*Here we have some more adorableness. And Ethan once again, not being able to keep his hands to himself.

Leanne had never felt as safe and secure and relaxed as she did laying there in bed with Ethan and Ellie, the sound coming from the TV calming her nerves. She wasn't expecting this when she drove over her tonight. No, instead she had every intention of breaking things off with Ethan, their little 'friends with benefits' thing not doing it for her anymore. She wanted more. She wanted it all. She wanted this.

But then she had thought about it all and it had felt like a dagger to the heart when she realized that Ethan most likely didn't want her around after everything that she had done to him, and to Ellie. She had fallen for them both so hard and so fast and she didn't know which way was up. And while she was enjoying the sex, I mean come on, who wouldn't, she was having second thoughts about that part too. She didn't want to be one of those women. She didn't want to be a booty call anymore. She wanted to be his girl, his girlfriend, his woman. She wanted to be his best-friend again too.

When she had arrived and found out that Ellie was there she was almost relieved. She had definitely missed the little girl, and when those arms had wrapped around her neck and that little face had smiled up at her, it had just confirmed everything she thought she was feeling. That this is where she wanted to be. She wanted things to be good, and simple, and she knew that that probably wouldn't happen the way she imagined. Not with Ellie in the picture. Not with their history. But she was willing to give it a try.

"Penny for your thoughts." She heard Ethan whisper, his hand trailing up and down her left arm gently. Ellie had fallen asleep about twenty minutes into the movie and he had gently moved her to sleep on his chest so that he could wrap his arm around Leanne's shoulders. She had tucked herself against his side softly, her head moving to rest on his chest, her hand going out to rub the sleeping child's back.

"Don't think they're worth that much." She whispered back, moving her head so that she could look up at him. The movie had ended about thirty minutes ago and he had stopped the device, switching it from the next movie to a rerun of some old cop drama.

She eyed him sleepily, the light from the TV screen making him look a decade younger than he really was, and she smiled. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen and she had had a hard time keeping her eyes, and her hands, off of him since the day she met him. She couldn't believe that she was laying here in his arms, staring at his dreamy face with what was probably the goofiest look on her face.

"I'm sure they are." He dropped a kiss to her head and she shook it back and forth, resting her cheek back against the fabric of his shirt, her hand going to run over Ellie's head softly. "You wanna talk about them?"

She shook head 'no' once more, and closed her eyes, letting her left leg drift slightly to rest over his. She heard him chuckle at her attempt to get closer to her and he tightened his grip on her shoulders before pressing another kiss to her hair.

They laid that way for a while, the cop drama ending and another one starting, before Ethan finally turned the TV off. Leanne felt him settle back against the pillows, his hands doing their best to pull the blankets up over the three of them. She had just started to doze off when she heard it, a soft whimper, and her eyes shot open. The sight in front of her broke her heart.

Ellie was resting against her father's chest, with tears streaming down her face, her hand grabbing at her ear roughly, and she was shaking. Trembling even. And Leanne felt horrible. Reaching out, she rubbed the girl's back as reassuringly as possible, but she knew it was doing no good. She got ready to speak when she heard Ethan's quiet voice whisper into the dark.

"It's okay baby." Leanne watched as he dropped a kiss to her head, his hand moving to cradle her head against his chest with a soothing sound.

"It hurts daddy." She whimpered again, and Leanne placed her hand gently against the girl's forehead, taken aback by the warmth radiating from her skin. She looked up, eyeing Ethan cautiously and he nodded his head at her unspoken question.

"I know baby." Another kiss to the head and Ethan gently unwrapped his arm from around her so that he could focus on his daughter, and she found that she didn't mind one bit.

"What can we do to help Ellie?" She felt herself whisper before she even knew what was happening.

Ellie let out a soft sob and shrugged her shoulders as she moved to sit up in Ethan's lap. Ethan did the same, leaning back against the headboard as he rubbed her arms gently. Moving to sit up, Leanne reached out and took the girl's hands in hers, leaning to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. And then Ellie did something that Leanne wasn't expecting at all, she reached for her.

