|November 18, 2017|

One day after the theft of the chips, Melody had taken Douglas to the location of the aircraft carrier Mighty Med that had been introduced to her by Horace a few days before the incident.

Douglas accompanies Horace who walks quickly through the aircraft carrier, many superhumans arrived injured after fighting the authorities and there were few doctors.

"Horace, you need to give me access to your search equipment. I need to find my children," Douglas says "No can't do Davenport" Horace says.

"I'm so sorry. I don't want to risk you using our search equipment and alarming the authorities," Horace says "I know how to deal with trackers on the sly, I did it for years when I faked my own death" Douglas says.

Horace sighs "We'll deal with this okay. I promise we'll find your kids. Just give us some time to adapt to this situation, superheroes have never dealt with a crisis this big before, at least not among themselves" Horace says.

Douglas shakes his head "Be patient, but I'm sure they're fine" Horace pats Douglas on the shoulder and leaves.

Douglas runs his hand through his hair worriedly and looks out the window, he sees Melody contemplating the clouds in the sky reflectively.

Douglas sighs, that would be the day after their first kiss. Melody dropped everything to go after Douglas and with him save her daughter and his sons.

However, she had not yet expressed in words all the feelings she had for Douglas, because a part of her was still stuck in the past. Maybe it was time to let go.

Melody looks at the horizon as several memories flash through her head and are manifested by tears running down her face.

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*****

|Year 1996|

At 19, Melody had just run away from home. A year after her father's death, Melody and her mother, who already had a bad relationship, got even worse.

After a fight with her mother, related to the musical career that Melody's mother always insisted she have, Melody decided to leave home and look for a path on her own.

Melody owned a pickup truck, which she had bought with some of the money she had inherited from her father. She soon found a simple job as a cleaning lady at a school in Hollywood.

She was a rebellious and restless young woman, eager to experience everything the world had to offer. She used to go every Friday night to the La Luna club in Lost-Town.

There she spent her time, drinking and having fun. Disappearing from her problems for a while.

One night like any other, Melody parked her truck in front of the club, she got out of the car with her blonde hair tied in a ponytail, a red bandana on her head, leather jacket with a dress shirt with the first three buttons open forming a neckline and frayed jeans with black combat boots.

Her face with young, light and delicate features. Melody takes a box of cigarettes from the truck's glove compartment and lights one before entering the club.

Melody enters the clue. On stage there is a band playing the song "You Give Love A Bad Name"

The band's vocalist is Vince, at the time he and his band were still at the beginning of their career. These were their first shows at La Luna.

Melody enjoys the music as she takes a drag on her cigarette, she goes to a small table near the bar, she smiles as she exhales smoke "I love this song" she says.

Beside the stage stood a tall man with shaved hair, a black shirt and blue eyes. Victor Krane, he watched her from a distance taking a sip of whiskey.

At the age of 26, Krane had already founded his technology company and was making a lot of money. However, he was not making any money from the security technologies that his company was dealing with.

He actually profited from developing illegal weapons on the black market. Most of his fortune came from there. But the only people who knew about it were his hand-picked employees.

He frequented La Luna, mainly because he was the contact who managed to book Vince and the band's shows, so he was constantly there to negotiate.

Krane watches Melody intently, Vince leans across the stage towards his brother "Hey, the girl with the bandana is here" Vince says, Krane nods "I see" Krane takes a sip.

"Go talk to her, bro, She is the most beautiful girl in the club" Vince smirks, Melody and the two of them talk. Her eyes shift to Krane and he smirks at her, Melody frowns with a smile.

"If you don't go, I will" Vince scoffs, Krane glares at him angrily. Krane takes another sip and Vince starts playing again, Krane approaches Melody's table.

Melody looks at him "Waiting for someone?" Krane asks, Melody smirks "Not that I know of" Melody says, Krane points to the chair at the table, Melody nods.

Krane signals the waiter to bring them two drinks, Melody smokes "Oh..." Krane gently takes the cigarette from her, Melody frowns "You are very beautiful, let others see your face instead of hiding it behind that smoke" Krane says and puts out the cigarette.

Melody tilts her head "You have no idea the danger you're in right now. I've never taken a cigarette away from a woman again" Melody says, Krane smirks "I'm Victor" Krane extends his hand.

Melody smiles and greets him "Melody" She says, Krane smiles "You come here a lot huh" Krane says "Yeah, my safe place" Melody says.

"Why?" Krane asks "This is one of the few places where I don't feel judged" Melody says "Why would anyone judge you?" Krane asks "Because I'm not perfect like everyone expects" Melody says "Who told you that?" Krane says.

"None of your business" Melody says calmly, the waiter serves them drinks "You seem like someone with a lot of stories to tell" Krane says.

Melody laughs "Stop pretending you want to hear my story" Melody says, Krane sighs "We all have stories" Krane says "So tell me yours" Melody says, Krane smirk. Melody looks at him and leans on the table.

Krane laughs "I've lived in Lost-Town for three years, I started my company here" Krane says, Melody raises her eyebrow with interest "Company?" Melody says.

"Yeah. I own a security technology company. I founded the company when I was 20" Krane says "You were successful young I see" Melody says and takes a sip of her drink.

"What about you?" Krane asks "I'm a cleaning lady, I know, I know. I was going to be humble with you but I decided to humiliate your success with mine" Melody says sarcastically, Krane laughs.

"No offense, but you being a cleaning lady seems like a waste to me," Krane says, Melody tilts her head. "Last week I saw you give a speech to one of the bartenders about the danger of the excess chemical components they were adding to the drinks. You mentioned each component in a periodically accurate way, Remarkable I must say" Krane says.

"Are you spying on me Victor?" Melody says, "Yeah. there's no way to ignore it, you're by far the smartest woman who's ever walked through here. Usually the women who walk through that door don't know how to spell their own names" Krane says "That's kind of a mean thing to say" Melody chuckles and Krane shrugs.

