feeling unlovable

you have her back now, you don't lose her

XXV

Emma laughed as Bennett told another on of his stories. Felix still had a smile on his face as he watched his father speak to his wife and mother. It was pleasing, to know he was okay. For now.

"This one time, a male nurse thought I was a sleep and started singing out loud. It was terrible and he was singing a one direction song. He got the fright of his life when he heard me laughing, didn't see him again after that."

Olivia and Emma giggled while Felix smirked. He's heard this one when he visited his father a few weeks ago. "How was the wedding? I'm sorry if couldn't make it." He turned to Emma.

Emma smiled, "It was a beautiful wedding. Olivia and my mom did a great job. It would have even better if you made it." Emma said, causing Olivia to blush and Felix to sigh. He had to admit Emma was right.

"I didn't just bring you here for dinner."

Felix sat up as Olivia and Emma leaned closer. "What is it, dad?"

"The hospital said I'll be able to come home."

Felix smiled and Olivia jumped, already in tears. Her husband had not been able to stay at home for almost a year. She missed waking up to see her husband next to her, a goofy smile on his face as she opened her eyes. She immediately threw her arms around him when he stood up. Emma stood as well, and hugged her father-in-law. Tears in her eyes.

She might have not seen him since she was fourteen but she had been close to him when she was younger. He was like her second father, one away from home. His home use to be her second one. He cared for her even though she was not flesh and blood, he took care of her and loved her like a daughter.

Bennett kissed her cheek, "I have missed you, buttercup." He whispered and Emma nodded. Hugging him again and Bennett looked towards his son and walked towards him again. He pulled him into a hug, "You have her back now, you don't lose her."

Felix nodded as he leaned away. He promised he wouldn't lose her.

<><><>

"Goodnight, Mr. Hayden."

"Call me Bennett, Emma. You're my daughter now."

"Yes, — Bennett."

Emma smiled towards her father-in-law before she hurried up stairs to her bedroom where Felix is laying in the bed, a top of the sheets. He only wore his boxers and Emma hurried into her closet. Pulling off her jewelry and heels and slipping on a silk nighty she walked towards her bed and laid down. A pillow was laid out between them, a rule Emma made up. Felix like to cuddle and Emma didn't want his arms around her when she was with Marcus.

Especially now that he finally made things official.

Emma turned to him, all she could see was the top half of his face. His eyes were staring up at his ceiling. "Are you happy that his back?"

Felix looked towards Emma, their eyes locking as he sighed, "I'm happy his here, his my dad. My hero but I feel like somethings going to go wrong. Like him being here is bad for him."

Emma looked towards the ceiling, way from her husband's gaze. "If it's bad for him, it will be okay."

"How?" Felix asked as he looked towards her.

"Do you really want him to die in a hospital bed?"

Felix frowned, looking back to the ceiling as he frowned, "No, I want him here. With us."

"Us?"

Felix ignored her question and silence took them before Emma gasped. "Your birthday is coming up."

"My birthday?"

Emma turned to Felix shocked but he spoke over her as he turned to her. "You remember that?"

"Of course I do! I think that's the first date I remembered when I was younger."

Felix shook his head, "How could you not remember?" Emma exclaimed as she sat up.

"I didn't care about birthdays. Not after—"

"After what?" Emma asked but Felix turned away from her.

"Good night, Emma."

"But, Felix—"

He snapped towards her, "I said goodnight."

Emma sighed, laying back in her bed as she stared at the ceiling.

Felix frowned as he turned his back to her, birthdays hadn't been the same since he ditched Emma. He hadn't realized how much Emma was part of his life. His first birthday without her destroyed him.

He didn't wake up to Emma hiding in his closet with her famous chocolate cupcakes.

He didn't walk downstairs to her surprise breakfast.

He didn't walk into school with his locker filled with balloons and decorations. It didn't explode everywhere like it always did.

There was no after school lunch with Emma standing on the stage singing happy birthday to him.

And there was no sneaking out at midnight to swim in the lakes cold water.

Every year he realized how important Emma was to his life but he pushed it aside. He didn't need her, that's what he told himself and he moved on.

He didn't celebrate a birthday after that, nothing could top Emma's traditions. Not even a house party with the whole school. He appreciated them but he preferred Emma's embarrassing ways.

After hearing her breathing become soft, he turned to her to see her laying on her side. The lights of the town and moon lighting a soft glow across her bare skin. He sighed, pushing the pillow out of his way as he wrapped his arm around Emma's waist and kissed her bare shoulder.

Emma rolled over, laying her head on his shoulder and he lifted her left hand and sighed as he ran his hand over her wedding ring. He lifted the hand to his lips and laid a kiss on her soft skin and whispered into her hair, "I'm not going to lose you."

That night he made a promise. He promised himself that he wouldn't lose Emma to some poor Hispanic boy.