Closed Doors

*Hope this is okay for you guys, thanku for the comments you left on the last chapter :) Also, for any of my Dricki readers I'm posting on SD and PUTP tomorrow since they got the most comments. This fic was a bit of a struggle tbh, I was going to finish it ages ago but kept on going so hopefully it ain't boring anyone! I'm tryin to think up new stuff so please hang in there lol OH and the rest of WTWC should be up tomorrow too :))*

The amount of stress and heartache Nicki struggled with in the months following Safaree's sudden and cowardly departure was immense, in fact her priorities and whole outlook on life changed because of him. The most difficult moment was undoubtedly the day she lost Noah. Her emotional state combined with her age and lack of support she had was apparently a good enough reason for him to be taken from her. The fight to get him back drove her through that rough patch though. She closed everything to do with Safaree behind a door along with every other negative focus and concentrated on her study and getting her child back. Of course there was no way in hell she could have got to where she is now if it wasn't for her family. Even her Father. He saw the pain she was experiencing and sorted his own issues out in hope that it would look better for Nicki to have more support around her. For the six weeks she wasn't allowed to care for him she was still allowed to visit him once a week, until finally she was granted permission to have him in her care again. She never once looked back from there on and even now, three years later she was doing better than ever. It was a different story for Safaree though.

"Noah, would you please stop runnin'? You're gonna get stood on." She manoeuvred the shopping cart around the corner as she spoke whilst four year old Noah ran cutely ahead. Suddenly seeing a nice pyramid of boxes stacked up she ditched the cart and ran to grab her son before he dared push it over. "No you don't." The grin on his face faded as he felt himself being lifted from the floor and sat in the seat in the cart. "If you can't walk nicely then you can't walk at all." Clicking the straps shut she pouted back at him and continued on with her shopping. He was a handful at the best of times but that's what made him more loveable. Chewing gently on her bottom lip she squinted before crouching down and grabbing some rice from the shelf. It was Friday which meant Noah would be stopping at Drake's for the weekend so she was planning on cooking a meal for herself and Dante that night. Things between them had been strained recently and she felt like this was needed, although she knew it wouldn't last. Most of the effort being put into their relationship was down to her and quite honestly she didn't want him around if it was just going to lead to them arguing around Noah. So this meal was in her mind a last ditch attempt at keeping things going. "Okay, let's go." She shook her head after looking at the time. Thanks to Noah they'd been in the shop a whole two hours.

Wrapping him in a towel she took him through to his room and stood him in the middle of the floor whilst she found him some pyjamas. Drake could only pick him up at 6pm on Friday's because that's when he got off work. "You want these ones?" She pulled her hair behind one ear as she bent over to get in his tiny dresser.

"No."

"Tough. Daddy's gonna be here soon and you're not even dry yet." Scooping him up again she dried him off before putting his jammies on. "Did you pick which toys you're gonna take?"

"Yeah!" He smiled big and wiggled his legs to shimmy off of the bed before running to a collection of toy trucks on the floor, which she guessed were the ones he wanted to take with him.

"Come on then, let's go put them in your bag." She yawned as she spoke and watched him gather them all up in his arms before cautiously leaving the room with her following. There was a loud clattering sound as he dumped them into the open bag and looked back at her proudly. She didn't get chance to answer when she heard a knock at the apartment door. Being on her own with Noah she couldn't afford to keep living where they were and the move proved to be better since she was now closer to her family and Drake too. "Go find your slippers." Doing as he was told he disappeared back into his room whilst she opened the door.

"Hey sorry I'm a little early."

"It's fine, you wanna come in? He's still ain't ready."

"Sure." He smiled pleasantly as he walked in. He could smell the food and felt his stomach growl already. "Oh you been cookin'?"

"Yeah, waste of fuckin' time though." She huffed and wandered behind the kitchen counters as he leant on the breakfast bar.

"Somethin' happened with golden boy?"

"Why you always callin' him that?" She smiled and tilted her head as he just laughed.

"'Cause that's what he is."

"Whatever! And if you must know, he blew me off for a basketball game."

"Again?"

"Yes, again Drake. Like it wasn't sad enough that I was cooking my own Birthday meal, I've now been ditched for the night."

"Well, smells like he's missin' out. And Happy Birthday by the way. I hadn't forgotten."

