Part 38A ****************** Maria stepped out of her bedroom, throwing the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Michael, I’m ready. Let’s go!” She stopped a foot away from the living room, her jaw dropping to the floor as she took in the disarray of their living room. It looked like a toy store had thrown up in there. “What’s all of this?” Michael sat up, absently scratching his head. “Toys.” He walked around, picking up different boxes, studying the contents. “I think I got that part.” She crossed her arms, fighting to keep the smile from her lips. “What’s this stuff doing here? Last time I checked, we didn’t have any kids.” She held her hand to her mouth, pretending to be shocked as she gasped. “Unless you got me pregnant and you didn’t tell me?” “Yeah.” He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t realize what she had said, until after a few minutes. His eyes flew up to her laughing ones, making a face. “Ever think about working at a comedy club instead of the restaurant?” She walked up to him, giving him a full body hug. “Aww…you know I was only kidding.” She winked at him. “You sort of set yourself up.” She looked at the toys again, once again asking her question. “But really, what’s with all of the toys? Christmas isn’t for another five months.” He breathed heavily. “I was thinking that maybe I could get Jamie something, you know, to soften the blow about me being her brother.” Maria shook her head, cupping Michael’s face between her hands. “Michael, you don’t need gifts to butter up your little sister. She already loves you as a friend. Do you realize how excited she’s going to be when she finds out that you’re her older brother too?” Feeling a slight ego boost, Michael grinned. “We are good friends.” “And you’ll make an even better brother and sister.” She kissed the tip of his nose, disentangling herself from his embrace. “Now go and pick a toy and let’s get out of here.” Michael’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I thought you said that she would like me even without the toys?” Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his defensiveness, she just smiled, thinking it was cute that he was worried about how a five year old was going to accept him. “She will, but the toy will be like icing on the cake.” His smile returned, his body bending down as he picked up a Barbie. He walked to Maria, but she pushed her hand against his chest. “What are you doing?” Exasperated, Michael held it out to her. “Getting a toy, just like you told me to.” Sometimes, he wondered how Maria’s mind worked. They’d been together forever, but her mind was something he had yet to understand. “Michael, Michael, Michael.” She took the Barbie from him, grabbing an action figure instead. “Jamie happens to be my sister’s best friend, and honestly, have you ever seen my sister with a doll in her hand that doesn’t look mutilated?” He shook his head, trying to reach for the action figure out of her hand. “Uh…actually….um, that one’s for me.” He picked up a monster truck, instead, smiling sheepishly as he stuck the action figure into his pocket. When she raised an eyebrow at him, clearly trying to keep from laughing at him, he cleared his throat, grabbing his keys. “I think maybe we should go.” ************ Isabel peered over her list, looking over at Alex at his lap top. “Ready?” He held up his hand, waiting for the paper to roll through the printer. “Just a second.” He pulled the paper out, plopping down in front of Isabel, a smile on his lips. “You first.” “Okay!” She said excitedly, not bothering to pretend she was calm. Her eyes scanned down the list. Five boys names, and five girl’s names. “Okay, I’ll read my list according to preference.” She giggled excitedly. “For boys, Nathan, Matthew, Tyler, Austin, and Gabriel.” She paused to give Alex her thousand dollar smile. “For girls, Taylor, Hannah, Olivia, Morgan,” she leaned over, kissing his cheek. “And Alexandra.” A goofy grin plastered itself to his face as the meaning of the last name settled with him. He cleared his throat, letting off the same excited energy. “My turn.” He smoothed out the paper in his hands, reading off his list. “For boys, Gabriel, Jason, James, Andrew, and Joseph.” He squeezed her hand. “For girls, Kayla, Elizabeth, Maria, Isabella, Natalie.” He looked up at her, speaking quickly. “Of course, not in any specific order.” They exchanged lists, looking over the names that they had narrowed it down to. Both of them came to realize that they had both chosen the name Gabriel. “So I guess Gabriel is definitely a keeper.” Alex nodded, his hand rubbing her round belly. “Yeah, I think little Gabe will like his name. Huh, pal?” Isabel smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as much as she could without her arms running to her stomach. “What makes you so sure that our baby’s a boy.” He flashed her his pearly whites, kissing her tummy. “Same way Max knew that Leah was a girl.” He lifted his hand from behind his back, showing her his crossed fingers. “Sortof hoping and praying really hard.” Laughing, Isabel bent down, talking to her stomach. “You hear that, baby? Daddy wants you to be a boy.” She chuckled some