Leanne turned to Ethan quickly, her eyes widening when she realized what was happening, but where she expected to find anger or hostility or hesitation, she only found love and acceptance and respect. She turned back to Ellie and reached forward to gather the young girl in her arms, tucking her against her chest with a soft sigh. Ellie tightened her arms around her waist and she felt her sigh softly as she tried to calm her sobs. She turned her attention back to Ethan who just offered her a soft smile, reaching out to rub her arm soothingly.

"Would a warm bath help El?" His voice was so calm that if Leanne hadn't known any better she would've thought that he had been doing this for the past 6 years, not just the past 3 months.

Ellie nodded her head against Leanne's chest and looked up at them both with the saddest eyes Leanne had ever seen. "Maybe." She whispered, her arms releasing their grip around Leanne so that she could wipe her eyes with her palms.

Ethan nodded his head before swinging his legs around and planting them on the floor. He stood quietly and made his way to the bathroom without another sound, leaving the two of them sitting there in silence. She heard Ellie sniffle once more and Leanne reached down to brush her tears away, her hands settling on her little cheeks.

"Do you need anything else Ellie?" Her voice betrayed her attempt to stay strong and she hoped that the observant little girl didn't know just how hard this was on her.

"No." She whispered, dropping her head downward, another sob leaving her body. "I'm sorry I ruined yours and daddy's night." Leanne barely heard her but the girl's words were like a knife to the heart and she fought back the tears in her own eyes.

"Oh baby girl." Leanne reached down and lifted Ellie's chin up gently so that she could look into her gray eyes. "You didn't ruin our night at all. You hear me?" She nodded her head softly, but the sobs that were still leaving her body told Leanne a different story. She watched as the little girl shifted her eyes away from her to look down at her lap once more and she hated seeing her so upset. "Look at me sweetie." Ellie brought her eyes back to Leanne's and she offered her the best smile she could manage. "There is no place your daddy and I would rather be than right here with you."

She heard Ethan try to stifle his own sob from where he was standing in the hallway, but she chose to ignore him for the moment, her focus being the little girl in her arms. Ellie nodded her head slowly and sniffled once more before lifting her head to the man standing in the doorway. "Is my bath ready?" Her words were quiet and Leanne rubbed her back as they both awaited a response.

"Yeah pumpkin, your bath's ready." Ethan's voice was quiet and Leanne could see him trembling.

She watched as Ellie slowly climbed out of the bed and padded her way down the hall. She stood up herself, moving to join them in the hallway, when Ethan's hands stopped her at the doorway, his fingers gripping her hips tightly. He waited until he heard the bathroom door close and then his lips were on hers, hot and needy and Leanne felt something somewhere inside her explode with desire.

"We can't Ethan." She mumbled against his lips, his hands trailing under her t-shirt to cup her breast roughly. He ran a thumb along her nipple and when she felt his other hand push it's way under her pajama bottoms she grabbed his collar and pushed him backward swiftly. "Stop Ethan!"

She watched as he tried to catch his breath, one shaky hand going to run through his hair as he turned his back to her, the other arm reaching out to grab the door frame. He turned back around after a second and she eyed him suspiciously as she waited for him to speak. "I'm sorry." He whispered, and his eyes displayed just that. "I… I just…" He let out a sigh and he moved to sit on the edge of the bed, his hands reaching out for hers. She allowed him to take her hands and she turned herself so that she was facing him, her legs moving to stand between his knees. "Seeing you with her, like that…" He hung his head and shook it softly before lifting it up once more to look at her lovingly. "It just turned something on inside me. Something, I don't know, something primal." She let out a chuckle that she didn't think he appreciated very much, but then there was a twinkle in his eyes and she could tell that he understood just how crazy he sounded. "Watching you take care of my daughter like that," he whispered again, pulling her closer as he stood, his forehead going to hers, "it really fucking turned me on."

She let out a soft gasp, her eyes closing at his words. But she didn't have time to reply because then Ellie was screaming for them and they had both jumped apart faster than she thought possible. Both rushing to the young girl's aide as fast as their trembling legs would carry them.

*Don't forget to comment :)