Chapter 8 -Easy Love
Ross reached the park, and walked to where the tree was. When he found it, he looked down at his stomach. He knew if he climbed high enough, no one would see him. But he also knew if he did, he might hurt his baby. But he needed it. "Sorry baby." He whispered before he started to climb the tree.
Riker ran all the way to the park, and straight to the tree he and Ross had climbed on his birthday. He didn't see Ross, but he knew he was up there. He climbed up in the tree. "Baby, I know your up here." Hearing his soulmate, Ross moved himself further away from the huge branch, towards where the leaves were. He thought he was safe, until he heard a few cracking sounds. He looked down and saw the branch he was sitting on was about to snap. He was about to move to another one but it cracked again. There was nowhere he could go.
When Riker heard the crack from above he climbed down, since he was only on the first branch. "Ross?" he said.
Ross looked down at him. "I'm sorry." He said. "I'm so sorry."
"I know you are baby." Riker said, patiently. "I need you to jump though. I'll catch you. I don't want that branch breaking completely."
Ross shook his head. "I can't! If I jump I'll risk falling and hurting my baby!" He shut his mouth immediately, hoping his soulmate didn't hear him say it.
"What?" Riker said confused. "Ross just jump I'll catch you."
Ross shook his head. "I can't. I'm sorry. I'll just...I'll just find a way to climb down." He looked around but all the other branches were far away from him.
"Ross, that branch is going to break soon. Please, jump. I don't want you to get hurt baby." Riker pleaded, fear in his eyes.
Ross bit his lip. "I can't Riker! You don't get it! I'm... I'll hurt my baby." He said the last part in a smaller voice.
Riker bit his lip, "Then what do you want me to do baby? I can't just leave you up there. And there isn't really any other way for me to get you down"
Ross thought for a moment. "A ladder?" He asked. The branch cracked again. "A ladder, Riker, quickly, please, I'm so sorry."
"Ross, I won't get there and back in time." Riker said, he bit his lip again. "I'll call Rocky." He dialed Rocky and asked him to bring the ladder then hung up. "Alright, baby. Rocky's coming with the ladder. I'll get you down, and we can go home and cuddle right?"
Ross nodded and buried his face in his hands, crying. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean anything I said, it's just complicated. I love you and I know you love me too and I'm so sorry. I really don't deserve you because all I've been lately is a clingy bitch and yet you still show me your love." The branch cracked again and fear consumed him, making him cry harder.
"Baby, of course I love you and put up with you. You put up with me too. And it might be complicated, but you can explain it when your ready. I need you to calm down for me, baby, calm down." Rocky arrived then with the ladder. They rested it against the tree and Riker climbed up to where Ross was. When he got to him he smiled sadly and rubbed Ross' tear-stained cheek with his thumb. "Hi there."
Ross looked at him. "Please get me down. I'm sorry for doing this. I love you." The branch cracked again and if it were to crack one more time, it would snap. "Just get me down now, please." He wrapped his arms around his soulmate.
"Come on, baby. Let's get you home." Riker said climbing down the tree with Ross. "Do you want me to carry you or do you want to walk?"
Ross buried his face in Riker's shoulder, meaning he wanted to be carried. He didn't care how clingy he was right now, but he knew that would be better than being a bitch.
Riker carried Ross home. When they got up to they're room, he sat on the bed, still holding Ross. "Are you okay, baby?"
Ross sighed and shook his head. "No, I'm not okay, but I don't wanna talk. Please don't make me."
"Alright, baby, but don't hold it in for too long I don't want you hurt." Riker said, kissing Ross' forehead.
Ross nodded. "I'm sorry for what I did earlier. I really didn't mean it." He started to tear up again. "I don't know why I can't make you happy!"
"Ross you make me happy everyday." Riker said, "I'm never happier than when I'm with you."
"But what I've been doing lately is annoy you and I acted like such a clingy bitch and keeping secrets from you and getting so sensitive over everything and..." He rambled on, not thinking about a few things he slipped out.
"Keeping secrets from me?" Riker asked. "You know what it doesn't matter. I enjoy spending time with you no matter how clingy or bitchy you are. I just love spending time with you. That's what makes me happy."
"I'll tell you the secrets eventually." Ross sighed. "I don't know how I got such a lovely soulmate. I love you, Riker." He gave him a small smile.
"Love you too." Riker said, nuzzling his face in Ross' hair.
"What time is it?" Ross asked, yawning. "I'm feeling so tired."
"It's about eight." Riker said, looking at the clock. "Do you want to go to bed?"
