A/N: This took me a long time to write and I'm not sure how I like it, but I'll let you all be the judge.
Also, I have decided the sex of Brooke and Julian's baby and a lot of you had some interesting arguments so it was nice to see what people thought, however none of you will know until I actually write it.
September
Chapter Three: Parents and the Start of School
"What are my boys going to be doing today?" Brooke asks as she stretches in the living room. She was currently four months pregnant and now that the morning sickness has started to lessen, Brooke's mood was that much better.
"I was thinking that I take Zack to get the last minute things he needs before school starts, what do you think?"
"That's a wonderful idea husband of mine. The list is on the refrigerator."
Julian walks over to the fridge and picks up the list before putting it in his pocket.
"We can't forget that," Julian turns his attention towards his wife. "Are you sure you are going to be fine staying her by yourself because you can always come with Zack and me?"
Brooke shakes her head as she lets out a breath.
"Nope. Zack and I already had part of the school shopping. I get the clothes while you get the supplies, that's how it works."
And it was true. Every time September rolled around Brooke had made sure that she got the best part of school shopping done, the clothes. It was like that with Sam and it was like that with Zack and it will be like that with their new son or daughter on the way. Julian always got the actually supply list, pens, crayons, markers, etc. That was the boring part and Brooke didn't want to have to deal with that.
"Okay, buddy, I need you to hurry up with breakfast and then I need you to get changed really fast and then we can go."
"I have to feed Raven, too, daddy," Zack reminded Julian.
Julian grins. Raven was a well taken care of dog.
"You're right. I almost forgot, but hurry up please."
-You Found Me-
"My parents are coming," Kyle announces at the breakfast table. Sam and Ashley's forks were stopped in mid air while Charley was looking intently at her plate. Her dad did not have the best timing. She knew that for sure.
Sam sets her fork down at looks at her boyfriend.
"When are they coming exactly?"
"In a few hours," Kyle whispers knowing he was in trouble.
Sam starts laughing and everyone at the table looks at her with confusion.
"I'm sorry; it sounded like you said they were coming in a few hours. I must have heard wrong."
Kyle freezes and Ashley and Charley decide that it's time to leave the table. They hurry out of the room and Sam gets up from her chair and brings her food to dump in the trash, her appetite had all, but disappeared.
"Sam," Kyle says as he slowly gets up from his chair. "Samantha, baby, talk to me," Kyle pleads.
"How long did you know that they were coming? Tell me the truth please."
"A few days, but I didn't know how to tell you."
"Okay, I get that, but bringing up your parents visit a few hours before they should arrive is way out of line. I need to prepare Kyle. I've never done this crap before. I don't know what I am supposed to do."
Kyle walks over to Sam and wraps his arms around his girlfriend.
"Look, they will love you because you love me and you love Charley. That's all they really need to know. They will see us happy and everything will be fine. I promise."
"I hope you're right, but I don't know if I can handle this."
"Then talk to your mom. Maybe she has some stories on how she met your dad's parents."
-You Found Me-
"Are your grandparents nice?" Ashley asks as she settles onto her bed. It was Ashley's room that the girls had chosen to retreat to.
"They can be. I don't see them very often and when I do they are nice enough. I guess, but like I said I don't see them very often unlike we see Brooke and Julian every day."
"Is it weird that mom is acting weird about meeting your dad's parents?"
Charley shrugs her shoulders.
"I have no idea. I remember when my dad was nervous when meeting Brooke and Julian. I think Sam is too afraid that they won't like her and that she isn't good for their son which is crap if that ends up being what they say."
"I agree. It's crap, they are so in love it's sickening.'
-You Found Me-
"So, we got your pencils and your crayons, what's next on the list Zack?" Julian asks his son as he pushes the cart forward.
"Notebooks."
Julian stops in front of the notebooks and looks at all of the wide varieties.
"Okay, I'm gonna need your help. What do you like more?" Julian asks as he holds up two different notebooks. "SpongeBob or Hello Kitty?" Julian asks with a grin.
Zack threw a glare at his dad before grabbing SpongeBob and throwing him into the cart. Julian just stands there laughing.
"I'm sorry Zack. Your face was so priceless. SpongeBob is definitely cooler than Hello Kitty."
"Yeah, and I'm not a girl!"
Julian grins.
"I know, I know. So, is there anything else left on this list?"
Zack looks at the list and nods his head even though Julian couldn't see.
"Folders, a protractor and a compass and mom added chocolate, but I think she had a craving or something."
"That's a really good explanation son. I'm assuming you want SpongeBob folders to match your SpongeBob notebooks and your SpongeBob pencils."
Zack nods his head with a smile.
"I love SpongeBob. Sammy does too, right?"
"Yes, Zack. I'm sure Sammy still does as well. Let's go find you some folders."
-You Found Me-
Sam storms into her mother's house in panic. In less than an hour Kyle's parents were set to arrive and Sam was just freaking out about it. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to feel. She didn't know how to act with Kyle around them. Did they hold hands? Did they kiss? Do they stay completely away from each other? She didn't know and it was one of these times when she needed her mom.
