Soulmates

Chapter 33-Sleepover and pickups

Based on 4x09 "52 Pickup." 

Trigger Warning: Disembowelment and later on in the chapter instances of Misogyny, also a depiction of an anxiety attack. 

It was night time, and Emily and Ryan had dinner with Tyler and Emma. Ryan had just finished putting Emma to bed. He went to go check on Tyler, once he opened his door, he saw that the six year old was wide awake. "Hey bud, why are you still awake?" He asked. "I can't sleep." Tyler responded. 

"You can't sleep?" Ryan asked. He came into the room and sat on the edge of Tyler's bed. "Why not?" He asked further. Tyler didn't say anything for a few moments. "I want Emily to come in and say goodnight. Ryan sighed, "Emily has to go home bud, but I'll ask her, okay?" He suggested. Tyler nodded. 

Ryan went out of Tyler's room,  closing the doors. down the stairs to see Emily in the living room, sitting on the couch with a book in her hand. Ryan approached her, "Tyler has asked for you to say goodnight." He informed. "Sorry." Emily gave him a look and put her book down on the coffee table. 

She stood up, "You know we could've avoided this if-" Ryan interrupted her. "If I had let you do bedtime duty instead of insisted I do it myself." Ryan had insisted that he do bedtime himself, instead of having Emily do it with him. As much as he loved it when Emily helped put the kids to bed, it was becoming too normal. Ryan was starting to feel like he was relying too much on Emily to help out. It didn't help also that was craving her presence more often than not. It seemed like as the days went by it became harder and harder to block. It gave Ryan's stomach butterflies and made his head feel like something was pounding on it. 

Emily nodded, "Correct." She said. "Emily as much as I love your help, it's not your job and I feel bad." Emily had an amused look on her face. She tapped Ryan's cheek with her fingers, "Ryan, you're cute, but sometimes you are dumb as a brick. I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to." She said.

Ryan didn't say anything as he watched her walk up the stairs. He sighed and went to do the dishes. All the while his mind going through the motions. Thinking about his and Emily's relationship and the kids attachment to her. To tell the truth his mind also went back to that night in Vegas. He and Emily still hadn't talked about it. Ryan questioned if they ever would. 

As far as he was concerned, it was a drunk mistake and it wouldn't have happened under normal circumstances. At least, that's what part of him was saying. Another part was telling him it was only a matter of time until something like it happened. Ryan ignored that part. 

After he finished the dishes, he got himself a glass of water and went to the bathroom to get a bottle of ibuprofen. He really did have a headache and took a pill. Afterwards he layed on the couch and closed his eyes temporarily. He was semi-prone when ten minutes after entering Tyler's room, Emily came back down and found him that way. 

"He's asleep." She whispered. Ryan half-opened his eyes, "Thanks. Why was he having trouble?" He asked. "He was worried about going to his friend's Richard's birthday party tomorrow." Emily informed as she sat herself down on the couch. Ryan's eyes fully opened, 'What?" He asked in confusion. 

"It's at Bowlero Arlington, remember?" Emily asked "He's worried because he doesn't know how to bowl" She added. Ryan sat up, he had completely forgotten, but that's not what upset him. What upset him was not realizing that his son, his child was upset. "Why didn't he say anything to me?" He asked. 

Emily shrugged,  "He's six, he was probably working towards it but ran out of time." She said. Seeing the look on Ryan's face Emily tried to reassure him. "Don't worry about it. I told him that nobody would care if he didn't know how to bowl. His job is to have fun tomorrow and nothing else or less."