"No, I just wanna lie down." Ross told him, burying his face in a pillow. "I'm so tired." He mumbled.
"Baby, isn't that what you do when you go to bed?" Riker asked, pulling Ross to him, and wrapping his arms around his waist.
"I don't know. It's just a small detail. Forget it." He mumbled, still burying his face in the pillow.
"Okay." Riker chuckled. "I love you." he started playing with Ross' hair.
"I love you too." Ross yawned again and just a few seconds before he fell asleep, he subconsciously snuggled closer to his soulmate.
Riker was sleeping soundly when he was woken up by somebody shaking him. He opened his eyes and blinked sleepily, "Ross?" he asked tiredly.
"I had a nightmare." He said, a bit embarrassed. "Can I-" his sentence was cut short when he felt nauseous and ran into the bathroom to throw up, although nothing came out. Then he realized he hadn't eaten anything yesterday.
Riker followed him to the bathroom. He frowned when he saw the empty toilet. "Ross, did you eat anything yesterday?"
Ross shook his head. "There was no time remember? When we got breakfast in the morning, I didn't order anything cause I wasn't hungry and I thought I'd just eat at lunch. But then your rehearsals took the whole day and then with everything that happened...you know." He said and suddenly clutched his stomach. "It hurts! Riker, please call Becca!"
Riker frowned, but ran to Rocky and Becca's room. "Becca!" he said, seeing she was awake.
"What?" she asked.
"Ross needs you." Riker said, frowning, "His stomach hurts and he's asking for you."
Becca hopped out of bed, "Alright. You just get back in bed."
"But..." Riker started, but Becca's glare cut him off. He sighed, and got back in bed. Becca went to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Rossy, sweetie, it's me. Can I come in?"
"Just come in." Ross said and rested his head on the closed toilet lid. When he saw her come in, he asked, "My stomach hurts really bad, do you know what's wrong?"
"Well, what did you have to eat yesterday?" Becca asked, "Sometimes eating certain things affect the morning sickness."
"Nothing." Ross told her. "I didn't eat anything... Oh no does this affect my baby's health? Is it even still alive? What if something's really wrong? This can't happen, my baby's fine right?" He panicked.
"Ross, calm down. Your stomach hurts because you need food. Go have Riker make you something, or pick something up then you should be fine. Also get some saltines from down stairs and nibble on them when you start to feel sick. It'll help." She kissed his forehead. "I'm going back to bed now sweetie, everything's fine. Just stay calm."
"Okay." Ross said, calming down. He slowly got up and went back to the room. "Riker?" He asked.
"Yeah, baby?" Riker asked. He was sitting on their bed on his phone.
"What are you doing on your phone?" Ross asked, taking a peek at his soulmate's phone. Then he shook his head. "Never mind. Um, I'm hungry, so can we go out to eat or something? Or do you have rehearsal?"
"I have rehearsal this is afternoon. Plus it's three in the morning, baby. But sure we can go where ever you want" Riker said, "And I was tweeting the fans. They all hope you get better soon."
"The fans are sweet." Ross said. "What place opens at 3 am? I'm just so hungry and Becca said my stomach hurts cause I didn't eat anything yesterday."
"Well, some places are open 24/7. Like um, McDonald's or Taco Bell stuff like that." Riker said, "Or we could run to Walmart or Meijer and pick something up."
"McDonalds?" Ross asked. "I choose McDonalds. Somehow I'm craving Big Mac with triple cheese."
"Um, craving?" Riker said, grabbing his keys off the bedside table.
Ross bit his lip. "Um...yeah, I meant..you know, I just really feel like eating it. Like, a lot. I mean, I didn't mean craving as in a pregnant person's craving...cause I'm certainly not pregnant...and certainly not keeping that from you...not that I'm pregnant cause I'm not." He mentally slapped himself for saying that.
"Oh..kay." Riker said, he climbed in the driver's side. "Are we eating there, or bringing it back home, or eating in the car?"
"Eating there." Ross said. "I'm already so hungry I can't wait any longer."
"Alright." Riker said, he pulled into McDonald's and parked the car. "Let's go."
"Okay." Ross said and got out of the car. "Is it okay if I sit down and you order? Cause I don't think I can stand in the queue."
"Yeah, just don't move." Riker said, kissing his forehead.
"Okay." Ross finally smiled as he watched his soulmate go and take the queue. But that smile turned into a frown when he saw someone sitting in front of him. He was in no mood for this.
