thank you so much for 300K <3

i hope you enjoy the conclusion to the doctor khan x romano story (there was about 10K added to this chapter for yall hehe)

if anyone has questions/wants to chat, I'll post the link to my curiouscat on twitter (@ normiesandwich). i will also be posting a complete list of ALL the easter eggs from these 4 chapters!

CHAPTER SONG: CASTLES CRUMBLING - TAYLOR SWIFT

//

070. ELEANORA // PART 004

XI. AURORA

Ellie released a deep breath as she closed her eyes. In... and out... in... and out... the somewhat calming voice in her head coached. When she reopened her eyes, the tension in her chest felt less constricting, and the thoughts swarming her mind slightly ceased. All her problems weren't solved by a few deep breaths, but it was a sliver more manageable. At least for the time being, to get through finishing the rest of the dishes.

X

"What have you done?"

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Don't," his warning tone pierced through her facade. "You know exactly what the fuck I'm talking about." Stefano ran a hand over his face. "I told you to stay out of it."

"I-I did!"

"Non mentirmi!" Don't lie to me. "I'm going to ask you this one more time... What the fuck have you done?"

Ellie's lips parted to speak, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't know what he knew. She didn't know how honest she could be. All she could think of to say were lies – adding more hurt and deceit to the already long list. Forced into silence, her lack of response struck a nerve with the man standing before her.

And so, Ellie did the only thing she knew. She calculated all the possibilities with every response. Saying she did nothing wrong would be a lie – even if her intentions were good. Telling him partial truths could expose other things she did that Stefano didn't know. And admitting to all the things she had done behind his back would break the heart of the man she loved.

With no positive outcome in sight, Ellie broke the thick, uncomfortable silence with the reason she convinced herself to do all of this in the first place,

"I only wanted to help."

"Wanted to help?" he spat. "You wanted to fucking help, El? So that's what you call going behind my back and not telling me what you were doing?"

"It wasn't like that!"

"Then what was it like? Because the way I see it... I told you not to look into this, and you did it anyway – not only did you put yourself at risk, but you could have lost your nursing license... everything you worked so hard toward. For what?"

Tears clouded her vision, collecting on her lower lash line. "Stef–"

"You know what hurts the most?" Stefano interjected, lowering his voice to a venomous whisper. "It's not that you trespassed restricted areas at the hospital... looked into files I never wanted you to see of people like Doctor Malkovich that I never wanted you to know about. And we both know that's only scratching the surface of what you've done." His eyes narrowed. "It's not that you went against my word countless times, which was only put in place to keep you safe. It's that you lied to me."

Stefano stepped forward, minimizing the distance between them. Not wanting to give in to the intimidation, Ellie forced herself not to retreat and cower in the corner. She braced herself for the final blow – for Stefano to raise his voice.

The final blow wasn't how loud he yelled but what he said.

"You know how I feel about lying," his voice softened with a painful strain, cracking his rough exterior and exposing the hurt man underneath, "I never expected the worst betrayal of my life to be from the woman I love."

Ellie fell apart, becoming a sobbing mess as the tears streamed down her cheeks. But unlike all the other times she cried, he didn't bring a hand to her face and wipe away the tears. Ellie held a glimmer of hope, noticing his hand twitch, and he flexed his fingers. But Stefano forced the hand to remain by his side and not give in.

"Stef, please–"

"Stop," he unintentionally begged, unable to resist giving in to her broken voice. Closing his eyes, Stefano released a deep breath, needing a moment of silence before allowing his gaze to slowly return, "We are going to sit in the office, and you explain, in grave detail, everything you have done. Understood?"

Ellie hesitantly nodded, but neither of them made a move. They both knew everything would change when they stepped behind those closed doors. There would be no going back to how they were hours earlier – prior to learning of her betrayal.

"Stef?"

"Yes, my–" he stopped himself, "Yes?"

"Before we go in there, I just need you to know one thing..." Nervous rattled throughout her entire body. Curling her fingers into her palms, nails dug against the sensitive flesh as Ellie found the courage to continue, "I know you're going to think that everything I've done was wrong – and I understand that, I do. But I promise you, the only reason I ever did anything was to help."

Ellie wasn't trying to deceive him with her words or gain sympathy to lessen his anger. She knew he was more than angry – furious beyond words. Even if it took weeks, months, or years to see, Ellie only hoped that one day, Stefano could trust her word again and know her intentions were good.

But it was clear now was not that time.

"Do you know what helping has done? It made you a fucking target, El."

X

Turning on the water, Ellie squeezed a dollop of dish soap onto the sponge and grabbed a dirty plate. She scrubbed it until spotless and placed it on the drying rack before picking up another. The pattern continued. She scrubbed a dish, utensil or cup until it was spotless and her hands ached, laid it out to dry, and then picked up another to repeat the process. The number of things she had to clean felt endless and tedious. Part of her wanted to give up cleaning and collapse on the couch instead. But she had promised herself to finish this – to finally tackle the overwhelming pile in the sink she had put off for days.

And so, all she could do to make it through was focus on her breathing, keep herself calm and wash each item one by one.

X

"Where are you?" Stefano angrily spoke from the other end of the call.

"What?"

"Where are you?" he repeated. "You just left without telling anyone?"

Ellie thickly swallowed and kept her attention on looking out the window. Her chest felt tight as sweat pooled on the back of her neck. She had to remain calm and avoid the driver's pressing stare in the rearview mirror. Something wasn't right. Stefano didn't know she was in the car – which meant her uneasiness over the situation had been correct.

"I had pancakes for breakfast," she said, forcing the nerves to dissipate from her tone. "They were really good."

His voice suddenly softened. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure. I put the syrup back on the shelf... I don't know where it went."

"Frankie!" Stefano suddenly yelled. "Where the fuck– cazzo. Is Frankie with you?"

Avoiding the pressing urge to turn and look at the man sitting beside her, Ellie squeezed her eyes shut and replied in a frightened whisper, "Yes."

X

Laying out the last cleaned utensil to dry, Ellie turned off the water and let her eyes observe the empty sink. She tried to smile, wanting to feel the sense of accomplishment – but the corners of her mouth barely twitched. This morning she had showered. Tonight she had done the dishes. Tomorrow she would tackle the ever-flowing mountain of laundry.

Ellie wished she had managed everything better, but it was hard when she barely had a second to stop. And whenever she could stop, her exhausted body wanted to give out and collapse for the few, scattered moments of utter silence she had.

X

Ellie looked around at the sea of white. White ceiling. White walls. White sheets. White curtains.

She wondered if she was dead and floating on a cloud for a second. Was this the transportation on the way past the pearly white gates? If so, she wished they would adjust the fluorescent lighting. It stung her eyes and made her want to close them again.

A repetitive beeping noise found its way to her ears. Beep. Beep. Beep. She wished it would stop. Beep. Beep. Beep. She didn't want to be annoyed when entering heaven – surely that wouldn't make a good impression.

"Dio mio," a familiar voice said, "You're awake. Fucking hell, you had me so worried, my love."

Ellie opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find any words. Her head felt like a scrambled mess attempting to sort out an understanding while simultaneously pounding with pain. The tears began to form as she tried to gain an understanding of what was going on, where she was, and what happened to her.

Taking in a pair of honey-brown eyes helped her feel at ease. She licked her dry lips, trying to quench the pain of her equally dry throat. It hurt to swallow – it felt like knives were cutting her throat. But despite the pain looking at him made everything feel better. "Stef," her voice was barely a whisper, tears spilling from the corner of her eyes.

"Don't cry, my love," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "You're okay – you're safe. Let me get you some water, sì?"

The last thing she wanted was for him to leave her sight, but the pain from struggling to swallow was enough to let him go without fighting back. He returned seconds later with a small, white styrofoam cup. Helping her sit up, Stefano brought the cup to her lips and tipped it back slightly so she could drink.

"Do you remember anything?"

"I remember getting in the car... and Frankie being there..." she began, unable to recount specific details. "I remember talking on the phone with you... and then–" the sound of her own voice screaming echoed throughout her head, "Glass breaking... And blood. I saw lots of blood," she winced, "Why was Frankie there?"

"Following my direct orders, Frankie has been playing both sides to ensure we knew exactly what was happening." Noting her frightened stare, he quickly clarified, "He's always on our side and was only in the car to protect you. After all, the man took a bullet for you, El."

"He got shot?"

"Yes... but that didn't stop him from pulling the bullet fragments out himself before we got to the hospital," he said, lightly laughing at the thought.

"Will he be okay?"

"He'll be fine," he assured. "There was some damage done, but nothing he can't handle."

"Was I... shot?"

Stefano released a sigh before slowly nodding. "It just grazed your side," he explained, "But from the bullet's impact, you managed to hit the back of your head. Frankie was able to shield you from any more bullets... but that man curses the fact you even got touched."

"It's not his fault–"

"I know... and he knows that too. But he takes his job very seriously – which is exactly why I trust him to protect you."

Ellie fell into silence as the tears ran down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, just like she had been every day since her past actions had come to light, "I'm so sorry for–"

"Shh, it's okay," he whispered, kissing her forehead again. "It's okay..." He brushed the tears from her face. "It's okay," he repeated again.

Ellie knew he was avoiding saying too much, which was why she sobbed against his chest, fearing this moment between them would be the last.

"It's okay" was all Stefano could say because adding "everything will be alright" and a promise to their future would have been a lie.

X

The urge to indulge in the moment of silence called her name. She could get away with closing her eyes for a few minutes – or so she convinced herself to believe. But just as Ellie went to take a step towards relaxation, a breeze drifting through the house forced her body to complete stillness.

An overpowering tension in her chest returned as she waited and listened. She thickly swallowed, hearing the wind chimes gently sound off in the distance from the neighbour's house a few doors down.

Ellie turned and headed down the hallway. She grabbed the baseball bat from the bedroom before continuing her journey, keeping her footsteps light and avoiding the floorboards she knew would creak under her weight. With a slow, gentle touch, the door was pushed open. She would have screamed in fear over the sight her eyes fell upon if her instincts hadn't prepared her.

Faced with his backside, standing near the baby's crib, was the man Ellie hadn't seen in almost two years.

Two years.

"You shouldn't be here."

"She's beautiful," he whispered, ignoring her remark. "What's her name?"

Ellie sucked in a harsh breath, trying to ignore how his eyes softened looking at the child. "Aurora."

"Aurora," he repeated, "Princess Aurora... fitting for such an adorable girl. Is her father around?"

"Yes. He's just away for the weekend. Family thing." She chewed her bottom lip, gnawing the sensitive skin. Resting the baseball bat against the wall, she added, "He's a great father."

Stefano thickly swallowed. That's good."

"Loves her more than anything," she continued, "He practically left kicking and screaming over being away from her for a few nights." Ellie wrapped her arms around herself. "He would move heaven and earth to make her happy... just to see her smile."

"As any father should."

As Stefano turned his head, meeting her glance for the first time, Ellie felt her stomach twist into a tight knot. Breath catching in her throat while a gasp simultaneously begged to escape past her parted lips, Ellie hated herself for reacting in such a way. But she couldn't help herself. It felt like the night they first met when he, a bleeding stranger, stumbled out of an alley, and she, an overworked and overtired nurse, foolishly welcomed him into her apartment.

And just like all those years ago, Ellie was trapped in silence, eyes scanning over the man standing before her. The first thing she noticed was his lack of a suit – opting to wear a tight, black long-sleeve with pants in a matching colour. Ellie wondered if this was the new standard attire or if it was just worn for tonight's mission of breaking into a child's bedroom – but she suppressed the urge to ask. She didn't want it to come across like she cared about Stefano's new clothing choices... or draw attention to the insanity of his recent actions.

Forcing her eyes off his clothing (specifically, the tight material fitting around his arms like a second skin, hugging his muscles), she noted the change in his hair. Gone were the days of short, slicked-back hair. His longer locks stopped around the middle of his neck and were tucked behind his ears. His clean-shaven look was also gone – Ellie noted the stubble across his face.

Ellie forced her eyes to stop overanalyzing what longer hair and an unshaven face could mean. She didn't know Stefano anymore – she knew an old version of him. And past and present versions were worlds apart.

But regardless of how hard she tried to avoid thinking about every detail of the man standing in front of her, Ellie took in the feature that made her fall in love – his eyes.

Stefano always said he could learn everything he needed about a person by looking into their eyes. She scoffed at the remark the first time he said it, mainly because she didn't want to admit that she was charmed by the bleeding stranger in her apartment. And because he said Pancake had no soul. Asshole.

The more the words replayed in her mind, Ellie realized it was true. There was a kindness behind his eyes, a softness and warmth reflected by the honey-coloured specs surrounding the hazelnut brown. His eyes were the same as the first night – inflicted the same feelings Ellie always felt. But she noted evident lines around the edges and dark circles underneath.

Ellie was looking into the eyes she fell in love with, yet it felt far different than what she remembered.

"How old is she?"

The sudden sound of his voice interrupting the pure silence snapped Ellie back into reality. Although she didn't say it, she was thankful he had spoken – even with such a loaded question. She worried she would have spent hours staring at him if he hadn't.

"We shouldn't talk in here," she whispered, "She needs to sleep."

After keeping his eyes on the sleeping angel for as long as he could, Stefano regretfully looked away and exited the room. He waited for Ellie to close the door to the room, leaving them both standing in the hallway before he asked again,

"How old is she?"

Ellie wanted to ignore his question, knowing the possibilities of where it could lead. But, not wanting the avoidance to lead to a commotion that would risk waking up the baby, she replied, "Almost ten months old." She quickly noticed how his brows lifted slightly, overthinking her answer – which caused Ellie to quickly add, "Don't do the math."

"But we–"

"She's not yours."

"Are you sure?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't go there."

"I have a right to ask–"

"A right?" Ellie scoffed. "She is not yours. Understand? Not. Yours." She gritted through her teeth before heading down the hallway without another word.

Stefano released a sigh and hurried after her. "I'm sorry for asking," he said, following her lead into the kitchen, "El–"

"Don't call me that!" she yelled in a harsh whisper, turning around. "That's not my name anymore. You, of all people, should know that."

"I'm sorry, I just–"

"Just what?" Her arms fell to her side, exhausted before the argument even started. "You told me to leave."

"I know I did–"

"You told me I had to disappear to keep everyone safe."

"I know–"

"You told me to find someone else – to move on with my life without you."

