Chapter 214

"Phoebe please get up from the floor and go to the kitchen I'll come downstairs in a bit." Alex told her eldest but the toddler refused to do so.

"No. I foodies!" The toddler yelled causing her brother to cry even more furiously at this moment leaving her mother at wits end with two screaming children.

Alex picked up Asher and made her way over to the doorway and waited until Phoebe got up and walked downstairs with her. She set the crying Asher down on the couch and packed pillows around him so he won't be able to roll off although it was highly unlikely that a baby will be rolling around. She walked over to the kitchen to look for the easiest thing to get so Phoebe can eat. She cut a banana up in little pieces and placed it in front of the toddler but she was still lashing out not wanting to eat the fruit.

"No want Mama! Real food!" Phoebe continued looking at her mother as the tears rolled down her cheeks and Alex had no idea whether she was actually crying because of her bad behavior or if she was really hungry.

"Well right now that'll have to do. Phoebe either you eat it or you're not hungry." Alex said looking at her daughter who still refused to eat the fruit in front of her. Instead she took the banana pieces and spread it out on the white tiled floor.

"Phoebe Grace Booth!" Alex yelled and as if on que the front door opened revealing her husband not sure what to look at first as he takes in the image in front of him. His wife looking more distraught than ever his daughter crying while messing food and Asher crying somewhere although he couldn't pin point exactly where his son was.

"Alex? What's going on her…" Ryan started but was cut off by his wife.

"Don't you dare ask me that. Your daughter asked for food and now she refuses to eat it. She was so hungry that I couldn't even feed Asher because she might just die of hunger and look now." Alex said pointing to Phoebe who got up and walked towards her father in the meantime.

"Dada you give foodies?" Phoebe smiled walking over to her father lifting her arms so he can pick her up. Ryan knelt down in front of her making eye contact but not picking her up. "Your mom gave you food to eat Phoebe, please go finish that."

"Is onna floor!" She protested pointing towards the squishy banana mess she made not understanding why her father can't see what she means.

"Eat the rest that's still on your plate then." Ryan said simply making it clear that she won't get out of this so easily this time.

Alex sat on the couch and tried to get Asher to calm down while she nursed him. Not yet feeling thankful for the silence but she just wanted a few hours away on her own away from her kids. And her husband, she just wanted to breathe. While Phoebe and her father went on about forcing her to eat her food up before she could get anything else Alex sat in silence while feeding Asher and once she burped him she laid him down in the nursery and walked down the hallway towards the bathroom, locking the door behind her sitting on the edge of the bath and breathed – what felt like the first time for this day. She ran a hand through her bed hair and realized that she hasn't even had time to comb her hair yet since she got up or even brush her teeth or wash her face and instantly got up to look in the mirror and she looked the way she felt. Tired. "I won't blame my husband if he doesn't wanna have sex with me again." She whispered to her reflection in the mirror.

Phoebe left the food there and walked towards her room instead, grabbing her pink backpack and blanket, dragging it across the floor. "I'm going to Nana and Gwana. You and Mama mean." She said standing in front of the door looking at her father for help so he can open it. Refusing to do so she sat down behind the door but there was no way she was going to eat the bananas her mother gave her when she didn't ask for that.

Ryan looked around the room and noticed Alex and Asher wasn't there anymore she he went into the nursery and saw his son sleeping soundly, and then upstairs but Alex wasn't in the bedroom. "Alex?" He called out as he walked down the hallway and knocked on the bathroom door slightly turning the doorknob only to find out that it was locked.

"Alex, are you okay?" He asked when she didn't answer him.

"Just leave me alone for a little while please." She said from the other side and held her breath until she heard his footsteps disappear. In the lounge he cleaned Phoebe's mess but left her sitting at the door, he felt bad that she didn't eat but figured she will get hungry enough sooner or later and then she will eat, while he discarded the rest of the food and made himself a cup of coffee taking a seat on the couch.

"Dada?" A voice said behind him and he sat up to look at his daughter. "I sowy." Phoebe decided twisting her hands together and looking at her father with big sparkly brown eyes.

"What are you sorry for?" He asked not picking her up just yet although he wants to with all his heart.

"I gwumpy cat." She admitted and Ryan nodded, patting the seat next to him as he helped her onto the couch.

"Yeah you were and that's not nice to behave that way alright. We spoke about this already, just because you're crying and kicking and screaming doesn't mean you're going to get what you ask for. Quite the opposite actually." Ryan said looking at her running a hand through her curls. "And you're gonna have to say you're sorry to your mother as well." He said and she nodded. "Come on, let's get you something to eat." He suggested walking with her towards the kitchen so she can get some cereal.

Phoebe sat at the chair on the counter looking at her father as he prepared her food. "Dada love me?"

"Look at me Pheebs. I love you so so much. And there's nothing in this world that you can do that will make me love you less, okay?" He said and she nodded digging into her cereal, and Ryan looked up as he saw his wife come around the corner into the lounge.

"Mama! I sowi I gwumpy cat." Phoebe said immediately when she saw her mother and Alex smiled at her kissing the top of her head.

"You still upset with me? Or can we talk?" He asked as Alex walked towards the staircase and stopped halfway.

"I look homeless. I didn't comb my hair brushed my teeth or even washed my face yet." She said a bit disgusted with herself about the fact that her day started out so wild.

"You're still beautiful." He smiled as Alex looked at him.

"That was so cheesy Special Agent Booth. I was so mad at you for leaving. I wanted to change places with you to be at the office so I know what to do. Don't get me wrong I love our kids but sometimes, like today I just couldn't handle it." She admitted to him as she leaned against the counter looking at Phoebe who was now an angel compared to her behavior earlier.

"What happened?" Ryan asked handing her a cup of sweet tea.

"Phoebe came into the room and said she was hungry. I told her to wait I just wanted to tend to Asher so he can sleep once I fed him but she wouldn't have it. So she started throwing tantrums and Asher continued crying and I didn't know what to do first." She breathed taking the mug in a hand and wrapping her hands around it. "I didn't even think about cereal I gave Phoebe a banana for breakfast!" Alex said looking at her daughter who was indulging in cereal, while Ryan tried hard not too laugh, but he couldn't keep it in eventually and she smiled with him.

"And when you came home I was so relieved. I just wanted some peace and quiet and locked myself in the bathroom. That sounds so pathetic saying it out loud." She looked at him but he shook his head. "No it's not. At least now I know where to look for you when you go missing." He joked.

"Sweetheart this parenting thing isn't easy. And no one gave us a manual on how to deal with two kids. But we're gonna be okay." He assured her and pulled her into a hug. "Alex?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Don't get me wrong, you're still beautiful and amazing. But maybe you do need that shower." He commented hearing her laugh.

"You're such an a-s-s." She laughed spelling the word so it wouldn't be as obvious to Phoebe, who was sitting with them.