Intertwined

Hopeless

A/N: Hello wonderful people. Just a little angsty chapter to set some things up for the coming chapters. Had a little bit of writers block the last few days, but goodness you all are writing some fabulous stories. :)

The moment Mia walked in to my hospital room, my chest heaved. I cried out in desperation for her. She flew towards me and held me as tight as she was able, rocked me and stroked my head. I was sobbing, loud full body tears. 'Mia. Mia. Mia,' I said her name over and over because I could and nothing bad would happen.

'Char. Char. Baby. Shh shhh shhh,' she looked at me with tears in her eyes and held my face in her hands. She gently placed her lips on mine, a feather light touch, and I felt safe and home and memories of her touch came cascading back all at once. We leaned our heads together just frozen for a moment. I hadn't even noticed everyone else had cleared out to give us some space.

'Oh sweetheart,' Mia's hand so gently on my face. She breathed deeply as though my scent was needed to sustain her.
'Mia. I. I'm sorry, I didn't realise it was you before,' She shook her head.
'No. No. Baby. It's ok. Don't apologise. It wasn't your fault,' she placed her lips on mine again with a little more pressure but still delicate.

I just wanted to hold onto her forever. In her arms I was safe and secure. In her arms I felt warm and loved, not cold and alone. I was trying to focus on Mia, her touch, her smell, the sound of her voice, her heartbeat I could feel as we hugged, but someone dropped something in the hallway outside my room. The sound of metal hitting the ground had me back on a cold stone ground, Adam banging on bars with the stick he used to shock me. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to breathe. Help me.
'Please,' I whispered. I felt a gentle hand on mine.
Mia's voice started to sing one of our songs and she placed my hand on her chest so I could feel the vibrations of her voice and her steady breathing. I opened my eyes and looked at her smiling at me, but her eyes full of concern at my panic.

I started to cry. Softly. I was scared by my reaction and I was tired. Already tired. I felt helpless and I didn't like it. I was relieved that I was physically away from that dark cage, but my mind seemed to go back so easily, It all felt like so much. I had tubes connected to me, bandages, casts, stitches. I had so many questions, but I was too tired to ask. My mind and my body weren't in the same place. One running a hundred miles an hour and the other barely able to move.

I turned my head to the side and closed my eyes. I could feel Mia, her head next to mine on the pillow, our noses touching. I felt her hand on my cheek.
'I love you sweetheart,' and Mia kissed the end of my nose.
'I love you too,' I hope she heard me. It felt like a whisper. I closed my eyes and gave in to the exhaustion.

***

With his father in prison, Reece knew it would be a relatively easy task taking over the nurseries. Roger had a number of other businesses that were tied up in the police investigation, but temporarily. Reece and Autumn had handed over information regarding fraud and other dealings his father had made, along with information the police had found at his residence it probably wouldn't be that long before the other business were released to the siblings.

They would reopen the nurseries in a few days and in the meantime Reece and Autumn had enough money to ensure the staff were paid. They were starting their own legacy the right way from the beginning. Neither sibling wanted anything to do with the ideology of their father: money, power and status at all costs.

Reece also knew Autumn needed to rest. Everyone kept telling her not to come back to work next week when they reopened, but she insisted. She still wasn't quite herself, maybe she wouldn't ever be the same Autumn again, and that broke her brothers heart. She still wasn't someone Reece wanted to argue with. Autumn was still able to give him just one look to know not to argue with her decision.