Unknown

8.

"Hey Becca." Nic said as she answered her phone. He was grateful of the fact that Paige had just taken Ellie to get food.

"Is Saraya there?" Becky asked quickly.

"No, her and Ellie left five minutes ago to get food." His voice was weak and quiet.

"Whats going on Nic?" He could hear the concern in her voice.

"It's just bronchitis Becca. I'll be fine." She shook her head as she let out a breath.

"Why didn't you go to the doctor sooner Baba?" He chuckled.

"Because I didn't think it was anything. Then when it became something I thought I'd just wait for you to come home." She shook her head even though she knew he couldn't see it.

"You know you're an idiot sometimes." He chuckled before she heard him start to cough. "I'll be home Wednesday."

"I'll be here." He said quietly. "Love you."

"Love you too Nic. Get some rest." He hummed a yes before hanging up. His phone was set down before his eyes closed. He was asleep within minutes as the antibiotics began to run through his veins. By the time the two women got back he had been asleep for nearly thirty minutes.

"So Ellie, where are you and your Daddy from?" Paige asked as the two moved to sit on the couch in the room.

"Well I was born in Ireland, Daddy's from Australia." She said quietly. "Where are you from Raya?"

"Norwich, England, Love. How old are you?" Ellie grabbed her fathers large sweatshirt before slipping it over her cold body. "Cold, Love?" She nodded. Paige slowly pulled the young girl into her before she saw the blonde curl into the warm fabric of Nic's jumper.

"I'm eight." Ellie responded as her head moved to rest along the dark haired woman's shoulder.

"You know you're very mature for an eight year old." She chuckled softly.

"It's mainly just been me and him, so I kinda have to be." Paige looked at the young girl for a moment. She could see a resemblance in the blondes face but couldn't quite put her finger on it. "Mum travels a lot."

"Sorry to hear that Love." The young girl shook her head.

"It's alright. When she's home she makes up for it." Paige nodded as her hand gently moved along Ellie's arm.

"Does your mum know that your dad's in the hospital?" She nodded.

"He said he was going to call her when we left." Ellie shifted before her head moved into Paige's lap. The dark haired woman was almost shocked at how trusting the young girl was of her. She moved a piece of blonde hair out of the young girls face before she saw her eyes close.

"Go to sleep Love. I'll wake you up if he does." Ellie nodded as she felt the older woman's hand run along her arm. She adjusted carefully before pulling the hood over her head blocking the light from her eyes. The little girls was asleep within minutes.

———

"You don't have to stay here Saraya." Nic commented as the darker haired woman crossed her arms. They had just returned from the hospital and she had refused to leave.

"I'm on strict orders by Becky to stay here until she gets here Wednesday. I'm sorry that we don't know each other very well but you're just going to have to deal with it and get to know me. Plus I don't need to hear that your daughter starved because you're on bed rest and can't move." He rolled his eyes.

"She knows how to order delivery and I can still walk." She flicked him in the ear.

"Shut the fuck up. I'm not going anywhere because if I do she'll kill us both." He groaned before he flopped back into the couch cushions. "But since I know how to order takeaway. What do you both want for dinner?" Ellie curled into her father before looking up at him.

"Whatever you want Love. I'm not that hungry." Both women eyed him.

"You're eating something Da." When his eyes met Ellie's she immediately stopped pushing him.

"At least let us order something for you." Paige said quietly before he slowly nodded. "See now was that so hard?" He rolled his eyes before he felt the blondes head move to rest along his chest. His arms almost immediately wound around the young girl. "So what do you want Love?"

"Could we get ramen?" Nic chuckled at his daughters request. Becky had introduced the eight year old to the dish and ever since she was hooked.

"You alright with that?" Paige asked him before he chuckled and nodded.

"That's fine by me. Actually sounds kinda good." Ellie looked up at him curiously. It was the first time in months that he had actually wanted to eat. "What?" He asked before she poked his cheek.

"Just making sure it was still you there." He chuckled softly before his lips met the top of her head.

"Still me. Just have a cold El." She rolled her eyes before her head moved back to along her chest as the three ordered takeaway.

"So Nic." His eyes met Paige's.

"Yes?" He felt Ellie's body shift in his arms before she buried into him. "Before you presumably ask me your question could you hand me one of those blankets behind you."

"Of course Love." The darker haired woman grabbed the blanket before handing it to Nic who draped it across the blonde. "Soo..." His eyes flicked to hers once more. "How did you and Becky meet?"

"Oof you go right for the saucy stuff don't you?" She started to laugh as she nodded. "We met when she first started wrestling. Fergal told me about how there was this girl that had just started wrestling in his school and he needed help because he had no idea how to train a girl." Ellie looked up at her father. She had heard the story before from her mother but never from him.

"Was she that bad when she started off? I mean I've heard stories but never from someone that actually saw it." He started to laugh as he nodded.

"She was absolutely horrendous but she's never stopped learning since then."