We Are Family

Chapter Eighteen: Seeking Help

Gerard sighed as he watched his girlfriend sleep beside him in bed, her words still ringing in his ears about her parents coming back to Barcelona and what they wanted from her.

Hailey made a small noise in her sleep as she rolled over and closer to Gerard, she cuddled into his side making the footballer smile as he wrap his arm around her and held her close.

Gerard couldn’t risk losing Hailey to her parents again, it had caused so much damage the last time that they had taken her from him; they had stolen moments from Garrett and Kaitlyn’s childhood from him.

Gerard pressed a kiss to the top of Hailey’s head, he smiled softly as he carefully moved out of bed making sure that he didn’t wake his girlfriend who was sleeping soundly.

Gerard collected his mobile and took a shaky breath as he walked out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him; he didn’t want to wake Hailey unless it was necessary.

“Padre… it’s me,” Gerard murmured as his father answered the call, he headed downstairs knowing that he needed to ask for some advice.

Gerard moved towards the kitchen as he ran a hand through his hair, he knew that it was very late at night but he didn’t know who else to turn to about Natasha’s threat.

“Hailey’s parents are in Barcelona, they want to take her and the children from me again,” Gerard said as he explained the situation to his father, Joan Piqué would know what to do about this situation; he was a lawyer and he would know how to drive Harold and Natasha Álvarez away.

Gerard sat himself down on the couch in the far corner, he closed his eyes wishing that he knew what was going to happen and how to protect his family.

***

Hailey blinked confused as she woke up, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before reaching for Gerard to cuddle into him; however her hand hit an empty cold space where her boyfriend should have been.

Hailey sat up confused as she looked around the dark room as she tried to work out where her boyfriend of eight weeks had gone; she ran a hand through her hair before she climbed out of bed.

Hailey sighed as she shivered a little from the cold, she was only wearing a black boudoir lace trim teddy and it didn’t do much to keep her warm.

Hailey moved to collect her black lace detail satin robe, she pulled it on as she walked out of the bedroom in search of her boyfriend.

Hailey gave a quick check in on the twins before she headed downstairs, she knew that yesterday had really shaken her; she hadn’t been expecting to see her parents again.

“Geri?” Hailey called softly as she padded down stairs and headed for the kitchen, she knew that if Gerard would be anywhere it would be there.

Hailey frowned as she stepped into the kitchen to find Gerard coming off his mobile, she felt worry bubble inside of her as she brushed some hair from her face.

“Gerard?” the blonde breathed as her boyfriend closed his eyes, she really didn’t like this and she knew that what she had told him would be plaguing his mind right now.

Hailey hoped that she had done the right thing by telling him about what had happened, the blonde didn’t want to keep secrets from Gerard; she was determined to be honest with him.

“You should be sleeping,” Gerard murmured as he set his phone on the table, he opened his blue eyes to stare ahead of him knowing that his father’s words hadn’t been easy to hear.

“So should you,” Hailey replied as she walked over to her boyfriend, she carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against his; she felt him sigh as he relaxed into her touch.

Gerard moved to take Hailey’s hands, his mind focused on what his father had told him; there were very few options that they had to drive Hailey’s parents away and to protect his family.

“Geri, is everything okay?” Hailey asked as she moved to stand in front of him, she knew that there was something on his mind and she hated that he was keeping quiet.

Gerard looked at his girlfriend for a moment before he took her hand and tugged her onto his lap, he was only wearing a set of sweatpants and he could feel how chilly it was right now.

“I’m not going to lose you Hails,” Gerard said with a shake of his head, he held Hailey close to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The couple knew that her parents weren’t going to give up without a fight, they were determined to control her in any way possible.

Hailey blinked as she watched Gerard concerned, she didn’t want him doing anything stupid that would get him into trouble.

Hailey knew what her parents were capable off and it worried her that they were going to be hanging around while she was pregnant.

“I am going to do whatever it takes to keep my family safe,” Gerard said as his father’s options played on his mind, there was one that stood out and he knew that while they had only been back together for eight weeks that it was their only option.

***

Hailey watched her boyfriend concerned as they prepared to climb back into bed, she couldn’t shake the bad feeling that he was going to do something drastic.

Hailey had seen how serious his expression had been and she knew that whatever his father had told him over the phone had stuck in his mind.

“Marry me?” Gerard said as he looked at his girlfriend as she came to a complete stop, she turned to look at him wondering if she had heard him right.

Gerard moved towards his girlfriend knowing that this wasn’t how he had ever wanted to pop this question but he was determined to protect their family and they had to act now.

“Excuse me?” Hailey asked as she stared at her boyfriend, she stepped back away from him as she tried to wrap her head around the fact that he had just asked her to marry him.

Gerard sighed as he stopped and watched the blonde for a moment, his blue eyes taking in the confusion that was splashed across her face; he knew that this wasn’t easy but he couldn’t lose her.

“The only way to keep your parents away is for you to elope with me,” Gerard said as he moved closer, he took her hand knowing that he had wanted to call her his wife for a long time now and driving her parents away wasn’t the only reason.

Hailey opened and closed her mouth as she tried to wrap her head around what he had said, she could see the passion in his eyes and this wasn’t just a reaction to her parents trying to take her from him.

“I love you so much Hailey, por favor become my wife,” Gerard said as he drew Hailey to him, he knew that this wasn’t the easiest thing that he had asked but he couldn’t stand the idea of losing her.

Hailey blinked as she tried to make sense of everything that was happening, she really hadn’t been expecting anything like this to happen; they had only just found out that they were having a baby.

“Yes,” Hailey whispered as she looked at him, she knew that she would probably come to regret agreeing to this; they had come so far and now they seemed to be rushing into the next stage of their relationship.