"We. Had. Sex! --- With each other!?"
"Kim, calm down."
"I will not calm down, Tony!" she shrieked. "How the HELL did this happen?"
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"I think you've had a little too much drink," Jack commented as he took the cup out of his daughter's hand.
"You wanted me to have fun," she pointed out. "So that's what I'm doing – having fun."
"I thought the office Christmas party would be good for you. Get you out of your apartment and make you interact with other human beings."
"I interact," Kim protested.
"With who?"
"Chloe and I have lunch once a week."
"That's only one person, sweetheart."
"Tony and I get dinner once in awhile."
"So you're saying that the only people you see on a regular basis are my friends?"
"They're my friends too, Daddy."
"I know," he said gently. "I just wanted to give you a chance to meet new people."
"People you work with," she pointed out.
Jack sighed. "Point taken."
Impulsively, Kim hugged her father tightly.
"I love you Dad." She pulled away, stumbling slightly. "I think I need some coffee."
"I think that sounds like a good plan." He looked across the room. "Tony's over there, he'll make you some. I'm going to go talk to Chloe."
Kim nodded and walked over to Tony.
"Hey," he nodded as he tried to pour himself more eggnog, his hand shaking slightly.
She giggled. "You're drunk."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "And you're not?"
"I've had a couple drinks."
"More than that. I saw you chugging the eggnog earlier. Daddy finally cut you off?"
Kim glared at him. "Somebody should cut YOU off."
"I'd like to see you try."
She rolled her eyes, but then stopped as she saw something resting above them.
"Look," she pointed. "Mistletoe."
Tony looked up, frowning at the plant.
"I see someone has a sense of humor."
Kim watched him as he went back to the eggnog, some of it spilling over the side of his cup as he tried to fill it. When he was done, he looked up, seeing that she was still standing there, staring at him.
"What?" he asked.
"You're supposed to kiss me."
"I'd rather not be killed by Jack, thanks."
"It's mistletoe, Tony. Besides, it's not like we're going to make out."
"Kim…"
"Mistletoe, Tony. You don't really have a choice here."
He sighed, almost surprised at how easily he was giving in to her logic. Setting his cup back down, he turned to face her.
"You're sure?"
"Just shut up and kiss me already."
He stuck his tongue out at her before cupping her face with one hand. Then he leaned in slowly, brushing his lips against hers.
Kim was caught off-guard at the jolt of electricity that shot down to her stomach as soon as their lips met. Sighing, she kissed him more firmly, bringing her body closer to his and holding his face steady with her hands.
When they pulled apart, she kept her eyes closed for a moment longer, savoring the feel of him. Then she opened them, surprised to see him staring at her intently.
"I think it's time the two of you went home," a voice interrupted.
They jumped at the sound and saw that Karen had walked up to them.
"Mistletoe," Kim blurted, looking for some explanation.
"And even though the rest of us would understand that, your father would probably still kill Tony. So why don't the two of you catch a cab and head home? I've already called one for you."
Kim nodded and walked off, mumbling something about grabbing her jacket. Tony watched her move across the room and then returned his gaze to Karen.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
"Tread lightly, Tony," she warned.
When he got into the cab, Kim was already there, slouched against the backseat.
"Did you tell your dad?" he asked.
"About the kiss?"
"That you're going home."
"Oh, yeah. He said that was a good idea."
"Did you tell the driver where you live?"
Kim frowned.
"I don't remember."
"You don't remember if you told him?"
"I don't remember my address."
"How can you forget where you live?"
"I just moved there," Kim said defensively. "Do you remember where it is?"
"No." He sighed, then leaned up to talk to the cabby.
Kim watched him as the cab pulled away from CTU.
"Well?"
"I gave him my address."
"What about me?"
"I've got a spare room. You can crash at my place tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"It's better than letting you wander the streets of L.A."
Kim nodded her agreement.
"Thanks, Tony."
"Anytime," he mumbled.
