ok so, here's the sequel, hope you like it. couple of things to point out

-in 'fixing this', i lived that pregnancy so, i knew most of that med info was pretty spot on. this time around however, i started to look up the med and legal stuff and then i decided, heck the soap writers don't look this stuff up either so, i figured i would spin it the way i wanted to.

-i tried really hard to catch any mistakes, spelling and grammar, please let me know if you catch something. i would like to fix it. i can't seem to get the doc to give me more that a single space in between 'scene' changes, i didn't save it that way and just noticed it, it's annoying and i'm sorry.

-'alana' is really my irish grandmother's name pronounced ' A-lane-ah' and everyone called her laney 'lane-E' . i've always liked it, thought it would fit.

-i got John's birthday from the episode where Natalie wishes him a happy birthday and roxy plans a 'surprise' party and blamed it on Natalie. it aired in March of 2005. i couldn't find Natalie's so i searched for Jessica's birthday which is listed as September 23rd, since they are twins...

-i miss them like crazy, i don't think anyone knows who owns what at this point but, it still ain't me.

August 4, 2014

"JOHN!" He grunted as he rolled over. His one day off and he can't even sleep in. The bedroom door flew open.

"John? Oh good your awake." She blew into the room and into the bathroom, grabbing a brush and sloppily threw her hair up in a pony tail. She looked just the same as the day they met.

"The dishwasher still isn't working. Did you ever call that guy about fixing it?" She asked as she rushed back threw the other way.

"No, I forgot. I'll call him today." He said as he rolled over. He heard her sigh deeply and say in that voice that said she was disappointed but, wouldn't bother him about it again.

"Ok, thanks." She would have to make due she thought. He worked so hard and deserved to sleep in. She shouldn't have bothered him about it yet but, she'd been up for hours. She hadn't realized how early it was yet. She only worked part time now so she could stay home with the kids more.

They made the decision together but, some days she felt guilty that he worked so hard for them. She would make the time today to hand wash the dishes. It's not that she was above it, it just was a time saver with two young children underfoot.

Right before she closed the door he heard his son, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!"

"Shhh, baby Daddy's sleeping." The door closing shut out the rest of their conversation.

John sighed, there was no point trying to get back to sleep now. After throwing on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt, he brushed his teeth and hair. Standing at the sink, he looked around, the room was spotless. He walked back through the bedroom and except for the bed, this room was spotless as well.

Feeling a little guilty he made the bed, it wasn't perfect but, it didn't stand out in the room now so much. Making his way down stairs, he looked around their living room, a playpen in the corner, the toys that sometimes litter the floor were in a basket next to the playpen. Crayons and coloring books were neatly stack up on the coffee table. He turned to walk through the dining room and into the kitchen when he stopped dead in his tracks.

His son was sitting at the table eating pancakes and talking around his full mouth to tell his mommy something about a puppy he'd seen running through the back yard and his daughter sitting in her high chair smashing what was left of a banana into the tray and laughing as it squished through her fingers. His beautiful wife, standing at the sink trying to listen to her son and wash the dishes at the same time. She was amazing. She took such amazing care of all of them.

And here she was, instead of getting mad at him for not getting the dishwasher fixed for her, she was letting him sleep in. Whatever needed to be done she did it.

"Daddy!" Liam yelled out catching his attention. He turned to smile at his son.

"The Henderson's got a puppy and it got loose this morning and it was running around in our back yard and it's really cute and I really wanna puppy, can we get a puppy? Can we?" He didn't think Liam even took a breath.

John looked up and caught Natalie's eye, she smiled back at him. He went over and smoothed down his hair and gave Liam a kiss on the head. He looked over at his daughter. Alana Kathleen. They chose Alana, just like Liam's for its meaning; Irish for 'darling child'. John had started calling her 'darling' when she was still in the isolet at the hospital in England, and when he heard the name 'Alana' and its meaning from his mother, he thought it was perfect. His darling little girl. Kathleen for his Grandmother McBain. A woman that he could remember as the perfect grandmother. He recalled all of the cookies and stories and hugs for both Mike and himself when he thought of her.

