"DAMN IT!" Elsa exclaimed throwing the papers that she had been holding ceremoniously into the air.

"This is not fair. How can this be happening?"

Massimo grinned slightly to himself. He was growing accustomed to her hormonal fits of range and found this one to be particularly adorable.

"It's not as big a deal as you think it is, mi amore. It's only a piece of paper." He stated, cautiously placing a hand on her shoulder, afraid of how she might react to his disagreeing with her.

"Only a piece of paper. ONLY A PIECE OF PAPER? It's MARRIAGE, Massimo. OUR MARRIAGE. OF COURSE IT'S A BIG DEAL." She snapped, pulling her shoulder free from his grasp. "We should be married, and it is completely unfair that they are not allowing us that right. It's also unfair to me for you to dismiss it as only a piece of paper." With that, Elsa plopped herself on the sofa and looked away, seething with anger.

Massimo bit his lip to stifle a giggle from escaping. After a moment he walked over and sat down beside his Elsa, taking her hand, which she at first tried to pull away but quickly relented as he began to speak.

"I do not need a piece of paper from the government to validate what is already true in my heart, darling. We are already married as two people get and we do not need some pretentious ceremony and a stamp of approval to know that."

A small, feline grin spread across Elsa's lips and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Yes, that's true, Massimo. We are spiritually married and that is what matters, but the baby deserves to be legitimate. We need to get out of here and to somewhere that can happen."

Massimo ran his fingers through her silky, platinum, curls. "Those in power in this country are ridiculous, cara. I'm sorry that they aren't allowing us to marry, but since I am not a native German we should have expected them to make it rough on us. We'll get out as soon as we can, I promise."

Elsa sighed. That was another thing that she was worried about. Her belly was getting bigger by the day and things were getting more dangerous simultaneously. They needed to hop the first train to Switzerland as soon as possible but that was not easy either. Every day they waited for the paperwork from the Swiss government to come stating that they could legally immigrate into the country and every day they were disappointed. Elsa feared that they'd just have to run for it and that would be no easy task either, considering her condition and the endless array of Nazi soldiers that seemed to be everywhere. She was beginning to lose hope.

"I'm afraid to stay here much longer, Massimo. What if the baby comes in the middle of some siege? What if we can't find a doctor? What if I need to be cut open to deliver it?" She questioned, widening her brown eyes and looking at him with serious intention.

"I'll deliver the baby myself if I have to, my love. I don't want you to worry about anything." Massimo insisted, raising her hand and brushing it tenderly with his lips.

"How can I not worry though? There is a war raging outside and it is not safe to be here and has not been safe for some time. We have a baby on the way and they will not even allow us to marry. What is there not to worry about?"

Massimo pulled her in close to him and kissed her cheek. "You never have to worry as long as I'm around, mi bella. I will always protect you and our baby and put your needs first. You know that I would lie, cheat, steal, murder, or die, if you needed me to. Please just let me take care of things."

Elsa leaned up and kissed his lips warmly. "Of course you always take care of me. I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for your wonderful self. I never worry about that, liebchen. It is everyone else that I worry about. None of them have your goodness it seems."

His hands fell to the small protruding bump in her abdomen. "None of them have my angel or our angel to love and care for. It is you that makes me better. I was a shell of a man before you were delivered to my doorstep, and I only became human again when I found my heart in you."

Elsa's hands lowered to rest on top of his and her swollen stomach. "I never knew that men could be kind or considerate or decent until you found me. I still do not believe that of most, but I know that there is at least one wonderful man in this godforsaken world and I am undeserving, but I have him."

"We will get out soon, my darling. I promise you that much... no matter what I have to do we will get out." Massimo insisted. "And when we do we will be as legally married as we are spiritually married."

Elsa laughed. "I believe you, my love. I believe you. I have never doubted you or your ability to make things right... I'd just like a ring to wear so everyone knows that it's official. I may not deserve you but there is not a woman in this world that does and they all need to know who you belong to. "

Elsa didn't mention it, but she longed to be married because she was well aware of the disapproving looks that she got whenever they went out in public and people noticed the swell of her stomach and the lack of a ring on her finger. Babies were just not born out of wedlock to decent people, and she could not bear the thoughts of them labeling her baby a bastard because it was conceived in just as good or better a love as any baby born to any legally married couple. If it weren't for the baby she wouldn't care if she and Massimo ever made their relationship legal, but considering the state of the world that it was about to be born into, their baby deserved to begin life on as equal a level as anyone else.

Her lover grinned. "I can assure you that none of them hold a candle to you, Elsa. It is I who should worry... but if a ring is all you need to feel better, then I believe I can take care of that."

Elsa watched curiously as Massimo dug into his pocket and pulled out a golden ring, tiny enough to fit her dainty finger. "Do you mean... how long have you had that?" She inquired, in awe of what he had produced.

"Awhile." He answered, a large grin spreading across his face. "I wanted to be prepared to make it official the minute we were allowed."

Tears filled Elsa's brown eyes and she covered her mouth with her hands. "You really are perfect." She finally stammered out.

"No one is as perfect as you, bella, but what do you say? Marry me?" He asked falling to one knee.

"YES! I marry you, I marry you, I marry you!" She exclaimed giving her left hand to him.

Massimo slipped the ring on her finger and raised himself up on the sofa to join her, and kissed her hungrily.

"We're married as we need to be now." Elsa teased when they finally pulled away. "So I guess that means that our honeymoon has officially began." She said with a smirk, standing up and taking his hand.

"I suppose it does." Massimo replied wolfishly, following after her. "I suppose it does."