Chapter 157
Ryan pulled up in front of the office and texted Alex that he was outside, hoping she would come out soon enough, as he feels like he had one hell of a long day even though it was only midday, his daughter in the backseat whining since she was sleepy and no one seemed to pay attention to any of her demands. Alex walked outside and got into the car. "What happened?" Alex asked looking at her husband trying to hide her amused facial expression. "I can't do that again anytime soon, so by the way I didn't get anything I left the store." He said when Alex strapped on her seatbelt and they pulled away.
"You didn't buy anything but Phoebe has a kangaroo in her hand." Alex noticed looking at her daughter sitting in the car seat, her whining stopped as they drove away again.
"Hello Phoebe." Alex smiled looking at her and she showed her mother her latest toy.
"I see, it's so cool. Who bought you that?" Alex asked looking at her expectantly for an answer.
"Dada!" She smiled pointing towards her father in the driver seat with her little finger.
"Hhhmmmm, you getting spoiled that's what this is." Alex shook her head at her husband who just shrugged because he still haven't learnt how to say no to his little girl.
"No Mama." Phoebe disagreed by her mother statement that her father spoils her and Alex surrendered deciding it will be best not to get involved with the father daughter duo.
"Are you going back to the store today?" Ryan asked and Alex sighed heavily, looking to the back seat again as her daughter was battling sleep once again. "Yes I'll have to, Phoebe's almost out of formula and cereal." Alex answered when Ryan handed her the list back at the red traffic light, he tried but these kinds of things were just not cut out for him.
"Maaaaammmmmaaaaaaa" Phoebe cried leaning forward in the car seat as far as she could trying to grab onto her mother.
"Phooooeeeebeeeeee." Alex echoed looking at her. "We'll be home in a little bit then you can go to sleep, bub." She grew silent and when Alex looked back again she was fast asleep by the time they turned into the driveway at home. She was about to get out when she grabbed her chest with her left hand rubbing in circles.
"And now? What's wrong?" Ryan panicked looking at her as she took deep breathes.
"Heartburn. It'll pass I'll drink a glass of milk, I'm sure that will help." She dismissed not wanting to make him worry, certain it was normal and nothing to worry about as she had some trouble with it when she was expecting Phoebe as well. "I'll go to the doctor if it gets worse, love. I promise." Alex said trying to set her husband at ease who wasn't really convinced as he wants her to go to the doctor with every little thing that seems out of place. "Okay, but then you're going to the store when it passed or in an hour from now." He bargained and as much as she wanted to say no she accepted it and decided to be obedient for once.
Ryan laid Phoebe down in the nursery so she can have a peaceful nap, after walking into the kitchen opening the fridge looking for nothing in particular and closed it again. "Oh before I forget, I emailed my doctor and she gave me the green light on flying." Alex announced excitedly looking through her phone to show him the email for some peace of mind. "And this whole going to Mumbai thing seems like it might be bigger than I thought because from what I've gathered there's gonna be quite a lot of extended family members." Alex said carefully looking at her husband whose face was now full of worry.
"Will there at least be people I know besides you?" He panicked getting up from the couch again walking to the fridge to get a beer and came to sit back down.
"Yes, Danika and Malik are also going, so you'll know two more people and besides he is just as freaked out as you are."
"Alex that doesn't make me feel any better. I'm scared like legit scared, what if I walk in there and no one likes me or talk to me or give me the third degree. And then when we leave they call your mom asking her how she could allow you to marry someone like me. How Indian is your family?" Ryan rambled, not impressed by how his wife is laughing at his fears of meeting his extended in-laws.
"Okay, I tell you what. Later tonight, or tomorrow after work we'll look at the family album and I'll give you a bit of history and what to expect from everyone. How does that sound?" She asked and he shook his head.
"It'll probably work, but I'm still scared. They can poison me with extremely spicy curry or something."
"Ryan relax! We're not even there yet and you're already stressed. I promise it will not be that bad, trust me." She smiled leaning her head on his chest, laughing at his long drawn out breath as he strokes her little growing belly.