"Yeah, you got me...I'm what some call a genius" Melody says "Why do you say that with disdain?" Krane asks, Melody shakes her head "Do you tell this "I am a good businessman" story to all the girls or...?" Melody says, changing the subject.

"I don't usually talk to women like this" Krane says, Melody frowns "No?" Melody asks"No" Krane says "Why not?" Melody says, Krane sighs.

"It's complicated to find a woman who understands. I have...two daughters" Krane says, Melody sits up straight in her chair "Oh, you're..." "I'm not married" Krane says.

Melody nods "When I was 19. I met this girl, and we had a fling. Just one night but...she got pregnant with twins" Krane says, Melody looks at him carefully "What happened?" Melody says.

"She died in childbirth. And I had no idea she was pregnant. I found out the day they gave me the news that she was gone. Suddenly it was me and two little girls," Krane says with a heavy heart.

Melody brushes her bangs out of her face "I'm really sorry" Melody says "I don't like talking about it" Krane clears his throat "Then why are you telling me. The girl that, no matter how much you've been watching for a while, you've still just met. Something so personal and delicate like that?" Melody asks.

Krane shakes his head "I don't know, you give me a confidence that I've never seen in anyone in my entire life. You seem intelligent and understanding" Krane says, Melody looks down and smiles blushing slightly.

"But you seem to want to hide it and I don't know why" Krane says, Melody laughs "It's just... my whole life, the people around me haven't seemed to value the same things I do" Melody shrugs.

Krane gestures for her to continue "My father commanded an orchestra in Centium City. He was a renowned conductor and since I was little my mother and he encouraged me to be a musician and play the violin and do it for a living" Melody says.

"But that's not what you want" Krane says "It's not that I don't like music, quite the opposite but... it's not my dream, and they, I mean, my mother never understood that" Melody says "And what is your dream?" Krane asks.

Melody laughs "What's this a therapy session?" Melody says sarcastically, Krane sighs "We're just two people getting to know each other..." Krane says "Yeah but apparently we're both terrible at it" Melody says.

Krane shakes his head "I like this" Krane says softly and moves a little closer to her, Melody smiles "I want to be an astrophysicist, I want to study space and develop theories, explore the most that science has to offer" Melody says looking into his eyes.

Krane smiles "That's very attractive" he says, Melody laughs and looks around "Oh yes of course, you're very peculiar to say that" Melody says "Has no one ever told you that?" Krane says "That's not what men usually want" Melody says "Fools, all of them," Krane says, Melody laughs gently.

Melody sighs, it was the first time she didn't use a character to get someone's attention, Krane genuinely felt attracted to one of the strongest characteristics she had always hid.

And it was the first time Krane felt like this, no woman had ever made him leave his comfort zone like Melody did.

The two talked for a long time, and only realized how much time had passed when the club lights came on, everyone was leaving.

Vince was putting away the band's equipment "Hey, Victor. Help me out here" Vince says, Melody sighs "It was great meeting you" Melody says, Krane stands up "Likewise" Krane smiles and leaves.

Melody watches him leave for a while, thoughtfully, she sighs and follows him to the back of the club where a mini van with the band's equipment was parked.

Melody gets out and runs to the back of the minivan "Wait Vic!" Melody says, but when the back door of the minivan is closed it is revealed that it was not Krane who was there.

He was a tall man, with dark blond hair, blue eyes, a charming smile, a black dress shirt, chains and a black jacket tied around his waist.

"Oh! Sorry" Melody says akwadly to the man, he holds drumsticks in his hand because he was the drummer of the band and Vince's best friend. George Stone.

♬ Jeremy Renner as George Stone ♬

"Don't worry about it, Victor is back there" George points with his drumstick, Melody nods "Okay, thanks" Melody says and leaves.

Vince arrives with a speaker "Was she looking for my brother?" Vince asks "Yeah" George says watching her leave "Cool, Victor needs someone, since the girls were born he hasn't looked like himself" Vince says.

"The guy went through a lot, all very suddenly, it's normal for a person to be a bit messed up for a while" George says "I feel bad for him" Vince says, he puts the speaker in the van.

"Me too" George sighs "By the way, he asked me to tell you, he has a delivery tomorrow that he wants you to make" Vince says, George spins the drumstick in his hand.

"Did you hear?" Vince says "That I have to do my shitty job? Yeah I heard" George says "It's not forever man, one day we're gonna be famous!" Vince smiles.

George laughs "I want to believe you Buddy" George says, Vince pats him on the back and leaves. George sighs loudly.

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Melody and Krane went out again on a date. After dinner, Krane took Melody to his house.

"Woah your house is beautiful" Melody says, Krane takes her coat as he enters "Yeah, you worked hard to get all this" Krane says.

"Uh are you sure I should...I know your situation is complicated, I don't want to get in your way" Melody says "The girls would love to meet you" Krane says, Melody takes a deep breath.

"I'm not good with kids, I'm not what people would call a good example. Like I'm more of a cool aunt vibe than a...." Melody swallows hard, Krane looks at her predicting that the next word would be "Mom"

"I didn't mean it like that. My intention isn't to take their mother's place or anything." Melody says nervously, Krane holds back a smile "Man, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm a mess I'm sorry" Melody says.

"You're cute" Krane says, Melody looks away shyly "How old are your daughters again?" Melody asks "They're 5 years old" Krane says "Wow, so that means they can walk and talk for themselves" Melody says nervously.

"You can't even pretend you've never dated a guy with daughters before." Krane chuckles. "Wow, dating is a strong word, don't you think?" Melody says "I think that's the right word," Krane says.

"Daddy!" Lara at 5 years old, shouts entering the room, Tara runs right after her. Krane smiles "There they are" Krane says, the two little girls stop in front of them.

Melody waves shyly "Hi" she says "Girls this is Melody" Krane puts his hands on her shoulders "Melody these are my daughters Tara and Lara" Krane says.

