"Where is Sam?" Ashton asked.

"He fell asleep while playing so I have put him in his crib in the nursery."

Ashton walked towards the nursery while a confused Grace looked at his retreating back. "What happened to him?" Grace asked Lilly.

Lilly smiled as she said, "Don't worry let me help you in the kitchen." And both the ladies headed to the kitchen.

Ashton prepared himself for a man to man talk. Standing at the door he took a deep breath and gave himself a prep talk. He heard Sam's voice coming from his crib. On taking a few steps further in the room he found the baby wide awake and sucking on his toe while talking to himself in his mysterious language.

Ashton took another deep breath. He had never felt so nervous even while making a million dollar deal as he was feeling today in front of a toddler. Crouching in front of the crib he rested his arms on the wood while placing his chin on his folded hands.

"Hello, Samuel." There. He had started the conversation. Ashton gave himself mental cheers.

The boy looked at him and now that he had the little one's attention he continued, " I had no intention of frightening you like that yesterday. I am here to ask for your forgiveness. I will never do that again. I have even brought a gift for you." Ashton took out the teddy bear from the carry bag and pushed it towards the boy.

The toy caught Sam's attention. Twisting and turning his little body the boy took his sitting position and took the toy in his hands. As he inspected the toy Ashton hoped for the best.

The little boy gave a cheerful smile looking finally satisfied with the soft toy.

"It looks like you are happy with the toy and my apologies too." Ashton smiled. "So let's make a promise. Your mom says you make pinky promises. That's kinda girlish so I'll teach you a different one. Ok? But for now let's make do with a pinky promise."

Saying this he brought his little finger in front of Sam as he continued, " I promise you I will never get mad at you again."

The boy looked at the big man in front of him but didn't make a move. "I'll take you and your mom for shopping and picnics too, that's a bonus." Ashton said with his little finger still waiting to seal the deal.

The little guy gave a big smile and held his dad's finger with his small chubby hand.

"You were supposed to link your little finger with mine but it's alright, I guess. Your finger is too small." Ashton smiled. "So, are we cool?"

"Goool...Goool." the little boy immitated his father.

Ashton took the toddler out of his crib and raised him high up in the air making the little one squeal with laughter and joy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next morning Ashton felt soft rays of sun fall upon his body. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found Lilly smiling at him.

"Good morning, husband." she smiled placing a quick peck on his cheek.

"Good morning, wife."

Stretching a little he placed his hand on her waist and closed his eyes yet again.

The past week he suffered from insomnia and hardly got any sleep but now with Lilly by his side his life was peaceful again. He was content and happy with life for the first time.

Even with his eyes still closed he could feel Lilly's smile and her eyes on him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and asked, "What are you looking at, Mrs king?"

"You, Mr King." She answered rubbing her nose with his.

"And why, may I ask?" He asked raising a brow.

"It's because you are just so freakingly handsome that I can't turn my eyes away from you." She smiled.

He was complemented for his looks quite a many times before and if he were to be honest it didn't mean much to him because all people could see was just the skin and no one knew how rotten he was deep within.

But today, this woman who knew him inside out just like the back of her hand who had seen his scars and rotten insides was calling him beautiful. This compliment when it came from her made his heart beats dance with joy.

"Are you?" he heard Lilly gasp and looked at her. "Are you blushing, Mr King?" She sat straight on the bed and feigned an expression of complete shock. "Oh my gosh! the great and mighty Mr king is blushing."

" I am not." Ashton protested.

"Then what is this red tint on your cheeks?" She teased.

"Enough, Lilly." He always liked to tease her. He liked it when her face flushed every time he complimented her. He loved it when she blushed.

But for the first time in his life he was being teased like this and if he were to be honest he didn't like it one bit. It was making his heart beat a bit too fast while his cheeks felt hotter with every passing second and the worst thing about all this was that it all felt so out of control.

"I really need to capture this moment. This is once in a lifetime moment." She clapped her hands in excitement. "And in no way am I going to miss it." Lilly laughed as she reached to the side table beside her side of the bed to grab her phone but before she could do so Ashton pulled her from her wrist and she landed on his chest.

Next moment their positions were switched and now she was lying beneath him.

"Ash-"

Before she could scold him he took her lips in a deep kiss. When he finally let her go she was breathing heavily.

"Who is blushing now?" he smirked brushing her pink cheeks with his gentle fingers.

"It's cheating!"

"Is it?" he asked raising a brow as he bent his head and started planting butterfly kisses on her neck.

"You sly man." she complaint but couldn't hold back her laughter anymore and next she heard the sound of camera clicking.

He had taken her picture with his phone when she was laughing her heart out. "Wait! No. I am only wearing your shirt." she complaint but Ashton still continued with the candid shots. When she realised he won't budge she pulled him in a kiss and they took a lot more candid shots of them together. Kissing, lying in bed, fighting with a pillow, laughing together and smiling at each other.

He had suffered a lot and all the memories of his past were nothing but a pain to him. All they ever gave him were nightmares but now Lilly had made her vow that she would create new memories for him. Memories thinking of which he could smile. Something that could make his heart happy and his eyes shine.

So this was the new beginning of his life. This was going to be a story Lilly was determined to write and in this story her Ashton will leave a happy life with lots of smiles. She smiled as Aston pulled her into his lap for another picture of them together.