After all their friends had left, Max and Bella cleaned up the rests of the dinner and drank a camomile much more quietly than usual. They used to talk during that short time before going to sleep, but somehow this evening didn't seem suitable for that. It wasn't that they didn't have fun at Honey's birthday party, on the contrary, it was a pleasant dinner, and the fact that William brought Anna Scott would make it memorable in later years. When would they ever have dinner with an international star again?

It was just after they headed to bed that Max finally asked. Neither of them ever had to say things, they could tell what was going on in each other's mind, Max could always tell. This time, however, he took his time and asked in order to catch her reaction.

"Do you really think you deserved the brownie?"

Bella, who was staring at the ceiling, slowly turned her head towards him.

"You don't?"

"You do?"

She looked at him in exasperation. It was pretty obvious that he had a goal in mind.

"Well I do. I mean..." she hesitated a bit and her eyes became teary again "I really

wanted to have a baby, but as things are now... you know..."

Max ran his hand under the covers until he found hers.

"It's okay honey" he whispered.

"It's not okay. I know you wanted a baby as well and it's my fault if we can't. It's my fault if I slipped and..."

"Enough already" Max got up all of a sudden and stopped her just as she bursted into tears. "Listen here, once and for all, it's not your fault, things happen"

He felt his eyes begin to become teary as well and did his best to hold back. He just couldn't stand seeing his wife suffer like this and he didn't want Bella to misunderstand, as his tears weren't linked to the baby.

"We'll figure something out together, alright?"

"What will I do when you get tired of bringing me upstairs?" she changed the subject, clearly navigating in a wave of desperation.

"I'm in my 40s, I'm not that old yet. Back then I told you that I'd take you anywhere you wanted and I intend to fulfill my promise"

He was now sitting on the bed, while Bella was still laying down on her back, so Max could easily force her to look at him in the eyes. Through all of this, he had never let go of her hand. He lifted it slightly and held it with both his hands.

"There's no day I don't feel lucky to have married you. I'm truly the luckiest" Max smiled.

"I'm the luckiest actually" Bella finally sat up, her voice shaking a bit "You could easily have chosen to leave after the accident, you know..."

"Did you really think I was going to leave you?" he faked the surprise in his voice.

"I wouldn't have blamed you, but I'm glad you didn't"

"You better stop trying to get rid of me. I thought you planned to marry for life" Max said, remembering a conversation they had before they started dating.

"Well, that's true, but things change"

"This won't change, trust me"

And with this he kissed her, preventing her from answering.

They lay down again, with Max refusing to let go of Bella. She made herself comfortable by placing her head in the crook of his shoulder, ready to sleep. Max wiped one last tear from her cheek before whispering:

"I'll always be by your side. That's why you don't need any brownie"

"I love you"

"I love you too"