When she woke the second time round, the delirious feeling had disappeared into nothing, and when she woke up, her eyes adjusting to the light for the second time round, she was finally able to comprehend that she was home. That she was alive. Wounded, bleeding and crying, but alive. And that's all that counted. She looked towards the mop of hair that lay by her side, her eyes softening tenderly as she watched her husband sleep soundly by her side. He looked at peace and for that she was grateful. Her hands moved to tangle into his hair, her fingers curling into his locks as she smoothed them down with a smile on her face. She was glad to be back. The peace her heart received was like the medicine she needed to heal all wounds that covered her body like a second skin, and she got that healing with just his presence. Just having him near was enough. Words didn't need to come to play, and nor did their hands have to be intertwined. Just knowing he was by her side, was enough for her to feel complete and secure. She continued to watch him, as he began to stir, her movements paused as she feels him begin to move, her hand slipping as he moves to his face. And suddenly the sleepiness is shaken from his features shooting to her soft eyes as she smiles. "Hey." She breathed her thumb gently stroking the side of his cheek. He looked tired, like he had aged through the mental and emotional trauma and she felt the guilt gush through her form especially when his eyes started to water, he subconsciously leaned into her touch and Irene could see his resolve crack as he looked at her. "How are you feeling?" He asked finally finding his voice as he grabbed onto her hand that rested on his face, kissing the inside of her palm. "Sore." She said as she moved. He shot up, arms on either side as he leaned her forward into his chest to adjust her pillows before helping her ease back into the comforts. She let out a contented sigh as he looked at her, hands moving parts of her bangs out of her way as she smiled up at him. "Hey...Jack I'm fine." She finally said. He stared at her, his eyes focusing away from hers. "Baby..." she whispered, her hand pulling his line of sights towards hers. "I'm okay. I'm right here." "I lost you." He said, his voice hoarse and pained. "I lost you irene. You died on that table and i-" he choked on his sob eyes faltering as she gently wiped away the liquid that had escaped from his eyes. "I'm right here, Jack. I'm back, and I'm not leaving you again." He looked at her. "Promise." She nodded, the words failing to come to her mouth because no matter how much she wanted to reassure him, she couldn't. This game was between her and Suho. Her and her past and one can not live whilst the other survived. If it came down to it and she failed she knew her life would have to be lay down and she had made her peace with it, but she couldn't let him know. He just watched her die and now was not the time. She needed to recuperate, she needed to heal what had been broken so that she was stronger. So that she could come back to him with no strings attached. She was pulling him into her past and it was the last thing she wanted to do. She couldn't allow her past to touch him, to hurt him. She no longer cared about what happened to her. Her priority was Jackson and keeping him out of this. She looked towards him shuffling slightly before patting the bed. "Babygirl-" "Please." She asked and so after removing his shoes he climbed up besides her being careful to not hurt her further. She snuggled into his chest. "Jack hold me." "I can't." He said. "I don't want to hurt you." "You won't." His arms carefully wrapped around her pulling her closer as she settled. She looked up to him. "I love you." She uttered softly, watching the way his eyes widened. This was the first time he had heard her say it, and his body had never felt so alive. He angled his head slightly. "What?" He said, wondering if he had misheard. "I love you." She said with a bright smile. She brought his face to hers, before leaning the rest of the way to plant a kiss to his lips. And soon he had joined, the two respectively healing through their love.

