— ᴀ.s.

"Is there anything else I could help you with? Feeding? Bathing?" A brown-haired nurse asked while crunching next to me and going through her stuff in a medicine cabinet.

"No, everything is fine. I know the rest." I said politely but couldn't keep my eyes from wandering towards Xavier.

My heart skipped a beat as my eyes took him in. He was leaning shirtless on the chair with Ehno sleeping peacefully on his naked chest.

Yesterday was two months since the boys were born and today, finally, after so much of their stay here, they are finally coming home.

I was discharged five days after their birth and since they were premature they needed to stay longer, especially Xavion because of his condition. Although after the first two weeks he started to gain on his weight and showing better results.

"He is a fighter. He will be okay. All we need to do is trust in him and show him our love." Those were Isabella's words the first day I returned back home.

Home. Strange word. A home is a place that you feel safe and without worries, yet I don't have that place, for me that place never existed. I never had a home where I felt safe, where I felt like monsters from the dark can't get me.

All I had was a place to live, but not home. The first time I felt at home was in Xavier's arms, but that didn't last long. Maybe it's me, maybe it's him, or in the end, maybe it's not meant to be.

I can't deny that I still love him, even though everything that happened, I can't find it in myself to hate him. My heart would start to beat fast every time he is near me, every time he passes next to me and I got a smell of his aftershave my stomach would get those butterflies that all schoolgirls are talking about.

I heard his side of the story, I know everything that happened, well almost everything.

My memory from that event still didn't come and I think that it never will. Every time I try to remember something that includes those awful and dreadful days, all I would get is a headache. A strong one for that matter. It is like there is a barrier between me and those memories.

It's not only his side of the story I heard but everyone's and I can't find it in myself to blame them.

They only tried to protect themselves, their family from danger. The danger that was me, at least it was shown as me at that moment.

I'm not defending them and saying that they did it right. Because they didn't, they should do it a different way and not jumping to conclusions especially Xavier, but at the same time, I know that all they saw was treath. A threat to their family. A threat to their safety.

Before this all took a toll on us, on me, they were my family. The only thing close to the real one at least.

"Amore?" I heard Xavier's voice calling me softly making my head shoot up from Ehno's sleeping figure on his chest to his eyes that were already fixed on me. "Are you ready?"

Nodding my head I looked around me seeing all the stuff that we brought here already put in bags. Lowering my gaze I looked at the sleeping Xavion in my arms. He is still so tiny and looks so fragile in my arms.

"Mhmm..." I hummed while standing up from my seat and walking towards the baby carrier putting a sleeping boy in.

"Dante and Daniel will be here any moment now." I turned around only to find him putting his shirt over his head while Ehno was already in his carrier sleeping like he always would.

I couldn't help myself but let my eyes trail over his back seeing the muscles that are flexing with his every move. A sudden heat started to pool in my lower stomach causing me to quickly snap my attention away from his figure.

"Oh, okay." I exclaimed feeling breathlessly suddenly. A knock on the door made me snap my attention on them seeing Dante entering with Daniel who was smiling like a crazy person.

He came here the day after the twins were born and then left three days after I was discarded. Then he and Maya came again two days ago and are staying for a whole week so they can be with twins for some time before they return to London.

"Aww, where are my favorite-" I cut him off by smacking the back of his head because of how loud he was.

"They are sleeping." I hissed lowly causing his eyes to widen a bit. "Quiet down."

"Sorry." He said giving me apologetic smile while wrapping his hands around me bringing me in his embrace "How are you?" He whispered while rubbing my back.

"I'm fine. Just a little bit tired." "Oh, you didn't sleep?"

'No. I was thinking about everything. About my life. About these little bundles of joy to which I want to give a real family that they deserve. A mother and a father.' However instead of saying that I only shook my head mutely answering his question.

"Okay, let's go then." He exclaimed pulling away and grabbing Xavion's carrier. "Dante parked in front of the entrance so we should get going."

. . .

Drive home was unusually silent, Daniel didn't comment on anything and Dante didn't make any jokes, which scared me a bit.

I averted my eyes from the boys in front of me to Daniel. I decided not to tell him about what happened, about the truth. All he knows is that Aleksei came and threatened me which caused me to get into hospital earlier than expected. I don't have the heart to tell him about what happened in Italy. I don't want him to worry and besides I don't want to be a burden to him, as I told him already he has his own life. Maya told me when we were talking that he has some problems at work and that's the reason for me not wanting to put more pressure on him.

