1-31: Drive

Whatever tomorrow brings

I'll be there with open arms and open eyes

Whatever tomorrow brings

I'll be there, I'll be there 

-----------

"You're not succeeding in doing anything but stressing me out, Xavier."

Eden shifted in her chair, throwing another dirty look at her husband. Which was somehow what he was now. They'd decided to skip any chances of anything else possibly going wrong and get married at the court house a week before their second baby was due. 

Little did they know, two days later, she came anyway.

Rain Olivia Nile. Their Valentine's day baby. Of all things.

At least Eden had a new appreciation for the holiday that she basically saw as a complete joke.

"Alright, Eden. Breathe. I'm just trying to help you. You're acting like you're going to pull your hair out."

Xavier took a step back from Eden and the two little girls in her arms.

"I don't know why I would do that. Struggling with a whiny toddler and a newborn, that's a piece of cake after all."

The sarcasm leaked from her words, but she was too stubborn to let him help her when she knew damn well she could do it herself. She shifted Storm in her arms and finally conceded, sitting her promptly on her feet in front of her father.

"Daddy!"

Storm instantly quit crying, her fake whines fading into giggles as Xavier picked her up.


"Hey there, princess. Let's go watch cartoons and give mommy a break."

Eden scowled, finally getting a bottle out of the baby bag. Rain latched onto it quickly, her eyes drifting closed in seconds. 

This is ridiculous. I was not made for two children. How the hell did my mother have so many?

Rain and Storm couldn't be more different, however. Rain's disposition was basically exactly like her father. Even in her tiny size and age, she barely cried. And when she did, they were soft and quiet. It was like nothing upset her, even at a month old.

Maybe that would continue into her entire life. 

Eden wasn't sure if she should be happy or concerned. That's the kind of personality type that could get easily taken advantage of.

(yes I know she looks older than a month but hey you can only do so much in the sims >_>)

And then there was Storm. Three years old and sassier than her mother could have ever been prepared for. If there was one thing that Eden was sure of, it was that she was definitely done having kids. Two was more than enough.

One mini her, and one mini Xav. What more could she really ask for?

------------

"We need to get this surgery done sooner rather than later, Mrs. Nile.

I know that you're worried that something will happen, but the longer we wait, the more complications could arise."

Eden tore her eyes off the ceiling and ran a hand through her hair, sighing.

"I know, I know. She's just so little. Don't you think we could wait until she was older? She's only three, Doc."

The doctor looked half annoyed, half sympathetic, as he searched for words to give her. Before he could respond, however, Xavier cut him off. His words were harsh, but his face was reflecting something else. Something close to concern.

"Quite frankly, no. She's been sick multiple times already. You're afraid to close the ASD and have something go wrong in surgery, but not afraid that she could die from all of the complications that the defect itself is already causing her?

You need to think logically, Eden."

It wasn't like Xavier and Eden never fought. They did, and they did a lot. But it was never over something serious like this. She was surprised he had felt this way and not said something to her already. She turned her face toward him, eyebrow raised. 

"I'm sorry, but, isn't this something you should have told me a long time ago? We've known she was sick for almost a year and you sat by and let me have my way. If you felt differently, why didn't you just say something?"

Xavier's face was blank, but his eyes were disbelieving.

"Are you serious?"

The doctor cleared his throat, raising both hands up. Eden scoffed, slumping back into her chair.

"This is not the time for you two to disagree about this. I just need to know if you're ready for Storm to have her surgery... or not.

We can schedule something now, if you two are ready for it.

But, I have to say, it is definitely in your best interest to go forward with this as soon as possible."

Eden crossed her arms over her chest, glancing over at Rain sleeping peacefully in her car seat.

"Whatever he wants. I'm leaving."

She stood, grabbing the car seat and walking out.

She was almost to the front doors, to the exit, when she heard her name behind her. She turned around to face the voice, pulling Rain's car seat closer to her body.

"Kyle?"

He smiled at her once, surveying her stance, his eyes finally resting on the car seat in her hand.

"Hey. Yeah. I work here. I heard about your daughter and your sister. All those years ago... I'm sorry I wasn't a good friend... I'm sorry I split and wasn't around for you. You have my deepest condolences. Are you holding up alright?"

Eden raised an eyebrow, watching him closely as he walked closer to her.

"You... Okay. Thanks. I appreciate that."

They were never actually friends? She slept with him once. He was best friends with her little brother. She wouldn't quite call that a reason why he would ever need to personally be there for her. Even in the face of loss like that.

