Kai's resolve melted as he looked into Lana's eyes, glistening with the trails of recent tears.

"Madelyn's sick," Kai said with a soft voice. "She's fresh out of surgery and still not out of the woods. I need to go see how she's doing."

Lana moved closer and wrapped her arms around him, "Can I tag along this time? I won't make any fuss, I swear. I just want to stick by you. We need you around more, for me and the baby, deal?"

Down in the underground parking lot of their apartment, Kai made sure Lana's seat belt was secure, "Stick with me when we get there, okay? And don't worry about the folks there; they're harmless."

"Got it. I'll stay put, no worries," Lana said, her voice laced with excitement at the prospect of accompanying him.

The previous night's snowstorm had left a chill in the air, prompting Kai to crank up the car's heat before he gently straightened her scarf, "If anything feels off, you tell me, alright?"

"Alright," she answered.

Kai got lost in Lana's smile for a