The next day when I open my eyes, I find myself caged in Alec's arms in the same way when he fell asleep.

I don't want to think anything much about last night, he just needs to be comforted and I did what I should have done.

He is carrying a lot of burden inside him, and once in a while, a moment comes when you need to release some of the weight off your chest.

Seeing him in pain still hurts me. Call me pathetic, but it is true I can't watch him suffer.

Gently removing his arm from around me, I slip out of the bed and just before walking outside I shut the curtains properly so that he can sleep in for a longer period.

When I walk back into the room, I find Liam sitting up while rubbing his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask pulling him into my lap, as it is too early for him to be up.

I comb back his hair with my fingers. My eyes slightly widen when my fingers touch his burning forehead as he whines and buries is head in my chest.

"I am so sorry, bud." I hug him close and kiss his head, trying to comfort him.

"Mommy." He whimpers while clutching my shirt snuggling more close to me.

My poor baby gets really distressed when he is sick, as he doesn't understand how he is feeling. Most of the time, he just clings to me and wants me to hold him till he feels better.

"I know, baby." Again, I kiss his head, "You are having a fever."

"I don't like fever." He cries, "Make it go away."

"It will go away, soon." I rock him slightly, "We'll get you some medicine then you will feel better."

"No, medicine." He whimpers loudly.

He doesn't like to take medicines, neither he wants to eat anything.

Well, another thing is that he throws terrible tantrums when he is sick. And those tantrums are enough to make you cry.

"Liam, baby, mommy will give you some medicine then you will feel fine." I gently try to make him understand as if he doesn't want to have medicine then he will not have it at any cost.

Even if you forcefully make him eat anything or give any medicine he will spit it out or worst he will start vomiting.

"No." He screams and then he starts crying loudly, making me sigh defeatedly.

Not a moment has passed when Alec barges into the room, wide alert, as he looks around the room. The tension from his body leaves as soon as his eyes land on us.

My eyes catch him discreetly tucking his gun in the back of his sweatpants and covering it with his shirt before he walks to us.

His gaze meets mine, but I divert my eyes back to Liam who is having a meltdown.

"Liam." Alec kneels down in front of us, as Liam is sitting in my lap.

Instead of calming down, he starts crying even more loudly, making me slightly flinch.

Alec raises his eyebrow questioning at me.

"He is having a fever," I tell him with a small sigh.

"Mommy, I don't want to have a fever." Liam takes a shuddering breath, as he cries. "Go away fever."

"Buddy, you will be fine, let's get you something to eat then you will feel better," Alec talks to him in a soft tone.

"But I don't want to eat." He sniffles rubbing his nose as he turns in my arms to look at Alec.

"Carry me." He suddenly demands, stretching his arms in Alec's direction.

Instantly, Alec picks him up from my lap obliging his demand.

Liam rests his head on his shoulder as Alec kisses the side of his head holding him closely.

"Better?" Alec quietly asks him.

"Hmm." Liam makes a small noise of approval and nods his head against his shoulder.

"I am feeling hungry, what about you?" Alec carefully asks, but when Liam whines loudly, he quickly adds, "Hey, I am not asking you, I am asking mom, okay?"

"Avery, are you hungry?" He looks at me and subtly nods his head giving me a pointed look.

"Yes." I don't know what is going on in his mind, but I play along.

"Okay, then I am going to make some yummy chicken soup," Alec says while carrying Liam outside the room as I follow him.

I am not having chicken soup in the morning.

"Liam, will you help me to make chicken soup?" He asks Liam patting his back lightly.

"Yes." Liam nods his head but then closes his eyes which makes me roll my eyes with a small smile, he will surely fall asleep in a moment or two.

"I am not going to have chicken soup," I speak in a quiet tone glaring at Alec.

"Do you want him to eat anything? If yes then you are going to have chicken soup for breakfast." He shrugs and starts taking out ingredients to make soup.

I watch him struggle a bit as he is carrying Liam too, so I decide to help him.

"I will make the soup, you sit with him." I take a bowl of chicken from his hand and lightly nudges him to the side.

He stands on the side, leaning against the counter while wrapping an arm around Liam's back.

I can feel his gaze on me, but I ignore him as I start preparing soup.

"Thank you." He speaks after a few moments of silence, "Last night, I had a peaceful sleep after a long time."

"Alec, you need help-"

"I need you, Avery." He interrupts, "Nothing else, just you."

"Alec." I sigh, "We are not together anymore." I shake my head.

"Really?" He challengingly arches an eyebrow, "Because from what I see, we were never apart in the first place, even after all these years we were always together." He glances at Liam.

"And we will always remain together." The intensity of his gaze makes my heart races, "No one can separate us, even you can't separate us. A part of my heart and a part of your heart is beating together, how will you separate yourself from me, Avery?" His lips curve in a half-smile as my breath hitch in my throat.

"I know you will not admit, but even you know I am right." He shrugs.

"This Alec needs his Avery to complete him." He gently interlocks our fingers, "To hold him when he breaks, to tears away the darkness which is settled inside him. He just needs his Firefly back."

"Alec, please." Swallowing, I tear my gaze away from him, as I free my hand from his hand.

"I will wait, Avery." He smiles sadly, "I will never give up on you, once I did and I can't relive that pain again." He shakes his head.

"I may give up on my life, but never on you." He caresses my face, while I refuse to meet his gaze,"So, I will wait even if I have to wait till my last breath."

*******************************************************************************

"I am not eating." Liam refuses and leans back in the chair when Alec places a bowl of soup in front of him.

"I am not asking you to." He shrugs and takes the opposite seat from mine, "I and mom are having soup because we can't say no to this yummy soup which mom has made."

"Avery, this is delicious." Alec tastes the soup, "Thank God, Liam is not having soup so I will not have to share this soup with anyone. I am going to finish the entire soup all by myself."

Lowering my head, I try to hide the betraying twitch of my lips because of Alec's stupid act.

"I love chicken, and you have added so much chicken in this." Alec points at his bowl.

Liam loves chicken, and this definitely gets his attention as he sits straighter and stares at Alec with a pout.

"Liam, you want to have soup?" I ask but roll my eyes when Alec answers before he can.

"Avery, he has told you he doesn't want to eat then don't bother him by asking him again." He narrows his eyes at me in a fake glare.

"No, I want to have soup." Liam demands, "So, ask me again."

"You want soup?" Alec asks him.

"Yes." He nods his head, "Feed me." He opens his mouth and point at it.

Alec's eyes meet mine while he softly smiles at me as he starts feeding him.

Whereas my heart clenches thinking about all the happy times we have shared, which are now nothing just a part of memories.

"You know what, Liam?" Alec talks to Liam but keeps his eyes on me, "You are just like your mom. Even she used to boss me around like you." A teasing smile appears on his lips.

"But you said I am like you." Liam frowns in confusion, "Now you are saying that I am like her."

"You are like both of us, a perfect combination." He smiles at Liam, which makes Liam grins for the first time in the day.

This instantly makes me relieved knowing that Liam's spirits are up and he is feeling better.

"It means I am so cool," he says excitedly, "Because you two are my most favorite people in this whole world." He smiles looking at us.

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