Time Warp: Wes (Reece)

[Olivia Baker]

January 5 2019
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The house was an absolute mess and Liv was running around like a mad woman trying to get things settled. Jack's boxes were EVERYWHERE. He hadn't moved in completely yet, but with the wedding that was supposed to be coming up in a few months and Wes who was going to pre school every day and coming home with projects and this and that it was difficult for the young mom to keep everything straight. 

The apartment itself, if you could look past the mess, was cute. A nice soho three bedroom with a stunning view of the Union Square farmers market on Saturdays. It was nothing compared to the penthouse she grew up in in midtown. Hell, her parents hardly ever came to visit anyway practically disowning her after she got pregnant.... it'd gotten better over the past year at least. 

Liv frantically shoved things away. "Wes! PLEASE pick up your action figures!" She called to the four year old who was starfished on the couch with messy hair and a bowl of cereal half spilled on the floor. "ok." He lied. 

Liv glanced at the time. He was supposed to be here already. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE ALREADY? Shit. She hadn't even started getting ready. Liv ran through the house stripping her shirt off and quickly scrambled to get a clean, basic white v-neck on over her jeans. It wasn't fancy, but it was what she had available at that moment. 

The doorbell buzzed and her heart stopped, the realization of what was about to happen settling in. It'd kept her up all night... she'd had a lot to think about between Wes and Jack.... to say she didn't cry would be a lie... She knew that no matter what she did someone was going to get hurt, the only thing she could do is protect her son... and even that made her question if she was doing the right thing. There were reasons why Reece wasn't contacted.... he was famous. She didn't want that for Wes. Reece had a bad history of leaving, another thing she didn't want for him. Wes also had Jack.... Her entire body was rebelling against any thought of Jack. When he'd called from his business trip last night she almost couldn't talk to him. "How's the wedding plans? Did you meet with the florist? Did the adoption papers come in?" When she couldn't make a noise she asked if she was sick. She told him she had a cold and that's what the sniffling was. 

Liv glanced over at her son, this was the last time he'd be hers and only hers... she couldn't help but steal a kiss as she passed him. "I love you little man." She said and though he didn't break his gaze from the tv he smiled and chuckled "I love you too mommy." He said, a satisfied smirk on his face. 

"Hey." She said answering the door. "Uhm... Come in." She stepped to the side. "It's a mess... I tried i really did but..." She shrugged "I'm not much of a homemaker." 

[Reece Morgan]

To say he was nervous would probably be dipping into complete denial. Which was to say he was a damn wreck as he sat in his car with his knee bumping against the steering wheel every once in a while with his bouncing. "He's just a child." Reece reminded himself. "A very small...very impressionable child." He continued to psyche himself up to get out of his car and up to the apartment.

Every time he thought it was time, he chickened out and hit his head against the window. Finally, when he checked the time, he was late and he panicked, killing the engine and rushing up to where Olivia had said she lived.

The neighbourhood was fancy, Reece noted as he stood in front of her door, hesitating before knocking. He pulled the collar to his polo shirt away from his neck, suddenly feeling hot. It was a good thing he wasn’t wearing a tie.

When the door opened, memories of last night bombarded his thoughts and a soft smile appeared on his lips and all anxiety washed away. What she said made him chuckle lightly. “I’m not here to see your house.” He responded before leaning forward and pecking her on the cheek after deciding a kiss on the lips wouldn’t be appropriate. Though he wanted to. He oh so wanted to.

[Olivia Baker]

"I know." She chuckled awkwardly as he kissed her on the cheek which.. surprised her? SHe wasn't ready for it and it caused her to move her head wrong and bonk it against his forehead. "Ow... sorry" She said rubbing her head. She wanted to kiss him, to pull her into her bedroom... Jacks bedroom. Her stomach twisted.

"Did you find it alright?" She asked as she lead him deeper into the apartment, landing in the kitchen which connected to the living room Wes was watching tv in. Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Wes perked up, his thumb still in his mouth. Liv gave him a look and he quickly took the thumb out.

The apartment was full of boxes that had yet to be unpacked except for several guitars that were proudly displayed in the living room. Next to the full sized ones was a blue childsized one that had seen better days.

