A Touch Of Sebastian (Complete)

FIVE: Clothes And All

She woke up in the guest room, Ivy was tucked in. "What in the hell?" Did she smell bacon? She couldn't be more confused. She got up and walked to the kitchen. Sebastian was there ...cooking? "What are you doing here?"

Sebastian smiled. "Hungry?" He turned and looked at Ivy. He knew she had a bad day, a week. "I missed my flight." He shrugged.

"Uh..." Ivy sat. She felt like shit.

"Coffee." Sebastian sat down a mug of hot, fresh coffee. He smiled as Ivy sighed and took a sip. "I came in and you were sleeping on the floor. In the dining room. So, I put you in the guest room."

"Okay?" Ivy sighed and took a sip.

"I borrowed your computer to book a flight on Monday." Sebastian smiled again.

"Okay?" She didn't know what to say. "What time is it?" She wasn't sure what day it was either.

"Three in the afternoon and it's Friday." He turned the bacon.

Ivy nodded.

Sebastian chuckled. He was glad he decided to stay an extra couple of days. She was a mess. "I saw some...I noticed ...are you moving?"

Ivy groaned. "Yes! Please, don't offer to help. I can't afford this house on my income and no, Sebastian, I don't want a hand out. I'm fine. We are fine. These things happen."

"I have my shop. I make good money but not for this house. We have to move and I found a place that Cooper is excited about. It's closer to his friend's house. They will be neighbors. I think it will be good but it's a two bedroom. I have to get rid of a lot!" She looked around and could feel the panic.

She saw Sebastian thinking. She found herself yelling at him. "You are not helping. I am not involving you. You have your life and I have to live mine. You are not responsible for me. You really aren't." She was starting to feel panic settle in. Even slow breaths didn't help.

"We will survive. I promise." That part was more for her. She was trying to convince herself that she would survive. She wouldn't just die. It was a shame, really.

She was sure that dying would be easier. "Get on that plane Monday and forget about me and my problems. I'm not your family anymore, Sebastian. It's fine." Ivy was going to break down again.

She stormed to her room and climbed in the shower with her clothes on. She had been wearing them for a couple of days anyway. They needed to be washed too.

She cried in the shower while the warm water slid over her almost like a blanket. She was losing her mind. She let herself cry again, the way she really wanted to until she couldn't breathe.

Sebastian stared. He wanted to be her family still. He didn't want to lose everything. He would find a sneakier way of helping her out. He was staying the weekend though. He turned off the stove, dinner could wait. He was going to yell at this stubborn woman.

He stormed into her room to yell at her but heard her crying in the bathroom. The door was opened. "Ivy." He was worried.

"What?" She was still dressed in the shower.

Sebastian walked in and stared at her and took a breath. "I loved my brother and I miss him too." He watched her. That wasn't a lie. He did miss Damien so much his heart actually ached.

He was the only constant that Sebastian had growing up. It was him and Damien. They didn't have a lot in common but they did love each other and he told Damien everything. "I loved him!"

Ivy stared some more. "I know that. I know. He loved you too. I know that Sebastian. I just don't want your pity and I don't want you to help out of some weird guilt thing or obligations. You have a life. I can take care of myself. I really can." She wiped her face and pushed her hair back.

"Then why are you in the shower with your clothes on, Ivy?" He challenged her.

"Because I...they were dirty too!" Ivy glared. "Shut up!"

Sebastian nodded and wiped a tear of his own. "What are you going to do?" He sounded helpless. He couldn't help her and he knew she was right but she couldn't continue like this.

Ivy wiped her face. "I don't know."

Sebastian opened the shower door and climbed in with her. Ivy gave in and melted into Sebastian. He held her and they both cried. In the shower. Clothes and all.

Thanks for reading and smack that cute star right in the face.