-Herc POV-

48 hours. 

That's how long since we got the text, even longer since my husband has slept.

"Laffy, baby, please can you try to sleep for me?"

"Non."

His voice is so soft, so broken, as he shuffles himself closer against me. His face stained black with mascara and tears that he doesn't care to wipe away, insisting they will only come back even if he does fix himself up. Hair a tangled mess that he has allowed me to undo but not brush through.

And his mental state?

Shattered.

Washington comes back with some Starbucks for the group, Laff insisting if I'm going to force him to drink it had better be some source of caffeine. I'm keeping that caffeine level as low as possible, gently coaxing him into drinking his third Frappuccino of the stay.

Gently coaxing being poking his mouth over and over with the straw until he gives in and takes a sip. He's mildly annoyed, but I don't really care.

I can't stand seeing my love like this. 

Completely giving up on himself until our son is awake. Pretty much refusing everything other than crying and begging for our son as I attempt to care for him to the best of my ability.

Because that's something I can do.

I can't do anything for Mads but I can take care of my other children, my husband, showering him in love and snuggles and trying to keep him sane.

"Hey, Laffy baby, you good?"

"What. The fuck. Do you think?"

"No?"

"Of course not!"

"Please, Laffy. This stressing out isn't helping you. We can't do anything more than we are and I promise to wake you up if-"

"He's awake!"

Laff falls to the floor, jumping back up to his feet as I race behind him into the room and tackle him to the floor. There's a small rustling followed by a strained gasp as I struggle to keep him down.

"Mom?"

"Baby, my god, my baby. Mads, my son- get the fuck off of me Herc! I want my son right fucking now!"

The nurse gives me a small nod and I let him go, wiping away at my eyes as he scrambles into the bed with our son and covers his face in kisses. I follow behind and grab his hands in my own, resisting the small urge to kick Lafayette off and hold him to myself.

"Our brave little boy, holy shit. Holy fucking shit you're awake, you're awake and it's all okay! Love you so much honey, such a good job. My son-"

"Our son."

"Mhmm, our precious child. Love you so much, scared the hell out of me but it's okay, it's all okay honey because you're awake and moms here, just like you wanted honey. Both here, just like you need."

Madison just sits there, shaking as Laff holds onto him and continues to shower him with kisses and praise. Madison's nails are digging into my palms as I try to shift around and get closer to my child without moving the sobbing mess that is my husband.

"Mom, dad, it hurts. My chest hurts, my head hurts, everything hurts."

"I know Mads, I know it does. But it's all alright now! You're okay and you're awake and that's what matters."

"Great! I'm okay! But it still fucking hurts like a bitch!"

Laff lets out the first giggle I've heard from him in two days, hands working through our sons hair as James heads to talk to the nurse about getting some painkillers or shit.

That's when the door slams open.

"THERES OUR BADASS BITCH!"

"Janice. Calm yourself."

"No, you amazingly dumb little fuck! I'm so damn pissed at your stupid little ass!"

"Yeah bae! What the actual hell got into you, you brave fucking dumbass? We thought you were going to die!"

"So did I."

Sam signs something as Madison starts full on crying, motioning the rest of the group over to us.

It's a tight fit, but we make it work.

Laff and I holding hands as we nestle him up half between-half in front of us, Samuel dragged into his lap while George hops into mine to lean against his shoulder, the two girls seated at the foot of the bed.

"Pronoun check honey?"

"Don't give a damn right now. Use whatever, use everything, use nothing I'm not even sure I currently exist at the moment."

 The sound of Washington yelling and tiny feet pitter-pattering into the room as the kids attempt to hop up as well, Washingdad finally helping them up when he catches up.

"Why were you asleep for so long?"

"Because I got shot, Usnavi."

"Well that's a dumb reason."

"Yeah, yeah it really is. The dumbest. But it was worth it!"

"No, no it fucking wasn't! You could have died!"

"Janice, watch your language, my baby siblings are here."

"I am so sorry! What I have meant to say has been rather muddled in translation and I shall correct it into more understandable terms for those of us under the age of supreme seniority. Madison, it was most definitely not worth risking your goddamn fucking life because there are serious repercussions to being a dumbass bitch and you could have had your life subscription cancelled prematurely!"

Madison rolls his eyes, Laff shifting the boys closer to him until I drag them back to me because he had his moment already and I want to hold someone other than tiny George man.

"It was still most definitely worth it."

James comes back with a nurse and Thomas, who forgets about the fact he has William on his shoulders and ends up clonking his child's face into the doorframe.

Janice snorts, Madison laughs and Laf giggles, all of us pissing ourselves at the noise of the thud and Thomas's profuse apologizing that includes a lot more profanity than I thought was possible in a still sensible-sounding sentence. 

"Jemmy James come here now, holy shoot I can't believe you saved my son, you helped my precious boy."

James is pulled to Laff as he kisses his cheeks, the actual doctor frowning at all of us as he heads over with a little cart thing and fixes Madison up with some painkillers.

