His every cell had been shaken, uncertain on what was in front of him. His brother had been alive this entire time, and his supposed dad had kept that from him.

Caiden didn't hesitate. He turned around, looking at the composed man standing there, and slapped him right across the face.

Noah didn't flinch.

He wanted to ask him how he could do this; keep them apart if he had been alive this whole time. Why didn't he care that Mark had been everything to Caiden, but when he lost him Noah didn't say a single word. Noah stood there and told the nurses to take care of the body for him.

Caiden could feel himself fall back, but before his knees had completely given in, Jake's heart monitor began beeping.

"You have so much explaining to do, but before anything, I want to tell you how much I hate you. How much it hurts to know that someone with your own flesh and blood just throws money at you constantly, but doesn't put in a bit of effort into your life," Caiden heard footsteps outside the room, and knew the others had been there, awaiting any news of their friend.

"How the fuck are we damn related?" Caiden shouted at the man, who was completely unfazed by his son.

"I saw him die. I heard the heart flatline. I know he died," he slapped him again, punching his dad's hard rock stomach.

"If you would quiet down, I'll give you every answer you're searching for," Caiden felt his anger building, listening to the emotionless father standing before him.

Noah instructed the nurse taking care of the two boys lying on their beds to tell the others of Jake's condition and to give them a moment alone. The nurse nodded, following the orders given to her.

Caiden took a second to calm himself, taking deep breaths, while sitting on the chair beside his boyfriend's bed. His form was lifeless; his big hazel eyes weren't staring at the raven haired boy, and holding his hand wasn't the same.

The white walls were blinding and a chilling feeling filled the room, as chocolate brown eyes opened on the other side of the space.

His eyes fluttered open, unable to make out what was surrounding him. Mark's vision was blurry and the cold engulfing his vicinity was breaking the numbing feeling surrounding his body. His mind was jumbled with nonsense, and every cell in his being was insensible.

Just the smallest of moves took forever for him to accomplish, and not a single word could be uttered from the sandpaper tongue he had in his mouth.

Caiden wanted to shout at his brother how much he missed him, but in the back of his head he had a fear Mark wouldn't remember him. Before he could get up to tell the nurse about his brother's recovery, Noah spoke into a walkie talkie, calling for someone by the name of Viola.

Viola made her way inside the room, checking Mark's vitals, instantly. "Looks good, but he won't be able to make any movements or speak for quite some time. Three years in a coma is no joke, Sir."

"Thank you, Viola. Please let Dr. Green know I will be needing the medication as soon as possible," he requested, which she replied to with a nod.

Viola's brown hair swayed back and forth has she walked out of the door, off to find whomever this Dr. Green was.

"Start talking, Noah, because I'm about to call the cops on your ass for making me believe my brother has been dead for three fucking years," Caiden's breaths were fast and rough and angry. He was ready to kill his own father, as he had kept him in the dark this whole time.

"He did die. When you ran out, you didn't answer my calls; you stopped responding to any calls or texts. Five minutes after he had been pronounced dead, Dr. Green gave in, calling it and his heart started again," Noah spoke, allowing his son to continue punching him.

"You could have shown up at my door or sent someone, but you let it go," Caiden closed his eyes, seeing red.

"He was in a coma and we weren't sure if he was truly going to make it. His heart failed a few times," the father responded.

"Continue," Caiden had two lifeless bodies he loved in one room.

"Wouldn't you rather your brother be fully understanding of what I'm saying, as well?" Noah asked, his voice as composed as ever.

"He can't talk but his vitals are fine. Start talking, or your body will be lying right between these two," Caiden's eyes were full of irritation.

He couldn't be more infuriated with his dad, if he tried.

As he was about ready to begin, Viola came back in with a small glass tube full of some clear liquid. Noah nodded at her, as she began to inject it into Mark's arm and then Jake's.

"It'll be about an hour before the other boy is awake, Sir, but your son is fine to listen if you'd like to speak to him," Viola spoke, before one again, leaving the room.

