A/N Sorry, internet playing up, so I'm being a little delayed in posting. Hope you are all ok. Mz xxx

Chapter Twenty Five

Oscar now knew that he hated being away from Lizzie and Nate in equal measure. Two nights in the Big Apple without them had been torture. He'd landed mid afternoon and was now whizzing across town in a rush to see them. He had three months leeway, it wasn't anywhere near enough time, and he had to work out a plan, a solution that served them all. That wasn't easy. But he knew that it was worth it, they were worth it.

He had barely been to his own apartment on hits trip, and as with his previous days, he drove straight to the warehouse to see his family.

Pulling onto the driveway, he leapt out of the car with more vigour than he'd had in days, then almost shoulder barged the front door open, only to bounce off it, the door locked in resistance. That surprised him, they knew he was coming, and they rarely locked the door. After banging a few times to no answer, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his key. He rarely used it these days, but he still carried them.

But the whole place was empty, he knew, he'd checked every door, and even checked the annex over the garage. That flummoxed him, they knew he was coming. Finally he reached for his phone and called Lizzie, but there was no answer, so he tried Coop. In a feat of brotherly love, his friend answered.

"Yup?"

He sighed with relief, unsure why it all seemed a little surreal or why he felt anxious, "hey Coop where are you all?"

Coop laughed, "hate being on your own?"

Oscar sighed, "just looking forward to seeing everyone, been a long few days."

Coop's knowing voice came along the line, "we're at the play place, your son is currently climbing above my head and squealing. You going to join us for dinner?"

Oscar smiled, "I'll be five minutes."

He knew where the play place was, not that he'd been there before, and it took him about fifteen minutes to get there and park up. Next door to the huge building filled with every pleasure imaginable for children, was a fast food place. Burgers and hotdogs were obviously the order of the day...and in the company he was about to have, that was better than champagne and caviar.

Lizzie had dreaded this moment, seeing Oscar. It had been a whirlwind, their time together, from amazing, happy, perfect, to arguing an heartbreak, and whenever she forgot the power he had over her, the hold he had on her life, something happened to remind him. The latest being Krystal, his recent girlfriend.

She'd had a great time with Freya, despite opening up more than she ever imagined, wine really was a lip loosener in her world. That was something she'd have to remember. The vision of that woman deserting her friends and cutting across the bar towards them was so vivid in her memory. If you could create a perfect image of a woman, she was it. Tall, leggy with large pert breasts, and slim waist and hips, she looked amazing in a tiny skirt and top; every man's eyes followed her across the room, her waist length immaculate blond hair wafting in her wake.

No wonder he wouldn't leave her for Janis, that had been her first...and probably longest lasting thought. Then the woman had greeted Freya like a lost relative, hugging her and gushing at how wonderful she looked.

Freya smiled nervously before glancing at Lizzie awkwardly, as she was about to make some form of introduction, Krystal lowered herself to the bench beside Lizzie, pushing her farther into the booth so that it was she who sat opposite Freya not her. Pushed into the corner, she turned to study the woman, who talked at Freya, it wasn't a conversation, it was a diatribe, a verbal assault at the fact that Oscar 'barely contacted her', was 'okaying his games again', and a million other ways of explaining that Krystal wasn't taking no for an answer. Freya awkwardly tried to response appropriately, but she wasn't about to start anything that she wasn't happy with, after all, this was her brother's battle not hers.

Freya smiled awkwardly at Lizzie just as there was a break in the one way conversation. As she made to respond in some way, three voices screeched across the bar, "come on Kryssie baby, it's time to get out of this hell hole!"

With a flick of her hair and a fake wave, she disappeared almost as quickly as she'd arrived.

Lizzie waited a long moment before she slid back along the bench to once again sit opposite Freya.

"I am so sorry Liz."

Lizzie smiled rather flatly, "that wasn't your fault. What a bitch."

Immediately Freya giggled, "I KNEW you'd see her for what she is, superficial cow. Honestly. Thank god she's out of our lives."

But for the rest of the evening it was the fact that Oscar had EVER wanted someone like her that haunted Lizzie. The man she met, and the man who'd want someone like Krystal on his arm were at complete opposites of a spectrum. Then that brought back the memory that he'd slept with her sister too. What the hell am I doing even thinking about Oscar? That was the million dollar question.

Now he was back, stood in front of her, half smiling. And she didn't know how to react. His eyes were trying to meet hers, so she offered a smile then turned back to the menu in her hand. Nate's reaction to his father was significantly different.

"Dad!" he bounced up and down in his seat until Oscar slid on to the bench the other side of him. As they hugged, Lizzie kept her eyes on the menu, knowing that she was struggling to control her reactions. But she hadn't felt this out of her depth, this inadequate in her life before, even after all that had happened with her family.

The waiter appeared and they all ordered. Then as drinks were handed out the children chattering, Oscar leaned over Nate and asked quietly, "what's wrong?"

