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Mateo grunted as the needle pierced through his skin.

"Baby.." River taunted as she injected him with a painkiller.

"Excuse me?" He quirked an eyebrow at her as she rubbed the spot on his arm with a cotton gauze.

"What?"

"I am guessing you don't feel pain?" He gave her a look. "At all?"

"Well, I don't react like you do." She shrugged as she disposed off the used stuff and put away the rest of the medication.

"I just grunted."

"Is that what you call it? Sounded like a dying dog to me." She chuckled as she walked around the room, putting away stuff, moving stuff; one would think she had been living in there forever. She looked like she belonged there.

And Mateo found it appealing though he wished it was not the guest room.

"You are quick to adjust to places huh?" He asked as he massaged his shoulders; they were so stiff from sitting still for so long.

"No, I am just pretending this is a hospital room." She turned towards the Capo and gave him a cheeky grin. "I feel more at home there."

Mateo chuckled. "You are crazy."

"Not going to argue on that one."

She pulled out her pajamas and went into the bathroom.

It was half past twelve but the woman looked the least tired. Mateo, on the other hand, was feeling groggy, probably from all the medication and the heavy dinner she fed him on account of the said medication. But he had to talk to her about the situation at hand and so he had to stay awake till she got in bed.

She came out of the bathroom in a pair of black sweat-pants and baby blue tank top, tying her curls up in a messy topknot. Her wilds wouldn't allow themselves to be restrained – it was an everyday struggle for the surgeon.

"You want anything else?" She asked as she checked her phone and kept it on the nightstand.

"No." Mateo shook his head and she nodded, taking off her slippers and getting under the duvet.

She lay down and turned to him, not turning the lights off.

"Speak." She said. Mateo chuckled. He was least surprised that she knew that he had stuff to talk to her; she was very observant and she noticed the slightest details.

So he did. He filled her in on whatever had happened in the last month and the latest development. He knew that she did not have anything to do with the Mafia but she needed to know and she had the right to know everything because it was her life that was in danger. Though he was refraining from revealing that particular information to her.

That it was her Mona wanted dead.

Because she was in the way of her getting the life she desired.

That was the reason he was concentrated more on River's safety than the twins.

Mateo had initially thought that Mona would be after the twins as well. But then he realized that Mona being the crazy woman that she was, would have killed them when she had the chance. So she was not threatened by the twins. Mateo had come to the conclusion that she was plotting to take down River so that she could be their mother.

She actually thought that he would end up with her automatically if she did what she was doing but the truth was that, there was nothing in the whole wide world that could make Mateo Adesso succumb to her madness and obsession.

After he was done speaking, River didn't say anything for a few minutes. She just lay there staring at him and then suddenly she sat up on the bed. Mateo tried to follow suit only to fall back with a grunt while River looked at him disapprovingly, pulling down the duvet and lifting up his t-shirt.

"What?" His eyes followed her actions.

"Just seeing if what you did broke the stitches." She glared at him and put pressure along the sides of the wound.

"I am fine." Mateo groaned. "Tell me how you feel about all of this."

"Well.." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I feel very uncomfortable leaving the kids alone right now."

"Adam's with them. Don't worry." Her face softened when she heard that and she blew out a breath.

"River, I am sorry." Mateo said sincerely.

River gave him a flat look. "If you say 'thank you' or 'sorry' one more time, I am going to..."

"Going to what?" Mateo raised a brow, a smirk on his lips.

"Uh... Dislocate your shoulder and pop it back in, without anesthesia." She said, smiling smugly as she was very satisfied with her answer.

Mateo shook his head, chuckling. She was so childish, and violent.

"P.S. why are you sorry in the first place?"

"Really? You don't know? For all this."

"How is any of this your fault?" She looked at him like he was crazy. Which he probably was. "You were born into this Mateo. You didn't choose this. Yes, you are in the Mafia, but you are a good guy. And I am so glad you are the kids' dad and not some sleaze ball. "

Mateo felt a smile tug at his lips but then he continued with his stupid talk, "But I heard you talking to Amanda that night and you said that-"

"I assume you didn't hear what she said to make me say that?" She quirked a brow.

He shook his head. How is she so... so.. perfect and level headed?

"What did she say?" He asked.

"Mean stuff."

Why was he not surprised?

