+Red Army Base+

"They're coming back!" Tomi exclaims happily, having heard the news from Zack. He had rushed pass the man, from Tom's office where he and Torm were playing in, to head for the front yard.

They were finally coming home.

He could hear the sounds of the helicopter propellers in the distance through the open windows in the halls.

"Tomi wait!" Torm exclaims as he follows after him. He had listened to Zach through the whole news. If anything, Tomi should not be there when they come out.

The two of them make it to the front yard. One in high spirits while the second one worried.

Tomi turns around to look at his brother happily. "They're home!"

Torm rushes over and grabs him by the arm. "Tomi we have to go back inside." He says trying to persuade his younger brother into going back to the office. "We can talk to them when they come inside."

Tomi tugs his arm away, "Why wait? We can greet them now when they come out."

Soldiers from the base start coming out to the yard. The whole medical staff coming out as well to get ready for the worse of who comes out of that helicopter.

Tomi looks around and notices the solemn faces of the soldiers and friends behind them as they look toward the aircraft. "Why does everyone look sad?" He asks Torm.

Torm presses his lips into a thin line, unsure of how to tell Tomi what happened. "Tomi..." His hands clenched on either side of his body.

The copter get closer, making start to descend to the ground a distance away from the group. The medics rush up to the aircraft once it had safely touched the ground.

Tomi and Torm watch as Tord jumps out of the helicopter with a dark look on his face. His arms held behind his back, stepping aside, as he watches two of the medics board the craft.

They come back out, pulling out a gurney.

"Mom..." Tomi says seeing Tom on the gurney unmoving and quiet. His goggles cracked and broken. "M-Mom..." His voice says again, this time shakily scared.

Torm hugs Tomi from behind and covers his eyes with his hands. "Don't look Tomi. Don't look." He repeats over and over to his little brother.

Tomi could only hear the sound of wheels turning, rushing passed him with the mixed sound of many footsteps along with them. Many of the medics spoke as they pass by the children.

"Get him to the operation room stat."

"I need the rundown of what happened."

"Someone prepare the X-Rays."

Torm could feel tears escaping Tomi's eyes. He looks up when a tall shadow falls over him and his brother. "..."

Tord stands in front of the two monster children with a painful expression. Only to turn soft seeing the both of them scared or worried. Tomi is even crying for pete's sake. He bends down to their height so that they talk face to face, "Torm, Tomi."

Torm gives Tomi his sight back again as he lets his hands fall back to his side. "Tord, what happened to Tom?"

Tomi moves quickly to find comfort in hugging Tord tightly. "I-Is *hic* mom a-alright?"

The leader hugs Tomi back tightly as he rubs his back up and down. "He did the mission and it was a success, but he got hurt in the process to save me." He looks at the ground, "He's still alive, so don't worry. The doctors will do everything they can keep it that way."

The little monster cries into Tord's jacket. Tord picks him up to carry him his arms. His free hand held out to Torm. "Come here Torm, we're going to go to my office. We need to sit down and wait for news of Tom's health."

Torm nods slowly, taking hold of his offered hand. Silently following his guidance to his office.

All silently wishing Tom would be okay.

+Tord's Office+

Tomi sat on the couch in Tord's office snuggled next to his brother. So far there hasn't been any updates on Tom's health, putting them on the edge of their emotions.

"Is it my fault?"

Tord and Torm look at Tomi who asked that question in a shaken voice.

"Did I drive mom away somehow?" Fat tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Torm hugs Tomi, "Tomi, none of this is your fault. Why would you think it's because of you?"

"Because I always think I'm bothering him!" He hiccups and sniffles. His brother wiping his tears away with the end of his sleeve. "Maybe mom went on this mission to get away from me."

"Tomi, if there is anyone to blame, it should be me," Torm said as he bites the bottom of his lip. "I always get the feeling he hates me. Ever since I was let out, there's this constant feeling he regrets knowing about me."

