1989 TV AHHHHHHH

SNOOPY'S BIRTHDAY AHHHHH

i hope you're enjoying the doctor khan x romano background story so far. like i said, they walked so whory could run. 

also just in case it wasn't clear... these chapters will go over everything. so. take that for what you will. hehe.

//

070. ELEANORA // PART 003

IV. NORA-ITIOUS

Nora-itious quickly became a problem – the only cure being testing temptation by talking on the phone. S found it impossible to stay away. And Ellie welcomed all the calls with open arms. Although he initially tried to keep the number limited, it quickly snowballed from every few days to every single day – and easily turned into the best part of both of their days.

In fact, Ellie got so used to his calls that the idea of not getting one caused a feeling of emptiness. When it neared midnight without hearing from him, she began to worry. The adrenaline rush of fear from not knowing what was wrong caused her to stay up and cuddle Pancake (despite the cat's wishes to go scratch at her post instead). Then the fear turned to self-pity – wondering if his time was just consumed by something (or someone) else.

With a tub of ice cream in hand and a re-run of her favourite reality television show playing, Ellie tried to ignore her thoughts... convince herself that this was for the best. One day of missing out on talking shouldn't have had such an effect on her. Maybe this was the exact type of call she needed – a wake-up call. Ellie convinced herself she wouldn't pick up his call, given she received one, the following day. A way to prove to herself that she wasn't as dependent on the serotonin boost a single phone call provided.

However, the second her phone started ringing at four in the morning, she jumped at the opportunity to answer.

"Hi–"

"Nora," he grunted in pain, his voice sounding weak, "I need you."

That call at four in the morning changed their entire relationship.

When Ellie was picked up that night and escorted into a private room, she didn't know what to expect. But nothing could have prepared her for the sight. S was lying on a couch, face swollen as blood pooled from his mouth and stained his clothes. Ellie fell to her knees beside him, brushing back the sweat-slicken hair on his forehead.

"Oh my god," she gasped, "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," was all he whispered.

"W-what? Why?"

"For calling you like this... I just–"

"Don't be sorry," she quickly cut him off. "I'm here to help. Okay?" Turning her head, her eyes found their way to Frankie. "What happened?"

"Ambushed at a meeting, and–"

"Frankie!" S yelled before groaning at the pain it sent through his body. "Silenzio!"

"No, you silenzio!" Ellie scolded the injured man into silence, "I need to know how you got hurt." She looked back at Frankie. "Knives? Guns? What was it?"

"He got a lot of bad hits... maybe a knife thrown into the mix. He didn't get shot, I know that for sure, but some of the others did."

"And where are they?"

"Being seen by the Doctor."

"Why wasn't he seen by anyone?"

Frankie shrugged. "Because he called you."

"You idiot!" Ellie yelled at her patient. "Why didn't you get them to help you? You could've started healing while I made my way over here!"

"You," S mumbled, "I only trust you."

I only trust you.

If Ellie had heard those words at any other moment, she would have turned into a puddle from her entire body erupting with heat over the remark. But time was of the essence. And so, she had to force the way her body tingled out of her mind and focus.

Supplied with endless tools and medical essentials, Ellie quickly got to work. She started by discarding his clothes to better observe the damage done. The shirt was easy enough to unbutton, but when it came to his pants, Ellie realized he was in too much pain for the movement and decided to cut them off.

Frankie proved to be a great assistant, helping Ellie with anything she needed. When she instructed they would have to move S to a place where he could be cleaned off, Frankie nodded, and within a blink of an eye, two large men appeared out of thin air. They carried S's body to the bathroom as Frankie followed behind with a chair he placed in the walk-in shower.

Before Ellie could utter a word, Frankie returned with more supplies. A bucket for water, cloths, and a cotton t-shirt.

"So you don't get your clothes wet," he explained. "I'll be just outside. Shout if you need."

"Thank you," she whispered, watching Frankie and the two unnamed helpers exit the bathroom.

Once the door closed, Ellie removed her clothes. She didn't think twice about S being in the room. Aside from the fact it wasn't her first time changing in front of him, she hoped he would have enough decency to limit his lingering eye. And to her non-surprise, he did.

Hearing the glass door open, S looked away from the spot on the ground he focused on while she changed and looked up. "Nice dress," he teased, noting how the shirt hung only a few inches above her knee.

"You know, I'd make a snappy comment about how even when I'm five-nine, you're all freakishly tall in comparison... but I'm glad this is long on me because otherwise, I would have to get my pyjama bottoms wet."

S only replied with a lopsided smile. He watched her grab the shower head and lower it to the bucket before turning on the water. A small amount of product was added, something she said would help calm his skin without irritating the open wounds. Setting the filled bucket next to his chair, she submerged the washcloth and rung out the excess water.

Without realizing it, S softly said, "I like seeing you wear my shirts."

The voice in Ellie's head screamed at her to hold in expressing any outward reaction to the comment. Given his current situation, it wasn't the time or place for that. She focused on the task at hand – cleaning off his legs and arms before moving onto his chest, wiping off the dirt and blood that coated his skin.

"How on earth did you get like this?" Ellie meant for the question to be rhetorical – assuming there was no way she would ever know. She wasn't hurt by not knowing; she accepted that it would be their reality. But part of her was curious because everything about him seemed untouchable.

"I protect my people," he quietly replied. "No one gets left behind."

Ellie leaned forward as she brought the washcloth to his face. Gently guiding it across his skin, a sudden gasp escaped her lips, feeling a hand on her thigh. She tried to focus on cleaning the dirt off his cheek, but his touch grew increasingly distracting.

"Nora," the sound of his voice sounded like whisky.

She thickly swallowed, realizing how close they were – lips only inches apart. "Y-yes?"

"I know it's risking temptation by asking you this, but..." his eyes flickered down to her mouth before his gaze quickly returned, "Stay with me tonight. Please." The hand on her thigh gently stroked the skin. "I need you, Nora."

Without hesitation, Ellie replied, "Of course."

A knock on the bathroom door forced S's hand to drop and return to his lap. At first, Ellie felt a loss with it gone. But she quickly realized how dangerous it could have been if she thought about how his hand felt on her skin – how his fingertips sent a shiver up her shine and left a trail of goosebumps behind.

"Come in," Ellie called out, taking a step back from her patient.

Frankie poked his head through the gap and gestured to the few bags of ice in hand. "For the face damage."

S released a strained laugh. "Always a way with words," he said, exhaling a sigh of relief once the bag of ice was pressed to his eye.

Much to Ellie's unknown gratitude, Frankie stuck around for the remainder of the time in the bathroom. He said it was to help carry the injured fool once she was all done, but truth be told, Ellie didn't care what his reasoning was. She was glad there was a barrier to stop her and S from doing something stupid.

Drying off his now clean skin, Ellie observed the injured areas. Most spots only needed some ointment and bandages, but she applied a few strips to a gash on his forehead as it wasn't deep enough to require stitches. The worst of his injuries was his black eye and busted bottom lip. Thankfully an endless supply of ice was always at their disposal – and an endless supply of booze, Frankie joked. Ellie didn't find that as funny, worried they seriously considered alcohol a way of healing.

With S maneuvered into the bed with the help of Frankie and an assistant, Ellie collected her things from the bathroom. She was still dressed in S's shirt and didn't bother changing for bed. It was comfortable – especially with how it smelled like his cologne.

