Lonliness, for some, is a slow death.

'Léo meant it when he said the chances of survival were slim...'

Jefferson didn't fully agree with the way Reis handled it. But he understood why.

Nonetheless, his heart was heavy.

"What happened?" Sarah 's voice came through the driver's window.

Jefferson went stiff for second 'Did she heard?' But looking at her eyes, there was nothing out of the norm.

He got out of the car and gave her a grin. "Thanks for the ride."

She looked at him seriously. "I explained everything that happened in these last years to your mother.

Feeling the difference in mood Jefferson only nodded.

"Lucas called, His promotion comes with another address; P1city"

She said it all at once.

Jefferson thought of the talk he just had. But judging by Sarah's line of work and Lucas, they'll be well protected. But her nervous and bothered manner made him noticed something else.

"You don't want to go?" He asked.

She looked at him in anger. The way he acted all morning with her and his sudden recovery obviously meant something. But why was this idiot so dense!?

Out of spite, her eyes went cold. "We won't be living in the same place anymore, and won't have the same level of contact, to be truthful we've been to close to each other. although it was fine because we were both married. Now you're single. We can't walk around like this anymore."

She said ruthlessly and looked at him coldly. looking for any flinch, or twitch he might let on, but his face remained the same. In fact, he smiled.

Her heart sunk and she frowned. Pain and anger rose on her chest. She didn't look him anymore, neither did she waited for an answer.

She shoved him out of the way. And entered her car.

His voice came as she twisted the key.

"I know Lucas, but what are you gonna do there?"

She didn't know what she expected from that small exchange. But she answered."I'll take care of the military and domestic network's security."

She looked at him expecting something, she just wasn't sure of what.

He smiled and waved her off.

"Your mother wants to talk to you." She said through clenched teeth and stepped on the gas like a NASCAR champion.

"Brother you're so dense." Bella, the long blonde haired little girl came to his side wearing a pink gym's boyshorts and caved blouse. She munching on a tangerine gum.

He looked down her naked feet and frowned. "Go home and wear a shoe, you'll catch a cold."

"But it's hot! you're so dense." She answered.

A sigh came from behind them, It was Maria. She was still getting used to walking again but otherwise looked lively. Jefferson's eyes softened until she opened her mouth.

She leaned in with a smile and patted Bella's hair. "It isn't that he doesn't see it. It's just that he's a wuss when it comes to the women in his life."

Bella widened her eyes in realization "Are these the 'no good men' mother talked before?"

Maria nodded her head, proud that her daughter remembered her teachings., "Yes, but your brother has qualities that outshine that flaw. So don't be too hard on him."

The fifteen looked at Jefferson's stiff face and laughed. "Now go put something on those feet."Maria's voice turned stern, scaring the little girl away.

Maria scoffed at him. "Couldn't even send a little girl to wear some shoe without quibbling."

"How can I compete with my rogue mother?" He stated with a grin.

They smiled at each other.

A chilling breeze passe by them and Maria's eyes turned serious.

"I heard of everything that happened until now. And I never saw an intelligent man such as yourself, commit so damn many dumb mistakes."

His heart sunk. "How so? I had just started college when you went paralyzed, there wasn't- no in fact. There isn't a known cure for you, and without a dad, I had to lo-"

"I"m talking right now!" Maria cut him short.

"I know you from inside-out. I can see your line of thinking behind everything that happened; I fell ill, then you took upon yourself to find the cure. because Sarah was suffering from the danger you were in. You divorced her. Because of enemies, you distanced yourself from Raquel and Bella. And when you spend all those years and nothing bore fruit, you gave up and Half-assed a romance with that slut."

She calmed her breath and look straight to his eyes. "Through these, I can pinpoint exactly where you went wrong, and what made you ill. Do you know? Or want me to say?"

He lit up a cigarette and looked to the sky. He exhaled the smoke "I don't know."

Maria looked at him with the look a mother would give a sad son.

"You distanced yourself from the very things you wanted to protect. That was what broke everything. Not my disease, not your enemies in the army, not the corruption of the world. It's because you were alone."

Her words hit his chest like a hammer.

"Because you wanted to protect them, you went away. and because of that they suffered, Raquel has grown so detached to everything, that as long as we're safe, she would not give a damn if everyone else died. Bella tries to overcompensate in school and activities because she thinks that her sister's lack of emotions and her brother's distance are, somehow, her fault. And the last. Sarah, she's a real crazy one. She went and married that scum and moved to your apartment building. All in the hope that someday you'd step up and take her away. But the time passed and she started to care less and less. if you hadn't recovered today. You probably would've lost her completely."

Jefferson's eyes contorted. He didn' think everything was connected to him like this, then grief overcame his heart.

"You did everything alone. Your only retreat was your crew in the army. Sarah told me about it. They died. You were crushed and gave up then.

You went to work on a lab and slowly thinned away. That slut of yours was a stupid attempt to get your life back."

The cigar fell from his mouth. He smiled bitterly. "You concluded all that, only one hour after waking up from a five-year coma?"

Maria embraced him tightly. "I know this is harsh, but problems are not solved by half-assing, it's better to know all the roots of the problem."

She pulled his head and tiptoed to kiss his forehead.

"Now go, you know your mistakes, now you just have to solve them. start by seducing Raquel and Sarah."

Jefferson froze.

She gave him a cheap smile "Be greedy boy. They might hate each other, but if it's them, it might work out fine."

"Raquel is my Step-sister." Jefferson protested.

"So was my husband. Their father." Maria laughed out loud.