Run Away With My Heart

Blinking a little, Iker let out a small yawn, his dark eyes peeking down at Olivia who was still curled against him, sleeping soundly. It was late, the pair had fallen asleep around seven in the evening and it was now nearing midnight, but Iker couldn’t resist the chance to get out of bed. His limbs had gone a little stiff and he wanted the chance to stretch them before he attempted to get Olivia slightly more comfortable than she looked curled into a ball in her tight jeans. Sighing, he noticed the puffiness of her eyes and shook his head. He knew she was trying to brave it out, even if it wasn’t the easiest of situations, and he was proud of her for it. Olivia wasn’t exactly a fan of dealing with tough situations, it was a lot of the reason she had previously struggled to find a relationship, but he hoped she could stick it out for him. Regardless of the situation with Isobel, he loved Olivia and didn’t want to have to face life after her if she made the decision that she couldn’t cope with it anymore.

Yawning, he moved towards the dresser and collected a jumper, wrapping it around his shoulder as he padded out of the room, making his way into the garden. It was a cool night, especially since it was almost morning, but Iker wanted some air. He wanted the chance to take a breath and calm down for a few moments. Running his hand through his hair, he closed his eyes, wordlessly wishing that the problem of Isobel would just disappear.

“Do you want me to find the mint chocolate ice-cream?”

Iker startled a little at the sound of Olivia’s voice. “I thought you were asleep” he noted.

“I was, but my pillow got up and moved and I thought I ought to check on him. You Ok?” Olivia commented as she padded to the spot beside him, sitting down against the cool pavement.

Iker shrugged. “I’ve been better” he admitted gently “I just wish I could go back in time and stop all of this before it got started” he noted.

“It’s my fault” Olivia noted “I set the pair of you up, thinking I was doing a favour for my friends and now look at us. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me” she noted.

Iker shook his head. “You’re not psychic, Oli” he noted as he gently slipped his jumper off, wrapping it around her as she shivered a little “You didn’t know Isobel was a psycho bitch and you didn’t know that she was going to get pregnant. I just wish there was something I could do to make all of this easier on you” he noted earnestly. He wasn’t an idiot, his life had barely been put out over Isobel and the baby, but Olivia’s had been. Isobel had ruined her birthday as well as their first Christmas as a couple and Iker wished there was something he could do to ensure that she wasn’t hurt or upset anymore. None of it was her fault.

Olivia sighed. “I think we both know there is only one thing we can do to make it easier, Iker” she mused gently, fiddling with the zip of his jumper “And I don’t know about you, but 5 months hardly seems enough of us” she added.

Iker shook his head. “I am not letting you go” he muttered stubbornly.

Olivia sighed. “Amor, you may not have much of a choice. Isobel’s got a hold on you and she’s not letting go. I don’t want to end up hating you” she whispered, resting her head against his shoulder.

“Please, Oli, don’t talk like that” he muttered “I am sure we can sort this out” he noted.

“Isobel’s not going to hand you a paternity test on a silver platter Iker, not when she’s got you over a barrel. Iker, right now, being there for her and the baby is more important than…”

“No” Iker interjected “It isn’t” he added.

Olivia sighed. “Iker, I am not going to let you prioritize me over what could quite easily be your first born child” she noted.

“You’re not letting me do anything. Olivia, I don’t want us to be over with” he muttered firmly.

Olivia shook her head gently. “Iker, the baby is due in just under 3 months. Perhaps, until you’re sure of the baby’s father and how things are going to work with Isobel, then maybe we should cool things off” she suggested softly. It was selfish, she knew it was, but part of her was doing it to protect Iker. The last thing she wanted was for their relationship to end in a large row and fracture any sort of friendship that they could well still have.

“Oli, I don’t want to cool anything off. Earlier, I was going to suggest that we move in together, here or in a place we can call our own, and I don’t want to give that idea up just because Isobel’s a witch. It’s going to be hard, I don’t deny that, but aren’t we worth the fight?” he posed.

Olivia licked her lips. “Of course we are” she noted.

“Then why are you so prepared to give in?” he noted “You made promise that I wouldn’t just give up, you made me swear that I would fight for us and this is it Oli. This is crunch time and whilst I am trying to keep us together, you’re just giving in. Why?” he noted, his voice angry and pleading.

Olivia sighed. “Because I don’t know how to cope” she whispered “Isobel’s a pain now, but imagine how much worse it will be when the baby is here. Iker, the calls will be never-ending, the snide comments, the odd looks, and I…I don’t know if I can deal with that. I love you, I do, but perhaps until you have sorted it all out with Isobel, I should step back. I don’t want…Iker, I don’t want us to end up fractured beyond all repair” she whispered.

“And you think that that is what will happen?” Iker posed, leaning away from her so that he could meet her eyes.

“I am saying I would not be surprised if that was what Isobel wanted from this” she noted “I am saying that I think a lot of what she is doing is to get back at us for the way things panned out. Iker, I don’t know whether the baby is yours or not, but I am not going to sit back and let her…”

“Get her way? Oli, by giving in, you’re letting her get exactly what she bloody wants from this” he snapped, moving to his feet.

“Or perhaps I am looking out for myself” Olivia snapped, her voice fierce.

Iker scoffed. “Because you’re the most important person in this relationship?”

“Because I didn’t get fucking pregnant with my ex and expect you to be miraculously OK with it all. Iker, you dropped the world for her this afternoon” she hissed

“Because you told me to” he shot back.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Like you wouldn’t have gone anyways” she mumbled.

Iker shook his head. “You’re unbelievable” he hissed “What do you want from me Oli? I can’t ignore her” he snapped.

“I know you can’t and that is why I want to cool things off. Iker, I can’t…I just can’t” she mumbled, shaking her head softly as a few loose tears fell out of her eyes.

Iker sighed. “Olivia, I love you” he pleaded gently “And I don’t want to lose you” he added, his hand lightly wiping away the tears from beneath her eyes.

“You’re not” she whispered, her blue eyes closing gently “We’re just on hiatus” she noted.

“I don’t want to be on hiatus” he mumbled, his voice brittle.

Olivia swallowed and pulled him close, hugging him tightly. “I am sorry” she whispered “But, I think we need to” she added.

“Oli” Iker complained softly.

“Not forever” she assured him, her fingers gently brushing through his dark hair “Just for now” she added, pressing a little kiss to his head. Iker sniffed and held her close, knowing that, for the time being at least, it was going to be the last time he held her close.