I Never Should Have Let You Go

Cianna was asleep for hours on end after receiving a sedative and an injection to stop the vomiting.

I sat by her bed, watching her sleep. In all honesty, Edward Cullen was my role model for that moment, except I didn't aspire to sparkle.

The gentle and consistent 'beep beep beep' of her heart monitor kept me sane. That, and the way she looked. Cianna's jaw was wide open, drool slipping down over her chin. It was quite funny actually.

The purple striped comforter was tightly tucked around her body in an attempt to keep her warm even thought she was still running a fever.

Running the pad of my thumb across Cianna's hand, I sighed as she twitched slightly in her sleep. Surely 6 hours was enough sleep? It was 1pm on the exact same day that her plane at touched down. I suppose the jet lag and stress of Haiti was catching up.

The door creaked open slowly and I looked up to see Mr Fox step in quietly, followed by Megan.

I stood from my chair to greet him with a handshake as a quiet greeting. This was the first time I'd met him and I was shitting myself.

"Nick." he breathed, nodding his head at me before inching towards his younger daughter.

Megan smiled, taking a seat where I previously resided. I hope I made a good seat warmer.

"Cianna, baby doll." Mr Fox sighed, chuckling when he saw the long wad of saliva dripping onto the sheets. Cianna was snoring now, ever so lightly. "I'm so proud of you darling. I love you." He kissed her forehead and then turned back to me again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr Fox." I addressed, furrowing my eyebrows when he frowned.

Shit. I was already in the bad books.

"Didn't Cianna ever tell you to call me Peter or Pete?" he laughed. A snort left his mouth. "Oh, she'd lose her head if it wasn't screwed on."

"Hey!" Megan laughed, "You didn't exactly specify who you were talking about!"

Peter chuckled. "I was talking about Cianna, Megan. Would you rather I mean you?"

Greeted with silence, he took that as a negative answer. "May I speak to you outside please, Nicholas?"

I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm died. I'm dead.

Mr Fox closed the door behind him and sat down on one of the hard plastic chairs that lined the hallway.

He gestured for me to take a seat too and I did so, readily prepared for a slow and painful death.

"How is she, Nicholas? Tell me,l truthfully; how's Cianna?"

The words were out of my mouth before I could properly think. "Sick?" I blurted, my cheeks burning.

Blushing was not my forte!

A gust of air left Peter's nostrils as he ruffled my hair. "How I'd love to have a son like you." There was a slight pause before he retracted his hand. "Sorry there bud. Shouldn't really be touching the curls. Cianna told me not to. Anyway, how is she coping? With everything, I mean."

"She was pretty distraught by what's going on in her family. And then there were a few problems with her and a two other boys."

I grimaced at the thought of Michael. I assumed that Cianna didn't have a a clue about the conversation I'd had with him. It would be the thing I brought up first when she woke up. It needed to be dealt with properly and then pushed out of the way. Not the other way around.

"Boys, huh? I'm not surprised. I just wish I could be with her more. This divorce is so messy with the decision of who gets the house and whatnot."

I tried to put myself in his shoes and imagine what it would be like to have to sort through the problems that came with a divorce. The closest I'd come to marriage was when I proposed to Cianna at Kev and Danielle's wedding. God, what a big mistake.

I was scared and frantic that I was going to lose her and I can most certainly say that is why we've had so many problems since. I'm so clingy.

"Sir, uh, I mean Peter, would you like to come to my cousin's christening in a few days? Cianna will be there and I just thought it'd be nice if you two had some time together."

His face softened, and he nodded immediately.

"Oh, that would be great. Are you sure your parents wouldn't mind, son? I don't want to intrude on a family occasion."

I could see where Cianna got her manners from. Mr Fox had brought her up to be modest and respectful.

"I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind at all. In fact, I think they'd be quite enthusiastic to meet you sir."

I was wishing for approval on my parents part.

---

The View, too feminine.

One Life To Live, too unrealistic and repetitive.

Sixteen And Pregnant, too addictive and inspiring.

