Surviving Bennett

"Did you miss me?"

Chaya gasped as she looked into the gray eyes of her past. "What are you doing here? Where did you come from?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" I've missed you baby." he replied.

"You can't be here, Bennett. You should have called or better yet not shown up at all."

Chaya wasn't prepared to face him not after all these years.

Bennett Steele was not supposed to reappear after leaving her 2.5 years ago. She had just gotten the feel of his 6'3 frame against her body out of her head, the feel of running her fingers through his dark brown hair, the feel of his poet's mouth against hers and the way his gray eyes darkened whenever he looked at her.

She'd barely been able to move on from the heartbreak and had to live with the constant memory of what could never be whenever she looked into the eyes of their baby girl, Nico. She wasn't about to let him just walk back in and disrupt everything she and her baby girl had been able to achieve together. Bennett was a part of her past and she wasn't about to revisit that with him. So why were there butterflies in her stomach and why was she suddenly nervous?

"I'm home now and had to see you...like I said Chaya, I missed you."

Bennett wasn't feeling as confident as he had been before he knocked on her door.

God, she was stunning. He'd never forgotten her caramel complexion or those honey brown eyes. She had been his saving grace and now she was looking at him like he was a complete stranger or like he had some diseased infection. Maybe he should have done re-con before coming to get her. He gave her his cocky grin--

"I've come to get what's mine" Bennett answered.

Did she just become ashen? She couldn't be that angry at him.

What was his? He couldn't be talking about Nico. She'd be damned if he was taking her baby girl, Chaya panicked.

"Nothing here belongs to you Bennett; you forfeit any claims when you disappeared. Please leave..."

"Who's that at the door baby?"

Shit, Ryan was approaching... Chaya didn't need this right now. She felt Ryan approach behind her.

"Can we help you?"

If looks could kill, Ryan would be 30 feet under after having already meeting his maker.

"Who the hell are you?" Bennett answered.

"And what the fuck do you mean by we? I am here to see Chaya, she can help me. You, buddy, can get lost"

Well at least Chaya could see that Bennett still had his temper and it was raring to go even after nearly 3 years.

"Honey, do you know him or do you want me to get rid of him?"

Ryan was obviously not easily intimidated by Bennett or his steely gaze.

"God, Bennett you can't just show up like this after 2.5 years and act like you have some claim over ANYTHING here...this is so like you- Ryan, this is Bennett and Bennett this is my boyfriend Ryan."

Bennett couldn't believe this-- she had a boyfriend? What the hell was she doing with a boyfriend?

"Your boyfriend? You got a boyfriend? Shit Chaya I told you I was coming back!" Bennett was yelling.

"Keep your fucking voice down! You walked away from me with some half- assed promise of coming back, no explanation, no anything and you expected me to wait? You know what Bennett, I did wait a year -- for a hint, some clue, even a word-- and you know what I got nothing but more heartache." Chaya found herself yelling.

God he was still getting to her.

The sound of a baby crying broke the tension.

"Chaya go check on Nico, I'll deal with Bennett."

Ryan wasn't an idiot, he'd heard about Bennett Steele, hell he was the one who held Chaya at night when she cried over him for almost a year, and he also knew this was Nico's dad, but the asshole had disappeared for almost 3 years with no letters or anything and he had done NOTHING for her or for Nico in the time that he was gone so as far as Ryan was concerned he didn't deserve her or Nico.

Ryan was also aware that Chaya had referred to him as her boyfriend—which would have been hilarious had he not seen the panic in her face when she said it-- he knew she needed his help. He wanted to laugh, but it would have been inappropriate-- her gay boyfriend more like it- he was her best friend and he would help her in anyway even if it meant protecting her from her own heart.

"Look Bennett, let's be clear here—I don't like you and you don't like me, but I am going to give you some advice she's moved on and so should you" Ryan began.

Bennett pushed his way past Ryan and into Chaya's home.

"I told her I'd be back and I meant it, she's mine"

Bennett responded "and I won't give her up without a fight. Bennett could hear Chaya's footsteps as she came back down stairs, holding --what Bennett could only assume was the baby he heard crying in her arms. He couldn't see her face, but he made out a small tiny foot the color of latte and he could see a head of curly hair.

God, he'd bet anything she was as beautiful as her mother. Was this asshole the father? Bennett didn't want to think about it. Chaya was his and he'd often spent time fantasizing about her, including her being swollen with his child and this Ryan douche had been able to give her what Bennett always dreamed about, his baby.

