MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter One Hundred One: Bringing Her Home
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Four months had passed since the wedding.
The hospital room had become a second home. The white walls. The beeping machines. The smell of antiseptic. The nurses who came and went with soft footsteps and gentle hands. Alex knew them all by name. He knew the shift changes. He knew the beeping patterns. He knew the way the light fell across Lyra's face at dawn.
But she didn't wake up.
The doctor came on a Tuesday morning. She was older now, her face tired, her eyes kind. She had been with them since the beginning. She had watched Alex fade. She had watched Jay grow. She had watched the family wait.
"Mr. Choi," the doctor said. "Can I speak with you?"
Alex looked up. His face was thin. His eyes were hollow. His hand was in Lyra's. "Is she okay? Is she—"
The doctor held up her hand. "She's stable. Her vitals are strong. Her body has healed. The wound is closed. The scar is healed. She's physically ready to wake up."
Alex's face was pale. "Then why isn't she waking up?"
The doctor looked at Lyra. At her pale face. At her closed eyes. At the hand that was in Alex's. "Sometimes, the body heals faster than the mind. Sometimes, the person needs more than medicine. Sometimes, they need to be reminded of why they want to wake up. Of who is waiting for them. Of what they're fighting for."
Alex's voice cracked. "What are you saying?"
The doctor smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "I'm saying you can take her home. The machines here can be set up at your house. The nurses can visit. The care can continue. But she needs to be where she's loved. Where she's wanted. Where she's home."
Alex's face was wet. "Home."
The doctor nodded. "Home."
---
The news spread fast.
Percy was in the garden when his phone buzzed. He read the message. His hands were shaking. His face was wet. Honey was beside him. Her hand was in his.
"She's coming home," Percy said.
Honey's eyes were bright. "She's coming home."
Percy looked at the roses. At the red petals. At the green leaves. At the corner that had been waiting. "She's coming home."
---
Aries was in the kitchen when Ella told them. Their hands were in the dough. Their face was wet. Ella pulled them close.
"She's coming home," Ella said.
Aries held her. "She's coming home."
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Care was in the medical room when Cole found her. Her hands were on the supplies. Her face was wet. Cole pulled her close.
"She's coming home," Cole said.
Care held him. "She's coming home."
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Rakki was in the living room with Ci N. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet. Ci N held her.
"She's coming home," Ci N said.
Rakki held him. "She's coming home."
---
Mica closed her laptop. Calix was beside her. Her face was calm. Her eyes were wet.
"She's coming home," Calix said.
Mica held him. "She's coming home."
---
Freya stood at the gate. Erdix was beside her. Her arms were crossed. Her face was sharp. Her eyes were wet.
"She's coming home," Erdix said.
Freya's voice was low. "She's coming home."
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Grace was in the garden with Denzel. Her hands were on the roses. Her face was hard. Her eyes were wet.
"She's coming home," Denzel said.
Grace's voice cracked. "She's coming home."
---
Kuya Angelo stood at the door of the house. Ion was beside him. His face was calm. His hands were steady. His eyes were wet.
"She's coming home," Ion said.
Kuya Angelo pulled him close. "She's coming home."
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Tita Gemma sat in the living room. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was wet. Tita Rachel held her.
"She's coming home," Tita Rachel said.
Tita Gemma nodded. "She's coming home."
---
Keiran ran through the house. His voice was loud. His face was bright. "KEIGAN! KEIGAN! ATE LYRA IS COMING HOME! ATE LYRA IS COMING HOME!"
Keigan stood in the doorway. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were red. "I know."
Keiran grabbed his hand. "We have to get her room ready! We have to get her corner ready! We have to—"
Keigan pulled him close. "We will."
Keiran held him. "She's coming home."
Keigan held him. "She's coming home."
---
Jay sat on the steps of the garden. Keifer was beside her. His hand was in hers. Her stomach was huge now. Eight months pregnant. The twins were ready. They were waiting. They were waiting to meet the woman who had saved them.
"She's coming home," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "She's coming home."
Jay touched her stomach. The twins moved. Two small kicks. Two small lives. Two small hearts. "They're waiting for her. They've been waiting for her."
