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Lita spent the night cuddled up next to Mateo, her fingers gently threading through his curls. As the steady beeping of his heart monitor filled the room, she found herself glancing over her shoulder every few minutes to make sure the line on the monitor never stopped wavering.

"You should be sleeping, mija." Her father's warm voice broke the quiet as he entered the room.

Lita gave him a tired smile. "I'm not tired," she lied.

Her father chuckled softly. "I'll keep an eye on him. You should get some rest."

"No, no. You have work in the morning—" she protested, but he waved her off.

"I'll be alright," he insisted.

With a reluctant sigh, Lita finally gave in, her eyes growing heavy as the jet lag caught up with her. She drifted off, trusting her father to keep watch.

The following days passed in much the same way. Lita only left the hospital a few times to bring her luggage home, but she quickly returned with a bag of clothes, deciding to stay by Mateo's side until he was ready to leave too.

Her phone buzzed with messages from friends, including several amusing videos from Jacob, who had recorded Quil trying (and failing) to speak Spanish in class. Lita couldn't help but laugh at how much the sentences didn't make sense.

She also exchanged texts with Paul, though the conversations remained somewhat awkward. Whenever Paul tried to shift the topic to something else, Lita inevitably brought it back to Mateo. It was obvious to everyone, including herself, how much she worried about him.

After all, how could she not be? Mateo had been fighting his whole life. He was a soldier, and she was so proud of the strength he had shown.

Her worries only began to ease when, finally, the hospital discharged him. Mateo left with the brightest smile on his face, a bag full of medication, and a schedule of check-ups. He looked happier than he had in a long time.

Their father left work early to pick them up, and for once, Lita let Mateo sit in the front seat.

"I can't wait to play soccer! And see all my friends! Lita, can we go swimming tomorrow? Please, please?" Mateo's excitement bubbled over.

"Calm down, son. You have all the time in the world," their father chuckled, briefly taking his hand off the wheel to ruffle Mateo's hair.

"It's okay, Dad," Lita added with a laugh. "We'll do everything you want to do."

"Can I visit Mom?" Mateo asked, his happiness not dimming in the slightest as he turned to look at their dad.

Their father's smile faltered for a split second before he forced it back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course, but you'll have to wait until next summer. You and your sister both need to focus on school right now. But don't worry, I'll talk to her about it."

Satisfied, Mateo turned in his seat to face Lita. "How come you haven't been at school?"

Lita smiled. "I've been busy watching you."

She knew she should've been back in class, but with their father so consumed by work, no one had pressured her to go. Besides, she couldn't bring herself to leave Mateo's side, not when he needed her.

"Well, now you can go! You don't have to worry about me anymore," he said brightly, turning back around to fiddle with the radio.

Lita's smile softened, though it faltered slightly. She knew she'd always worry about him, even when they were older and this surgery was nothing more than a distant memory. He would always be her little brother.

When they arrived home, Mateo bounded into the house as fast as his still-sore legs would allow, throwing himself onto the couch with a contented sigh.

Lita rushed to her room, rummaging through her half-unpacked suitcase until she found what she was looking for. Returning to the living room, she held up a familiar teddy bear. "Look who I've got!"

Mateo's eyes lit up as he shot up from the couch. "No way! You still have him! I thought you lost him!"

Lita grinned. "He's my gift to you now. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you anything else from my trip, but—"

Mateo interrupted her by hugging her around the waist, pressing his face into her stomach. "It's okay. You're my gift," he said with a giggle.

Their father, now in the kitchen, chuckled warmly. "Is that—"

"Sopes, your favorite," he finished with a smile, looking happier than he had in years.

"Thanks, Dad!" Mateo beamed, letting go of Lita and running to hug their father.

Lita shook her head with a smile, heading to the small wooden dining table to start setting it for dinner.

The remainder of the day was spent watching whatever silly cartoon Mateo had chosen, and before long, night had come.

Lita rolled over in her bed, turning to face Mateo, who clutched his teddy bear tightly against his chest. "Lita," he whispered, his voice soft in the quiet room.

"What?" she whispered back, noticing the slightly worried look on his face.

"I haven't slept in the dark for a while. Could—could you sleep in my bed tonight?"

Lita chuckled, warmth filling her heart at his request. Without hesitation, she nodded, pulling back the covers of her single bed and hopping into Mateo's more cramped one. He immediately cuddled into her side, his small body pressed close, while his teddy bear, still tucked under his arm, rested gently on Lita's stomach.

Mateo yawned, the sound soft and sleepy, and Lita smiled down at him. "You should sleep now," she said softly, brushing a few strands of his messy hair away from his forehead.

She could feel him attempt a slow nod, his head nestled against her side, the weight of his body growing heavier as sleep began to pull him under. His voice came out in a tired whisper. "Te quiero, Lita."

"I love you too," she whispered back, her voice gentle and full of affection.

For a while, she lay still, listening to the sound of Mateo's breathing as it slowed and evened out, his tiny snores mixing with the rain softly tapping against the window. It wasn't long before her eyes grew heavy too, her body sinking into the warmth of the bed. The room was quiet, the only light coming from the faint glow of the streetlamp outside.

But as she drifted off, something shifted.

Mateo stirred beside her, his body jerking slightly as a small whimper escaped his lips. Lita's eyes fluttered open, her heart skipping a beat as she glanced down at him. His face was scrunched in pain, his hand clutching at his chest.

"Mateo?" Lita whispered, her voice barely audible as panic began to rise in her throat.

Mateo didn't respond, his breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. He whimpered again, his small fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly.

"Mateo?" Lita's voice was louder now, trembling as she shook him gently. "What's wrong? Does it hurt? Dad!"

Mateo's face twisted in agony, and tears filled his eyes as he looked up at her, his voice barely a whisper. "It hurts... my chest..."

Lita's heart pounded in her chest, fear flooding her veins as she scrambled to sit up. "Dad!" she screamed, her voice cracking with desperation. "Dad, help! Something's wrong!"

Her father's footsteps echoed down the hallway, his face pale and stricken with worry as he rushed into the room. The moment he saw Mateo clutching his chest, his expression changed, panic flickering across his face.

"Call an ambulance!" Lita begged, her voice frantic as she cradled Mateo's head in her lap, tears streaming down her face. "Please, Dad!"

Her father didn't hesitate. He grabbed his phone, dialing for help, his voice shaking as he relayed the situation to the emergency operator. "It's my son, he's having chest pains—please, hurry."

Lita could only hold onto Mateo, her hands trembling as his breaths grew weaker, more labored. His face was pale, sweat beading on his forehead as he tried to speak, but no words came out.

"Stay with me, Mateo," Lita whispered, her voice breaking. "You're going to be okay, I promise. Just hold on."

Mateo's eyes fluttered, his body trembling as he gasped for air. "Lita..." he whispered, his voice faint and broken. "I'm scared..."

Her heart shattered. "I'm right here. I won't leave you, okay? Just hold on."

But even as she said the words, Lita could feel him slipping away. His grip on her hand loosened, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths.

The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like a lifetime. The distant wail of sirens echoed in the night, but they felt impossibly far away. Mateo's body went still, his eyes closing as a soft exhale left his lips.

"Mateo?" Lita whispered, her voice barely audible. She shook him gently, her heart pounding in her chest. "Mateo, wake up. Wake up, please."

But he didn't stir.