The smell of fresh coffee and sweet pancakes tickles Bette's nose. She can feel sunlight on her face and see the brightness of a new day through her still closed eyelids.

When was the last time she allowed herself to sleep in?

She can't even remember, but before her mind can focus on the amount of hours she wasted today, hours of training she really needed to become better, Matteo's voice brings her back.

"Good morning, sunshine," he greets her and Bette stretches before opening her eyes at last. She's in his room, his bed; unfamiliar, yet so cozy. The sheets still smell fresh, and the blanket is so fluffy she's gonna die.

"Is it morning already?" she asks and dives back under the covers, nothing but blonde locks still visible on the pillow.

Matteo chuckles. "Awesome. If you still want to sleep, I'll have this breakfast all to myself. Pancakes, Croissant, juice and coffee ..."

Bette re-appears right away. "Not a chance! Gimme!" she exclaims and Matteo laughs out as he puts the tray down before the girl.

"Mamma prepared it for you, but I helped."

"Let me guess, you made the coffee?" Bette teases and takes a sip. It's still hot, but drinkable. Perfect, actually. Just like the rest of this morning.

"I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook," Matteo informs with a certain pride in his voice. "I'll make something for you, and it'll be the best damn thing you ever had."

Bette takes a bite of the pancakes and chews. "Mmh ... sorry, but the food of your mother will be really hard to beat. This is delicious."

She had eaten so many pancakes, so many breakfasts in various restaurants and hotels ... but nothing ever tasted as good as this.

"The secret ingredient is love," Matteo says softly.

Bette feels a blush coming on. "Don't be so cheesy," she says, though she actually likes the sound of it: Pancakes flavored with motherly love.

The perfection of this morning only makes her more aware of what is lacking in her own life, her own family. Her fingers tremble slightly, and as if she needed another reminder of how wrecked she was, her foot started to throb painfully. Her first instinct was to reach for a pill, a pain killer, something to smother the pain, inside and out.

But instead she took another bite of the pancake. And another. And another.

"Oh, Bette, slow down. No need to eat so fast, there are still some in the kitchen, if you want m-"

"Can I please stay here?" The girl suddenly blurts out, mouth still full, and Matteo's smile falters. "Please?" Bette's voice trembles, muffled by the pancakes, her despair nevertheless almost tangible.

Matteo puts the tray away and shuffles closer to take her in his arms, to hold her a tight as he can when she leans in and the first teardrops fall onto his shirt.

"I promise, I won't let you go. As long as you need me, I'll be here," he reassures and keeps holding her until she stops shaking and relaxes again.

"Thanks, it's okay now," Bette says, leans back and wipes her tears. "Sorry," she adds, not without a hint of embarrassment.

"Nothing to be sorry for," he says. "Take your time. Finish breakfast and come down when you're ready. Mamma's already preparing her famous Lasagna, so there's something to look forward to." He winks at her and gets up, leaves the room.

As soon as the door closes, he can't help himself but clench his fists; it takes all he has not to punch the wall. "What have these horrible people done to you?" he whispers and again vows silently to protect her as good as he can.

(Sorry, maybe this turned out more flirty than fluffy, but have it anyway ^^')

Dangers of a bubble bath

Amber lets the robe slide down her slim shoulders, lifts her arms and looks at Mary expectantly.

Mary purses her lips and inspects the scars carefully, noticing how the fine hairs on Amber's arms rise when her (admittedly) cold fingertips grace the warm skin.

"I'm not saying that I'd recommend it," Mary finally says and Amber cocks an eyebrow. "But it's healed well enough to not be affected. IF you're being careful while scrubbing yourself."

The Largo heiress grins. "Well, I guess in this case you have to watch over me carefully, Doctor Mason."

Mary laughs a little at that and Amber relishes in it. Her personal head surgeon is of course a beautiful woman (remarkable since she hadn't had any cosmetic surgery herself), but also painfully serious. To even get a sincere from-the-heart smile can be called an accomplishment.

"I guess you leave me no choice as to allow it then, Miss Sweet."

Amber takes Mary's hand and leads her into a spacious bathroom with a huge tub in the middle. Candles light the room and give off a warm atmosphere - a nice change to the cold artificial light they are used to. When Mary gets closer, the smell of lavender reaches her nostrils and she can see the tub is already filled with bubbly foam and steaming water.

"Mh, seems like your inquiry about the dangers of a hot bubble bath was merely a courtesy, seeing as it's already prepared and waiting," Mary muses with a side glance to Amber.

"Of course not," Amber exclaims incredulously. "You know I cherish your advice and would never go against it."

"Of course not," Mary repeats. "Especially not if it interferes with your own wishes and wants."

Amber smiles mischievously, lifts one leg and sticks it into the tub, shivering as the water beneath the foam touches her foot. It feels hotter than it should at first, but that's only because she walked butt-naked through the corridors a few moments ago. Once her own body temperature is on its normal level again, the bath is perfect.

She climbs in, slides deeper into the water and closes her eyes. A contented sigh escapes her lips as her body is engulfed by the fragranted waves, her muscles relaxing visibly.

Mary watches the soapy water caress Amber's pale skin, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the bubbly foam.

Has there ever been a sight more inviting?

"So," Mary starts as if to remind Amber that she's still here, "how carefully did you say I need to watch you?"

The heiress opens her eyes again and her smile turns into a meaningful grin as she watches Mary remove her shoes and unzip her dress in painfully slow motions.

"Oh, very," Amber breathes and shivers again - this time in anticipation.

"Then maybe," Mary offers as she stands right in front of the tub, now naked as well, "I should do the scrubbing for you. As a dutiful doctor it's the least I can do, don't you agree?"

Amber nods, her eyes wandering over the other woman's beautiful body before resting on her face once more. "I'd expect nothing less from my head surgeon."