[Reece Morgan]

The awkward bumping made him laugh, trying to relax himself. This was Olivia. Nothing's changed.

Except everything has.

"Oh, uh yeah. Pretty straightforward directions." He nodded with a smile, pocketing his hands in his jeans and looking around the unfinished apartment. It felt too much like a place he couldn't live in. Not because it wasn't homey or comfortable, it just wasn't...him. He tried to figure if this place was more Olivia or her fiance and the only thing that came up was the latter. He couldn't really find much of Olivia in this place.

Except Wes.

He caught the thumb sucking but didn't say anything. Reece's experience with thumb sucking could be traced back to his daddy issues. Wes had Olivia's fiance so Reece didn't know what was causing it to still happen now.

"Hey, Wes." Reece greeted with a light wave.

[Olivia Baker]

Wes looked up from the TV and smiled seeing the man from the park. "You're from the Avengers!" He said finally realizing, partially because it was what he was watching at that moment. "You're a super hero!" He wasn't sure if that was who he actually played or not but he was in a super hero movie and that was close enough. Wes jumped up and ran over, sliding on the hardwood floors.

"Wes!" Liv scolded. "Slow down or you're going to hurt yourself." She didn't trust him, they'd had enough trips to the emergency room over the past year thanks to his wild tendencies. Wes continued to run and Liv caught him laughing and spinning him up and pulling him into his arms as he laughed, she tickled him. Even when he was being difficult she couldn't help but scoop him up knowing that her days doing this were limited. It seemed he grew an inch every hour.

"This is Reece." Liv told him, keeping him hostage in his arms so he didn't plow him over.

"I'm Wes." He told him confidently "I'm a super hero too! The man who took my picture told me so."

[Reece Morgan]

The recognition, though wrong, made Reece grin widely. "Ah, nah. You're mistaking me for my stunt double Iron Man." He joked, his smile softening as he watched the interaction between mother and son, aching a little at the sight.

Selfishly, it had a lot more to do with the thought he had of his relationship with his mother than it had anything to do with how great a bond Olivia had with Wes. But that did occur to him. It had to...they had been each other's everything for a while.

"Oh are you?" Reece kept his smile up until the child mentioned a picture being taken. The paper manipulator's blood ran cold as he remembered that the paparazzi had been out that day. His eyes went to Olivia in a panic before he laughed nervously and concentrated on Wes. "Um...yeah, I can see where he would get that idea." He recovered. "Are you eating your vegetables and fish?" Reece asked with a fake stern look on his face.

[Olivia Baker]

Liv caught the sudden change in Reece's demeanor, it looked like the blood had drained from his face but the idea of a picture being a problem, though it did piss her off she wasn't asked permission, didn't occur to her.

Wes wrinkled his nose. "Vegetables are for chumps and fish." He made a bigger face, he'd never eat fish. Fish were disgusting and slimy and uhg. Wes looked at the guitars. "I play guitar. Want to hear?"

Liv rolled her eyes, "He tends to be kind of a ham around company." She said feeling a bit guilty that Reece was a stranger to Wes... It was insane looking at them in the same room. She quite frankly didn't know what to feel and before she knew it she was wiping a tear away from her face.

"What's wrong mommy?" Wes asked as he went to her to hug her. He'd seen his mother cry before and knew to hug her when it happened.

"Oh nothing honey..." She promised "I'm just happy that you're meeting....." She didn't even know what to call Reece in front of him and it was crushing her.

Wes frowned "Do you miss daddy?"

The lump in Liv's throat grew six times when he said that. She got up "Excuse me." She said to Reece as she exited to the kitchen leaving both of them in there. Wes frowned and sat on the floor with his guitar. "She misses my dad." He told Reece with a firm nod trying to explain the situation to himself. He was strong for a little guy.

[Reece Morgan]

"Hey! How do you think I got these guns?" Reece flexed his arms this way and that. "Don't underestimate the power of the green, bro. That's why I played the Green Lantern." He messed with the kid a bit, trying very hard not to think of the possibilities that came with the picture's existence.

