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Chapter 35-The Understanding & Reconciliation

Slade Kolosov's POV

Waiting.

It was something that I detested. Ever since I was young, I hated waiting. Maybe because I always had to wait for Grayson to be home so I could have some companionship other than my mother. I guess you could say I was impatient. But now especially more so when I had to wait for Mel to wake up.

I gazed at her still body on the hospital bed for what seemed like the millionth time. The figure on the bed was not the Mel I am in love with. She was way too pale, her strawberry curls were limp, her body was too gaunt and her skin was cool to the touch.

Somehow, the Mel on the bed didn't seem to represent the Mel I fell in love with. Perhaps it was strange to say that considering the fact that they both were the same person. But the Mel in front of me? She seemed almost dead and I hated it. She wasn't bursting of life and everything that had to do with it.

I sighed heavily and stroked the side of her cheek with my knuckles tenderly, "When are you going to open those eyes for me sweetheart?"

I asked softly and as usual, I waited for a reply or a sign that showed that she heard me but received none.

My eyes ran over her face and noticed that her bruises were fading and the thin cuts on her hands were healing nicely. But my jaw clenched and my fists tightened at the thought of her other injury on her abdomen. The wound had been stitched up but I knew it was going to leave a scar.

I hated that, not because Mel would be scarred because I myself was full of them but it was because I would have to live the rest of my life knowing that she had gotten stabbed because of my incompetence to rescue her in time. It was my fault that she was in this state. I snarled hatefully at myself. I deserved to be in that coma, not Mel. I clenched my jaw and shut my eyes.

It has been a week since everything happened.

But yet, it felt like it happened hours ago or even minutes. Seeing the blood on Mel's hands and her bruised cheeks when I had entered the room made my blood rage and the darker side of me thirsted for blood and vengeance.

However, seeing her get stabbed with a knife? It was something I could never forget. It brought back memories of how my mother was brutally murdered in front of me with a knife.

Seeing Mel's horrified expression and her pain-filled scream made time stop and the action of her getting stabbed was playing in slow motion. The memory of the knife piercing into her skin replayed over and over in my mind. And the fact that I couldn't do anything to prevent that made a sense of self loathing rise in my body.

And for hours after she had passed out from the extreme blood loss and pain in my arms, I had gone through hell. The thought of her dying made me go insane. I couldn't lose her. I couldn't! She was everything to me.

When her eyes had rolled to the back of her skull and her hand on my cheek had grown slack, I had thought that she had been taken from me. And it felt like my heart had stilled. I didn't care that I looked like a besotted fool as I held onto Mel's limp body in my arms as she almost died as I wept like a baby. I didn't care that most of my men and others were there to see me break down as I held her in my arms.

I couldn't go on without Mel, I couldn't live without her. She was now the sole reason why my heart was even beating. The only reason I was functioning now was due to the chance of her waking up and coming back to me.

The information Grayson had given was useful. Mel was there like his informer had said and I guess I had to thank Grayson for that. Most of the people involved in the captivity of Mel, Mikael and my two men were either dead or going to die.

In my defence, Erik was still lashing his anger out on them for taking his son from him. So it wasn't only me that was torturing and releasing all my pent up emotions on those men. It was a pity that Mel killed Bones before I could, but then again, it was another reason why I hated myself.

The effort to reach out for a gun and to shoot it was hard considering Mel had been stabbed and I was sure that if she hadn't, she wouldn't have lost consciousness that fast. And the fact that she killed Bones to save my life once again showed that I was incompetent in protecting those I loved.

Joseph on the other hand is still alive but now, he is unable to talk and probably unable to use his hands. Permanently. That was for sure.The reason why his hands were useless to him now because those very hands had tortured Mel and used a knife to stab her.

Mark and Tony were fine and on the road to recovery. I had checked up on them earlier and Tony was resting with his wife and daughter looking after him.

Mark was awake but high on the pain medication the doctors had given him and he had spouted some shit like Markelina or Mark Junior when he spotted me.

