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Chapter Three-Hundred-Five



For a couple of moments Brian was silent at Riley’s announcement and looked very much like the wind had been knocked out of him. Pregnant! That is the last thing in the world he expected her to say. He never thought…he never imagined…


“What…?” he asked softly after awhile when he was sure he would be able to form words coherently.


“I’m a month pregnant Brian – I found out the day we arrived here in Kentucky. Jackie recognized my mood swings and took me to the hospital while you were at the mall.” If Brian had been crying when Riley told him she would marry him, that was nothing compared to the amount of tears rolling down his face now. He cradled her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with so much sincerity in his own.


“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”


“I wanted it to be my Christmas gift to you.”


“It’s the best Christmas Gift I’ve ever received” Brian promised and he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her into another hug. A daddy! He thought incredulously to himself. I’m going to be a daddy! not that he isn’t one already. Don’t get him wrong, Josh and Chris are very important to him and a new baby could never change that but this is his own flesh and blood they’re talking about here. Something he created and that is an entirely different experience. But then another thought occurred to him. Josh and Chris! How are they going to take this news? He had to practically pull teeth for permission to propose to Riley and when that didn’t work he had to deprive Chris of his ice cream and sick Josh’s beloved Dakota on him. Yes this news will definitely have to be delivered to them with care. He just hopes that another bloody war doesn’t break out. They are going to have to get used to it sooner or later. Whether they like it or not they’re getting another brother or sister. There’s no negotiating with this one – he or she is coming. Tightening his arms around Riley he planted a soft kiss on her forehead.


“Who all knew besides me?” he suddenly asked as they continued to ride through the rest of the park.


“Your mom took me to the hospital so she was the first to know…and then I told Brooke right away when we got back. Kori figured it out for herself – deemed me Rudolph and everything because I couldn’t stop glowing earlier.” Brian chuckled amusedly.


“Well you make a very sexy Rudolph” he promised. Riley blushed and rested her head against his shoulder comfortably.


“Is that all who knows?”


“Mhm. I didn’t want you to be the last to know.” Brian grinned and he cupped her cheek in his hand and tilted her head back and he brushed his lips lightly over hers. “Well this has to be the best Christmas we’ve had in a long time.”



~*~*~*~*~



“ELENORE RICHARDSON AND JOSHUA LITTRELL! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!” Kevin shouted up the stairs when he heard something being knocked over for the second time. Thankfully he didn’t hear any glass shattering, so it can’t be anything valuable – yet. Suddenly he heard a loud thud and Elenore holler angrily. He has a feeling she’d just been knocked to the floor. Knowing their kids, they were probably jumping on a bed.


“JOSHUA LITTRELL YOU BETTER HAVES YOUR GRAVE DUG UP!” Kevin rolled his eyes and looked at Jackie.


“There isn’t anything valuable up there is there Aunt Jackie?” he asked worriedly.


“Just in my room but I locked the door so no one could get in – I might have some stray gifts up there that I plan on sending back with you.” Kevin took a deep breath and began to relax a little bit. Now all he has to worry about is blood being shed by the two cousins.


“IF YOU GET BLOOD ON AUNT JACKIE’S CARPET YOU’LL BE CLEANING IT UP!” he threatened and Howie, AJ and Nick all laughed.


“Nice Kev.” Kevin shrugged.


“Do you have any ideas on getting them to break it up?”


“I say let them beat on each other until they tire themselves.”


“Isn’t that what we normally do?” Nick agreed with AJ.


“Yes but they are really going at it up there” Kevin informed. Nick rolled his eyes and stood up from his perch on the couch and he went on over and stood next to Kevin to holler up the stairs.


“JOSH! ELLIE! COOKIES!” Abruptly everything went silent upstairs and Nick grinned at Kevin who looked absolutely scandalized. They were supposed to be cutting them off of the sugar!


“THE FIRST ONE DOWN HERE WILL GET TWO!” Nick continued. Thunderous footsteps could suddenly be heard as the two children raced to be the first one down. When they each appeared on the stairs it only took them a second to reach the last step, Elenore doing a somersault in the air, a half twist, and landing with her feet on the ground and she turned and looked at Josh while crossing her arms over her chest. Kevin, Nick, and the rest of the grownups all looked shocked, as none of them knew she was capable of that.


“Beat you” she bragged and Josh scowled.


Show off!”


“Show of I may be, buts I gets two cookies an’ you don’ts” Josh started toward her suddenly and Nick reached and gently placed a hand to his chest and lightly pushed him back.


