◇ Four weeks later. West Central Hospitals (PVT) Ltd, Patient Care Unit_ _

The constant drip of saline, the continuous beeping that was coming from the mounted ECG scan, the distant sounds of shuffling feet and intercoms could be heard from within the ward.

The windows were open, with their rickety cream coloured shutters crunched up to let fresh air and bright autumn sunlight in. Warm rays fell on the carpeted floor of the room, throwing wavy patterns by refracting through the cool, plastic saline container. A small bonsai flower pot decorated the windowsill, with its pink flowers bobbing gently to the wind that blowed inside; a get well soon gift from Donghae.

Jake eased the door shut behind him. He quietly walked across the room and stood near the window, lifting his eyes towards the sky to see bright cotton wooly clouds drifting across the wide blue expanse.

A ragged cough from Luca made him turn around.

"For God's sake Jake! Can't you see that I'm perfectly fine?" whinned Luca, easing himself up on the bed frame. Jake sighed and pulled a chair towards the bed. Sliding out a random report file from the table, he sat back an regarded the medical papers with a critical eye.

"You have six more checkups to do" he said, with the air of talking to his age old grandfather. Luca fumed at him, partly annoyed because he had to stay atleast another week, stuck at this place, and partly because he knew Jake was right...

When Luca had woken up two weeks back in the hospital, Jake had been standing there next to him, with blood poring out of multiple wounds that he was not even aware of, with his gray blue eyes huge with concern and stress. His hands had been clutching Luca's wrists tightly...

'I thought I'd lost you' Jake had whispered, tears streaming down his face...

Two surgeries, constant checkups an a thousand scans later, Luca couldn't wait to get back home. But Jake had completely ignored Luca's please to leave his hospital prison for good.

He now looked at Jake who was still looking at the papers, lazily chewing a bubble gum (Luca hated the habbit). Suddenly Luca narrowed his eyes. There was something he dearly wanted to know from Jake.

"Those checkups can wait Jake" said Luca gruffly, "besides I need to-"

"Really?" interrupted Jake with a smile, flipping the report back to the table, "I don't think so, you are still weak grandpa"

"G-Grandpa?" Choked Luca, then stopped, an impulsive smile spreading across his mouth, "since I'm your grandpa, I have one question for you my boy"

Oh FUCK!

Jake suddenly started to cough violently, while Luca waited with a grim expression for Jake to finish acting out his melodrama. Finnaly clearing his throat, Jake gave up, remembering that he was, indeed the supreme leader of the Falcon Circle

"What about?" He cleared his throat while crossing his legs and staraightning his shirt. But Luca continued to watch him like a hawk. Jake had a fleeting feeling that he was being x-rayed through Luca's eyes. A few moment passed between them studiously glaring at eachother. Finally just as Luca opened his mouth, Jake suddenly cut across him

"I can explain Luca!"

"I am listening" sighed Luca, leaning back, "and you'd better be telling me the truth and nothing but the truth Maranzano"

Jake glanced down at this hands, thinking hard. He felt as though he could command many battles and win against them, rather than acquiring enough courage to tell Luca about his truth. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, calming down his twanged nerves... when suddenly the ward door creased open. Donghae's silky head was visible from the crack, as if he was expecting Luca to be in his most foulest mood... which he was, unfortunately

Jake rolled his eyes, giving up on the entire scene.. of all the times he could appear, he chose now!

Donghae timidly walked over and stood next to Jake, looking warily at Luca's expression.

"Hope you are ok now" said Donghae with a slight bow to which Luca just huffed moodily. Jake remained mysteriously silent.

"Now explain yourselves, what in the God's name is going on?" growled Luca while Donghae just looked incredulously at Jake. What in the world!?

"Maybe I could leave" said Donghae suddenly backing away, holding his hands infront of him in defence, "you two can talk about it-"

Luca almost managed to shoot out from his bed before Jake suddenly kicked out at a button that was lying under the bed frame. The mattress in which Luca had been lying swirled brutally back to a 180 degrees flat. Luca howled in anger,

"COME HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT-"

Jake's hand shot out and caught Donghae's shirt, dragging him back to where he was. He let his hand fall and laced it with Donghae's fingers. But to Donghae's dismay, he saw a smirk blossoming across the corners of Jake's mouth

"Jake!-"

"Donghae and I!" he said, suddenly raising his head and looking straight at Luca, "we are dating!"

