The next week flew by. I loved having Mr. and Mrs. Russo here visiting. Lucia is wonderful, helping with meals and teaching Cas and I a few of her favorite recipes. She even taught us her spaghetti sauce recipe. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and she and I went to the store to get everything we needed. I spent the afternoon making desserts and bread for dinner tomorrow. I even made a lemon meringue for Alex, his favorite. It felt good to bake again. I have missed this, and I miss my shop. I hope someday to rebuild and be able to open again. I need to talk with my insurance company to see how things are going. The whole place smells wonderful and now I am getting hungry.

"Darling, it smells so good in here." Lucia says as she walks into the kitchen.

"Thank you, making desserts and bread for tomorrow."

"Wow, it all looks so good."

"I used to own a bakery, until it was burned down by a psycho who wanted me, and is an enemy of Damian."

"Oh my, I'm so sorry darling. It happens in this business. Was it the same man who kidnapped you?"

"Yes, but he got away when they came to rescue me."

"Who was it?"

"Thomas O'Malley, and he wants Damian's turf too."

"Those Irish mafia always want what they can't have!"

"What's this I hear about the Irish?" Angelo asks as he comes into the kitchen and sits down at the island.

"One of them is who took Riley and they want to try and take our son's turf!" Lucia says angrily.

"Those idiots, I have always had trouble with them. I guess I will have to talk with some friends and get more people over here."

"We heard from a source that they were planning to attack here last month but after he took me they went quiet and we haven't heard a peep from them."

"Are we talking about the idiot?" Damien says as the three of them walk into the kitchen.

"It kinda makes me nervous that they have gone quiet." Marc says.

"Me too. I don't like it." Alex adds.

"Your right. I will have my guy look into it, too." Angelo says reassuringly.

"Hold up, Do I smell lemon meringue?" Alex says as a smile creeps across his face.

"Yes, and don't you dare touch it till tomorrow." I say glaring at him.

"Dude, I was only joking." He says putting his hands up in defeat.

"Don't play with my woman." Marc says as he crosses his arms across his chest looking menacingly at Alex.

"Babe, it's okay. He is only joking. I only have eyes for you."

I place a hand on each cheek and make him look at me, and I place a small kiss on his lips.

"I've got my eyes on you." he says as he looks over at Alex.

"Haha, no worries!"

"I got your back." Damian says as he pats Marc on the shoulder as he heads to the refrigerator and grabs two waters and heads back to the living room to Cassandra.

"To change subjects. I am hungry, anybody else?" Alex laughs.

"I'm starving. All this cooking has me hungry." I answer as my stomach growls.

"Me too." adds Marc.

"We are too." I hear Angelo say.

"I'll order pizza. That way nobody has to cook tonight since we have a lot of cooking tomorrow." Damian says as he walks back into the kitchen.

"Sounds good son. It's my treat." She says as she walks out of the kitchen.

"I got it, mom."

"Nonsense, you have invited us into your home and have fed us all week and tomorrow. I can at least treat you tonight."

"Alright, I know when not to argue with you."

"You better not. Never argue with an Italian mother."

Everyone started laughing. I just look at Marc.

"She will beat you with whatever she has in her hand. She will beat you with a shoe or a wooden spoon. It doesn't matter."

"OOOOh, Hahahaha!"

Damian orders the pizza and we all sit down in the living room to watch a movie. Soon the pizza arrives and we dig in. We sit around and watch the movie and eat. Soon Cas has fallen asleep and Damian picks her up to take her to bed.

"Good night everyone. See you in the morning." Damian says as he carries Cas up the stairs.

"Good night, baby." Lucia calls after him.

"Good night, son." Angelo adds.

Not long after we all head to bed. Once we are in our room we change and climb into bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. We curl up together and soon fall asleep.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It's early morning and I slowly pull myself out from under Marc. I need to head downstairs to get the turkey started.

"MMmm, princess where are you going?" he mumbles into his pillow.

"Shh, go back to sleep. I have to get the turkeys in the oven or we won't have any for dinner."

"Okay, hurry back."

I head downstairs to get the turkeys out of the refrigerator and start getting them ready. I soon hear footsteps and see Lucia walking into the kitchen.

"Mom, you don't need to be up. I got this."

"I know but I want to help. You have a lot of people to cook for and I would feel guilty if I didn't."

"Alright, then. I can get back to bed sooner."

I tell her which seasonings to add and where the pans are. We get them ready and get them in the oven. I can head back to bed for a couple hours and then I will have to start on the sides. I head back to our room and climb back into bed, snuggling back into Marc. He wraps his arms back around me and kisses my forehead.

"Now, I can sleep." He grumbles.

I chuckle a little and we both fall back to sleep. After a few hours my alarm goes off again and I slowly get up. Marc slowly opens his eyes and his arms wrap tighter around me.

"Good morning princess."

"Good morning, tough guy. I have to get up and get ready. It's time to start preparing the sides."

"Do we have to? Can't we just stay here all day."

"Cone on, love. We have to get downstairs. We have a lot of guests coming."

"Alright, I'm getting up, but I don't like it."

We get up and head into the bathroom to take a shower. Once we are ready, we head down to get started on preparing everything. We head into the kitchen and Lucia is already in the kitchen making coffee and fixing breakfast.