“Don’t you start that again or the both of you won’t get anything at all” he told them and when he was sure they weren’t going to try anything he let go. He went to fetch them some cookies and Elenore skipped along after him, all the while Josh giving her disgusted looks. When Nick returned he handed Elenore her two cookies and she beamed and went off to join Dakota who was playing intently with her dollhouse and when Nick was sure she wasn’t looking, he handed Josh two cookies as well. Josh looked up at him shocked and Nick winked at him, ruffled his hair, and walked off.


“You are putting them to bed tonight when they are all hyped up about Santa” Kevin informed.


“Fine by me” Nick shrugged. “I have a way with the kiddies if you haven’t noticed.”


“Yeah because you bribe them” Howie laughed.


“I put Kota and Sarah to bed every night without a fight and bribery never has anything to do with it.”


“Well aren’t you Mr. Father of the year” Kevin rolled his eyes.


“More like Father of Forever” Dakota spoke up from behind her dollhouse. Nick chuckled.


“Thanks baby that means a lot but hush okay? Uncle Kevin is being grumpy.”


“Kay” Dakota replied and Nick went up behind Kevin, draped his arms over the older man’s shoulders and jumped up so he was leaning on his back with his feet off the ground.


“Nickolas stop that!” he scolded but he couldn’t help but smile as the crazy younger man leaned forward and placed a slobbery wet kiss on his cheek.


“Come on Kev be happy. It’s Christmas Eve and you’re a daddy now. Enjoy every minute of it. They’re only young once.”


“Yeah an’ if you don’ts cheer up, Santa won’ts come for you cause you’re Mister grumpy pants” Elenore added. Kevin chuckled softly and couldn’t help but smile at the small amount of innocence his baby still has after all she’s been through.


“I’ll keep that in mind princess.” Elenore beamed at him as she never ever gets tired of hearing him call her ‘princess’. When Nick saw a sign of happiness go back into Kevin again he jumped down from his back and walked on over to Sarah. He scooped her up in his arms and she slid hers around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder comfortably. He watched gratefully as Kevin went on over and joined Dakota and Elenore behind the Dollhouse to play with them. He knows why the older man has been so grumpy lately, and it’s not because Nick likes to give his kid cookies despite his orders not to. But ever since the little argument they had out in the snow Kevin had been acting like he had a great big stick up his ass because Ellie had run off and clearly set something off inside him. Hit a nerve, or something. Nick sat on the floor then with Sarah and he looked down at her as she snuggled into him.


“And how are you?” he questioned, suddenly turning the attention on her in hopes of hearing her talk some more. He knows it’s going to take sometime but he really wants to know everything she’s been holding in all this time. Really bad. He’ll settle for a little at a time though – it’s better then nothing.


“I’m good. Getting tired though…” She admitted softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her head into his chest having no intention of leaving the safety of his arms.


“I bet you are” Nick replied. “We planned on having you kids sleep during the ride home but Uncle Brian is taking his sweet old time doing what he’s doing so we have to wait. You can go to sleep now if you want to baby.”


“Daddy” She spoke softly after a long while.


“Hmm?” Nick questioned and he smiled some. He has a feeling that he is never going to get tired of hearing her call him daddy – let alone talking. His heart still flutters to this day when Dakota calls him daddy. If they knew how much his heart was wrapped around their little fingers…they would use him relentlessly – even more so then they already do.


“Thank you…”


“For what?” Nick asked slightly confused as to what exactly he’d done to deserve thanks.


“For fighting the bad guy away.”



~*~*~*~*~


“Not gone to…wherever it is you go to every night?” Sean asked while coming downstairs and being surprised to find Trevor sitting on the couch instead of his annoying baby-sitter.


“I figured Max needed a night off to relax a little bit after what you put him through last week” Trevor replied. He is not willing to admit to him that he really felt the need to be home with his lover on Christmas Eve instead of out racking his brain till it hurts for the next few days. Sean went over and slid his arms around Trevor’s neck as he leaned over the couch from behind.


“He deserved every beating he got that night” Sean insisted stubbornly.


“Why because he saved your life? Oh the horror” Trevor replied sarcastically as he yanked Sean over the couch so he is lying on his back and Trevor shifted so he is lying next to him. One hand cradling his head and the other one drawing invisible lines over his cheek and chin with his fingers. Sean rolled his eyes.


“I wasn’t going to kill myself. Just go to sleep for awhile.”


“For awhile? What if you drank too much and ended up killing yourself? Were you really willing to do that to me?”


“Drama queen” Sean replied softly as he closed his eyes, completely relaxed by Trevor’s touch.


