CHAPTER 18
MONTH LATER
Rory smiles watching Sark sit on the steps of pool with Aidan cradled against his chest only his feet in the water. "Having fun?"
"Of course we are, my darling." Sark grins "Aidan and I are waiting for you."
Rory sits on the edge of the pool her feet dangling in the water. She smiles seeing her son grin happily kicking his feet. "Well he likes the water." She chuckles. "How long have you been out here?"
"Not long... five, ten minutes." Sark looks at his son who is splashing away. "Good nap?"
"Yes." Rory tucks her hair behind her ears, "I can't believe today is one month."
"I can't either." Sark smiles as the baby starts whimpering. "Then again this month has gone by slow."
"Mmm Mom once said it seems slow but once school age hits... everything goes by fast."
Aidan starts crying.
"He's probably hungry." Rory stands
Sark stands walking up the steps handing Aidan to Rory kissing her in the process. "What time is the check up?"
"Two."
"It's what noon?"
Rory nods walking over to the cabana she sits on the lounge chair and begins nursing.
Sark sets his sunglasses on the table, "I'm going for a swim."
Rory smiles as he dives into the pool then looks at Aidan who is happily nursing, "You little guy are the best thing in our life."
1:30
"Really love you look perfect." Sark says from the doorway of the bathroom as Rory finishes with her makeup. He shifts Aidan in his arms as the boy squirms.
Rory brushes her hair back, "Now I get why Mom used to freak out about leaving the house with no makeup." She smiles at Aidan, "This is your fault Aidy. If you'd let Mommy sleep she wouldn't need makeup." She laughs as the baby just looks at her then the floor. "Oh who am I kidding I can't blame that cute face." She takes the baby from Sark kissing his cheek as she passes, "Did you change him?"
"He's ready to go."
Rory slips her feet into her sandals.
Sark looks Rory over as she wears a knee length blue and white silk skirt with an off the shoulder pheasant top, "Bloody hell."
"What?"
"You look... incredible." Sark says huskily as he looks her over.
Rory blushes "We need to get going."
"Too bad... we could stay home and have fun instead."
"Julian, impressionable ears here."
"Rory he's a month old... doesn't understand a lot."
"The doctor said six to eight weeks. You can last a few more weeks. Besides" Rory kisses his cheek, "it isn't like you aren't getting anything at all." She smirks walking pass him, "Where's the baby's pacifier?" She asks innocently.
Sark groans
3PM: CAFE
Sark looks at Rory as they sit in the shade of the cafe away from everyone while they wait for their lunch and Rory nurses the baby. "With how often he eats I'm surprised all he put on was four pounds."
Rory laughs, "He is a hungry little guy." She takes a sip of her drink. "I wonder where he got that from."
"And you were the one who said something about impressionable ears" Sark teases taking a sip of his wine.
"Hey if you want to take it in a sexual tone your choice." Rory pushes her sunglasses up her nose.
"I received some... interesting news."
"What is it?"
"Vaughn proposed."
"Does that surprise you?"
"No."
"What are you going to do?"
"Nothing." Sark shrugs looking around briefly, "There's no point in doing anything."
"If you know something you need to tell Sydney." Rory states
"She wants to marry him her choice." He takes a sip of his wine, "Besides I have no proof of anything about him. He has covered himself quite well. Anyway, Sydney would never believe me over her beloved Vaughn. I may be blood but I was raised by Irina and to the Bristows and the rest that means I am the untrustworthy one. Until I have concrete proof I won't say anything."
"So what you'll wait until she's married to him? Julian that's pretty cruel of you."
"She stabbed me with an ice pick." Sark grumbles
"Julian"
"She wouldn't believe me Rory. Why bother saying anything without proof."
"You're choice... I just hope that doesn't backfire on you." Rory shrugs as the waitress sets the food before them. "Thanks" She nods at the waitress. "You may not see yourself as a member of that family but you are Julian. I'd hate for you to cut yourself off from them just because."
