Isabelle sniffled as she got ready to go pick up her daughter from the hospital so she could take her home for the wrong reasons.
"It'll be okay," Joe whispered while wrapping his arms around his tired and stressed girlfriend.
The couple had been busy in the past week and had just focused on Melanie instead of them and last night Mary insisted that the couple go home and rest but all they did was tidy up the house, for one night.
"Will it be?" Isabelle asked numbly making Joe sigh as he kissed her neck softly. He hated to see his girlfriend going through this and he knew the world was losing an incredible girl.
"How about we go away? When everything's over and done with, we leave it all behind for a few days," Joe suggested knowing this would be good for his girlfriend after all she's went through.
"I'd like that," Isabelle whispered as she sunk further into Joe's arms as someone knocked on the door making the couple sigh and walk downstairs.
When Joe opened the door, Isabelle has barely anytime to blink before someone had dived on her and wrapped her in a hug.
"I'm sorry you've had to go through this, it's just not fair," Louise Hart said softly making Isabelle nod as the older woman held her close.
In the past few weeks, Isabelle and Melanie had become a huge part of people's lives like Charles and Louise and all of Joe's teammates as well, club and country.
"We should get going, Isabelle's parents are on the way," Joe said making his mother nod as she let the young girl go and Joe brought her into his arms.
"Melanie likes cookies right?" Louise asked making Isabelle look at her and nod before Joe led her from the house.
"It's not fair," Charles Hart whispered making his wife nod before there was another knock on the door and Isabelle's parents came inside and all the grandparents embraced each other in hugs, all of them are mourning the same loss.
***
"So it's agreed, if she doesn't already know, we're not telling her," Joe said as the couple walked towards the room where their daughter was waiting with a nurse.
"Agreed," Isabelle said as she tried to keep her tears back but stopped when she wasn't doing so making Joe stop.
"What do I saw if she asks why I'm crying?" Isabelle whispered making Joe sigh as he kissed his girlfriend softly and pulled her close.
"Tell her you watched Marley and me and can't stop thinking about it," Joe mused knowing when he had watched that movie in the hospital with two of his girls, they almost drowned in their own tears.
Isabelle nodded and stood up straight before beginning the walk into the room with Joe behind her.
"Mummy! Daddy!" Melanie cheered happily making Isabelle and Joe smile at her happiness as the nurse moved to leave the family alone.
"Hello, are you excited to be coming home?" Joe asked trying to keep the spirits high and Isabelle was grateful that he was doing so.
Melanie nodded as she excitedly told Joe what she was going to do now that she is going to be at home and all Joe could do was nod as if it was all going to come true.
Joe smiled softly at the little girl as his eyes flickered to Isabelle who was packing away a few of the little girls things but had left out the Manchester City jersey with Joe's name and number on the back and the little girls favourite jeans.
"Gran is at home making cookies," Isabelle said softly as she listened to her daughter talk about how much she wanted food from at home instead of the hospital food.
"Really?" Melanie asked excitedly making her parents laugh softly while Isabelle nodded and Joe went to call a nurse to remove all the wires so they could get the little girl changed and ready to head home.
Isabelle quietly choked back a sob as she watched her little girl; she didn't want to say goodbye to her.
***
Joe sighed as he pulled up outside his house and looked across at Isabelle who was staring blankly at her hands while Melanie chatted happily in the back of the car.
"Come on babe, let's get inside," Joe said softly knowing he has another surprise for Melanie and it would be here soon.
"Melanie!" Four happy voices cheered as soon as the door was opened and the little girl ran inside happily talking to her grandparents.
Everyone had settled down when the doorbell rang making Joe smile knowing the surprise was right on time.
"Come on Mel, come open the door with me," Joe mused as he took the little girls hand and led her out to the hall and pulled open the door.
It had taken a lot for Joe to convince three out of the four people outside his door to come over to England but once they had heard about Melanie not one had said no and the hard work had been worth it when Joe saw Melanie's face.
"Hola," Neymar Jr, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos smiled as they watched the little girl squeal happily and run up hugging each of them tightly.
"Joe," Isabelle whispered as she watched her daughters happily interact with the footballers who she was now leading into the front room.
"I just want to make her happy on her last day," Joe whispered as tears filled his own eyes making Isabelle smile softly and hug him close.
"Thank you," Isabelle whispered as she kissed Joe's cheek and hugged him tightly before moving to ask the footballers if they wanted anything.
***
"What do you say to daddy?" Isabelle asked softly as Joe returned from dropping the footballers off at their hotel.
Cristiano Ronaldo had proven to be the little girls favourite since she had clung to his leg before he and the other three men left.
All four of them had made the night special for Melanie and had acted like they had all been friends forever but that wouldn't be long returning to normal on the pitch.
"Thank you daddy!" Melanie said happily as she ran towards Joe and cuddled into his arms when he had picked her up.
Isabelle had changed the little girl into her Frozen two piece long pyjamas set since it was March and cold in England.
"You're welcome sweetheart," Joe said as he kissed her cheek before looking at Isabelle as if asking the silent question of weather it was time to go or not.
Isabelle nodded sadly as Joe let the little girl down and sent her to say goodnight to her grandparents who were all trying not to cry.
Once they had said their goodnights, or goodbyes in this case, Joe lifted the little girl into his arms and walked upstairs with his free arm wrapped tightly around Isabelle's small waist.
They settled Melanie in their king sized bed before moving to get changed themselves. Neither of them even wanted to think about tomorrow.
Isabelle returned to the bed in her shorts and cami not caring that it was cold, she had Joe to keep her warm in bed.
Joe soon joined the two girls in his boxers and lay down on his side of the bed with Melanie in the middle of them both.
"Night," Melanie said happily making both her parents smile and laugh softly as tears rose in their eyes.
"Goodnight Mel," Joe whispered as he kissed the little girls cheek and gave her a hug.
"Night baby girl," Isabelle said softly as she kissed her daughter before laying down next to her holding her hand while her other hand held Joe's tightly.
The couple knew Melanie would be gone by the time daylight comes around and neither of them could do anything to stop the happy little girl being taken away.
