Time is a bitch. That was all Luca could think sitting in the uncomfortable chair hearing the constant beeping of the machine beside him. One moment things could be never better and in a single second everything changes. He can only recall one or two other times in his life time that he felt so helpless... so lost.

"Thank you doctor"

Hearing the familiar voice, he turns his attention to the door where the eldest Andrews is walking back into the room. Her face showing the immense pain she is experience. It was only an hour ago they were all joking in her home and having a good time. It felt good to Luca to be included in such a group. Not once did they make him feel excluded even when they called him by his surname. He wasn't sure if he should have corrected them so he let it go for the evening.

He was able to experience a whole new thing. Friends. It was such a weird concept to him. When he was younger, he attempted to make friends but the only ones he truly trusted were his family. His only 'friend' was his uncle Nicholas. That man knew how to rile up both his parents enough. He was a military man and boy did he love his job. He eventually went back when he got older per a request for help. It was the last time he got to see his uncle alive. That note still sits in his office because he refuses to read it yet.

Shaking his head of those negative thoughts, he reaches forward taking the sleeping beauties hand into his own. Her wrist now holding a hospital band with her name and age printed on it. How did it turn so fast?

"There was nothing we could have done Luca."

He lifts his gaze to find Jessica gently rubbing Sophia's hair away from her forehead. Her eyes remaining trained on her baby sister. Her other hand gripping her hand firmly.

"She doesn't deserve this." His voice heavy with frustration.

"I know.." Jessica whispers gently as she leans down to leave an affectionate kiss on her forehead. She sits down in the chair behind her. "She is fighter though. Whether or not she admits it... she is."

"What did you tell Taylor and Brad?"

"To help me with Destiny and I would let them know what was going on." She says with a sigh of her own. "It's not my place to tell."

"I can't describe how I felt..." Luca says feeling his own emotions come forth. He has never been this open other than with his mother but he feels Jessica doesn't judge him. She has this aura that reminds him of his Aunt Cami.

"It's fear" She says still not looking at him. She leans forward so her other hand can rub her sister's arm. "I've only felt like this one other time in my life."

Luca looks to her with a questioning gaze. After a moment she continues but her gaze seems to be elsewhere.

"The night my parents died I was away at college. It was around 7 or so that evening when I got the call... A police officer asked if I was Jessica Andrews and my blood froze. It was as if I couldn't breathe. After confirming my identity he informed me of the accident stating I needed to get home. I can't even recall how I got home that night." She chuckles humorlessly before her teary eyes train back on Sophia.

"I felt so heart broken. The people who gave birth and raised me were gone like that." She snaps her fingers. Her body trembling with a silent cries before collecting herself. Luca continued to listen to her story. "That night, I really thought I would die. I laid in my old bed crying when my door opened. Sophia stood there with her own tear stained face but tried to look brave. She didn't care that I was a mess, she crawled into my bed and just held me. The entire night, my baby sister kept me together as the world crumbled around us."

"She's your rock.." Luca says softly as Jessica nodded in confirmation.

"She has no idea how much she has given me over the years. When she came home with my parents, she was 3 or 4 and I was so thrilled to have a sister to call my own. Over the years I feel like the roles got reversed. She stayed strong when she first got diagnosed at 13 years old. Then when our parents died, she kept me from falling into darkness. When I found out about Destiny, she said she would be there every step of the way."

"Destiny is lucky to have both of you."

"Like I said Luca... I'm lucky to have Sophia. She has been my other half for the better portion of my life."

He remains quiet for a moment digesting all the information he was just given. She was adopted. He knew that on some level due to the difference in their features. He didn't know the age of her first diagnosis. She was just a teenager. Life is cruel. Then she lost her parents before even becoming an adult. She was a fighter as Jessica had said.

"I've only felt like this two other times that I can recall." He says while bringing Sophia's hand to his lips kissing it gently. Jessica finally looks to him which he can from the corner of his eye. "Both times included my mother. She is fighter, a survivor... just like Sophia."

The room goes quiet and the beeping being the only sound. He continues, "The first was when she was forcibly ripped away from me and my father. I was terrified but I was just a kid. I can barely recall anything when I was a kid before her but that night... I felt my heart stop. The second time I was sitting beside her."

He stops taking a deep breath before exhaling shakily. "Due to a drunk driver, we were hit and my mother lunged over to protect me. Her body engulfed mine taking the blunt of the force."

"I'm sorry Luca"

"She was pregnant with my twin siblings at the time." A tear escapes as he replays the images of that fateful day as if it was yesterday. "I can still remember the look of determination on her face as she wrapped herself around me."

"Sounds like she truly loves you."

