Blake woke up slightly confused before opening his eyes. There was a weight on his chest that had not been there when he fell asleep. Cautiously he opened his eyes to see Gwen draped over his chest, her head right over his heart. At first he was worried. Had she gotten scared or sick last night and he didn't hear her? He wondered why she didn't wake him. He knew that they really did need to talk about what they were doing. She had started to call him her boyfriend and he has been wanting that title. He sets it in his brain that they need to talk about it this morning. He wants her to call him her boyfriend and he wants to call her his girlfriend. He didn't want to wake her so he reach for the tv remote and turn the tv on turning volume down low. He just laid there enjoying the feeling of having Gwen in his arms.
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Gwen stirs and her eyes pop open. She sits up so quick Blake doesn't even have time to react. When she snuck into his bed last night she had laid beside him not wanting to cross any lines. They weren't even official yet much less sleeping in the same bed. Now here she was waking up draped all over him. She is scared of his reaction. Was he gonna be mad or expect more from her now? She wasn't ready for that. She was to tired and to sick for that. She is pulled out of her thoughts by the feeling of his hand on her cheek.
"Hey Gwen calm down. It's ok. Everything is ok."
Gwen releases a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Blake sees her relax at his touch and his heart swells.
"Now sunshine, tell me what got ya so upset."
"I didn't mean to come in ur bed and drape myself all over you. I'm sorry." Gwen says looking at her lap
"Gwen you don't have to be sorry. I wish you had woke me up. Where you sick?"
"No. I just I sleep better next to you. I just needed to be near you." Still looking at her lap
Blake moves his hand to lift her chin and make her look at him.
"If I really had of had a problem with it Gwen I would have gotten up when I woke up."
"How...how long have you been awake?" Gwen asks wide eyed
"Awhile."
Gwen blushes ringing her hands "you held me the whole time?"
"Yeah I did."
"Thank you"
"Gwen you don't have to thank me. However I do think we need to talk about the elephant in the room, don't you?"
Here it is the other shoe dropping. He was gonna kick her out and tell her he is going home. She was surprised he let her stay this long.
"Yeah I guess" tears pool in her eyes
"So you introduced me to chuck as your boyfriend."
"Blake Im sorry. I didn't mean to that's just what I feel like you are. I didn't mean to put that pressure on you.........please don't leave me." Tear are now pouring down her face
Blake reaches up again to her cheek wiping the tears away but they are only followed by more.
"Hey sunshine please stop crying your breaking my heart. I didn't mind you calling me your boyfriend."
"What? You didn't?" Tears instantly drying up as a shocked look appears on her face
"No I didn't. Which is why I...I think we should make it official. That is if you want to."
"Your not leaving? What about your home in Oklahoma?"
"We will work all those details out when the time comes. Gwen I'm gonna say something but I don't want you to be scared, ok?" Gwen nods her head
"People are gonna say things are moving to fast or that we are reckless, but I don't care what they think. From the moment I laid eye on you, you have been stealing my heart little by little. Gwen what I'm trying to say is that I'm falling in love you. I don't want or expect you to say it back. I only want you to say it when you ready."
"Kiss me boyfriend"
"With pleasure girlfriend."
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After the talk the had they had gotten up and went down to the kitchen to start making breakfast. Gwen fixed a pot of coffee for Blake and grabbed a sprite pedialyte combo. Blake took to cutting fruit for Gwen and making eggs and bacon for himself.
"Hey sunshine how about calling your mom today?"
"Yeah I should." She picks up her phone hits contacts selecting her mom
Gwen hesitates. She can't get her finger to hit the call button though. Blake puts a plate in front of her and sits down and the kitchen bar next to her.
"Sunshine I know your hesitant to reach out to them but remember you need them and their support."
"What if they don't want to talk to me? I hurt them Blake."
"Gwen they are your family. You may have hurt them but they will always love you. I know they would want to hear from you."
"I can't do it today Blake. Maybe tomorrow." Gwen says before finishing off her last piece of fruit
Blake wraps his arm around her shoulders and she leans into him, laying her head on his shoulder.
"Why don't you go take a warm bath and relax sunshine."
"Yeah that sounds really good Blakey." She gets up off the stool but before walking away she bends into Blake planting a kiss on his lips.
Blake watches her walk away before his eyes fall on her phone that still has her moms number pulled up on it. Blake knows this could get him in big trouble but she needs her family. So he picks up the phone and hits the call button. His nerves well up as he realizes that he didn't really think this through, like what's he gonna say? Before he can have a totally freak out the ringing stops.
"Hello"
"Hi, hmm Mrs. Stefani."
"Can I ask who this is?"
