If It Gave Us Time

Gently shrugging her coat off of her shoulders, Isla moved to hang it up, a soft yawn tumbling out of her mouth. It had been a long night, after Gerard had taken Maddie home, she and her parents had spent almost the entire night talking to a tearful Rodrigo, trying to work out what had happened between him and Cara before he’d finally fallen asleep in the early hours, something which had encouraged Eva to send Isla home, knowing that Maddie needed her. She had hesitated in leaving, with Rodrigo evidently struggling, Isla had been tempted to stay around in order to support him, but she had eventually given in and called cab, returning home a little after five in the morning.

Slipping her feet out of her shoes, she neatly stowed them on the rack which sat beside the door before she turned towards the stairs, another quiet yawn tumbling out of her mouth. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she quietly padded up the stairs before she ducked into her bedroom, moving to collect a clean pair of pajamas before she stepped into the bathroom, quietly pulling the door closed behind her.

Reaching up, she tugged her glasses off of her nose before she moved to get changed. Placing her dirty clothes into the laundry basket, she moved to collect her toothbrush before the sound of the bathroom door opening reached her ears, something which caused her to shake her head. “I woke you” she mumbled as Gerard stepped into the room, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Gerard shrugged, kissing the side of her neck gently. “I don’t mind” he murmured “I didn’t expect you back so soon” he added.

“My mama sent me home” Isla replied, leaning over to spit her toothpaste into the sink.

Gerard nodded as he leant back slightly, watching her. “How’s your brother?” he asked.

Isla was quiet for a second, thinking the question over, before she turned around, leaning her weight back against the sink. “He’s a mess” she replied “How could he not be? He and Cara have been together, on and off, since they were in their twenties, and now she’s gone and he...he has no idea what he’s supposed to do next. My parents are going to let him stay for a while, but they don’t know what to say to him. What do you say to someone who’s just had their heartbroken like that?” she pressed, the tone of her voice hard to place.

Gerard shook his head, scratching his jaw thoughtfully. “I don’t know” he noted.

“She just left him, Geri” Isla murmured “She didn’t even tell him face to face. Just packed up her stuff and left. How could she do that?” she asked softly.

Gerard sighed gently before he reached out towards her, pulling her into a soft hug that she didn’t hesitate in returning, her arms settling around his waist. “We should get to bed” he mumbled into hair “I mean, you don’t look like you’ve had any sleep and it won’t be long before Maddie wakes up. I’ve been told that I am pretty great at cuddling” he joked as he leant back slightly, gently pushing her hair away from her eyes.

Isla smiled despite herself, something which made Gerard smile at her gently before he took a hold of her hand, leading her back into the bedroom. Letting her hand go, he wandered back to his side of the bed before he clambered inside, quickly pulling her close.

Isla relaxed into him, allowing a few seconds of quiet to pass between them, before she turned her head slightly, meeting his eyes over her shoulder. “Can you promise me something?” she murmured softly “I mean, without getting upset, or telling me that I don’t have anything to worry about, because I know that. I just...I need to hear you say something, OK?” she asked.

Gerard frowned a little, but nodded, something which caused Isla to turn over onto her other side, her fingers gently pushing his dark hair back off of his forehead. “If things ever went wrong” she murmured.

“Isla...”

“If” Isla stressed, cutting him off “If they did, and I am not saying that they will, because I don’t think they will, but if they did, you’d just tell me that you weren’t happy, right?” she asked softly.

Gerard leant into her touch for a moment, mulling over the question, before he nodded. “I would” he promised gently “But I really don’t think that that’s something we need to worry about, Lala. I know that this thing between Rodrigo and Cara came out of the blue, and I am not surprised that it’s got you thinking, but we’re good. Really freaking good” he added as he turned his head, kissing her palm and the inside of her wrist.

Isla’s expression softened a little at the light touch of his lips before she leant into him a little more, tucking her head beneath his chin.

Gerard responded by wrapping his arms around her, holding her close for a few seconds before he let out a quiet sigh. “Can I tell you something?” he murmured, breaking the silence which had settled around them.

Isla just nodded against him.

“I know we don’t like to talk about it” Gerard mumbled “About how things...changed between use when I left for Manchester, but I think I should say this. I did get jealous. Your papa, he did interfere and I did get hurt when I heard about you and what’s his name, but honestly? The real reason I stopped calling is because I got scared. I knew I had feelings for you, but I’d always tried to play them off as just a crush, something silly that I could get over, but when I left, I quickly realized it was never going to be that simple. I loved you, Isla. I loved every little detail about you, the way you were constantly messing with your glasses, the way you frown at things when you’re concentrating really hard. The way you were forever teasing me and calling me an idiot in that playful way of yours and that thought...it terrified me” he explained carefully.

Isla leant back slightly, her blue eyes peeking up into his. “Why?” she asked quietly.

“Because it was new” Gerard replied “Because you were the first one, and I didn’t realize it until I was there and there was no realistic way that we could act on it. I quickly realized that I couldn’t ignore it, but I also couldn’t just tell you, so I just...I stopped calling, hoping that it’d just go away, and it had, right up until you strode up to me in the café, and now look at us” he added, his expression lighting up.

Isla shook her head, smiling at the way his expression brightened, before she leant forwards, gently resting her head on his chest. “I love you” she mumbled, kissing his chest softly.

Gerard kissed her head gently. “Good” he muttered “Because you’re really not getting rid of me. You’re stuck with me, Vasquez” he mumbled, his voice caught between teasing and reassuring.

He knew that she would have let her mind wander, with Rodrigo and Cara having been together for far longer than they had been and their relationship ending suddenly, he knew that a part of Isla’s mind would have gone towards the idea of the same happening to them, even if she hadn’t wanted it to, and he wanted to assure her that it wasn’t going to happen. He loved her, he had done for longer than he really wanted to admit, and whilst he knew that there were no guarantees, he knew that things between them were good and that there was no reason at all why they shouldn’t continue to be.