Keifer put his hand on her stomach. "She's coming home to them."
Jay leaned against him. "She's coming home to all of us."
---
The ambulance arrived at noon.
The family was gathered at the gate. Percy was in the front, his hands shaking, his face wet. Honey was beside him, her hand in his. Aries and Ella stood together, their hands intertwined. Care and Cole waited by the door, the medical room ready, the supplies organized. Rakki and Ci N stood on the steps, her face hard, his hand in hers. Mica and Calix were by the window, her laptop open, her eyes on the driveway. Freya and Erdix stood at the gate, her arms crossed, her face sharp. Grace and Denzel were in the garden, her hands on the roses, his hand on her back. Kuya Angelo and Ion stood at the door, his face calm, his hands steady. Tita Gemma and Tita Rachel were in the living room, her hands in her lap, her face wet. Keiran was bouncing, his voice loud, his face bright. Keigan was beside him, his arms crossed, his face cold, his eyes red.
Jay sat on the steps. Keifer was beside her. Her stomach was huge. The twins were moving.
The ambulance doors opened.
The stretcher came out. Lyra was on it. Her face was pale. Her eyes were closed. Her hand was in Alex's. He walked beside her, his face thin, his eyes hollow, his grip steady. He hadn't left her side. He wouldn't leave her side.
The family watched. The family waited. The family held their breath.
---
The room was ready.
It was Lyra's room. The one she had never used. The one that had been waiting for her. The walls were pale gray. The curtains were white. The bed was soft. The machines were set up. The monitors were beeping. The nurses had been. The care was arranged.
Alex carried her inside. Her body was light. Her face was pale. Her eyes were closed. Her hand was in his. He laid her on the bed. He pulled the blanket over her. He sat in the chair beside her. He took her hand. He didn't let go.
The family stood in the doorway. Percy was crying. Honey was holding him. Aries was crying. Ella was holding them. Care was calm. Her hands were steady. Her face was pale. Rakki was hard. Her eyes were wet. Ci N was holding her. Mica was focused. Her glasses were on her nose. Her eyes were red. Freya was sharp. Her arms were crossed. Her face was wet. Grace was still. Her hands were on the roses. Her face was hard. Kuya Angelo was steady. His hands were in his pockets. His eyes were wet. Tita Gemma was crying. Tita Rachel was holding her. Keiran was quiet. His face was pale. His hands were empty. Keigan was beside him. His hand was on his brother's back.
Jay stood at the foot of the bed. Keifer was behind her. Her stomach was huge. The twins were moving. She looked at Lyra. At her pale face. At her closed eyes. At the hand that was in Alex's.
"Welcome home, Lyra," Jay said.
The machines beeped. Lyra didn't move. But the family was there. The family was waiting. The family was home.
---
The days passed.
The house settled into a new rhythm. The mornings were quiet. The afternoons were slow. The nights were long. Alex sat beside Lyra's bed. He held her hand. He talked to her. He told her about the house. About the garden. About the roses that were blooming. About the corner that was waiting.
Percy came every morning. He brought roses from the garden. Red ones. Lyra's favorite. He put them in a vase beside her bed. He stood there for a moment, his hands in his pockets, his face soft.
"She'd say they were too bright," Percy said.
Honey was beside him. "She'd say they were too much."
Percy almost smiled. "She'd love them."
---
Aries came every afternoon. They brought bread from the kitchen. Fresh bread. Warm bread. The bread they had been baking for months. They put it on the table beside her bed. They stood there for a moment, their hands in their pockets, their face soft.
"She's going to be hungry when she wakes up," Aries said.
Ella was beside them. "She's going to be strong."
Aries nodded. "She's going to be strong."
---
Care came every evening. She checked the machines. She checked the monitors. She checked Lyra's pulse. Her face was calm. Her hands were steady. "She's healing," Care said. "She's strong. She's fighting."
Cole was beside her. "She's fighting."
Care touched Lyra's face. Her fingers were light. Her touch was gentle. "Come back," Care whispered. "Please come back."
---
Rakki came every night. She sat in the corner of the room. Her arms were crossed. Her face was hard. Her eyes were on Lyra. Ci N sat beside her. His hand was in hers.
"She's going to wake up," Ci N said.
