My Safe Place to Land

Chapter 12

Patrick's POV:

I woke up at 6:07 am to the twins crying. Jillian was about to get out of bed but I stopped her and told her that it was my turn to quiet them. I took the white comforter off my body and before I could stand up out of bed, the twins stopped crying. I questioned why they stopped crying so I sprinted to their room to make sure they were okay.

I entered their room and Ellen was there quieting them down. 'Gosh, isn't she perfect, I thought to myself'. I smiled at her and she smiled back at me.

"Sorry, they woke me up.", she said very softly trying not to startle them again.

"No, you're good.", I said walking towards her to stand right next to her.

As she was laying down Sullivan, I couldn't help but imagine her and me together, having kids, being a family, being happy. 'Stop it, Dempsey. Don't think that.', and I shook my head to get that thought out of my head.

"What?", Ellen said laughing at me.

"Oh, nothing. I was just trying to wake myself up", I said trying to pull it off cool.

"Oh, gotcha. I was actually about to head out on a run, would you care to join?", she asked me.

I couldn't say no to that.

"Of course I would.", I replied with no hesitation.

"Do you think Jillian would mind if I borrowed a pair of leggings and a shirt, I have nothing with me.", Ellen asked.

"No, she wouldn't," I replied. "I'll go grab them.", I said as I left the twin's room and entered my bedroom. I went into Jillian's side of the drawers and grabbed a pair of black leggings and a purple workout shirt. I tried to stay as quiet as possible so I wouldn't wake her. Then I headed to my side and I put a pair of black Nike shorts on and a blue shirt on.

I headed into Ellen's room to hand her the outfit. "I'll meet you downstairs.", I said.

I waited about 5 minutes and Ellen came down the stairs looking great as usual. Her hair was up in a high ponytail and she looked stunning in the tight, workout clothes. 'Patrick Galen Dempsey, stop thinking about Ellen in that way. You're going to ruin your marriage.', I thought to myself. It is only 6:30 am and I can't stop thinking about her.

"Let's go! I'll race you.", Ellen said.

"I bet you can't win.", I said while opening the front door.

"Okay, you want to start with me this early. Let's go! Let's race down to the hill of your street and back and whoever loses drives to set.", she said trying to start some early competition.

"Okay. You're on!", I said.

She reached the bottom of the hill first but only by a couple of seconds. I grabbed her by her tiny waist and I screamed, "You're not going to win this race!"

She squealed like a little child trying to get out of my grip.

"Let go of me!", she shouted.

I let go of her. I was expecting her to take off but she sat down on the curb and took a deep breath and said, "Patrick. Please don't do that to me. It reminds me of...".

'Great going dumbass', is the thought that came right to my head. I sat down next to her.

"No, Ellie I'm so sorry. It wasn't my place to do that to you.", I said in a very apologetic tone.

"No, I'm sorry for starting this little competition between us", she said as she placed her head on my shoulder.

'God she is perfect'. Again, that thought came into my head. I laid my head right on top of hers to show her that I was there for her during these challenging times in her life.

"Come on, let's go back to your house, and let's get ready for work", Ellen said.

"Okay.", I said standing up. Once I stood up I reached my hand out to hers to help her up. I loosened my grip with her hand but she kept on holding on to me, just like she did on set when she first told me. I wrapped my free hand around both of our hands that were linked together and she laid her head on my shoulder again. As we walked up the hill, I slowly rubbed my free hand up and down our arms that were linked together.

After the slow walk up the hill, we arrived back at my house. We unlinked our hands and she took her head off my shoulder. We both went our separate ways to shower and get ready for the day.

I walked into my room and Jillian was still asleep. I looked at the time and the time read 7:23. I shook her body and told her to get up and to get Talula ready for school. She got up very fast and she started to get ready for her day. I hopped in the shower and rinsed off my body.

After drying off from the shower I got dressed, then I headed downstairs. I saw Ellen downstairs feeding the twins. The thought came into my head, again, for the fourth time today and it was only 8:04. After Ellen was done feeding the twins she helped me to get them dressed and I helped Jillian put the twins in their car seats. I kissed Jillian, Talula, and the twins bye since Ellen and I would be at work all day.

I got my stuff together and Ellen and I were off to her house.