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17 Years Later. A New Dark Romance (sispuppet & LaBellaMia)

As her dad pours her the champagne, she knows she can't drink it and the responsibility he mentioned made her feel even more guilty. She bit her bottom lip and then put on a smile, taking a sip that barely wet her lips before sitting it down and then looking at Andrew, giving a smile before looking at her father. "I think I will lay off the champagne daddy. But thanks anyway..." She cleared her throat and her mother smiled.

"We have one more surprise for you sweetheart. Your grandparents couldn't come to celebrate but they did send you a gift," she said, handing her an envelope. Rhia took the envelope and then opened it, smiling when she saw the card. They were simple and she did love getting cards from them. They were her best presents and she had a card for every Easter, Christmas, and Birthday, most often with a bible passage or a written note. She opened the card, reading the best wishes and love then smiling before looking at her parents. As she set the card aside, she was suddenly overcome with a huge wave of dizziness and she then felt that rolling in her stomach. Oh no, she thought then cleared her throat.

"I need to be...excused for a minute," she said, to everyone and then turned, making a dash for the door, trying to not look as frantic as she felt. She reached the downstairs bathroom, entering and quickly shutting the door, barely reaching the commode in time as the meager contents of her stomach came up. She coughed and drew back, grabbing a washcloth and wetting it before wiping her mouth and then sinking down in the bathroom floor and brushing her fingers through her hair. She didn't feel good at all. Closing her eyes, she forced herself up, scrubbing her face and then taking a step out of the bathroom, still feeling pretty weak. She just had to get through the rest of the night.
 
Andrew frowns a little when Rhia turns down the champagne. This was the sort of thing she'd normally be excited about. A twinge of suspicion tugs at the back of his head, but he ignores it. No, he would just be reading too much into things otherwise. It was better to just focus on the party. When she gets up and practically runs to the bathroom though, Andrew's stomach falls. It couldn't be that though. It just wasn't possible. Rhia's words echo in his head. Women in her family had a tendency of getting pregnant before twenty. That wasn't what was happening with Rhia though. They stayed careful. There hadn't been enough time. She was going to art school. That's right, it couldn't be this. He starts to walk towards the restroom before Caitlin stops him. He can tell that the mother looks concerned, but she says that she will check on her daughter, telling everyone else to finish their cake and drinks.

Andrew waits, his foot tapping the ground impatiently. Tamrah and Leah are talking to each other, and Alex is on the phone, checking on his businesses while he waits for his wife and daughter to get back. The bodyguard hears the bathroom door open, but neither of the women return. Andrew waits, and the minutes tick by, but the two still aren't back. Looking at the room, he finally can't take it anymore and leaves in search of his lover and her mother. He doesn't have to go far before he finds the two of them standing in the kitchen. Rhia still looks pale, and like she had been crying, and she's hugging Caitlin tight. Her mother brushes her hand through her daughter's hair, whispering something to her before noticing Andrew's presence. She smiles gently and gets Rhia to let go of her. Telling her daughter not to keep her guests waiting, she leaves Rhia and Andrew alone as she heads back to the party. Andrew waits until the door closes before moving over and wrapping one arm around Rhia. Nervously, he brings his other hand up and presses it to her stomach. He knows now. There's no other thing it could be. He tells the lover the only thing that comes to his mind. "I'm sorry."
 
Rhia knew the moment her mother caught her she knew. Instead of yelling her screaming, she put on a sad sort of smile then wrapped her in a hug. Tears came to Rhia's eyes and she started crying.

"I'm sorry momma..." She whispered. Cait just drew back, wiped her eyes and the kissed her forehead.

"Shhh. Don't cry. I'm not angry. How far along are you?" She asked and Rhia swallowed.

"Ten weeks. We...we sort of lost control before I got put on birth control but I got a morning after pill. I guess it didn't work..." She flushed and her mom only nodded before drawing her close and hugging her tight. It was in that position that Andrew found the,. Her mother saw him and whispered that she needed to tell him and then left them alone. Rhia looked at him as he came toward her. When he put his hand to her stomach, she swallowed.

