Following the Stars

Chapter One Hundred & Forty Six

She wandered through her front door and sighed, a sight she thought she would never see again at more than one point during the whole ordeal. Johnny stood with James in his arms. She stopped and stared at the sight, Lexie's eyes pooled with tears and she could tell Johnny was emotional too. He slowly stepped towards her as a silent tear fell down her cheek, "Would you all, umm, give us a minute?" He asked turning to the group of people who were gathered in their sitting room, he began clearing his throat. Lexie was stood on the spot frozen as everyone cleared the room into the snug. As further tears fell down her face, Johnny moved in front of her, and watched as their baby joyfully reached for his mama. Lexie happily took the distraction and wrapped her arms around her baby boy, resting his head on her shoulder before she looked up deep in Johnny's eyes. A second later he wrapped his arms around her tightly and was stroking her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Don't you ever get into trouble again you hear me?" He half joked, extremely relieved that his wife was ok and the ordeal was over. "I promise." She whispered through hiccups and tears. She couldn't wrap her arms around her husband, but he held her tight and let her cry, before slowly moving them to the couch. She lent in as he kept an arm around her and slowly everyone re entered the room. "Do we have to debrief now?" She whispered looking at Johnny then Sean. "Not umm exactly." Sean replied looking nervous. "We heard everything." Johnny said avoiding eye contact with his wife. "You did?" She asked quietly, but very confused. "Did you honestly think I'd let you go into that situation without my own security on guard too??!" She looked at him with wide eyes. "I thought you were angry with me.." she trailed off playing with James' little hand. "You all were." She looked up and saw Stephen and Gina, and her parents in the corner of the room. "Just because I was angry with you doesn't mean I stop loving you. God you're one of my greatest gifts. The best thing a man can have. Today you offered yourself completely and willingly no matter the danger just to protect me and the children. Lexie, that's scarily insane darling. I wanted to do all I could to ensure you came home to me." Lexie nodded biting her bottom lip. "Well I did. I kept my promise." She said still attempting to hold back tears. The last few months toll really showing. "I know you did darling." Johnny smiled kissing her head and pulling her practically onto his lap. James was safely tucked in her arms and she couldn't take her eyes from her baby boy.

That night, Lexie placed James down into his bedside crib and sighed. "Darling?" Johnny asked coming out the en suite. It was gone midnight but neither of them had wanted to even attempt to sleep as of yet. "I was just thinking, he will be out of that next month and in his own room. So much has happened since he was born." Johnny nodded walking around her side of the bed unbuttoning his shirt. "It has, but look at him, he's none the wiser. Our little cracker. You've done a fine job with him. He's a right chunk." "Johnny!!" Lexie smirked the first smile he had seen on her face all day. "Don't say that!! He's perfect." She said stroking the baby's cheek. "In every way." Johnny added leaning and kissing his wife. "Get some rest. You'll need it. The adrenaline will wear off and you'll be in a lot of shock. Come on." He stood unbuttoning his jeans shimmying them off as she climbed back under the covers before he joined her.

A few days later, after multiple visits from police officers wanting statements and evidence, Lexie was wrapped in Johnny's arms in their bed. The latter had been awake since the early hours, his mind going a mile a minute, but he was happy to see his wife resting and finding comfort in his arms. He played with her hair for a while and let it get tangled in his fingertips before kissing her forehead, when he heard James stir from beside the bed. Their little chunky monkey, immediately made eye contact with his father, and Johnny did his best to slide out of the bed and wander round to pick up his youngest child. "Hey you.." he whispered kissing his head and heading back to his own side. As he sat back down in bed, pulling the sheets back over himself, he attempted to move Lexie back into her position cuddled into him, and he half managed it, well as best he could with a baby in his arms. "You're my little guy aren't you?" He whispered to his son. "Yes you are.." he said stroking his cheek with his finger. "God I love you, so so much, you, your sister and your brother are my gods. I would do anything for you, I hope you know that." Lexie stirred and slowly sat up. "You're awake." She said shocked "Sorry did we wake you?" Johnny asked concerned. "No, don't be silly." She said with a smile seeing Johnny and James cuddled up together. "He only just woke, want me to grab a bottle from the fridge?" "No no it's ok, I can feed him." She said reaching for her son. "Ok darling I'll go make you a coffee." "You don't need to do that." Lexie said touched. "I want to. I want to take care of you." He said kissing her passionately before she got James settled. Johnny grabbed some sweats and headed downstairs, this was a new beginning for them all, and he couldn't wait to say goodbye to the horrid ordeal.