Finding a New Life Ch. 26-27

I'm coming to the end of Lily's and Ty's story. I'm going to be following up with Eli's story, probably in the next few weeks. Thanks for reading!

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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"Eli?" Emma asked quietly from the doorway. Eli looked up from his book and his eyes widened at the sight of his former girlfriend.

"What are you doing here?" Eli wanted to know, taking a sip of the water by his bed to help hide his shock.

"I heard you were sick, and I wanted to come see how you were doing," Emma answered.

"Why?" Eli asked, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice.

"I missed you. I was a fool to listen to my parents. I know that now. I love you Eli," Emma said softly.

"Love me. That's a laugh. If you loved me, you never would have left me when Ty was forced to kill Carter," Eli scoffed.

"I regretted leaving you every day," Emma said softly. She thought back to the conversation she had had with Lily before, while they watched Eli rest fitfully.

"So where were you?" Eli wanted to know. "It's been a long time Emma," he added.

"I know. I traveled around Europe and South East Asia," Emma answered. "I needed to think and I couldn't do it here," Emma told him softly.

"What do you want Emma?" Eli asked finally after several minutes of silence.

"A second chance," Emma answered.

"You've got to be kidding me," Eli scoffed.

"I'm not," Emma argued.

"In case you haven't noticed Em, I'm dying. This isn't exactly the best time to try and rekindle our relationship," Eli said dryly.

"Don't say that! You're not dying Eli! You can beat this!" Emma exclaimed.

"Uncle David didn't," Eli said bitterly.

"You aren't your uncle," Emma reminded Eli.

"That may be, but I'll be alone, just like David," Eli retorted.

"No you won't! You have Lily, Grace, Ty, the kids, and me," Emma protested.

"I don't want you here Em, go away," Eli snapped.

"You don't mean that," Emma said softly.

"Yes I do Em, I want you to leave," Eli insisted.

"But Eli ..."

"Get the fuck out of here Emma, now!" Eli shouted. Emma stood up, her eyes wide and full of tears. "Just leave me alone," he pleaded, his voice quieter. Emma turned around wordlessly and fled from the room, missing the tears of anguish that streamed down his cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You're an idiot." Eli looked up to see Grace and Lily standing in the doorway, looking at him accusingly.

"What are you talking about?" Eli asked grumpily.

"Emma," Grace snapped.

"What about her?" Eli asked sleepily.

"You chased her away," Lily reminded her brother.

"Now that's something I'd like to see," Eli said dryly.

"Don't do that Eli. That girl fought her entire family to come back and see you," Lily told her brother.

"Yeah, but too late," Eli said bitterly.

"It's never too late for love," Lily snapped.

"I'm dying Lil, or have you forgotten about that?" Eli asked.

"No you aren't! Just because Uncle David did, doesn't mean you will too. Look at Mia! She survived Cancer twice!" Lily exclaimed.

"I'm not as young as Mia," Eli protested.

"And you aren't as old as David," Grace pointed out.

"Still," Eli shook his head and took a sip of his water.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and apologize to Emma. She loves you, and regrets walking away like she did," Lily told her brother.

"But ..." Lily's hand gently connected with the side of Eli's head.

"No buts Eli Joshua Evans!" Lily snapped. Eli suppressed a small grin.

"Cut me some slack sis," Eli murmured.

"You're sick Eli, but that doesn't give you permission to be a world class ass," Lily said softly, the look in her eyes softening.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Eli grumbled. "Not to be rude, but I'm really tired," he murmured. Lily and Grace both nodded and stood up.

"I love you little brother," Lily whispered as she gave her brother a tight, but gentle hug. Eli smiled in return as the girls left the room.

"Eli?" Emma asked softly, knocking on the door. Eli smiled at her and motioned for her to come in.

"Hey Em, I'm sorry about yesterday. When I woke up in my room, I had just come back from my chemo," Eli said.

Emma gave a small smile. "That's okay," she lied.

"What'd you bring?" Eli wanted to know. Emma sat the bag down on the bed side table and he sniffed appreciatively as she pulled out Tupperware containers of food. "You're a goddess," Eli groaned as the smells of banana and blueberry pancakes filled the room.

