Monday morning after waking up in Calum's arms I took a shower and got dressed beside him.

He was quiet but smiling the whole time, glancing at me in the mirror every ten seconds.

We took separate cars to the police station, Calum taking Luke and stopping for coffee.

I got there before him and waited for him on his desk, sitting there with my legs crossed, purposely wearing short shorts to show my skin.

When he walked in he smirked before setting down the coffee and taking my hands in his.

"Thanks for the coffee." I smiled as he moved in.

"No problem." He wiggled his eyebrows at me before placing his hands on my cheeks and moving in to kiss me.

"I love you." He murmured.

"I love you too."

He grinned.

"Say it again."

"I love you." I smiled.

"Again.

"I love you."

"Agai-"

"Oh my god, stop!" Luke suddenly whined and Calum and I looked up at him, smirking. "I get the two of you had sex and you're all in love but I would like to drink my coffee and eat my muffin in peace. So please go do that somewhere else."

"Aw, Luke don't be jealous." I laughed. "I love you too."

"Hey." Calum pouted.

"Not in the same way." I playfully swatted his chest.

"Good, because you're mine."

I smiled before kissing him once more.

"Guys!" Luke groaned again.

"Fine, fine, i'm going." I laughed.

I grabbed my coffee and a muffin before kissing Calum's cheek and heading out to my desk.

I started on my work for the surprise party, organising my party supplies and ordering a cake from the local bakery.

I then called the italian restaurant Calum had taken me to on our first date to have them cater the event.

When it was time for me to go Cal came out of his office.

"So you're picking up the boys after work?" He sat down on my desk.

"Yup. I think i'll take them to that park a couple blocks away from your house."

"Sounds fun. Call me when you have them."

"I will. Are you coming to Connie's for lunch?"

"Yeah. I always do." He laughed.

"Then I will see you then." I winked at him.

I made my way to Connie's still in a dreamy state and when I got there Kate was behind the counter flipping through a magazine as she chewed her gum.

"Hey Ness!" She smiled.

"Hey!" I made my way behind the counter and sat down on the stool. "So, I have something to tell you. But you might want to sit down first."

She gave me a suspicious look.

"Did you commit a crime? Because you work at a police station."

I rolled my eyes.

"This is good news!"

"Oh okay!" She grinned before sitting down on the other stool. "So what is it?"

"So...last night Calum and I finally did it...and he told me he loved me."

Kate's jaw dropped before a excited scream left her mouth.

"Are you serious?! Did you say it back?!"

"Of course I did." I laughed. "How couldn't I? He's perfect."

"Awwwwww!" Kate squeaked before pulled me into a bear hug.

"It was just literally the perfect moment." I smiled dreamily.

"You two are totally gonna get married. I call it."

"Kate! It's way too soon for that!" I laughed.

We worked on taking inventory while we waited for the lunch rush, Kate updating me on her grandmother who has been taken back to the hospital for pneumonia a couple days ago.

When the lunch rush did come in we were swamped, and then once it cleared out our friends arrived.

The boys all cat called and whistled suggestively at Calum and myself as they walked in and Calum shook his head as he approached me.

"They're idiots." He rolled his eyes but I just giggled as he came around the counter and hugged me from behind, resting his head on my shoulder.

"How's the rest of your morning been?"

"Good. Busy, but good."

He kissed my cheek.

"I called my mom to tell her you'll be getting the boys and apparently Eli is very excited. He made her pick out his best outfit for you and had her fix his hair like mine."

"Aw!" I giggled. "That's so cute."

"He's a goofball."

Kate made Calum his sandwich and he paid before kissing me goodbye.

"Love you." He called out to me as he left and my cheeks blushed.

"Love you too!"

Kate squealed as we exchanged words and danced around, telling me she was practicing for my wedding to which I rolled my eyes at.

After my shift, I made my way to Calum's parents house.

I ditched the crutches and walked up the sidewalk to their front door, ringing the doorbell.

A few moments later Joy opened the door with a big smile on her face.

"Hello, Nessa." She hugged me.

"Hi. How was the rest of your weekend?"

"It was good." She laughed. "Now come in, the boys have been waiting for you all day."

I stepped inside the house.