"Woah you're so beautiful" Lara says "Aw Thanks" Melody giggles "Are you daddy's girlfriend?" Tara asks "Oh well..." Melody looks at Krane who smirks at her "Yes, she is," Krane says.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you guys. I've heard great things about you guys" Melody says, Tara and Lara smile at her.

"Okay girls why don't you get back to your chores. Daddy will call you back when it's time for dinner" Krane says "Yes sir" Tara and Lara say and leave.

Melody frowns "Choices? But they're only 5 years old" Melody snikered "Yeah but...I homeschooling them" Krane says.

Melody frowns "Why?" She asks "Because the schools around here aren't very good" Krane says "Oh" Melody says.

Krane clears his throat "Come on, I want to show you something" Krane says and points to the living room stairs "Okay" Melody tucks her hair behind her ear.

Krane takes Melody to the third floor of the house, a type of terrace covered by a video, allowing a clear view of the stars.

"Woah! What is this place?!" Melody says looking up as she slowly spins around "It's an observatory..." Krane says, Melody smiles "Cool" She says.

"Oh!! A telescope!!" Melody walks over to a large telescope in the middle of the room and looks through it "Oh my... this is amazing!!" Melody says excitedly, Krane slowly walks over to her.

The tank top she wears shows a tattoo of two musical notes intertwined with each other. "It's like you can see the entire universe through this thing. It's beautiful," Melody says in awe.

Krane smiles "It's yours" he says, Melody steps away from the telescope and looks at him "Excuse me?" Melody says.

"I did this all for you" Krane says, Melody gasps "If you're going to be an astrophysicist you have to start somewhere don't you?" Krane says.

Melody takes a deep breath "Uh...you built an observatory in your own house for me? The girl you met at a club" Melody says, Krane nods "You're so high man" Melody laughs.

Krane shrugs "Seriously, it's crazy...but it's really cute" Melody smiles "I don't know...I just wanted to make something for you" Krane says, Melody frowns.

"Why, Are you falling in love with me? " Melody jokes, Krane looks at her in silence, but his look says it all.

Melody makes a surprised face "Oh" she says, Krane smiles and walks closer to her "For real?" Melody says "Is it that hard to believe?" Krane says, Melody shakes her head "Well, Yeah!" Melody says.

"Stop putting yourself down girl" Krane says, Melody blushes and looks into his eyes "I'll try" she says softly.

Krane brushes her hair away from her face and begins to lean in slowly, Melody gives a slight smile before standing on her tiptoes to place her lips on his for a light kiss.

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After that day, Krane and Melody began dating. It wasn't long before Melody, who had previously lived in a small rented apartment, moved into Krane's house.

Krane enrolled Melody in college to study astrophysics. She quit her job to focus solely on her studies. Something she did very well at, and with mastery.

Melody and Krane frequented La Luna and after the shows they would always meet up with Vince and George for drinks, which led Melody to become close friends with both of them.

George worked for Krane, who handled negotiations with arms buyers and deliveries. Krane trusted George, so much so that he was the only employee with access to Krane's house.

George always entered through the back of the house to avoid encountering Melody. She didn't know about Krane's illegal arms sales, much less that part of his fortune came from it, George knew that Melody was not aware of some of Krane's many secrets.

He felt sorry for the girl, so one day he went into the back of the house and loaded his van with crates of weapons that Krane wanted him to deliver.

After loading the van, George stopped to take a sip of water and saw Melody in the garden of the house. She was wearing her iconic red bandana, with her hair tied in a bun, she was also wearing denim overalls, and her face and arms were covered in paint because she was painting the fence of the house.

Tara and Lara helped Melody paint the fence with her institutions. George leans against the van and begins to watch Melody instruct the two little Krane girls on how to paint the fence correctly.

Soon one of the Krane girls gently runs the brush across Melody's nose, she gasps in amusement "Oh you did that!" Melody says, Little Tara laughs "Oh you'll see" Melody passes the paint brush over the little girl, Lara runs away laughing "Hey! You too, come back here !" Melody runs after the little girl and the three start a game of paint war.

George lets out a silent chuckle of amusement as he watches the young and charming Melody play with the little girls. His gaze softened, admiring the young woman, who was certainly the most radiant, pure thing in that place.

He swallows hard when he realizes that he has been looking and thinking about her for too long, he slowly lowers his gaze and sighs. The moment he decides to get into the van he hears Krane's voice and stops.

"Hey, what are you guys doing out here? You should be doing your chores and studying!" Krane raises his voice to his two daughters. George grits his teeth, mostly because he knows what Krane really means when he says "chores." And "studying."

George knew that Krane trained his daughters, who were only five years old, to become his future soldiers. But that was the kind of information that only his closest employees knew.

"They looked like they had been studying all day so I called them over to help me and get some sunshine and fresh air" Melody says "Go back inside now" Krane says firmly.

"Vic, give them a break. Let me take them out for ice cream." Melody smiles gently. "I'm telling my daughters to get back to work. You have no right to interfere." Krane says dryly.

Melody frowns at the tone of his voice. "I'm sorry, I thought..." "Melody, I want to make it clear. Just because you're my girlfriend doesn't mean you have authority over my daughters. They are my responsibility. Do you understand?" Krane says firmly..

Melody gasps "Vic...""Do you understand?!" Krane says "Yeah but just because you're my boyfriend doesn't mean you have authority over me, you're not my father" Melody says firmly.

Krane makes an angry face, but he controls himself by clenching his fist ""You have a lot to learn" Krane grumbles "Excuse me?" Melody says "Just don't get in my daughters' schedule anymore" Krane says and leaves.

Tara and Lara drop their brushes and run inside, Melody sighs and runs her hand over her forehead.

George watched from the van door, Melody felt his gaze and looked back. George pressed his lips together and does a rock sign at her, as everyone in his band has the habit of doing.

Melody smiles slightly, covering the sun with her hand and making the same sign to him. George nods and gets into the van.

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Amidst some difficulties, Melody settled into her relationship with Krane, which led to him proposing to her almost a year later.

Krane and Melody had a small wedding ceremony at the club.

