For You, A Promise

Chapter 12

"Antonio. You have a phone call" Jay says as Antonio goes back upstairs. Erin's at the hospital.

He takes the phone from Jay – it's his own cellphone he left upstairs.

"Yeah?"

"Antonio" it's Erin, she's crying, "Kate...Kate's awake"

Antonio lets the phone drop to the ground and sprints downstairs. He drives off to the hospital.

He runs into Kate's room and sees her. Her blue eyes barely open.

"Hey baby" she whispers softly and Antonio gasps out a beaming smile. He sits down next to her and kisses her lips repeatedly.

"You're awake" he frowns and starts sobbing.

"I'm fine" Kate whispers and Antonio let his head rests on her stomach. He bawls like a baby and Kate plays with his cropped hair.

"I love you so much. I love you; I thought you were going to die. You can't die, you're all I have"

"I'm not going anywhere baby. I love you too. So much"

Antonio looks into her eyes, "You're my entire world Kate. If I had lost you, I...I"

Antonio's eyes fill with tears and Kate frowns, "I'm here to stay. I'm here, I'm yours forever."

There is a knock on the door and Kate grin when she sees Erin and Gabby; Jay and Matt

"Look" she scrunched her face up in pain as she tries to sit up. Antonio helps her, "It's the family"

"You scared us all" Gabby scolds

"I know" Kate says to them, she looks at Antonio and tightens her hold on his hand. "But I'm fine"

Erin smiles and kisses her forehead, she knows her best friend doesn't want to talk about it anymore so she changed the subject and soon the three couples start talking about Nadia DeCotis.

**

It was past midnight, nobody had slept since four days ago so Gabby; Matt and Jay and Erin went home with the promise of visiting tomorrow.

"Hey, you should go home. You're tired" Kate whispers to Antonio. His eyes are red; tired.

"I'm fine right here" he insists. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Babe"

Antonio shakes his head, "I'm not leaving Katelyn" he raises his voice, "I need to stay here"

Kate's eyes fill with tears. Not because he yelled but because he's not the strong powerful man she fell in love with. Right this minute he looks scared and vulnerable.

"Okay" she whispers, "Come lie here. The couch is crappy. Come here"

Antonio smiles and takes off his shoes. Careful not to trigger her wires he lies down with his head on her stomach.

"Baby" Kate whispers as she runs her fingers through his hair, "talk to me. Are you okay?"

Antonio shakes his head slightly, "Sharon came to the district and she told me that you could die. All I could think of, in that moment, is that I haven't done anything I want to do with you. I want to have children with you. I want to build that dream house. I want to grow old with you and our family. You can't die. You can never die."

"Look at me" Kate says and Antonio looks at her, his eyes are wet.

"You and I are going to go to sleep at the age of 99, warm in our beds, and then we're never going to wake up again. I'm not dying, you're not dying. Not now, and not until natural causes takes us away at the age of 99"

Antonio nods and kisses his wife. "I love you so much. God, I missed those lips"

"I love you too. Now kiss me again" he happily complies and they kiss for a few minutes.

"Go to sleep baby. I'll be here when you wake up" Kate whispers and pecks his lips. Antonio nods and rests his head on her chest.

Kate switches on the TV. 'Friends' is on TV and she smiles as she looks at her husband. She's still running her fingers through his hair.

"Knock, knock"

Kate smiles sleepily when she sees Hank Voight. She switches off the TV.

"Hey Serge" She says softly.

"How are you feeling?" Hank smiles as he walks forward.

"Feels as though I got hit by a train but I'll be fine"

"You're strong" Hank says, "Your boy broke all the rules he made for himself these past few days. He almost bashed in Pulpo's head. You had him worried, you had us all worried"

Kate smiles as she glances at a sleeping Antonio. "I know" Kate tries to swallow, but her throat is incredibly sore. "Did you get him? Pulpo? Did you catch him?"

"We did" Hank smiles, "Him and all his minions. He'll never hurt another person again"

"Good" Kate whispers

"You need rest. Sleep. You're fine"

Kate nods sleepily, "Thanks Serge. For coming and for catching Pulpo"

"Of course"