Complete silence.

Jake's words hung in the air like a chime while Luca stared incredulously at them. Donghae was glued to the place he was standing, his hand still clutching Jake's hand tightly. His heart was beating at a speed where it was almost a buzz. And he was convinced that Luca could hear it too. Donghae gulped. This was bad!... worse!

Luca was literally burning away across him like a boiling teapot, turning into a familiar shade of purple that Donghae was so accustomed to seeing.

"Of all the things" spluttered Luca in blind rage, "you chose him!?HIM!! Aiden Luciano!?"

Jake took a moment to look at Donghae, his eyes were steady, but what made Donghae catch his breath was the amount of love that was hidden behind his stormy steel blue eyes...

"Yes" said Jake simply, then he suddenly smiled, rather naughtily; it seemed to Donghae, "he's a risk I'm willing to take"

"Alright I'm out of here!" Donghae suddenly yelled, turning scarlet.

"And YOU!" Yelled Luca, still purple, "do you really love him!?"

Donghae glared at Luca for a second. The fucking audacity!!

"I've always loved him! I thought I'd made myself clear many times Luca! Although you were too thick headed to realize that!" Screamed Donghae from the top of his lungs. Completely missing the wide smile that flashed across Jake's face.

Donghae tried in vain to detach his hand from Jake but with no avail. He was so focused on his escape attempt that he'd completely missed the scene that happened

Luca was smiling... SMILING! Donghae didn't know what to think. First Luca was grinning, and now it was turning into a full blown smile. Donghae felt like his blood turned into cold water inside his body. Only did then Jake decide to release his hand.

He looked confusedly at Jake, who glanced back at him. He had beautiful grey blue eyes like a stormy sea. The kind that sparkled when he was truly happy. They sparkled now...

"Well" said Luca breathing hard, "I should've expected this...I guess I knew something something was up"

"You... what?!" Donghae almost shouted going even more scarlet, how!?, when!?

The big bodyguard nodded, still grinning from ear to ear, "How can I fucking not? I can read Jake like a fucking book, and with you gazing at him like some deranged kitten, anyone would be a fucking fool not to notice"

"I never gazed-"

"By the way, you never could read me Luca" drawled Jake boredly, slipping his hands into his pockets, "you only could because I let you, so don't pat yourself on the back just yet"

"Whatever you say Master Maranzano" said Luca, making dismissing movements from his hands. Suddenly he glared back at Donghae.

"Don't even think of cheating on my Jake, do you hear me!?" He growled, eyeing Donghae with distrust. Donghae smothered down the urge to laugh. Luca sounded like an enraged dad who was on warpath to any man cheating on his precious daughter

"Yes sir" said Donghae amused, "I hear you"

"Or else I will introduce you to a pain you've never known that existed" said the burly bodyguard, but Donghae saw his eyes were twinkling with humor.

Donghae's whole body relaxed. His mind felt like it was given a good dose of Meth. All his insecurities swam away like clouds up in the blue sky... He couldn't believe he was standing alive, here and now...

With the boy he loved the most in the world, holding hands and looking mesmerized into each other's eyes. With a supportive mentor lying on the hospital bed grinning crazily from ear to ear behind them...

Both Luca and Jake watched as Donghae went out of the room. Jake had promised to meet him at the carpark after having a quick word with Luca. When the door closed with a soft click behind the boy, Luca turned his head towards Jake... but Hyukjae was still looking at the door where Donghae had disappeared...

"Jake" he said presently, making Hyukjae glance back at him. Luca went on studying Jake's eyes. He had seen many emotions play out across them from the time they had first met... anger, fear, frustration, dominance were only a minute amount of them all... but never had Luca seen Jake's eyes like this, so full of love... for one person...

"What is it?" Asked Hyukjae Maranzano, turning to look at the burly bodyguard

Luca winced as he cocked his head to the side,

"He's a Luciano after all... nothing will change that, are you sure?"

