What next….

Chapter 6

Will moved as if to sit up and hissed in pain. "Will, please babe, just lay there. Here, push your button for the pain medicine." Sonny said. "I know you're worried about Gabi and the baby. I'll go check on them alright? Just promise you're going to stay here and rest Will."

"I will Son. Just please make sure Ari's ok… that Gabi is too. I'll stay here… promise" Will said, eyelids getting heavier with the effects of the Morphine.

Seeing Will's eyes close and his breathing even out Sonny slips out the door and heads to the Maternity Ward to see Gabi. Of course I have to check on the little punkin first. He thought with a chuckle. Man, I sure never thought my life would change this much. Who would have thought just a few months ago that I'd take one look in those blue eyes and feel the entire world shift? Like father like daughter I suppose. Seeing Ari asleep he just stood and stared through the nursery glass at her. So perfect…"Oh Ari… I promise little princess… Daddy and I will make this all right for you. We will always be here baby girl. We love you so much!" with a smile he turned and headed for Gabi's room.

Sonny heard the almost hysterical crying first. Knocking on the semi closed door he slowly pushed it open calling out softly "Gabi, it's me… Sonny."

"Come in Sonny." Rafe said from the bed where he was sitting on the edge holding his little sister in his arms. "How's Will?"

"He's doing good Rafe. He woke up last evening. We had a little scare because he couldn't feel or move his legs but…"

"What?! Will can't walk? He can't move? What?" Gabi asked with a panicked look on her face.

"Shhh Gabs, let Sonny finish ok?" Rafe soothed.

"He is much better this morning. His legs are fine this morning. He's still in pain. But it looks very good that he will make a full recovery. They said he just had swelling in the deep tissues along his spine where the bullet…" Seeing Gabi bury her head in her brother's shoulder again Sonny broke off mid-sentence. "Gabi," Sonny said softly, "Will actually sent me to check on you… see how you were doing, how Ari was."

"How do you think I am Sonny?" She said bitterly. "I wake up from giving birth to find out my baby's father is seriously hurt, and that my husband is dead! That he shot Will! Why? Why would he do that?! Sonny you said something out there… you said 'Despite all Nick had said and done to him'… please someone explain this to me! I feel like I'm losing my mind!"

"Gabi, you need to calm down before they come in here and have to sedate you again!" Rafe said sternly. "You need to get it together and then maybe Sonny will catch us up ok?" Pulling her in tight to his side with his arm around her waist he nodded to Sonny. "Please. Tell us what you know."

Sonny sighed as he closed his eyes quick and thought to himself, Please God; I'm so tired of repeating this story… of having to relive it. Opening his eyes, he looked into Gabi's… seeing the anguish and the panic in them. "Ok, I'm not real sure where to start… but shortly after Will and I got together, and so did you and Nick, he… changed. He started calling us names; he was always giving us dirty looks and well... He was just horrible, especially to Will." Sonny broke off here and took a deep breath. Knowing that with Nick dead, all the evidence against Will was dead too, he said quietly… "He was blackmailing Will, Gabi. He said he had something from his past that he would reveal if Will didn't sign off those papers. We never did find out what it was. But with the way Nick was acting so much of the time, he felt like he had no choice. He didn't want to add stress to you and cause you to go into labor again so he just… signed. He was devastated. He loves that little girl with his whole heart and then some more added in on top of that. We both do. We both just figured that once the baby was born and he could talk to you... that you could change things. As far as what happened today? Or I should say yesterday?"… Sonny then went on and told the rest of the story as he knew it. He felt no remorse in his little white lie to them about not knowing what the blackmailing was for. It was to protect Will. His Will. And he would do anything to protect him.

Gaby sat there in total shock, body trembling as she tried to sort through all she had just heard. How did everything go so wrong? How did I miss this? She thought in confusion. "So all of this… everything… is just because you guys are together? Because you're gay?! Why? What does that mean? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Look Gabi, all I know is this… Hope came in and started to tell us about how this guy Jensen was actually a cell mate of Nick's and that he made life a living hell in there. I honestly don't care what his reasons were. And like I told Hope, no one defends Nick to me. I'm sorry for your loss… but he wasn't who you thought he was. He never was. We need to all look into the future. That little girl is depending on us… all of us… to be there for her. To make sure she is safe and loved. She is what matters now. Her, and getting Will healthy and home."

"I-I know you're right Sonny. But Nick is- was my husband. I love- loved him. I don't even know where to go from here. I-I mean I suppose I could get my rooms above the pub back." Gabi looked up into her brothers eyes with tears in her own. "What am I going to do Rafe? How am I going to be a mom, and still do school and work and…" breaking off into tears again she buries her head in Rafe's shoulder.

"Gabi…" Sonny breaks in, "you aren't in this alone you know. Will and I would give anything to be able to take care of her… to help you I mean" he added quickly seeing Rafe look at him with brows raised. Feeling the heat in his face he looked back to see Gabi looking at him with a tiny frown. "Look, all I'm saying is we're here. We want to be a huge part of raising her. We love her too. She's Will's daughter and Gabi… from the first time I looked into those eyes of hers… she feels like mine too. We will get through this. You get some rest, I'm going to get back to Will. We're here…" With a small smile to both of them he turned and headed back to Will's room.

