😆♥️

"What if we stayed for a few more days?"

Damien was lying on the bed while Ella packed a few more clothes for their flight that would happen in a few more hours.

After their wedding two weeks ago, the giddy couple made their escape to a Bora Bora resort, enjoying all that the sea had to offer them even though Ella was still apprehensive of some hard waves and a few odd fish.

"I know, babe." Ella chuckled, and Damien watched as her stunning face graced him with a tender smile, her cheeks blushed from a little too much sun. Her eyes were the brightest he had ever seen, and he promised that they'd never dull, not on his watch.

Unable to resist her siren-like appeal, he stood from the bed, pulling her close to kiss her.

"Damien, we..." Damien drowned her words with another kiss, smiling at the beautiful laughs that were escaping Ella's pump lips. "We have to pack!"

"I'll help in a bit," he lifted her towards the bed, securing her body beneath him.

"We're going to be late," Ella smiled, staring up at his handsome features that she traced with her hands, her manicured fingers lightly following his happy expression.

"Te amo... tanto, Ella Petrotti." Damien kissed her forehead, and Ella clutched his bare shoulders, his tattoo in memory of Vincent felt hot under Ella's palm as she traced her hand down to his muscled abdomen. (I love you... so much)

"For the rest of my life, I'll try to make you the happiest life." Ella promised, her eyes watering at the happiness she felt.

Since she was old enough to understand marriage, she never even allowed herself to dream of having a man like Damien. She believed they existed, but she didn't know that she would be blessed with having one be by her side, cherishing her for the rest of her life.

"Don't cry, amore." Damien gently kissed her, his body leaning over her as he kissed her cheeks and precious eyes.

"I'm just so happy." Ella sniffed, her hands going up to wipe at her tears.

"I'm glad. That means I'm fulfilling my honorable duty." Damien winked, and Ella chuckled, hitting his shoulder.

"You're so cheesy." Ella lifted her knees to cradle his torso that was in between her legs.

Damien leaned down, slowly capturing her lips in between his again, treating her to some sweet and slow torture as his hands reached down to remove her dress.

•••

"What time is it?" Ella yawned, leaning against a wall while the ladies up front scanned their tickets. This would be their third and final connecting flight, thankfully.

Damien checked his watch, fighting a yawn himself after seeing's Ella's. "4:48 A.M."

Ella blinked, not even surprised at the time zone change anymore. "That's nice."

Damien chuckled, reaching to grab her hand as they moved closer to the front. "We'll be home soon. Don't worry." He kissed her head, letting her go briefly once they finally made it to the front of the line. Once in their area, they settled down for the safety video that Ella had already memorized at this point.

"Are you going to sleep?" Damien questioned Ella, watching as she lifted her glasses to apply some hydrating eye drops.

"I don't know. I might just watch a movie or something." Ella sighed, tired to the bone but she really couldn't sleep in planes. Her body was just not comfortable. Damien nodded, reclining his seat while waiting for everyone else to get seated.

Knowing that they would probably be exhausted and in for long flights, they had booked first class tickets to help keep them a bit sane, but even then, it was difficult to fight off their lethargic energy.

As per usual, Damien did end up sleeping the hours away as Ella watched some superhero movies provided on tablets to keep busy. By the time it was time to land again, Ella woke Damien up so he buckle up, leaning in to kiss his cheek as he drowsily situated himself.

"Thank you, my love." Damien said later as he stayed to help an elderly man with his luggage, leaving his wife to handle the large suitcases on her own, but she managed. In fact, she did well, not just managed.

"I used to travel by my self, you know." Ella touched her forehead, a headache coming from her lack of sleep.

"I know. It still makes me nervous to think you had to cross countries by yourself." Damien grunted, slightly thrown aback by how heavy one of their suitcases was when he tried to lift it over a small set of stairs. That was how tired they were, and even then, Damien still managed to pass by a fast food place to pick up something to eat before they arrived home.

"Ella, you should eat something before you go to sleep." Damien watched as Ella crawled to her side of the bed after having showered together. They were both barely hanging on, but Ella had definitely gotten the worser end considering she didn't go to sleep at all.