Vince and George were playing at the wedding party, Melody and Krane were in the middle of the dance floor, Melody giggles as Krane spins her around the dance floor.

George spins his drumsticks as he looks disapprovingly at the newlywed couple dancing on the dance floor.

Vince is singing "You Give Love a Bad Name" which was what was playing when they met.

Melody spins around delicately in her wedding dress, Krane watches her with a loving look, she shakes her shoulders and draws a smile on his face with her fingers making him smile in amusement.

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Later at the wedding party, after Melody threw the bouquet and everyone's attention turned to the girl who caught it, who happened to be Vince's girlfriend at the time.

Melody went to the back of the club to have some peace and quiet after all the hustle and bustle of the wedding.

She sighs loudly and lets her hair down "Ugh this bun is killing me" Melody shakes her hair, she doesn't even notice the presence of George who was smoking leaning against the wall behind her.

"Aren't you enjoying the party?" George asks, Melody turns to him in shock "Yes I am, why aren't you?" Melody smirks.

"I can't" George says, Melody grins "Why not?" She asks "I can't feel happy watching my friend make the worst decision of her life" George exhales smoke.

"What?" Melody frowns in offense "You heard me" George says, Melody gasps "Who do you think you are?" She says "The only person who really cares about you around here." George clenches his jaw.

Melody shakes her head "You have no idea what a mistake you just made Mel" George says, Melody frowns angrily.

"What the fuck is your problem George?" Melody says "I'm pissed off at myself...for not warning you sooner" George says and looks at the cigarette in his hand

"Why can't you just accept that I'm happy like a good friend would?" Melody says "Because your happiness is temporary and based on a lie" George says angrily.

"And it eats me up inside not being able to tell you the truth!" George says, desperation visible in his eyes as he approaches her "Why?" Melody asks distressed "Because if I tell you the truth your husband will kill me" His voice thickens with seriousness.

Melody shakes her head "You're drunk and you're not making sense" she tries to leave and he blocks her way "You know I never lie when I'm drunk" George says.

Melody's breathing quickens in fear. "Victor is a monster Mel. And we are all pawns in his game, including the girls." George says, keeping a tense and serious expression on his face.

"It's a lie," Melody says in distress. "No! It's not!" George raises his voice and Melody takes a step back, starting to shake in distress. "I can't stand to see you so pure and kind being dragged to hell" George says breathing heavily.

Melody looks into his eyes with fear, he comes closer and she takes another step back, leaning against the wall.

"Are you scared?" George glances at her lips and then back at her eyes "Get away from me" Melody says "It's not me you should be afraid of, Mel" George says softly and walks away from her.

"Long live the newlyweds" George says sarcastically throwing his cigarette away and walking away, Melody lets out the breath she was holding and looks at the floor in fear.

She tries to process what had just happened, trying to understand what George meant. And if they were right in the end.

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Melody was troubled by the conversation she had with George.

So much so that in the following weeks she was unable to hide the slight discomfort she felt towards her husband.

Melody began to observe her husband and adopted daughters' routine more closely and noticed that there was an underground room in the house that she had never seen before.

One day Melody noticed that she couldn't find anyone in any of the other rooms in the house and assumed she was alone.

She then slowly walks to a door she had never opened before, and upon opening the door she finds a staircase. Melody feels cold, and afraid that the not-so-pretty truth awaits her at the end of the status.

She is wary but feels the need to investigate further. She slowly descends the stairs. When she reaches the basement floor of the house, she comes across a dark room.

Melody leans against the wall until she finds a switch, when she turns on the switch she covers her mouth with her hand in disbelief when she sees a room full of the most dangerous types of weapons.

Melody's eyes widen in fright, because Krane would have so many weapons. She starts walking around the room and seeing projects and plans for the manufacture of more weapons, receipts for weapons sales.

"Oh my god" Melody says to herself starting to connect the dots, that's when she hears grunts coming from the next room.

Melody approaches a half-open iron door. She looks through the crack and sees Lara and Tara practicing fighting moves and Krane watching them.

The two little girls train by fighting each other, Tara punches Lara and Melody gasps in fright. Lara recovers and trips Tara, immobilizing her on the ground by twisting her arm.

Krane looks at a clock "Stop!" Tara screams, Lara twists her arm further, Melody begins to hear her own heart pounding in her chest as her eyes fill with tears.

"Let me go!!" Tara screams "Time's up" Krane says calmly, Lara lets go of her sister who is crying on the floor "Weakling" Lara says, Krane writes something down.

Melody covers her mouth with her hand so Krane wouldn't hear her sobs..Krane stops in front of a table with two weapons and at the back of the room two targets.

"Okay, next item to be evaluated girls. You know what to do" Krane says, the girls approach the table. Melody shakes her head and pushes the door angrily.

"STOP! Vic, what are you doing, you sicko?!" Melody screams angrily and tears in her eyes, marching towards him, Krane remains cold and serious.

"They're just kids!" Melody says, Krane sighs "And what's all that? You were an arms dealer all this time!? You lied to me all this time?!" Melody screams "Melody calm down" Krane says.

"Calm down? I son of a..." Melody raises her arm and Krane grabs her wrist "Don't do that in front of the girls" Krane says seriously "Like you care about it" Melody says, Krane grits his teeth.

Krane grabs her wrist and starts pulling her out. "You shouldn't be here." He says, "Let me go!" Melody screams. Lara and Tara look at Melody with pity.

Krane takes Melody upstairs "I thought I made it clear at the beginning of all this that my daughters and my business are none of your business" Krane says "I'm your wife now, it's my business, You idiot, this is my life we're talking about!" Melody screams angrily.

Krane opens the bedroom door and throws Melody in. "You barely had a life before me. Don't throw it all away again!" Krane shouts, Melody starts crying "Who are you?" She says.

"I'm the man who took you from a life as a nobody!" Krane says "I don't owe you anything you monster!" Melody screams "SHUT UP!" Krane screams.

