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Neil Melendez was home with his three-year-old son in tow. He had been in Guatemala for over three years and was now back in San Jose after his ex-wife had said goodbye to their son at the other airport. She was staying back, continuing her work in Guatemala…
But for Neil, it was time. He missed San Jose… and he’d be lying if he wasn’t doing it for other reasons.
“Auntie Audrey!” Matthew yelled excitedly as he shoved past his father to the woman waiting on them at the airport. She bent down to scoop Neil’s son up and smiled at him…
Neil swore his heart stopped beating in his chest. God, she was just as beautiful as the day he’d last said goodbye to her…
Now, Neil wasn’t stupid. He could see the lack of soothing sleep in her eyes and the thinness that usually meant Audrey was struggling… but oh god how he’d missed her.
“See, Matthew. I told you Auntie Audrey was meeting us here.”
“Hello Neil,” she said with a small smile as he wrapped his arms around her, his son between them…
She smelled the exact same, her wonderful and comforting perfume lingering on the shirt they had switched before he left to stay…
“You owe me my Hopkins shirt back.” She jokes.
“I can see you’re really enjoying my Yale shirt.”
“Of course I am.” She smiled before he spoke again,
“I missed you.”
“I missed too.”
He looked down at Matthew, who was laying his head on her shoulder, “He’s cute, isn’t he?”
“He definitely didn’t get it from you.” she joked, “Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” Matthew giggled as she nuzzled his face, “You got your mommy’s pretty face, nothing from your daddy.”
Neil smiled as he watched his son with his ex-girlfriend… He really loved her. Now in her apartment for a warm meal, Neil watched as she lifted her son onto the island…
Her apartment was quiet… Though he was concerned about her, he figured it was best to leave it be for a little bit. They were staying the night with Audrey after all, he would have time.
But Matthew was attached to her, without his mother here, he was insistent on being close to his “aunt”… and that was something Neil didn’t fully intend on stopping. He knew Audrey…
He knew the conversation they’d had, all those years ago…
Lying in bed next to each other with her and him talking about the child that had never been. They had laid together as they were discussing the family that wanted… the baby they had wanted…
But it hadn’t worked out then. He’d watched her smile with sad eyes when Neil had told her about Claire’s healthy pregnancy with their son… he’d followed her when she’d excused herself and held her close when she broke down far away from the rest of the party…
He’d always loved her. Maybe it’s why his marriage had ended a year after his son was born, and he’d only stuck around for his son. “Audrey?”
She had opened a bottle and was currently drinking now that the little boy was asleep.
“Don’t worry, I’m not getting drunk. Your son won’t have to see that.”
“No… I mean, thank you, but Audrey, how are you?”
“I’ve… been better.” She took a drink as she sighed, “My fiancé walked out on me, my friend is in the hospital after getting nearly murdered… but at least I have this.” She picked up the bottle.
“Audrey…”
“It’s not that big of a deal. Now where are you and Matthew going to—“
It was in the quiet of the apartment that Neil kissed her for the first time since their breakup… cupping her cheek and wrapping his arm around her
“Neil?”
“I missed you… I missed you so much.”
“Neil…. I…”
“I love you.”
“I… I can’t…”
“Mi amor, you’re just as beautiful as ever.”
“Why?”
“Audrey, I know I made a mistake when I married her… I mean, I don’t regret my son, but you’re… you’re the love that I thought I was going to lose. And even if you don’t feel the same now, I need you to know that I’m willing to do anything for you.”
“Why didn’t you…”
“I was stupid. I thought my marriage would work… it turns out it doesn’t work when you’re still in love with someone else. I really thought I could ever replace you.”
She pulled away and set down the bottle… and Neil followed her like an old instinct. She lays down in bed, and he lies next to her, gently brushing her cheek with his knuckles.
“You know we can’t have sex with your kid in the next room.” she laughs a little as he sighs,
“Oh trust me, I know how vocal you can be, mi amor.”
“Neil…”
“What?”
“Can you not…”
“Audrey, that’s only for you. Not my ex-wife… never her. You’re my love.”
“That’s sweet, but we’re still not having sex.”
“Why not?” he teased her with a small pout before kissing her as she sighed, moving back.
“Neil… I’m not ready. I won’t ruin our friendship over you having some lingering feelings for me… and feeling vulnerable because of your divorce.”
“I’ve been divorced from Claire for two years, I’m not vulnerable. I got to think a lot… especially about you.”
“Neil, my fiance left me because I didn’t want to get married.”
“Audrey, why would that…”
“You’re the only person since Kashal that I ever thought I could marry… and there was a time that I really thought we might get married. But now, I can’t. It’s been too much.”
“I know. I’m so sorry the years haven’t been kind to you, but I swear to god, now that I’m home… I’m going to do everything I can for you.”
“Stop looking at me like that.” she said, staring into the soft charcoal eyes of the man she still cared for after all of these years.
“I can’t help it. You make too hard not to.”
“Good night Neil.” She said softly as he opened his arms for her.
“Good night Audrey.” he whispered.
“If we shower tomorrow..” she mumbled against him.
“Deal, I’ll lock the door.” he chuckled slightly as he held her… feeling her doze off against him. He smiled down at her, rubbing her hair…
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Her body felt so different… Neil didn’t think it was a bad thing… not at all. She had softer curves and the sounds that exit her lips as he dives between her legs make him smirk. He holds her leg over his shoulder and smiles… waiting for consent. She nods before running her hand into his hair.
“What’s wrong, mi amor?” he asks, noticing the way that she tenses when he holds her hips to pull her forward.
“Be careful… my back can’t take it like it used to.”
