A/N: Here I am, once again, feeling eternally grateful for every single review I have received. You guys are amazing and make writing so worth it to me. Anyway, enough of that, this chapter is rated M for sure, and I hope everyone enjoys it!
Chapter Twenty Eight
Rufus does not like what he sees when he walks into the kitchen. William has one hand on Lily's cheek, caressing it with his thumb; the other is holding the wine bottle. Lily isn't making any move to back away; she is actually leaning into his touch. What the hell? Rufus loudly clears his throat, prompting the pair to break away from each other.
"Rufus, hi," Lily says, hoping that she isn't blushing. Rufus doesn't say anything to her and takes the sippy cup off of the counter. Lily tries to walk over to him, but he brushes her off, choosing to go back into the dining room instead.
Rufus didn't want to be right, not about this, not about his wife and her ex-husband. This is why he got so upset when Lily told him William was coming to town, because of what he just witnessed in the kitchen between the two of them. He goes back into the dining room with a frown on his face; it is a safe bet to say that his Thanksgiving has officially been ruined and maybe his marriage too. He is furious with Lily for allowing this to happen, for allowing William to come between them again. What would have happened if he hadn't interrupted them? He wants to leave, to run to the loft and pretend this whole day never happened. However, he can't just leave his kids there with the mess he and Lily made, that wouldn't be fair to them, especially Alex who is blissfully unaware of what is going on at the moment. Plus, if he leaves, he will just be giving William the satisfaction of winning, which he will not do.
Dan looks over at the scowl Rufus is trying so desperately to conceal. He doesn't know exactly what his dad saw in the kitchen, but by the looks of things, it couldn't have been good. He doubts that his father is mad about William and Lily just chatting about the food selection, which would seem a little ridiculous. Dan wants to ask Rufus, but he knows that his father won't want to cause a scene at the dinner table.
Back in the kitchen, William continues to run his thumb over Lily's cheek, elated by the fact that Rufus caught them in a vulnerable position. His and CeCe's plan couldn't have gone any better. Although, Lily doesn't seem to be paying attention to him anymore, ever since Rufus walked in, she has been zoned out. Lily backs away from him and shakes her head, silently telling him that he should stop whatever he is doing.
Rufus was right, he was right about everything. God, what have I done? Lily asks herself as she looks up at William. She can't do this again, she is not willing to lose Rufus again, but she is letting it happen. She feels terrible, she made it seem like Rufus was being ridiculous for worrying about William, but apparently he has every reason to.
"Lily, is there something wrong?" William asks, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"No, I am fine," Lily lightly shrugs off his hand, the gesture no longer comforting, it almost feels suffocating.
"Good, you had me worried there for a second," William smiles at her and fiddles with the neck of the wine bottle she gave him.
"I think we should probably go back into the dining room, we have been in here for a while." Lily turns on her heels, glancing over her shoulder momentarily when she notices that William isn't right behind her.
"I will be there in a minute, I need to use the restroom," William lies.
"It's um…"
"…next to Serena's old room," William finishes for her, reminding her that he used to live here too. Lily blushes and nods, heading back into the dining room, right over to her pissed off husband.
"Rufus, can I talk to you?" Lily asks, already assuming that his answer is no. Rufus glares at her, wondering why she is even asking him that. She is the last person he wants to talk to right now, the only reason he is still here is because of Dan, Jenny and Alex.
"I really don't want to talk to you right now Lily," he whispers back to her, not wanting the kids to overhear them talking. Lily understands, this is entirely her fault, but she wants to tell Rufus that he is right, he needs to hear it.
"Please, it will be quick," Lily puts her hand on his arm. Rufus sighs, recognizing that his stubborn wife will not let this go until they talk. He throws down his napkin, pushes back his chair and follows her upstairs, to their bedroom.
While Rufus and Lily are gone, William sneaks back into his seat. He looks around the dining room, noticing that Lily and Rufus are both gone. William is guessing that they went to talk about what Rufus saw in the kitchen.
Dan seriously wants to punch out Serena and Eric's father. Every time he comes into town, it's never a good thing for his dad. Dan won't touch William though; he doesn't want to upset Alex, Serena or Eric.
Alex is confused about what is going on around her. Her mommy and William went into the kitchen, daddy went to see what was going on, he came back mad, mommy and daddy talked and then went upstairs.
"Gamma, where mommy and daddy?" Alex asks CeCe who is talking to Serena about something.
"They went upstairs to talk," William answers for CeCe.
"Oh, what about Wilwam?" Alex asks out of curiosity. William doesn't know what he should say to the toddler. From years of knowing Lily, she never wanted to the kids to know when they were fighting; she would rather have an argument in private.
"Um…I think your mom wanted to ask your dad about something to do with Christmas," William tells the toddler, saying the first excuse that came to his mind. Alex's eyes sparkle with the prospect of gifts and she shoves a bite of turkey into her mouth.
"How did your talk with Lily go?" CeCe asks William when Serena turns to talk to Dan.
"Why are you so interested in me and Lily?"
"I always want to do what's best for my daughter and grandchildren, you know that." William laughs at his former mother-in-law's answer.
"You haven't changed a bit CeCe."
Rufus has been silent since he and Lily left the table. He really doesn't want to hear Lily explain away what happened in the kitchen, nor does he want Lily to make it seem like he is blowing things out of proportion.
"Rufus, please say something, even if you are going to yell at me. I don't know how to react when you are silent," Lily begs. Rufus doesn't know what to say to her, if anything, she should be the one who should talk right now.
"Should I leave?" Rufus asks finally after realizing that Lily isn't going to start this conversation. Lily's eyebrows shoot together, that wasn't what she wanted Rufus to say.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh come on Lil, cut the crap. I want you to be honest with me about William for once in your life. What is going on between the two of you?" Lily flinches at Rufus' tone, but she deserves it.
"It was a moment of weakness Rufus, I am really sorry," it's a lame explanation, but it is all she can say.
"If you caught me and Alison like that, you would be furious. We wouldn't even be having this conversation right now, you know that right?"
"Of course I do and you are right about everything. I am sorry about what you saw; obviously I shouldn't have let that happen. I just…I am sorry." Lily doesn't know what else to say, she isn't going to try and blame it on William, it takes two to end up like they were.
