I'll Be There

9 | rock me real slowly

Spencer paused halfway up the stairs when he heard the sound of the front gate opening. Turning his head, he caught the bright headlights as they swooped across the window, illuminating the entryway.

There were only two people who knew the code to the gate.

He cleared his mind of any expectations as he made his way back down. Until he opened that door, there was no guarantee that it was her. And if it was, he couldn't assume her reasons for coming. He had already gone to her once today, only to be met with another man in his place.

But as he stood in the doorway, he watched as she got out of her car and walked towards him. Looking into her eyes, he didn't recognize the woman who had been here earlier in the day, headstrong and defensive. The person who stood in front of him was the college girl. His college girl who showed up at his dorm without fail whenever she had a bad day.

And just like he did then, he opened his arms to her. Taking her in and holding her close so that everything around them would fall away.

Time seemed to stand still as they stood there, wrapped in each others arms. Their sorrow finally melting together between them.

Her breath was warm on his neck when she finally mumbled against him.

"He would have been two today."

He didn't respond, but she felt his arms tighten around her. And for the first time since that night, a tear ran down his cheek for his lost child.

Pulling away from him, her fingertips trailed down his arms, reacquainting herself with what had been hidden from her for the past month.

"Come," he whispered, taking her hand in his, leading her into the house.

In the living room, he sat on the couch. Like he did on those bad days, he pulled off his shirt, her eyes steady on his movements. Picking up her hand, he guided her onto his chest. Her cheek made contact with his skin, and she relaxed against him.

This had always been his way of making her feel safe, but tonight he also searched for his own comfort.

Feeling the warmth radiate from his skin, she thought back on the memories from the month following the incident. Him trying to pull her in, and her wincing away; the comfort she had always sought, no longer there. In those days, she was convinced that she would never feel the same anymore. Now it hurt to know that she had been wrong.

In the stillness, neither of them said a word.

They wouldn't talk about it tonight. They didn't need to.

_____

As the sun started to peek through the curtains, Spencer woke up with a start. Looking over at the other end of the bed, he took a deep breath when he saw Olivia sleeping soundly.

Her back was curled up towards him, the slow rise and fall of the blanket indicating that she was still deep in her sleep. After hours of nothing but the sounds of their breathing, she had fallen asleep around 2am.

Letting her sleep, he carefully got out of the bed, making his way to the bathroom before heading downstairs.

A while later, Olivia slowly blinked against the natural light that now flooded the room. Coming into consciousness, the first thing she noticed was the scent of the blanket tucked around her. She was in his bed with no memory of how she got there.

Pulling the blanket with her, she got up and followed the smell of food.

"Thank you."

Spencer turned from his spot in the kitchen; he was almost done plating their breakfast.