Hey everyone, we're back. Just thought we'd mention that both of these chapters were co-written by both of us. So remember that there are two people working on this. Thanks! =)
-XX-
"Come on, Lori, what's wrong?" Ben asked desperately, following the 19-year-old as she stalked into living room to scoop up their two-year-old son in her arms. "You haven't said 10 words to me all day!" He hadn't seen her so quiet for almost 3 years, not since she was... "Oh god, Lori, you're not pregnant, are you?"
"No, Ben, I'm not." Lorain said, gritting her teeth. "Did you forget anything by chance today?!"
Ben stopped. "I don't think… What'd I forget?"
"Like, I don't know, to pick up your son from daycare?!" Lorain held out the little boy, who was staring up at his father with a confused expression. "I asked you to do one thing today, to pick Riley up be cause I had a class. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to have your phone ring in the middle of class, have your professor answer it, and then tell you to pick up your son in front of the entire class?!"
"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I…" Ben sank down onto the couch, rubbing his eyes.
"Look, Ben, I know this whole treasure thing is important to you, but you have other responsibilities now. Maybe…" Lorain faltered. "Maybe you should set this whole treasure thing aside for now."
Ben looked up at her with a pained expression. "I know, but I...I've been working so hard, I can't just give up on it now. And you know I love you both, you're my world, but I..."
"Whatever, Ben."
He sighed heavily. "I feel like such an idiot."
"I know you do. You're just lucky Riley won't remember."
Ben's head snapped up. "What do you mean?
"Well, you know, Ben, I told him Daddy would be coming to pick him up, and he was so excited. He was a little disappointed when I was the one who showed up."
"I know, I know." He walked over, crouching down to look at the toddler. "I'm sorry, buddy, I lost track of time, can you ever forgive me?"
Riley looked at Ben for a moment, and then nodded slightly, reaching his arms out towards his father.
"Thanks." Ben took the child in his arms. "Time for your nap, buddy." Ben took the child upstairs, and returned about five minutes later -after finally convincing the boy to sleep- to find Lorain crying on the couch. "Lori, what's wrong?"
"It's just very frustrating, Ben. You know he'll only forgive you so much before his heart gets broken."
Ben stopped, leaning against the door frame. "I know." He said quietly. "What about you? Will you ever forgive me?"
"I don't know, Ben." Lorain stared out the window at the clouds gathering in the sky.
"I know I haven't been as… attentive as in the past but I have so much on my mind: you, Riley, school, and everything else. It's..." He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's hard."
"Well I juggle all that too, Ben, remember? I just don't forget our son!"
"I know, but I'll make sure this never happens again." Ben promised.
"Sure you will, Ben."
"You don't believe me?" Ben frowned
"You always promise Ben, you promised just this morning that you would pick him up, and you know what happens to all these promises? Nothing, because you forget about them, because of this treasure that you aren't even sure exists! You're obsessed with this thing!"
"That's not true!" Ben replied stubbornly. "I can keep a promise, you know I can, sometimes I just slip up, ok? There's just so much going on at once that sometimes I forget stuff."
"Well, maybe you should straighten your priorities a little, you know, so our son doesn't end up in the STUFF I FORGET PILE!" Lorain's voice rose with her temper.
"Lori, come on, it was one time, it won't happen again!" Ben was getting frustrated now. "I know that I have straightening up to do, I'll admit that, but really, you don't need to get like this! I realize that I messed up, I get it."
"Sure, it's one time now, Ben, but what happens when you forget our anniversary, you forget to get him a Christmas present, you forget his birthday?"
"That's not going to happen; I'm not a total idiot!" Ben gritted his teeth.
"Well it doesn't take a total idiot to screw up!" Lorain countered,
"I know I screwed up, you can stop reminding me! I think I'll remember on my own."
"Well, good luck with that!" She spat as she stormed up the stairs.
"Lorain!" Ben was right behind her, catching her by the arm. She tried to pull back.
"Ben, not now! Let me go before I do something I'll regret later."
Ben sighed, releasing her as he headed back downstairs to grab his coat. "I'm going to the library."
"Just remember where the house is, will you?"
Ben turned to look at her, and found that she wasn't scowling anymore, but had a small smirk on her lips. "I'll try." He muttered, pulling the door open.
-XX-
"Ben, I just can't take it anymore! I told you! I told you that you would forget! It was his birthday yesterday! You weren't even home! Not even a call! It's ridiculous! This whole Templar Treasure thing is ridiculous! I'm not going to let Riley suffer through this anymore!"
"Lori, please, stop..." Ben was nearly begging as she fluttered through the toddler's room throwing odds and ends into a suitcase. "You can't just take him!"
The 4-year-old boy sat on the floor, not quite sure what was happening. All he'd been told was that he was going somewhere with Mommy and he probably wouldn't be seeing Daddy for a long time. He looked up at his fighting parents, shouting out a single word. "STOP!"
Lorain looked at Riley. "Stop what, honey?"
"Stop fightin'" Riley mumbled. "I don't like it."
"Don't worry, baby; Daddy and I are all done fighting." She gave Ben a pointed look.
"Lori, please!" Seeing that he was getting nowhere, Ben let out a frustrated sigh. He headed towards the door then stopped. "C-Can I have some time with him before you go? I deserve at least that, right?"
"Fine." Lorain sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Riley, I'll be downstairs when Daddy's done talking to you." Riley nodded as she walked out of the room.
Ben sat down on the edge of the short bed. "Come here, come here." Ben pulled the child onto his lap, kissing the top of his head. "You promise to be good for your mommy?"
"Yeah." Riley replied quietly.
"Thatta boy." He ran a hand over his son's dark hair. "I'm really sorry about all this, bud. I'll make it up to you someday."
Riley looked confused; he wasn't sure what his father had to make up for. He nodded anyways.
"Look, I know you probably don't know what's going on right now, but just...Don't forget about me?"
'Like I kept forgetting you?' He added silently to himself, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest.
"I won't, Daddy." The boy wrapped his arms around his father's neck.
Ben sighed, squeezing Riley tightly before he released him. "Alright, go on, your mommy's waiting for you. Be good for her."
"I will." Riley slid down off the bed, leaving the room. Ben stood up and headed towards the door, looking around at the half-empty. Then he flipped off the light switch and shut the door, heading towards the stairs. He looked down the staircase at Lorain, letting out a pained sigh.
"Say good-bye to Daddy, Riley." Lorain picked up the boy in her arms.
"Bye Daddy." Riley waved a hand. Ben lifted a hand, swallowing the lump growing in his throat.
He remained in the same spot even after the door had closed, and the two people he loved most had disappeared from his life forever.
-XX-
Oh dear, that's sad. The next chapter picks up about 13 years later, when Riley's a teen.
'Til then! Reviews are love! =)