Now I was waiting impatiently for Mel to wake up. I wanted her to look at me with those pretty hazel eyes of hers. I wanted her to smile at me and tell me she loved me. Hearing those words from her were like an addiction I couldn't get enough of.

"Come on sweetheart, wake up. I need you here yelling at me for shit I did wrong." I said lowly, my heart clenching in pain as Mel remained still and silent. A part of me continued to fade away as she didn't respond.

I hated that she was in a coma when I was the one who should be in it instead. Mel didn't deserve to be on the brink of death. She was full of life and she had done nothing wrong. I on the other hand had, that was why I deserved to die and take Mel's place.

I intertwined our hands together, still relishing in the fact that her slender hands fit into my larger one. It was like she was made for me. As if the fates had decided that I had enough shit in my life and decided to send her to me as a reward but that bitch was being cruel for trying to take her away from me.

I hated fate. I really did. It was typical of her trying to fuck my life up but this time, I wouldn't let it happen. I was going to do anything and everything to make sure that Mel would be by my side again. She was the reason I could smile again.

I shut my eyes and rested my head on on her stomach imagining that she would wake up and run her fingers through my hair soothingly assuring me she was alive and well.

I wanted her to wake up to tell me she loved me. I wanted her to purse her lips at me when she heard me say something she didn't like. I wanted to hear her laugh when I said something stupid or ridiculous. I wanted to see her cheeks heat up with the very familiar pink tinge when I made a sexual joke or innuendo. I wanted to wake up in bed to see that she was right beside me. I liked that I could talk to her about anything to everything.

Whatever it is, I wanted her to wake up. I was desperate for that to happen. If I could, I would do anything for her to be okay and lucid. However, her being in a coma was something I couldn't bring her out of. It was a way for the body to heal and repair itself and that required time. Time that I found was taking way too long.

It was then I felt another presence in the room. I knew it was Alexi and I knew he had been studying me for a quite awhile.

"What the fuck are you looking at Barone? Got a crush on me?" I said tonelessly I sat up in the chair with my hands remained intertwined with hers.

Alexi sputtered indignantly and glared at me, "I do not! I would like to speak with you."

I rolled my eyes, if he wasn't Mel's brother, I would have killed him by now. Fucking idiot always pissed me off. I stood up, reluctant to be away from Mel's side for even a minute and went towards Alexi. "What?" I demanded and crossed my arms as I stared him down.

He exhaled and stared at me before starting, "I was...wrong. At first when Mel told me that she was with you and that you cared for her, I didn't believe her. How could I? You kill people who look at you wrong."

I bristled at that comment. Fucking pot calling the kettle black. My eyes narrowed at him and scoffed, "Is that all you have to say? Because I'm bored." I gritted out impatiently. I wanted to be done with this 'talk' with Alexi because Mel's side was where I had to be at.

Alexi sputtered from my response and he glared menacingly at me, "But, after seeing what had happened, I-I realised I was wrong. You do love her and I think that's all that matters. So I give you my blessings to be with her."

I raised an eyebrow at Alexi who was grimacing because he had to admit he was in the wrong. "I don't need your blessings to be with Mel. We were already together even though we didn't have it."

"You-" Alexi started, his eyes flashing and I continued, "But I know Mel cares about family and shit like that so I guess I'll call a truce." I said casually as I studied him. Alexi grumbled and gave in, "Fine. Whatever. But I swear on my parent's grave that if you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"As if you could."

"YOU-" Alexi shouted with his hands fisted but he got interrupted as the door opened and the doctor came in.

"Good morning. If you'll excuse me, I'll be doing my daily assessment on Miss Barone here." The doctor greeted and went over to Mel. I glanced at Alexi before dismissing him and went towards Mel.

I remained silent as the doctor checked on Mel and wrote things down on her clipboard. "When is she going to wake up?" Alexi questions as I sat beside Mel.

"Hmm. She's really lucky. The knife wound she had received didn't do that much damage as we had originally thought. The surgeons who had operated on her had initially thought that the wound she received would prevent her from having children in the future but as the days passed, it seems that knife had missed any important organs and such."

