Joey had shot at the ground close to Daniel's leg and laughed out loud, "Not so fast Nikolai Klaus, I am not about to give you an easy death, you will have to watch while I kill your family"
"Leave my mother alone" Niko cried and before anyone could stop him, he ran to Joey and bit her hard on her leg
"You brat" she yelled and kicked him off her but that distraction was enough for Daniel to act, he grabbed Bella away from Joey and just at that exact moment, Joey fired her gun at Bella but Daniel had pulled Bella behind him and he got shot instead
"No!" Bella cried as another shot was fired at his belly by an angry Joey
Bella sighted Daniel's gun lying beside him on the ground where he had kept it and without even contemplating about it, she picked it up and shot at Joey.
Joey looked dazed and slowly turned towards Bella but another shot sounded from behind her. The bullet penetrated her skull and she fell down in a heap
Bella stood there, hands shaky on the gun she was still holding, she hadn't fired the second shot that killed Joey. She glanced up to see Aaron walking towards them with a gun in hand, he had fired the shot that killed Joey.
Slowly as if in a trance, she turned to see Daniel lying on the ground in a pool of blood, "Daniel, please, don't go, stay with me" she begged as tears flowed down her eyes
"We have to take him to the hospital ASAP, or he might die," Aaron said and gently moved her away from Daniel.
A chopper sounded outside and some men rushed in and took Daniel with them. Bella hugged her kids close to her as she watched them put Daniel into the chopper.
"Take me to him, I want to be with him" she cried and Aaron nodded.
"Mom, will Dad be okay? I don't want him to die" Nikky said softly as they got into Aaron's car
"No baby, Dad won't die, he won't leave us alone, he can't"
"Does that mean that we'll be one big happy family when he wakes up? Niko asked and Bella smiled through her tears,
"Yes baby, we will because I am not going anywhere" she promised.
Daniel was already in the operating room when they got to the hospital and she waited outside the operating room with her heart in her throat, she felt so tensed and imagined losing Daniel, she shook her head fiercely to take away the thought, he can't die now that they are finally together.
Once again, he had kept his promise to keep her safe, he had protected her and the kids and now he is in there fighting for his life.
Aaron tapped her on the shoulder, "he will be alright, the boss is a fighter"
Bella stared at him and nodded, she had to pull herself together for the sake of the kids.
"Bella" someone called and Bella's head jerked up to see Brittany rushing towards her, Bella was glad to see her friend and the both of them hugged each other
The operating room opened and the doctor came out, Bella quickly broke the hug and rushed toward the doctor
"The operation was successful, we have removed the bullets and he will soon be willed to ICU
Bella sighed in relief at the news. She won't leave the hospital until Daniel recovers.
Brittany bought some snacks for her and when it was getting late, offered to take Niko and Nikky to her house, Bella was grateful for the help, her kids needed to rest, they have been through a lot already.
"Listen, kids, this is my friend, you can call her Aunt Brittany, kindly go to her house and when your Dad is okay, I promise to come right away and pick you both"
Nikky yawned and nodded but Niko stared at her, "Will you be alright mama?"
Bella nodded, "Just be good kids okay" She waved them goodbye and watched as they followed Brittany out.
*
*
Daniel was wheeled to the ICU but Bella was not allowed to go in, the operation was successful but he was still in a delicate situation, she stood by the door and watched him through the glass, he looked so vulnerable lying down there, he had always been people's protector and looked so strong but right now, he doesn't look so strong and unreachable. Her heart went out to him
That night, she slept on the hospital couch, close to Daniel's door, she refused to budge from there, she woke up at intervals at night to check on him and that was how she stayed for two days, only going to get some snacks and then back to her position.
Daniel's recovery was remarkable and he was finally wheeled to a ward and she was finally allowed to go in.
Her legs felt cramped from sleeping on the couch and her head ached but that was little compared to what Daniel was going through.
Slowly, she entered into his room and carefully lifted his hands to her cheeks, "I love you Daniel, not a day went by that I didn't think about you even when we were apart, you are the love of my life, and will always be, please, don't leave me alone, I won't be able to live if anything happens to you"
"I am not going anywhere, I cannot leave the love of my life" his voice although groggy reached her ears, and her eyes snapped to his face
"You're awake!"
"Were you thinking I wouldn't?" He smiled weakly as his eyes searched around, "where are the kids"
"They're with Brittany. Thank you for coming back to me, I wouldn't have been able to take it if something bad happened to you" her voice broke on a sob
Daniel gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb, "did you mean it when you said that I was always in your thoughts even when we were apart?"
Bella nodded, "I could not stop thinking about you, I loved you sincerely and I think I always will"
"I was a jerk back then, I'm so sorry"
"Shhhh, I'm sorry that I kept such a big secret from you, I shouldn't have"
"Promise me that henceforth, there will be no secret between us, we'll tell each other everything"
"Does that mean that you are willing to take me back?" She asked and trailed his lips with her fingers
"Always and I am never going to let you go ever again"
Right there in the hospital and on his hospital bed, they promised each other everlasting love and set to recreate their love story.
*******************************************
It was their sixth anniversary and the guests had started coming, Daniel had insisted on making it a big celebration as it was also a symbol of their reunion.
Daniel was waiting for her to finish dressing up and come downstairs, he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in his tuxedo with Niko was was similarly dressed.
A heavily pregnant Bella finally came out, dressed in a lace cream-colored gown, she was with Nikky who was similarly dressed
Daniel's eyes lit up at the sight of his wife, full and heavy with his child, he went up to gently help her down the stairs, "You look extremely beautiful tonight Mrs Calvin"
"Thank you, and you look dashing Mr Klaus," she said and he grinned, she had come to accept him as Nikolai Klaus, she loved him for who is was and loved everything about him.
"Mom, when is the baby coming out?" Niko asked as soon as she got to the bottom of the stairs and she laughed,
"You're so eager to meet your brother and sister huh?" She had gone for an ultrasound and it showed that she was pregnant with twins, Niko and Nikky were overjoyed that they would soon have a baby in the house but Niko thought that the baby was taking too long.
"The baby will come out when it's time, now, go and dance with your sister because I wish to do the same with your mother," Daniel said and Niko grinned as he scrammed.
"Now, Mrs Calvin, can I have this dance?"
Bella happily placed her hand in his and he led her to the dance floor.
Bella started feeling slight discomfort in her abdomen but she tried to ignore it, soon it intensified and Daniel noticed the pain on her face
"What's going on? Is it the baby?" He asked but before Bella could answer, she felt fluids run down her legs, and her clothes got soaked, "my water just broke"
Daniel quickly scooped her in his arms and rushed to the hospital.
*
*
It was a boy and a girl, Niko and Nikky were beside themselves with joy when the babies finally arrived
"Mom, what's their name?" Nikky asked
"You can call them, Michael and Michaela"
Daniel hugged Bella close to him, "Thank you for giving me such beautiful kids, I love you, now and forever"
Bella sighed and snuggled close in her husband's embrace, "I love you too, now and always"
And their love story was one that people always used as a perfect love story. Fate separated them but destiny brought them back together. They were married at first sight but their hearts became intertwined forever.
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THE END