"You really shouldn't all be in here-"

"Shut the fuck up we're having a moment! We're all, one, large, crack ass family so we legally can exist in here in peace! Our- uh- brother- just got shot so if you don't like it leave!"

The doctor shuffles out without further comment as we all lose it again, the laughter feeling so good after the stress of the past two days.

But the mood switches back soon enough.

"Mads, I'm so sorry. About everything."

"It's fine Sally. It's not your fault and I'm fine. I'd still like to get my hands on the dang metallic coat hanger that insulted my mother though."

"You will do nothing of the sort! I'm not letting you make any more poor life decisions right now, right ever, and especially not for me!"

Laff grabs our son and I attempt to keep him with me, but he hisses and I drop it. Drop the boys. That seems to piss off George so he stands up and hops into my husbands lap, leaving me alone while the three teens share a quick set of kisses and Laff 'awwws'.

I want kisses.

I oh-so-discretely shift over to my husband, flipping off Janice when she cocks an eyebrow. No one else seems to care, George taking off his crown for possibly the first time ever (he literally sleeps with it on) and placing it crookedly on our sons head as Madison laughs.

"Look at you, the supreme monarch! Fucking slay! That's my bae right there."

I'm able to sneak an arm around my husbands waist while this is all going down, resting my head on his shoulder while he grants my forehead a quick and much needed peck. I nuzzle myself into him because now that he's doing better I need him to hold me.

Sam is signing something quickly that makes Laff cry harder, my turn to hold him again as the two kids kiss.

"What-"

"Shh, honey, you're wrecking the moment!"

Guess I'll be completely clueless then!

I hop behind my husband, getting onto my knees so I can rest my head on his shoulder. Thomas occupies the space I was previously in, James looking slightly hurt as he's left with the child and me looking slightly hurt as Thomas is able to rest his head on my husbands other shoulder.

"I think I'm not feeling too well after all, because I'm seeing double here."

"Nope, there's some key difference. My Laffy's the smoking hot one."

Madison turns to the two of us with a confused look, staring at my beautiful wife as he giggles.

"If Marie is the hot one why the hell am I being held by Jefferson?"

My husband lets out a hurt gasp before giving our son a playful shove, the two of them laughing and fighting as best as they can with everyone crowding them and Madison's chest.

"Can I lie back down? I'm kinda tired."

"Of course honey! Everyone who isn't me can leave."

"Marie-"

"You all heard my kid, they're tired so get the fuck out now because my baby needs their sleep!"

"I'm fine mom. I just want to lie down."

"You sure I don't need to drag everyone else out? Because I'll do it, you know. I'll kick everyone's ass if that's what you want."

"...even Herc's?"

"Hold up-"

Why the fuck am I being dragged into this?

"Especially Herc's."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"That I'd successfully fight you if needed and you wouldn't be able to stop me because you're a weak ass who couldn't throw a punch to save his life."

"I could throw a punch!"

"Then do it."

"...I don't want to hurt anyone."

"That's my boy."

Somehow being a weak ass was the right answer because after Laff is able to get Mads comfortably lying down I get the place of honor in his lap while Jefferson goes to work on his hair. We attempt to protest but he insists, for someone who doesn't brush his own hair on most days Thomas really enjoys doing it for others.

It's a fairly quiet next hour, people slowly trickling in and out of the room until it's just Laff, the boys, our actual kids and I.

"Babe. Kiss?"

He's pretty much half asleep but I happily give him what he wants before shifting out of his lap and placing him in my own while he yawns and presses himself into me. Laff's eyes flutter shut as I place soft kisses on his forehead, Madison giggling a little while my husband subconsciously nuzzles himself into my lap.

"Is Marie really falling asleep like that at 6:00 on a Wednesday?"

"It's the first time he'll have slept in over 60 hours. Please let him."

"The what?"

"He hasn't slept. In almost three. Whole. Fucking. Days."

"Holy shit-"

I just nod, keeping my focus on not disturbing Laff while I stroke along his hair.

"He was worried. We both were. So damn worried. What the fucking hell were you thinking?"

"He was coming. They had heard us and I couldn't let anything happen to my boys. I wasn't thinking rationally but we were all so damn scared and I realized I would rather take the bullet than risk my friends, my wonderful boyfriends, being hurt."

I really do need to learn sign language at some point, but I just can't seem to pick it up in the same way Laff can.

"What's Sam-"

"You don't want to know dad. Because it isn't true and therefore is disregarded as a rubbish opinion. I love the lot of you and my only regret is not getting to kill the douche who insulted Marie."

"You're just like her you know. Reckless beyond reason the minute someone comes after those you love. Both of you are stupid as shit in that sense, but damn do I admire you for it. I love you so much and the thought that something far worse could have happened to you- "

"Nothing happened Herc. I'm fine."

"I know- you keep saying that, both of you always do. No matter what happens evereyone around here always seems to be 'fine.' And I just- feels like I'm always on the outside. Can't protect any of you no matter how hard I try."

They don't say anything. Just nestle in closer to me as Laff let's out a little half-snore half-snort, kissing my cheek softly before burying their face in my chest and curling up against my wife.

"I love you dad."