Chapter Thirty-five

Dawn breathed deeply as she held Mark's hand entering the hospital. She was fighting the anxiety that was in her heart. It was the first time she willingly went near Nicholas. The pariah in her life. The one who ruined everything for her and her family.

Patience was waiting for them when they reached the floor. "I need you to brace yourself for what you are about to see. He isn't what he has been." She was unsure how to tell Dawn what Nicholas looked like now. No one really understands what had happened.

"Please." Dawn said in a shaky voice. "We should get this over with quickly." She felt her skin tingling and she had to fight not to shift away from this hospital.

Patience nodded as she took the two to a room at the end of the hall. Dawn felt some relief when she saw her brother standing there looking through a window. His fists were clenched and there was a scowl on his forehead. As they grew closer, they could hear him grumbling.

Dawn touches her brother's shoulder lightly. He looked over at her then he was fast as lightning to embrace her tightly. She stiffened and Mark was about to step in but then saw her relax and hug him back.

Stephan jolted realizing what she had told him at dinner. He pulled back looking frightened. "I'm so sorry Dawnie. I didn't mean to... Are you alright?"

She nodded as tears started to fall and she quickly hugged him again. "Please just hug me for a little longer." She whispered to him.

Stephan nodded as he held his sister. Mark stood back and smiled at them. He felt happy that she was letting her brother comfort her. That they were mending the distance the years and Nicholas had cause.

Mark looked at Patience. "What is his status?" He jutted his chin out toward the window. He voice this for Dawn more than himself.

Patience looked at the window and sighed. "The doctors say that his age is catching up with him. Those he had missed as he was frozen in time. All his vices and misuses of his own body are taking a toll."

Mark walked over and looked in. The sandy blonde hair was now stark white. His skin was wrinkled where it was visible. He had bandages all over him. Some red in spots from the blood that seeped out. He was on so many monitors and tubes were everywhere on him. His heart beat seemed irregular as Mark looked at that monitor.

"We don't expect him to survive more than two days at the rate of his progression. There's a DNR already on file. It was found among several things. We think he did it just to placate legal matters. He must have never thought he'd die like this."

Stephan rubbed Dawn's back as she looked into the room. Her head on his chest feeling his wool coat against her cheek. She loved the soft and thick feeling of it. He even smelled like her father had once smelt like. She missed him so terribly even after all he had done. Her father was still her father.

"I'm glad he's getting what he deserves."

Mark frowned at Stephan. "No one deserves to die."

Stephan straightened his spine. Proud of his opinion. "Those like him who do evil deserves it. Those who don't fight against the dark thoughts and urges. He had reveled in it." Stephan wished he could have done something so long ago to stop Nicholas from ever stepping foot in their lives. Ever making them lose so much time together. Ever tearing his family apart and causing his parents deaths. He wished for so many years for his happy family to have had the time that was taken from them.

Mark softened his expression at Stephan before he turned back to look at Nicholas. "I understand exactly how you feel."

Dawn released her brother and hugged Mark. He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head. He held her for a moment before he felt like she needed to get away. Away from the hospital. Away from Nicholas.

"We should get some lunch." Dawn just nodded against his chest in total agreement knowing he felt what she needed.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to join."

Dawn looked over at her brother and smiled. "We'd love to have your company."

Stephan smiled and moved a lock of his sister's hair away from her eyes. "Come on sis. I know this great place. I'm buying."

Dawn smiled. "You don't have to."

He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "And you think you can stop me. I may have struggled after I left home, but my struggles were more than fruitful." He smiled. "I was determined if ever I found you to make sure I could take care of you without you having to worry. Even my kids never knew exactly how much I could provide for everyone."

She smiled more giggling. "You were always a smart boy and were always determined to meet your goals that you set for yourself."

He smiled back at her and looked much younger than his late years. "I was just trying to keep up with you dear sister."

She held out her hand and the three of them walked out of the hospital feeling better then how they entered. Nicholas slowly being forgotten and the dark deeds he'd done to Dawn. He meant nothing anymore as if he didn't exist for them all now.

~~~

Dawn stared at her dessert as their conversation during lunch played through her mind. Stephan had talked about his family more and she felt her heart tightening with the desire to meet his wonderful family. His caring and wonderful wife. His smart and gifted children. Even his grandchildren. She wanted to meet them all.

Mark's hand slipped over hers on the table. "You okay Dawn?"

She smiled at him. "I think I'm more than okay at the moment."

Mark placed his other elbow on the table and his cheek in his hand. "Tell me what you are thinking."

Dawn's eyes going toward the restrooms where Stephan had excused himself. "I might just be ready to meet my family." She smiled. "They sound so amazing."

He smiled at her. "We could always go to the family reunion that your brother talked about. I'll go with you if you need me."

She nodded. "I'll definitely need you." Her smile turned toward him and he sighed in bliss. "You make the world bright again." She blushed. "I'm no longer in the shadows."

Mark raised her hand to his lips and gave her a kiss. "As you should be my light."

Her giggles made Stephan smile as he returned. "I know that giggle all too well from my wife and daughters. The sound of a happy woman." Dawn blushed a little because it was true. She was happy now after so long.

The she took Stephan's hand. "I've decided I want to meet your family at the family reunion."

"Oh Dawnie. You have no idea how delighted I am to hear that." He reached into his coat and withdrew a small notepad. "We don't know where to have it this year." He chuckled. "No one can agree on anything."

Mark looked at Dawn confused. "You're thinking something and you are conflicted."

Dawn nodded as she looked down. "I was thinking about the house."

He covered her hand with both of his. "The house you grew up in?" She nodded.

"Technically it's mine, isn't it?"

"That's true." Stephan nodded as he sat back with his glass of wine. "Nicholas could only claim it because you were missing and he was your betrothed. Legally it is fully yours to do with as you wish." Then he leaned forward. "But that place must have a lot of bad memories for you most of all."

She looked down. "But it has wonderful memories too." Looking up at her brother, she smiled with watery tears swarming in her eyes. "There are more years of happiness than of the few days of pain." She squeezed her brother's hand. "The years we were all together."

He smiled back at her. "And you want to hold the reunion there. Where are family was perfect for a time?"

She nodded. "I want the house alive again as I am alive again."

Stephan laughed and kissed her hand. "I'll talk to the others and convince them of your choice for the venue."

Mark kissed her hand. "And we can return to fix it up. Paint. All you want to do to the house to make it shine again for you."

"And I'm always there to help too."

Dawn looked between the two and smiled. "Then please convince them to have the reunion there." Stephan bowed his head as if he gave him a command. A smile on his face.