They stumbled into his house fifteen minutes later, and Tony saw that it was after one in the morning. Shaking off his jacket and taking Kim's, he tossed them onto the couch, too tired and befuddled to try and hang them in the closet. When he turned around, he found Kim watching him intently.
"What?" he asked.
Without a word, she walked up to him and grabbed his face, pulling his lips down to hers. Before he even knew what he was doing, Tony was kissing her back, pulling her body up against his and then pushing her against the wall. She groaned as his tongue slid into her mouth, her hands tangling in his thick dark hair. Tony's hands roamed over her body, causing her to gasp and arch against him. When they pulled back to breathe, they stared at each other in shock.
"We shouldn't…" Tony said.
"Do you want to?" Kim asked.
"That doesn't –"
"Do you want to?" she repeated.
"Yes," he whispered.
Hitching her legs around his hips, Kim hoisted herself up, her eyes never leaving his as his hands rested on her butt. Grinding herself against him, she smiled when Tony moaned and pressed her even harder into the wall.
"Kim…" he breathed, crashing his lips into hers.
They stumbled up the stairs and fell onto his bed.
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"Breathe," Tony instructed. "Just breathe."
She took his advice, but then frowned at him.
"How are you not freaking out about this?"
"Believe me, I'm freaking out on the inside. I just had sex with my best friend's daughter. I have broken the most important guy rule on the face of the earth."
"So what do we do now?" she asked quietly.
Tony sighed and laid back down, gesturing for her to do the same. He rolled over on his side so that they could face each other.
"We were very drunk," he started.
Kim nodded. "Otherwise it wouldn't have happened," she agreed. "Hell, I probably wouldn't have even made you kiss me under the mistletoe if I hadn't OD'd on eggnog."
He laughed at that.
"So we agree that it shouldn't have happened?"
"Definitely."
"And that we can never tell your dad?"
"Absolutely not," Kim said firmly. "I'd rather not be responsible for your death."
"Good," he breathed.
"So…we're okay?" she asked. "I mean, are things going to be awkward between us?"
"To be honest, Kim…I don't remember much that happened after we got upstairs."
"Neither do I," she agreed. "Although, I think it's safe to assume it was pretty intense, since the covers are all over the floor, and I see a trail of our clothes going out the door and down the hall."
Tony actually blushed at that, causing Kim to laugh.
"So," she said. "We just…move on? Pretend it didn't happen?"
"I think that's the best route."
"And we can still be friends?"
"Of course we're still friends, Kim. Nothing will change that."
She nodded.
"Okay." Kim looked around. "I should probably get dressed and go home. If my dad shows up to check on me, I want to make sure he finds me in my own bed."
"Good idea."
She sat up, holding the sheet around her naked body. On impulse, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks, Tony."
"For what?"
She shrugged.
"For being you."
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Six weeks later, Tony was surprised when he opened his front door to find Kim standing on his stoop.
"Kim," he greeted warmly. "How are you?"
She gave him a nervous smile. "Okay. You?"
"I'm good. Come on in."
He closed the door behind her and took her jacket, hanging it up in the closet. Then he came back and gave her a tight hug. Pulling back, he saw her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivering,
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.
"I need to talk to you," she said.
"Okay." He led her over to the couch and sat her down next to him. Reaching up, he wiped away her tears. "Talk to me," he said gently.
She looked down at her hands, desperately wringing her fingers.
"Kim…"
"I'm pregnant."
His eyes widened in shock, but then he found himself grinning like an idiot. Kim frowned, confused by his response.
"Tony?"
"Are you sure?" he asked, trying to wipe the smile off of his face.
She nodded. "I just got back from the doctor. Does this mean you're not…mad?"
"Mad?" he echoed. "Why would I be mad?"
"Because we didn't plan for this. We didn't even plan to have sex. It just…happened."
"How do you feel about it? The baby, I mean."
"I…" She paused, looking down again. "I want to keep it," she said quietly.
He covered her hand with his, squeezing tightly.
"So we're going to have a baby?"
She looked up at him, searching his eyes.