"Do you need a drive home, Miss?" Frankie asked as Ellie stepped out of the bathroom.

"She stays here," S grumbled from the bed. "Now, get out."

Frankie's eyes widened over the discovery but didn't utter a word. As Ellie thanked him for the help, the man only replied with a cheeky wink before disappearing from the room.

"Come to bed," he called out to her. "Please, Nora."

At that moment, Ellie realized she had to put her thoughts aside. A touch on her leg didn't mean anything. S would always be respectful, that she knew. He didn't mean to push boundaries or make her uncomfortable. Regardless of whether he would ever admit it, a part of him felt worried over the events that transpired earlier in the night – and his safety was her.

She had to be his safe place tonight.

Turning down her side, Ellie climbed into the bed and tucked herself under luxurious linen sheets. She felt like a guest at a fancy hotel – the kind only famous people or royalty would stay at. Could beds genuinely make someone feel like they were floating on a cloud? This one certainly did.

"Too far," he grumbled into the darkness. His arm reached across the bed, moving around the mattress. "Come."

"I don't want to hurt you by accident throughout the night."

"If you don't sleep next to me, the only thing I'll suffer from tomorrow morning is a broken heart." He reached for her again. "I like having you close. Please."

With caution (and ignoring how her chest clenched over his words), Ellie moved across the bed. She stopped once there was still a safe distance between them and settled her head against the pillow. "There. How's that?"

S reached his arm across her waist and, without warning, pulled her body against his, pressing her backside against his front. "Much better," his voice purred, the last words spoken before sleep consumed them both.

When morning poked its way through the curtains, illuminating the room, both found themselves awake, lying in silence. "I'm sorry I called," was the first thing S said to her.

"I would have been upset if you didn't," she said honestly. "But you need to know I'm not a doctor, S. If you had been shot and waited for me to fix you... something bad could have happened. I'm not trained for those situations."

"No one will get the chance to shoot at me."

"That's not the point." Ellie slowly exhaled a heavy breath. "If you're hurt, I want you to call me. But I need you to promise to get medical attention while you wait – regardless of what happened to you. Whether I can help or not, you need to get seen right away."

"But I don't trust–"

"Then hire one that you do trust. I'm not budging on this, S. If you want me to help you in the future, you have to hire a doctor you trust."

"I can't just send you to med school instead?"

"S–"

"I'm kidding," he half-lied. He really would love to send her to med school – fix two things at once. Ellie could be the doctor she always wanted, and he would have someone around that he trusted.

"Hire someone you trust."

He nodded. "Okay, I will."

"Promesso?"

S smiled. "Promesso."

The two ate breakfast in bed that morning. Ellie had whipped up pancakes with fruit and ignored S's pleading to allow him to do the dishes. "You're injured. You need rest," was all she said, leaving him in bed while she hurried out of the room.

When she returned, Ellie checked his bandages to see how his wounds were healing. She cleaned his skin, reapplied ointment and began rebandaging him.

"Nora, there's something we need to discuss."

Ellie's eyes flickered up to meet his gaze. "What is it?"

"It's clear that despite my better judgement and desire to keep you safe, I cannot stay away from you," he began. "I've gone against my own word countless times with you... I told myself to stay away, yet I was a mess for days until I saw you again. I told myself not to call, yet I'd count down the minutes until you were off work so I could. I told myself not to make it a habit, but I did and called you every day. When I got hurt, the only person I wanted to see was you – you're the only person I trusted. I loath taking demands from people, even when they could be right, but when you went off to do the dishes, I made a list of new possible doctors to hire."

S hand a hand over his chin. "Whenever I've set my mind to something in the past... I've always fallen through. But with you, I throw it all aside."

"So... what are you saying then?"

"I need you to tell me what's right, Nora. I need you to tell me to stay away from you."

Ellie wanted to laugh over his absurd statement. "I'm not going to say that."

"But it's for the best."

"For who?" She raised a brow. "Do you want me to stay away?"

"No, but–"

"Then why ask me to say something neither of us want?" Tightening the cap of the ointment, she wiped her hands off with a towel. "S, you have made it clear that what you do for a living is your business. Aside from the handful of jokes I made asking if you were hiding your identity because of being famous or rich, I don't push the topic. I try never to ask about what I shouldn't. I don't snoop around or investigate." Ellie shrugged. "We keep trying to stay apart, and it doesn't work. So why force it? Why not keep me close and protect me?"

"Because you'll get hurt."

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

"It's not that easy, Nora. If an enemy got wind of you, who's to say what they might do?"

Ellie bit her bottom lip. "But when you keep me at a distance, you act on impulse. You show up at my apartment unannounced one night and call me to come over when you're injured the next. If I was kept close, wouldn't a plan be in place for something like this? You know, someone to pick me up and a way for me to enter your residence without being seen by someone I shouldn't?"

"Nora–"

"You can't stay away. And I don't want you to."

"What are you suggesting, then?"

"Let me be your nurse."

His eyes widened. "No."

"Why not? You just said that I'm the only one you trust!"

"Yes, but–"

"But, what, S? This is my job, and it's a job I'm fucking good at."

Mouth opening to speak, he quickly pressed his lips together and swallowed his words. S's brows knit in confusion. Of course, he had gone over this scenario a thousand times in his head. Every outcome just screamed that it was wrong... but what alternative was there? Be miserable without her? Dance with temptation every time something made him think of her – which, these days, was just about any and everything.

"Frankie!" S yelled out. "Vieni subito qui!"

The man in question stepped into the room within a split second. Ellie found his timing surprising – but not as surprising as observing their conversation. Her eyes darted between them as they spoke back and forth in Italian, clearly using her lack of understanding of the language to their advantage. She couldn't pick up on anything aside from their expressions. While S spoke with his brows knitted, voice deep and direct, Frankie seemed to shrug off every concern, waving it away with his hand.

S sighed. "Fine. Go." He waited until his right-hand man exited the bedroom and closed the door. "You want to be my nurse, hm?"

Ellie nodded.

"Then I have a list of non-negotiables."

"Okay."

"First and foremost, our relationship must stay professional. I've made enough impulsive decisions without ever getting to kiss you... I cannot risk what I would do if we crossed the line with each other and got involved."

She nodded. "I understand."

"Someone on my team will drive you to and from work – I don't want you walking home late at night ever again. On the nights that your services may be required, you will be picked up and brought here. There is a private garage and an elevator that leads directly to this apartment. No one else will see you come and go except those allowed past the front doors," S explained. "You'll be moved to a safer apartment in a better area, and I'll ensure it's still close enough to work. Regardless of our arrangement, you must be somewhere with better security than a front door that is sometimes properly locked. So, we'll ensure the building has a doorman and a twenty-four-hour security team. If you feel the need, you can pay rent – but I'll only accept the same amount you pay for your current apartment. Finally–"

Ellie nervously chewed the inside of her cheek. It all sounded too good to be true. She assumed his last point had to be something that would deter her from accepting.

"–No one works for me without being paid. If you are my nurse, you are an employee and will be paid as such. You are not allowed to deny the wage I deem fit. However, you are certainly welcome to always ask for more." He grinned. "I will hire a trusted Doctor, per your request. Do we have an understanding?"

A smile tugged the corners of her mouth. "Yes."

That was how their infamous partnership began – a call at four in the morning, confessions of "I need you", and the realization that no matter how hard he tried, S would never be able to stay away from her.