"I know–"

"I did all of that shit because you told me to. And just when I think I can wake up and spend the day without thinking about you for once... here you are!" Ellie cried out. "So, please, tell me what is so important that you suddenly had to reappear after all this time?"

"You called."

"What?"

"You called."

Ellie wet her lips, attempting to quench the sudden dryness throughout her mouth. "N-no, I–"

"You did," he affirmed, taking another step. "You called and hung up before I could answer. It was the afternoon, a few minutes past three, and the call was from a telephone booth a few towns over."

"That wasn't me," she replied quickly, remaining calm and composed, not shifting her gaze from his.

"Yes, it was."

"No–"

"You're the only one with that number, El."

Her chest tightened. "I tossed out the piece of paper you gave me," she lied, "Maybe someone else found it and decided to give you a call."

"Is that the story you're sticking with?"

"Yes. Because it's the truth."

It wasn't.

He didn't believe her, and she knew it. Even after all this time, he could still read her like a book – know when she was shielding her feelings and emotions from him. All this time, she had gotten by without anyone noticing because no one currently in her life knew the real Ellie. They knew a completely fabricated person. Fake name. Fake interests. Fake hobbies. Fake likes and dislikes. Fake dreams.

But Stefano knew the real Ellie Khan. And even after all this time, he still knew everything about her – even when she desperately didn't want him to.

Her lips parted to speak. But just as the words she knew she would soon regret slipped out, an ear-piercing noise from down the hall stole attention. And the way she reacted caught Stefano entirely off guard.

"Fuck!" she yelled, "She never sleeps without him! She fucking hates me, I swear!"

"El–"

"I'm such a shit mother, and she fucking knows it. She never sleeps more than thirty minutes when he's not around!" She buried her face into her hands. "I thought I could figure this out, but it gets worse every day. She hates me. She fucking hates me," Ellie sobbed against her palms.

Stefano went to reach for her but suddenly stopped himself. "Ellie, I need you to breath," he said softly, "And I need you to sit down, please."

"But the baby–" she sobbed, lowering herself onto the couch.

"Just sit. I'll get you some water." He had a full glass of water in his hands within seconds. Crouching down, he cleared his throat, signalling his return. "Drink this. I'll go calm her down."

Ellie raised her head and wiped her tear-stained cheeks. "What?"

"Let me handle the baby while you calm down." Securing the glass in her hands, Stefano got to his feet. "I expect all that to be gone by the time I return."

The woman blinked, shocked by his sudden suggestion. Surely he had to be joking. But the surprised state caused her body to be frozen to the couch. She watched with widened eyes as her criminal ex-lover exited the room and headed down the hallway toward the baby's bedroom.

Ellie's maternal instincts should have kicked in. She should have run after him and pushed him aside. She should have been the one to stop Aurora from crying. But she was never the one that could make the baby stop. In fact, Ellie was certain Aurora cried more while in her arms, only stopping once she sobbed herself to complete exhaustion.

Placing the empty glass of water on the table, Ellie got to her feet and went to Aurora's bedroom. She froze in the doorway, nearly brought to tears over the sight. Stefano sat in the armed chair, gently rocking the sleeping child. His voice was soft, and he cooed sweet words to the child, humming a song in Italian.

Ellie slowly made her way over and sat on the armrest, watching the beautiful child sleep peacefully. "Why is everyone better at calming her down than I am?"

"Maybe she's like a horse and can sniff out your energy," he offered teasingly, "You just need to give yourself a break and cut yourself some slack, El. You're an amazing mother; maybe she would respond differently if you recognized that in yourself more."

"An amazing mother?" she repeated. "I thought you didn't like to lie?"

"I'm not lying."

"You've never seen me be a mother. You don't know what I'm like."

Stefano raised a brow at her remark. "It's you, El. Of course, you're an amazing mother." His attention turned back to the sleeping child in his arms. "You're amazing at everything you do."

Clearing her throat, Ellie forced a smile. "Thanks, but, uh," she shifted uncomfortably in her spot, "I'm pretty sure she just doesn't like me."

"Oh, don't be silly. She's a baby – she doesn't know what she likes except sleeping, eating, and pooping."

Ellie tried to ignore the giggle from hearing him say pooping.

"She might be a baby, but she's already a genius. And that's genius knows she does not like me... and I can't fault her for that." Her smile faded. "I'm sure she can already tell I don't have what it takes to be a good mom."

"El–"

"She prefers her father, and I can't blame her. If I was in her position, I'd pick him too. The love he showers her with is like no other."

"What about you?"

Ellie met his gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Does her father shower you with love?"

"It's not like that between us." She bit the inside of her cheek, mulling over the thought. "We just take care of her together. But we're not..."

"Oh. I see."

"Yeah." Without thinking, she confessed, "It wouldn't be right if we tried because there had always been someone else on my mind."

"Ellie," he spoke in a low, velvet tone that made her stomach flip, "Why did you call?"

Releasing a shaky breath, she honestly replied, "Someone came by and was asking questions."

"About me?"

She nodded. "I didn't say anything, and they went on about their day."

"How long until you called me?"

"A few weeks."

"Why the wait?"

Ellie licked her lips. "Because I was scared."

"Scared because someone was asking questions?"

"No. It's not the first time it's happened," she said, "Some rookie cop coming by trying to crack the ex... acquaintance," the chosen word stung to say out loud, "of a prolific mafia man to catch a big break. It happens more than one would think. But something didn't sit right with this one. It felt like they knew something about... the past... so I thought you needed to know."

Stefano tried to ignore the pain in his heart from hearing her chosen word. "So if you weren't scared of someone asking questions... then what were you scared of?"

"Hearing your voice again." Clearing her throat, she looked down at Aurora. "You should put her back in her crib."

Ellie left the room without another word. Fingers curled into her palms; she tried to stop the tears from falling, carving crescent moons against her flesh with her nails. It was useless – they would fall for him just like they always did. Every night she went to bed regretting her decisions, wishing she had just listened and stayed out of things. Because if she had, they wouldn't be here. They would still be in love, celebrating five years with the ceremony she dreamed of.

"El, please," Stefano's voice begged from behind, "Look at me. Please–"

"You should go."

"Not like this. I can't."

"We both know you're not sticking around, so what's the point of dragging it out any further?" Her voice was a mixture of hurt and sadness – she wanted him to hear the venom that laced behind each word, but the pain was too strong not to appear.

"Do you still love me?"

Her head immediately turned. For a split second, she wondered if the question was a trick to make her look in his direction. But she knew that wasn't the case when she found his saddened eyes.

"Why would you ask me something like that?"

"Because I love you. Then, now, and forever – I will always love you."

Parting her lips to speak, she quickly pressed them back together, swallowing her words. "Our feelings don't matter, Stef."

"Of course it–"

"It doesn't," she snapped. "And do you know why it doesn't matter? Because regardless of how I feel for you right now and even knowing that I don't want you to leave again," she admitted without a second thought, "you will. I loved you then, and you still told me to go... so why would now be any different? Because you're jealous over seeing me play house with another man?"

"No," he breathed, "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Stefano stepped forward, noting how she remained entirely still – her body not flinching or retreating back. That slight detail gave him a flicker of hope. She still trusted him. At least somewhat. But even the tiniest sliver of trust was worth holding onto because it was better than nothing.

"I lost you because I thought it would protect you... because I saw the evil that flooded my brother-in-law. I am no saint, but I don't kill as Luca does. I do not find joy in taking a life away from innocent eyes," he explained, "That program... the one I didn't want you looking into? It's doing terrible things, Ellie. Even worse than when you were around for it. Making monsters out of boys ripped from their homes. I hated learning about it. I despised seeing what that program was creating. But Luca grew more obsessed with it as the days went on... and it forced my hand to keep standing alongside him so I could closely monitor his plans."

Ellie opened her mouth to speak, but no words came to mind. And so, she pressed her lips back together and stayed silent, unsure if there was anything she could say.

"The program is far from perfected," he loosely used the word, "But they started accepting offers because they need more funds for some new phase... large sums of money in exchange for taking out a target... and so..." the man thickly swallowed, "Luca started talking inquiring about the current offers – which, instantly fired off my alarm bells. Something told me he wasn't asking because he wanted to get a head start on the unwanted war with our rivals... he wouldn't tell me what it was for, but one night he was intoxicated and..."

"You don't have to tell me, Stef," Ellie whispered. "It's okay. Don't push yourself."

"Luca commented about how funny it would be if he hired one of those fucked up creations to kill someone close to him just to see if they could pull it off. He didn't say her name, but I knew he was talking about my sister," he explained. "I wanted to kill him right then and there – but I couldn't. He was having private meetings with V, which was unheard of for any other investor, and I hadn't figured out why yet. Killing him would kill off any leads. So, I told Serafina, first and foremost, that she needed to be protected and hide away until it was safe. But she stood her ground – said she was doing something and running away would ruin her progress. She told me to trust her on it, and I did."

Stefano shook his head, releasing a heavy sigh. "It was barely a month later when she called me, screaming in fear. I raced over there and was just thankful she was still alive. But that... thing he sent to kill her... it wasn't human. It looked like a human, but there was no living soul behind its eyes... it was... like a robot in human skin... and then it started... malfunctioning."

"What do you mean by malfunctioning?"

"I don't even know how to explain it. It just started..." his voice trailed off, "When I showed up, it was obvious Serafina had been attacked. She was hiding in the corner of the room as I made my way inside, and the intruder was facing her, pointing its gun and ready to shoot. But when my sister started to beg for mercy, it was like the thing didn't know how to compute what she was saying. I was ready to go after it, but then... it started... it started hitting itself."

Ellie's brow furrowed. "What?"

"It started hitting itself," he repeated, "in the head with the gun... I– I was stunned... I didn't know what to do." Stefano tried to find the right words to avoid being overly descriptive, wanting to spare Ellie the gruesome details. "It was just hitting itself, repeatedly, with this blank expression... like it forgot we were all in the room. And it kept going until it, well, died."

"What happened to Serafina? Is she safe?"

"She finally agreed to go into hiding under one condition – she wouldn't tell me where she was. I didn't want to agree, but she swore up and down it was for the best because then I wouldn't jeopardize my position with Luca. She promised to call at least once a week, and so, faced with no other options and limited time to get her out of the country, I gave in. Everything was fine, at first – but then she stopped calling." He released a shaky breath. "I don't know where she is, El... but I'm pretty sure she's dead. He can't just let her walk free – he has to kill her to prove some sick, twisted point."

His expression washed with sadness, sending a dagger through her heart. "Luca stole the life from my sister's innocent eyes time and time again... and I couldn't save her. I always promised to take care of her, and I failed every single time."

"Stef..."

"When I saw that you called, it struck my body with fear. I thought something happened to you. I thought you were next. I held onto hope that because you called that number, it meant you were still alive... but I couldn't allow my hope to be the only thing to get me by... because I can't be sure of anything anymore." Stefano raised his hands to her face. There was a split second of hesitation before giving in to cup her cheeks, touching her for the first time. It felt like electricity radiating off their skin over the delicate contact. "I swore to myself I would find you... make sure you were alive and well. And, if you allowed me the chance, I would never let you go again."

The man paused, letting a pure beat of silence consume the two of them before he added, "I've only truly cared for three people in my life. My mother, my sister, and you... And I've already lost two of them."

"Their deaths aren't your fault, Stef."

"But yours would be. And with God as my witness, I promise to take every bullet to ensure that never happens."

Leaning against his touch, Ellie regretfully asked, "What makes this time different? How do I know you won't decide tomorrow... or a week from now... that you need to push me away again?"

"Losing you will forever be my biggest mistake, El. I thought pushing you away meant I was saving your life... but all it did was kill me instead – I've been slowly bleeding out since the day you left."

Her vision blurred with tears. "Life is more complicated now. I can't just pack up my things and go with you."

"I know," he said, "I'm not asking you to do that – I don't expect you to make any decisions right now. All I want is for you to know that I'm sorry. And whether you choose to accept that or not, that decision is entirely up to you. But regardless of what you choose, I will fight for your forgiveness now until the rest of time, my love."

Ellie's eyes widened, trying to make sense of everything but instantly falling short when she attempted to figure out where to start.

"Don't think about it now." The pad of his thumb gently grazed across her skin. "I know it's unfair of me to spring all of this on you so suddenly, and I'm sure there are a thousand ways I could have better handled this... but from that first night we met, I acted without thinking..., and I kept doing that. I told you my name. I let you in on my life. I fell in love with you." He thickly swallowed. "Letting you go was the worst fucking decision I ever made. I fought with myself every day not to go against my word and find you... Frankie even restrained me several times to ensure I didn't."

He laughed at the thought. She laughed, too.

"The second I got that call, all hell broke loose," he continued, "You didn't make it easy... blocked the number you called from, so it took longer than I care to admit to find you. When I did, I should have been relieved because I was worried Luca might have gotten to you too. But–" he paused and released a heavy breath, "I saw the three of you together... this picturesque little family... you holding the baby, waving goodbye as Aurora's father drove off..." Stefano rolled this bottom lip between his teeth. "I should have stayed away, knowing you were safe and had this entirely new life. But you didn't look at him the way I know you do when you're in love. And then I saw the baby, and I just thought–"

"You thought she was yours."

He nodded. "I already had to suffer losing you once. Getting that phone call made me think I had lost you again. But seeing you earlier was like a loss I've never felt before... and I couldn't think straight. Clearly, because I snuck into your child's bedroom," he grimaced at the thought.

Stefano wasn't jealous Ellie was playing house with another man.

A dagger went through his heart, wondering all the possible what-ifs he swore to never delve into – a life they could have shared in another lifetime. Stefano was torn in two over the mere thought of her living in a house with another man and a child that could have been his. Because regardless of his opinions about having children and knowing hers were once the same, had Aurora been his, Stefano would have given up everything to raise a family with the love of his life.

"I'm sure it means little now, but all I can say is that I'm sorry," he continued, "For going against my word and falling in love with you. For making you leave and breaking your heart. For showing up tonight when I should have stayed away. For everything, Ellie. And if you wake up tomorrow and tell me to fuck right off, I will. I promise. I just wanted one last chance to fight for you."

"I'm sorry too," she whispered. "We both know it wasn't your fault I had to leave. But... maybe now we can work to make things right so you can stay."

Stefano smiled. "I'd love nothing more than to get the chance, El. However, right now, it's late, and you should get some rest."