"That's not why." Sark protests, "They are the ideological ones. I go where I need to go. Do what I need to do to survive." He watches as Rory as shifts moving Aidan to her shoulder. "All they see, especially Sydney, is what I've done. There's too much history for us to do anything else."
"Here" Rory hands Aidan over so she can adjust her clothes. "But don't you think that if Sydney finds out you kept the truth about him a secret that it could blow up in your face?"
Sark shrugs "It would either way. She doesn't trust my word... and wouldn't without full proof."
Rory takes the baby back lifting him to her shoulder, "And when you have all the proof you need she'll be married to him."
"I know." Sark nods taking a sip of his wine. "I'll take him you eat." He takes Aidan from Rory.
"Wonder what everyone would say if they saw you burping a baby." Rory teases
Sark shrugs tossing the burp cloth over his shoulder, "Who knows... it would probably ruin my reputation as one of the most ruthless men in the business." Sark muses as he rubs Aidan's back knowing the baby hates having his back patted, "I really don't care. I have never really cared about what people thought of me."
"Yet you keep the hard ass attitude." Rory points out as she eats.
Sark takes a bite of his own salad, "Its how I survived all these years."
HOUR LATER: HOUSE
Rory sits on the living room couch writing in her journal, 'I never would have thought my life would turn out like this... my life is so different then what I had planned.
Meeting Julian again and falling in love definitely wasn't in the plan but I fell in love... and hard and fast. We both did.
Now here we are living in seclusion with our beautiful baby boy. I love seeing them together. He is so gentle with Aidan. Every day he proves me right about being a devoted Dad... and he is amazingly good at it. He changes diapers, burps him, even gets up in the middle of the night to walk the floor with Aidy.
I still miss my Mom... I miss Lane... but I am happy here with Julian and Aidy. Seeing my husband and son together... is something incredible. Something I wouldn't have had if I hadn't left Stars Hollow. I don't regret it at all.'
LATE AFTERNOON
Sark stands in the doorway of the nursery watching as Rory sits in the rocking chair with Aidan in her arms. He watches from the doorway.
Rory looks up and smiles, "Hey"
"Why?"
Rory looks at him quizzically, "Why what?"
Sark walks into the room crouching beside the rocking chair he kisses Aidan's head then looks at Rory, "Why did you leave with me?"
Rory smiles "Because you are my husband."
"You don't regret it?"
Rory shakes her head, "We have him." She looks at Aidan. "I do miss Mom and everyone but I'm happy." She looks at Sark "Have you been reading my journal?" She asks teasingly.
"Only privacy I invade is the people I hate."
Rory laughs "Understandable."
Aidan stirs his eyes opening briefly.
"Rory I am sorry"
Rory tilts her head, "For what?"
"Ruining your well laid out, normal life." Sark says simply.
Rory reaches out stroking his cheek, "You didn't." Rory assures
"You had a normal life... your Mum, your family and friends, school... now you are living a life in seclusion. I took you away from all of your life."
"But I have one here with you and Aidy. He wouldn't be here if I hadn't come with you." Rory brushes her finger down Aidan's cheek, "We have Aidy. I admit there are parts of this that are hard but overall I am happy. I know it's not the most normal life but I'm OK with it."
"I will make it up to you Rory... I swear. I will give you everything you deserve... the life you deserve."
"What I deserve is to be with you and Aidy... and I am. Whatever else goes on... we will deal with. We have so far."
"I just" Sark looks at Aidan then reaches out touching his son's foot, "I don't want you to regret this choice."
"I don't and I won't" Rory assures "Can you"
"Sure" Sark takes Aidan from Rory kissing his son's head as he sets Aidan in the crib. He stands there watching the baby sleep as Rory joins him he kisses her head, "I just want you and Aidan to be safe."
"And we are." Rory kisses his cheek. "You've done everything... even cut back on your more... lucrative ways of living."
