Shattered Glass

[wrongturntaken]

LMAO at the birthing class!!!! That scene was so funny! And i loved Belle and Aden's interaction! When that person thought the baby was Aden's and he said it wasn't, i just wanted Belle to say, "...well actually..." but i guess that would have been too easy!

You are keeping me in such suspense, Aden has to find out soon! I'm already feeling so bad for him that he's missing the scans, and finding out the sex of the baby... it's so sad! Please don't make him miss any more stuff! It so wouldn't be fair!

Jamie was so adorable and sweet and cute as always!!! I'm glad Belle explained what it would mean for him to be a big brother! And the bit about Nicole eating the TV cracked me up!

I absolutely loved this chapter!!!! Can't wait for more!!!! Seriously, i'm literally bursting!!!! Update soon!!!!

[Zetti]

Jamie has to be the bestest Adelle baby ever! His reaction to the baby was priceless. I couldnt stop grinning!

Yayy for this one being longer than Stockholm Syndrome.

I always love reading this fic

[Louise_2983]

Jamie has to be the bestest Adelle baby ever!

Well I think so but I'm a little biased considering my imagination gave birth to him

[Inactive User]

Yah another part. *so excited so she gives chocolates to Louise*

Loving Jamie's reaction to Belle having a baby. He will be a great big brother

Poor Aden He needs to talk to someone soon.

Birthing class scenes so funny

Update soon and keep up with the amazing good work, mate.

[bikinikill]

Loved that chapter. It was great. I love that Aden turned up for the birthhing classes, and that they got kicked out. hehe.

great work!

[Zetti]

Jamie has to be the bestest Adelle baby ever!

Well I think so but I'm a little biased considering my imagination gave birth to him

But you are allowed to be

[SAM27#]

Jamie is so cute! He has some of the best lines!!

The birthing class was hilarious! I was laughing all the way through it!!

Poor Aden! He definately needs to talk to someone (hint hint Belle)

I seriously can't wait for the next chapter!! Update soon!!

[Louise_2983]

Chapter 31.

She sighed as she rolled over in bed for what must have been the tenth time since she had retired almost an hour ago. She wasn’t in pain or discomfort and her body was definitely exhausted but she found sleep elusive.

Her mind was working overtime, worrying about Aden and what his test results might say the next say. Worrying about him dealing with it all alone, bottling it all up like he always used to do when he had a problem. He’d let her past those walls, he’d let her help. But now it seemed that in the past 5 years he’d slowly built the walls up again and she had no right to VIP access beyond them.

She worried about Jamie, about how they would tell him if it was the worst and how he would take it. She did a double take in her head. She was worrying about how they would tell him. Aden might not want to let her in but she wasn’t going to let him push her away. She would be there for him she knew that. Even if he didn’t want her to be. She didn’t have a choice.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn’t even realise that he was there until he was half way through her window.

“Aden!” she exclaimed half in shock, half full of hope.

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugged silently as he slumped down onto the bed next to his, his eyes tired and fearful. Any hope she had felt died in that moment to be replaced with an overwhelming desire to comfort him.

“I don’t know Belle” he whispered.

“I don’t know anything anymore”

“It’s the middle of the night” she told him, instantly realising that she was stating the obvious.

“Isn’t Kirsty going to wonder where you are?”

“She was fast asleep when I left, she never wakes up”

“And what it tonight’s the one night she does?”

She hated herself for even uttering that question. She knew it sounded like she wanted him to leave. And she didn’t. She wanted to be as close to him as possible. Always. Especially when he was

hurting as he clearly was right then. But she had to protect herself too, she didn’t want to hurt either.

“I’m scared Belle” he ignored her questioned, tears glistening against his in the gentle glow of the moonlight peeking in through the open window.

“I don’t want to leave him. I promised I’d never leave him”

“Aden” she sighed shuffling towards him and wrapping her arms around his shoulder. He didn’t protest and instead rested his head against hers, his hands gripping onto her forearms as though his life

depended on it.

“You’re not going anywhere, do you hear me?”

“You can’t say that, you don’t know that Belle”

“No I know” she whispered regretfully, biting back her own tears. She’d never seen him so beaten.

