Besides the beeping of the machines, my only focus is on the rise and fall of Jason's chest. I'm sitting between his legs, my arms wrapped around him as he slowly brushes my hair. I desperately need a shower after being asleep for so long but at this moment it's the least of my worries.

After Jason rescued me earlier, they immediately checked to see if the fall I took from the bed gave me any injuries but besides some minor bruising and the small cut on my cheek, I was deemed to be fine. My grip on Jason tightens as I think back to five hours ago. It's late afternoon and from what the nurse told me when she came to check on me earlier, the shot Jason took at Cora hit her in the chest but they managed to save her. Now she's in recovery but is also under arrest and guarded.

"Sweetheart," Jason's voice breaks the quiet between us. I let out a small hum not answering but letting him know I'm paying attention. "After everything that's happened, I feel like I need to keep an eye on you twenty-four seven."

"I get into to much trouble?" I question, a small smile on my lips.

"Any other normal person might have died after everything you've been through but you survived it all. If something else happens, who knows if I'll be holding you like this again," he tells me.

"Well, right now I'd rather stay by you then be on my own and you said you'd save me right? I can trust you," I say to him as I move back to look at his face.

"Fuck yeah I would," he says with a smirk before kissing my cheek. "That bitch, how did she even know you were here?"

"Apparently Eiichi's mom found out I was transferred here and got in touch with Cora to see if she could finish the job he failed to do," I explain. "The day I got into an argument with Cleo in the parking lot, his subordinates happened to see and I guess she remembered and reached out to her. I guess she thought I would tell you about my tattoos and she couldn't risk that. Too bad for her you already have everything."

"As soon as Cora wakes up she's going to be answering some questions," he says, a deep frown on his face. 

"If I hadn't woken up today I'd be dead right now, she would have killed me in my sleep without remorse," I say in a quiet voice.

"You won't ever see her again Victoria, I can promise you that," he says kissing my temple just as his phone goes off. He pulls it out of his pocket, reading it before handing it to me. It's a text from Jax asking if now would be a good time to bring Oli here or tomorrow because of what happened earlier. "Should I tell him to bring Oli tomorrow?"

"No, I want to see him. I've missed him just as much as he missed me. Oli will forever be my hero," I tell him as I hand it back to him.

"Yes ma'am," he says as he types out a reply before putting his phone down and wrapping his arms around me again. It's silent again, and I just wonder how I should process all this. It's the third time I've almost got killed and I don't know how I feel that this time my ex-best friend hated me this much she wanted me dead.

"Hey, did you talk to Cleo about all this? I mean everything with Eiichi?" I question. I need a distraction and this might be the best one.

"That night I called you a little after eight to tell you that I was coming home late but you didn't pick up. I figured you were probably asleep so I left you a voicemail. I got a call from Charlotte when it was almost nine telling me she had a crying Oli at her door but you weren't there. Fuck you don't know how fast I drove home thinking there was a chance you'd still be there but you weren't," he tells me, his voice emotionless.

"It wasn't obvious but as an officer, I could tell the house was broken into and I knew you were taken. I went straight to Charlotte's house and I had Oli crying in my arms telling me you were taken by an Asian man and something about your tattoo. Who knew it was some encoded message," he continues.

"Trust me, you weren't the only one," I mumble into his shirt.

"Charlotte called Cleo to let her know what happened and that's when she told her everything. How Eiichi's men saw you two that day, how he found her, what happened to her dad in the past and how she was scared if it repeating with her family," he tells me.

"You didn't arrest her, did you?  He told me he made a visit to her house, had her children at gunpoint. In her eyes, she only saw them and I can't fault her for that. Everything she was warning me about leaving you all, I wish she told me because now I understand. After what Eiichi did to me, I can picture that whatever her dad went through it was probably a thousand times worse," I whisper.

"I know, she told us. Charlotte was pissed but Cleo said she would cooperate with everything. And Oli, shit, I have such an amazing nephew. If you could have seen him Victoria, he gave us everything he could remember. Do you know where the next location they were taking you to? Some city in Chile and there were so many other coordinates," he tells me. "If it wasn't for them going to Quebec first, I don't think we would have ever found you."

"But you did and that's all that matters. I'm here now and I'm not leaving," I tell him. "As for Cleo, I forgive her for what she did, I can't stay angry at her. He was there and Oli was with me. I begged him not to do anything, I willingly went with them because I knew that I couldn't let anything to happen to him. He's such a loveable kid and if something happened to him, I'd be devastated. I'm not his parent but Oli and you, at this point now I consider you both my family," I confess, I bury my face into his shoulder.

"Sweetheart, hey look at me," he says pulling back, his hands framing my face. "Don't be embarrassed to say that. I'm happy to hear that. We both love you, I love you. After what happened with my ex-wife I didn't want another woman in my life but you, the way you treat Oli and me, the fact you'd put yourself in danger to keep us safe and every day waiting for you to wake up was agonizing. As long as you'll have me I don't ever want to let you go," he tells me, his forehead pressing against mine and I feel a single tear run down my cheek, a watery laugh escapes from me.

"Who knew you'd tell me this in a hospital?" I chuckle. "Not to mention I probably look terrible," I mumble. 

"From day one it's not like we did anything by the books," he laughs as he moves back, his thumb brushing my cheek. "And you still look sexy even if you're in a hospital gown," he smirks.

"Then as long as you'll have me, I don't plan to let you go either," I grin, my hands pressing onto his chest.

"Fuck, that's all I wanted to hear," he tells me before leaning down, his lips connecting with mine. I can feel the love coming from him, he presses his lips more firmly, I gasp against his mouth and his tongue quickly moves in intertwining with mine. My hands start trailing down his body when we hear knocking on the door making us break apart.