V. NURSE NORA

After discussing in S's bedroom, Ellie moved into her new apartment within the week. A cozy place that had a beautiful bay window that overlooked the city with a reading nook. She loved spending her free time going through her textbooks or cookbooks in that spot. Many techniques for healing wounds and recipes for new meals were discovered sitting there.

Initially, she didn't spend much time at S's apartment. Mainly because there wasn't much need for her. But S continued to call, unable to go a full forty-eight hours without hearing her voice, something Ellie was grateful for as she felt the same.

Over time, she cared for more of the men in his crew. Those allowed in his apartment were the ones closest to him – a bunch of Frankies with different names. S allowed Pancake to join her for the night whenever she had to stay over. Even going so far as to purchase a replica of all the cat's essentials so Ellie didn't have to worry about bringing anything over. Pancake was a bit hit around the apartment. All the men cooed and catered to her every move, falling in love with every stretch and sound she made. It was an adorable sight.

As the months went on, their arrangement continued to work well – the only downside was suppressing their growing feelings for one another. However, knowing they had to keep things professional to continue working together helped get them by.

And with the extra money she received as payment, Ellie could afford to test out all her new recipes. Even after she had been dismissed from her nursing duties, S insisted she stick around and use his kitchen to practice.

"This is so good," the man groaned, "Please tell me you'll be back tomorrow night to make more!"

"Not tomorrow, but the following night, sure."

"Cazzo! Why not?"

S passed through the entryway with brows raised. "What's got you swearing like that in front of Nurse Nora?"

"She won't be around tomorrow, Boss! Make her work! I need more of this!" Tony gestured at the plate with his fork. "It's so good!"

"Do you have plans tomorrow night?"

The question was meant out of genuine curiosity – and to know whether he could call if there were an emergency. Ellie was well aware of the procedure, which is why she nodded and honestly replied,

"I have a date."

"Oh." S forced a smile. "That sounds nice. With who?"

"Someone from the hospital. He works on a different floor."

"Lovely. I hope you have a great time."

"R-really?"

Ellie didn't mean for her shocked reply to slip through, but she couldn't help it. It's not like she expected him to throw a fit or demand she couldn't go out of jealousy or spite – she didn't know what to expect. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to S about where she'd be and having him take the news with such a calm and collected demeanour helped her feel far more at ease for tomorrow night.

He nodded. "Of course. And I'll ensure none of these idiots cause any issues so we don't disturb you. Enjoy your night, Nora – you deserve it."

S sent her home for the night under the impression he was happy for her. However, he was neither calm nor collected over the news. In fact, S had been falling apart from the minute she uttered those words. He spent all day and night locked away in his office, forcing himself to work as a distraction. He couldn't sleep. Didn't want to eat. Barely wanted to see the light of day. It was horrendous. All he could do was think about Nora – his Nora – out for dinner with someone else. Someone who got to see her smile, watch her skin flush over compliments, and hear her laughter.

Somehow, the man managed to make it through the second night. It was nearing forty-eight hours by the time Nora was back. She didn't announce it – much to his disappointment. But the smell of baked goods wafted through the house, signalling she had returned.

Entering the kitchen, his outward appearance shielded his true feelings. Dressed in his suit, cleanly shaved with his hair perfectly in place, it was a mask S proudly wore. He didn't want to be jealous – come across as sad or angry over the fact she went out with somebody else. He meant what he said; she deserved a night out to enjoy. But that didn't make knowing any easier. However, the last thing he wanted was for her to know he was nothing but supportive. And so, he smiled, greeting her a quiet hello.

Frankie and Tony sat at the breakfast bar, indulging in Nora's cooking and showering her with compliments.

"Boss! You've got to try these!" The young kid Tony cried as he pointed to the plate of cookies. "So good!"

"Is that the source of the delicious smell wafting through the house?"

Ellie's cheeks reddened. "I hope," was all she shyly managed to reply with. "I came by to check on how Pedro is healing, but he was asleep, so I thought I'd pass the time by baking."

"You could have come to say hi," S said, attempting to remove the disappointment from his tone as he reached for a cookie.

"I told her you were locked up in your office and not to disturb ya!"

S forced a smile. "Thanks, Tony."

The kid nodded proudly with a smile, assuming the response was genuine. While the rule was made for everyone else, S never meant it for her. Knowing he could have been around her company far earlier left him taking out his frustration when no one was looking by angrily biting into a cookie.

"How is it?"

"Really, really good," he honestly replied. "Oatmeal chocolate chip?"

Ellie nodded. "With an extra dash of cinnamon."

"It's perfect."

He noted that her cheeks remained flushed. Was she smiling over the compliment? Or was the effect of a perfect date night still lingering on her mind? S swore to himself he didn't want to know how it went. But now, seeing her with a permanent smile and blush made him fear another man had that effect. Not that he cared – he had no right to care. S grabbed another cookie.

"Pedro's up!" Someone called out from the hallway.

As Ellie took her cue to exit the kitchen, disappearing from his sight, S should have been relieved to have a break from the mental torture. But everything reminded him of that woman. Her scent lingered behind. The smell of her baked foods. Dishes drying on the rack by the sink she had just washed.

S groaned and reached for another cookie.

"Tony, go help with Pedro." Frankie nudged the kid's side.

"Me? Why?"

"Because I said so," the older man demanded. "Go. Now."

Once Tony had scurried off, Frankie got up from his seat and closed the double doors that led to the kitchen. He then grabbed the necessities. A bottle of the strongest liquor from under the sink and two glasses. Filling each to the brim, he slid one across the counter and asked, "Wanna talk, Boss?"

S rolled his eyes and picked up the glass. "There's nothing to discuss."

"Nothing? Not even about the weather?"

"Wouldn't know anything about that. I haven't looked outside in two days," S muttered before taking a long sip of his drink.

"Want me to see what I can find out about this figlio di puttana?"

The man considered it briefly and then rightfully brushed off the question. "No. Let her be happy."

"Alright."

S and Frankie sat silently and drank – their favourite way to spend time together. When Ellie returned not too long later, Frankie immediately dismissed himself, gave the nurse a polite nod, and disappeared out of the kitchen. Part of Ellie wished he had stayed to break the unknown tension. But the other part of her was thankful for a moment alone.

Standing across from him at the kitchen counter, Ellie finally let her thoughts take over the silence. "Is everything okay between us?"

"Of course," he immediately replied. "Why?"

Ellie shrugged. "I just want to make sure," she said, looking down at her nails. "I was worried things might be awkward after I said I was going on a date and–"

"Nora," his voice purred her name, "There's nothing to worry about. I want you to enjoy your life and date whoever is worthy enough to be graced by your presence."

Hearing those words made Ellie reach for his glass and take a sip. Usually, S would have been disgusted by such a move – he hated sharing beverages. But with her, it was endearing. Especially the way her nose wrinkled over the taste and how her eyes closed as she swallowed. Instead of being upset or annoyed by the drink thief, he found himself smiling and studying every reaction her body had.

Ellie coughed. "How do you drink this stuff so easily?"

"I'm just used to it, I guess." Taking back the glass, he released a shallow breath and regretfully asked, "Did you have a nice night?"

"Um," she chewed her bottom lip, hesitating with her answer.

"I don't mean to intrude. I just wanted to make sure you enjoyed your time."

"It was... alright."

He raised a brow. "Only alright?"

