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“No, more like when I said to you that I wanted a family, you should have said ‘I can’t give you that, I had a vasectomy’! Then at least I would have known getting to this point that a family wouldn’t be an option.”  Danny couldn’t believe Gabe would keep something like this from her. It wasn’t like she would have left him, and she wasn’t sure she would want to leave him now. 

But god did it hurt. She felt tricked, manipulated, lied to. “It wouldn’t have been a kid without a dad, it would have had you and me. But now it doesn’t get a chance.” Danny shook her head and covered her mouth with her hand to hide the way she choked back sobs. Every instinct told her to run, to get away and just hide out until her anxiety went away. Danny though promised him she wouldn’t run from him anymore. 

“You’re trying to justify this to me but you can’t, Gabe. This is.. This is a big deal. I can’t just.. This isn’t something you can manipulate me into feeling like I did the wrong thing for caring about it. I’m not being silly. Not telling me this is.. This might be the most hurtful thing you’ve ever done, keeping this from me.. And you have no intention of telling me about it.” 

Vasectomies could be reversed, and even though Gabriel knew this, he didn’t say it. But what he didn’t know? Was that they can reverse on their own, over time. Back when he’d had it done, the man had no intentions of ever settling down. He never thought he’d find a girl he felt as strongly for, as he did with Danny. He struggled to even say the words I love you out loud. How could he be expected to have and care for a child if he couldn’t even tell it’s mother that he loved them?

But as she continue to cry the way she was, he couldn’t help but just feel worse. And as she say this is the worst thing he’d ever done…? He began to panic, feeling truly sick to his own stomach. “I-I’m not manipulating you,” he insists, swallowing a lump in his throat. “I didn’t… I didn’t even think we were in that place yet!” He lies. They were pretty domesticated at this point, but while the idea had been tossed around? They’d never sat down and actually talked about having kids. “If we… got there. I would have told you.”

“I’ll do my very best.. Something tells me I’ll have better luck than you do.” Kaylee teased and leaned up to nip lightly at his lower lip. Resting against his chest, her body melted into him for a moment of bliss. Nothing had ever felt as good as it felt to be in his arms. Every single time got better than the last. 

“If you can make it the entire dinner without fingering me under the table knowing full well I won’t be wearing any underwear.. I’ll let you do whatever you want when we get back here tonight.” 

Vincent chuckles at her words. And once she teased kissing him like that, he leaned down to close the space between them, pressing his lips to hers with a hum before pulling away. “You’re being awfully unfair right now,” he begins, looking down at her with a grin. “Saying all of that—and not expecting me to want you now.”

He does go on to pause for a beat as he decides to ask, “whatever I want?”

September crossed her arms under her breasts as they walked, a slow stroll carrying her through the park and toward a coffee stand she usually stopped at on her way. 

“Well.. I like this park, I like a routine. So, every day I run my mornign errand, go on my run, then go to work.” September shrugged her shoulders. Not willing to admit she’d kept coming to see him, or that she came to run after taking her son to school. “What about you? What brings you back every day?” 

“I’m kind of a creature of habit,” he begins, hands going in his pockets. “Part of my routine! I wake up early, go on my run, eat breakfast—or depending on what time it is, lunch,” he explains, as they come upon the little coffee stand that fortunately had a short line. “And…? I just so happen to run into this woman every time.”

Ten years felt like a lifetime ago. And to Kaylee it was. It was a lifetime of her happiness away. They’d been a perfect couple. He loved her, she loved him. But their lives were going different places. They’d broken things off and honestly she couldn’t even remember if they had a good reason for actually calling it quits. 

“Yes, stepped on toes be damned, I want a dance.” Kaylee giggled as she was pulled onto the dance floor. Instead of trying to actually ballroom dance with him, she looped her arms up around his neck to make it a little easier on him. This must have been why she got the invitation from his sister. 

When they were together? His world had been right. Even when he wasn’t sure of anything else, he had always been positive that she was the best thing in his life. Until… it just wasn’t enough anymore. It got to the point that they were both just in such different places in their lives. It wasn’t working anymore, even if there was love there… it wasn’t the same.

But looking at her now? He couldn’t seem to think that there had ever even been a problem to begin with.