"Sorry? Don't be sorry Andrew. We knew the risk. If anything it's my fault for not moving away before it was to late. Considering the women in my family, I should have known better..." Blowing out a deep breath, Rhia lifted her gaze to look at him and then started to kiss him deeply. After a moment, she drew away and then sighed. "The worst part is going to be telling my dad..." She swallowed.

Rhia lifted her gaze to him again and then smiled. "I don't regret anything. And sure it's probably a little faster than I hoped for but I'm happy. I'm happy with you and I'm happy about the baby..." She smiled. "I love you," she told him then kissed him again.
 
Andrew shakes his head and kisses Rhia. “No one’s fault then, but I’m still sorry about what this means for you.” He tells her, holding her tight to him. “We’ll… we’ll tell him together. I won’t leave you alone through this.” Andrew promises, though he mentally reminds himself to pack his car beforehand just in case. There’s no telling how Alex will react, so they had to be prepared for the worst. Smiling, he rests his hand on her belly. He honestly hadn’t given much thought to this, but he was oddly happy as well. The bodyguard always knew he would want kids someday, but had never put much thought into when or with whom. Hearing that Rhia was happy and okay with this, it’s good enough for him. With the paycheck, if he gets himself a decent job, then they could even put the child in day care so that Rhia could still take her classes. “I love you too.” He whispers, kissing her. “You, and the baby.”

“What?” The bodyguard and his lover freeze up when they hear Alex’s voice. Turning, they find him standing there at the doorway. Behind him, Caitlin is standing with an apologetic look on her face, and Rhia’s friends are further back looking shocked. The older man had been wondering what was taking so long, and seeing Caitlin return alone only made him more suspicious. A single look was all it took to keep her from saying anything as he went looking for the two. He looks livid, his eyes wide with confusion and rage. Andrew opens his mouth to speak. “Quiet.” The commanding word is filled with so much venom that Andrew is too stunned to speak. “Get your hands off my daughter.” Alex says and steps inside, looking the much larger man in the eyes. If it came down to a fight, it wouldn’t even be a competition. Andrew was younger, in better shape, and had trained for combat. The bodyguard lets go though, knowing that it’s all he can do. “Leave, now, before I bring the police.”

“Sir, I…” Andrew starts to say.

“OUT!” Everyone is stunned, even Caitlin. Alex had never raised his voice, and usually managed to keep his cool. Andrew looks at him and back at Rhia. There’s nothing he can do right now. If he gets dragged off to jail because of this, then it would only make things worse. He looks over to Caitlin, silently begging her to help. She looks apologetic and nods, but unable to say anything. Letting out a shaky breath, Andrew turns and leaves. Knowing that he can’t even go to his room for his things, he gets in the car and drives, his mind too preoccupied for him to even think of a destination.
 
Rhia felt fear slide through her at her father's voice and when she looked at him, his normally stoic face was a mixture of disbelief, rage, and confusion. She swallows, watching as Andrew leaves. Her mother seemed apologetic and her friends looked shocked. She wanted to run after Andrew but she stayed there. Flushing, she watched her mother turn toward Tamra and Leah. "I will get you two home," she said, glancing between father and daughter before leaving them alone, shutting the door.

After a moment of silence, she took a deep breath. "Daddy...we were going to tell you...it's all my fault. I pushed it. I seduced him, I wanted him. After months of living together, having him around, it was only natural we felt attraction for one another. A couple of months ago, we...we had sex for the first time, the only time till about two weeks ago. It just happened. I took a morning after pill, it didn't work...I mean...I don't know how else to explain it...we fell for each other. I love him, I want him and I'm sure the only reason he left without a fight was because he didn't want you any angrier than what you are. But you shouldn't...you shouldn't be mad at him. I don't expect you to be happy. I am sure you are disappointed in me but don't blame him..." Tears filled her eyes and she looked down, brushing her hair back from her face, pacing and then sinking down, so dizzy she couldn't open her eyes for a moment.

"Please daddy, don't be mad. Mom was younger than I am now when she had me...and grandma was sixteen when she had you....I love him....so much daddy. I didn't expect to fall in love with him but I did..." She whispered then closed her eyes, lowering her head and wiping her eyes free of tears before returning her gaze to him. "I don't know what else to say daddy. I'm not sorry for loving him or this baby...I'm just sorry I didn't get to tell you..."
 