Rufus doesn't know if he believes his wife this time. He really isn't sure what to do in this situation. How many times can he forgive Lily for doing the same thing? At the same time he asks himself the same question he asked Lily, what if she caught him and Alison like that? Would she forgive him if he apologized like she is doing now? It's going to take some time for her to earn back his trust, but staying angry at her isn't going to solve any of their problems. What if there was a way to prove that he could trust Lily and get back at William at the same time?
"I know this is mostly William's fault that we are arguing like this now, but you aren't completely off the hook." Lily looks up at him, wondering where he is going with this.
"Okay…I don't know what to say here. Thank you?" Rufus gives her his "Lily" look and continues.
"I want to get back at your ex-husband, but how? I mean, we could always have sex in his lap…" Rufus breaks off when he hears Lily's laughter.
"I don't think that would be appropriate in front of the kids. We have already scarred each one of them for life, Rufus."
"Still, how do we get William back?" Rufus asks out loud.
"I am sure we will come up with something, but for now, we make it seem like you are still mad at me. Therefore, William thinks he has won and that will give us the upper hand." Rufus is torn between being impressed by his wife's scheming skills and scared of them. He doesn't even have to ask where she inherited that trait from; the source is eating turkey downstairs next to his daughter.
"Shall we?" Rufus holds out his hand for his wife to take. Lily nods and slips her hand into his. As they are walking downstairs hand in hand, Lily ponders why she allows herself to get into situations like this. She doesn't love William anymore, yet she is willing to throw her marriage away, why? Does she feel that insecure that she has to prove to Rufus that she can leave him at any time? Does she want him to fight for her? Why can't she just be in a relationship with someone who loves her unconditionally? She never wants Rufus to leave her, but it always appears like she is giving him every reason to.
Lily feels Rufus squeeze her hand as they make their way to the landing of the stairs.
"Remember, you are still mad at me," Lily whispers in his ear and slips her hand from his. Rufus nods, resisting the urge to naturally rest his hand on the small of her back. He puts on a frown and Lily loses her smile, reverting back into more of a guilty expression. They head into the dining room, Rufus goes back to his seat and Lily goes back to hers.
"How did your talk with Lily go?" Dan asks his father.
"I don't want to talk about Lily," Rufus says, loud enough so he is sure William will overhear. William looks at Lily and she is sure to look remorseful, bowing her head to look at her food.
Serena needs to tell her mother what she heard while she was gone upstairs with Rufus, but will Lily believe her? She decides to hell with it and pushes back her chair, heading over to where her mother is sitting.
"Mom, can I talk to you for a second in the kitchen?" Serena whispers in Lily's ear, having her back to Alex. Lily puts down her fork and turns to her daughter.
"Now is not a good time Serena," Lily responds back.
"Please, you are definitely going to want to hear what I have to say," Serena says. Lily follows Serena into the kitchen, leaving Alex alone with CeCe and William once again. Rufus sees Serena and his wife leave the room, wondering what is so important. If this is going to work, they have to come up with a plan fast before Serena ruins everything.
"What is going on?" Lily asks Serena, crossing her arms.
"Why don't you tell me first? What happened between you and dad in the kitchen?" Lily rolls her eyes; she can't have her daughter meddling.
"Nothing, now, didn't you have something to tell me?"
"Mom, what the hell are you doing? Rufus loves you very much." Lily would love to tell Serena what is going on, but she would rather leave her daughter out of it. There might be a chance that Serena will either tell William what Lily is doing or try to get in on the scheme.
"What happens between Rufus and I is none of your concern especially when it involves your father. Are we done here?" Lily realizes that she is being a little cold, but Serena will understand when this is all over. Serena huffs, maybe it's not worth telling her mother after all.
"Fine, if you want to see your marriage crash and burn, that's fine with me. Not that this matters, but grandma seemed extra interested in whatever transpired in here between you and dad. I think she might be up to something, but it doesn't seem like you care." Serena brushes past Lily to go sit down.
Lily shakes her head, how could she be so stupid to think that William planned this by himself? That is why her mother seemed so intent on coming for Thanksgiving; she knew William was coming here. Hell, she probably bought him a ticket to New York. Lily doesn't understand why her mother is constantly interfering in her relationship with Rufus. Can't she just accept that Lily is happy? CeCe isn't going to get away with this; it's time to get even with her mother. How can she relay this to Rufus without everyone knowing they made up? Everyone at the table is aware that they are mad at each other; if Lily just goes and sits next to him it's going to look suspicious. Lily will just have to pick another fight with him and hope that he is intelligent enough to go along with it. She goes back into the dining room, looking very annoyed.
"What's wrong dear?" CeCe asks after noticing the expression on Lily's face. Lily locks eyes with Rufus, silently telling him to play his part.
"Nothing, it's just that my husband rudely walked away from me while we were having a conversation," Lily says, diverting her attention to Rufus. All eyes flicker over to him, waiting with baited breath for his rebuttal. Rufus looks appropriately insulted and glares at Lily.
"Well I wouldn't have darling, but I wasn't going to listen to you make it seem like I am causing drama." The kids stop their conversation to listen to Rufus and Lily argue; something that never happens in front of them. Poor Alex looks like she is about to cry, she hasn't heard her parents talk to each other like this ever.
Lily holds her hand up, "please Rufus let's not discuss this in front of our guests, it's rude." Rufus drops his fork, creating a loud noise and causing Jenny to jump in her seat.
"Fine, lets finish our discussion if you really want to," Rufus stands up, challenging Lily to accompany him. Lily isn't backing down; she gets up as well and follows Rufus into Serena's old room, slamming the door behind her.
The rest of the people at the table are left baffled by what they just saw. Rufus and Lily have never done that before, never aired their dirty laundry in front of the family. William and CeCe are silently cheering, this is what they wanted, and they are thrilled that Rufus and Lily are arguing, even though they don't know it's only pretend.
"Why mommy and daddy fightin Wilwam?" Alex asks her eyes cloudy with tears. William feels bad for the toddler; he doesn't want Alex to be tangled up in this.
Rufus and Lily grin at each other after she slams Serena's door. She drapes her arms loosely around Rufus' neck, bringing him in for a kiss.