"I don't get it," she said finally. "How are you okay with this?"
Tony sighed, leaning back against the couch and taking a minute to gather his thoughts.
"I'm not going to lie to you Kim…I never saw this coming. But…I also can't say that I don't want a child. I do. I always have. Michelle and I…we never got that chance. After she died, I thought it would never happen for me."
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, curling into his side. "I know you wish it was her instead of me."
"Oh, Kim," he said gently, raising her chin and forcing her to look at him. "I'm not going to sit here and wish that things were different. I loved Michelle. I still love her. But she's gone, and I've had to accept that. What matters is right now. And if you want to keep this baby, then that's what we'll do."
"Really? You'll be this baby's father?"
Tony smiled. "I AM this baby's father. And I'm going to be around for every part of it, if you'll let me. The pregnancy, the weird cravings, the labor. If we do this, Kim, we do it all the way."
She gave him a bright smile and nodded.
"Okay," she said. Then her smile faded.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
Kim looked up at him, fear in her eyes.
"How do we tell my dad?"
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"Thanks for meeting me," Kim said.
Chloe sat down on the park bench next to her.
"It's no problem. I'm a little curious as to why you wanted to see me, though."
"We're friends, right?"
"Of course."
"Okay." Kim nodded and took a deep breath. "I need your help."
"With what?"
"My dad."
Chloe automatically grew wary.
"What do you mean?"
"I have something I need to tell him, and I'm really afraid of his reaction."
"Kim…what's going on?"
"I'm pregnant."
Chloe's eyes widened.
"Oh my God. Congratulations!" She paused. "Wait – who's the father?"
"Tony."
The older woman just stared at her for a few minutes, her brain going into shock. Kim watched her nervously, waiting for her to say something, anything.
"Chloe?"
"Oh my God."
"Yeah, I know."
"Does he know yet? Tony, I mean?"
"Yeah. I told him yesterday."
"What are you two going to do?"
"We're keeping the baby."
"So…are you two like…together now?"
"No! It's just…we both want a baby and we're really good friends…I'm not going to get rid of my baby just because it didn't happen the way I expected."
"I understand, Kim. I really do. You know your dad is going to freak out though."
"I know."
"What do you want me to do?"
"We want to have a dinner…just the four of us. We'll tell him then. I guess I just wanted to give you a heads up. Maybe you can help calm him down."
Chloe nodded.
"Okay, then. That's what we'll do. He'll be mad at first, but he'll get over it, Kim. You're his daughter and he loves you."
"It's not me I'm worried about," she said.
"Tony?"
Kim nodded. "Dad's his best friend. He's scared to death of losing that."
Chloe reached over and squeezed Kim's hand.
"We'll work it out, Kim. Somehow."
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Everyone was quiet as they sat down to dinner. Tony and Jack sat across from each other, with Chloe and Kim between them. Kim watched her father nervously, her stomach knotted painfully. She stole glances at Chloe and Tony, but she could see the same fear etched on their faces. Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady herself.
The tension didn't go unnoticed by Jack. He looked at each of them in turn, trying to figure out what could be bothering everyone. Finally, he just sighed and laid down his fork.
"What's wrong?" he asked Kim quietly.
For a moment she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Jack frowned, unable to figure out what could have his daughter so afraid.
"I…I have something I need to tell you."
"Okay."
"You're not going to like it."
"Sweetheart," he said, reaching out and squeezing her hand. "Just tell me."
She swallowed hard and looked up at him, tears in her eyes.
"I'm pregnant and I'm keeping the baby."
Jack's eyes widened as his brain tried to process the new information. Then his face broke into a huge grin.
"Congratulations, honey! Why were you so afraid to tell me?"
She shrugged, confused by his response and knowing that the hardest part was yet to come.
"I wasn't sure how you'd react. I'm not married…"
"Oh, Kim…if you want this baby, then I'll support you in every way that I can. I just want you to be happy." He paused, squeezing her hand again. "I know it's none of my business, but…who's the father?"