Ellie hummed her agreement, fighting back a yawn as she slowly stepped to the side and made her way to the hallway. But before she could take another step, she looked over her shoulder, "Stef?" she called out to the man still standing where she had left him.

"Yes, my love?"

As her insides burned with warmth, causing her skin to flush, Ellie extended her hand for him to take and asked, "Will you stay?"

"Always."

XII. FAMILY

Ellie slept through the night for the first time in as long as she could remember. Not waking up once from nightmares or fears something was wrong. She could keep her eyes closed until the sun peaked through the blinds.

When she opened her eyes (and successfully kept them open), she realized that the other side of her bed was empty. Stefano's personal were still on the nightstand, squashing any fears he left without saying a word – not that she believed he would. He would never do that to her. And Ellie was certain it wouldn't start now.

Stretching her arms over her head and releasing a yawn, her attention fell to the clock. Ellie blinked, realizing the time.

"Oh, fuck!"

Throwing the bedsheets off her body, she hurried out of the room, knowing there was no time to pee or brush her teeth. How did she not hear the baby crying? Oh god, oh god, oh god! This is why she hates me! Because I'm horrible at taking care of her and slept in!

"Aurora, baby, I'm–"

Ellie stopped dead in her tracks, trying to make sense of the scene before her. As Stefano turned his head, pausing the mid-flight motion of the airplane spoon, he met the frantic gaze of the woman.

"What are you doing?"

"Feeding her breakfast."

"Why?"

Receiving a chorus of impatient babbling, he brought the spoon to the child's mouth. "Because she woke up and was hungry."

"But why didn't you wake me?"

"You were asleep, El." Stefano dipped the spoon back into the yogurt container. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's just– I mean, you could have woken me up. She's not yours, so I feel bad that you're–" Ellie squeezed her eyes shut, "Shit, sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just–"

"El," his voice softly interrupted, "It's okay. I'm happy to handle breakfast time and feed her some yogurt so you could get rest. Plus, we had some fun this morning... isn't that right, Principessa?"

Aurora giggled and clapped her hands.

"See?" He smiled. "There's fresh coffee."

"The coffee machine is broken."

"I fixed it."

"Oh." Ellie cleared her throat. "Thank you." Rocking back and forth on her feet, she asked, "Do you mind if I just go quickly brush my teeth and stuff?"

"Do whatever you need to, my love."

Aurora giggled and babbled like usual. But a particular chorus of "da-da's" caused Ellie to freeze. Oh god, the voice in her head screamed. Please, don't call him that. If he realizes what she's saying, then he might–

Ellie felt relieved when Stefano didn't pick up on the name. Or, at least, he didn't allude to noticing. With trembling feet, Ellie slowly backed out of the room as she still tried to get an understanding of what the fuck was happening. Behind the safety of her closed bedroom door, she released a deep breath and closed her eyes, coaching herself through the sudden wind of anxiety.

Any moment now, she would wake up, and this would be nothing but a dream.

When Ellie woke from her dream, Stefano wouldn't be there. He would have never shown up in her home unannounced, saying he regretted the past and asked her to be a part of his future. He wouldn't have gone to sleep next to her, holding her tight and helping her relax for the first time in two years. He wouldn't have woken up to take care of Aurora and fed her breakfast so she could sleep in. None of this would have happened.

Because when Ellie reopened her eyes, got ready for the day and headed back out into the living room, she would have returned to reality, and Stefano would be nowhere to be found.

Opening the door, Stefano wasn't seated in front of the high chair, spoon-feeding Aurora yogurt. She was sitting on the ground, watching the television, between his legs as he brushed her hair. Ellie stood silently, watching the man gather the child's hair in his hands and expertly tie an elastic band around it.

Stefano looked up with a grin. "Cute, no? It looks like a little bean sprout!"

Ellie couldn't help but release a genuine laugh, a sound that had become so foreign to her ears. She had become so accustomed to fake smiles and laughter that she forgot what it was like to be authentic and not forced.

"She looks adorable."

Aurora giggled as she watched the cartoon vegetables on the television sing a song about friendship. She babbled along to the music, clapping her hands at random beats before getting distracted by her favourite toy cow plushie.

"I made you breakfast," he said, nodding to the counter.

"Oh, thanks."

Like clockwork, her stomach grumbled at the thought of food. Usually, she didn't get a chance to eat a proper meal, opting to shove whatever she could as quickly as possible into her mouth before Aurora started screaming her head off. Pouring a cup of coffee from the now-fixed machine, she grabbed her plate of eggs, fruit and toast and walked over to the couch.

"How did you do all of this?"

Stefano looked over at her. "What?"

"Get up with her, feed her, make breakfast, and fix the coffee machine." Ellie bit into a piece of toast. "I just don't get how everyone seems to handle this better than I can."

"El," he placed a hand on her thigh, "Me filling in for a few hours is no match to what you do every day. You know that, right?"

"I just feel like I have to be doing something wrong." Her bottom lip trembled as she chewed another bite of food. "And I just live in constant fear that I'm going to mess up her life."

"A child is a lot of work and stress. When you have a little human, you no longer get to think of your needs and wants." His thumb gently grazed across her skin. "You never get a day off or a vacation – you're constantly on the clock. That's a lot. There is no perfect equation to raising a child... But you have to give yourself some more credit, please, my love. Aurora is happy, healthy, fed, in a house full of love, and I bet she stacks those blocks faster than anyone her age."

Ellie released a strained laugh and wiped her eyes. "She is pretty good at that."

"Not just pretty good. Amazing! The best!" Stefano smiled. "And that's because she has your brain." As Aurora crawled across the carpet to play with one of her stacking toys, Stefano joined Ellie on the couch. "I'm very proud of you, my love."

"Thank you."

The two sat quietly as Ellie finished the rest of her breakfast. Stefano mentioned how smart and brilliant Aurora was and how she would easily become the top of her class – comments that warmed Ellie's heart.

"Can I ask how this arrangement works? I know it's none of my business, and feel free to not answer, but I just find the idea so interesting."

"It's not a big deal," she shrugged, "We knew we were never going to be, you know, a couple or anything... it wasn't like that from the start. But we agreed to raise her together, and since babies are fucking expensive and her dad didn't want to miss out on anything, we decided it would be best to live under one roof. So, we're just roommates with a baby, I guess."

"And that works?"

Ellie nodded. "It does. Our only issue is tackling where to live in the future. Before Aurora, he planned to move back home and help out at his dad's car repair shop... and he still wants to do that after her. His parents want him to move into the house, so they can help with Aurora, and then there's more money flexibility. But..." she cleared her throat, "they think we're together. Like, together, together. It was just miscommunication. He didn't mean to lie. But now it's just all..."

"Complicated."

"Yeah." She took a sip of coffee. "I know he wants to move, and I think it would be good for her to be around family, considering I have none of my own. I told him I would, but he knows I'm just saying that because he wants to... so he keeps telling me we'll wait and figure it out." Ellie bit her bottom lip. "All Aidan ever wanted was to be a dad... and you can tell by seeing how he is with her. I know he didn't expect it to be like this, but his top priority is making her happy, which makes him happy."

"Are you happy?"

The sudden question was unexpected – one she didn't know how to answer. It wasn't such an easy or simple thing, she told herself. And so, all she could manage was a forced tight light smile and digging her nails into her palms, hoping it would stop the tears from falling.

"El," he whispered, "It's okay to admit if you're not... you deserve to be happy, too."

"But if I say that out loud, then I would be a terrible fucking person."

"Why?"

"Because!" Ellie whispered harshly. "How am I supposed to admit I'm miserable when–" Looking at Aurora forced her into silence. "It doesn't matter," she finally said, "It doesn't matter how I feel or how I am. Aurora is loved by two parents, and that's all that matters."

"But–"

"Stef, please," she begged, squeezing her eyes shut. "I know you mean well, but you just have to accept my answer for what it is. If I start talking about how I truly feel right now, it will open the floodgates from the past two years... and I don't think I'll ever be able to close them again."

Reaching out a hand, he placed it against her palm, forcing her nails to stop digging into her skin. Intertwining his fingers with hers, Stefano silently held her hand. They continued to sit together in comfortable silence, only delving into light conversations. Ellie explained that Aidan worked at a car repair shop in town. He made decent money, but they were barely scraping by. On the odd day, Ellie was able to pick up cleaning jobs at houses nearby. Thankfully most people in the neighbourhood understood young parents couldn't afford help and didn't mind having Aurora join.

Ellie brought up Aidan's trip away and said he went home for a visit because his father was having surgery. She slid into the conversation that he was gone for about a week and silently wondered if Stefano would stay that long. Some of her doubted he would, assuming he planned only to be here for one night. Or maybe he didn't have a plan at all... but she was too scared to ask. She didn't want him to leave. Not now, not ever. But that wasn't something she could slyly mention without answering what she hoped their future would look like.

Stefano offered to make lunch and quickly got to preparing something. Ellie hated admitting that she had lost her love of cooking, but she never had the time or energy to make something. Frozen meals had become her saviour once again. And truth be told, she could never make mac and cheese quite as good as the ones in her freezer. Watching Stefano feed, entertain and then put Aurora down for a nap caused an odd feeling in Ellie's chest. On the one hand, she loved seeing this side of him. On the other, she knew she couldn't get attached to it.

Aurora had a father – a man who loved her more than anything. And that man wasn't Stefano.

The two of them could play house for a day, but it wasn't like this would be their future. They couldn't run off together with Aurora, raising her in a facade family setting. And they couldn't follow Aidan to Seattle, move into a house together and split days of the week. Aidan didn't know the man holding his baby, putting her down to rest. There was no telling he would agree to Aurora having a second father. And there was certainly no telling whether Stefano wanted to be that anyway.

"El?"

Turning her head, an instant calm rushed through her body as her eyes met a pair of honey-brown.

"Are you okay, my love?"

Ellie nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I was just thinking about something." She cleared her throat. "I wrote down the names of everyone who came by asking questions... you know, if you need or wanted to look into anyone."

"Can I see it?"

Ellie nodded, grabbing the jewelry box from her nightstand. It was pink and had a ballerina that spun around when it opened. But the reason she kept it wasn't for the childhood memories it had – it was because of the fake bottom that was perfect for storing items. "Here," she said, handing him the list. "Everyone's on here, including that last guy."

"What else you got in that box?"

She shrugged. "Just... random stuff." Reminders of you.

Stefano spotted the necklace but didn't say a word. It was a mixture of feelings seeing it. Part of him hurt to see it hidden away and not hanging around her neck, but he more than understood why she wouldn't wear it. While the other part of him was just happy to see she had kept it after all this time. Again, he would have more than understood if she felt the need to sell it or throw it into the ocean. But Ellie didn't do either of those things – she kept it.

"I'm going to make a phone call, alright?"

"Okay."

With the list in hand, Stefano resisted the urge to kiss her forehead and disappeared into another room to make the call. Her cheeks flushed from every gesture he made – kissing her forehead, saying 'my love,' comforting her with his words or light touches.

By the time Stefano returned, Aurora had woken up from her nap. He began to prepare dinner while Ellie fed the baby in the high chair. Aurora giggled and slapped her hands against the plastic counter, making a mess and covering herself in the sauce. But the child didn't care – she thought it was funny. And Ellie was just glad she was laughing and not screaming her head off.

Ellie cleaned Aurora from the sauce fiasco and prepared her for bed. She placed the sleeping baby in the crib, turned off the light and exited the room. Ellie snuck back to the living room with light steps, assuming Aurora would shortly awake the entire neighbourhood by screaming for her father.

With a sigh, she picked a stuck noodle off the sleeve of her shirt and looked at the man in the kitchen. She watched silently as he hummed a song while cleaning the dishes in the sink. He rinsed off Aurora's princess plate and smiled, pausing his cleaning duties to observe the cartoon drawings.

Ellie instantly recognized that look in Stefano's eyes – he looked at her a million times the same way. He looked at Aurora and all of her things, her plates, cups, toys, and even her spaghetti sauce mess, with love. Within less than twenty-four hours, Stefano fell in love with her child.

The realization hit Ellie like an unstoppable wave coming into shore.

Stefano loved Aurora.

Stefano loved Ellie.

Ellie loved Aurora and Stefano.

He took care of Aurora without a second thought. Made her meals. Put her down for a nap. Cleaned her mess while admiring all her little things.

And Ellie just... let him. She let him walk right back in without a second thought. Let him say everything she wished to hear while they were apart. And she allowed the three of them to play house.

Ellie always hated crying around others. She felt like she caused a scene and drew unwanted attention. But sometimes, despite her best attempts to make it stop, she couldn't control the moment everything unravelled.

She couldn't remember what Stefano's face looked like when he realized her breakdown had taken over. She couldn't remember the sounds she made, altering him to her cries, or whether she turned her body away to shield him from witnessing it.

All Ellie knew was within seconds, her body was engulfed by large muscles wrapping around her frame. Her face rested against his chest, muffling the sounds of her cries. Although Ellie tried to protest, not wanting to soak his shirt with her tears, he didn't let go. Stefano held her tight and whispered soft reminders of "it's okay" – just like he always did.

"I'm sorry," Ellie finally said, pulling away. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry I–"

"Don't apologize."

Wiping her eyes, she continued her ramblings, "I'm sorry. I'm fine. I just need–"

"El, just take your time. It's okay."

"I'm fine."

"You're trembling." Before she could repeat her lie, Stefano quickly added, "Why don't I run you a nice warm bath?"

Ellie wanted to turn down the offer as she feared accepting would only prove the inevitable truth that it wasn't fine. It was obvious that something was wrong, but admitting such a thing meant she would have to accept the truth... and the truth was not something Ellie could handle right now. Not when they had barely spent twenty-four hours together.

But before she could muster the courage to turn down the offer, Stefano took her hand in his and led the way to the bathroom, instructing her to sit on the closed-lid toilet set. Watching in silence, she couldn't help but feel a slight tug on her lips as the large man kneeled beside the bathtub, testing the water until it was the perfect temperature. Once the optimal bath water had been achieved, he let the tap run and continued to find the rest of the supplies – moving around the small space as if it were his own, perfectly locating everything without needing guidance.

With bubble bath added to the water and the tub filled, Stefano looked at Ellie and opened his mouth to speak – but was interrupted before he could say anything.

"Can you stay?" Ellie wiped her eyes using the sleeve of her shirt. "Please. I don't want to be alone again yet."

