WARNING: Extremely sappy and lame and maybe even disappointing…

Ours

Epilogue.

Take a deep breath…

I knocked on the door with a shaky hand unable to calm my wavering nerves. I had intentionally knocked softly- too softly- to not awake the small child in my arms but I realized that it had probably been too soft to wake him up. He had super hearing, but he had the reputation of being a heavy sleeper and wasn't very likely to hear me even if it was dead silent everywhere. He could sleep through one of Mojo's infamous destroy-all-of-Townsville-while-making-a-lot-of-noise rampages and not even twitch in discomfort.

I knocked again, this time louder causing my baby to sniffle and frown at being the loud noise to his little ears. I cooed him, rocking him in my arms as he softened his features falling to deep slumber again. I wondered if babies were this sensitive to noise or if the Chemical X in his tiny body made him more sensitive to noise- it also made me wonder if he was especially sensitive to weather because of the same reason. It was four in the morning, but being the middle of summer in good old usually mostly sunny Townsville made the air feel rather heavy and humid so I didn't fear him getting sick, but I admit it was rather irresponsible of me to bring him here.

I looked down at my sleeping little one and smiled feeling warm happiness fill my soul. No, something deep inside- mother's intuition perhaps?- told me he wouldn't get sick easily, that he would be a healthy and strong little boy from the get-go. Even though he was only a few weeks old, he had a strong personality.

"Just like your daddy..."

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal a bare chested Brick only wearing his pajama bottoms, with messy bed hair and tired red eyes. My heart flustered at seeing him again after almost a year- and after our last conversation. He confessed he still had feelings for me, and it was through the meditation of his words that I realized I never truly got over him either. We had just been stubborn these years and that stubbornness could've caused our chance to pass. Still, our child deserved a family- even if it meant simply co-parenting with Brick.

"Blossom?" He blinked running a hand through his messy hair.

"Hi." I breathed out not sure what else to say.

"Aren't you supposed to be in England?" He yawned into his hand stretching the other, and I couldn't help but take in the way his muscles tensed.

"I... came back." I replied fidgeting- adverting my gaze to not embarrass myself further.

"Did I miss the memo where you said you were moving in?" He asked looking over my shoulder at the luggage behind me.

I blushed. Maybe I should have gone to my hotel room after all. "I just got back from England. I haven't even seen nor notified my father of my arrival."

"Huh," He rubbed one eye with the heel of his hand, and stepped aside inviting me in.

I stepped inside taking in the décor of his place and how surprisingly organized it was. He had always been an organized freak- much like myself- but I had heard words from my sisters that their red brother-in-law was a mess for reasons they couldn't get out of their respective partners. Of course I knew the reason and I half-expected this place to reflect on that, but I was glad that wasn't the case.

"And what do I owe the honor of being the first person you visit after running away like a coward a year ago?" I heard him say after he stepped in setting my luggage by the door closing it behind him.

"He has your eyes," I said ignoring the sting of his last statement turning around to face him.

Brick blinked and stepped closer to look at the baby- our baby- in my arms with curiosity. He puckered his brow as if barely realizing I had been holding our son the entire time.

"He does?" He gave a step closer and stared intently at his face.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "He's asleep, Brick, and I'm not gonna wake him up for you to rectify for yourself."

"You couldn't have dropped him off with the Professor first?" He said completely ignoring my snarky comment with what appeared to be genuine concern for our son's health, "He could've gotten sick waiting out there."

"It's not cold outside-"

"Babies are more sensitive to temperature changes than adults, Blossom," He said matter-of-factly as he walked towards what seemed to be the kitchen, "their bodies don't regulate it properly yet."

"I know that, but..." I trailed of as I noticed a book sitting on his kitchen island. It was a parenting book. The cover photo was that of a father holding his child as they both smiled at each other.

"But…?" He quirked an eyebrow as he pulled out a baby bottle from one of the cabinets.

Now it was my turn to blink confused as I scrambled my thoughts to remember my train of thought. Although, I admit it was hard to do so when he was being a wonderfully thoughtful father preparing a bottle for our son.

