie says that Nico's body was recovering from such a traumatic event that it'll be a while before he gets wakes up. I just mi—my train of thought cut off by the sound of my phone ringing.

"I told Arrow to do whatever he wanted to that bastard before killing him." I said without checking the ID.

"Uh..." I cursed hearing Kenzie's voice and pulled the phone away and sure enough it was her calling.

"Sorry, I thought it was Cam calling." I said.

"No worries, Boss," she replied before I heard a door open and shut on the other end of the line, "I was actually calling to let you know that Donna Nico has woken up." Her words made my breath catch in my throat as tears burned my eyes.