The room was quiet; Mark could feel his breathing and heartbeat for the first time in some time, though he wasn't sure how long he had been out. It couldn't have been that long, right?

He remembered the stabbing that occurred when Theo had attacked him, but could it have been a week or so since it happened? Maybe a month, since his brother had looked so desperate?

Memories began flooding into his brain of all the times he had woken up from this god forsaken hell of a coma. The last time he had been injected with this so called magical medicine, he was told it had been two years since he had been punctured with that knife.

Caiden wanted to question what was administered into both the boys' arms, but was in shock of how absolutely expressionless the person he called his father was.

What should have taken close to five days for him to be able to speak, took him an hour for Mark, due to the concoction he had been vaccinated with.

"How many more times will I have to be injected?" Mark asked, his voice low but firm.

Caiden closed his eyes, taking another deep breath, confused at how well Mark took what was surrounding him. What did his brother mean by how many more?

"This will be the last. You should be fine after today; Dr. Green spoke to me earlier," Noah told his son, taking a seat in the middle of the space he was in.

Mark blinked in response, awaiting the conversation he was supposed to be part of, or that's what he had he heard his brother and his dad say.

****

"I wonder how Caiden is doing," Eli spoke out loud, his mind racing with thoughts of Jake and his friend.

"Seeing as Jake could be dead for the second time in his life, I don't think the odds are good," Taylor was facing the walls, her heart sinking of how familiar this was.

She wanted to be in the room with her best friend, but was denied entry from two men guarding the room. Taylor understood it must have been deeper than Jake's condition if it had involved the secret service, but had no way of asking what was going on, as the raven haired lad's own friends were lost in confusion.

"Tay, babe, he'll be fine," Ava held her hand, pulling the brunette in for a hug.

"I know, babe, I just, it's like my life is in shambles again," Taylor hugged back, feeling every drop of salted water falling from her reddened eyes.

"Tay, he's too stubborn to die; he still hasn't cured global warming," Landon wanted to hear a laugh come out of his best friend's mouth, which he got. Although, inside he was a panicked mess.

"And his equation for the perfect orgasm is still in process," Jenna added, bringing light to the situation.

While the others laughed, Hannah felt a bit puzzled at their topic of conversation. But, nonetheless, comforted Kailey when they began to let the tears fall, once more.

****

Noah Lee comprehended the utter hate and frustration towards him from both of his sons. As he opened his mouth to talk, hazel eyes unlatched, taking Jake a couple of moments to adjust towards the white walls, smell of cleaning products, and chills that filled the air. The damn kidnappers and their alcohol was what landed him there, and he was ready to smack both of them and whoever this Theo guy was that started this entire mess by killing-

"Angel, please don't cry. I'm okay," Jake's lifeless left hand was held tightly by the raven haired lad, as the tears he had never seemed to end.

Caiden could feel every part of his body ignite and illuminate by the sound of the voice speaking, and without a second thought, he leaned in to kiss him. The curly haired boy burning from the outside in, kissing him back with every single spec of love he had for him.

"If you didn't know it before, my baby, my hero, my universe, you're my absolute everything and I love you more than you could ever imagine. You bring light to my darkened world, and spread nothing but happiness into every part of me," Caiden could feel every part of his body slowly deteriorate when the boy he had been confessing everything to slowly fell back into the darkness he was in.

Noah called Viola in immediately, requesting another dose and for blood work. Viola complied, doing as told.

"I swear to God, Noah, if my boyfriend dies on me, you'll regret this," Caiden got up, his face merely inches from his dad's red in the face from all the anger he had pent up.

"Now speak," Mark demanded, when Caiden sat back down, although this time he sat closer to his brother, as he missed him.

"I don't know how much you know about me; I know Mark is pretty good at looking into people, but I'm not sure if you actually did a background check on me," Noah began, before changing the subject quickly to asking what the boy's name was, the one dating his son.

"Jake Hart," Caiden responded, earning him the first sign of emotion from the robot he called a father.

"As in Hart Solutions and Investments?" the older man titled his head, in question.