The two walk to the room together, and as her arms go around his neck, they begin to sway. And it gives him the time to allow his eyes to trail over her absolutely flawless features. “Would I be overstepping any boundaries if I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

Danielle’s eyebrows knit as he seemed to turn the words around back on her. But it was clear as day she had no idea why. When he said he’d had a vasectomy, there wasn’t a fear that shed been caught, she didn’t look guilty like a cheater. She looked betrayed, like her heart was shattered in her chest and broken into a million pieces. 

“We’ve been together for.. For so long.. And you’re just telling me now that you can’t have kids.. After how many times I’ve told you about wanting a family.. I know you’ve never said anything in general for it or against it but.. But you should have told me.” Danny felt tears welling in her eyes and slowly she started to step back away from him. She bit her tongue and shook her head. “You..” 

“How could you just.. How could you not tell me something like that?” 

There really was a lot that they hadn’t talked about, yet. They’d dived head first right into this relationship. But they were in love. They were living together, and loving each other with all they had. He had his own personal reasons that he didn’t care to have children, but a lot of that he hadn’t even said out loud to himself just yet. So to say it to Danielle, who hadn’t shied away from wanting a family? He couldn’t break her heart like that. 

But it seems that he did, seeing the way her eyes swelled up with tears. She would be a great mother, he had no doubt about that. He just couldn’t see a life for him... where he was a father. He wanted no child to feel as unwanted as he once had. 

“What was I supposed to say?” He lets out, a new look forming over his face--one of guilt. “Hey--by the way! I had a surgery so I can’t have kids, because I grew up without a dad,” he mimics what she might have wanted him to say. but she was right. He should have told her. 

Lena had never pretended to be oblivious to the kind of job her husband had, clearly there wasn’t enough of an aversion for her not to turn a blind eye but she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t grateful for the influence he held in moments like this. She needed answers and didn’t possess the strength or sanity these days to wait. Nodding more to herself then him, she firmly squeezed his hand trying to put on a brave face. “Just give me a few minutes.” Turning to leave his office, she didn’t release his hand until the last second and it fell from her grip.

Her mind was so plagued with worries she found herself staring numbly at her clothes for several minutes before she snapped back into reality. What did she even wear for this kind of thing? settling on changing into something practical and comfortable, not sure how long they’d be stuck at the hospital. She did briefly consider packing a bag in case she had to stay, as overwhelming a thought as that was but it was dismissed by an even sadder realization- if needed it wasn’t her husband’s first time packing her a hospital bag.

Resting at the bottom of the stairs a few minutes later, Lena lazily leaned her head against the banister as she waited. A mild scent of mint and her pale complexion revealing she’d wrenched up the little breakfast she’d managed. 

It only took a few phone calls to call in the favors that were owed to him. He was fronting as very calm, cool and collected. But beneath the surface, his weakened heart was racing. He was ridden with worries and anxieties now, his mind flashing back to the first time he’d rushed his wife in to the hospital, just to have her receive a death sentence. 

It was his job to protect Lena. And he would do just that until his own final breath. 

“I’ve got a bag packed, just in case we’re there too long,” he says, knowing how strenuous those hospital visits could be. Even with these favors he’d called in, they’d have to wait for the test results to come in. “Are you ready, Lena?”

Kaylee flashed her hazel eyes up to him with eyes that fluttered flirtatiously but slowly they did lower back to the buttons she unbuttoned one at a time. “Well.. At least try. If you want me to be able to move in with you amor, so you can wake up and go to sleep with me every night.. You probably shouldn’t be too bold with your hands in front of them at least.” 

She knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself the entire time, she just hoped that maybe she could tide him over in the mean time. “I just want to be with you. Now and always.” Leaning up onto her toes, Kaylee pressed her lips to his and pushed the shirt off of his shoulders. 

Her eyes even sparkled bright in the dim, natural lighting of the room. He allows his shirt to slide off of his shoulders and right to the ground. He took that moment to slip his fingers beneath her top, pulling her closer to his scar and tattoo-marked torso. Her frame felt heavenly against hers, as there was no one else in the world he’d rather be so close to, like this. 