So that's the reason I'm acting normal next to Xavier at least while he is around. When he is not around I make that distance between us that I need. While he is here I'm sleeping in the same room as Xavier with a bunch of pillows between us, although the moment when Daniel goes back I return to my old room. I need to think about everything. To put everything together and try to create something from this mess.

. . .

I looked at the pouting boy in front of me. His big blue eyes shone with mixed emotions while he looked at me not blinking once. "Pweas." Whining he pushed his lower lip out more not taking his eyes from me.

"But babies are gonna wake you up when they start to cry in the night, wouldn't you want your new room. You know, where they won't bother you and your sleep?" I asked looking at Emiliano who was leaning over the baby crib while slowly and gently rubbing Ehno's head.

"No... here seep. " pouting he turned to looks at me with those big blue eyes "Me baby." He said pointing his finger at himself with his eyes starting to get watery.

"Oh, Emi you will always be my little baby. Don't cry. I was only telling you that only because they are still very little and they will wake up in the middle of the night and then cry, really loudly." I whispered the last part to him like it was some big secret.

"Otay.. sleep there." He exclaimed dismissively as he pointed at the bed at the corner of the room in the twins' nursery.

Sighing I looked at him, there is really no use in arguing with him, just like his father he is one of those, what I want is what I get.

"Okay, you can stay, but if babies woke you up during the night don't be cranky in the morning." I said kissing his temple. Jumping from my hold he ran towards the bed and jumped on it, laughing his little heart off while doing so.

We got him to the room opposite of us, the one I was staying in before, ready in hope of him sleeping there, but I guess that won't happen. Instead, he insists on sleeping in his old room which is turned into a nursery for twins.

I gave the twins one glance before I pushed myself on my legs and walked over to Emiliano pulling the cover over his little body.

"Seepy.." he yawned while looking at me with half-closed eyes. Bending down I placed one more kiss on his forehead muttering "Good night, baby. Go to sleep."

I stayed next to him till he didn't fall back asleep and only then did I walked back next to the twins looking at their tiny sleeping bodies under a blanket.

'I'm a mom.' Those words seem unbelievable to me. I only can hope I won't end up being like my parents.

A feeling of someone's eyes on me made me turn around only to find Xavier leaning on the doorframe while his eyes stayed glued on me. Straightening my body I watched how he pushed himself off the door frame and slowly stalked towards me never taking his eyes from my face.

Taking a step back I got stoped with the baby crib while Xavier got closer and closer. His arms grabbed a railing of the crib on both sides of me trapping me in between his arms with no escape.

"They are sleeping." His voice came out hushed while glancing at boys.

"Ye-yeah." I stammered feeling my heart beat so hard that I thought it would jump out.

"Mhmm.." humming he returned his eyes on me causing our gazes to lock. Heat rushed in my cheeks when his eyes started to skim over my face taking my features in. "Did.. did you give any thoughts to, you know, to what I told you?"

I couldn't miss the sadness that flashed in his eyes and the despair that he didn't hide in his voice.

"I did." Softly I answered seeing his eyes got that hopeful glint which is soon enough changed with one of fear and pleading look.

Not being able to look at him I lowered my eyes to the floor between us suddenly feeling my heart jump in my throat.

"Amore?" I could hear him whisper next to my ear while his warm breath was hitting my earlobe causing goosebumps to rise on my skin.

"I.. I didn't have a good childhood." I started still having my head down, I know if I lift my head I won't be able to speak the story I want to say, I know I will break down because of his intense look at me.

"As you already know my parents, they are not really good parents, not to lie to anyone they were the worst. I didn't have a childhood that other kids were having. I was raised only to be their stress ball, you know the one that you can manipulate however you want until you are not stressed anymore. I was their cause of stress and their stress relief toy and no they didn't hit me, but sometimes words are worse than a punch."

I could feel his thumb rub my arm while his body got closer to me causing my forehead to touch his hard chest. "I wasn't a kid that wanted a presents or stuff while growing up, all I wanted, all I desired was family. Parents that would love me just like other girls in my school would describe their parents love them. But I never got that." I said feeling a sad smile playing on my lips while tears started to sting my eyes.

