It Was Meant To Be Us

Chapter 27

'I'm so in love with you...Make love your goal'

The popular Gabrielle Aplin cover of Power of Love echoed around Ryan and Lily's new apartment. They had only moved in a few weeks previously, it was Ryan's idea after the Blake situation in California. Lily smiled as she felt Ryan's hand slip around her waist, and brushing against her now obvious baby bump "Wow he's not giving in is he..." Ryan felt the baby's movement under his hand.

"We don't know it's a boy" Lily chuckled as she rested her hand over Ryan's.

"Yeh well I refuse to call him it..." Ryan replied "And besides you heard what my Gran said, all round for a boy..."

"That's an old wives tale" Lily turned and hugged Ryan's neck "You don't regret not finding out do you?"

"What no, of course I don't" Ryan quickly replied "I like the idea of a surprise...and for the record I would be as equally happy with a girl"

"I know" Lily leant forwards to kiss Ryan but was stopped by a sharp kick in her stomach "Ow" she laughed when she realised Ryan had felt it too.

××

"I'm so glad yore okay" Lydia Sighed as she handed Natalie a mug of coffee "I still can't believe someone would try and hurt you like that"

"Not me Lily" Natalie replied as she sipped the coffee.

"Huh" Lydia frowned.

"It was meant for Lily, she was the one who was meant to get hurt...because she's pregnant" Natalie explained to a seemingly stunned Lydia, however little did Natalie know that Lydia was already fully aware of all of these facts. Well except for one...

"Why would someone even...?" Lydia lied convincingly.

"Listen I don't think I'm meant to say anything but I know you wouldn't..." Natalie started.

"Oh no of course not" Lydia reassured her.

""You see the thing is, Lily has a stalker" Natalie explained "And this isn't the first time he's tried to hurt her, he shot her not long ago"

"Oh my god" Lydia exhaled "Poor Lily"

"Yeah so you can see why Ryan so protective..." Natalie sipped some more coffee.

"Yeah definately, I still can't believe someone would do something so awful and to a pregnant woman too" although Lydia had known about he stalking, she had no idea Lily was pregnant...perhaps Blake didn't know either she thought to herself.

××

"How about this black one?" Ryan had taken Lily to the local Baby store to try and take her mind off everything. The birth of their baby was drawing nearer and they still needed to get the essentials. Ryan had spotted a black Silver Cross Surf pram at the back of the store.

"It's black" Lily frowned "I don't think I like black"

"We also have it in chilli red" a black haired woman said from behind them.

"Oh, red" Lily smiled as she looked hopefully towards Ryan, he walked back to Lily and nodded "Could we have a look at the red one please" Lily asked.

Ryan and Lily followed the woman to the front of the store, there was the red pram on display "We also have this on special offer at the moment, it comes with at changing bag and car seat too"

"Cool" Lily looked excited "Ry, what do you think?"

"Yeah if it's the one you want" Ryan chuckled at Lily's obvious excitement.

"We'll take this one please"

"Okay" The woman smiled "Do you need anything else?"

Lily handed the woman the list of things they needed, a crib, nursery furniture, clothes, Muslins, bibs, newborn nappies and a few other items "Oh not a great deal more then" the shop assistant teased as she looked up and both Lily and Ryan who were no stood closer to eachother.

Lily threw her a cheesy smile before looking at Ryan "We might aswell get it all now right?"

"Yeah why not" Ryan replied, seeing Lily smile again made him happy. It was his intention to cheer her up and it seemed shopping for their baby did this.

After another 2 hours and $12,000 later Ryan and Lily finally had everything they could possibly need. They arranged for all their items to be delivered to their apartment a few days later. Ryan wanted to finish decorating the baby's nursery first.

××

"So they have Jeff, Ray, Bill and Joshua working security for them now?" Anna sat on the sofa besides Drew "Lily must be stressing..."

"Yeah Ryan said she felt suffocated" Drew sighed "But I guess they've got no choice"

"No not under the circumstances" Anna leant her head on Drew's shoulder "If anything happened to her or..."

"Hey don't worry Ryan wouldn't let anything happen" Drew quickly turned and comforted Anna, he knew how worried she was about the whole Blake situation.

"I know it's just..."

"You'll feel alot better when he's caught" Drew smiled and Anna frowned.

"I'd feel better if he was dead" her reply stunned Drew to silence, this wasn't something Anna would ever say "Truth is while Blake Timms still has air in his lungs, their is always going to be that possibly he can kill Lily. Even the police can't stop him...him escaping proves it. I have never said it before and I never would to Lily, but I don't think he will ever stop until he gets what he wants and that's why he would be better off dead"

As much as Anna's revelation stunned Drew, he had to admit she was right in a way. Blake Timms didn't seem to be letting up when it came to his obsession with Lily...

××

Ryan couldn't remember the last time he saw Lily this relaxed, she had become extremely jumpy recently. He watched a little longer as she sipped her tea "What?" She had caught him watching her.

"Nothing" Ryan smiled "I'm just taking in how luck I am..."

"Lucky you are?" Lily repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, Lil you never give yourself enough credit for how beautiful and strong you are" Ryan replied he moved closer to her.

"I don't feel very strong right now" She sighed and Ryan gripped her hand tightly in his.

"And you don't need to be, let me be strong for you" Ryan smiled "It's what I'm here for"

Lily nodded gently and leant forward to meet Ryan's lips "I love you so much Ryan Tedder"

"I love you too Lily-Rose Tedder" Ryan kissed her again.

××

"So I will need you to clean the apartment three times a week" Blake said to the young woman in front of him. They were both standing in a picturesque apartment which had been recently refurbished. The walls were a gentle grey colour throughout with dark wood floors.

"Okay" The woman nodded, she was a blonde haired woman. Her hair was pinned in a tight bun and she was wearing a blue cleaning coverall "It's a very beautiful home you and your wife have Mr Hall, I bet you can't wait for them to join you"

"No I can't" Blake half smiled, Derrick Hall was a name he had now invented to hide his true identity "I have missed her so much"

"I bet you have" The woman smiled "When is the baby due?"

"Oh not for a few more weeks yet, but I'd like for my wife to be all settled in properly when the baby arrives" Blake smirked "I've waited a long time for that day"