You Loved Me Once

“Are you nearly ready, Alba?”

Alba, who was straightening the dress she wore, looked up at the sound of Lionel’s voice, her blue eyes scanning his appearance. It had been coming for a while, with 6 days of their stay in Argentina concluded, the time for their rehearsal dinner had arrived, and whilst Alba was excited at the prospect of their wedding day which followed the next day, a small part of her merely wanted to duck out of the dinner, something she knew that their parents wouldn’t allow.

“You know that we kind of have to show up, don’t you?” Lionel quipped as he stepped towards her “Your mother is in the living room with Isabella and she’s not going to leave us here” he added with a half-smile.

“Remind me why we agreed to dinner again?” Alba mumbled as she fixed one of her curls.

“Something about allowing our parents to make a fuss before the big day. I think it was your idea” Lionel teased as he moved to stand behind her, his arms wrapping softly around her waist “Besides, it stops them hanging around us all night. They can talk to each other” he enthused as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

Alba smiled a little at the kiss and rested back against him, a small contented sigh falling out of her mouth. “Can you quite believe that by this time tomorrow, you and I are going to be husband and wife?” she posed softly.

“I thought I lost that shot years ago” Lionel mumbled, pressing another kiss to the bare skin of her shoulder.

“I thought so too” Alba admitted quietly “But thanks to Eva and Oscar, look at where we are now” she added, peeking up at him with a soft smile on her face.

Lionel smiled back at her. “You know I can’t wait, don’t you?” he mumbled softly. It had been a tense few days, with the final preparations, both he and Alba had appeared slightly more apprehensive than excited, but he wanted her to know just how excited he was, and how calm he felt.

Alba nodded. “I know” she mused softly.

Lionel quirked a soft grin before he ducked down, stealing a quick kiss before the sound of knocking on the bedroom door caught his attention, causing him to sigh a little. “That’s going to be your mother” he mumbled, stealing another couple of kisses “And that means we have to get out of here before she comes in” he added.

Alba nodded. “It does” she confirmed.

Lionel pecked her lips once more before he pulled himself away, capturing her hand in his. “One more night” he mused with a small smile.

“One more night” Alba agreed.

~#~
“I can’t quite believe that my little baby is getting married” Annabella grinned as she pulled Alba into a tight hug, swaying her slightly on the spot.

“You mean you can’t quite believe she found someone to marry her” Calista teased.

Alba, who’d pulled away from her mother, offered her sister a glare, something which made the younger woman smile. “You know I am kidding, Allie” she grinned warmly “We both know that you were always going to find someone. How could you not?” she enthused warmly as she pulled her older sister into a hug.

Alba hugged Calista tightly for a moment before Lionel appeared beside her, greeting her with a soft kiss on the cheek. “My parents are looking for a chance to speak to you” he mumbled “And Gerard is too, though I think he just wants to tell you not to do it” he added.

Alba offered him a warm smile before she excused herself, leaving her fiancé with her mother and sister who smiled at him warmly. “You’re all ready for tomorrow, aren’t you?” Calista posed.

“I think so” Lionel mused shyly “Alba wrote me a list and I checked off everything that was on there so I think I will be alright” he babbled softly.

“That sounds like Alba” Calista mused “Did you see the list she gave to Eva?” she added with a small laugh.

“She just wants it to be perfect” Annabella mused softly “You know Alba, she’s always been a perfectionist” she added.

“She is” Lionel nodded “And I hope that I can give her the day that she deserves. You know that, don’t you?” he posed shyly. It still wasn’t comfortable, even if David and Annabella had offered some sort of blessing, Lionel still didn’t quite feel comfortable around them, and he wanted to reassure them that he had no intention of letting Alba down. He wanted to give her the day she had been dreaming of for as long as he could remember.

Annabella smiled a little. “We do know that” she agreed gently “And I believe you when you say it. As much trouble as we have caused, all we want is our Alba looked after and happy, something she undoubtedly is with you. I’m sorry that we caused you such a problem, Lionel” she offered softly.

Lionel offered her a small smile. “That means a lot, Annabella” he mused kindly.

Annabella grinned at him softly and pulled him into a hug that he hesitantly returned, glad that they were on good terms.

~#~
Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Alba let out a small sigh, her hands rubbing up and down her arms in an attempt to keep warm. It had been a pleasant night, the dinner that the two sets of parents had planned had gone off without a hitch, and whilst Alba was pleased, she was glad for a second alone, something she hadn’t been afforded since she stepped foot in the restaurant.

Rubbing her arms a little more, she stared out across the garden she was sat in before she felt a piece of warm material land on her shoulders, causing her to peek up at Lionel who smiled at her gently. “This feels like deja vu” he mused softly “Didn’t you sneak out of Oscar and Eva’s rehearsal dinner too?” he posed.

“I did” Alba confirmed “And I ran out of their wedding reception too. You took me to our park” she added.

Lionel smiled. “I remember. You told me I had no chance with you, and now look at us” he teased as he moved to sit beside her.

Alba rolled her eyes. “You knew I loved you then” she muttered “I was pretty bad at hiding it” she added.

Lionel nodded. “Any reason you’re out here?” he posed after a moment of quiet.

“I just needed a second” Alba noted with a small shrug “I love our friends and families, but I needed them to stop fussing for a second. They’re going to be all over it tomorrow and for a second, I just wanted it to be quiet” she mused.

Lionel nodded his head. “I know the feeling” he mused “Did you know that your mother hugged me?” he posed.

Alba smiled gently before she leant a little closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Can I tell you something?” she murmured softly, breaking the comfortable silence that had enveloped them.

“You know that you can” Lionel mused, setting an arm around her.

“You know how I have been getting a little nauseous the past few days?” she posed softly.

“Nerves?” Lionel posed.

Alba shook her head. “I’m sort of pregnant” she admitted softly, her blue eyes mirroring his darker ones.

Lionel blinked a little.

“I wanted to wait until tomorrow night to tell you but I didn’t think I could wait that long. One of the appointments I went to this week was with a midwife friend of mine. She confirmed that I am about 6 weeks” she mused softly.

Lionel merely looked at her, something which made Alba shake her head. “I should have kept it to myself” she mumbled as she pushed herself to her feet.

“No” Lionel countered, his hand gripping onto her wrist “I just…you’re certain?” he posed.

Alba nodded. “I have a picture in my bag. I was going to stow it in my overnight bag and show it to you when we were alone tomorrow night” she mused.

Lionel nodded his head before he carefully pushed himself up, his hands moving to rest on the front of her dress.

“Leo” Alba murmured.

Lionel merely offered her a grin before he ducked down, pressing a kiss to her stomach. “Hola, little one” he murmured softly.

Alba smiled gently at the sight before the sound of a door opening caught her attention, causing her to pull him back to his feet just before Gerard appeared.

“Alba, the girls are getting ready to leave back to your parents” the defender mused.

Alba nodded. “I should go and get my jacket” she mused “I’ll see you tomorrow?” she posed with a look towards Lionel.

“You will” he confirmed with a grin.

Alba flashed him a warm grin before she stepped inside, already counting down the hours until they were back together.