Disclaimer: Characters belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.
Rating: T
Genre: Drama
Spoilers: Everything through Episode 134, then it drifts into AU
Summary: He shrugged as a flash of sadness rippled across her face. It was weird to be the only one at home with Mom and Dad.

September 1997

Sean stepped into the living room, closing the patio door softly behind him. All the lights were off except for a lone lamp by the front door. Mom always left it on. She hated walking into a pitch-dark house. He never understood why. It seemed silly to still have a childhood fear of the dark. "Monsters," he snorted to himself as he locked the door. He rubbed his face and swallowed a yawn as his stomach rumbled. God, he was starving. And, today was Thursday – for another hour, anyway – which meant Rose went shopping. That meant the fridge was stocked.

He shoved his key ring into his pocket as he shuffled into the kitchen. Where the lights were on. Where his mother sat at the kitchen table. He sighed and opened the fridge door as she glanced up. "You're home late," she murmured as she sucked on a neon green ice pop.

"You're up late," he retorted as he pulled out a covered dish and lifted the glass lid.

She chuckled as he returned the dish and instead grabbed a half-empty carton of chow mein. "I was hungry."

He grabbed a fork from the drawer and sat in the chair next to her. "Yeah, but," he began, slurping up a mouthful of cold noodles, "ice pops are just a snack."

She shrugged, the wooden stick of her ice pop between her teeth. "Tell that to your sister," she murmured. He looked up, watching as she shifted forward and rubbed her lower back. He frowned, remembering Dad's warning to keep an eye on her before he left for Madrid. "I just couldn't stop thinking about them."

He looked at the four discarded sticks on the napkin before her. "Yeah. Just…don't give yourself brain freeze or anything."

She laughed and tossed the fifth stick onto the small pile. "I'll probably never eat one again after she's born."

"How come?" he asked, twirling a mound of noodles around the fork's prongs.

Mom leaned back in the chair and sighed deeply as she slowly rubbed her stomach. "When I was pregnant with you, all I ever wanted was shortbread. Your poor father was at the bakery every single day." He smirked to himself, imagining his busy father making daily trips to Darcy's. Dad must've loved that. "And then, after you were born, I never wanted them again."

He sat up, chewing quickly as he swallowed. "Ok, ok. So, ice pops with her. Shortbread with me. What about with Cait?"

He saw her eyes flutter shut for a moment as she sighed. "Everything. I wanted everything with Caitlin."

"Typical Cait."

"Don't be unkind." She opened her eyes and looked over at him. "It's odd with her being away, isn't it?"

He shrugged as a flash of sadness rippled across her face. It was weird to be the only one at home with Mom and Dad. She'd been gone for almost two months and there was still a noticeable loss felt. Her absence was like sitting on a chair and one of the four legs was shorter than the other. Things at home just felt off without her. "Yeah, but I mean, she calls every single day," he joked, more for Mom's benefit than his own. "So, it's not really that big a deal."

It got the desired reaction from Mom. Her eyes lit up, her laughter echoing in the large kitchen before it segued into a yawn. But, it was true. Breakfast before school now included a trans-Atlantic phone call from his sister. "You know, when she comes home at the end of the semester, she'll probably have dyed her hair black and be a chain smoker."

"Oh, I doubt that," Mom said with a giggle. "Could you just imagine your father's reaction?"

He nodded and leaned in, swallowing a burp. "Classic Gregory Richards volcanic eruption." It felt like the old days. When he and Mom whispered and complained about Dad. When the two of them on the same side. But now, things were different. They had been for months. Ever since they announced the new baby, Mom and Dad were…happy. They were the way he remembered them being on rare occasions when he was little. They were practically inseparable, except for when Dad was out of the country for work. Those trips would probably stop soon, he thought to himself, as Mom stifled a yawn. At least for a little while. The baby was going to be born at the end of next month. He'd have a new sister for Halloween. He smiled to himself. It was funny. After years of being the youngest kid in the family, it was finally his chance to be someone's older brother.

"-instead of her perfume."