Andrew is lost. He had driven for what seemed like an hour, but had nowhere to go. His mind was a muddled mess, and he was amazed that he hadn’t ended up crashing his car during the haze. Coming to his senses, he knows that he needs a place to stay the night. Finding an affordable hotel, the bodyguard parks his car and heads inside, paying for a single night for a room. Once inside, he strips down to his boxers and takes his phone. Swallowing nervously, not sure if Rhia would even want to speak to him right now, he sends her a text. “I’m sorry I left you alone. I hope you’re okay. I still love you. I still want to see you again. I just wasn’t sure what to do. I couldn’t risk upsetting your dad again. I’m sorry. I love you.” He hits send, silently praying that Rhia is okay.

Alex stares silently at his daughter for a minute. His anger starts to wane, replaced with guilt for yelling, but at the same time, he couldn’t just get over this. The man had violated his trust and his daughter. Just the thought of it made him want to… He slams his fist onto the counter, ignoring the pain. Her mother was only 17 when she had Rhia, true. “That was different!” He tells her, but the guilt grows more in him. Andrew had taken advantage of his position. He had done this right under his nose. Alex wouldn’t admit out loud that part of the anger was from his shame at being deceived. Caitlin walks back into the room, having dropped the girls off with a driver. She tells Alex that they should talk. “How long have you known?” He asks his wife, the one person in his life who shouldn’t have been keeping secrets from him.

Caitlin doesn’t answer right away. She helps Rhia up and leads the girl to her room. Alex pours himself a full cup of his strongest whiskey before walking out into the halls. “Work’s over for today. Everyone go home.” He says in a low voice. The employees scatter, quickly packing their things and leaving. Alex goes upstairs and sits down on his bed, draining his glass. Caitlin comes in soon after him. “You didn’t answer me when I asked you a question.” He tells her, a mix of anger and frustration bringing out his darker side. Caitlin walks over and takes the glass from Alex’s hand. She barely sets it on the nightstand before he pulls her to him, seating his wife in his lap. One hand pushes her dress up, squeezing her thigh hard as his other moves up to her neck, his fingers wrapping tightly around her throat without restricting her breathing. “I expected this attitude from Rhia, but you were always the good daughter, weren’t you? Why would you keep secrets from your father?” He growls in her ear.
 
CItlin hadn't seen this temper in him in years. She felt fear slide through her but knew he wouldn't hurt her. Not really. He was angry. He certainly had a right to that anger and she knew it was more from pride than anything else. She looked at him, wincing a little at his hand on her thigh. "I did not know...specifics...I knew that Rhiannon had a crush on him and I could see the attraction. I didn't know they had had sex..." She told him calmly. "He protected her. Better than anyone else could have. Being so close, it was no wonder they fell for each other. When she told me she loved him, I told her to wait until his contract was up. For the very reason you showed tonight. I know...I should have told you, but I also know Rhia would of ran away and we would never see her again. You and I both know she is just as stubborn and headstrong as you are..." She lifted her hand, clasping it over his and then lowering it from her throat.

"Is it so terrible Xander? She is eighteen, a straight A student who hasn't ever made a mistake in her life. She has scholarships available to her from the Art Institute and Ivy Leagues if she wanted to go there. You and I, we have kept her closed away from the world as much as possible then put a man in her life to be by her side every single day, all the time...considering our libido did you think she wouldn't find herself attracted to him? I don't know what to say Xander..." She looked at him.

"And what is she going to do when she knows the truth? Hmm. She has to learn about it somehow...how do we explain to our daughter that I am your daughter too? That our relationship was founded on a contract for sex and I was already pregnant when I found out that I was your daughter. How do we tell her that? Your angry...fine, be angry...punish me...but her pregnancy is hardly the worst thing."

She heard a noise outside the door and turned, glancing at it before looking back at her husband. "I love you father..don't be angry with me, or with her," she begged him then leaned forward, kissing him again.