"You know, this is kind of fun," Rufus whispers when they pull apart. Lily bites her lip and brushes a kiss to his lips.
"You think so? I feel like a spy," Lily says with a tiny giggle. Rufus coils his arms around her waist, pressing his forehead against hers.
"I like being spies," Rufus tips his head up to press a kiss to her forehead.
"I did have a fake fight with you for a reason though. Serena told me that she overheard my mother and William talking, apparently CeCe is behind this whole thing." Rufus isn't surprised by this at all, he figured William and CeCe were co-conspirators.
"Okay, so what are we going to do with this information?" Rufus is enjoying this too much to give up. Lily smirks at him,
"Easy, we beat them at their own game. If that is okay with you, I mean."
"Of course, I think it would be fun to win against your mother and ex-husband." Lily smiles at him and sweeps another kiss across his lips.
"We better get back. Remember, we want to still be angry with each other."
"Okay, but you owe me one," Rufus winks at her and opens the door, walking out before Lily can say anything back. They go back to their seats again, still keeping their irritated expressions.
"Mommy, why you and daddy mad?" Alex asks, a frown tarnishing her smile. Lily didn't realize that what she and Rufus are doing would affect their daughter. Lily's eyes flash over to Rufus', who looks just as guilty as she does.
"Alex, mommy and daddy were just talking, everything is okay. Do you want to go by daddy?" Lily asks, wanting to make Alex feel safe before she talks to William. Alex nods, causing Lily to unbuckle her from the high chair and walking over to Rufus, depositing her in his lap without acknowledging him. She sits back next to William, slumping in her seat, putting both of her hands to her forehead. William sees her distress, sending CeCe a sly grin over Lily's shoulder. CeCe makes a gesture toward her daughter, telling William that he should comfort Lily.
"Lily, its okay," William puts a hand on Lily's shoulder, surprised when he doesn't shrug him off.
"No it's not, I ruined everyone's Thanksgiving," Lily shakes her head. William wraps an arm around Lily's shoulder, gliding his fingertips onto her skin.
"No, you didn't, Rufus will come around I am sure." Lily looks up and puts a hand on William's cheek, using her thumb to stroke the skin.
"Thank you for being so understanding William," Lily whispers, smiling softly at him.
Serena, Eric, Dan and Jenny are wondering what is happening. Why is Rufus just sitting there calmly? Shouldn't he punch William in the face for flirting with his wife?
"Dad, what is going on?" Dan whispers to Rufus who is bouncing Alex on his lap. Rufus looks over at his wife who is pretending to enjoy William's attention.
Serena is curious as to why her mother is flirting so openly with her father. She gets that Lily is upset with Rufus, but this certainly won't solve any of their issues. Rufus is either trying not to notice, or is too angry at Lily to care what she is doing right now.
Eric is furious at his mother for allowing this to happen. He has always been on Rufus' side, preferring his step-father over the father who abandoned him when he was two. What will become of Lily and Rufus after this?
Lily needs to stop this before William pushes it too far. She is trying to figure out how she can send a message to William without doing something she will regret. The only thing she can think of is to make it blatantly obvious to William that she is screwing with him.
"Is there anything I can do for you Lily?" William asks sincerely, hovering close to her lips. Lily chews on her lower lip, this is her chance.
"Yes…you can kiss me," Lily mutters so quietly, he has to strain to hear her. William realizes that he is being played; Lily would never do that in front of her children.
"Nicely done Lily," William whispers, winking at her to let her know that he knows.
"Thank you, I thought Rufus and I did a pretty good job," Lily tells him and looks around the table, enjoying the astounded looks on everyone's face sans Rufus and Alex. CeCe is especially dumb founded; her plan has officially been ruined.
"Who wants dessert?" Rufus asks to break the ice. Dan looks to Jenny, Serena and Eric to try to get a read on them.
"Uh, yeah because we aren't going to ask what the hell just happened here, let's just eat some cake instead," Dan says sarcastically.
"I'll get it honey," Lily tells her husband since he still has Alex in his lap.
"Okay, Alex do you want some cake?" Rufus asks their daughter.
"YES!" Alex exclaims and runs out of her father's lap, coming to a stop in front of her high chair. Lily buckles her back in and then walks into the kitchen to get the dessert, a chocolate cake she helped Rufus bake.
"I am going to go see if she needs help," CeCe tells everyone and trails behind Lily. Lily swings around to see who is behind her, expecting William to come in again to talk. Instead, her mother is standing behind her, wearing the perfect parental expression. "I am impressed that Rufus would agree to what just happened in there."
Lily smiles, her husband can be sneaky when he wants to be. "Well I am sorry but, your plan to have William and me run off together has been shot to hell." CeCe frantically tries to keep the disappointed look off her face and laughs instead.
"My darling, I have no idea what you are talking about." Lily quirks an eyebrow, she doesn't believe her mother for a second.
"Serena told me mother, I know that it was your idea for William to come here."
"Lily, I did not force William onto a plane. He wanted to see Serena and Eric and I merely suggested that he come to New York over the holidays." Lily puts the cake back onto the counter and puts her hand on her hip.
"Uh huh, so your role in this is making a phone call. Okay well, did you tell William to flirt with me in front of my husband?" CeCe bats her hand in the air,
"Don't be ridiculous Lily, I don't control him."
"Will you ever stop messing with Rufus and me?" CeCe laughs and reaches for the dwindling bottle of gin.
"Probably not, it's refreshing for me to see someone who cares so much for you Lily and is willing to fight for you." Lily softens, are she and CeCe finally reaching a convoluted resolution to her love life? "Besides, it is fun watching Rufus squirm." And there it goes again, Lily thinks to herself, internally rolling her eyes. CeCe moves past her and rejoins the family in the dining room.
"Mommy cake…pwease!" Alex shouts from her high chair, no longer wanting to wait for her cake.
"Coming darling!" Lily yells back and sweeps the cake off of the counter. William helps her cut pieces for everyone and passes them around the table. Alex, as always, abandons the cutlery and shoves the frosting into her mouth. William hands Lily a piece and she accepts it graciously before going over to sit on her husband's lap.
