It had been six and a half months since Jason had returned home from his trip. Life had for the most part returned to normal. He left his penthouse only to do his work. When he was done he returned to his own personal seclusion. He liked it that way. He enjoyed not having to deal with other people's problems.

It was a chilly October day. Jason found himself looking out his bedroom window. He had been standing there for about fifteen minutes just watching the cars go by. A steaming cup of coffee in his hands. He blew on his beverage before bringing it to his lips. The slamming of a door coming from the floor beneath him caused him to grit his teeth.

"Jason!" The undeniable sound of Carly's voice carried up to him. Sighing he placed his coffee mug on his dresser and left the room.

Carly was just starting to climb the stairs when he met her. She wore a huge smile on her face as she stared up at him. "Jason I have great news." She announced joyously.

"What is it?" Jason responded unenthusiastically.

"My favorite cousin Stevie is coming to visit." Carly beamed. Stevie was the niece of her adoptive parents. They spent almost every waking moment of their younger years together. Even after Carly left to find her biological parents they had stayed in touch.

"What does this have to do with me?" Jason asked not even bothering to pretend to care.

"Come on Jason. You need to leave this penthouse now!" Carly demanded stomping the heel of her Louboutin. Jason seemed unphased but her sudden tantrum.

"Carly why do you always have to be all in my business?" Jason vented at his best friend. "If and when I am willing to leave my home I will."

Carly did not even bother to blink at Jason's outburst. She was used to it, after all it was her job to drive him crazy.

"Jason you know I love you and just want you to be happy." This was her way of apologizing for butting into his life. "I really think you would like Stevie. Besides what is one more friend."

"Carly." Jason growled. He really just wanted to be left alone.

"Fine." The overly annoying woman relented. "You do not have to meet Stevie tonight. But please promise me that you will come to the party I am throwing on Friday." She began to pout. "I have not asked you to do anything for me in a really long time and I really want Stevie to meet some new people."

"Alright … fine I will go to your party if that is what it takes to get you to leave." He sighed exasperated.

"Oh thank you so much." Carly squealed as she grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his cheek. Then she took her cue to leave. After all she had gotten what she wanted from him, why was there any reason to stick around? If Jason didn't love Carly so much and know for a fact that she could not survive without him he would have cut ties with her a long time ago. Sighing he returned himself to his post in front of his bedroom window.

–

"When is Jax gonna get back with your cousin Mom?" Michael asked before he popped a chip into his mouth.

"They'll be here soon." Carly confirmed as she rushed around trying to make sure everything was perfect for the arrival of her favorite cousin.

"Mom I think you have done everything. She's family I don't think she will judge you or anything." Morgan laughed at his mother's frantic running around.

"I want everything to be perfect." Carly said finally sitting down next to her middle son.

"How long has it been since you last saw Stevie?" Abby, Michael's girlfriend asked. Carly's gaze came over the young woman. She was sitting next to Michael bouncing Josslyn on her knee. When Carly first met Abby she did not like her and wanted her nowhere near her oldest son. But as time went on she could see how she brought the best out in Michael. She had brought her baby boy back to life after all the terrible things he had seen and lived through. Once she allowed herself to open up to the fact that Abby was a part of her son's life she embraced it and found it very easy to love her.

"It's been about fifteen years." Carly replied wistfully.

It was not long after that a car pulling into the driveway could be heard. Carly jumped out of her seat in a flash. She came to stand by the front door, bouncing eagerly on the balls of her feet. She could not wait to see her cousin again. She had been so excited since Stevie had called her one day last week. Ever since she had been in a frenzy. Getting her guest room ready, preparing the house. Stevie had originally told Carly that she would check into the MetroCourt but Carly would not hear of it. She was family after all. She would stay with them. It would be just like old times. Carly was sure of it.

–

"Jax, thank you so much for picking me up from the airport. But you really did not have to. I could have just called a cab." Lorelei told her cousin's somewhat estranged husband. Jax gave her a charming smile and she could see why her cousin had fallen for the man, he was gorgeous. But she could also tell he was a sweet and caring man. Her cousin was certainly a lucky one, after all she remembered the losers Caroline had brought home in the past.

"It was no problem … err … what do you prefer to be called? I know Carly calls you Stevie. But I wasn't sure if that was just a thing for the two of you."

Lorelei laughed. "You're family of course you can call me Stevie if you so choose. But Lorelei is fine too if you do not feel comfortable enough for Carly's nickname for me."

"Carly chose Stevie?" Jax asked a little surprised. But then he really stopped to think of it and yes that sounded exactly like something his wife would do.

"Yes." Again she laughed. "I was two years old and Carly was seven and she decided that she did not like my given name so she decided to rename me Stevie."

"Now that I think of it I am not all the surprised." Jax remarked as he slung his wife's cousin's bags over his shoulder.

