A/N: KangarooGirl (bless your gorgeous english heart woman), takerlover, betty-boo (me too!), leslienicolespeaks, Amarantha (hands you a tissue), Dani and tallyz - thankyou for reviewing!

Ruby sat back, eyes closed with her hands loosely clasped across her belly. Leon had taken Amelia out for a walk so she could have some time to herself and have a break. He'd been with them, herself and 'Lia' as he'd dubbed her, for the past week and a half. At first things were very delicate, like they were walking on eggshells around one another, but as the time went on both had relaxed a little and things were a lot more comfortable now. She wasn't sure what she'd have done without him over the past week. A five week old infant was hard work for someone who had little to no experience with babies and quite frankly, Leon dropping everything and coming to help her proved him to be a life saver. She was going mad with exhaustion before he'd arrived.

She smiled at the memory of the night before, waking to hear Leon's baritone singing quietly down the hall in the living room. He didn't sing often and she'd been drawn to the sound, curiosity getting the better of her. She'd stood just inside the living room for some time watching him pace in the darkness with Amelia cuddled against his broad shoulder. They'd soon discovered not even a day after he'd arrived that the little girl didn't like having anything between herself and her daddy. If Leon was holding her he had to be topless, as did she. If it wasn't skin to skin contact between the pair Amelia would scream the house down. Needless to say when she'd found Leon rocking their daughter the previous night and singing to her, all he'd been wearing was his boxers and Amelia her diaper. It hadn't taken long for the little girl to drop off in her father's arms and that had been when Leon had turned and seen her standing there watching them. Not a word had been exchanged between the pair, he'd merely just guided her back to her room and then put Lia back to bed.

He himself had been sleeping on the couch. He'd not dared crawl into bed with her since that first night. She'd overheard him talking to Vince on the phone a few days earlier and he'd said that he wasn't going to push her into anything she didn't feel comfortable with – for that she was grateful, but she missed his warmth against her back. It had been months since they'd just lay in bed and cuddled, his leg thrown over hers pinning her to the mattress. If he was to start sleeping with her again, she would have to be the one to ask him to. Only thing was, she wasn't entirely sure she forgave him for what he'd said and done to her months earlier. She got that he'd been afraid, but he'd had no right saying those things to her – they were cruel, hurtful and he'd frightened her beyond belief. There were some things in their relationship that would take a lot of time to heal. She trusted him with her life, with her baby's life – but her heart was another thing entirely. She wasn't sure she could allow herself to get hurt the way she had been. She still loved him with all her heart and would die if anything ever happened to him, but she just wasn't sure. Fear was a powerful emotion.

Ruby sighed, curling onto her side on the couch. The cushions smelled of Leon's woodsy cologne from where he'd laid the night before and one of Amelia's stuffed toys, Bobo, was laying by the pillows he'd been using. He was trying, she knew that and he obviously loved Amelia, but a small part of her wondered whether it was only the baby he was there for – whether he wanted her as well as their daughter.

The ringing of the phone startled her out of her thoughts and she lazily reached for the hands free before she flopped back down on the soft couch, answering.

"Hello?"
There was a brief moment of silence, then a man cleared his throat. "Ruby? Its me, Vince." She smiled to herself at his tentative tone. She'd gotten along well with him during his time in Miami and was eternally grateful for what he'd done for Leon.

"Hey, Vince – how are you?"

"I'm good," he hushed someone in the background, "-how are you? How's the midget?"

Ruby smiled, rolling her eyes. Leon had told her that he'd already taken to calling Amelia the midget and couldn't be swayed to pick another nickname, so she supposed she'd just have to get used to it.

"She's great, she's actually out for a walk with her daddy at the moment. Oh, Vince she's getting so big already and she's so beautiful.." she trailed off, realising she was gushing and felt her cheeks heat. "Sorry, Vince."

He laughed. "I know what you mean – I couldn't believe how fast Rory was – is – growing. I'm starting to stress about her dating already." His smile was audible and Ruby found herself grateful he didn't think her an idiot. She liked Vince and wanted her daughter to have a good relationship with her family.

"You've got a while to wait yet, Vince," she sat up, cuddling Bobo, the lion Cade had given Amelia.

He grunted. "It's never happening." He sounded so sure. "Anyway- how is everything going with you and the moron? He behaving himself for you?"

"He's been wonderful." She answered truthfully. "I'm not sure what I'd have done without him here to help out." Long fingers edged in chipped pale pink nail polish picked at the furry mane on the lion toy. "He's been a godsend."

Vince was quiet for a moment. "He was a wreck without you, Ruby. He really was. Now if he knew I was telling you this he'd kick my ass, but I've never seen him as happy as he was when he was with you – even with Letty while she was alive. There was always a kind of tension there with them – they were in love, don't get me wrong, but she was Dom's ex… You were something new and completely different for him and he really adored you, Rubes. He still does."

Ruby chewed her thumbnail, leaning forward now as she took in what Vince was saying. Her skirt brushed the top of her feet and her clunky plastic bangle fell against her ringed fingers. She didn't wear as much jewellery now that she had Amelia – she was desperate not to harm her in any way.

"He loves you Ruby, he really does. I hope you can find it in you to accept him, faults and all – God knows he has enough of them."

Ruby smiled slightly. "I know he has faults, Vince and I can handle that, but I don't want to have to spend my life wondering what his agenda is when it comes to us."

"He just wants to be with you – he loves you and would move heaven and earth to help you out, Ruby. Amelia is just a bonus to him – one he happens to love and can render him totally and utterly blonde at the mere mention of her name. Give him a chance, Ruby. He wont let you down a second time. Not now that he knows just what he's missing and what he has to lose."

She could hear a key jangling outside the door and gave her watch a startled glance. He'd been gone almost an hour although it only felt like fifteen minutes.

"Vince, I have to go – Le is back with Amelia."

"Alright, munchkin. Will you at least think about what I said?"

Ruby nodded to herself. "Of course I will – I swear. I'll give it some thought." It wasn't like she could ignore something like that anyway.

He sounded relieved. "Good. I'll catch you later then. G'bye, Ruby. Say hi to Le and the midget for me."

Leon was just coming in the door as she was hanging up the phone and she rose to meet him. There was a wide smile on his face and Amelia was fast asleep, her little fists curled against her chest, long mousy brown lashes falling in half circles against her cheeks. She was the image of her father more and more with every day and Ruby found herself unable to stop thinking about what Vince had said.

"Leon?" She asked hesitantly, taking the diaper bag from him before watching him carefully lift their sleeping daughter from her stroller. "Someone said something to me just before and it's got me thinking.." she couldn't believe she was about to do this, "Do you love me? Not just Amelia, but me too?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye hesitantly, big hands securely holding the tiny sleeping infant to his chest. His thumb brushed over the soft hair on her head unconsciously. After a moment, he nodded ever so slightly and cleared his throat.

"Very much."

Ruby felt the tears welling in her eyes. They were far from perfect, but with his admission they were getting closer to being there some day. She stroked his smooth cheek, he'd been shaving so his goatee didn't irritate Bub's skin, and stepped closer, Amelia between them. Nerves bubbled in her stomach as she eased his head down and closer to her own, their lips meeting for the first time in months. He still tasted the same, his mouth against hers still felt the same and oh so right – she still loved him so much it hurt.

Slowly she drew back from him and his eyes fluttered open, slightly confused. "What was that for?"

She flushed, looking at her feet, bottom lip in her teeth. "I just wanted to is all."

Leon's mouth quirked slightly and he nodded, brushing a kiss over her forehead. "Well feel free to 'just want to' anytime."