"What do you want, Maia?" Ross asked. "It's 3 freaking am. How'd you even know I'm here?"
Maia laughed. "I'm your real soulmate remember? I mean, at least I know more about you than Riker does. For example, I know you're pregnant."
Ross gaped. "How'd you.. How'd you know?"
Maia shook her head. "Like I said, I'm your real soulmate, so I know."
"That's insane!" Ross exclaimed. "You stalked us didn't you?"
Maia shrugged. "No big deal. But I wanna do a little something. If you just accept it, it won't hurt Riker."
"Do what?" Ross asked, then his mind drifted back to when she kissed him. "No, you can't. He'll-"
"Get hurt." Maia said. "I know. But he won't get hurt as bad if I do this." She leaned in and pecked his lips.
Riker just finished ordering, and was waiting for the food.
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime?" the girl at the register asked.
"Thanks, but I have a soulmate who I love very much." Riker said. He felt a twinge in his chest, but ignored it.
The girl pouted, "Well, their very lucky."
"Thanks." Riker said, "But I'm the lucky one."
Ross turned his head to see if Riker was okay and he breathed a sigh of relief to see he was.
"Told you a little peck won't hurt." Maia smiled at him.
He glared at her. "Just get lost Maia! I've had enough of you blackmailing me with pictures!"
"Aww Rossy I wasn't blackmailing you, I was just teasing. I just want to kiss you right now...you know what? I will." She leaned in and kissed him, but he immediately pulled away. He turned to look at Riker.
Riker got the food, and turned to find Ross. His expression hardened when he saw Maia. He stalked over to Ross, and put the food on the table.
"Can I help you?" he asked, glaring at Maia.
"Nope." Maia grinned. "We were just talking and I was just about to leave." She got up but before she left, she whispered something in Ross' ear. He sighed and nodded, then she left.
"What did she say?" Riker asked, sitting down across from Ross.
"Nothing important." Ross answered. "Did you feel any pain on your chest or anything weird earlier?"
"I had like a twinge why?" Riker asked frowning. "Ross what happened? And tell me what she said."
"She kissed me." Ross told him. "But I quickly pulled away so you wouldn't get hurt." He looked down at the food and took the Big Mac. "Anyway, does this have triple cheese?" He asked, avoiding the last question.
"Yes." Riker said, frowning. He really wished that Ross would trust him.
Ross looked around to make sure Maia really had left, before he pulled his soulmate into a hug. "She wants me to come to her house. If I don't, she'll make sure something worse will happen to you other than feeling a twinge." He whispered.
"If you go there won't she just make me end up in the hospital again?" Riker asked trying not to get upset.
"Earlier she said she won't. She just wants to do something with me." Ross knew his soulmate was already starting to get upset. "Please don't be mad, Riker. I didn't choose this."
"I know. I just wish she would leave us alone." Riker sighed, "I don't trust her."
"I don't trust her either but I don't wanna risk you getting hurt again." Ross said before he realized something. "Riker, people get hurt when their soulmate kisses someone else, like when Maia kissed me you ended up in the hospital but I was there to wake you up. But do you have any idea what happened to Maia's soulmate?"
"No, haven't you seen the name on the arm?" Riker asked frowning.
"This is gonna sound crazy, and sick, and disgusting, because it is." Ross told him. "She carved the mark away because according to her, it's wrong. I mean, how's that even possible? Marks shouldn't be carved away right?"
"I don't even think that's possible." Riker said, "I heard a story once in school, about a guy in school that did that because his soulmate was a guy, and the mark appeared like two days later on his ankle."
"But I've seen her ankles." Ross told him. "There was nothing on them. There was nothing on her body either. But there are scars, lots of them, like she carved everything away. I swear, she's sick." He sighed. "Now let's just talk about something else. I really don't need to be thinking about this until like, nine hours later. Besides, stressing is bad for the baby." He slipped out, not noticing it.
"Baby?" Riker asked, looking shocked.
Ross gaped. His secret to Riker was out. "Um...not baby. I said..I said maybe."
"No you didn't you said baby." Riker said, shooting Ross a look.
"Um..." What was Ross going to say now? "Okay fine yes I said baby but I meant baby when we have one in the future. You know, since a week ago we were talking about adopting."
"I thought we were going to have our own kids." Riker frowned.
Ross facepalmed. "Yes, that's what I meant. My mind's going insane. See this is what I meant about stressing. I meant yes we're going to have our own kids cause that is definitely going to happen...unless something bad happens like losing the kid during pregnancy...because of stressing out too much...and not to mention the other doesn't even know-" Ross noticed his own rambling and he knew if he continued he would slip out again. So he took his burger and took a big bite out of it to keep himself from talking.