"You are my wife and you owe everything you have to me. If it weren't for me you would have starved to death with the miserable salary you earned as a fucking cleaning lady!" Krane says angrily.

Melody sniffs and shakes her head "You're a genius so act like it! Not like the spoiled, foolish teenager you're pretending to be!" Krane says, Melody cries lowering her head.

"Don't you ever meddle or think about my business again. Or next time I won't be so understanding." Krane says, Melody gasps mixed with a sob.

It was like watching her life crumble before her eyes. "You better stay there until you come to your senses.." Krane closes the door.

Melody despairs "No!" She screams and runs to the door, Krane braids her in the room and Melody struggles to open it "NO!" she screams and knocks on the door.

Melody screams loudly at the top of her lungs, She knocks on the door several times and bursts into tears "I HATE YOU!!" She screams.

Melody covers her face with her hands and crouches down on the floor. "Someone help me. What have I done? What have I done?" She says to herself through tears.

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The atmosphere between Krane and Melody became tense after that, Melody went into automatic mode where she barely looked at her husband.

They only talked about the basics and only the most necessary. Melody tried to pretend she was fine but it was eating her up inside. But she tried to act like a contented wife at least in front of the girls.

One day after dinner, Melody felt sick, she started to feel sick which she at first thought was from all the nervousness and stress and depression she was having.

But other symptoms led Melody to suspect something else. She, without Krane knowing, bought a pregnancy test.

After the procedure, Melody waited for the results, locked alone in the bathroom. Melody bit her big toenail in fear, not knowing what to expect. Not knowing what would be good for her at that moment.

Melody takes the test in her hands again and sees the positive result. She sighs and a tear of happiness runs down her face.

She places her hand on her belly imagining the baby she will carry. Melody looks in the mirror imagining the future belly she will have and smiles. She looks at the result again in disbelief.

But soon she sits on the toilet and runs her hand through her hair, as the thoughts wash over her. She was in a miserable life and her future baby would be a part of that.

Clear despair begins to take hold of young Melody and she begins to cry, feeling trapped. And alone, she reflects that there is no one who can help her at this moment, nor anyone with whom she can share the news.

She looks up at the clock and remembers that George was invited to play at the club that night. George, she thinks. Melody sighs, maybe there is still someone she can talk to.

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That night Melody went to the club alone. She sat at one of the first tables in front of the stage.

George positions himself at the center of the small club's stage, the low lights creating an intimate and expectant atmosphere.

The audience murmurs in a mix of anticipation and curiosity. George had never sung before so they didn't know what to expect from him as a singer and not a drummer.

Melody, watches with a polite smile, but her eyes are filled with subtle concern due to the whirlwind of thoughts going through her head, including how she would break the news to George, if she would even break the news to him.

The singer adjusts the microphone and glances at Melody, his eyes lingering for a brief moment. He smiles.

"Good evening, everyone. Tonight, I'm going to sing a special song, one that I wrote for an incredible girl. It's called 'Stereo Love,' and I hope you feel the same emotion I do when I sing it."

♬ Stereo Love by Jeremy Renner ♬

0:17 ━●━━━━━━━━ 3:03

◂◂ ∎∎ ▸▸

George starts playing the guitar, and a smooth, captivating melody fills the air "♪She speaks to me just like a song♪" His voice is rich and expressive, conveying a mix of tenderness and passion.

"♪Her words are melodies I can sing along♪" As he sings "♪Her symphony sings so sweet. I can't believe her sound♪" George sings with deep feelings in his lyrics.

Melody listens to each word with growing unease. As the song progresses, she begins to realize that the lyrics and the tone of George's voice is directed in a very specific direction "♪She's my stereo love. Stereo love♪" He sings softly.

"♪She's my stereo love. Stereo love♪" George continues with the chorus, his voice laden with emotional weight that seems to echo directly into her heart.

"♪Life's in key the right arrangement
Her tempo's fine with me and she loves my phrasin♪" George smirks as he glares quickly at her.

Melody's eyes fill with tears as she listens. She realizes that George is singing about her, dedicating this beautiful and sincere song to her.

"♪Let her conduct and cue my choir
Were both in harmony♪" Each verse is like a soft blow, revealing his love for her, and the way she admires her "♪She's my stereo love. Stereo love♪"

"♪She's like a rock 'n roll legend.With a little bit of blues♪" George sings gently, Melody lets out a delicate, moving laugh.

"♪She says she's waiting on Elvis. Hoping I can fill his shoes♪" George sings, slightly upset as if the lyrics represent a distant dream of his.

"♪She's my stereo love. Stereo love♪" As George finishes the song, he casts a gentle look at Melody, who is visibly moved.

He senses the tension in the air and, as he steps down from the stage, his gaze meets hers. Melody lowers her head, struggling to control her emotions, feeling the weight of the pain of not being able to reciprocate George's feelings due to the danger posed by her husband.

Rain starts to patter against the club's windows.

Melody, with a pale face and tear-filled eyes, abruptly stands up and heads for the exit. George, noticing her agitation, follows her outside.

As Melody steps onto the sidewalk, the rain begins to fall more heavily, soaking her clothes and hair. George catches up with her just as she leans against the parked truck, puddles forming around them.

"Mel!" George calls, his voice full of concern as the rain streams down his own face "Why did you leave? Is everything okay?"

She turns her face toward him, her expression a mix of fear and anguish. The sound of the rain seems to amplify the silence between them. With a tremor in her voice, Melody finally speaks

"George... I... I need to tell you something" Melody says "Well me too..." "I'm pregnant!" Melody interrupts before he can confess.

George looks at her with surprise and worry, feeling the weight of her words. He tries to comprehend what this means, confusion in his eyes.

Melody stares at hin, with tears streaming down her face. George is stunned, the revelation hitting him like a punch to the stomach.

He steps toward Melody, his hands outstretched in a gesture of comfort, but he hesitates, not wanting to invade her space.

"Mel, I... I don't know what to say. That's great?" George says. She lowers her head, the weight of the situation clearly visible on her shoulders.

