Meeting Daddy

[lance warren wright]

Lance shook his head lightly as he looked disappointed, "You know the reason i'm here is sleeping right now and I don't know when he'll wake up and it's obvious you don't want to talk...." he said pushing himself up regretfully. He had just told Kenn he had really missed her. He still cared for her and sure she said it back but it was as if it was forced and he didn't want her to feel obligated to talk to him or anything like that. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at his son on the ground. He walked over to him and knelt down gently planting a kiss on his forehead before whispering a quiet, "I love you." Before getting up and looking over at Kennedy one more time.

He finally understood what it was like to be a parent. To love your child unconditionally. He had spent like five minutes with his son while he was awake and could already easily say he loved him. He sighed under his breath as he took his eyes off Kenn and started to slowly walk towards the door. She hadn't said anything yet and that disappointed him even more. He had been hoping for some kind of argument or some words not just a silent departure on his part.

[stephanie michelle davis]

She let him get all the way to the door, and watched as he opened it and walked out. She'd stayed silent up until this time, and jumped up as she heard his feet walking down the steps. "Wait, you don't have to go," she exclaimed as she got to the door and saw him standing there on the pavement of her driveway. "I mean, I would like it if you'd stay a little while longer." she hadn't a clue where this sudden burst of confidence had came into play, but surely it had something to do with the way he'd said good bye to his, well their, son.

"I know Ryan is asleep, but i'm sure we could still catch up..." she started to speak as she took a step outside to meet him at the bottom step. "Please, don't leave again Lance like this...without a conversation or anything." she whispered as she walked over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. Her lips, so soft, pushed away from him and she'd went right back to chewing nervously on her lip.

[lance warren wright]

Lance turned around slowly as he finally heard Kennedy's footsteps behind him. He looked up at her as she spoke to him. She was a little bit taller than him as she was on the step above him. He felt a small smile come to his lips as he felt her kiss against his cheek. He didn't know what to say for a moment so he cleared his throat and shifted his weight for a few moments before saying, "I don't Kenn I mean you just don't seem like you want me here. I know I made things awkward back there and i'm sorry but I just wanted to know if you felt the same." He said simply looking up at her wondering what her reaction to his words would be.

[stephanie michelle davis]

Had she felt the same? "This isn't the conversation for outside. Anybody walking by can hear, and I just think it's better if we talk in private." Plus the boy had been left sleeping on the floor, so she didn't want to leave his side for too long. She walked back into the house and waited for him to follow her, and once he was through the door she shut it behind the two of them. She walked back into the living room, where he had spoke the words just earlier that had frightened her, and sat down on the couch.

"The thing is, I just don't know what to feel right now. Since i'd left things had seemed to be clear to me, but now that i'm back and facing..." well she didn't have to say it, he knew that she was talking about the feelings they'd had together before Ryan was born. "I mean I haven't seen Rodney since...well for a while, so i'm pretty sure that man hates me." she sighed as she looked over at Lance. He'd always been there for Kennedy, more than she thought he would be, and that sent a surge or gratefullness through her body. She was glad Lance was back around in her life, and yeah she did have undisclosed feelings for him, but she wasn't sure exactly what they were just yet. Was she in love with this man for giving her the most precious gift in the world, or was it not love but just something that was indescribable.

"Seeing you here now just brings me back to before. When you and I were having the time of our lives behind locked doors, but it also brings back all the memories of when it'd came out to the public that I was pregnant. I don't know if I cried more knowing that i'd let Rodney down, or that something so great could cause such destruction." She didn't quite know if the man she was talking to would understand all of this, but it was exactly how she had felt at the time.

[lance warren wright]

Lance followed her back in slowly and quietly. It didn't feel right to say anything. This was Kennedy's time to speak and tell him what she was feeling. He was going to sit there and listen to every word as if his life depended on it. He walked into the living room and took a seat next to her but kept to himself as he placed his hands together and in his lap. As Kennedy talked he kept his eyes on his hands afraid of causing awkward tension if they made eye contact. He didn't want to ruin anything. He was going to keep to himself and hold his emotion back. He would let Kennedy make the move now. It was all in her hands and she had the decisions to make because no matter what he did he seemed to ruin it somehow.

As she talked about Rodney Lance felt a surge of jealousy run through his body. He tightened the grip on his own hands and clenched his jaw a bit. The 'other' guy that had caused problems on her end that had had her heart and Lance had only wanted what he couldn't have but now he had fallen for the girl and that guy just sent him into a jealous rage. He wondered though if Kennedy felt the same way when Rachel was mentioned (just on a lesser scale) or if she had just been fooling around with Lance to fool around. He really wanted to know this, he wanted to know if Kenn did have potential feelings of love for him or just like him. He didn't want to know that he had just been a one time thing and it would never happen again.

