Quietly, they walked through the marketplace. Blue eyes roamed the area, quietly and settled up Charlotte and Elena a moment, as he was still somewhat amazed at their appearance in the realm once more, and fougth a few moments to set that amazement aside and finally speak again.
"I owe you an apology."
Charlotte expected silence. They hadn't exactly left on the greatest of terms. What she hadn't expected was that. In fact, it made her stop dead in her tracks."What?"
"I owe you an apology, Charlotte. I am sorry things got so outta hand. You and I are one thing, but this really spilled out."
The smile she had been struggling to keep on her face faded, so she busied herself with the baby in her arms. "That's part of the reason I left, you know..."
"You never had to leave."
"Things wouldn't have gotten better." I had to get away from this place. My memories...it was just too hard. I never meant to keep your daughter from you. I told you that was one thing I would never do, Brian. Now I feel terrible. You weren't given that letter...and now you've missed 8 months of her life."
"They might have and It's alright.. Eight months is better than years. Look, it's done. No worries...."
"Yeah..."
"And I am sorry it got so bad. On both sides."
"I...I don't know what you expect me to say. That night..." Charlotte sighed and looked away, then back again. "I gave you every chance to say that you still wanted me. When you let me walk away, I got angry. I guess...I didn't let go of that anger until I left Rhy'Din. I'm sorry, too."
"Let you? But.. I thought?.. Char, You said.. I was angry too and I apologize."
Oh no no no. She wasn't touching that statement with a ten foot pole. It would only arouse emotions within her that she had worked months to extinguish. Instead, she tipped Elena towards him - which also changed the subject. "You want to hold her?"
A certified nod and large smile appeared on Bri's face, as he looked to the child. "I'd love to." arms extended for their child, as he smiled yet again.
Elena eyed the strange man warily, glancing between him and her mommy; all the while sucking furiously on her pacifier. After a bit of consideration, Elena reached for Brian and gave an owlish blink once she was nestled in his arms.
A loving smile given to Elana, as Brian watched the child in his arms, and opened his mouth to speak, and yet couldn't find the words. Instead a loving kiss was placed upon the child's forehead, as he then looked to
Charlotte and whispered to her. "Thank you."
The sight nearly brought tears to her eyes. She tried to put herself in her ex-husbands shoes; having not seen her daughter in 8 months and holding her for the first time. It was heartbreaking. She couldn't find the words either, so she merely nodded to him; giving the father/daughter duo a dazzling smile.
"She is amazing, gods... Truly amazing."
"She learned to crawl a couple months ago...and just last tuesday she managed to discover how to pull herself up by the couch." a radiant, proud mommy smile followed that statement.
"Crawl? is that right, sweetheart? You can crawl? And pull? You just respect the mountain top" once more a smile was offered to Charlotte. Elena then grinned from behind her pacifier and clapped, knowing what 'crawl' meant because mommy talked about it all the time. After a bit of celebrating, she....discovered Brian's hair. That was her favorite thing to do. Pull hair. Yoink! Brian's hair was pulled, and he laughed aloud, while Charlotte winced and chuckled.
"What a tug you have.. You are strong huh? Mommie's big girl."
"Pfft...she doesn't get it from me."
"She is a treasure, Charlotte."
Char smiled. It was kind of refreshing to be called by her full name again. "That she is..."
"Thank you for coming, I appreciate it more than you know."
"I almost didn't. I came a week ago when I heard about Alex...but then I left again. Some idiot tried hurt 'Lena." She furrowed her brows and shook her head. "That's the other reason I left. Too much....drama here. Its not safe."
"The drama here has lessoned, severely.. As to someone hurting Elena, that can't be tolerated. Still you came, and that in the end is what counts." Brian kissed Elena's head once more and continued. "Will I be able to visit?"
