AN: Sorry it took so long to update. It's just that the hardest thing in writing a story for me is how and when to end it. I just wanted to think of something that would be amazing for this story. I think that there will be one or two more chapters after this one.
The World Doesn't Stop for You
Chapter 8
One year later
"So I have all these amazing plans for Hunter's birthday." Paige said walking around the kitchen talking about balloons and streamers.
"Paige why do you always have to plan a party?" Sean asked holding his son.
"Well forgive me for wanting to celebrate the birth of your son."
"Give it a rest please. You guys argue more than anyone else." Alex told them. "Where is Ellie?"
"Group with Craig." Sean answered.
"So you're cool with Ellie spend all this time with Craig now that the drama queen is staying in London." Alex asked.
It didn't make him happy that Ellie was hanging out with Craig but there was nothing that he could do to stop it. It had been a year and he did what he promised. He focused on Hunter and Ellie, tried to keep his distance from Emma. "If she wants to be friends with Craig I won't stop her."
"That's great and everything but how are things going between you and Ellie." Paige asked sitting down and prepared to gossip.
"We are good. She trusts me to be alone with Hunter. We talk all the time. Even moved on to topics those aren't always about Hunter."
"But what about on a more personal level. We all know that you want more then to just be friends."
Sean would have rubbed his head if he wasn't holding Hunter. How on earth did he find himself gossiping with Paige. "We are taking it slow."
"You do know there is a difference between taking it slow and not moving at all."
"Paige you don't think that I don't know that. I hate that after a year she is still surprised to find that I'm still here. That I didn't leave in the middle of the night. I want to be more for Ellie be more with her but there is nothing that I could do. She has to decide.
"Maybe you need to give her a reason to trust you." Alex told him.
/
Ellie walked out of the rec center with Craig not too far behind. "Well that was another productive hour." Craig said throwing his arm around Ellie's shoulder. "So what do you want to do now?"
She ignored the urge to shake off his arm. She felt weird having him touch her. Even if she refused to date Sean the fact that she still loved him didn't leave her thoughts for very long. "Well Sean is watching Hunter at the apartment and I'm sure by now Alex and Paige have shown up. Paige has been on this birthday party kick for a while."
"Oh party planning Paige that can't be fun. Do you want to hit up the Dot or we could go back to the garage and work on your drumming." He said leading her to the car.
Ellie rolled her eyes. "I really think that I should get back. I did promise Paige that I wanted to be the one that made all the actual decisions for the party. You know him being my kid and all."
"I can see how she would forget that." Craig said laughing.
"But if you don't mind I would love to run into the Dot real fast to grab a coffee."
"Sure I need to call Joey so I will wait in the car."
As Ellie walked into the Dot she texted Sean to see if he and the others wanted anything while she was there.
"What can I get you El?" Spinner asked when she finally got to the counter.
"Um 3 regular coffees and 2 lattes wait make that 3 lattes I'm sure by the time I get home Marco will be there."
"So you have a full house."
"Yup. Now that Alex and Paige are official Paige never leaves and neither do Sean and Jay."
"Sounds like fun. I will get your drinking ready. Hey Manny what can I get you?"
Ellie didn't notice that Manny had walked in behind her. "A coffee to go."
"Coming up."
Ellie tried to pretend that Manny wasn't sitting next to her. In reality she had no real reason to dislike her. It was that she was friends with Emma and she didn't like Emma. Then there was the whole love triangle with Manny, Craig and, Ashley. She didn't know what forced her to do what she was about to do maybe it was of how much she grew up from having a baby. "So how are you?"
"What?" Manny asked surprised.
"Never mind."
"I never got a chance to tell you how brave I think you are."
"What?" This time it was Ellie's turn to be surprised.
"For have the baby. It was something that I wasn't willing to do."
"Oh." Ellie took the time to look at Manny she had this sad look in her eyes the same one that Craig got when he looked at Hunter. "I remember awhile go I had a conversation with Craig about how right now he could be a dad. I told him that you both weren't ready to have a baby. I don't know you and I can't judge you and I didn't know Craig all that well back then. But I do know him now and as sad as he is about not having a child he still isn't ready to be a dad. You have nothing to be ashamed of for what you did. You think I'm brave but so are you. It takes a lot of courage to do what you did with everyone telling not to do. You should never be ashamed."