"I'm sorry Kennedy I know that with us being together when we were wasn't the right thing. I'm sorry for pushing us into that. I just feel like I let you down in a different way." He said finally letting the truth slip. He did feel like he had ruined Kennedy's life. If she had had a baby with Rodney it would have been so much easier. She could live her life happily and the baby's daddy would have been there from day one. Though since it had been Lance the guy she had been fooling around with, it was an entirely different story. He felt responsible for the whole thing even though Ryan coming into this world was an amazing thing and could never be seen as a mistake. He only feared that the he had been the mistake, Lance himself.

[stephanie michelle davis]

"You didn't push," she replied slowly as she looked over at him and caught his eye for only a minute. "At least-" she stopped trying to find the courage to say the rest of it. "You weren't the only one pushing. I guess I was pushing too, but the whole thing just came out of nowhere, and I have no idea what had happened before any of it...but I don't think of it as a mistake at all." she shook her head making sure that he'd known that. She didn't want him to think that he was just a one time deal, and that she was just playing with his emotions back then. She may have been a cheerleader, and that is very characteristic of one, but that wasn't how it had gone down at all.

"Maybe there was something there...something that Rodney and Rachel weren't giving us that we needed..." she had no idea how it all had happened, but still wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world. The love word had been thought of, maybe even mentioned, before between the two of them, but right about now she wasn't entirely sure if it were love. Like mentioned before she wasn't entirely sure what she was feeling, but mostly because all these emotions came flooding back into her when she'd seen him for the first time when she'd opened the door. "I just don't want you to think that this was all your fault...because in fact we both played a pretty big part in it."

[lance warren wright]

Lance nodded as he finally found his own courage to look up at her and catch her eyes. His heart skipped a be and a small smile came to his lips. His smile slipped though as these words began to form, "God why does this have to be so damn confusing." He said shaking his head as he went back to looking down at his lap. He didn't know what he was feeling. He had fallen for two girls and didn't know what to do. He knew this was why he had gotten away from Pleasant for a few days. He had felt relieved that he didn't have to think about any of this but now that it was back....he felt stressed again.

"Kenn i'm gonna be here for you like I always have been or tried to be." He said quietly as he looked up at her and took one of her hands in his. He stroked it gently as he continued, "I want you to be able to depend on me at any time. I'm not gonna let you do this alone and I know you probably don't want that." He said continuing in a hushed tone as he kept his hands on hers. He couldn't help but feel his stomach flop as he felt her soft skin and her touch against his hands. These were the emotions that had driven him towards her back in high school. The things that made him crazy about her. As he thought about this he found a small smile forming on his lips.

[stephanie michelle davis]

"I would like that. Ryan needs his father in his life. I am not going to push you away." she whispered as she looked down at Ryan and couldn't help but smile. The boy had looked so much like Lance, with just a hint of Kennedy here and there with his features, and to be honest he was an absolute gorgeous little boy.

She sighed a bit returning her attention back to the man that was next to her. "We should probably go and put him to bed, doesn't look like he's going to be waking up anytime soon." It felt good to say we instead of I, but still it took some getting used to in order to say the word. This is what she'd wanted, Lance to not be mad that she'd run off, and to want to be in the boys life.

"Mom would be so proud of me," she whispered as she stood up and walked over towards her boy. Her mother had died when she was a senior, but to see that she had a gorgeous son and a man willing to be in the childs life would have meant the world to her. "Thank you for everything Lance, I can't say that enough."

[lance warren wright]

Lance nodded as she suggested to get their son t bed. He slowly got up and helped Kennedy up just to be kind. He gave her a slight smile, "Alright." He said quietly as to not disturb his son. He looked down at him with loving eyes. He could see so much of himself in his son and felt so much pride swell up inside of him. He definitely did not regret anything that happened between him and Kennedy because it had been amazing and he wouldn't have traded it for the world because of it he got his amazing little boy that was sleeping peacefully on the floor. He let Kennedy pick up Ryan seeing as how he felt weird to do it since he had just showed up to her door meeting his boy for the first time.

As Kenn thanked him again he just silently nodded. He didn't feel like he should be thanked. He was doing what he knew should be done. He wasn't the guy to just up and leave his problems behind. He held himself accountable and took care of his things. Though he couldn't call his son a problem because he wasn't that at all he was a blessing in all ways. He was bringing Kennedy and himself back together which Lance was secretly happy about but wasn't going to bring it up just yet. He wanted to see if their chemistry would start to flow again and they would see how much they needed to be together again. He would have to end his relationship with Rachel though if he was to get back with Kennedy. He would not hurt her as badly again. He knew though that if he went back to Kennedy he would hurt Rachel either way.