"My name is Blake Shelton. I'm um Gwen's um boyfriend."
"Oh. Is she ok? Did something happen?"
"No she is doing ok. I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. Can you um meet Gwen at mama cozza's around um noon?"
"Gwen wants to see us?"
"Yeah she does. She misses you guys a lot."
"Why didnt she call?"
"Well ma'am um I suppose because she is scared of how you will react...she seems to feel like she let y'all down."
"Oh I see. Well are you sure she want to see us?"
"Yes ma'am. She is um going through a lot right now and she need her families support. I'm here for her but um the more support she has right now the better. Please ma'am she needs y'all and she really misses ya."
"Yes her father and I will be there."
"Thank you ma'am. Thank so much. Bye now."
"Bye...Blake you said it was?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Ok. Bye Blake."
Blake hung up the phone and sat it back on the bar where Gwen left it. The challenge now is gonna be telling Gwen and getting her to go. Blake's determined though she needs this. The doctors said the more love and support she has the faster and more successful the treatment will be.
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Gwen had been upstairs in the bath for over an hour and Blake begins to worry so he makes his way up the steps and to the bathroom door. He stands there and listens for a few seconds; he hears nothing. He yells her name but no answer. When he calls her a second time and gets no answer he decides to go in. To his surprise the door is unlocked; he is grateful. He pushes the door open only to find Gwen asleep in the tub of now freezing water. Blake doesn't know how Gwen is gonna react but she can't lay there in that cold water. So his first move was to go to his bathroom and turn the shower on with water warm.
"Gwen baby wake up." Blake says while stroking her cheek
Suddenly her eyes flutter open and she realizes what's going on. She is quick to stand up but between the chemo and now freezing water, she can barely get up by herself. Blake is instantly at her side holding her up. She grabs a hold of his shoulders as she steps out. It's then that it hits them, Gwen is naked. This is the first time Blake has ever seen her naked. Blake feels his face turn red. He scans the bathroom fast before seeing a towel hanging on a hook on the door. He reaches for the towel, wrapping it around Gwen. Gwen's face turned red the instant they realized what was happening. However this situation only confirms more for her how incredible Blake really is. Any other man would have been all over her, looking at her naked body. Not Blake. He seemed just as shell shocked as she was. When he wrapped the towel around her, he made sure he was looking only at her face. Blake helped Gwen in to his bathroom and into the shower to warm up. Once Gwen got under the heat of the warm water she felt her muscles begin to work again. After totally warming up she exited the shower and wrapped the towel around her. When she left the bathroom she saw Blake sitting on his bed reading a newspaper. He looked up hearing her exit the bathroom.
"Hey sunshine feelin' better?"
"Yeah I am. I'm gonna change I'll be right back."
"Sounds good"
Gwen changed and walked back to Blake's room crawling into bed. She crawled over to him as he lifted his arm for her to snuggle into his side before wrapping his arm around her.
"Blakey"
"What's up sunshine?"
"Thank you"
"For what? Helping you?" She nodded her head
"Gwen I don't know how many times I gotta tell ya, you don't need to thank me."
"I know but I want you to know I appreciate it. The whole thing made me think of the way my dad has always treated my mom. They love each other so much."
Blake feels his shirt begin to dampen and realizes Gwen's crying.
"Sunshine, hey, what's up? Don't cry."
"I miss my parents so much Blake. I used to be so close with them. Not seeing them for so long hurts. However it hurts even worse to know that it's my fault. To know that I hurt them like that."
"Um Gwen I need to tell ya something."
"What?" Gwen asks looking at him concern lacing her expression
"Gwen I um called your mom."
"What?"
"I called her right after you went up for your bath. Your phone was laying there with contact info pulled up. You need her Gwen."
"What did you say? What did she say?"
"She is meeting you at Mama Cozza's at noon."
Gwen looked at the time. They had about 35 minutes to get ready.
"You're coming right?"
"Don't you want to see her and talk to your parents alone?"
"No Blakey please.... please come I can't do this by myself. I need you."
"Ok sunshine I'll come with ya."
"You're the best boyfriend ever." She says as she leans in to kiss him
Gwen rushes around. First picking her outfit, then accessories, and then moves on to makeup. Finally she stands at the side of the bed.
"Okay how bad do I look?"
"Holy shit! Gwen you look amazing."
"Thanks Blakey."
Blake changes his shirt and the couple heads to the SUV. Making their way to meet Gwen's parents. She couldn't be more nervous. She wrings her hands trying to calm herself but the impending conversation has her so stressed out. Blake reaches over the console taking her hands in his big one.
"It's ok Gwen. Everything is going to be ok."