Jinyoung, Joy accompanied with mark and Wendy walked in quickly halting as they saw this scene. "YAH!" The two jumped slightly. "This isn't a tv drama." Said Wendy walking up sternly. "Irene you need rest not Kuya's lips." Irene laughed, as Jackson blushed Irene taking the piss more as he did. "Shove off wends my husband is my medicine." Mark and Jinyoung high-fived her as Jackson continued to blush. His head falling to his hands as he squealed causing them to laugh more. "Don't do that to us again Rene please." She nodded, Wendy eyeing her carefully. "Say it." She said, Irene's eyes widening. "Promise Irene." She sighed, Wendy saying the words again. "Wends I can't." Everyone visibly tensed. "This is between me and Suho, you know this. I can't promise that. I'm sorry." Jackson tensed from besides her. "You said moments ago you aren't leaving me again irene." He said. She closed her eyes.
"Why can't you guys understand-" "No Irene your the one who's fucking not understanding..." cut in Wendy. "You died on that fucking table last night. You bled out. You were unresponsive for five minutes whilst every single one of us was a mess thinking you had left. Kuya has been a mess since you had been taken. He hasn't slept in weeks, he's barley eaten because he's been working non stop to get to you. Yesterday was hell for us, but can you imagine how painful it was for him. He has stayed glued to your side through it all, and that hand he hasn't let go off since you've returned, he hasn't closed his eyes for more then ten minutes because he's scared that when he wakes up you won't be there. I know what your past means. I know your scared and I know that you want to do this alone in efforts to protect us all but what about you. You need protecting to Irene. Your not facing this alone. Because we are a team, a family, and this is what family does. You have never let any one of us go through anything alone so why should we let you." Irene looked up to her. "I'm not strong enough." She whispered, her voice echoing as the rest of their family huddled around them at the end of Wendy's mini speech. "What?" "I cant lose you!" She shouted. "All I've ever wanted was a family Wendy. And I have one. I'm not about to let my past decisions effect the rest off you. He will slaughter you like a hobby and he will force me to watch. I'm trying to protect you all here because like you said that's what family does. How do you expect me to allow each and everyone of you to walk into battle with no goddamn armour."She pushed herself up ignoring the pain and the protests from her sides to sit back down. Jackson swung his legs over the edge rushing to her side as her legs shook. She shoved his chest back lightly, taking her steps towards Wendy. "Look at me wends. This is what he does. He shoots at you for fun. He dowses your body with alcohol to make the pain excruciating to the point you wish for death. He uses women as sex dolls and through it all he sits back and watches in satisfaction. You want to protect me, but you can't. None of you can." "You haven't even let us try." Said Jackson, his patience now running thin. "Because you don't know him like I do. And please, let's not forget about Jin. Who shot a brother right in front of us to get away. These aren't ordinary criminals. They are psychopaths and their need for blood and destruction will get us all killed." "So what you plan to do this alone?" Questioned Mark, watching as she struggled to stand. "Anything to minimise the casualties. He's after my life, not yours. You don't need to be sacrificial in between so forget it wends ." "No." She said. Irene's eyes flashed up to hers. "Stop being so god damn stubborn Irene." "Do you not understand plain English." "Just let us help." "I can't allow that." "Or it's because you don't trust us." Irene's form slumped slightly. "Wendy-" "Well what else can it be." Irene pushed herself forward, ignoring the rush to her forehead as she did, heading to her desk before roughly opening it. She chucked things towards them, their eyes widening as Irene hurled the pictures to the floor, pictures containing the monstrosities that he had been responsible for. "You won't take my words seriously fine. You all want to be stubborn and get yourselves killed fine. I don't care. Go ahead, do exactly that." Irene could feel her legs give in. As she shouted for a nurse. "Give me the morphine." She yanked the injection from the nurses hand, ripping the cover with her mouth before injecting it into herself. "Mrs Wang that's too much." Irene ripped it away slamming it into the steel bowl. "It won't kill me." She walked back to bed her eyes closing as she left the onlookers in silence. Jackson watched as she fell back into her slumber, his eyes casting up to his family around him, the looks of concern apparent in all of their eyes. Jackson pulled the blanket over her form, before taking a seat besides her, everyone else following suit.

TBC

Authors note:
Hey guys. Hope you enjoy this one. Lots of love and best wishes to you all. Please let me know what you think about this one. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks 😊 stay safe xx