more. “But even if you turn out to be a girl, we’ll still love you. We’ll just have to call you Gabrielle instead.” The baby kicked against her belly, almost as if joining in on his parents’ conversation. “We have a winner!” Alex stood up, pulling Isabel with him. He kept her close, swaying to the cool air around them. ************* Kyle watched as the boys colored in the family room, his eyes darting to the bathroom every few seconds. Courtney had been in there for a while, and he was beginning to get worried. Unable to keep himself from fidgeting, he walked to the bathroom door, leaning his back against it as he tapped his knuckles against the wooden frame. “Everything okay, Court?” “I’ll be out in a second.” With a trembling hand, Courtney picked up the white stick. Two lines = you’re pregnant. One line = you’re not pregnant. She stared at the stick, the two lines almost mocking her. With a shaky breath, she stuffed the stick back into the box, hiding the contents in the back of the cabinet where she was sure Kyle wouldn’t look. She could barely believe it. How could this have happened? They were so careful……well, most of the time. She slapped her forehead, trying to think of a way to make sense of all of this. Inside, her heart was doing the happy dance, glad that she and Kyle had finally created a life of their own, but her mind was sick with worry over the thought of taking care of the twins with another baby on the way. Turning on the faucet, she splashed some cool water on her face, deciding to make an appointment with her gynecologist before telling Kyle anything. She wanted to be 100% sure before she got him all wired up. “Court?” Kyle knocked again, smiling when she opened the door. “I’m right here.” *************** “Liz, whatever it is, you know you can tell me.” Max placed his hand reassuringly on her knee, smiling at her encouragingly. She smiled back, swallowing thickly. “Okay….Well, it’s almost the end of summer, and before any of this….before any of this happened…” she paused, taking a deep breath. “I had this all planned out, and I still really want to go.” She pulled out airplane tickets, laying them on the coffee table. Max picked them up, looking at the destination. California. He stood up, raking a hand through his head, his feet picking up a pace. “Liz, I don’t know.” She was quick to stand up, following his movements. “Look, we haven’t done anything as a family in a while, and this way, we’ll all be together. And plus, the tickets are non-refundable.” He raised an eyebrow at her, stopping his movements to cross his arms. “I still- “Noah’s been wanting to see Mac again, and this will be a perfect opportunity for him to do that.” When he still looked ready to refuse, she batted her long eyelashes at him, her lips curling into a pout. “And besides, don’t you wanna take me and your daughter on their first trip to Disneyland?” Max was trying not to give in, still thinking that Liz should take it easy, but she was making it really hard to say no. Not that he ever could say no. “Please?” she whined. “Don’t you wanna buy her those cute Mickey ears to put on her little bald head?” she joked. He shook his head, losing the battle of keeping the smile from her face. He pulled her close, kissing her forehead. “Our daughter’s not bald. Her hair just happens to be very fine,” he said matter-of-factly. He couldn’t stand the thought of anyone saying bad things about his daughter, even if it was just his wife making a joke. He twined his fingers in Liz’s hair, breathing deeply. “You’ll see, when she grows up, she’ll have hair like you.” His amber eyes twinkled. “But for now, I guess we could cover her head with Mickey ears.” Liz’s doe eyes were wide with excitement. “Is that a yes?” With a slight nod of his head, Liz kissed the tip of his nose, running up the stairs to the kids, yelling at the top of her voice. “KIDS, WE’RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!” Max shook his head, loving how excited Liz was. He wanted so much to keep her locked up, and keep her safe, but he knew that was ridiculous. Maybe this trip was a good thing. It would give them a chance to be together as a family, and maybe he could finally bury some of his old demons. TBC Part 38B ***************** “Thanks for coming.” Joey smiled, pulling the door open to let Michael and Maria inside. Maria touched Joey’s arm gently, her eyes full of apology. “Sorry we’re late. Michael was having a little crisis.” Joey’s smile faltered a little, looking to Michael worriedly. “Is everything alright?” Michael was too busy with his own nervousness, that he didn’t even hear them talking about him. “Where’s Jamie?” “In the living room.” He nodded once, leaving to go in search of his sister. “Don’t mind him. He’s just worried about being a good older brother.” Maria tried to ease Joey’s apprehension, knowing that this was all new for them. “He doesn’t have to worry. He’s already been great with her.” ******************* Michael held the toy truck in his hands, clutching it to his chest as he tried to take deep and even breaths. Seeing Jamie sitting on the floor watching tv made him even more nervous. Her acceptance of him meant a great deal to