Only You

Chapter 9

"So when you said she walked in on you –"

"The mother-in-law walked in on you?!"

Will cringed into his coffee, while Jay and Erin; who had breezed into the room mid-conversation, fresh from a shower and trailing water; silently argued about who was in charge of his interrogation.

"Jesus Will," Erin sighed, tucking her towel tighter under her arm and leaning against the breakfast bar. "I thought we all agreed you and Natalie would be taking it slow."

"Uh, since when were my relationships a team effort?"

"Since your terrible decisions through the course of your last one landed you back here?" Jay offered with a smirk.

"Whatever man, it's not like we were –"

"Woah!" Erin held up a hand. "I do not need to know what you and Natalie were getting up to."

"They were just making out." Jay suppled, waving her down. "Sorta like a baptism of fire there, buddy. Surprised you're still standing."

"Yeah Helen wasn't impressed," he mused, sipping his coffee, cutting Erin off before she could speak, "which I understand and is why Nat and I are taking things a step at a time. There's a lot to work through."

"Look, can we talk this through later?" Erin was padding back towards her room, having taken a glance at the clock. "We're gonna be late for work."

"Well if someone didn't take twenty minute showers."

"Hey! We were out till 2am making the Walker arrest and I was disgusting –"

Sensing an opportunity to escape, Will stood and slung his bag over his shoulder. "See you guys."

"Hey, wait a sec," Jay turned back to his younger brother as Erin disappeared from the room. "You want me to keep you a plate tonight? Erin was talking about stir-fry."

"Nah, it's cool and, I'll be late back so, I'll probably see you tomorrow."

Jay shook his head with a smile as Will practically raced for the door. "Don't go staying out all night now!"

"Ma, ma, ma, ma." Owen gurgled contentedly from his high chair, eyes on Natalie as she organised her lunch. He'd slept till six, an improvement on the four am that he'd taken to waking at during his recovery, which had not only let Natalie sleep a little longer but also let her shower and dress before he was even awake.

"You want some grapes Owen?" Nat asked hearing the click of Helen's key in the lock.

"Bit! Bit!" Owen stretched his hands out towards the plastic bowl that Nat was holding out. She put the bowl of grapes, cut into quarters, in front of him as Helen bustled into the room.

"Sorry I'm late!" She huffed, placing her bags on the floor. Natalie had to bite her tongue at the site of brightly coloured plastic peeking out from a few – she had feeling Helen had forgotten the chat about Owen and new toys they'd had a month before.

Checking her watch as she gathered her things, Natalie shook her head. "It's only six twenty-five, I've got plenty of time." She pressed a kiss to her son's cheek and ruffled his hair, careful to avoid his grape-sticky hands. "I'll see you soon baby." She turned back to Helen. "Could you keep him awake for me tonight?"

"Of course." Helen smiled, "I'll let him sleep a half hour longer in the afternoon then?"

"Sure," Nat agreed, "and if you don't mind, I'll bath him?" She saw the questioning look on Helen's face again. "I feel bad for rushing back to work, I just want to spend some time with him."