She shifted her weight as he got close to her, something crawling up her spine in alarm.

"No problem. You and I should hang out sometime. You used to be a lot of fun."

He smiled at her, but it wasn't a warm smile. In fact, something in it sent shivers through her. And not the good kind. 

She nodded in ascent though, wanting more than anything to just get away from him.

"Yeah... Maybe. I'll call you or something."

She had absolutely no plan to do anything of the sort. She just wanted to escape.

He seemed placated enough by her response though, because he put enough space between them for her to breathe again. She took in enough deep breaths to clear her head, turning for the door.

God, she hated it when people got too close.

"See you soon, Eden."

She glanced over her shoulder as she exited, nodding. The look on Kyle's face made her nauseous. He made her nauseous.

Not if I have anything to say about it. Creep.

------------

"We shouldn't be fighting over this."

Xavier was so calm and collected, Eden wanted to hit him in the face. Not that that's not how it always went down when they had any sort of disagreement. He kept his cool while she unfolded into hostility in front of him.

"Yeah? Because you not telling me that you think that I'm being an idiot about decisions with our child isn't a reason to fight?"

Xavier sighed, staring down into his coffee cup in front of him.

"It's not. I don't think that you're being an idiot. I think that you're just afraid. And that's okay, Eden. It's okay to be afraid. I just want you to see the logic instead of the emotion in this situation."

Eden neglected to respond to his statement, pushing her own cup back and forth between her hands.

"Did you schedule it?"

Her words were technically non-confrontational, but her tone said enough to Xavier, that he let out one more sigh. He got to his feet and walked over to Eden, bending down so his eyes were at her level. He reached out, tilting her chin up so that her emerald green gaze met his own.

"You have a month to prepare for this, Eden. It's going to be okay, and she is. You'll survive this. I know you, and I know even if you won't say it, you're terrified. But everything is going to be okay.

You're not going to lose her. You have a family now, and you have a life. None of that is going anywhere. 

I love you."

Eden took in a sharp breath right before his lips touched hers. 

And that feeling was still there, the one since the very first time he kissed her. That safety, the comfort that she'd only ever seemed to find in Xavier Nile. It was probably the reason that she ended up with him.

Not that she believed in fate, or 'meant to be'.

But if there was such a thing, she was pretty dead set that hers was Xav. That it probably always had been. 

It had taken her a long time to see it, but she had in the end.

And for that, she would always be thankful.

And she was never letting it go.

-------------
But lately, I'm beginning to find that when I drive myself
My light is found

1-30: The Scientist

Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Take me back to the start

------------

"Stop pulling at it. Eden. Quit!"

Kiara smacked Eden's hand away from the top of her dress and procured a scowl from Eden in the process.

"It's so... tight. And I can't figure out why. This is lame. This thing fit me six weeks ago when I ordered it."

Eden scowled again, turning to examine her white dress in the mirror. Kiara raised an eyebrow, examining Eden's figure as she turned. She placed a hand on Eden's stomach and let out a breath. 

"Well... It kind of looks like you've grown a little bit. Your boobs and your stomach.

And I say that in the nicest way possible. Have you like... had your period and stuff?"

Eden narrowed her eyes, turning away from the mirror to look at her best friend. 

"I'm not pregnant. I mean, I'm a few days late, but I kind of figured it was just stress."

Kiara rolled her eyes, trying to flatten some of the kinks in her hair that being out in the rain had caused.

"How many days are we talking here?"

Eden bit down on her lip and shook her head slowly.

"Thirty."

She said it quietly, but Kiara definitely caught it. It was obvious in her groan.

"You are so pregnant. Eden Royale! Why didn't you say something?"

Eden shook her head again, more intensely. 

"Because my wedding is in three days and I didn't want to come to terms with the fact that I was going to be too fat to fit into my dress."

She pulled at the top of her dress again, groaning loudly. 

"Which is obviously the case. This is a mess."

Kiara sighed.

"You'll be fine. 

But can I say that I never pictured you as a mom of seven kids and owner of a mini van?"

Eden sat down on the chair in the dressing room and put her head in her hands.

"I'm not having seven kids. If I'm actually pregnant again, this is going to be the last one. And it better be a boy, because Storm and I have enough estrogen for the entire county. 

I have a two year old, I'm not ready for another baby. I was never planning on having another baby."

Kiara pulled the zipper on her own dress down, looking at her phone as she did so.

