The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  * * *

  She woke up and stretched and looked beside her, she had hoped he had come to bed and he hadn���t. She pulled her knees to her chest and cried; rocked herself back and forth slowly. She laid across the bed and grabbed her journal out of the nightstand drawer and read the last entry and cried some more. She threw herself back on the pillow and kicked the bed several times. Emma rolled over and tried to fall back to sleep and jumped when she saw him sitting in the chair staring at her.

  ���Can we chat?���

  Emma dried her eyes and sat up and whispered, ���Yes.���

  ���I think we���re doing this wrong. I think I should have stayed away and slowly worked our way back. I���m hurting you and you���re killing me Emma. I know neither of us wants to do that and maybe if we take a step back we can figure this out,��� Brody said in that unattached tone that ripped her apart.

  Emma finally stood up and started towards the bathroom and stopped, ���If you leave me again���don���t come back.���

  Brody burst through the door, ���What is that supposed to mean, leave you again Emma?���

  ���Nothing, do whatever it is that you want to do Brody, I need to shower and get ready for my day,��� Emma said calmly.

  ���That���s our discussion? That���s it?!���

  ���Right now I need to figure out where I���m going and what I���m going to tell London,��� Emma said calmly.

  ���I think this discussion needs both of our input don���t you?��� Brody asked coldly.

  ���No, I don���t. But I need you to let me get ready,��� Emma swallowed back the pending tears and looked at him, ���Please, just leave.���

  ���You can get ready, when she���s at school we���re continue this Emma,��� Brody walked out.

  Emma came downstairs with London and Lexington, they walked by the study and London peeked in, ���Good morning, Brody.���

  ���Hey London, good morning,��� Brody smiled and stood up, ���Can I help with anything?���

  ���Want to ride with us to take me to school?��� London beamed.

  ���He���s busy this morning, let���s get you two breakfast,��� Emma tickled London.

  Emma and Lexington got out of the car and she went into the garage and grabbed the stroller, ���Rupert I need to run, are you coming or am I off the leash now?���

  ���I���d like to go,��� he said, ���Give me two minutes.���

  * * *

  Emma walked into the house after her run and Brody glared at her. ���Where have you been for two hours?���

  Emma looked down at her clothes and laughed, ���At a club having drinks.���

  ���You can���t answer your phone?��� he snapped.

  Emma grabbed it off the counter and threw it to him, ���Sorry. Come on Lexi, let���s get you a drink.���

  Emma was feeding Lexington in the nursery when Brody walked in and sat on the bed tapping his foot. ���I���m not trying to be rude but that isn���t going to help her fall asleep,��� Emma said with a forced smile.

  He stood up and kissed Lexington���s head and walked out the door.

  Emma walked out with the empty bottle and he was standing in the hallway against the wall. ���Can we talk now?��� He asked annoyed.

  ���May I shower first?��� Emma asked walking by. He followed her into their room.

  ���No, this needs to be done,��� he snapped.

  ���You���ve made that clear, what do we need to discuss?��� Emma asked grabbing clean clothes from her closet.

  ���Emma come on talk to me about this,��� he rolled his eyes.

  ���Okay.��� She sat down on the bed, ���talk.���

  ���Do you understand why I think we should step back?���

  ���No,��� Emma answered.

  ���Why not?��� He asked and sat next to her.

  ���We���ve been apart for a long time. If we don���t want to be together, no let me rephrase that ��� if YOU need a break after three days, it will never work. I won���t prolong the inevitable and spend any more time feeling like I���ve gone crazy. I have two beautiful little girls and I will be strong for them. I won���t spend any more time believing in something that isn���t real,��� Emma answered and looked at him.

  ���So we aren���t real?���

  Emma took a deep breath and started to shake.

  ���Listen ��� don���t mind fuck me anymore, it���s���not nice!��� She snapped.

  ���That���s not what I���m asking for Emma. I���m asking that we take the time to make this work,��� Brody took her hand.

  Emma slowly pulled her hand back, ���Take all the time you need. Make all the decisions you need to, but I won���t show my daughters how to be a revolving door.���

  ���It won���t be like that Em. Please ��� why don���t you see that?���

  ���I���m done with this conversation right now, I need time to figure out my next move. If you���ll excuse me,��� Emma pointed to the door, ���Please.���

  ���If that���s what you want, you should have let me stay away������ Brody said.

  ���God, what do you want from me?��� Emma yelled, ���Do you really hate me that much, tell me what I did damn it, what did I do to make you hate me?���

  ���I don���t hate you, I������ he began.