Sean's eyes snapped up. "What?"

"It doesn't matter." She leaned forward and patted his arm. "Darling, would you get me another ice lolly?"

He rolled his eyes at the British expression as he stood. "I think I'll just bring you the box," he muttered as he pulled open the freezer's door.

"Ha. Ha."

He placed the box on the table between them. "Hear from Dad today?"

She shook her head as she peeled open the plastic wrapper of the ice pop. He sighed thoughtfully as he dug back into the cold chow mein. That was weird. Dad always called. "Hey, Mom-" he began as she said, "It's probably a good thing he didn't call."

He frowned. "How come?"

Her eyes turned up as she lowered the ice pop. "Because this way, he still doesn't know a thick envelope came in the mail for you from the University of Alabama."

He sighed. Alabama sounded funny the way she pronounced it. "Geeze. It's just an information packet."

"With an application included?"

Sigh. "Yeah."

Now it was her turn to frown. "Sean-"

"NOT in the mood to talk about this." He saw her flinch and he knew why. He heard it himself as the words were leaving his mouth. He sounded the way Dad did when he was annoyed. "It's just an information packet. Not an acceptance letter."

Her eyes narrowed as she bit the tip off the ice pop. It was a slight, but noticeable, shift as she turned her body the tiniest fraction of an inch to the left. Away from him. He sighed and dropped the fork into the carton. "Mom, come on-"

"What would you like me to say?" she asked. But, she still wasn't looking at him. No, instead she was gazing at Dad's chair. Sean sighed. Thank God it was empty. He still wasn't sure how he was going to tell him he was applying to Bama. But, if talking with Mom now was any indication, it wouldn't be an easy conversation. "I should be happy you want to go to university hundreds of miles away?"

"I mean," he began, pushing the carton aside, "you went thousands of miles away from home when you were my age. To another country. How do you think Nana and Poppop felt about that? I mean, at least I'm going for school." Mom's eyes sharpened as she finally looked up at him and he instantly regretted how cutting he sounded. She looked the way she used to when Dad would say something mean to her. Maybe he was more like Dad than he ever realized. "Besides," he said after a moment, his voice softer, "it's not like I'm guaranteed to get in. They could reject me."

She shook her head slowly. "You won't be rejected, Seanie. That's what frightens me."

Seanie. GEEZE! His childhood nickname reared its head like the flag on the Fourth of July. The silence oozed between them and he watched her lower her eyes as she sighed. She sighed his name again and he felt his stomach clench. Instantly, he was five years old again and in trouble for something. But, she was being ridiculous! This wasn't something to be in trouble for! God, they should be happy he even wanted to go to college! "Dad went away for college," he said. There. Let her say something about that. Let her say something Dad did was wrong.

"Sean, he was running away from his father," she murmured, rubbing her stomach. As he opened his mouth, a rebuttal on his lips, she continued, "What are you running from?"

He lowered his face to his hands and stifled a groan. "Mooo-om…nothing." He looked between his fingers, shaking his head. "It's a college. It's a-"

"A what?"

"A change." His hands came away from his face as he sighed deeply. "Ok? It's a change." He watched Mom's face wrinkle as she frowned and he rushed to continue, "I've lived in Sunset Beach my entire life so far. And- and I don't want to live here for the rest of my life."

Mom inhaled sharply as she looked up. "Fine, Sean."

Fine? Fine! He had it with her passive-aggressive bull! He didn't need this! He was applying to Bama! He sighed angrily and glanced up as he heard her say, "I suppose I remember what that felt like."

Wait. What?

Now it was his turn to frown as she turned back to him and leaned in slightly, her arms resting on the table. "Feeling stifled by the city you grew up in. Desperately wanting to break free." She yawned and he suddenly noticed how tired she looked. Cait told him that Mom didn't have a good track record with pregnancies. He shifted uncomfortably, remembering that she told him Mom was sick a lot when she was pregnant with him. She shouldn't be awake now. She should be asleep…or resting…or something. "I'm sorry, Sean."