Tord shook his head hearing the words coming out of their mouth. He gets up from behind his desk, walking over to the couch. He kneels down in front of them and takes their hands in each of his own.

"Both of you, I never want to hear those words come out of your mouth. You two are not to blame for Tom's reason to go on this mission. We both talked about him going, but as always he's stubborn." Tord looks at them both with a serious gaze. "I didn't want Tom to go. If anything it was my fault, I shouldn't have allowed him to come."

The kids bit their bottom lip feeling Tord's hands shaking slightly. "But Tordy-"

"Tomi," Tord said cutting him off before he could speak. "Tom loves your smiles. They always make his day the best." The older man chuckles as he tells them what Tom told him. "He said, he always sees you doodling on your arms when your bored, it's the cutest thing ever. The stars you drew on both his and your arm were amazing. He said the artistic side of you becoming more and more better each day."

Tomi squeezes Tord's hand, willing himself not to start another tearful flood.

Tord looks at Torm who looks surprised when he gets attention. "Torm, Tom speaks of you like he's known you for years. He's amazed by everything you do." The Red Leader closes his eyes recalling what Tom told him about their kid. "He said you looked pretty cool with a red streak your hair."

"Really? But you said to take it off..."

A soft laugh escapes his mouth, "I got my ass handed to me later that day by Tom. He got at mad at me for not letting the both of you do what you want with your hair." Tord gently smiles when the two monster children laugh at his small misfortune too. "He said, he wonders how you dance so well. He and Tomi were watching you dance once, but you moved around like no one was around to even watch."

Torm didn't know Tom paid attention to him that much. He loves Tord and Tom, like parents, but he used to believe they were turning their backs on him too much. Just because he was a mistake, but he assumed wrong.

"Did he say anything else?" Tomi asks hesitantly.

Even if it was unspoken Tord told them, "Tom loves the both you." Tom may not be able to say it to them, but Tord was sure to hell going to say those words for him.

The kids smile childishly. The two of them look at each other and back to Tord happily. They tackle Tord to the floor to hug him tightly.

"We love the both of you too!" Tomi giggles, snuggling his face into Tord's jacket.

"I got to admit, you two are the best." Torm chuckles.

"Whoa, I was telling you Tom's thoughts about you two."

Torm rolls his eyes at him. "Please, don't take us for idiots. We've noticed the little things you do for us too."

Tomi giggles, "Yeah, like how you fixed my bear. I remember there was always a tear in his arm before, but now there's none there." He actually caught Tord going to the Uniform's Department with his teddy bear in his hands. Then he came back out with a completely fixed bear in his hands a few minutes later.

Tord looks slightly flustered being caught red handed. "Ah... So you knew about that."

"And how you made me a customized gun for my style," Torm remembered when Tom came into his office one day with a red wrapped box. He had given the box to him to open since Tom told him its a present. "Tom told me the scientists and technicians made the weapon for me to use for safety purposes, but they can't make one unless they have your permission." The young devil crosses his arms over his chest with a smirk. "No less, having one made so well with my own signature symbol only you and Tom know about."

Yeah, caught red handed by the kids alright. "Okay fine, you got me." Tord wraps the kids in a hug with a smile on his lips. He noticed their tear stained faces were now dry and their solemn expressions are replaced with happy ones.

Knock knock

"Red Leader." Paul's voice sounds from the other side of the door.

Tord looks to the door, his lighten expression returning back to a serious one. "Come in." He picks Torm and Tomi up to set them on the couch as two of his soldiers come into the room.

They look sort of relieved, yet worried to some degree while looking at the group of three.

"What's the news on Tom?"

Patryk clears his throat, "Thankfully, he made it through the operation and is now stable." The kids smile at the good news.

"However," Paul puts in for the bad news, "Tom has been put into a coma. The Doctors are unsure of when he'll wake up."

The smiles on Torm and Tomi's face go back to sad ones. Tord sighs and holds his hands behind his back.