He felt the tension in the room increase dramatically. His smile faded as he looked around the table, trying to read the answer off of their faces. But the silence just stretched on, the tension continuing to mount. Finally, Tony sighed.
"I am."
For a long moment, Jack just stared at him. Then his face contorted in rage and he lunged forward, knocking his chair backwards as flew around the table to get at Tony. Chloe was up immediately, standing between the two, and Kim positioned herself in front of Tony, unwilling to let her dad harm him.
"Get out of my way!" Jack growled. "How could you!?" he yelled at Tony. "You're supposed to be my friend and you go and screw my daughter behind my back!?"
"Dad, it wasn't like that!" Kim protested.
"Jack, I'm sorry –"
"No! You don't get to fix this, Tony. What the hell were you thinking!?" He looked back at Chloe, who was still trying to restrain him. "Get out of my way," he repeated.
"No! Jack, I'm not going to let you kill your best friend."
"He's no friend of mine," Jack said in a low voice. "Now step aside, Chloe."
"Dammit, Jack! If you want to hurt Tony, you're going to have to get through both me AND your daughter. And I don't think you're willing to hurt us – or your grandchild."
He stared at her for a minute, his emotions playing across his face chaotically. Then he stopped, narrowing his eyes.
"Did you know about this?"
Chloe squared her shoulders.
"Yes."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"It wasn't my place –"
"DAMMIT CHLOE!" he roared.
"Jack, it's not her fault –" Tony interjected.
Jack rounded on him.
"I want you out of my house, right now!"
"Jack –"
"GET THE FUCK OUT, TONY!"
His friend stared at him, and then finally nodded, walking into the other room to get his and Kim's coats. Kim stared at her father, tears streaming down her face, but he just turned back to Chloe.
"How could you?" he growled. "How could you sit here and not tell me? I thought you were my friend."
"I am –"
"Like hell you are! A real friend wouldn't betray me like this. I thought you were different, Chloe. I thought you'd never lie to me."
He looked as though he wanted to say something more, but emotion welled up in his throat and choked him. Finally, he just turned on his heel and burst through the back door, disappearing into the night.
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"I'm so sorry," Kim whispered to Chloe as they stood around the front door. "I never meant for this to fall on you."
"It's okay, Kim."
"He said such awful things to you."
Chloe shrugged. "He's hurt, and that makes him angry. He'll get over it."
"Will he?"
There was such fear in the younger woman's eyes that Chloe pulled her into a tight hug.
"I told you, Kim, we'll figure things out. This will all work out, one way or another."
"What about you?" she asked when she pulled back. "What are you going to do when he comes back?"
Chloe frowned in thought. "He'll probably just go to his room and close the door."
"So you'll still stay here?"
She shrugged. "We've been living together for almost two years now. I'm not going to just give up on him."
"I'm sorry," Kim said again. "I didn't want to destroy your friendship."
"He'll come around," Tony said quietly. "Chloe's his best friend. He won't be able to stay mad with her for long. He'll realize it's not her fault. And he'll forgive you too, Kim. He loves you too much to hold a grudge."
"And what about you?"
Tony looked away, but Kim could see the tears in his eyes.
"I'll be lucky if he ever speaks to me again."
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Two months later, Tony came home to find Kim sitting on his front step. Worry gnawing at him, he set down his bag of groceries and moved to her side.
"Kim? Are you okay?"
She nodded, giving him a small smile.
"I was just bored and lonely. Thought I'd come see you."
The worry sliding out of him, he returned her smile.
"You can come over anytime, you know that." He paused then, standing up and then helping her to her feet. "Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about." He saw the fear spring up in her eyes and he hurried to reassure her. "Don't worry, Kim," he said as he opened the door and let her in. "It's nothing bad, I promise."
They moved to the kitchen, where she helped him put away the groceries. Then he led her back into the living room and sat her down next to him, keeping a firm hold on her hand.
"I was thinking…" he said slowly. "Maybe…I want you to move in with me."
Kim's eyes widened. "What?"