"Are you ok with the bags? I can take them if you are not." Jax's eyes went wide at the suggestion.

"I do not think so." Yep, her cousin had gotten herself an amazing guy. Would she ever be that lucky herself?

As Lorelei and Jax neared the front door it shot opened and out shot Carly. She started to jog to them only to stop about a foot away. Mouth now slightly agape with surprise. Lorelei rolled her eyes as she closed the distance between the two.

"Oh my God! You are pregnant!" Carly gushed. "Why did you not tell me on the phone? How far along are you? Do you know what you are having? Where's the father? Is he in the picture?" It seemed like a million questions came flying out of Carly's mouth at one time.

"Hugs first Sweet Caroline. Then I will answer questions." At hearing her cousin's nickname for her a huge smile came across the older woman's face. She wrapped her arms around her cousin and hugged her as tightly as she could.

"Come inside. It's freezing out here." Carly urged her cousin. "But once that door closes I want to know everything."

"Of course." Lorelei expected nothing less.

The kids were still settled in the living room when Carly walked in with the pregnant brunette. "Stevie you will not believe it but that grown man over there is my Michael. Sitting next to him is his girlfriend Abby, who is holding my baby girl Josslyn, who is three. And then his handsome boy is Morgan." Carly kissed the top of her youngest son's head.

Lorelei went over to Michael first. "Wow Michael I think the last time I saw you, you were still in diapers. Now look at you. So grown up and so handsome." She hugged her younger cousin. "Hello Abby. It is wonderful to meet you." She gave her a hug as well before completely freaking out of how cute Josslyn was.

Carly smiled at this. She could tell from the way she was fussing over Josslyn that she was going to be a great mother.

"Kids we still have some time before dinner. How about you guys go watch a movie upstairs." Carly suggested. She desperately wanted to know the details of her cousin's pregnancy.

"You guys don't have to. Come on Sweet Caroline I have only just met Joss and Morgan and Abby."

"It's ok Stevie I am sure you and mom have tons of boring stuff from the past to talk about. We'll just take Joss upstairs and watch Beauty and the Beast or something." Michael said as he stood from his seat on the couch. He took Josslyn from Abby so she could get up. Abby stood as well and the couple and Josslyn left the room. Morgan stayed behind for a minute.

"He was nice to finally meet you Stevie. Mom is really happy you are here." He hugged his cousin once more before leaving to join his siblings and Abby upstairs.

"What a Sweetheart." Lorelei remarked. "They all seem like such wonderful kids. You did a great job Cuz"

"Yea, they really are the best." Carly agreed.

"So what's up with Abby. She looks a lot older than Michael?" Lorelei asked. "Not that is really is a big deal. She seems really nice."

"There is a ten year age difference between them." Lorelei let out a low whistle. "I didn't like it at first but Michael has been through so much and Abby helped him. She really does care about him and at the end of the day he's happy again."

"Poor boy. All I can remember is this happy little red headed boy with his infectious smile. I don't know what happened to him but I could see it in his eyes." She sighed.

"It's been a long couple of years. But that is besides the point … get spilling with the details." Carly insisted.

Lorelei sighed. "I am six and a half months along. I don't know the gender. I have been asked if I want to know but I would rather wait. I met the father while I was on break from school with my friends. I asked him out on a dare. He was beautiful Caroline, he has the amazing blue eyes. They haunt me, they really do. "

"So what happened?" Carly asked practically foaming at the mouth.

"We did the dirty and I left. Never thinking that this would happen so I didn't bother to get any kind of contact information. What was supposed to be a simple one night good time turned out to be so much more complicated." Carly sighed. She felt horrible for her younger cousin.

"Why didn't you have an abortion?" Carly asked.

"Come on Caroline." Lorelei scoffed. "You know that I do not believe in them. Although I do believe a woman does have the right to choose."

Carly nodded, she did know that. "Adoption?"

"I thought about it but then I saw the first ultrasound and I fell in love. I realized that I couldn't do it, I couldn't give my baby up."

"Well it doesn't matter if this baby does not have a father. He or she will have this whole family to support him or her. What more does one little baby need."

"Thanks for being supportive."

"Of course I would be supportive of you. I know that this is something that you have obviously thought a lot about. I know you, you do not rush into decisions the way I do."

Lorelei laughed. "If I did we would have been in so much more trouble when we were younger. As it was I was always saving your ass from beating."

"You were not." Carly laughed as well.

The baby subject was not brought up again for the rest of the night. Lorelei was glad for that because there was still so much she had to decide. It was not like she had anyone helping her with the situation. Sometimes at night she would wonder about "Jason the Janitor". Where he was at that present moment? Did he have a family of his own? Was he married or in a relationship?

What she did not know was that he was a lot closer than she thought. If only she could have foreseen that sometimes things just have a strange way of working out for the better.