Hmm, Arthur, much more like it.

"Turn it back." a small voice rasped. My head flicked to the right to see Cianna opening her eyes.

"Baby girl." I breathed, shooting up in my chair so I could kiss her forehead. "Oh my God. You've been asleep for hours. I was starting to get bored."

The nurse had just checked on Cianna and said she was on the verge of waking, so I decided not to call her in again.

Keeping her pretty blue eyes open became to much of a struggle for Cianna so she shut them.

"What are you saying, Nick?" she asked with all seriousness. I was in for trouble. "Aren't I pretty enough to stare at while I snooze?"

Intertwining my fingers with hers, I laughed, easily recalling the memory of her unconsciously. "You drool."

"My Wikipedia page could've told you that." she teased. I pulled the comforter up around her again.

"You look much better. The rash is disappearing, but the lymph nodes on your neck are still raised.".

She nodded, swallowing hard. "It hurts to talk so I'm going to be quiet for a little while if that's okay with you."

I nodded my head even though she couldn't see me. "It's fine. I don't control you so you can do what you like. You say the damnest things, Cianna May."

Forcing a small giggle, she looked up at me again. "I know."

It was quiet for a minute or so before a thought hit me. "I need to tell you something." I announced.

Cianna nodded as an indicator for me to continue. Time for a little teasing. "Actually, since it's too much of a struggle for you to talk, I'll just you later."

"It's not that bad." she coughed. Cianna hated suspense but this was something I had to keep her waiting for.

"Sorry beautiful. My lips are sealed."

---

Stepping out into the cold evening air, I clutched Cianna's hand tightly. We were sneaking out of the back of the hospital to avoid the paps. I'd borrowed Joe's old square bomb as to not draw attention.

"You gonna tell me what you were saying now?" Cianna requested. Her patience was wearing thin, but I still wanted to push it.

I helped her into the car whilst shaking my head, "A few more minutes." I grinned, leaning over her body to clip her seatbelt into place.

"I can't wait any longer." she groaned. I attempted to kiss Cianna's lips but she struggled away. "Don't kiss me; you'll get sick."

"That doesn't matter." I whispered, moving back in again. After a shove against my chest, I sighed, giving up.

When we were almost home, I decided it was time to reveal the surprise. When were stopped at the traffic lights, I reached under my seat to withdraw Cianna's brand new album.

"What are you doing?" she asked as I pushed it into my CD player.

"Oh, nothing." I smirked, skipping forward to track number 4 which was my personal favourite. "Just playing the album which has gone platinum and has been sitting on number one ever since it was released."

She was silent for a small moment, her face blank. And then she swallowed, suddenly bursting out in a loud scream.

Her hands were shaking as she covered her face. I reached out to sooth as she cried.

"Baby, it's okay." I cooed, squeezing her knee gently.

"I can't believe this." Cianna breathed, wiping away the moisture trickling down her cheeks. "My fans are incredible. Oh my gosh."

I couldn't help but laugh at my beautiful girlfriend. "Congratulations." I smiled, pulling into our street. "I'm so proud of you."

She didn't hear me for her eyes were focused on the screen of her phone. Twittering, of course.

I helped Cianna from the car, watching carefully for paparazzi as I helped her walk up the steps leading into the house from inside her garage.

"Nick, I'm fine. My arms are more weak than my legs. I can walk; it's okay." she chuckled, gently prying my fingers from her shoulders.

I managed to smile although it was hard to disguise my anxiousness.

We stepped into the loungeroom and there was Megan and Tyler sitting on the couch. I had a feeling he'd be here too.

Cianna was slightly shocked when she saw the both of them. She stepped back, bumping into my chest.

"Hey." she grinned. Megan stood up and they kissed each other cheeks.

Chicks.

Tyler rose from his place on the lounge, walking over to me.

"Have you told her?" he questioned. I froze, cringing internally. I had forgotten.

"Not yet, but I promise I will. I just need to find the right moment. I understand that you like her too, but Cianna's my girlfriend and I refuse to lose her. I need to find the right time to tell her about it. Just, please, leave it to me. That's all I'm asking."