Rhia hadn't stayed in her room long. Just long enough to check her phone. She had to talk to her father and mother. Moving toward her parents room, she heard their voices and what she heard had her in shock. No...no way. It couldn't be true. She covered her mouth with her hands, listening as her mother called him father after spouting out the truth. She felt sick. All the times those people at school called her an inbred slut...they had been speaking the truth. And a sex contract? Did that mean her parents hadn't met and fallen in love. She looked at the door and then slowly moved away. She just had to go away. She had to get away. Returning to her room, she grabbed her phone, the keys to her new car and then her wallet. She rushed downstairs, slipping into the garage and then cranking up. She made her way out, turning and driving. She shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks as she drove through the gate, headed toward the city. She looked at her phone and then looked forward, speed dialing Andrew. She put the phone to her ear.

"Andrew...where are you?" She asked, pulling to a stop but a storm was fucking up her connection. She couldn't hear him. She hung up as the line went dead and then looked forward, closing her eyes and then trying again. "Andrew..." She said, finally able to hear him. "Andrew where are you?" She asked and then started to sob. "I really need you right now," she whispered, in near hysterics.
 
Alex considers what his wife says for a minute. She might have not told him about this, but she wasn’t lying now. Caitlin never lied to him. He wasn’t even sure that she could. He starts to accept what she says, but decides that Rhia can wait. He would deal with her later, he thinks to himself as his hand creeps up to cup his wife’s mound through the panties she has on. He furrows his eyebrows. Why would Rhiannon ever have to find out? No, they could just as easily keep it a secret for the rest of their lives. The tabloid article had given him a brief scare, but it was just gossip meant to stir up trouble. Actually responding to it would have made things worse. He turns at the same sound that Caitlin does, wondering what it was. Caitlin kisses him, but he isn’t distracted by it this time. Slowly getting up, he walks to the door and opens it. There’s no one in the hall, no, they’d all have gone. Well, except for Rhiannon of course. Alex’s eyes widen as he runs down the hall to find his daughter’s bedroom door open, and her room empty. There’s a flash of headlights and he runs to the window in time to see Rhiannon driving off. “Dammit, no!” He yells in fear as he runs, already knowing that he wouldn’t be able to catch up with her.

Andrew picks up his phone the second he sees Rhia calling. Before he can even speak, he hears her on the other end, and his heart practically shatters into a million pieces. She sounded… more than just sad, she sounded her. “Rhia, what’s wrong? Where are you? I’ll be right there!” He’s already out the door while he’s talking to her, running down the halls. As he pulls into the parking lot where she told him to meet her, he sees her sitting in her car, clearly in tears. There’s a group of guys starting to move towards her. He doesn’t know if they’re trying to be helpful, or have something more menacing in mind, but he doesn’t take the time to find out. The bodyguard parks his car in front of hers and hops out. The sound and light gets her attention and the two meet outside, embracing tightly. With one look from Andrew, the men back off. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He asks her as soon as they’re alone, sitting her down on the hood of her car as he wipes away her tears.
 
As he sat her down on the roof of the car, she continued to sob and shook her head. "They lied. They lied to me...about everything. Daddy got angry because of us but he...he..." She was close to hyperventilating and choked on another sob before curling against him, just breathing in the scent of him. He was her anchor, keeping her together when she just wanted to collapse. Rhiannon couldn't fathom the truth. But it all made so much sense. The age difference for one. The way her mother blindly followed orders...her mother and sister. The thought made her feel faint.

"I couldn't stay there. I couldn't...I had to find you..." She whispered then looked at him, kissing him deeply and just curling against him. "I love you so much Andrew. I don't know what I would do without you..." She whispered painfully then winced, putting a hand to her stomach. It was sharp like a cramp and she drew back, closing her eyes. "I need...I need...to go to the hospital...something's wrong," she whispered, feeling another stabbing pain like a knife twisting deep in her stomach. "It's the baby...something is wrong with the baby..." She whispered, wincing once more, trying to calm down as best she could.
 