"I'm alright, Damien. You should go eat before your food gets cold." Ella curled up in her usual position.

Damien finished buttoning up his own pijamas before going downstairs, going to the kitchen to pull out his fast food and sit by the breakfast bar while he called his mom. It was only eight in the evening there, and his mom had asked for him to call to at least let her know that he was back home and okay.

"What about Ella? Is she feeling alright?" Celeste pestered, ignoring Damien's comment about how they had brought her back a souvenir that she had asked for.

"She's good. She went straight to bed, though."

"Why? Is she exhausted? Is she feeling tired?"

Damien paused his eating, looking at his phone with a questionable frown. "What did you drink today?"

"I'm just asking! Does she seem heavier to you? Like she gain-"

"Mamma, she's beautiful and she's tired. You can't expect her to be jumping and running after fifteen hours of flight time." Damien shook his head, amused by his mother's antics.

"I'm just saying, honey. You're not getting any younger, and it's time those grand babies start coming-"

"Goodnight, mamma." Damien stood up, grabbing his trash to throw away, "and don't mention that baby stuff to Ella. We'll have children when we have them."

"I know, I know. I just, you know, would like to be able to carry her or him and drive him to parks. What's the point in having them meet me while I'm laying on my death-"

"You're not going to be lying-"

"You don't know that, il figlio (child)!" Damien shook his head, heading back upstairs but pausing so he could finish his conversation before he entered where Ella was sleeping. "Alright, alright. You guys take care. Ti amo (I love you)."

"So do I, mamma. Thank you." Damien smiled, hanging up to go brush his teeth and floss. Walking back to the bed, he still couldn't believe that the woman lying there would the one he would see each and everyday. It still felt unreal to call her his for the rest of his life.

By the time morning rolled around, Ella was still deeply asleep, not even budging as she normally did when Damien leaned over to kiss her temple before he got out of bed. He wanted to get some groceries since they had cleaned out their fridge before leaving on their honeymoon trip, but he also needed to go pick up Rufus from Stefanie's place. The pup had already worked his way into Damien's heart, and their home wasn't the same without that Golden Retriever.

Once back home, Damien gave Rufus the bag of bread so Rufus could carry it in, the pup excitedly running back out for another bag.

"Be gentle, okay? These are eggs." Damien carefully placed the grocery bag handle into the pup's mouth, Rufus taking very slow and careful steps back into the house.

After bringing everything inside, Damien got to making breakfast while Rufus went upstairs, undoubtedly looking for his human.

Upon arriving at the room, Rufus laid by Ella's feet, quietly watching her, knowing all too well that he needed to stay still and quiet. In fact, he wasn't even allowed on the bed due his shedding, but he had been away for too long to not be close to her.

Minutes later, Ella turned, groggily opening her eyes to see that Damien wasn't beside her anymore, so she reached to the opposite side for her phone, trying to see the time when she heard a loud yelp.

"Oh my goodness! Hi, baby!" Ella was shocked by the golden retriever that was wagging his tail excitedly now, hurrying into her open arms. "How are you, Rufus? Did you miss us?" Ella laughed at his happy barks, scratching his neck as he buried his head into her stomach. "I missed you, buddy."

Damien could hear the dog's barks and Ella's laughter, so he knew she had awaken. He continued to prepare breakfast while waiting for Ella to come downstairs, which would probably take another fifteen minutes.

"You went to get Rufus?" Ella asked once she finally made her way down with her hair pulled into a loose side braid, a thin robe wrapped over her night dress.

"I figured it was time for him to come home too." Damien plated an omelette for Ella, handing her the plate once she came close enough.

"You went grocery shopping?" Ella noticed one veggies in the omelette she knew weren't in the fridge last night.

"Yes. You were still asleep, but I made sure to bring you some dark chocolate and those yellow kiwis you like so much."

Ella stood by the breakfast bar as she usually would for her first meal. "Thank you so much! I really didn't intend to sleep for so long." Ella scrunched her nose, taking a bite of the food.