She had both her father and her big brother wrapped around her finger. Her eyes and smile were all 100% Natalie. He didn't know how he would deny her anything. She reached a banana covered hand out to him and he kissed her on the head and turned to face his wife. She was looking at him oddly.

"What's wrong?" She said quietly. She was wiping her hands off on the towel that had been hanging on her shoulder. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.

"I love you", he said simply. He was rewarded with a smile that could light up a room.

"I love you, too", she said as he cupped both her cheeks in his hands and pulled her to him. He kissed her slowly, and deepened it only for a second. When he pulled back he could see she was just as effected as he was. He gently moved her to the side and took her place at the sink.

Natalie stood there for a moment, stunned. John had changed so much over the years but, seeing him so moved at the sight of his family, their family. That was something she never thought she would see.

"I'll call that guy right after I finish these." He told her. She did so much for so many; he needed to make sure he did more for her.

"Sit down and have some coffee, I got this." She stood unmoving obviously stunned. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow wondering if she heard him.

"John, it's your day off-" she started.

"Just…do it", he smirked. He was going to pamper her today, she deserved it.

It was well into the afternoon when his cell rang. They had gotten both kids down at the same time and they were sitting on the couch, he had her in his arms as she was slowly drifting off. Listening to the silence.

"McBain", he answered.

She loved that voice. She loved when he took charge like he did today. It thrilled her and turned her on a little bit too. She had a secret and she didn't know how he was going to take it. They hadn't discussed it, it would definitely be a shock.

"Ok, I'll be right there." He hung up and pulled her closer to him.

"Mmm…don't go…" she begged knowing it was no use. He would go because that was who he was, and she loved him for it.

"I won't be long, I promise. I'll bring something back for dinner. How 'bout that?" He said as he gave her one last squeeze before getting up.

"Be careful", she said. Being a cop's wife and working at the LPD herself she knew the danger every time he walked out the door. He'd lost his own father in the line of duty. She prayed every day her children wouldn't know that kind of pain.

"Always." He told her as he walked out the door. Normal would never be a word to describe their lives. He wouldn't change a thing

"Natalie, I'm home", John said as he came thru the door with a bag of take out that he had promised in his hand. Setting both his keys and the take out down he called, " Liam…hey where are you buddy." Looking thru the dining room into the kitchen searching for his family, and not seeing anyone, he made his way to the stairs, "Hey come on guys, I brought dinner like I promised…..Natalie?"

"I'm here", she said coming down the stairs.

"Are you hungry? I remembered to pick us something to eat….where are the kids?"

Natalie couldn't fight the smile that broke out on her face. Feeling the déjà vu and knowing that this time it would end much better.

"They're with my mom for the rest of the afternoon. I wanted to be alone with my husband", she smiled brightly at him. "Is that ok?"

He felt the déjà vu, too. Because he had something to tell her and this time he had to tell her first before she heard it from someone else.

"I need to talk to you", he said seriously.

"I need to talk to you, too", she said back smiling brightly, "and it's really important."

"So is this", he countered. He stood facing her with his hands on his hips. She stood twisting her wedding ring.

"Ok so every time this happens one of us never gets to talk or say what we need to", she said thinking back to all the other times like this, and things that didn't get said.

"Well…who goes first?" He asked. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"No at the same time…we'll say whatever it is at the same time and then figure out what to deal with first. How's that?" She said. Feeling proud of herself for having thought of it. Wishing she'd thought of it a long time ago. It would have saved them some heartache. Grabbing his hand and leading him to the couch, they both sat down.

"Sounds fair", he sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. She smiled.

"Ok", she started, smiling, "on the count of three….one, two, three…"

*Both at the same time.*

"I'm pregnant."

"Evangeline is alive."