Andrew just holds her tight. He wanted to ask what her father had lied about, and what he had done. For a moment he feared the worst, that Alex had actually raised his hand against his own daughter, or even done more, but no, she didn’t have any sign of injury, and was still in her birthday clothes in fact. The panic in her voice sends a shock through Andrew’s spine. “What?!” He asks in surprise. Quickly picking Rhia up, he gets her into the passenger side of his car, buckling her up before running to his own side. He speeds to the closest hospital, violating every traffic law on the way. Not even bothering to turn the car off, he’s getting Rhia out of the car and racing her into the emergency room. A nurse fortunately gets to her right away and starts asking questions. Andrew knows what he has to do, even though he doesn’t like it. She needs her parents by her side. They would be called anyways, since her insurance and emergency contact information was tied to them. As the nurses take her to get some tests done, Andrew sits down and breathes hard before calling Alex.

Rhiannon’s father barely slows down as Caitlin follows behind him. The two are in his car, peeling out of the driveway in hopes of catching up to their daughter. “She heard us.” He tells Caitlin, though he’s sure she knows. “She heard what we said. She knows now.” He slams his hand on the dashboard in frustration. “How could I let this happen? She’s alone, confused, where did she go?!” He shouts at the stop light. They check with her friends, they look at the school even though it’s closed, the Met would be too out of the way, she won’t answer her phone and none of the nearby art centers would be open. Alex can take a guess, though he doesn’t want to say it. Andrew is their best bet. She would go to the man she thinks she loves. Parked in an empty lot, Alex picks up his phone and gets ready to swallow his pride so he can call the former bodyguard up. To his shock, it starts to ring, and he sees Andrew’s name pop up. “Where is she?” He spits at the man, preparing for the worst. His eyes go wide. “What? Which one?!” He just barely gets the name of the hospital from Andrew before speeding off towards it. Alex hands his phone off to his wife so she can get the information from Andrew about what’s happening.
 
Caitlin remained as calm as possible, hanging up once she understood what was going on. It wouldn't do at all to panic. Once they were at the hospital, she walked with him into the ER waiting room, seeing Andrew waiting and looking nervous. She glanced at the nurse station and stepped toward it, asking for any information on Rhiannon. The nurse went to fetch the doctor and Cait stood, arms crossed, waiting. A media circus would be here soon enough which would be the last thing any of them needed. As the doctor came out, his features were grim but he stepped forward, shaking her hand as well as Alex's.

"Well Miss Jacobs certainly will be staying the night. She appears to of gone into shock, a lot of stress does that. The baby is fine but she is still threatening miscarriage from all of the stress. I want to keep her here a day or two, keep her relaxed, on some oxygen just to help keep her from actually miscarry inch. I'm well aware of the status she has as well as yourselves and my staff have agreed to a gag order...." The doctor promised. "We are putting her up in a room now, just to keep her out of the public eye and once that is done, I will let you go and see her," he swore.

Caitlin thanked him and then looked at her husband and Andrew. "You two better sort all of this out," she said, no doubt shocking her husband with her authoritative tone. "My baby doesn't need any more of you fighting..." She said sternly then turned and moved to sink down in a waiting room chair to await the doctor.
 
Andrew explains the situation as well as he can. Rhia was under a lot of stress, but she should be fine. The doctor is worried about her and the baby though and was taking her in for tests. He had answered the questions he could. He knew about her blood type, allergies, and such, so he was able to give that information quickly. Anything else, he would need to wait until her parents arrive. The bodyguard paces around the room, unable to stay still. What had shaken her up that much? Something about her father lying to her, but what about? Despite himself, Andrew feels some anger start to well up. If he had just remained calm and accepted them, then this never would have happened! No, the rational side of him says. it wasn't Alex's fault. Any father would have reacted the same way He had been entrusted in keeping Rhia safe. As far as Alex was concerned, the man had abused his position to take advantage of his daughter.

Despite his initial anger, Andrew is relieved when Rhia's parents run in. Caitlin is hastily talking to the doctor, and then catches Andrew by surprise with her authoritative tone. He always had the feeling there was a strength to her that her usual demeanor hid. Well, what woman wouldn't react like that when it came to her daughter? Breathing deep, he turns to look at Alex. The older man simply stares at him, as though trying to make a decision. Andrew decides to take the initiative. "Rhia had said..." He starts before furrowing his eyebrows. "She said you lied to her, before she had me rush her here. Something about how you were angry at us but that you and Caitlin were, I don't know. It was something that bothered her though."