"Lily, I love you and you are a great step-mother to Jenny and me, but I was this close to yelling at you and punching out William," Dan admits, blushing slightly. Lily laughs and sucks the remaining crumbs off her finger.
"Yeah mom thanks for the heads up in the kitchen," Serena says sarcastically as she takes a bite of cake.
"Sorry Serena, I just wanted to make sure that you didn't blow our cover. Rufus and I performed well, didn't you guys think?" Lily asks their kids while exchanging a smile with Rufus. The kids nod in agreement, although they kind of wish they were in on the scheme.
"I would say Chuck and Blair would be very impressed. You aren't as good as they are yet, but maybe in time, it will happen," Jenny chimes in, making Rufus and Dan cringe.
"Thank you Jenny, I thought I channeled my son quite rather brilliantly," Lily says with a smile.
"Let's not get carried away here Lil, I only agreed to participate in your plot because it was William….and your mother," Rufus mumbles the last part, half expecting Lily to poke him with her fork. Lily shrugs, CeCe deserved what she got, and she doesn't feel the least bit sorry. She just wishes that they would have been more careful in front of Alex.
Alex is wondering why she keeps getting left with her grandmother and William. At least her mommy and daddy look like they are no longer fighting, which strangely makes William seem upset. On second thought, her grandma doesn't look too happy either.
"Hey Wilwam?" Alex asks before she plops the last remaining piece of cake into her mouth.
"Yes Alex?" William questions, trying to keep his mind off his ex-wife sitting on Rufus' lap while they are talking to their children, they look so happy together. He doesn't ever remember Lily liking PDA in their relationship, but that has changed. Now he is left to chat with the youngest Humphrey, a byproduct of Lily and Rufus' successful relationship.
"You okay?" Alex asks with no judgment, obviously too young to be picking a side. Despite losing today, William finds himself chuckling at the toddler. Alex's appearance and mannerisms remind William a lot of Serena and Lily.
"I am fine Alex, how was the cake?"
"Good, I tell mommy," Alex informs William and takes a sip of her sippy cup before yelling "MOMMY!" Everyone stops their conversations to turn their attention to the two-year-old.
"Yes, my darling?" Lily asks and coils her arm around the nape of Rufus' neck.
"Cake good, good job." Lily beams at her daughter and then at her husband.
"Your mom finally didn't burn something Alex, enjoy it while it lasts," Rufus says, not shocked at all when Lily jabs him in the ribs. Alex doesn't seem to comprehend what her father said and instead gives him a toothy grin.
As William talks to Alex more and more, he is surprised to be enjoying the toddler's company. She is very smart and has a passion for animals. Alex is telling him all about her trip to the zoo and the animals she saw, needing help from time to time on the vocabulary.
"I think William made a new friend," Rufus whispers in Lily's ear. Lily leans forward around Rufus' head to see her daughter and ex-husband talking.
"Contrary to what you might think, William is a good father, just a lousy husband," Lily tells him. Rufus shrugs, he doesn't see how abandoning your children at such a young age can make you a good father in his wife's eyes, but he isn't going to argue that point with her. At least William is here now, trying to be a part of Serena and Eric's life, which Rufus has absolutely no problem with. It's just when William tries to woo Lily that makes Rufus not want him here.
Unfortunately, it took William too long to realize that he truly wants Lily. She has clearly moved on by marrying Rufus and having Alex. Maybe Lily could be sitting on his lap instead of Rufus'. It's not that William blames Lily or anything; it was his fault that he left. Their marriage just wasn't working and William got the opportunity to leave, so he did.
After desert, William decides that he has overstayed his welcome.
"I think that I am going to go. Thanks for having me," William tells everyone. Dan, Jenny and Rufus wave goodbye to him. Serena, Eric and CeCe get out of their seats to give William a hug goodbye.
"Bye Wilwam, I miss you," Alex says and waves a sticky, chocolate crumb hand to him.
"Goodbye Alex, it was nice meeting you," William says sincerely and heads towards the elevator.
"I am going to say goodbye to him," Lily tells Rufus and gets off his lap, smoothing down her dress in the process. William hears the click-clack of Lily's heels and spins around to face her.
"I am sorry William, I am sure this wasn't the Thanksgiving you had in mind." Lily isn't sure why she is apologizing to her ex-husband, but for some reason she feels a little remorseful.
"Don't worry about it, it was kind of fun." Lily is confused, but then remembers all the schemes they used to run together and then understands why William is so forgiving.
"Plotting against my mother does have some advantages." William and Lily share a laugh, and then turn serious.
"You know Lily; I would love to take you and the kids out for lunch. I think Alex and I have become friends." William watches Lily hesitate for a second and he wishes he could take the invitation back.
"I would have to check with Rufus first, but I think that would be lovely. I know Alex loved having someone to share her love of animals with." William brushes a kiss to Lily's cheek and jabs the down button on the elevator.
"Give me a call tomorrow if you want to do lunch. I will have to leave for the airport by three." With that, William steps into the elevator, allowing the doors to close in front of him. Lily swivels on her heels and goes back into the dining room, only to find her family coming in and out to grab dishes. She steps into help, but Alex informs her that she needs to be changed.
"I'll be right back to help," Lily says to her kids and takes Alex out the high chair. Lily and Alex go into Alex's room so Lily can change her daughter's diaper.
"Did you have fun today Alex?" Lily asks while searching for a wipe.
"Yup, Wilwam nice," Alex informs her mother while fiddling with her monkey Lily gave her.
"He is a sweet man darling. Should we go downstairs and play some games before bed?" Lily asks Alex and lifts her up, bringing her back into her arms.
"Yeah! 'mon mommy," Alex points to the door in her bedroom. When Lily and Alex get downstairs, the group is waiting for them in the living room. Rufus saved an open seat on the couch next to him, making Lily beam at him. She sets Alex down and sits next to her husband, stamping a kiss on his cheek. Alex goes to sit in between CeCe and Serena.
"What is it with this family and Scrabble? We all know Dan is going to win, can we play something else?" Jenny whines, holding up a box of Boggle as another option. The girls gravitate toward Jenny's option, leaving Rufus and Eric outnumbered. However, Dan suggests that it will be educational for Alex so they all cave. Alex sits on Serena's lap and rearranges the tiles, every so often coming up with a word on accident. Surprisingly, CeCe wins at Scrabble, only beating Dan by a slight margin.