"Yeah, um..." she shrugged, "I don't know... I'm not good at going on dates. I get nervous and awkward and then blurt out things I shouldn't or can't shut myself up when it's apparent that I should." Ellie reached for his glass again and took a long sip. "Sorry. This is clearly one of these times where I need to shut up," she said, laughing uncomfortably, "You're just so easy to talk to... I forget that we shouldn't discuss certain things."

"You can always talk to me, Nora. After all, we are friends."

"Friends?" Ellie repeated. "That's how you think of us?"

No. "Sì... of course I do."

She forced a smile. "That's good, uh, because that's how I see us too," was what she said, but her nails digging into her palms told a different tale. "I'm seeing him again tonight, so I should, uh, get going."

"Oh." S got up from his seat. "I hope you have a good time."

"Thanks."

"Will you be back tomorrow?"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah."

The next day, Ellie didn't show. S tried to brush it aside, not let it bother him that she didn't show. But it was eating him alive. Ellie wasn't on the clock. It wasn't like she was obligated to be at the apartment. However, she had been spending so much time there the past few months, even on days when she wasn't working; it was odd not to see her face. Or hear from her. Or eat leftover food that she made.

A handful of days passed. If it weren't for her driver reporting that she was alive and well, S would have thrown a fit – send a search party out to ensure her safety. But she was still going to work on time and requesting to be driven to her apartment afterwards. He wanted to call... but he knew he couldn't.

When it neared a week, it physically pained him – S felt sick to his stomach. No one had ever had this effect on him. But then again, no one had ever been Nora.

He neared the point of succumbing to his temptation to track her down.

But when his phone showed a missed call at two in the morning, it appeared she had been the one to give in first.

Immediately calling the number back, S sat up in bed. His leg shook impatiently as he waited.

"Hello-o-o?" she giggled from the other end, dragging out the O's.

"Nora? Are you okay?"

"I'm so, so, so good!"

There was evident music playing in the background, and he assumed by the way she spoke that a few drinks had been consumed... but S's alarm bells still rang. "Is everything okay? Where are you?"

"Having fun! You should try it sometime!"

"Nora–"

"Do you like fun?"

"Nora–"

"Do you want to have fun with me?"

Hurrying out of bed, S located a pair of pants and a shirt in the dark. He pressed his cell phone between his shoulder and ear as he quickly put his clothes on. "Nora, where are you? You're worrying me."

"I'll tell you where I am... but only if you promise to come have fun with me!"

"I promise," he huffed, searching the top of his dresser for his keys.

"You have to pinkie promise!"

"I can't do that over the phone."

Her voice hummed a thinking noise. "Then just say it! I'll make an exception."

"I pinkie promise, Nora," S sighed, "Now–"

"You can't break a pinkie promise!" She giggled again. "It's, like, a law! Look it up! Ugh, my feet hurt! And, I– Oh! Hot dogs! Yum!"

"Alright. Nora, I pinkie-fucking-promise. Now, where are you?"

"At this place near your apartment called Rodeo. There's a mechanical bull, and some guy said if I put his cowboy hat on, I can ride him next."

S's eyes narrowed at the thought. "Nora, listen to me... are you listening?" he asked, pushing the button for the elevator.

"Mmhm!"

"You tell," that stupid motherfucker, "him that if he says another word to you, I'll break his fucking jaw."

"S?"

"Sì?"

"Is it bad that I found what you said really, really hot?"

The man nearly lost his balance over her confession. "I–" S released a shaky breath. "We'll talk about that later."

He never wanted to discuss it, not knowing how the fuck he would survive, but he had no idea what else to possibly say. And the last thing he needed was to picture her thinking about it... or biting her lip... or moaning–

Ding. The elevator doors opening to the garage saved him from spiralling further.

"Stay on the line. I'll be there in five minutes."

As S sped the car out of the garage and down the city streets, he was thankful the early morning hours meant no traffic. Ellie continued to babble on the other end of the call. She talked about how loud it was inside, that her feet hurt, how hungry she was and that she wanted a hot dog.

"It's cold out here!" she whined. "I'm going inside to wait for you!"

"Nora, I'm right around the corner! Just stay right there!"

"Okay!" But barely a second later, Ellie sighed and said, "No, I'm going inside!"

"Nora–"

"Meet me at the bar, m'kay?"

S slammed on the brakes in front of the bar and shifted the gear into park. He hurried out of the vehicle, barely remembering to lock his car as he ran towards the entrance, met by gentlemen guarding the door. Before the large man could utter a word about denying entry, S placed a crisp hundred-dollar bill onto his hand.

"Where's the bar?"

"Straight ahead," the baritone voice explained, opening the saloon-style front door. "Bar will close for the night soon, so you might want to hurry."

With a tight-lipped smile and a nod, S brushed past the man and headed inside. He wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that he paid a hundred dollars to enter an establishment where his foot immediately stuck to the floor or that the bouncer assumed S would be desperate enough to pay that amount of money to come in for a drink.

Locating the bar, S immediately pushed his way through, eyes frantically searching every face that belonged to a customer. But it didn't take long to find her. In fact, it was almost immediate. Ellie stole the entire room's attention – S cursed at himself for taking nearly sixty seconds to see her because it seemed far too long for someone so exquisite.

The scraps of fabric clinging to her body isn't what stole his attention. She looked absolutely fucking fantastic, but he thought the same thing every time, regardless of the clothing worn. No, it wasn't the dress. It was that in a room crowded with drunken bodies, her eyes still managed to find their way to his. And even at a distance, he could see her cheeks flush with colour.

The drunken fool standing beside Ellie stood no chance of ever regaining her attention. A feeling that selfishly filled S with pride. He hated the thought of standing in her way to find someone new to make her blush, smile and laugh. However, it was clear this idiot was nothing of the sort – she could do far better. And if he had to help wield out the pathetic ones from the bunch, S would happily do so. Well, happily was a stretch... but he would do it for her.

Pushing his way through the crowd, S never let his eyes leave hers. It wasn't a challenge to maneuver around the drunken bodies; a lack of balance made pushing them aside easy. And as her companion stepped aside to catch the bartender's attention, the perfect opportunity to step between them materialized.

"There you are."

"Here I am!" Ellie said in a cheery tone, followed by a giggle. "You found me. Want to claim your prize now?" She leaned her body into his. "Or later?"

S knew she had to be teasing. But it had been a while since such forward words slipped through her perfect lips, it caught him slightly off guard. Clearing the thoughts from his mind, he forced himself to say, "Come on. Let's get you home."

"But you said you would come and have fun with me!"

S sighed. "If you leave with me right now, I'll buy you a hot dog."

Her face lit up with excitement as she licked her lips. "Deal!"

Thankful a few dollars worth of street meat was enough to convince her, S grabbed hold of her hand, ready to get her the fuck out of this establishment. But just as he went to take a step, a touch on his shoulder caught his attention.

"Dude! What the fuck? I've been working her all night, and she was finally about to put out!"

S straightened his posture from hearing that comment. Not wanting to crush the hand holding hers, all the tension went to his jaw. "Nora, sweetheart," he whispered into her ear, "I need you to turn around and look at the funny cow on the wall for a minute."

Ellie's eyes widened at the sight. As the alcohol turned her into a giggling mess, S focused on the piece of shit at the bar. With one swift movement, the hand not occupied by holding hers grabbed the man by the nape of his neck and slammed his head against the bar.

