"Mommy, play makeup!"

Gracie had been asking to play with me ever since we had gotten back to the hotel after dinner.

She had wanted to play dress up, dolls, hide and seek, animals, and now makeup.

Of course, I couldn't say no to her and she and I played while Ashton got on his laptop for the first time since we had arrived in Paris.

"Okay, let's play make up." I smiled at Gracie and she clapped her hands as she skipped behind me while I walked to the bathroom.

I got my makeup bag and she wanted to carry it back to the bedroom where Ashton was set up on the sofa.

We sat down in front of him on the floor and I opened my bag to look for brushes and lipgloss.

"Ah, are you two playing makeup?" Ashton asked, and I looked up to see him looking at us over his computer.

"Mhmm." Gracie nodded at him.

"What have your work emails said?" I asked him.

"I'll tell you about it later." He sighed and then closed the laptop. "But for now, I think i'll hang out with my two girls."

I smiled at him as he set his computer to the side and then sat down on the floor with us.

Gracie had a blast as I did her makeup. I would only touch the brush to the makeup lightly before applying it to her skin so I would barely be putting the actual makeup on her.

She chose which eye shadow color she wanted and I put a little bit on before letting her have just a dot of lipgloss.

Ashton took pictures of me doing her makeup and then it was time for her to take a bath which she was not ready to do.

"No!" Gracie whined and tried to run but Ashton was one step ahead of his little girl and reached out to grab her by the waist, pulling her back.

"Why are you running from me?" He moved his head down so he could look at her.

"No bath." She shook her head.

"I know, but once you take a bath then we can have dessert and cuddle." He said to her and she smiled. "Now give me a Darcy kiss."

She gave him a kiss and he let her go so she could run back to me.

I took her in the bathroom and began to draw her bath when she came up beside me and hugged me.

"Mommy, you take bath with me?"

"Sure." I kissed her cheek.

I helped get Gracie out of her dress and then set my clothes on the counter as well before getting into the bath with her.

She and I made shapes out of bubbles for a few minutes before I brought her over to lay with me.

She rested her head on my bosom and I began to stroke my hand up and down her back. She was sleepy and I could feel her drifting off.

There was a quiet knock at the door and I looked up to see Ashton there. I smiled at him and he took that as a sign to come in, so he walked up to the side of the bath.

"Shes tired." I placed my hand on the back of her head.

"Yeah, she's had a long day." He placed his hand on top of mine. "It's cute when she lays like that."

Gracie moved her thumb to her mouth and Ashton and I softly laughed.

He went to take a picture and I moved my arm so you couldn't see my breasts and kissed her hairline as Ashton took a few photos.

Then it was time to get her clean, cuddled and into bed.

"Darcy. Darcy." I cooed at her until she fluttered her eyes open and talked to her to wake her up a bit before washing her hair and skin and having Ashton wrap her in a towel to dry her off.

After drying off and putting on a bra and panty set I wrapped my robe around me and went to help Ashton put the baby lotion on Gracie and put her in her pyjamas.

"Daddy, my name baby Darcy." Gracie said to Ashton as he put baby lotion on her.

"I thought your name was Darcy Grace." He laughed. "That's what me and Mommy named you."

"You and Mommy name me when I baby." She said.

"We did." He smiled at her.

"I pretty baby?" She asked him.

"You were." He kissed her nose.

"You were the most beautiful baby, and are the most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world." I leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You most prettiest Mommy in world." Gracie said and Ashton and I both laughed.

"You're sweet." I gave her another kiss and then got her into her pyjamas.

Ashton then had her crawl up to a spot on the bed so she could lay down. I gave her blankey, Mr. Carrots, and Ellie the Elephant, and tucked them in with her. Once she was tucked in Ashton sang her her lullaby before she fell asleep.

We were quiet as we cleaned up and then went into the other room. He sat down on the sofa and I sat next to him, leaning over to rest my head on his chest.

"So we have to release a statement." He said.

"A statement? About what?"

"Apparently, people are upset with us that we left Gracie and Ender to go on a vacation."

"Good grief." I rolled my eyes.

"That's what I said." He sighed.

I nestled my head into his chest, feeling his arm come around my shoulders and rub my arm.

"Do you think this will ever go away?" I asked him.

"I'll be honest with you, I really don't know." He sighed, squeezing my arm. "So I have a question for you."

"Are we doing truth or dare again?" I laughed.

"Kinda." He joined in my laughter. "But I was wondering if maybe every once in a while I could call you Halle instead of Carter?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and slid my head down to his lap, turning on my back so I could look up at him.