Stefano forced his mind not to overanalyze her words. It wasn't the time nor place to theorize about the underlying meaning behind what she said. With a slight, hesitant nod, Stefano agreed. Her interruption was perfectly timed – he was just about to excuse himself so she could be alone.

"Let me just, uh..." With uncharacteristic awkwardness to his movements, Stefano turned around and faced the corner. "Let me know when you're under the water."

"Okay."

Ellie bit back her smile, looking over at him. She didn't want to laugh – but it was hard not to. Although, she was glad he made the gesture to turn away. Not because Ellie thought he would watch her undress with any mal intentions... but because her body was still different. Part of her feared his reaction to seeing the change; the voice in her head made her believe it wouldn't end well. She knew Stefano would never be the type of person to make her feel insecure about her body. But sometimes, the voice had the power to ultimately minimize any rational and logical thinking – resulting in her worst fears being validated without cause.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Ellie quickly removed her clothes and discarded them into a pile on the floor. Fixing her hair into a bun on the top of her head, she turned to the bathtub and cautiously lifted her foot in, dipping it under the water. A muffled hiss begged to escape from the scolding temperature – but she knew it would feel amazing in a few moments. Slowly, she lowered her entire body under the water, her skin disappearing under the bubbles.

Muscles Ellie didn't even know were tight seconds ago instantly relaxed under the warm water, causing the hiss from moments ago to turn into a loud sigh of relief.

"El?"

"Mm?"

"Are you decent?"

A lazy smile tugged the corners of her mouth. "Mmhm," she hummed, "I'm covered in a sea of bubbles."

Stefano turned at a glacier pace as his eyes took a short scan of the surroundings, ensuring Ellie was covered without allowing his glance to linger a second longer than needed. Satisfied with the results, he walked over to the bathtub and sat on the floor, leaning his back against the wall.

"Does it feel nice?"

With a sniffle, Ellie nodded. A faint smile painted her lips – an interesting combination with her tear-stained cheeks. Stefano wished there was a cure to take her pain and sadness away. He wished for many things, but that was currently at the top of his list.

Although he hated thinking it was true, Stefano knew he was responsible for her tears. It was illogical, to say the least, to do what he had done. He hadn't been thinking straight – not for a very long time. He could have stepped away once discovering she was safe. But seeing the woman he loved start a completely new life took over his entire body in a completely unexplainable way. And the worst part was that he was the reason for it.

He pushed her away.

He told her to start a new life.

He said she had to find someone else.

Her mistake had played a part – but Stefano told her to run when he should have made it safe for her to stay.

Ellie's voice pulled him back into reality. "Can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Did it ever help?"

Stefano lifted his head. "Did what ever help?"

"The information I found out about Doctor Malkovich. Did it ever lead to anything?" She noted how he struggled to respond. Her gaze lingered momentarily before she turned away and looked at the ceiling. "You don't have to answer."

"I mean, you found out his name, El. That certainly helped." He gave her a small smile.

"But you still wish I hadn't," she stated the obvious.

"The only thing I wish for is your well-being. Your safety is the only thing I wish for."

"I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry I ruined everything."

He released a saddened sigh. "El–"

"I lost myself," Ellie interrupted. "I wish I could say it started when you and I separated... but the truth is, it started before then. And you know what the scariest part of all is?" A beat of silence passed. "If I watched back that last year and saw how I acted, I wouldn't be able to tell. I wouldn't be able to look at myself and notice where I was losing it."

Wiping away a tear that rolled down her cheek, Ellie released a shaky breath. "You asked me earlier if I was happy, and honestly, I don't know if I am," she admitted. "Some mornings, I wake up, and all I want to do is hide under the covers and cry myself back to sleep over how my life turned out – how nothing I wanted is my reality. But just as I'm about to give in, Aurora makes her presence known, reminding me of the child in the other room who never got to choose this life she was brought into. So then I force my tears away and do everything possible to make that child happy. I'm not good at it, but I try. Sometimes I think she's just better off without me."

"El, don't say that... that is not true, my love."

"It feels that way," she admitted. Ellie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, piercing the skin until she drew blood. Licking it away, she added, "I wanted to be a doctor... I wanted to go to med school and graduate... and then spend the rest of our lives together... wherever that would have been. But instead, I made stupid decisions and then disappeared to make even worse decisions."

She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. "I became a mom – something I swore I never wanted. But I wasn't Ellie anymore. Or Nora. Or Eleanora. I was the new person on that ID card I was given, and she was everything I was the opposite of. She wanted babies and dreamed of a big, giant wedding. She dreamed of everything I didn't want... and even knowing that wasn't really who I was, I felt like I had to become her."

Stefano hesitantly touched her face and wiped away the fallen tears.

"I hate it," she whispered. "I hate that I fucked up and brought Aurora into my mess. I hate that I can't be a good enough mother for her. I hate that I keep trying to make everything better yet feel like I just destroy everything in my path. I hate it." Ellie released a strained breath. "But I love her. I love her more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being. Whenever she cries, it physically hurts me. I hate it. And I hate that I can't be the mom she deserves... but I just want her to know I'm trying."

"She knows you're trying."

I wish I could believe you.

Aidan always said Aurora loved her – that the way Ellie perceived the baby's reactions and outbursts was not only directed at her. But Ellie struggled to believe it. Motherhood had never been meant for her, and the arrival of a child certainly didn't squash her doubts and fears overnight. Ellie didn't wake up and have everything together. She read every book, studied every article about parenthood, and yet still felt like she knew nothing.

Ellie wanted nothing more than for Aurora to grow up happy and never face the consequences of her parent's mistakes. But sometimes, Ellie worried that for the child's future to be that way, it had to be without her mother.

"You being here fucks with my head," she admitted in a soft whisper. "It ruins everything from the past two years – every second I spent convincing myself that I hated you. I had to force myself to feel the opposite about you to survive." Ellie lowered her gaze. "Seeing you again... hearing you want to fight for me back... knowing you still love me... it's confusing, Stef."

"El–"

"And it hurts. It physically hurts because it reminds me of why I fell in love with you in the first place – why I knew on our first date that there would never be someone like you again," she admitted. Releasing a shaky breath, her eyes focused on a droplet of water resting against the porcelain tub. "That night when you got hurt and called me at four in the morning to help you... all the way back when we first started being around one another... you asked me to tell you to stay away. I didn't say it then... but I think I have to now."

His face fell, realizing where she was heading with the conversation. "Don't," his voice begged, "El, please, don't–"

"I want to be with you again, more than anything," she whispered, "but I can't drop everything for you."

"I'm not asking you to. I'd never ask you to drop everything–"

"How else would this work? We can't think illogically anymore, Stef," Ellie said, allowing her eyes to finally meet his glance. "Are you going to fly in once a month or just drop by unannounced whenever you have time? But who's to say Aidan would agree to any of this? What if he doesn't want you around her? Then are you just in my life? Because right now, my life is her life. I don't have time except for the few hours she sleeps. So, if we have to wait until she's in school, that's at least two years away. Are you even ready to be a parent? Because you knew nothing about Aurora not too long ago, and you never wanted kids. And I can't have you half in my life – either you're in both our lives or not at all. Would you–"

"El, breath, please."

"I can't," she whispered, her voice cracking with desperation, "I can't do this – I'm sorry."

"El–"

"I love you, Stef. I loved you then, I love you now, and I know I will never love someone in the same way ever again. But we both know this won't work. You're still dealing with the person that kept us apart two years ago, and I–" She pressed her lips together, shaking her head to rid her mind of her thoughts. "It's impulsive for us to jump back into anything, let alone think we could make this work. I haven't even been on a date in years. We don't know each other anymore – we're in love as complete strangers. Who's to say any of that spark would still be there?"

Stefano opened his mouth to speak, yet no words left his lips. He sat in silence, trying to process all that he had just heard, wishing there was a way to convince her otherwise that it could work – that everything would be fine. But he couldn't.

"I understand. You have a new life. I wish I could tell you the perfect way for me to be a part of it without disruption, but maybe that isn't possible." He forced a smile. "A brilliant person once told me that when I keep you at a distance, I act impulsively... and that's not fair to you. It wasn't then, and it wasn't now. I must learn to keep a distance between us and act logically. That's the unfortunate part of loving someone – you need to be logical, even when you want to do everything but that... and realize when it's time to let someone go."

Ellie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. It felt like someone had stabbed her in the chest – plunged a knife right into her heart. But that's what life did sometimes. It wasn't fair or cruel. It was just logical. They didn't work back when they had everything together – back when their lives were one. There was no way they would work now with them living worlds apart.

"Why don't I give you some privacy while I finish cleaning up in the kitchen?"

As Stefano got off the floor, Ellie felt that knife in her heart twist. She wanted to call out after him – tell him to stay; tell him she wasn't ready for him to leave yet. But she couldn't. It wasn't fair to him, even if she found the right words to adequately say just that. Ellie had just expressed she didn't think anything between them would work out for the best... did she expect him to willingly sit by her side until she was done in the bath he had drawn for her?

Shit. Ellie felt horrible. The reasoning behind her decision was fair – she knew that, and he did too. Which is why it made everything more complicated. Ellie wished she could look at him and not feel the same way she did the first night they met. She wished he was a horrible person and someone easy to hate. She wished she didn't feel her stomach knot with regret over turning down the prospect of a future together.

Ellie squeezed her eyes shut.

Over the past two years, Ellie had wished for many things... but what she wished for right now was to not make this decision.

How could she turn away the man she loved?

A man that was willing to give up everything for her? That knew her better than she sometimes knew herself?

Stefano risked everything to find her because of a single call. He feared she suffered the same fate as his sister. He couldn't live without knowing she was safe and alive. Stefano loved her still. He wanted to fight for her and prove he could fit into her new life within one day.

Cautiously getting onto her feet, she rinsed off and exited the tub, wrapping a towel around herself. She hoped her thoughts could be put to rest, at least for now. Maybe Stefano had used cleaning the kitchen as an excuse and left her again.

It would be painful to deal with, she thought to herself as she pulled on a clean t-shirt. But maybe that's for the best.

With a sigh, Ellie hung up the towel and turned off the lights in the bathroom before exiting. She prepared for the worst, to be met with a house empty of any guests. She expected it just to be her and Aurora sleeping soundly in the next room.

Entering the living room, her steps abruptly came to a stop, seeing the sight in front of her. Stefano had covered the small coffee table with a white cloth and made two place settings for their spaghetti and tomato sauce. To top everything off, there was even a candle lit.

"W-what is this?" she whispered.

"I'm not trying to change your mind. I understand and respect your decision. But you haven't had a date in years, and I would hate for us to part from each other again on such a sad note."

Ellie's eyes darted between the table and the man standing before her. "You're asking me on a date?"

"Sì."

"If nothing else mattered... if there wasn't Aidan to deal with or the threat of Luca... would you drop everything to raise Aurora with me?"

Some may have viewed the sudden question as unfair. But so was abruptly showing up after two years through her child's bedroom window.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation. "Without a doubt."

"How are you so sure?"

"Because I love you."

"But you never wanted kids."

"That's true," he said. "But everything is different with you, El. It's always been different."

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered. Her eyes widened over the confession, forcing her gaze to fall to the ground. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said. That was so inappropriate of me to say, especially after what we talked about in the bathroom and–"

"El, please. Breath, my love. It's okay."

Wrapping one arm around her, Stefano pulled her body against his chest. Ellie had turned into a sobbing mess within seconds, which she tried to shield by covering her face.

"It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay..."

"It's not," she choked out, "I say one thing... and then another... and then–"

"It's understandable, El. There's no perfect answer to this situation."

Ellie pulled her head back and stared at the man in slight shock. "How do you always do that?"

"What?"

"Say the right thing – not make me feel worse when I deserve it."

The pad of his thumb gently grazed her skin, brushing away the tears like always. "You don't deserve that, El. Your feelings and confusion are valid."

She leaned against his touch. "Do you think we could make it work?"

"I do."

"There are so many unknowns."

"We can work through them all."

"How?"

"We're a team," he said, "It's you and me–"

Ellie quickly interjected, "Forever and always."

"Sì." Stefano smiled, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "We don't need everything figured out by sunrise, and it won't all fall perfectly into place. But if there's one thing I know for certain, it's that we can make it work."

"Where would we even start?"

"How about a date? I know this excellent little Italian place... it's perfect for two strangers in love to reconnect."

Ellie felt her cheeks flush. "Do you think we could get a reservation this late?"

"Oh, I think I can pull some strings." Dipping his head, his voice dropped to a soft whisper, "But before we eat, I need you to know one thing... There may be differences now in our lives, but you are still the same person I fell in love with the night in your apartment – when you stitched up someone you didn't know out of the goodness of your heart." His hand moved to her chin, grasping it gently to keep her gaze locked on his. "I don't care how much time we spend apart – you will never be a stranger to me, El."

"I don't know how we'll ever make this work... but I do know that I never want to feel like you're a stranger again."

"I swear on my life – I'll never let that happen ever again. You have my word, El."

Stefano wished he could have kissed her at that very moment. It felt like the right moment to lean forward and remove the remaining minimal distance between them. He noticed how her cheeks flushed, how she had that look of love in her eyes. But he couldn't kiss her – not yet, at least. He promised himself not to give in and wait for the real right moment. This wasn't it.

"How about we go eat before the food gets cold?"

"I like that idea. I'm starving."

"Perfect." Stefano took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers as he led them into the living room. Gesturing to the coffee table, he said, "Our romantic dinner for two."

Ellie giggled as she sat down on the floor. "Mm, spaghetti with tomato sauce... I heard the customer before really loved this."

"Yes, it's famous for being Bambolina's favourite." Stefano raised the pink cup with princess crowns scattered across it. "You only had juice, milk and water," he said, "I opted for juice since this is date night."

Giggling with flushed cheeks, she raised her glass. "Salute."

"Salute."

And so, he focused on her smile, hearing her giggle and watching her cheeks flush. God. He missed that. He missed her; he missed everything about her. Spending the day with her felt like nothing had changed – aside from the blatant reminder of Aurora. But now, regardless of how their future would be together, Stefano knew he would never let her go again.

Given a second chance, he would love her for the rest of time, just like he promised.

