Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 97: Welcome Home

The rest of the ride home was filled with laughter and smiles. The feeling of complete love surrounded Mallix—something he had missed the most after their disappearance. Finally pulling up to the cabin Mallix was pleased to find a banner outside the front door with the lettering "Welcome Home" drawn on. Small pictures of flowers, teddy bears, cars, and hearts gave him a good idea of two helpers responsible for making the sweet banner.

Helping Lain with her bags the two of them happily entered the cabin. As soon as the door opened Mallix felt like he was in the wrong place by how different the atmosphere inside felt. What once used to be full of a heavy feeling of misery and sorrow, was now filled with light and joy. The smiles and laughter coming from inside was welcoming.

The second he stepped in he immediately heard the sweetest noise he could've heard, "DADDY!" Kaila appeared from behind a wall racing into Mallix's arms.

"Oh my little baby. How I missed you." Dropping his bags to the floor he lifted the little girl onto his hip hugging her tightly before tickling her exposed sides. Behind her laughter she pleaded for him to stop.

Lain shut the door putting her bags down as she couldn't help but smile widely at the sight. "What am I? Chopped liver?" She laughed joining in on their family hug.

After a few moments Alex, Nina, and Zander had all rounded the same corner watching the happy family reunite. "Where's my hug?" Nina laughed eagerly jumping into this hug as well.

As they all pulled away Mallix was stunned to see Nina without a cast or her crutches. "Got it taken off finally?" He motioned.

"Yup, I'm as good as new. Doctor said it was a miracle how fast I healed."

"When did you even go?"

"A little after we took you in. I wanted to check up on you, but you know one thing leads to another. One moment I was sitting in your room watching you sleep the next I was getting my cast cut off." She smiled fully aware of every word.

"Thanks N, glad to know I can count on you to be there for me." He joked to which everyone else also broke into laughter. Kaila, however, was too caught up in enjoying Mallix's presence she missed the joke. But seeing how happy it made both Mallix and Lain she couldn't help but release a giggle of her own.

"What about me?" Alex stepped up next giving Mallix a hug trying not to squish Kaila still in Mallix's arms. The close bond everyone had with one another was obvious.

"Thank you." Mallix told him before pulling away. Rather than making a scene and breaking down as he know he would've, Alex just gave him a quick look and a nod.

"Were the doctors absolutely sure you were ready to be released from the hospital already? Still looks like you could use some help." Alex said finally looking up at Mallix's unseen messy hair.

"That's what I was thinking." Lain looked happy that someone else was ready to tease him over his new look. Mallix just rolled his eyes focusing in on Kaila's hand that slithered into his soft messy hair and playing with it.

Moving into the living room Mallix sat Kaila on his lap as Lain sat besides him. The little girl was still content playing with his hair. With Zander distracted by his toy car on the floor Alex and Nina sat besides one another. The close friends were quickly catching up with one another over the past few days he had missed out on.

"I told you I knew it! These two troublemakers love getting into trouble already!" Nina looked between both Kaila and Zander distracted by their own thoughts to have caught on.

He chuckled letting Nina ramble on about the different adventures Zander had taken Kaila on. While it was only a few days the two had known each other, they quickly became good friends. Listening to one of their most recent adventures of their daring journey through the woods outside the cabin he couldn't help but laugh at how they ended up going from playing as Hansel and Gretel to fishes swimming in the nearby lake.

"Papi look!" Zander squealed catching everyone's attention, especially Mallix's who looked over at Alex with bug eyes.

"Great job there bud!" Alex cheered on as he smiled largely while the little boy raced his car around a small city built from legos. It didn't take long for Mallix to let a smile of his own take over. He was happy for the two of them.

For hours everyone talked while the two kids went down for a nap around noon, but were now racing outside the cabin. Seeing as the sun was getting low Nina stood up holding her hand out to Lain, "want to help me make dinner? I miss my sous-chef."

Lain accepted her hand and chuckled while doing so, "sous-chef? Me? I think your forgetting who the real chef is." She sassily swayed her hair.

"Hey don't underestimate me. I'm clearly doing something right if I haven't burned down this cabin."

"Not yet at least." The two women shared a laugh as they disappeared into the kitchen working separately to prepare two different dishes. It was always one of their favorite past times during their college days. For hours they would compete against one another in the kitchen and today seemed to be nothing less than a rematch.

"I missed this." Mallix said still looking in the direction of the kitchen as he could see Lain and Nina battling to get utensils from the drawers.

"It's good to have you back M." Alex took his attention away from the women. In the background he could hear both Kaila and Zander having their own set of laughter from the open window.

Looking with a raised eyebrow at Alex, Mallix finally brought it up. "Papi?" His eyes motioned to Zander who they could see running after Kaila outside.

The man sat across from him scratched the back of his neck chuckling as he nodded. "It's definitely something—I'll tell you that much." The obvious blush coming from him made Mallix smile with joy for them.

"When'd he say it first?" He asked curiously. But Alex didn't respond. Instead he just motioned for Mallix to follow him.

Walking into Alex's room, they both sat down on his large bed while Alex grabbed a small folded piece of paper from off of his bedside table handing it to Mallix.

Dear Alex,

So I really don't know what I'm writing this for or what I want to say to you, but I know you and Mallix are going on a really scary adventure. I also know you won't be scared but just in case I put all my courage into writing this letter. If it helps you can take it with you for an extra boost of courage. When Nina took me out with her to get the supplies for your guys suits she was telling me about how I should be happy and thankful to have someone as caring as you. But I already knew something better. Something my heart has been telling me for a long time. I didn't need Nina to tell me that I should be happy and thankful to have someone like you...because I already was more than happy and more than thankful. I've been crushing on you since well ever and so I guess I just want you to be safe.

Love,

Zander

Mallix couldn't hide his smile as Alex took it back from him rubbing his fingers along the scribbled words. "Z wrote this for me before we broke the girls out. I kept it in my uniform and it worked. The extra courage from him made things easier." He chuckled before feeling more emotions coming over him.

"After we got them out and you were settled into the hospital and things were going smoothly here...well that was when Zander sat me down and called me Papi for the first time." The singular tear threatening to fall off his nose was wiped away as he folded the paper and looked back up at Mallix. "Now I see why you love this so much."

Both men laughed enjoying their shared love for taking care of Kaila and Zander. But as their laughter settled Mallix looked outside of Alex's room into the open hallway when something dawned on him.

Looking seriously at Alex he asked, "what happened to James?"
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Let me know what you think happened to James. Thanks Lexx signing off