"But our siblings' wedding is next week," I said in a similar matter-of-factly tone he had used earlier, "and I want you to be prepared for when people see I'm carrying your son and he calls me 'mommy'."

"I know we're both geniuses and our child very likely inherited our intelligence, but, he's still a newborn, he won't be calling anyone anything anytime soon."

I rolled my eyes, squashing the jolt of joy that he had acknowledged my son as 'our' child. "You know what I mean! We have to find a way to tell our families that we have a kid together so they're not taken by surprise either the day the middle ones join their lives together."

"It's not a big deal," he sighed, obviously somewhat uncomfortable with the subject.

"Except it kind of is," I said pressing on the subject, "We can't hide our son forever, especially since he's going to be everywhere I go calling me 'mom' and calling you... um…how are you gonna tell your brothers?"

He looked away and I could've sworn I saw his cheeks turn slightly pink, "They already know."

"What? How?" To say I was surprised by the news would be an understatement.

"I..." his cheeks turned slightly pinker, "I might or might not have developed a slight drinking problem after you left."

"What do you mean?"

He chewed on his bottom lip- like he usually did on those rare occasions he was nervous about telling the truth and said, "It doesn't matter, Utonium, what matters is that they know and chances are your sisters know too since Boomer tells Bubbles everything and your sister doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut."

His voice had risen with every word, and the sudden noise made the infant in my arms whimper in discomfort. I rocked him, cooing him back to sleep, and it was until his tiny features relaxed again that I realized that even though we hadn't necessarily been whispering, we weren't talking at normal volume either. I felt childish for the feeling of intimacy the soft talking brought to our conversation, but it also made me feel happy.

Unfortunately, that happiness didn't last very long since it was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety at the idea of my sisters knowing of the existence of a child I had with Brick- I will never hear the end of it from Buttercup! Although, this explained why my sisters had so vehemently kept me updated on Brick's life while I was away even though he hadn't been a topic of sister conversation since we broke up in our teenage years. I always figured it was simple concern for their brother-in-law but Bubbles trying to play matchmaker and Buttercup rubbing she was right in my face makes more sense.

"How did you tell your brothers?" I insisted with a low voice.

"Let it go, Utonium." He hissed trying- and failing- to intimidate me into dropping the subject, "Can't you just be happy we don't have to go through that awkwardness anymore?"

"Just tell me." I demanded putting my foot down for an answer. He hesitated and walked around the kitchen island towards the living room without saying a word. "Brick…"

"I was a fucking mess, alright?" He said bitterly narrowing his red eyes at me, "After you left I didn't know what to do with myself so I quit my job and decided to drink my life away. My brothers turned out to not be the negligent family that I had hoped for and they showed up at my door to check on me the day I decided to get hammered. In the middle of my drunken state I slipped and told them you had left because you were carrying my child and then passed out after puking my guts out on the carpet. Are you happy now?"

The piercing cries of my baby brought me back from the shock of Brick's confession. Like before, he had raised his voice with every word until he practically shouted the last sentence and of course our son didn't appreciate that. I tried rocking him in my arms to hush him again but he wouldn't have it. We had woken him up too many times during our discussion and now he was going to let his discomfort know. Just like his father did when I pissed him off.

"Um... Follow me..." Brick said walking past me and disappeared into the corridor.

I did as he said and followed him until I entered the room he had disappeared into, and it was a room that made my heart flood with unexpected warmth and joy. It was a nursery. The walls were a soft cream color- perhaps to show gender neutrality or because red didn't look too good on baby walls- there was a changing station, a white colored crib and a rocking chair. It was very simple and there weren't many "baby things" in it, but it had the essential and it was there- something I hadn't imagined to ever exist in his house.