After dinner, they decided to watch a movie. And although Ellie insisted she wouldn't, within minutes, she was asleep with her head on his shoulder. Stefano debated whether he should move her to the bed, but he didn't want to risk waking her up before the movie was over. He made that mistake once – and although Ellie had been passed out, she swore up and down she had been awake the entire time once he moved her and never let him live it down.

Therefore, he knew better and let her sleep just as she was. Truthfully, he didn't mind. He loved how her body perfectly curled up next to his – the sound of her steady breaths and how her mouth slightly tugged with a smile when she slept. He could happily study her for the rest of his life.

Stefano let her continue sleeping as the movie ended, and he flipped through the channels, catching the end of a sports game. Just like her mother, Aurora too was fast asleep – not waking up since being put down. At least both of them were sleeping well; that's all that mattered.

The sound of a cell phone ringing caused Ellie to stir.

"Cazzo," he cursed, "Sorry, my love."

"That's okay," she said through a yawn, "I've been awake this whole time."

Stefano grinned, not bothering to fight her, knowing he would lose regardless. Fishing through his back pocket, his eyes quickly read the name on the screen, and he moved off the couch. "I need to take this, my love."

Ellie yawned as she rubbed her tired eyes, trying to focus her attention on the television. She noticed Stefano stand near the backdoor as he answered the call, uttering a quiet "pronto" to whoever was on the other end. It took Ellie a few minutes to realize the program playing was not the movie but some type of sports game, which confused her mind, considering she definitely did not fall asleep. In her defence, she was distracted, watching Stefano pace back and forth with tensed shoulders.

Stefano felt his face pale listening to his right-hand man speak. "Capisco," he finally replied, keeping his voice calm and in control, not allowing a glimpse of worry to slip through the cracks. "Keep me updated."

"What's wrong?" she asked as he hung up the phone.

His head turned to the side, catching the gaze of the women that could read him like a book. The only person in the world he could never lie to – regardless of how hard he tried.

"The last person that visited you... there is no cop with that name. We checked all local records. Nationwide. CIA. FBI. Nothing, El."

"What do you mean? Are you sure?"

The man nodded, looking down at the cell phone in his hand. "Ellie, I think you're in danger–"

That was when the first bullet was fired.

It grazed Stefano's left arm, piercing the outer edge of his bicep and slicing through the skin like a knife. He released a grunt of pain, which he tried to contain by biting his tongue as his eyes clenched shut. But before she could take a step, the backdoor flew open.

The unknown figure fired the gun without aim for a second time, shattering a vase. It was evident by the intruder's hungry stare that he didn't know Stefano was in the room or was too fixated on his target to notice.

Ellie quickly looked at Stefano for guidance, who signalled for her to stay quiet as he held his index finger against his mouth. He followed it by motioning a plan with his hands, one signal of many that they had created a long time ago. A slight hint of a smile curved on her lips over the memory, but she forced it down.

The intruder stepped out of the shadow as he stalked toward her, exposing his toothless grin, the kind that haunted Ellie's dreams as a child. And within a blink of an eye, she realized her nightmares were becoming a reality. He lunged at Ellie, slamming her body against the wall. Crushed by his weight, she gasped for a breath, hoping to avoid suffocating under the foul man.

"Lucky me," his voice said against her ear, "I get the first go at the whore before everyone else arrives."

The barrel of a scolding gun was pressed under her chin. Ellie fought back her tears, not wanting to give the intruder satisfaction over the fear and pain he caused. She could smell alcohol off his breath with every word he spoke. He was clearly intoxicated – which explained the reason behind his terrible shot.

"Let her go," Stefano's voice demanded from behind.

The intruder spun them both around, releasing a loud laugh. Ellie kept her eyes fixated on Stefano, waiting for the signal. His eyes told her to be patient, which she obliged. Although she greatly wished he understood how foul the man smelled.

"The famous Stefano Romano! What an honour!" the intruder bitterly spat.

"Let her go," he repeated. "Now."

Another laugh boomed through the house. "Why would I do that? Everyone's going to love this when they show up! Forcing you to watch while we all take a turn on your whore!" He moved the gun away from Ellie's chin and pointed it straight ahead, "I just couldn't sit by and wait any longer! Had to be the first to find out what made her so good. You know–"

Stefano looked directly at Ellie and gave her the signal.

The corner of her mouth tugged with a smirk. She whipped her head back, connecting with the front of his face with a hard smack. Instantly caught off guard by the sudden action, his grip loosened. Ellie bent forward slightly and stabilized her feet. With one swift motion, she sent her elbow back, hitting the side of his face. The intruder stumbled back and yelled out in pain. As she continued to strike, Stefano securely grabbed hold of the weapon.

Ellie hit him again, and again, and again. Blood pooled from his mouth and nose, staining her skin and splattering across the wall. She could tell there was hardly a breath left in him. But just for safe measure, Ellie kicked the barely conscious man in the groin, sending his body toppling over and onto the ground.

"Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Stefano further subdued the intruder and tied him up before checking his pockets. The only item found was a cell phone, which he quickly looked through, and a slight raise in his brows signalled there was something he found interesting. Ellie remained silent and watched. Satisfaction over what she had just done only lasted so long before the realization coursed through.

"We have ten minutes," Stefano muttered, pocking the device. "Whoever he's with is on their way now." Turning to the frightened woman, his voice softened, "El, I need you to get Aurora from her room. Don't turn on any lights. Just grab her and whatever else she might need to keep herself calm. Okay?"

Responding with a short nod, the frightened girl ran to the child's bedroom. She was weak in the knees, and her body begged to collapse with each step. Her insides twisted with an indescribable sickness as bile crept up the back of her throat. But Ellie forced the thoughts out of her mind. What she felt didn't matter at this moment – all that mattered was ensuring Aurora was safe.

And as her eyes fell upon the sleeping angel, Ellie felt a sliver of uneasiness dissipate. Relieved beyond words to find her safe, she gasped for a breath and realized she had been holding it the entire time. Ellie gathered the sleeping child, ignoring every warning she read from various parenting books. She grabbed a few items in reach – Aurora's pacifier, the blanket she always slept with, and her stuffed cow – and hurried out of the room.

Ellie returned to the living room, and her eyes instantly fell on Stefano. He stood with a cell phone pressed between his ear and shoulder blade, speaking quickly to someone in Italian while tying a dish towel around his arm to stop the bleeding.

"Cazzo... Sì, sì, va bene..." was all Ellie could comprehend him saying before hanging up the phone. "El, I need you to take Aurora and go downstairs," Stefano said as he hurried to her side, "You don't come out until one of us goes down to get you... capito?"

Ellie nodded, signalling she understood, but she couldn't shield her expression from the nerves that rattled her bones.

"Mi raccomando, stai attento e fai silenzio. Sì?"

Swallowing the uneasiness, she whispered her agreement to be careful and stay quiet, "I will."

Ellie picked up two things from what he said. The first was that saying "one of us" meant his men were coming, leading her to believe backup was needed for whatever was about to happen. The second was that he was nervous. Stefano always did an excellent job at hiding it in his outward appearance. However, unless it was words of affection, more of his Italian always slipped out in conversation with her when he was worried.

As he grabbed the baby bag, Stefano guided her trembling body to the back of the house. "I made sure everything you need is in here. But I added a few extra diapers and wipes... some snacks I know she picked up liking the last few days and a few bottles."

Managing to utter a somewhat audible 'thank you,' Ellie fell silent, frantically watching behind them as Stefano got to work. He quickly pushed the tall wooden cabinet to the side before kneeling and raising the fake floorboards, revealing the hidden staircase to the basement.

"Be strong for me," Stefano said, standing tall. With a quick kiss to her forehead and one for the child in her arms, he whispered, "Andrà tutto bene," everything is going to be all right, "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Stef..."

His hand went to her cheek. "Yes, my love?"

"Be safe," she whispered, fighting back tears, "We need you to be okay."

We. As in, her and the baby. Ellie and Aurora. From that point on, it became the we Stefano would fight for.

"Lo farò, te lo prometto." I will, I promise. "Go, my love. We will be together again before you know it."

Ellie disappeared into the basement without another word. There were so many things she wanted to say, but she couldn't allow herself the chance. It was only a matter of time before she could no longer fight back the tears.

Cradling Aurora in her arms, Ellie observed the sleeping child. The last thing anyone needed was for the child to wake up and remember she hated the woman holding her. Unfortunately, she hadn't been successful in finding any cure thus far. Ellie could only hope Aurora would forget her hatred for the next however long they were stuck down here together.

The sound of additional footsteps became evident from upstairs. She could faintly hear words she assumed were Italian with direct orders called out to different people. Ellie held the child close and drew her knees further to her chest, trying to shield her body further into the basement corner.

Seconds felt like hours had passed before the chaos began.

Loud thuds hit the ground. Guns were fired. Screams of pain were evident through the floorboards.

Ellie held her breath, fearing they could hear even that sound.

But as her eyes fell upon a pair of honey-brown, she feared the worst sound of all was seconds away from erupting.

XIII. RESOLUTION

2 YEARS EARLIER

"What can I get started for you?"

"I'll just get a medium coffee and a blueberry muffin." The gentleman at the counter took out a few dollars from his wallet. "Keep the change," he said, meeting the eyes of the woman behind the register. He didn't mean to stand and stare at her but he couldn't help himself. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I don't think so."

His eyes flickered to her name tag before meeting her glance again. "I guess not," he murmured, "I'm sorry. You just look exactly like someone I used to know in high school. Must be the early morning – sorry."

"You don't have to apologize." She offered him a smile. "I'll get started on that coffee for you."

Her voice was pleasant and sweet, perfectly trained to rid her tone of any nerves. Thankfully, he didn't seem to pick up on it as he turned and greeted her boss standing behind the counter, indulging in conversation she couldn't bring herself to eavesdrop on. Her mind was spinning far too fast to concentrate. Turning away, facing the machines along the wall, her fingers curled into her palm, and she released a shaky breath.

Ellie wasn't supposed to run into anyone from her past out here.

XX

"Miss?"

It was a familiar, trusting voice that called out to her. But Ellie forced her mouth to remain shut, not wanting to risk the chance of being incorrect. Maybe she was just hearing things. Perhaps she had been down here for days at this point and had gone insane. Who was to say?

"I'm going to turn on my flashlight," he called out. A thoughtful warning so she wouldn't be startled by the light. "Make sure the baby's eyes are covered," he continued, "This figlio di puttana is bright."

Hearing the humorous remark over a flashlight helped Ellie ease her posture slightly. She doubted an enemy would care about blinding her baby over a flashlight. Let alone give her a warning about the brightness.

And thankfully, as the light drew near, Ellie's eyes met the person behind the familiar, trusting voice.

"Frankie," she breathed in relief, "Oh my god. I haven't seen you in so long! Where's Stef? Is he alright?"

Shielding his flashlight, Frankie nodded and extended his hand to help the woman off the ground. "Boss just has some business to deal with," he said, "Asked me to take you to the apartment for now and said he'll call you from the car."

"How bad is it?"

"Nothing we can't handle. If anything–" The man fell silent, finally noting the bundle sleeping in her arms. "Dio mio," he gasped, "Tesoro," treasure, "How old?"

"Almost ten months."

"Precious." Frankie smiled, looking down at the child, "Let's get amoruccio," little darling, "to a better place to rest, yes?"

Ellie nodded. "I just have to get my bag–"

"Let me," he said, shining the light on the ground and collecting the baby bag. "You just worry about the angioletto." Little angel.

With the baby bag slung over his shoulder, Frankie used the flashlight to safely guide them to the stairs. Reaching the final step, Ellie regretfully let her eyes search the house. Blood splatters stained the floors and walls. The coffee table where they shared a dinner date earlier in the night was now smashed to pieces. Ellie thickly swallowed, abruptly stopping once they reached the side door.

"Frankie? There's a jewelry box in my room. Can I bring it? Please?"

"What does it look like?"

"It's pink and on my nightstand."

Frankie ordered someone to fetch it, and the item was retrieved within moments. Before a thank you could be uttered, Ellie fell silent, recognizing him. When she left, he was nothing more than a boy. But now, Tony looked almost like a man.

"Come on, Miss. You shouldn't be in here any longer."

Ellie followed his lead outside and went straight into the backseat of the luxury SUV. She was surprised to see a brand-new car seat with the tags still on. She placed Aurora in and ensured the child was perfectly fastened before placing her pacifier into her mouth.

"All good?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"She's so quiet."

"I know," she hummed, "I think she might be sick or something. Normally she's a screamer."

"We'll get her checked out at the house."

And with that, Frankie started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Ellie looked out the window, watching the house she called home disappear from her sight, knowing it would be the last time to ever see the house.

"What's going to happen to it?" she asked, referring to the home.

"Electrical fire," he shrugged, "Maybe fumigation. Depends on the damage those idiots caused."

"Make sense," she mumbled.

She should have been upset and shed tears over the loss of memories housed in those four walls. But even though she called it home, it never felt like that. It wasn't like it would be safe for them to return anyway. Once everything was taken care of, Ellie would have to tell Aidan and tell him 'what happened' – at least, the version according to public records. Thankfully there was still time to figure it out before he returned. And she knew Stefano's team worked fast.

2 YEARS EARLIER

"Are you alright?"

Ellie quickly wiped her eyes, hoping the dark night sky would shield her face from view. "Yeah, I'm fine," she managed to reply, keeping her eyes on the ground. "Thanks."

Every day after work, she would go home and lock herself in her apartment. There were no rules she was given before saying her last goodbye – it's just what she told herself to do to cope with the current predicament. She was sure if there had been rules, it would have explicitly stated to never leave the apartment. But knowing herself, even when she was completely lost by the reflection in the mirror, Ellie would have gone insane. She loved being alone. However, being forced away into the hidden shadows of a small one-bedroom wouldn't do her any good.

Ellie wanted to keep her head down and avoid eye contact at all costs. The sudden realization that the stranger was still there, hesitating his movements, left her worried about not getting a visual of the unknown man. If something happened to her, she needed to at least have a few descriptive features to go off of.

With a slight turn of her head, Ellie slowly lifted her glance to take in the stranger standing near her in the alleyway. But her eyes widened as her sights fell upon a familiar face from earlier in the morning.

"You're back," she said without thinking, instantly cursing at herself for the stupid remark.

"I cut through the alleyway to get home." He pointed down at the other end. "Usually, there's no one around." Shoving his pockets into his hands, he spoke again, "Lee says you just started working at the cafe. How do you like it so far?"

"What?"

