Reina's point of view:

"Hey,"

That was the first word I woke up to. I thought I saw Niklaus or maybe I did see him, my sight must be acting up.

After a few squeezing and blinking, my blurry sight finally cleared and just as I thought, Niklaus was by my bedside.

"Hey," I tried to reach for him but I couldn't move my arms, it was god damn heavy.

"Shh, don't move," Niklaus cautioned me, "You have a cast on," He said as his hands went to support my back, helping me sit up, "Yeah, slowly... Carefully....."

With his help, I was up and staring down at my arm, slowly recollecting what happened. I narrowly escaped death. Again. And this time, it came knocking on my door - I was not the one who found trouble.

Suddenly, it crossed my mind," The kids -?! "

"They're safe and fine," He answered me and I breathed a sigh of relief. After we turned the tide of the battle against Miguel, I must have lost consciousness since I couldn't tell what transpired until now.

"How long have I been out?"

"Twelve hours. It's a new day already," Niklaus answered again before a heavy silence fell upon us.

"Have anything to say to me?" I cocked a brow knowing I've been waiting for this very moment after he had tricked me and left in my stead.

"I have nothing to say,"

I scowled at Niklaus, about to retort to that comment when he added,

"Because I'm sorry. I'm guilty of the crime accused of by my wife,"

His response gave me more confidence and I went further to ask, "Since you finally acknowledge your crime, what punishment befits such a crime? Beating? Castration...?"

Niklaus gulped, his eyes wandering to his crotch, "Honey, mental torture is a crime as well," He hinted that I sounded scary at the moment.

"Oh really," I was enjoying making him uncomfortable because remembering his betrayal stung me. I thought he trusted me? How could he do that to me?

I went on, "I guess you didn't remember that tricking, sabotaging, and drugging your wife isn't a crime," I pointed out.

"Alright, I'll pay for my crimes," He offered himself straight into the lion's den.

A smirk grew on my face, I had him at my disposal, plus a head full of ideas of what I was going to do to him. It would be a splendid experience.

"And what punishment do you think is suitable for you?" I widened the trap, waiting for my ignorant husband to fall deeper into it.

But then, I forget my husband was a trickster.

"I give myself to you," was his response.

"What?" it felt as someone slapped me hard on the face.

"I give you my body, soul, and resources. You can have it all," He grinned at me which made me realize I had failed in scamming a professional scammer.

That vow of his was the same as the rights I was entitled to after I married him. Asshole!

I shook my head stubbornly, "No, that's not what I want from you,"

"What could you possibly from me that is greater than the three things I just listed?" he put on a serious look - that could only fool his kids, not me.

"Niklaus!" I whined, imaginary smoke already coming out of my head, "That is not a suitable - !"

"You want me to strip for you?" he said and my throat went dry this time, completely at a loss for words.

"Well," He moved closer to the point we were exchanging breaths, "You've always loved strippers and if I could remember correctly, the last time I stripped for you, you were so drunk that you probably can't recall that day,"

Oh, he was wrong. I could remember that occasion very, very, clear and detailed. Perhaps, because it was my bachelorette party, I couldn't get it out of my head.

My face heated up when his gaze dropped to my lips causing my breath to hitch. I wanted him and he knew that. I had almost lost him yesterday when I thought death was on my door. But then, here he was sitting right in front of me, I wanted to feel him deep inside of me to confirm this was reality.

Reina, what are you thinking! I felt my senses come back around. How did this discussion change drastically? We were talking about his punishment, not this! That sly fox of a husband!

"You can't deceive -!"

Niklaus shut my response by swooping down on my lips. The kiss blew my mind away and I fell for his tricks once again. My body reacted to his touch, he left a burning trail everywhere he touched; he set me on fire.

I moaned, accepting his tongue he introduced into my mouth while his hand pressed me closer against him. My hand yanked on his hair, heightening the excitement. The hunger inside of us was insatiable and it wasn't until he mistakenly touched my injured arm that we realized how close we were to losing control.

None of us said a word after that passionate moment, instead Niklaus rested his forehead against mine with his eyes closed just as he muttered, "Thank you, Reina,"

I didn't dare to say a word since I didn't know what he was thanking me for yet.

"Thank you for surviving," Niklaus went ahead with his confession, "You don't know how much you mean the world to me. I can't live without you…" He interlocked the fingers of my unaffected hand with his as he spoke, "The day you die, I'll rather die alongside you, that way, our souls would find each other even in the afterlife,"

I wanted to shun his talk of death but stopped short when I felt something wet drop on my face. Stiffly, I slowly wiped it away and then glanced up. That was when I saw it, Niklaus was crying.

My breath hung in my throat as I forgot how to breathe, he meant his words - Niklaus was serious here. The scene broke my heart, I caused him to cry. Although it was not like I beat him or something, I was still the cause - I made him weak.

"It's alright," I pulled him into a hug and he leaned in, tactically avoiding my injured arm, "Fine, we'd die together when the grim reaper knocks on our door," I agreed, rubbing his back soothingly.

At that moment I was the happiest and satisfied person on earth, I had found the person who loved me with everything and there was no better feeling in the world than it.