Chapter Four

His hand lazily moved in small circles on her back. He loved to listen to her breathe as she slept. That was probably the one thing he missed most about their mornings. He was used to waking up before her every morning. It was her fault that he stopped running. His internal clock woke him up usually thirty minutes before he was suppose to, and he'd lay there, her wrapped around him, listening to her breathe. He skipped his morning runs most days just to marvel in the way she sounded and looked as she slept. No matter how much they argued…no matter how many times she had refused to touch him before sleep, during the night, somehow, she'd always find her way to him. He would speed the process along most nights, waiting until her breathing told him she had fallen asleep, then touching her. Unconsciously, she'd turn over and snuggle close. Then, and only then, could he sleep.

As he lay there with her, he noticed how much weight she had lost. She was fit before, beautifully so, but now, she was just…skin and bones. He felt her rib cage, her back…he looked down to her face and wanted to cry. He'd missed all of this. He'd missed being her husband through this. How could he be so stupid?

"I love you so much," he whispered once again to her as he drifted off.

She heard him. She'd perfected her breathing. He didn't know that she'd usually always pretend to be asleep until he finally fell. He loved her. Then why did he fck her daughter? Why did he try to take Molly? 'No', she scolded herself, 'not now…enjoy the moment'. She leaned further into him and for the first time in a long while, she felt that spark in her stomach…that feeling that she had whenever she was close to him…she wanted to make love to him, and she was sure that he'd allow it…she was sure that he wanted it, but could it be done? Could she forgive him? She'd forgiven Sam…of course…she was her daughter, but could she forgive this man…the love of her life, her equal, for betraying her?

She didn't dare respond to his confession, but she moved her head on his chest, as if to tell him that she knew. She believed him. She felt the same.

Had enough time past? Was he really different? She drifted off, exhausted from thinking too much about this. Her mind was always the thing that got her into trouble. She wished that she could just shut it off and give her heart away completely to him again, but she didn't have much left to give. It had been completely torn to pieces and handed right back to her. She stopped thinking and just felt him. He was so strong. He was so solid and comfortable and sexy and just…Ric. Her Ric. She missed her Ric.

--

"OH…MY…GOD!" Sam spoke, yelling in a whisper if that was possible. She stood in the doorway to her mother's bedroom and gaped at the bed. There was Alexis, covered and sleeping soundly next to her husband. That sentence normally wouldn't be odd at all, but it was Ric. Sam fumed.

"Hey!!"

Ric's eyes shot open and found Sam's form in the darkness. He wanted to curse. He wanted to get up and slap her…Alexis was sleeping for God's sake! He shot her a look. She received it and shot the same back to him. Alexis stirred.

Sam opened her mouth to say something, but Ric held up his hand, finally shooing her away. Sam took the hint and stormed out. She took a seat on the living room couch and folded her arms, waiting for Ric to emerge.

He breathed in a sigh of frustration. His perfect moment ruined. His perfect time alone with Alexis…ruined once again…by Sam.

He gently glided beneath Alexis to free himself from her arms. He felt a small flutter of hope and happiness as he heard her sigh from losing him. She quickly settled in and he smiled. At least she could still sleep through anything. He pulled the covers up and walked around the bed, to get better access to her cheek. He leaned in, careful not to move the mattress any, and kissed her cheek. He lingered for a moment, hoping that she'd reach up and pull him to her lips, but much to his disappointment, she was definitely asleep. He walked out of the room, looking back once more to her.

"One day this'll be my room again," he whispered, then shut the door behind him.

Alexis' eyes opened slightly at the sound of the door closing and she let the tears fall. She'd wanted that more than anything. Why didn't she pull him closer to her as he kissed her?

--

"What the hell are you doing here, Ric?!" Sam yelled.

"Listen, she's sleeping … she can still hear you."

"I don't really care …"

"Oh, that's nice …" he interrupted her.

"Shut up." She interrupted right back, "Once again, what the hell are you doing here and why were you in bed with my mother!?"

"Do you realize that you only call her 'your mother' when you're yelling at me? Huh, Sam? I never hear you call her 'Mom'. I bet you don't even call her that when you're talking about her with Jason …"

"What are you rambling about?"

"You don't love her."

Sam's eyes widened and she gave him a disgusted look, "And you do?"

"I can't believe you."

"What!?"

"You didn't deny it. I said 'You don't love her', and you didn't deny it."

Sam looked away, then quickly back to him, not showing him her feelings.

"You don't deserve her."

"Once again … and you do?"

"To answer the first … yes, I love her. I've always loved her. I always WILL love her, and no amount of YOU can deter that! Do I deserve her?" Ric turned and walked around the couch, "No, but no one does. No man will ever be good enough for her because she's perfect."

"She's far from perfect … she'll admit to that."

"Of course she will, because she's perfect."

"Okay, you know what … this is completely ridiculous … go ahead and leave."

Ric just looked at her.

"Come on … go!!"

"You … have … some nerve."

"Whatever, she forgave me. She wants me here. Did she forgive you, Ric? Did she say the words? Huh? Or did she just use you because she needed to be held? You know, Sonny and Jax are over here to hold her every other day. You're not so special …"

Ric didn't believe her. Well, a part of him did. The part of him that was screaming out to slap her. He couldn't do that. Alexis would never forgive that.

"She forgave me, Ric. She'll never forgive you."

Alexis walked around the corner of the hallway unnoticed to Sam. Ric looked in her direction, then back to Sam.

Sam repeated, "She'll never forgive you, Ric … and I'll make damn sure of it."

"Excuse me?" Alexis said, shocked as the words escaped her daughter's lips.

Sam spun around and looked Alexis square in the eyes. She was caught.