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Stella

"Now that you all know the different chess pieces I can move onto what they do." A voice spoke bring me out of my dreams. "Usually I wouldn't be so lenient but seeing as you are a few days old I will wait to test you on the game until you can start forming words."

Opening my eyes, I slowly look around my surroundings, noticing that I was in a hospital room and currently laying in a bed. My mind thought back to my last memory; being in the store, the truck crashing, the hospital with Sebastian, meeting the doctors and Max coming to tell me he loved me.

How long ago was that last memory? What has happened since then?

"Alright, we remember the Rook piece?" The voice in the room said drawing my gaze. A man was sitting with his back to me, facing a table. "The Rook starts here, in the corner spots and is able to as many squares it wants to either horizontally or vertically."

I know that voice, I think I do. My mind was still foggy but I wanted to know what happened with my babies.

"Romano?" I croaked towards the voice and man in the suit.

The body jumped and turned towards me, proving I was right in guessing the owner to the voice.

"Of course, after I kick Maximus out to go home to shower and get fresh clothes you wake up." Romano replied with a relief filled smile while he looked over his shoulder at me. "The bastard will never let me hear the end of it."

I gave a dry chuckle, my throat feeling like sandpaper. "I like to keep him on his toes. Do you have any water?"

The moment he stood up, my breath got caught in my throat and I was wide awake in an instant. In his arms were two little bundles, one on his right and one in his left.

"Are they?" I started, swallowing painfully again. "Are you holding them?"

He shrugged and looked guilty. "It felt wrong to hold only one and have the other in their cradle alone."

"Can I hold them?" I asked, staring at the bundles wanting nothing more than to see my babies. To hold them and know they are safe.

"Can you?" Romano chuckled walking towards me. "You are their mom, Stella, of course you can."

I slowly moved my arms up, the movement seeming foreign to my exhausted body but I didn't care. I needed to hold my babies. Romano appeared next to me and slowly bent down, one of his arms handing me off one of the babies and it nestled safely into my arms on my chest.

Moving my hand over the baby's face my heart felt like it was going to burst and I fought against the desire to cry. "Hi Alaric." My voice broke but I didn't care. "Hi my baby boy."

He looked so beautiful in my arms, he looked absolutely perfect and I wanted to cry knowing that he was safe and here with me.

Glancing up to look for Sophia, I found her still in Romano's arms.

"Sorry." He said with a shy smile. "When Maximus told me her name is 'Sofia', I haven't been able to put her down."

I smiled at him then at my darling little girl. "Don't be sorry. I don't think I have the strength to hold both right now anyway. But later we will need to switch."

Romano leaned over a table, picking up a pitcher and poured water into a cup. "How are you feeling?"

Truth or humor? I kissed Alaric's head and looked to Romano "Like I got hit by a truck."

He brought over the cup, a straw now in it. He passed it over to me, my hand holding it lightly but Romano kept his hold on it knowing that I would drop it.

The moment the water hit my tongue my body felt alive again. Leaning away from the cup, Romano put it onto the table, my attention back on my boy.

"Are they okay?" I didn't look away from Alaric's face when I asked that, I couldn't.

Romano took a seat beside the bed. "They are completely healthy. Nothing from the incident or being born early has affected them."

I looked over to him, my gaze on Sophia's peaceful face that was nestled against Romano's chest. She is going to have these Sorrentino men wrapped around her pinkie finger.

Before I could ask Romano a few questions, the door to the room flew open.

"Alright." Max said entering the room and putting a bag down, his face and attention on the bag as he searches in it. "Don't give me shit on how long I was gone for. I showered and changed, you're lucky I even left in the first place."

Romano chuckled. "Maximus-"

"No, don't even get started. I showered and was told by too many people that I smelled. So, fuck off, I changed and left, there is nothing more to say on the topic I am back and not leaving soon." He said, still looking in his bag.

I chuckled. "Well I guess I should thank Romano for making you shower, I don't think I want to have smelled you."

Max's head snapped up, his eyes wide when he looked at me. He swallowed thickly, his voice soft. "Hi."

Rubbing my hand up and down Alaric's back, I felt tears well up in my eyes. "Hi."

Max all of a sudden snapped his head to Romano. "I told you to call me if there were any changes."

Romano put his free hand up in defence. "She just woke up, I haven't even had time to ask if she wants to see your ugly mug."