"Eli, Cade! Nessa is here!"

There was a pounding of footsteps and Eli rounded the corner first, Cade following close behind him.

"Momma!" Eli ran up to me, wrapping his arms around my legs.

"Woah Eli, don't squeeze too tight; my leg is still hurt." I laughed and he loosened up a little.

"Did I hurt you?" He looked up at me innocently with a worried look.

"No, you didn't." I smiled. "Wow, you look very handsome today." I commented at his styled hair and outfit that Joy had chosen for him.

"You look handsome too." He giggled.

"Eli, you tell a girl she's beautiful, not handsome." Joy commented and Eli nodded.

"Oh." He nodded quickly. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek before going to pick up Cade who was wanting me to hold him.

"Nwessa." He hugged my neck.

"Hello, Cade. Are you ready to go play at the park?"

He nodded before beginning to baby talk nonsense.

"Okay well lets get going to the park and then we can meet your Daddy at your house." I said to the kids before looking back at joy. "Thanks for letting me pick them up."

"Oh of course." She smiled.

"I'll see you soon." I smiled and the boys said goodbye to their nana and papa before coming out with me to my car.

"Nessa where are we going?" Eli asked me as I drove away from the house and I noticed his change in name for me.

"To the park by your house."

"Is Daddy going?"

"No he has to work."

Eli pouted at this.

"I'm sorry, I know you want him to come play with us but maybe he can come another time."

Eli nodded.

When we arrived at the park the boys practically jumped out of the car to get to the slides.

I followed them, Eli having me put him on a swing and push him while Cade played in a sand box with a few other kids.

Eli then wanted to swing on his own so I went to sit on a bench where I could see both boys perfectly.

"Nessa look how high I can go!" Eli shouted.

"I know! I think you can go higher than me!"

He grinned at this.

All of the other kids left the sandbox and left Cade by himself so I went over with him, sitting down next to him but on the side facing Eli so I could see him.

"What are you making Cade?" I touched his cheek with my hand and he smiled.

"Cwastle."

"A castle? It's very nice."

He yawned as he played and after awhile I picked him up and carried him back with me to the bench.

I hugged him to me and let him fall asleep,
patting his back while I watched Eli play on the monkey bars.

I was watching as he dangled from one of the bars, smiling at him because this was as far as he had gotten without letting go, when two arms snaked around my shoulders.

I gasped and then heard the chuckle of Calum.

"Don't scare me like that." I whined as he kissed my cheek and then came to sit next to me.

"Guess Cade was ready for a nap." He smiled as he looked at his son.

"He was yawning while he was making sand castles so I figured it was better he fell asleep on my lap rather than the sand."

"That does sound like a better alternative. Have they been good?"

"They've been great."

He smiled before kissing my temple.

"Stay the night?"

"Sure, but I need to get some clothes from home first."

"We can do that, lets get your clothes and then grab some dinner with those two monsters."

"I like that." I kissed his cheek.

Eli ran over when he saw Calum and the two of us drove our separate cars over to my house. I got out of my car and Calum helped me up the drive, the boys following us.

He opened the door and let me go in first.

I turned on the lights and glanced into the kitchen, gasping when I saw a person.

Calum stopped me from falling back at the sight and my eyes widened when the person stood up.

I blinked.

"Dawson?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He stepped up, his face coming into the light.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I hit his shoulder.

"OW!"

"Dawson?" Calum then stepped in. "I didn't know you were here."

"Me either." I widened my eyes at the scrawny boy in front of me.

"Sorry, I should've called." Dawson apologised.

I glared at him for a moment before turning to Calum.

"Could you excuse us for a minute?" I smiled at him and he nodded before I dragged Dawson back to my room.

"What are you doing here?!" I whisper shouted when I shut the door.

"Nessa, i'm sorry but this was something I couldn't tell you over the phone!"

"Well spit it out!"

"Your Grandma is in the hospital."

"Which one? Whitfield or Baker?"

"Whitfield..."

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"What happened?"

"A heart attack."

"Oh my god!" I put my face in my hands.

"Your dad sent me. He said you need to go say your goodbyes."

I could feel the sobs welling up in my throat and the the fear set in.

"Seth-"

"Won't even know you're there."

"When do I need to go?"