"You listen to me, stronzo," he sneered, "You better watch your fucking mouth. Because if I hear you talking like that about any woman ever again, I will hunt you down, rip your heart out of your chest with my bare hands and shove it down your throat. Understand?"

There was nothing like instilling fear in a man's eye that provided such satisfaction. As the pathetic excuse under his grasp nodded his head, skin running pale, S smiled.

"Excellent." S released the man with a shove, sending his body to collide with the far wall. Turning around, S placed a hand on her hip and bent forward, bringing his lips to her ear, "Let's go get you a hot dog. Sì?"

"Sì!"

The way she mirrored his Italian always made him weak in the knees. But as Ellie leaned back against him, his thoughts turned troubling. Her body felt like a perfect fit pressed up against his. Clearing his throat, S tapped her hip and said, "Come on." He kept hold of her hand as they walked out of the bar – partially due to worry she would wander off, while the other part of him just enjoyed how her fingers intertwined with his.

Successfully reaching the front door and making their way outside, S kept a tight grip on her hand, leading the way to the hot dog cart. He bought her precisely what she wanted, "a hot dog slathered with ketchup" and two bottles of water. Grabbing a handful of napkins, he told the vendor to keep the change, resulting in a tip of almost triple the amount the items cost. But Ellie's bouncing and giggles of excitement were worth it.

Per Ellie's request, they sat on a bench that was tucked away on a side street to avoid being seen by onlookers while she ate her hot dog.

"So good," she moaned after the first bite. "What's your favourite drunk food? Or does Mr. Fancy-Pants not get to that level?"

"Mr. Fancy-Pants?"

"Yeah. It's a fitting name."

"Is that so?"

She nodded, silently chewing another bite. "Mmhm," she hummed, giggling over nothing in particular. "I bet it's like lobster or caviar ... or lobster with caviar!"

"Nora," his voice purred her name, "You've known me for over six months now, and you think that's what my go-to drunk food would be?"

"To be fair, I've never seen you get drunk, Mr. Fancy Pants! You're too busy being all..."

"Fancy?"

Ellie's eyes widened. "Exactly!"

"Well, up until tonight, I've never seen you this drunk either, so... I guess we're still getting to know the very important details about each other."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course."

Ellie leaned forward and dropped her voice to a whisper, "I've never seen me get this drunk either!"

"Why did you get like this then?"

Losing herself in a fit of giggles, she shrugged. "I have no idea! But I'm glad I did because now I have this amazing hot dog!" As Ellie finished the last few bites, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and turned to face S. "Do I have anything on my face?"

"Just a little ketchup here." S brought a hand to own his face to demonstrate the spot. "No, here, Nora..." he pointed higher, "Here!"

"Oh, just get it for me then!"

With a sigh, S reached his hand forward and gently wiped his thumb just under her bottom lip. "There," he said, "All gone."

"Thank you so much for–" Ellie fell silent as he licked the ketchup off his thumb. Clenching her thighs together, her skin suddenly flushed over the action. Oh god, get it together, you drunken fool!

"What?"

"What?"

S raised a brow. "You're looking at me weird."

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are."

"No!" Her drunk mind struggled to find a way out. "You're looking at you weird!"

"Alright... I think it's time we get you home," he held out a hand for her to take, "Come on."

They walked in silence to his parked car. Ellie cuddled up against his side as they walked – partially due to keeping her balance, while the other part of her enjoyed being pressed up against him. S unlocked his car and opened the passenger door, helping her get safely inside before making his way to the drivers seat.

Ellie nervously tapped her fingers against her bare legs. "Um... S?"

"Yes, Nora?"

"Can I stay at your place tonight?"

"Sure... but is there a reason I should know why you don't want to go home?" he asked, wondering if there was a safety concern or issue with her apartment.

Ellie chewed her bottom lip. "Well, I kind of asked Helen to watch Pancake tonight, and I don't like sleeping there alone."

S nodded and opted to stay silent, assuming limiting any follow-up questions would be best for his head. Turning the key in the ignition, S looked to the side and said, "Drink your water."

"Okay, Dad." She giggled, thinking about how it would have sounded if she had said 'daddy' by accident. "What's a strong-zee?"

"What?"

"Strong-zee," she repeated. "It's what you called my date."

"I didn't call him a strong-zee. I said stronzo, which means piece of shit." S glanced to the side. "You said that guy was your date? As in, the guy that works at the hospital?"

Ellie nodded, humming in agreement as the bottle was pressed against her lips.

"You know you can do a million times better than that guy, right?"

"I know," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "He's such a stronzo!"

Ellie giggled. And then, after a brief silence, she giggled again.

"What?"

"I just realized you're wearing sweatpants! Mr. Fancy-Pants is wearing sweatpants!"

"Nora, you know I own sweatpants."

"I know."

There were only two occasions when she had seen him wear sweatpants: when he was just getting up in the morning or working out. Ellie didn't have to be sober to connect the dots – he only liked working out in the morning, which meant S had gotten out of bed, tossed on the first thing he could find and went to come and get her. The thought of him doing something like that, jumping at the opportunity to go and get her over a simple phone call, caused her stomach to fill with butterflies.

At least, she hoped it was butterflies. She really didn't want to throw up her hot dog.

To Ellie's silent gratitude, she managed to make it through the car ride without testing the theory of whether the feeling in her stomach was nausea from drinking or butterflies over the man in the driver's seat. Stepping out of the parked vehicle, she felt light on her feet and stumbled slightly before catching her balance.

"Whoops!" she giggled, feeling the effects of the last shot she had taken moments before S had shown up at the bar.

"Are you alright?"

The sound of his husky, sinful voice resulted in devious thoughts crossing her mind. One's she only delved into late at night... when she was alone... in the privacy of her own bedroom. She blamed the alcohol for bringing back those thoughts – one's she swore she hadn't experienced in a long time. But the feeling of his arm around the back of her waist, fingers pressing into her hip as he guided them to the elevators, made her wonder what it would be like to hear him–

"Nora," his voice purred her name.

She blinked. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Ding. The doors opened to his apartment, and Ellie took her opportunity to escape his grasp. A pair of heads turned in the living room, watching the drunken girl exit the elevator. Ellie didn't notice the attention she received – and she certainly didn't see S give them a death stare as a warning to keep their eyes to themselves.

Ellie should have gone to the guest bedroom. However, given her current state, thinking logically was the last thing she could manage, so she headed right for S's bedroom. He didn't correct her, even though he should have and followed closely behind, internally cursing at himself for it. But watching her flop down on her back against his mattress did something to him – something he wasn't proud to admit. Ellie lifted her upper body, resting back against her elbows. She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, watching him approach the bed.

S struggled to find his breath over how she looked; how she stared at him with those sinful eyes... biting her lip.... with her dress riding up–

Coughing, S forced the thoughts away and kneeled at the end of the bed. He released a deep breath and propped her heeled foot to rest against his thigh. He tried to ignore how her skin felt under his touch; her legs were silky smooth and smelled like the vanilla scent of her favourite body lotion. He desperately tried to get the image of how it would look if her legs were wrapped around–

"Do you ever think about it?"

Fiddling with the tiny clasp around her ankle, S cleared his throat. "Think about what?"

"Us – what could have been us if we had given it a try."

"Nora," he said cautiously, lifting her foot to slide off the shoe. "We shouldn't talk about this right now. It's inappropriate."

She placed her shoeless foot on the ground and watched as he lifted the other onto his thigh.

