Ours

Chapter 41

"MOMMY!" The girls shouted as they dropped their forks seeing Ashley come into the kitchen a few days later. They hopped out of their chairs and ran towards her.

"My Loves," Ashley beamed as she knelt down and opened her arms. "Oh my girls, I have missed this so much," She whispered as she kissed their hair and clung to them even more.

"Miss you too," They said as they clung to her neck. Ashley pulled back slightly then covered their faces with kisses causing the girls to burst into laughter.

"That's the best sound in the world," Marc said leaning on the kitchen island watching them.

"Come eat Mommy," Nova said and Ashley nodded.

"Okay," She smiled as both girls took ahold of her hands and led her over to where they were sitting. The guys smiled as they watched the girls crawl into her lap. She smiled and held them close to her and occasionally kiss their hair. "Have you been minding your daddies?"

"Yep," They nodded while popping their p.

"You kept them on their toes, didn't you?" She asked and the girls giggled which caused Ashley to giggle.

"They definitely have some Luke in them for sure," Nathan shook his head and Ashley smiled.

"They have all of you in them," She said as she ran her fingers through their hair. "They take to water like mermaids, that's you."

"You love the water as well," Nathan pointed out. "Didn't you say it was the Pisces in you."

"Yes, but I find the water soothing and calming, they like to do stunts in the water, that's you."

"Touché," Nathan shook his head.

"Now that Mommy is better," Sean smiled as he moved his plate away from him since he was done eating, "what do we want to do today? She still has to take it easy but she doesn't have to stay in her room anymore."

"Pay ousigh," Salem smiled and Ashley nodded.

"Okay," She smiled, "I know how much you girls love to be outside. I bet Maxie has been loving playing with you outside, hasn't he?"

"He definitely has," Kota smiled as he drank his coffee. "He loves having someone to run around with but he also keeps a very good eye on them as well."

"Tahm on Mommy," Nova smiled as she hopped off Ashley's lap. Salem slid off as well.

"Give me a moment to get something to eat and then I will," Ashley said and the girls nodded. "Why don't you go up to your room and brush your teeth and get dressed in play clothes? That will give me time to eat some toast, okay?" The girls took off upstairs with Ashley watching carefully. She turned back around and frowned seeing all the guys looking at her. "What?"

"Have an interesting conversation with Gabe lately?" Victor smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"I've lost my appetite," She said standing. "Excuse me."

"Princess wait," Victor said rushing over to her. "I'm sorry, please, eat. I won't joke about it anymore."

"We're not doing that," She glared at him. "I agreed to trying to be a family but THAT thing Gabriel said and Raven did without my consent won't happen for a VERY long time but I wouldn't hold my breath on that ever happening again so quit pushing."

"Yes Ma'am," Victor nodded and held his hands up. "Please just sit down and eat something."

She heard the girls start to head down the stairs, "Mommy," the girls hugged her.

"Come on Girls, let's go outside and play," Ashley smiled as the girls took ahold of her hands then pulled her outside.

"She's just confused," Axel said as Victor slumped down in his chair. "We know she is still hurt, we can't push or she will put those walls back up that we are slowly knocking down."

"Are we though?" Nathan asked.

"We are," Silas nodded. "It's one step forward two steps back with her right now but we are. We just have to keep being patient and no more joking or pushing our feelings onto her right now. She needs to work out her mind and feelings first. We can tell her body is responding to us but her heart is still hurt and her mind won't let her forget. When we first reunited, her body wouldn't respond to us in the least and she kept us away from the girls as much as possible. Now she is slowly responding and even moved in with us and let us care for the girls when they got sick so there is progress. Remember baby steps are still steps. It may not seem like it right now but we are."