When Alex was given the green light on going shopping after catching a powernap with her head resting on her husband's chest she left the house to finish the shopping he was supposed to do, but which he gave up on. Before leaving the house she checked the nursery but Phoebe was still asleep and she had to take on the journey by herself, although she wouldn't have minded some one year old company. When she picked up everything that was on the list she decided to take some time for herself and went to go sit in a coffee shop. Ordering herself an extra-large slice of red velvet cake and a latte, enjoying her alone time, but feeling guilty at the same time as she didn't buy something for her husband and daughter who was waiting for her at home. She looked out the window from where she sat in the corner, staring at the people who walked passed the coffee shop while she tried to decipher them. What they are thinking, where they are going, what occupation they might have, something the FBI training made her very aware of on trying to read people but she soon got bored of it when her eyes drifted to the rack with the magazines. She got up and walked over, smiling to herself as she grabbed two of her favorites and even more impressed when she saw that it was up to date. Sitting back down on her seat she paged through The Atlantic, while leaving Us Weekly for last. Ordering another strawberry milkshake she was so intrigued in the magazines that she didn't even realize that someone stood on the opposite side of her table when she looked up quickly.
"Hi." She smiled warmly at the familiar looking stranger but soon turned her attention back to the magazines when she looked up again – frowning.
"Alex? Alex Parrish?" He asked and something about his voice sounded familiar and his face she definitely recognized, but she couldn't quite place him just yet.
"Yes." She confirmed nodding her head when her smile widened even more. "Daniel Brooks! What are you doing here? The last time I saw you was back in India, in college before I moved to the States." She beamed and the man in front of her smiled and nodded a she motioned for him to sit down.
"Yes, before you decided to drop out of college and leave me there alone. We had a deal since we were eight years old that both of us would become teachers, and give the kids hell because we were the whole neighborhood's nightmare duo." He laughed as the talked about their childhood and how close they were growing up together, best friends actually.
"Don't remind me about being a college drop out my mom is still not satisfied with the job I have now." She answered taking a sip of the milkshake. Daniel was her childhood best friend, even to this day she had no idea how he was the only friend wo never got tired of her as she didn't really have any other friends growing up but the two of them stuck together and were best of friends, but lost touch when she came to Quantico.
"How long has it been? What are you doing now?" He asked signaling the waiter and ordered himself a coffee.
"I don't know five or six years?" She shrugged trying to calculate how long ago it was that they've seen each other, but it was too long for her liking. "Believe it or not, I am an FBI agent." She answered seeing his face change.
"Hhhhhmmm no it makes sense why Mrs. Parrish was so against it." Daniel laughed accepting the coffee and taking a sip.
"And nothing has changed, still taking coffee dark and bitter like your life," Alex laughed as he nodded. "Speak for yourself." He said and pointed to the two magazines in front of her. "How has life been treating you? I see there's a someone special in your life." He pointed to the wedding ring and she looked down at her finger and smiled.
"Yes, I know I said I'd never get married but things changed. His name's Ryan we've been married for a little over a year now and we have a little girl Phoebe, busy bee but she is the light of our lives, although she is not in favor of being a big sister in a few months time."
"Look at you, Alex Parrish, the one person I never thought would become a family person and settle down with a house full of kids and a dog." Daniel laughed.
"Correction on both accounts, my last name is Booth now and we do not own a dog-yet." She pointed a finger at him and he put his hands up in surrender. "Now that you know enough about me and my life, what's happening in yours Dan?" Daniel sighed leaning back in his chair playing with the sugar packets. "Not much. I've just returned from tour in the US military, and came here for some normal day activities that doesn't involve bombs and guns."
"My husband also served in the military. Hey! Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?" Alex asked excitedly and looked at Daniel who didn't know how to respond to the question. "But you have a family and I don't want to intrude on your family time, and your husband doesn't even know me what if he hits me when I show up there?" Daniel rambled not knowing what to expect.
