Forever and Always

Chapter 18

She spotted him the minute she got off the plane in Flordia. They smiled at each other as they walked toward each other. He didn't say a word, just grabbed her and pressed his lips to hers. Her hands gripped his arms as she got lost in his kiss, everything that happened, everything she found out, seeming so far away from her now.

He lifted his head and looked at her, so happy to be with her again. He knew that whatever made her run to him now, was huge but they could handle it. He took her hand and her bag, leading her to the car. They didn't say a word to each other, he got in next to her and just held her hand tightly all the way to the hotel.

He had secretly been a nervous wreck since she told him she needed to see him. Afraid that she had all she could take with the situation with Matt and that she was done. He knew his whole world would fall apart again if he lost her. He had a to find a way to talk her into staying with him and he thought he had the perfect answer.

"This is us." He paid the cab driver and they got out, her following behind him on the way to the room. He opened the door and let her in first, walking behind her and closing the door behind them. Ally turned and looked at him, trying to find words to explain to him what was going on.

"I missed you so much, baby." He walked to her, cradling her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. She smiled and laid her hands on his arms and closed her eyes as he kissed her again.

"I missed you too. I need to talk to you though." She stepped back out of his reach and sat on the bed. "I told you the other night that I meant Amber when Michele and I went to dinner." He nodded and sat in the chair across from her so he could look at her.

"Yeah, I remember. What has she got to do with anything?" She ran a hand through her hair.

"She's pregnant, Ronnie, and she's claiming that the baby is yours." His mouth dropped open in disbelief. "I couldn't tell you on the phone, I had to be here. I didn't want you find out from someone else."

"Ally, there's no way that baby is mine. We slept together a couple times but..... there has to be some mistake." He got up and paced the room. This was huge, no wonder she needed to come here.

"She's convinced it's your. She wants you back, Ronnie. She told me she wants to be with you." She looked down at her hands, feeling her heart trying to beat out of her chest.

He walked to her and knelt down in front of her. "Hey." He lifted her face up so he could look at her. "I'm not going anywhere. I don't want her, I want you, baby. If I wanted her I would still be with her. As for the baby, we'll have to wait till we can get a test done." He tried to kiss her again, but she turned her head, his lips landing on her cheek. "Ally." She got up and walked to the window, looking out she shook her head.

"And what's going to happen when you find out it's yours? I know you, especially now, you're going to want to be a part of everything. Where will that leave Joey and I? How do we measure up to a new baby?"

He grabbed her arm and roughly turned her around. "Look.... If it is mine, and that's a really big if, I'm staying right here with you. Yes, I'll want to know the baby if it's mine, but there is no comparison to you and Joey. You two are my life, I would give up everything, right now, if that's what you wanted or needed me to do. Don't you know by now, that I can't live without you? I'm so in love with you, Ally." He pulled her to him, holding her close to him.

"I love you, too." She said with her head buried into his chest, holding onto him tightly. She pulled away and looked at him. "It'll be different though, you're time split between Joey and this baby and with your work, we'll barely see you. Hell, when you're getting ready for a tour we barely see you then. I just don't know how this will work. I have a feeling the only way you're going to this baby, is if you're around her." She moved out of his reach.

"Ally, what are you saying?" She felt the tears in her eyes, the way he was looking at her breaking her heart.

"Maybe it's best if Joey and I move out until you get this figured out." He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair. She could see his jaw clench and knew he was pissed.

"You can't be serious, Ally. It's not like I cheated on you and got her pregnant. Baby, we don't even know if it's mine!"

"I know that, Ronnie, but I can't stay here and watch our family be ripped apart either." She wiped the tears away, turning her face away from him when he tried to touch her.

"Baby, please. Please don't do this. Please." She looked at him, him begging her, shattering her heart. She walked around him and reached for her bag. She couldn't stay here and not be with him. He moved in front of her, blocking her path to the door. "Ally, I love you. Please don't go!"

"I love you too. When you get it figured out, let me know. Joey and I will be at Matt's." She tried to pass him but he grabbed her in his arms.

"Ally, you can't take my son from me. You just can't. I just got both of you back, I'll go crazy without you." He didn't give her a chance to reply, he crashed his lips down on hers, kissing her urgently, his hands running over every inch of her body he could reach. She kissed him back, her hands working their way into his hair. She knew this would be the last kiss for a while and she needed it just as much as he did.

She moved her hands to his chest and pushed him away from her. He looked at her, searching her eyes. "I need to go." He knew there was no stopping her, knew that in order to get her back, he'd have to let her go.

His arms dropped to his side and he looked away from her, not being able to watch as she grabbed her bag and walked to the door. She looked back at him one last time, hating herself for doing what she was doing. But knowing that he had to work this out with Amber before they could have a future together. "I love you." She opened the door and walked through it, not looking back.

She heard the sound of something crashing to the floor and walked faster, the tears spilling over, running down her cheeks. She didn't know if she was making the right decision but it was too late. She walked outside and waited for a cab, calling the airline and booking a flight back home. All she wanted was to run back to him and tell him she was a fool and scared that he would leave her again, just like everyone said he would.

She walked to the cab as it pulled up along the sidewalk, she opened the door and looked back one last time at the hotel. Her heart aching at who she was leaving behind, not knowing if they would ever be together again. She wiped the tears away as she climbed in and shut the door.

"ALLY!" Her head snapped up as she heard Ronnie screaming her name. He tried reaching her before the cab drove away, but just as he reached her, the cab pulled away. "Ally, please!" She shook her head and watched him as they drove faster, leaving him there shouting her name.