Title: Family
Author: SneetchesToo
Rating: General
Pairing: Ethan/Rox
Summary: All Ethan and Rox wanted was to give their kids the best life possible.
Author's Note: Angsty arcs are my thing.
Later that night after the trio had eaten dinner and Ariel had helped with the dishes, just like Rox had said she would, the woman had retreated upstairs for her much needed bath.
She knew that Ethan had wanted to talk to Ariel about Levi and everything that was happening, but when she had suggested that he do it alone he had looked all kinds of panicked.
So instead she had promised him that after she got her alone time they would both sit down with the teen and talk about everything.
She should have known that things weren't going to go according to plan though because just as she had settled into the bathtub and finally relaxed she heard the bathroom door open slightly, Ethan's face poking through the crack as he smiled back at her.
"Can I help you?" She knew there was slightly more venom to her words than she intended and she watched as Ethan scowled at her slightly.
"Never mind." He whispered, backing away slowly.
She let out a sigh as she let her head fall back, her eyes closing softly as she took a deep breath.
"Ethan!" She hoped that he was still in the bedroom and would come to her. "Come back please."
She waited a minute and then she heard soft footsteps across the bedroom floor.
This time when the door opened and he stared back at her he had a sad look on his face and she let out another sigh.
"Is everything okay?" She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, she just wanted a few minutes of peace and quiet.
"I was gonna ask if I could join you?" His question was so soft that she had to strain to hear it and she couldn't help but chuckle a little.
It was so like him to want to have as much physical contact with her as possible.
As if their little rendezvous earlier hadn't been enough.
"If you really want." She thought he was crazy because there was no way they would both fit in his tub together.
But she was more than willing to try.
"Oh trust me." He whispered, his eyes locking with hers as she moved to scoot forward in the tub. "I want."
She simply nodded her head then, watching as he stripped down to nothing before making his way toward her, a sly smile on his face as he stopped next to the tub.
"Are you sure we'll both fit?" She asked softly, a smile breaking out on her face as he winked at her.
"Yes love." And the next thing she knew he was climbing in behind her, his legs moving to settle on either side of her.
She let out a breath when she felt him settle behind her, his hands going to her hips to pull her close, his head falling to her shoulder as she let her back rest against with his chest with a soft sigh.
"I don't know how wise it would be to start something now." She whispered softly, her hands falling to rest on his knees as he nipped at her neck.
"Why's that?" He still had his hands planted firmly on her hips and she felt his fingers dance over the skin lightly as he dragged his tongue over the mark he had surely just left.
"What about Ariel?" She knew that the teen was waiting for them and the inevitable discussion about her new brother. "She's waiting for us."
"She locked herself in her room." Ethan let a hand wander away from her hip, settling it between her legs as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Had her phone glued to her ear."
"I'm sure she's just venting to a friend." She could barely make the words out as his fingers danced over her folds gently, his other hand tightening it's grip on her hip.
"Would that be a female friend or a male friend?" She really didn't understand why they were having this conversation while he was doing such devilish things to her with his fingers.
"Can we maybe," She took a deep breath as he slid a finger into her slowly, her head falling back against his shoulder as she struggled to concentrate, "talk about this later?"
She wanted nothing more than to discuss his daughter's social life with him.
But right now her mind was focused on one thing and one thing only.
"Yeah." He whispered as he pressed his lips to just below her ear. "Can't focus?"
He slid another finger into her and she shook her head back and forth harshly.
"Good to know I still have that effect on you." He was joking and she could tell but he was also slowly torturing her and she hated it.
She let out a low moan as he moved his other hand up to cup her left breast against his palm, his thumb brushing over her nipple as he pressed kisses along the skin at the back the neck.
"Relax." He whispered as he dragged his thumb over her core.
She felt herself starting to come undone already and it was driving her crazy.
She really should be able to hold out longer.
"Can't." She huffed off, her back arching as she felt herself starting to tumble over the edge.
He didn't reply with words, instead he chuckled softly as he picked up the pace.
And then the next thing she knew she was losing control and she slammed her eyes shut as she arched her back one last time, a whimper leaving her lips as she felt her whole world come crashing down around her.
"Good?" He asked softly, his hands moving back to her hips as he pressed soft kisses against her shoulder.
"Mhm." She mumbled out her response, her brain still not functioning fully after the waves of pleasure that he had sent through her body.
