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Mateo watched her sleep, as creepy as that was.

She had changed positions. Her head now rested on the arm rest, her legs had curled up and was resting on the couch, her hands had gripped the white coat around herself. He had turned up the temperature a bit for her to be more comfortable but she remained in the same position.

Mateo studied her face. The frown hadn't left her face. She looked very tensed, tired, worried yet determined.

She was a strong woman. But she was also under a lot of pressure right now.

Mateo broke out of his thoughts when he heard a single beep from her watch. And that single beep had Dr. River Johnson jumping to her feet, reading whatever message had been sent to her.

Mateo thought he told that idiota to not call for her until he told him he can.

She didn't even look in his direction before hurrying out, mumbling incoherently. She had a mixed look of anger and guilt in her eyes. She took her work way too seriously.

Mateo picked his phone up. He had to make some things clear to the fucking director of this hospital.

But before he could dial his number, the director called.

"Mr. Simmons." Mateo dragged his name.

"Mr. Adesso, we needed an orthopedic surgeon. It was an emergency." He stuttered.

"She should be given two days off after whatever case she is handling now."

"Yes sir, we will let her off immediately after this case."

Mateo didn't reply to him as he hung up the phone. He was aware that this was how a surgeon's life worked. But he didn't want his tesoro to get sick due to her lack of attention towards her own health.

(Tesoro - treasure)

Mateo caught himself. Did he just call her tesoro?

Mateo decided to shake off all his thoughts and get some rest as he had to start his physiotherapy that day.

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River tiptoed across the living room towards the kid's room. It was around five in the morning. The scare and casualty from the blast had died down and they were letting them off for a while. Though she did have to report back in the evening so that the rest of the doctors who were on duty for the last few days could get some rest.

She wasn't surprised to find only Lucas in his bed when he peeped in. Her Kiara was most likely to be in her bedroom. She quickly adjusted his duvet and kissed him before he went to her own bedroom.

Her mother, Susan, wasn't in there. She must have slept in the guestroom or went home.

River closed the door, being as careful as she could.

"Mommy?"

Well, she was my daughter. So she was going to be as alert as I was. And a light sleeper too. The inner voice flipped her hair like the boss bitch she was.

"How are you feeling, pumpkin?" River asked, crawling onto the bed, pulling the duvet over herself and making sure she didn't touch her baby's injured ankle.

Kiara snuggled closer to her, nuzzling her head on her Mommy's neck. "I missed you." She whispered groggily; her voice heavy with sleep.

"I missed you too precious." She kissed her forehead, stroking her brunette waves.

"Are you gonna leave soon?"

"I will have to go in the evening." River replied.

"I won't go to school today." She hummed.

"I know. I am not letting you go for at least a week." River replied as exhaustion shut down her senses.

Kiara said something else but River was fast asleep by then.

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"Hey, baby girl?"

River whined in her sleep, swatting away Susan's hand. "One more hour Momma."

She heard her mother chuckle.

"Mommy!!" She heard another voice.

Now who's this?

Her eyes snapped open as realization struck her. She was not in school anymore, she had two kids!

River turned around and opened her eyes.

"How are you feeling priceless?" She asked Kiara as she cupped her face. She had the largest smile on her face so River assumed that she didn't feel any pain anymore.

"I am good, Mommy!" She grinned in her cute baby voice. River sat up and held her arms wide for a hug she and her kid needed.

Kiara didn't skip a second before she crawled into her arms, wrapping her arms around her Mommy. "I lub you baby."

"I lub you more Mommy."

"I sent Lucas to school." Susan said. "To say he was displeased, would be the understatement of the century."

"Did he throw any tantrum?" River asked, inspecting Kiara's foot in a cast.

"No, but probably because he didn't want to wake his two girls up." She grinned. "He's four years old and he's already looking out for both of you."

River nodded, grinning like an idiot. She was raising royalties; one a precious little princess and the other a valiant prince. Except for the times when Kiara becomes super pissed, then she becomes a warrior princess. Otherwise she was the cutest.

"What time is it?" River asked out loud, grabbing her phone from the nightstand. It was one thirty-eight.

Damn, she had slept more than eight hours. And not to forget about four hours in Mr. Adesso's room.

Gotta apologize for that. The inner voice said.

How embarrassing!

"Mommy, let's eat lunch? You skipped breakfast."

She nodded my head, placing a kiss on her baby's cheek before making her way into the bathroom to freshen up.

Oh to use my own soap again!