"Lee, your boss," he clarified as if she needed a refresher. "I work at the auto shop – he came by today to pick up his car, and we talked."

"Oh." Ellie looked down at her feet, ignoring the question entirely. Normally, she would have pulled out her pepper spray by now – but Lee had spoken so highly earlier of the unknown man standing before her, leaving Ellie to feel completely disarmed.

"Just a heads up, I think he's trying to play some type of friend matchmaker between us," he said, a laugh lacing between his words. "Kept insisting I should show you around because you're new to the city and don't know many people yet."

Thanks a lot, Lee. Ellie instantly felt terrible over the snarky voice in her head. The older man was a kind, gentle soul who only meant well. She felt safe around him from the first moment they met. Lee created a welcoming atmosphere and made it his mission to treat all his employees like a little family. And, considering Ellie had nothing and no one anymore, she needed that little family more than ever.

Ellie watched as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a carton of cigarettes. With the stick placed between his lips, he fished out his lighter.

"You shouldn't do that."

As his eyes peered up, his thumb released, extinguishing the flame on the lighter.

"Smoking's bad for you," she said as if providing him with brand-new information.

"You sure?"

Ellie nodded.

"Well... I'm convinced, then." Removing the cigarette from between his lips, he tucked it behind his ear. "All cured," he teased. "Want to go grab a beer? You look like you could use one after the day you've had."

"Thanks, I think," Ellie mumbled, wondering how horrible she had to look right now for a stranger to think she needed alcohol, "But I don't drink."

"Well, I'd suggest coffee, but I'm sure you're sick of that by now," he teased, "One of those super fancy smoothie bars might be open if that's more your style–"

"I'm not going to sleep with you."

He raised a brow. "Listen... I don't know where you're from, but around here, a fancy smoothie bar is not code for sex. There was no underlying intention to get in your pants. Scouts honour."

"Then why are you offering?"

"You just look like you could use someone to talk to. Or, someone to sit in uncomfortable silence with while you regret ever agreeing to such a thing." The man smiled – it was warm and friendly, the kind that felt genuine. "If you're hungry, there's a diner just down the block that has some great burgers. Plus, Miss Mabel makes the best milkshakes, and I hear they're a perfect cure for a bad day."

"The harder you try isn't won't make me give in and have sex with you."

His smile widened, amused by her upfront attitude. "Don't get me wrong, you're a beautiful woman. But I promise I'm not looking to sleep with you."

"That's what they all say."

"I just got out of a long-term relationship. I know they say to get over someone, you should get under someone else... but... to be honest, the last thing I want is that."

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you just offer to buy milkshakes for every crying person you run into on your way home?"

"Actually, you're my first. How am I doing so far?"

"Not too bad."

"Really?" he was surprised by the revelation. "I thought I already struck out. So... does this mean you're considering my offer for free milkshakes and burgers?"

"I don't even know your name."

Taking a half step forward, he stuck out a hand for her to shake. "Aidan," he introduced, "Aidan Young."

XX

The sudden ringing of a cell phone pulled her attention.

"Pronto," Frankie said, answering the call, "Sì... Sì..." He reached his arm back, "For you, Miss."

Ellie took the phone and pressed the device to her ear, "Hi–"

"My love," Stefano breathed, relieved, "Are you both okay?"

"We're fine," Ellie said calmly, "She didn't cry once."

"No?" The surprise was evident in his voice. "What a strong girl... she's definitely your daughter, El."

A smile tugged on her lips over the remark. "I think she might be sick or something. I told Frankie, and he said we could check her at the apartment. Frankie said that's where he's taking us."

"Yes, I want you to be somewhere safe. There will also be a wonderful woman named Rose at the house – she takes care of Gio and the other kids – I've asked her to be there for your arrival so she can help care for the baby.... After Frankie drops you off and ensures you're settled, he'll go to the store and get anything you and Aurora need. We'll bring over all your things, but I want to ensure you have enough in the meantime."

"When will you be there?"

"As soon as I can, my love."

Ellie chewed her bottom lip. "Did you get hurt?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you going to be safe?"

"Yes, my love."

"Promesso?"

"Promesso."

2 YEARS EARLIER

"You're staring."

Aidan blinked. "What?"

"You're staring," she repeated. Taking her eyes off the window, Ellie turned her head and tried hiding her amused smile that formed from his shock over getting called out. "Is there a reason you're trying to study my features like a serial killer?"

"Sorry." His face flushed red with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to be weird. It's just... it's crazy how much you look like someone. Any chance you've got an identical, long-lost twin? Or a crazy gene pool that makes all your distant cousins look alike?"

"No, I don't have any family." Ellie chewed her bottom lip, shifting in her seat. The movement caused the bright vinyl covering the booth they sat in to make a noise that was thankfully drowned out by the music drifting through the diner from an old jukebox. "You seem pretty hung up on this person. Were you in love with her or something?"

"No, it wasn't like that." His fingers strummed against the table. "When I was younger, my best friend Jack moved away, so I'd travel out to visit him during the summer and stay with his family. There was this small house across the street, and every day, I'd see this girl sitting outside, on the hottest days, wearing long sleeves and pants – and she'd spend all day reading. I found her so intriguing because while all the other kids on the street were running around and playing, she was just reading these crazy textbooks – like, college-level shit, and I swear she couldn't have been older than thirteen at the time."

Aidan paused as Miss Mabel stopped by their table with two vanilla milkshakes topped with whipped cream and a bright red cherry.

"Thanks, Mabel."

"Food will be right out," the older woman's voice softly said before turning to handle another table.

"Well, cheers," Aidan said, holding his glass and clinking it against hers. Taking a sip from his straw, he looked at the girl and excitedly said, "Good, right?"

Ellie couldn't lie – it was good. Really good. "At least if you kill me after this, I'll die knowing I had a good milkshake."

"I'm not going to kill you. Besides, even if I wanted to, Lee would definitely kill me, and I don't feel like dying yet. I haven't had the chance to be a kick-ass Dad that rules at coaching the little league team."

Bringing the straw to her lips, Ellie took another sip. She didn't want it to show that she appreciated hearing that remark. Knowing at least one person around would protect her that way felt nice. And knowing Lee would most likely carry it out in some slow, painful way made Ellie feel even better.

"Anyway, as I was saying," Aidan continued, "that girl would always be sitting outside reading these fucking insane textbooks. I asked Jack who she was, and he said he didn't know – no one knew her or the family. I thought she was really cool, even without knowing anything about her and I wanted to talk to her. But my friend said she never spoke to anyone; one day, he and the other kids on the street tried inviting her to hang out, but she didn't speak, seemed scared they were even talking to her, and hid inside for a few days. So, I just left it at that."

Aidan paused to take another sip of his milkshake. "The next summer, when I visited Jack again, the first thing I noticed when I got to the house was her sitting outside... almost like she never left that spot from the year before. I wanted to say hi... I don't really know why, to be honest. I guess I just thought she was cool and interesting..." his voice trailed off momentarily, "Just when I built up the courage to do so, I overheard Jack's parents talking about how they felt bad for her; that some nights they could hear the shouting from the house and whenever it happened, she'd disappear for a few days and then go back to reading outside. So, not wanting to be a reason she suddenly couldn't do what she enjoyed, I didn't say a word... and it felt like she never left that reading spot the entire time I was there. But then–"

"Here we are!" Miss Mabel announced, putting the two plates down on the table. "Anything else you kids need?"

Ellie shook her head, offering a tight-lipped smile.

"I think we're good, Mabel," he kindly replied, "Thanks!"

"No worries, sugar. Shout if you need anything."

Watching the woman walk off to help another customer, Ellie dipped a fry into the small ketchup container. "She seems nice."

"Mabel? Yeah, she's great." Aidan took a bite of his burger, and a soft groan of approval slipped through his mouth. "Sorry – hunger strikes," he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Shit, sorry," he apologized again, "I bet this whole thing is far from interesting for you to hear. I guess I got a bit excited thinking about the past. But we can talk about something else... or sit in silence."

Picking up another fry, she gave him a smile. "It's alright. I like hearing it."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Saves me from having to talk. You can keep going."

"Where was I? Oh– right. But then, the third summer I returned, she wasn't there."

"A twist," she murmured.

"All good stories have a twist!" Reaching for his milkshake, he took a quick sip. "So, she wasn't there. I asked Jack about it – and once again, he didn't know. But then he randomly mentioned that she ended up in his math class. Apparently, she was some brainiac that got moved up a few levels. Of course, I got excited thinking we'd get somewhere now... so when I asked what her name was, he said–" Aidan tapped his index fingers against the table for a drumroll, "I don't know."

"Wow. A double twist."

"I loved that kid, but I swear you could blow in one ear, and air would come out the other. Thank god he didn't want to become a detective." Aidan sighed. "Anyway, I decided to give up at that point – tried ignoring the intrigue of the mystery girl across the street I saw for a few weeks every summer. Besides, Jack and I were finally becoming sophisticated high school boys. You know, two tiny strands of facial hair and all," he teased, "Our nights became busy with sneaking out and drinking beer someone's older brother bought, and our days were full of sleeping off the hangovers and swimming at the lake."

"Sounds like a summer of wholesome fun."

Aidan chuckled. "One night, we were at this one party having some wholesome fun – the parents were away and stupidly thought they could trust a seventeen-year-old boy home alone. It was a crazy big house too... had a long ass driveway with a fancy gate and a backyard the size of a football field," he said, "I headed outside for some air and noticed someone sitting at the far end of the driveway. They were all alone – everyone else was either in the house or the backyard – so, worried they were hurt or something bad happened, I went to check. And to my surprise, sitting on the ground with her back resting against the gate with a flashlight in hand and a textbook... was Jack's neighbour."

Ellie reached for another fry. "Wow."

"While I looked at her in pure shock, seeing her for the first time since the previous year, after weeks of already being there... she looked at me like I was crazy. I mean, fair enough. We had never met." He laughed. "She ended up telling me she was waiting for someone that was inside. I thought it was odd that she was just sitting there alone, but she seemed to be enjoying herself, so who was I to judge?"

Miss Mabel dropped off the bill to their table, and Aidan pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. He waved off Ellie's attempts to contribute and paid for the two of them. "I was the one that dragged you here. It's my treat."

The two exited the dinner and headed toward Ellie's apartment – Aidan insisted on walking her home and showed text messages sent from Lee demanding he do so.

"So, you saw the girl sitting outside?"

"Oh, right. Yes!" Aidan grinned. "I ended up sitting with her for a bit. I'm sure she would have preferred I left her alone, and maybe I should have, but I also felt it was wrong to leave her there in the dark. She was pretty quiet but was kind enough to humour me with some conversation – or listen to me while I talked her ear off." He playfully nudged Ellie's side. "Guess I still do that to people."

"It's alright, I don't mind." Ellie smiled. "You have a calming presence."

"Funny, that's what she said too." He looked over, mirroring her smile. "We ended up sitting there for an hour together, just talking. She read me parts of her textbook and taught me some very sciencey terms. It was cool and nice – a different way to spend the night than watching some kid chug beer while hanging upside down," he said. "I told her I was just visiting my friend like I did every summer... told her about my life back home in Seattle... my younger brother that dreamed of being a musician while I wanted to work at my Dad's auto shop."

"Sounds nice," Ellie added quietly.

"Yeah," he hummed in agreement, "She told me she liked reading textbooks for fun and dreamed of becoming a doctor someday. I hope she got to do that because I think she would have been a kick-ass doctor. She also told me she didn't like crowded spaces – that it made her anxious when she couldn't hear her own thoughts, which was the typical atmosphere of parties with the loud, blaring music – which is why she didn't want to go into the house."

Aidan shoved his hands into the front pockets of his pants. "But when she noticed the time and said she had to go back home, I offered to go get her friend that was inside. She politely declined my offer, saying she didn't want to ruin their fun. Hearing her say was eye-opening to the type of person she seemed to be – thoughtful and generous. Here she was, sitting outside waiting for someone far longer than agreed to, and she didn't want to interrupt their night to be walked home. And so, fully expecting her to turn me down, I offered to walk her home... and to my surprise, she accepted."

"Wow, another plot twist."

Aidan chuckled. "I know, right? This story is full of them," he said. "When you asked earlier if I was in love with her... it wasn't like that. I wasn't in love. I was just fascinated. She was so different than anyone I had ever met. She didn't hide off in the corner reading her textbooks to try and be unlike everyone else – she just liked reading. And you could tell – her eyes lit up when she talked about what she learned or read about." Aidan rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. "Everyone said they knew nothing about her because she was quiet and kept to herself. But to me, it felt like no one took the time to get to know her."

As they turned onto her street, Ellie looked at the man walking alongside her. She couldn't help but wonder how often he thought about it; what must have been going through his mind for him to remember the story in such detail all these years later.

Ellie hated believing everything could be learned about a person through their eyes. But it was undeniable when she looked at Aidan. He didn't love the person from his past in a romantic sense. It was platonic. It was evidently written all over his face, even after all these years.

"This is me," Ellie said, stopping outside her apartment door.

"Well, thank you for humouring me tonight. I promise I won't force you to spend another night listening to me talk your ear off. I'll see you around!"

"Wait!" she abruptly called out just before he could turn. "You didn't finish."

"What?"

"Your story. You didn't finish it."

"Oh, well, I walked her home, and we just kept talking – mostly about the other textbooks she liked to read besides the medical ones. When we got to her street, I pointed out Jack's house and told her that's where I was staying... and then," he chuckled at the thought, "She fucking called me out and said she recognized me as the staring boy – shit, that got me fuckin' red in the face."

Shaking his head, a broad smile tugged the corners of his mouth. "I apologized, of course. Told her the truth – that I just found it fascinating that she was always sitting outside reading... and then, I introduced myself, you know, hoping my real name could replace that embarrassing nickname," he explained, "She stayed quiet and for a second, I thought she wouldn't tell me her name... but, then she looked at me and said–"

"My name is Nora, but some people get to call me Ellie."

XX

The drive to the apartment was long. Ellie didn't mind; she was glad to be anywhere but in the house. Aurora also seemed more than pleased, sleeping on and off throughout the drive and babbling away when awake. She didn't cry or get anywhere near having a bad attitude, which worried Ellie. Frankie stopped for gas several times, letting Ellie stretch her legs and change Aurora's diaper. They stopped at a diner to eat breakfast, and Aurora happily stole everyone's attention with her chubby cheeks and bright smile.