After the game, they play a quick game of Boggle and then it is Alex's bedtime. Alex starts to protest, but Serena steps in, assuring her younger half sister that the older siblings are going to bed as well. Everyone says goodbye and Rufus carts Alex off to bed. Rufus grabs Alex's favorite bedtime story, but the toddler informs her father that she would rather talk.
"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" Rufus asks, sitting on the edge of his daughter's tiny toddler bed. Alex climbs under the covers and reaches for her lamb.
"Wilwam nice," Alex informs her father, looking back at him for confirmation. Rufus has his own opinion about William, but it is not something he wants his two-year-old to hear. Nevertheless, William kept Alex company for most of the day, so Rufus is begrudgingly thankful for that.
"He is a nice person," Rufus says, ignoring the bitter taste those words left in his mouth.
"He comin back?" Alex asks, her eyelids drooping slightly. Rufus wipes a tendril out of her face and gets to his feet, leaning down to kiss Alex's temple.
"I don't know sweetie, you might want to ask mommy in the morning. Goodnight," Alex turns over in bed, facing the wall. Rufus flips off the light and rejoins his wife and mother-in-law in the living room. From the landing, he sees Lily and CeCe casually chatting and turns around, intent on taking a shower before Lily. However, CeCe catches him and asks him to sit with them. Rufus bites back a sigh and plops down next to Lily, draping an arm around her shoulders.
"So Rufus, how do you think Thanksgiving went?" CeCe asks, genuinely looking for his opinion. Rufus rubs Lily's upper arm, giving it a squeeze before responding.
"I thought it was fun," Rufus admits, blushing slightly. Lily laughs, Rufus can be unapologetically honest from time to time. CeCe raises her eyebrows, today has shown her a whole new side of her son-in-law. She is still debating whether or not she likes it, she isn't sure she can handle Rufus beating her at her own game.
"Well what you and my daughter did today was impressive." Lily and Rufus exchange smiles; CeCe is congratulating them, that is a rare occurrence.
"Rufus did play the angry husband part beautifully, without him we couldn't have gone through with it." Lily rests her hand on his chest, rubbing it briefly.
"I will be getting the two of you back before you leave, mark my words." CeCe points threateningly at them, but Lily rolls her eyes.
"Trust me mother, bringing William out here is enough. Can't we just be even now?"
"No, I don't think I could let that happen. For now though, I am going to take a shower and go to bed, it's been a long day." CeCe gets off the couch and so do Rufus and Lily.
"Night mother, see you in the morning for some gin and coffee," Lily says while hugging her mother. She hears CeCe laugh quietly, causing Lily to crack a smile. Rufus waves goodbye and holds his hand out for Lily. They watch CeCe go into Serena's room, closing the door behind her.
"I am kind of scared about what your mother said," Rufus tells his wife. Lily brushes it off,
"I'm not, the worse that woman can do is invite William over for breakfast." Lily says, forgetting that she hasn't told Rufus about lunch with her ex-husband yet. Not now, Lily thinks to herself, promising herself that she will ask him later. Preferably after sex when Rufus is more inclined to agree to whatever she is asking.
"That would actually work for me; I could slip laxatives into his waffles." Lily's eyes widen,
"Okay, clearly you have been spending too much time with my mother."
"Only because you force me to," Rufus says, squeezing her hand to assure her that he is kidding.
"Touché, now come on," Lily tugs on his hand, leading him toward the stairs. Rufus' lips crash onto hers, walking her backwards up the stairs. Lily moans into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his back. They land in the master bedroom, Rufus kicking the door shut behind him.
"I think it's time for you to make it up to me," Rufus mumbles against her lips. Lily pulls back, her lips swollen and her eyes twinkling.
"I don't want my mother to hear us," Lily whispers, thankful that the darkness can cover the rosy hue of her cheeks. Rufus concedes, Lily does have a point, it would be mortifying if his mother-in-law overheard them having sex.
"You are pretty loud," Rufus tells her, laughing at his own comment. Lily bites her lip, her husband isn't exactly wrong about that.
"I can't help myself sometimes, you should be proud."
"I am, your mother is in the shower right now so if we are quick…" Rufus breaks off, knowing that Lily will catch his meaning.
"Or we could just have sex in the shower while she is still in there. You know, make the water in Serena's shower freezing."
"Lily Humphrey, you are one cold hearted woman!" Rufus exclaims, placing his hands on her hips, drawing her closer so she is pressed up against him.
"Hmm…I think that is why you married me..." Lily meshes her lips with Rufus as he lifts her off her feet, walking her towards the bed. Their lips never separate as Lily blindly unbuttons Rufus' dress shirt, slipping it off his shoulders. She opens her eyes to watch it fall like a pink parachute to the floor before reaching for the hem of his white undershirt, roughly yanking it off of him. Her eyes widen as she admires her husband's toned chest, racking her brain to think of a time when Rufus had the time to work out.
Rufus lays her gently on the bed, running his hand down her cheek, neck, stopping at her shoulder. He fiddles with the strap of her dress, roughly jerking it off the curve of her shoulder.
"If you rip this dress, I will divorce you," Idle threat and they both know it, but it's still fun to joke around.
"Good, I will have my 'Welcome Back Kotter' mugs casted in gold with the money I will be getting from you." Lily's laughter is compressed by Rufus leaning down to kiss her. Her fingers disappear in Rufus' thick brown strands. Rufus slips the dress entirely off of her and detaches their lips, moving down to trail a line of kisses down her neck, working his way to her breasts. He swirls his tongue over her nipples, making them hard. Lily moans loudly, Rufus' head pops up to give her his "I told you so" face.
"When you do stuff like that to me, it's hard to be quiet." Lily responds, another groan escaping when his lips move lower. Rufus slips her panties off, and then helps Lily with his pants, snatching the belt as she quickly undoes the buckle, easing the clothing to the floor. Rufus steps out of his pants, his eyes flickering over to his wife who is eyeing his erection through his boxers with lust. She rubs his vigorously over the fabric and then without preamble, she shoves the boxers down to his ankles. Rufus lifts up the balls of his feet; they are both naked, both waiting for the other to make a move.