Patryk looks at the kids, "If you would like kids, I could take you to go see him now." It's the least he could do for them. Without Tom, the kids were less enthusiastic. Sure Tord can make their day too, but Tom is mostly the one who cared for them during the day when Tord's too busy with his army.

"Can we Patty?" Tomi asks.

Patryk nods as he holds his hands out for the kids to hold. Torm and Tomi get off the couch, taking a hold of his hands. He looks at Tord, "I'll take them to go see Tom first. You don't mind do you?"

"I don't mind, they need to see him more anyway. Make sure they don't cause trouble for him now." Patrick nods to Tord before leading the kids out of the office.

Paul remains in the office to discuss something further with Tord. "Son, are you sure you're okay?"

"What do you mean dad? I'm fine."

The brunet shook his head. He takes a drag of his cigarette before speaking. "Tom's coma state might have an effect on you. I just don't want you too stressed about his current state. He will wake up." Paul was never the one to give a word of hope, that was Patryk's job, but he thought he should pitch in sometimes.

Tord shows his dad a tired smile. "I get the point... Now can I have time to myself? I need a small break from everything right now." His dad was right, stress is piling on him now. He had his army to worry about, the kids, and most especially Tom now that he's in a coma.

The soldier nods and gives Tord his space by leaving the room.

Tord goes to sit behind his desk once again. Sighing as he takes a seat, he pulls his desk drawer open to pick out a fat cigar. He sets the piece in his mouth and lights up the end of it with his robot arm. Taking a long drag of his cigar, he exhales the smoke slowly.

"I'll go visit Tom later tonight."

+With Torm and Tomi+

Torm and Tomi went to visit their mother with Patryk leading them. The two of them didn't say a word unless they were greeted by other soldiers passing by on their way there.

When they arrive at the medical ward, Grace greeted the three. "Hello." Her usual cheerful smile, sadder, even tired because of all the panic earlier. She looks at Paul tiredly, "I can take them from here."

"Are you sure? I don't mind taking them in to see him." The tall soldier says, but the woman nods as firm as she could. "Alright then, make sure you two don't cause any trouble."

The kids nod, watching Patryk leave through the doors to go find his partner. They turn back to Grace who smiles for a moment more at them before turning her back to them.

"Follow me."

The three of them walk pass a couple of private rooms until they get to the one at the end of the hall. On the door is the patient's name.

Private Room RX
Patient: Tom/Blue Leader

Grace opens the door for the kids and lets them go into the room first.

They were greeted by the sight of Tom's sleeping form on the bed. Hooked up to IV and a heart monitor that kept a steady beep following Tom's heart. Instead of the VR set are those familiar white bandages covering his eyes again.

"Mom..." Tomi felt like crying seeing his mother's coma state. He runs over and climbs on the bed to get closer to the older male.

"Tomi be careful!" Torm whispers quietly to his brother while coming over to the bed as well.

Grace stays on the other side of the door quietly, to let the two boys get some time with her Leader.

Tomi moves carefully to lay next to Tom. He snuggles up to the brunet's side as his older brother stays standing next to the bedside watching them. "Mommy?"

There are no words or movement from the brunet on the bed. He simply stays still, keeping steady even breaths to show signs he's still there with them.

Torm watches Tom with sad eyes. He wishes the man could wake up right now. So everyone wouldn't be giving off this gloomy atmosphere, so Tomi would stop crying, and Tord could become less stressful.

Grace had given them their supplies that she requested from the soldiers passing by the medical ward earlier to keep them busy. They stayed there for a few hours, Torm making blue and red paper cranes while Tomi drew pictures of himself, Torm, Tom, and Tord. Tomi would tape the drawings to the walls while Torm strung the paper cranes up to the ceiling with tape to make it look like they were flying around the room. At some point, Tomi got tired and took a nap next to Tom while Torm cleaned up their scraps.

When their stay had gotten too long, Torm finally decided to give Tom his space. He went over to Tomi to shake him awake.

"Tomi, we should go back now."

The young monster's eyes slowly open from his sleep. "Can't we stay a little longer?"