Brick took the sobbing infant from my arms and fed him the bottle I had forgotten he had prepared not too long ago. Our son suckled on his bottle with seemingly heavy lids that appeared to be trying to fight sleep as Brick rocked him in his arms, but soon lost the battle and fell into deep slumber once again. Brick settled the sleeping child on the crib and we stepped out as quietly as possible to not wake him up again. Unfortunately, the silence was creating an air of awkwardness around us as we walked down the hallway towards the living room. I didn't know how to respond to him.

"I'm sorry my sisters didn't keep their raiding to your kitchen," I laughed awkwardly once we were out of our son's hearing range.

"They didn't do that." He said in a quiet voice with slight bitterness lingering in the air. "I wanted him to have his own space, you know... in case… co-parenting was an option."

"Of course," I breathed out as I sat down on his leather couch. "We can figure out which days he's going to be here and whatnot…"

There was silence again. This time, the silence was heavier than before since I expected him to say more than simple "co-parenting" or "sharing our son's days" or anything of the sort. I wanted him to say the things he had said before I left that messy day in my apartment. I wanted him to say there was a chance to have a place to call…

"So... For the wedding," I started again fidgeting on my seat, "are we getting there at the same time? Or should I go first and then you? Or should we go...?" together...

"I have a date," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." I said far more annoyed than I should have. Well there goes that.

"Jealous Utonium?" He asked as an arrogant smirk spread across his face.

Without taking my eyes off his challenging red eyes I replied, "Yes."

His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but sooner than I had said the word his face had twisted into a frown. "You have no right to be."

"I am aware of that," I said sounding as calm and even as I could, "Nobody ever said I did. However..."

He quirked an eyebrow, "I'm listening."

"It's nothing," I said dismissively standing up and pacing about the living room, "I simply recall you saying something about wanting to call more things 'ours'."

"True," he carefully nodded, "I also recall saying that if I left I was never coming back."

"That's fine," I said kicking myself on the shin for being so stupid… again, "I'll just go with Tyler then."

"Tyler?" I noticed his body tensing as he stood straight, but I refused to see it as nothing more than unnecessary parenting jealousy.

"Yes, or do you expect me to leave him at a day care for his aunt and uncle's wedding?" The look of concussion on his face could only be described as adorable. I giggled even though I'd tried not to, "Tyler is our son's name, Brick. I figured I should tell you since you didn't bother to ask."

The relief of his face as he fell down on the couch again was probably because of the aforementioned parenting jealousy and I refused to see it as anything more than that.

"Tyler, then?" He smiled although it showed he was confused at my choice, "That's a little unconventional, don't you think?"

"I chose that name when I found out I was having a boy," I told him smiling at the memory of the happiness I felt that day. "I figured that if I didn't give him the obvious 'B' name it'd be less likely to figure out you were the father. Then he got red eyes and it didn't matter anymore."

Brick chuckled, "So, why 'Tyler' if it didn't matter anymore?"

"I had chosen that name for him since before he was born," I sat down next to him again, "I called him that so many times while I was still pregnant of him that when he was born it just felt natural to call him that."

"I wish I'd been there," he said in a sigh leaning back on the couch resting his hands behind his head and fixing his gaze on the ceiling.

I couldn't help but feel guilty that he'd missed out on our son's birth since I was the one that left without telling anyone where I had gone. I didn't even tell my sisters so I know I'm not going to hear the end of it for not letting them be there for their nephew's birth.

"I'm not going to keep you from seeing him," I said looking at him, but his eyes remained fixed on the same spot. "All I ask is that you let me met the women that are going to be around my son. Just to make sure he's safe and all…"

He looked at me quirking an eyebrow, a small smirk adorning his lips, "He's my son, Blossom, at least fifty percent of him is up to no good by RowdyRuff gene default."

"Hopefully, he's not influenced by you for the wrong reasons." I said in a calm voice, but it had been a true concern for me. Brick had been created to destroy me, to bring chaos to the world and- even though that sounded ridiculous now that we were on our mid-twenties- I couldn't help but feel slight fear a younger, faster, stronger Brick was being born to finish was his father started.

Yeah, that did sound pretty ridiculous.

"Well, I hope he knows how to give people a second chance," Brick said in a flat- more like annoyed- tone. "If he's anything like you, I'd be screwed if I make the tiniest mistake."

