Matthew could not bring himself to alight when Dan jumped in to drive as Dan decided to let Matthew calm down with Brisbane while he drove to park the car.

"You're alright?" Dan asked when he parked the car as Matthew nodded meekly with a sad face. Dan picked up Brisbane from Matthew's arms who was equally quiet to walk back to the hospital lobby.

Matthew was trying hard to calm himself during their quiet walk. He felt very bad for not being able to protect Joy or Pam and Xue Ting was not in a good state. He blinked away the tears which sprouted thinking of his mother. He hoped all the ladies would be fine. The only difference this time was that he had Qiu Wen and Dan coordinating everything from the procedures to taking care of them all.

When they reached outside the operating theatre, while waiting, Dan knew Matthew was a mature child who was struggling to stay strong as he discreetly texted Qiu Wen to pay attention to his son. Qiu Wen for the first time learned what it felt like to be a parent. He was busy taking care of the admission procedures for Joy and Xue Ting till Joy's and Pam's operations were over.

When Qiu Wen finally had the time to check on Matthew, he was sitting alone by the level two promenade, getting some fresh air. Qiu Wen decided to buy Matthew's favorite lemonade can drink to cheer him up as he sat next to him which startled Matthew a little when Qiu Wen's chilly can touched his palm.

Qiu Wen smiled when their gaze met as Qiu Wen took off his coat and put it on Matthew before gently patting his shoulders.

"Thanks …" Matthew cracked open the can to sip the drink as he was reminded of when Xue Ting used to ban him and Joy from drinking so many soft drinks but occasionally she would buy one for him and Joy. She would then sit like Qiu Wen did now; just chilling together.

Tears welled again as he rubbed them away discreetly while leaning upright.

Qiu Wen patted and rubbed his back. "It's alright, Xin Xin. Cry it all out… You need to…"

"But I'm a boy…" He mumbled as Qiu Wen held him in his arms.

"You're also human… and I'm here. You're no longer alone. You're my son and I'm your father. You have me…" It was the most comforting words so far he has heard. He realised he was trying so hard to stay strong for Brisbane earlier while worrying about the three ladies.

Matthew knew Qiu Wen was also under a lot of pressure that he did not want to bother Qiu Wen but the wait for the ladies to regain their consciousness drove him insane thinking of the uncertainties. He was certainly grateful for Qiu Wen to be around as he broke down for the first time vulnerably at the side of Qiu Wen.

Later that night, Pam regained her consciousness first with Dan and Brisbane by her side.

"Mum!" Brisbane called out which woke Dan who was dosing off.

"Sweetie…" Pam called out weakly as Dan smiled sadly.

"I will get the doctor…" Dan said as Pam held his hand. "How's Joy and the rest?" She asked weakly.

"Joy went for an operation. We are still waiting for her to wake… Don't worry, alright?" Dan comforted as tears welled in Pam's worried eyes.

"He is in police custody…" Dan knew what she wanted to hear as she nodded and sobbed while Dan kissed her forehead, holding her close with Brisbane.

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Xue Ting too began to regain consciousness on the bed next to Joy while Matthew attended to her and Qiu Wen calmed her.

"How's our princess? Oh dear, I shouldn't have fainted…" Xue Ting whined as Matthew gave her a glass of warm water while Qiu Wen kissed her forehead.

"She's fine. The operation went well. How did you do it all those years? How do you juggle to care for both?" Qiu Wen blinked away his tears as Xue Ting caressed his cheeks while gently patting Matthew's hand on another hand.

"She's fine but she still has not regained her consciousness. Her mobile phone had been ringing nonstop…" Qiu Wen complained when he pulled out her mobile from his pocket.

Matthew and Xue Ting saw Keith's name on the caller ID.

"Who is this Keith?" Qiu Wen frowned as Xue Ting chuckled and quickly asked Matthew to take the call outside.

"How are Pam, Brisbane, and Dan?" Xue Ting tried to switch the topic to calm him.

"Pam is alright. Thanks to Princess. But Brisbane is quite traumatised. She had been clingy to Dan and Matthew." Qiu Wen updated.

"Naturally…" Xue Ting sighed.

"Dan wants to pull charges on that culprit but Pam does not want to for the sake of Brisbane…" Qiu Wen explained.

"I can understand… For now, we can only follow their arrangements for the sake of their legal proceedings to be escalated. Besides, this incident is beneficial to Pam." Xue Ting concurred.

