Author's note: So, I didn't get a whole lot of reviews for this story during the first chapter, but it's not so bad. Could've been worse. I don't get how my first Brucas story got so many reviews and this one isn't. Maybe because they knew Brooke was having a kid in the other one? In this one, she has THREE kids and Brucas is married. XD Oh, but it's okay. I kinda like writing this story. If you read my newest chapter for "Something's Gotta Give" you will find out that I have Christmas on the brain. I can't help it. It's too amazing. Anyway, thought I'd give this story a little more time before calling it quits. I don't have a whole lot planned for it, but I could take it somewhere. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

CHAPTER 2:

"Mommy's home!" I heard Brayden shout as he bounded down the stairs. He ran a good two feet before latching onto my leg. "I love you mommy." He said as I set my bags down on the floor. "What's that mommy?" He said, reaching into one of my bags. I grabbed his tiny wrist and pulled it out of the bag.

"They're Christmas presents." I smiled.

"But I though Santa brings the presents on Christmas." He said, pouting his lip a little. I got down to his level and held his face in my hand.

"Well, buddy, Santa's really busy this year." I looked up and saw Lucas walk in behind Brayden. "I was just helping him out this time around."

"You got the presents from Santa?" He shouted. "You met him?" He cheered, jumping up and down.

"Yeah. All parents have met Santa at some point."

"Can I meet him?"

"No, buddy, sorry. It ruins the Christmas magic. Now, I'd find a way to let you meet him, but it isn't really fair to the kids who have parents that won't let them meet him, right?"

"Yeah... I guess."

"But, on the bright side, as soon as you become a parent and have kids of your own, you'll get to see him every year." Lucas shook his head as he heard our conversation. I looked up at him and gave him a look.

"Hey, bud." Lucas said, stepping into our conversation. "You ready to learn how to ride a bike?"

"Yeah!" He bounced up. "Can we do it now?"

"Sure. Your bike's in the garage." Brayden cheered and squealed as he ran toward the garage. Lucas had bought early Christmas gifts for the whole family. It was so sweet of him. I stood up and gave Lucas a kiss. "Any particular reason why the kid still believes in Santa Claus?"

"Lucas, he's six. He deserves to be a kid."

"Doesn't mean we have to lie to him."

"Why are you so bitter about Christmas?"

"I'm not. I just don't think we should tell the boy fairytales."

"It's not a fairytale, Lucas. It's part of childhood."

"Whatever you say. I'm gonna help him with that bike. You got dinner handled?"

"Sure. Oh, I've got Emilyne and Aiden handled too." I said sarcastically.

"Great, thanks babe." He said, while walking out the door. I sighed and chuckled a little before setting my bags on the couch and walking into the kitchen. As I opened the fridge, I felt tiny hands press against my calves. I turned around and saw Aiden, holding onto me. I smiled and picked him up off the ground.

"Hey little man! Oh, you look tired! Are you tired?"

"Yeah." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"You need a diaper change don't you? Don't you?" I took him upstairs, passing Emilyn'es room on the way to the nursery. I stopped in the doorway as she slowly awoke from her nap.

"Mommy, you're home." She yawned. "It's early." She crawled out of bed and gave me a hug. I took her hand and walked with her into the nursery.

"Santa let me go home from work early."

"Why?"

"Because it's almost Christmas. And, hey, speaking of gifts, you wanna watch your daddy teach Brayden how to ride a bike?"

"Yeah!" She got really excited and ran down the stairs when I told her they were outside already. I changed the baby and took him downstairs with me as I started cooking dinner. About twenty minutes later, I head the door swing open and saw Emilyne run up to her room in tears. Lucas came in behind her with an angry look and Brayden followed, running up to his room, terrified.

"What happened?" I asked as Lucas slammed the door shut.

"I told that girl- I told her no." He said, clenching his teeth. I asked what happened again. "Emilyne wanted to ride the bike and I told her no because it was too big for her and that she'd get hurt. She kept asking me and asking me. I turned around for one minute and she fell off the bike!" He yelled, flailing his arms in the air.

"She got hurt?" I asked, ready to dash up the stairs to check on her.

"She's fine." He said, stopping me. "Just a little scrape." I ignored his response and went to check on her anyway. It wasn't that bad. Just a small scrape on the thigh. I had her sit on the bathroom sink while I cleaned her wound.

"You sure you're okay, baby girl?"

"I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"So what happened out there?" Emilyne darted her eyes across the room when I asked that.

"I wanted to ride the bike and daddy told me no, but I got on anyway and fell."

"Oh..."

"Daddy says I don't listen."

"Oh, that's okay, baby... don't worry about it." I set her down and kissed her cheek. "Go play." I smiled. She smiled back and went to her room to play. I had finished cleaning her up and then went to check on Brayden. He was lying on his bed, facing his window. I sat down next to him and rubbed his hair. "Hey buddy. You okay?" He shook his head. "Did what happened to Emmy scared you?"

He shook his head and sat up in bed. "No... Daddy scared me."

"Why? What'd daddy do?" He sighed and looked into his lap.

"Emmy wanted to ride the bike and daddy told her no, but she got on anyway and daddy pushed her off."

"No, Daddy said Emmy fell off the bike."

"No! He pushed her!"

"Buddy, I don't think so."

"But I saw it!" He whined.

"Brayden." I said, sternly. "That's enough, okay?"

"But mommy-"

"No... that's enough." He looked at me with tears in his eyes, frowning. I didn't realize what I was saying to him was making him so upset. "Go wash up for dinner." He closed his eyes tight as he ran into the bathroom. I couldn't understand it. That was the second time that he told me that Lucas had hurt Emilyne. I didn't understand why Lucas and Emilyne always had the same story and Brayden always told me a different one. There was something going on, I knew there was. But what?

Author's note: I realize I'm not being very suspenseful with this story, but that's kinda the point. lol, hope you enjoyed it. Review please!