Wonderful Life

Cassie was now three months old, and right before my eyes, she was rapidly getting stronger. I had been concerned about how to care for her after we left the hospital, but the nurses there were so helpful and reassured me that I could do this, and we were pretty much okay. Cassie had almost complete control of her head movements, and she made me laugh when she would make bicycle movements with her tiny legs, and push up on her forearms. She was a wiggly worm that warmed my heart. She was also starting to put her fist in her mouth and I thought it was kooky, but couldn't help smiling when she did.

A few other things that Cassie would do were a bit irritating, but I knew that she was just a little girl. She could voluntarily grasp an object, and she loved to pull at my necklaces or my hair, anything that she could get her little hands on. She could follow slow moving objects with her head and eyes, and could make lots of different noises, some of them, I had never heard in my life and tried to imitate the adults around her. And the first time that she gave me and Sam a genuine grin, it lit up my heart and I couldn't stop smiling after she did that me.

Sam was just amazing. He finally got the brace off, and was glad to be walking around by himself and not have anymore physical therapy or doctor's appointments to go to. He had told me that he never ever wanted to step into a hospital again, unless it was necessary. Sam loved everything that Cassie did, and he couldn't stop smiling and holding her.

"So, love, what are we going to do today?" Sam asked, as he sat there, changing Cassie's diaper. That was another thing Sam was learning to do, and was excelling at. A few times, he wasn't quick enough and Cassie peed on him, and a few other times, she almost peed on the couch. He knew he would definitely have to get used to changing diapers and all that, but he didn't mind helping out. I was grateful because he didn't have to do any of it. He knew that I had already been through so much and he had told me that he would help me do what he could.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we could get my parents to watch Cassie and we could go out or something. I've been cooped up here for so long, with all that's been going on, I think some time away, I'll be good." I stated as Sam snapped up Cassie's little onesie. After that, he scooped a smiling Cassie up in his arms and rested her on his shoulder.

"Sounds good. I would definitely like to get out and walk around a bit. And I wouldn't recommend taking Cassie out. I have a feeling that Christian would do anything to get to her, if she were to be out with us." He answered.

I sighed, wondering how to tell him about the last time that I was at the hospital, Christian approached me. I hadn't told him the last time, because I knew that he would get pissed, but I figured that I had to tell him soon.

"Oh, he's tried that already." I replied, brushing my bangs back behind my ear.

Sam looked confused and I knew that he wanted me to elaborate. "What are you talking about, Gem?" He asked as Cassie squirmed.

"Okay, I'll tell you, but you can't freak out." I warned him.

He arched an eyebrow. "Gemma..." He sighed.

"I was at the hospital and Christian showed up." I replied, waiting for him to start yelling. But he didn't and that was surprising. He usually got really upset about things like that and I knew that he had every reason in the world to feel like that.

He sighed as he patted Cassie's back. "What was he doing there? Trying to reach out to you?" He asked, knowing just what Christian was wanting.

"He was trying to get me to give him a chance. I told him that he was delusional to think that we could be anything. I mean, he's not even bothered by the fact that he raped me and he has deluded himself into thinking that we could have a relationship and raise Cassie together, when he knows that it's not going to happen." I explained.

Sam shook his head. "I can't believe that he doesn't get what he's done is wrong." He stated.

"He shows no sympathy for what he did to me, or you, or even Colbie. And I know for a fact, if I even thought about giving him a chance, I would have Colbie and Brian on my ass, telling me what a dummy I was being, and they would definitely be there to knock some sense into my head. But I'm telling you now, you are it for me. Not him and he can't deal with that. You are Cassandra's father and that's the way that it's going to stay. I don't want anything to do with him, apparently, he's not settling for that, claiming that he's going to have the both of us soon." I finished.

I waited for Sam to say something, anything, since he'd been awfully quiet the entire time. "I'm glad, Gemma. I'm...I wouldn't give up you or Cassie for anything. I know for a fact, that he is dangerous and I'm glad that you see that. But I wouldn't turn my back on you for anything. I want this, the three of us to be a family." He explained, and making me smile.

"Okay, well. I'm going to go get dressed. I need to change out of these pajamas before I go anywhere." I said, getting up and walking up to my room.

