FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

Alexander still remembered the day, how years ago the doctors declared the patient as brain-dead. After repeated surgeries, they said he was as good as dead, but Alexander spent enough money for them to keep the patient on ventilators.

A few months later, the hospital authorities suggested it was useless to keep the brain-dead person on a life-supporting system for so long because it wouldn't magically bring him back to life. They came with a reasonable explanation that the medical equipment would help another needy patient more than the one declared physically dead.

Beyond everything, it was legal for the doctors to declare the brain-dead person as dead. Though Alexander was aware of it, he still couldn't stomach the news.

Doctors believed it was no use keeping a person alive when they no longer had any neurological activity in the brain.. However, Alexander refused to give up. He would burn the bundles of money piled up in his bank accounts if it couldn't help him save the lives of his loved ones.

Alexander offered to sponsor the medical equipment the doctors needed to help other patients and hoped at least the blessings earned in return would save the person he didn't want to lose. Alexander had by now forgotten how many second opinions he had sought from different doctors from all over the world.

How many times had the patient suffered undergoing surgeries after surgery? Yet, Alexander couldn't let himself drown in guilt because no matter what, he wanted to keep the person alive.

Much to Alexander's relief and to the doctors' astonishment, the magic did happen, and miraculously the last surgery in an attempt to bring the patient back to life worked, and the day came soon when the patient could breathe without the help of a life support machine.

It was enough for Alexander when the doctors confirmed that the patient wouldn't need a respirator to breathe anymore.

Alexander could cope with the bitter truth that the patient went into a coma as long as he was alive and breathing.

Today when Alexander received the message, he never thought the doctor would suggest such an absurd thing. It sounded utterly ridiculous to Alexander. The doctor said the patient cried because he was in severe pain. It seemed to have happened constantly for the last ten days. After conducting some tests and observations, they decided to inform Alexander.

Just because the salty water spilt out the patient's closed eyelids, they concluded that he had suffered enough and hence should be easy to let him die.

"How can the patient feel the pain when you claim that the patient is resting in a coma? How are you so sure that the person cried?" Alexander asked, sounding exhausted already. "Only because you found the patient's eyes moist?" he laughed, ridiculing their thesis.

Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew Alexander was breaking from inside. He was hurting. She could see how much he was struggling not to lose his hope. He had tried everything he could to save the patient. Yet, here they were, fighting the losing battle.

The doctor couldn't hide his frustration anymore and tossed aside the pen he was holding. The black, shiny pen landed with a clink on the glass table.

Alexander eyed the doctor with an indignant expression plastered on his face. The doctor removed his stethoscope hanging around his neck and placed it on the table. Resting his hands on the table, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head, not at all impressed by Alexander's response.

"It's not easy to understand medical science, Mr Hunter. It's not everyone's cup of tea," the doctor said, and Felicity could detect the insult underlining his statement. It irked her that the doctor dared to mock her husband, but could she blame him, though? It was too hard of a task to please Alexander.

"The patient's body is physically incompetent but not emotionally," the doctor tried to explain but was rudely got cut off in the middle by pissed off Alexander.

"Shouldn't that be reason enough for you to keep your patient alive?" Alexander asked, slamming his fist on the table once again. The cordless telephone on the table, the stethoscope, folders and pen, along with two glasses of water placed in front of Alexander and Felicity, vibrated under the impact caused by force.

Felicity immediately held her husband's hand, stopping him from lashing out while the doctor sighed in defeat and looked at Felicity, pleading with his helpless eyes. "I'm not ready to let go yet, doc," Alexander declared, the tone of his voice brooking no argument.

Alexander was furious, and it wouldn't be easy to convince him. The doctors were all exhausted too. Much to their inconvenience and distress, Alexander insisted they conduct whatever tests were necessary to discover why there was a continuous flow of tears from the patient's eyes.

"Keep him alive as long as you can," Alexander commanded before storming out of the doctor's office.

Felicity lowered her head, eyes stinging with unshed tears. She didn't want to go against Alexander's will. She would never want to let go either. As Alexander said, they weren't ready for it yet.

"It's been fifteen years, Mrs Hunter, and it's too long for anyone to suffer," the doctor said. Felicity nodded in understanding. She listened while the doctor explained. "The patient may seem fine from the outside but is completely broken from inside. There are internal damages that are causing him harm," the doctor said.

The doctor further tried to describe the seriousness of the damage in the patient's brain.

"You're keeping the patient alive against his will, Mrs Hunter. You and I can't understand what mental trauma he must be going through," the doctor concluded. Felicity took the glass of water and drank half of its contents before restoring it to its original place on the table. She took a deep breath and let out a tired sigh.

"Everything is so overwhelming, doctor. Give us time to process this new turn of events. We'll let you know," Felicity said, offering a faint smile in greeting before she went in search of Alexander.

Alexander nodded, acknowledging the greetings of the trusted guards he had assigned to keep the patient inside safe. With loaded weapons in their holster, four of them worked in pairs and would manage day and night shifts alternatively. His men held the door open and let their boss enter the room.

His feet couldn't take him any further into the room. Cursing his hatred for the hospitals, Alexander leaned against the wall beside the door and waited for Felicity. He let his eyes settle on the person sleeping on the bed. His loyal associate, his trusted companion, one of his best friends laid there unconscious.

Oblivious to the commotion exploding inside Alexander's chest, there on the hospital bed, clad in the grey uniform gown, the older version of Michael rested in a deep sleep. His beard was slightly grown longer. It had been a while since Alexander visited him. Whenever he did, he would shave his beard and trim his hair.

A sad smile found its way across Alexander's lips as he remembered how much Michael loved to help him shave his father's whiskers whenever they visited together.

"It's been so long, Romano. Wake up now, buddy," Alexander whispered into the room while Sebastian laid there without any movement except for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the only sign that he was alive.

Alexander heard the clicking of the high heels and was instantly relieved when Felicity walked inside. She studied his face for a second or two before gently taking his hand in hers. Together they walked the distance to the bed. She pulled one of the two chairs for Alexander to sit.

Alexander sat manspreading on the chair, his forearms resting on his thighs, fingers locked together. He had his eyes glued to Sebastian's face as though he wouldn't want to miss the moment when his buddy opened his eyes.

Standing close to the bed, Felicity took one of Sebastian's hands and gave a soft squeeze.

"How are you, Sebastian?" she asked, cupping his bearded cheek. "Alexander is with me. We miss you so much, Sebastian," she admitted, her voice quivering with overwhelming emotions. "Mike is doing great. He's coming home this weekend. He's as handsome as you are," she said.

Alexander let out a silent chuckle. Felicity would never stop bragging about how her cute boys grew up to be the most handsome men.

Suddenly, startling them both, tears started to flow from the corners of Sebastian's closed eyelids, rushing down his temples before disappearing into the pillow under his head. Alarmed, Felicity brushed her hand over Sebastian's temples, wiping the tears. "What's wrong, Sebastian? Are you in pain?" Felicity couldn't hide the distress in her voice when she asked.

Alexander jumped to his feet, and the sight broke his heart. The tears he had been holding back for so long succeeded in escaping his eyes at last.