Cianna's giggling caused a sporadic swelling of my heart. I glanced over at her as she made a smoothie in the blender.

"I'll tell her tonight, okay? Please leave it be."

Am I seriously begging this twerp?

"Alright, man. But she's hurting enough. Her mom's being trying to contact her to get some money, and Cianna doesn't know. Somehow her dad has redirected all Mrs Fox's calls to his phone so she doesn't find out. So tell her about Michael before this whole situation blows out of hand."

Sorry, but Helen Fox is a cheating, money-whoring, unsupportive, psychotic bitch.

"Okay." I instinctively reached up for a knuckle touch.

Maybe I could get along with this guy. Once I was 100% positive he still wasn't trying to hook up with my girl, that is.

--

"Nick?" Cianna called as I tidied up the blankets draped over her bed.

"Yeah?" I yelled back, flicking off the light switch and walking across to the closed bathroom door. When there came no reply, I began to think she'd slipped over something. "Babe? Are you okay?"

There was the sound of water swishing about before her reply. "Can you come in here for a second, please?"

"Are you decent?" I gulped, placing my hand on the doorknob tentatively.

Cianna's laugh bubbled through the air. "Of course I am!"

With a sigh of relief, I pushed the door open, expecting her to be wrapped up in a warm fluffy towel. Well, she wasn't.

"What are you doing?" I asked hoarsely, struggling to avert my eyes from the bathtub. There were bubbles covering Cianna all the way up to her neck, but just the thought of her...

"I...um, well...can you wash my hair?" she stuttered. I don't see why she's the one stumbling on her words; her hair comes down to the middle of her back!

"Um, yeah, okay." I agreed, grabbing the shampoo bottle from the table next to the bath.

My hand was shaking as I poured the pink liquid onto my skin. Cianna was patiently waiting, but I could just imagine her twiddling her thumbs.

I was just starting to lather up the brunette strands when Cianna said something that shocked me.

"Come in here with me."

I was startled by her newly-found confidence. Cianna was usually so shy about her body around me, and now she was asking to take a bath together?! Oh my God.

"What? I-I mean, uh, why?"

Cianna smiled, shaking her head. "Please? Just do it."

Holy shit. I rinsed off the shampoo suds in the water and then took my tank top off. Deep down inside, I hoped Cianna was checking me out.

I popped open the button on my sweatpants and stepped out of them, leaving my discarded clothes in a pile.

Do I leave my boxers on or take them off? Why must this be so hard?! Yes, I'll leave them on. It's less awkward for the both of us. Fuck, this whole situation is awkward!

I stepped into the warm water, holding onto to the lip of the bath to steady my balance. Cianna placed her hand on mine, and I jumped, losing my footing and coming crashing down on my ass.

"Sorry." she whispered, lacing our fingers together. I instantly forgot about the pain radiating through my tailbone.

"Why are we doing this?" I asked, quietly. She slid back, resting her body in between my thighs. Oh wow.

"Megan and I were talking." she revealed quietly, moving our hands up so I could draw shapes on her stomach. "And we were discussing you and me. She said something that made me realise that you and I have forgotten about us together as a couple. There's been so much drama, and we just need to take time to ourselves, you know? It's time to be more intimate."

My throat was dry. Cianna and her sister sure had brains when it came to relationships.

"So I thought we'd have bath together and just talk about us. Is that okay with you?"

Is that okay with me? That's fucking fine!

"I love you, and I'm sorry I haven't been as romantic as I should have been." I whispered, kissing along Cianna's shoulder.

"And I'm sorry that I've been so caught up in whatever is in my life to pay any attention to you. I was being selfish and I promise I won't be anymore."

"You're perfect just the way you act." I whispered, nipping at the skin covering her collarbone. "You've got me going crazy."

Cianna laughed, kissing my cheek. "Quoting your own songs now are we? Well, it looks like we were finally able to stop the world."

And I love her.