"Anyway, leave that. Erase what I said from your mind because I absolutely did not mean it." River held her hands up in surrender. "I just wanted her off my back and the best way to do that is aggressively showing the disdain and contempt. And trust me when I say I do not think like that about you or Alessia or Adam. I adore you guys. I just don't like that woman. We talked less than half an hour and I know she is someone I want far far away from my kids."

He nodded. She was right. There was no place for negativity in their children's lives.

"And.." She flicked his forehead.

"Ouch.. what was that for?" Mateo asked, rubbing his temple.

"You left because of what you heard right?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

He nodded, pursing his lips. Guilty.

How the hell this woman made a Capo of the Sicilian Mafia feel like a kid who was going to get grounded was beyond anyone.

She blew out a breath before plastering another 'if looks could kill' glare on her face. "So this," She pointed at the dressed wound, "-could have been avoided if you had just communicated earlier?"

Mateo pouted. He couldn't argue on that one either.

"It's almost one in the morning. Get some sleep woman." He patted her pillow, giving her his sweetest smile.

"You know I am immune to cute shit." She rolled her eyes. "I happen to parent the cutest pair of children in the world."

"At least you admit I am cute." He smirked.

"I was never one to disagree with facts." She said as she turned the lights off.

"Night River."

"Night Mateo. And don't think this conversation is over." She replied.

Mateo mock-saluted her yet again but he doubted she saw it in the dark.

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Mateo blew breaths in and out as he stared at the ceiling. It was four in the morning and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't go back to sleep.

He snapped his eyes shut again, summoning his exhaustion to take over and suppress the stupid need.

He opened his eyes again, wriggling uncomfortably.

He needed to pee!!

"River.." He called out to her.

"What?" She almost gave him a heart attack as she started awake, already sitting up.

Mateo was stumped and guilt-ridden thinking that it was all the stress and fear that was doing this to her.

She turned on the light and turned to him. Her eyes were wide but it softened when she looked at the expression on his face. "It's not your fault, and it's not because I am scared. Most doctors are like this. It's an occupational hazard in my profession."

He nodded. River was not one to lie about how she felt. She was always clear about and she always handled everything. She was not afraid to show her fear or sadness because she was way too strong. So of course, he believed her when she said that.

"You okay?" She asked, rubbing her palms to her face. "Your analgesic should be working for another three hours." She said, checking the time.

"I need to use the bathroom." Mateo said, biting his lip. "But my right leg is numb. I can't move."

He knew it was nothing to be embarrassed about but he felt pathetic and even more so since he had to get help from her who had no obligation to.

She just nodded and got off the bed and walked over to his side, lifting his leg up and shaking it to relieve the numbness and then helping him to his feet. She handed him the crutch and walked with him, opening the bathroom door for him.

"I can do the rest myself." Mateo stopped her when she was about to enter the bathroom.

She turned to him and gave him a look. "I know. I was just going to put the seat up because you would have to bend down for that."

Mateo nodded as she walked in. Right, he had to put the seat up every time now that he was sharing a bathroom with a woman.

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A sudden jolt of pain to his abdomen woke Mateo up from his sleep. His eyes snapped open. It took a moment for him to register his surroundings and realize that he was in the guest room and not the ICU anymore. And then he realized that this early morning torture was the outcome of him turning in his sleep.

And then he realized that it wasn't early morning. In fact, he checked the time on his phone to realize that it was afternoon.

He wondered why he had slept so long. He felt fine the last night.

Mateo had a text. He had several texts but he had a message from River which was the only one he was in the mood to open and it said,

Mateo rolled his eyes. One month away from work and the woman was going ballistic over the one patient she got.

Mateo tried to get up and groaned.

He wondered if she couldn't have just said, 'You can't get up so don't even bother.'

He dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.

"Coming." She said and hung up before he could even say a word.

She was indeed crazy.

"Hello my dear husband!" She exclaimed as she walked in.

'Husband? I could get used to that.' Mateo couldn't help the grin that made its way to his face.

"Someone's in a good mood." He commented as he held his arm out so that she could help him up.

"Well I defeated Adam today at the shooting range so.." She shrugged.

"Stop boasting. Sheesh." Adam walked in, looking grumpy. "Everyone know I let you win on purpose!"

