If || rsl & r5 (SLOW UPDATES)

• 13 •

Ross' POV

I followed Charlie up to her apartment, unable to stop smiling at how Ian was holding onto my neck. I never felt more relieved than when he found out the news and took it better than I thought he would.

"You're such a big boy, aren't you, buddy?" I fixed my grip on him when he was beginning to weigh me down, definitely letting me know that he was going to be a very tall boy, and he was already growing so quickly.

"Mommy says the same thing." He smiled at me, showing his dimples and I kissed his forehead, nodding.

Charlie finally reached her apartment and I let Ian down from my arms as soon as we walked through the door. Ian immediately ran to Mel's room as I turned around to look at the love of my life locking the front door.

"You said you wanted to talk." I gave her a nervous look, hoping that she would tell me if she felt the same - if she still loved me like I loved her. She was the love of my life, there was no one else for me. There was no one else I wanted.

"Uh, yeah, let's go to my room." I followed her, feeling anxious about talking to her all over again. I loved her and I loved hearing her voice, but after everything that happened, I always felt so nervous to talk to her. At that moment, I didn't feel good enough for her; I hurt her like no one ever has and I hated myself for that. I truly admired her for even talking to me after all this time.

"W-what did you want to talk about?"

"Us." She sat down on the bed and I took a seat next to her.

"W-What do you mean? I mean, you know how much I want to be with you and Ian. And now that he knows I'm his dad, I'm so relieved and glad he's happy. But I-I have to leave tomorrow." If only I could change jobs just to stay here with them. With my little family.

"Do you really have to leave?" She shuffled closer to me, grabbing the collar of my shirt to pull my face closer to hers. "You know, I don't know if I'm ready to be with you again but... Ian needs you now that he knows, and I-I miss you."

"Beautiful, I know. I've missed you too like absolute crazy but you know I-I live in LA. I can't just drop everything and come here."

"Oh, so now your job is more important than Ian? Than me?" She abruptly let go of my collar, slightly pushing me back as she stood up, starting to pace around the room.

I heaved a sigh, standing up and grabbing her hand to stop her from moving. "I've worked hard for what I have there, but for your information, I've also worked hard to gain yours and Ian's trust. You know I love you more than anything in the world, but I have a life there in LA, where the rest of my family is."

Oh, God, I needed to shut the hell up right now.

"You know what? That's fine! Absolutely fucking fine, Ross! Go back to LA, enjoy your family and forget me and Ian even exist."

I pulled her towards my chest, holding her tightly as I sat back down on the bed with her on my lap, her legs instantly wrapping around my waist as she held onto my neck.

"Don't leave us. Why can't you see that I need you just as much as Ian needs his dad?" I gently rocked her in my arms, pressing my lips to her temple.

"Then move with me to LA." I lifted her chin up from my neck, stroking her cheek with my thumb.

"W-What?"

"Take Ian and move with me to LA. That way I'll have my whole family there with me."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you been or are dating anyone, Ross?"

"If I was in a relationship with anyone else, I wouldn't be here always wanting to hold you so close. Would I?"

"Well, yeah but-"

"But what?"

"But, just like you have a life in LA, I have a life here. I have a job here and I have my best friend here. Ian has his preschool here. I can't just pack my bags and leave everything just because you want me to."

"That's exactly what you want me to do though as well." I pushed Charlie's hair out of  her face, pulling her head closer to kiss her cheek. "You know I'd do anything for you and Ian but I just can't leave everything."

"So, don't expect me to move to the other end of the country, Ross, if you can't do the same."

"Look, we can visit each other every weekend. Like next weekend I'll come to you and then the week after you can come to me and we'll see each other every week that way."

"Do you not understand that I can't do long distance relationships? I just can't, so don't go telling me we'll see each other every weekend when I need you here with me not just for 2 days a week. Ian needs you more then I do actually, because he hasn't known his father for his whole life until today." She stared into my eyes and I could see how teary her eyes were becoming; once again I was the reason why she was about to cry.

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

"Never mind. I-I forgot how family oriented you are. You can't stay away from your siblings, your parents. I completely understand that, but you could've told me that at the beginning before I actually got attached to you again after all these years and you said you would do anything except this." She paused before whispering, "You lied to me, again."

"No I didn't. You know what? Fine. I'll call my family and tell them I'm staying here, okay? I just don't have any of my stuff here, so sometimes, I'll need to go and get them from my apartment in LA." I cupped her face in my hands again, watching her eyes widen.

"Y-you would really do that?"

"I did say I would do anything for you."

"It seems too good to be true. Only 10 minutes ago, you refused."

"I guess you have that way of persuading me." I pressed a kiss to her forehead and she seemed to relax in my arms, her eyes slowly dropping.

I shuffled a little so that I was laying on the bed, keeping her close as I felt her soft breathing against my neck. I carefully covered her with a blanket as I tightened my grip around her body. I brushed her hair out of her face, rubbing her back and I let myself lean closer to her ear, whispering as I stroked her hair, "I'm going to keep saying it until you believe me. I love you and I want to have a family with you. I want to wake up with you every morning and fall asleep next to you every night."

She scooted closer to me, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist as she mumbled something in her sleep. I chuckled quietly, not wanting to wake her up so I moved her arm away before pressing my lips to her forehead and holding her tighter than before.

I felt content that I had the love of my life right in my arms again - right where I was longing to hold her since I completely messed things up between us.