Chapter 107

"Is everything okay?" Alex asked when Ryan came back to bed after checking who was at the door.

"Yeah, it was O'Connor escorting Nadia home since she's wasted." Ryan explained trying to find a comfortable sleeping position that he laid in previously before his sleep was interrupted.

"What? Did she drive?" Alex turned around on her side facing her husband to find out as much information as she could, but the fact that his face was a shade of red, answered the question.

"Yeah. Let's just get back to sleep, I'll worry about her later." Ryan dismissed the conversation not wanting to work himself up any further.

When the first rays of sunshine hit the bedroom, Alex glanced at her phone to check the time 05:30. She got up and walked downstairs, tempted to go see if her sister in law is okay, but decided against it and walked into the nursery instead. Greeted by her daughter who sat in the middle of the crib chewing on her minion teddy bear. "Good morning sweet girl." Alex smiled walking towards the crib, seeing Phoebe smile up at her mother. "I missed you last night, and you didn't even cry once last night." Alex commented as she picked up the smiling baby.

Changing her diaper, and walking out of the nursery she stopped in front of the guest bedroom and knocked on the door softly, when she didn't get a response she opened the door and peeked inside, greeted by Nadia sleeping on top of the covers still dressed in last night's outfit. She reminded Alex of herself at that age when she went a bit overboard at parties. She certainly doesn't want to be her when she wakes up in a few hours. Getting a bottle for Phoebe the two of them retreated upstairs to see if Ryan was awake yet.

He laid on his front arm stretched out on the empty space next to him where Alex slept, and his suspicions were right when she appeared in the bedroom with Phoebe on her arm. "Separation anxiety I see." He smiled and sat up as Alex scooted up into her spot and Phoebe crawled over to her father.

"Good morning Pheebs." Ryan smiled as he picked up his daughter and ruffled her curls with his hand.

"Do you know what today is, Phoebe?" Ryan asked when he got his daughter's attention after mentioning her name.

"Today, a year ago mommy and I got married. And she still stuck with me."

"Yeah, even though I wanted to throw him to the wolves a couple of times within this year." Alex laughed. "But I didn't because I love him so much!"

Ryan smiled and kissed Alex's forehead. "Happy anniversary sweetheart."

"And thank you for putting up with me, Special Agent Booth. I'll try not to be too much trouble for the rest of the coming years." Alex reached over to her bedside and retrieved a shoebox wrapped in white wrapping paper with gold lines running across it, handing it to Ryan. The attractive wrapping caught Phoebe's eyes immediately and she started grabbing at it.

"You wanna help me open it?" Ryan laughed as he tore some of the paper loose and Phoebe got to work putting the crumbled up paper in her mouth, her mother stopping her as much as she could but it didn't really work since Ryan's tearing added to more wrapping paper for his daughter to play with.

When he finally finished he opened the shoe box revealing a brand new pair of black Louis Vuitton dress shoes, and a note on the inside of the box: Thanks for walking into my life and making me the happiest woman on earth, today one year ago.

"Babe…."

"So, do you like it? I didn't know what to get you so if you don't like it I…

"Alex stop." Ryan laughed. "I love it, thank you." He pulled her closer for a sideways hug since Phoebe was still standing on the bed holding onto her father's shoulder, handing her mother a piece of the wrapping paper.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Ryan asked looking over to his wife.

"Nothing, besides spent every available moment with you and Phoebe. We don't have to go anywhere, we can stay in bed all day."

Ryan looked over at her not sure if she really means it. "Are you sure?" He checked again.

She nodded her head laying back down under the covers, him mimicking her actions as the got Phoebe to settle down in between the two of them, laying down on her back holding her bottle in both her cubby little hands. Her parents staring at her from either side.

"Can I ask you something?" Alex asked softly and he looked up at her and nodded. "I peeked into Nadia's room when I got Phoebe…" And she could feel the tension rising in the room as Ryan sighed heavily at the mention of his sister's name.

"Do we have to talk about this now?" He sighed.

"Just don't be too hard on her. We've all been young and did some things, just don't be too hard on her for being young."

"I can't promise you anything. But I can try." He gave an ultimatum not knowing if it will be good enough for his wife. But today of all days he's really not in the mood to be the bad big brother.

After Shelby and Caleb spent another night in separate bedrooms she was ready to call an end to all of this. She got out of bed determined to sort all of this out, headed downstairs only to be greeted by her husband who came up the stairs. "Can we talk?" Caleb asked when he was stopped by his wife midway on the stairs.