Inappropriate. Of course, that's how he thinks of us giving it a try would be – inappropriate.

Ellie cleared her throat. "I understand," she said, "I just think it's for the best, you know, that we never did."

S allowed his eyes to study her expression far more obviously than usual. He swallowed and forced a smile as his fingers worked on the clasp of her shoe. "I agree," he lied, "It's for the best."

"It took a while to get over," she continued, "But now that I've completely moved on from you, I think we'll be best friends forever," Ellie leaned forward and tapped her finger against the tip of his nose, "And ever!"

"Sì, friends." The word felt like poison for him to say out loud. "Now, let's get you to bed."

"Oh my god! I forgot I had to pee!"

S forced himself onto his feet as the drunk girl scurried off to the bathroom within the blink of an eye. He walked over to the dresser and searched for something for her to wear for bed. The idea of seeing her in one of his t-shirts pained his chest. However, S's issues over what her wearing his clothing did to his heart was a topic better suited for a therapist.

Laying out a few options, including a shirt, pants, and a sweater, S stood awkwardly while waiting for her to return.

When she did, pulling at the zipper of her dress, the last words S expected her to say were,

"Are you going to sleep with me?"

His eyes nearly popped out of his head. "W-what?"

"Stupid fucking thing!" Ellie groaned.

It was clear her zipper was caught on something, he assumed the fabric, but S didn't move a muscle. Although it was unlike him to deny offering help, the last thing he needed was to risk his hands being anywhere near her right now. Nothing would have happened, of course – the man would never dare to cross such a boundary with her, especially given her current state. But he feared what it would be like to accidentally touch her skin or see the exposed back as her dress broke free.

Thankfully, Ellie broke the zipper free seconds later, leaving S relieved he stayed put.

"Are you going to sleep with me?" she repeated as if her question was simple... or normal. "It's your bed, after all. Wait– we are in your room, right?" Ellie's drunken eyes looked around. "Yeah, this is your room!"

As Ellie went to pull down her dress without warning, S quickly turned his head to the opposite side of the room and averted his gaze by staring a hole through the floor.

"We always sleep together in here." Her dress fell to the ground. "And I like when you sleep with me." Ellie giggled. "I have clothes on now! You can look at me, silly!"

S turned his head at a glacier pace, wanting to ensure her statement was true. Thankfully, it was. Ellie had settled herself into the bed and got under the sheets. Resting her head against the pillows, she swore a smile, waiting for him to join.

"I just need to do a few things for work first," he said, grabbing the remote from the nightstand. "Why don't you watch something, and I'll be back soon?"

"Okay!" Ellie yawned as she pressed the power button and flipped through the channels. "Don't take too long!"

"I won't."

Within minutes, Ellie was fast asleep. S returned to the bedroom shortly after to turn down his side of the bed but didn't settle in. He powered off the television and placed the remote back on the side table before exiting the room and closing the door. There was a laundry list of reasons why it would have been anything but appropriate to share a bed, so he remained on the couch all night long.

When morning came, and they were faced with each other again, it was like a silent pact was made to never speak of that night. Everything was better left unsaid, and so that's exactly what happened. Ellie returned to her usual routine, arriving at the apartment to cook and spend time with everyone. Whatever tension or awkwardness S feared would arise from that night never did. In fact, the two seemed closer than ever... as friends, of course.

VI. GIVING

Ellie never knew what to expect when she received a call in the middle of the night from S. Regardless of how many she answered over the past year of their arrangement, she was always surprised. At this point, it was more unsurprising to be surprised. Nothing was ever the same from these calls.

But stepping foot into the room, Ellie couldn't help but think this time around was the most surprising of all.

Sitting next to S on the couch was a breathtakingly beautiful woman. With chestnut brown hair that perfectly framed her face, beautiful honey-brown eyes and an inviting smile, Ellie was taken aback at the fact that she seemed entirely at ease – given that she was bleeding from a head wound.

"What's going on, S?"

"S," the woman scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I can't believe you haven't told her your name yet."

S opened his mouth to speak but was immediately interrupted.

"I'm Serfina," the woman introduced herself. Getting up from the couch, she made her way over to the nurse and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm S's sister."

"Sister?"

"Dio mio! Pensavo di avertelo detto–"

As they argued in Italian, Ellie took the time to silently observe the two siblings. They were strikingly alike – they shared the same hair and eye colour and had similarly shaped features. It turned out the luck of the gene pool did not stop at S, and Ellie wondered just how beautiful the rest of the family was too.

"Silenzio!" Serafina dismissively waved off her brother, returning her attention to the nurse. "Nora, yes?" her voice softly asked, "You're so pretty! No wonder my brother has been hiding you away!"

"Ser–"

"Dio mio! Would you calm down?" she snapped at the man. "I'm only complimenting her! It's not like I will start exposing all your secrets, like telling her you wet the bed until you were ten! Oops! Did I let that slip?"

"Giuro su Dio–"

"As much as I enjoy this little sibling rivalry," Ellie interrupted, "May I ask what I'm here for?" Her eyes unintentionally fell to the wound on Serafina's head. She assumed that's why she was here – but if she learned anything about working for S, it was that she couldn't assume anything.

"I slipped and hit my head," Serafina said before her brother could get in a word, "I'm very clumsy," she forced a laugh, "And S says you're the best."

"That's very kind of him to say," was all she replied, forcing a smile. "Why don't you take a seat, and I'll go collect my things."

Waiting until Serafina was seated, Ellie exited the room and headed down the hall. A slight uneasiness turned in her stomach, but she forced it to dissipate as much as possible. This wasn't about her or her level of comfortability over the situation. The only person that mattered here was the one injured – the one Ellie was certain wasn't being forthright about her injuries.

"Nora," the familiar voice spoke softly from the doorway, "I'm sorry for springing this on you."

"You don't have to apologize. This is what you pay me for."

"I know, but," S cleared his throat, stepping into the room. "This isn't how I intended for you to meet her."

"S, will all due respect, I think we both know that is the least of our corners right now." Ellie checked over her medical kit, ensuring she had everything she needed. "Right now, all that matters is that she's comfortable and trusts me to help. So, when we return to that room, I need you to promise to sit there and let me do my job. Don't worry about whatever information she teases about you or her side remarks. Whatever she says won't leave that room." Regardless of whether it's about you or the truth of her injuries. Ellie looked over at him. "Promesso?"

A hint of a smile tugged on his lips. "Promesso."

Ellie returned to the room with all her supplies and sat beside Serafina. Pulling out a clipboard, she began to ask questions and take a few notes about the injury – wanting to cross off the possibility of a concussion. "Nothing leaves this room," she assured her, "S burns whatever I write down in the fireplace after."

"How dramatic of him."

"No paper trails," the man chimed in, pouring himself a drink, "Keeping our hands clean."

The remarks died down as Ellie got to work on the wound. It wasn't as bad as initially thought once the blood was cleaned off her skin – although that didn't excuse the fact it shouldn't have been there in the first place.

"You have such a soft touch," Serafina commented. "Much better than that other fool S had working here before you."

"Comfort is key," she said with a smile, gently wiping her forehead.

"So, do you have a significant other that steals your attention when you're not stitching up S's friends?"

Ellie felt colour rush to her cheeks. "I do not. Do you?"

"Unfortunately," she replied with a dramatic sigh, her tone light and teasing. "I'm married."