“Will you promise me something?”

“If you’re going to ask me to do something when you’re gone then you can stop it now because we don’t even know that you’re ill yet and if...even if you are I am not going to let you give up just like

that!”

“I might not have a choice Belle. If I am sick there might not be anything I can do” he paused and ran a hand down the smooth skin of her arm, before entwining his fingers through hers gently.

“Anything either of us can do” he whispered as her heart thumped rapidly against her chest. She was petrified but at least he wasn’t pushing her away.

“You can’t think like this! You can’t let it beat you before you even know it’s challenged you to a fight Aden!”

“Just promise me you’ll be there for him Belle, promise me that you’ll never leave him again”

“Aden!”

“Just promise me!” he exclaimed in frustration, fear and confusion etched into his expression.

“I promise ok? I promise that I’m never going to leave him. But you know that already. I’m not going to make the same mistake twice Aden. I couldn’t leave him even if I wanted to! He’s reeled me in

hook line and sinker with that adorable little face and sweet one liners”

“He does have that affect” Aden replied, a small smile finally breaking through.

“Yeah he takes after his Daddy” she smiled back at him almost suggestively.

“He trusts me Belle and I promised I’d never leave him” he whispered, instantly solemn again.

“And you’re not going to. Neither of us are going anywhere ok? If it’s the worst then...then you’ll fight until you beat it because I am not going to let you give up when you’ve got so much to fight for!”

“I want to believe that things are going to be ok I do but I’m just so scared Belle. I made a will today” he half laughed at his confession.

“I don’t even have that much to leave. All I have to show for my life, to leave my son, is half a house!”

“Will you stop it!” she snapped suddenly annoyed.

“This isn’t you Aden Jefferies! You don’t let things beat you! You’ve been through some crap in your life but you’ve always fought your way through it! You don’t give in, especially not this easily! This is

what happens when you bottle things up and let them eat away at you inside, it’s not good for you. You need to talk to someone, if you don’t want that person to be me then fine but please talk to someone!”

“I’m here aren’t I?” he murmured softly.

“Of course I want that person to be you”

She sighed deeply before pulling him closer so they were lying next to each other on the bed. She rested her head against his shoulder as he looped an arm around her. He was careful not to place his hand anywhere near her bump and her heart broke a little as he rested his hand just above it but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind. Now was not the time to be worrying about that.

“And don’t worry about Jamie, he’ll get the whole house eventually when I go too” she lamely attempted to joke.

“Don’t even say that!” he exclaimed, laughing slightly at her nerve.

“Aden, he doesn’t need material things he needs his Daddy”

“I know” he whispered and she felt his head nod next to her own.

“And you’ve already given him so much” she smiled softly.

“His eyes, that smile, those cute little dimples, your time, your patience, your love. Those are the things he’ll remember Aden not that you left him half a house. Not that you’re going to be leaving him

for a long time anyway”

“I hope not”

“And you’re not alone. I’m here and if you have to fight I’ll be right there with you. I’ll always be here”

“You’ve got your own life” he tried to shrug off her words.

“Yes I do” she agreed, raising her head to look up at him with a nod.

“And you and Jamie are the most important people in it. You always will be”

“Thinks are already changing Belle” he told her with a telling glance at her bump.

“You’re as bad as Jamie” she grinned.

“Nothing is ever going to change the way I feel about either of you ok? Just because Mummy’s having a baby it doesn’t mean that she’s not going to love Daddy anymore!”

“Shut up!” he chuckled at her mocking.

“Well it’s true” she insisted as she rubbed her fingertips in tender circles over his knuckles.

“You’ll never be alone ok?”

“Ok” he nodded with a slight smile.

“I guess alone is just a feeling I’ve got use to. You know ever since I was a kid. After my Mum died all the people who were meant to be there for me let me down. My Dad, my Granddad, even my

brothers got out of there as soon as they could. Being alone just became my permanent state of being ”

“I know” she whispered.

“But then you found Roman and Nicole and...me”

“And then you left and I was alone again and I know I had Jamie and Roman and Nicole and then Kirsty eventually but I just felt so alone without you Belle”

“I’m sorry” she whimpered, tears starting to fall down her cheek. She hadn’t just let Jamie down she’d let Aden down too and that would haunt her forever.

