Mariana lay on the couch, watching TV with Micah beside her with his hand up her chest. They had a blanket covering them as they were snug like two peas in a pod.

Mariana was laughing at what was said on TV as Micah drummed a little on her tummy. The small spots he pressed made him briefly turn around and peck him on the lips. She quickly faced away and giggled to herself. However, Micah had other plans and lightly pressed tickling kisses against her neck.

She howled, squirmed, and moved her head uncomfortably, making Micah chuckle as he found her weak spot.

"Does that tickle you?" He smirked and tapped her stomach more. Mariana ended up kicking her legs as a rumble of giggles kept bubbling out of her mouth like she was a soda drink.

"Stop it!" She spluttered out as Micah's fingers made their way down her back. He planted some kisses down which was enough to send her falling to the floor, landing on her back to shield it away from him.

Micah jumped down and continued tickling Mariana while keeping her hostage on the floor. She rolled around, trying to get away but he tickled her armpits.

She tried keeping her pits closed but Micah still got under and was laughing along with her, until she started coughing and crawled away like a caterpillar.

Micah let her go and she continued coughing so she could regain her breath. He was laughing at her as her tongue rolled out like an exhausted puppy who needed water.

"That was funny," he said.

"That was torture," Mariana said and almost passed out onto the rug.

"Cheer up, mi amor." He went over and patted her back. "Tickling you is just so funny to watch."

"That's because your the one doing the tickling," Mariana said, gaining her voice back as she now sat up. Micah scooted next to her and cuddled her body to his as the TV screen stood above them on its stand.

Their eyes became glued to the screen as Mariana folded her legs. Her head flopped onto his shoulder and her breathing became gentle. She slowly held Micah's and started caressing it, making her lips curve into a grin. For now, everything was at peace even though it wasn't complete.

"Hey, why don't we go on a little walk? Like we used to do when Elisa was a newborn?" She raised her head to look him in the eyes.

"Right now?" Micah said, "you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah, why not." She grinned up at him. "It's a great way to take our minds off things.

"Okay, let's go for a walk then." He got up and then pulled Mariana up with him. He was still laughing at what happened earlier but quietened down when Mariana gave his arm a little pinch.

They went to their bedroom and Mariana sat on her vanity table. It was near the window so the light from the sun shone its way through the icy curtains that looked like a snowy glaze.

She puffed on a light blush and rose her cheeks to smile in the mirror. She was loving the look, even though she had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep. So she put on some mascara and 24K butterfly earrings that Micah got her for their second anniversary.

"You ready?" He came behind her and tied her mother's necklace around her slender neck. He stared at her radiating beauty in the mirror and gave her some kisses around her collarbone.

"You look so sexy," he murmured and caressed her hair. He continued murmuring sweet nothings into her ear and showering her with kisses. "I almost want to keep you back here now."

"Thanks, Micah, now go get ready before we never end up leaving," Mariana said and lightly pushed him away.

"Alright my sweet." He let her go and went to his closet. However, Mariana giggled and got out some concealer.

Once they were done, they were out of the house and walked down holding hands, and enjoying the sunshine.

"I remember us doing this for the first time when Elisa was a month old. She was just laying in her stroller, asleep and peaceful," Mariana said as her mind started reminiscing. She could remember the day they got to welcome their kids home. They entered their house and were surprised with a party by their family and friends.

"Yeah I remember that. She had such a cute button nose that everyone wanted to press," Micah said, and placed two fingers almost touching to illustrate Elisa's button nose.

"I loved playing this game with her where I pretend to grab her tiny nose because then she would start whining."

"I always loved watching you two play like that. My two most favorite people in that moment," Mariana said and then cuddled closer to Micah so she could hear his heartbeat. "Then little Axel came along and we started this tradition of taking our babies out for a tour of the world."

"That first time that we took Axel out will always be special because that's also when Elisa took her first steps at the park we stopped at," Micah said and wrapped his arm around his Mariana while walking.

"Honestly that day was too perfect. I had my special Polpetto, my new-born, and my other baby whose growing so fast. It's everything I could dream of." She squeezed his hand tighter and then pulled him into a hug. She started kissing his chest as she had everything she could possibly want when they had peace.

"What does polpetto mean?"

"It's a term of endearment that's supposed to mean Meatball," Mariana humbly admitted and fiddled with her fingers.

Micah started laughing at her adorable nickname for him. He then huddled her closer and placed a kiss on her cheeks. "My flower is so cute. I'm just her precious meatball."

"Yes." She nodded fiercely. "Your my special meatball."

She then got out her phone and started scrolling though their memory pictures. She managed to find one of Elisa wrapper in her clothes and a small yawn escaped her lips. Mariana heart almost burst out of her chest.

"I hope we find them soon. Because this case and waiting keeps making me zone out at work, then my colleagues have to call me back to Earth." Mariana started laughing at the little joke she made.

"Like this?" Micah formed his hands like a megaphone and spoke directly into her ear. "Earth to Mariana. Stop having your cute face in the clouds. We need you back here."

Mariana cackled and pushed him playfully. He made her nerves more relaxed with his playing.

She now gazed up to the skies, letting the cold breeze run down and make her feel fresh. Some birds flew past, chasing each other, with their wings beating rapidly, and the wind whisked away spray leaves.

They then ended up in front of an apartment building that used to be where Mona lived.

Mariana looked at it with a gloomy face. It was like the building was a huge cloud that blocked the sunshine from her day. She remembered when she and Leilani came here to pick Mona up,' and then they went out and had the time of their lives.