River quickly freshened up and put on a hoodie and shorts. It felt less comfortable after days in scrubs.

She took care of her laundry and repacked the duffel bag she keeps in her cabin in case of emergencies.

She then proceeded to the dining table. They rarely used this place because they usually ate at the kitchen counter. But Susan and her grandmother, Lillith made it a point to use the dining table.

Susan was serving food onto the plates.

Grilled chicken in barbeque sauce, hot dogs and choco mousse.

Susan knew how to make her kid and grandkids happy.

Mrs. Marley was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Mrs. Marley?"

"She went out to buy some stuff. Will be back in an hour or so, with Lucas." Her mom replied, motioning her to sit down.

Kiara animatedly narrated what had happened that led to her torn ligament.

"As soon as I fell, Flynn ran to me and tried to help." She said, poking her sausage with her fork. "But it hurt, Mommy, and I cried so Lukey pushed him."

River mentally facepalmed.

She really needed to have a talk with Lucas. This child named Flynn was only trying to help.

"I already sent a pack of Snickers with him and asked him to apologize to that child." Susan smiled, knowing very well what was going on in her daughter's mind. "I also asked Lukey to get his parent's number so that we could properly thank him as well."

She smiled gratefully but then thought that maybe she should thank and apologize to the kid in person.

She looked at the wall clock. Two thirty.

"Mom, I think Ki and I will go to pick Luke today. Can you let Mrs. Marley know?" River said. "I will get them some ice cream as well. And maybe drop by Shane's later."

She hadn't seen her best friend Sebastian Shane in a while.

He was pretty busy, rearing his two-year-old Mia and working from home, because Alison was super busy these days. She was not just an assistant anymore. She was the secretary to the CEO.

"Of course honey. I think I should head back as well." She smiled. "Visit your grandma during the weekends, won't you?"

"GG!!" Kiara squealed. Lillith Johnson was a cool lady and insisted the babies call her GG, short for great-grandmother.

"No promises." River said apologetically. Mom nodded in understanding but Kiara pouted. "I am sorry princess." She kissed her forehead. "Maybe you and Luke can stay there over the weekend?"

Her face lit up at those words.

Finishing their lunch, Susan offered to clear out the table while Kiara and River got dressed to head out.

"Which jacket do you want?" River asked, holding out her pink and black jackets.

Kiara's favorite colors were pink and black. River hoped she would grow up to be an Avril Lavigne fan.

"Black." She said shyly.

"Why?" River noticed her shyness.

"Because boys think pink is gross. They like black."

River's eyes widened. Is that young love I see?

Why is she so cute??

River wanted to correct her daughter and tell her she shouldn't dress up to impress anyone else but she figured that Kiara was her daughter, she will figure it out on her own.

She also hoped that Kiara's overprotective brother didn't notice the blooming romance.

Ewwww... I need to get a life!

River handed her the jacket and hung the pink one back in the closet.

Kiara tried to put on her jacket, scowling and whining to herself as she wriggled it on. River waited for her to try her best and she eventually put it on, a satisfied smile on her face.

That's my girl.

"Are we ready to go?" she asked, fixing the collar of the jacket.

"Yes!" She grinned, jumping on the spot, and her face contorting in pain.

"Oh my baby!" River called out to her as she immediately picked her baby up. "Baby, you shouldn't jump or put pressure on your foot for some time now okay?" She nodded as she rested her head on her chest.

Fortunately she wasn't in much pain and didn't cry. River hated it when her kids cried.

Because they were happy children. A little fussy but they never cried unless they were hurt or really needed her.

The twins were used to not having River around them all the time so they never fussed over not seeing her. And their GG had taught them to value things in life and it made River very happy that they caught on to everything she taught though they were only four.

They were smart kiddos.

River grabbed her purse and car keys.

"Bye Mom." River hugged her mother before she bent down and picked Kiara up.

"Bye my little pumpkin."

"Bye Granny."

They rode down the elevator and made their way to their white SUV.

River was a biker until she had the kids. She saved up and bought an SUV as soon as she could after they were born.

The mother and daughter stopped by at a toy store to get the little boy a toy robot before they made their way to the preschool.

Weirdly Kiara didn't ask for anything. Weird.

"Baby?" River asked as she pulled over to the parking lot.

"Yes Mommy?" She asked in her cute voice.

"Why didn't you ask for toys when we were at the store?"

River knew she was probably digging her own grave by asking that question but she had always let her kids take their decision but questioned the reason so that they could be corrected if the reason was not good.