Lance's heart was definitely torn but he felt a bit stronger for the mother of his child. Lance walked beside Kennedy as they walked Ryan to his room. He placed his hand on the small of her backside as they walked up the stairs. He hoped it wouldn't make Kenn feel awkward but he just wanted to keep close to her and let her know he was there for her. He hoped they would get to talk a lot more once Ryan was put to bed.

[stephanie michelle davis]

She smiled a bit and mumbled a thanks after he'd helped her up. After Kenn had picked him up he stirred in her arms, but buried himself in her shoulder and kept sleeping. He made cute little grunts as he made himself more comfortable, and Kennedy just couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Ryan had the cutest little voice for a little boy. She still felt very weird that her and Lance were standing in the same place...at the same time...with their child. She honestly didn't think Lance would be this cool with it, but it sort of made her feel better knowing he was.

As Kennedy felt the boys hand on the small of her back she flinched just a bit, but only because of the fact that there hadn't been somebody there to touch her in the slightest for the longest time. It was as if she'd fallen off the globe, was living in some alternate universe, but only because she had no friends anymore. Her stomach got a bit tight for a second as one single butterfly fluttered. She happened to have a small smile form across her lips as they finally were up the stairs and turned down the hall.

When they got into the boys bedroom she stood there for a moment just to let Lance look all around. Kennedy had decked the nursery's theme out to be nothing but basketball all around. She loved the fact that he had a father who was so good at the game, and hoped that when Ryan was old enough he too would love the game. She walked over to the crib and leaned the boy over not wanting to wake him up, and slowly put him laying down. He stirred and popped an eye open, but soon drifted off back into a deep sleep. "Good night angel," Kennedy whispered as she leaned as far over as she could to give him a kiss on the lips.

"How do you like it?" she whispered to Lance as she stood back up and watched Ryan roll over to his side. "Thought he should have at least some part of his daddy with him..."

[lance warren wright]

Lance smiled as she seemed to have no problem with him touching her. He couldn't help but feel guilty though as he felt his stomach do a few flip flops. He didn't want to hurt Rachel again but he couldn't fight these feelings he had for Kennedy. He would definitely have to end his relationship with Rachel if his relationship with Kennedy fired up again. Part of it was because he wanted to have a fully functioning family for his kid and the other part was because he still felt for Kennedy. As they reached the top of the stairs his hands went back into his pockets as they walked to Ryan's room. When they walked in Lance was so shocked he just stopped in place as Kennedy went to put Ryan down. His jaw dropped but slowly closed with a smile to replace his shock.

He looked around at all the basketballs and a few posters of Michael Jordan and other outstanding players. He couldn't believe Kennedy had done this and couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He wanted to pull her into a hug and just hold her he was so happy. The fact that she had wanted to influence basketball for their son as he grew up was something that made him feel so good inside. As she finally turned to look at him he was still grinning as he looked around shifting from side to side. "Wow...," was all he could get out at the moment for he was still getting over the shock.

"This is awesome." He finally said with a smirk as he eyes returned to Kennedy. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her slowly pulling her close letting her head rest on his chest as he took a look around again. "Thanks," he said softly to her as he kissed the top of her head gently. "You have no idea how amazing this is and you are and our son is." He stopped for a minute cause he found himself mumbling. "I'm just really happy right now." He said finally stating his point. He slowly took his arms away from her and stepped back thinking she might be a bit uncomfortable.

[stephanie michelle davis]

Uncomfortable was an understatement to say the least. She gave him somewhat of a hug back, but couldn't help but have her arms go limp when he was talking into her ear. When he'd said their son it sort of made her push away a little bit. It was their son, there was no denying that, but the fact still remained that he was not in the boys life for quite some time. It wasn't entirely his fault, Kennedy had a bit to play in it, so she wasn't going to accuse him of anything like that.

"Basketball was the reason that boy is laying there," she whispered a bit as she walked out of the room wanting Lance to follow so they could talk and not wake the baby up. "I mean if I weren't a cheerleader, and you weren't a basketball player, and we didn't have to go to that conference together...well little Ryan would still just be a dream." She knew there was a lot more to it than that, but she was afraid to admit that the feelings the two had shared were more than strong. Looking at him had all the feelings flood back into Kenn's head, and she was finally at a point in time where she could get past everything, but something inside of her told her that she didn't want to get past everything.

"I don't blame you," she finally said as they both walked downstairs and she sat down on the couch. "I mean I know we both managed to ruin two great relationships, you and rachel along with rodney and I...I did not think it was going to get that out of control but it did...I just feel so...I don't know what i'm feeling right now. So many different emotions that I can't even describe. Happiness is one of them, a big one because for once Ryan got to see his daddy, but doubt and nervousness and-" She stopped talking as she thought about the next emotion that she was going to say outloud. Fear, Kennedy was more fearful than anything right now. She did not want to admit it to Lance though considering they'd always been so close, and she was never the girl to let fear take over her world.