No Unnecessary Risks Who: Lia and Riley When: Early afternoon Where: The ranch
It was a miserable day. Again. The weather was still cold and rainy, and Lia found herself wishing desperately for the sun. Not only to brighten her own mood, but because keeping Sophia inside all day tended to make her daughter restless and bored, and when Sophia got bored, she got ornery. Thankfully Mrs. Haggerty stepped in when Sophia started whining, and took her to the kitchen to help whip up a fresh batch of cookies.
Lia took that opportunity to shower, since Sophia had woken her up early for breakfast and to play cards. She knew Riley was outside, tending to the animals. It hadn't taken long for word to get around the ranch about the fires the night before. And there was speculation that it was arson. That some people in town had gone missing. She had sent texts to Gin and Micah and tried not to be too impatient while waiting for their responses. She had no idea what was going on inside Delphi lately, but Lia did know she had no intention of letting Sophia step outside until things settled.
After she got out of the shower, Lia dried her hair and got dressed. She stood in front of the mirror, brushing the tangles from her blonde hair and trying to work through her own anxiety about what was happening.
Riley was outside with the animals, not because he needed to be, but because he needed some time to figure out how to ask Lia what he needed to ask her. It would have been one thing had he been out in the dome somewhere and pulled in. Then he wouldn't have mulled it over in his head. He would have flung himself into action without much thought to it. If people needed him, they needed him. He was going to help. But he wasn't out there. He was here on the ranch and the word had circulated that bad things were happening. Fires, kidnappings. It felt like the dome was under siege and he wanted to help. No... he needed to help. Except he needed Lia to be okay with it before he left.
Without much hope that she would be okay with it, Riley finally gave up trying to figure out how to ask and decided to just ask where her thoughts were on it. He made up his mind ahead of time that if she didn't want him to do it that he would respect her decision. There was still the fact that there were all these people here on his ranch including Lia and their daughter. If something happened to the ranch while he was out there helping someone else he didn't know what he'd do. He was torn but it felt like the immediate need was to help those already in trouble.
Mrs. Haggerty let him know where Lia was when he finally came inside. So he made his way through the house to the bathroom. He paused a moment, knowing she probably already knew he was there thanks to her heightened sense of smell but he was having misgivings about how to approach this. Finally he decided to face it head on. He stood outside the bathroom door and said, "Lia?"
She had indeed known Riley was there before he made himself known vocally. Her brush strokes slowed, and she felt a ball of discomfort start to form in her stomach. Somehow she knew why he was there, what he wanted to talk to her about. Despite the six year separation, Lia still knew her husband pretty well. Maybe that was why she had been feeling so anxious that morning. She knew what was coming. Setting the brush down, Lia turned and opened the bathroom door. She managed a small smile at the sight of him and tried to fight back the urge to wrap her arms around him and refuse to let go. "Sorry. I just wanted to get a quick shower in while Mrs. Haggerty had Sophia."
Riley smiled at the sight of her, always finding her more beautiful than he remembered. He shook his head at her apology. "This is your house too. You're allowed to bathe and have Mrs. Haggerty watch Sophia. She's happy to do it, by the way. She adores Sophia." He glanced down at her mid-section for a moment then back up to her face. "I don't know if you've heard but there've been fires in Delphi and people have gone missing or been kidnapped. It looks like some kind of concentrated effort of some sort." He let his voice trail off, hoping his inference would be clear and maybe she’d just give her blessing but he kind of doubted that would be the way it would go.
Lia was still getting used to the idea that this was where she lived now. She was sure once she actually packed and moved her things it might feel more permanent, but until that happened, she was fairly certain she would still feel like a guest. Not that she was focused on that right then. No, she was focused on Riley, and what he was saying to her... what he was implying. "I've heard," Lia said with a small nod, trying her hardest not to cross her arms, or come across as defensive in any way. She studied his face, struggling to keep calm and not start a fight by immediately cutting down any desire he may feel to help. She couldn't do that anymore. "And you want to go help," she added after a brief moment of silence.
Riley could tell this was a struggle for her. There was a stiffness in her of some sort; whether it was emotional or physical he couldn't tell. He hoped that it counted in his favor that he was coming to her to discuss this rather than taking off to do what he felt he needed to do. He was working hard to make sure that Lia and their daughter were always there in his mind before he made decisions. He nodded. "Yes, I do but I don't want you to be angry with me for going. Or afraid that I won't come back," he said quietly, half reaching to take her hand but deciding not to at the last moment.
It certainly helped that Riley had come to talk to her first. Lia couldn't fathom the idea that he might just leave without a word. If he had, there would have been no way to avoid a fight when he returned home. Lia stepped out of the bathroom, stifling a sigh. "I won't be angry," she said after another moment of silence. "But I'll always be afraid you won't come back, Riley. That's not something I can turn off." That fear had been embedded deep within her the moment he left for war. It remained, even now, even though she wished she could get over it.