It took Manny a while to fully digest what Ellie had said. "Thank you. I think you are the only person who doesn't think I'm a monster for what I did."
"I understand where you were coming from. If you ever want to talk about it I'm around."
"Here are your coffees." Spinner said brining over the drinks.
"Thanks Spin." Ellie said taking the drinks. She turned about to leave. Something stopped her. "Guys Hunter is having a birthday party next weekend and if you aren't doing anything you should come over."
"Thanks El I should be able to make. See you when you need your next caffeine fix." Spinner said getting back to work.
"Ellie."
She turned around when she heard her name. "Yeah Manny?"
"Are you sure that you want me to go you don't exactly like me."
"Honestly when I was sitting next to you I realized that the only reason that I have to not like you is drama that didn't involve me and the fact that you are friends with Emma. Both reasons are really stupid and unfair to you. So if you want to come, come. If not don't feel bad. But I do need to go before Sean kills Paige and Craig sends out a search party."
"Yeah you should go. And just so you know Sean really does love you. When he first came back he did ask about you I just didn't know what to say."
"It's ok. And for the record I know that he loves me." It was true she knew that Sean loved her and she loved him she just didn't know how to go about it. Things have been going so well lately she didn't want to screw with anything.
"Are you planning on staying awake for the next few days?" Craig commented when he seen all the coffee Ellie had.
"No it's for the army of people that have taken residence in my home." She joked.
Ellie didn't realize how happy she was to be home until she was at her front door. "Hey guys I'm home and I brought coffees."
"El thank god you are home." Sean said walking over to Ellie and gave her a kiss on the cheek. When he pulled away he was wide eyed from what he did. "Sorry."
"It's ok Sean don't worry about. Is Hunter sleeping?" She asked handing him his coffee.
"Yeah I just put him down."
"Jay coffee" she said holding out his coffee waiting for him to take it. Then she moved one and gave Alex, Paige and, Marco their lattes. "Oh and before I forget I invited Manny and Spinner Hunter's party."
"Really I'm shocked." Alex said from her chair.
"I ran into her at the Dot and we talked a little. Who would have guessed that you would actually have something to talk about." She said talking the only available seat in the living room that was in between Sean and Paige.
The rest of the evening was spent with Paige and Marco talking about what to do about the party while Sean, Jay and, Alex talked about fixing up a car. Ellie learned that it was best to agree with what Paige wanted and not argue with her. Ellie didn't realize that she had fallen asleep until Sean placed her on her bed. "You didn't have to bring me to bed." She said trying to sit up but Sean gently pushed her down.
"I didn't want to wake you. Just go back to sleep." He told her pulling back the covers.
"Sean can we talk it's important." She said moving over making room for him to sit.
"Sure El what is it?" Sean asked sitting down.
"Ok just don't freak out because it really isn't important and I'm positive that it didn't mean anything it was just something that got me thinking."
"Alright." Sean said giving her a weird look.
"Today after group Sean put his arm around me as we were walking to the car. And it got me thinking about how weird it is have that simple yet intimate embrace. It was weird because it wasn't you. You have to know that I love you it's just hard to make us more than we are because everything has been going great and I don't want to ruin that. Like if I get to happy something is bond to come along and ruin it. Maybe I'm ready to try and get back to where we used to be."
Sean didn't know what to say. This was what he wanted to hear for the longest time. He wanted nothing more than to have Ellie in his life for the rest of his life. Apparently he took too long to respond. "Oh my god say something you are killing me here. I know you love me." Ellie nearly yelled.
He was a little taken back by her out burst that he started to laugh. He had never seen Ellie like this before.
"Oh great now you are laughing at me." She said hitting him with a pillow.
Sean did the only thing that he could think of. He leaned over and kissed Ellie like he did the night that he returned home. When he pulled away he said "I have been waiting so long for you to say that you loved me. I love you so much." With that he went back to kissing her. He learned that its better to show someone how much you love them opposed to saying it.
