"She's so beautiful, Stevie..." the blonde was sitting on the cream colored leather sofa, staring down intently at the little girl resting in the comfort of her arms.
She had light hair, pouty lips, chubby cheeks, long eyelashes and the most adorable button nose. She was only six days old, but she was already loved beyond measure.
In fact, when they arrived home from the hospital, they were greeted by all their closest family and friends, waiting with flowers for Stevie and gifts for Penny... She was just totally adored, especially by her parents- biological and step.
Biting down on her lower lip, Stevie nodded lightly. "Thank you." She was in the accent chair, curled up with a blanket and a cup of coffee.
She hadn't slept in days and it was obvious. She was so short fused with everyone and everything... No one was doing anything right, except for her, of course.
"She's a tired girl." Lindsey grinned lightly as he stayed leaning over the back of the couch to also look down at his new baby.
He was trying to get along with Stevie, he really was and the only way he knew how to do that was by just ignoring her.
Laughing softly, Carol's head fell back to look up at him. "She looks so much like you, honey." She whispered with a sweet smile trailing across her face.
His lips met the top of her head as he gave his girlfriends shoulder a soft squeeze.
Creasing a brow, Stevie shifted in her chair as her eyes burned into the other woman. "She's an infant..." she reminded her, not at all enthused with her presence to even begin with. "She looks like all the other infants." She mumbled, rolling her eyes softly as she brought her cup up to her lips to take a sip.
Lindsey's eyes met hers from across the room, already fed up with her as it was. "Come on, Stevie." He shook his head, obviously not that impressed with how she was acting. "Why don't you go take a fucking nap or something." He added in a harsh tone of voice as he pushed himself away from the couch.
She scoffed lightly, setting her cup down on the side table and tossing the blanket off her legs. "Why don't you go home." She told him as she slowly began to push herself up to stand.
She was still really sore from her cesarean, but that wasn't going to stop her from arguing with him... Nothing ever did.
"You're absolutely crazy if you think I'm leaving my new baby with you." Lindsey had a smirk on his face as he motioned towards the woman he was once very much in love with... Not anymore though, not at that time. "You're so fucking str-"
"Don't fight, please." Carol Ann's voice was soft as she glanced over at Lindsey, nearly begging him just to drop it. "She's asleep..." she mentioned as she glanced down at the sweet, innocent baby that had not a single clue what was happening in the world around her.
She didn't know that she was born into a messy family and she didn't ask to be either.
"Shut up, Carol." Stevie wasn't afraid to argue with her too... She knew it got under his skin and that was her goal. "Put my baby in her bassinet and go." She pointed towards the door that separated the living room from the foyer.
Lindsey jaw settled, blue eyes locked with her brown ones. "You need help." He had said that a thousand times, but he really meant it that morning... She didn't not look like herself and the way she lost her temper like that was insane.
"Stop telling me that!" She shouted it so loud, it caused Carol Ann to flinch.
"Take Penelope upstairs." Lindsey never took his eyes off of Stevie, who he was so mad at in the moment.
Carol Ann slipped off the couch, holding the baby close to her chest as she moved through the room, not making eye contact with either of them.
Pursing her lips to the side, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Fuck you." Her brown eyes were swimming in tears, even though she wasn't going to let them fall.
"Yeah?" He nodded lightly as he chuckled in return. "Don't you dare think that I will just sit back and let you ruin everyone's life." Lindsey could be mean, but he could also be stern and that was his intention at that point in their conversation. "If you don't figure it out, I will take those two kids away from you, Stevie."
~~~
"Are you okay?" Lindsey's hand slipped up the curve of her back and got lost in her long blonde hair, rubbing the back of her head softly. "Baby?" He used his other hand to pat her waist softly, looking down at Stevie, who was curled into his side with her head on his chest.
They had been curled up for hours, so content in one another arms, it felt like nothing bad had ever happened.
Nodding lightly, she brought a hand up to her face to wipe away the tears that he couldn't see. "I had a bad dream, that's all." She whispered through the dark room as she pressed her lips to his chest.
Lindsey had come up to her house for dinner the same night Penny, Barbara and Jess went back to Arizona, so only a few days after that awkward evening at his home in LA. And even though they were sneaking around and lying to their significant others about where they were and what they were doing, it just felt right... Being together felt good.
"It's okay, Steph." He assured, feeling the pounding in her chest as she lay against his.
She bit down on her lower lip, reaching up to take his chin in her hand as she pushed herself up slowly. "What happens when life starts getting real?" Stevie wondered, so scared that they were going to find themselves back in that place that she had nightmares about. "What is going to happen when Erin starts questioning you and I get married...?" She creased a brow, tears streaming her cheeks as she looked down into his eyes.
She was starting to get a little anxious about the situation they had created for themselves, but only because it was all happening so fast...
And even though he hid it well, Lindsey felt the same way, especially when she reminded him about the wedding that was just a few short weeks away.
He thought about it for a second, letting his hand travel down to her waist as he used the other to push some of her messy curls behind her ear. "I'm so in love with you..." he whispered, eyes scanning over her face.
He was more captivated by her than he had ever been before and that really said a lot.
Her heart sink as she wrinkled her forehead. "I'm in love you too." She replied, nodding her head as she felt him use the pad of his thumb to wipe away her tears.
He carefully brought her head down to leave a kiss on the tip of her nose. "We can make it work this time."