Where had that time gone? It seemed like now and then were two different periods of her life, even if that happened a couple of months apart.

"Do you want to sneak in and explore a bit?" Micah said, coming up behind and talking over her shoulder. She became startled, with the hairs along her back being raised.

"I don't know,  maybe..." Mariana said, and looked around to make sure no one was looking, or hiding in the shadows. But an icy sensation climbed up her skin when a cold chill blew past.

Since it was only them two, she thought a quick peek wouldn't hurt, since they were already here."!

"Alright, let's do this!" Mariana clapped her hands together.

Instead of going through the front, they climbed over a metal gate and went through a little alley. There were some spills on the coal path and a rat ran past their legs. But they went up the ladder to where Mariana remembered Mona's window being.

She peeked through like a nosy meerkat and on the other wall, she saw a dusty picture of Mona.

"You know what this reminds me of?" Micah said as she beckoned to climb in after her.

"What?" She asked, dusting herself off as she landed on the floor with a thump.

"Remember when he had to sneak around in that restaurant?" The sly change in his tone was occupied with a smirk as he sat on the window. He faced Mariana who beheld a blank expression. She blinked but her whole body was frozen with confusion.

But then it clicked in her brain what he was talking about. Her mind soon remembered and caused her face to become flushed with that awkward moment when they went out for dinner with his family.

"Yeah, I still hate you for that," Mariana's mumbled while Micah continued smirking at her. "but how's it similar?"

"Just trying to sneak around without being suspicious and getting caught," he said. He got off and came beside her. "Do you remember? I went ahead and then you came back ten minutes later after me."

"I remember but I don't want to," Mariana said as she made the links in her head. "We were trying hard to sneak out of the toilets without your family being too suspicious of what we've been doing there."

"You know what," he said and placed his fingers upon her shoulders. "I wish we could do that again."

"I don't." Mariana looked him up and down like he was crazy. "You took my panties and wouldn't give them back until we left."

"Oh yeah, that was the funniest part," Micah said. "I could see your face going red as you kept staring at my pockets. Even when Makayla asked you to pass her something, it would always be the wrong thing since you were distracted."

"Yeah I was scared I was gonna leak into my dress and everyone would notice," Mariaana whined, "and you just sat there so comfortably, smiling at me."

"I know. I could see your pretty face burning hot and my mom thought you had a fever," Micah said, but tickled her ear a little. "I'm sorry for that. Even if I wouldn't mind doing it again."

"Stop bullying me." Mariana pouted like a sad baby. She flicked his hand away but couldn't stop herself but chuckling herself, some parts she did find funny. The whole secrecy of it.

She then looked at the wall where they were loads of pictures of Mona and her kids. One, in particular, caught her eye when they were seated around a table, with a cake. In that one, Mona's features seemed to have shrunken back to a childlike phrase, that she looked more like their big sister than their mother.

Something about it made Mariana grin, and she wondered how someone like that could turn around and kidnap someone else's children.

She walked some more and she felt a small bump underneath. She looked down and a bit of the floorboard looked pulled out of place. So she got down and pulled it up, and was shocked at what she found.

It was another burner phone buried under. There were a few cracks on the screen and dust that made a glaze over it.

"Hey Micah, come see what I found!" She called him over as she sent the dust flying away.

"What is it?"

"I found another phone here!" She announced and tried searching for it. She went onto the call history and found lots of phone calls made in the last couple of months to the same number. She tried calling it herself but it went straight to voicemail.

"How many phones does she own?" Micah muttered.

"Probably a lot if your planning something as serious as this," Mariana replied and tried going to the messages. Thankfully, she found some positive results as she managed to get a chat with the same person.

Mona: Is it ready yet?

Chameleon: Not yet, I wish you wouldn't rush me like this.

Mona: I need it by next week and have given you too much time to have it ready.

Chameleon: Be patient. Do you want it done perfectly or just rush my work?"

Mona: Perfect of course, I can't have it detected so easily that it's fake.

Chameleon: Then stop complaining, I promise I'll have it done by the time you need to go on your trip.  But you can meet me tomorrow if you want to see the progress.

Mona: Fine.

And that was the end of their most recent conversation. Mariana closed the chat, shocked at how far this was planned.

"Wow, I wonder who this 'chameleon' is," Micah said.

"Me too," Mariana said and got up from the crusty, dusty floor. "Come on, let's go give this to your dad so he can give it to Mason."

They climbed out of the apartment and they went back home to get the car. Then, they drove to the mansion and were let in by one of the maids. They went into the living room where Aidan and Crystal were sitting on the couches.

"Hi!" Mariana greeted and bounced into the room.

"Hello, you two. What are you doing here?" Crystal waved with one hand as the other was getting a massage.

"We were inside Mona's apartment and found this." She then brought out the phone.

"We thought it might be useful, and was wondering if you can give it to the police," Micah added.

Aidan laid Crystal's hand on his lap and took the phone. He inspected it for a few minutes and then shoved it inside his pocket.

"I'll give it to Mason whenever I can, alright?"

"Thanks, Aidan." Micah nodded with the most forced, stretched smile.

His father was too stunned to speak. He was about to say something but Crystal tugged him because now was not the time.

"Okay, well, we'll see you later!" Mariana filled up the air with joy and pulled Micah along with her.

"Bye, my lovelies! See you later!" Crystal said and blew kisses after them.

A/N: Hey I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I found it really cute, especially that little meatball nickname🥰🥰🥰