"Look Bennett, I don't want to fight with you" Chaya began softly, "I just want to put my baby back to sleep and go on with the rest of my night with Ryan."

Bennett glared at her, "The rest of your night with Ryan? Don't make me kill him Chaya."

"Stop being ridiculous, Bennett" Chaya retorted, "You can't kill him over something that hasn't belonged to you in years. Please leave."

"Chaya, we need to talk—you have to let me explain everything to you." Bennett began.

"Too little, too late Bennett—goodnight. Ryan, can you please show him out. I'm going to put Nico down again." Chaya turned and began walking away from him.

"This isn't over Chaya—don't believe for a moment that this is over. I'll be back." Bennett turned to leave.

As he approached the door, he turned to Ryan and gave him a smile that didn't quiet reach his eyes.

"Don't get too comfortable, buddy. I'm back for her and her alone and I intend to have her, all of her."

THE BEGINNING

Bennett couldn't take his eyes off of her. Chaya Book had to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was 5'4, with the complexion of melted caramel and big brown eyes and full lips that he often dreamed of kissing. She was also completely off limits to him. She was a baby at 18 compared to his ripe old age of 23 and to make matters worse, she was his best friend, Sam's baby sister. And he wasn't touching her with a ten foot pole.

Her voice reminded him of velvet and whenever she spoke to him it was like she was stroking him at his very core. She wasn't even aware what she was doing to him or even the fact that he was always aware of her. He'd made it his job to protect her and keep all assholes who weren't good enough for her away.

Being that she was 17 and beautiful, it wasn't easy, which was why she was crying right now. Alex Cameron, the hot-shot all American athlete, had just broken her heart. Bennett wanted to break his neck. She should NEVER cry. He didn't like it and it was killing him to see her so upset.

"I mean, I don't get it." she was sobbing in his car. "Why is it so hard for guys to be faithful? I thought he loved me? God, why do guys make it so hard?"

"He's young and horny, sweetie--not that it's any excuse, but he's not worth your tears."

Bennett wanted her to stop crying. When she called him to pick her up, he should have called Sam, but Sam was on a date with his "one true love" and Bennett didn't want to get in his way, but dammit--seeing her like this was difficult for him.

Chaya felt like an idiot. She shouldn't have called him, but Sam was out with Sydney and she knew how he felt about her--so she didn't want to ruin it. So now she was in a car with Bennett Steele making a complete fool of herself. God, if she didn't hate Alex for cheating on her with Nicole, she hated him now. She didn't want Bennett feeling sorry for her and she could tell that it was exactly what he felt.

She'd only started dating Alex to make Bennett jealous, she wanted him to see her as she was--a woman and not just as his best friend's little sister. And right now she was sure he saw her a baby, crying over spilled milk.

God, she hated Alex even more.

Bennett pulled his car up in front of her house and turned and looked at her. Even at 18 she was beautiful and it wasn't that Bennett wasn't aware of her beauty, he just didn't trust himself to look and not touch. Sitting in the car with her right now, was proving difficult as her scent was starting to fill his head. He would have to try to soothe her and send her on her way.

She turned and looked at him with her big brown eyes and Bennett knew he was a lost cause, especially when it came to Chaya.

"What did I do wrong Bennie?" she used the name she had given him years ago, "what's wrong with me?"

"Aahh-- Chy sweetie, it's not you--you did nothing wrong" Bennett responded.

He was going to kill the prick for making her feel this way.

"Guys do dumb things, it's what makes us guys."

He reached over to wipe her tears. She shouldn't be crying, especially not over some young asshole who only thought with his dick.

"Can you hold me a for a little while Bennie?" Chaya looked over at him.

Her brown eyes filled with tears she refused to let spill.

Bennett knew it wasn't a good idea, but he couldn't tell her no, not when she looked at him like that.

"Come here" Bennett said as he pulled her closer to him. "I'll hold you for a little while."

She felt right in his arms--he didn't want to admit it and she couldn't be happier. She let him hold her for minute and she turned her head into his neck and took in his scent. It was intoxicating. Chaya looked into his eyes for a brief minute and sought the comfort that she really wanted.

She closed her eyes and kissed him. She could feel Bennett tense beneath her, but she needed this, she needed to feel that she was wanted. His kiss was what she wanted, what she needed.

Bennett finally pushed her away--"Chaya--you don't want to do this..."

Chaya looked up at him embarrassed and felt rejected for the second time that night.

"Oh God, I shouldn't have..." she unbuckled her seat belt and jumped out the car.

"Chaya, wait!" Bennett yelled after her.