"Hey sleepy head, it's time to wake up," AJ whispered into my face while gently snuggling with me.

The night had gone by so quickly, and finally today I felt light and happy. As if a grand weight was taken off my shoulders.

"Ugh yes, I hate to get out of bed. Can't I just remain here forever," I whined.

He smiled and got up a little in way that he could see me more properly. His smile lines were prominent again, it felt like I hadn't seen them for days. His golden hair smelled better than I remembered and his eyes. They sparkled in the morning sun.

"Well you won't get pancakes if you don't wake up soon baby," he smirked.

I yawned and stretched and jumped out of bed.

"That...... is something I'm not ready to miss," I said as I rushed to the bathroom.

I could hear him chuckling as he changed.

When I reached down to eat however, the atmosphere was less than joyful. AJ went down before me and now he was sitting head slumped on the chair.

"What's wrong?" I asked curious to know what'd happened.

Lily was in red, with her hair tied up neat and knotted. She looked at me with sympathy in her eyes.

"I-uh-well," she tried phrasing a sentence but soon gave up.
"I can't," she muttered instead.

"Guys you're scaring me. What happened?"

"Plans have changed, that's what happened." AJ said finally.

He got up and came to stand next to me. He put a hand around my waist and pulled me in.

"Plans have to change."

John and G came in then. With Jesse behind them.
They all looked angry and tensed. Yet I still didn't know what exactly happened.

John looked at me, in a brief moment. His blue eyes, iridescent. It seemed like he hadn't slept. My heart ached.

"You're right AJ. But Delilah has the right to know," he said.

"She does, it's her choice AJ." Willow chimed in. She and Irene were standing next to each other by the kitchen.

"You got an envelope," Lily said.

"A green one." Jake added.

I just looked at AJ. I needed to know what was happening. From the only person I knew would not hesitate to hide it from me for my own safety. Yet he was the only person I truly needed to hear it from.

"You got a message from U.E. he wants you at the gala. He wants you to personally bid on the emeralds. He wants you. And only you to carry out the whole thing." He said with his eyes on me.

"But that's not happening," John said.
"Right?"

Everyone looked at AJ. But he looked at me.

"I don't want you to do this. Because I know that if you officially enter this. Your life will be in serious danger," he said, speaking only to me.

I didn't say anything.

"You can't seriously be thinking of doing it?" John said again.

Everyone was silent.
Even cleo was quietly perched in a corner because of all the tension.

"Aidan-I"

"Please Lilah. Please don't do this. We'll find another way. I can't lose you. This is not negotiable," he begged looking at me.

"It's my decision AJ."

"I know you, and I know you want to solve this. But Delilah this is no heist. This is real world criminals. Not just thieves, but manipulators, murderers. You can't-"

"I can. It's not that different from anything else I've done in the span that I've known you." I groaned.

I then looked at everyone else.

"We're doing this. And If I have to be the face of it. So be it. But we're doing this. Together."

They all seemed defeated. Except John.

"Alright then, when is the gala?" I asked warily.

"It's in two days Lilah, are you sure about this?" Asked Irene.

"Yes Rene, I'm sure." I answered.
"Let's have breakfast and then let's plot!"

Pancakes weren't even that amazing after that. Nothing could chop the boiling tension between everyone. Soon after breakfast we all huddled in the dining and planned every little step and detail. To me it was perfect. I was sure this would work. But for the first time everyone else didn't. And I hated this switch of roles.

We would go through everything once more before the final day. I was to wear a very expensive gown. And the boys had to go with lily to get it and more armed supplies.

Jake, G, AJ and Lily went for that. While Jesse and willow went to meet Ian again.
Irene and Sam stayed in. They were still new to all this rush.

Only John stayed.

I was by the sea at dusk. It was lit in orange and blue. The wind wasn't as cold as it generally was.

It was blowing through my hair and giving me goosebumps. I felt the lightest of hands above my shoulders and a coat being hung next.

"You really shouldn't worry you know," I said.

"How can I not Delilah? How can I not?" John whispered.

I turned to look at him. Ahh he felt so much like home it almost hurt. His eyes seemed tired. But his slight smile was ever so reassuring.

"I'll be fine John. I'm with you guys remember. We'll come up with some rumor."

"You think people mustn't have tried that before? It never works,"

"Then what John? What do you want me to do?"

"Let me do it. Let anyone else...do it," he pleaded.

"John.."

"Delilah, I love you. I can't lose you. Not after.... everything that has happened. I've lost too much already. I- can't bear to lose you too," he ranted. His eyes were watery and he seemed so tired.

"John? You won't lose me. You know you won't. But John you can't love me, you know that right? Not the way I think you do."

He stepped closer. And I tried stepping back but the cliff was too narrow.
He was right there. So close.

"I'll try Delilah. But no promises," he solemnly whispered.

I was slipping both physically and mentally.

He put an arm around me.
His lips were right there. They were trembling in the cold.

I put a hand against his mouth. And looked right into his eyes.

"You'll have to John. Because I love you too, but in a different way. And you'll just have to trust me. I always come through. Don't I?" I said, And carefully walked away.

I could hear the winds more clearly now, they were in angst and agony. Howling over the cliff.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

AJs pov:

"This isn't a good plan boy." G sighed.
We were on our way home. Lily and Jake were so tired they fell asleep in each others compressed arms.

I was up front next to G.

