Song of the chapter: Not a Bad Thing - Justin Timberlake

"Cochlate, Mommy! I want cochlate!" shrieked Ellie, wailing on the kitchen countertop. I was baking a cake for her playdate with Mason, Min's baby daughter, who were on their way to our house.

"Mitchell! Please come down here, now! She's crying again!" I yelled into the backyard of our house.

I turned back to Ellie and clutched her next to my waist. "Baby? Daddy's bringing it, okay?" I kissed her little button nose and smiled at her.

Her eyes lit up when she saw her father walking up to us, waving her favourite chocolate bar at her. Another girl affected by his charm, I mused.

He took her from me, throwing her up into the air and catching her mid-air before kissing her round baby belly. She giggled at that, her face softening up.

Thank you, I mouthed to Mitchell with a relieved smile. I'm always gonna be here, he mouthed back, pecking my cheek.

"Zoe, please come back to me? Zoe, don't leave me. Please don't leave me? Not now, baby."

I writhed on the lounge floor, my eyelids heavy and my head beating incessantly against my skull.

"Easy, Miss. Don't raise your head yet. I need to bandage it first," said the hotel's receptionist, opening a First Aid kit in my peripheral view.

"Wha-what happened?" I stuttered.

"You cut your forehead against a door handle and you fell, hitting your head," she explained. She bandaged me up, gave me some aspirin and told me to go to see a doctor as soon as I got back to New York as she left, just in case I had a concussion.

"God, Zoe! I was so worried about you! Please never scare me like that?" shouted Mitchell, carrying me back into the bedroom. He propped me up on the bed and ran the palm of his hand down his face. "I love you, okay? Don't do that again."

"I scared you? Aw. I feel so badass right now," I replied with a shaky grin.

"You're not funny, Zoe. Just don't freak me out like that. That lady honestly thought you'd died when I called her. I almost called Rae and everyone else." His facial expression was genuine concern and his eyes were hooded with emotion.

"Mitch, I promise I won't. I'm okay, I just have a headache. I'm sorry you can't take me out today. I promise I'll make it up to you." I reached out to squeeze his hand and he pulled me close to him.

"Don't apologise. As long as you feel fine, Zoe." He kissed my hand and I instantly felt better.

He helped me out of his shirt which I'd put on when I woke up and ran a bath for me. He bathed me, clothed me and lay in bed next to me.

"I can do most things alone, you know," I stated when he flipped through the TV channels looking for something for us to watch.

"I know that but I'm not game for any scary movies. I don't need you crying and screaming your head off."

"You mean you don't want you crying and screaming your head off," I corrected, sassing him.

He frowned his adorable frown before picking out a romantic comedy. The pills kicked in and I fell asleep in his arms, dozing off for the rest of the morning and early afternoon.

I was woken up by Mitchell gently rubbing my back and whispering into my ear to get up.

"Your flight's in two hours. Rae texted and I replied her telling her what happened," he reported.

"Rae? You texted her? What'd she say? Does she know?" I rubbed my eyes, taking in this unexpected yet pleasant confession.

"Relax, Sherlock. I just told her you got hurt but that I'd taken care of you." I was a little disappointed and sad that I had to keep this huge secret to myself for yet another day. "She brought you back some pizza which I had a few slices of (I frowned at him then), I apologise, and told me to wake you up which I'm doing right now."

The bed was scattered with my clothes folded in somewhat neat piles on the edge of it, Mitchell efficiently packing them into my suitcase.

"Are you packing my stuff?" I asked, in awe of what a gentleman he was slowly evolving into.

"Yeah. I didn't wanna wake you and you need your rest," he replied.

I threw my hands around his neck and hugged him from behind, appreciating this kind and extremely thoughtful gesture. "Thanks, babe." I whispered into his neck, a smile spreading across my face.

"It's nothing, really. It's very amusing to see how much skimpy underwear you own which I've never seen."

"In my defence, you always tear it off my body like the savage dog you are. So, once you learn to control yourself, maybe we'll get somewhere," I explained.

He blushed a little. "Fine. What about the amount of your own clothes in your possession? One wonders why exactly you need mine," he mused.

I stuck my tongue out, slipping into a pair of jeans and a loose shirt. I grabbed all my other essentials placed in the bathroom and slipped on my new boots.

"I'm all done," announced Mitchell, zipping up my bag. "You can leave now."

"Aren't you going to say goodbye like a normal boyfriend?" I pouted, stepping forward towards him. "I mean, don't I deserve it? I am in pain because of you, after all." I stood on my toes, holding him around his neck.

"I will never understand why you blame me for being such a klutz. That's a badass scar though so I don't mind taking credit." He ran his fingers through my hair, loose around my shoulders, and pulled my face towards his. "I love you and I'll see you in two weeks. Don't run away with Eoin, okay?"

I shook my head in reply and kissed his soft gentle lips I'd be deprived of for a fortnight. He held me against his body for longer than was necessary: I was now running late.

I pecked his forehead and extricated myself from his possessive grasp, running out of my room in a haste. God knows how much I was going to miss him - being apart was both physically and emotionally painful and my only aspirin was him being near me.