Okay, so I know this chapter doesn't make a lot of sense, but I really wanted to get another chapter out to those still reading this story!
So please R&R!
Chapter 8:
MarleyPOV
After finally getting Mike to relax, and calming Tina down and assuring her that I would call her in the morning about the case, I laid down next to Ryder, a sleeping Rachel in between us. As I lay there, I look up and watch Ryder, his eyes closed, his breathing steady. He's not asleep yet though, He wouldn't be that still if he was. I know that when He's asleep his eyelids and lips twitch. I'm still not sure why it happens but it does.
"Ryder, you were amazing tonight." I say softly, not to wake Rachel.
"I told you, I would do anything for you and the kids. It wasn't a big deal to me." He says simply.
"Well, to me it was a big deal, If this was a few months ago, I would have been alone, and would have had no idea what to do… but thanks to you, I didn't have to worry, and I'm so grateful for it." He just smiles.
"Like I said Baby, No Big Deal." He says again, kissing my forehead. After that, I laid my head on my pillow, wrapped my arms around Rachel, and intertwining my fingers with Ryder's. That night, I got the best sleep I'd had since high school.
The next morning I woke up first. This was normal in my house, the kids slept like rocks, just like Andy. With me, the littlest thing could wake me up and keep me up. I look to my left, seeing Ryder, with Rachel draped over his stomach. He is so amazing, and he doesn't even realize it. I really don't know what I would do without him… the way he jumped right in and took care of Rachel, freeing me to put Mike back to sleep, made me fall in love with him all over again.
"Momma?" Mike asks, standing in the doorway.
"Morning Mikey, you okay? You're up pretty early."
"I'm hungry mommy, and I was wondering if we could make Ry and Rachie breakfast?"
"Of course baby, what do you want to make them?" I ask him, mentally going through our pantry, trying to remember what we had.
"Can we make chocolate swirl pancakes?"
"I think that would be perfect!" I tell him getting out of bed, kissing both the sleepy heads on their foreheads and grabbing Mike's hand walking to the kitchen.
RyderPOV
I woke up in Marley's room, but instead of the three year that was on my stomach, and my girlfriend who was wrapped around my arm thirty minutes ago, I was now alone. I sat up and listened, finding out that they had gone to the kitchen. I get out of bed, throwing a t shirt on, and walk out of the bedroom. I find the three people who are most important to me making breakfast, Marley at the sink, facing away from the doorway of the kitchen and both children sitting on the counter, stirring different things. I make eye contact with Rachel and Mike, and hold my finger to my lips. I walk around the island, and stand behind Marley for a second and then wrap my arms around her waist.
"Good Morning Beautiful." She turns around and kisses my cheek.
"Good Morning Handsome."
"Ugh, I swear you two get more disgustingly cute every time I walk in this house." Says the voice of Santana as she, Mike, Tina, Quinn, Rachel, Kitty and almost everyone else walks in the room.
"Santana! Leave them alone, they are adorable…" Quinn yells at Santana as she walks to the counter and picks up Rachel. "Hey Sweetie, I heard you weren't feeling too great last night?"
"I'm all better now Auntie Q! See?" Rachel squeals and squirms out of her arms, standing on the counter and starts to dance around.
"Just like her Momma… wonder if she's as klutzy?" Rachel says laughing. It was as if she predicted that happened next, as I turn around I hear her screech, tripping over the box of flour that sat on the island and falling over, I see Marley on the other side of the kitchen looking at me in horror and as Rachel falls over, I grab by her waist and set her on the floor. Afterwards I kneel down next to her.
"Are you okay Sweetheart?"
"Yes… that was scary…" She says; bury herself into Marley's leg.
"I know, but now we know not to dance on the countertops don't we?" I ask her.
"Yes, Ry Ry."
"Okay, sweeties why don't you go get dressed? You too Mikey." Marley tells the kids as I stand up. As they run out of the kitchen Rachel breaks the silence about the case.
"So, what's going to happen?" I look at Marley to see her reaction. She looked pretty calm.
"Well, we've filed the petition already and now all we have to do is wait." She told them calmly but I can tell she's still shaken up from last night.
"How long are you going to have to wait?" Santana asked us concerned. I answer this time.
"Usually it takes three to four weeks… but we have a pretty damn good lawyer who should be able to get us to family court sooner."
"That's good news, but what is going to happen until then?" Mike asks, he's been really worried because he basically helped raise Rachel and he doesn't want anything bad to happen.
I look over at Marley and she seems okay, but as I look closer at her I realize she's not okay. She is not going to be able to handle this conversation much longer, so I try and give her a way out.
"Marls, baby why don't you go check on the kids?" I suggest kissing her cheek as she passes me. Once I know she's out of earshot I face the others.
"Okay guys, I know you're worried and curious and wondering what you can do to help, but I think we might have to cool it on the case questions… It's been rough on Marley and it's only been like forty eight hours… Okay?" I tell them hoping they'll understand.
"She did seem a little bit out of it… Is she doing okay?" Noah asked.
"I think she's okay but last night was rough, this whole week has been crazy… I think she's just tired… she doesn't want the kids to know until they have to either. It'll scare them, which is why I don't want them to know because then she'll be stressed and worried."
"You're good for her Ryder, you know that right?" Tina says randomly. "You make her happy, and that's all any of us want for her, she's been through so much that she needs someone who intends to be here through the worst."
"Well, she's one of the most important people to me in the world, and I just want to see her happy and safe."
"Well, I can tell you she's happy, but I don't think any of you guys are safe until this case is over." Finn tells him, his big brother instincts for the two taking over.
"Yeah, I've been thinking about that-"I'm interrupted by two arms wrapping around my waist and little bodies wrapping around my legs.
"Hi. What are we talking about?" Marley says as she kisses my cheek. I bend down and look at the kids.
"Why don't you two go watch some TV? We have to have a grown up talk, okay?" I ask them. They both don't even answer and just run from the room. "I was asking them if getting a restraining order on Andy is too much drama or not." I tell Marley, looking directly at her, she shivers a little as I say his name but doesn't seem fazed by the statement.
"Ummmm… I mean it's a good idea, but I…"
"Baby, we don't have to do anything you don't want to, I just want you and the kids safe… Okay?"
"Ry, we could file it but it probably won't go into effect until after the case is over, because we kind of have to be in the same room as him for that."
"So you want to do it?" I ask, still confused about her opinion on the matter.
"Yes." She says. "I think I'll be able to sleep at night if I know he can't come near me."
"You and me both Marley."