Shelby didn't say anything, she folded her arms and walked down stairs towards the lounge where he led the way.

"Uhhmm, I don't really know how to start all of this, so I'll just go ahead and say it." Caleb started, scratching the back of his head. "I've been acting like a jerk these past two days, not talking to you, and for that I'm sorry."

Shelby stood there not saying a word just looking at her husband. "I don't want to come across as the wife who is constantly nagging about things. And I do want to be intimate with you but our lives have changed so much since CJ's birth."

"And I get that, I was being insensitive about it and only thought about myself. Can we please just move on from this? And can I come back to bed? I miss your snoring." He said and saw a small smile creep onto Shelby's face.

"Hey, I do not snore! And yes, no one told you to leave and sleep down here. I'd like to have you next to me again." She nodded and walked closer to him as he hugged her, the two of them saying in each other's embrace for some time.

Ryan got up after the three of them dozed off for a second time, and walked downstairs to make some coffee, when he saw Nadia emerge from the room. Freshly showered, her hair still damp hanging loose wearing grey slacks and a black tank top. She stopped in her tracks when she caught sight of her brother and contemplated turning around and going back to the bedroom, but she can only avoid him for so long, they're living under the same roof.

"Morning." She mumbled and walked over to pour herself some coffee that was freshly brewed. His silence speaking volumes. She's trying to put on a brave face but she's failing and she will not ask him for painkillers, she'll wait until she sees Alex and ask her instead.

"What happened last night?" Ryan asked looking straight at her wanting the truth.

"Ryan please. I'm sorry I didn't.."

"Nadia Booth I'm not going to ask you again. What happened?" He asked raising his voice slightly.

"Chloe's parents weren't home for the weekend they're only coming back in four days, and she had a house party last night. It got a little out of hand. A few of the guys brought booze, a lot of it, and we started drinking and it got louder and the neighbors called the cops." Nadia tried to get everything out in one breath.

"And you decided that the best way out was to get behind the wheel and drive home being as wasted as you were last night?"

Nadia took a sip of coffee before answering. Trying to avoid eye contact with her brother, closing her eyes briefly before continuing. "What would you expect me to do? Stay there and get arrested or something?"

"Or you could've called me and ask that I come get you. Instead of driving."

"Ryan nothing happened to your precious SUV!" Nadia yelled losing her patience, having no idea why he is making such a big deal out of nothing.

"I don't give a damn about what could've happened to the car! What if you hurt someone, or even worse got into an accident and killed yourself!"

The teen slammed her coffee cup on the marble top counter, not caring about the coffee she spilled and not planning on cleaning it up either. "Ryan stop acting like you're my father! We don't have one anymore in case you've forgotten. You're worse than mom."

"My house my rules, young lady." He never thought he'd hear himself say that line and wasn't prepared to use it until Phoebe reached that age, but here he was arguing with an 18 year old.

"I hate you." The teen said looking at him before storming off into her bedroom slamming the door.

Upstairs Alex and Phoebe were playing, paying no mind to the argument they heard coming from downstairs. She'll have to keep her distance not wanting to be the middle man in all of this. She starts bathing Phoebe and hands her over to Ryan so she can get a shower herself. Ryan makes the bed and dresses Phoebe waiting for Alex to come out of the bathroom before he goes in, so they can hand Phoebe over to the other parent. Because there is no way they can leave her unsupervised and Alex is not willing to ask Nadia to look after her since she knows how the teen might be feeling right now.

Taking Phoebe downstairs with her Alex set her down in the lounge where she can do minimal damage and went to go check up on her sister in law ."Ryan I don't wanna see you." Came a voice from the other side.

"I don't think I look like him." Alex smiled, seeing Nadia laying on the bed on her back eyes closed.

"I'm sorry I though he wasn't done lecturing me." She apologized and sat up making room for Alex on the bed.

"Happy anniversary. I'm sorry for ruining it, I'll be out of your hair in a few days." Nadia apologized remembering the date and hoping Alex didn't hear the altercation between her brother and herself.

"Thank you." Alex smiled. "And you don't have to go, you can stay as long as you want to."

Nadia laughed dryly. "Summer is only so long, so I have to head back either way."

"Come on, help me make breakfast. You don't have to eat anything if you don't want to." Alex laughed as the two of them headed to the kitchen to get breakfast started. Having some one on one girl time while Ryan showered.

Hey guys, not really happy with this chapter, I'll expand more on it in the next one. I feel like it's rushed. Hope you enjoy.

Lovies-S