"Why do you want to call me Halle?"

"Because no one else does, it would be like the one thing I shared with you that no one else did."

"I think there's a lot of parts of me that you don't share with anyone." I giggled as I reached up to poke his nose. He laughed as well and took my hand.

"I know that, but its something i'd like to do if you're okay with it."

"Sure."

Ashton then moved his hand that wasn't holding mine to my hair where he began to caress my hair and face.

"You really are very beautiful, I hope you know that."

"Thank you. I think you're very beautiful too."

"Thank you." He leaned down for a kiss.

"Oh, send me that picture you took of me and Gray." I patted his chest with my hand and he reached for his phone to send me the picture so I could share it on my Instagram.

'My true love.' I captioned the photo, and no sooner after I did Gracie appeared in the doorway.

"What are you doing up, baby?" Ashton asked her.

"I come sleep with you." She said as she walked over and climbed up onto my stomach.

"But i'm not sleeping." I laughed. "You need to
go to bed."

I sat up and held her as I walked her back to the bedroom and laid her back in the bed.

"Mommy, stay." Gracie said and I remembered when she had said that to me the first night she ever called me Mommy.

"Okay." I smiled at her and took off my robe before getting into the bed with her, wrapping my arms around her.

I could feel Gracie instantly relax in my hold and after awhile I could feel myself begin to drift off to sleep. I was still partially conscious when I heard Ashton come in the bedroom and felt the bed dip behind me as he got in and wrapped his arms around both me and Gracie.

He kissed my cheek and then the two of us fell asleep together.

Ashton's movement behind me is what woke me up in the morning.

He kissed on my neck for a few moments before he got out of the bed. I watched him walk to the bathroom and heard him brush his teeth before I gently let go of Gracie and got out of bed.

"Morning, baby." I kissed Ashton's cheek as I walked past him.

"Good morning to you too." He caught me so he could kiss my cheek as well.

Ashton went to put on sweats and I put back on my robe, the two of us freshening up before Becca and whoever else Ashton had hired arrived.

"I'm a little nervous." I said as Ashton set down the phone after ordering our breakfast.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because people are going to be seeing me in my bra and panties and you're the only one who has ever seen me that way."

"That's why I made it a closed set." He said and I looked at him in confusion, prompting him to continue. "People will be in and out in the beginning to do the set and get us ready and set up equipment, but then we will close the doors and the only people allowed in there during the actual photos are me, you, Becca, the photographer and her assistant, oh and Gracie."

"So those other people won't see me?"

"No." He shook his head. "I wanted you to be comfortable."

"Thank you." I hugged him.

"You're welcome." He laughed. "So we still need to make that statement."

"Oh." I sighed.

"I'll get my laptop." He said and walked in the bedroom to get his computer.

He and I sat on the sofa and he pulled up the email from his manager so he could reply.

"Okay, so let's say... To whom it concerns, Ashton and I did not abandon our children as so many have accused of us of. After weeks of stress, for our relationship and own personal sakes we took a week to detox and spend quality time with each other since we've not been able to before. Our son and daughter were being cared for by their three Uncles who we trust indefinitely and we knew we were leaving them in the most capable hands. We spoke to our children several times a day and our daughter has now joined us and our son is still in London doing his schoolwork and enjoying this time with his Uncles."

"Perfect." Ashton typed out what I said as I spoke it and then signed our names as the end before sending it.

There was a knock at the door and Ashton went to get it, a man rolling in a cart with breakfast and five minutes later Becca arrived.

At this point people kept filling in and I became a little nervous at all of these people.

Gracie was still asleep due to her stressful day the day before so we would let her sleep for as long as we could.

There was a video crew filming a video for a reason Ashton said he would explain to me later and then I was put in front of a camera to explain what was going on.

"Today Ashton and I are doing our engagement shoot. There's going to be two different photo sessions, one this morning and one tonight, and right now this is the morning one. It's kind of crazy and hectic at the moment, but somehow our daughter Gracie is sleeping through it. We'll have to wake her up soon because they need to make the bed for the shoot so she won't be happy, but this is fun, i'm very excited."

It was then Ashton's turn to get in front of the camera and so I did what he did and stood behind the camera guy watching him.

"Right now we're doing the first of our two engagement shoots, and this is the morning one. We're going to be going for something really light, romantic, and sexy, and I got to design most of it which was really fun and makes it even more special than it already is, and i'm very excited to do this with Carter and just experience something a little new for both of us but together."