"Want some time alone?" He must have sensed that her head was still fuzzy.
"Please." It's not that she wanted him to leave.
Rather, she wanted to spend the rest of the night feeling the sensations that she just had.
But she knew that she needed a clear head in order to help him through his conversation with Ariel later.
And she certainly wasn't going to get that if he stayed.
"I'll be downstairs." He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before pushing himself up and out of the tub.
And then he was drying off and pulling his boxers back on before exiting the room, the door closing softly behind him as he left.
She let out a sigh as she collapsed back against the wall of the tub, her eyes closing as she tried to gather her thoughts.
—
She had given up on trying to relax in the bathtub and instead she had let the water drain out before taking a quick shower.
She knew it was wasteful but the only place her mind kept going while she was sitting there was back to the place where Ethan's hands were between her legs.
And as much as she enjoyed that experience, it wasn't the same without him actually there.
After she had showered and dried off she had pulled on one of Ethan's old Army t-shirts and a pair of running shorts before dragging her brush through her hair.
And then she had headed downstairs and in search of her two favorite people.
She had found Ethan sitting on the couch, a beer in one hand and the TV remote in the other.
He had smiled up at her as she stopped beside him and he patted the space next to him.
"Where's Ariel?" She asked softly, her eyes searching the kitchen and living rooms for the teen.
"In her room." He whispered, his eyes turning back toward the baseball game on the screen. "She won't come out for me."
"I'll talk to her." She reached out and ran a hand through his hair, offering him a soft smile before heading down the hall and toward the girl's room.
She knocked once and waited, the sound of the teen moving around on the other side slightly comforting.
"Go away dad!" Except the sound of her angered voice wasn't.
"It isn't dad." She said softly. "It's Rox. Can I come in?"
She heard a sigh leave the girl's lips but then the door was opening some.
"Are you here to convince me to talk to him?" Ariel stuck a hand on her hip and Rox was instantly reminded of Leanne when she was in stubborn mode.
For a girl who wasn't theirs biologically, she sure was a lot like them both.
"I'm here," She offered the girl a soft smile in hopes of lightening the mode, "to see if you will talk to the both of us, together."
"So it won't just be me and him?" She asked softly, her eyes searching Rox's face for any sign of a lie.
"Not unless you want me to leave." And she meant it.
If Ariel wanted her there for the whole conversation, than she was down with that.
But if she wanted, or rather, needed her to leave, she would do that too.
"I'll be right there." She whispered before shutting the door softly.
Rox let out a sigh.
At least she was going to come out of her room.
She made her way back toward the living room, depositing herself beside Ethan on the couch as she reached out and patted his leg.
"She'll be right out." She whispered.
He nodded his head as he leaned back against the couch cushions and sighed.
They sat that way for a few minutes before she heard the teen's door open and then the sound of bare feet on the hardwood floors caused Ethan to sit upright, his hand reaching out to mute the TV.
"Hi Angel." He said softly, his eyes softening at the sight of the teen.
"Hi." She whispered as she flopped down into the arm chair across from them. "You wanted to talk?"
"Yes baby." Ethan's voice was so soft and broken and Rox could tell that he was already struggling with having to have this conversation with the girl. "We need too."
"Fine." She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed her father angrily as she spoke. "Talk."
"Why don't you ask us what you wanna know sweetie?" She didn't know if her suggestion would help any, but she was willing to try.
"Why?" Her question was soft and Rox could see the confusion on Ethan's face.
"Why what honey?" He asked softly, pushing himself to sit on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees as he eyed her softly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She barely got her question out as her eyes filled with tears and Rox felt her heart breaking in two.
She knew the girl had been through a lot during the past year and a half, hell, her whole life had been nothing but a rollercoaster of issues, but these past few months had definitely been a lot.
"I was waiting for the right time." He whispered.
Ariel rolled her eyes and got ready to stand up, but Rox reached out and stopped her, offering her a soft look as she patted her leg gently.
"Ariel, please…" She knew the two needed to talk and they needed to do it sooner, rather than later.
"How long have you known?" The teen asked quietly, her eyes filling with another round of tears as she wrenched her hands together in her lap.
"Three weeks." Rox had a hard time accepting the fact that Ethan had known that long and hadn't said anything to her, but she knew that things had been a bit of a blur lately.
"Three weeks?" She could see the hurt in Ariel's eyes and it was killing her.
