Chapter 5: Apologies and acceptances

Lex had been hiding. He didn't realize it, but he had. Every time he seen Taisan he tripped out. He went out of his way to avoid her. He needed time to react; No, not to react, but to think about how he needed to react.

"You can't hide from he forever you know?" Cloe said bringing him a plate of food onto the porch.

"I'm not hiding," he grumbled taking the plate.

"What do you call it?" she asked.

Lex couldn't answer her, "Okay so maybe I am hiding, but it's not because I want to."

Cloe smiled, "She loves you Lex. She always knew you were the type to find something in between to pacify your needs and she's okay with that, because she loves you. You should talk to her, and stop hiding."

Lex knew Cloe was talking about him being with Siva in Taisan's absence. He smirked at her, "When did you become so wise anyways?"

Cloe shrugged, "I am not a little girl anymore."

"Tai, don't worry about it. He'll come around, you'll see," Bray tried to reassure Taisan.

She shrugged off Bray's comforting hand, "Like Amber's coming around to you?" she snapped then became calm again, "I'm sorry. It's just, well he's my husband and I betrayed his trust. I expected that from him, but what's my excuse?"

"Mega re-programmed you. That's your excuse."

"But my feelings for Josh were real, as was Lex's for Siva. We both shared beds with different people during our marriage, neither of us remaining faithful, and now those people are dead. We can't just jump back on the bandwagon, not after other hearts were involved. But I love Lex and want him to give us another try."

"And he will, so stop worrying," Bray said leaving her alone to watch Cloe and Lex on the porch.

Taisan sighed when he was gone, "I'll try."

Gel had found Lex scraping his plate clean and washing it. She hadn't seen Taisan lurking just outside the kitchen, neither did Lex.

Gel said in a very girly voice, "Lex there you are, I was looking for you."

"What for Gel," Lex tried not to show his distaste through his voice.

"In case you have forgotten you're my boyfriend, silly."

Lex sighed, "Gel would you get a grip on reality please? We were never nor will we ever be a couple."

Gel crossed her arms and pouted. When Lex continued to ignore her, she left and said, "You'll be sorry when some other guys snatches me up."

Taisan tried to stifle a laugh as she showed herself, "Wasn't that a little harsh?"

Lex turned from the sink to see his wife, "For her? No."

Taisan smiled, "Listen Lex, we've both been hiding from one another. I think it's time we had a talk."

"I know," he sat down at a kitchen chair.

Taisan sat across from him, "You weren't the only one who cheated."

"I know, Mega told me you two had a thing. He also told me where to find you, how else do you think we happened upon this island?"

Taisan didn't want to stray off of topic, "I loved him Lex. Even after I got my memory back and seen you again. My feelings for him were real."

"And I loved Siva," he admitted, "but when I saw you again, I got the urge to find you, no matter what."

"So what do we do about us?" Taisan asked after some silence passed between them. Her eyes were growing glossy from the tears she was withholding.

"We start over; take things slow, because I don't ever want to lose you again. I may have been unfaithful, but I love you Taisan." Lex reached across the table and grabbed his wife's hand.

Taisan squeezed back, "I love you too."

When no one was watching, Ram would sneak into Ebony's room and see how she was doing. He felt incredibly guilty. He would never really kill Ebony, he was just so angry. Ebony was as cold-hearted as he had been towards others in the past. He understood why, and knew he should cut her some slack, but she had killed Java. He grabbed her hand, before leaving, "I'm sorry."
Ebony had been awake the whole time Ram was there, but she wanted to hear what he had to say, so she remained eyes shut, body still. She accepted his apology too, but she owed him many. She owed the whole tribe a thousand apologies except maybe Gel, Sammy, and the babies.

Sighing she tried to sit up but her head was pounding. And worse than her head hurting, her stomach and throat were killing her. She was starving and dehydrated. She was glad to see Slade when he came into the room, "Slade," she exclaimed in a dry whisper.

Slade was more than thrilled to see Ebony awake. He poured her a glass of water, "Welcome back sleeping beauty."

Ebony drank hastily, "I don't feel like a sleeping beauty, my body aches. How long have I been out?"

"A day and a half and you worried most us."

"Yeah right, everyone was probably praying I would die."

"True, but they also know you're only human and their perspectives also changed when they learned you were expecting."

Ebony grunted, "I am going to kill Jay," she said then thought about her aching stomach, "Is the baby okay?" she asked, real worry in her voice.

Slade was surprised at the worry written on her face and in her voice. She had once said she hated kids, now she was worried about her own unborn, "Taisan said she gave you some medicine that would feed the baby while you were unable to eat. Does your stomach hurt?"

"Like hell," she said.

"Good, that means we've got to get you some exercise and food."

"I don't know if I can walk," she started, but it was too late, Slade was at her side, helping her out of the bed and onto her feet.

He looked at Ebony as they walked around the room, "I have to ask, is it mines?"

Ebony was too weak to pull away from him and knock him unconscious, so instead she pinched him, "You're the only man I've been with in the past seven months, and I'm five months pregnant, you do the math."

Slade felt stupid asking her a question like that, but he needed to hear her say it was his child. He knew underneath a hard layer of skin, Ebony was warm and genuine underneath and would never cheat, but he liked being reassured.

He helped her back into bed and kissed her forehead, "I'm going to get Taisan, and you stay put."

Ebony snorted at his back as he left the room, "Where am I going to go?"

She grew nervous when a few moments later Ruby entered the room and not Slade or Taisan.

"Oh good you're awake, and alive," Ruby started off the conversation.

Ebony rolled her eyes, "We both know you wish I were dead."

"Well considering you pushed me in front of a moving truck, yeah."

"About that, I am sorry. I was desperate, you wouldn't let go of Slade, and I want him to myself, I'm a jealous girl."

"Was that a genuine apology?" Ruby asked.

"As genuine as it's going to get coming from me."

"Well then I guess I can't suffocate you, those had been my intentions at first, so apology accepted. But I'm not here to seek out an apology or confession now. I just wanted to thank you."

Ebony asked, "What for?"

"If you hadn't of stolen Slade, I might never have given any other man a chance. But Jay and I are happy."

Ebony didn't know what to say. She wasn't one for apologies or 'you're welcomes'. It was all new for her, so she said, "I'm glad…though I do have a bone to pick with your boyfriend."

Ruby laughed, "Glad the fiery Ebony is still in you otherwise things would just be too boring. I'm also glad the baby is okay," she said leaving Ebony alone.

After Taisan's diagnosis Ebony was both thrilled and frightened. She was thrilled because she was alive and her child was okay, but she was terrified because there was a living organism inside of her. She was going to have to learn to be a mother.

"Slade, when I said I hated kids, I didn't mean it, but they really do bother me, so how do you expect me to raise one?"

"We should have thought of that five months ago," he smirked.

"This is all your fault," she pouted and ran a hand over her swollen abdomen.

Slade looked at her with shock, "My fault? You were the one calling all the shots as I remember it."

She threw a pillow at him, "I hope you are a better father than you are a liar!"

Recovering the pillow from off the floor he returned it to her and gripped her hand. He was just as frightened as she was, though she would never know it. He thought his worries were over with Ruby's confession that she was never pregnant, but Ebony was.

"Ebony, we'll be great parents, no worries," he was said trying to reassure them both.