Under The Sheets

T.J had imagined what Eden would look like while she was pregnant ever since she told him they were expecting. He had thought she'd be beautiful. He thought she would have that "glow" people seem to always associate pregnant women with. He knew she'd have it.

T.J wondered what it would be like to touch her stomach while she was pregnant. He wondered what it be like to touch her stomach with the knowledge that the person he would love more than anyone else on this planet was growing inside. The person he and the love of his life had created. Unplanned, but loved immeasurably.

It was a heartbreaking surprise when T.J finally found Eden at her home in Sweden and she wasn't pregnant. She didn't have the glow and she certainly didn't have the tummy. Forming words immediately became difficult for T.J, he could not speak.

Her words rang through his ears over and over again.

The baby is gone, T.J.

"What do you mean the baby is 'gone'? What does that mean?" T.J asked, his heart hammering. He could hear his blood pumping in his ears. The world seemed to start spinning.

"I-I lost the baby," Eden sighed. T.J's grip on her loosened. He sighed and looked at the ground. His baby was gone.

T.J thought of all the things that he could've done with the baby, had his trip to Sweden gone according to plan. He realized he would never teach his son or daughter how to skate, or ride a bike. He would never be able to watch it grow up and learn. He would never have drawings to hang up on his fridge. There would be no monsters for him to scare out from under the bed or from inside the closet. Any dreams he had of being a father had completely vanished.

"What happened?" T.J asked softly, fighting tears.

"The doctor says that things like this happen all the time," Eden replied. "Sometimes it just goes away or it could've been stress from this whole fucked up situation."

"Were you ever going to tell me?" T.J asked, running his hand over his face.

"I was actually going to go back to St. Louis in a few days," Eden stated, smoothing out her dress. "I was going to stop off in Minnesota to see if you were there."

"You were just going to show up, not pregnant and visit me in Minnesota?" T.J asked. He was so hurt by this. She couldn't even tell him? Even through all the bad things that had happened in the last few months with Eden, T.J and the baby T.J was upset that she didn't feel like she could tell him what had happened. This was his baby, too.

"I didn't know what else to do, T.J." Eden sighed, looking at him. "This is a less than favourable situation. I didn't know how else to handle it."

T.J nodded. He slipped his hand into her's and held it tightly.

"My dad is a wreck because of this," Eden stated softly. "He feels awful about everything that has happened."

"I bet he does," T.J scoffed, shaking his head. T.J knew he would never forgive Eden's father for what he did. He tore them apart and ultimately made Eden lose the baby with all the stress he put on her when he made her leave the U.S.

"He does, T.J!" Eden fought, becoming angry with him. "He feels awful about this all. He knows everything about you and our relationship. He knows how much I love you and he understands now."

"It took a miscarriage for him to accept that you love me and I'm not out to hurt you?" T.J asked bitterly. The mention of her father made him angrier than he'd felt in months. He hadn't felt this angry towards her father since the day he took her from him.

"So what if it did, T.J? At least he's on our side now," Eden replied, glaring at him. "This is such a messed up situation, but he saw how hurt and upset I was when he forced me to come back here. He saw how broken I was over the miscarriage. He knows how much I love you, T.J."

"So now what?" T.J asked, thinking it was far too easy now. Everything was falling into place too easily and T.J didn't trust it.

"Do you want to stay here with me until we my flight back to St. Louis?" Eden suggested. Sweden was her home. Since T.J had shown her his home, she was ready to show him her home.

"Your Dad is okay with that?" T.J asked. He didn't know if he was ready to be in the same house as the man who ruined his relationship with Eden.

"He'll just have to be," Eden smiled. "Or maybe we could stay at Patrik's together."

"I'd like that," T.J nodded, pressing his forehead to her's.

"I'd like it if you at least let my father apologize to you," Eden stated. "I know that it would mean a lot to him."

"Okay, fine." T.J sighed, agreeing. Eden grabbed the hair at the back of his head and pulled herself closer to him. She pressed her lips hard against his and stayed there for what she wished was hours.

Having his lips finally on her's after all these months apart made Eden feel complete again. She felt that euphoric feeling she'd always felt when she was with T.J. Everything was right again.

"I love you so much," T.J whispered. He would've said louder, but a whisper was all his body would allow.

"I love you, too." Eden replied with a teary smile. She hugged him tightly, remembering everything about his body. The way his arms tensed when he held her tightly, the way his stomach felt against her's and the way that he rested his head on her shoulder.

If she was the only person that T.J Oshie was vulnerable with, Eden was okay with it.

"Eden," Came the voice of her father. Immediately the moment between her and T.J vanished. T.J closed up again. He removed his hands from her body and stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. T.J walked towards her father as he stood at the backdoor.

"T.J," Eden warned, terrified of what he would do.

T.J walked right up to her father, standing toe to toe with him. He stared him right in the face letting him know that he wasn't afraid of him and he had no plans of leaving.

"What you did is despicable and I may never forgive you fully for taking her from me," T.J stated lowly. "I am willing to put it all aside and take any apology that you will offer for the sake of Eden and any future children she and I may have together. I may forgive you and I may not. I do not know how I will feel about you in the future, but from here on out I will be civil towards you. I love your daughter more than anyone else in this world and I will fight for her regardless of how you feel about me and our relationship."

Eden's father nodded. "I can handle that."

"Dad," Eden urged, walking over to them and standing beside both men. "Isn't there something you'd like to say to T.J?"

"I am sorry for what I put you through and I'm sorry for reacting to your relationship with Eden the way that I did," He stated softly.

"I appreciate that," T.J nodded, extending his hand. Her father took T.J's hand and the men shook hands, clearing the air.

Eden let out a sigh of relief. The air had been cleared. The differences were set aside for her sake. She kissed her father's cheek before leaping into T.J's arms.

"Thank you, T.J." Eden whispered to him, her forehead against his.