For the next week Dawn didn’t hear anything from AJ. He didn’t come over to D’s to see Arianna, instead he sent Denise over to get her. He didn’t want to see Dawn just yet. He was still confused about the whole situation. He knew he still loved her and wanted to be a family but he didn’t know if things would ever be the same again.
"So, how are you?" Nick asked him.
He had brought Arianna to see AJ and they were sitting outside talking while she played with her dollies at his feet.
"I’m hanging in there. It’s been pretty hard these last few days. I miss Dawn so much."
"She misses you too."
AJ looked at him sadly and then down at his daughter. He missed Arianna so much. He wanted to be with her everyday just like it used to be. He had nothing to do around the house. He was bored as hell all the time. He must have dyed his hair a million times. It was now blonde with blue tips. Nick told him he looked like a snowcone. He wanted his family back, he didn’t know if it would ever happen.
"So how’s D?"
"She’s much better now that she’s out of that wheelchair. The doctor took her cast off a couple days ago. She’s much happier."
"I’m sure she is. The two of you can go at it now since her leg is all better," AJ chuckled.
"Yeah, she’s a lot more agile now."
They both laughed.
"How’s Dawn? Is the baby okay?" AJ asked quietly, playing with his shirtsleeve.
"She’s doing okay. She has a doctors appointment tomorrow."
"Oh yeah, that’s right. She told me about it when I went to see her last," he remembered sadly.
"She’s getting her first sonogram."
AJ smiled at the thought of seeing his child on the screen for the first time. This is what they’ve both been waiting for. His smile faded when he realized that he would be missing it again.
"Is she going alone?"
"No, I told her I’d go with her. I don’t think she should go alone."
"No, she shouldn’t go alone. I should be going with her. It’s my baby she’s carrying," he said angrily.
"Yes, you should be going with her, not me. She hasn’t heard from you so she doesn’t know how you’re feeling right now. She didn’t know if you wanted to go."
"Why wouldn’t I want to go???" He asked, shocked that she would even think that.
"Like I said, AJ, she hasn’t heard from you in awhile. She’s not sure how you feel about her anymore."
AJ looked at him sadly.
‘She thinks I don’t love her anymore? I can’t let her think that. I’m just so confused. I have to let her know that I still care about her.’ He got up and went over to his daughter.
"Come on honey. Let’s clean up your dollies."
"We going bye-byes Daddy?"
"That’s right jellybean. We’re going to see Mommy."
"Goody!!" She squeeled, slapping her hands together.
He laughed and picked her up. Nick followed him out his car and they headed to D’s.
"We’re back!" Nick called from the hallway.
"Hi, honey!" D greeted, giving him a kiss.
"J!!! It’s so good to see you!!" She said, giving him a hug.
AJ put Arianna down and she took off down the hallway to her room.
"Now that's an interesting hairstyle," she said, laughing.
"Thanks. This is what boredom does to you," he laughed back. "It’s good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?"
"I’m doing much better now that I’m out of that stupid wheelchair."
"I can imagine."
"So, how are you doing?" She asked gently, putting her arm around Nick.
"I’m doing okay. I came over to talk to Dawn about some things. Where is she?"
"She’s in her room. Go ahead back."
"Thanks," he said, heading back towards Dawn’s room.
He got to her room and knocked quietly.
"Come in."
AJ took a deep breath and opened the door. He saw Dawn sitting on her bed. She looked up at him and froze.
"Hey Angel," he said quietly.
"Alex," she whispered.
She couldn’t believe he was standing in front of her.
"I wanted to talk to you. Can I sit?"
"Sure. I was just looking at my photo album," she smiled sadly.
He looked down at the album and smiled. It was open to when they took Arianna to Animal Kingdom when she was a baby.
"I remember that," he smiled. "Arianna got sick and threw up on my shoe".
"Yeah," Dawn laughed back.
She closed the photo album and set it aside. She looked at him, waiting for him to tell her what he came to say.
"I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about us…about what we’ve both done. We’ve both made so many mistakes…especially me. I’ve already told you how sorry I am and how much I regret what I did with that girl."
Dawn opened up her mouth to say something but he held up his hand to silence her.