Rakki didn't look at him. "I know."
Ci N squeezed her hand. "Then why do you come here every night?"
Rakki's voice cracked. "Because I need to see her. I need to know she's still here. I need to know she's still fighting."
Ci N pulled her close. "She's still fighting."
Rakki held him. "She's still fighting."
---
Jay came every day. She sat beside Lyra's bed. She held her hand. She talked to her. She told her about the twins. About their kicks. About their flutters. About the lives she had saved.
Alex was always there. His face was thin. His eyes were hollow. His hand was in Lyra's. He didn't leave. He wouldn't leave. He was waiting. He would always wait.
Jay placed Lyra's hand on her stomach. Her fingers were cold. Her palm was flat. Her arm was heavy. Jay held it there, pressed against the roundness, against the lives growing inside her.
"The twins are moving," Jay said. "They've been moving all day. They know you're here. They know you're home. They know you're waiting."
The machines beeped. Lyra didn't move.
Jay pressed Lyra's hand harder against her stomach. "Feel them, Lyra. Please. Please feel them."
The twins were still. The room was silent. The machines beeped. Alex watched. Keifer watched. The world waited.
---
The kick came from nowhere.
A small foot. A small hand. A small life pressing against the inside of her stomach, pressing against Lyra's cold hand, pressing against the silence. Jay gasped. Her hand tightened on Lyra's. Her eyes went wide. Her breath caught.
"Did you feel that?" Jay whispered.
The machines beeped. Lyra didn't move.
Another kick. Stronger this time. A small life reaching out. A small life saying hello. A small life saying thank you. A small life saying we're here.
Jay's face was wet. "They're kicking. They're kicking you. They know you're here. They know you saved them. They know—"
She stopped. Her voice cracked. Her hands were shaking.
Alex was on his feet. His face was white. His hands were empty. His eyes were on Lyra. On her face. On her closed eyes. On her hand that was on Jay's stomach.
"Lyra," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was breaking. "Lyra, can you feel them? Can you—"
The machines beeped. Lyra didn't move. But her fingers moved.
Just a flicker. Just a twitch. Just a small movement against Jay's stomach. Against the lives she had saved. Against the twins who were waiting to meet her.
Jay felt it. Her hands were shaking. Her face was wet. "She moved. She moved her fingers. She felt them. She knows they're here. She knows they're alive. She knows—"
Keifer pulled her close. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. "She knows."
Alex took Lyra's hand. The one that had moved. He held it. His fingers were warm. Her fingers were cold. He pressed it to his lips. He kissed her knuckles. He kissed her palm. He kissed the scar on her wrist.
"I felt you move," Alex said. His voice was low. His voice was steady. "I felt you feel them. I felt you know they're here. I felt you fight."
The machines beeped. Lyra didn't move. But her fingers twitched again. Just once. Just a flicker. Just enough.
Alex felt it. His face was wet. His hands were shaking. "She's coming back. She's coming back to us."
Jay touched her stomach. The twins moved. Two small flutters. Two small lives. Two small hearts. "They're waiting for her. They've been waiting for her."
Alex looked at Lyra. At her pale face. At her closed eyes. At the small movement of her fingers. "She's coming back. She's always come back. She'll come back again."
---
The night was quiet. The house was still. Lyra lay in her bed, her face pale, her eyes closed, her hand in Alex's. The machines beeped. The monitors glowed. The roses were red on the table beside her.
Alex sat beside her. His face was thin. His eyes were hollow. His hand was in hers. He didn't leave. He wouldn't leave. He was waiting. He would always wait.
Jay stood in the doorway. Keifer was behind her. Her stomach was huge. The twins were moving.
"She moved her fingers," Jay said.
Keifer kissed her hair. "She moved her fingers."
Jay looked at Lyra. At the woman who had saved her. At the woman who had saved her children. At the woman who was fighting to come back. "She's coming back."
Keifer pulled her close. "She's coming back."
Jay touched her stomach. The twins kicked. Two small feet. Two small lives. Two small hearts. "They're waiting for her."
Keifer put his hand on her stomach. "She's coming back to them."
Jay leaned against him. "She's coming back to all of us."
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END OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED ONE