Chapter 120: Homecoming

The midnight flight back home is quiet, filled with the soft, steady hum of jet engines and the exhausted breathing of a team that left everything on the ice. Most of the players are fast asleep in their wide leather seats, worn out from the physical battle of Game 4.

I sit in the dim cabin light near the window, my laptop resting on my knees. Across the small aisle, Klaus sleeps deeply, his broad head resting back against the headrest, his right hand resting open on his lap. His face looks relaxed and peaceful in the shadowy light, free of the sharp tension that held him tight for weeks.

I look down at my laptop screen, scrolling through the raw image files from the third period. The photo of Klaus clearing the neutral zone is sharp and vibrant—the bright stadium lights catching the determination in his eyes and the broad number on his chest. But my favorite photo from the night is the quiet one taken after the horn sounded. It's the close shot of him leaning over the photographer's rail, his dark eyes locked onto mine through the lens, his gloved hand resting against mine on the padded barrier.

I save the folder to the team server, tagging the file with a simple title before closing the screen.

The plane touches down smoothly on the runway two hours later, rolling toward the private hangar where the transport buses wait. When the cabin doors open, the cool night air rushes in, crisp and sweet against my face.

By the time Klaus and I arrive back at his high-rise apartment, the first soft streaks of dawn are beginning to color the eastern sky in pale shades of rose and gold.

We walk into the quiet entryway, setting our bags down near the door. The apartment is calm, warm, and dark. Klaus turns to me, taking my hand in his and gently pulling me toward him until my back rests against the wall near the hallway.

He doesn't say a word. He just leans down, burying his face in the crook of my neck, letting out a long, shuddering sigh of pure relief. His large arms wrap around my waist, holding me so tight I can feel the strong, steady beat of his heart against my chest.

"We're home," Klaus murmurs into my skin, his deep voice rough with fatigue and emotion.

"We're home," I whisper back, my fingers sliding up into his hair, holding him close. "You did amazing tonight, Klaus."

He pulls back slightly, his dark eyes searching my face in the dim morning light. He reaches up, his thumb gently tracing the soft line of my cheekbone with a tenderness that makes my breath catch in my throat.

"I couldn't have done any of it without you, Liam," he says softly, his tone filled with a quiet, powerful conviction. "Having you at the glass, knowing you were safe and back where you belong... that was everything to me."

"I'm not going anywhere," I promise, leaning up to press my lips against his in a slow, deep kiss. He tastes like quiet warmth, and the kiss settles deep into my bones, wiping away the last lingering fatigue of the road trip.

When we finally head into the bedroom, the morning sun is just rising over the city skyline, casting long, golden rays across the dark floorboards. We collapse onto the soft mattress together, pulling the heavy duvet over our shoulders.

Klaus wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back against his broad chest until I am completely cradled in his warmth. I close my eyes, listening to his slow, steady breathing, and within minutes, we drift off into a deep, unbroken sleep.

When I wake up, the afternoon sun is high in the sky, filling the bedroom with bright, golden light.

I roll over slowly to find Klaus already awake, propped up on one elbow and looking down at me with a soft, affectionate smile on his sharp face. His hair is messy from sleep, and he looks completely rested.

"Good afternoon," he says, his voice low and warm in the quiet room.

"What time is it?" I ask, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Past one," Klaus smiles, leaning down to press a quick, sweet kiss against my temple. "Your phone rang twenty minutes ago, but I put it on silent so you could keep sleeping."

I sit up, pulling my knees to my chest as I look at my phone on the nightstand. "Who was it?"

"Dr. Reed from the hospital," Klaus says, his dark eyes lighting up with a sudden, brilliant excitement that makes my heart skip a beat. "I answered it for you."

I look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "Klaus... what did he say?"

"Leo's Friday blood work came back completely clean," Klaus tells me, a wide, breathtaking smile spreading across his face. "The white cell count is completely normal, Liam. Dr. Reed cleared him for formal discharge on Monday morning."

A gasp of pure shock escapes my lips, tears immediately welling up in my eyes before I can stop them. I press my hands over my mouth, the overwhelming joy washing over me in a massive wave that shakes my whole body.

"He's coming home?" I whisper, my voice cracking with emotion. "Leo is really coming home?"

"He's coming home, Liam," Klaus says softly, reaching out to gather me into his arms, pulling me tight against his chest as the happy tears slip down my cheeks. "No more hospital beds, no more dark rooms. We're picking him up on Monday morning, and then we're bringing him right here."

I bury my face in his shoulder, crying quiet, happy tears as he holds me tight, his hand stroking my back in steady, comforting circles. The long, terrifying nightmare that started months ago—the fear of losing my little brother, the crushing weight of medical bills, and the dark traps set by people who tried to break us—is finally over.

We sit together on the sunlit bed, holding each other tight as the city outside bustles in the bright afternoon light. Game 5 is only forty-eight hours away, and the championship trophy is waiting for us at the rink, but as I hold onto Klaus, I know that the greatest prize of my life is already right here in my arms.