him. He didn’t know what he would do if he disappointed her. “Hey.” Jamie’s eyes lit up, her head turning to see Michael by the foot of the couch. “Michael!” She ran to him, her arms hugging his legs. He couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips as she squeezed him tight. He brought his hand down to her hair, patting her head gently. “This is nice.” “I’m glad you’re here.” She pulled away, chewing on her bottom lip. Her hand clutched at his pants leg, asking him to bend down to her level. “Can you keep a secret?” Michael put the truck down, leaning in closer to let Jamie whisper in his ear. “I’m supposed ta meet my big brotha today.” He felt his heart lurch at the sad look on her face. “Do you not want to meet him?” She sighed heavily, looking down at her tiny feet. “I do. I’ve waiting a long time.” “Then what’s the matter?” He tipped her chin, looking into eyes that were almost the mirror image of his. “What if he doesn’t like me, Michael?” She sank to her bottom, leaning her elbows on her knees, her chin resting on her palms. “Maybe he don’t want a little sister.” Michael’s fears were put at rest, hearing Jamie’s own troubles. He figured it was a two way street, and he wasn’t the only one who was worried about this meeting. It gave him a better outlook on things, knowing that he would make sure that Jamie knew she had a big brother that would always love her. And a big sister in Maria if she wanted. He sat down beside her, gingerly picking her up to sit in his lap. “What if I told you, that your older brother was worried about you liking him?” Confused, Jamie tilted her head to the side, studying Michael curiously. “Why?” “Maybe, the two of you are worried because you already care about each other so much.” His voice turned a notch softer, almost sounding like a whisper. Jamie reached out to touch his hand, placing the palm of her hand in his much larger one. “Stay here wit me, Michael? Till he comes ta see me?” A slow smile crawled over his lips, his head bobbing up and down. He took a deep breath, wanting to ease both of their worries. “What if I said I was your older brother?” Her eyes narrowed cautiously, her voice timid. “Are you?” He nodded slowly, his eyes closing involuntarily. He really didn’t want to see the look on her face if she was disappointed in the answer. Disappointed in having him as an older brother. The breath was knocked out of him as he felt Jamie climb further into his lap, her short arms wrapping around his neck. She placed a sweet kiss on his cheek, squeezing the life out of him. “This is sooo cool. Jade and I can sorta be sistas,” she said excitedly. Michael laughed, not at all taking offense to what she had said. Her quick acceptance of him made any past insecurities he had about himself whither away into the depths of the black hole that had loomed over his adolescence. He looked up to see Maria, his wife, standing with Joey, his mother. He looked down into the small bundle in his arms, his little sister. He finally had his family. Jostled out of his mushy thoughts, Jamie poked his shoulder gently. “Is that for me?” She pointed to the toy truck sitting a few inches from them. He nodded eagerly, placing it in her small hands. “I got is just for you....sis.” The smile on her face was enough to light a Christmas tree, sending a tingling warmth all the way down to his toes. His smile grew wider as she gave him another quick peck on the cheek, running to their mother to show what her big brother had gotten her. Maria sat down beside Michael, her head resting on his shoulder. “You’re a great older brother Michael. You’ve been one to my little sister, and now you’ll be an even better one with your own.” He kissed the top of her head, nodding lightly. “I can only hope so, blondie.” **************** “Are you sure that going away is such a good idea. I mean, after everything that’s happened?” Phillip looked at his son who was seated across from him, his hand rubbing his chin. Max closed his eyes, clenching and unclenching his fists. “Believe me, I don’t want to go off and pretend like none of this happened.” His eyes opened, and Phillip could see happy tears glistening in Max’s eyes. “But you should’ve seen how excited she was, dad. Everything’s been so messed up lately. I just.....I want to give her this.” Smiling down at his son, Phillip placed his hand encouragingly on Max’s shoulder. “It’s your call, Max. They’re your family. You know what’s best for them.” “Thanks for understanding.” Max swallowed thickly, his breath whooshing out of his body. He had come to talk to his father, seeking his approval. He had done some things in his life that he wished he could have done differently, and it made him sick with worry that his father would somehow think lesser of him. “You’re a great father, Max. And an even better husband. You’re doing great.” Phillip’s words were exactly what Max needed to hear. The two of them hugged quickly, before Phillip whipped out the camcorder. Max eyed him curiously, holding it in his hands. “What’s this?” Phillip smiled sheepishly. “It’s for me and your mom.” He cleared his throat. “Well, more for your mom, actually,” he lied playfully. “We were hoping