“It wasn’t your fault we both know that, life just messed us both up a lot” he told her honestly. He'd blamed her for a long time but he didn't any longer.

“I’m here now” she whispered softly.

“Yeah you are” he smiled across at her.

“And I’m never leaving you alone again”

“Promise?” he grinned.

“Cross my heart” she giggled, crossing a hand quickly over her heart as he tilted his head and moved closer to her.

She gulped in an anticipation of his kiss but just as his lips were about to meet hers she let out a piercing yelp and jumped up into a sitting position.

“What is it?” he asked, his tone brimming with concern as he sat up too.

She didn’t respond but instead grabbed hold of his hand and pressed it gently against her bump.

“Do you feel that?” she grinned excitedly as the baby kicked a gentle rhythm against her tummy.

“Yeah” he whispered softly with a slight smile as the baby kicked again, quicker this time causing Belle to take a sharp intake of breath.

“This is the first time” she grinned again, still holding his hand against her bump.

“The first time she’s let me know that she’s really in there”

“I think the bump was her first clue” Aden grinned cheekily.

“Shut up! Our son’s already called me fat enough today!”

“Oh but you know he loves you anyway”

“Of course he does, I’m his Mummy, I’m his favouritest!” she giggled as another flurry of soft, rhythmic kicks let her know that her baby girl was still awake.

“And I’m going to be this little girl’s mummy too” she smiled softly to herself as the kicking died down.

“And she’s going to run you ragged if all this energy is anything to go by”

“Nah that’s probably just a result of all the sugar I’ve inadvertently fed her today. Ice cream, M&M’s, soda. Us Mummies to be have lots of cravings you know”

“Belle, you eat all those things when you’re not pregnant” he laughed accusingly.

“True but now I have a valid excuse, it’s great!” she laughed along with him before looking back down at her bump where their hands still lay.

“I think she’s gone back to sleep now” she sighed and instantly he yanked his hand away as though touching her bump had the same effect as walking over hot coals.

And to him it did. It burned him to know she was carrying another man’s child. He’d tried to forget it but it’d had proved impossible. It was staring him straight in the face and would be for the next 5

months.

“I should go” he told her, suddenly jumping up and heading for the window.

“You don’t have to” she whispered hopefully.

“You could stay and we could talk. About anything, take your mind off tomorrow”

“You need to sleep, you staying up all night isn’t good for her” he told her nodding towards her tummy.

“And anyway I should be at home in case Jamie wakes up in the night. He’d freak out if I wasn’t there”

“Ok” she nodded quietly.

“When you get in and you check on him, give him a kiss from me won’t you?”

“Course” he smiled, already halfway out of the window.

“And Aden?”

“Yeah”

“Everything’s going to be ok”

“I wish I could believe that” he whispered before disappearing into the dark night.

She sighed as she flopped back against the bed.

So did she.

***

He didn’t notice her slid into the hard, plastic chair next to him. He was so caught up in his worry that he was oblivious to practically everything else going on around him.

He only realised she was there when she slid her hand slowly into the one he had rested on his knee and squeezed gently.

“Belle” he half smiled.

“What are you doing here?”

“I told you, I’m not leaving you alone again. I meant it”

“But how did you know what time my appointment was?” he questioned confused.

“Well as much as our son would like to believe that I’m psycho” she giggled.

“Rachel told me. But don’t be mad at her. I asked and she agreed that you shouldn’t be alone for this”

“I’m not mad. I’m glad you’re here I’m driving myself crazy” he confessed quietly.

“On the way to school this morning Jamie asked me if we could go to Disneyland next year. I don’t even know if I’m going to be here next year Belle!”

“You are going to be here, I’ve told you I’m not letting you leave us”

“He looked at me like his entire world rested on my shoulders Belle, I love him so much”

“I know you do” she whispered softly.

“What did you say about Disneyland?”

“What could I say? I said we’d see. I don’t want to be responsible for shattering his dreams Belle!”

“We will go to Disneyland” she told him matter of factly.