"Well, I can't say that I feel the same. With Lilith, and Jett, I still want another baby."

"Yeah, but, you aren't me. You and Atticus are great with kids. That's why my parents gave you custody of Jett in the first place. Mine stresses me out more than I ever thought possible.

And they just get older and more difficult. I can't imagine what it's going to be like having a teenager. 

If my kids are anything like me, I'm unbelievably screwed."

Kiara laughed, pulling her jeans back on and zipping the bag covering her bridesmaid's dress closed.

"Well, I guess you can just hope that they turn out like their dad. At least he's sane and had a normal childhood."

Eden sighed and turned so Kiara could unlace the back of her dress, her mind stuck on how exactly she was going to tell Xavier that she was expecting another baby. She didn't think he'd be unhappy... Just shocked. Things still weren't calm enough with his schooling for a new baby to be anywhere near a good idea. 

But it was too late now. 

As Eden was slipping on her shoes, her phone started buzzing in her pocket. She attempted to ignore it, a plan still trying to form in her mind, but it went off again. 

And again.

She pulled it out, annoyed, and slid the lock to the answer side.

"What do you want, Atticus? We're kind of busy here. I know you have three kids there with you, but I promise it won't kill you."

Atticus' sigh was loud and he followed it by clearing his throat.

"Well, I thought you might want to know that Storm is acting like she might be sick. She's running a low grade fever and she says that her tummy hurts. I gave her some Tylenol and took her up to her room. I tried to read her a story, and give her cookies, but I think she just really wants her mom."

Eden released a long, slow breath as Atticus finished talking and instantly regretted snapping at him the way that she had. Her nerves were so on edge, and Storm being sick was not going to help that.

But so goes being a mom.

"Alright. Just go back downstairs with your kids. We'll be there soon."

--------------

Storm didn't look completely worse for wear when Eden entered her room. She sat up in her bed and smiled at Eden, holding her arms up so she could be picked up. Eden let out a sigh and walked over to her, cuddling her to her chest.

"Hey there, princess. Are you okay?"

Storm shook her head and placed a hand on her chest, her big emerald green eyes piercing into Eden's. 

"It hurts, mommy."

Eden pressed a kiss to her forehead and brushed Storm's hair out of her eyes, nodding. Her skin felt hot, but not too hot. Hopefully this was something that Storm could just sleep off and feel better the next morning.

"That's what uncle Atty said. But you're going to be okay, aren't you big girl?"

Storm nodded intently, her smile wide on her lips. 

"I be okay."

Eden sat Storm on her feet on the floor and sat crossed legged in front of her, holding out her arms. Storm immediately went into them and snuggled her face in her mother's chest.

"Do you wanna know a secret?"

Eden whispered the words into Storm's hair, stroking the back of her curls. She felt her daughter nod into her shoulder and took a deep breath, like she was telling Xavier and not her two and a half year old daughter.

"You're gonna be a big sister. Mommy has a baby in her tummy."

Eden wasn't sure exactly what she expected, seeing as she was pretty sure that her daughter would have absolutely no idea what she was talking about. But she had expected a response of some kind.

Instead, Storm's chest rose and fell slowly, meaning she had fallen asleep before she had probably heard a word Eden had responded with.

"Okay. I told you. Now I just have to tell your daddy. Same thing, right?"

Not exactly.

Eden got to her feet, still clutching Storm to her chest and leaned over, laying her softly among the blankets and stuffed animals in her crib.

"Sleep tight, princess. Mommy loves you so much."

When Eden's eyes began to sting, she was ninety percent certain it was time to do something to distract herself. Hormones or not, she absolutely detested crying. She'd tell Xavier eventually... She just wasn't sure she was ready to do it before the wedding. 

They had enough to worry about.

-------------

"You look beautiful, Eden. Would you stop worrying? You're going to make yourself sick, and then throw up, and no one wants to clean that up. Least of all me."

Eden rolled her eyes, twisting a lock of hair around her finger and groaning.

"It's not even the kind of curls I wanted. What is this shit? I look like I got caught in the rain and left my hair the way it was."

Eden was brought out of her complaints by a soft sob leaving Storm's throat. She was still sick, and it almost seemed like it had gotten even worse, but Eden was trying to be convinced that she was going to be okay. She didn't want to worry too much about something that was probably just another common cold. Xavier had been so busy, but when he had seen Storm, he was convinced Eden was worrying for nothing.

