All by Chance {Brollins}

/ Chapter 21 \

Rebecca put Danielle to bed and found Colby waiting for her on the couch. He gestured for her to come over, and by the inquisitive look on his face, she knew he wanted to talk.

Rebecca just quietly sat down next to him, and he grabbed her hands in his. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that today."

She shook her head, "Colby, we really don't need to talk about this."

"Yes, we do." He insisted, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "It wasn't fair to you. Whatever steps you want to take next, I'm right with you."

She simply smiled, "I know."

"I should've checked his ID before." Colby shook his head at himself. "It should've been my first instinct."

"Don't do that. Neither of us expected something like this to happen." Rebecca spoke softly, "It's not... normal. None of this was."

"Stay?" He asked her carefully, not knowing if she'd feel comfortable with it after the long day they'd had.

"I don't know..." She shrugged absentmindedly, "I probably shouldn't."

Colby gently released her hands and pulled her legs over his, resting his hands on her thighs. Rebecca looked down at her lap, fidgeting with her nails.

"You were on that damn business trip." She laughed quietly with a shake of her head. "I always wish I had gone with you. Maybe things would've turned out different."

She felt his hand twitch as he spoke up, "It's not your fault."

"You know... that's what everybody always says." She pressed her lips together, "But it still feels like it is."

For some strange reason, the urge to be completely open made itself present. Rebecca wasn't sure if it was because she was tired of dealing with everything alone or if it was because of her endless trust in Colby.

It was also the first time she verbalized her situation in such detail since it happened, so she supposed something good came out of the fake interview. It wasn't a weight that was necessarily lifted off of her shoulders but off her chest, and suddenly she could breathe easier.

Rebecca bit the inside of her cheek, "I asked them if I could hold her... even just once. But I was losing too much blood and they were trying to save her."

"Have you gone back?" Colby's grip on her thigh tightened in the slightest. "To the cemetery."

A sense of guilt filled the emptiness in her chest, and she shook her head. "There were times I'd try. I would get ready, and buy flowers. But when it came to pressing my foot on the gas pedal to actually go... I just couldn't."

Colby nodded, taking one of his hands and rubbing her back slowly. "One day you will. There's no need to rush. Even today was a massive step for you."

His words carried comfort and reassurance, letting Rebecca relax her shoulders and really take in the amount of progress mentally she had made. She was talking to him about it freely, and she never had before.

The only other time she bothered to make mention of it was when he returned from his trip. Evidently, he'd be able to know something wasn't right when she was pregnant when he left, and when he came back there was no baby. Other than Colby, Rebecca couldn't bear to verbalize it any longer, so she let him tell his parents when they raised questions.

She didn't know how to grieve then, and she still had troubles now. The only difference was that she got better at blocking it all out. It was only when Colby returned and found out what had happened that she found out just how protective he could be.

He was her voice when she couldn't speak, her mind when she couldn't think, and her strength when she had none. Colby was always there for her, no matter what. Which is also why she never hesitated to help him with anything.

They'd both been through their fair share of problems in life, but one thing that remained persistent was their friendship.

Colby sighed, "I'm sorry about the whole Danielle thing too..."

It had been such a turbulent day Rebecca didn't catch on to what he meant. He sensed the confusion and clarified. "Her calling you mom."

"We had to have known it was gonna happen, right? I mean, you two practically are attached to my hips." Rebecca quipped weakly, although it still brought a small smile to their faces.

"Did you mean it?" She questioned after some comfortable silence. "When you said we were dating?"

His fingers deviated to her knees and danced along them nervously. "I know it wasn't the most conventional thing, and I didn't discuss it with you before, but-"

She cut what she knew would be a long tangent off with a slow and fervent kiss. The angle wasn't optimal, and Colby was quick to notice that. Instead of straining both of their necks, Colby turned towards Rebecca. Hands gripping her waist and pulling her on top of his lap.

"Yes." Rebecca said simply against his lips. A feeling of euphoria swirled around her, and she finally felt a fraction of familiarity inside herself since she lost her baby girl.

She felt safe and happy, two things that were unfamiliar through the past months. Rebecca was ecstatic she didn't lose everything she once was, but a small voice in her head was telling her she should feel guilty for it. The problem was she didn't know whether to believe it or not.

"Stay?" Colby whispered as they separated, and Rebecca curled up next to him comfortably.

She smiled to herself, feeling his arm wrap around her. "Okay."

"I love you." He ran his fingers up and down her side, slowly and gently.

She placed her arm over his chest before cupping the side of his head. Rebecca gently tilted her head over and gave Colby another slow kiss. "I love you too."