CHAPTER 16
For the rest of that day and into the night, Skylar tried to help Ian bond with Ollie as much as she could. She wanted to get as much time alone with Ian as she could, but more than that she wanted Ollie to be comfortable around him. So she sacrificed their privacy in exchange.
The three of them sat in the parlor alone, and Skylar would try to get Ollie to ask Ian any questions or to just say anything at all. Ian was doing his part as best he could. Skylar could tell he was already so in love with his son and wanted that connection. He would ask the little boy questions, or try to play with him or tell stories. But Ollie was still very afraid of Ian. He clung to his mother and wouldn't look at Ian, burying his face into Skylar. Whenever Skylar would try to get him to face Ian, Ollie would just hold onto her tighter and shake his head no.
At dinner, Skylar asked Ollie if he wanted to sit at the grown up table to be with his father, but Ollie insisted on eating with his cousins and Lizzie in the kitchen.
Skylar could tell Ian was upset and felt guilty, that Ollie's lack of affection for him was his fault. But when she sat next to him at the table, she placed a gentle hand over his and leaned into him to whisper, "It's just the first day. I promise, he is going to love you. Just wait." He gave her a half smile when she kissed his cheek, and they put their attention to the meal in front of them; though both of their minds were still all on the 2 year old in the other room.
"Is your tummy hurting, sweetie? Lizzie said you hardly touched your food," Skylar spoke to Ollie as she carried him upstairs after dinner. Ian followed close behind them.
Ollie nuzzled even more into her neck and mumbled something that she took as , "Want Bibbet. Mama, Bibbet."
"What's Bibbet?" Ian asked with genuine curiosity.
"Can you tell Daddy who Bibbet is, love?" Skylar asked the boy. As he had all day, instead of answering, Ollie just tightened his grip around her neck. Skylar sighed, then looked back at Ian. "We'll introduce you. I think you'll find he's an old friend," she told him with a smile. Ian was confused but he didn't question it.
They walked into the bedroom and Skylar placed Ollie down. She knelt in front of him and said, "Bubba, why don't you go get Bibbet and then we'll get dressed for bed, okay?"
The two year old turned to his bed and bolted to it. He climbed onto it and picked up his rabbit, holding it tight against him.
Skylar started towards him, but stopped when she realized Ian wasn't next to her. She looked back and saw him still hovering in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Skylar went back to him and took his hand.
"It's ok," she told him, then led him to Ollie's bed.
Ollie didn't look at Ian as he and Skylar knelt by the boy's bed. He just tightened his hug on his rabbit.
Skylar ran her fingers through his curls and cooed, "Sweetheart, do you wanna show Daddy your Bibbet? Tell him how special it is?" Ollie just shook his head. He was still very afraid of this new person claiming to be his father. "Don't you wanna share your daddy's old toy with him?" She was trying to give hints to Ian so he might try talking. And it worked.
"My old toy?" Ian repeated. He looked again at the stuffed rabbit in Ollie's arms and it clicked. In surprise, he said, "That is mine, from when I was a wee lad."
He reached his hand out to touch it, but Ollie pulled it away, turning his back to his parents and shouting, "No! Mine! Don't touch!"
"Ollie, it's okay," Skylar tried to comfort him. "Remember how it used to be your daddy's when he was your age? Can he see it please?"
"No!" Ollie kept whining.
"It's alright, Sky," Ian told her. "He doesna have te show his toy if he doesna want te. He can another time, when he's ready. Right, Ollie? We can play wi', um, Bibbet, tomorrow, maybe?"
Ollie just kept staring down at his blankets.
Going along with Ian, Skylar said, "Alright then, love, can we get you ready for bed now?"
"Only Mama. Want Mama," he mumbled.
She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. "I'm right here, angel. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. But don't you want Daddy to help too?"
"Mama, Mama." Both adults could hear he was on the verge of tears, so Ian decided to make the choice.
"I think I'll stay downstairs tenight," he stated and stood up.
Skylar followed him. "Ian, you don't-"
"It's fine, Yank. More than fine. It's much more important that Ollie is happy and comfortable."
Skylar sighed. She hated this idea. She wanted to sleep next to Ian and have him hold her during the night like she had imagined for three years. She wanted, needed more like, to be close to him. But she knew that this was the right choice, at least for tonight. Ollie was still too afraid of Ian and having them sleep in the same room together was too much too quickly for the toddler.
"Are you sure?" Skylar asked to clarify.
"I am, I promise." Skylar nodded then looked back to their son who still hadn't moved out of his position.
"Ollie, I'll be back in one minute, okay? I'm just saying goodnight to your dad." Ollie didn't say anything back. He just sniffed and held Bibbet even tighter.
Skylar and Ian walked out the door and stood in the hallway.
Skylar whispered so Ollie wouldn't hear. "I just need to get him to sleep, then I'll come back down."
"Dinna rush. I'll be waitin'."
She smiled at him and he smiled back. But his smile didn't reach his eyes like it had in the years she had known him. The brightness was almost gone and they looked exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally. She put her hands on his face and stood on her toes to kiss him. It was soft and sweet and filled her with butterflies. She pulled back from him, still holding his face, and whispered again, "I'll be down soon."