Mateo smiled proudly at River who returned it with a breathtaking grin.

"Come on." She turned to the bathroom door.

"Ahhh.. I think Adam should help me." Mateo cleared his throat, feeling really embarrassed.

"No thank you!" Adam scrunched up his face while River gave him a confused look. "I don't want to see your teeny-weeny."

Mateo gave him a disbelieved look while River burst out laughing. He turned to her and raised a brow. "Really? Is it 'teeny-weeny', River? You should know." He smirked at her.

She bit her lips and cleared her throat. "I am not going to answer that."

Mateo's smirk widened as he stepped closer to her. "I thought you weren't one to disagree with facts."

Her face scrunched up as she tried to stop herself from smiling.

"Eww gross. Get a room!" Adam spoke up.

River and Mateo turned to give him an 'Are you for real?' look.

"This is our room, you idiot!" Mateo said, rolling his eyes.

Adam and River looked at each other and shrugged. They did not understand what he had said.

"Adam, help him. I will get his food." River said and left the room without giving Mateo another glance and poor old Adam had "no other choice but to succumb to his conscience and do his duty towards a disabled friend".

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Nancy Davidson was out.

Alessia didn't find anything against her but everyone agreed that none of them felt good around her. So they sent her back on the pretext of Mateo coming home, giving the kids a mini vacation while he was free and for security reasons.

She looked relieved more than disappointed or scared and that kind of told River that it would be difficult to get evidence against her because she was probably used by their enemies and had no previous connection with this world.

River was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a random historic romance novel she had found while Mateo was in the guest room watching Hero Elementary with the kids.

Poor him.

River stretched her arms as she groaned.

Her whole body was sore.

Another month. Another visit from Aunt Flo.

She really wanted to sleep early that night but the kids were with Mateo having fun and she didn't want to be a party pooper, Alessia flew back to New York to help Ricardo run the Mafia unit – something about a family member having to be there - and Adam was knocked out after his drinking spree. River also had to wait till the kids were tucked in for bed and Mateo given another analgesic shot before she could some sleep.

"Why is life so hard?" River whined as she hit her head with the book.

"That's it. You need to see a psychiatrist."

She looked over the couch to see Mateo walking towards her.

"Where are the kids?"

"Watching TV. Being mean to their only Papa." He pouted as he sat down next to him, the whole process had him sweating and groaning.

Must be hard.

"Did you try to talk to them while they were watching their superheroes in action?" River chuckled.

He nodded as he leaned back on the couch. "I got, "Not now Papa." "Shhh Papa." "Be quiet Papa" for it."

River let out another laugh.

"What are you reading?" He looked at the book in her hand.

"A random book I found on the shelf." She gestured to the huge wall shelves and continued reading the book.

The two sat there in silence, her reading and Mateo just sitting there resting his eyes.

River was at a very interesting part of the book. She turned the page and there it was.

"Hmm?" His eyes fluttered open and he looked at her groggily.

She lifted the book for him to see.

She knew it felt a bit heavier than a normal book.

In the middle of the skillfully carved pages sat a black and brown Bersa 83 handgun and she was not at all happy at the fact that a good book was ruined for this purpose and that the book was kept somewhere within the children's reach.

"Fuck." Mateo cursed as he coaxed the book out of her hand while she continued to glare at him. "Isn't it the babies' bed time yet?" He asked sheepishly. If looks could kill, the babies would have been fatherless at that moment.

River huffed as she got up and strolled towards the guest room, calling him every word she could find in her head as she did.

"Alright cookies, time for bed!" Of course, this announcement was followed by the usual whining, coaxing, more whining, bribing before they were tucked away in bed.

Stupid Adam had fallen asleep on his bed and River couldn't let the kids sleep with Mateo because they kicked in their sleep so she had suppressed her fear and let them sleep alone.

After all, this was their life now. How long was she going to get scared for?

River helped Mateo though he was hell bent on doing everything by himself and she could see that the wound was not bothering him as much as it did before though she thought it was more because he was getting used to the pain than the wound healing. It still looked like it hurt when she changed the dressing.

After making sure he took his medicines and was settled in, River did her business and changed into her pajamas, popping a norethisterone tablet in her mouth in hopes of getting some sleep and hit the hay.

River could hear Mateo saying something but she couldn't understand anything because she was falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

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