You Took My Heart by Surprise

Blinking her eyes a little tiredly, Emilie padded into the nursery, a small yawn falling out of her mouth. It was early, usually too early for the twins, who after only 3 months had started to sleep through the night, but Emilie knew there was no ignoring the slight muffled noises over the monitor. The twins were up, and no matter how comfortable Emilie had found herself in bed cuddled up against Sergio, she knew she had to be too.

Yawning into her hand, she padded over towards Esmé’s crib and leant over the rail, picking up the little girl who whimpered gently. “It’s ok, princesa” she murmured, her fingers gently checking for a temperature “Someone’s got the snuffles” she added. It had been coming for a little while, even despite it being only September, Sergio had spent a few days battling off a cold, and Emilie had been in no doubt that the twins would get it, something which was confided by the slight temperature that Esmé had.

Sparing another sleepy yawn, Emilie moved to check on Ethan who was soundly sleeping before she stepped out of the nursery, carefully making her way down towards the living room.

“No Ethan?”

Emilie jumped a little at the sound of Sergio’s voice, her blue eyes darting up the stairs towards where he stood. “No” she spluttered “He’s still sleeping, but Esmé’s got your sniffles. She’s a little bunged up and she’s got a little bit of a temperature” she added as she moved to sit down, carefully trying to settle the little girl.

Sergio nodded his head and bounded down the last couple of steps, taking the seat beside his fiancée.

“You don’t have to be up” Emilie murmured, her blue eyes peeking up at him “I’ve got her and you’ve got training tomorrow. I am sure that Benitez would appreciate you well rested” she added.

“My girls need me” Sergio refuted gently, moving to get a little more comfortable on the couch “And you’re going to need someone to take care of Ethan when he wakes up. If you’re up, I’m up” he insisted.

“You don’t have to be” Emilie offered gently, trying to stifle another yawn.

“I want to be” Sergio replied.

Emilie opened her mouth to reply again, but Sergio merely shook his head, moving to lift Esmé into his arms as he started to coo to her softly in Spanish. Emilie admired the two of them for a moment before she moved to rest back against the pillow, another yawn falling out of her mouth.

“You can go back to be if you want, Emmy” Sergio offered as he pulled his stare away from their daughter “I’ve got this” he added.

Emilie shook her head. “I’m fine” she insisted gently.

Sergio shook his head. “You’re still half asleep. I can watch her, Emmy, and cope with Ethan when he wakes up. If you’d rather…”

“If you’re up, I’m up” Emilie refuted, using his own words against him.

Sergio rolled his eyes slightly, but relented. Emilie tended to be as stubborn as he was and he knew that fighting her was futile.

“I’ve been doing some thinking” Emilie mumbled as she moved to get a little more comfortable on the couch.

“That’s never good for me” Sergio retorted, a slight smirk on his face.

Emilie rolled her eyes. “It’s about our wedding” she murmured gently. It had been a couple of weeks, after their engagement, they’d agreed to take a little time before they told people, wanting to get used to the notion of being engaged, but it hadn’t stopped Emilie thinking ahead slightly. She knew what she wanted, after 2 years of messing around, she was sure that she was ready to settle down with Sergio, and she hadn’t been able to stop herself from thinking ahead slightly, even if they did have to still tell people. She already had an idea of what she wanted.

“You’ve been thinking about that?” Sergio posed, his thumb carefully brushing over Esmé’s cheek, trying to soothe her slightly.

“A little” Emilie admitted “I know we’re still a way off, but…”

“It’s OK, Em” Sergio interjected, offering her a small smile “You’re allowed to think about it” he teased.

Emilie spared him a slight eye roll before she turned her stare down towards her hands, slightly nervous.

Sergio noted the expression on her face and shook his head. “Em, you can talk about it. We’re engaged, even if no one else knows it, and I like that you want to talk about it, so go ahead” he assured her gently.

Emilie spared him a look before she nodded her head, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “I was thinking it could be small” she murmured “I don’t fuss, Sese, I don’t want to be the centre of attention or gawked at by hundreds of people. Heck, if I could do it with just you without crushing my madre and papa, I would” she babbled.

“You really want it to be that small?” Sergio whistled. He had been expecting a small wedding, after 2 years with Emilie, he was more than aware that she hated to be made a fuss of, but he had expected something a little grander. It was their wedding day, after all, and if he had his way, it would be the only one that either of them ever got.

“I don’t want to be made a fuss of, Sese” Emilie murmured.

“I know that” he noted “But it is our wedding day, Emmy. If things go to plan, you’re only going to get one, and I figured that you might want something at least a little extravagant” he reasoned.

Emilie shook her head. “I’d be happy doing it on a Wednesday in a registry office” she murmured.

“It’s supposed to be the most special day of your life” Sergio refuted “I’m not going to let it happen that way, Em” he added, his voice slightly firm.

Emilie lifted an eyebrow. “You really want to make a big deal of us?” she posed.

“No” Sergio refuted “I just want to make some sort of fuss. This isn’t just something we’re doing for the sake of doing it, Em, we’re getting married because we want to spend our lives together and I want a day that I can look back on in years to come and smile about like the day you had the twins. I know that you don’t want something OTT, I’ve been dating you for over 2 years now, but I still want to make a fuss. It’s our wedding, Em, one of the most important days of our life” he explained passionately.

Emilie blinked a little, startled by the passion in his voice.

“This is our day, Emmy” Sergio murmured “The day that we finally put all the shit we’ve pulled behind, and show off how good we are together. I want to celebrate it, Emmy. I want to celebrate us” he insisted.

Emilie was quiet for a moment before she shook her head, a small smile on her face. “I didn’t know that it mattered so much to you” she murmured gently.

Sergio carefully leant forwards, settling Esmé into her rocker, before he moved to take Emilie’s hands in his, pulling her slightly closer. “We’ve messed around a lot, Em” he murmured, his thumbs brushing against her skin “But now, we’re finally where we should be and I want to celebrate that. I know you, and I know that you hate the idea of being the centre of attention, but for one day, I’d like people to make a fuss of you, of us” he insisted softly.

Emilie admired the earnest expression on his face and smiled, moving one of her hands to his cheek. “You’re adorable” she babbled gently.

Sergio smiled, babbling out a small ‘thank you’.

“I didn’t know that this was such a big deal for you” she murmured.

“It’s our day, Em” Sergio reiterated.

Emilie shook her head. “I know it is, and I thought you’d be alright with it being something quiet and understated, but if it means as much to you as you just showed me it did, then I would be happy to do it with you, Sese. I want to marry you and I’d do it anyway you wanted” she mused with a slight smile.

“Em, if you’re not…”

“I’ll do it for you, Sese” Emilie mused “You’ve handled things for me, and I think it is only fair I return the favour” she added with a small smile.

Sergio offered her a small look before he carefully ducked his head, kissing the back of her hand gently. He knew she wouldn’t let him go over the top, it had never been her style, but he wanted to make sure that they had something to look back on. If he had his way, they’d only get one day and he wanted it to be perfect.