The distraction from the guitar playing prompted Reece to nod and smile absently at Olivia's comment. "I wonder where he got that from," he mumbled, equally absent-mindedly. Though his attention seeking ways never came to fruition. At the very least, he was glad he was paying attention to Wes right now.

Wes' question brought Reece back to the present. He turned and sure enough, Olivia was tearing up. He wanted to go over her to comfort her but Wes was doing exactly that. His next question chilled Reece right up. Wes called Olivia's fiance daddy.

Reece didn't even acknowledge when Olivia left the room as Wes stole his attention, reminding Reece that he was not and probably never will, be Wes' father. Yes, biologically, he contributed but when it came to the bond, Wes wouldn't ever see him that way. This was all kinds of fucked.

"Liv... Wes, do me a favour, keep playing that while I talk to your mom?" He walked over to where Olivia seemed to have disappeared to and stood at the doorway. "Hey,"

[Olivia Baker]

Liv was leaning against the kitchen counter, her face in her hands as she tried to get a grip. Last night she was so sure what she wanted, Reece. And she still wanted Reece and needed Reece and couldn't imagine being with Jack if her heart and mind and thoughts and body all wanted REECE. But when Wes called Jack daddy... her heart broke. He was so happy to have a father and that was Liv's fault for not fixing it sooner... and here she was bringing around his real dad... the one he'd asked about for his entire life once he started to be able to realize that he was missing a father and actually verbalize it.... here he was standing in front of him and he had no idea.... not that he was old enough to realize all of this, not really. All Wes knew was he had a daddy now and daddy was marrying mommy and if he asked enough maybe theyd give him a little brother or sister like his friends at school and on TV. That, and superheros, he wanted that too. 

Liv looked up at Reece in the doorway. "i'm sorry." She said quickly wiping away her tears. "This is harder than I expected." She didn't want him to leave though. She never wanted that and she knew that she just had no fucking clue what she was doing or how the hell she was supposed to handle this and explain it to her very young, very impressionable child. It wasn't like they could just sit there and tell Wes, "Honey this is daddy." 

Liv looked down and realized what she was leaning on, Jack's adoption papers to legally adopt her son. Great, that's what she needed to be looking at. 

"All of this is so fucked up." 

[Reece Morgan]

Her apology and the way her body just slumped and her face fell made Reece almost leave. Why did he bother offering to come here? Olivia was right in thinking that someone was going to get hurt. Reece didn't doubt for a second that it would be everyone involved. Including Olivia's fiance.

Why did he think this was such a good idea? One phenomenal night with the 'one that got away' and he thought everything would be magically put into place? How fucking juvenile.

"Don't be sorry. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I think I pushed this too soon." Reece said before finally looking at her properly. "If this is too hard for me, I can assume the post of deadbeat dad." He tried joking.

[Olivia Baker]

"DON'T EVEN JOKE!" She said sternly throwing a dishtowel at him, taking a breath to collect herself. "Look." She looked out to see Wes peering in, she quickly advanced on Reece, gently putting a hand on his arm, contact made it easier for her to use her abilities and slow time for everyone and everything around them but Reece and Liv. She didn't want Wes hearing this conversation. We knew that this was going to be very difficult..." She hoped he knew that, "Last night... last night was..." She couldn't help but smile, her eyes still crying "Amazing... I've waited so long for last night and.... It only made my worst fears come true..." She sighed "Reece it's always been you. And I hate you for it so much." She did "And I wish that walking away.... going back to where we were, living with it was an option but it's not." She sighed letting go, time starting again and Liv made her way to the liquor cabinet. She didn't normally drink during the day, especially not when she had Wes home, but she needed a fucking glass of wine. She glanced at Reece, yeah he needed one too.

"You didn't push it too soon." She did... she didn't think this through but if she had she would have chickened out... this definitely wasn't the easier choice and with every moment that past further she felt it more.

[Reece Morgan]

He sighed softly when the dishtowel landed at his feet. He bent down and picked it up only to be faced with Olivia approaching him. The touch got him reeling. He couldn't even tell if it was from her abilities or just her being near him.