The rain continues to pour over them, mingling with Melody's tears. George, distressed, tries to find comforting words, but nothing seems enough to ease her pain.

"I just don't have anyone else... anyone I trust right now. I'm desperate." Melody sobs.

George sees the despair in her eyes and moves closer, trying to offer some solace. Melody slowly steps away.

As George watches Melody walk away, his heart tightens with the sadness of the situation. He feels an increasing urgency to help her, to find a solution to the torment she is facing.

"Mel," George says, his voice almost drowned out by the rain, "I'm here, you won't face this alone."

Melody, still with her gaze lowered and lost, slowly raises her eyes to him. George steps closer, trying to muster some courage for both of them.

"If you can't see a way out, maybe we can find one together. We can run away, Mel. I... I want you and this baby to be safe. We can go somewhere Victor can't find you, where you can start over." George suggests eagerly.

Melody's eyes fill with a mix of hope and fear. "George. It's not that simple. Victor... He'd destroy half the world to find me and he'll hurt you, I know he will. It's not safe." Melody shakes her head.

George holds her hands, the warmth and sincerity in his touch trying to penetrate her despair. "I know it's dangerous. But you're not alone in this. I love you, Mel..." George says he feels the lump in his throat dissolve at finally confessing this, and the relief of those words coming out naturally while Melody feels butterflies in her stomach at hearing it so sincerely.

"...And I will do whatever it takes to protect you and the baby." George says, Melody looks at him, the internal struggle evident in her eyes.

The rain continues to fall, washing the asphalt around them. The idea of fleeing, of leaving everything behind and starting a new life, seems both tempting and frightening at the same time.

"I... I don't know," Melody says, her voice choked with uncertainty. "I know you want to help, but what if we're just making things worse? My baby's in the line of fire now I can't risk it... it's not just about me"

George gently pulls her closer, his gaze determined. "We won't know if we don't try. We're both in this shit place, worse than here it won't be. I know there's somewhere we'd be safe out there." George says.

After a moment of hesitation, Melody sees the sincerity in George's eyes, and with a deep sigh, She tries to dispel the sadness with a smile that results in a brief wrinkle on her nose.

"If we decide to do this, we'll need to go now, before he realizes what's happening." Melody says.

George embraces her, feeling the chill of the rain and the intensity of the moment. "You deserve so much better than this Mel. And I'm going to help you achieve it... I promise." He says.

Melody nods, a flicker of hope mixed with fear in her eyes "I'm sorry for doubting you" she says "It's okay, sometimes the truth hurts too much to accept" George says.

Melody hugs George tenderly and tightly, holding on to the only part of her life that remains standing.

» ♬ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ✦ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ♬ «

At the home of George and Vince who shared a small house in Lost-Town.

George comes in soaked in rainwater and with a dazed look, Vince drops the guitar he was tuning and goes to his friend.

"Dude, what happened?" Vince asks, George opens his mouth searching for the right words as his gaze slowly turns to his friend.

"Mel is pregnant" George says "What?" Vince says in shock "Victor can't know about this" George grabs his friend's jacket.

Vince nods slightly confused "I'm confused man. What happened?" Vince asks, George sighs with pain in his heart.

"Your brother is a shitty husband, that's what's going on" George says, Vince knew George's opinion on everything, Victor, Melody, the girls, the business, everything.

"And I'm in love with his pregnant wife" George throws the house keys and grabs his own hair in despair "Shit" he closes his eyes.

"Does she know you're in love with her?" Vince asks, George ignores the question and shakes his head "I have a crazy plan man. And I'm going to need your help" George says.

"Man, I don't think now is a good time to act on impulse," Vince says. "Now is the only time we have. She's in misery, man. I can't take this anymore, and I'm not going to take her and a baby in this situation." George shouts in visible concern.

"You're going to have another niece or nephew Vince. Do you want to see another child living with your psychopath brother who is getting crazier by the day?" George asks in despair.

Vince chokes back tears as he thinks about the situation, his eyes turning a darker blue with the thoughts.

"I'm going to save these kids Vince. And I'm going to save Melody too, even if it's the last thing I do but at least I'll have the peace of mind of knowing that I didn't miss the chance to do at least one right thing in my life" George says with a mixture of determination and fear.

» ♬ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ✦ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ♬ «

The night of the next day.

Melody waited by the window, she had already packed a bag, Krane was putting the girls to bed and Melody was waiting because part of her plan was to take Lara and Tara with her.

George parks his car in front of the house, he waits for a while and gets out of the car whit Vince.

"Distract your brother and I'll get Mel and the girls out of the house" George says "I got it" Vince nods.

Vince enters the house "Vic! I'm here" Vince says "One minute" Krane says he leaves the girls' room. What Melody didn't know was that Krane already suspected Melody that's why he had installed an alarm and a lock in the twins' room.

Krane heads to the living room with Vince. "What's up?" Krane asks. "I spoke to a producer today. He offered me a job. I wanted to know if you had any thoughts on it since it's from a guy who's involved in some stuff." Vince says. He quickly looks out the window as George heads to Melody's bedroom window.

Melody opens the window "Here, all my stuff is here." Melody hands George a suitcase "Take this to the car, I'll get the girls" Melody says, George takes her hand gently "Hey" he says, she looks at him as his eyes soften with a glare at her "be careful" he says, Melody nods wrinkling her nose and leaves.

Vince continues to deceive Krane, while George goes to the car and puts Melody's suitcase in the trunk along with his suitcases. Melody goes up to the twins' room.

Up until then, everything was going according to plan. Until, when she arrived at the girls' room and slowly tried to open the door, Melody was surprised by an alarm that echoed throughout the house.

In the same second Krane gets up from the couch and looks with a hateful look at his brother, and everything becomes even clearer when Krane sees George closing the trunk of the car "You idiot!" Krane shouts to Vince who approaches him " I swear I don't know anything" Vince says and Krane pushes him violently.

"Shit!" George says running back into the house. Even after hearing the alarm Melody goes into despair and tries to open the door alarming the girls trapped inside.

