Another Life With You || sequel to IWCT

Four

Skye jumps slightly as a loud knock sounds through her small apartment. Not expecting anyone she quietly climbs out of the chair, setting her book aside. Walking noiselessly across the floor she peaking out the peephole to see who might be outside her door. Her fingers fumbling with the lock as her brain tries to process who she sees on the other side. "Calum?" She asks as she pulls the door open.

"I'm sorry." He blurts quickly.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, not fully registering that he really did show up.

"Can I, can I come in?" He sighs, shifting awkwardly on his feet.

"Sure." She nods, stepping aside so he can step past her.

"I-" He pauses, "I'm sorry, Skye. I shouldn't have avoided you for so long."

"Cal, if it's not here for you still, if you don't feel for me like we had, it's okay. I'll figure it out. I know I hurt you when it all went down." She swallows.

"It's not that, Skye... fuck, it's definitely not that. I do want you, I haven't thought about anything else in a week, and if it was just up to me I'd have been back here the next morning with coffee and breakfast. But..."

"But Nika isn't okay with this..?" She finished for him, her heart sinking.

"She begged me to let you go, to not try anything. She is so afraid of what happened repeating itself. She was practically crying..."

"Cal, your daughter has always been number one in your book, as she should be. I get it. You could have just called..." Skye swallows hard, not wanting to believe she really did lose this forever.

"But not trying when a second chance got set in my lap... that makes me want to cry, Skye. It's a catch 22. I'm happy or Nika is..."

"I know you, Cal..." She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around herself, "Nika comes first, always."

"What if... what if this time I pull the I'm the adult card? She's eight, she can learn to trust you again."

"Calum..."

"No, Skye, I want you. I want you more than anything. Why do I have to compromise my happiness for my daughter when she isn't old enough to understand everything. I have never met someone who makes me feel all the things I feel when I'm with you."

"Stop." Skye shakes her head, willing the tears to stay back.

"No!"

"You're setting us up for pain and failure, Calum. You can't honestly tell me you are going to do something that Nika is 100% against. It won't last, you'll be eaten alive by the guilt."

"Every fucking thing I have done for the last eight years has been for her, always what was best for her!" His voice raises suddenly, "I want this. One thing! She can give me one thing. And I want that one thing to be you."

"Calum." Skye's voice cracks slightly as she fights to hold back the pain.

"No." He breathes, stepping quickly until he's able to pull her into his arms. "I get to be selfish this time." He whispers just before his lips mold against hers, any fight she had on the matter dissolved by his touch.

One of his hands secured around a fist full of her messy hair, the other holding her hip tightly as their lips move in sync. Heavy breaths and soft moans falling as tongue meets tongue, the fire Skye feels building in her lower abdominal she can only hope has a companion within Calum's body. She squeaks slightly as her back makes contact with the counter, not sure when Calum had started pushing her backwards, her mind consumed by the way his kiss feels against her lips again.