He half smiled again and nodded. He kissed her once more, then turned around and went back to his kitchen bedroom that he had hoped he wouldn't be returning to ever again.
After Skylar got Ollie dressed for bed, she sang him both Lavender and Clementine, as well as told him more of the "bear princess" story. She was surprised was he didn't ask to say goodnight to his dad on the moon, but she was taking that as a good thing.
'This could mean he does understand that Ian is his father,' she thought as she tucked him in. 'This could be a sign tomorrow will be better. God I hope tomorrow is better.'
She stayed with him, humming Lavender again until he fell asleep. When he did she kissed his head then quietly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her, and went downstairs to Ian.
She found him sitting in the bed in kitchen bedroom. She stood in the doorway before going in, just staring at him. He noticed her and stood up, staring back at her.
Feeling all the emotions from the day flood over her again, she blinked back the tears once more filling her eyes and ran to him. She collided into him, wrapping her arms around him as tight as she could get them. He did the same.
"You're here. You're actually really here," she said still in the embrace.
"I'm here, Yank. I'm home."
As much as she didn't want to leave his arms, she missed looking at his face. So after another minute of holding each other, they pulled apart to, as they were best at, gaze at one another with all the longing of three years apart.
Seeing his eyes glance down at her lips for just a second, she took the hint and kissed him. They didn't make out like the teenagers they used to be, but the kiss was just as passionate and intimate as if they were. They pushed pass the ache their lips felt after a while and only stopped when they needed a full breath.
Not wanting to be more than an inch apart, he pulled her back into him and back into another hug. They stood in silence while they caught their breath until Ian joked, "Would Uncle Jamie still run me through if he caught us tegether right now?"
Skylar laughed. "We've already made a baby. I don't think there's much else he can be afraid of happening."
She felt Ian take a large breath at the mention of Ollie. He pulled back from her and said, "Tell me about him. About my son."
Skylar smiled. "Of course." She sat on his bed and he did the same. "I guess I should just start at the beginning."
She then told him everything, from when she found out she was pregnant all the way to now. She told him about his first word and his birthdays, and the wish he made on his second. She told him all about his personality and interests. How brave, fun loving, and curious of a little boy he was. How he was just like his father.
"He sounds perfect," Ian commented.
"He is. And I can't wait for you to meet that side of him. He was quite shy today, but I have high hopes about tomorrow."
"Aye," Ian answered quietly, looking down.
To change the subject, she took his hand and held it on her knee. "I still can't believe that I'm sitting next to you right now. I can see you and touch you." She looked down at their hands and stroked his with her thumb. "This is all I've been wanting so painfully for a very very long time."
"I've dreamed of this moment every night since the last time I saw ye. And it's finally come true."
He leaned in to kiss her again, and this one picked up heat very quickly. Tingles ran through Skylar's body as his hand ran up her leg and to her waist. Losing himself in what he always thought would remain just a dream, he left her lips and kissed down her jaw to her neck, and down to the spot of her neck he remembered caused a reaction.
Skylar's breathing grew heavy as she shut her eyes and felt all that he was doing. It was so tempting to give in and have him take her here and now. Her body was screaming at her to let it happen. She wanted that connection with him again more than she could bear. But it couldn't happen tonight.
She pulled herself out of the fog she had drifted in and said, "I hate that I'm saying this right now, but I have to go back upstairs." She pulled her head back and looked at him. "I can't leave Ollie alone. If he wakes up and I'm not there, he'll be so scared. And then he'll come looking for me, and if he were to find us…"
"No, no, yer right," Ian agreed. "Ye must go back te him."
She couldn't help herself from kissing him again. "Morning will be here soon, and the three of us will be together again."
"I'll count down the minutes."
When they stood and were by the door, Skylar found it was very difficult to let go of his hand.
"I'm scared that this isn't real," she admitted. "That I'll wake up and you'll be gone."
"I told ye, I'm never leavin' yer side again. And I meant it. I swear it te ye, Skylar Fraser, as the husband I once was te ye. I will not break this word."
Still reluctant to walk out the door, she hugged him once more. They stayed pressed against each other for a long time, feeling the others chest rise and fall and committing that feeling to memory.
They separated just enough so that they could share a final kiss goodnight.
"I love you, Ian Murray," Skylar whispered to him with her forehead pressed against his.
"I love you more than words could ever say, Yank."
Too reluctantly, she moved back from so they were no longer touching and walked into the kitchen. She turned back before he was out of sight and smiled at seeing him still watching her. With an exhale, she walked back to her room where Ollie was still fast asleep.
This is so short but I needed to get something out because I feel so awful for not posting on the 17th! I again apologize profusely for that, and in return next Sunday (the 31st) I will be posting TWO CHAPTERS!
But, with this short chapter, I am back! Skylar and Ian and Ollie and all the rest are back! And I couldn't be more excited! I can't wait to share all of what's coming!
BTW who saw the season 6 preview? I did and omg February cannot come fast enough! There is one storyline (can you guess what it is lol) that when I do write for 6, it will likely be changed a lot since this is, ya know, fanfiction and I need to keep to my own story. But it's not going to be fully taken out and I already have ideas…
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, as short as it was, and I will see y'all back here on Halloween! I love ye all verra verra much and I'm so glad to be back