"Please, let me finish before you say anything."
She nodded and he continued.
"When you told me you kissed Noah it completely devastated me. I couldn’t believe that you did that. You knew how much I hated him, how much a despised him. It really hurt me to know that he’s the one you turned to when you found out about what I did. I was so angry with you. You made me feel guilty and you did something to betray me too. Then I find out that you asked Nick to take you to the doctors."
"I wasn’t sure if you wanted to go with me," she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"Of course I want to go with you. We get to see our child for the first time. Our baby, a part of me and you. No matter what, I’m that baby’s father. I want to be there for him, and you," he said, caressing her cheek softly.
"I didn’t think you’d ever want to see me again."
"I love you, Angel. I always have and I always will…no matter what happens."
She smiled and put her hand over his on her cheek. She nestled her face in his hand and kissed his palm. She missed his touch.
"I’ve missed you so much, Alex. I’m so sorry for everything."
"I’ve missed you too. I’m sorry too. Please don’t ever forget that I love you with all my heart and soul. I want to go to the doctors with you and see our baby. I want to be there to rub your tummy and sing to him at night before I go to sleep. I want to be the first one to hold him when he comes into this world. I want to be there for all of it."
"What are you saying Alex?"
"I’m saying that I want to be there. I want to go through this with you. I want us to work through all of this bullshit we’ve been through lately. We can get past it. We’ve got so much to be thankful for, to work for. I hate being away from you, and Arianna. You're my whole life, Angel. I'm lost without you, my life is just empty when we're not together. I want you back and I want us to work through this, together."
"Oh Alex!" She sighed, wrapping her arms around him. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, baby," he said, holding her tightly.
She pulled away and looked at him.
"Oh my God," she gasped, covering her mouth.
"What?" He asked, concerned.
"What did you do to your hair?????" She laughed.
He laughed and ran his hand through his locks.
"I was tremendously bored not having you and Arianna around."
"It sure it………interesting," she giggled.
"I’ll dye it back as soon as I get home," he promised, laughing.
She leaned up and kissed him tenderly on the lips. It had been so long since she had tasted his kiss. It felt so amazing. They deepened the kiss and AJ pushed her back on the bed.
"Alex," she gasped.
"What baby?" He asked, kissing and sucking on her neck.
"We can’t do this."
He pulled away and looked at her hurt.
"But I thought that we…"
She put her fingers on his lips.
"It’s not that I don’t want to. I can’t because of my injuries…no strenuous activities."
"Oh…I forgot about that," he said, sitting up. "I’m sorry, I’ve just missed you so much. I got a little carried away."
She sat up on her elbows and gave him a seductive smile.
"Lay down baby."
He hesitated for a second. She leaned closer and ran a finger down his chest.
"Trust me, Alex."
He gave her a smile and lay down on the bed next to her. She leaned down and kissed him passionately, running her hand down his chest. He moaned in her mouth when he felt her hand go inside his jeans. She caressed his length eliciting low throaty moans from him.
"God, Dawn," he gasped as she flicked his head with her thumb.
"I want to taste you," she whispered in his ear.
She unbuckled his jeans and pulled them down to expose his rock hard erection. She licked her lips at the sight of him. It had been so long since they had been intimate and any way and seeing him like this was making her crazy. She kissed the tip of his manhood as she stroked his shaft slowly.
"Please, Angel. God, don’t tease me. Not now".
She smiled and swirled her tongue around his head. He moaned as she took all of him into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around him as she moved up and down his length.
"Yes, God, that feels so good," he moaned, grabbing a handful of her hair.
She went faster until he exploded into her mouth. She swallowed all of his juices, which seemed to flow endlessly down her throat.
"I missed your mouth," he sighed with a chuckle, pulling her up gently to lay next to him.
"My mouth has missed you too," she smiled, kissing him.
She lay her head on his chest and sighed. She had missed this the most. Being close to him and holding him. Having him hold her.
"Maybe we should go check on our daughter," AJ whispered.
"Nicky and D are here. I’m sure they don’t mind watching her. I just want you to hold me. I’ve missed this."
"Me too," he sighed, kissing the top of her head.
He stroked her hair as they drifted off to sleep.