"Oh, lovely. For how long?"

"A few years. He's..." she seemed to struggle to find a word, "lovely."

S scoffed, raising his glass to his mouth. He took a long sip, stewing over the chosen word before uttering in Italian, "You need to leave him."

Ellie didn't know what his words meant, but she felt the effect nonetheless. The room turned quiet and filled with thick tension. It was precisely what she hoped S would not do. But once the conversation started, Ellie feared she would have to let it play out. Not wanting to draw attention to herself by slowing her movements of making accidental eye contact, Ellie focused on the task at hand.

"Quiet," his sister snapped back the simple remark.

"How many more times will this happen before we do something?"

Serafina straightened her posture. "There is no 'we'. This is not your problem to deal with."

"So I'm supposed to sit here while he puts his hands on–"

"I know you want to help, but please, brother. Listen to me and stay out of it."

S ran a hand over his chin. "I just want to protect you from that monster."

"When the time is right, I will let you know," she replied softly, "But now is not that time."

It was an argument they had countless times. S wanted to protect his sister, and Serafina wished she could accept his offer. One day she hoped to do just that – when things were more settled, it would be safe for her to run without consequence. Serafina longed for the day she could run from the person she was forced to share a marital bed with. Every night she dreamed of her freedom and when she could be with the person that filled her heart with an indescribable warmth.

"Oh, sorry," a familiar voice said from the door. "I didn't realize you were all in here." Frankie cleared his throat as his eyes fell on the woman on the couch. "Are you okay?"

Serafina nodded as the warm feeling seeped through her chest. "Sì."

Ellie swore she would keep to herself, but she couldn't help it – she caught the exchange with her own eyes. She knew what the expression written across Serafina's face meant because she had the same look countless times before.

Frankie pulled S aside for a conversation – which they insisted on having in the same room. Ellie assumed it was because both men wanted to be near Serafina, but she could tell their discussion made the woman uncomfortable. It didn't take understanding the language to know what they were speaking of to figure it out – it was apparent by the way she kept shifting in her seat, darting her eyes worryingly to her brother and right-hand man. And always wanting to ensure her patients were comfortable, Ellie took matters into her own hands.

"S? Why don't you make us something to eat while I finish here?"

S nodded. "Of course."

Serafina's eyes widened, watching her brother exit the room without another word. "How did you get him to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Listen to you."

Ellie shrugged. "I... I don't know," she admitted with a laugh, "I just ask." Cleaning off her tools, she looked over at the beautiful woman. "If you ever need help, you know, if there's another accidental fall," she chose her words carefully, "I'm here to help. No questions asked."

"Thank you, Nora," her voice was sincere as she reached out a hand, placing it on her thigh. Studying the woman closely, she smiled and added, "You know, I can see why my brother is so smitten with you."

The blushing nurse instantly dropped her gaze, wanting to reply and tell the beautiful woman he was not that word with her. But Serafina was on her feet before Ellie found any words to say.

"Oh, it smells amazing! I bet he's made his famous tomato soup and grilled cheese!"

If there was one thing that night brought, aside from learning S was a bedwetter until the age of ten, it was a beautiful, budding friendship between Serfina and Ellie.

While Serafina promised S countless times that she wouldn't say a word about his life (and intended to keep it, not wanting to say something that would result in the nurse leaving), Ellie was happy to have a friend around. Although she enjoyed the company of Frankie and the other few men she became acquainted with, Serafina brought new life into the apartment.

"Do you want to get married?" Serafina asked, flipping through a magazine.

"I don't think so," Ellie replied, looking out the window to watch the first snowfall of winter paint the city. "I would like to spend the rest of my life with someone, but I don't necessarily need to be married for that..." she shrugged, "So, unless it was something important to him or the timing felt right... I can't see myself getting married."

"Good, don't bother," she huffed, flipping to another page. "It sucks!"

Ellie didn't know much about Serafina's husband aside from his name – Luca. She quickly learned that S didn't like him, given the way his face contorted with disgust over even the slightest mention of the man, and Serafina didn't seem too fond of him herself. She assumed he was somehow involved in the business side of things, an area of S's life Ellie still didn't go anywhere near. And she knew Luca travelled outside the city a lot – given why Serafina was in S's apartment.

After the night Ellie had met Serafina, S briefly explained she and her husband lived out of the country. Ellie didn't know if that was the honest truth, but it was what she chose to believe.

"I don't think I smiled once in my wedding photos!" Serafina snickered, "Dio mio, that was a horrendous day..." The woman sighed, "If there's one piece of advice I can give, it's to get married for love... not business."

Ellie wasn't sure if she meant to utter her advice out loud, but she didn't push the topic of conversation further.

S and Frankie returned to the apartment, slyly trying to bring in shopping bags from the department store. S shoved all the bags into the arms of his right-hand man and ushered him down the hall – presumably to hide everything. It wasn't long before Serafina excused herself and followed the path Frankie headed, leaving Ellie and S alone.

"So... were those all the groceries for Christmas dinner?"

"Of course." S grinned as he went to where she stood, joining her window-watching. "What else would it be?"

"I have no idea. Maybe I should ask your little elf that just ran off."

He pressed a hand against the small of her back, signalling for her to stay put. "Ah, let him be. He's had a long day, Nora."

"A long day of shopping?"

The two had agreed not to spend much money buying gifts – or so Ellie thought. But now, spotting the devious glimmer in S's eyes, the girl worried she was playing a game of Christmas cheer with a devious opponent.

Ellie spent the next week trying to solve the mystery of the wrapped gifts. It was easier than ever to investigate around the apartment because S insisted she stay in the guest room over the holidays. However, much like the secrecy around everything else in S's life, apparently, his side job as the perfect Santa fell under that umbrella. And so, she stewed with worry that her gifts would never measure up.

Unfortunately, the extra money she made from her nursing job healing criminals still went to pay off her debts and Pancake's sudden illness that cost thousands of dollars at the vet. And although S offered to pay for it (for some odd reason considering her visit wasn't his fault), Ellie insisted she needed to care for her child herself. Which meant there was little money to buy extra gifts to win Christmas.

And so, when the day came to gather around the colourfully decorated tree, Ellie nervously dug her fingers into the palm of her hands. She usually would cuddle Pancake when stressed, but the traitor had decided to cuddle up in S's lap instead. The five of them, Ellie, S, Serafina, Frankie, and of course, Pancake, chose to spend Christmas dinner together. S wanted a small intimate gathering instead of the lavish party that was apparently thrown in previous years by his father – and everyone seemed more than willing to oblige.

The rules of gift-giving were simple. Each person got someone else one gift, and a crazy amount of money wasn't to be spent. They drew names out of a hat to decide who handed out their gifts first – the winner of the draw being Frankie, who gave out his gifts with a goofy smile. Serafina was next, who clearly went above budget.

Ellie was third and gave out her gifts with a shaky hand. She got Frankie a baseball signed by his favourite player (something she found at a vintage store for so little money she knew it had to be fake) and matching aprons for Serafina for their baking adventures. By the time it was S's turn, she felt her stomach drop to her ass.

He raised a brow as two items appeared in his hand. "Nurse Nora! Don't tell me you broke the rules!"

"Okay, in my defence, I thought one of them wouldn't make it in time! So, I couldn't be the asshole on Christmas that didn't have a gift for you. I would look like a terrible employee."

