My eyes met his figure, drinking him in from the tiny shoulder of our little girl. He stood there, a few feet away in his casual attire of a polo shirt and slacks. He had his hands shoved in his pockets, face hardened but eyes softened as he watched Madeline saying hello to me with her heart warming hug.

It was then when I realized that we were like parallel lines, always closed but never together.

" Anastasia. " he spoke softly, as if he was trying not to disturb the monster in my blood.

I nodded my head, standing up with Madeline on my hips. " Nicholas. "

With his long legs, he took a huge leap toward us, one stride and he was standing in front of us. His eyes never left my face. We stared at each other and the air became hotter, the room shrank twenty times smaller. I felt my skin burning under his gaze and his hot breath fanning my face as he towered over us. A heavy sigh escaped his throat before he pull us into his arms, hand at the back of my head holding me close.

He was warm and familiar, safe liked home. I buried my face into the warmth of his chest as Madeline throw her arms around the two of us. Maybe after all home was just a pair of strong arms wrapped around you.

" Maddie wants to stay like this forever, please mommy daddy. " Madeline squealed tightening her arm around my neck and the other one, no doubt was circling her father's.

I felt the end of my lip tugged into a small smile. I shut my eyes, feeling the rhythm of his chest rising up and down as he breathed. I listened to the beats of his heart and for the first time in years I felt at peace.

" Are you okay? " he whispered into my hair. I hummed in response nodding my head slowly.

We stayed like that for awhile like the world had stopped spinning and the universe was fading away. It was when there was a sound of someone clearing their throats that we finally pulled apart. His eyes trained on me as I stared at the baby girl falling asleep on the nape of her father's neck with her arms still around the both of us. Nick carefully took her from me and into his arms, trying not to wake her up.

The sight was perfect, beautiful and soul shattering. Seeing our daughter with him put my heart at ease. I could feel their bonds radiating from where I stood covering my heart with my hand, trying not to burst into tears. I had imagined this moment for way too long.

" It has been so long, Anastasia. " it was his father who asked the first question, breaking the tension in the room.

Nick motioned me to take a seat on the couch while he dropped himself down slowly with Madeline in his arms. I nodded my head and took a seat like everyone else in the room. All eyes were on me, awaiting my answers.

Taking a deep breath, I answered. " Four years passed and you're still as handsome as the last time I saw you, Mr Salvatore. "

" What can I say? These kids keep me young and I need to stay that way for the wife. " he chuckled, earning a raised eyebrow from his wife.

" How are you, my dear? " Mrs Salvatore asked smiling at me softly.

We talked, the three of us, the Don his wife and I. Light conversations here and there with no questions of what had happened in Russia or four years ago while he sat there, next to me, holding our daughter silently but never took his eyes off of me.

" Mother, do you mind taking Madeline? " he finally spoke.

And, here came the conversation I had been dreading since I stepped on the plane a few hours ago. He gave Madeline to his mother as she gave me an encouraging smile. Nick stood up abruptly holding his hand out for me. I eyed it for a moment dazing off into oblivion until Mr Salvatore sipped his coffee, making a slurping sound and breaking me out of my daze.

I placed my hand on his and he laced our fingers together, pulling me up from the comfort of the couch. I swallowed silently before following behind him as he walked us outside into the garden of the estate.

It was pretty outside. The sun was out in the middle of a clear blue sky. Plants and flowers were growing again as winter left and spring came. We walked quietly into the deepest end of their ginormous garden, his hand rest on the small of my back sending shivers down my spine liked his touch always did. We only came to a stop when we reached a white bench, he gestured me to sit down and we both took a deep breath.

I had imagined this conversation a million times over with different scenarios and this could go in only one of all those but at least I was prepared.

" What happened back in Russia? " he asked staring ahead at the green scenery.

" I killed my father. He died a slow painful death. I burnt his mansion into ashes. You're talking to the new leader of Russian. "

" You loved your father. Are you really okay, Ana? " he asked.