"Because Lukey wasn't with us." She said.

MY PRECIOUS! River pouted at the cuteness of her daughter. Her baby girl was the most understanding, sweet and kind child she knew, though she was an absolute firecracker from time to time.

Hmm.. Like someone I know. The inner voice smirked and River rolled her eyes, knowing very well who that person was.

Getting Kiara off the kid seat, River carried her on her hip while holding onto the bag with the toy.

It was two fifty-three now. They had seven minutes.

River stationed herself at the entrance along with a few other parents. Some waved at her knowing her from PTA meetings, which she returned with a smile.

"Hi." River turned to the source of the voice.

A man, probably in his early thirties, smiled at her. He had raven black hair and the most beautiful blue eyes in the world.

You say that every time you see blue eyes.

Well, she couldn't help it. She was a sucker for blue eyes.

But as soon as she thought of eyes, she was reminded of the intense caramel eyes that was engraved in her mind, and she found herself comparing those eyes with that of her patient's.

They were sooo similar.

River held that thought right there. No, don't go there. She told herself.

Yeah, that boy is trouble.

And she couldn't come to such a conclusion based on just eye color.

But the similarity was uncanny. It was somewhat like Kiara's but Kiara had limbal rings and freckles she got from River while Lucas and she had chocolate brown, almost black eyes, only difference was that his was plain while she had freckles and limbal rings.

"Hello.." Kiara said shyly and River realized she was yet to respond.

"Oh hi.." She said.

"Are you Kiara?" He asked the darling little girl.

Now, how the hell did he know my baby's name? Paranoid Momma mode was activated.

"Yes." She said cautiously. Good. She knew not to trust any stranger.

"I am Aaron Grady, Flynn's father." Realization struck both of them.

"Mr. Grady, I was hoping to have a talk with you." River said. "I am so sorry about how my son behaved with yours."

He raised a brow.

"They are yours?" He asked, looking very surprised.

She nodded.

"She's our Mommy." Kiara nodded her head as well.

"I am so sorry. You look really young." He scratched the back of his head.

It's okay son, I get that a lot.

"It's okay, she gets that a lot."

River mentally face-palmed.

Did I ever mention my daughter speaks her mind?

Did I mention she gets that from you?

"Oh." He laughed.

"Anyway, I am sorry about my son's behavior."

"Oh that's absolutely fine. Flynn told me Lucas pushed him because he thought he hurt his sister." He said.

"Yeah, he's really protective of her." River said, readjusting Kiara in her arms.

"Like he should be." He laughed looking over at the front door of the school. "You should be proud."

"I am." She smiled.

Just then the bell rang and the kids started spilling out, running to their parents or the school bus.

"Mommy!!" River turned at the voice of her little boy, crouching down to place Kiara down before she opened her arms out to him.

"Hey big boy!" River hugged him tight. "I missed you so much my little tiger!"

He returned the hug. "I missed you too Mommy."

He broke out of the hug and turned to hug his sister. Though they were the same age, Kiara was a lot smaller than Lucas. And he took his big brother duties very seriously.

"I missed you Ki."

"I missed you more Lukey."

He kissed her cheek before looking at her cast. "Does it hurt?"

She shook her head and they hugged again.

"Hey little man." I turned to see Mr. Grady greet a blond kid with identical eyes as him and a lot of cute freckles.

My heart is swelling so much with pride I think it's going to burst.

"Are you Flynn?" River crouched down next to him.

He nodded, his eyes darting between the lady and behind her, at her two children.

"This is for you." River held out the bag to him. He looked at her shyly before looking up to his dad.

"Go ahead little man." He patted his head.

"Thank you." He whispered taking it.

"And thank you for helping my daughter. And sorry my son pushed you.. and hit you." River added, remembering the incident from last day.

"He said sorry and thanks." He said. "He gave me Snickers and now we are friends."

"Really?" River turned to look at Lucas who smiled proudly, nodding his head.

"That's my boy." She grinned, getting back on her feet.

"See you around then." River turned to Mr. Grady.

The kids said goodbye to each other and River was surprised when Kiara gave her favorite lollipop to Flynn.

"Thanks for your help." She said shyly.

River didn't miss the frown on Lucas' face. I already feel bad for my daughter.

They moved to their car, where River buckled in the twins on the kid-seat.

"Next stop?" River asked.

"Ice cream!" Kiara squealed.

Lucas' eyes widened in excitement and he squealed 'Yay!' as he clapped.

Ice cream!

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