  ���Don���t. Don���t you lie to me anymore. This thing you���re doing is hateful, you���re ���you need to give me a few moments. I won���t give you the satisfaction of seeing me fall apart. Then you can tell me exactly what you expect, then I���ll rework and resume my life, but right now, I need you to think about the fact that once a long, long time ago you loved me, and that man would have given me a moment,��� Emma turned around.

  ���I love you, we can talk when you���re ready,��� he grabbed her hand, ���I���m still that man and I will never stop loving you.���

  Emma raised her hand and slapped him across the face, ���Get out ��� now!���

  Brody turned and walked out the door.

  Emma had been upstairs for an hour when Brody finally found her in their room, she was packing her clothes.

  ���What are you doing?��� he asked and grabbed her.

  ���Don���t touch me,��� Emma said quietly.

  ���You���re not going anywhere. I will. Damn it Emma ��� can you stop?���

  Emma started to shake, ���What did they do to you, you would have never���Brody you are trying to break me. I don���t know why but you are. Please stop, you can���t do this to me. I need to leave, I can���t stay here, how do you not get that? I lived here waiting, praying, and believing you would come back and everything would be alright. I loved you enough to feel that you were still alive and whatever they did to you changed you and������

  ���Em stop, please,��� he grabbed her and hugged her as she cried.

  Lexi started to cry and Emma looked up at him, ���I don���t know how much more I can take before I break and am no good for them, how does that fit in with our break, Brody?���

  ���You���re strong for them, be strong for you, I know you can do this Emma or I wouldn���t ask you. You love me, you believed, you felt, you knew I was alive. I was held up detoxing for two weeks and didn���t remember anythin
g except your name. The minute I sobered up and saw you, I remembered you and hadn���t in months. This is nothing compared to all that Em, nothing,��� he grabbed her face, ���London doesn���t need to know anything except that I���m going to stay in the city, Lila���s place is…���

  ���Lila knows about this?���

  ���Yes Em,��� he stroked her hair.

  ���So you���ve taken everyone from me now,��� Emma sat silently.

  ���No that���s not what I���m doing, you know I wouldn���t do that Emma,��� he waited for a response and she sat quietly for.

  ���I���m going to get my daughter,��� Emma stood and walked out and got Lexington out of bed, held her tightly against her chest, and closed her eyes trying to regain some composure. She kissed her face and laid her down to change her and kissed her face again.

  Emma was making a bottle when Brody walked in, ���We need to finish this, Em.���

  ���You need to leave me alone,��� Emma walked by him.

  She sat in the living room rocking and feeding Lexi, ���Let���s finish this up, London doesn���t need to know. I have interviews everyday starting tomorrow, I���ll stay at Lila���s and stop over for dinner every night. It���ll be no big deal, okay?���

  ���Would you do me a favor?��� Emma asked standing up.

  ���Anything Emma, anything,��� he closed his eyes tightly and finally breathed.

  ���Feed your daughter,��� Emma handed her to him.

  ���Sure,��� he looked curiously at her.

  ���You know she eats every three to four hours right? And after three ounces you need to burp her with each bottle. She���s already pooped today, and she will again tonight. Her tooth has poked through and she���s sleeping better. Her naps are normally eight in the morning and again at noon. She normally sleeps from one and a half to three hours for each nap. She only cries when she���s hungry or messy. She loves music, dancing, videos, and books. Her favorite is Guess How Much I Love You, and all Sandra Boynton books. She looks just like her Daddy and is such a good happy girl who deserves a perfect life,��� Emma kissed her head and walked into the kitchen and rummaged through the drawer.

  Brody burped Lexi and laughed at how loud she was, he heard tires squeal and looked out the window at Emma driving out the driveway, he set Lexi in the pack n play and ran out, ���Where the fuck is she going, Clive?��� He yelled.

  Rupert jumped in the car and chased after her.

  * * *

  Emma pulled in the driveway four hours later and Brody stormed out the door, ���WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN!��� He screamed.

  ���That���s none of your business,��� Emma attempted to walk past him and he grabbed her and without thinking she kneed him in the groin and he doubled over. She quickly moved past him and ran into the house past Rupert.

  ���Is she asleep?��� Emma asked with wide nervous eyes, he nodded his head yes, she heard the door slam. ���Sorry Rupert,��� Emma ran out the back door onto the patio and sat down.

  Brody walked out and grabbed her face firmly, ���Do you know how fucking stupid that was?���

  ���Did you have a nice time with your daughter?��� Emma asked pulling her head back away from him.

  ���It would have been if her mother didn���t flake out and run away from her responsibility,��� he yelled and punched the table.

  ���I���m so sorry, but you can understand skating responsibility, don���t you?���

  ���Sit the fuck down now,��� Brody snapped.

  ���Unless you enjoyed the knee to the nuts Brody, you may want to move,��� Emma stood nose to nose with him.

  ���SIT!��� He yelled.