Mark wasn't surprised he had known the company; he practically knew anyone with money, as he didn't talk to anyone in the world without it. Besides the two of them, of course. When the brunette nurse entered the room for the last time, she handed the results to Noah, before adjusting the bed for Mark, as requested so he could sit up.

"Yes," Jake's voice was low, but heard by the men in the room.

The curly haired lad, too, asked for his bed to be lifted, as he was awake, once more. His heart sank, when the feeling of his boyfriend's hand holding his was gone. Panic filled him, worried that Caiden had taken back every word he had admitted to him. Had he not wanted him anymore? Did he regret telling him he loved him?

Droplets of the salined water let loose from his hazel eyes, as his core began to feel like nothing but sand. His neck had been stiff and unable to move, and at this point, he was ready to vanish if he couldn't have his Caiden Lee by his side.

"Baby, why are you crying? I'm right here," Caiden could hear showered cries and sniffles from the other side of the room.

"I thought-"

"I'm keeping the promise we made to one another, baby," Caiden held onto his hands, kissing him, passionately.

"I love you more than the air I breathe; you are the air I breathe. You're my oxygen, my entire life, my angel. You're stuck with me, Caiden Lee," Jake managed to word, completely forgetting the audience surrounding the two.

Mark felt a sudden smile, seeing that his brother had found someone who truly deserved him; recalling two specific parties from his past, he realized they had finally mustered the courage to speak to one another.

A clearing of the throat sounded, bringing everyone back to the reality drowning them all.

"How do you know my dad?" Jake glared at the man sitting in between both beds.

"We were best friends in high school; Logan and I," Noah's words stunned the three boys, he could read the room, asking for him to continue, "Sophia, Logan, myself, Vanessa, and Nate were inseparable in high school. We did everything together, and when I met Emma, she fit right into our little friend family."

He had heard that name once; Emma Wright; she was a cheerleader in high school who gave up her kids for adoption, but no reasoning was ever told to Caiden.

The boys nodded, allowing him to continue.

"She got pregnant in high school with Brandon, and I knew about him; she told me she had a miscarriage a few months later, and stupidly, I believed her. I didn't know why I did, but I did. Although, Vanessa and Sophia didn't trust her at all."

"Okay, and?" Mark could tell the constant pausing wasn't helping the situation.

"We broke up, because she told me I reminded her of the baby she had lost, and one drunken night, she ended up at my door and that hook up apparently led to you," Noah motioned to Caiden, an unknown emotion read in his voice. "I didn't know you existed, till one day, I overheard Logan talk about his family investing in some home for kids in the area and when I asked if I could help with the investment, he nodded. I saw the names Brandon and Caiden Lee and, to be honest, if it hadn't been for your pictures by the names, I would have brushed it off, thinking there was another Lee family in the area."

He took a breath, when Caiden spoke, "So you knew about us, and you left us to rot in the system?!"

"I wasn't allowed near you. Emma set up some sort of restraining order against me for you kids, and herself. If I got near you, I would be arrested and you would be transferred. This was my way of keeping you close, without getting too close."

Jake spoke up this time, "Noah, this sounds like some bullshit excuse."

"I found out about Brandon's death after Emma overdosed; he had been killed by some idiotic driver and I had to take action. I invested all I had, which wasn't much, in a lawyer and won the case. Carla wasn't my doing, but when I saw that you were adopted, Caiden, I was the happiest person ever; I knew she treated you well, because Logan set up people to look over you."

"How do I fit into this?" Mark questioned, a sigh following his words.

"When Emma and I broke up, I had a couple of one night stands and one stuck as more than that; Yuna was amazing and I actually proposed to her, before knowing you were part of the picture. But, when she had found out she was pregnant, her family tore us apart; we had to hide our relationship from everyone and anyone, because her dad knew everyone in town," he took a deep breath, looking straight ahead, as if the crowd wasn't glaring his way.

"Her parents eventually caught us, and she was forced to put you up for adoption without my knowledge. I had no way to reach you, as I had no idea where you were placed, and even with the help of my friends, we were stumped. It was after Lee Enterprises was fully established and known throughout the world that I was able to find both of you. I, then, bought the old building that you know of as Brandon University, today."

