Chapter 90: Chapter Ninety

Patricio and Leticia burst through the hospital doors, adrenaline still thrumming under their skin from the drive over. They didn't stop at the entrance, didn't pause to catch their breath — they went straight for the nurse's station, voices overlapping as they asked for Arya and Rose.

The nurse, unbothered by their urgency, pointed them toward the second floor. The elevator ride felt longer than it should have. When the doors finally slid open, they hurried out immediately, eyes scanning the hallway — and there, in the small cluster of recliners near the waiting area, sat Rose, deep in conversation with Cesar.

"Cesar, how are they?" Patricio asked, breathless.

"Daddy!" Rose was on her feet in an instant, crossing the distance to wrap her arms around her father before turning to embrace her sister just as tightly.

Cesar watched the reunion for a moment, something quiet settling in his chest. Family. This is what it's supposed to look like.

"Thankfully the bullet only grazed uh... Arya's arm," Cesar said, choosing his words carefully. "She's fine, but the doctor said she'll have to stay here and go home tomorrow."

Patricio's shoulders dropped, the tension of the last few hours draining out of him all at once. "That's good. Thank God." He let out a long breath. "Thank you very much for saving my family, Cesar."

"It's nothing," Cesar said, and then, because he couldn't help himself, a small grin tugged at his mouth. "It was... fun. It was so much better than my movies."

Better than any script I've ever read, actually. Real stakes do that to a person.

The comment broke the tension in the room, and they all laughed — even Rose, who wiped at her eyes as she did.

"Can I see her?" Patricio asked.

"Sure. She's been asking of you," Cesar said.

"Thank you." Patricio reached out and patted his shoulder before turning to leave with both his daughters at his side.

Cesar watched them go, the quiet of the waiting area settling back around him. It was in that stillness that Dr. Quinn's office door opened and Ellie stepped out.

She spotted him immediately and crossed the room in a rush, and he opened his arms without thinking, pulling her into a hug the moment she reached him.

"All good?" he asked, his voice lower now, just for her.

"Yeah." She beamed up at him. "The baby's very healthy."

Something in him loosened at that — a tightness he hadn't fully let himself acknowledge. Healthy. Both of them. That's all that matters tonight.

"Let's go," he said, smiling, and they left together.

In the back of the car, with Vincent driving them toward Twitches, Ellie caught a whiff of herself and wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"I stink," she told Cesar.

"No you don't," he objected.

"You're infuriatingly charming," she pouted.

"Maybe I am," he agreed, grinning.

She turned toward the front seat. "Vincent."

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"So sorry to bother you, but I'd rather go home." She glanced at Cesar, a softness creeping into her expression. "I miss my babies."

Vincent's eyes met hers in the rearview mirror, and he nodded without hesitation. "As you wish, Ma'am."

"I have special plans for you tonight," Cesar whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her skin.

Ellie felt a flicker of that familiar heat pool in her stomach despite the exhaustion of the day. Trust him to make me forget hospitals and bullets in one sentence.

"Does it involve getting down and dirty?" she whispered back.

"Yeah." He grinned, that same easy confidence that had unraveled her the very first time she'd seen it.

She beamed and kissed him, slow and grateful. "Then I can't wait."

Neither can I, Cesar thought, watching her pull back with that glow still on her face. After everything today, we've earned this.

The moment the front door opened, the sound of small feet thundering down the stairs filled the house.

"Mommy!!" Miesa screamed, her voice cracking with excitement as she raced toward Ellie. "You're back!"

Ellie caught her daughter and hugged her tight, and before she could stop herself, tears were spilling down her cheeks. She hadn't let herself think about it in the chaos of the day — how close she'd come, how certain she'd been at one point that she wouldn't get another moment like this one.

I really thought I'd never see another day. Never see her again. The gratitude hit her all at once, overwhelming and raw.

"I've missed you momma," Miesa sobbed into her shoulder.

"Me too, baby." Ellie sniffled and finally released her, wiping at her own face.

Miesa turned next to Cesar, wrapping her small arms around him just as tightly, thanking him breathlessly for bringing her mother home.

Cesar stroked her hair, something tightening in his chest at the pure, uncomplicated trust in the gesture. This is why. This is exactly why none of it mattered — the risk, the danger. This right here.

"It's nothing, princess," he said. "Nobody is going anywhere."

"Where's Tristan?" Ellie asked, glancing toward the stairs.

"He's... praying," Miesa replied, a small smile tugging at her mouth. "He's been on his knees since daddy left."

Ellie let out a short laugh despite herself. "If he tells me the sun rises in the west... I'll take his word for it from now on."

Cesar and Miesa both laughed at that, the sound easing something in the room that had been tight since the moment they'd stepped through the door.

"Mom! Dad! You're back!" Tristan's voice rang out from upstairs, and he came barreling down to meet them, nearly skidding to a stop in front of Ellie.

"I'm so sorry I didn't believe you, baby... can you forgive me?" Ellie asked, searching his face.

She's still carrying that, Cesar thought, watching his wife's expression. Even after all this.

"There's nothing to forgive, mom," Tristan said, smiling wide up at her. "I'm so glad you're back."

"It's good to be back," she said, and meant it more than she could put into words.

"You're my hero, dad." Tristan turned his beaming face up at Cesar. "Better than superman."

"Mine too," Miesa chimed in.

Cesar felt the words land somewhere deep, warmer than any applause he'd ever gotten on set. Better than the movies indeed.

"Okay, guys, momma's gotta rest." Cesar slid an arm around Ellie, guiding her gently toward the stairs.

"And the baby?" Miesa asked, her small face suddenly serious with concern.

"The baby's fine," Ellie said, smiling down at her.

Miesa's worry melted instantly, replaced by a matching smile.

"I'll go back and tell God that you're back," Tristan announced, brushing past them toward the stairs with the solemn purpose only a child could manage.

"God knows she's back, Tris," Miesa reminded him, rolling her eyes affectionately. "He knows everything."

"I know. I want to tell Him anyway." He grinned and disappeared up the steps two at a time.

Cesar watched him go, something like quiet pride settling over him. "He's your son," he teased, glancing sideways at Ellie.

"He's our son," she corrected, leaning into him as they climbed the stairs together.