  ���Fuck������ Emma started and he kissed her.

  Emma pulled away, ���That���s enough!���

  ���Do you know what you did to me today?��� He asked pulling her into him and squeezing her so tight she couldn���t move.

  ���I do, now let go,��� Emma said shaking.

  ���I won���t,��� he snapped.

  ���You already did, it should be getting pretty easy for you,��� Emma snapped.

  ���This is not a game Emma, this is our lives ��� don���t you get it?!���

  ���No, why don���t you try to explain?��� Emma yelled.

  ���If we can���t spend three days together without all this, how will we make forever?��� He asked his voice cool and distant again.

  ���Brody I thought a lot today and I want you to know a few things. I went from a very overprotective shattered family, to a college boyfriend, to a husband, to being a mom, to a divorce, to you. I never really had the opportunity to have those rebellious years most people get a chance to experience. I was hurt by my ex- husband, crushed by my parents��� betrayal, and then there���s you. I���m very ready for you to walk. You don���t need to worry about London. You���re right; I am very strong. I���m also very ready to be single and in control.���

  Brody gasped and looked at her like she had grown horns and stepped back, closed his eyes and opened them again, ���Fine.���

  ���Perfect,��� Emma waved her hand at him dismissively.

  Clive walked out towards them, ���Your band mates just landed, they are coming to stay with you, a surprise.���

  ���That���s just fucking great!��� Brody looked at Emma, ���Hey love, we have company coming to stay, looks like I won���t be leaving tonight!���

  ���I can.���

  ���No you���re not, you���re going to be right here with me, smiling pretty,��� Brody said through his teeth.

  Emma laughed, as she walked in the door.

  * * *

  Emma was making dinner as London did her homework when someone grabbed her around the waist and kissed her head, ���Hello, Beautiful.���

  ���Joe!��� London screamed.

  Emma turned around and smiled, ���Well hello there, Joe.���

  Emma looked around and smiled at Quinn, Oliver, and another man she didn���t recognized.

  ���This is Zachary,��� Joe said introducing Emma to him.

  Zach Taylor had replaced Brody for the last few tour dates with the band. He was tall with black messy hair and green eyes, ���Nice to finally meet you, Emma,��� Zach kissed her hand.

  ���Very nice to meet you Zach,��� Emma smiled and quickly looked away when she heard Brody walk in.

  ���Well hello everyone,��� Brody smiled as he walked up and wrapped his arm around Emma and kissed her cheek.

  Emma looked at him and whispered in his ear, ���Please don���t use me to put on a show for your friends. This doesn���t make things easier.���

  Brody kissed her nose, ���It���s not a show, Em.���

  Emma heard Lexington over the monitor and pulled away, ���Dinner will be done in a few minutes,��� she said as she walked out the door.

  ���Everything alright Brody?��� Joe asked.

  ���It���s getting there,��� Brody smiled, ���Who wants a drink?���

  * * *

  Emma was giving Lexington a bath when Brody walked into the bathroom, ���Will you come join us when you are done?���

  Emma looked up at him confused and grabbed the towel wrapping Lexington up, ���I���m going to dress her and I���ll come down to feed her.���

  ���Em, I������ Brody started and
stopped.

  ���Are you drunk?���

  ���No, buzzed but not drunk,��� Brody looked down.

  ���Nice,��� Emma walked past him.

  He followed her in the nursery, ���London���s asleep, Em. I don���t make it a habit of drinking…could you give me a break?��� He grabbed her hair and pushed it to the side and kissed her neck.

  ���Look I don���t know what you���re trying to prove here, I���m playing nice but you can���t do that, please stop.��� Emma said lifting Lexington off the changing table and walked towards the door.

  ���I love you Em,��� Brody pulled her into him and kissed her.

  ���Brody don���t,��� Emma whispered.

  ���You���re mine Em, always,��� Brody laughed, ���Look it even says it here,��� he held up his hand.

  Emma looked at him and scowled.

  * * *

  Brody was sitting on the chaise when Emma walked in with Lexi. ���Sit with me,��� he said and moved back.

  Emma took a deep breath and smiled at the guys. She reluctantly sat down and he pulled her back closely against his chest. Lexi was babbling as Brody played peek- a- boo from behind Emma���s back.

  The guys talked about upcoming events and record sales. They had decided the next Album would be titled Back from the Dead. Brody announced plans to make the basement into a studio instead of working in England, ���See Em, not leaving you, ever,��� he whispered in her ear.

  She looked up at him confused and he pulled her back into his chest and wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled into her neck, ���My second favorite place to be.���

  ���I���m going to put her down,��� Emma looked at him hurt.

  ���We���ll be back, make yourselves at home,��� Brody said following her up the stairs.