"Yes… Are you alright now?" Qiu Wen held her in his arms as she nodded.

"Let's go see Princess for a while." She suggested as he helped her down the bed.

When they drew the curtain open for the next bed corner, they overheard Joy on a call sweetly while Matthew stood cringing by her side. Xue Ting knew she was talking to Keith.

"Princess… You're awake and the first person you talk to is Keith? Seriously?" Xue Ting teased as Joy quickly ended the call. She was injured in the back hence, she was lying face down on the bed.

"Mummy, are you alright? How's Auntie Pam doing?" She asked as she started to tear up while reaching for Xue Ting's hand.

"She is fine, baby… You were so brave. You have done well… Mummy is very proud of you." Xue Ting could not help but tear up thinking of how she thought she nearly lost her and Pam earlier.

"Aww, Daddy quickly comfort your wife." Joy teased as Qiu Wen went up to Xue Ting and gently patted her shoulders.

"I'm fine mummy. It's not pain at all. It was worth it that Auntie Pam was fine. I don't hope for such a father to be a part of Brisbane's life." Joy vented.

"Qiu Qiu… That's not up to you…" Xue Ting reprimanded.

Pam and Dan stood for a moment with Brisbane at the corner listening to Joy bickering with Xue Ting about Alshton as Pam pondered on Joy's point of view.

"Hush, Qiu Qiu!" Matthew stopped her from retaliating further when they noticed Pam and the rest.

"Pam! Are you alright? Come sit…" Xue Ting led Pam to sit while Pam forced a sad smile on Joy.

"Aww sweetie… Are you alright?" Xue Ting carried Brisbane in her arms and kissed her as Brisbane hugged and cuddled with her.

"Auntie Pam… You're alright?" Joy asked with a smile while holding onto Pam's hand. Pam was on the verge of breaking down when Dan gently held her by her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry my dear… Thank you so much… I owe you and I don't know how to repay you this time…" Pam sobbed as Joy smiled sadly, blinking her welling tears away.

"Just give Brisbane a bright future. Promise me." Joy said as Pam nodded while trying to control her emotions.

The three men stood as they glanced at each other gladly that everything was getting better.

That night, Matthew volunteered to stay with Joy overnight while Dan stayed with Pam, leaving Brisbane and heading home with Xue Ting and Qiu Wen.

Matthew out of guilt had tried to keep his sister comfortable and had also kept Diane updated about Joy's condition. Joy knew they had some unfinished reconciliation to be done as she recalled earlier she thought she was on the verge of death and how it would affect Matthew, leaving him alone.

She teared up a little as Matthew noticed and helped her wipe the tears away. "Stop thinking too much… All is fine now. Get some sleep Qiu Qiu…" Matthew comforted as Joy held his hand.

"I'm scared…" She began to sob. "I was so scared. I was holding on tightly to Auntie Pam but I was also holding on tightly from dying. I thought about how it would be leaving you all alone. You would be so sad and I didn't dare to think any further about it…" Joy's confession made Matthew who rarely cries, teared up unexpectedly as he wiped his tears away and put on a smile.

"It's fine. You were very brave. Thanks to you, Brisbane is not so traumatised. She was a little frightened to see the aftermath of you both but she seemed all fine after meeting with the therapist earlier." Matthew explained as Joy sniffed.

"I'm sorry for being selfish. I know you should have your own life eventually. I'm sorry I was so harsh about you dating Diane. Even then if you two don't end up together forever, she would still be my best friend and you would always be my brother…" She sobbed even more as Matthew helped her to wipe her tears away.

"Stop crying… I was supposed to snap a pretty picture for Keith. If you cry some more how would the picture turn out well?" He teased as Joy ended up laughing and smacked him playfully.

"Don't send him any pictures till I recover. So ugly!" She protested as he chuckled. "And how could you pass me the phone first thing I'm awake! See now he worries so much…" Joy pouted as Matthew smiled.

"Aww, so protective of him… Good isn't it for him to worry? Shows how much he still likes you." Matthew teased as she smacked him again only to be caught by his hand.

"At least I know you're in good hands and if he ever bullies you, I will give him millions of times more of the taste of his own medicine." Matthew threatened as Joy blushed into the pillow.

"Hey, wipe your face first… You're going to flood the pillow you sleep in for days… It will smell…" Joy shook her head with her face in the pillow as he resorted to tickling her as the twins reconciled, laughing through the night with Matthew holding on to her hand by her bedside and falling asleep together.