Therapy

Alex dropped the baby seat as Bella thanked the stars that she was holding the baby. She looked at him with a massive smile on her face and watched his eyes well up with tears. He clasped his hands over his mouth and ran towards the mystery guests, as everyone watched and laughed, hiding the facts that their hearts were secretly melting at the sight. Alex pulled the two guests in tight for a warm embrace.

"What are you doing here?!" He screamed, excitedly. "How did you get here?!" Alex tried to wipe the tears from his eyes, smiling and laughing as the guests held him tight to them. "Fuck, I've missed you!"

"We've missed you too, Alex. It's been horrible not seeing you for so long." Peter, Alex's Dad, stated.

"But we understand that you've been busy, and we appreciate that. Especially Bella having to be pregnant in the spotlight." Isobel walked over to Bella, who was holding the baby still with a smile. "How are you getting on, sweetheart?" Isobel rubbed Bella's shoulder sympathetically.

"I've had better days! But at least I get to see Alex with a smile on his face, and I get to see you two. And hopefully get somebody to hold this little bundle of joy right here, because Mummy needs the toilet!" Bella giggled as she looked down at baby Isobel in her arms, rocking her gently as she tried to control her bladder. Peter and Isobel laughed as Isobel stretched her arms out, ready to take her Grandaughter from Bella.

The whole room laughed as Bella ran to the bathroom, skipping along the way and slamming the door shut as she finally reached her destination.

- - - - - - - - - -

Bella and Alex laid in bed, smiling at each other as Bella curled up to him and wrapped her arm over Alex's stomach. He placed a kiss on her forehead and they both looked over to the cot where Isobel lay fast asleep. Being passed around and played with all day had taken a toll on her and she'd fallen asleep as soon as her head had touched the soft feel of the baby mattress in the cot.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Paige, what's wrong?" Zack frowned, playing with Paige's hair as they lay in bed.

She gulped silently and wiped her face into the pillow, trying to make the few tears that had formed, disappear. "Nothing." She sighed gently.

"Bullshit. Tell me the truth, please." Zack said with a grunt as he forced Paige to turn over and face him, a frown spread across his face as he sat up in bed. He held Paige's arm as she too lifted herself up.

She sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He followed and they sat there for a moment, before she once again found herself starting to cry. "I don't know, Zack. I've just been feeling so emotional the past few days, that it's making me sick. I want to be happy for Bella.. hell, I am! I really am. But.. it just hurts." She sobbed quietly as she turned her body away from Zack.

She was starting to withdraw. Again.

"Paige. No. You get back here, right now. You turn the fuck to face me and you tell me everything. I'm not having you push me away, not when we've come so far." Zack grabbed Paige's arm with as little force as he could, pulling her back to face him and smiling slightly when she relented, turning her whole body to face him and burrowing into his chest.

"Zack. I just.. I don't know. It's killing me. I'm happy for Bella and Alex, of course I am. But it's so hard for me. Our child was literally ripped from us and it kills me everyday. What did I do wrong? What was so bad that she or he couldn't stay? It's just not fair, Zack!" Paige burst into tears and curled up against Zack even more. He pulled her in tight to him and held her there, tears starting to form in his own eyes as he watched the beautiful girl that he know and loved, cry her heart out. And he knew that there wasn't really anything he could say or do to make it all better.

So he just held her.

- - - - - - - - - -

Early the next morning, Paige walked downstairs to find the television in the main room on, with Jack on the sofa. His heavy eyes stating that he hadn't slept a wink. She stepped quietly as to not disturb him but he caught her. Turning in his spot, he gave her a sympathetic smile. It was obvious he knew too. She took in a deep breath and put on her best smile, walking down the last few steps towards the sofa. Jack held out his arm and beckoned her in for a cuddle. It was four in the morning and he'd been sitting there watching infomercials since Rian fell asleep on the other sofa, so Jack had said.

Paige snuggled up to Jack and whimpered softly as he held her like a big brother would hold his little sister. The question was there on his lips, she could feel him forming them against her head as he gave her light, little, reassuring kisses. "Just say it, Jack." She whispered with a frog in her throat.

"Okay. What's up? Why are you up so early? Why did I hear you crying last night?" Jack asked.