I smiled and he came back over to me.

We were able to let Gracie sleep for ten more minutes before they needed to make the bed.

Ashton and I went over to Gracie who was snuggled in the blankets and I felt bad for waking her but I needed to.

"Gracie, wake up sweetheart." I placed my hand on her arm. She didn't even move.

"She's knocked out." Ashton laughed and then reached forward to lift Gracie up, a sleepy whine coming from her.

Ashton held her as I placed all of her sleep things in her arms and then we took her to the bathroom where Becca had set up the makeup and hair station.

I sat down in a chair and then Ashton passed Gracie to me, the little girl hugging me in her sleep.

"She's so sleepy." Becca laughed as she walked over.

"I know, she had a stressful day yesterday." I patted Gracie's back.

Becca began to curl my hair as I held my sleeping little girl. She was moving around a little bit more and after a few minutes she moved her head back to look at me.

"Good morning." I smiled at Gracie. "You're a sleepy little girl aren't you?"

She nodded.

I moved my fingers over her face, brushing away the baby hairs and just tracing the shape of her nose, eyes, and lips.

"Where's Daddy?" She asked.

"I don't know, do you want to go find him?" I asked her and she nodded.

I carefully set her on the floor and she held her blanket and stuffed animals in her hands as she left the room, her head turning side to side as she looked for her father.

"Daddy? Daddy?"

Becca and I laughed as the camera went to follow Gracie.

"So I saw that Harry was in Paris, did you two hang out?"

"No." I sighed. "He wanted to but Ashton and I came here to spend alone time together and we've never had that opportunity before, and I think Harry was kind of upset with me, and now he's going to be even more upset with me when I tell him i'm quitting modelling."

"You're going to quit? Why?" She furrowed her eyebrows as she wrapped another section of hair around the curling wand.

"Because apparently Ashton didn't want me to do it in the first place but told me he was okay with it because he wanted me to be happy but I can't be happy if I'm doing something he doesn't want. It was just an idea anyways, it's not like I was ever going to go anywhere."

"You don't know that. I know everyone was impressed with you on your first shoot, you were like a pro. Are you sure that's what Ashton wants?"

"That's what we discussed. I can't be happy if he's not happy."

"I think you should talk about that more. I've worked with lots of models, and you impressed me more than all of them combined. I know that's not you, and it's not one of the reasons Ashton fell for you, but I think as your relationship continues you'll both find that you are both going to grow and change, and if you really love each other you'll accept each other no matter what."

When Becca stopped talking I looked at myself in the mirror.

Since I had done my first modelling job I had to admit to myself that I had been feeling more confident and was for the first time in my life feeling good in my own skin.

Maybe it needed a second conversation.

"I'll talk to him." I said and Becca smiled.

"Mommy! Mommy! I found Daddy!" I then heard Gracie's voice and looked to see her dragging Ashton in by his hand.

"You did find Daddy." I smiled.

"Yes, she made a path through all the people until she did." Ashton laughed and then picked up Gracie before sitting in the other chair. "Looking good, babe."

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Daddy, you kiss Mommy good morning?" Gracie asked Ashton.

"I did, but do you want me to do it again?"

"Mhmm." Gracie nodded and so Ashton leaned over to kiss me on the lips.

"Love you." Ashton spoke against my lips.

"I love you too." I smiled.

Ashton sat back down and Gracie sat in his lap, reaching up high to play with his hair while he laughed.

"Do you want to call your big brother with me?" Ashton asked her and Gracie nodded. He took out his phone and dialled Ender, putting it on speaker.

"Hello?" Ender answered.

"Hey bud." Ashton said. "How's it going?"

"Good. How's Gracie?"

"She's doing better. We wanted to call and tell you good morning and see how you were."

"Hi, Ender." Gracie smiled and waved at the phone even though it was just a phone call not a video call.

"Hi, Gracie. Sprinkles misses you."

"I miss Sprinkles." Gracie said and I reached over to touch her cheek.

"How's your school work going?" I asked.

"Good. But I have a project in history and it's about heritage and I need your help when you get back."

"Okay, we can do that. We're coming back tomorrow so i'll help you first thing."

"Okay. Well I'm about to leave with Michael and Calum."

"Alright. Have fun. We love you." I said.

"Love you bud."

"I love you Ender." Gracie then added.

"Love you too." Ender laughed. "Bye."

Ashton then hung up the phone and began to put Gracie's hair in a ponytail.

"Take a selfie with Daddy." Ashton then told her and held his phone up in front of them, snapping pictures as he kissed Gracie's face, the little girl smiling away.