Kiara rocked Storm on her hip and brushed her hair out of her eyes, but she still kept crying. Eden walked over to her, leaning and pressing her lips to her cheek. She was hot to the touch, even with Tylenol in her system. She took her in her arms and as Storm leaned back, a frown clear across her face, the heat in her body seemed to grow more apparent. 


This didn't seem like a common cold. This didn't seem like she was going to be fine. What if Xavier was wrong?

"Maybe we should call the wedding off. Take her to the emergency room."

Eden bit down on her lip and ran her finger across Storm's cheek, brushing the tears away.

Kiara tilted her head, concern in her eyes.

"We could ask Atticus to take her now. We can meet him there right after."

Kiara's voice didn't actually sound like she wanted to leave Storm at all, but she also sounded like she just didn't want something to ruin Eden's wedding day.

"But what if she's really sick and I'm not there? She keeps coughing and she shivers and Tylenol isn't helping."

Eden handed Storm back to her and Kiara nodded sympathetically, tucking Storm's head into her chest as she fell asleep. Her chest was still hitching with cries and Eden's stomach felt tight.

"Alright, get my phone, You can call Atticus right now."

Eden crossed the room to Kiara's jacket, searching through the pockets for her cell phone. When she finally found it, she punched in the lock code she had memorized a long time ago.

"Eden, wait. Something's wrong."

Eden instantly rushed to Kiara's side, and the look in her eyes was something that seemed very much like panic. Storm's face was pale, and her lips looked tinged with blue.

Something being wrong was an understatement.

"I can't get her to wake up."

Kiara lifted Storm's tiny arm, searching for a pulse point. Eden felt anxiety creep into her veins, her mouth going dry.

"Eden her pulse is weak and she's barely breathing. We have to go to the hospital. Now."

-------------

"Atrial Septal Defect."

Eden pulled at a string on the seat she was in, trying to understand the doctor's words but barely registering them. She glanced up at the man, her face blank, mascara down her face. They'd been in the hospital all night, Eden's wedding dress crumpled and forgotten in a chair after Xavier had brought her other clothes to wear. 

The nurse had told her that her daughter had pneumonia, but that it seemed more complicated than that. Test results were strange, and that a doctor would be there in the morning who specialized in the field.

Eden hadn't slept, no one had. Tension was high, and all she had wanted were answers. That she didn't get. Until now it seemed.

"Atrial... That's the heart isn't it?"

Her stomach contracted and she felt sick, she could barely even feel Xavier's grip as he squeezed her hand.

"It is, yes. Your daughter has a hole in her heart, for lack of better terminology.

In most cases, it's minor and doesn't do much. It can be treated with little to no complications. But in this case, it seems as if your daughter's is a little more serious than normal. 

Your daughter's growth is also well below average, and she seems to have developed pneumonia. Both of those can be attributed to an ASD.

I don't know how her doctor's have never noticed this, at her age, they should have by now.

But the good news is, we can help her. With surgery."

Eden felt tears slip down her cheeks and she took a shaky breath, her words cracking as she spoke.

"Surgery? Like heart surgery?"

The doctor nodded, a forced smile gracing his lips.

"Yes.

I will refer you to a pediatric cardiologist and you two can figure it out from there. 

But, Ms. Simon, this is treatable. Storm is going to be just fine.

We're going to give her treatment for her pneumonia, and then you can take her home."

The doctor issued them one more fake smile and left the room, the silence he left behind echoing in the room.

Xavier sighed, releasing Eden's hand and crossing his arms over his chest.

"We really do have some really terrible luck, Eden. Ever noticed?"

Eden blinked, bringing her eyes to Xav's face.

"Not at all."

Xavier reached a hand out, tracing a finger over Eden's lips. 

"Nah, me either. I have you so I guess there's gotta be some good luck in my life."

Eden rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She took a deep breath, keeping her eyes on the desk in front of her.

"That was so lame. Cheesy as fuck, Nile.

But..... speaking of luck. Yours apparently sucks more than you think.

Because I'm having another baby."

Xavier's eyes widened and he leaned back into his chair, dropping his head into his hands. It took him a while to respond, but he did eventually. His words shaky, but honest.

"I don't necessarily think that that's bad luck... Just horrible timing.

But we'll make it work.

We always do."

