Lea's POV
I stirred in my sleep, the uncomfortable hospital bed doing little to ease the ache in my heart. When I opened my eyes, the last person I expected to see and the one I wanted the most, stood in the doorway.Jake! My breath caught, and for a moment, I wondered if I was dreaming again.
"Jake," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"Lea," he replied, his voice rough,almost a sigh. He took a hesitant step forward, then stopped, as if unsure of his place.
"What are you doing here?" I asked when all I wanted to say was, " Jakey, you came? "My voice cracked, tears already pricking at the corners of my eyes
"Why? Am I not allowed to visit you? " His voice was raw, desperate. "I still love you, Lea. I never stopped.And no force in this universe can stop me from seeing you. Not even Phill. "
"Stop it," I snapped, though my voice was weak. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to just ..."I was angry, hurt.The images from the other night flashed before my eyes. But Jake paid no attention to what I was saying. He came right beside me.
" I was wrong.You need to believe that. And you also need to believe that I am sorry! " He said.
"You should," I said, my voice trembling. "But you did."Jake took another step closer, his eyes locking onto mine. "I'm here now, Lea. I want to make things right. I miss you. I miss us.Damn it,Lea.Its like I have been living without oxygen all this while. I can't do this anymore."
"You can't just waltz back in and expect everything to be okay," I said, tears streaming down my face desperately trying to put up my walls and hoping he would break through them nevertheless.
"I know I screwed up. But I can't go another day without you. Please, Lea. Save me! I am breaking!Help me,Lea.Give me another chance," Jake pleaded.
I bit my lip, my heart aching. I wanted to tell him the truth, that the baby was his, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, I looked away, unable to meet his gaze.I wanted to pull him close. The black hole in my chest was getting bigger and I wanted him to fill it with his love.
"Lea, please," Jake's voice was breaking. "I love you. I need you.We can figure this out.I will help you raise this child. I will be with you throughout. I promise I won't be an asshole! "
I turned back to him, my eyes searching his. Was he talking about raising another man's child with me? This was hopeless. I couldn't pretend any longer. I needed to tell him. "You really mean it?"
"With everything I've got," Jake said, moving closer until he was right beside my bed. He reached out, hesitating before gently taking my hand. "You are my life. You are my rock. Always have been. I just need to see you, feel you, feel your scent, your presence. I want to be alive again, Lea. I am. living as a walking dead. "
My breath hitched, my heart pounding. I squeezed his hand, feeling the familiar warmth I'd missed so much. "I love you too, Jake," I whispered, my voice breaking. "But this isn't just about us anymore."Jake's eyes flickered with confusion, but he nodded, determined. "We'll figure it out, Lea. Whatever it takes. I'm not leaving again.I will talk with Phill. We will see what can be done that will be best for the baby.I will do everything...anything."Jake leaned down, his lips brushing against my forehead.
" Just don't want to lose you again,Lea.I lose myself when you are not around!”he whispered, and for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to believe it to be true.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his hand never leaving mine. "I've missed you every second,every time, every moment," he murmured, his fingers tracing patterns on my palm.I leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. "I've missed you too," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.
Jake's other hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear. "I'm so sorry, Lea," he said, his voice breaking. "I was an idiot."
" No you weren't.It wasn't your fault! "I placed my hand over his, closing my eyes at the comfort his touch brought. "We both made mistakes," I said softly.
His lips were inches from mine, and I could feel his breath on my skin.He closed the distance between us, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that was both familiar and new at the same time. Like our first time. It was filled with the pain of our separation and the hope of our reunion. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer, needing to feel him, to remind myself that he was real.When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless, resting his forehead against mine.
"Every day, I wished I could take it all back.Wished we never left our village. I wish we could go back. I wished to leave everything and run."Jake's forehead pressed against mine, and I could feel his breath mingling with mine.
"I still can't believe you're here," I whispered, my voice thick with tears. "After everything...I ...I was scared."
"Scared of what?" he asked softly, his fingers tracing the curve of my jaw.
" Sacred that I would be the cause of your downfall. That you might hate me for that... I didn't want to ruin your... ”
Jake's grip tightened slightly, his eyes full of anguish. "I could never hate you, Lea.All I am is only because of you. I was hurt and confused, but I could never hate you. You're the love of my life.No.You are my life. It took me too long to figure out what we really had. "
I choked back a sob, my hands trembling." I never wanted to leave either , but I thought it was the only way.”He pulled me closer, our bodies almost touching. "I need you to know something..."I began.
But Jake's hand moved to my hair, gently untangling the strands. "Can I... can I feel the baby?" he asked.My heart swelled at his request. I took his hand and guided it to my swollen belly.He stilled, his eyes wide with wonder as he felt the baby move. "Oh my God," he breathed, his voice breaking. "That's... that's incredible."
I smiled through my tears, watching his reaction. "Yeah, it is."Jake looked up at me, his eyes shining. "I can't believe I almost missed this."He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine in a tender kiss. It was slow and sweet, filled with all the unspoken emotions between us. I melted into him, savoring the moment. He was so happy to feel another man's child inside me. I couldn't imagine what he would feel when I told him it was his.