“All three of us, I promise. We will make his dreams come true”

“I think he’d explode with excitement” he grinned, still gripping her hand in his.

“Or die or disappointment when Mickey Mouse didn’t recognise him from his birthday party!”

“I’m sure I could sort that, speak to a few people, make sure it’s the same Mickey you know?” she grinned.

“You really would do anything for him wouldn’t you?”

“Yep” she nodded.

“But you know that because so would you. That’s what parents do”

“Ours didn’t”

“No but we’re not them and we’re not going to make the same mistakes they did”

“I’m glad you’re here Belle, so glad” he smiled softly.

“If you’d told me what time the appointment was I would have been here earlier, stop you from sitting here beating yourself up”

“I didn’t mean that. I meant I’m glad you’re here. Back in Summer Bay, in my life again, in Jamie’s life again”

“Back where I belong?” she grinned.

“Yeah” he nodded with a smile that made her heart melt.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else”

“I kn-”

“Aden Jefferies!” a nurse interrupted calling out his name.

He nodded at her to confirm that he was who she was looking for and she asked him to follow her. As he went to stand Belle instantly grabbed hold of this arm and pulled him back into the uncomfortable seat.

“Belle, I’ve got to go” he laughed as the nurse disappeared out of sight.

“I know” she told him, pressing a flat palm to his cheek and gazing directly into his baby blue eyes.

“But I just want to say before you go in there that whatever happens I’m here, whatever they tell you we’ll get through it. I promise” she whispered before slowly leaning in and pressing her lips

tenderly against his.

“I better go” he whispered with a gulp as she broke away from the kiss.

“I’ll be right here” she told him with a smile.

“I know” he nodded before heading off in the same way that the nurse had done.

***

Every second ticked by as slowly as an hour as she fidgeted in the hard chair waiting for Aden to reappear. The more time passed the more she convinced herself that something was seriously wrong, it was the worst it could be. Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t breathe.

She didn’t want to lose him. She couldn’t lose him.

She didn’t want Jamie to lose him. Jamie couldn’t lose him.

She would spend the rest of her life without him if it meant that he would be ok. She could just about cope with the idea of him being with someone else but the idea of him being gone forever was killing

her slowly with each difficult breath.

“Belle?”

She lifted her head to find him standing in front of her and immediately jumped up.

“Well?!” she asked expectantly.

He looked around at the other occupants of the waiting room, no doubt waiting for similar news, and grabbed her arm.

“Not in here” he told her guiding her silently down the crowded corridors until they were outside and alone.

“Aden! Can you just tell me please this is killing me!”

“Great choice of words their Belle”

“Sorry” she sighed realising what she’d said.

“I’m just worried about you. So worried”

“It’s benign” he smiled weakly.

“Benign?” she gasped.

“Yeah, I’m fine. We were worrying for nothing”

“Oh thank god!” she exclaimed, a beaming smile appearing on her face as she threw her arms around him and pulled him closer to her.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his head in her hair and they stood in silence, just holding each other for at least the next 15 minutes.

“I was so scared” she whispered as she finally pulled away slightly.

“I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you”

“You were the one telling me everything was going to be ok!”

“I know but I didn’t really know that did I? God Aden if things had been different...”

“But they’re not” he smiled.

“No, thank goodness”

“I should go” he told her, suddenly dropping his arms from around her and stepping away.

“I have to collect Jamie from school soon”

“We could go together? He’d like that” she smiled hopefully, concerned by his sudden change of mood.

“No” he shook his head, fighting the urge to accept her offer. In a battle of head versus heart his head seemed to win every time these days.

“He would like it but I just got my life back and I need to spend some time alone with my son”

“Ok” she nodded in disappointment.

“But you should tell him that we’re all going to Disneyland”

Aden looked back at her with a sad smile.

“Yeah... We’ll see”

[leah1234]

Woah! Relief! Aden's ok!!!!!!

I loved that belle was there for him!!!!

It was really great

Update soon!!!!!

Xxxxxx

[Inactive User]

Great another chapter.

Loving Aden and Belle together-so sweet

Glad Aden is going to be okay thanks goodness

Update sooon-wanting to read more.