Sonny's head shot up when he heard the apartment door opening. His heart began to race as he saw Will carry Ari through the door, the stroller behind them. "Hey" he breathed out. Will gave a small smile but said nothing. Ari gurgled happily, reaching her arms out to Sonny. Sonny looked at Will carefully, but Will nodded and held her out to Sonny.
"Hi sweetheart. Did you have a good morning with daddy?" Ari giggled up at Sonny, which melted his heart.
As Sonny held and talked to Ari, Will pulled the stroller all the way into the apartment and pushed it off to the side. He felt so awkward, standing in his and Sonny's apartment, staring at his daughter play with his husband. This felt so normal, so different from the last time the three of them were in this apartment together. Thankfully Ari was not a part of that situation, and if Will could help it, would never be a part of any bad situation.
Sonny glanced over at Will, hating how out of place his husband looked in his own home. He knew Will felt awkward being here, and the air was thick with the tension of that horrible night. But, he was here. He came back home. That had to mean something.
"I'm so glad you both are here right now." The words were said to Ari, but meant for Will.
Ari began babbling again. "Dada, dada."
Sonny smiled. "Yeah, your daddies are here. Both of us." He then looked into Will's eyes. "We are not going anywhere. I'm always going to be here."
Will got then message, but cleared his throat and looked down. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure he could handle the conversation that they needed to have. With Ari here, he couldn't get too emotional or angry. But Sonny was not going to let that deter him. He put Ari down in her play pen and slowly moved towards Will. Will looks hesitate to be near Sonny, but Sonny wasn't going to let this go.
"Hey."
Will still couldn't seem to say anything. He just doesn't know what to say. The sight in front of him of his husband, so loving and caring with their daughter, is clashing with the memories of the horrible night that he still can't let go of just yet.
"I missed you guys last night."
Will only nodded.
"Please say something."
"I don't know what to say."
Sonny stepped closer. "It doesn't matter. I'm so glad you are here."
"Ari missed you. I didn't want to keep her away."
"What about you?"
Again, Will kept quiet. Bu his eyes betrayed him, showing the pain and wanting for Sonny. He tried to put some distance between him and his husband, but Sonny was faster. He grabbed for Will's hand and held it gently.
"I know I have said this so many times, and I will continue saying it if that is what you need. I am so sorry for that night. For everything that happened. It was horrible, and there is no excuse for it. But it was a mistake, one that will never happen again, I promise you."
Will began to tear up. "Don't", he whispered. He didn't know what he was trying to say, but with Sonny so close and talking to him, his defenses were weak. Sonny cupped Will's face, studying him. He then pulled him into a kiss, a kiss filled with desperation, pleas of forgiveness, and love. Will wanted to get lost in it. He missed this. He missed his husband, being with him so intimately, touching him so soothingly, as if he was the most precious thing he had. He gave in for a moment, wanting the kiss to take all the pain he had been feeling away.
But then the spell was broken. Will broke the kiss and backed away, pushing against Sonny's chest with his one hand, the other still held by Sonny.
"Sonny, stop."
"Please, baby."
But Will turned away from Sonny. He looked over at Ari, who was happily playing with her toys.
"Sonny, we have more issues than just what happened."
"What do you mean?"
Will turned back to look at him. "I mean, what happened that day happened because there are obviously issues in our marriage. Big issues. Issues we may not be able to get through."
"Don't say that. You don't know that."
Will looked Sonny in the eye and asked, "Can you honestly tell me that you don't think there are any problems in our marriage? That you have been happy these past few months?"
Sonny stammered, unsure of where this was going. "We-we have been stressed and having problems, but that can be fixed, Will. The club is having problems, and I let my parents' problems get to me. But we can be okay. I believe that any problems we have can be fixed. I love you. I know you love me. That is what matters."
"But it isn't everything, Son." Will replied miserably. "I do love you. I know you love me. But what I don't know is if it is enough. We have hurt each other so much in the past. I'm not sure we can move forward."
