Ship to Wreck

35

Reminder: This stories are purely fiction. The scenes depicted within are not reflective of our views of the characters. 

That being said, enjoy and keep an open mind.

***

Christian hissed as he shouldered his backpack. He closed his eyes, his heart pounding against his ribs. He's been hit so many times... but none since he became a dad. He has a family.

Had, Christian. He told himself, closing his eyes as he walked to the elevator, too consumed in his grief to notice the sea foam green Volvo dutifully parked next to him.

God, it had been a month since he saw his baby girl. A month of pain and despair. A month of court and cheek swabs.

He wasn't that boy's father; a fact he'd known all along. He just wanted his Indy girl back. He wanted to bask in her newborn snuggles. Breathe in the honeyed scent of her Burt's Bees shampoo and body wash as it lingered on her silky black hair. He wanted her.

You'll never see her again, Christian. She's Gio's daughter now. Get used to it. You're alone like you deserve.

He couldn't stop those thoughts. The ones that told him he didn't deserve his family. That his pain was karma for his years of objectifying women. Gio was a good man. He wasn't.

Athena deserved a good man. Indy needed good men in her life.

The sooner he came to grips with that, the better.

***

After grabbing his mail, Christian headed to the 16th floor of his apartment building. Almost immediately upon exiting the elevator, he heard the sweet cries of a new baby.

God that hurt. He missed her. He missed her cries. Her sweet sniffles as she calmed herself on daddy's chest...

He wanted his girl back.

He entered his apartment and the cries got louder, beating it further into his skull that he'd never see his baby girl again. A warm tear slipped down his cheek and he threw his backpack across the room, jumping at the yelp that sounded from that area.

He looked up and his eyes met the familiar brown-sugar eyes of his pupper.

"Sadie?" If Sadie was here... "Indy," he gasped and ran to his bedroom, not noticing the woman he gave so much to exiting the bathroom.

"Oh my god," he sobbed and picked up his huge baby girl, his hands shaking uncontrollably. "Daddy's here. I've got you. You're okay," he whispered, taking a deep breath in and kissing her head. "I've missed you. My beautiful, beautiful girl."

Christian looked down, running his finger over where the infant was clutching his shirt. "My sweet Indy," he whispered, gently soothing her as her sobs stuttered.

He could hear Athena approaching, he could smell her warm perfume.

The second he felt her hand on his back, though, his body took over for his mind. He flinched sharply, his back tightening as he tried to get away.

"Chris... let's go to the living room," Athena whispered, her voice full of pain.

"I don't need to talk to you. I need to take care of my daughter," he whispered, running a feather light finger over Indigo's plump cheek. God, she was so beautiful.

"I... okay," Athena whispered. She knew she fucked up. She knew she deserved the animosity thrown her way. Christian hadn't seen his baby in a month, and that was her doing. "I'll be in the living room. I love you..."