I gaped at him, partly offended partly angered, "Well I hope you don't put him in a position where he has to consider giving you a second chance."

"As if you ever considered giving me a second chance." He breathed out annoyed, as a sneer twisted his features.

"I'm here, aren't I?" I blurted out before my brain could process what I was saying.

"What?" He croaked as if still processing the meaning behind my words.

I sighed trying to understand the emotions twirling and twisting in my stomach. Why had I come here? I wanted him to be a part of our son's life, but I realized that amount of presence- however frequent it could be- wasn't enough. Not for me. After the many sleepless nights away from here, away from him, I had realized that I wanted to be more to him than just the mother of his child and that I was clinging to our last conversation for my sanity. Pathetic, I know. I tried to argue with my feelings, repeating that if Brick and I were meant to be together it would've happened already. Then my feelings would argue right back that we never really tried.

We'd become hostile towards one another, in family reunions or at work, we simply couldn't be in the same room without clashing or killing each other with our mere eyes. He'd been my first heartbreak, and I bitterly remembered the pain he made me feel the day he told me we were just wasting each other's time. But that was almost a decade ago and I should've moved on long ago. Unfortunately, it might be too late.

"I… I want… us… to have a chance…" I said avoiding his gaze, fixing mine on my fidgeting hands.

He remained silent and I could feel his gaze burning onto the side of my face. I couldn't imagine what was going on through his head- I didn't even know what was going through mine- but I hoped he wasn't looking for a good reason to say 'no.'

"I thought about… what you said… about not really getting over me…" I started speaking again since the silence was making me extremely uncomfortable. "Truth is… I never really got over you either. I did a lot of self-evaluation when I was away and I realized that I was never angry at you but rather projecting my anger onto you. I was angry at myself for not getting over you after all these years. I wanted to forget you, I really did, so I thought that if I acted like I hated you my feelings would get the memo, but they didn't. So when you told me all those things… I didn't know how to react… I realize now I should've let my feelings take over me and run after you like I had wanted to do when I heard the door close and-"

"Stop." He said the word in a quick dry tone. I brought hand to my face, realizing that tears had rolled down my cheeks in the middle of my speech. "This is the part where I ask you to leave."

"Very well," I smiled, refusing to let the sting and disappointment his words cause to show on my face. "I just have to get my son. Now, if you excuse me…"

He remained silent. I stood up from the couch and walked down the corridor to where my son would be sleeping. I fought the urge to break down and go back to where he was and scream at him. But really, I should be angry at myself. I shouldn't have told him anything. I should've just go on pretending my feelings weren't there anymore. Or course he didn't want us to get another chance! He had a date for the wedding for crying out loud! Who know for how long he'd known this girl or how long ago he asked her to accompany him? Maybe he was in a serious relationship but had been too kind to not let me embarrass myself further and kept that to himself. If that was the case, I should remember to thank him when he introduced this mystery girl as his girlfriend at the wedding.

I'm so stupid!

Just when I was about to open the door to my son's room, I felt long thin fingers wrap around my wrist and pulled me to another room closing the door behind us. Before I could protest I felt his soft lips cover mine in a kiss that made every inch of my body shake. It wasn't lustful, but rather tender and perhaps even shy, but that slight contact between our lips made me realize we had more to share than just our son. It was a connection. Something between just us. Something that was ours. Because, regardless of the other lips I had kissed over the years, I could never forget his.

He was the one that ended the kiss by pulling away.

"I…I don't understand…" I said looking expectantly at him.

He gave me a cheeky smile, "I was under the impression you wanted a chance."

"But… you just said-"

His smile got wider, "I had to get back at you for what you did at your apartment last year."

"Very mature." I quirked an eyebrow at him, "And your date?"

"That was a lie too," he smirked rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

I gaped at him with pretend anger but mock punched him on the chest, "If we're going to make it work you're going to have to stop lying to me."

"Old habits are hard to break."