S grinned. "Don't worry. I'll let this slide," he said, slowly peeling back the paper of the first gift. A collection of various vinyl records.

"You mentioned on our first," date, "uh, time having dinner together that you like listening to music on vinyl the best. But your collection is pretty sparse, so I got some from the record store."

"This is..."

"I know it's not a lot–"

"Amazing," he said, flipping through all the artists. "Thank you."

She smiled, looking down at her lap. "Keep that in mind when you open the next one," she nervously began to babble, "Because I just thought it was funny, and you know, if you don't like it, I totally understand, but–"

The sound of laughter silenced the room. S was practically folded in half, laughing uncomfortably at his gift – in the best way possible. He turned the shirt around, letting the others in the room read what it said: PANCAKES #1 FAN, with a cartoon drawing of her.

"Dio mio, this is amazing, Nora!" he said, wiping his eyes. "I guess I have become the number one fan of this little furball..." S looked down at the cat in his lap and scratched her head, "Isn't that right, Flapjack?"

Ellie was relieved he enjoyed the gift. After having it made, part of her regretted it – worried he would find it odd or only say he liked it to save her feelings. But there was no way he could have faked that reaction. Or have been forced to put it on, which S voluntarily did.

"Alright, I guess it's my turn!"

The amusement of seeing S dressed in suit pants and his new t-shirt could no longer mask her worry. As the gift sat in her lap, she nervously watched the other two open their presents. It appeared overspending ran in the family, as S followed his sister's lead with the first two gifts, leaving Ellie frightened over the cost of hers. Her fingers trembled as she tore open the paper to reveal a blue satin box.

Upon seeing the item, a gasp left her lips as wide, glossy eyes found their way to his. "S–"

"Come," he extended his hand, "Let me put it on you."

Ellie followed his lead out of the room, her mind far too overwhelmed to articulate a sentence – let alone a single thought. Standing just outside the living room in the entryway, they faced the mirror with S standing behind her with the item now out of the box and in his hands. A shiver escaped her lips as he brushed her hair over one shoulder, and Ellie held her breath as he drew his body closer to hers.

The gift was blinding in the light, which became even more apparent once it hung around her neck.

"Do you like it?"

"I–" Ellie had never seen something so beautiful, let alone witnessed it hang from her own neck. It left her speechless. A pink pearl heart-shaped pendant outlined with shimmering diamonds was threaded through a gold chain. "I can't accept this."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" she repeated in disbelief. "S, this much have cost you a fortune, and–"

"The money doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does! I got you second-hand vinyl and a t-shirt, and you got me–" she thickly swallowed, "the most beautiful piece of jewelry I have ever seen."

Without thinking, S wrapped his arms around her waist as his head nuzzled against her neck. "Do you like it?"

Ellie nodded, trying to ignore how his breath on her neck left a trail of goosebumps. She blamed their late afternoon cocktails for the way they currently stood – the touch around her waist mixed with his breath on her skin made her feel dizzy. "I love it," she finally managed to whisper the honest answer.

"I'm glad," S said, smiling at how her body relaxed against his. "You know, I've never bought jewelry for someone before," he confessed, "and I was worried you were going to hate it."

"Why did you pick it?"

"It reminded me of the necklace you wore the first time we had dinner," he copied her words from earlier with a grin. "You never got that chain fixed."

She sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I'm never going to now that I have this! I just can't believe I only got you records and a t-shirt."

"I love my gifts," he affirmed. "And you love yours. So no harm, no foul, sì?"

"You're insane."

S shrugged. "I've heard worse."

A handful of days after Christmas, the two siblings sat beside each other on the couch. Serafina continued to spend every waking moment away from her home, enjoying her time at her brother's apartment. And S was glad to have his sister around (although he only admitted it in his own brotherly way) instead of calling her while she was forced to be in another country with her devil of a husband.

Serafina nudged her brother's side. "Sei più sciocco di quanto credessi." You're more of an idiot than I thought.

"Che cazzo intendi?" What the fuck do you mean?

"Lei è la ragazza perfetta per te." She is the perfect girl for you.

"Stai zitta!" Shut up.

Once Ellie was safely out of earshot, Serafina turned to her brother and spat, "You should have kissed her, you fool!"

"What?"

"After you put the necklace on her... you should have kissed her! It was the perfect opportunity!"

S rolled his eyes. "Oh, stop it."

"Stop letting yourself be miserable all the time and go after what you want."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Dio mio!" Serafina hit his arm with the back of her hand. "This is all because of the business? The thing you're taking over any day now?"

"I would have it by now if it weren't for your shit husband." Realizing his frustration slipped through, S sighed. "Sorry."

Shrugging off the remark, she said, "He won't give it to Luca."

"Only because he knows it will make him look bad," he muttered against the brim of his glass. "Besides, not that it's any of your business, but Nora and I already spoke about this long ago – there are no feelings between us."

"Cazzate."

"It's not bullshit," he gritted through his teeth. "I don't even know why we're having this conversation. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Whatever. I cannot deal with your stupidity for a second longer." Serafina got up from the couch and collected her things. But before taking a step, she turned to face him and said, "I only hope that one day you will stop being scared and allow yourself the chance to be happy, brother."

"I'm not scared."

"Oh, really?" she scoffed. "You realize no one knows of her existence outside of this apartment, right? Not dad, not Luca... not zio Mattais and definitely not zio Marco... and considering zia Antonella hasn't caught wind of anything, you've certainly done a good job – you know that woman knows every detail imaginable about everyone."

S took another sip of his drink. "Your point being?"

"What are you running from, brother? Keeping secrets is nothing new to this family... and you already hide everything you do... she knows nothing! Over a year and a half, you've kept an outsider safe and–"

"Smettil, per favore!" Stop it, please. He had to end her ramblings before it got too far. Standing up from the couch, a frustrated sigh escaped as S stepped toward his sister. "I appreciate your concern with my romantic life, I do," he said softly, "But this needs to be put to rest. Please. Acting like a fool is why we became entangled in the first place, and I promised myself I wouldn't let that happen again."

"So, you're just going to be a grumpy, old, bitter man for the rest of your life?"

S grinned. "Come on, I'm not that bad."

"Well, I prefer when you have Cupid's arrow wedged up your ass instead of a stick." Serafina turned back around before her brother could snap out a remark. "Tell Nurse Nora I'll be back next week to bake with her!"

S hoped the conversation would be put to rest from that point on. Unfortunately, it wasn't his sister or Frankie giving him shit for pushing his feelings aside – it was his head. It neared impossible to go a second without thinking about her when she was away and making every excuse possible to be around her when she was near.

Everything reminded him of his beautiful Nurse. Her favourite snacks were always stocked in the kitchen. The guest bedroom was filled with her things – from clothes in the dresser to her favourite products in the bathroom. Pancake had her own replica of everything the cat needed – including an abundance of toys S would randomly find around the house.

S continued to watch as she cared for every single person around her. She worked her full shift at the hospital and then would come by the apartment to care for everyone else without any complaints. She remembered all his men's favourite meals and came by on her days off to prepare them. She had a beautiful, budding relationship with Serafina. And his sister constantly sang the woman's praises and threatened his life if he ever let her slip away.

Nora – his Nora – was perfect from the day they met. And every time he looked at her, S knew he was falling more and more in love.

S did his very best to keep his emotions concealed.

But everyone, despite their best efforts, had to hit a breaking point – even him. 

pancakes #1 fan....or pancakes dadd-