The Plan| Reddie

Beep Beep

Christmas morning had been awkward. It had only been the girls speaking as they opened up their presents. Richie sat tiredly, drinking his coffee, and Eddie sat silently, picking at a loose thread on his sweatpants, occasionally smiling at Quinn when she showed him the present she'd unwrapped. Richie and Eddie had a few presents themselves, including one for eachother.

"I...the watch I wanted." Eddie says as he unwraps it. He'd only mentioned it once and Richie had gotten it for him." Thanks, Rich."

"No problem." Richie says awkwardly, grabbing his present from Eddie. He unwraps it and it's a framed photo of him and River. His favourite photo of him and River.

In the photo, River's about five and they're in the garden of Maggie and Wentworth's, playing pirates. Richie's got his arms wrapped around his daughter, both of them wearing pirate hats. Richie's laughing and River is sticking out her tongue with a grin. Richie smiles and looks at Eddie.

"Thank you. I love it." He says and then he turns it to River, who grins." Look, it's us!"

"That it is." River chuckles. Then the awkwardness settles back in as they all watch Richie place the photo on the mantle piece.

Christmas lunch was just as awkward. Barely anyone spoke and the Christmas hats from the crackers looked depressing. Still, it was better than any Christmas Quinn had spent with her mother. Eddie silently eats and Richie drinks slowly on his wine, the girls watching them miserably. River had wished she hadn't said anything. She wanted them to be happy again.

After Christmas lunch is done with, Eddie sits miserably on the couch, looking for something to watch and Richie goes upstairs after washing up. River follows him, knowing now is the time for some daughter wisdom as she likes to call it. She finds him lying in bed, fiddling with his glasses. River pushes her own up her nose and sits down beside him.

"He makes you happy, dad. I've never seen you so happy before." She states. Richie doesn't look at her.

"I'm just scared. What if it's not love? What if it's pure lust and we actually don't get on?" Richie asks and River blinks." On his part, I mean. Because I love him. A lot."

"Then you should tell him. Well, I mean you have but you need to tell tell him. Like...communicate your feelings." River says.

"Y'know I suck at that." Richie says." I'm gonna need time to think things over...I just, I'm not ready."

"You're going to need space, then, and you know what that means." River says. She and Quinn also needed to call off their plan for a little while. Richie looks at her." It's all going to work itself out with time."

"When'd you get so smart?" Richie asks.

"I have an incredibly intelligent dad." River replies with a grin. Richie leans over and kisses her forehead gently." I love you, dad. I'll always be here for you."

"I love you too, Cecelia." Richie says softly, pulling her into a gentle hug. She smiles and hugs him back. She feels guilty for coming between him and Eddie. She hadn't wanted that to happen.

As River goes upstairs to talk to her dad, Quinn sits down beside hers to talk. Eddie doesn't even look at her. He just keeps his eyes focused sternly on the TV screen.

"We can't stay here." Eddie mumbles and Quinn nods." I know Richie better than he thinks I do. He will want space."

"I know." Quinn says softly." I'm sorry that this is happening dad. I know you love him."

"Yeah." Eddie says with a frustrated sigh." Tempted just to go back to your mother-

"No. Don't." Quinn begs, holding her dads hand to get him to stop channel surfing. He looks at her, slightly tearful." You're stronger than that, dad. We will just stay at that hotel again. Please, just...don't go back to mom."

"Okay." Eddie squeaks out. Then he coughs, not wanting to cry." I won't. I'm sorry for saying that. My heads all over the place."

"Everything's going to be okay." Quinn says reassuringly. Eddie nods and then sniffs back more tears." I will be by your side through everything. Has he given you any reasons to not want a relationship other than he's scared?"

"He...he thought you and River would be weirded out by it. He wanted just a bit of fun at first and came up with a challenge to not fall in love but...I was in love with him from that first fucking moment. The moment I sat down at his station at the parent-teacher conference. I just...I don't know. We're both scared of our feelings I guess?" Eddie explains and Quinn rubs his back gently to calm him down." It was just sex at first. We wasn't expecting it to evolve into something else...and that's terrifying."

Eddie sits quietly for a few minutes before Richie and River walk back downstairs. The two men look at one another and Eddie just nods, going off to pack up his stuff, Quinn doing the same. River and Richie watch sadly as the two pack.

"Can we talk?" Eddie asks Richie. He nods and the two go out in the hallway." I know you want space to think."

"Yeah...sorry." Richie replies, sliding his glasses up his nose." We had fun and...I'm sorry it had to end so soon."

"No harm done." Eddie says with a forced chuckle. Richie forces a grin." Well...goodbye, Richie."

"Yeah. Bye, Eddie." Richie says. Eddie nods and then grabs his bag. Quinn gets hers and hugs River goodbye before she follows her dad out of the door, thanking Richie for his hospitality. Richie closes the door and lets out a shaky sigh.

He goes back to the living room to find River waiting for him on the couch. It was back to them two. Richie and Cece against the world. He sits down beside her and the two stare at the TV, Elf playing. River chuckles at a joke but Richie can't even conjure a smile. He feels empty. He hadn't even been this upset when he was going through a divorce. He put that down to being madly in love with Eddie and not loving Isla whatsoever. River glances at her dad, who's clenching his jaw and trying not to let the tears overflow.

"Dad." River says and Richie looks at her." You can cry, it's okay."

Richie nods and then let's the tears spill, River pulling him into a tight hug. He sobs into her shoulder and she just holds him, feeling guilty for being the cause of his pain. She wished she hadn't said anything. She hates seeing her dad so upset and hurt. She hates it when he cries and here he was. Crying because she couldn't keep her mouth shut.

Beep beep, River

Beep beep

Short sorta filler chapter here
There's gonna be a time jump in the next chapter to River and Richie's birthday
So that's like three months :)