Alex's face turns to stone and he looks away. "That's... something between family. You don't need to ever know about it." Alex replies.

Andrew's anger shows now. "What if she has this child? What if I join this family? You know what, no, it makes no difference. I've heard the rumors, and I don't care if any of them are true. There's only one thing I care about. Would you stop us? What will you do about the baby? Will you tell Rhia that she can't be with me, Mr. Jacobs?" The ER was thankfully relatively empty, though plenty of nurses could likely hear them. Andrew didn't let it show that he noticed though.

Alex stares the man down before slumping his shoulders and walking back. "What would be the point? She has too much of me in her." He says and returns to his wife. The conversation ends there, and soon the two parents are sent back to Rhia's room, leaving the bodyguard waiting alone to see what will happen.
 
Rhia peaks her eyes open when she hears the door to her room, thinking it's another nurse. Since coming here, she had been poked and prodded and even been giving something to relax her. Now she just felt sleepy. When she saw her parents, she swallowed and then turned away, flinching when her mother stroked her forehead. The door closed, leaving the trio alone and then Cait sighed. "Baby...I'm so sorry. We should of told you the truth...." Cait whispered and then kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

Rhia was silent for a long while before looking at her. "Tired..." She whispered. "So tired...and hurt....where is Andrew? I want him here..." She whispered then turned away. Cait frowned and sank down on the edge of the bed.

"Rhia..."

"No...I don't want to hear it mom. All these years you told me that you and dad fell in love, that you wanted him from the moment you saw him and you lied....I heard it all. A sex contract. Sounds really romantic. I can see why you fawned over him. Why you act like you do around him...." She trailed off, shaking her head.

Cait frowned. "Rhia...it wasn't like that. Not at all. I was seventeen....broke...my own mother was suffering from a car crash that left her physically and mentally handicapped. I was drowning in debt. Your father...he was lonely. He hadn't ever managed to keep a long relationship. I'm not going to say it was love at first sight...but that contract was his way of filling a lonely void. We didn't know...Rhia...we didn't know about our relationship until it was to late. And I wouldn't give you up for the world...but I wouldn't give him up either. How would you feel if I told you that you would never be able to see Andrew again hmmm?"

Rhia looked at her. "I wouldn't let it happen," she answered honestly, her voice soft.

"Well, there you see our problem. Your father and I, we love each other the way a man and wife love each other....I couldn't ever imagine stopping that love because of blood. I didn't grow up thinking of him as a father...do you see?"

Rhia observed her and then nodded slowly. "I'm sorry momma..."

Cait wiped her eyes and brushed her hair back from her daughter's face. "I'm sorry too." She glanced at her husband then back at Rhia. "I will give you a moment with your father and then Andrew is going to come up here. Whether your father likes it or not," she added, half teasing. Rhia nodded, feeling her mother give her hand a squeeze before getting up and walking outside, leaving father and daughter alone.

"I'm sorry daddy...for lying to you. It really...it wasn't Andrew's fault..." She promised, her voice tinged with fatigue from the medicine they had given her to relax her.
 
Alex stands by the door as his daughter and his wife, both his daughters he thinks to himself, talk. Hearing what they have to say, Caitlin explaining what had happened, he feels guilt build up in him. It had been completely accidental. The two were instantly attracted to each other, and the contract never would have held up in court anyways. It had just been an act of desperation, a way to feed his dark desires while attempting to justify it. Falling in love, having Rhiannon, creating this secret, it was never something that was supposed to happen. As Caitlin had already said though, he wouldn't trade it for the world. The only time he thought of Caitlin as his daughter was when that darker part of him took hold and reveled in it. She was his wife, and the woman he was meant to be with. How then, could he hate Andrew for his own relationship?

