To Keep Her Safe is All I Know

Chapter 15

Chris sits at the table on the bus and watches out the window as the bus begins to move and departs. Within a couple of hours, they'd be away from Scranton and Pennsylvania.

"So how is everything with Melanie and Sadie? How was the funeral aftermath?" Balz asks. (A/N: If it wasn't made obvious already, I wrote this when Balz was still in the band *single tear rolls down face*)

Chris shrugs, "Some days are good, some days are bad. Melanie says that the nights are hard; that Sadie gets upset usually before she goes to bed. Sadie says she's ready to go back to school though, and Melanie will be going back to work. So...things are gonna go back to normal for them. For the most part. When I'm not around to help out with Sadie, she'll be with John's brother."

Ricky snorts.

"What?" Chris asks.

"Nothing, just the way you said that. 'When I'm not around to help out with Sadie'." Ricky says.

"Yeah, and?"

"Nothing, nothing, you're just totally proving us right."

"About what?"

"Remember a couple tours ago when we made fun of you saying you were becoming a parental figure to Sadie and we all think you and Melanie will be married within the year?" Vinny asks.

They all laugh, even Chris at the ridiculousness of that idea.

"Me and Melanie? That's a good one." He says.

"Oh, come on, like you've never thought of it." Ryan says.

"The only time I've thought about it is when someone else brings it up." Chris states, "Look, I love Melanie, but not in that way. And I love Sadie, but not as my daughter."

"You don't need to defend yourself. We actually think this all is good for you." Ghost says.

"All what? There's nothing there. You don't see me shipping you guys and your female friends, so why are you all insisting Melanie and I should hook up?"

"You just don't see it like we do." Balz defends.

"Have you guys always 'seen it'?"

"No, no, because Melanie was happily married to someone else. Duh." Ricky states.

"And back then you guys really did just act like buddies. But ever since the divorce and you stepped in to save the day, you guys have acted a bit different." Vinny says.

Chris shakes his head to himself and leans his head against the window. They had a long drive ahead of them and Chris had been up late last night in anticipation for the tour, so he didn't get a lot of sleep. He was tired now though. Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the window, Chris shuts his eyes and allows himself to drift off a bit.

x

Chris walks into his house late at night. The tour had ended and it was great, but he was looking forward to being able to sleep in his own bed and shower in his own shower and see his family. Chris drags his things upstairs and sets them outside his bedroom before walking off elsewhere. 

He walks into the room quietly and slowly shuts the door. He tiptoes in and smiles. Sadie lay there, asleep, and Fred lay on the bed next to her. Chris walks over to the bed and brushes Sadie's wild curls out of her face. He then kneels down and kisses her forehead.

"Love you, kiddo." He whispers.

Chris stands and heads toward the door.

"Daddy?"