The smile on my face started to hurt my cheeks, it was so big and I could feel the tears swelling in my eyes, one tear escaping down my check.

Max looked back to me and was at my side in an instant, kneeling beside the bed. His hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb wiping away my runaway tear.

"Max." Romano whispered drawing his brother's gaze. Max leaned up to take Sofia in his arms. I than felt Romano's lips on my cheek and I turned to smile at him. Romano gave a nod then left the room, leaving Max and I alone.

Looking over to Max, my hand lifted to brush back Sophia's blanket allowing me to see her little face. "They are both perfect." I whispered, meeting Max's eyes.

He gave me a smile, one that showed pure love, his fingers went to brush against Sophia's face. "They truly are, must get it from their mother."

"Don't make me vomit." I chuckled, my gaze going to Alaric for a moment then back to my fiancé and daughter.

"How do you feel?" Max asked, his hand brushing my hair from my face.

I took a few even breaths. "Exhausted, I know I have been sleeping for a while but I feel so tired. Mentally and physically tired."

"Well you have been through a lot; your body is going need some time to heal." Max's eyes widened. "I should get the Doctors."

I placed my hand on his arm and lightly shook my head. "Please, I just want some peace with you and our kids before they all come in here and run tests."

He gave me a smile and nodded. "Alright, only because I have been dreaming of seeing your eyes for days."

I couldn't help it, I rolled my eyes at him despite the perfect moment between us. "Oh god, and here comes the Italian charm."

Max gave me a shrug, a carefree smile on his face. "What can I say? My beautiful woman deserves all the praise she can get."

Snorting I shook my head. "I doubt I look anywhere near beautiful after being hit by a truck."

The smile slipped off of Max's face and I curse myself for making the joke around him, it had shattered the bliss in the room. "You don't ever need to think of him again, I promise you he will never hurt you or send someone to hurt you again."

My hand went up to his face, my fingers pulling at the facial hair he has grown. "Good, I am done with him casting a shadow on our life."

Max's smile returned to his face, a weight seemed to have lifted off of me from the sight. I also felt lighter from the knowledge that Carnellio is truly gone from my life, I am not sure if he is gone from this world but I don't really care. Max's smile told me the hope we have for our future and I didn't care about the rest.

"Stella." He started, concern filled in his dark eyes. "You had some injuries that, well, they will impact you in the future."

I put my hand back against his cheek. "Not now, right now I have our two children and you with me. I don't want or need to know about anything else. I don't want to worry about anything else."

He picked up my hand and gently placed a kiss on my palm. "Okay my love, but I'm sure Romano is giving us ten minutes before he tells the doctor to come check you out. And don't give me that pout, ten minutes is generous after what you have been through."

I tucked in my lower lip that I used to pout, not wanting the doctors or anyone else to come into the room. I want to enjoy the peace that is surrounding us.

Max leaned forward, with a small guilty expression. "I have a confession, I had to tell people about their names and I'm sure Romano is doing the paperwork now. I was going to wait but then Romano made a point that if I didn't name them soon, Anthony would write his name as Alaric's."

I chuckled softly. "I think I can forgive you, Romano had a valid point."

Looking at Sophia my heart clenched, I want to hold my little girl. Max must have read my face since he got up from his chair and sat lightly down beside me on the bed. I moved my arms, the one that wrapped Alaric rested on the bed, my little boy nestled between my arm and my body. Opening my right arm, Max leaned down and placed Sophia in my crook, my eyes on her little face.

I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, letting them slide down my cheek while I looked back and forth between my two children.

"Max." My voice broke, filled with emotion. "How can I love them both so much after barely even knowing them."

I felt his lips lightly on my temple, his arm coming around my shoulders when he sat down beside me on the bed. I didn't need to look over to know he was barely sitting on the bed with there being no room for all of us.

His lips left my skin and he rested his head on-top of mine looking down at the babies. His fingers stroking Sophia. "I asked myself that question when I first saw them."

I leaned my body into his, still feeling exhausted but I wanted to enjoy this. "Did anyone else get hurt?"

"Only some scrapes, don't worry about them." His arm around me tightened lightly. "I love you Stella."

A smile broke onto my face, my tears drying up. "I love you too."

Right now; I don't know what will come next, how to be a parent, what my injuries are or the damage to the store. All I know is that I am with the love of my life and our two perfect children.

And that is what matters to me.