Song above for Chapter: "Stuck with U" by Ariana Grande ft. Justin Bieber

ELENORA

The muffled sounds of someone crying seeps into my foggy mind. I squeeze my eyes before I slowly blink them open. I focus on the TV that's on, mounted on the wall across from me but the sound is mute.

Then the balloons and several flower bouquets and baskets capture my attention. Every flat surface of the room is covered. The fragrance from the roses and lilies becomes overwhelming.

"Please..." Someone begs and my eyes move down. Rico's forehead is near my stomach, his shoulders shake as he cries. "Please come back to me. I can't do this without you. Please come back to us."

I wince when I lift my hand, pain shoots up my arm from reaching to touch his head. Why does something so simple hurt this much?

I touch his hair lightly. "I'm right here, you don't have to be such a cry baby, Rico." My raspy voice startles him and he sits up.

He looks back at me and I'm just as startled to see him look so...rough.

His normally short stubble is longer and not trimmed or neat. Dark circles under his eyes give him a gaunt look and his hair is unkempt. His blood shot eyes stare back at me almost like he doesn't believe what he's seeing; wet and dry stains of tears streak his face.

"Do I look as bad as you do?" I tease, smiling at him, but he sobs in response, holding my hand in his.

He comes on my other side and lays on the bed with me, holding me; I worry the bed won't be able to hold us. "Are we going to start breaking hospital beds now, too?"

He keeps sobbing and kisses my hand as I try to shush him to calm down. After some time, he settles down but the tears keep coming, wetting my chest.

"Rico, where's Matty?"

Rico sniffles and wipes his face. "I'll go get him. He's back at the house, your parents are with him."

"No, don't go," I hold on to his arm. "Have them bring him to us, please?" He sends a text and his phone starts going off shortly after.

"Before the circus arrives, tell me what happened." I attempt to sit up and realize I can't support myself with my left arm.

"You don't remember?" Rico sits on the bed and hands me a cup of water. I take notice he's wearing sweats and a hoodie giving him a youthful look except for the stress and worry on his face.

I swallow a huge gulp of water. "I remember Rosetta was at the house, Angela was in Matty's room. And then I remember this burning, searing pain running through me and then everything went dark." Several emotions cross over his face but he leans over and grunts loudly; he's still trying to hold back his sobs.

"You died, Elenora." His voice is strained and the pain in his eyes is overwhelming.

"You pushed me out of the way when Angela fired the gun. There was so much blood...your heart stopped twice; once before the paramedics came. Jackie performed CPR on you. The paramedics shocked you over and over again." Tears fall down his face. "And then your heart...your heart stopped when they were operating on you." His voice breaks and that tears through me. I never imagined seeing him look so broken.

"Federico." I reach my hand out for him and he takes it in his shaking one. He kisses the inside of my hand before he lifts it up to his damp cheek.

"Mio polpetta." I give him a small smile. "Not even death can keep us apart, amore. You know I would come back to haunt you, anyway."

He looks down at the floor somberly. ""Please don't joke like that, Elenora."

"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to seeing you like this and I want to see you smile," I tell him as I squeeze his hand again. "Come here." I tug on his hand and he scoots closer to me, but I pull him more and he leans over me, and the sounds he makes to control his crying is heart wrenching.

I fight through the pain when I lift my left arm to put both my arms around him.

"I love you so much, Elenora."

"I love you, Rico. And I'm not going anywhere, you're stuck with me, just like I'm stuck with you, forever."

He leans away enough to hold my face and leans in to kiss me so soft, like he's afraid of hurting me. I smile as I wipe the tears from his face and he leans his forehead on mine, closing his eyes.

The door opens and Pia walks in, in her white coat. "Well, isn't this the best surprise!" She smiles. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised Rico didn't inform me you woke up, and I don't blame him for wanting some time with you. He hasn't left your side for four days."

"Four days?" I look back at Rico's eyes that still look sad. "Have you eaten? Slept? Please tell me you've spent time with Matty."

"He has spent time with Matty but everything else, no. I thought about slipping him something, but you know the whole ethical part kept me from doing it," Pia smiles at him, rubbing her hand down his face softly, wiping the tears still falling as he keeps watching me.

Pia puts the blood pressure cuff on my arm and hits the machine for it to start squeezing.

"Matty's been in here everyday with you." Rico's hand caresses my face. "We laid with you and he did tummy time." The corner of his mouth lifts. "He kept trying to nurse, but Pia said it might not be safe with the anesthesia and medications you were under, but she said it was okay to have you pump to keep the milk production going, while you were under. I didn't think you would mind because I know you love nursing Matty."

I smile. "I'm surprised by how much you're using his nickname."

He lets out a small chuckle. "It's better than the one Serafina keeps trying to use."

"What is it?"

"Baby Turk."

"Turk?"