Jake looked at Luca, then his eyes slid away towards the saline pack that quietly dripped away. Luca had never seen Jake like this before, and the man knew he had asked a worthless question after all...

"Have you seen anyone else who would sacrifice his whole world just to be with me?"

Luca opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again. He was suddenly reminded of the way the boy killed his own men to protect Jake...

They both knew the answer to that question...

"I've never loved anyone before him" said Jake quietly, walking towards the small bonsai flower pot up against the windowsilt, "I never thought I would either... Aiden made me strong... but Lee Donghae showed me who I really am inside... and I'm prepared to cherish the love he gave me till my dying day"

He gently plucked out a small pink flower and held it in his tattood hand... a gust of wind caught the slim petals and it floated out of the window. Its gentle pink hues complementing the chilly autumn sunlight. Jake smiled.

"Your parents would've been very proud of you if they were here" said Luca behind him.

♡♧♡

The old hard iron gates of the Maranzano Family Manor screeched open as the Maserati came near. Jake eased his foot on the breaks while the Falcon turfs did a quick security check on the car. After clearing the last barrier, they bowed low as the big car slid smoothly on to the remaining drive.

Donghae was silently looking out of the window... gazing at the neverending line of poplars that stood on either side of the road. With a sigh, he turned to look at Jake who was taking the last roundabout turn towards the Manor House, his free hand resting comfortably on top of the gear head... Donghae slid his arm across and gently placed his palm on top of Jake.

"I'm glad to be coming home" he whispered, gently caressing Jake's hand. Hyukjae parked the car infront of the sweeping driveway. With a smile, he laced his fingers with Donghae, his thumb slowly circling around the soft white skin at the back of Donghae's hand..

"I know" he whispered back, watching Donghae smile. He leaned forward and kissed Donghae's forehead.

"C'mon" said Jake, stroking his head, "I'm gonna make you a cup of hot lá chocolat chaud"

Donghae bit back a laugh, Jake hardly knew how to make a simple cheese sandwich to save himself... though how he was going to make hot chocolate without a recipe he couldn't imagine.

"Ok" he said, planting a quick kiss on Jake's lips. "Be the culinary god tonight then"

Jake laughed, and they both got off the car and walked towards the font door of the house. They were greeted by the second in Command walking swiftly down the stairs. Donghae imidiately knew something was not right...

The Falcon guard bowed low to the two of them,

"Signore, there are trespassers that we caught. They claim to be knowing you, and for safety precautions I-"

"You didn't kill them did you?" Asked Jake, smiling slightly... he had a hunch that Hisui was going to turn up sooner or later..

"Not yet" said the Falcon grinning, "but I did scare them... a bit"

Jake sighed, he knew the day would arrive sooner or later. And he knew he had to face this one last hurdle with Donghae. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This wasn't going to end well..

Donghae knew Jake was struggling with something. He gripped Jake's hand tightly, and recieved an equal pressure from Jake...

"Who are they?" Commanded Donghae as they walked towards the main study. Before the second in Command could open his mouth, they all heard a shout that was all too well recognisable

"JAKE!! DONGHAE!! Hiiiiiiii !!!!"

Apollo bounded towards them like an overjoyed puppy. He would've thrown his arms around Donghae; hadn't the Captain cocked his gun right at his throat before he could take two faltering steps.

"Apollo, please don't make a complete jackass of yourself" said Hisui in exasperation, he grabbed Apollo by the collar and pulled him back where he stood, pouting.

Jake nodded to the captain. The man bowed, stepping back and closing the door with a soft click behind him.

"I've been expecting you Hisui" said Jake sitting down at the elegantly leathered sofa. He motioned for the others to sit down as well. Donghae lowered himself down next to him, wondering why Hisui Tanaka had suddenly turned up.

"How is your father?" He asked quietly.

"He's well" said Hisui, although there was a strain in his voice when he said that, "he sends you his love"

Donghae noded. It would be sometime till he forget the kindness of the old man.

Hisui took a deep breath and placed a purple coloured velvet box on the table. He looked at Jake as he spoke,

"I'm sorry for being late, it wasn't exactly easy getting this off the airport security, infact I don't know if I brought it at the right time"

His eyes had shifted towards Donghae as he spoke. The boy was looking at the familiar valvet covered box, with its Luciano family emblem glowing dully under the yellow lighting of the study- as if he was looking at a ghost. Jade saw that his hands were shaking uncontrollably... surely it was a sign of ptsd?