"Yeah.." He says with a small smile. Pictures of his mother and him dancing through his head. "I couldn't breathe for a good solid day after the event and refused to leave her after she awoken."

The room goes quiet again for some time as they both get lost in their thoughts. Luca couldn't stop thinking about how those other two times felt versus today. Sophia was just lying against his side one moment and the next her body collapsed out of the chair. His arms quickly catching her but the chair did come out from below her. Then seeing blood dripping out of her nose. His body felt like it was fighting to inhale. The sounds of everything and everyone around him were drowned out. The feeling of Jessica shaking his shoulder finally pulling from oblivion. He just nodded numbly still refusing to release her from his grasp.

Jessica made quick of driving them to the hospital and entering, the doctors were quick to come to them. The only problem was his hands refusal to release her. He only did so when Jessica gently took his arm making him momentarily glare at the elder sibling. He could see the pain in her gaze and it made him come back to reality aware that he couldn't do anything for her. He relented but stayed as close as possible while they checked on her.

Now a few hours later here they sat in a room with the news that they were expecting. Sophia's leukemia has come back and she needs a bone marrow transplant. She has been put on a list to find a match but it could be months if ever til a match is found. Then there is her going through the steps including chemo and radiation which she hasn't agreed to yet. It all depended on what she says when she wakes up.

Knock Knock

The door slides open and in walks Taylor with a handful of coffees. She gives a teary eyed smile. "Figured you could use these."

Jessica stands up to engulf her friend. Taylor sets the coffees on a table as her friend and boss engulf her in hug. Taylor's eyes going to the bed where her heart clenches at the sight. She takes a moment in the comfort of Jessica's arms to crumble but quickly recomposes herself giving a forced smile. "Any news?"

"Yes but we are going to wait for Sophia to wake up before I say." Taylor nods her head with a tight lip smile. "Brad has Destiny?"

"Yea, little princess is being spoiled. I swear he loves that kid more than anything."

Jessica smiles before taking one of the coffees. Her eyes glancing back at the bed to find Luca resting his head against her sister's arm. The sight both lifting and crushing her. Her baby sister finally gets to experience love and it couldn't have come at a worse time. She only hopes that she chooses to fight. Not for her or Destiny or even Luca... but for herself. For the chance to live.

Luca can hear them as they talk lowly before exiting the room leaving him in here with his sleeping tesoro. He feels the weight on his shoulders but he can bare it. He would for her. She made him feel like no one else. She looked at him and saw him. Not some CEO, not the cold heartless man stories foretell, not the zombie barely moving through life. He felt alive in her presence and he would be damn if he would let that go.

Luca lifted his head from her arm and scooted his chair so it was closer to her head. His face coming closer to hers. His hand stroking her auburn locks from her face absentmindedly.

"You better listen to me Tesoro. I need you to know that you mean everything to me... and I can't- I can not lose you... Do you hear me?" He closed his eyes feeling his tears coming in. "You are not allowed to give in. You are not allowed to give up because I am a selfish bastard that wants to keep you all to myself."

He squeezes her hand in his own feeling her heat transfer to him. "I am so desperately falling for you Sophia Andrews. I love the way you make me feel, the way you light up a room without even trying. You are my light, and without it.. I fear the darkness will swallow me whole."

"I'-I'm he-here"

His eyes shoot open to find a very tired pair of emerald eyes looking back as she attempts to squeeze his hand back. He smiles as the tears release down his cheeks. He is fast to his feet kissing her forehead before proceeding to kiss her lips. His forehead remaining connected to hers.

"You can not leave me tesoro, I don't give you permission."

A soft giggle escapes her lips making his heart soar. He leans down slowly kissing her once again. He pulls back and Sophia uses her strength to move over pulling him up. He tries to resist but her pleading eyes make him cave almost instantly. He crawls in holding her without disturbing the IV in her other arm. A few minutes go by before he hears her voice. The words making his heart beat exponentially.

"I'm falling for you too Luca... I don't want to go anywhere."

He kisses her temple multiple times practically squeezing her to his frame. Her body contouring to his like a puzzle piece that was always missing. A minute goes by before the door opens and in walks Jessica and Taylor. Both girls exhaling and sobbing as the come to the bed. Jessica is quick to engulf Sophia even with Luca holding her. Taylor sits at the foot of her bed rubbing her leg through the blanket. After a minute, Jessica pulls back with teary eyes looking down at her sister.

Sophia looks to her with a gentle smile, "I'm here Jess..."

Just like that, the elder Andrews crumbles laying her head against Sophia's stomach. Sophia gently raises her hand to rub her sister's back while Luca continues to hold her. His eyes going to Taylor who is trying so hard to hold back her own tears.