She knew that he knew her too well, so she smiled, as genuinely as she could, then turned to him, "nothing. I'm just tired, didn't sleep well last night."

"Why?"

It wasn't a lie, but it was an excuse to get herself out of the spotlight, because she HADN'T slept well because Krystal, him, her sister...they all haunted her, continually. And that wasn't conducive to sleep.

Instead of revealing that, she gave a small shrug, "maybe thinking about going home too much..."

He gave a slow, "ahhh." Then reached out to squeeze her shoulder, "I guess it's going to be difficult going back, after the funeral...but I'll be there, I'll hold your hand."

Why does he have to be so bloody nice? She wanted to distance herself, get space and time from him, but he was invading her world on every level. She had to find a way to survive him living with her, because she was no match to him, or for him and there was only one possible conclusion, pain and hurt...for her.

Oscar glanced across the seats at Lizzie, her eyes were a little puffy still, but then she'd been really upset at leaving the Coopers. He was a little surprised at how upset she was, but then his sister was special, and Coop too, over the years they'd been a rock to him, despite how he'd condemned them in the early days. The flight was smooth and Nate had fallen asleep after eating the dinner provided and watching a Disney movie on his seat back TV. as usual he seemed to be the carrier physically between him and Lizzie, and despite her protests that she was anxious at heading home, he knew that there was something she wasn't telling him, but he also knew from his dealings with women that she wasn't about to burst out with it if he asked. So he had to look for the clues...something he was notoriously bad at.

"What you watching?"

Lizzie pulled out an earphone and glanced at him, "a Ricky Gervais film...The Invention of Lying." She stared at him for a moment, with what he knew was poignancy, then replaced the earphone and turned back to the movie. Leaving him grimacing. He was right, something was up!

After flicking through the numerous options on his own TV screen, he wasn't in the mood to concentrate, so he called a stewardess and ordered a bottle of champagne. As it was brought with two glasses, he spotted Lizzie glancing in his direction in what she hoped was a discreet fashion, but was anything but.

Pouring a glass, he sipped at it, then turned to her, waiting until she threw her eyes his way, "Want some?"

He could see she was torn, wanting to say no, but desperately wanting a glass of bubbles. It was a childish thing to do, but he was going to force her to realise that whatever she was thinking, whatever this was, he was a good guy and she was wrong to doubt him, if that was what this was all about.

Her nod, when it came made him want to laugh out loud, but he didn't, instead, silently he filled the second flute with champagne and handed it to her with a mock bow. That made her scowl, but she took the glass and sipped it gratefully.

Replacing her earphones, she turned back to the screen, but he spotted the smile on her lips. She was angry at something, but she didn't hate him. That was a bonus.

She fell asleep before the bottle was finished, but it was late, transatlantic flights were always exhausting, and Lizzie had looked shattered before they left. This trip was meant to be relaxing, a rest for her, and it had been anything but, and that was largely his fault. He'd never been a caring person...he wasn't callous or cold, it was just that he'd never invested enough time or effort into any relationship to make it that important. Other than a few friends, and his family he had little depth of relationship, and that had never bothered him before. But as he watched Lizzie sleep, the feeling of protectiveness, the strength of the care he felt for her, well it was unprecedented. He vowed to help her, to make her smile, make her happy, and hopefully fill the void that she'd had in her life for a long time. Not in being a partner, he wasn't sure either of them wanted to think that through, but as Nate's father, and an equal caregiver. She deserved time to herself, to be able to trust that Nate was safe without her; she hadn't had that for years. He could do that. He could be that for her.

It was mid morning the following day when Lizzie opened the front door, glad to be home, despite the memories. Nate had woken since his long sleep on the flight and skipped into the house in the direction of his room excitedly. Oscar dragged the bags in behind her after paying the taxi. He was picking up a hire car the following morning, but until then they were carless.

"So I'll walk to the local shop?"

Lizzie shook her head and disappeared into the freezer emerging with everything that they'd need until the morning, a home cooked meal, milk and bread - all frozen before they flew to the States.

"Is frozen milk allowed? I mean...frozen milk?"

She laughed, "Google it."

Turning back to the kitchen she started to close the freezer door when he asked, "so where shall I put my stuff?"

Of course, he is having Janis' bedroom. She sighed; she hadn't really thought that through...sorting all of her clothes, possessions.

Oscar stepped up to her, she saw his feet from her position, head dropped, then she felt a hand on her shoulder, "nothing needs to change, I just need to somewhere to rest my head. Ok? No need to worry about space..."

She lifted her head and offered a weak smile, "thanks. But I have to clear it all sometime."

"You do. But not until you're ready. I'll strip the bed, clear the surfaces...but otherwise, it can stay the same. Is that ok?"

She nodded, "perfect. Thank you."

Chuckling he pulled her into a hug, a supportive, collaborative hug. Safe. "Thank YOU, for making this happen."

At that moment Nate hurtled into them both and pulling back, Oscar added, "for this." Then he bent down to pick up Nate, and he wrapped his small arms around both their necks.