"You mean the food? 'Cause if you want some feel free, there's enough for two. I'm sure you didn't forget." She said sarcastically and continued to clear away the pots and pans as she spoke.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you like pasta right?"

"I do."

"You wanna plate then?" She raised her brows as he looked at her and then his watch.

"Yeah, why not? I'm starvin'!" He patted his middle before talking again. "Is it alright if I go wash up in your bathroom?"

"Yeah, go ahead. You know where it is."

"Thanks."

After washing his hands he told her he had to go grab something from his car and disappeared whilst she dished up the food. He wasn't lying when he said he hadn't forgotten her birthday. Leaning into his truck he pulled out two wrapped up gifts and locked up again before heading back inside. He couldn't believe this dick Dante had not only forgotten her birthday but bailed on her as well. He hated him with a passion and would be glad when he was gone. After everything she'd been through, she deserved better.

"Where's the boy at?" He had managed to sneak through the lounge room and put the gifts out of view whilst she had her back turned in the kitchen.

"In his room, could you get him to wash his hands too please?"

"Course." Smiling to himself he made his way to Noah's room, only to see him sat in the middle of the room with his toys surrounding him.

"Daddy!" He jumped up within seconds of seeing his Father before darting to him and being catapulted into the air by his huge hands.

"Hey little man! What're you doin' in here?"

"Playin'."

"Well, how 'bout we play after dinner? We gotta go wash our hands before we eat." They carried on talking playfully as they went to the bathroom. "You remember to say Happy Birthday to Mommy this mornin' like I told you?"

"No." He shook his head sadly and looked up at Drake's face whilst he continued to hold his hands under the running tap.

"You wanna do it now and give her a present?" He didn't need to ask twice as he nodded excitedly and hopped off of the standing stool.

Back in the kitchen she'd just lay the plates down and was about to shout them but stopped when she saw them coming, Noah was hardly visible behind a big present he was carrying carefully.

"Oh my God, you two!"

"Happy birthday Mommy." His voice sounded so cute and quiet behind the present as Drake grinned and gave her the smaller present he was holding in his own hands.

"Happy birthday."

"You guys, you didn't have to get me presents." She bent down to Noah's level and kissed him as she took the box from his arms and sat it on the floor. "Thank you baby."

"Can we open it now?" He looked up excitedly at his Dad, making him laugh.

"You'll have ask Mommy, it's her present."

"Go ahead, you open that one and I'll open this one." She stood up straight again as she tore open the paper on the gift Drake gave her. Not able to stop the gasp that left her mouth she pulled the silver necklace from the box and smiled. "Oh my God, Drake you really didn't-"

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to." He smiled at her as she carried on admiring it. "You want me to put it on?" There was silence as she turned and let him put it on for her. Although neither had any sort of feelings towards one another in that sense, he still loved her as the Mother of his child so this birthday gift was very much in order.

"I love it, thank you." She touched the stone in it before looking back down at Noah. He'd well and truly ripped the paper off of the present and was still trying to tear the rest off. She already knew that Drake had obviously bought both gifts and that the one from Noah was bound to be something for Noah rather than her. "Oh, just what I've always wanted!" Drake couldn't help but laugh at her as she once again bent down to look at the packaging. It was firetruck.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't let him give you somethin' he couldn't have fun with."

"Y'know what? I'on even mind." She smiled again and grabbed the rubbish before taking it through to the kitchen trashcan. "Okay! Let's eat 'cause it's goin' cold."

The rest of the evening went nice and smoothly and Drake was about to grab Noah and his bag to head home when he noticed Nicki staring at her phone screen.

"Is that golden boy?"

"Hm? Oh, no just some stupidass voicemail message." She half smiled and stood up to say goodbye to Noah as he was balanced in Drake's arms. He knew she was lying but also knew not to get all up in her business so he just took her word for it. Nicki hated Noah leaving but she loved the fact that he always got to spend time with Drake for two nights a week and every other weekend. Not to mention the fact that he never saw his parents arguing, which was the most important thing to her. After closing the door behind them she resumed her seat on the couch and looked at the text again. She got one on the same day every year saying the same thing.

Happy Birthday, I'd never forget.
Safaree xx

...

*And No is the answer to anyone who asks "This isn't turning into a Dricki fic is it?" Lmao I have separate Dricki fics, this is still Onikafaree :)) Hope this was okay, I know SB wasn't in it but just wait he will be soon ^_^ Thnx again for the comments left on the last chapter!*