"It's just…I don't like you being so far away. You're having my baby, and I want to be able to help you. I'd feel better with you here. And then, when the baby comes…I don't want to have to share him, Kim. I want us to be a family." He looked up to see tears sliding down her cheeks, and he silently cursed himself, reaching over to wipe them away. "I'm sorry," he said. "If you don't want to…I didn't mean to upset you…"
"It's okay," Kim said. "I just…you really want me to live here?"
"I do," he said quietly.
"It just surprised me. I didn't expect…I didn't know how involved…"
"Kim, I told you. If we do this, I want to do it all the way. I want this baby to have both parents and I want him to know that we both love him, even if we weren't expecting him."
"Him?" she smiled. "Have you already decided it's a boy?"
Tony blushed. "I don't know…I just…" He shrugged. "I'll be happy either way."
"Me too," she whispered.
"So you'll do it? You'll move in?"
She nodded. "Yeah, Tony. I'll come live with you. WE'LL come live with you."
His smile was blinding.
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Chloe sat on the couch, dejectedly flipping through the channels. She had barely seen Jack since the night he found out about Kim and Tony, and he hadn't spoken a single word to her. It was slowly killing her. She knew that he had only moved in with her because he had nowhere else to go after China, and she was afraid that one day she'd come home and he'd be gone – no note, no explanation.
A door opened and shut somewhere in the house, and she knew that he had come home from wherever it was he disappeared to these days. She sighed, knowing that another night of stony silence awaited her.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when Jack sat down beside her, promptly laying his head in her lap. Chloe struggled to control her breathing as one of his arms wrapped around her knees and her hands automatically came to rest on his head.
"I'm so sorry," he said finally. "I had no right to take it out on you." Chloe tried to respond, but the tears were pouring down her face and she didn't trust herself to speak. Jack continued in her silence. "I just…I never saw it coming, Chloe. And then to find out that you knew and didn't tell me…I felt so alone. But I know why you didn't tell me. I understand now. And I'll understand if you can't forgive me –" He was cut off as he felt something wet landing on his head. Sitting up, his face fell as he saw that she was sobbing. "Oh, Chloe."
He pulled her to him then, holding her closely and rocking her, whispering comforting words in his ear. He silently cursed himself for taking out his hurt and anger on her, for making her bear the burden of his problems.
"I'm so sorry, Chloe," he whispered. "Please, I didn't mean any of it –"
She pulled back to face him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he said firmly. "I swear to you, Chloe. I didn't mean a word of it. I was just hurt, and I couldn't take it out on Kim, and you wouldn't let me kill Tony…"
"I was the only one left," she finished.
"But that's no excuse. I had no right to yell at you. Please…I don't think I could stand it if you hated me."
"I don't hate you, Jack. I'm not sure I even could."
He kissed her forehead and then her cheek, resting his face against hers.
"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he whispered.
"Let's hope you never have to find out."
He looked at her for a long moment, his thumb rubbing against her cheekbone as he wiped away the last of her tears. Leaning forward slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. Chloe responded instantly, pushing herself closer to him and holding his face steady with her hands. Their kisses grew deeper and more urgent, both clinging to the other desperately until they pulled away to breathe. Jack smiled at her.
"I'm sorry."
"Please, Jack. Don't –"
"I'm sorry it took me two years to work up the courage to do that."
Her only response was to kiss him again.
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Two hours later, they lay in bed, tangled up in each other. Jack smiled contentedly – he still couldn't believe that she had forgiven him for his outburst.
"Jack?"
"Hmm?"
"What are you going to do about Kim and Tony?"
He sighed, his happy bubble deflating a little.
"I don't know."
Chloe turned to face him.
"She's your daughter, Jack."
"I've tried calling, but she refuses to see me."
"You know why, don't you?"
"No."
"She's not going to let you be a part of the baby's life while you're giving Tony the silent treatment. Whether you like it or not, he's the father. And he's not running away, Jack. He's moved her in with him. He wants them to be a family."
