Behind Palace Doors(25)

"It will be okay," she assured him, placing her hand over his during  the takeoff. "Once we arrive and you can see him, you'll feel better."

Stefan merely nodded and Victoria knew he wasn't in a chatty,  lift-your-spirits type of mood, but she wanted to stay positive for him  and wanted him to know she was there.

"I know you're trying to help," he told her, squeezing her hand. "But you being here is really all I need right now."

Victoria swallowed her fear. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

* * *

Stefan held on to Victoria's hand as they made their way down the  hospital corridor. The gleaming white floors and antiseptic smell did  nothing to ease his mind. He wanted to see his brother. Wanted to see  that he was going to be okay and know what the hell had happened. He  and Mikos had practically been raised climbing those rocks in Kalymnos.  They climbed the hardest, most dangerous rocks for fun, and people had  always tried to warn them they were risking too much.

He couldn't lose his last family member. He refused to believe fate would be that cruel to him.

As he approached the nurses' desk to ask where his brother's room was,  Karina came rushing toward him, throwing her arms around his waist and  holding tight.

"Oh, thank God you're here," she sobbed into his chest before lifting  her tear-stained face to look up at him. "He's out of surgery and so  far he's holding his own."

Stefan held on to his sister-in-law's slender shoulders. "What's the prognosis?"

"Better than when he first arrived," she told him, tears pooling in  her red-rimmed eyes. "They didn't think he'd make it through surgery.  But since he has, they are monitoring him. He has..."

She dropped her head to her chest, sobbing once again. Stefan pulled  her close, and as much as he wanted to know what the hell they were up  against, he also knew the most important thing-his brother was alive.  Karina had been here for hours all alone, and right now she needed  someone to comfort her.

"I'll go see what the doctor says," Victoria whispered behind him.

He nodded and led Karina over to the sofa. "Would you like some water?"

Easing back from him, she shook her head and toyed with the tissue she had clutched in her hand. "No."

"Have you eaten?"

Again she shook her head.

"Victoria would be happy to get you something, or you can go and we will stay here," he offered.

"I can't leave," she told him. "I can't even think of eating. I just  want someone to tell me for certain that Mikos will be fine. That he'll  be able to walk again, talk again and not be a vegetable."

That meant his brother obviously had a brain trauma.

Stefan took her hands in his. "Does he have swelling in his brain?"

Karina nodded. "They drilled holes to alleviate some of the pressure,  but all we can do is wait. They put him in a drug-induced coma."                       
       
           



       

Stefan closed his eyes. How many times had they been rock climbing in  Kalymnos? Countless. It's what they did. Anything to be reckless and  adventurous.

"He'll be fine," Stefan said, squeezing her hands. "He's tough, and there's no way he won't fight to come back to you."

Karina sniffed. "I'm pregnant."

Stefan sat up straight in his seat. "Excuse me?"

"I just confirmed with the doctor while Mikos was out climbing. I was going to tell him when he got home. What if..."

Again she collapsed against him and sobbed.

Dear Lord, a baby? Stefan couldn't imagine his brother not pulling  through, but even if he did, what would they all be faced with?

His baby brother was just as strong and determined as he was. So there  was no way, even if he woke up and couldn't walk, that his brother  wouldn't move heaven and earth to get back on his feet...especially with  a baby on the way.

Victoria rounded the corner and took a seat across from them. "The  nurse said the doctor would be out shortly to talk to us. He's actually  in Mikos's room right now evaluating him again."

"Thank you," Stefan told her.

"Can I get you guys anything?" she offered. "I saw a lounge down the hall. Coffee, water?"

Both he and Karina declined and Victoria nodded as she eased back in her seat. In no time the doctor came down the hall.

Stefan stood and extended his hand. "I'm Stefan Alexander. How's my brother?"

The doctor shook his hand. "I know who you are, Prince Alexander. I'm  happy to tell you that your brother made it through the surgery better  than any of my colleagues or I thought he would. We will be keeping a  close watch on him, but even in his drug-induced coma, he's responding  to us being in the room."

Hearing such positive news had Stefan expelling a breath he'd been holding for quite some time.

"So where do we go from here?" he asked.

"Well, I think it's good that you're all here. He needs strength and  support from his loved ones to encourage him. I can let you visit, but  only one at a time and not for very long."

Stefan nodded. "I understand. When do you believe he'll wake up?"

"That really depends on the swelling, when we will back off the meds,  and how his vitals are when we try to bring him back from the coma.  This could be a long process, but right now all we can do is pray and  hope he'll fight the rest of the way."

Stefan had no doubt his brother would do just that. "Thank you, Doctor."

"Go see him," Stefan urged Karina. "Tell him your news and give him something to fight for."

Karina smiled. "You think I should tell him before he wakes up?"

"Absolutely." He leaned in, kissed her damp cheek. "Go on. We'll be here."

She all but ran down the hall, and Stefan sank to the sofa. Scared,  helpless, yet optimistic, he really had no idea how to feel or what to  do next. He just wanted his vibrant brother to be up on his feet and  celebrating the good news of the baby.

"She's pregnant, isn't she?" Victoria asked, sitting beside him.

"Yes."

"Bless her heart. I can't imagine how scared she must be." She rested  her delicate hand, the one that held his diamond ring and wedding band,  on his leg. "What can I do for you?"

Stefan wrapped an arm around her, pulling her against his side. "Be here. Don't leave me."

She tilted her head to look up into his eyes. "Stefan, even if we  weren't married I would've dropped everything to be with you."

And he knew in his heart she meant that. Which made her invaluable and  precious. He'd always known she was the best thing in his life, but  now he knew he couldn't get through another trying time without her. Yet  if he couldn't commit to loving her the way she deserved, what did  that possibly mean for their future?





     Fourteen

"Can you tell us about your brother, Prince Stefan?"

"Is he going to pull through?"

"Was this an accident or a suicide attempt?"

That last question from the slam of paparazzi stopped Stefan cold  outside the hospital as he and Victoria were trying to make their way to  his car waiting at the curb.

"Excuse me!" Victoria shouted with her hands up. "But my brother-in-law  is in there fighting for his life. We request that you respect our  family's privacy. There will be a formal announcement on his prognosis  later, but for now you can put on record that this was in no way a  suicide attempt. We would appreciate if you would get facts straight  before going to print."                       
       
           



       

Victoria looped her arm through his as she led the way, plowing past  the flashbulbs and reporters screaming questions. Thank God she was  experienced in handling the media circus. Being one of the famous  Hollywood Danes, she was no stranger to the chaos.

She held tight to his arm as she pushed through the crowd and slid into  the awaiting car. Before another question could be shouted their way,  his driver slammed the door to the busybodies.

"They've never known the meaning of the word privacy," Victoria muttered. "I'm sorry."

"You're apologizing after that?" he asked, turning to look at her. "I can't thank you enough for handling that mess."

"That suicide comment was uncalled for."

He shifted, staring straight ahead. "Yes, it was. But you handled it beautifully."

"I hope it was okay that I mentioned a formal announcement later. I just assumed..."

Stefan glanced over to her as she closed her eyes and rested her head  against the back of the seat. She was exhausted. Only yesterday she'd  put in nearly twelve hours designing, then they'd made love until well  after midnight and had woken up at five in the morning to fly to Greece.  He was tired, but she was exhausted. He'd had his adrenaline to keep  him pumping forward, but he had no clue what she was running on.