"So money equals your kids' love?" Mark spat, angrier than he had been before.

"No, no, Mark, that's not it. I bought that specific building because it was the closest to Brandon's burial and I wanted you all to go there, because I figured that was a way to have my three sons, together."

Caiden's eyes softened listening to the last line his father spoke. He could see a look of confusion, yet disgust from his brother, not letting go so easily.

"I needed something other than begging and pleading in order to get you back; I was stuck, Mark and Caiden. I had nothing to my name, but Logan did his best to help me. He invested his time, money, and friendship into LE, and when he passed, I felt like I had lost a brother."

"I did lose a brother, and you knew he was in a coma and you told me absolutely nothing!" Caiden's eyes, once more, were darkened with nothing but anger.

"Dr. Green has been finding a solution to removing the blade connecting to his heart; it's what killed him, but is now keeping him alive. He's been working on nothing but research for finding a cure to the comas he has been falling into. He had finally perfected it less than a week ago, and the tracker connected to his heart rate was turned on as soon as you called me to help," Noah responded, and for the first time, every word was spoken in utter desperation.

"Move over dumbass, my best friend has been in there for two hours, and I need to see him!" Taylor's voice sounded through the door, as she yelled at one of the guards.

"She won't stop; that's Vanessa's and Nate's kid," Jake told Noah, as-a-matter-of-factly.

Noah nodded, getting up and letting the brunette know that Jake needed a few more minutes, before he could accept guests. Taylor rolled her eyes, pushing her way through, anyway. Tay ran towards the curly haired lad, pulling him into the tightest hug she could muster.

"Jake Elliott Hart don't you ever fucking do that to me ever again!" Taylor broke into tears, when she saw he was awake and healthy.

"Trust me, Tay, I won't allow it," Caiden spoke for Jake, once the two pulled apart.

"Who's that?" Taylor took a look around, seeing Mark on the opposite side of the room.

"Oh, that's a long ass story, T," Jake laughed, and she nodded.

Understanding that they were in a very important conversation, Taylor headed out, making her way back to the others. She had known that she would hear the whole story either way when she would meet up with Jake, once more.

"She's exactly like Vane," Noah noted, and Jake sighed in agreement.

"Why is this the first time I hear of you and why aren't you in the pictures with Tay's and my parents?" Jake asked the older man.

"I never liked pictures much; I was in a few, but mostly was the one taking the photos. If you really look through old albums, you'd see me," Noah responded.

"Yet, you were surprised when you saw me?"

"You look exactly like Logan, actually, and you have Sophia's eyes, but I hadn't seen you since you were five; that's when I was forced to Korea to start the journey to rescuing my sons," his eyes held an emotion that was rare. Noah Lee had felt guilty and almost broken.

The room went quiet. It was the weirdest of silences, as it wasn't comfortable, but wasn't uncomfortable, either.

****

Four days had passed, and Jake and Mark were finally approved of being discharged back into the real world. Caiden had spent every second with the both of them, only getting up to shower when they had fallen asleep or were were eating. He had become weak and frail, worrying solely about his brother and boyfriend.

Noah had the nurses working around the clock in making sure all three were taken care of, but Caiden had refused to be watched over. Jake's friends had visited several times, and when Ava and Eli stepped inside, their faces fell seeing their old friend in the room.

Vanessa, Nate, Kyle, and Ezra came by as soon as they had heard, and once verifying that Jake was getting better, the two brothers left, leaving the adults to catch up with their old friend.

Walking down memory lane brought the friends to tears and laughter; Mark also had told Jake about the fact that he recognized him as the boy from both Halley's and Taylor's parties, which had him amazed at the boy's memory.

"You're both free to go, Mark Lee and Jake Hart," Viola smiled at the boys, as they got up from the beds that they had grown accustomed to. "Caiden Lee, you have to stay another day or two."

"What the-" Caiden was interrupted by his boyfriend's hand squeezing his own.