The Merger

Seventeen

🌹 (RECAP :   .....
  The same tugboat where his mother lay bleeding.....)🌹

As the shots rang out the SWAT team was finally alerted. Previous attempts to summon them had failed. It should have been simple operation. As soon as Dao gave the signal, SWAT would move in, arrest everyone on site, save the hostages and be the heroes of the day. So what went wrong.

Dao repeatedly gave the signal which was met with no response each time. Why? Both Khaotung's mom and Maize had been shot, Khaotung was unconscious, First and Dao was currently wrestling with Snakeskin for the possession of Snake's gun.

In that moment Snake's minions realised, they either supported him and rushed to his aid, risking a prison sentence or, protect the self. Save your own life, minions are people too so make yourself scarce and disappear before Snake finds you.

It's no wonder then that Snake was left alone wrestling with Dao and First. The two quickly overpowered him but the damage had already been done. With the arrival of SWAT came also the medical services and other reinforcements. Khaotung was unconscious but further unhurt. Khaotung's mom had been shot and would be rushed into emergency surgery and Maize...... Maize was not so lucky.

As her body was lifted onto the gurney both First and Dao stood at attention, bowed their heads respectfully and thanked Maize for her ultimate sacrifice.

Khao and his mom was transported by helicopter and First, along with Dao accompanied Snakeskin all the way to their headquarters making sure he was safely locked up and under guard.

By the time First reached the hospital Khaotung had regained consciousness. Upon seeing First he thought that he, First,  was a mirage, a dream. Slowly, as Khaotung became more alert, he realised that First was really with him.

First touched his hand gently and kissed the inside of his palm, thus  Khaotung realised he had  been rescued. Khaotung was beyond happy. He held onto First very tightly and repeatedly told First how much he loved him. Khaotung wouldn't even let go of First long enough for the doctors to finish examining him.

After about an hour of being x-rayed, prodded and pricked, First and Khaotung finally managed to spend some time together. The whispered sweet nothings to each, made new promises and quietly recited their wedding vows to each other without alerting any of the hospital staff members.

The euphoria of being rescued dissipated as soon as Khaotung thought of his mother. As the memory came back to him Khaotung started to panic. How could he have forgotten. His Mae was missing. Without another word Khaotung grabbed his clothes from the tiny cupboard next to his bed and headed for the bathroom.

First, realising what was about to happen, grabbed Khao's hand and immediately started recounting how his mother had come to Khao's assistance. First didn't mention that Khaotung's Mae had been the one to originally set the rescue plan in motion. He didn't think Khaotung was ready for that. Instead First held Khaotung in a tight hug and told him of his mother's current condition.

Khaotung of course wanted to speak to the doctors  himself. He had many questions and concerns. His mother was his most important person. The other person of note in his life being First.  Up until this point Khao had been secretly holding on to the hope that his mom had been traveling. And was just out of reach.

Khaotung wanted to know from First why his mother was present on that island and why First hadn't kept her safe.  The doctors unfortunately couldn't wait for Khaotung to finish this conversation as his Mae required their full attention.

In the midst of this chaos, between his Mae's condition, Maize's death, Snakeskin's incarceration and Dao's further investigation, a small nagging thought started to pull at Khaotung's mind.

A part of him blamed First for her being shot. The more rational thinking side of Khaotung however knew he only had himself to blame. The thought of his mae being paralyzed, stuck in a wheelchair or worse for the rest of her life caused Khaotung great anguish.

He wished he'd never started this whole thing with the gambling ring, which led to being an informant which in turn put him in Snake's crosshairs. He'd rather have been the one shot instead of his mom and also the guilt for Maize and her son, now an orphan .

Khaotung's breathing became erratic. His heart was beating so fast. He felt woozy. His world spun and darkness enclosed him. A welcome darkness in which Khaotung could hide, his fears, his insecurities, his guilt, his pain and especially the happiness he felt at being with First, the happiness now tinged with a sour taste as slowly it took the blame for his Mae being in that hospital bed. Her face pale, her heart rhythm unsteady and hands..... So cold.

As Khaotung's body folded in on itself, First held onto this crumpled human in  whom his heart had found its home. First knew that everything had become too overwhelming for Khaotung. It's why he was afraid to tell Khaotung about his mother's condition in the first place.

First called gently to Khaotung. He whispered words of love and encouragement to Khao and slowly coaxed him back from this unconscious dark abyss in which he wanted to hide. For the sake of his mae he had to remain strong. For First for his Mae and for the little boy he owed a mother's life too ... For them Khaotung opened his eyes ..... And cried.