Give Me Your Heart

“Can I get you anything?” Gerard posed as he padded through towards the kitchen, offering Riley a seat beside the counter. It was a surprise, after days of her avoiding him, he’d expected that he wouldn’t see her for a little while longer, but he was pleased that she was there, even if it did mean having another conversation about their relationship, he wanted to get things sorted before they were too far gone.

Riley, who’d moved to sit at the counter, shook her head. “I’m fine” she noted softly.

Gerard offered her a small nod before he took the seat beside her, his blue eyes watching her for a moment as she messed with the sleeve of her jacket. “You know, you didn’t have to avoid me, Ry” he mumbled, breaking the small silence that had fallen around them.

Riley nodded. “I know” she mumbled “I shouldn’t have done that” she added, her fingertips pulling at a loose thread on her jacket.

“You shouldn’t have done” Gerard agreed “Ry, you should know by now that if you need to talk about something, you can do that with me. You can tell me anything” he insisted, his hand reaching out to stop hers from messing with her jacket.

Riley eyed his hand for a moment before she shook her head, her teeth gently gnawing at her lip. “I was being stupid” she mumbled shyly “I panicked over nothing and I shouldn’t have done. I’m sorry” she added.

Gerard shook his head. “I don’t want you to apologize, Riley” he noted gently “I know that you’re nervous about this, but I want you to talk to me instead of ducking away from me. We’re onto something good here, Riley, and I know you know that, and I just want you to tell me what’s going on up here” he insisted, his finger lightly poking the side of her head. He knew that she wasn’t sure, from the moment that they’d agreed to give it another shot, she had been obviously more nervous than him, but he wanted her to talk to him. He wanted to know how he could reassure her that they were onto a good thing.

Riley glanced down at her lap for a moment before she sighed. “What if it doesn’t work out this time, Gerard?” she posed gently.

Gerard shook his head. “You can’t think like that, Riley” he countered, his tone a little firm.

Riley glanced at him a second before she shook her head. “I know you don’t want to think about it, but there is a chance this could go wrong, and that idea scares me, Gerard” she explained carefully.

“Riley…”

“It’s not just me anymore” Riley interjected, cutting off his protest.

Gerard blinked a little. “What?” he posed.

Riley shifted a little in her seat before she carefully took his hand, resting it against her bump. “It’s not just me anymore, Gerard” she repeated softly “If this doesn’t work, then it’s not just me I have to worry about anymore. We’re going to have a child together and the idea of this falling apart scares me more than ever. I don’t know quite how I’d cope with him by myself” she explained softly, her eyes glancing down towards her bump. She knew that it was silly, from the outset, Gerard had been insistent that he wanted to be around for her and the baby, but still she worried, even if it was irrational, part of her was terrified of the prospect of being left alone to raise their son.

Gerard, who was staring at her stomach, lifted his head a little, his expression undecipherable.

“I know that you want to make this work, and I do too, but the idea that this could fall apart scares the hell out of me and that’s why I am so desperate to be careful. I don’t want to ruin this again by moving too quickly” Riley babbled.

Gerard mulled her words over for a moment before he shook his head, pushing himself to his feet. “You think I could walk away from him?” he posed.

“Gerard…”

Gerard scoffed, cutting Riley off. “That is my son, Riley” he noted, gesturing towards her bump “That’s my baby too, and there is no way in hell that I am going to leave you to handle him by yourself, even if we don’t work, I am not going to just up and leave. He’s mine too, Ry, and I am going to be here, I promise you” he insisted firmly.

Riley blinked a couple of times before she dropped her head, something which made Gerard step towards her, his hand gently cupping her face. “Riley, no matter what, I am going to be here for him” he noted gently, his blue eyes mirroring hers.

Riley chewed on her lip for a second before she moved to lace their fingers together. “Even if you and me don’t work out?” she posed gently.

Gerard flinched a little at her question before he nodded. “Even if you and I don’t work” he agreed.

Riley nodded her head softly before she spared a sigh, breaking the silence that had fallen around them. “I’ve messed up, haven’t I?” she mumbled gently.

Gerard shook his head. “No, you haven’t” he mused gently.

Riley offered him a slightly dubious look, something which made the defender smile. “You panicked, Riley, and I don’t blame you for it. We did move too quickly last time around and I understand you being hesitant this time around, but the next time you get into your head, I’d like for you to talk to me about it. Perhaps I could put your mind at ease” he offered softly. It had never been a strength of hers, whenever Riley got worked up, she tended to try and keep it to herself, but he wanted to encourage her to talk to him, even if she was being a little irrational, he wanted her to know that he was there for her.

Riley admired the smile on his face for a moment before she smiled herself, something which made him duck down, pressing a gentle kiss against her lips. Riley held onto him for a second before she pulled back, her blue eyes peeking up at him through her eyelashes. “Gerard” she mumbled softly.

“Hm?” he hummed, resting his forehead against hers.

“I love you” she mused gently.

Gerard blinked a couple of times. “You do?” he posed softly.

Riley nodded. “I do” she mused softly “I know I’ve been hesitant about saying it for the last couple of months, but I do love you and I want you to know that. I want to make this work, Gerard” she insisted gently.

Gerard mulled her words over for a moment before he ducked down, pressing another kiss to her lips. “I love you too” he mumbled softly.

Riley quirked a small smile at the sound of the words before she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him close. She knew that they had work to do, even despite the conversation, she doubted her nerves were just going to dissipate, but she was glad that they’d talked, even if they did still have work to do. She felt a little better about their chances.