A/N: This is my first piece of writing for a few months and my first try at an Otalia story.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the show but I wished I owned CBS or another network so Guiding Light would never be canceled.
Where Do We Go From Here
Friday nights had always been their favourite night of the week. Friday meant movie night and it was something that had always put a smile on their faces. A ritual from the moment they moved into the farmhouse. This hadn't been the case recently; in fact there had been a lot of awkwardness and silent stares. Ever since the wedding and their declarations of love for each other, Natalia and Olivia had found it hard to process where they stood. They were stuck in limbo; now that everything was out, they didn't know what to do.
Everything before was unspoken, like a pact that was never meant to be broken. It was all too much to keep quiet anymore. When Olivia walked away from Natalia at the Gazebo, she knew that she didn't want to lose her or Emma. As she said that day, they were her family and she wanted to keep it that way.
It bothered her that Olivia accused her of being ashamed of her feelings, especially when she had only just admitted her feelings, not just to Olivia but also to herself. She wanted and needed time to work things out and she had hoped that Olivia would be with her. The words "there is no us." and "you love me but you're gonna hate me one day for this." kept playing over and over in her mind. She knew she had to show Olivia that she wasn't in over her head, that's why she took her hand the other day and repeated that she loved her. She was determined to show her that she was aware of what came next and she wasn't willing to walk away from her.
It was that day that Emma suggested to resume the Friday night ritual. She missed Natalia and the farmhouse; it was the first time she felt like she had a real home. Natalia and Olivia couldn't say no to the little girl. How could they explain the apprehension that they felt?
They found themselves in familiar territory; the three of them huddled together under one blanket. Natalia and Olivia kept stealing glances at each other while the oblivious Emma was glued to the latest Disney offering. Timid smiles were worn but there was also a need from both of them to be close to each other. Though they both didn't know it, they had both wanted to hold each other's hand. To feel what they had felt in the church, the electricity and butterflies.
Olivia had never meant to stay late but by the time the movie was over, Emma was fast asleep. Natalia suggested that Emma should sleep in her old room. There was an initial moment of hesitance on Olivia's part but she knew it made sense to let Emma sleep, despite what was going on between her and Natalia. While Olivia was tucking Emma into bed, Natalia was pacing up and down; debating whether to say what was on her mind or just enjoy this time that they had spent together.
Olivia slowly walked down the stairs, mulling over what she was going to do. She had been trying so hard to get Natalia to walk away; to save her for what could come from them pursuing their feelings. She had found it harder to resist acting on those feelings, as she didn't want Natalia to compromise her beliefs or make life anymore harder for her. Natalia didn't make the decision easy. The younger woman didn't want to let go and she made it clear to Olivia.
Ever since they sat in church, holding hands and what some would call a date, the two of them had been trying to feel normal around each other. This was part of the reason they agreed to try movie night. They missed each other and how things were before; even the little things like folding laundry and having coffee together in the morning.
Emma's earlier words had echoed in their ears. It wasn't the first time she had inadvertently stirred things up between the two women. This time the question of them moving back in had come up and rendered them both unable to think of a plausible excuse that she could understand. Instead they dodged the question by changing the subject.
This was now something that Natalia wanted to talk about. She wanted Olivia and Emma to move back in but there was too much for her to sort through; too much for both of them. Natalia made a conscious decision when she patted the space next to her on the couch. She wanted to sit through one more film together, just to help her feel comfortable around Olivia. As Olivia sat down, Natalia pulled the blanket over them. Natalia took Olivia's hand and at that moment they both turned to each other and smiled. 'We're being together', those words were etched in Olivia's head as she gently rubbed her thumb along the younger woman's hand. For that moment, they forgot about what was to come and just enjoyed the rest of the film and each other's company.