I chose a t-shirt and skinny jeans, not wanting to put on anything that was remotely skin tight or showed off any of my assets. I had only just given birth and taking time to heal, was something that I had to deal with. I was slimming down, the breastfeeding was good for both me and Cassie, and now my body was getting back to being as slim as I was before. But sometimes, just watching Cassie, I couldn't believe that I was a Mom, it was surreal, but it was amazing and I couldn't have asked for a better little girl, no matter how she was conceived.

Though Sam wasn't partial to it, he helped out immensely by changing diapers, rocking her to sleep, getting up in the night. I had told him time and time again that he didn't have to do it, that he could rest, but he just did it anyways. He loved giving her a bath, and I loved choosing the cute little onesies that she wore. Colbie actually surprised me with a pair of little pink Converse that made me smile and I thought it was the cutest thing ever.

Sam loved holding Cassie and playing with her, talking to her. He was just a wonderful father and I couldn't have asked for anyone better, he really loved her and I never thought that he'd ever want her, since she wasn't his biologically, but he did. He wanted her and to let the world know soon that she was his daughter, and not Christian's.

That wasn't something I was looking forward to, because I knew that Christian was going to do something that would hurt either me or Sam. I couldn't control what Christian did and knowing that he intentionally wanted to destroy my life to get what he wanted was a very tough thing to deal with. It was a tough thing to deal with all the time, especially when I was being hounded for information on Cassie and the fact that they were wanting pictures of her, wanting to know each little detail about her. I wasn't letting anyone see her and her picture wasn't being taken and shown to everyone in the world, I wanted her to grow up with a normal household, with people that loved her for her and not just who her parents were. Sam was in agreement with me.

"Okay, I'm ready." I announced, zipping up my hoodie. I slipped on my Converse and began to get Cassie's diaper bag ready while Sam put bottoms, socks and shoes on Cassie and got her bundled up.

~*~

Sam and I decided to do a bit of shopping. We'd had a small get together with my parents, and then one big BBQ with the guys and the girls, in which Colbie brought Kellan and he hung out with us. I could tell that Colbie really liked Kellan, and I liked him as well. I thought that he was great for Colbie and she seemed to be taken with him.

I had met the Twilight cast, and everyone, with the exception of Rob and Kristen, were friendly, talkative and just great. For all the celebrities that my father and mother worked with, I hadn't ever really met them, seeing as I was either doing something with friends or working a different shift, where I wasn't able to meet them.

"So, where are we going to start?" Sam asked, as we walked, arms laced.

I sighed, adjusting my cap over my head. "Um, how about the GAP?" I asked, steering him over to the building.

And just as I was taking another step, I heard the voice that I didn't want to. "Well, well, well, don't you look cute together." I turned to look over Sam's shoulder and saw Christian standing there, bundled up, and he had a pissed off look on his face, like he wanted to tear someone's head off.

"Are you seriously following me, Christian? Do I need to get another restraining order?" I spat, hoping that he'd just walk away, but knew that he wouldn't.

He scoffed and I tried to get Sam to turn and walk away. "Let's go, Sam. He's just going to cause trouble." I added, glaring at Christian.

"It surprises me, Gemma, that you can hook up with a guy that you barely know, as opposed to someone that you've known since you were a teenager. It honestly astounds me." Christian announced and I had to hold Sam back.

I stepped in front of him. "Christian, get lost. You know that I want nothing to do with you. And the only reason that you're here is to get Sam to do something stupid and get in trouble for it. That's not going to happen." I replied.

"Really? You think that's what I'm here for?" Christian asked. "Well, no. Not today, sweetie. I just wanted to let you know that I'm petitioning for custody of Cassandra. I'm her father, I have the right to see her. And a judge will decide who she gets to be with, me, her father, or Sam, your flavor of the month."

Christian casually walked up to me and handed me an envelope. "See you in court, honey." He drawled and then walked off the opposite way.

"No. This....Can't be true. He can't do this." I said, turning to Sam.

He wrapped his arms around me and took the envelope from my grip. Opening it, we both ready what it said.

"I can't believe that this is happening. I didn't think that he'd do something like this, but I guess that I was wrong." I sniffled.

Sam turned me to face him. "No. Cassie will stay with us. Once you explain everything to the judge, he'll never even think twice about giving Cassie to Christian. No judge, male or female, would give her to him. We'll win this, Gemma. We will. But for now, we should go home, talk to Brian and your father about this. They can help. I promise you that he will not take her from you." He declared and I just hoped that it was all going to be enough.