It's been a week since Cooper told Charlotte about Mason. She's currently sitting on the floor in Betsey's room, leaning against the bookshelf, watching the little girl sleep. She sighs and turns her head when she hears footsteps. She looks up and half smiles.
Cooper looks down at her. "What're you doing in here?" He whispers, glancing at Betsey.
"Just thinkin'."
"Can I join you?"
"Thought you'd be with your kid."
"Please, don't be like this, Char." He gets on the floor and twists his body so he's facing her. "Please." He pauses. "This doesn't have to be a bad thing, but you keep making it into one."
She rolls her eyes.
He sighs.
She scoots closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder. "I just don't want things to change."
He blinks. "What are you talking about?"
She lifts her head, meeting his gaze, and sighs. "I don't want kids and now this woman shows up with your biological son, and I just—I don't want you to stop lovin' me 'cause she gave you somethin' I don't want to give you."
He leans forward and presses his lips against hers, grabbing her hand as he kisses her. He pulls back and gives her another soft peck, his lips barely touching hers. "It's not like that, Char." He pauses. "I love you. I love you so much. Please, just give him a chance."
She rests her other hand on top of their already clasped ones and lets out a breath as she leans farther into him. Her head turns and she looks at Betsey again. "Do you think Mason and Betsey will get along?"
"There's only one way to find out for sure." He pauses. "I'll talk to Erica and see what day works best for them."
She nods. "Do you think he'll like me?"
He turns her head towards him and closes the gap between their lips. He smiles as he breaks the kiss. "He's basically me, so of course he will."
She laughs.
"Are we ok?"
She nods. "We're fine." She wraps her arms around him and nuzzles into his side.
He hooks his arm around her waist and kisses the top of her head. "You do realize we're still on the floor in Betsey's room, right?"
"I know." She pauses. "Coop?" She starts, lifting her head off his shoulder.
"Yeah?"
"Never mind."
He nudges her. "No, tell me."
She sighs and looks at Betsey. "She's your kid too, don't forget that."
"I won't."
"She's just been through a lot and I don't want to see her get hurt."
He smiles and slides his hand up and down her side.
She looks at him and smiles faintly, skimming her finger along his jaw line.
His lips lightly touch hers in a soft, warm kiss. He pulls back and smiles. "And you didn't even wanna adopt Betsey."
She slaps him. "Shut up, Cooper."
He smirks. "Let's go to bed."
She nods.
He stands up and offers her his hand.
She grabs hold of it and pushes herself up. She walks over to the bed and fixes the covers, tucking in Betsey a little more. She leans down and kisses the sleeping child on the forehead. "Goodnight, sweetie," she whispers and walks back over to Cooper. She takes his hand and leans against him as they head to their bedroom.
Author's Note: The next chapter will be all about Mason meeting Betsey and Charlotte for the first time (so yes, that means Mason will actually be in the next chapter)
And as you can see, I'm not following the story-line exactly, not even that closely. Charlotte never offered Erica the 20,000 dollars like she did on the show and Cooper's not going to be as much of an ass to Charlotte as he was last season, but Erica still has a brain tumor and she'll still die in this story (just not the way she did on the show)
Anyway, please review!