Alexis Miller [Editing]

Chapter tewnty three: After This...

I awoke to see Ryder looking out the window in the chair beside the bed. He insisted on staying the night because he wanted to officially meet Cora. It will be a little while before she wakes up though. “Morning Roo." His head turns to me and he gives me a warm smile.

“Hey, morning." He walks over to my side of the bed and gives me a kiss on the top of my head.

Ryder and I talk about what we did in the time that I wasn't here. He tells me that at first it was difficult and he didn't know what to do. But a little into the second year he got a sports scholarship for college. He is going to Princeton in a few weeks. But for now he says he just wants to spend time with Cora and I.

I feel a little movement underneath the duvet, “Mommy?" A very confused Cora looks up at me.

“Hey baby, how are you?" I turn over to see her rubbing her eyes. “Cora, there's someone here I'd like for you to meet." I get off the bed so that she can have a full view of Ryder. Her eyes widen at the sight of him.

“Hello Cora." Ryder smiles at her but she just frowns at him.

“Mommy, this man looks like me!" She shouts immediately a huge smile appears on her face. I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand that he is her father. She must be more amused at the fact that she looks like him.

“Yes baby, he does. How about I leave you with this nice man while I go shower." I give Ryder a reassuring smile then kiss her on the forehead.

After coming out of the shower Cora and Ryder are nowhere to be seen. I get dressed and head down to the TV room where I can hear small giggles and a manly voice.

“Mommy!" Cora runs towards me and hides behind me, “He said he is going to tickle my toes!"

I laugh at her and look over at Ryder. I smile at him while Cora tightly holds onto my leg, still giggling. “Well, if he doesn't tickle you, I will!" I turn around and grab then tickle her. Her small laughs echo throughout the house.

“Keep it down would you! Some of us are still trying to sleep!" Tristan says while coming into the room. Cora runs over to him and hides behind him.

“Uncle T is nice! He won't tickle me!" She shouts at both Ryder and I. We just laugh at her.

Tristan moves his gaze from Cora to Ryder. He freezes up, “What are you doing here?!" His face changes from soft to a hard look. I try and calm him down but it's a wasted effort. He bolts for Ryder's collar and in an instant punches his jaw.

“Tristan! No! Stop!" I shout at him but he completely ignores me and gives another punch to his right eye.

“You think you can just show up here! Do have any idea what Alex went through! You prick" He punches him again in the same eye. The only thing that stops him from punching Ryder a forth time is Cora's crying. He slowly turns around to see her in my arms, crying.

I glare at him and give him a very disappointing look. How could he just punch Roo like that? He doesn't even know why Roo is here. I basically invited him in. Cora is his daughter too. Suddenly the front color flies open and my mom walks in with a bunch of groceries.

“What happened here!?" She exclaims. It takes her a few seconds to fully comprehend what has happened. “Tristan!" She drops all the groceries on the floor. The first thing heard is the cracking of the eggs and then a few other things. She runs towards Ryder then turns to me, “Take Cora upstairs and I'll take him to the hospital."

I stand still, glaring at Tristan. Without looking at my mother I say, “No, I'll take him. You take Cora." I guess my mom understands how I feel because she nods at me then takes Cora upstairs.