We were turns away from the house.
"I know G, but Delilah is going to do this. I know her, she's not backing down."

"Well then we'll just have to make her falls landing the most comfiest possible," G smirked.

I looked over at him. There were unspoken words. Words I understood quite well. Words that took away all my worry.

"Sure will"

"Are we home yet? Lily is getting snuggly!" Jake said.

"What's wrong with that?" I asked.

"You don't know man. You and Delilah have been off. Wait till she wants to snuggle. Just you wait."

G chuckled and Jake pat Lily's head slowly trying to wake her.

I thought to myself then, why the hell did Lilah never want to snuggle?
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Advisory advised!

The sky was brewing thunder by the time we reached. Lily was still asleep. So Jake picked her up and carried her till their room. G nodded at me and went inside as well.

I could see John standing by the far cliff. Alone, I was about to go to him. When I heard my name being called out.

"AJ!" She said.

I looked around to see her leaping for me. She was wrapped with a coat and her eyes were puffy. Had she been crying? Never the less, right now she was happy.

She jumped into my arms and gave me a little shock.
"I missed you."

"Baby? I just went to get supplies. I missed you too." I said smiling.

She looked at me. Arms still around my shoulders.

"Can you...can you stay with me today?" She asked.

I was a bit confused.
"What do you mean?"

She seemed flustered.
"Just, don't leave me today."

"Even if I need to use the restroom?"

"Yeah," she chuckled.

Now I was flustered.
"Kidding!" She said. "But you get the picture right?"

I nodded.
She must be uneasy because of the clouds and the thunder and..... possibly John.

"I'll just go get him," I said pointing in John's direction.

"No he'll be fine. Let's go inside," she suggested.

"Did he say something?" I blurted.
"You seem, sad."

"He told me he loves me. Again, and-" she trailed.

"And?"

"He came really close, and he held my waist and I'm just sad because I wanted to punch and kiss him at the same time. Because I don't want to hurt him. But at the same time I just-I want to know." She ranted.

I was yet again in shock.
I mean who wouldn't be.

She looked so wrecked. Her brown hair was unbrushed. Her eyes were puffy and tears were still falling out of them. Her face was red and cold.

She left me and fell to the ground.
I fell with her.

She was crying. Properly crying.
And I didn't know what to do.

"Baby, baby? Look here." I whispered. I outstretched my hand to her chin and lifted it to look at me.

She did. All teary and morose.
"I don't- mean-to-hurt-you-I"

"I know, I know"

She looked unsatisfied and she trembled more in her tears. She was cold.

I pulled her in, into me. Slowly wiped her tears and kissed her watery temples.

"I know baby. And I hate to see you like this." I said.

"I'm sorry Aidan, you-you deserve," I cut her there.

"I don't. I don't. You do."

She was furiously shaking her head.
"But I-I love you." She cried.

"I know," I whispered taking wet ticky strands off her face.

"But it's your choice baby. All I can say is. I'm not mad. And I, I love you too. You've always been the one baby. Ever since I saw you at that club after so long. I couldn't get you off my head. And that was a problem. That was a Delilah sized problem," I said smiling.

She smiled too finally.
Then she kissed me.

She plunged into me, like she needed it. Like she wanted it. She kissed me as she cried. She wrapped her hands around me and she kissed me.

I kissed her back, with matching ferocity.
Then I detached.

"Delilah!"
She shushed me.

"I need you AJ. Right now."
I made her stand and took her to our room.

The second we were out of sight. The second there was no one around. She collapsed into me again.

And this time I didn't resist. The woman I loved. The only woman I'd ever love was kissing me. Needed me.

"I-I-want you AJ. All of you." She trembled.

I understood.
"Are you sure?"

She looked at me for a second. Then she smiled.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Delilah's pov:

He kissed me, his kisses were like fire on my body. Each one left me breathing wanting more.

He was kissing my stomach, tracing my muscles. Slowly moving up my body. My chest, my neck, my cheeks, my lips. I was a ball of desire. All I wanted, all I needed was him.

He always felt right. Always gave me butterflies.

"Y'all hurry up downstairs Jesse has something to announce!" Said Lily pounding on our door.

Her voice broke us apart in a daze of raspy breaths and tangled sight.

"Be right there!" I said.
Then we heard her leave.

AJ looked at me. I broke out laughing.
"It is not so funny," he chuckled.

"Maybe it is." I said kissing him and rushing to the washroom.

When I came out he was all dressed as well.
And the best part of it all was that he was wearing his fedora.

I went to him and kissed his lips, then his cheeks, then his lips again.
"Tell me again, how I came to love your hat?"

"It's a fedora." He said all cute.

"Fedora is it?"

"Okay we're going down before-"

"Before?"

"Before it's too late." He said coming close, one hand on the small of my back. I loved it there. I loved him close. I loved him.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

When we reached down, everyone was standing. Waiting for us.

"Guys what's-" AJ was saying.

"Jesse brought a guest," Lily said in disgust.

Then I saw him. Standing by the door. He was wearing a black floor length coat and a black large fedora. He was fully covered. Except his hand which had a bright emerald ring attached to it.

"You," AJ whispered.
"I thought you were dead."
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Heyy guyss long time no see! Well honestly I was going to quit and delete the book. But so many of yall wanted more. So I decided to finish it after all. Only one chapter more! Than this series is officially finished. I love you guys! Thankyou for reading!! Stay tuned!
Xoxo
✨💜💫