"I remembered you liked banana and blueberry pancakes. There's fresh orange juice and fruit too," Emma murmured.

"It's good," Eli declared through a mouth of half chewed pancakes. Emma wrinkled her nose.

"You should chew and swallow before you talk," she admonished with a laugh. Eli laughed too and took another large bite of pancake; neither noticed Lily walk into the room, Eli's doctor right behind her.

"It's good to see you eating," Lily said quietly. Eli and Emma jumped.

"This is food; the stuff the nurses serve, I don't even think a pig would eat," Eli lamented.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Grow up would ya?" she asked.

"How are thinks looking doc?" Eli asked.

"Things are looking very good Eli. In fact, I think you can go home when you're finished eating your breakfast," the doctor answered.

Eli's face brightened instantly. "Thanks doc," he said. Lily thanked the doctor and watched him leave.

"Ready to hit the road?" Lily asked.

"Almost, let me finish my pancakes first," Eli answered.

Lily grinned. "I'll be with the car. Call me when you need me to pull up front," Lily told her brother.

"Are you sure you want me to stay?" Emma asked softly, returning to the bedroom.

"Yes, I'm sure. You were right, we need to talk about what happened between us," Eli answered. Emma sat down on the bed next to Eli, her hands in her lap, unsure of what to say.

"What did your parents say to you to make you leave like that?" Eli wanted to know. Emma sighed and looked to be on the verge of tears.

"They threatened to cut off the money they had set aside for college, and threatened to keep the money grandma left for me when she died," Emma answered.

"You know they can't do that; if the trust is in your name, they have to give it to you when the terms dictate it," Eli said softly. Emma nodded.

"I do now, yes. I was young and stupid. I've grown up since then. I know I made a mistake. I'm here to try and fix that," Emma murmured. Eli sighed a little and tried to hide a yawn. "You should get some rest," Emma said softly. Eli shook his head stubbornly.

"We need to talk," he argued.

"I won't go anywhere," Emma promised. "Sleep," she added. Emma sat there until Eli fell asleep then slipped from the room.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Eli wandered from the bedroom to the living room and smiled when he saw Emma asleep on the couch. Eli crouched next to the couch and brushed his thumb down the side of her face. Emma shifted, but didn't wake up; Eli couldn't resist, he pressed a kiss to her lips, his hands moved down her body. Emma moaned, her eyes fluttered open. "Eli, what are you doing?" she asked sleepily.

"Making up for lost time," he murmured, crushing her lips against his again.

"No Eli," Emma murmured, pushing against him.

"What? Why?" Eli asked.

"Not like this. You don't trust me and you don't love me," Emma answered.

"Emma," Eli began.

"If I let you do this, you'll eventually hate me even more than you already do," Emma murmured.

"I don't hate you," Eli told her.

"Eli, we aren't doing this now," Emma said firmly but gently. Eli nodded and backed away.