“Are you sure you’ll be able to keep your hands off of me, then?” He asks, which is followed by a semi smirk. 

The niggling reminders that were always with Nicholas that screamed how disastrous it’d be if the life they’d built together crumbled because of his reckless impulsive actions were catapulted to the forefront with that single word from Elly- females had drifted in and out of their lives over the years mostly just his friends but she’d never become so attached. He’d only ever heard ‘mom’ ushered in reference to photos or the curious musings of a kid who didn’t remember ever having more than just a dad. To hear her call Amelia mom just reaffirmed how much he had to lose.

They hadn’t talked about it before, of course they’d discussed how important it was to ease Elly into getting to know Amelia and how much of a priority she was. Pointless really as Elly instantly adored her but the conversations never got this far, they were merely taking a lead from the little girl. Did Amelia mind..? was he suppose to start backtracking? It’d knocked the breath out of him.

Either way he needed to steady the situation, gently his hands clasped over hers to slowly move them away from her face so his own tear pooled eyes could search hers. Raising her hands to his lips to place lingering soft kisses on them to reassure her. A distraught whimper followed by a sharp tug on the end of his shirt drew his attention to Elly, who misconstrued Amelia’s reaction and little face was filled with guilt and confusion. “S-sorry mom.. I..” her voice quivering before Nick scooped her up, balancing her on his hip as his free arm pulled Amelia into his side. “It’s okay baby, everything’s okay.. you didn’t do anything wrong, right Am?” 

With everything going on between her and Nick, having precious, little Elly feel comfortable enough with her to call her mom? It broke her. Because she couldn’t just walk away from this, now. She loved them both too much to walk away. But as always, she was terrified that Nick had gone back to what he usually always did. Amelia had tried to understand. He was where he was today because of his business. But he was also always risking it all, every time he left the house. And for the sake of her own sanity--within worrying about his safety, Elly’s safety and her own? She couldn’t walk around with that weight on her shoulders. 

His hands move over hers, as he placed small kisses over the backs of her palms, trying to calm her down. Their eyes meet for just a second until Elly spoke up again. She steps out of his grasp, so she could take Elly’s hand. “Of course not, Elle. You don’t need to apologize,” she sniffles, smiling brightly and lovingly at the little girl. “Thank you for letting me be your mom, Elly.”

September rolled her eyes in a nearly full circle at his little tease but she still found herself smiling a the end of it all He offered that hand and a name with it, and with a little reluctance she took the offered palm into her grasp. “It’s nice to meet you too Gabriel.” At least, formally. 

When her hand released his grasp, September checked her watch. She had a little more time than she thought today, but then again, they’d been running at a little faster pace. “I wouldn’t suppose you would want to grab a cup of coffee, would you?” 

Gabriel shakes her hand so happily, unable to stop the small smirk that crossed over his lips, and soon overtook the rest of his face. And as the pretty lady mentioned grabbing some coffee, he nods his head, more than happy to accompany her for another few minutes.

“So... September,” the two begin to walk along slide one another, their pace incredibly slow, people passing them as the two... friends talked. “What is it about this park that brings you back, day after day?”

She listened to him and let out a soft sigh, she almost wished she could be as carefree as he was. “I can’t be burning all my bridges, so telling people to fuck off is a last resort,” Reva said with a little shrug. Of course, she knew exactly what he meant and the advice he was giving was one that she knew she would have to take at some point. “I didn’t get a network of industry contacts by telling people to fuck off but I might take your advice in this in case so thank you.” However for the moment, she picked up her phone and put on silent for the rest of the morning.

“Suit yourself, doll,” he says with a small laugh that is mostly just him laughing through his nostrils. She was nice, too nice at times. But that’s what worked with a lot of people. Hell, he wouldn’t have been there right now if she wasn’t nice enough to put up with his problematic ass. 

He crosses towards her, and wrapped his arms around the woman in a loose hug. “So what I’m hearing... is you’re free for the rest of the morning?”

-

Kaylee couldn’t help that her hand raised up to lightly run along the scraggly beard. Fingers tugged gently at the curls at the edges with a smile before her hand finally lowered back to her side. “I’ve been good.” Kaylee’s smile grew ever so slightly. 

“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to ask me to dance with you?” Slowly her hand lowered back down to her side.

