Navy Blue Eyes.

Her Wild Ride. | .14

A/N:

Merry Christmas! It's 12:24 am for me but I promised an update by Xmas so here you go! ENJOY!

Much Love,

MM xx

xXx ∞ xXx

Kellin watched carefully in the rearview mirror as Rowan fumbled with the box of alcohol swabs they'd been supplied with, waiting for the light to turn green. His mind was raging, thoughts moving at the speed of light as he tried yet again to make sense of the past month of his life. No matter how often he tried to grasp the idea that Rowan could be theirs forever the thought seemed to slip through his fingers like sand, it was just too surreal. As the light switched he pressed the pedal, only half paying attention to the road whilst mainly focusing on what was going on in his head. Could this all be real? Or was it some lengthy—albeit incredibly vivid—dream he'd awake from any minute?

He'd opted to let Rowan have her privacy, letting her sit in the back as she wished and not try to make conversation, instead plugging up his cell and playing music as he typically did anyways. She hadn't spoken a single word to him since they'd left the office, not even spared him a glance lasting more than a heartbeat, and Kellin watched as his worst fears came alive before his eyes. He'd lost her, hadn't he?

HONK. Horns blared behind him as he realized he'd been sitting at another light for much too long, busy with his thoughts. He stepped on it, now trying to shove all thought aside so as to get to his destination without incident. The ride back to Kate's parents felt much longer this time with the tension in the car taught like a tightrope, threatening the snap under their weight at the slightest breath in the wrong direction. Finally, they pulled up in the drive, but Rowan didn't even speak to ask where they were, nothing was important enough to make her speak it seemed. Kellin parked behind his father-in-law's SUV and unbuckled himself, turing to Rowan to find her with her legs tucked to her chest and her forehead against her knees.

"Rowan," he tried, but she didn't raise her head, "we're here."

She didn't act as though she'd heard him but as soon as he turned around to unplug his cell he heard her door pop open and snap shut, and he was alone in the car. He followed suit, feeling her trail behind him as they walked to the front door and knocked. Kate answered, Copeland standing behind her leg until she saw her father bend down to her height, at which point she toddled out the door quickly and straight into his arms. Kellin chuckled at the sight, but even holding his baby girl couldn't help him forget the immense guilt weighing his chest down like a lead ball. Kate ushered them inside and Rowan followed as they wound through the main level to the kitchen at the back. Kate's mother, Julie, deemed Glamma by her grandkids, was at the stove cooking and her father, Arthur, otherwise called Pop, was leaning against the counter nearby, laughing at something his wife'd said prior to the others' arrival.

"Mom, dad, this is Rowan," Kate announced, pulling Kellin from his tangled thoughts of guilt and fear, to see Julie wiping off her hands hurriedly and turning to Rowan with a large smile.

"Nice to meet you, missy, we've heard quite an earful about you from our daughter," she strode across the kitchen and embraced Rowan in a loving hug, but Rowan only froze in response. "Welcome, you can call me Glamma, and that's Pop."

Kellin watched with pity as Rowan forced her lips to pull up into an attempt at a grin as Julie stood back again, allowing Arthur to step forward and give Rowan an equally cozy squeeze. They were affectionate people, which Kellin loved but he could tell even from here that it was all too much for Rowan. She continued to smile at them both falsely, mumbling, "Thank you. It's nice to meet you both as well. Is there a restroom I could use?"