"I don't mind," Damien sat by the stool across from her. "I know you weren't feeling too well on our way back."

"Yeah, about that," Ella sighed, remembering how they had agreed to trying to have children, and while they had tried naturally and without pressure, it had been a few months. Ella had not once even had a pregnancy scare. "I began this morning," she dejectedly stated, fighting to keep the disappointment off her face.

"Hey," Damien frowned, reaching to take her hand. "It's okay. Listen, it's it meant to happen, then it will. There's no need for you to torment yourself about this, love."

Ella nodded, gaining courage. "I know... I just... I'm sorry, Damien. I was the one who got us excited about having children and now.. now I can't get pregnant,"

"That's not your fault, Ella," Damien stood, moving closer to hug her upon realizing how she was actually being affected by this situation more deeply than he had initially thought. Of course, he knew that she was upset and frustrated, but he didn't know that she felt guilty about it.

"I think... what if I'm not capable? What if something is wrong inside of me?" Ella stated vocally, her eyes teary.

"If you can't, it's not because you are incapable of being a mother. Adoption is always an option. We can also visit doctors in case there is extra treatment we need to take part in. Don't worry about this, okay? If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't make me love you any less." Damien lifted her face, pressing kisses as Ella reached to hold his forearms before nodding, blinking some tears away.

After that conversation, Damien notice that Ella seemed more relaxed. Her eyes became constant melting pools of honey, her smile always dazzling, and Damien spent every single day by her side appeasing to her every wish, smiling at her every act, loving her in such a profound way, he often worried that his love for her would burn too bright to one day cease, but then he'd go to bed at night and wake up in the morning to her, and he just knew that there was no way he could ever have it any other way.

"Happy Thanksgiving, handsome." Ella pressed a long kiss to Damien's cheek, his stubble tickling her as he bent his head down to her neck, wrapping his thick arms around her petite form against him securely.

"Thank you, amore," Damien kissed her neck, hearing her laugh softly at his sweet action.

"Hey, guys!" Stefanie slid open the back door open, flinching from the chilly weather. "You guys spend time together all the time, and you both still find the need to run off alone." Stef grumbled, "Erica said dinner is getting served. Also, Lisa is asking for you." She looked at Damien pointedly before slinking herself back into the warmth. Stef despised the cold.

"Let's go before you catch a cold." Damien squeezed Ella's upper arms, pushing her in front of him to go back inside.

"Dammi," Melissa rushed forward, "Daddy says I have to eat all of the mashed potatoes!"

"Does Princess Lisa not want to? Huh?" Damien's long fingers quickly dig into her tiny ribs, eliciting loud giggles and shrieks of happiness from the five year old.

Ella smiled fondly, happy to see them get along so well. It still kind of hurt to see Damien so happy with Melissa just because Ella knew that she just wasn't made for pregnancy. They had visited a doctor, and the doctors suspected Ella had a specific illness, but properly diagnosing her would take a good three to five years, and both Ella and Damien did not want to put themselves into that stressful and hectic process. They still tried; they didn't take any precautions when getting intimate such as condoms and birth control pills, which had actually made Ella's cramps worsen.

"You're coming with us this year, right?" Fransisco looked at Ella while they talked about their Christmas plans. It was time for the family to go to Spain again since their parents had visited last year, but last year, Ella and Damien had spent their Christmas with the Petrotti household.

"I think that's the plan, right?" She turned to Damien, making sure. They hadn't really talked about it.

"Yeah," Damien nodded reassuringly, quickly returning his attention back on the hyper and giggling Melissa.

Fransisco nodded, seeming more content now. It wasn't easy for him to now have to share his sister. He was still used to having her near, especially for the holidays, and since he never went through the struggle of having to split his own time between his side of the family and his wife's, he forgot that other couples did. Of course, he understood, but it still threw him for a loop to not see Ella around sometimes for Easter or New Year's.

By the time their last night at home rolled around, Ella was stuck in bed, some cramps taking place once again.

"I think I've got all of the gifts loaded up," Damien entered the bedroom, taking off his coat since he had been making trips to the cold garage. "How are you?"

