Damaged (Linctavia)

Chapter 24

Lincoln brings Octavia and Julianna back to his house. Lincoln walks up and unlocks the door. "Ladies first." He steps aside. Octavia walks in holding Julianna's hand. A big dog comes scrambling to the front entrance. Whining and screeching as he jumps up knocking Octavia to the ground licking her face. "Oh my god!" Octavia hugs the dog scratching his belly. "Khloe!" She smiles widely and looks up at Lincoln. "You kept her." Lincoln smiles and closes the door. "Of course." He leans down to Julianna. "This is Khloe... she's not usually this crazy, you can pet her." He tells her. Julianna looks at Octavia and when she nods her head, Julianna reaches out and pets her.

Lincoln stands in the kitchen preparing the tacos while Octavia sits in the dinning room on her phone. "Everything ok?" Lincoln asks looking over. "Um.. yeah.." she smiles putting her phone down. "Where's..mark?" Lincoln asks. "Who knows....he left, and I'm pretty sure he's not coming back.." Octavia sighs. "What about Julianna?" Lincoln asks cutting the last tomato. "He..he never really connected with her, she's better off without him." Octavia mumbles. "Without a dad? Every child needs their father.." Lincoln says. Before Octavia can say anything, Julianna runs into the kitchen. "I'm hungry!!" She squeals. "That's good!" Lincoln bends down and picks her up throwing her in the air then placing her on the counter. "Cause it's ready!" He smiles. Julianna giggles and steals a tomato. Lincoln gasps and pokes her belly. "Did you steal a piece of my tomato?!" He asks. She shakes her head smiling widely. "Hmmm well let's make your taco.. what do you want on it." He asks. "She's allergic to lactose ." Octavia point out. "Hmmm Welp good thing I have lactose free cheese. I'm lactoseectolerant too." Lincoln looks at Julianna." Octavia watches them interact. She can't help but smile.

    After dinner, Lincoln gets Julianna a bowl of ice cream and walks over tapping Octavia to follow. Octavia gets up and walks out of the room. "Look, its late, it's dark, I don't want you going to that hotel alone. So you guys should stay here for the night." Lincoln says. "What? No Lincoln I can't ask for that. You've already fed us and entertained us. I don't want to interrupt you anymore." She says. "Octavia Blake, you aren't asking, Im offering, and you aren't interrupting me. Please, I have an extra room you guys can sleep in." Lincoln looks at her. "Ok.. but only for tonight." Octavia hesitates but gives in. It would be nice to sleep in a room with air conditioning and a nice mattress.

    Octavia walks over to Julianna and cleans her mouth. "Hey baby. Mommy's gonna give you your pyjamas to change, we are going to sleep here tonight." Octavia tells her. "Yay! Ok!" Julianna cheers. Octavia smiles slightly and walks to her purse taking out Julianna's pj's.

After Octavia gets Julianna ready for bed, Lincoln walks over. "Goodnight Julianna." He smiles. "Goodnight." She smiles. Octavia walks into the room with Julianna and lays down with her. Octavia starts reading her a story and half way through, Julianna falls asleep. Lincoln walks over and leans against the door grime watching them. "Hey." Octavia looks up at him. Lincoln smiles and waves his hand walking out of the room for her to follow. Octavia quietly gets up and walks to the living room. Lincoln sits down beside her and faces her. Octavia brings her feet up and leans her head against her arm staring at him. "Thank you.." Octavia says. "For what?" Lincoln looks at her. "For this, for not hating me, for being so nice to Julianna." Octavia tells him. Lincoln smiles and moves a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You know I could never hate you, and Julianna is a beautiful little girl. She deserves the world." Lincoln moves his hand to her cheek. "She likes you." Octavia smiles. "Ya think?" Lincoln questions. "Mhm... Im sorry for keeping her from you." Octavia frowns. "It's ok... as long as I can be involved in her life now." He says. "Of course." Octavia nods. "Lincoln..." Octavia looks down. "Ya?" He answers. "I really hated you, I thought you cheated on me." Octavia says. "That's good, that means I did my job." Lincoln tells her. "How could you let me hate you." Octavia asks. "All that mattered was that you were safe. I could live with you hating me... but I can't live knowing you're in danger." Lincoln says. "I'm so sorry." Octavia whispers as a tear slides down her cheek. "Hey. Look at me." Lincoln lifts her chin with his finger. "Don't do that to yourself. You were protecting yourself and Julianna.. you wanted the best for her and you didn't know." Lincoln tells her. Octavia nods as another tear slides down her cheek. Lincoln wipes her tear away. "It's ok baby. Don't cry please." He says.

Octavia grabs onto his wrists and leans in to kiss him. "I love you Lincoln." Octavia says leaning her forehead to his. "I've always loved you O." Lincoln smiles. Octavia smiles and leans in kissing him again. "You should go to bed. Get some rest." Lincoln says. "Mhm. I will." Octavia stands up and walks to the extra room laying back down beside Julianna and falls asleep.