"I just came for some water, I'll see you in the morning," Eli murmured, standing up and walking away.

~~~~~~~~~~

"How are things going?" Lily asked Emma several months later.

"Not too bad, your brother is a stubborn ass though," Emma complained.

"Oh?" Lily murmured, taking a sip of her soda.

"He keeps trying to get me into bed," Emma said with a shake of her head. Lily laughed.

"He never got over you," Lily reminded Emma.

"But he won't talk to me about it. He just seems like he wants to forget!" Emma grumbled, tearing off a piece of muffin and nibbling on it. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Just like a man. I have to get going though, I'm supposed to help Mia pick out a formal for prom," Lily said with a sigh. "Where did the years go? It seems like yesterday I was screaming for a fucking epidural," she lamented. Emma burst out laughing.

"Can I come?" Emma asked. Lily nodded and Emma slid out of her chair and followed Lily from the cafe.

"Mom, what about this one?" Mia asked, nearly two hours later. Lily and Emma were nearly worn out. Lily studied the dress carefully; it was baby blue, floor length with an empire waist and spaghetti straps.

"Try it on," Lily answered. Mia hurried into the dressing room and pulled the dress on. Lily smiled when she saw her oldest daughter; she looked like a Greek Goddess. "It's perfect," Lily declared. "Go take it off and have the clerk put it in a dress bag," she added. Mia hurried off to do as her mother bid and before long, Lily and Mia were on their way home and Emma headed back to Eli.

"Your niece is going to be absolutely beautiful for prom," Emma told Eli as she set plates of lasagna on the table.

"I can't believe she's old enough to be a high school senior," Eli grumbled.

"Neither can I. I remember the first time I saw her, through the window of her room in the ICU," Emma murmured.

"That was a long time ago," Eli agreed. They ate in relative silence, only speaking to ask for things.

"Em?" Eli asked, passing by the guest room later that night. Emma looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "What's wrong Em?" Eli wanted to know.

"I miss the way it used to be, before I left," Emma sniffled. Eli walked in and sat on the bed next to her.

"Don't cry Em," he murmured, kissing away a stray tear. He reached out and cupped her breast and gave a gentle squeeze; she moaned.

"Eli," she whispered, half protesting, half pleading with him to stop.

"I forgive you," Eli's voice rumbled in her ear. It was all Emma needed to hear and she stopped her fight, whimpering when his mouth found her; his tongue flickered inside her. He brushed the pad of his thumb against her clit and her hips lifted off of the mattress towards him. With his free hand, Eli gently pushed her back down.

"Eli, don't make me wait," she pleaded, the desperation obvious. Eli chuckled and pushed his sweat pants down over his legs and let them drop on the floor before snaking his fingers over her legs, grabbed hold of the night gown and pushed it up over hips.

He settled over her, the hardness of his cock pushed against her and Emma spread her legs wide, pleaded with her eyes as Eli's head lowered towards hers and he kissed her gently as he thrust deep inside her. Emma gasped and gave a half scream as he pushed past her hymen before coming to a rest deep inside her. "Shit Em, why didn't you say anything?" Eli asked, his voice hoarse.

"Does it make a difference?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with pain and wonder.

"I would have gone slower," Eli groaned, holding himself completely still. "How can you still be a virgin after all this ..." Emma kissed him, silencing his question as she lifted her hips to meet his making him groan. "Emma, are you sure?" Eli asked.

"Love me," she whispered. Eli gripped her hips with his hands and held her still as he began to thrust into her carefully, gently; his eyes closed as his brain tried to process the feeling of being deep inside the one woman he wanted more than anything. Emma moaned at the sensations flowing through her. "Eli," she whimpered, bucking his hands off of her hips. As she met him thrust for thrust, her cries became louder until they came together, hard and fast; Eli's seed flooded deep within her.

"Shit Em!" Eli's eyes flew open and he pulled away quickly, leaving her feeling empty and alone.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked, sitting up as he left the bed.

Eli turned and gave her a pointed look. Emma glanced down and blushed as she saw their combined fluids oozed out of her. "You need to leave Em, tonight," Eli said, pulling his sweat pants on.

"What? Why?" Emma stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You need to leave, and you can't come back," Eli repeated.

"Damn it Eli, not until you tell me why!" Emma exclaimed.

"Because I've risked knocking you up enough for once in my life! I don't want to pass these cursed genes on to another generation!" Eli shouted. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Cursed genes? You've got to be kidding me!" Eli looked at Emma in surprise. "You aren't the only person that has Cancer in the family, just about every family in this country does," Emma reminded Emma.

"I don't want to risk it," Eli said stubbornly.

"So I'll go on birth control, but please don't push me away," Emma pleaded. "I love you Eli," she murmured. Eli looked at her and nearly laughed when he saw the look of fire on her face.

"I love you too you little minx," Eli said finally, pulling her in for a hug. "But no more of this until you get on the pill," he added. Emma grinned, flopped on the bed, and pulled something out of the bed side table. "What is that?" Eli asked, trying to see around her closed fingers. Emma grinned again and handed it to him. "You really are a little minx," he teased, taking the packet and sliding it on top of the night stand. "Sleep first," he told her, pushing her onto the bed.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked as he headed for the door.

"To take my medication and then I'll be back," Eli promised.

When he returned to the bedroom nearly ten minutes later, Emma was asleep, curled up on her side and a small, contented smile on her face. Eli slid onto the bed beside her. "I love you," he whispered, brushing a kiss against her cheek before he lay next to her and fell asleep.