---------------
I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart
Questions of science; science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

1-29: It's Been Awhile

And it's been awhile
Since I can say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile
Since I can say I love myself as well
And it's been awhile
Since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do
And it's been awhile
But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you

--------------

In the end, time is just a collection of numbers. Separated into little chunks of passing seconds. You never know exactly what each piece is going to bring about, or exactly what each little gathering of life actually amounts to. 

Eden never actually thought that a year could bring so much. Definitely never counted on being a mother, or a good sister. Or any possible indication that she could actually make something of herself... Have a family, or a life, outside of excessive boys.. outside of running. 

She never thought she would be her mother, but the more she grew away from who she began as, the more she saw the similarities. 

Until it came to the actual concept of motherhood itself. In that way, she couldn't have been anymore divergent to the way her mother was. 

When Storm Evein Nile was born, Eden's world tipped upside down, and she finally realized that it wasn't about her anymore. She had something to live for, something to work for... To change for. She had a reason to be something she never thought she actually could be.

But changing doesn't always solve everything. Sometimes there are still bumps, bruises, obstacles. In the end... All you can do is face them head on, and learn to breathe through the hard things.

Because they always outnumber the easy ones.

Always.

-------------

"Can't you use this one day to skip school? Xavier, this is important. This is your daughter's first birthday. I know your degree is important. But not enough to miss this. This is bullshit, and I know you know that as much as I do."

Xavier sighed, pulling a chair out from the bar. He sat in it heavily, his eyes far away when Eden tried to look into them.

"Eden, I've tried. I can't. Not today. Why couldn't you schedule her party on a day I don't have a test my- our- future rides on?

You act like I haven't busted my ass for this.

 Like I haven't taken double the amount of courses as ninety percent of the students in that school to get to this point, right now.

This is important. And yes, Storm is important too... But I can't sacrifice this."

Eden tossed the wash cloth she had been holding into the sink and let out a breath, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling.

"You can. You could. Your professor would understand, but, clearly, you don't care enough."

Xavier got to his feet, sliding the stool so hard into the bar, it echoed through the room.

"I'm not fighting with you again, not today."

He walked over to the high chair, bending to place a kiss on his green eyed daughter's forehead. 

"I'm sorry, baby girl. I'll see you later tonight."

Eden laughed, but it completely lacked mirth in any way at all.

"Don't bother. She'd not old enough to know that you're disappointing her. She won't even remember. Just go. That's what you're good at doing, anyway, isn't it?"

Xavier turned away from the high chair, his eyes somewhere in the vicinity of Eden's hair.

"Have fun tonight. I'm sorry I can't be there."

That was all he said as he turned for the door, shutting it so hard behind him, it made Storm jump and immediately start crying. Eden walked over to her, clicking the locks out of place in the high chair and pulling her little girl into her arms. She touched a kiss to her forehead, almost identical to the way that Xavier had and sighed. One tear slipped down her cheek as she ruffled the ridiculous amount of hair already on top of Storm's head.

 

Eden knew she was being unreasonable. She knew she was being emotional and difficult. But she couldn't figure out exactly why... Why it mattered to her so much that Xavier had to be gone. Some type of latent feeling echoed in the back of her head, even though she knew that he had to. Even though she knew that this was integral.

Something was there though. Some tiny little fear that made her feel like everything was going to fall apart in the blink of an eye.

"Daddy loves you. He'll be home soon.

Happy birthday, baby."

--------------

"Why are you being such a psycho about this?"

Kiara rubbed a hand over her swelling stomach and cast one more dirty look in Cassius' direction. He was against the kitchen counter with his new girlfriend in front of him. But it kind of seemed like Kiara didn't really care how much he had changed. Not that Eden could blame her. 

Her little brother had tried to take something from Kiara that he had no right to take. That wasn't something that you just forget... No matter how much you heal, or someone changes.

"Xavier is almost half way through school. He completed almost five years of schooling in under three. Give him credit. He's trying everything he can to give you and your little girl a future, Eden. 

Give him a break. This will be worth it in the end, and you know it will be."

Eden scowled at her and placed the candle on top of Storm's cake. She watched her mother balancing two little toddler girls on her hip out of the corner of her eye carefully, searching her pocket for her lighter.

She had never been good at keeping track of them. Apparently, that would never change.

"You don't think that this is more important? His daughter's first birthday?"

Kiara shrugged, looking over at Atticus joking with Carter.

"Maybe not to Xavier, but that's okay. He will see her tonight. Just a little later than you're happy with.

He knows what is going to matter in the long run, and you can't fault him for that."