The caramel haired child shakes his head. "Tord's gonna need us now."

"I guess you're right..." The young monster turns over sleepily to crawl up to Tom's face so he could plant a light kiss on his mother's cheek. "Wake up soon."

Torm helps Tomi down from the bed and they're exiting the room. Grace brings them back to the front of the ward where they find Tord waiting for them.

"Tordy!" Tomi runs up to him tiredly and jumps into his open arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get the both of you. Do you know how late it is?" Tord carries Tomi in his arms, giving the two kids a questioning expression.

"Bedtime," Torm said crossing his arms, to say he's not a fan. His eyes look over to the windows above to show the night sky already in set up above.

"Right you are. Now off to bed." Tord picks Torm up even if there were protests and complains from the oldest monster child.

He thanks Grace for watching them and leaves the medical ward with both the kids in his arms. Halfway back to his section of the base, the two little monsters fell asleep with soft, light snores coming from the both of them. Tord chuckles at the sight but continues on his way to his bedroom.

Reaching his room, Tord sets the little monsters on his bed and tucks them in side by side. Tomi turns over in his sleep to hug Torm's arm tightly, yet Torm isn't bothered by the grip on his arm.

"Good night my små soldater."

~Small Time Skip~

After Tord got the kids to bed, he went back to the medical ward with a solemn look. He is finally going to see Tom after all this time.

He enters the ward, ignoring the medics who were working the night shift and were saluting him as he passes. They all know he came here to see Tom by the look on his face. Their voices were silent unless their leader spoke to them.

Tord comes up to one of his medics, "Show me to Thomas's room."

"Yes, sir."

Like before with Grace, this doctor shows Tord to the private room at the end of the hall where Tom is kept in. The doctor leaves his Leader to give him privacy with their second Leader who is still in a coma state on the bed.

Only the heart monitor and the smaller machines make noise in this room. A resounding beep that keeps a steady pace following his lover's heartbeat.

Tord walks up to the foot of Tom's bed, his hands coming to form a fist by his sides. His gaze falls to the floor, eyes closing before looking back at Tom with small anger. "Tom, do you want to know what I'm scared of?" His voice covered in the emotion of worry. His hand comes up to grip at the front of his jacket.

Tom lays there, not responding in any way.

"I'm scared of everything! I'm scared to move, I'm scared to breathe. I'm scared to touch you!" The look of anguish comes on to Tord's face, slowly moving to regret and realization. "You made me love you, you made me let you in." The feelings he held for the brunet were always silent, but once they made themselves known, they were always making him submit. Love made him weak, but he accepts that deep down in his heart for Tom.

Then again, the heart monitor is the only one that beeps in response with steady beats.

"And then you freakin' die in my arms..." Tord could picture that day clearly in his mind. Tom in his arms after he had pulled him out of the rubble. Blood and the feeling of his light pulse on his fingertips. He walks over to Tom to cup the side of his face gently. "I can't lose you Tom..."

His hand moves down to hold Tom's unmoving hand, but he pulls back before their fingers could even touch. He just can't pull himself to hold him. "I won't survive." His visible eye closing softly. "And that's your fault..."

Tord let's out a big sigh after getting off his chest, giving Tom one last look before he heads out of the room. He turns his back to Tom and walks out of the room with a tired look as he closes the door behind him.

Unaware that Tom's fingers have moved.

+x+x+x+x+
Hey everyone!!!
Another chapter, hope you guys enjoyed this little thing^^

Anyways, I have your daily fanart. If you also noticed, I used the fan animation. Which I have been planning to use for some time now. Thanks to them for making this wonderful piece :)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Thank you so much for this! It really means a lot that someone should make a short animation of this fanfic. Love your art seriously infinity is your score!!!

So cute^^ From @ew_tori !!!
I really love this drawing

These two are from mamaduckling27 who sent this to me through tumblr and insta!!! Thank you, they are very adorable^^

Thanks for the fanart everyone!!! You're all very beautiful too, never forget that :)