"Daniel Brooks, he won't mind. Come on it'll be fun and I want the two of you to meet each other." She looked at him and he reluctantly agreed. The two of them exchanged numbers and spoke a little bit more about their childhood, until they said goodbye and Alex made him promise that he will show up tonight as she texted him the address.
Alex got home from her shopping and found Phoebe and Ryan playing on the floor with blocks he was trying to show her how to stack them on top of each other. She managed to get her three blocks stacked but when she tried adding a fourth one her tower came crumbling down and she started from scratch again. Alex didn't know if she would have the patience her daughter has to through all of that for countless times.
"Mama!" Phoebe smiled when she noticed her mother walking into the kitchen. "Hey baby girl, what are you doing?" She asked from the counter where she started unpacking the groceries. "Trying to teach her new tricks but she wouldn't have it. Were the shops that full because you were gone for quite some time." Ryan said walking over to her helping her unpack.
"Oh yes, I went for some coffee and treated myself to some cake." She answered and checked her phone when it went off, a text from Daniel asking if there is anything he should bring with tonight as it would be rude to show up empty handed. Texting a quick reply she set the phone back down on the counter and continued.
"Well you deserve it, I'm glad you enjoyed it though." He said walking up in front of her but she didn't pay him any mind as her phone went off again and she replied to another text. Ryan snapped his fingers in front of her face to try and get her attention and she looked up. "Sorry I was distracted, you were saying?"
"I didn't say anything, who you texting?"
"A childhood friend I met randomly today, and I invited them over for dinner tonight I hope you don't mind…" She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when Ryan's phone rang and based on the one sided conversation she noticed that something was wrong and that he has to be somewhere soon as he dropped the phone looking at her.
"I'm babe you were saying something about dinner?" Ryan said looking around the kitchen for his car keys.
"No it's fine, what's going on?" Alex asked packing away the last few things on the counter turning her attention back to her husband.
"I need to go to the office, some paperwork is missing and they can't close the case without it and I have no idea where to start looking for it. Useless interns. I'm not sure what time I'll be back don't wait up it might be a long night" He sighed kissing her quickly and saying goodbye to Phoebe waking out the door, leaving Alex at wits end but there is no way she can cancel now she'll have to go through with dinner even if it's just her and Daniel tonight.
Ryan walked into the office greeted by the not so happy faces of his superiors and two interns who doesn't have anywhere to hide when they saw him approach them. He walked into Liam's office and prepared himself for the reprimand that he got, and it doesn't matter what he says now or how mad he is, it's up to him to fix this as he cannot blame this on the interns right now. He opened the door to his office and sat down behind his computer looking through the documents to see if there were really no trace of the paperwork but it was gone and he prepared himself for a long night. A knock on the door made him look up although he wasn't in the mood for company right now.
"Agent Booth, I am so sorry I don't know wh.."
"I don't what to hear it. Do you have any idea what this means? If I don't find these documents this becomes a cold case and murderers get to roam the streets. How the hell do you not file things when you're done!" He lost his temper and the poor intern standing in front of him looked like she was about to burst out crying, Ryan pointed towards the door and wordlessly she excused herself leaving him to work alone and find a solution to all of this.
Alex called his office after she couldn't get through to his cellphone. "Ryan Booth?" He answered the phone and his wife frowned from the other side.
"Hey, I just wanted to know if you'll be done around 7 or 7:30?" Alex asked carefully.
"I doubt it, I need to start from scratch again and it doesn't look like I'll be done by then. I'll try my best to finish as much as I can but I can't promise anything."
"Okay, it's fine. See you later then." She tried to hide the disappointment in her voice not sure if she succeeded, but prepared for the fact that he might not make it to dinner. She should've listened to her gut and should've done the dinner the next day.
Alex prepared dinner, if you can call chicken pie, veggies and roast potatoes dinner, while trying to tidy up the house at the same time and getting her daughter bathed. After about an hour she called Ryan to see if he'll be home around 7 but the tone of voice he had over the phone made it clear that he was irritated and she decided not to push him to his limits and left it at that.