Ana, he still used the nickname he gave me years ago and somehow that managed to make my heart fluttered with butterflies.

" He's not my biological father. Long story for another day. I know you want to talk about Madeline. "

He turned his head toward me, concerns in his eyes like he was genuinely worried about my mental health. I looked away not wanting to drown in his eyes again. I heard him let out a low grunt before asking me another question.

" Why didn't you come to me when you found out about her? Don't you think I deserve to know? "

I would have been angry, pissed, furious and burning with rage that I wanted to rip his head off of his shoulder. I manifested shooting him with my gun a few years back for turning his back on us, for not being there.

But, I knew he didn't know. I could see it in his eyes, the shocks and regrets glinting across the storm when he learned he had a three years old daughter.

" I called. I wrote you letters. I sent emails. "

" Ana, I— " he started but I raised my hand up cutting him off.

" I wrote to you about everything during my pregnancy and all of her firsts. " I mumbled tears slipping out of my eyes as I relived the painful memory of going through all that alone when I needed him most.

" I tried my best to raise her, and she lived the life of a princess. The first year was hard with all the sleepless nights and adapting to become a single mother when I had not a single maternal bone in me. Everyday was hard but she made it so much easier for me. "

" Being alone with a baby was the best and worst thing I had experienced, especially when I was going through a heartbreak. But, our little girl had been the light of my life for the past four years, she kept me going. I had hope, she was my hope and the will to live for her and no one else. "

" Every smiles were like medicine giving me strength, every hugs were more enough for me to go through another amazing day with her. She has my whole heart. I was blessed to have her during all that. I wouldn't have survived without her. " I said as clear water pouring down my cheeks.

" Saying sorry will never be enough in fact it meant nothing. But, I promise to try my best to make up for lost time. I'm so sorry, Ana. I had no idea. " he whispered, his voice breaking as he wiped my tears away with the back of his palm.

I gave him a small smile telling him that it was okay but nothing was okay. We kept breaking each other every chances we got, shattering our souls every times we crossed paths, every touches burnt our skin and every moments snapped our bones into pieces.

A love liked ours was epic but above all else, heartbreaking.

" You don't have to make anything up for me, Nick. You never owe me anything. The only person you have to make up for is our little girl. " I said wiping his tears away with my thumb.

" No. We have to make this right. For her and for us. We could have been a family. I have to make up for both of you, I will. "

" I will never take your daughter away from you. You can always see her. But, I don't think we can be a family, Nick. "

" This is not only about Madeline. I never stopped loving you. Not after I found out about you. Not even after I let you go. "

Hearing those words again out of his mouth was fucking amazing, liked music to ears. My stomach churned with butterflies, my guts twisting in happiness. I was happy to learn such feelings he held for me. It was too good to be true. It was endearing but at the same time almost as painful as when he broke my heart.

" It tears me apart being away from you, even if I was the one who ripped you right out of my heart with my bare hands. I cut you off all while breaking my own heart. I drown myself in alcohol and works trying everything to forget you but I never did. I can drink all the alcohol I wanted and forgot about the previous night but I learned that I can never be drunk enough to forget the person you loved most and lost. "

He missed me too. His life was as miserable as mine, even a bit worse. He lost all those years with his daughter and I couldn't imagine his pain right now.

" You were always here hunting me and calling out to me. But, you know what was more tragic? I held on to that voice ringing me inside my head, I kept looking for you everywhere I go but I never really did try to find you. "

" Letting you go was the worst mistake in my heart. But, not this time, not again. I will not let you go again. Please Ana let's do this. "

I smiled at him sadly while caressing his cheek. He looked at with eyes filled with regrets and pain as I silently telling him no.

I couldn't do this to myself again, especially not to him, not when I knew we would just end up with the same ending of breaking each other's hearts.

" I love you, Nick. I never stopped. But, you and I, we can't keep hurting each other forever. "

" This is for the best. " I smiled planting a light kiss on his cheek before walking away.

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