"I swear this is not my kid," Ellie murmured over the spectacle – to which Frankie laughed.

Ellie dozed on and off throughout the drive, waking up every time Frankie's cell phone rang with a call from Stefano, demanding an update regarding their progress. While Ellie found the gesture sweet, given how busy he must have been, Frankie cursed under his breath every time the phone rang.

"He thinks I can't handle precious cargo," he huffed or muttered Italian curses like clockwork. Ellie found it funny and was happy she could still laugh during a time like this.

2 YEARS EARLIER

"I'm pregnant."

Aidan immediately got to his feet, nearly tripping over himself a dozen times throughout the short distance to cross the room. "Are you positive?"

"Yeah." Ellie pulled out a handful of tests from her jacket pocket (with the ends securely wrapped in a handful of toilet paper to keep it sanitized) and dropped them on the table.

"How many did you take?"

"Six. I think. I wanted to be sure."

"How do you feel?"

"I don't know..." her voice trailed off, thinning out with fret and worry, as she gave him a shrug. Her entire body felt tense; her head spun with too many thoughts to comprehend. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered, "I mean... this can't happen – it wasn't part of the plan!"

"It's going to be okay–"

"No, it's not!" Her bottom lip trembled. "I can't be pregnant, Aidan. What am I going to do? How can I raise a kid on my own?"

"You won't be on your own."

"What?"

Taking another step forward, Aidan took her hands in his. "I'll be there with you. Whether you decide to have it or not, I'll be there every step of the way," he assured, "You're not alone in this."

XX

Hours later, when the sun set again, the car pulled into the familiar-looking garage. Frankie helped Ellie get out, and while she handled getting the baby, he gathered all their things. Entering the elevator, Ellie felt a flood of emotions pour in, which only overwhelmed her further when the doors opened to the apartment.

Ellie didn't know what to expect when the doors opened, but the last thing she thought would happen was a flood of sadness coursing through her chest. All her life, she struggled with the idea of having a home. The house she was born into was nothing but four walls of painful memories, and regardless of how personalized she styled all the apartments she lived in, it always felt like something was missing. But this apartment was different.

The funny part was she never officially moved in. She was just always there because she wanted to be – because he wanted her around.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

She nodded. "Memories," was all she could muster as she slowly walked forward.

"Well, I, for one, am happy you're back... it's felt very empty here the past few years without you."

Ellie didn't question his question or wonder what her being back even meant. There were too many things at play – and that felt like the least of her concerns.

"This is Rose," Frankie said, gesturing to the older woman in the entryway.

The woman proudly smiled. "Mr. Romano asked me to help care for the baby." She had a sweet voice to match her even more adorable appearance. With grey hair faded from any colour, she was short and wore a pink apron with "number one grandmother" written across the front.

"It's nice to meet you, Rose."

"You as well, Miss Nora."

Nora. Hearing that name again caused Ellie to freeze. She hadn't been called that by anyone in years. It was almost a harder pill to swallow than hearing Stefano call her Ellie or El – because, at least, to herself, that was her name. But Nora was the safety, the cover she always used.

"Miss Nora?" the sweet-sounding voice called out. "Are you alright?"

Ellie blinked. "Yes, sorry," she offered the woman an apologetic smile, "Just a long day."

"Well, why don't I take baby Aurora from you so you can take a nice hot shower? The guest bedroom is all set for you. Has she had dinner?"

"Not yet."

"Wonderful. I'll get her cleaned up and fed."

"Thank you, Rose."

Ellie cautiously handed Aurora off. If she was trusted by Stefano, she could be trusted with Aurora. Besides, everyone she met seemed to handle the child better than she ever could – if anything, she was doing her a favour.

As Rose took the child in her arms, the strangest thing happened.

Aurora cried. The child cried and reached back for Ellie, motioning grabby hands at her. Ellie stood stunned while Rose cooed the child, assuming it was normal for her to act this way because, typically, it was. It just never was for Ellie.

Frankie cursing off in the distance, pulled her attention. The man released a heavy sigh as he walked over with heavy steps, handing her the phone.

"You made it safely inside, my love?" Stefano eagerly asked on the other end of the call.

"She cried."

"What?"

"Aurora," Ellie clarified. "I just gave her to Rose, and she cried for me. She's never done that before."

Stefano was quiet momentarily before saying, "She'll be perfectly fine, El. Rose is magnificent. Practically raised every single child in my family herself."

"It's not that it's..." Ellie thickly swallowed. "She cried like she... I don't know... like she wanted to be with me instead... like she trusts me or something."

Ellie took a quick shower, wanting to return to Aurora as fast as she could. It wasn't that she usually wanted to be away from her child, but she assumed that's what Aurora wanted – to be away from Ellie. And so, to avoid causing the baby to break down in a screaming fit of tears, Ellie tried to only be around when needed to care for her properly and not smother her with extra unwanted attention.

Changing into a fresh pair of clothes, the smell of familiar cologne filled her senses. If Stefano couldn't be around yet, at least she was reminded of him. Frankie had gone out to the store with a list – but Ellie was sure she'd stay in his clothing until there were no options left.

Entering the kitchen, Ellie was surprised to see Aurora smiling at her, excited over her return. Ellie sat down at the breakfast bar next to her high chair and kissed the top of her head.

"Mama-mama-mama–" Aurora babbled from the high chair, giggling as she fed herself dinner.

"She hasn't stopped calling for you," Rose said, "Adorable little girl she is."

"She's never been like this before," Ellie admitted, chewing her bottom lip. "Normally, it feels like she prefers her father. Everything I've researched makes it sound like I'm not attentive to her needs or neglecting her, but I don't... I'm always caring for her. I love her. I just feel like she doesn't love me sometimes." She picked at her nails. "Stef said you've cared for many kids... have you ever noticed something like that?"

The older woman offered a kind smile. "Sweetheart, before Aurora came into your life... how were you feeling?"

"Terrified... scared... like I was going to fail at this."

"And how did you feel after?"

"All those feelings but a million times worse."

"Have you told Aurora's father about your feelings?"

Ellie tentatively nodded. "Some of it. Not everything. But told him that I thought she didn't like me."

"And what did he say?"

"That it wasn't true. That she cries with him too because she's a baby, and that's what babies do."

"It's easy to get overwhelmed... think you may be doing everything wrong and nothing right. If you constantly think the worst of your abilities, you will assume the worst out of her cries. But she's a baby, and like Aurora's father said, babies, unfortunately, just love to cry." Rose placed a mug of tea in front of Ellie. "Your child loves you, Miss Nora. There's no denying that."

Ellie looked over at the child. "Do you love me?"

Aurora blinked her big, beautiful doe-eyes and erupted into giggles. "Mama-mama," she sang, happily kicking her feet.

"I do love you," she whispered, kissing the child's forehead. "I hope you know that mommy loves you, forever and always."

After eating and thanking Rose for her help with Aurora and listening and offering advice, Ellie took the child to the guest bedroom. They played together like they did all the time before bed, stacking blocks and playing with her toy cow. When Frankie returned to the apartment with many shopping bags, he insisted on showing off all the items.

"Look at what I got her!" Frankie proudly held up the onesie. "S'got baby ducks on it!"

"Oh, that's adorable!"

"I know, right," he grinned.

After helping to put everything away, Frankie soon bid Ellie and baby Aurora a good night. Ellie stood, looking down at the sleeping child. Aurora would have never been here without Frankie protecting her all those years ago. Guilt coursed through her body as she quickly hurried out into the hall.

"Frankie?" she called after him. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me in the car. I never got the chance to see you again after it happened, and I wanted to leave you a note, but–"

"No paper trails," he teased with a smile. "And, no need to say thank you. It's my job, Miss."

"Also, I'm sorry for, uh," she said, biting her bottom lip nervously, "Stef told me about what happened to Serafina."

The man replied with a tight lip smile, attempting to shrug off the remark. Not because he wasn't broken-hearted over what had happened, but because he was still trying to protect the woman he loved by keeping their relationship secret. He couldn't get too emotional with anyone else in the room; he waited until he was all alone before falling apart at every moment.

Before he could go through his usual motions, Ellie wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him in for a hug.

"She was very fond of you," he whispered, "Scolded her brother every day for letting you go."

Ellie pressed her lips together, trying to contain any noise from her tears. She hasn't truly processed the news until now. And although part of her felt like it was wrong to cry in Frankie's arms, knowing he must have been far more brokenhearted than she was, Ellie couldn't help herself.

"I'm sorry," she said, pulling back her head and wiping her eyes, "I don't know what came over me," she sniffled, "I just–"

"It's okay... it's good to cry... it helps us let it all out."

"I'm just so confused," she cried, "Why did he do that to her? Why couldn't he just divorce her if he didn't love her? Why did he have to hire someone to–" Ellie suddenly pressed her lips together. "Oh, god. I'm so sorry. I just–"

"Miss Nora," he hushed, "It's okay."

Taking her hand, he guided her into the living room and instructed her to sit on the couch. Frankie left the room before returning with a glass of water and a box of tissues.

"I understand your confusion, so please, don't apologize." He offered her a smile. "Luca is... complex, to say the least. He is a man that strives for power over anything... but came from nothing. He had no connections, power, or ability to make something of himself independently. He built a life of greed and married Serafina through a business exchange."

Ellie thickly swallowed. "She... what?"

"They never married for love. Luca married her for power, for status – to fill his greed."

"How? Why?"

"Because the man at the top is not that far different than Luca." Frankie sighed. "Stefano wanted nothing more than to free his sister of that man – they fought about it countless times. Serafina knew her brother could change the family business for the better... but it would never happen without certain information. Against her brother's wishes, Serafina dug for the valuable pieces necessary for Stefano to take over in the ways they both wished for."

"And Luca found out what she was doing?"

"At the end of the day, it does not matter what he did or didn't know... Serafina knew her fate regardless." His eyes fell down to his lap. "Luca works irrationally, not logically. Impulsive, never strategic. He thought he reached untouchable heights and did not need her to stay on top... but all he did was make his end date come sooner."

Ellie shuffled across the couch and placed a hand on his shoulder. "From the moment I met her, I could tell she cared for you," she said softly. "She had a look of love in her eyes."

Frankie laughed.

"What?"

"She said the same about you and Stefano." He patted her hand. "I hope you know that regardless of what could have happened in the past, had things been different, Serafina's life would have ended the same. She said it herself – the day she signed that marriage license was the day she signed her death date. It's a painful, morbid thing to admit out loud. However, it's the sad truth of it all."

Ellie wiped her eyes. "It is sad," she said, unsure what else to say.

He nodded in agreement. "But the last thing we can allow for is letting everything she did be for nothing... which means Luca and everyone else that harmed that beautiful soul will get exactly what's coming to them in due time."

With a sniffle and trying to shield another round of tears, Ellie threw her arms around the large man. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Thank you, Miss Nora." Frankie gently stroked his hand down her back in a comforting fashion. "I know it's out of line for me to say, but I hope, in one way or another, you'll stick around."

Pulling her head back, Ellie asked, "What do you mean?"

"Everything became so different the day you left – like a shadow of darkness loomed over this apartment. I know you and the Boss went your separate ways," he said, avoiding using the breakup term, "And I'm not saying this to you in the hopes you get back together, but... it would be nice to have you around in the future. You know, even if it's just a day. That's all."

It wasn't just Stefano that had his life affected by her disappearance. It was Frankie too. He always looked at her like a sister – someone he would put his life on the line to protect. He knew the goodness in her heart and how it made everyone else around her better. Which was a miracle, considering the type of people they were.

"I would like that, Frankie." She smiled as the tears pricked the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sure it would help make the Boss less grumpy too. That would be nice."

"He's been grumpy?"

"Oh, just the worst. When I entered your house, I'm pretty sure that's the first time I saw him wearing anything but a scowl for the first time in two years."

A light laugh escaped over the thought as her eyes fell to the scar on the inside of Frankie's trigger finger. She knew that scar. Everyone Ellie cared for in this apartment, including Stefano, had it. Ellie never asked what it was from; she never played dumb and asked why they all had a matching scar. It was an oath – a promise they all made in blood, committing their lives to forever stay loyal to their organization.

"Can I ask you something?"

Frankie nodded.

"Do you think there's a chance for two people to escape from all of this," she gestured to the space around them, "and live a healthy, safe life?"

There was a moment of silence before he answered, "Yes." Frankie smiled. "I think Stefano has spent every day of the past two years regretting his decision to let you go... and I think if there was even the slightest chance of the two of you being back together... that man would move heaven and earth to make it happen. Even if that meant giving up everything he's built."

"You really think so?"

"Miss Nora," his voice dropped to a whisper, "I know so."

She opened her mouth to speak but was distracted by something on the ground. Getting up from the couch, Ellie walked over to the item and picked it up, a smile toying on her lips as she held the familiar, colourful cat toy.

"I can't believe this is still lying around," she said, gesturing to the cartoon mouse.

"Oh, you don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

Frankie stood and motioned for her to follow. Leading the way down the hall, he stopped in front of a familiar door and said, "Don't get me in shit for showing you. Alright?"

"It's our little secret." They shared plenty of secrets over the years – adding another to the list was par for the course.

As the door pushed open to Stefano's bedroom, her eyes searched the space. It was like she had never left. Everything was where she had seen it last – all his furniture and items he had scattered on top, like his watches and colognes. She even spotted her textbooks on the bedside table.

But that wasn't why Frankie had brought her into the bedroom.

It was because of a (sparingly) furry creature on his pillow.

"Pancake!" Ellie ran over to the bed and scooped the sleeping feline into her arms. "Oh my god! I can't believe it!" Her eyes found their way back to Frankie as her cat purred happily. "He kept Pancake?"

"Spoils that thing rotten."

Aside from Stefano, Pancake was the most challenging part of leaving her life behind. When she had to go, leaving her trusted best friend behind was difficult. But Ellie didn't know where her life would end up and had no idea whether she would have a suitable life for a cat, let alone herself. And so, she decided to leave Pancake behind, asking Stefano to find her a suitable home as her parting request.

Even though he had a shirt that read PANCAKES #1 FAN, Ellie never imagined he would have kept her.

"El? Is everything okay?" Stefano immediately asked upon answering the phone.

An hour had passed since the discovery of Pancake. Ellie had been left alone to reconnect with her best friend – which mainly included them cuddling up on Stefano's bed.

