Can I Say I love You
Summary: After My Two Mommies and Natalia leaving after setting Ms. Jennings straight to go out with Frank. Natalia tries to figure out what she is feeling. Will she continue to run to Frank or will she own up to what she is feeling? Will Olivia? Or will they keep pushing their hearts away?
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and I do not make any profit from this.
Chapter 4
They decided to stop at Company and pick up some of Buzz's tuna noddle casserole before heading home. When they walked in they spotted Frank as he came out of the back. He waved franticly and made a beeline for them. Natalia groaned and buried her face in Olivia's shoulder.
Olivia chuckled and whispered in her ear. "He's like a stray dog that you feed out of pity and it never leaves trying to follow you everywhere."
Natalia giggled and slapped her playfully. "Stop it," and turned to Frank as he stopped in front of them.
Frank had that goofy smile on his face and if she could have gotten away with it Olivia would have commented on how he was bouncing in place like a puppy wanting a treat. "Hey Natalia, how are you? What do you need? Can I help you with something?"
She sighed and looked to Olivia, who tried not to laugh at her reaction to him, to answer. "We're just picking up an order we called in to Buzz before we go to meet up with Emma."
Frank frowned irritated at her and looked back to Natalia. "Well I can take you back to the hospital to sit with Rafe so she can go get her own kid and you can be with yours. She shouldn't take you away from your son. He's sick for heaven sakes."
The more he spoke the redder Natalia's face turned in anger. "She isn't taking me away from our son. We aren't allowed to see him again before tomorrow so we are going to pick up our daughter and have dinner in our home. Now if you would be so kind as to let Buzz know we are here for our dinner we will be on our way."
Olivia turned her head to keep from laughing out loud at the look on his face. "Natalia I… I think we need to talk."
She just shook her head. "I don't have anything else to say to you Frank nor do I have the time to try and get it through your thick head that I'm not interested in you as anything other than a friend. Emma will be home soon and we need to go. I said all I had to say last night and in the hospital today."
He started to talk again and she sighed burying her face in Olivia's shoulder getting frustrated. Olivia wrapped an arm around her pulling her close her smile falling completely. "Look Frankie, she said she doesn't want to talk so just let us by so we can get our food."
Frank went from upset and confused to pissed in a heartbeat. "You need to stay out of this. It's between me and Natalia. It's none of your business."
Olivia stepped forward. "Anything that upsets her is my business. You not leaving her alone after she told you she's not interested is upsetting her so it's my business. You need to back of before we slap a restraining order on an upstanding police officer for harassment."
Frank was seeing red and stepped forward only to be pulled back as Buzz grabbed him and Natalia pulled Olivia back. "Frank what the HELL is wrong with you? Leave them alone."
Frank threw his hands up and stormed back into the kitchen. Buzz sighed as he watched him go. "I'm sorry about that I have no idea what has gotten in to him."
Olivia shook her head. "What's gotten into him is he wants to date Natalia and she said no. He keeps pushing and if he's not careful he will have a restraining order in his police jacket. Just a warning for you, talk some sense into him before he screws himself. I won't stand for her being harassed this way every time she turns around."
Buzz looked to Natalia who was nodding along. "I have no interest at all in him other than friendship and he is about to lose that. Please talk to him."
Buzz sighed and nodded. "I will and I am so sorry for how he is acting. I tried to push him to pursue you and I feel awful that he has taken it this far."
Natalia rubbed his arm. "Don't do that, it's not your fault. He is responsible for his own actions. Honestly he's just not my type and I have no desire to date him or any man for that matter. I have the kids and Olivia, I don't need anything else."
Olivia beamed and Buzz smiled softly, "Maybe in time you'll feel up to dating again but until then," he handed them the bags he had set on the nearest table when he pulled Frank back. "Here's your dinner. I'm fixing to head over and deliver some of the same to Rafe for his dinner. That hospital food is crap."
They both hugged and thanked him than grabbed their bags and headed home. They arrived a little before 6:00 and Natalia turned the oven on warm then put their food in to wait for Emma. While she was doing that, Olivia worked on setting the table for them. When Emma got home Olivia went out and talked to Judy's mom about Emma coming over tomorrow so they could be at the hospital with Rafe. She had no problem with that and said to just bring her by on the way to the hospital in the morning.
Once she came back in she found the food set out on the table and Emma and Natalia waiting on her. She smiled as she sat and they prayed before starting to eat. "So, Susan said we can drop Em off in the morning."
Natalia nodded and Emma looked up confused to her. "We're not going to church tomorrow?"
Natalia shook her head. "No mija. Remember when Rafe got sick yesterday?" Emma nodded and she continued. "Well he got sick again and they took him to Cedars. We have to go see him in the morning and they won't let you in to see him."
Her lower lip started to tremble. "Is he going to be ok?"
Olivia grabbed her hand, "Yes baby, he's with Uncle Rick. He'll be just fine don't you worry."
She took a breath and nodded. "How long will he be in the hospital?"
Natalia took her other hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Just a few days then he should be ok."