Jack frowned. "Really?"
"Really. Do you hate him so much that you'd give up your daughter and grandchild?"
"That's just it, Chloe…I don't hate him."
"I don't get it."
"I've tried. That's what I've been doing for the past few months. I've told myself over and over again that he betrayed me and that I should hate him with every fiber of my being." He paused. "But he didn't betray me, did he? At least not on purpose."
"He never wanted to hurt you, Jack. You're his best friend. It's killing him that you won't talk to him."
"I'll go talk to Kim," he decided. "Ask her to forgive me, to let me back in."
"And Tony?"
Jack sighed. "I'll talk to him, too."
"Do I need to be there? Are you going to try and kill him again?"
"Is she happy? Does he take good care of her?"
"Of course he takes care of her, Jack. And the only thing that's making her unhappy right now is you not being a part of her life."
"Okay," he said finally. "I'll go fix things."
"About damn time," she murmured, snuggling into his chest.
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"Hey," Kim said nervously when she opened the door.
"Hi, sweetheart," Jack said warmly. His eyes drifted down to her stomach. "Wow. You've gotten big."
"I'm five months along now," she pointed out.
A look of intense sadness swept across his features.
"I'm so sorry, Kim. It shouldn't have taken me this long."
"Come on in," she said quietly.
They moved to the kitchen, where Kim started milling about, putting lunch together for them. Jack watched her, his heart aching at how much time he had wasted.
"How are you?" he finally asked.
She shrugged. "Pretty good. I'm glad that morning sickness doesn't last the whole nine months. I don't think anybody would ever get pregnant if that happened."
He smiled at that.
"I've missed you."
She turned away from the stove and looked at him for a long minute.
"I've missed you too, Dad. But you need to understand something. If you're going to be mad at Tony for this, you have to be mad at me as well. This is a package deal. Tony and I and this baby are a family. And if you can't accept all of us…" She took a deep breath. "Then you can't have any of us."
He saw the tears in her eyes, and he realized how much his silence and anger had hurt her.
"Oh, Kim," he said gently, walking over to her and taking her face in his hands. "You're my daughter." He rested his hands on her swollen stomach. "And this is my grandchild. I'd be a fool to give that up."
"Grandson," Kim corrected.
Jack's eyes widened.
"It's a boy?"
She nodded, a huge smile on her face.
"We just found out a few weeks ago."
"Baby that's wonderful," he said, pulling her into a tight hug. His eyes fell on the stove. "It looks like lunch is ready. Let's sit down."
They ate in companionable silence for awhile, just enjoying each other's company. Then Jack looked up, one question burning inside of him.
"You don't have to tell me, but…I'm curious as to how this all happened. And when."
Kim took a deep breath.
"The night of the Christmas party."
He looked at her in surprise.
"What?"
"We were both really drunk, Dad. We barely even remember what happened. We just woke up next to each other. Then we decided that it had been a mistake and that we would just forget it and be friends –"
"Wait," Jack interrupted. "You mean you two aren't together?"
"No. But when I told him I was pregnant, he was happy. He wanted us to be a family. And I couldn't say no to that. He's become my best friend. I couldn't imagine doing this without him." She paused. "So when are you going to talk to him?"
"Tonight. He agreed to meet me for a drink."
"And you promise not to kill him?"
He smiled softly. "I promise."
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"Relax, Tony," Jack said as he took the seat across from him. "I'm not going to kill you. I promised Kim – and Chloe."
"I was surprised you called."
"I know. I –"
"I never meant to betray you, Jack. I didn't mean to sleep with her. But I wouldn't take it back. Not for anything."
Jack smiled faintly at the intensity in his friend's voice.
"You mean that, don't you?"
"I do. We're having a baby, Jack. It wasn't expected, but I'm happy about it."
"I need to ask. You're not going to meet somebody and run off, are you?"
Tony held his gaze.
"No. I love that baby more than I've loved anything else in my life, and I haven't even met him yet. You have a child – you understand that."
He nodded. "Yes, I do."
