Thorns On My Rose: A Story of the Daughter of Robert Downey Jr. (EDITING)

Chapter 22 - Part 2 - "Innit Funny?"

Gwyneth POV

He's gonna hate me, I thought, as I walked up to the door. He didn't even know I was coming over. I hadn't call, didn't think that was... Well the best thing to do. Robert was very innovative, and I was sure that I should just show up, so that way he wouldn't really have time to develop any awesome arguments as to why I should stop housing his daughter at my house.

Which, I mean, granted was perfectly reasonable. I wasn't Alana-Rose' s guardian, so I really had no right to keep Robert away from her. Plus, I don't really think I was really keeping him away. Though he begged for my permission to see her and begged me to let him talk to her on the phone, I knew that he knew that the only person standing in Robert's way was himself.

Robert was standing in his own way, and, that, too, made sense to me. I mean, you can only bounce back after you seriously mess up so many times. He was scared he was going to mess up again.

And I knew that as soon as he saw me, standing here in these damn sweatpants and v-neck he was going to give me those big brown eyes... those eyes that had melted me ever since, oh God.... I don't even remember when.

It had to be at least when he was still with Susan.

I swallowed and shook out my arms ringing the doorbell, jumping when it opened ten seconds later.

"That was quick." I said, staring at my friend.

He smiled vaguely, but I knew he was surprised to see me.

"I wasn't expecting you." He said, stating the obvious. I walked past him and he frowned.

"So you just answer your door in record time for complete strangers?" I asked, annoyed. I walked towards the stairs, hearing Robert's flip flops trail behind me.

"Gywn--"

I waved my hand. "Ya know what? It's none of my business. Sorry." I turned to look at him, confused when I saw a trace of a smirk on his lips.

"I was expecting Lana." He said softly, his eyes pulling me towards the insane end of the scale.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm just here for her stuff."

He seemed taken aback by all this, shoving his hands into his cargo shorts.

"Um, what?"

I headed towards Alana' s room, surprised to see it all wrinkled and... Well looking like she'd never left. Robert probably hadn't been in there since they fought. I knew that I was right when he hesitated to come into the doorway.

"I'm here. For. Her. Stuff." I enunciated painfully. I winced when I looked up at his face. "Robert."

He frowned. "How are you doing this?" He said so quietly I almost thought he was asking himself. I shrugged, throwing some of Alana' s jeans and shirts into a bag.

"I dunno, alright?" I told him, trying to sympathize. "You guys... you guys need space. And I get that. I get where she's coming from."

"Do you?" Robert barked. I sighed. "Do you really think that I don't know my own kid?"

I snapped, pointing my finger at him. "OF COURSE I DO, ROBERT!!!" I yelled. He flinched. I shook my head.

"You're a mess. A mess, I mean, look at you." I said, gesturing to his tank top and cargo shorts with Nike flip flops.

"You don't look like you, you don't sound like you... and you know that. You what I went through with Kevin after we broke up, and this situation isn't that far from this one."

Robert's nostrils flared. "You and Kevin never got back together, Gwyneth."

"Exactly." I said bluntly, satisfied when I saw tears spring to his eyes. He bit his lip.

"Take it back." He said, looking away from me.

"I can't. And you know I can't."

"Please." He begged. I'd never seen him so desperate in my life. And it scared me.

"I know I messed up. I know I fucked it all up, Gywn, I know. And you know, lately, it seems like that's all I'm good at, is fucking up. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry, honey."

He chewed on his lip as a few tears fell. "I don't know... what I would do without her. I, um, I can't lose her." I blinked, looking down. "Or you."

My head snapped up, my ponytail swishing back and forth. "What?"

He took the duffel out of my hands and sighed, taking my hands in his. He laughed suddenly, a small chuckle that I would've joined had I not been so focused on our hands.

"Innit funny? Isn't it funny how crazy, stupid, insane stuff like your daughter leaving you and discovering you're nothing but a big liar--that stuff--isn't funny how it brings people together?"

I knew he wasn't really asking me this. He was talking to himself. Something Robert did a lot. Especially when he was stressed.

"What are you talking about Downey?" I heard myself ask.

He blew out a breath, finally looking up at me. "I love you." He rolled his eyes. "I have loved you... before... before now, that is."

I swallowed hard. "What?"

He sat me down on Lana' s bed, staring down at me before he smiled.

"You know, I don't even remember how or when I started loving you, Hon. It's been a while... definitely. I, um, I know it had to have been while I was with Susan." He smirked. "'Cause there was this one time that we were at a premiere... and you were in a dress... it just seemed like the whole world sighed, like it just all slowed, just so I could look at you."

I watched, speechless, as he continued. "And I just remember feeling like shit because I was standing right next to Susan... and I, uh, I couldn't even remember her name. 'Cause I was too busy gazing at you."

"Robert--" I started. He held up a hand. He wasn't finished.

"Nope. Hold your applause til the end. I love you. And I'm sorry for taking this, our relationship, for granted, and I'm even more sorry for being an ass and never telling you how I felt."

"How could you have said anything? You were with Susan!!" He shrugged at my weak argument.

"And? Do you really think she would've cared? She was too busy giving Duke head to notice anything as it was anyway."

He smiled when I blushed. "You're a beautiful and incredibly intelligent woman... and you get me. You get me like no one ever has, does, or ever will. And, to be honest, I should've given you the ring I chose to give Susan."

I gasped, shaking my head. "You're drunk." I tried. He just shook his head, crossing his arms. I looked away when he purposely flexed.

"I was... yesterday... but I'm sober. Now." He smiled again. He came over to me, taking my chin in his fingers. I eyed his stubble, remembering how it felt on the set so many times before. His brown eyes twinkle with delight.

"You know, I just noticed something. You haven't said that you love me, Gywneth."

I nodded. "I do. I do, Rob." I whispered, letting him tilt my head back, his lips suddenly on mine.

His kiss was a soft and sweet one, full of hinted hunger. I pulled away, disappointed with myself for doing so.

"Not now." I said, glad when he nodded.

"Right." He agreed.

"Later. " I told him, mesmerized by his lips, still feeling the sensation on my own.

"In two minutes?" Robert asked playfully. I shook my head.

"No. Later."

"Later." He vowed. "After, that is, you take me to see my daughter."