"Thank you so much for accepting to come to our Thanksgiving dinner, Ella." Romano greeted Ella first, holding the door open for her and his son.

"It's no problem. Thank you for inviting me." Ella entered, grateful to be hidden from the heavy snow that was falling outside. "We brought some dessert and some wine." Ella gestured to Damien's hands.

"She brought it. I didn't do much but carry it in." Damien clarified, letting Ella's generous intentions not be drowned out by her humble actions.

"Oh, well, thank you." Romano took it in, walking them to the kitchen where Celeste was still cooking up a storm even though it was only going to be them and Selena as well as Selena's family.

"Ella!" Celeste's face brightened up as soon as she saw the young women entering. "Oh, you looking stunning with those crystals!" Celeste pointed at Ella's hair that had been decorated with the snowflakes from outside.

"You hair, amore." Damien chuckled when he saw Ella's expression turn curious and cutely confused.

"Oh, regardless. It looked good." Celeste hugged Ella while Damien gently patted Ella's dark hair to rid of the snow that was quickly turning into droplets of water.

"Ella brought this." Romano said to his wife he placed the items away.

"Sure, sure." Celeste nodded to her husband even though she didn't pay attention to a thing. "Have you met Selena?" Celeste gestured to the blonde and beautiful lawyer that sat at the bar, nursing a glass of wine that she had just served herself upon seeing that Ella actually arrived.

"Yes. We met briefly almost a year ago. Hi, how are you?" Ella stretched her hand to shake Selena's.

Damien grounded his jaw when he saw how long it took for Selena to shake Ella's hand.

When he had first found out about Selena coming to dinner, it was too late to back out since he had already invited Ella upon his mother's request, and Ella was already too excited to get to know his parents more. All he could really do was ask that his parents tell Selena to behave and that he would be on alert if anyone tried to make his girlfriend uncomfortable.

"I like your nails." Selena mumbled to Ella, noticing that Ella's manicured nails were just a simple and soft, baby pink that emphasized Ella's innocence and elegance. Selena, actually, was more bold and dominant, and it showed through her longer and sharper, red nails.

"Thank you," Ella smiled, quickly offering Selena a glass of the wine she had brought when the blonde chugged the rest of the alcohol, ignoring Damien's intimidating glare. Selena had had enough of Damien pushing her to the side. No. Tonight, she would make sure her presence wouldn't be ignored.

"So, Ella, I heard you run your own practice." Selena began, swishing the wine in her bottle.

"Yeah. I tend to work better under my own rules." Ella explained, focusing on that conversation rather than the one Damien's parents were focused on having.

"That's interesting."

"Didn't you open up your new firm?" Ella wondered. Damien had mentioned it briefly one night when he had gotten to her house, dead tired from trying to help Selena settle.

"Yeah. I guess I also tend to work better under my own rules." Selena sighed, taking another sip of her wine.

"Would you stop drinking so much? We're just getting started, and that's your third glass." Selena's mom scolded quietly.

Selena only grunted, pushing the glass away for a while, but she couldn't help but to take moderate sips throughout the night every time she saw Damien or Ella whisper something to each other or when they would share secretive glances. All in all, they looked like a beautiful couple that was in love, and she hated that. She hated it because she was promised that future, but here she was, being erased and forgotten as if she wasn't Damien's best friend, as if Damien hadn't promised her that future.

"Selena? We're going to- okay." Celeste stopped when Selena stormed out after seeing how even her own mother complimented Ella on her style.

"Forgive her. I think her job has been getting to her." Selena's mom sighed, giving everyone an apologetic smile.

Ella, seeing how upset Selena was, waited for her to cool down. Ella actually wanted to talk to Selena. She felt like there was a lot of pent-up tension that had gathered from misunderstandings. Therefore, as soon as Damien left to go help his father with something, and the mothers were distracted, Ella snuck out to where Selena was outside.

"Are you lost, princess?" Selena tossed Ella a discouraging look, her eyes tinted red from how tipsy, almost drunk, she was.

Ella laughed, ignoring the chill she was getting from having stepped outside of the warm house and into the cold and icy night air of the garden.

"I would like us to talk, actually." Ella explained, moving to settled beside Selena, who was leaning against the railing that blocked the patio from the large and rectangular pool that was situated in the middle of the yard.

"Talk? About what? How it seems like everyone likes you? How your his favorite? Trust me, I can see just well how much you're adored." Selena scoffed, rolling her stormy, green eyes. The reflection of the water was dancing across her features, making her seem even more beautiful.

"No one is taking your place, Selena." Ella frowned, understanding now why she was behaving liked a scorned woman. "Just because I receive one compliment or they smile at something I said doesn't mean I'm better."