"Yeah, she said Matty reminds her of the little monkey in the Tarzan movie, who had long hair like Matty's, especially now that it sticks up all over the place."

"Sorry to interrupt, but I just want to ask you some quick questions, Elenora, aside from the soreness you must be feeling," Pia comes up on my other side, "Are you feeling any pain?"

"Just when I lift my arm."

"All things considered, that's not bad. I'm sure Rico told you, you lost a lot of blood, we had to give a couple of transfusions. And with being Anemic, it's also why you slept a long time, your body needed to recover, dolcezza." She tells me as she cups my face. "But I loved seeing little Matty here everyday; he sure is handsome." (sweetheart)

"Just like his dad." I smile at Rico.

There's a commotion outside and I groan. "Kiss me before everyone bombards me, please." I pull him towards me and he leans in, and pecks my lips three times. But I hold him close to me, lingering on the last kiss before the door bursts open.

"There's mamma, tesoro mio," My mom's voice reaches my ears and I look over at my cute little boy in her arms. I can't help the tears that come to my eyes when he smiles wide and kicks his little legs. My sisters all rush in with my mom, along with Clara and Domani, Ciccio and Mostro. (My darling)

"Look who's back from the dead!" Clara jokes and I smile back at her, but her smile falters when she sees the serious look on Rico's face.

My sisters each hug and kiss me. "I missed you so much, Nora," Maya hugs me tight.

"I missed you, too, cucciola." I cup her face and kiss her nose. (little cub)

"Glad to see you're awake. But don't do that shit again, we're the ones that get paid to take a bullet for the Boss," Ciccio tells me.

"I was closer." I smile at them and they both shake their heads at me.

Rico walks towards my mom and Matty. My mom reaches up to cup Rico's face. "I told you she would wake up soon, figlio." She pats his face before he takes her hand and kisses the palm of her hand. (son)

"Sì, suocera, non ho la tua fede," Rico responds as she hands Matty to him. Matty slaps his face happily. (Yes, mother in law, I don't have your faith)

"There's my little guy," I smile, holding my free arm out to him and he leans forward, too. His hair moves and flies around as his little head bobbles. He squeals and babbles as he looks up at me. I inhale his scent deeply. "I love you, Mateo." He coos in response.

I hiss when I reach to pull my gown down and Rico moves in quickly to help me stay covered and Matty latches on right away. I notice the bandage just under my shoulder.

"Well, I guess we have matching scars, now," I tease Rico.His mouth sets in a tight line and then excuses himself.

"I'm kidding, Rico!" I call out but he's already at the door and brushes past my dad who was on his way in. My dad watches him leave and then looks back at me.

"You'd think he'd be a little happier now that you're awake after being here day after day waiting," Luna states and the guilt seeps into me as Domani follows Rico out the door, then Ciccio and Mostro follow.

"Nora, you shouldn't joke like that. He was a mess at the house when the paramedics arrived and then during your operation. Completely inconsolable and then he wouldn't leave your side once you were out of surgery," My mom admonishes and tsk's her tongue.

"Teresa, some of us like to use dark humor to lighten the mood, that doesn't mean Nora doesn't understand the seriousness of the situation. I mean, she took a bullet for Rico, for crying out loud," Clara tells my mom.

"He watched her die for him, Clara." My dad steps in. "We all know he's lost the only people he's ever loved; his parents and then having to watch Nora be revived, put yourself in his shoes."

Matty stops eating and looks over at my dad, hearing his voice and smiles; I chuckle tearfully at his innocence. I try to lift him up but my arm hurts too much to lift him up. Clara picks him up and starts burping him as I cover up.

"What happened to Angela?" I ask curiously.

My parents look at each other worriedly, but Clara is the one who speaks up. "Gabriel and Renzo took her away. They're afraid Rico is going to..." She pauses remembering Maya is listening in.

"Rico's going to snuff her out," Maya responds and my mother nearly passes out.

"Maya!" My sisters say her name in unison.

"Where did you hear that, Maya?" My father questions her sternly.

She shrugs. "From one of your shows. You fell asleep and I saw popcorn and I started eating some but then the show got really loud and I heard one of the guys say it to someone before this guy got killed." My father's face flushes as he looks guiltily over at my mom who's glaring back at him.

"Rico wouldn't do that. Despite all that's happened, they were childhood friends and she's clearly not okay—" I start to explain as Clara hands Matty back who seems to still be hungry.

"No, Nora, you didn't see Rico. During your surgery, he'd switch from being upset then angry, and furious. If it wasn't for Matty, I don't know what would have happened. Matty brought him back from whatever was going on in his head," My mom tells me.

I picture him crying when he didn't know I had woken up yet and his pleas for me to come back and the way he sobbed even after I was awake. My heart twists for being so careless to everything he must have felt and gone through the last few days.