"I"
"Julian I know you're still doing what you did... just not doing it yourself anymore."
Sark looks down, "Are you angry?"
"I admit I don't like it... but it is all you know."
"If it makes you feel better I've stopped killing indiscriminately. Mostly it's just stealing things."
"And who is"
"Simon and some others. None of them know where we are."
"And what if someone finds out you are behind it?"
Sark shrugs "The CIA won't care these men are dead or out of business. Besides Si's the only one who knows I'm behind it and he wouldn't say anything."
"Julian"
"When I find out a way to go back to the States I promise I will be done."
"And what will you do then? I doubt you could handle full retirement."
"I have no idea but I will figure it out."
"Do you promise on everything that you will stop when we go home? I can handle the whole CIA thing but on a limited scale"
Sark takes a deep breath, "I promise to do my best."
"Julian"
"That's all I can promise Rory. I don't know what will happen in the future."
"I know"
"I will do what I have to do to protect my family."
"I know."
2 WEEKS LATER
Sark breaks the kiss looking at Rory, "Aidan?"
"He's in his room." Rory kisses his jaw, "You'll have to go get him when he wakes up."
"That is definitely not a problem." Sark stands picking Rory up carrying her back to their bedroom.
MIDNIGHT
Hearing the baby cry over the monitor, Rory reaches back smacking Sark, "Julian"
Sark groans, "I hear him. Just give me a minute. You wore me out."
Rory reaches over turning on the lamp, "I'll go"
"No I will." Sark kisses her cheek before climbing out of bed.
Rory shakes her head as he walks naked out of the bedroom. 'Well Aidy is only six weeks old I doubt he cares if Daddy is naked.' She giggles at her thoughts. 'And damn he looks good naked.'
Sark enters the nursery to find Aidan flailing his arms and legs, "Well kid you slept longer than normal." He picks up Aidan kissing the baby's head as he walks out of the nursery.
Rory smiles as they enter the bedroom Aidan whimpering, "Oh poor Aidy must be hungry." She takes the baby from Sark.
Sark crawls back into bed as Rory starts nursing.
"I can't believe Aidy's six weeks old now." She muses looking at the nursing baby.
"He is something else." Sark reaches out stroking Aidan's cheek with his thumb. "I can't believe that something so innocent is part of me. I seriously never gave children much thought."
"I know but you are way better at the Dad thing than mine was. You have given up a lot for Aidy and me. I mean... you could have just sent me back to Stars Hollow when you found out."
"I wouldn't have... I mean it might have flashed that it would be better for you both" He touches Aidan's hand, "but I couldn't see myself without you. I couldn't see how I could walk away from you." He smiles faintly as Aidan curls his little hand around his finger. "Sometimes I worry that something could happen to you and Aidy while your here with me. But I know I could protect you better when you are with me than away from me."
"That night you showed up in my room and said you were leaving... that scared me. I paused not because I thought of saying no to going with you but when you suggested I divorce you... move on... I couldn't see that." She reaches out stroking Sark's cheek, "I love you. I don't like the idea of not being with you, even more so now that we have Aidy."
"Never going to happen... I won't leave... and I'm hard to kill."
"And you'll never cheat on me." Rory adds
"And I will never cheat on you."
Rory smiles "Good."
"The one time I ever thought about falling in love I told myself I wouldn't be like Andrian. No other women."
"Yet you have admitted to being the other man."
Sark shrugs "That's different… I didn't love any of them, they didn't love their husbands and their husbands didn't love them. The married women I had affairs with were narcissistic. I never really saw affairs as affairs if emotions weren't involved." He smoothes her hair back behind her ear, "I swear that's all in the past."
"Better be." Rory warns
"I am." Sark kisses her forehead then leans down kissing Aidan's head.
'Everything is going to be fine. He's a great Daddy... and he'll only get better.' Rory reaches out running her fingers through Sark's curls.