The way she so casually lifted her hand to touch him? It transported him back about ten years. Back to when things between them had been beautiful, and intense. Back when Kaylee was his entire world, and then some. She was his first love, and honestly? His only one. Their breakup had been mutual, but right in that moment... he couldn’t remember why.

“You want to dance with me? Me?” He laughs, offering her one of his hands. Theodore was a notoriously terrible dancer, but he was willing to dance with her. It was Kaylee, after all. And he couldn’t say no to her.

-

Danny wasn’t sure at all what she expected from Gabriel’s reaction. Happiness? Surprise? Something other than what she got which was a look of fear she had only seen when Danielle had been kidnapped. Her nerves transformed into fear right before her eyes. Here she was, so proud of him, so happy herself to have found out and then to see Gabe look at her like she’d just punched him in the testicles? That was terrifying. 

“I-I mean we have a lot of sex.. And I guess birth control isn’t always perfect. I don’t know.. I.. I’m late for my period and I took this test and it says it’s positive.” Likely? No. It wasn’t likely, but they’d never been a normal couple. It was actually a little surprising that it hadn’t happened sooner. Something about the way he looked at her said something was going on, that this was the last news he ever expected to hear, but why?

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” 

The fear mixed with confusion quickly transpired into something more. Anger. Especially when she asked him what she did.

“I don’t know, Danielle. Is there something you’re not telling me?” He uses his own words against her. Because instead of agreeing with her—because she was probably right. They didn’t really practice safe sex. They hadn’t been careful. “Because I got a vasectomy almost ten years ago. So, there’s no way you could be pregnant,” he didn’t want to allude to her cheating. Because… she hadn’t. She wouldn’t, right? He was mostly in denial, and in classic Gabriel Pierce fashion…? He was self sabotaging.

-

“We should walk it together if nothing else. It really is quite nice.” Kaylee smiled, happy to know even if he had a bum knee that he would try for her. Really it just amazed her Vince was willing to do a lot of things she asked of him. To everyone else he was this scary mobster but to her he was her sweet Vincent. The man that stole her heart and was working so hard to keep it. Hopefully tonight would go well and either she would have her fathers approval or she wouldn’t. Either way, he would have asked and maybe just maybe she would move in anyway. 

“Good, you look like you need to relax.” Strolling back his direction Kaylee slowly started to work the buttons open on his shirt. “Besides, when we go up to the main estate you’ll have to keep your hands to yourself. Best to work it out now.” 

By nature, he was a stubborn man. He liked to get his way. The only people who had been able to get to him in the past? We’re his kids. And he had some pretty ridiculous children, especially when they had been teenagers!

But now, here he was across the world, in a country he’d never been to, dating a woman who was the same age as his children. And funnily enough? He’d do it all again.

Another thing that came to him so naturally? His confidence. So, it was going to be interesting coming face to face with her father again, a man he’d been lying to about his identity for years now. It didn’t look good for him—for either of them. Though he hoped it would go well!

The man grins as she began to unbutton his shirt. “You expect me to keep my hands to myself…? Mi princesa…” he clicks his tongue and shakes his head, as if to say that was impossible!

-

It had been fun, running with a stranger. He was cute, but they didn’t speak. Not even a word. Smiles and laughs were all it had been.. Up until now. It was about time they said at least something, right? After all this time, twenty or so runs together, it was about time they even said hi. 

“If I say no will it change your answer?” September teased, her stance mirroring his own while she did her best to regain control of her breath. “Not October or August but..” September trailed off, leaving out the month in between. She figured that was a good enough brain teaser that would eventually lead to him getting what he wanted. 

Gabriel… may have had an ego on him. But he felt it was deserved. He was good at what he did, and prided himself in doing that—whatever it may be. Plus, with all the run’s they’d made alongside each other? It was only a matter of time before they say something to each other. And it seemed that today was the day!

With her little game of figuring out her name, the man is visibly confused for a moment. But when it hits him, he uses his tongue to dampen his lips, flashing a grin as he asks, “July…? I don’t think I’ve heard that one before.” It was silly of him, but he still offers her his hand. “My name is Gabriel. It’s very nice to finally meet you, September.”