Riley nodded thoughtfully at her words, watching her leave the bathroom. He knew it couldn't be easy to be in her shoes anymore than it was easy to be in his. She'd had to watch him go off to war and worry he'd never return or perhaps come back so changed that she didn't recognize him anymore. "I'm not asking you not to be afraid," he said gently. "I just want you to trust me that I have so much to come back for that I'm not going to take any unnecessary risks. You have my word on that. But if it... if my going would damage us. I don't want to go if that's a possibility." Which was the honest truth. He'd always rather be her husband and Sophia's father than anything else.
"It won't damage us," Lia promised, turning to look at him. If they could survive all they had been through already, she had enough faith in their relationship that this wouldn't destroy them. She had to trust that he was telling her the truth, that he wouldn't do anything that would put his life at risk. "Whatever is happening now could affect us if it's not stopped. And I'm sure they could use an extra pair of hands." Lia paused, debating her next words before continuing. "I may go by the hospital soon...see if they need help." She meant Micah, but she didn't want to specify him by name. Really, she just wanted to be useful somehow, if she was needed.
Riley felt relief when she said it wouldn't damage them if he went to help. She was right that whatever was happening could end up happening at the ranch if there wasn't enough done to put an end to it. He had no idea who was doing what but he had a feeling he could find out pretty quickly and figure out a way to help. He had the training and ability to track and be sneaky doing it. So long as none of the kidnappers were werewolves he should be fine. He didn't like the idea of Lia leaving the ranch but he bit his tongue. If she could be helpful too, and he was not in any doubt she had meant she was going to see Micah, then he had no room to ask her not to. "Thank you," he said quietly and this time he did take her hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss the back of it. "Will you take one of the men with you when you go? I know you're a werewolf and all…" he stopped and shook his head. She'd made it through zombies even before she was a wolf. She was much stronger and faster now. He didn't need to be so protective even though it was ingrained in him to do so. "No, no. I know you can take care of yourself. You do whatever you feel is best."
Lia very nearly protested taking someone with her, but thankfully Riley seemed to catch himself, stifling any potential argument. She smiled a little and curled her fingers around his, using the hold to pull him closer to her. She felt an undeniable need to protect him, despite knowing full well that Riley could take care of himself. But for a second, she nearly went back on her agreement that he could leave. Like with Sophia, she wanted to keep Riley inside where it was safe. Where she could see him and shield him from whatever bad thing was happening outside the ranch. But Lia bit her tongue, focusing instead on how he felt and smelled. She pushed up gently on her toes to bury her face against Riley's neck. "Please be careful," she murmured before pressing a kiss against his skin.
Riley knew he needed to retrain his mind to think this way about Lia all the time. That she could take care of herself and probably better than he ever could now. He didn't think he'd ever not feel protective of her but he could at least acknowledge more openly that she wasn't helpless in the least. And mutual trust on the subject of taking care of themselves was going to only make their marriage stronger. He wondered momentarily what Micah would think of Riley's decision to go help when Lia told him about it but tried to push that out of his mind. He needed to make peace with the guy outwardly and inwardly still and he knew it. Now just wasn't the time.
He pushed his fingers gently through her hair, bending some so she didn't have to stand on her toes. He put his arms around her and nodded. "You too, okay? Text or call if you need me. Or want me," he said and pulled back a bit to press his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. If something, heaven forbid, happened to one or the other of them, he was glad they were parting on a good note.
Lia returned his kiss with a heated one of her own. She felt the stirring of arousal deep within her, but pulled back before it became too tempting to resist. Riley had things he needed to do, and Lia knew on some level seducing him would simply be her way of delaying it. Still, she smiled softly against his lips. "I always want you. But if you need that sent in a text message, no problem." She knew that wasn't what Riley meant, but she needed to let him go with a sense of light-heartedness between them. Not worry.
Riley would definitely not have minded being delayed for a short while. His mind was working to stay on task but he had this strange, unsettling sensation that something was going to keep them from each other. It made him want to pull her into the bed and stay there with her for a while until neither one of them could remember where they ended and the other began. He didn't like that his mind was cycling through worst case scenarios and one last lovemaking in case something went wrong. He shook his head and followed her words into a smile. "I like the way your mind works. But I think I remember what it feels like when you want me." He kissed her again, this time less lingering but still full of love for her. "Remind me again though when things calm down. I love you."
Lia wanted to cling to him for awhile longer. Maybe even ask him to change his mind and stay with she and Sophia for the day. But that wouldn't be fair, and the last thing Lia wanted to do was push Riley into resenting her. So she gave him a small smile and nodded, reluctantly releasing him so he could go. It was extremely difficult, going against every instinctive bone in her body to keep him there with her. But Lia knew they both needed to make sacrifices if they were going to make their marriage work this time. It just seemed... wrong to let her 'mate' potentially put himself in danger. But what else could she do beyond following him to make sure he stayed safe? "I love you too," she said. "Be careful." Obviously she knew Riley could take care of himself, but it needed to be said anyway.