"You kept her," she said, scratching Pancake's head. "You kept Pancake."

"Well," he cleared his throat, "Yeah. I wasn't going to give your cat away."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Always, my love."

"If the situation ever called for it – how would you walk away from everything to be with me?" she asked. "Because that's impossible for someone in your position... right?"

There's an oath I read about... you know, for people in your line of work, Ellie wanted to say but resisted the urge. Alright. Maybe I didn't just read about it. Maybe I watched a few movies. And saw a really good show–

Light laughter became evident on the other end of the call. "You never stop amazing me."

"What?"

"Done a little research, my love?"

Dammit!

"No, of course not!" Ellie could only keep up the lie for a few seconds longer before giving up. "Alright, fine. How did you know?"

"Because I know you, El. You never miss the opportunity to learn something new."

Ellie couldn't see it to know for sure, but she could feel his charming smile through the phone.

"There is a way – there's always a way. And if you want to know how I need you to go into my office."

Exiting the bedroom, Ellie headed down the hallway and slipped into his office, smiling when she noticed Pancake trotting behind. Following his directions, she located a specific book from the built-in shelving. She recognized this book. Serafina had shown it to her – it was where the list of all his donations was kept.

Sitting on the couch with the book in her lap, she asked, "Alright, now what?"

"Flip through it."

"That's it?"

"Sì. Everything you need to know, every detail of what's important to me and my life, is in there."

"You just keep a book full of sacred information on your shelf?"

"As it turns out, it's the best hiding spot. I think the idea of reading scares off those meatheads."

Ellie giggled as she opened the book. She passed the first few pages – notes on his family tree, followed by the family donations list, which took up a good chunk.

"Romano Enterprises," Ellie said the page title out loud, "What is all this listed underneath?"

"Every single business owned by Romano Enterprises – all legitimate. All the ways that we can continue to fund our life together while leaving everything else behind."

"But... won't people be upset if you just leave?"

Stefano chuckled. "As long as I keep my mouth shut, I'll be fine. I'm sure everyone would be happy to have one less person to split the money with," he said. "I handle my life as I do for a reason, my love. I don't act in the ways my father did or anything like Luca. I prefer keeping everything as private as I can and shaking the right hands. I treat those, even individuals who should be considered a rival, with the utmost respect."

Ellie's brow furrowed, noticing another list amongst the final few pages. There was no title, no name to identify the list. Only two columns. Likes and dislikes. Stefano hated having a paper trail – yet there was an obvious one right in this book. And it was all dedicated to her... in the book where he detailed everything important to him and his life.

"I should have let you kiss me," she whispered.

"What?"

"When we were saying goodbye to each other for the last time, you asked if you could kiss me, and I said no. I thought it would have been too painful and hard to recover from. I thought not kissing you would make everything easier," Ellie explained, "But instead, I've woken up every morning regretting it because we never got our last kiss."

"El," his voice caused her stomach to flutter like it always did, "You and I will never have a last kiss."

That was the last call they shared. The following days were radio silent. Frankie assured Ellie that everything was fine and did all he could to distract her from the fact that Stefano had stopped calling – but she couldn't help but think of the worst.

Sitting in the living room as Frankie showed off Aurora to everyone, Ellie dug her nails into the palm of her hands.

"She's so cute, no?" the man said, gesturing to the baby in his arms, "Like a polpettina." Little meatball.

Hearing the large man refer to her child as a meatball caused laughter to escape. Ellie was grateful, more than ever, to find joy while a dark cloud hovered over her. She had barely slept the past few days, but thankfully, Aurora didn't suffer the same fate. In fact, she slept better than ever – only waking up sparingly throughout the night. As long as Aurora was happy and healthy, that's all that mattered.

Hopefully, soon enough, Ellie could say the same for herself and the man she loved.

And as if a greater force had heard her thoughts, a familiar voice boomed throughout the apartment.

"Where is she?"

The second Ellie heard him, she was up on her feet. Anticipation coursed through her body, mixed with slight nerves. She had no idea the state he would be in or what had happened while they were apart. All she knew was she needed to see him. Desperately.

And when she finally laid her eyes on him, everything felt a little easier.

Stefano hurried to where she stood. Without thinking about the others in the room, not caring for a second about those who stood near and observed, Stefano dipped his head forward and pressed his lips to hers. Everyone in the room, those who only knew her as Nurse Nora, watched the man in charge kiss her – claim his love for her in front of them all. And although Ellie was one to shy away from such public displays of affection, she instantly deepened the kiss.

They felt a sense of eternity in that kiss.

All of Ellie's worries and doubts suddenly became less jarring – less terrifying. His kiss didn't solve all their problems; it reminded them of the spark they shared. Her love was ignited like never before from that one kiss.

Stefano wished they could stay just as they were – all he wanted was to adore her, smother her with affection. But now wasn't the time. They would have to wait for that moment to be possible. And so, full of regret, he broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. His thumbs grazed across each cheek, wiping away the tears that stained her skin.

"I missed you, my love," he whispered, "Never again – I never want to be apart from you again."

Before Ellie could respond, Stefano dropped his touch and stepped away, moving towards Frankie. He greeted Aurora with a kiss on the forehead and received a chorus of giggles and babbling.

"Watch her for us, sì?"

Frankie replied with a nod.

"Let's talk in private," Stefano said to Ellie, taking her hand. "There are some things we must discuss."

The room suddenly turned cold. Ellie followed his lead without a word, intertwining her fingers with his as they walked into his office. He shut the doors, providing them with utter privacy and let her to the couch, motioning for her to sit. Ellie watched quietly as he sauntered to the bar cart and poured two drinks with amber liquid before returning to her side.

Taking the glass, she took a small sip before looking down at the crystal in her lap. "How bad is it?" Ellie lifted her head, watching as he took a long swing from his glass, staring directly ahead. "You can tell me, Stef." The prolonged silence forced the knot in her stomach to tighten. "Stef–"

Ellie had never seen Stefano in his manner before. Within seconds, the man she knew who always held himself so well together had fallen completely apart – like the weight of everything that had transpired suddenly overwhelmed his entire body. Propping his elbow onto his thigh, his head rested into the palm of his hand. She could see the tension coursing through his body – evident in his slumped posture.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I wanted to come home and tell you that I fixed it all... that I made everything better."

"Just talk to me," her voice edged with begging, "Please, just tell me what happened. It's okay."

As his head lifted slightly, Ellie took her opportunity. Placing both their glass down on the table, freeing her hands, she cupped his cheeks and slightly turned his face to her.

"Talk to me..." she said, leaning forward, "It's just you and me – we're in this together, right? You can tell me anything."

"It's bad," he said, "Really fucking bad."

"H-how bad?"

"They weren't there for me that night. They didn't know I was with you."

Ellie felt the bile creep up the back of her throat. She wished she hadn't put her glass of alcohol down now – in fact, she would willingly indulge in an entire bottle just with the hopes of it numbing her find. They weren't there for Stefano that night... they didn't even know he was there... which meant...

"They were after me," she whispered out loud. "If you hadn't been there, who knows what they would have done to me... or Aurora. Oh my god!" she cried, "They could have hurt Aurora! They could have gone after my baby!"

Hearing the woman he loved speak with such a feared, scared voice snapped the man back to his senses. This wasn't the time for him to fall apart – he had to be there for her, be the strong shoulder for her to lean on. Ellie was always strong. She always did everything she could to keep herself together. But the possibility of a threat against her child was a feeling she never experienced before. The worry always kept her up at night, but nothing could have prepared her for this moment.

Nothing prepared a mother for the reality that her child was in harm's way.

"Can you get Frankie?" Ellie asked, wiping her eyes. "I need Aurora to be near me."

"Of course, my love." Stefano got up from the couch and at the office door, opening it to shout for Frankie. As the large man entered, holding the small child, Stefano waved him over to the couch. "El, you're trembling... what if Frankie sits right there," he pointed to the sofa on the other side of the coffee table, "so you can keep an eye on Aurora?"

"Yes, that's fine." Ellie looked to the side, a strained smile appearing as she watched her daughter sit in Frankie's lap, giggling away as she held onto her stuffed cow plushie. "Was it Luca?"

Stefano shared a glance with his right-hand man before admitting the truth, "No. Not directly, at least." Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out two photos. "We tracked down the guy that came by asking you questions. He had this skull tattoo on his neck." He handed her a picture. "We Thought it might be just a random design until we saw this," he handed forward a second photo of the man that attacked her, "He had the same marking."

"What does this mean?"

"It means whoever came after you are people that know enough about Project X and came after you for something... but we don't know what that is or why yet. And until we figure all of that out–"

"We're still in danger." The we she referred to didn't mean them – it meant Ellie and her baby. Burying her face in her hands, she choked out a sob. "This is all my fault. This is all my fucking fault."

"El–"

"I'm putting her life in danger... she could have gotten killed that night because of my fucking mistakes!"

"We will make things right, El. Everything is going to be okay."

"How?" Ellie lifted her head, allowing her tearful glance to meet his. "How, Stef? How can we possibly make any of this right? Everything is different now because of her."

"I'll protect the two of you. We can disappear."

Ellie shook her head. "I can't take her away from her father. And you need to handle Luca and whoever else is now a part of this."

"Then I'll–"

"Stef," she whispered, eyes squeezing shut. "Aurora needs a normal life. I can't risk her future being destroyed over the mistakes I made. I can't risk her living in fear because of the people I pissed off."

"But all those things happened because of me."

"No. I may have been madly in love with you, but I didn't let those feelings blind my decisions." She wiped away the tear before it had the chance to fall. "I did those things because I wanted to. I went against your word because I thought I was smart enough to get away with it – that I could help or fix everything myself. But now, it's not just my life that the actions of my past effects. It's Aurora's... her father's... his family... I can't risk them losing everything because of what I've done."

"El–"

A pained smile tugged the corners of her mouth. "We both know there's only one way to ensure she lives a safe life away from all the chaos."

He did, but he also knew how painful it would be for the words to be uttered out loud. "Whatever you decide, we will do it together," he promised, "You're not alone... not now, not ever."

"I know."

Dipping his head forward, his voice dropped to a whisper, "It's you and me..."

"... forever and always."

XX

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because she needs to be safe," Ellie whispered. "She needs to grow up normal and happy. She needs to have a childhood and..." As her voice trailed off, she shook the thoughts from her head, knowing if she continued, she would wake the entire neighbourhood with her cries. Placing a duffle bag on the counter, she said, "I brought you this to help with expenses," she unzipped the top, "I'll bring more when I can."

Aidan's eyes widened as he reached inside the bag, pulling out a wad of cash. "Is this... is this fucking real?"

Ellie nodded.

"Shit." Pressed his thumb against the edge, he fanned through the bills. "How much is in here?"

"Twenty-five."

"Hundred?"

"Twenty-five thousand."

The stack of cash dropped from his hand. "So, you just happened to have this much money lying around?"

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her hip into the counter. "It's not like that," she admitted quietly.

"Is it his?"

"If I say yes, will you not accept it?"

Aidan scoffed. "Fuck no. Diapers are expensive," he teased. "Is it drug money?"

"No. It's clean."

"It's clean," he repeated with a grin, "Listen to you with the lingo."

"Aidan–"

"Sorry, I know," he raised his hands in defence. "Not a time for jokes." He tapped his fingers against the counter. "Do I have to get a gun or something?"

She shook her head. "You'll be safe."

"What do I tell my parents?"

"Say we broke up," she suggested, "I walked out because I wasn't fit to be a mother and blocked your number." Ellie shrugged. "It's basically the truth, anyway."

"What do I tell her when she gets older and asks about you?"

Fingers curled into her palm, pressing the nails into her flesh. "Nothing."

"Nothing? I can't just tell her nothing."

"I don't want her knowing anything about me, Aidan. It's for the best."

"Do you want to say goodbye to her?"

Ellie bit the inside of her cheek as the tears coaxed her lower lash line. "I can't," she whispered, shaking her head. Her bottom lip trembled as she released a shaky breath. "I don't think I'll be able to leave if I look at her again."

"If you ever change your mind, doors always open." He smiled. "I promise." As Ellie dropped her head into her hands, muffling the sounds of her cries, Aidan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her frame.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry for putting this on you."

"It's okay. Aurora and I are going to be just fine. Just promise me you will be, too, okay?"

Wiping her eyes, she nodded. "I'll try," she said, giving him a weak smile. "Um, I also brought something I want you to give her." She sniffled, reaching into one of the duffle bags to pull out a pink jewellery box. "But just say you gave it to her, okay?"

"She's going to love it."

Ellie pointed to the ballerina in the box and said, "Maybe you can take her to some ballet classes when she's old enough." She pressed her lips together, attempting to suppress another outburst of tears. "I bet she'll be great at sports, so maybe soccer or something... math and science club too..."

"I'll sign her up for it all."

"Okay." Ellie cleared her throat. "I should probably get going now."

"Can I ask you something before you go?"

Ellie nodded.

"Does he know?" Met with silence, he persisted, "Does he–"

"No," she replied honestly, shaking her head. "And he never will. Aurora is yours, Aidan. That's what it says on paper, and that's what he knows – and that's all that matters."

"Okay... because if I'm going to raise her, I need you to promise me that he never will."

"I promise."

"I can't have him showing up–"

"He won't. I promise."

PRESENT DAY // 21 YEARS LATER

Doctor Khan smiled at the girl sitting across from her, watching her face light up as she recounted the story of their vacation. Although it warmed the woman's heart to see her joy, there was always a slight pain in her chest.

Because regardless of the sacrifices made, the life Doctor Khan tried to shield her daughter from was the one she ended up in.

You did what you had to do to do. It was for the best.

The Doctor watched how Mr. Romano's honey-brown eyes lit up with hers, smiling at every word just like she did. She reached for her glass of wine, needing a sip to suppress the thoughts running wild in her head.

You did what you had to do to protect her. Aurora had to be saved. You made the right decision. It was the only way–

A hand slid onto her thigh. Doctor Khan stole a quick glance to the side, noting how he remained focused on listening to the conversation while his thumb gently stroked across her skin. He knew she was spiralling; he always knew.

Placing her hand over his, she gently squeezed. She was thankful for the man sitting next to her. Grateful for his love... for his kindness... for his generosity...

Most of all, she was thankful that despite knowing from the first moment he saw Aurora, Stefano never broke the promise that was made twenty-one years ago. 

forever & always - eleanora & stefano

<3