"Sonny, Is Ari and Gabi alright?" were the first words Will said as he opened his eyes to see Sonny sitting at his bedside.

Sonny smiled. "Ari is perfect Will. She was sleeping so sound. Nurses say she is doing great and should be ok to go home hopefully tomorrow. Gabi on the other hand… she's ok physically!" he said quickly seeing the worry in Will's eyes. "It's emotionally I'm worried about. Right or wrong she loved Nick. She doesn't understand how this all happened or what she does from here." He then proceeded to tell Will everything he had told Gabi about Nick blackmailing him. "It's ok babe. That chapter in our lives is officially over. Gabi's just feeling overwhelmed right now. Her life has changed, not only with Ari here, but no husband either. In fact… she was worried about where she was going to live now. How she was going to manage the baby and school and work and where she was going to live." He looked at Will and reached for his hand. Feeling their fingers lace together tightly he looked down as he felt Will's thumb start tracing small circles on his wrist.

"Hey," Will said softly. "Look at me Sonny. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful head." Seeing Sonny hesitate Will tightened his fingers. "Honey, you know you can tell me anything. What's up?"

Looking up at Will, Sonny said quietly, "Well it made me start thinking, that maybe they could move in with us?"

Will, eyes sparkling and a big smile on his face, asked "Do you mean it? Really? I was thinking the same thing but I didn't want to ask…"

"What? Why wouldn't you want to ask me?"

"Well, I don't know," Will said with a blush staining his cheeks. "Guess I just thought it would be too much. Another thing I'd be asking you to put up with. More baggage…" Will stopped as he felt Sonny cover his mouth with his free hand.

"William Horton, I have said I hate that word!" Sonny said, those dark eyes flashing fire. "First of all, Arianna Grace is not baggage and NO ONE ever wants me to hear them say or even think otherwise! She is a gift Will. A beautiful, precious gift. Yes, we are young; I realize that circumstances aren't perfect. But when in life are they? Ever since the day I met you and I knew just looking at you, that this man was it for me. This is the man I was made to love. I knew that day Will that someday I wanted us to be a family. I pictured us together and raising kids, the white picket fence, everything! Do you not see how perfect this is? I thought we would have to adopt someday. Will… Ari is yours babe. I look at her and see you staring back at me and think every time 'this is meant to be, perfect. She's perfect. You're perfect. WE are perfect'. I love you so much Will. More and more every day, every minute, hell every second. Almost losing you has taught me to reach out and grab what you love with both hands, hold tight, and never let go. And Will… I am NEVER letting you go. You're stuck with me babe." He said with a smile. "So… have we settled this then? Do you understand that you and Ari are my life now? I want this; I want both of you and even if I could go back and change things… I wouldn't change anything. Not since every decision has brought us right here, to this perfect moment. You aren't asking me to 'put up with' anything. You've given me the world Will."

Seeing the truth and love in Sonny's eyes, Will feels his own eyes sting. He didn't know how on this earth he ever got lucky enough to have this man love him… but he knew he'd thank God every day that he did. Tugging on Sonny's hand he slowly brought him closer. Sliding his free hand around the back of Sonny's neck he slid his fingers into his hair and pulled him closer, closing his eyes at the first touch of lips upon his. Hearing the soft moan Sonny makes, Will deepens the kiss. Tongue touching tongue rubbing, stroking, sucking. He loves kissing Sonny. When Sonny and him are this close, touching, breathing in his scent… Will knows this is home. Home isn't a place, home is Sonny. Feeling himself harden, which happens every time Sonny touches him it seems like, Will softly ended the kiss and buried his face in the crook of Sonny's neck holding him tightly. "God, Sonny I love you. I couldn't do this without you. You're everything to me. And as much as I want you, man I want you! I think that's enough kissing for right now before I embarrass myself." He chuckles. Tipping his head to brush his lips along Sonny's neck he whispers in his ear "But you just wait till I get home… because I'm going to kiss, and lick every single inch of you."

Sonny closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he leans his forehead on Wills shoulder. "I want that Will. I need it. I need to feel you skin to skin against me. To know you're alive and with me. I want you so much! You're right... enough of this for now. Phew Mr. Horton your kisses are lethal! You make me forget where we are, that you're hurt." Sitting up he straightens the covers over Will's lap. "Get better fast eh babe?"

"I'm on it. Trust me." He laughed. "So," Will said with a sigh, "We're doing this? Going to ask Gabi to move her and Ari in with us?"

"Yeah. We'll be there to help. But also to know that Ari is good. I think we would both worry too much if she wasn't with us. And I know we would both miss her too much! I think it's the best solution. And hey," Sonny laughs "I'll even take turns with the 2 am feedings."

Hearing a sound at the door they both turn to see Gabi leaning against the wall. "Um... guys? We need to talk..."

To be continued…