I pulled him down for another kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my body against his. I felt the small growl that escaped his lips vibrate through mine and travel to the very tips of my toes. I smiled against his lips when I felt his hands go under my shirt to make small circles at the small of my back. I felt him tug at my shirt, but when he was about to take it off, small-but-not faint baby screams brought us back to reality.

"You're going to have to get used to that, too." I whispered kissing him softly.

"I'll figure it out," he shrugged- the same way he did when he was disappointed about not getting his way.

I blushed and opened the door and stepped out to the hallway with him following behind- our son's sobs and whimpers becoming slightly louder. I watched Brick for a sign that he might feel way in over his head, but he remained calm as he opened the door to our baby's room.

"Hey… kid," he said awkwardly as he picked up our whimpering son from the crib. "I just fed you not too long ago, what could possibly make you cry like this?"

I couldn't help but smile at the scene. "He could need a diaper change."

"I'm not ready for that type of commitment," he said extending his arms trying to hand him over to me.

"Brick!" I gaped again feeling annoyance sit at the pit of my stomach. Then, the side of his mouth twitched to a smile giving away he was joking.

"I'm kidding!" he said rocking our son as his whimpers turned into small hiccups. "Kind of… not really..."

I shook my head unable to fight the smile that took over my lips as I watched Brick trying to figure out why our soon was frowning at him. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around him from behind laying my head on his back.

"I think I need help," he said sincerely confused to what was wrong with Ty.

"Are you sure you want this?" I asked honestly wanting to make sure he meant we had a chance to make it work.

"I do," he said in a calm but firm voice, "I just need the manual or instructions that came along with this little guy."

"The manual must have gotten lost in the mail," I joked laughing letting go of him and taking our son from his arms. "It'll get easier… I promise."

He kissed my lips softly and I knew there was no one else I wanted to have a family with. Brick was the only one I ever wanted to have something to call ours.

4 years later…

"Well I hope it's a boy," my youngest sister said rubbing her stomach as we laid on the beach sun bathing. "Tyler is the only boy and he only has his little sister and two girl cousins to hang out with. He needs more boys to play with than his dad and uncles."

"Jade doesn't mind playing rough," Buttercup said as she fanned herself to get cool in this hot Rio de Janeiro weather. "She gets along better with him than with Emily and Rosie."

"It's still not the same," Bubbles replied taking a sip of her water- since apparently pregnancy made her extra thirsty. "When they start growing up he'll realize he won't have much in common with his cousins. If there's another boy he won't feel as lonely. Don't you think, Blossom?"

"He'll have his dad," I said staring at the reason why I had been so quiet.

Boomer was watching his daughter Emily and my little Rosie as they played on the sand building castles pretending to be princesses. Butch was playing soccer with his daughter Jade- more like kicked the ball back to her when she kicked it too far. However, the source of my happiness was watching Brick teach Tyler how to levitate- the first step of flying. Tyler would float for a few seconds and then fall on Brick's arms, dipping his feet on the ocean.

"Did you see that?" Ty would shout, excitement shining bright in his red eyes, "I almost got it that time, right daddy?"

"I saw that!" Brick said with a proud smile on his face. "Good job, kid!"

I smiled at the scene before me, still unable to believe how far Brick and I had come throughout our lives. From being created to destroy me to giving me the greatest blessings in my life twice, he sure had come a long way. We both had. This life, this family, that handsome boy and that gorgeous girl… they were ours and I wouldn't change it for the world.

The End.

Please tell me it wasn't that bad. I tried so hard to make things right between them after the angst I put them through that I don't even know if I made it more cliché than what I had originally tried to go against. At least I hope this was worth your wait and time.

Yes, I used the word "our" a lot because I'm a genius writer and who doesn't overuse a word to remind you of the title of the fanfic you're reading?

Special thanks to all of you who sent me PM's giving me words of encouragement to continue this story. Special thanks to jtdarkmanbecause I wouldn't have pushed myself to finish this without you and the wonderful people that review this undeserving fic.

I love you all.

Take Care Everyone!