"I think you know him. Ty? Yeah, he's the one who threatened to harm her."Charlotte shook her head once more and looked around."Of course. As I've said in the past, I'd never keep Elena away from you. But if you want to see her, you'll have to come to Bethesda."
"I owe you an apology."
Charlotte expected silence. They hadn't exactly left on the greatest of terms. What she hadn't expected was that. In fact, it made her stop dead in her tracks."What?"
"I owe you an apology, Charlotte. I am sorry things got so outta hand. You and I are one thing, but this really spilled out."
The smile she had been struggling to keep on her face faded, so she busied herself with the baby in her arms. "That's part of the reason I left, you know..."
"You never had to leave."
"Things wouldn't have gotten better." I had to get away from this place. My memories...it was just too hard. I never meant to keep your daughter from you. I told you that was one thing I would never do, Brian. Now I feel terrible. You weren't given that letter...and now you've missed 8 months of her life."
"They might have and It's alright.. Eight months is better than years. Look, it's done. No worries...."
"Yeah..."
"And I am sorry it got so bad. On both sides."
"I...I don't know what you expect me to say. That night..." Charlotte sighed and looked away, then back again. "I gave you every chance to say that you still wanted me. When you let me walk away, I got angry. I guess...I didn't let go of that anger until I left Rhy'Din. I'm sorry, too."
"Let you? But.. I thought?.. Char, You said.. I was angry too and I apologize."
Oh no no no. She wasn't touching that statement with a ten foot pole. It would only arouse emotions within her that she had worked months to extinguish. Instead, she tipped Elena towards him - which also changed the subject. "You want to hold her?"
A certified nod and large smile appeared on Bri's face, as he looked to the child. "I'd love to." arms extended for their child, as he smiled yet again.
Elena eyed the strange man warily, glancing between him and her mommy; all the while sucking furiously on her pacifier. After a bit of consideration, Elena reached for Brian and gave an owlish blink once she was nestled in his arms.
A loving smile given to Elana, as Brian watched the child in his arms, and opened his mouth to speak, and yet couldn't find the words. Instead a loving kiss was placed upon the child's forehead, as he then looked to
Charlotte and whispered to her. "Thank you."
The sight nearly brought tears to her eyes. She tried to put herself in her ex-husbands shoes; having not seen her daughter in 8 months and holding her for the first time. It was heartbreaking. She couldn't find the words either, so she merely nodded to him; giving the father/daughter duo a dazzling smile.
"She is amazing, gods... Truly amazing."
"She learned to crawl a couple months ago...and just last tuesday she managed to discover how to pull herself up by the couch." a radiant, proud mommy smile followed that statement.
"Crawl? is that right, sweetheart? You can crawl? And pull? You just respect the mountain top" once more a smile was offered to Charlotte. Elena then grinned from behind her pacifier and clapped, knowing what 'crawl' meant because mommy talked about it all the time. After a bit of celebrating, she....discovered Brian's hair. That was her favorite thing to do. Pull hair. Yoink! Brian's hair was pulled, and he laughed aloud, while Charlotte winced and chuckled.
"What a tug you have.. You are strong huh? Mommie's big girl."
"Pfft...she doesn't get it from me."
"She is a treasure, Charlotte."
Char smiled. It was kind of refreshing to be called by her full name again. "That she is..."
"Thank you for coming, I appreciate it more than you know."
"I almost didn't. I came a week ago when I heard about Alex...but then I left again. Some idiot tried hurt 'Lena." She furrowed her brows and shook her head. "That's the other reason I left. Too much....drama here. Its not safe."
"The drama here has lessoned, severely.. As to someone hurting Elena, that can't be tolerated. Still you came, and that in the end is what counts." Brian kissed Elena's head once more and continued. "Will I be able to visit?"
"I think you know him. Ty? Yeah, he's the one who threatened to harm her."Charlotte shook her head once more and looked around."Of course. As I've said in the past, I'd never keep Elena away from you. But if you want to see her, you'll have to come to Bethesda."