"Good. They're not that bad right now." Ella smiled to reassure him. For some reason, Damien got a little anxious whenever it was her time of the month, and Ella didn't even get her period every month; she was quite irregular, always had been.

"That's good. I made sure to pack pain killers." Damien sat beside her, placing his hand delicately over her abdomen to feel her heating pad. "Is this helping?" Ella nodded, a yawn escaping her lips.

"Like a charm. Thank you."

Damien nodded, leaning down to press a kiss on her forehead. "I'm going to work for a little bit, call me if you need anything, alright?"

"Don't work for too long." Ella advised, grabbing his hand to squeeze. She actually wanted to cuddle, but she couldn't really move in her situation and make him fall behind in his work, so she let him go.

Damien, upon wrapping up a good three hours returned to find Ella in a deep sleep, something that wasn't really new these past few weeks. It was like her body was trying to make up for her defenseless immune system by sleeping heavily during the cold months.

By next morning, Ella, as soon as she stepped into the airport, developed a light sneeze.

"No way," Stefanie laughed in disbelief at her older sister. "Already?"

"What?" Erica mumbled, concentrating on pulling out the passports from her purse.

"Ella's sick." Stef chuckled, pulling Ella closer to her as she laughed. Stef loved her to death, but she couldn't help but be so amazed at how quickly Ella got sick.

"I brought vitamins. Here, take some." Erica, being an actual mother, really did come prepared.

"Thanks," Ella sighed, taking the bottle.

"Are you okay?" Stef questioned a few minutes later, noticing how drowsy and down Ella seemed. This was out of the norm for her.

"I have cramps." Ella sighed, leaning against her sister's shoulder, Melissa cuddled into her lap.

"Oh," Stef frowned. She had never experienced bad cramps, not like Ella. The poor girl had always had intense pain, dizzy spells, nausea, and there was even a time where she had fainted.

"Alright, we can board now." Damien and Fransisco returned, both now having resolved a few issues that had come up.

"Thank goodness." Erica stood, grabbing a few bags with her husband's help. Melissa stayed with Ella until everyone was getting in their seats.

"Love, you don't look okay." Damien frowned, watching as Ella leaned back in her seat, almost falling asleep.

"I'm just tired," Ella turned towards him, her eyes dull and sad. Damien frowned, reaching for her hand, gently rubbing it. "I'm okay. Don't look at me like that." Ella chuckled, moving to hide in his chest.

Damien maneuvered an arm behind her, pulling her comfortably to him. "Are you sure? Ella, you feel warm." Damien's brows pulled tightly together as he tried to see if she had a fever.

"I just need to sleep it off. I think it's the vitamins Erica gave me." Ella explained, patiently waiting until it was safe enough to unbuckle her seatbelt to settle into her husband's lap. They were seated at the very back, no one would see them, and additionally, Ella was just exhausted. She had overworked herself the past week and now with her menstrual cycle taking place, it was hard for her to actually rest unless she was asleep.

The flight ended after multiple, multiple long hours in which poor Melissa was getting super restless. The movies were no longer cutting it, and she desperately wanted to run around and play. Fortunately for her, upon arriving to her grandparent's home, she got plenty of time to play with Gigi.

"Come on, let's go play with Gigi." Ella took Lisa out to the backyard with the new puppy.

"Yes! And you know, Ellie, dogs actually have a really..." Lisa's little voice trailed off as both girls disappeared into the background, closing the patio door behind them.

"What's going on with Ella?" Timotheo asked his wife, watching as his daughter sat on the floor, letting herself almost collapse. "She looks... frail."

"Monthly cycle," Elizabeth also stared out the window. "She gets it so bad, my poor baby." Eliza returned to the kitchen, continuing to make an herbal tea for her.

It had been now about two weeks since the kids had arrived, which was kind of worrying Elizabeth because she wanted to ask Ella to stay for longer, just until she was back into her healthy, happy self.

"It's freezing outside." Stefanie entered the kitchen whining, a couple of grocery bags in her hands from her shopping trip with Erica and Fransisco. "And why is Melissa crying so loud?"