“I promise I won’t hurt you, mi amor. If you stay stop, I’ll stop.”
“I trust you, Neil.”
“I know, Aud.”
Her tongue swipes against her clit as she tenses again.
“Good or bad?”
“Neil… my hip.”
“Hey… It’s alright, mi amor.” he said, lifting her up a little to slide a pillow under her, “Is that better?”
“Yeah…”
“Good.” he replied before trying again. His hands are gentle on her before he returns to what he’d been doing. Her hand pulled on his hair, making him groan.
“Aud…”
“God you have so grey in your hair.”
“Well now I want to make you shut up.” He teased before his tongue pressed into her clit, making her breath hitch.
“Neil…”
“I missed your voice, mi amor.” he smiled against her before his tongue moved in long strokes… listening to her moans. He squeezes her thigh gently before continuing. Her tongue delves into her…
“Neil…”
He doesn’t respond, a quiet huff onto her as she swallows a whimper… he knows her. He knows exactly what he’s doing… and she relents. He smiles as he stands back up, wiping it off his lips.
“I miss hearing you.”
“Get on the bed.”
“Yes ma’am.” He smiled, laying on his back as she straddled his waist. He sat up as his arms wrapped around her.
She smiled slightly at him, “I like this…”
“Me too.”
“Should we… you know?”
“Neil, darling… I don’t think we even have to worry about that.”
“But…”
“Please stop talking and kiss me.”
“Yes, ma’am.” he smiled, kissing her. Her tongue carefully opens his lips…
Their hips rocked into each other in a careful and familiar motion. It was rhythmic… his hands moving up to her chest. The soft and firm skin in his hands… her back arched into him as she gasped, rolling her hips harder
“Fuck… don’t stop.” he huffs against her.
“I don’t plan on it.” She teases as his hands squeeze her breasts, a little too hard, “Careful, asshole!”
“I am… Aud you’re amazing…”They collapse into each other… Neil smiles as he looks up at her.
“That was fun, mi amor.”
“I need to pee.”
“Yes ma’am.” he chuckled as he released her, “I assume we get to cuddle after?”
“We’ll see how I feel, put on your underwear.”
“Of course, mi amor.”
Neil sits up to find his pants as she leaves. He then lays down, quietly looking up at the ceiling. He loved Audrey… he’d always known that. But he didn’t know how to make up for everything he’d done…
“Neil… move over.” Audrey said, nudging him off her pillow before laying her head on his chest as she cuddled into him.
“Audrey?”
“Yeah?”
“What do we do now?”
“We lay here until your kid gets up.”
“Audrey, I’m serious.”
“We try again.” she said with a soft smile, “And this time… we actually try, you know… to make it work.”
He leaned down, meeting her lips… “Auntie Audrey!” Matthew said excitedly as he ran to the woman’s arms. Audrey smiled as she picked him up. Neil sighed as he took a sip of his coffee… Audrey looked so at ease with the little boy.
The years had been so cruel to her… Neil knew that in her arms, it was all she’d ever wanted. A little one to call her own…
It had been so cruel to get pregnant so easily with Claire while he and Audrey had dealt with the ectopic pregnancy… with the chemical pregnancy a few months later… all Audrey had ever wanted was one… she was so gentle with Matthew, who chattered away on her shoulders as she made a breakfast of eggs, vegetables and meat for them. She just listened, picking up a piece of cooked sausage for him to eat. Neil couldn’t help but smile…
“You make a good mom.” Neil mumbles in her ear while she puts the dishes in the dishwasher.
“Very funny.”
“I’m serious, mi amor.”
“I’m his aunt… I’m not trying to be his mom.”
Neil takes the opportunity to kiss her cheek, gently nuzzling her as he holds her from behind.
“I love you, Audrey.”
“I love you too.” “Two weeks.”
“Five days.” Asher Wolke said from his hospital bed as Alex Park looked over his monitors for his EEG, “Back me up here, Jordan.”
“Keep me out of this.” She replied, “It’s not good to bet on your boss’s relationship.”
“Oh come on… can’t you imagine Lim and Melendez getting fre–”
“Finish that and I’m pulling the plug.”
Alex chuckled as he shook his head, “You better hope Lim isn’t visiting you today.”
“Five bucks she has a hickey.”
“Asher!”
“You’re on!” Alex smirked. Jordan rolled her eyes.“How’s our favorite trauma case today?” Audrey teases as she walks in… before Alex huffs and gives Asher a bill from his wallet.
“I just got scammed,” Alex mumbled before Audrey crossed her arms,
“Asher…”
“Miss President of St Bonaventure, I would ne-”
“He bet on whether or not you had sex with Dr Melendez.” Jordan said before leaning back, “Night went well.”
“Morning, actually…” she replied before glaring at the two men, “Dr Wolke, you’re very lucky you’re on bedrest. Dr Park…”
“Fuck.”
“Guess who’s on scut work.”
“Fuck me…” He grumbled before Jordan mumbled under her breath,
“Morgan does that enough.”
Asher and Audrey laugh… as Alex turns red. “I see St Bon’s food still sucks.” Neil chuckles as he sits at the table next to Audrey, who had been talking to Dalisay… who smirked,
“How was your night?”
“I see even as a charge nurse, you’re still a bitch, V.”
“Oh come, that was hilarious.”
“You told me it meant something else!” Neil huffed as Dalisay laughed. Audrey smiled before crossing her arms on the table,
“How are you settling into chief of surgery?”
“Well… I hate all of them, so well, I guess. Now what the fuck did Hawks mean when she said Andrews is on a fucking meditation retreat.”
Audrey took a sip of her water before looking over at Dalisay, “This one is all you babe.”