Eden had known Kiara all of her life, and her voice of reason thinking still annoyed her. 

"If this was Atticus, you'd bleed him dry and make him get on his knees and beg for forgiveness."

Kiara let out a harsh laugh at that, nodding.


"I would. But Atticus and Xavier are vastly different. And so are you and I.

Get used to it, Eden. Xavier loves both of you, too much. Believe it or not, I bet the only thing on his mind through that entire test is you and that little girl.

Relax, have fun, you know he'll make it up to you. He usually does."

Eden took a deep breath, finally locating a lighter among all the clutter in her kitchen drawer. 

"Alright. Whatever, Kiara. Time to sing happy birthday. You better sing it with conviction, or I'll tell everyone what you're naming that baby."

She lit the candle on the top of the cake, and finally conjured a real smile, turning to face the gathering of people she never expected to actually have in one place. 

Not for something like this.

"Here we go."

--------------

"We should talk."

Eden looked up from her computer, Xavier's soft voice cutting through the music pouring from the speakers. She shut iTunes down, raising an eyebrow. Xavier closed the door behind him and crossed the room, stopping just before he reached her. Eden nodded, pushing a piece of hair out of her face.

"So talk. Unless you're breaking up with me. If that's the case, you can go ahead and turn back around and go out the front door, because I've had a stressful day already."

Xavier chuckled softly, glancing around the room. There was a single candle burning on the  kitchen counter, but nothing else. Eden never was much for an abundance of light, even now.

"Not at all. Where's Storm?"

Eden pushed her laptop out of the way, grabbing a bottle of wine off of the counter next to her. She poured a glass of it and took a drink before answering, trying not to be snappy. She was still angry, but after talking to Kiara, she was trying to be more understanding.

"She's asleep. Upstairs, in her crib."

She had so much more to say, but refrained, drinking slowly from her glass. Her eyes were still on Xavier's face, and she studied it closely, trying to discern whatever emotion was there. It wasn't guilt, but it was something. 

Something she wasn't sure she recognized.

"What's up? Why do you look so..."

She tried to find a word, but he cut her off, taking the wine glass from her hand and sitting it aside. He traced his fingers along her jawline and dropped his hand to her neck. The seriousness in his eyes made Eden completely forget whatever she had just been trying to say.

"I have a question."

He paused, looking around the room one more time. He shuffled in his stance for a second, finally dropping the skin contact he had been maintaining. Eden bit down on her lip, nodding slowly.

"Okay... What is it? I'm not pregnant if that's what you want to know. I'm apparently going crazy for a different reason."

That same smile only Eden seemed to know how to elicit crossed Xavier's mouth and he shook his head.

"No. I was wondering what you're doing for the rest of your life."

Eden blinked once, clearing her throat.

"Well, that's not exactly a smart question, cause I'm pretty sure you know the answer already."

Xavier shifted his weight once more, reaching behind him. Eden wasn't even sure she was correctly comprehending what was going on until Xavier placed a velvet box in her face and pulled her to her feet.

"I'm actually not sure that I do, but I'd like to."

"Are you seriously...."

As Xavier dropped to one knee, Eden let out a breath, her world tipping.

And not from the alcohol.

"Oh my God, you are."

Xavier popped the box open and his face contained more nerves in that one singular moment than Eden had ever seen him show in her entire time of knowing him. All she could seem to do was stare at him, no words at all coming to her tongue.

"Are you going to marry me, or what, Eden Simon?

Because in case you were wondering, I'm in love with you, and I'm sick of calling you Simon when it should be Nile."

Emotion flooded her head, and for a few minutes, Xavier looked legitimately scared that she was going to never say anything again. Eden could feel the heat in her cheeks, and the tears that gathered in the bottom of her curls, as she finally found her words.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend the rest of my life doing you, Xavier.

So, yes. I'll marry you. But I swear to God, if you ever tell anyone that I cried because of this, I'll kill you."

He slipped the ring onto her finger and got to his feet, towering over her as he always had. When his lips touched hers, she sighed into it, trying to stop the flow of tears that kept appearing.

"I love you, Eden."

She pulled away and looked up into his sapphire blue eyes, nodding once.

"I love you too, Xavier."

Funny how something that used to make her want to peel off her skin, made her so happy now. The beginning of her life had started in this man's eyes, and she was fully convinced the end of it was there too.

Everything changes. For better or for worse, it does.

And she was starting to think that now... She was okay with that.
---------------