"Don't say that, Will. This is us. We are stronger together. Yes, we have hurt each other. But we grow, we learn from our mistakes. We can move on. I know we can." He reached for Will's hand again, and cupped Will's face with his other hand. "Please, just tell me you are willing to give us that chance. Give me that chance."
Before Will could answer, there was a knock on the door. Sonny wanted to ignore it, but Will pulled away and went to answer it. It was Abigail.
"Hey guys", she said as she walked in. "I'm sorry to drop by unexpectedly, but I realized I haven't seen my goddaughter in a while and I wanted to spend some time with her."
She looked over at Ari in her playpen and smiled. But then she looked at Sonny, who was staring at Will. Abigail could suddenly feel the tension in the room and asked what was wrong.
"Nothing", Will replied. Sonny stayed quiet.
"Is now a bad time? Maybe I should take Ari out for a while. You two look like you need to talk."
It sounded like a good idea. They did have a lot to talk about, and maybe it would be better for Ari to not be here in case it turned bad. But for some reason, Will did not want Ari around Abigail. He suddenly saw her in a whole new way and, at that moment, wanted her far away from his daughter. Her affair with EJ and her treatment of him because of the article, all suddenly came together and he wished he hd not opened the door and let her in.
Before Sonny could say yes, Will replied, "Actually, we really wanted to spend some time together as a family. Today just isn't a good day."
Sonny looked at Will surprised, and Abigail bristled at his tone. But she turned towards the door and said, "I understand."
Before she got to the door, however, she turned to Will and said, "You know, it isn't good for Ari if you are causing problems or fighting with Sonny in front of her, Will. You should know better."
Will immediately whipped around to look at her. "What are you talking about?"
Even Sonny looked at her, surprised.
"I just mean that you know what used to happen when you were with your mother and who ever she was fighting with. You know it isn't good for a kid."
Will hardened, wanting and gearing up to lash out back at her. How dare she say that to him? He has done everything he could to make sure Ari does not have the childhood that he had. What gave her the right to criticize him on being a parent? She knows nothing about having a child.
Seeing that things are about to go from bad to worse, Sonny steps in. "Yes, we know, Abigail. But we are not fighting, and this is really not a good time for you. I will talk to you later, and set up a time when you can see Ari." He quickly ushers her out the door before anything else happens.
But as he turns back to Will, he can already see the damage has been done. Will is seething, trying desperately to control himself.
"Hey, listen, Abigail just…"
"I am so sick of people telling me what to do. Acting as if I am incompetent. Ari is my daughter, what the hell gives Abigail the right to tell me how to act in front of her. She is not her mother." He says her name so scathingly as if it disgusts him to speak it.
Then, to his horror, his eyes begin to water again. "I am a good father to her."
Sonny's heart begins to break again. "I know you are. You are a great father to her. She loves you."
Will chokes out, "Then why do people keep acting like I'm not? Like anybody else would be a better father to her."
"Hey, I don't think that. I think you are an amazing dad. Ignore everyone else. The ones that matter are me and Ari."
But the damage has been done. The air suddenly gets thick and Will can't breathe. He decides he need to leave and starts to walk towards the door.
"I can't do this."
Sonny grabs his arm. "Baby, please just forget her. Let's get back to our conversation. Please, don't walk away."
Will pulls back, quietly saying, "I'm sorry" as he reaches for the door. However, fate decided again to intervene. Before Will could open the door, he hears a little voice. "No." He turns around, and realizes Ari is talking again. "Da, no. Dada." She reaches out for him and Sonny picks her up.
"See, Ari doesn't want you to leave either. Stay. Let's have that family time you told Abigail about."
Will looks into Sonny's pleading eyes, and his daughter's eyes, and realizes he needs to do this. He reaches out and hugs his daughter, saying softly, "Okay".
Author's note- As you can tell, I am not a big fan of Abigail. I just think she is portrayed as a goody-goody who can do no wrong.
Please review, and thank you again to everyone who has so far!