She prepared the table and set an extra seat just in case Ryan came home early enough, when there was a knock on the door. She walked over and opened it inviting Daniel inside, it wasn't until it was too late that she realized she was still wearing the same clothes that she wore earlier when she met him at the coffee shop. "I'm sorry for the way I look I didn't have time to go change." She apologized as Daniel entered with a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers. "No need to apologize I understand." He dismissed, his eyes smiling when he saw Phoebe came running down the hallway when she heard the unfamiliar voice, stopping in front of her mother to pick her up as she didn't recognize the stranger.
"Hello sweety, wow you look just like your mother. What's your name?"
"This is Phoebe, the one who dictates this household." Alex smiled kissing her daughter's forehead.
"Ryan got held up at work, I'm not sure if he'll join us." She said when he seemed to notice that he was absent. "Make yourself at home, I need to put her to bed and then we can eat." She walked down the hallway towards the nursery leaving Daniel in the lounge area as he looked through all the pictures that were stacked on the tables and some hanging on the wall. When Phoebe was asleep Alex appeared again and the two of them walked outside to the back while she checked on the food, checking her phone for any messages from her husband but since there was nothing she didn't mind taking the phone out with her to the porch, where she and Daniel laughed and talked about their childhood memories.
Ryan called Alex but the phone kept ringing, which is always one thing that makes him worry when she doesn't pick up as his mind works overtime and he'll start thinking something is wrong. Leaving the work even though he wasn't as close to finishing as he hoped he'd be, he got into the car and drove home trying to ease himself that his family is okay and that he is just being paranoid. When he turned into their street seeing a strange car parked in front of the house he became worried. Walking inside, he didn't see his wife or his daughter but he heard the laughter from outside.
Alex and Daniel walked inside all smiley and laughing, both of them surprised by Ryan as Alex wasn't expecting him to be home but was glad he could make it. "Hey, I didn't think you'd make it." Alex said from where she stood, but something about her husband seemed off and he wasn't himself. "I called and you didn't answer so I became worried. But it seems like I didn't have to rush home." He mumbled not bothering to look in Daniel's direction and Alex hoped Daniel didn't hear any of that. "No everything's fine, Ryan this is Daniel. We grew up together in India he was my best friend."
"I was your only friend." Daniel corrected her and the two of them laughed, as he extended his hand towards Ryan, but Ryan gave him a scowl that made him put his outstretched hand in his pocket. Leaving him and Alex standing downstairs Ryan headed upstairs and Alex sensed just how uncomfortable Daniel was right now. "Uuuuhhhmmm, that introduction didn't go exactly as I planned and I don't want to overstep my boundaries but I think it would be better if I go." Daniel said setting the beer he had in his hand down on the kitchen counter. "Hey no you don't have to go." Alex tried but Daniel shook his head. "I think it would be better if I do, I'm sorry about the trouble you went through, but I think it's for the best." Daniel said hugging Alex as she escorted him out and stood outside until he drove down the street before she walked back into the house again, walking up the stairs to see what that was all about.
"You didn't have to tell your lover to leave I could've just pretended that the two of you weren't downstairs." Ryan mumbled walking towards the bathroom opening the taps of the shower and walking back out into the bedroom leaving his wife stunned.
"Ryan what are you on about?" Alex asked genuinely confused leaning against the dresser table.
"What am I on about? Firstly you calling me to check what time I'll be home probably hoping that I won't be back soon so the two of you can hang out despite the fact that you're married! And you still ask me what I'm on about?"
"What's going on with yo…
"And what would you want us to talk about if we don't have anything in common besides you, like how you are in bed or what nights he'll have you and what nights I will?" He continued and Alex felt her insides explode.
"You're unbelievable, Ryan." Alex said softly shaking her head walking out of the room preparing to spend the night in the nursery with her daughter, because if she's in the same room as her husband she might just kill him.
Hey guys sorry for this long wait in update, I hope you could follow this chapter I tried to squeeze a lot of information into it, I'm sorry but this is a plot line to set up for future chapters as the India trip also plays a part in this whole drama thing and Ryan's jealousy. Thank you for reading hope you enjoy.
Lovies-S