"But look at you!" Selena burst, standing to her full height, and even though Ella was five foot six, Selena was taller than her. "Ella, I'm trying to not like you for a valid reason, I really am, but... I can see why he fell for you. I... you're just smart, young, beautiful, kind, freaking mature because here I've been, trying to pick a fight with you and you... not even once did you try to take a jab back at me." Selena sniffed, wiping a stray tear.

"So? You don't think you deserve happiness? Someone who loves you? Someone who will see how strong and beautiful and intelligent you are?" Ella fired back, trying to get Selena to see herself. What Selena had wasn't hatred, it was just a dislike, and it wasn't even directed towards Ella but to herself.

"He didn't for goodness sake!" Selena snapped, finally looking away from Ella's deep and scrutinizing gaze. Selena knew that Ella was a psychologist, but she didn't know that she would be able to read into her so quickly.

"Don't you think there's a reason for that? And it's not because you aren't good enough for him." Ella sighed, her breath coming out in a grey smoke. It was getting progressively colder.

"Just go, Ella." Selena sniffed, flicking her hand to dismiss the Spanish girl already.

Ella sighed, rubbing her hands together briefly. "If you stay away from the warmth for too long, you become cold." Ella slipped off her her thin and small scarf that she had tied around her neck, unknotting it to slip it over Selena's shoulders

As soon as Ella closed the door behind her, securely entering the Petrotti household, Selena shook her head, laughing humorlessly. "Even I freaking like her."

Damien, who had returned back a while ago had searched for Ella until he finally caught sight of her outside. Mentally preparing to scold her for going out without her coat, he froze at the cracked door when he heard Selena's voice.

In the pitch black night, he hadn't managed to see Selena's dark outfit in comparison to the light cream sweater that Ella had tucked into her skirt.

Damien hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he also wasn't planning on turning a blind eye if Selena was trying to intimidate Ella or say unnecessary things to her. He knew that Ella could take care of herself, she was strong, but his role as her boyfriend also was to take care of her. However, once he heard the way the conversation was going, it seemed like he wasn't even needed.

So Damien left back to the dining room, patiently waiting for Ella to return. His parents and Selena's didn't even notice that the kids had been missing until Ella reappeared, her fingers pink as well as her nose and cheeks.

"You catch colds easily, Ella." Damien quietly reprimanded her, standing up to place her coat over her shoulders. "We're leaving now, Madre." Damien hugged his parents, bidding goodbye to Selena's and deciding that it was best to just leave Selena alone for the night. He had a feeling that seeing him right now would just stir unnecessary and mixed feelings in her.

"Are you sure you want to leave without saying goodbye?" Ella looked at Damien as he buckled up, turning his vehicle on. "I think... well... I already asked your parents, and they didn't seem to hate the idea, but," Ella waited until Damien looked at her before she could continue. "Would you like to accompany me to go spend Christmas in Spain this year?"

Damien blinked, surprised at her question. "For a month?"

Ella blinked in response as well, trying to fight her amused smile at the situation. "I mean, you don't have to. You can always change your flight if you decide you want to come."

"Why are you laughing?" Damien couldn't help but to laugh as well. Seeing her smile and hearing her laugh was infectious.

"I just think the situation is silly. It's okay if you don't want to come. I know leaving home is difficult. You also have a job to think about." Ella provided, reaching to pat his hand in reassurance that she really was okay with the fact that he wouldn't go with her.

"I actually would like to go." Damien agreed, knowing that perhaps this time, things would be different, and he wouldn't miss Ella like a demented man.

"Oh, really?" Ella laughed as Damien leaned over the middle compartment, reaching to kiss her.

"Yes, really." Damien laughed as he kissed her, happy that she was happy. "Why are you so happy today?" He pecked her mouth once more, not being able to help himself as he sat back down in his seat,

"I'm just glad your parents seem to like me more this year." Ella sighed, holding Damien's hand in between both of hers while Damien got ready to drive.

"They adore you, amore." Damien chuckled, knowing full well just how much his parents actually liked her. They were over the moon to find out that she had accepted their Thanksgiving dinner invitation.

"That's what you say, but it's different when they actually show that they like you." Ella explained, leaning back in her seat to look at the passing trees and houses as they left the lit up and pretty neighborhood.

Damien hummed in response. "By the way," he interrupted the comfortable silence that had fallen upon them once he entered the main road. "I heard your conversation with Selena."

"Don't say anything to her. I don't think we're the problem she's up against." Ella sighed, remembering their conversation.

"I just want to thank you. You had patience to deal with her rude stunts. You were kind when you spoke to her even with her hostility. You gave her some wise insight. Thank you." Damien glanced her briefly, noting how warm and soft her eyes were.

Any other person would've snapped back at some moment or used that moment as an opportunity to victimize herself, but Ella didn't. In fact, Ella went out of her way to help Selena.

"You're welcome, but honestly, it would've been low of me kick down a person who was already struggling to get up." Ella paused, looking away from Damien's handsome face and back to the road. "A little kindness always goes a long way."

With that, Damien fell a little more in love with her.