"Okay." Riker said, looking at Ross strangely for a moment. Then he smiled, "But I'm glad you want us to have our own kids."
Ross smiled back. "That's a blessing."
"I hope their just like you." Riker said, looking at Ross' lovingly.
"No." Ross shook his head. "I don't want them to be like me. I want them to be like you because you're a really great person who puts up with everyone and keep showing your love no matter what others do. They should be like you, completely."
"Ross your amazing. I wish I could learn stuff half as fast as you do. Or match your passion for the things that you love." Riker said, shaking his head.
"Okay maybe I can do some stuff pretty well, but if anything, you're the amazing one." Ross said. "You have a really great heart and you're really sweet and you're so..perfect."
Riker blushed, "I am anything but perfect."
"Hm.." Ross grinned. "You're right, you have one small flaw. Do you know what it is?"
"What?" Riker asked, curious. Ross took some sauce from the burger to his finger then poked his soulmate's nose. "Not noticing when I'm about to do that. That's your flaw." He stuck his tongue out.
Riker wiped the sauce off his nose. "Really? Are you eight again now?" he shook his head smiling.
"If you want me to be." Ross grinned. He took some of the ketchup and put them all over his soulmate's cheek and laughed. "You didn't notice again."
"Ross." Riker laughed shaking his head, "Stop!"
"Or what?" Ross giggled, taking more ketchup.
"Or no kisses." Riker said smugly, crossing his arms across his chest.
Ross pouted and wiped his hand in the tissue. "Fine. Meanie." He said sticking his tongue out.
"I'm not mean." Riker said, rolling his eyes, but he was smiling. "Now are you going to finish that so we can go home and get some sleep? Not that I don't love spending time with my hot soulmate, but I'd really like to not get yelled at for being late to practice because I over slept. And do you want anything else before we leave?"
Ross shook his head and finished his burger. "Nope let's go home. I wanna sleep too. And how long are you gonna be practicing today?"
"Five hours. Like always." Riker said, with a sigh. "We're doing the tango this week. It sucks."
"Why does it suck?" Ross asked. "Is it hard?"
"It's unbelieveably hard." Riker said, as they headed toward the door.
"Sorry about that Riker." Ross said. "But I know you'll be able to do it." He smiled.
"Thanks, baby." Riker said, smiling. He kissed Ross forehead.
Ross smiled back as they reached the car. "Can I just sleep in the car? Wake me up when we get home?"
"Or I could just carry you to bed." Riker said, as he got in.
"Either way is okay." Ross said resting his head on the dashboard. "I'm just gonna sleep this way." He closed his eyes. "Night Riker."
"Night, baby." Riker said. As he drove home he thought about what Ross had been saying, and the slip-up earlier at the park. Was it possible Ross was pregnant? He looked over at his sleeping soulmate and shook his head. No he couldn't be. He said he didn't want kids yet. Ross didn't fall asleep completely. His mind was too full of thoughts that sleeping seemed so hard. He sensed that his soulmate knew something or suspected he was pregnant, but he wouldn't confirm it to him. No matter what, he'll only tell him on Monday.
When they got home, Riker carried Ross upstairs and put him in bed. He then crawled into bed behind him, and went to sleep.
Ross woke up about 10 and he knew Riker had to be at the studio by 11. So he looked down at his sleeping soulmate and started waking him up.
"Mmm no! Don't wanna get up!" Riker mumbled rolling over, and trying to go back to sleep.
"You'll be late for practice." Ross told him. "Now wake up."
"I don't wanna go!" Riker whined, burying his head under the pillow.
"Then I'll give you no cuddles and I'll leave." Ross sing-sang and got up.
"No!" Riker said, bolting up in bed, and wrapping his arms around Ross.
Ross giggled. "You have to be at the studio in 58 minutes. Now go get ready."
"Ugh, your no fun!" Riker complained. He quickly got dressed, and grabbed his shoes.
"Well you have to go there eventually." Ross shrugged. "I'll see you in five hours?"
"Yeah." Riker sighed. He leaned and gave Ross a lingering kiss. "Love you, baby. See you tonight."
"Love you, see you." Ross said as he saw his soulmate walk out and he blew a kiss at him. Riker drove to the studio to meet Allison and walked inside.
Ross sighed as he knocked on Maia's door. He really hated this, but there were so many things that would happen if he didn't do it. And his hate turned into nervousness when the girl opened the door.