The memories of last night made him smile even though his heart squeezed at the tears on her face. When she continued, her calling him her worst fear made him frown. It quickly disappeared when he realised that what she was saying was that she was choosing him. Or rather, that was what he wanted to hear. He looked into her brown eyes and melted a little.

He didn't want to let her go but he did so, leaning against the doorway again and watched as she went to get herself a drink.

"I think...it'd be better if your fiance was here." He finally spoke, the words tasting like sour milk.

[Olivia Baker]

"Maybe." She exhaled as she handed Reece his glass and took a sip of her own.

"I want some." Wes whined from the doorway. "Not of this, I promise." She chuckled and glanced at the clock it was his lunch time, Liv was doing an awful job with the whole mom thing the past couple of days. "How about some mac and cheese? Spongebob kind?" She said with a big smile knowing it was Wes's favorite, "After maybe you can show Reece your video games." She suggested, today was supposed to be about Wes... Wes and Reece... not all of this.

"Yeah!" Wes jumped up getting excited "Can I show him my new ones santa brought?" Liv chuckled "Wes you can show him anything you want." Satisfied, he retreated into the living room.

Liv looked back to Reece, "The adult stuff doesn't have to be decided today." She agreed, "Not with mine or our relationship... today should be about... You two... you and, my-our son" Her mouth crawled into her famous hundred watt smile saying that, something about it made her heart leap. THeir son, Wes, was Reece and Olivia... she glanced up at Reece and couldn't help herself, she stole a brief, but satisfying kiss. "Sorry." She chuckled 

Liv looked back up at Reece when Wes came bounding in with his underwear on his head a superman cape and not much else. Clearly, someone was done waiting for attention from the adults. "WES!" Liv was mortified, her eyes nearly popping out of her head, he was doing it on purpose, he wanted his mom and the strange dudes attention and he wanted it now. "I'm Captain Underwear!" He shouted as he darted into the living room, knocking into the table and sending a vase crashing to the floor. Liv chased behind him, seeing the look in his moms eyes he scurried behind Reece, hiding. 

[Reece Morgan]

Reece accepted the glass but didn't drink from it. The fact that Olivia had to made things really uncomfortable for him. Was he causing this much stress to the love of his life that she had to numb the pain with drinking? It hadn't been his intention to make her feel this way.

The moment halted when Wes came in. The little guy seemed to never tire out, something Reece couldn't help relating to. Again, the mother and son interaction caused Reece's heart to squeeze in itself, even though he thought it was a beautiful sight. Motherhood suited the time manipulator like she had been built for this role specifically.

Wes' absence made him concentrate on Olivia once more. What she said rang true but it didn't settle Reece's anxieties. He knew he had to accept anything and everything that went his way. Especially when she smiled the smile that had gotten him to fall in love with her in the first place. He was stuck in a daze when the kiss happened. He let it happen, he even melted into it, he even grumbled when it was over, but he still felt a gnawing sensation at the pit of his stomach. He wanted to pull her back in again but Wes made his appearance once more.

Quickly depositing the wine glass on the countertop, Reece laughed at the little boy's shenanigans. And when the boy hid behind him, a protective hand went behind him while the other put distance between them and Olivia. A natural smile pulled at his face. "Come on, two heroes against one, Liv? Don't try and beat the odds." He chuckled, not aware of the weight his words could potentially bring.

[Olivia Baker]

"You're taking HIS side?!" Liv laughed watching the two as they took a stance against Liv. Wes smiled his classic shit eating grin that she swore he got from Reece. In fact, they looked like absolute clones besides the wardrobe of course. Even still, she couldn't help but wonder if Reece did the same to his poor mother. She wouldn't be surprised, the boys were really so alike.

"Two against one is HARDLY fair" She laughed not really catching the other implications that that statement could have had. "I still think that I can take you two down. Especially when i know Super Wes's WEAKNESS!" She bolted around Reece going for Wes, fingers out ready to tickle. Wes squealed and climbed Reece like a tree landing in his arms.

"YOU CANT CATCH ME MOMMY! I'm SAFE!" He laughed then looked at Reece very seriously. "You're my sidekick now."