Without a word, Donghae extended his slim fingers and grazed open the lock. He carefully lifted the top off and gasped. Inside, cradled in finest purple silk was the circular shape of the imperial jade pendant. His family heirloom. Not a shattered, blown out wreak, but a whole gleaming green effigy... complete with its stunning diamond studded family emblem and gold chain. The lost Luciano family pendant. The one that he had sacrificed to save his mother...

With shaky hands, he took it out and gazed at it while the uncomfortable silence raged throughout the room.

"How is this possible?" He whispered, letting the glimmering chain run down his plam like a river of gold, "I gave this to Lavere before she-"

"It was my idea.. actually" said Hisui looking down. "I asked Kenz to attach a tracking bomb to a cheap replica of the pendant. So that Lavere wouldn't know what she would be getting... it was a fake you see? The real pendant, we kept it safe... Jake didn't know this either, he only knew after I told him"

Donghae went on staring at the pendant. So many things were running inside his mind, making his thoughts swirl into a mirky mess. Suddenly everything became much more brutally clearer... and unclear... So, his family heirloom was safe, that means it wasn't destroyed at the church! So his mother...

...

She died in vain? Just to save a fake pendant that noone had the use of? And did Jake... lie to him all this time? Even after knowing that it was fake? Why didn't he tell him?

Jake was nervously watching Donghae. He was right to watch him too. Clear signs of internal struggle was blossoming across Donghae's whole figure. His fingers started gripping the pendant till it brutally began biting into his skin.

Hisui had seen the storm signs too. He knew better than to stay there while Donghae was clearly going through a personal struggle. He suddenly stood up, grabbing the hand of Apollo who was oblivious to the going ons around him.

"Well, we took a long time here,- we just wanted to return the pendant safely to you Donghae. It was the only way I could think of making up to you... at least a little bit. As a Tanaka, I really do apologise for everything our family has ever caused you, although I know you cannot forgive me, I am so sorry Donghae, my father too, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us."

He bowed very low, as to the Japanese tradition. Donghae looked up, surprised, and he inclined his head.

"I appreciate that you apologised" he said, his voice sounding very far away. It was as if Donghae had lost his awareness of his surroundings. He looked as if he was dreaming.

Hisui bowed deeply again. "Arigatō gozaimazu" he said. "Honthoni Arigatō"

"We'll take our leave then, C'mon Marco-polo, let's get out of here while the mafia boss still let's us"

Hisui grabbed Apollo and moved towards the door.

Jake lowered his head in grateful acknowledgement.

"Bye Jake!" Said Apollo, before he walked out of the door, "hope we'll see each other again"

"I'm not at all keen to see you again" muttered Jake under his breath as the door closed behind Hisui and Apollo.

Silence.

"Donghae?" whispered Jake cautiously. He had never been scared like this before. Jake simply hated how vulnerable he felt at this moment. Too much was at stake...

Donghae stayed quiet. His silky brown hair slumped forward as he reached for the jewellery box. With shaking hands, he carefully put the pendant inside and closed the lid. The box laid on his lap, momentarily forgotten as seconds ticked by,

"Donghae" said Jake again, he carefully placed his hand over the other boy's whitened knuckles. "Please look at me"

"The pendant that I gave Lavere" said Donghae abruptly, "that was a fake wasn't it"

Jake felt as if a whole truckload of boulders were crushing down on his head,

"Yes it was"

"And you knew it the whole time that it was fake"

"I... didn't at first.. but-" faltered Jake, gulping.

"When did you get to know that it was a fake? Before you made your marvellous plan? Or after raging that whole civil war against my family and my people?"

His throat was burning with so much tension that Jake had to look away while breathing hard. He finally turned back at Donghae, his eyebrows farrowing together in frustration.

"Let us say that you knew the pendant was a fake, would that made things any different? What's going to stop Laverè from doing... what she did?" Asked Jake, seeing how Donghae's eyes harden at the mentioning of what happened when he'd given the necklace to Laverè