Hate...to want you [a Damian Priest story]

22 Mi roca

Damian POV

By now it had been well over a month since the incident with Prue's stepmother and the rumors it had caused. Despite Prue's immediate statement, the speculations did not die down right away. Slowly but surely it was getting quieter now. Thank God.

It wasn't pleasant, but we didn't let all the negative talk drag us down. If anything, it bonded us even closer together. Demonstratively we showed ourselves together in public and shared one or the other photo of us to prove how wrong everyone was.

Also, the situation with the twins' father was slowly getting better. A few days after the incident, everyone met at a neutral place to talk about everything. I wasn't there, it was just the three of them... but I knew from Prue that many, many tears had flowed on all sides.

Steven had told his daughters everything... how hurt and depressed he was after the death of his wife and how Tiffany, who was his assistant, worked her way into his head and into his life. Apparently she said all the right words and quickly he believed the best way to come to terms with death was to banish all memories and just move on.

Felicity and Prudence were apparently such a thorn in the woman's side that she deliberately turned them all against each other. With lies and fake messages. The full agenda. As it turned out, she was the one who eventually took care of the finances. Steven said that he was too numb and at the same time too angry to take care of such trivial things. So she managed to transfer the money that was actually for the support and education of the two to her bank accounts.

She had even taken the trouble to create names that were similar to those of the schools, so that her husband would only have noticed if he had looked into it really hard. And so all these years he thought that his children had the money and were being bratty and defiant towards him because he had a new woman in his life.

It was just sick. This woman had willingly driven apart a family, a grieving family. And for what? Money... Control... Maybe even for pleasure. But she had made the calculation without her husband. Because in the end, her greed and the slipping of her mask cost her everything. 

The lawyers were able to uncover everything she had done over the past nearly 20 years. And now Steven was suing his soon to be ex-wife for a lot of different reasons. Among them was a charge from Prue for assault.

It was hard for me to see how much Prue was suffering during all of this. She was struggling more than she wanted to admit, but I knew it. I knew it from the moment I heard her crying at night because she thought I was asleep. I would pull her tightly into my arms hoping she would calm down. Almost always it worked. But there were so many other little things.

"Is this really a good idea?" Prue asked me quietly as we were on our way from the airport to her father's house in Connecticut. 

Today everyone wanted to meet there to talk to the family's lawyer. It was going to be a long day, so I wanted to be close to her. I probably couldn't help much... but I hoped that my presence would do her some good. And Felicity's husband Lamar was coming too, so everyone could spend time together.

He was a good guy and I liked him a lot. We got along well even though at first glance we had very little in common. It was especially funny when the twins shared thoughts or one knew something without the other telling her. Twin magic as they called it.

"You can do this, baby girl.... It's only one night and things are already much better between you, aren't they? That's a good thing." I replied and then reached for her hand.

"I know, I know... I just have a weird feeling in my stomach...like something's going on." she said, looking out the window as she clasped our hands with the other.

"Whatever it is... You know I'm there. You just have to say a word and I'll be by your side." I promised her.

"I know that and I am very grateful to you for that, mi roca." replied Prue.

"Oh we're speaking Spanish now?" I asked, surprised.

"Don't get too excited.... Just a few words I looked up." she laughed.

It was good to hear her laugh.... It had been rare lately.

"You're doing fine, mi vida.... You'll learn quickly." I replied.

"Mi vida, huh?" she asked, and I could hear in her voice that she liked it.

The drive didn't take much longer. As I drove up the driveway we saw that Feli and her husband had also just arrived. Lamar took the suitcases out of the trunk as Felicity was already running towards her sister.

Prue wrapped her in her arms and then looked at her closely.

"What is it?" asked Felicity.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" asked Prue.

"Yes!" cheered Feli before they both started bouncing and screaming like crazy.

"Twin magic strikes again." Lamar laughed.

"Looks like it. Congratulations, you guys." I replied and hugged him before we went over to the women and hugged them too.

"How far along are you?" then asked Prue.

"Oh only 3 or 4 weeks. We've known for a few days. It's still a little early so we're still telling dad but no one else, okay?" her sister replied.

*****

As expected, it was a long day. So I thought maybe Prue would sleep a little better tonight. But I guess I was wrong. It was already approaching midnight and she still wasn't coming upstairs to bed.

Therefore, I made my way downstairs to see where she was. It didn't take long until I found her.

Prue sat in front of the flickering fireplace. Her knees were pulled up and her arms rested on them. She stared into the flames oblivious to anything else around her.

"Hey baby girl... You okay?" I asked as I sat down next to her.

"Yeah... I just needed a few minutes alone. Today was a lot." she replied, giving me a small smile.

"What's really bothering you?" I wanted to know.

"It's nothing big... But you know... I just feel this little twinge deep inside me. I'm really super happy for them and I can't wait to be an auntie. After all, they've been trying for a long time.... But a little part of me is sad.... Jealous even... because I know that's something I'll never have." she replied softly, almost in a whisper.

"You don't know that, mi vida..." I said, wrapping my arms around her.

She laid her head against my shoulder and sighed deeply. Then I heard a little sniffle.

"But I know... I've always kind of known. And if it didn't happen then after over a year, even though we were both supposed to be healthy in that regard, then I'm not meant to have it." she explained to me.

"Hey... baby girl... I know I can't promise you anything, but I think your feeling is wrong. Because I for one know for a fact that you will have it. The universe knew what it was doing. I'm not saying everything happens for a reason, but some things do. I don't think he was your match. It can be that simple," I replied.

"Always so positive..." she chuckled softly.

"You better believe it. Now, come on. You should be asleep. And I need you to be my perfect cuddle pillow." I replied before getting up and then helping her to her feet as well.

I was about to go upstairs when she stopped me. Carefully she took my face in her hands and looked at me. Then she stood on her tiptoes to give me a long, loving kiss. After that, she held me in place while she looked at me closely.

"What was that for?" I asked softly.

"For being you, mi roca." she said just as softly.