He glanced at the door before looking back at me.

"Tomorrow morning. That's at the latest."

I nodded.

I shook my head and tried to keep myself together.

"So you and Calum...?"

"Yeah." I gave him a partial smile. "I really love him."

"And him? Does he love you too?"

"Yeah." I smiled, praying tears wouldn't spill over. "Yeah he does."

Dawson hugged me.

"I need to go tell him." I sighed before opening the door and walking out into the front room.

Calum was sitting on my sofa, Eli in the armchair while Cade played on the floor.

His head snapped back to look at me.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He stood up.

"Um, no not really, but we can talk about it later?"

"Sure?" He furrowed his eyebrows before stepping up to me and placing his hand on my arm.

"Who are you?" Eli then piped up, sliding off the chair as he looked at Dawson.

"I'm a friend of Nessa's." Dawson gave him a smile as Eli came to stand in front of me.

"I've never seen you." Eli puffed up his chest at him. "I don't believe you."

My jaw dropped in surprise and amusement. Eli was being protective of me.

"That's my Momma and i've never seen you so I think you should leave."

"Eli!" Calum exclaimed and I let out a laugh before bending down to Eli.

"Eli, this is Dawson. He's one of my best friends. Do you remember when you called me when I was in New York and someone answered my phone? That was Dawson."

"Oh." Eli said.

"Apologise." Calum nudged him forward.

Eli frowned before stepping up to Dawson.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Dawson smiled. "You must really like Nessa to be so protective over her."

"She's my Momma." Eli smiled. "I love her."

I looked up at Calum when Eli said this and he smiled down at us.

"Momma." I said with a surprised face since Eli had been calling me Nessa all day. "I thought you had started calling me Nessa again." I looked back at Eli.

"No." He shook his head. "You're Momma."

I smiled as he wrapped his arms around my neck and I picked him up.

"I love you." I kissed his cheek.

"I love you too." He hugged me tight.

Calum placed his hand on my waist and gave it a squeeze.

"Can your Dad and I talk for a second?" I then asked him and then set him down before leading Calum to the kitchen.

"What's wrong?"

"My Nonna had a heart attack. She's not doing well and I need to go see her. This might be goodbye."

His eyes went wide.

"Oh my god, Nessa i'm so sorry." He pulled me into a hug.

"I need to go."

"I know. Go. You need to go see her." He placed his hands on my face.

I nodded.

"Forget about dinner. Go get on a plane and see your grandma. I'll take care of everything here. Just go."

I nodded.

"Thank you."

"Of course, Nessa just go."

"Yeah."

I let him go so I could go pack and he followed me to my room to help me throw some things in my duffel.

He then carried my bag out to my car for me before coming back in.

"Call me when you land and tell me how it goes, okay?" He hugged me again before kissing me and suddenly I remembered something.

"Calum I have court on Wednesday!"

"I'll handle it." He assured me.

"Okay."

"Go, Nessa."

I turned around to hug both Eli and Cade.

"You're not eating dinner with us?" Eli frowned.

"No, Eli, I wish I could, but my grandma is really really sick, and I've got to go see her."

"Oh." He said. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so." I smiled. "I'll see you soon."

He nodded and kissed my cheek.

I hugged and kissed Cade before going up to Calum.

"Don't forget to call me when you land."

"I won't." I smiled and since I couldn't stretch up he bent down to kiss me.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I squeezed his biceps with my hands and kissed him once more before looking at Dawson who nodded.

We locked up my house and while Calum got his kids in his car, I got behind the wheel of mine.

I waved to him and he waved back at me before I made my way on the hour long trip to the airport.

When we arrived we got tickets for the next flight to NYC and then waited at the gate.

I sat there on my phone texting Kate that I wouldn't be there tomorrow when I got a text from Calum.

It was a picture of Eli at the table with an empty chair next to him.

'He made me order a drink for you even though you aren't here. He keeps sneaking sips of it so it looks like someone is drinking it. Hope all goes well. Love you.'

Calum was amazing, and I knew that despite warning, I had fallen hard for this man, and he had fallen hard for me.

--

And she said it back!!!!

Yay!

Gonna be some drama in NY so prepare yourselves ;)

much love xx-m