Max & Lucas

"Lucas," she sighed, as they broke apart on their deck. "You know I can't think when you do that."

"I've been kissing you, only you, since we were 14."

She smiled up at him with that. I drown in his eyes, that smile…how gentle and kind he is. How much he makes me laugh, think, and how proud I am to be his wife. Oh, I do love him so much. "Keep it up then."

"You get me up."

She giggled at that, as he rested his hands on her almost nine-month pregnant stomach. "And that is how Baby-Cooper-Number-Three happened."

"And how is Baby-Cooper-Number-Three?'

"Ready to come out."

Our last one, he thought, Maya when we were 17, Aiden at 24 and now this one at 28. Ten years of marriage, both up and down…damn I love her. I love the woman she became. The loving mother. My other half. The woman who takes care of me in ways I didn't know I needed. My partner. She challenges me, makes me think, laugh…that's what we wanted a home full of love and laughter. "Can you keep BCNT in there tonight?"

Oh, he makes me feel sexy, even with 25 pounds of baby weight in my stomach. Desirable. Loved. "I can try."

He kissed her again. "Come here, Maxine Cooper."

Kenny

No, Max, no…what are you doing? Not with Lucas Cooper, never with him. He's going to destroy you. You need to come with me.

Max

She smiled as she baked cookies with Maya. "I'm honored you want to spend time with me."

"Mom, come on."

Almost 12, she thought, so grown up. The baby no one but me and Luc wanted. My baby who likes boys now. "What, Kiddo?"

"Dad is too protective."

Max smiled at that. "That's his job."

"I saw you and Dad kissing last night. That's what he doesn't want me doing."

Max flushed at that. We were wrapped up in each other last night. How he still makes my heart race after 14 years. He doesn't want her to…to do what we did. We were lucky, the exception, we made it…yes it would have been easier if we waited, but how can I ever regret anything when I look at this kid? "You have plenty of time for that."

"Is it what you and Dad did when you were my age?"

"I didn't know him until I was 14. That's a big difference."

"But people…Mom…"

She looked at her. "We were young, but not that young. What people?"

"They said that dad ruined your life. I heard parents in the parking lot."

I hate those parents…why did we stay in Vermont? Luc's family, even moving a few towns over and…Ugh. "Never, Maya. You were a surprise, a gift, and we were young, 17, but…I wouldn't change anything."

"You're so smart mom, you could have done anything. That's what Dad said."

Max hugged her tightly with that. "I love our life, Maya. You were never a mistake or regret with me. Neither is Aiden or this baby. We want you to do whatever you want with your life."

Maya hugged her back. "Will a boy love me as much as dad loves you?"

Max smiled at that. "For sure."

"You guys kiss all the time. You never fight."

"Your dad is a good kisser."

"Mom!"

"Tell me about this boy."

Kenny

He stared at the house. She's in there. She doesn't know what she's doing here. She doesn't realize. She isn't ready to know yet. She's happy here, with him. Married, kids, I hear her laughing with them. No.

Max & Lucas

"I can watch this all day."

Max looked up from where she was feeding three-day old Lily. All golden skinned and red-brown curls. "She's almost done."

"You looked this way with Aiden and Maya."

"I was terrified with Maya…I thought I'd break her."

"We both were. Every time I picked her up, I thought I'd hurt her."

"She turned pretty good. Luc?" Max asked. "Back then, did you ever think we'd…it was hard. Did you think we'd end up like this?"

"I knew I'd marry you."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Yes, I thought we'd wait on having kids, but…we didn't. I know how much you lost out on."

She shook her head, as she burped Lily. "I didn't lose out. I have you, our family, we have our home, our bar… I'm really happy."

"You could have changed the world."

"I love you. I love our family."

He took Lily from her to lay in her crib. Pressing his lips to hers. "I love you too. More and more every day. You're my better half."

She smiled up at him. My heart, she thought, my love. How I drown in his dark eyes and that smile makes me melt. "We're a team."

"Team Cooper."

"Team Cooper is solid."

He pressed his lips to hers. "I love you, Darlin. In fact, I love you so much, how about you take a shower and rest?"

She grinned at that. "That I'm taking you up on. We did good, Luc."

Kenny

Lucas is gone…he left her home alone with a week-old baby and the rest. Just vanished into the town. How does she not know? This place isn't her home. Where is she going? Follow her.

Max

"She's adorable."

Max looked up and froze. Him… he looks like that guy from my dream. The one that choked me. No, not him, just a similar…stop being weird. "Thanks."

Kenny just looked at her. She doesn't know me. Not here. Not this time. She's Maxine Cooper…she isn't…she isn't this person. "Do you need help?"

She shook her head, as she readjusted her sling Aiden took her hand. "Nope, we're good."

"Max, wait."

"How do you know my name?"

"Your bar. We met there," Kenny lied. "We need to talk."

She shook her head. "I need to go."

"Wait."

"Don't touch me," she snapped, pulling back from him.

"Max, focus. This isn't real. None of this is."

"Mommy?" Aiden said, tugging on her hand. "He's scaring me."

Me too, Max thought, not real? He's probably drunk or high. "We're leaving. Now."

"You need to remember. You need to wake up. Taylor and Cooper need you. You need to wake up."

TBC