He then typed something and then passed me his phone.

"Tell me what you think." He said and I looked down to read his caption.

'I know she may only hold my hand for a little while, be she will forever hold my heart.'

"I like that a lot." I handed him back his phone and reached over to tweak Gracie's nose, making her giggle.

Ashton then held Gracie while Becca finished my hair and makeup, and then it was his turn.

Gracie came and sat with me while his hair was fixed and once it was the woman who was taking our photos began to rush everyone to get them out.

"It's a closed set, you have to leave." The woman named Amanda said over and over again until the people had left.

Amanda was the main photographer and a girl named Lisa was her assistant.

"Okay Carter, I want to start out with the grey lingerie." Amanda said to me, somehow managing a smile with her stern face, and so Becca and I went to the bathroom, Gracie following as I changed into the grey bra and panty set.

They were both lace and had a few gems on them.

We then left the bathroom and Ashton went in to strip down to some grey boxer briefs.

"Look at those abs." I lightly smacked his stomach and he laughed.

"Yeah well look at that ass." He suddenly turned me around and hugged me, causing me to giggle.

I gave Gracie my phone to keep her occupied and had her sit in a corner where she would be out of the way but I could still see her.

Ashton and I were instructed to get on the bed and just move around and look at each other sensually.

It was a bit awkward and my heart was pounding in my chest for some reason but after a few minutes I calmed down.

"Perfect, stay like that." Amanda said as I had Ashton hovering over me.

As Amanda went around us snapping pictures, Ashton looked down at me and winked.

I tried not to laugh which made him try not to laugh but we both failed and ended up laughing, Amanda still snapping away.

As the photos and poses kept happening, Ashton spoke to me.

"You look very beautiful."

"Thank you, you look handsome as well."

He leaned in for a kiss, that relaxing me, before Amanda changed our position.

"Ashton move your hand a little lower so we can see her tattoo." Amanda instructed and he slid his hand down my side, his fingers drumming on my skin.

"Okay now lets switch to the light green bra, Carter." Amanda then said and Becca and I headed to the bathroom so I could change again.

As I walked out in the new light green bra and panty set I saw Gracie holding my phone to her ear, talking.

"Gracie, what are you doing?" I asked her.

"I talk to Aunt Ari." She said and I hurried over there to see she in fact was talking to Ari on my phone.

I took the phone from her and brought it up to my ear.

"Sorry about that." I said.

"You're fine." Ari laughed. "What's up?"

"Ashton and I are actually doing our engagement shoot right now, so could I call you back later?"

"I really just had a quick question. A magazine approached me and asked if they could interview me about you and Ashton and I just wanted to know if you would be okay with that or not?"

"That's fine with me."

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure. So have fun at your shoot!"

"We will." I laughed. "Bye Ari."

I hung up and then bent down to be eye level with Gracie.

"Don't answer Mommy's phone again. You tell me if someone calls."

"But it Aunt Ari."

"I know that, but you're not supposed to answer the phone. Do you understand?" I asked her and she nodded with a pout.

"Okay, now sit down and be a good girl."

I gave her back my phone and then went over to Ashton.

"Ari is going to be doing an interview about us." I said as I approached him and he nodded.

"Cool. Now look at some of these, aren't they amazing." He then brought me behind the camera to see some of the photos Amanda had taken.

"Oh wow." I said as he moved through them. "Those are beautiful."

"I know." Ashton grinned and then kissed my cheek.

He and I then got back on the bed to continue with our photos.

We were about ten minutes in when Gracie began to talk from the corner where she was sitting.

"Mommy? What are you doing?"

"Taking pictures." I said back to her, Ashton chuckling above me.

"Me too!" She said and a few seconds later Gracie came bouncing onto the bed.

"Did you want to take some pictures too?" Ashton laughed.

"Yes!" Gracie giggled joyfully and so we amused her by taking a few photos as well.

Becca then took Gracie so Ashton and I could finish up the shoot.

I was given clothes to put on, Ashton the same, before everyone was let back in.

We dressed Gracie and had her brush her teeth before heading out for lunch.

"Mummy, we go see Sprinkles and Ender tomorrow?"

"We do." I smiled as I held her up in my arms.

"I love Ender." She rested her head on my shoulder.

"Me too. He's my favourite Ender."

She smiled at this and I kissed her cheek.

After lunch we sat at the table and I pulled out my phone, scrolling through twitter while Ashton and Gracie were playing a game on his phone.