I look down at Matty and his eyes are starting to close; I push back his thick hair and remember the nickname Serafina's been using for him. And then my mind goes back to his baptism.

"Angela said Rosetta was the one who promised her she could take Matty...where is Rosetta? She's the one who's responsible for what happened. I know Angela had the gun, but it was obvious she was having a mental breakdown and Rosetta has been feeding into her delusions."

"Rico has several people looking for her, too," My dad tells me.

My family sits with me for a while longer and then Pia asks everyone to let me rest and they all leave begrudgingly, but even I have a hard time letting little Matty go.

"When can I go home, Pia?"

Pia looks up from the paperwork she's filling out. "Hmm? Soon, I just have to remove the drainage tube, catheter and change your dressing before you go and then Rico can do it for you at home. Keep yourself elevated for at least another week when you go to sleep."

She goes on to tell me a few more things to keep an eye out for in regards to the wound and then to call her immediately if I think it's infected.

"Pia, while I'm here can I get the shot? I'm up for another dose." I may as well get that taken care of now.

"Sure, I'll have a nurse give it to you along with your antibiotics. Do you want anything for pain?"

I shake my head. "No, it's bearable." I grimace as I forget I can't put weight on my right side.

"Are you sure?" Pia asks me and I nod. She leaves and I sit there waiting for the pain to ebb away. I glance over and see my phone and decide to text Rico.

Me: Hey, come back to me.

Me: Please

Me: I'm sorry, I shouldn't have joked the way I did.

Dots appear and then they disappear.

Me: Rico...

The dots are back, but I look up when a young male nurse walks in and informs me he's going to remove the catheter.

I sit impatiently waiting for Rico to respond and another nurse walks in with a small cup. She hands me the antibiotics and then she gives me the shot. She also starts working on getting the IV out of the back of my right hand.

Then I get an idea—probably not a good idea, but I don't know what else will work at the moment.

Me: You really should be here right now, just saying...

This time there are no dots.

I take a picture of the male nurse in between my legs and send it to Rico. My phone rings almost immediately and I tap on the icon to answer the call, but before I can greet him, I gasp at the sensation of something being pulled out of me painfully.

"Oops, sorry, was that too rough?" The male nurse asks me.

"No, not at all," I mutter. Asshat.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rico rushes into the room, his phone in his hand as he looks between me and the nurse, but then notices the other female nurse.

I notice her eyes travel down Rico's clothes and linger a little longer on the outline of his pants. I clear my throat, but the male nurse is the one who speaks up.

"I was just removing your wife's catheter, sir." He swallows, leaning away from me and holds the flimsy rope-like, rubber instrument in his hand.

I blush, biting back a smile when Rico glares at me.

"It worked didn't it?" I ask, sheepishly.

The female nurse excuses herself and walks out, but tries to brush against Rico, but he side steps her as he keeps glaring at me.

"I was on my way back to you, Elenora. You're so impatient." A ghost of a smile on his lips makes me smile wider. He walks up to me and kisses my head but as he pulls away, I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him closer to me and kiss him desperately.

"I missed those lips, mio polpetta." (my meatball)

He leans in and his stubble rubs pleasurably against my cheek before he nibbles on my ear and whispers. "These lips will be on you later, mia patatina." (my little potato)

Heat rushes to my core. "So, you're not mad at me anymore?"

He brushes my hair back and then his fingers trail down to my chin. "I was never mad at you, Elenora, maybe more like...miffed." He pulls his lips in, amused with himself.

I chuckle. "Miffed?"

"Yes, miffed." He turns back to the nurse who's watching us. "Are you finished?"

The nurse looks between us. "Oh, y-yes."

Rico pulls the sheet back down over my legs glaring at the nurse. "Then get out."

I cover my laugh with my hand as the nurse scurries away, not able to get away from Rico's fiery eyes fast enough.

"There's my jealous, slightly possessive hunk of a man."

He sits down and kisses me hungrily, surprising me pleasantly. The need, and craving he pours into the kiss is intense. I'm left both speechless and breathless when he pulls away, his lips lingering on mine as our heavy breathing mingles with each other.

"I love you more than my own life, Elenora—if there's no you, then I don't exist."

"Rico, I will always be with you, no matter what happens." I hold his face in my hands and peck his lips three times and laugh.

"You know...we've come a long way since the days you thought I had the personality of a wet mop."

He groans, leaning his head on mine. "God, you're never going to let that go, are you? I told you I never meant any of that shit."

I chuckle as I brush my lips against his neck. "I have let it go." I smile as I look back at him. "But it's fun to remind you about it, Federico."

I brush my nose against his. "Can you take me home, now?"

He kisses me softly, before he dips down and rests his head on my chest. "You might get sick of me, but I'm not going to let you out of my sight, mia patatina." (my little potato)

"I could never get sick of you, Federico Di Maggio."

***