you could give us old fogies some Disneyland footage of the grandkids.” They laughed together, looking from the kitchen opening to see Liz and the kids with Diane. Just then, the door burst open with Isabel speaking a mile a minute, rambling about having finally found the perfect baby name. She was absolutely glowing. Alex kissed Diane on the cheek, giving his niece and nephew quick hugs before settling down beside Liz. He hugged her tightly, whispering something in her ear that elicited a huge smile on her lips. He kissed her temple, hugging her again. Max’s heart grew to bursting proportions, seeing how much love and support they all had. He was glad that Liz had people who cared about her so much. Alex made his way over to the Evans men, tipping his head in greeting. “Max....Dad.” He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulling out a couple of twenties and shoving them into Max’s hand. “What’s this?” Max scratched the side of his head, wondering why Alex had just slipped him a wad of bills. Pointing to his ears, Alex’s eyes were wide with excitement. “I was hoping you could get the baby a set of Mickey ears as well. And some Winnie the Pooh for Isabel. That’s the theme she’s chosen for the nursery.” Max laughed, putting the money in his pocket. “Anything else you’d like to request?” Clapping him on the shoulder, Alex gave Max his patented Whitman grin. “Nope. That about covers it.” ******************* “Where did you say it was?” Kyle was rummaging through the medicine cabinet, looking for the children’s Tylenol. Damian had been struck with a little fever and he had been instructed to find the medicine while Courtney tended to the little guy. “It’s in there somewhere. Try the drawers.” Courtney’s voice carried down the hall as Kyle continued to search. Almost ready to give up, Kyle sank to his knees, opening up the cabinet beneath the sink. He didn’t find the children’s Tylenol, but he did find something that made his stomach turn in excited anticipation. He held the white stick in his hands, trying to keep from passing out. A baby. Maybe a little sister for the boys, or a baby brother. His mind was a whirlwind of exciting possibilities. “What’s taking so long?” Courtney walked into the bathroom, a loud gasp escaping her lips as she saw Kyle holding her pregnancy test. Clutching the door, she fell in a heap on the bathroom rug. “COURTNEY?!?” TBC Part 38C ******************* "Maaaxxxx!" Liz tilted her head to the side as she hollered out to Max. She propped herself onto the overflowing suitcase, trying to get the thing closed but with no such luck. Max ran as fast as he could with Leah in his arms, his face flushed as he tried to catch his breath. "Where’s the fire?" "Not funny!" Folding her arms over her chest, Liz stuck out her bottom lip, batting her long eyelashes. "I need help. I can’t close this." She wiggled against the suitcase, hoping that the contents wouldn’t erupt. Shaking his head, Max placed Leah in her basinet. He walked over to Liz, cupping her face between his hands. "What is all of this stuff, anyway?" "Its our stuff. For our trip. You know how I hate to pack last minute." He placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, letting his lips drag lovingly to her nose until they were staring into each others eyes. He gave her a quick peck before sliding her off the suitcase. He lifted the zip open, trying his hardest not to laugh. "Liz, sweetie, I don’t think you’re going to need all of these clothes." He reached in, pulling out one of her wooly sweaters. Scratching the side of his head, he held it up for the two of them to see. His voice softened a notch, trying to get her to see reason. "Its going to be pretty warm out there just like it is out here. These sweaters are just too bulky." When a crease began forming between her brows, he stepped up to her, his finger gently massaging it away. "And besides, don’t you want to have more room to put souvenirs in?" He knew the minute she acquiesced because she began nuzzling the skin on his neck. She pulled away just enough to look at his face, a slightly embarrassed look on her face. “Guess you can tell that the farthest I’ve been in my life has probably Albuquerque, huh?” With his heart dropping to his stomach, Max caressed her cheek softly, his thoughts remembering the time she had told him all of her dreams. All of which contained leaving Roswell to see the world. He couldn’t help but feel responsible that part of her dreams had not been met because he tied her down at such a young age. Immediately sensing his thoughts and emotions, Liz placed her finger to Max’s lips, smiling at him through a shiny film of tears. “Don’t even think it, Max. I am where I am now, because this is what I wanted. I wouldn’t change a thing.” She didn’t want him to think that she had any regrets, because she didn’t. So she hadn’t gone to Harvard and become head of the molecular biology department. Big deal. It wasn’t something to be crying about. She had a wonderful job, a college education, a beautiful family and an even greater extended family. Somehow, she didn’t think that her life would have been nearly as happy had she gone the path of