"What about us?" Tony asked. "Is there any way we can be friends again?"
"If you can forgive me for trying to kill you."
"I can do that as long as you forgive me for sleeping with Kim."
"Done."
"Just like that?" he questioned.
"She's happy, Tony. That's all I want for her. And who could I trust more to take care of my little girl than my best friend?"
Tony took a deep breath and felt some of the tension ease out of his body. The waiter arrived and brought their drinks and took their dinner orders before disappearing again. Jack took a drink and then looked at his friend.
"Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"You fuck this up and I'll kill you."
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"How are you feeling?" Tony asked as he walked into Kim's room.
"Tired. Fat."
He smiled and laid down next to her, resting his hand on her stomach.
"You're not fat."
"It sure feels like it."
"Not much longer, Kim. And then our baby boy will be here."
She looked at him for a minute.
"We haven't picked a name yet," she pointed out.
He turned on his side to look at her.
"I wasn't sure you'd want my help with that."
Kim sighed.
"Tony, this is your baby. We're doing this all the way, remember? That means you get to help with all the decisions."
"Okay," he said quietly. Do you have any ideas?"
She shook her head. "I only have girl names."
He smiled. "Like what?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. You'll have more kids, Kim."
"With who?"
"You'll find someone," he said quietly.
"I don't want to find someone," she complained. "It will just make this more complicated."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. It's not your fault. I'm just cranky because I weigh 800 pounds."
"You do not."
"It sure feels like it." She turned her head to look at him. "What about you? Do you have any ideas?"
He shrugged.
"I like Michael."
"Michael? I like that. It's simple and normal." She closed her eyes and thought for a minute. "Michael David." She looked down at her stomach. "Are you a Michael David?"
Her eyes widened and she sat up.
"What is it?" Tony asked, sitting up beside her. "Are you okay?"
"He kicked. Really hard."
Tony grinned broadly. "Really?"
Kim took his hand and moved to where she had felt the kick. A few seconds later, their son moved again.
"I think he likes it," she said.
"Michael," Tony said quietly. He leaned over and placed a kiss to Kim's stomach, not seeing how her eyes teared up at his gentleness. "Michael," he whispered again.
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Tony stared down at the little boy in Kim's arms, his eyes flooding with tears. He was so beautiful that he took his breath away. Kim smiled up at him, reaching out and taking his hand.
"Are you okay?"
He shook himself out of his reverie and looked at her. "Yeah, sorry. He's just…he's so wonderful."
"Do you want to hold him?"
"Can I?"
"Of course."
She passed Michael to him and watched as Tony greeted his son. Her heart was filled to the brim with love and happiness, and she couldn't believe how lucky she was. She had a wonderful family, and it was obvious that Tony already loved their baby with everything that he had.
"Thank you," he said suddenly.
"For what?"
He reached out and brushed the hair out of her face.
"For being so strong. For keeping him. For letting me be in his life."
"Thank you for not leaving us," she said quietly, her voice trembling with emotion.
Smiling at her, he leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.
"I wouldn't leave the two of you for anything."
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"When are Jack and Chloe getting here?" Tony asked as Kim put together Michael's things.
"In about ten minutes."
He swayed gently as he held their son on his hip.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Why?"
"You seem flustered."
She sighed and stood up, looking at him.
"It's just…this will be his first night away from us."
"He'll be fine, Kim."
"How can you part with him so easily?"
"He'll be with Jack and Chloe. You know he'll be safe with them, Kim."
"You didn't answer my question."
Tony sighed.
"I know. This isn't easy for me, either. But your dad deserves to spend some time with his grandson. He's more than a year old now."
"You're right. You usually are."
Michael giggled suddenly, patting Tony's cheeks. He smiled at his son, still amazed at the love that flooded through him every time he looked at him.
"It'll be okay, Kim. Just –"
"Daddy."
They both stopped and stared at Michael.
"Did he just call you daddy?"
"I think he did."
Michael smiled and turned to look at his mother.
