The Webs We Weave

I watched as Clover paced back and forth. She had been doing this for hours now, trying to think of a way to get Rider back. Clover and the baby were allowed to come home just yesterday and she was already plotting her revenge. And as much as I hated to be apart of these games, I was. Rider crossed the line when she decided to try and take my kids away. Not that she would make it far. It was on her record that she was a known druggie, and almost lost her son more than once. What I didn't understand was how Matt could go along with this. He knew better than me that Clover and I were the best thing for these kids. Sure, I had a history with drugs to. But I had only been caught once, and I went through all the rehab shit and now I was clean of everything. I hadn't even touched alcohol in four months. Where as Rider had a wide range of things on her criminal record.

"It's going to be okay." I said trying to calm Clover down. "You know Rider has a horrible past with the police and once this hits the courts they'll laugh in her face. Hell she will probably get her own kids taken away, but that serves her right."

"What about my record Ronnie?" She turned to look at me, with tears streaming down her cheeks. "We all weren't as lucky as you were. The hospital never turned you in when you had your stomach pumped and someone they wrote down a completely normal chart for you. I on the other hand have been caught with many things. I was even checked into rehab by you and checked out by a bloody bastard the next day! Do you think the courts will see that as a good thing? No! They're going to see that as a weakness, that I didn't want to get clean!"

"But you did." I yelled back and grabbed her shoulders. "Clover you are clean aren't you? If I were to drug test you right now it would come out clean. Quit worrying about all that because you have me. Clover why can't you see that? Do you really think I don't love you anymore? Because I do, and damn it I don't know how the fuck I can prove it to you."

She shook her head and the tears fell quicker. I pulled her into my chest and held onto her. It was hard to think that I was doing something wrong. She had talked to Nicky about how she thought I felt. About how I supposedly don't look at her the same way I used to. And how she thinks my love for her has gone away. I didn't know how I had managed to make her think that, but I had to fix it. Clover still meant the same thing to me that she has all these years. Actually she meant more to me now. She was no longer just my girlfriend, she was the mother of my child. I could never stop loving her.

"How did you do it?" She whispered between sobs. "How did you get the hospital to over look all those drug overdoses?"

"Well that isn't hard to do when your dad is messing around with one of the doctors." I smiled. "Now don't you worry about anything. I promise you that Rider won't get our children, and if by some weird miracle she does." I sighed. "Well I won't rest until I get them back, and she is put away."

"Good." She smiled. "And Ronnie. I'm sorry I doubted you. It was just that you looked at me differently, like you cared, but not as much as you used to. The look in your eyes was just very distant."

"Because I was distant." I laughed. "Clover you almost died on me. How could I not think about everything that happened? All I could think about was how much my life would suck without you."

She nodded and wiped the tears from her face. It was good to finally see her smile at something other than the baby. Emery was perfect and we had just gotten her room set up. I let my arms fall to my sides as Clover headed pulled away. This was as close as we had been in awhile, and it felt right. Now I all I wanted to do was to ask her to marry me again. That would help out with our situation to. If we went to court and told them we were getting married then it would be better. They would see our family as a stable environment. Plus all we would have to do is put Katie on the stand. She would tell them exactly who she wanted to be with.

"Where are you going?" I asked as she walked away.

"To get Emery." I just can't stand to be too far from her. Besides if there's a chance I'm going to lose her, well, I just want to spend as much time as I can with her."

"Yeah." I nodded. "Well I have to go to the store to buy some more formula for her. Do you need anything?"

"No." She shook her head. "I'm good. But could you take Katie with you? I think she's been feeling a little left out since the baby has gotten her. I heard her talking to herself earlier. She said she loved her new sister, but wished her dad was around for her. I think she thinks she has lost you."

I nodded and she disappeared up the steps. Now I felt bad for neglecting Katie, not that I had meant to. It was just hard when Clover was trying to sleep and the baby was crying. Someone had to take care of her. So I would take Katie with me to the grocery store and then we would stop around the jeweler. Sure Clover already had a ring from me, but that was just a gift now. If I was going to propose I wanted her to have a new, more expensive ring.