Harvard. Sure, she would’ve accomplished what she had dreamed about as a child, but the happiness she was so deeply immersed in now didn’t seem to fit that picture. She had a feeling that her ties to her friends and family would’ve been lost along the way and she would have forgotten the most important thing of all. That none of it was worth it if you didn’t have loved ones to share it with. “You’re amazing, you know that?” His voice cracked a little, his eyes staring at her beautiful face in wonder. “Not half as amazing as you.” She finished her kiss with an amorous kiss, wanting him to feel everything that she was feeling. Before the kiss could get good, Leah started crying, her little whimpers echoing in the master bedroom. Laughing, Liz leaned her forehead against Max’s. “Sounds like someone’s jealous.” He laughed with her, and Liz felt her heart swell. She hadn’t heard his laugh in awhile, that it turned her into a puddle of mush. “Why don’t you go see what our little princess wants, and I’ll see about getting rid of these sweaters?” Max just nodded, bringing Liz’s body to his for a hug. Smiling, Liz reveled in the security and love she felt in his arms. “Hey, what’s this for?” “Because I love you,” he answered simply. He gave her one last kiss before tending to their daughter. Liz took a minute to silently watch Max. She must have died and gone to heaven, because Max Evans was an angel. His beauty inside and out continued to amaze her. “Max?” “Hmmm?” He held Leah against his chest, his large hand cradling her head. He nuzzled his cheek against the softness of her skin, his eyes looking up to meet Liz’s gaze. “I love you too.” They shared a heartfelt glance, both smiling at one another. ***************** Kyle held Courtney in his arms, crooning softly in her ear as she continued crying. After she had fainted in the bathroom, he took her into the bedroom, eventually waking her up. That had been a half hour ago and she still hadn’t said a word. It broke his heart to see her in tears. It was like someone was ripping his chest open, squeezing his heart tightly until there was no more give. “Court, what’s going on?” He couldn’t keep his voice from catching a little as he spoke, his chest hiccupping as he took a breath. “I’m so sorry, Kyle.” She buried her face into his shoulder, her tears soaking his skin. Placing his hand under her chin, Kyle tilted her face so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. “What are you sorry about?” Wringing her hands, Courtney felt her bottom lip tremble as she tried to explain. “I didn’t want you to find out this way.” Kyle felt his Adam’s apple bob up and down furiously. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but it was hard not to. “So you’re pregnant.” “Yes…I mean, I don’t know.” With shaky hands, Courtney drew her fingers through her hair. “I took the test, and it came out positive, and I seem to have all of the symptoms, but….” “But what?” He took her hands in his, keeping them warm. “I’m just scared, Kyle.” She met his blue eyes filled with concern for her. “I think deep down, I know that I am, but I just don’t know how we’re going to get through this.” A smile spread across his face and he couldn’t help the twinkle in his eyes. She was practically confirming that they were about to become biological parents, that it made his heart thump wildly in his chest. “There’s nothing to worry about, Court.” She bit her lip, not wanting her excitement let her lose sight of her major concerns. “But do you realize how tough it’s going to be to have a new baby and taking care of the boys?” “So what if it’s tough? Lots of people do it all of the time. The only difference is, this baby is going to have a lot of people that’s going to love it and care for it.” He placed his hand over her flat tummy, his eyes wide with awe. “Do you know how great it’s going to be for the boys to have a little brother or sister?” Courtney’s eyes burned with fresh tears as she listened to Kyle speak. “Did I say something wrong?” He frowned as he watched her eyes tear up again. She shook her head, her hand running up to his jaw. “No….I just, the way you talk about the boys, like they were your own,” She stopped momentarily to regain her composure. “Kyle, you’ve taken them in and you’ve treated them like they were your own.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for that.” He shook his head, bringing her palm to his lips for a kiss. “You don’t need to thank me. The truth is, I do think of them as my sons, now. Even though you didn’t give birth to them, and I didn’t father them, they will always be our kids.” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I still feel awful that what happened to Carrie and Chris happened. But they’ve given us this wonderful gift……” He cupped her cheek, smiling despite his tears. “They would be so proud of you, Court. You would’ve made Carrie so happy. And you know if she were still here, she would tell you that it would be okay, and that things would work out.” “We’re going to get through this. Trust me.” He brought her closer to him, wanting to feel her. She inhaled him, closing her eyes as she felt a calm wash over her. “I do….I trust you.” TBC