As Caitlin turns to leave, he stops her to whisper in her ear. "We'll deal with your attitude later." He tells her, squeezing the back of his wife's neck. The words word scare anyone else, but he's sure his wife understands. The fact that this darker part of him was emerging meant that things would be okay. He walks over to his daughter, sitting next to her bed and taking her hand in his. He looks down and shakes his head. "No, it was his fault." Alex corrects her. "It's the man's fault for making you fall in love with him. Just like it's your mother's fault I fell in love with her. That's how it works. if he wasn't the man he was, then this wouldn't have happened." He lets out a soft chuckle between kissing his daughter's forehead. "Don't tell anyone." He warns his daughter. "Not even your grandparents know about this. I don't even want to imagine how they would react. Please, not even Andrew. It's not something he should know about." Alex tells her, though he reminds himself that it might be something the man should know about. "I love you Rhiannon. All I've ever wanted was what was best for you, and now I guess that would be..." Before he can finish, Andrew steps into the room. Falling silent, Alex squeezes her hand before leaving.

The bodyguard had been pacing the waiting room again, wondering if he would even get to see his lover. No, that wasn't an option. He'd like to see them try to stop him. When Caitlin appears, he lets out a breath of relief and sinks into a chair as she explains that Rhia was okay and he would get to go up to her in a minute. She's oddly silent about Alex though, leaving Andrew wondering what would happen. Opening the door to the room, he braces for the worst. To his surprise, the two occupants look oddly happy. As Alex leaves, he mutters to Andrew to take care of her before stepping out, announcing that he would be taking Caitlin home since only one overnight visitor was allowed in the room. Andrew walks over slowly to sit in the previously occupied chair. What he wants to do is lie on the bed with Rhia, cuddling her until the nurses pulled him away, but the bed wasn't big enough and he couldn't mess with the IV. He settles for holding her hand and kissing the girl's lips. He considers asking Rhia about what had stressed her so much, but doesn't want to upset her again. Seeing how tired she looks, he smiles and kisses her again. "Go ahead and get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere." He promises her.
 
Rhia watched him go and then smiled tiredly when she saw Andrew, kissing him back when his lips touched hers. "I hope not. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you...." Rhia looked at him then smirked. "They gave me a nice cocktail, let me tell you. As long as I don't have another panic attack, I should be fine." Slowly, she leaned up, kissing him again and then laid back. "I love you..." She murmured. "More than you think..." She whispered then kissed him again before drawing back and then settling on the hospital bed to get some much needed rest.

-Three Months Later-

"We are fine daddy. Honestly. Andrew got a really good job as a manager of a security firm, he starts tomorrow and the baby and I are perfectly fine," Rhia was saying as she opened one of the moving boxes. They had been in Charleston for less than a day and this had to be the third phone call she had received from her parents since unlocking the front door of her new home. Her father had kindly bought a house for her to stay in while down here, overlooking the Battery and from the second floor she could see Fort Sumter. It was one of the most beautiful places she has ever seen and she couldn't imagine going back to New York in the winter. She reached in the box, pulling out her art supplies. The furniture had arrived the day before and only needed to be uncovered. Andrew of course had furnished the house and she didn't blame him. He had to feel useful and feel like he was providing for her after all. She wasn't going to receive any money from her parents. Her father offered an allowance but she wouldn't have it. She craved the independence and wanted to feel like she was doing it on her own. Well, that she and Andrew were doing it on their own.

"I will call you this evening after we unpack. Okay. Love you..." She hung up then sat up, wincing at the twinge in her back. At five months, there was a very noticeable bump on her stomach from the baby. A little boy, growing strong. She would be having him around winter break and would be able to go back to school when the spring term began in late January. Everything was going to work out perfectly.

Humming softly, she fixed her t-shirt and then started to organize her little studio overlooking the battery on the second floor. It had a large bay window and the most light. Hearing a noise, she turned toward the door then smirked at Andrew before looking back at her supplies, using hooks to hang up paintings she hadn't sold on the bare walls. "Everything done downstairs?" She asked curiously, looking at him and smiling, fixing her ponytail then moving to look out of the window at the water and large oaks. "It's so pretty here..." She smiled. "Maybe we should stay down here permanently," she laughed softly.
 
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