Rufus maneuvers himself so he is hovering over her on the bed. Lily presses their lips together and she reaches down to start stroking him vigorously. Rufus hums quietly; his hands barreling down her skin, stopping at her clit. His fingers enter swiftly, unrelenting until he is sure that she is ready for him.
Lily is feeling herself getting lost in his touch; each movement he makes is just so satisfying to her. It is just what she needed to unwind, to let something consume her, distract her for the time being. She tilts her head up when she feels his fingers slip out, but is fulfilled once again by his hips thrusting into her sharply.
"Oh…Rufus…" is all that is said as Rufus eases out of her and then into her again, each time more intense. Lily can feel herself rising as she tries to match him, thrust for thrust. Rufus pounds into her roughly, but she doesn't care. She crosses her legs behind his back as he rotates his hips slightly, trying to bury himself deeper inside of her.
"Shit Lil…" Rufus hisses, feeling Lily's heels press into his torso. Lily's eyelids flutter as she finds herself delving into her climax. Her head lolls back and forth while she grounds out her husband's name. Rufus moves in her a couple more time before finding his own release.
Rufus collapses onto the bed beside her, both of them panting, trying to regain their footing after their latest encounter. Lily recovers first and dives under the covers, inching her way towards her husband. Rufus turns toward her, slinking an arm around her back as she buries her head in the curvature of his neck.
"I love you," Rufus senses a kiss grazing over his skin as his wife mutters those three words.
"I do too Lil, so much," He presses a kiss to her forehead and joins her under the sheets. Lily knows this is the time to ask him, she can already feel herself fading.
"Which is why I have something to ask you," Lily mumbles and rolls toward him, placing her head on his chest. Rufus tips her head down to size her up, Lily wanting a favor from him after today is not a good indication.
"What might that be Lil?" Lily's eyes slide away from his; she doesn't know why she is so nervous to ask him, if Rufus says no, then she will honor him and not go, but a part of her will always wonder if he said no because he is uncomfortable with William or doesn't trust her.
"William asked me before he left if I wanted to go to lunch with him and the kids." Of course Lily asks him something to do with William, he should have known.
"Why are you asking me after we just had sex?" Rufus doesn't know if he should be insulted or find it amusing. Rufus feels his wife's body heat up in embarrassment, making him wonder if she didn't think he would figure it out.
"I…uh…wanted…you to say yes," Lily says, there is no use in lying to him.
"Okay well I will go to lunch with Allison, Dan and Jenny while you go to lunch with William, Eric and Serena. I don't know what we would do about Alex though, spilt her in half?" Rufus jokes. Lily giggles and lightly hits his chest.
"How come every time I bring up William you bring up Allison?"
"Because, sweetheart, that is the way it works. As husband and wife, we get to play the exes card with each other." Lily looks up at him, is he going to let her go?
"Are you okay with it though, seriously? I won't go if you have a problem with it. Or you could come with and angrily stare at him as he enjoys his lunch," Lily smiles slightly, but it crumbles when Rufus doesn't reciprocate. Rufus takes a second to think about his wife's proposition. Honestly, he is split. The incident in the kitchen between William and Lily had him concerned, but she has also proved that she loves him and only him by plotting against William. However, sending Lily to lunch with William could be the deciding factor. Plus, their kids will be with them.
"I think you should go without me. Take the kids and have lunch with your ex-husband. If you don't come home for dinner I will have assumed that you and William have run away to Mexico together. Just be sure to have one of the kids bring back Alex." Rufus says, a ghost of a smile chasing across his face. Lily's eyes crinkle at the corners, she is ecstatic that they can make light of this after today. She splashes her hands on both sides of his cheeks, passionately kissing him on the lips. Rufus pulls her up so she is pressed up against him.
"Mmm…it won't be Mexico," Lily mumbles as they pull apart, her elbows resting on each side of his head. She starts playing with his hair, studying every detail of her husband as his chest quivers with laughter.
"Putting all the jokes aside, I appreciate that you asked me instead of just told me like yesterday. I do trust you Lily, completely." Lily feels pathetic when her eyes cloud with tears. She sniffs and presses a finger under her eyelid, trying to stop tears from flowing from her eyes. Rufus skates his fingers down her sides, stopping at the small of her back.
"Thank you," Lily mumbles, pressing a kiss to his lips. When they separate, Rufus brings a hand to her cheek, running her thumb across her skin while Lily gives him watery smile. Lily slides off of him, cuddling close to his side, resting a hand on his chest. Lily lifts her head up so Rufus can glide his arm under her. She loves Rufus more than she ever loved William because William would never do that for her. She is aware that Rufus has his reservations, as he should, but he overrides them for her.
"Night Lil," Rufus leans over to kiss her goodnight. Lily kisses him back, her arm going around the back of neck momentarily. They break apart with a smack, a content smile washing over Lily's face.
"Night Rufus," Lily mumbles and they both drift off to sleep.
The next morning, Lily falls into her routine, getting up with Alex while Rufus sleeps in. Rarely is he ever up before her, except when she is sick or he has to do something for the gallery. She doesn't mind, she is up early anyway and doesn't want to make Alex wait for Rufus to get up. Alex understands by now that her mother can't make her breakfast and has to wait patiently for her father to cook waffles for them.
"Hello my darling," Lily says to her daughter softly, picking her up from the toddler bed and automatically going over to the changing table. Alex lets Lily change her diaper and then they go downstairs. Lily leaves her daughter in the Rufus' office while she goes to the bathroom. When she gets out, Alex has flipped over to Dora. This is news to Lily, when did her daughter learn how to do that?
"Mommy, Dora," Alex says with delight, clutching onto her monkey as she climbs onto the couch. Lily joins Alex on the couch, pulling her daughter into her lap.
"How did you learn how to work the TV Alex?"
"Daddy, now ssh," Alex says, not liking her TV show being interrupted. Lily would scold her daughter, but she finds her too amusing. Instead, she will scold at her husband for teaching their two-year-old how to operate a remote. After Dora, Lily can hear Rufus fumble around in the bathroom and informs her daughter it's time to turn off the TV. Alex complies and they go downstairs, meeting Rufus in the living room.