“Watch me get shot in the waist with a bullet and then fix me back up again right before it’s too late and we’ll see what that does to you. You don’t know how much that sort of thing can change a man’s perspective on things Sean.”

“You aren’t allowed to be injured baby because unlike you I can’t fix you up.”


“You know that and yet you still insist on getting us deeper into trouble don’t you?”


“Nothing will ever happen to you” Sean insisted.


“And you can promise me this how?”


“Because I won’t let it.” Trevor raised his eyebrow and Sean read the question in his eyes without him having to voice it. “I may not be a doctor Trev but I’m still strong enough to protect you. Id jump in the line of fire of a gun before anyone took you from this world.”


“And what good would that do?” Trevor questioned, fighting back his tears.


“You’d be alive.”


“And without you. You may as well just let the bullet hit me.” Sean shook his head stubbornly.


“I would put myself in the line of fire before I ever watch you die Trev…if I die you could just move on and you would be much more happier because you wont have me the fuck up holding you back.”


“You aren’t holding me back!” Trevor demanded and he couldn’t help but let the tears fall. “Damnit Sean, don’t you see? It’s my choice to be here with you! I could leave anytime I want but choose not to. There is no life for me unless you are in it.”


“And you are a damn fool for it too” Sean insisted.


“Maybe so but I am a fool who is in love with you and there is no changing that.” Sean looked away from Trevor stubbornly and Trevor cupped his cheek in his hand and turned his face back to him.


“Answer me this Sean,” he began. “And I want an honest to god answer.” Sean raised his eyebrow at him.


“If for some reason we were to get ourselves way in over our heads with one of your stupid idiotic mistakes…” Sean opened his mouth to reply and Trevor placed his finger to his lips to shut him up. “And our only way out of it was for you to make a very important decision. Revenge, or me? If you choose me we would get out of the situation alive and well, while forefilling your life long need for revenge would result in death. Which would you choose? Which do you want more badly Sean?”



~*~*~*~*~*~


When Brian and Riley got back from their carriage ride in the park they walked into the house hand in hand and everybody looked at them curiously.


“Where have you two been?” Howie was the first to ask.


“Brian took me for a carriage ride through the park and we looked at Christmas Lights” Riley answered happily.


“Ohhh…I see…and what was the occasion?” AJ asked suspiciously. “Besides the obvious fact that it’s Christmas Eve” he added before that came back to bite him in the ass. Riley looked at Brian and he smiled at her encouragingly, deciding he would let her do the announcement as he can just see that she is dying to and he wants nothing more then to make her happy. And he has to be sure he does a very good job of that over the next nine months because he’s seen what happens when he fucks up. He is very much aware that she is about to become the queen of his world. Not that she wasn’t already…but now more so then ever.


“Brian asked me to marry him” Riley announced and Brooke gasped.


“Oh Riley congratulations!” she gushed, and she leaped up from her spot next to AJ on the couch and rushed over to give her a hug. Riley smiled and hugged her back just as Ashley, Kori, and everybody else joined her and they moved onto Brian right afterwards passing him a congratulations as well. After a long while of the girls gushing over her ring, Kori spoke up.


“So what else did you do?” she pressed. She looked over at Brian and studied his face carefully and she grinned when she noticed he too was suddenly glowing like Rudolph.


“We actually have another announcement to make” Brian spoke up this time. “But we need Josh and Chris’s attention. So boys can you please come sit with me on the couch?” Josh and Chris both eyed Brian curiously for a moment, and then got up and went over to the couch where Brian was now sitting and they both crawled up and sat on either side of him.


“What’s going on Brian?” Josh wanted to know when he picked up on Brian’s worried expression right off.


“Well…you know how you two finally agreed to accept Riley into our family the other day and let me propose?” he asked carefully. Josh and Chris nodded in unison.


“And you proposed to her, she’s becoming part of our family, so what’s wrong?”


“Well…now I…we…need you to accept one more member…” Josh looked utterly confused.


“We’ve accepted Ellie as our cousin already.” Brian chuckled.


“No…I know buddy I’m not talking about her.”


“Then who?”


“Someone you haven’t met yet…but are going to in the next nine months” Brian answered, and he heard a oh wow no way from Nick and didn’t doubt that everybody else was looking at him and Riley in surprise as they picked up on Brian’s chosen words.


“…Who?”


“Riley is pregnant…and we were wondering how you would feel about having another brother…or maybe a baby sister.” Josh and Chris both gaped at him in surprise. And Brian was very pleased that there was no sign of anger on either of their faces. Just shock…and a little mixture of curiosity too. That’s a very good sign.