"You two better not be fucking in there or doing anything nobody wants to see. Just giving you a heads up someone is coming to check on you," Haruto says through the door. We both look at one another before breaking out into laughter.

"We'll resume this later when you're better and when everything is over," Jason tells me as he gives me one more kiss. When everything is over, and my emotions settle, I think I'll be able to say those three words as well. 

✘✘

"Jax called me, they'll be here in a couple of minutes. What did the doctor say?" he questions as he walks back into the room.

"They're thinking of keeping me here for maybe two more days and then they'll discharge me from here," I tell him as I fix my hospital gown. "I'll have to come back in a couple of weeks to take this off," I say waving my cast around.

"You don't have to worry, while you still have that on I'll help you with everything you need," he says leaning down to kiss my cheek. We hear a light knock on the door and we both see a tiny body peeking in, Oli looking at us apprehensively. 

"Hey sweetie, I'm back," I say in a soft voice, a small smile on my lips. His lips wobble for a bit before he's rushing at me full force climbing up the bed and throwing his arms around me.

"You stopped sleeping Tori, I missed you," he exclaims tightening his arms around me. I wrap my arms around his small frame; he's here, safe in my arms.

"I missed you so much sweetie," I whisper, kissing his hair. I feel my shoulder start to get wet and 

"Tori, please don't go," he cries. "Are they going to take you again?"

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise I'll always be here," I tell him, my heartbreaking again that I made him feel like this. 

"I want to pinky swear and if you break your promise you'll have to swallow a thousand needles," he declares. 

"Where did you learn that?" I question as I pull him back, laughing confusion.

"At school," he says shrugging his shoulders. I look at him for a moment, my laugh getting louder as I wipe the tears on his cheeks. 

"I pinky swear that I won't break my promise," I say holding my pinky up for him.

"Or else you swallow a thousand needles," he says linking them together.

"How about we forget that part of the promise Oli, it's not even real. Whoever told you made a mistake," I say with my most reassuring smile. I don't need him to get any funny ideas that swallowing needles is normal. 

"Okay," he answers before snuggling back into my arms. I look up from Oli to see Jax talking with Jason by the door.

"Hey Jax, how are you?" I call out.

"I should be asking you that? I heard what happened in the morning," he says walking up to us.

"I had enough sleep to last me the year and as for this morning, I don't even know what to say," I sigh. 

"While you were getting checked the doctors that were working on her told me she'd probably be up by tomorrow. We're going to wait a bit before questioning," Jason tells me.

"You'll have to tell me later what happened, back in Quebec I mean," I say looking at him pointedly. 

"We'll talk about it later but for now just rest and get some mobility back. We can go for a walk if you're up for it, I know they made you do some exercises two hours ago," he suggests.

"Are we going outside?" Oli perks up looking at the two of us in some excitement. 

"I'll take that as my cue to leave but Charlotte said she'll call you later and Jason for you to make sure you're phone doesn't die," Jax tells him as Jason rolls his eyes.

"Just for her I'll make sure it's at a hundred," Jason says sarcastically. 

"I'll see you later and I'm glad to see you're safe and okay Victoria. I'll come back for Oli later," Jax tells me before walking out.

"Should we go now while it's still daylight?" I ask Jason. 

"Yeah, let's go now and then we'll have dinner when we come back," he replies. "Oli gets off the bed so I can help Victoria," he tells him. He quickly moves down standing beside Jason. Jason holds out his hands and I grab onto them as he helps me stand, a small ache passes in my legs.

"Can you fix the back of the gown, I don't need to flash my back to everyone," I ask Jason as I fix the shorts the hospital gave me and slip on the flipflops beside the bed. "I'm definitely taking a shower tonight," I mutter to myself as I run my fingers through my oily hair.

"I want to hold your hand," Oli tells me as he tugs on it. 

"Of course," I answer as he holds onto it, a huge grin on his face. 

"Let's go?" Jason questions stepping in front of us. I nod my head as I slowly shuffle forward, Jason holding the door open for us.

"Is that who I think it is? Where are you guys going?" Haruto calls out as he walks towards us.

"A little walk outside. Got to work my legs right?" I chuckle.

"I'll let the other nurses know you stepped out. I have to get back to my rounds," he says holding up a folder. He moves to walk around us before abruptly stopping and pulling me in his arms to hug me. "I'm so fucking glad you're okay and alive. I'm glad to have my friend back and for Cora, I'll make sure she gets what's coming to her."

"I'm glad to be back," I reply softly as I hug him back. "And don't go causing any trouble, there's already been enough today. Just because I'm a patient here doesn't mean I can't make you one here too."

"We'll see about that," he says as he lets go of me before speeding off.

"One of these days I'm really going to kick his ass," I say shaking my head.

"He's a character," Jason chuckles as he takes my casted arm and wraps it around his as we slowly trek through the halls.

"But I wouldn't change him for anything," I reply with a fond smile. We walk out of the hospital and the evening sun hits our faces, the heat from outside warming me up from the air-conditioned hospital. I look down at Oli before looking up at Jason, and I'm so grateful that I'm still standing here beside them.

✘✘

A/N So I'll be honest, the story is coming to an end soon everyone, though I'm pretty sure most of you knew that. I don't know how many chapters I'll be writing but I'm going to be so sad when this is over, it's going to be like T.E.C all over again. So many things happened in the chapter, where do I even begin?

Anyways, a short author's note today so be sure to leave your thoughts on the chapter in the comments!