"Yes." Ethan looked like he was struggling to find the words and she reached out and patted his arm, her other hand never leaving it's place against Ariel's knee. "I wasn't really sure what to make of everything so I was trying to get the lay of the land before I said anything."
"How come you told everyone but me?" She sounded so hurt and Rox watched as Ethan blinked a few times.
"I was waiting for the weekend." He whispered, his eyes closing softly. "I told your mom and Ed first because I needed someone to confide in and they were there."
"And Rox?" The teen shifted her attention toward her and she shook her head softly.
She didn't want Ariel to cause issues between the two of them.
"I told her yesterday." Ethan shifted his gaze to her and she just smiled at him softly.
She may have been a little bitter about him going to Leanne and Ed first, but she also understood that they were his best-friends, they had been by his side through more than she could imagine.
"Does Grandpa know?" She wasn't sure if Ethan had told his dad yet, but she was curious to know how the older man felt about things.
"Yes." He nodded his head softly as he sighed. "We talked this morning."
Ariel nodded her head before leaning back in the chair with a soft sigh.
"Why now?" She whispered her question and Ethan sighed.
"His mom has cancer." She still hated hearing that.
Even if she didn't know the woman, she hated that she was having to go through this.
"She's dying." He said quietly before taking a deep breath. "She wants Levi to come live with me after she's gone."
Ariel nodded her head and sat there staring at the man for a few minutes.
"What's he like?" She let her eyes lock with her father's and Rox instantly knew that all had been forgiven.
"He's quiet, shy, a bit of a loner." Ethan's eyes lit up at the mention of the boy and Rox knew that he was already so in love with this kid. "He's six and he'll be in kindergarten this year. He likes dinosaurs and pirates and he loves to read."
The teen smiled at the mention of reading and Rox instantly knew that she and the boy would have an incredible bond given that similarity alone.
"When is he coming here?" She asked softly.
"September 15th." Rox still wasn't able to process the fact that the boy would be in their house in less than two weeks.
"That's so…" She took a deep breath as she blinked a few times, "soon."
"I know." Ethan whispered, his hands reaching out for the teen's. "But we've got to have this place as ready as we can for him."
"He can have my room." She said as she hung her head.
Rox instantly knew that she was feeling like she was being replaced.
And even if Ethan didn't intend that, she completely understood that feeling.
"No Angel, he cannot." Ethan said softly as he squeezed the teen's hands in his. "Your room is your room and that's how it's gonna stay."
"But…" Rox watched as she tried to speak up but Ethan stopped her with a simple look.
"No buts." He offered her a soft smile as he spoke and Rox felt her heart melt at the love in his eyes. "I'm gonna clean the office out and he'll sleep there. We'll start looking at houses after the first of the year."
"A new house?" She couldn't tell if there was excitement in the girl's voice or not but she sounded interested if nothing else.
"Yes Angel, a new house." The small smile on Ethan's face said it all.
This was the right thing for them.
They were finally headed in the right direction.
But it was the words that left his mouth next that really shocked her.
"Rox and I are still planning to have a baby of our own one day and we can't very well do that in this tiny house." He shifted his gaze toward her and offered her a soft smile.
"You promise you'll tell me about this baby as soon as it happens?" She whispered her question and while she knew that Ariel didn't mean anything harsh by it, she could see the way Ethan recoiled slightly at the underlying tone.
"We promise we will keep you as informed as appropriate on this one." He said with a chuckle, his arms tugging on the teen, pulling her forward until she was sandwiched between the two of them on the couch.
"So a little brother huh?" She asked softly after a minute.
"Yep." Ethan pressed a kiss against her head as he wrapped her up in his arms and Rox couldn't help but feel her heart melt at the sight before her.
"I love you daddy." Ariel whispered softly after a few minutes.
"I love you too baby." Ethan whispered back, his arm tightening around the teen as she snuggled closer to his side.
"I love you too Rox." The teen turned to look up at her and she couldn't help but smile down at her.
"And I love you sweetie." She reached out then and wrapped her arms around the girl as well, snuggling against her as Ethan smiled back at her.
She knew she was lucky to have the two of them in her life and she couldn't imagine the amount of love that Ethan had for the girl.
She also knew that no matter what happened and no matter what their future brought to them that she would always have them and their love.
And that was enough to get her through it all.
*Don't forget to comment!