"You came!" Maia smiled and hugged him. "Come on, I got a bunch of fun stuff for us to do." She said as she pulled him inside.
"What stuff?" Ross asked, clearly not interested.
"Couple-y stuff, duh." Maia said and kissed him on the lips, but he pulled away immediately.
"Don't kiss me. You promised you're not gonna hurt Riker if I came." Ross told her.
"No I didn't." Maia grinned. "I promised I won't hurt him enough to put him in the hospital. He'll probably feel small amounts but doesn't matter to me." She shrugged.
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"Gah." Riker said, grabbing his chest in the middle of practice.
Allison stopped her move and looked at him. "Something wrong, Riker?" She asked a bit concerned.
"Just a twinge." Riker said as the pain faded.
"Alright." Allison said. "Let's keep dancing."
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"No, I am not going to kiss you, not even a peck." Ross said, moving away to the other side of the bed.
"Alright then I'll do this." Maia climbed onto him, sitting on his stomach. "I love you Ross, but not your baby. You don't want anything to happen to it do you?" She faked a sweet smile.
"No!" He pushed her off. "You're crazy!"
"I know I am but I'm crazy for you." She leaned down and gave him a kiss, although just a small one.
Riker gasped, as another twinge hit him. What was going on?
"Riker, what's wrong now?" Allison asked. "Look if you're not feeling well you should've just told me and you didn't have to come."
"I was fine this morning." Riker said, "I don't know what's up. I don't feel sick. I just keep having these little twinges."
"Okay, I'm not accusing or anything, but do you think there's any chance your soulmate would cheat on you?" Allison asked. "That can happen if he is."
"He would never do that! Not only is he my soulmate he's my brother." Riker said.
"I know." Allison said. "Like I said, I'm not accusing. Has he ever kissed someone else before? Or been kissed? Or anyone would kiss him?"
"Maia!" Riker exclaimed.
"Who's Maia?" Allison asked. "You think he's with her now?"
"Maia is one of his former co-workers. She's a complete psycho. She thinks that Ross is her soulmate, and that the marks are wrong." Riker explained.
"That's crazy, marks are never wrong!" Allison exclaimed. She hated it whenever someone says something bad about the marks. "You know what? You go and get him back. I'll say you're not feeling well. That girl must be a complete psycho to say the marks are wrong."
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"It didn't hurt him so much, Ross." Maia told Ross who was currently in the middle of freaking out.
"You kissed me! It hurts him!" He exclaimed. "And I never agreed to this! You never said we would be doing this."
"It's only sex, Ross." Maia rolled her eyes and then smiled. "It shouldn't hurt him, so let's do it."
"Sex? With you? Excuse me, I wanna barf." Well Ross wasn't kidding. He ran into the bathroom and threw up the contents of his stomach.
Riker went straight to Maia's house and banged on the door.
"That's probably Riker." Maia rolled her eyes.
"Yeah cause he's my soulmate and soulmates care about each other." Ross spat.
"Yeah? Well he's not getting you. You're mine." Maia told him with a serious look on her face.
"What are you talking abou-" Ross asked but stopped himself when Maia walked out of the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She walked downstairs and opened the door. "What Riker? Ross is not here."
"Don't you dare lie to me you bitch." Riker said, furiously.
Maia scoffed. "Even if he's here, he doesn't want to see you. You two aren't real soulmates. Cause if you are, he wouldn't keep a huge secret from you."
Riker frowned, "He doesn't keep secrets from me."
"Oh yeah?" Maia smirked. He's going to feel the emotional pain. "Did he tell you he's been getting more messages from me? Did he tell you he doesn't want you to join DWTS cause it takes too much of your time? And did he tell you his one, big secret? His big secret that he's pregnant with your baby?"
"What?" Riker asked shocked.
"You heard me." Maia leaned against the door frame. "You know it's funny cause if you're his soulmate and I'm not, why do I know his secrets and you don't? Simple. He trusted me enough to tell me." That last part was a lie. Ross would never trust her. Ever.
"I...I..." Riker stammered. Was any of this true? Why hadn't Ross told him. He looked at Maia's smirk, and felt his heartbreak. He turned and ran.
"Bye!" She waved goodbye and closed the door. She walked back upstairs and opened the door to the bathroom to see Ross near the door. He was probably trying to open it.
"Go." Maia told him. "Go on, go home. See if he actually cares about you." She left, with the door still open.
"What do you mean?" Ross asked but when he saw her leave, he immediately bolted out and ran to his house.