The both rushed him. Nari broke out and cried. "I missed you, Daddy. I was scared."

"I wasn't scared! I knew you'd be okay!" Sedric sat up on the side of the bed. "Ethan and Wyatt said you were really cool! I knew it! Can we play when you get better?"

"Me too!" Nari raised her hand. "Daddy's on my team."

"Not fair! You were on his team last time!" Sedric frowned.

Neal just stared at the both of them, his eyes welling up with tears.

"We can play two rounds. I'll play with both of you," he finally managed to say, though it sounded like his throat was closing up.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Nari poked his cheek.

"Nothing." He shook his head, then looked at me and smiled. "I've got you all, how can anything be wrong?"

"That's what I'm saying." Sedric raised his hands up, the little smarty, and we all just laughed. Walking over to him, I leaned in to kiss his cheek, but he turned, kissing my lips.

"I love you." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I love you," he repeated.

"I love you too."

EVELYN.

"My heart can't take this shit," Cora gasped out, pacing back and forth. Her whole body was shaking as we stood outside Melody's room. "And you made it worse with your whole 'you better prepare yourself' speech."

"Baby, why don't we go get some horrible food at the cafeteria with the kids?" Declan came over, placing baby Darcy's car seat down on the chair beside Helen, who was also nodding off.

Cora took a deep breath, her chest falling slowly as she faced me. "I feel like you are hiding something, Evelyn."

I smiled. "Yes, a raging headache dear. Go spend time with your family and be happy...we won." Not without wounds though.

She made a face at me before coming over and hugging me. Cora wasn't a hugger, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed her, and looking to Declan, I could see that he was still so in love.

"Okay already, go." I pulled away.

She nodded, reaching in the car seat for Darcy while Declan picked up Helen. She opened her eyes sleepily and seeing me, she waved. Waving back, I watched as they went into the elevator.

"Ma'am." The guards nodded to me, opening the door to Melody's room. She sat up, looking better than she had an hour before, but not by much.

"You're angry with me, aren't you?" she whispered softly. I had a lot of feelings going through me, but I just sat down beside her, letting her express what I already knew she was feeling. "I couldn't do it, Evelyn, not yet...I can't. I tried. It would have been the perfect chance, but I'm not ready...it hurts."

Reaching for her hand, I squeezed, blinking the tears from my eyes. "I know. If anyone in this world understands, Melody, it's me...but this was close. Far too close. You don't have much time. There is a price to pay for having this life, you have to make tough choices. Luckily you're good at those."

She nodded, blinking her tears away before getting fed up and using her other hand to wipe them away. "Damn family of yours has made me so bloody soft."

I snickered. "Family of mine? Or family of ours? And after being so damn strong Mel, I think being soft for a little bit is a good thing, don't you?"

"Ask me tomorrow."

"You might not be soft tomorrow.

At that, she snickered. "Women, we can have it all..."

"Just not all at the same time." I nodded. "When you're ready...you'll know it's time."

"Okay." She nodded. "Can you do me a favor?"

"I thought I was?" My eyebrow rose, even though I was just teasing her. "What is it?"

A true smile spread across her face. Our Bloody Melody had come a long way.

LIAM.

"Ma? Where we going?" I asked, watching the elevator. She'd had the kids go with Cora and then kidnapped me from my room. There was something about being dressed in a hospital gown while being pushed around by my mother that didn't sit right with me.

"Why are you so worried? You think I'm a double agent or something?"

I snorted at that. There were two people I trusted completely: my mother and my wife. "You are just acting a little odd."

"My sons are alive. It's a beautiful day. Aren't I allowed to celebrate?"

On second thought, maybe she was trying to kill me.

"Ouch. What was that for?" I rubbed my arm.

"I don't like whatever you were thinking," She said matter-of-factly as she wheeled me out of the elevator and toward the doors.

"So I'm not allowed to think-"

"Melody, can I just drop him here? He's driving me mad," my mother yelled out when we got to the roof.

Melody sat in a wheelchair of her own right beside a table. I turned back to my mother, who only winked at me as the doors closed.

"Hey," she said casually to me as I wheeled myself over to the other side of the table.

"Mel, you should be in bed-"

"I brought a doctor." She pointed to the man taking a smoke break behind me. I wasn't sure how I felt about a doctor who was slowly giving himself lung cancer being her failsafe. "And I brought our smoothies."

She placed the drink in front of me.

"Did I die?" I asked slowly, trying to think.

"Shut up and let me be nice, Jesus, you annoying fuck," she snapped at me and I laughed, grabbing the cup and taking a sip.

"Mango?"

"It's good for you, drink," she muttered, looking out at the city. I couldn't look away from her.

"Are you being romantic right now? Are we on a date?"

"Don't make a big deal about it, Liam. Besides, you know I hate hospitals." She didn't look at me, just took a sip of her drink.

"I don't know if I can not make a big deal out of this, Mel...it's kind of a-"

"Look, the fireworks are about to start," she cut in as firecracker shot into the sky.

"Fireworks? Melody, now I'm melting on the inside!" I gasped, my hand over my heart. "Do I get a ring?"

"Oh my God, you are so bloody damn annoying!" she screamed at me. I laughed, getting up out of my chair and leaning over to kiss her.

Sitting back in my chair, I took my drink and glanced over the city. "I would have liked kiwi, but mango is good too."

She was too damn cute.

"Once again, Liam...we won."

TWENTY-FIVE.

"Some are born mad, some achieve madness, and some have madness thrust upon 'em."

~ Emilie Autumn FOUR YEARS LATER.

LIAM.

DAY 1.

11:57 PM.

"If we have to do another one of these damn police dinners next year I'm going to lose my mind," I grumbled, pulling off my tie as the driver pulled away from the hotel. Melody rested her head against my arm but didn't reply.

"Mel. Melody?"

"Huh?" She sat up, looking up at me. She had been out of it for days now.

"Are you all right?" I reached over, brushing her hair over to the side.

"Yeah, just tired." She nodded, moving to sit back in her seat.

"I didn't say stop leaning on me." I frowned and she rolled her eyes at me.

"I'm going to-" I saw the headlights coming right behind her head.

"MELODY!" I screamed but before she or I or even our driver could do anything, the glass around us exploded and she flew toward me as we tossed and turned.

Metal crunched all around us...then darkness.

5:04 AM.

"Liam?" I heard his voice.

"Declan?" I looked over to where he sat at my bedside, looking an absolute mess. "You look like shit."

He didn't say anything back, just nodded his head.

"What is it and what the hell did that doctor give me? I feel like I have cotton mouth." I stretched out my mouth, sticking out my tongue.

"A mild sedative"

"Why?" I asked angrily...I couldn't remember anything.

"You were ready to strangle the doctor."

I shrugged at that.

"Wouldn't be the first time. Oh-" I groaned as I pushed myself up and he moved to help. "I got it. How bad are my wounds?"

"A broken leg and shoulder, along with a ruptured eardrum and a few bruised ribs," he replied as if he were reading it from my damn chart or something.