He shook his head. It was late. He shouldn't be keeping her up. He shouldn't be upsetting her. "I'm sorry too, Mom." Sorry for stressing you out. Sorry for wanting to leave. Sorry for thinking Del was the baby's father. Sorry for still not getting along with Dad. Sorry for…everything.

She watched him carefully with swollen eyes as she squeezed his hand gently. "I suppose I thought you would end up at Oxford," she said, the hint of a teasing smile on her lips.

He choked back laughter. "Mom, I was like seven when I said that to Poppop!" They had been visiting his grandparents for the summer. He didn't remember how they ended up in the ancient town, but he remembered sitting in a punt, sandwiched between his grandparents. Mom and Dad sat across from them with Caitlin as they were pushed down the river, passing rambling gardens and beneath bridges. Poppop pointed out all the buildings as they passed by, whispering fantastical tales about the famous dons who taught there. About the black capes required for students and professors. About the secret societies and their ancient rituals. At that age, it sounded like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. Of course, he enthusiastically declared that was where he'd attend college when the time came.

"Said what to Poppop?"

They turned at the sound of Dad's voice, Mom's gasp of surprise sounding louder in the echo. He stood as Dad bent to kiss Mom, one hand on her stomach. "What? Oh, nothing. Hey, aren't you supposed to be in Madrid?" he asked.

Dad's eyes met his as he stood up, his hands resting on Mom's shoulders. "I was able to wrap up my meetings sooner than expected." He nodded blandly, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. Just a few months ago, he would have had a sarcastic reply for Dad. Or, maybe even none at all. In a way, he could almost feel Dad waiting for one from him. He watched him carefully, his expression guarded as if he knew what his son was thinking. He probably did. Dad knew everything.

"Why didn't you call to say you were coming home early?" Mom asked, her soft voice cutting through the silence.

"Liv, that generally ruins the surprise." He watched as Mom only sighed in reply and rested her head against Dad's arm. "I see I came home in time for the midnight snack," he replied, looking down at Mom's ice pop sticks and his carton of leftover Chinese.

Mom laughed softly as Dad rubbed her shoulders. "Your daughter was demanding lime ice lollies."

He couldn't help but smile when Dad chuckled. "That's right. I forgot. They're only my children when they do something wrong."

"Sounds about right," Sean deadpanned as Mom smiled tiredly. Dad glanced up, their eyes meeting as he flashed him a brief – grateful – smile. He nodded slightly and began, "Well, if you two don't mind, I've got a call to make."

"At midnight, Sean?" Mom asked as she stood and leaned against Dad.

"He's calling a girl, Liv." Their eyes met again over Mom's head before Dad looked down and said, "You remember what that was like."

She nodded, flashing Dad a secret smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Not too late, darling. You have school tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." He hesitated a moment before he reached out, taking Mom's hand. She glanced up in surprise, blinking tired eyes as he kissed her cheek. "Night, Mom," he whispered, feeling the way her fingers tightened around his. With her small smile sustaining him, he inhaled quickly and turned to his father. Dad's normally stern expression was instead beleaguered as the toll of frequent jet lag swept across his face. "Night, Dad."

Dad blinked. His mouth twitched as if he was privy to an important secret. In the end, he only reached out, clapping his shoulder. "Night, Sean."

"Good night, darling."

He leaned back against the kitchen island, watching as they turned for the back staircase. He heard their voices echoing in the stairwell, Dad's whisper causing Mom to chuckle. She must've had said something back to him because, a moment later, he heard a rare sound: Dad laughing.

Sean smiled to himself. He did need to call Amy. But, he didn't move to follow his parents upstairs to where his own bedroom and private telephone line awaited. Instead, he lingered in the empty kitchen as a warm feeling coursed through him.

"You and Dad said the baby would be born at the end of October. Well, nine months before that, you two were barely speaking."

"All you need to know about your father and I is that this child was conceived after Del died."

"Really?"

"I promise. Sean, it's going to be alright. We're going to be alright. All of us."

All those months ago, Mom had been right.

They were alright.

THE END.