Appeased for the moment she started eating again. They both sighed happy that they calmed her fears for now and started talking about work and things to come in the next few weeks. They had a big wedding at the hotel a week from today, a Valentine's day charity ball that the hospital is holding hoping to get enough donations for the cardio wing the following weekend and spring break the week after. There would be a lot to do and they still had to deal with the lawsuits and trying to get Rafe home. All in all the next few weeks would be hectic.
After dinner Olivia cleaned up and Natalia took Emma up for her bath. They all settled in for a movie before bed. Olivia sat on the couch in one corner and Emma took the other. Olivia gave her a questioning look. Usually she wanted to be in the middle.
Emma just shrugged. "She's sad that Rafe is sick so she need's the middle."
It warmed her heart and brought a smile to her face. Their baby was such a sweetheart. "That is very thoughtful of you baby. Thank you."
Emma just smiled as Natalia came in with popcorn. She looked at them confused and they just shrugged so she just took her seat. Halfway into the movie the stress of the day finally won out and she was asleep leaning against Olivia. When the movie ended she looked over and noticed Emma had fallen asleep as well.
She chuckled and reached over nudging her. "Jellybean wake up honey." Emma groaned sitting up looking at her. "It's time to go upstairs baby. I'll be up to tuck you in soon."
Emma nodded and Olivia turned back to Natalia. "Nat, wake up it's time to go up to bed."
She woke up yawning sitting up to stretch. "Where's Em?"
"She went up already. I need to go tuck her in."
Natalia stood pulling her up with her. "Ok, why don't you go on up and I'll check the doors and come up to kiss her good night after."
Olivia smiled with a nod and headed up. Natalia cleaned up their popcorn mess, turned off the TV and DVD player, than checked all the doors and windows before going up herself. Olivia was coming out as she went in. She kissed Emma goodnight then made her way out of the room.
Olivia was waiting for her in the hall. "I just wanted to tell you goodnight and make sure you didn't need anything before I turned in for the night."
Natalia smiled then looked away. "No, I'm ok."
Olivia moved closer at the hesitance in her voice. "What is it?"
Natalia sighed. "I'm just… I need… I…"
Olivia pulled her into a hug. "Hey, it's ok. It's just me you can ask me anything."
It had been such a long emotional day and she was still so scared for Rafe if he had to go back to that prison. She was afraid to be alone and that nightmares would keep her up all night but she didn't want to overstep with Olivia either. "I just… I don't want to sleep."
Olivia held her tight rubbing soothing circles on her back. "If you're not ready for bed yet we can get some cocoa and sit on the porch for a bit."
Natalia shook her head slightly holding her closer afraid to let go. "No, I'm sleepy I'm just… I really just don't want to be alone."
Olivia smiled and pulled her to the door of her room. "Hold on just a second." She moved into her room and grabbed her toothbrush out of her bathroom and her pillow then came back out. She took her hand and led her to Natalia's room. "That's an easy fix. I'll just stay in your room with you tonight. If you want me to that is."
Natalia smiled and kissed her cheek. "I do, thank you so much."
Olivia blushed and they moved into the room and prepared for bed. Once they were settled in bed Natalia moved naturally into Olivia's embrace and fell asleep quickly. She did dream that night but when she awoke from those nightmares Olivia was always there to calm her and help her fall back asleep again.
The next morning they got up, ate breakfast and dropped Emma off before heading to the hospital. Natalia was a nervous wreck and probably wouldn't calm down before they got to see Rafe so Olivia hurried as much as possible. Once they arrived Rick met them in the same waiting room. He let them know that Rafe was fine and had a good night. No more drops in his levels.
He was currently trying to keep him for another night to give Olivia time to do what she could to hopefully get him home but he couldn't make any promises. He told them to wait there as he was still trying to get them in to see him. Olivia sat down with a huff pulling Natalia down next to her. Neither happy to be waiting.
An hour later Natalia was starting to shake. Olivia pulled her closer. "Hey, you need to breath and calm down sweetie. Rick said he was fine, his levels are good." Natalia went to talk but Olivia stopped her with a finger on her lips. "I know you need to see for yourself. I understand, I do but we need to be just a little more patient. Rick will take us back as soon as he can swing it."
Natalia nodded and buried herself in Olivia's neck. Fifteen minutes later Rick finally came and was able to take them to him. They spent the rest of the day with him and were able to eat lunch with him again. Like yesterday they just sat with him as he rested or talked quietly about this and that. Around 3:00 they were made to leave for the day but Rick was able to get him one more night there.
They headed home picking up Emma on the way. They shared a bed again that night as Natalia was more of a wreck the closer it came to him probably going back. Olivia held her through the night again soothing her the best she could. She prayed that tomorrow the governor would come through for her and they could bring their boy home. If not she would rain hell fire down on whoever she needed to.
She just needed their boy home and for Natalia to finally be completely happy. She sighed tightening her arms around her again and let sleep take her for as long as Natalia's nightmare were kept at bay. Tomorrow she would figure out their next step.
