Unforeseen Resolutions (Complete)

Chapter Fifteen

A jolt shoots through my entire body and I sit straight up. My heart is racing and I can't catch my breath. Alex instantly sits up and his eyes search me for the cause. I lean into his chest. I take a deep breath and his scent helps calm me.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Bad dream." I mumble into his body.

I can feel his head nodding and his hands rubbing my back. I can sense his body relaxing once it knows there is no physical danger.

"Want to talk about it?" He asks after some time.

"I was alone. I'm not too sure where. Then I heard his voice...then his hands were on me...I couldn't move." My voice breaks as I explain my nightmare.

Alex holds me tighter but doesn't say a word. We just sit in silence.

"Do you have these dreams often?" Alex asks.

"I used to. Especially during the hearings, seeing him in person everyday. But I can't remember the last time I had one. You know I would wake up in a cold sweat, heart racing just like this. I would grab my phone to call you. Just needing to hear your voice. But when I did break down and actually call I didn't know what to say. I felt embarrassed to tell you I had a nightmare and wanted your comfort."

"I wish you had told me. I still would have listened. I knew you had to be going through a hard time but you never said anything. You always acted like it didn't bother you."

"Things he said during the hearings scared me just as much as what he did."

"What do you mean?" Alex looks at me with so much concern and anger.

"He talked about how we were meant to be together. He said I flirted with him and led him to believe it was mutual."

Alex rubs my back as a shiver runs through me.

"He talked about how he found out about my relationship with you. He said that's when he knew I was the one, because I wouldn't have issues with our student, professor relationship. He said I was scared to leave you so we couldn't take our relationship to the next level until he got you out of the way. You know I'm still pissed you didn't tell me he had my phone and was texting you!"

"Hey, everyone I told agreed you were better off not knowing at the time. You were already dealing with a lot and it stopped when he was arrested."

"I know, I just wish you were the one to have told me."

"I know."

He runs his fingers through his hair. This is a topic we have argued over many times before, but not lately. I have moved on and it really doesn't bother me anymore.

"Help me take my mind off all of this."

"What did you have in mind?" He asks.

He can't see my smirk. My face already on his chest, I place a kiss on his bare skin. I can feel his heart beating faster as I place more kisses across his muscles. I leave one last kiss on his heart tattoo before looking up at him.

"I could think of a few things."

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Time feels like it's going at the pace of a snail and flying by all at once. I only leave my parents' house to go to Alex's apartment or doctor appointments. I have leg doctors and baby doctors. It has been eight weeks since my accident and that damn cast was finally removed a few days ago. But now I have physical therapy to help get back some muscle tone I lost. My extra baby weight doesn't help with my ability to walk again. I'm not big by "normal" standards but I have grown a little baby belly. My c-section is scheduled for next week. Only days before Alex's birthday. I tried to schedule it on his birthday so they would share it but the doctor wouldn't wait that long.

I walk, or I should say limp out to Alex's car from therapy. He used to go in with me but he said he couldn't stand watching me in pain and not able to do anything about it. Honestly it doesn't hurt that bad and each day, the more stretching I do, the better it feels. He kisses me when I get in the car before I buckle up. He drives off heading towards his apartment.

"Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?" He asks me.

"Nope."

"Good. I wanna take you out. It's been awhile since we did something."

His smile is contagious.

"I'd love to. Can I change first?"

"I thought you'd say that. That's why I'm heading to my place."

As soon as we got to his apartment I jumped in the shower. I wash all the sweat off of me from physical therapy. I take the time to shave what part of my legs I can still reach. Once I am out of the shower I do some light make-up and pull my hair back. I wrap up in my towel and walk through the hall to his bedroom. I am surprised to see one of my dresses already laying out. It is a little nicer than I would have originally picked out but if this is what Alex wants me to wear for our little outing, this is what I will wear. I put it on, thankful I took the time to shave and that it is warm enough to wear something like this. Then again it will probably snow next week, but I'm used to it. When I'm finished I slip on some ballet flats and walk out to the living room. Alex's eyes roam my entire body. A little self conscious of my belly I run my hand down it. He smiles at me and my heart races, how does he do that?

"You look beautiful." He tells me as he walks over to me.

"Thank you. So where are we going now that you got me all dressed up?" I smile up at him, batting my eyes.

"You will have to wait and see...let's go."

He takes my hand leading the way. Always walking to my right in case my leg decided to give out on me. It's only happened once and it was the first day. But ever since he's made a habit of being on my right. Once we are in the car I ask him again where we are going. He just smirks and says nothing. It doesn't take me long in our drive however to realize where we are going. But why? Once we arrive and I see the additional cars I think I have an idea.

"What's the party for?" I ask Alex, hoping I am wrong but secretly deep down hoping I'm right.

"I promised I wouldn't say a thing. Just please act surprised for Cassie's sake. She wanted to blindfold you from my place until you got inside."

I laughed and shook my head, of course she did. I got out of the car and like usual Alex took up his new position next to me. As we walked up to the door of my childhood home I got a weird feeling of should I knock or just go in? Alex saved me from the debacle by reaching for the doorknob and opening it.

"SURPRISE!"

We had barely stepped in through the door when everyone cheered. I look around at all the faces and call it pregnancy hormones or just happiness I cried.