"No!!" Melody shouts seeing that she wouldn't be able to save the girls "Melody!" Krane shouts furiously going up the stairs, Melody swallows her despair and runs looking for a way out.

Melody runs into an office and closes the door the second she sees Krane on the stairs. She quickly runs to the office window in a daze and tries to open it. The window is a bit rusty and won't open, Melody starts to despair when she hears Krane knocking on the door.

"Damn it!" Melody lets out of the window, She picks up a lamp from the table and as soon as Krane opens the door she hits him in the back with the lamp, he loses his balance for a second and when she goes determined to hit him again he grabs the lamp and snatch it from her hand.

Krane grabs Melody's hair causing her bandana to fall to the floor "What's your problem? Do you want problems? You'll have them" Krane says angrily, pulling her hair, Melody swallows tears of sadness and anger. As Krane holds Melody, George comes up behind him and pulls Krane by the collar, briefly choking him and throwing him to the ground. Krane groans on the ground and George kicks him.

" Traitor!!" Krane screams standing up, George grabs the scared Melody's hand "Come on!" he says and the two run out of the office. "Let's get out of here!" George says as he and Melody head for the stairs. "But what about the girls?" Melody says, Krane soon appears chasing them. "There's no time, we have to leave now." George says pulling Melody down the stairs.

"But George" Melody says, George firmly holds her shoulders "No Melody! I'm sorry" He says firmly but with sadness in his eyes as he looks into her eyes "Mom!!" She hears Tara and Lara scream from their room and Melody gasps as her heart breaks.

Vince runs up to them "What are you guys doing? Get out of here!" Vince says, George pulls Melody by the hand out of the house and Vince goes up the stairs distract Krane.

Seconds before George leaves the house he takes one last look at Vince, his best friend and the brother he never had. They look at each other and make the rock sign which turns into a love sign. " Take care bro" Vince says, George smiles with a slight sadness and leaves.

Melody gets in the car and George gets in right after. Vince blocks the stairs as Krane gets down "Get out of the way!" He says, Vince stalls him for a while longer and when George starts the car Krane walks past Vince.

Krane goes outside and sees George's car turn the corner and lose sight of him, Krane lets out an agonized scream and a tear runs down his face, Tara and Lara watched the scene from his bedroom window.

Krane instantly felt a pain in his chest as the love he felt for Melody gave way to a cold feeling of betrayal. Lara and Tara hugged each other, upset at seeing the only mother figure they had ever had go away.

» ♬ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ✦ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ♬ «

George drives the car away.

Melody watches the road through the window "I got an apartment in Los Angeles. It's not very big but it'll be enough for the two of us and..." George says, Melody remains silent.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could do" George says "I should have saved them" Melody says upset "You did what you could Mel. But at least you saved one" George says with a gentle smile.

Melody puts her hand on her belly "He's going to find us, isn't he?" She says worriedly, George sighs in distress.

"He...I wish I could assure you that he won't Mel...but he has access to a lot of technology, and people so" George says, looking at the road.

Melody takes a deep breath and caresses her belly "my god" she says to herself, in agony, George stops at a red light and looks at Melody.

"Hey" George brushes Melody's bangs that were previously held back by the bandana from her forehead "But it doesn't mean he's going to find the baby" He says softly.

Melody looks at him with a look of mixed hope and confusion, George smirks with a soft look at her.

» ♬ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ✦ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ♬ «

Melody and George moved to Los Angeles, where they began living together in a small apartment.

George kept his feelings for Melody on hold. He didn't want it to be just another worry in her life, but the atmosphere between them was always filled with palpable affection and tenderness.

Melody had a calm and peaceful pregnancy, she continued to study but now stayed home until she was sure she was safe. George took care of her and her pregnancy as if she were pregnant with his baby.

Melody saw in George a family, a truer and purer family than she had ever had except when her father was alive. She cherished each day with George and the baby in her belly as if it were her last.

Not long after Melody gave birth, they found a nice, safe orphanage in Los Angeles.

On a cold, rainy and foggy day Melody wrapped her baby in a woolen blanket, she hugged the baby with an indescribable pain in her eyes while she and George who held a basket in his hand stared at the orphanage building.

Tears streamed down Melody's face, leaving icy paths across her face, which was flushed with cold. George sighs as Melody shakes her head "I can't do this it's too cold today, I'm not leaving her here" Melody says "Mel" George puts his hand on her back seriously.

"It needs to be now or it will soon be too late. He's on our tail you know... it's the only way" George says, his voice shaking not only from the cold but from the pain and the bitter feeling in his throat of having to watch Melody leave the little baby he had as his own daughter behind.

Melody glares at him annoyed, and takes the basket from his hand and crosses the street.

She puts the basket in front of the door and hugs her baby one last time, the baby whimpers "I know daughter" Melody says in a tearful tone.

"You will be safe here. You will have a normal life, meet good and happy people. Here you will have a happiness that your mother cannot give you" Melody says to the little baby girl in her arms.

Melody looks at the orphanage trying to reassure herself that it was the best choice, she kisses the baby's forehead and tries to swallow her tears "Mommy loves you, so, so much" Melody says looking at the baby's little face, memorizing her features and admiring her innocence in its purest form evident on the baby's eyes.

She gently places the baby in the basket, the child threatens to start crying "Shh Shh it's going to be okay" Melody says, not exactly to the baby but to herself.

Melody didn't want to risk leaving a visible trail for Krane when registering the baby at the orphanage so she left everything she needed in a letter.

On the envelope of the letter was written the name she wanted the baby to be given "Harper".

Melody puts the envelope in the basket, taking one last look at her daughter as she stands up. She takes a deep breath and lets it out shakily, feeling like she is leaving a part of herself behind.

Melody knock on the door and runs into George's arms across the street without looking back as if she were quickly ripping off a band aid so it wouldn't hurt so much.

Melody buries her face in George's chest, stifling her tears. He stares at the basket across the street. He feels his eyes fill with tears but he tries to be strong for Melody.