"I never had a family that I would celebrate my birthdays with, or go shopping with my mom or play games with my dad, or just spend time with them. They never had time for me unless it was to humiliate me. I cried way too much because of them.." my mind went in overdrive while all those times I cried because of them came to me like a short movie.

"When I was thirteen, for Daniel's birthday they took him out to celebrate while they left me at home. Locked. Alone." Explaining I lifted my head up to look at Xavier's face which morphed into one of anger and.. pity.

"That night, that night I promised myself that when I got when I have family, I will not make difference between anyone. I promised myself that I will love everyone the same way." My tears started to freely fall causing Xavier's hand to shoot up on my cheeks immediately wiping it away.

I didn't flinch from his touch, call it stupid intuition or something but I know he wouldn't hit me. He has proven it to me. He had a bunch of times to do exactly that especially when I had mood swings during pregnancy, however, his hand never landed on me. All he showed me ever since we met in Italy is care, love, compassion. Never did he raised his voice or hand on me.

"I told myself that I will have a family. A real family. The one that spends all their free time together, the one that cares about each other no matter what, the one that will play games together or watch Christmas movies together while drinking hot chocolate and eating cookies. The one that will celebrate holidays side by side without leaving anyone behind." His hands came to cradle my face in their warm embrace, while his thumbs rubbed my cheeks from tears that were spilling without stopping.

"All I wanted, no, all I want is a family. A family that takes care of each other during bad days and the one that shares happiness and joy during good ones." He didn't speak only looked at me waiting for me to finish my speech.

"I don't want to be like my parents." I whispered feeling my throat closing.

"Amore, you are not like them." He tried to reassure me while lightly lifting my head sending my small smile causing my heart to flutter.

"Unlike them, I want.. I want to give them a family that they deserve. A proper one. With both parents that will love them and cherish them and their childhood. With parents that won't make difference between them and choose favorites but instead love them equally. I want to give them what I didn't have. " I whispered glancing at boys.

"I want to have someone by my side that will understand me, the one that is going to make me happy and causing excitement for every new upcoming day. Someone that will help me with these little ones, make them happy, make them be proud to call that man dad." A smile started to creep my lips as I looked at Xavier's brows pulled together in a frown.

"Is that answering your question?" I looked at how his head went from side to side while his eyes skimmed over my face once more in search of an answer.

"Look at them. What do you see." I asked while pointing at sleeping boys.

His frown only deepened "I see kids?" He said but that sounded more like a question while he keeps glancing between Emiliano and the twins.

"Do you want to know what I see?" I questioned seeing him nod, turning his attention back on me. "I see.." turning my head to throw a glance at boys over my shoulder I continued in a low whisper ".. I see a family. I see our kids and our future. I see my chance to show I can be a better person than my parents were during my growing up, but I also see your chance to show me what family is."

"They.." I pointed my thumb behind me "they are the only thing because of which I will give you a chance. I'm giving you a chance only because I don't want them to not have a family which they deserve. All three of them."

I turned around to face Xavier when I felt his hands sneak around me pulling me into his hard chest. "A chance?" He asked in disbelief.

"A chance." I conformed, although before he could get all his hopes up I added "Although this is your only and last chance. If you screw this chance up, it's over. For good. I'm leaving and taking all of them with me. Just because I gave you a chance doesn't mean that I will forget."

His lips split in a wide grin while he lifted me in his arms and spun me around him causing my hand to fly over my mouth stopping the shirk that threatened to come out.

"I won't, I won't. I promise I won't screwe this up. I will help you with everything, we will go over all difficulties and through all steps in front of us, together, side by side, hand in hand."

"Together?" I asked as he put me down in front of him and interweave our fingers on our sides.

"Together. As a family." Whispering he lowered his head capturing my lips in his.



Opening my lips to him I let our lips move in sync while our tongues danced together. Smiling into a kiss I pulled away ever so slightly to look at his eyes, seeing love shine in them.

"A family." I said just above a whisper while connecting our lips again.

▪︎ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ▪︎

• • •

[A/N] Well, this is the end of their story. I tried to make a cute ending but now looking at it, it's kind of cringe.

However anyway I hope I didn't disappoint you way too much with it. ♡

And I hope we will meet each others in other stories that are yet to come. ;)