I sucked in a breath, if Mel had really lost that chance, she would be absolutely shattered. I interlaced our fingers again, reassuring myself that she was still alive from the pulse on her veins. "But when will she be waking up?" Alexi demands and the doctor gave us an encouraging smile.

"Hopefully soon. Her injuries are healing and there is nothing stopping her from coming out of this. Good day." The doctor gave us a small smile before leaving and Alexi left with her as he continued interrogating her about Mel's health.

I sighed, slightly pleased that I was alone with her. "Did you know something? The first time I met you, I thought you were fucking crazy when you pepper sprayed me and kneed me in the balls. I remembered I was pissed as hell but deep down, I was intrigued." I said and the memories of that event played in my mind and a small smile crossed my lips.

"It wasn't your looks that got my attention, I mean you were fucking hot but you got my attention when you didn't back down when I wanted my way. You weren't scared of me and I liked that. You were a challenge to solve. And then after when I realised that your brother is Alexi Barone, I knew why you weren't afraid of me."

I let out a short laugh and sobered up before continuing, "But then somehow, you became something more. And I didn't know when I realised you meant something to me until it was too late when I fucked up." I said bitterly as I remembered how I had hurt Mel with my cruel words when I had confronted her about Alexi being her brother.

"And somehow you still believed that I was something more than a heartless monster who killed people. And I guess I started falling for you." I finished and caressed her cheek lovingly. "You make me want to be a better man Mel. And I need you with me, not in a coma. So stop getting your beauty sleep, you don't need it anyway." I said affectionately and I yearned for her to open her pretty hazel eyes for me.

But of course, that didn't happen.

"Brother."

I stiffened and shifted my jaw before turning around, "Grayson." I said stiffly as I stood to face him. An awkward silence passed and I straightened up as I remembered Mel's wish for me to reconnect with my brother.

"Thanks for the info." I said stiffly and met his gaze. Grayson gave me a nod, "It's no problem."

Another awkward silence passed and I started again, "I heard you're staying in New York now." Grayson nodded, "Yes. Miranda has my address and she is supposed to pass you."

"She did... Thank you for helping me rescue Mel that night. You didn't have to risk your life for her but you did and I really appreciate it." I said quietly and a tad awkwardly.

"It's not an issue and she makes you happy and you deserve to be happy, especially after all these years. And you're my brother Sebastian, I'll do anything for you."

I gave a short nod and shoved my hands in my pockets. "I'll guess I'll see you around if you ever want to if you're in New York. It's good to see you Sebastian." Grayson added and turned to leave.

"It's good to see you too...brother." I said awkwardly and Grayson stiffened before giving me a rare smile, "Brother." With that, he turned to leave and walked off.

I exhaled heavily and it seemed like a huge load of weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I felt somewhat freer. Mel was right, I should leave the past as it is, not continue to harbour any resentment towards Grayson. Deep down, I knew it wasn't his fault that our mother died. He was just the catalyst for it to happen and I didn't hate him anymore.

"Thank you for pushing me to reconcile with Grayson sweetheart. You were right. I guess its another thing for you to be smug about." I barked out a laugh and stood up to get something to eat when a voice called out.

"Slade?"

Immediately I turned around, unable to believe what I just heard. And there Mel was, her hazel eyes wide open as she glanced around the room wildly before meeting my gaze.

***

A/N: Hey guys! Yes, I finally updated and thanks for being so patient. And honestly I've never received so many death threats and people screaming at me. You guys scare the shit out of me. Also, I'm so excited to say that the previous chapter has almost 300 comments! You guys are amazing! Most of you should know I love stories that have happy endings and not those where the heroine/hero dies or something terrible like that. So obviously I wouldn't be doing that to my stories.

I'm sad to say that there are only two more chapters and then an epilogue before this book ends. But don't worry! I'll be doing 6-7 extra chapters? (But maybe more) More info about that will be posted in the epilogue! AHAHA.

Vote and comment guys. PLEASE! Anyway, I love you guys oh so much and thanks for reading! Chapter dedicated to PaleButterfly :) P.S I do have spelling errors but thankfully you don't see them! xD