He puts his arms around her gently "Let's go" George says, they start walking down the street away from the orphanage, Melody hugging George's torso tightly, he then places a gentle kiss on her head as they walks away. Leaving the baby behind in the cold.

A wind begins to blow in front of the orphanage door, causing the letter in the basket to fly along with the wind away from the basket.

The baby's identity and name would have been lost in the mist if it hadn't been for a mysterious hooded figure grabbing the paper before the wind could take it away completely.

A girl. She had a striking presence with her hooded leather jacket and red-and-black plaid shirt. Her high heels accentuated her confident stance, Quinn Davenport.

The small, fragile piece of paper, slightly crumpled, had the name "Harper" written in a shaky handwriting. With a tight heart, Quinn held the letter against her chest for a moment, feeling her past merges with the present.

She looked at the basket whit her green eyes with hints of amber that revealed a unique depth. The basket where little Harper slept peacefully under a thick blanket.

The cold morning enveloped everything, and the sight of the baby, so vulnerable, brought a wave of emotion over Quinn. Taking a deep breath, she knelt down to speak to her mom who didn't yet understand how deeply she was loved.

"Hi, Mom" Quinn said, her voice filled with tenderness and a hint of pain. "I know today is a hard day, but I'm here to tell you that everything will be okay. You're going to grow up to be an incredible person, I promise."

With the letter carefully tucked away in the basket, Quinn adjusted Harper's blanket and gently touched the baby's cheek.

With careful precision, she used a clip to open the orphanage's door, which creaked slightly from the cold. The warmth inside seemed inviting and full of promise. Quinn adjusted the basket and placed it inside the shelter, making sure Harper stayed comfortable and safe.

"Here we go. Never lose hope no matter how difficult things are going to be" she continued, her voice a soft whisper. "I will always be taking care of you mom"

With one last gentle kiss on Harper's forehead, Quinn closed the orphanage's door and took a step back. She sighs loudly and faces the door once more as she walks down the stairs.

Her long blonde hair, tied in a ponytail with a pouf in the front, and her delicate yet determined face conveyed a blend of intelligence, kindness, and strength.

As she walked away, the image of baby Harper remained in her mind. Quinn knew her next step was to ensure their destinies remained stable, She checks a watch on her wrist that previously glowed a red light now emanated a steady blue light.

Quinn begins to walk down the street, with determined steps and an expression of mission accomplished. Quinn's work was of a complexity that people at the time could not even imagine, but the simple fact that she prevented that baby from freezing to death was an act that, however insignificant, would save the world.

» ♬ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ✦ « ✧ » ♬ « ✧ » ♬ «

|November 18, 2017|

Melody stared at the horizon, nothing but clouds could be seen.The sun illuminating everything, painting the landscape with soft yellow and orange tones.

The wind blowing in her face as she remembered everything she had been through in life. Everything she had fought for, and the people who had crossed her path.

She now finds herself in a completely new and unimaginable reality, with people she never imagined would have such an impact on her life.

After giving in to her feelings for Douglas, Melody felt a slight guilt because part of her still felt tied to George and his memory, also tied to his son Finn, to whom Melody dedicated herself in the last 16 years.

Raising a boy who became more like his father with each passing day. And in the same vein, after Finn gave Melody his blessing, putting her mother's happiness first. She found herself at a crucial point in her journey.

As Melody recalls her story and George's love, she can hear in the memories that George valued Melody's happiness above all else, no matter what. Dedicating every last second of his life to protecting her so she could achieve any of her dreams.

Melody takes off a necklace she was wearing around her neck, on which George's wedding ring was hanging, she holds it with a weight on her chest that needed to be free but never forgotten.

Melody closes her eyes and kisses that ring one last time. Finally feeling that it was right, it was what George would want and fight for, so that she could embrace happiness without fear.

Douglas slowly approaches her, seeing that she was in a reflective and personal moment. Melody, still with her eyes closed, lets out a light and relaxed smile.

"I will always love you George. Thank you for everything. My hero" She says, hot tears streaming down her face, full of tenderness and love. She then places the chain with the ring in front of her, She sighs and lets the chain slide under her hand and fall through the clouds towards the ocean.

Douglas, seeing the farewell she was saying, comes closer and looks at her upset, Melody feels a relief, memories that would never be erased but that now are not dark and sad, but rather shiny and emotional.

"I miss him so much" Melody says with an emotional smile, Douglas nods upset for her "He would be proud of you" Douglas says, Melody nods "He left his legacy" Melody says.

"Finn?" Douglas says, Melody nods with a smile "He's just like his father. But he has no idea how strong he is just like him" she lets out a smile at the memory.

"And Harper is just like you. But in that case none of you have any idea how strong you are..." Douglas says, Melody looks at him "Embrace it" he smirks gently with a sparkle in his eyes.

Melody feels a warm warmth in her heart at this, she sighs and hugs Douglas tightly, snuggling into his shoulder and wrinkling her nose. Douglas wraps his arms around her with a smile.

He had never felt that feeling before, he had never felt complete and romantically loved. She was like the key piece he needed to find his true path in the world. Finally having her in his arms was unimaginably comforting.

The two, after a long hug, return to the Mighty Med building to focus on reality and the mission they had to accomplish to have their family together again.

━━━━━━━ •♬• ━━━━━━━

A/N - Hey guys!! We're already halfway through this story.

What did you think of this chapter? Was Melody's story as you imagined?

What about George and his story with Melody?

And what do you think about Quinn's impact on the story?

I really hope you guys are enjoying it. This was a difficult chapter to write and also one of the most emotional ones. But I hope that the way each character has their story, their motives and their depth is to your liking.

The next chapter will also be about characters other than Chase, Harper and Adam... I hope you miss seeing Bree, Kaz, Oliver and Skylar around here as well as new characters 🤫

Anyway, I'm loving writing this story and I hope you guys are enjoying it too. Don't forget to comment and vote and I'll see you in the next chapter 😘