A/n: asdfghjk! SERIOUSLY GUYS, 17 REVIEWS? Thank you so much! I mean it really gosh I nearly fainted, virtual hugs and cookies for all :) Anyway sorry it took so long my role-play buddy was on holiday.

A cold feeling stirred as Lovino's eyes shut, he started to panic but the medic told him he has simply passed out from the pain and carried on treating his wounds. Lovino would occasionally twitch and groan but nothing bad at this point. The medic hooked him up to an IV and a few other machines Antonio was ignorant of and made a start for the hospital, where he could be treated properly and observed while he recovered. No doubt his imprisonment and treatment had left mental scars along with the physical ones. Antonio clutched to Lovino's hand his thumb stroking the bony knuckle, feeling sympathy for the boy. 'How could someone be so cruel?'

As the ambulance pulled up to the hospital after what seemed like an eternity, Antonio watched as they wheeled Lovino out of the vehicle and straight into A&E where the doctors and nurses immediately crowded round to see what their new patient needed. Antonio followed and stood to one side to let the professionals through. They began cutting through the fabric that was covering his chest and once the cloth was removed Antonio instantly wished it wasn't. Long ugly scars were carved on the skin that was probably a nice olive tone was it not covered with burn marks and inky bruises. He heard Lovino whimper and moan in his unconscious state. What nightmare was he reliving? Or a dream in which he escaped from the harsh realities of his life.

XxX

His dreams weren't truly dreams, but they weren't anything else either. Inside his mind, it was dark. But he could see. So much. Thoughts. Memories. Colliding, mixing, separating, running. They were loud and silent and bright and colourless. They called to him. They begged him to come and play. Then they danced just out of reach. So many. Pain and comfort, fear and trust. It all blended together. But still somehow different. None of it made any sense. But when do not-dreams ever?

XxX

The doctors had finished checking him and patching him up, thankfully he had no internal bleeding or permanent organ damage besides a shrivelled stomach and kidneys due to starvation and thirst. Antonio sat in the chair next to him. The boy lay limply in the hospital bed, hooked to countless beeping and humming machines. A cardiogram kept up a steady rhythm in time with his heartbeat. A feeding tube ran through his nose and down into his stomach, delivering the nourishment he had been without for so long. The rhythmic drip of an IV bag fed a chemical cocktail of antibiotics and painkillers into the back of his hand, the needle secured by a bit of tape. He looked even smaller, more fragile, lying there than he did chained to the wall down in that hellhole. Now he looked so small and helpless, like a child.

Antonio took his hand again trying to get his mind around why anybody would do this to him, he heard the mafia were cruel but he was so young or at least looked it.
He suddenly felt a twitch in the others hand, the injured male quietly groaned and his eyes slowly flickered open.

Lovino slowly felt himself being dragged towards consciousness. No, please no. He didn't want to face that room or more torture. After a moment, his surroundings registered. Wait... he wasn't on the floor anymore. And it wasn't cold. Was...was he in a bed? No... No, it couldn't be... could it?

Ever so slowly, he pried his heavy eyes open, ready to snap them shut in a moment. He kept his eyelids low, the light reflecting off the white ceiling too bright for his eyes, which were still maladjusted to anything but the dim light in the basement torture chamber. Slowly, he turned his head towards Antonio, blinking groggily. The mix of drugs in his system made him feel slow and fuzzy.

Antonio locked eyes with him; he knew that the drugs would make him disorientated and feel groggy. He made sure to speak clearly "Hey, can you hear me? How are you feeling?" Antonio wasn't really sure what to say, after all what would you say to someone who you found in a basement bound to a wall in chains, starved and beaten?

A thought suddenly occurred to him, an urgent question that needed answering, but he didn't know if he could ask. What would the reaction be? 'I need to report to my boss though' was one of the prevailing thoughts that ran through his head.

Before giving the other time to answer his previous questions he asked "Lovino, why were you there?"

He gave a small nod in response to the first question. "...funny" he mumbled, his jaw stiff and slightly swollen from where blows had landed. That was the best way to describe the numb feeling that made him feel like he was melting into a flat shape on the bed. It took a moment to decipher the final question, and even longer to make an answer. "They wanted information about Nonno" he finally said, some of the words slurred by his uncooperative mouth and the drugs.

'Why would they want information on his grandfather? Unless...'
"Lovino, what's your last name?" If Antonio's hunch was right he knew exactly why these people would take him. He was not looking forward to telling his boss this.
He saw Lovino look at him with tired eyes. "I know your tired but please answer this one question then you can go back to sleep okay." He gave his hand an encouraging squeeze in an attempt to reassure him that it was okay to tell him. That he can trust him.

"Vargas" he mumbled, his eyes already starting to drift shut again. Two thoughts flared to life before being swept into the darkness of sleep: the police probably wouldn't be happy to be dealing with his Nonno, and maybe they would call him anyway. He just wanted his Nonno.

Antonio's eyes widened at this 'Damn I was hoping to not hear that' he watched as Lovino slowly slipped back into a deep slumber. He rose from the chair situated at Lovino's bed side and decided it was about time he reported to his boss. He stepped out the room silently, making sure not to wake its sleeping occupant, and made his way towards the cafeteria where he could make the call.
He entered the small cafe and sat down in the stiff white plastic chairs and took out his phone surprised to see he already had two missed calls, he couldn't remember his phone going off. He dialled the number and waited for the chief's angry voice to berate his ear drums.
"Antonio! What the hell are you doing? Where are you?" The Spaniard had to hold the phone away from his head the yells were so loud.
"I am in the hospital with one of their prisoners, He's a Vargas" Antonio spoke the last part quietly hoping that the other male wouldn't hear him.
"I know, we found files on the kid, his grandfather is their rival, now listen to me, I have some bad news." Antonio felt himself go cold, he tone his boss used made him feel that the case was far from over and was about to get more dangerous.
"What happened?"
"The Don, the head of the Mafia family, he escaped."
"Arthur, will he be after Lovino again?" Antonio ground out, normally it was disrespectful to call your seniors in rank by their first name but this was serious business and Antonio could feel his anger slowly rising, his free hand clenched into a fist.

"Most likely, listen his grandfather seems to have skipped town for a while and we can't track him down, so that kid is very valuable, we need him safe and alive for information so keep watch on him"
"So what do you want me to do exactly?" Antonio sighed; anger dissipating it was not Arthur's fault someone probably tipped the Don off.
"Protect him, watch him and for god's sake don't leave him alone! The sick bastard is probably trying to look for him now. Where are you at this moment?"
"In the cafeteria, why?" Antonio cocked his head to the side even though the other could not see it.
"Did you not hear a word I just said? Get back to his room now! He could be in danger you idiot!"
Antonio paled and quickly ended the call, racing back in the direction he came from. He was running so fast as if a life depended on it.

'That's because it might.' Antonio pushed himself to go swifter.

That's all for now folks next chapter should be soon (sorry it's slow late by the way!) Review with any thoughts and criticisms~
Flames will be sent to my friend on her Finland trip to keep her warm.