"Hey Alex, want waffles?" Rufus asks, already knowing the answer is yes. Alex nods, going into the kitchen to assist her father. CeCe comes out of Serena's room while Rufus is cooking and she automatically reaches for the coffee machine.
"What we doin today mommy?" Alex asks while her father is taking the waffles out.
"Well, you, Serena, Eric and I are going out to lunch with William. Your dad is going to Brooklyn to work and your grandma is going home," Lily explains while she buckles Alex into her high chair.
"I am going too and then William and I are going to the airport," CeCe informs Lily. Lily furrows her eyebrows, she wasn't aware of this plan.
"Oh okay, I haven't texted the kids yet, I am not sure if they can come. It's kind of short notice." Lily runs upstairs quickly to grab her phone, texting both of her kids to ask them to lunch, running the risk of waking them up. She gets a response from Eric, telling her that he already made plans with Elliot. Serena, however, can come and even recommends a restaurant. Lily is disappointed that both of her kids can't come, but she already texted William to tell her that they are coming; she doesn't want to cancel now.
She relays the information over to William and they set up lunch for noon at The Carlyle, Serena's new favorite restaurant. Lily goes to get ready while Rufus and CeCe keep an eye on Alex. Rufus excuses himself to go upstairs, finding his wife in the master bathroom, carefully putting her makeup on.
"Hey, I think I am going to take Dan out for coffee while you guys are gone." Lily closes the tube of mascara and turns to face him.
"I'll text you if I see any coffee places near the restaurant," Lily says, only half joking.
"If you want me to drop in your little lunch date, all you have to do is ask. Or I could create a fake emergency, if that's better." Lily glares at him for calling her lunch with her ex-husband a date, but is happy that he is mostly comfortable with her going. Lily kisses his cheek and brushes past him, making her way to the walk in closet.
"Where's Alex?" Lily asks Rufus while she is flipping through her wardrobe.
"With your mother, I hid all the gin last night so you don't have to worry."
"Like that has ever stopped her before," Lily mutters as she settles on an emerald green lace Burberry dress.
"Right, well I am going to go check on Alex, if smell alcohol I will be sure to yell for you." Rufus presses a kiss to his wife's temple and rushes downstairs. Lily laughs quietly to herself as she is getting dressed. She switches off with Rufus so he can get dressed and her mother can pack. Lily gets Alex ready, with her chatting animatedly about their lunch with William.
"I bring Monkey to show Wilwam," Alex informs Lily, raising her arms above her head so Lily can slip a gray sweater dress onto her daughter's tiny frame.
"Okay darling, we will be sure to bring Monkey with us." She sets Alex down on the floor and the toddler walks over to the mirror in the closet to admire herself. Lily stands back, covering her mouth to prevent her daughter from seeing her grin.
"I like it," Alex declares and snatches her monkey off the bed. Lily holds her daughters hand while they head down the stairs. Rufus already has the diaper bag set out on the counter and is chatting with CeCe while the bellhop puts her luggage on a cart.
"We should probably go, I promised we would meet him at noon," Lily says, grabbing the Kate Spade bag off the counter, resting it over her shoulder.
"Bye daddy," Rufus bends down so Alex can give him a hug. He stands up and walks over to Lily.
"Don't be afraid to stop by," Lily whispers into his ear and pulls him in for a kiss.
"Would you two stop? I heard enough last night," CeCe complains, relishing in the fact she can still make her daughter and son-in-law blush.
"Mother! I wasn't…" Lily smirks, her mother is bluffing. There is no way CeCe could have heard anything because she was in the shower and they were upstairs on the other side of the penthouse.
"I am actually going to miss you CeCe," Rufus says and breaks away from Lily to hug his mother-in-law. He feels silly for falling into CeCe's trap so easily, but her trip wasn't that bad this time compared to her last visit.
"Me too Rufus, I will try to come for Christmas." Lily shakes her head at her husband, just because he won over CeCe once doesn't mean he can again. It is still fun to see him try though. She makes sure Alex is buckled into the stroller and presses her hand to her lips before waving goodbye to Rufus.
Lily, CeCe and Alex get into the car while their driver is loading the stroller and luggage into the trunk. Lily texts William and Serena to let them know they are on the way.
"So Rufus is fine with you going to lunch?" CeCe asks casually. Lily suppresses a groan; of course her mother would pick up on this.
"We talked and he is okay with it. Believe it or not mother, Rufus trusts me."
"He didn't yesterday," Lily glances at CeCe over Alex's head; they are not having this conversation in front of her daughter.
"Trust me mom, I know what I am doing."
Rufus arrives at a coffee shop near the loft in Brooklyn. Dan is already there, a frown forming on his face when he realizes that Alex isn't with his father.
"Hey dad, where are Lily and Alex? I thought they were coming with you," Dan hugs his father and they sit across from each other at a booth in the corner of the café.
"They went to lunch with William, Serena and CeCe." Rufus expects the astounded look on his son's face; he doesn't sure why he is letting his wife go himself.
"And you are okay with that?" Rufus takes a sip of his coffee before answering.
"Your stepmother and I came to an understanding."
"Dad, you and Lily aren't splitting up are you?" Dan asks with trepidation, he likes this new family Rufus and Lily have created.
"No son, I love Lily very much, which is why she is going to lunch with William."
"Is it one of those 'you will understand when you are married' things?" Rufus nods, he thinks that is what it is.
Lily, CeCe and Alex arrive at the restaurant and are led to their table. Serena and William are already there, chatting politely with each other. Lily sits across from William, next to Serena while CeCe takes the empty seat next to William. Alex is perched in her high chair in between Lily and William.
Watching Lily fuss over Alex makes William smile. It's been a long time since he has seen Lily really be a mom. By the time he resurfaced in her life, Eric and Serena were teenagers capable of taking care of themselves.
"Hey Wilwam," Alex says happily, holding her hand out for him to high five. William complies as the waiter comes by for Lily, CeCe and Alex's drink orders.
"Here is your monkey," Lily hands Alex her favorite animal to show William.
"Look Wilwam, its Monkey," Alex twirls the monkey around.
