Chapter 118

Alex laid awake looking at Ryan sleeping peacefully. Tempted to wake him up just as pay back for what he always does to her. Sticking a finger in his ear and tickling his nose with a strands of hair until he stirred.

"Nooooo Alex." He moaned and turned his back towards her pulling the covers further up over his face.

"No this is payback, you always do this to me when I'm asleep." She reminded him, pulling the covers down to expose his face, tickling his ears with her hair this time.

"Okay, okay I'm up." He finally said looking at her with a victorious smile on her face. "I'm going to get you back for this." He yawned stretching his arms out above his head, and Alex laid back down putting her head on his chest, Ryan snaking an arm around her waist. Neither of them saying anything just lying there in silence enjoying being in each other's embrace.

Alex's phone buzzing breaking the momentary silence they had. She stiffened when the device vibrated waiting to see if there will be more but since it seemed like a text she didn't bother getting up to look at it. Only when Ryan stirred telling her he needed to use the bathroom, she lifted her head and checked her phone. A text from her mom not saying much but the words that was in it was enough to make Alex call her immediately.

"Mom, what was that message all about?" Alex asked without greeting.

"Good morning to you too Alex. Yes you read it correct." Sita said.

"There is no way that you and uncle Joey are getting married in court with a bunch of strangers. I won't allow that."

"It'll be my second marriage Alex, I do not want to make a big fuss about it. So we figured that would be the easiest way to do it." Sita answered her daughter.

"No. I really like uncle Jo no mom, you cannot do that. Think about how pretty you'll look in a white dress, walking up to him waiting for you in front of the alt.."

"Which is exactly why I didn't want to tell you about this because your mind would go haywire again. We'll talk about this some other time. Send love to Ryan and Phoebe." Sita said.

"Mooooooooom, before you go just liste.."

"Good bye Alex. I love you." Sita laughed and ended their call, leaving her daughter starring at the phone. Not even noticing Ryan had emerged from the bathroom. "Why are you staring at your phone as if you're expecting a call." He asked looking at her and she shook her head gently before acknowledging him.

"Mom. She and uncle Jo wants to get married in court." Alex said scrunching up her face.

"Why court? I'm sure she'd want her family and friends there with her on a day like that."

"Please tell that to Sita Parrish. She told me I'm going overboard with the whole thing, which I am not, I just really just want to see her happy." Alex thought out loud "Do you know what else would make me happy right now?"

"Breakfast?" He asked putting on a t-shirt that laid on the floor.

"No don't take that I was going to put it on, you are so selfish when it comes to sharing your t-shirts Ryan Booth." Alex moaned dashing out of bed to cover up her body and get the t-short before he could.

"Alex but it's mine. You don't see me walk around the house parading in your clothes."

"Because that would just be weird." She shrugged pulling the t-shirt over her body putting on a pair of leggings before going into the bathroom to brush her teeth while Ryan got some kind of breakfast started.

He walked towards the nursery first to check up on his daughter who was still asleep, and with a heavy heart he had to wake her up because she looked so peaceful. He picked her up and her head immediately found his shoulder. "Hey Pheebs, time to get up now." He said softly rubbing a hand up and down her back softly. "Phoebe? Are you awake?" he asked again and she lifted her head looking him in the eyes with sleep tousled dark brown curls running a hand across her face. "Can I have a kiss please?" Ryan asked but she just looked at him blinking rapidly. "I'm guessing that means no." He said smiling running a hand through her curls before checking her diaper and getting her bath water ready.

Alex came downstairs taking an empty cup filling it with steaming coffee and a slice of dry toast that she ate halfway and felt strange. Taking a glass and filling it with water taking a few sips. She placed both her hands on the counter breathing heavily. A wave of nausea suddenly hit her out of no where. Ryan came out of the nursery with Phoebe trailing behind her and he looked at his wife who is breathing shallow and heavy. "Are you okay?" He asked walking closer towards her.

"I'm gonna be sick." She said looking at him with big eyes, before rushing to the bathroom down the hall making it just in time, discarding the piece of toast she had earlier, since that was the only food she had left in her stomach. The first thoughts that ran through her head was morning sickness, it could be possible since she ended her birth control about a month ago but she was almost certain it's way too soon for her to be pregnant again. Not that she wouldn't welcome the thought they had been discussing plans for another baby.

Ryan heard her retching and walked down the hallway towards the bathroom. Holding back her hair and rubbing her back. When it seemed to be over he got her a glass of water so she can rinse her mouth, and she sat on the edge of the bathtub. "I'm fine." She whispered out of breath. "Please get Phoebe ready."

"Okay." He wasn't convinced but left the bathroom searching for his daughter. He barely left when she was at it again violently emptying the contents of her stomach even though she was certain there was nothing left by now. Too afraid to leave her spot in front of the toilet not knowing when the next wave of nausea might hit her she rested her head against the white tiles of the bath taking long deep breaths.

Meanwhile, Ryan tried to get things done as quickly as he possibly could because he wanted to be by his wife's side. But Phoebe not making things easy this morning when she had another morning where she refused to eat. Or if she did she preferred to walk around again.