As I scrolled through the timeline I came across a rude tweet about me.

'Carter has literally gained like 50 lbs. since she became famous, there goes her modelling career lol'

I scoffed before replying.

'That's actually not true, but whatever, that's your opinion. Now if you'll excuse me, i'm going to eat another breadstick and spend time with my family. Have a nice day! -Carter'

After I tweeted that I heard Ashton laugh and looked up to see him laughing at his phone.

"Nice one." He applauded me.

I then continued to scroll, ready to fight off my bullies one by one.

'99% sure all Ashton and Carter ever do is make out, that engagement will die fast.'

Again I rolled my eyes.

'Ha! We have two kids, we're lucky if we get ten minutes alone. Yes, we are affectionate, but we are in love. Sue us. :) -Carter'

"Someone's on a roll." Ashton laughed.

"Why not fight back?" I shrugged.

I then went back to find another one waiting for me.

'Carter Chase literally has no boobs...like is she a man...I mean who names their daughter Carter?'

'1: My parents named me Halle Carter...it's my middle name...
2: Why is my anatomy so concerning to you? -Carter'

"Okay, you're getting sassy, it's time to go." Ashton stood up, picking up Gracie.

"Are my boobs really that small?" I asked him as we walked.

"Carter, I love your body exactly the way it is. Don't let that get to your head." He said and I smiled at him, taking his other hand.

As we walked back to the hotel I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with Ashton and Gracie, but I was really missing Ender. I had never, NEVER, been away from him this long.

When we got back to the hotel we were able to check on the rooftop where they were setting up for the night shoot.

There were white and red roses everywhere and twinkly lights were being strung.

We went back down stairs to our room where Becca and I began to decide on what dress for me to wear.

"You could do the white dress, since Ashton is wearing black." Becca suggested.

"Yeah." I said, staring at myself in the mirror. "Do you think my breasts are too small?"

"I think that they are the perfect size for your body." She said.

"I've put on weight too." I ran my hand over my stomach.

"Carter, who cares? You look hot as hell?"

"Well some people obviously care." I sighed. "I wonder if Ashton has noticed..."

"Carter! Snap out of it!" Becca shook my shoulders.

"Maybe I should go on a diet or something, just to get rid of the weight i've put on."

Becca sighed before cupping her hands around her mouth. "ASHTON!"

I glared at her as Ashton walked in the room.

"What?" He asked.

"Please help explain to your fiancé that she is not fat."

"Seriously Carter." He rolled his eyes. "You're not fat, you look amazing like you always do, and if you do gain a few pounds who the hell cares? Your weight has not changed, at least in my eyes is hasn't."

"Okay..." I whispered.

"Now are you done with this?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Okay, now get dressed."

Becca dressed me in the white bohemian dress we had chosen and then retouched my hair and makeup.

"Aunt Becca?" Gracie asked as she sat in a chair next to me.

"Yes?" Becca hummed as she swept a brush across my cheek.

"You make me look like Mommy next?" Gracie asked her and she and I both smiled at Gracie.

"You already look so much like your Mommy." Becca lightly tapped Gracie's nose.

"But I want Mommy's eyes." Gracie whined.

"Well my eyes are grey and Daddy's eyes are hazel, so you have a mix of both mine and Daddy's eyes." I told her.

"And I have your hair?" She asked me.

"You do." I smiled.

"Good." She said and Becca and I both laughed.

"Good? Why is that good?" I asked her.

"I want hair like you Mommy, not Daddy."

Becca and I continued to laugh.

"You're so funny." I kissed Gracie's cheek.

After a while we were able to have dinner and then were taken up to the rooftop for the night shoot.

The rooftop was lit up with fairy lights, candles, and and the lights from the surrounding buildings.

There was a grey blanket on the ground with roses surrounding it and I smiled at how lovely it looked.

Gracie was taken to the side so she could watch and be out of the way while Ashton and I went to sit on the blanket.

As Amanda began to take photos, Ashton and I got to act all romantic with each other.

We took photos with my engagement ring, a little recreation of the night Ashton proposed like he wanted.

The entire thing was so sweet, and when it was over we did closing out interviews, before he and I took Gracie downstairs to our room where we could get her to bed, enjoying our last night in Paris.

--

Yay! They finally did their engagement shoot, I guess it's all getting pretty official now.

How do you think Carters second conversation with Ashton about modeling will go? And what will Harry say?

There's some drama to come in the the next chapter (of course) ;)

I'll have the next part up tomorrow!

Much love xx-m