"Good morning, mom." Marc says as he goes to fix coffee and kissing his mother on the cheek.

"Good morning, son. Are we ready for today?"

"Yes, once we eat breakfast, it's time to start preparing the sides." I answer.

"I just love the holidays. It's always wonderful to spend time with family." she says.

"I'm just glad I will be able to spend it with all of you." I say with a smile.

"Aw, sweetheart. Is your family coming?"

"My parents died several years ago. I am an only child and we never talked to any of my other family."

"I'm so sorry honey. I didn't know."

"It's okay. It's taken me a long time to get over it."

"Well, you have us now."

"Thank you."

She finishes breakfast and in walks Angelo, Damian, Alex and Cas.

"Smells good in her. Thanks for breakfast." Damian says as he reaches for two coffee mugs.

"Don't thank me, your mom made it." I say.

"You the best." Ales says as he crosses the kitchen, and hisses her on the cheek and grabs some coffee. "It does smell good though."

"That's the turkey. We will start the sides after breakfast." I say.

"Anything I can help with?" Cas asks.

"You just sit and keep your feet up."

"I'm pregnant, not handicapped. I can do something."

I can see she was starting to get angry and I know it's just the hormones. Before it moves to crying I tell her she can help some, but if she gets too tired to go sit down. After breakfast, the boys go off to watch TV or play pool in the game room while we prepare.

"Cas come sit here. You can peel the potatoes. Mom can you help me with the beans?"

We get started on the potatoes and beans and chat. Once everything is prepared, we get the potatoes and sweet potatoes on to boil. After several hours we head up to change and soon everyone starts arriving. We have all of Damian's men over with their families or significant others if they have any.

"Hey guys, thanks for having me." Tony says as he walks in.

"Yeah, thanks." Jake says following behind.

Once everyone is here and everything is ready, we all sit down at the tables. I wanted to start a tradition and we go around to each person and they all say what they are thankful for. We all sit, eat and chat. It is nice to be able to talk to all of Damian's men too. It really feels like a big family and I couldn't be happier. After we eat we all get up and clear the table. The men go into the living room to watch football and all of us women go to clean up the dishes and get the desserts out. After a while I head into the living room to see if anyone wants dessert. Of course they all say yes and come into the dining room to choose what they want.

"Hands off the lemon, that's mine."Alex exclaims as he runs for the pie.

"Don't worry, there is enough to go around." Marc laughs as he moves out of the way.

"Wow, these are awesome. You should have your own bakery." Jake says.

"I did. It was destroyed. We are working on getting it rebuilt."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know."

"Let us know when it is rebuilt. I will definitely be back by. I miss that place." Tony says as he smacks Jake on the arm.

"Thanks guys, hopefully soon we can get it started." I look over and see Marc smiling like a Cheshire cat. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him.

"What's that grin for?"

"Nothing much, just happy how everyone gets along so well. Everyone loves you."

"Aw, thanks. I love everyone too. Even mom and dad. They are wonderful."

" I am so glad that they love you and you love them."

After a few more hours everyone starts leaving and we start to clean up and get everything put away. I look over and see Cas is yawning and Damian is rubbing her feet.

"Are you tired, love?" Damian asks her.

"Yes, I am exhausted after today." she answers.

"Let's get you to bed, doll. You need your rest."

He picks her up and carries her to their room. She fussed at him to put her down and he refused. They are so cute together. Marc helps me finish up and we sit and watch some tv together.

"You know we still haven't moved all your stuff in yet. We can sell your place or rent it out if you want." Marc says as he pulls me into him.

"With everything going on, I kinda forgot about it. How about we do that tomorrow."

"Sounds great."

"I think I want to rent it out. Not sure I want to let it go. I grew up in that house and it has so many memories for me."

"That's fine princess, you don't have to let it go until you are ready."

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. I wake up the next morning and I am in bed and Marc is spooned behind me. Today we move all of my things here and I officially move in. I am excited and nervous at the same time. We get up and head over to my house. We have plenty of boxes and start packing. It feels strange to be packing up. I have lived here most of my life. So many memories, good and bad. Here in the living room is where I was told that my parents were killed in a car crash. Here also is where I used to dance with my mom and dad. I didn't realize that tears were falling until Marc walked over and wiped them away.

"Are you okay, princess?"

"Yeah, just reminiscing. I still miss them."

"They will always be with you. I am sure they are proud of you."

"I hope so. I wasn't the best teenager."

"I'm sure they forgave you."

"Let's just finish up."

We had packed up everything that I wanted to take to the house and things that I wanted to donate. Then we backed up the truck we rented and headed back to the house. Once there everyone helped us take things inside. It didn't take long. I started unpacking my clothes and hung them up in our closet where he had made room. It had been a long day and Marc ordered us some food and we dug in. After we had finished eating and had sat around for a bit, we headed upstairs.

"I am so glad that we finally have you moved in. It feels so real now and I couldn't be happier." he says grinning.

"I am so glad too. Now I have everything here. Now we just have to get my house rented."

"We can start that tomorrow. Come here, I want to cuddle with you."

"You are such a big softie." I say as I climb into bed with him and we spoon. This is my favorite, because I feel all of him around me and I feel safe.

"Only for you princess. Only for you."

"I love you." I say as we fall asleep.

"I love you too." I hear him mumble as we drift off to sleep.