"Pheebs can we not do this today please." Ryan pleaded but she paid no mind to him. Only looked up to him when she heard her familiar nickname but continued her walk up the stairs. Picking her up and carrying her back to the couch he set her in the high chair and fed her. Or more like tried to because most of the food ended up on her pajamas or on the surface of the high chair but very little made it into her mouth. Deciding not to fight this any longer he gave up and got her out and into her bath. Making a mental note that he'd inform Marci that she didn't really eat. Finishing her in record time and dressing her, Ryan was faced with the challenge of her hair. In his mind he'd just put a headband around her head to hide the fact that he didn't brush her hair. Peeking into the bathroom he saw Alex sit with her back against the bathtub and her head between her legs, the toilet water running as it has been flushed yet again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as little beads of sweat formed on her forehead. "I'll live." She said out of breath. He nodded his head slightly. "Uuhhmm, Phoebe's hair?" He asked although he wanted to make it sound more of a statement than the unsure way that the question came out. Smiling slightly Alex nodded her head. "I'll be out in a sec." She said and he offered a hand to help her get up, walking with her to the nursery.

"Morning bub." She smiled weakly and gathered two hairclips and two hair ties, making two ponytails in a few seconds while Ryan watched her in amusement. How she can be ill but still manage to do the little things like this without complaints. She gave Phoebe a rattle to distract herself with while she finished her hair. Wanting to kiss her daughter so bad but she didn't want to give Phoebe whatever it was she had she opted for a hug instead.

"All right. Let's go, say bye to mommy." Ryan said smiling as she waved a little hand in her mother's direction. They were barely out the door when Alex had to rush to the bathroom again, now she was certain that something was wrong and that it surely wasn't morning sickness, as she felt hot saliva pushing up at the back of her throat. Soon she felt cold and started shivering despite the fact that it was summer outside. Walking around the bathroom she tried to locate anything that was long sleeved because she dreaded having to make it up the stairs not sure if her stomach had settled, but she made the trip anyway, putting on some grey slacks over her leggings and a black hoodie, climbing back under the covers.

It wasn't long until she heard the front door open again and Ryan trying to locate her when she wasn't downstairs he figured she might be back in the bedroom. "Alex?" he asked softly seeing her curled up in a ball on his side of the bed, with a slightly pale and damp face. She opened her eyes looking up at him and he rushed over to the dressing table emptying the container that consisted of tubes of hand and face cream and some foundation bottles, taking it over to her just in time before she started vomiting again. Rummaging through the drawer he found a hair tie and tied her hair back hoping it didn't look too bad.

"Ow." She gasped hanging her head over the container while waiting for the next wave of nausea to hit.

"Sorry baby." He apologized quickly loosening the messy bus he was forming with his fingers.

"Not you." She said before vomiting again, taking a hand off the container and clutching her stomach. He was familiar with the pain of vomiting with an empty stomach but didn't know what to do to help. Getting up to empty and rinse the container, he's going to have some explaining to do when she's herself again and he used her make up container for her to vomit in. When he got back into the room she looked exhausted and he wiped her face with a cool cloth, the temperature she was running made him concern. He ran a finger across her cheek slowly and she scrunched up her face as if she was about to start crying. "Hey you're gonna be okay." He said stroking her hair back while contemplated what else he can do. Looking through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom he found some tablets for nausea and took a chance, taking two and a glass of water he handed it to her. It was barely five minutes when that also came back up, barely dissolved and he was at wits end with what to do. At times like this he wished the tides were turned and that he was the one who was sick, at least she would know what to do because right now he was helpless.

"How about a shower?" he asked hoping it would bring her temperature down.

"Don't want to g…get up." She said not even bothering to open her eyes. Ryan got up and turned on the shower. He put the container aside, making a mental note that he had to empty it when they get back, and lifted her up easily carrying her to the bathroom. Allowing him to undress her as delicately as he could while the shower was filling up the bathroom with steam, before he adjusted the temperature to lukewarm, the water chilling to him as he stepped in dressed in a sweatpants and no shirt keeping her upright. Alex clung to him as the water dribbled down her back until she stopped shivering, slowly relaxing and growing heavy in his arms he suspected she must've fallen asleep.

Wrapping her in a towel he carried her out to the bed, finding some clean pajamas dressing her as she slowly started waking up again. Her eyes still heavy and slightly red. If she's still queasy after all this he is taking her to the ER, even though he knew she might hate it. A call from Liam O'Connor made him swear softly to himself since it's 9AM and neither of them showed up for work or are late. Again.

Hope you enjoy. I've hand another terrible day, or shall I say one email that turned my day upside down so I turned to some writing. Apparently when you're in your twenties it's supposed to be the best time of your life, well I beg to differ. I feel like my teen years were better than my early twenties. so much going on, so much to do so much expectations while I'm trying to juggle everything and keep my boat afloat.

(Sorry if that was too much information too soon, but I feel like you guys are my FF (FanficFamily) who won't judge me if I get too personal at times. I'm sorry if I do.)

Thank you for reading. Oh and also guys is there a particular time that you'd want me to post updates. I usually post them around 10PM not sure how much our time zones differ.

Lovies-S