"Very cute Alex." William doesn't want to like Alex, but he does. Lily and Rufus did a good job with raising the toddler who is beautiful, smart and very funny.
"I heard Alex was telling you all about her trip to the zoo with Rufus the other day," Lily tells William, smiling when he laughs.
"She loves to talk just like Serena, she definitely got that from you," William says.
"Hey! I am right here dad," Serena jokingly pouts.
"Yeah William, I am right here." Lily adds in. William throws his arms up in defense.
"Sorry, Alex talking about the zoo yesterday reminds me of the time we took Serena and Eric," William says. Lily shakes her head at the memory, that wasn't fun. Serena leans in, quirking her eyebrows at CeCe, wondering why she has never heard this story.
"Yeah, I remember you giving Serena that cotton candy and her throwing up in my purse on the way home. That was a Birkin William, in case you have forgotten." The whole table, except for Alex, shares a laugh. They stop reminiscing for a second to put in their food orders.
"I remember dad always taking me to get a strawberry milkshake," Serena says once the waiter leaves.
"I do too and Eric would always try to steal some," William says with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Serena notices the more they are talking, her mom's interactions with her dad are unlike her and Rufus'. Her mother and father seem like old friends, which makes it hard to believe that they were ever married. She doesn't doubt that they loved each other once, but her mom has moved on. Lily is different around Rufus, always hanging on every word, smiling at him, touching him, and kissing him. There is no spark between her mom and dad, it was there briefly a couple of years ago when they thought Lily was sick, but it's gone now.
Lunch comes to a close and William and CeCe have to catch their flight back home.
"Thank you for coming, let's keep in touch," Lily tells her ex-husband, brushing a kiss to his cheek. Serena hugs her father and grandmother goodbye. Lily lifts Alex out of her high chair so her daughter can say her goodbyes as well.
"Bye Wilwam, see ya soon! Bye gamma, miss you," Alex stamps a kiss laden with marina sauce onto William and CeCe's cheeks.
"Bye Alex," William and CeCe say. William gets into a cab, waving a final goodbye before closing the door behind him.
"That was fun darling, wasn't it?" CeCe asks Lily.
"Yes, it was, I didn't realize how much I missed him." Lily isn't afraid to admit it, she never wanted to cut William out of her life, and it's just that she got so busy; she couldn't find time to squeeze him in.
"Maybe he could come for Christmas," CeCe suggests.
"Don't get any crazy ideas mother."
"I won't, I have to go, bye girls," CeCe walks over to the car and blows a kiss goodbye. Serena, Lily and Alex start walking back toward the penthouse since Serena has some time before she has to go back to Blair's.
"That was an interesting Thanksgiving," Serena comments to her mother. Lily uses her free hand that isn't pushing Alex in the stroller to wrap around her daughter.
"I am sorry that you had to get dragged into everything, that wasn't fair." Serena shrugs,
"It's fun to take grandma down a peg every once and a while. I am sure Rufus appreciated it more than I did."
"Yes he did my darling. I just want you to know that your father and I were happy once."
"I know you were, but I think you always loved Rufus more." Lily doesn't know what to say to that, it has always been a sensitive topic for her.
"Your father and Rufus are completely different people," is all Lily says because she doesn't want to upset Serena.
"I am glad you are with Rufus," Serena whispers and looks away. Lily squeezes Serena's arm,
"Me too Serena, I have to get Alex home for her nap. I love you and will see you later okay?" Lily hugs her eldest daughter goodbye and Serena peaks into the stroller to see Alex passed out and clutching onto her monkey.
"Bye mom," Serena says and hails a cab. Lily waits patiently for her car to come that takes her and Alex back to the penthouse.
"Rufus?" Lily yells and hears nothing back. Alex, who is now awake, spots a note on the counter.
"Mommy look," Lily picks her daughter up and walks over to the counter, picking up the note her husband left for her.
Lil, I went to Hudson for the day. Just kidding, I am at the gallery if you need me. I'll bring back some dinner for us. Love you, R.
"Alex, I don't know if your daddy knows he's not that funny sometimes," Lily tells her daughter as she turns around, heading for the stairs.
"Daddy funny mommy," Alex informs her mother as they approach her bedroom. Lily tucks her daughter in for her nap and goes downstairs to catch up on some paperwork for Bass.
The elevator doors open a few hours later to reveal Rufus. Lily looks up from her papers and takes her reading glasses off, a bright smile blossoming on her face. Rufus closes the gap between them, draping his arms around her shoulders from behind and placing a kiss on her temple.
"Hey, what did you get for dinner?" Lily asks, noticing a brown paper bag left on the coffee table.
"Chinese and no, I didn't forget the eggrolls," Lily giggles; her husband does know her well.
"Good, I am glad that you remembered." They transition over to the couch with Lily cuddling up to Rufus who brushes another kiss to her lips.
"How did your lunch go? Obviously you and William didn't run off together."
"Hmm…we are taking a later flight. I just came back to say goodbye over eggrolls," Lily jokes and rests her head on his shoulder.
"I don't think you should get any eggrolls then."
"Lunch was good, it was needed. When William and I were reminiscing about our past, I realized that is exactly what it was. I did love William; he was the father of two of my children, but that's it. I love you and we are happy together, right?"
"Yes, we are very happy." Rufus says without hesitation. Lily tips her head up to kiss him fervently.
"Our food is getting cold and I have to yell at you for something," Lily mumbles against his lips. Rufus snatches the food off the coffee table, his eyebrows shooting together.
"What could I have done?" Rufus asks as he hands her the eggrolls.
"You taught our two-year-old how to operate a remote." Lily says and bites into her food as Alex slides down the stairs.
"So, I was teaching her how to be resourceful." Alex scampers toward her parents and climbs into Rufus' lap.
"As long as the dirty channels are blocked," Lily warns him and offers Alex a bite of her roll.
"There are none to be blocked as far as you know."
"Rufus!"
"Lily!" Rufus says in the same fashion and winks at his wife.
A/N 2: That's it! Longest chapter in my history! Now, what do you guys want to see in the last two chapters, another baby, a romantic vacation, Christmas, something else? It is completely up to you guys; please leave your suggestions on the way out. Thanks for reading!