"Momma," he said. Then he turned back to Tony and patted his chest. "Daddy."
Kim's eyes filled with tears.
"Oh my God."
Tony smiled at Michael, his own eyes moist.
"Yeah, buddy," he said quietly. "Momma and Daddy." He kissed his forehead and Michael clapped and laughed loudly, kicking his legs. Tony turned to Kim and squeezed her hand, sharing a long look.
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"Hey Michael," Jack greeted as he and Chloe walked in.
His grandson wiggled out of Tony's arms and ran to him, laughing as Jack scooped him up and held him close. He looked closely at his daughter.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded. "Michael said his first words today."
Jack's eyes widened. "Really? What did he say?"
"Momma and Daddy."
He smiled and looked over at Tony, seeing how affected his friend was.
"Amazing, isn't it?"
Tony nodded, not trusting his voice. Michael squirmed in Jack's grasp, reaching for something behind him.
Jack frowned.
"What do you want buddy?" He turned to look behind him. "Oh…you want your Grandma Chloe?" Smiling, he passed him to Chloe, watching as the little boy curled up in her arms and laid his head against her shoulder. "He really loves you."
"I don't understand why."
"He feels safe with you. Most of us do." His eyes fell to the engagement ring resting on her finger, and her eyes followed his. She blushed and gave him a sheepish smile.
"So you'll bring him back tomorrow?" Kim asked.
"Yes, sweetheart. Don't worry. He'll be fine."
"I know. I think I'm more worried about me."
"I'm sure you and Tony will find something to do. Enjoy the night off."
She smiled. "We'll try." Walking over to Chloe, she kissed Michael and poked his nose. "Have fun, okay? Momma and Daddy will see you tomorrow." Tony stepped closer to and ruffled his son's hair. "See you in the morning, Michael."
As Chloe and Jack moved toward the door, Jack stopped and leaned in toward Tony.
"Tell her," he said firmly.
Then he smiled and they left.
"Tell me what?" Kim asked as soon as the door was closed.
Tony looked at her for a long moment, his mind racing as he tried to put his thoughts into words. Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath and turned to walk into the kitchen.
"Are you leaving me?" she asked suddenly.
He spun around and stared at her in disbelief.
"Leaving you? Kim, how could you think I wanted to leave you?"
"I don't understand what's keeping you here," she said, her voice breaking.
"We have a child together, Kim."
"Is that enough though? Is that enough to keep you here?"
He moved closer to her, taking her face in her hands.
"How long has this been bothering you?" he asked.
She sniffed. "Since we had Michael's birthday party. I overheard you telling my dad that you wanted more kids."
"I do," he said quietly.
A few tears escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks.
"Oh."
Tony lifted her face, forcing her to look at him.
"With you."
She stared at him in shocked. "With me? You want…with me?"
He smiled.
"Yes, Kim. With you."
"Oh."
"That's what your dad meant when he told me to tell you. He wants me to tell you how I feel…about you…about us."
"Us?" she echoed.
"I know we never meant for it to happen, Kim, but it did. And now, living with you and raising Michael…I've fallen in love with you –"
Before he could finish his sentence, Kim had wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. Tony responded immediately, pulling her closer and nudging her lips open with his tongue. Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss, causing her to moan. When they pulled back to breathe, he saw Kim smiling at him.
"We get to be sober this time," she said quietly.
"Yeah," he whispered. "We do."
"I love you, Tony. I was so afraid you were going to find someone and leave. Or that you already had and –"
He cut her off with another kiss, one hand inching up her back and under her shirt.
"I only want you," he said firmly.
"You planned this, didn't you? Letting my dad and Chloe take Michael for the night?"
He nodded. "Guilty." He looked at her intently. "Marry me."
"What?"
"Marry me."
She bit her lip in thought, but then her face broke into a blinding smile and she nodded.
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"I already had your child, Tony. And I love you. Of course I'll marry you."
With nothing else to say, he leaned down and captured her lips with his again, holding her close and vowing to never let her go again.