"Kyle's parents are coming in less than an hour and I'm freaking out."
Brooke looks up from the book she was attempting to read and just stares at her daughter.
"No, "good afternoon," or "how are you" or "how is the baby?"
Sam sits down in a huff and smiles slightly.
"I'm sorry. How are you and the baby?"
"Baby and me are fine," Brooke says as she places her hands on her stomach. "Now why are you freaking out?"
"Kyle just informed me that his parents are coming and I'm freaking out."
Brooke smiles.
"Every couple has that moment."
"I never had that with Austin," Sam says in reference to her ex boyfriend.
"Honey, Austin was an ass. He doesn't count. Look, you will be just fine I promise. It would've been better if you had a longer time to get used to the idea but,"
"I forgot to mention that Kyle knew about it a few days ago, but neglected to tell me because he didn't know how."
"I'd kill him," Brook responds honestly. "But I remember meeting Julian's parents and it wasn't great either."
"How did you meet them again?"
"I was never formally introduced to Paul. I just yelled at him and told him he was a crappy ass father and then we went on from there. As for Sylvia, I basically had called her old and shut the door on her face."
"It was Halloween, wasn't it?" Sam says with a smirk.
Brooke frowns and nods her head.
"Look, the point is. You will never be perfect in their eyes. No one can ever measure up, but that's a parent's way of keeping their child closer to them. Sam, as long as you meet them and you be yourself, that's all they want. They don't need some fantasy on how you live your life. Just be honest and if they don't like then that's fine. That's why people have the in-laws from hell. They would just be added to the list."
-You Found Me-
After Julian had purchased Zack's school things they had decided to head to the park so Zack could run off his extra energy.
Julian and Zack were in the middle of a game of tag when Zack stopped instantly. Julian had almost fallen on him, but he stopped.
"What's the matter?"
Zack turns to his father with a sad look.
"When the baby comes we won't get to do this anymore," Zack says before walking over to the bench and sitting down. Julian follows his son.
"Zack, having a little brother or sister is going to be fun because then you can play these games with them instead of your lame old dad," Julian says with a smile.
"You're not old," Zack says with a smile.
"What about lame?" Julian questions.
Zack nods his head.
"Yes, you are lame, but that's not the point. We can't have any father and son time when you're busy with the baby. I don't want that to happen."
"You're right it's not going to happen," Zack looks at his dad with sadness. "As often as we have been. I will always have time for all of my kids, but you just have to share your time now. It's going to be the same with Momma and with Sam. Less time with me, but there will still be time. Do you understand?"
"I have to share," Zack says with a nod of his head.
"Yep. You just have to share me. Do you think you can handle that?"
Zack nods his head with a smile before taping Julian on the arm and running away.
"You're it!"
-You Found Me-
"Mom, dad, come on in," Kyle greets his parents as he opens the front door.
John and Gloria Decker step through the door with tight smiles on their faces.
"You gave up your place for this," John mentions. "At least it's nice."
"Did you do anything to the house Kyle or is your girlfriend the head of this household?"
Kyle takes a breath and shuts the door.
"Yes, this is Sam's decoration ideas, but that's okay because I like it the way it is. Sam is just in the back with the girls, you two can take a seat on the couch and I'll get everybody for you."
Kyle walks away and John and Gloria take a seat on the couch.
"I like the house. It's charming. The question is is she treating our son and granddaughter right?"
"I'm sure everything is fine Gloria," John says with no care in the world.
-You Found Me-
After getting Ashley, Sam and Charley from the back, they had all settled into the living room and everyone was introduced to each other.
"So, Sam, Kyle says that you are a writer. I'm sorry to say that Gloria and I haven't had a chance to read any of your books."
"It's okay," Sam says with a kind smile. "I know a lot of people haven't read it and its okay although I need people to read it."
Gloria and John just smile at Sam.
"Ashley, I'm glad that you and Charley have gotten along so well. I bet it was hard when your mom started dating Charley's dad."
Ashley shook her head.
"Actually it wasn't because Charley and I were already friends and now we are just closer."
"Can I get you two a refill on your soda or something?" Sam says unsure of what to do right now.
"Yes, please," Gloria says as she hands her glass over to Sam.
Sam makes her way towards the kitchen and Charley gets her father's attention.
"Dad is it okay if Ashley and I take the car and go see a movie?" Charley asks before bringing her attention to her grandparents. "I mean as long as Grandma and Grandpa are okay with it."
"You have to ask them Charley."
Charley gives her grandparents the puppy eyed look.
"Can I go please?"
"Of course you can Charlotte. We will call you later."
Charley gets up from the floor and kisses her grandparents on the cheek.
"I'm just going to tell mom. It was nice meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Decker," Ashley politely says before leaving the room.
"Make sure you give Sam details as well please Charley," Kyle orders his daughter.
"Of course daddy. I love you," Charley says before kissing him on the cheek and leaving the room to tell Sam the details for the night.
-You Found Me-
"Zack and I had a talk today," Julian says as he places the bags on the counter in the kitchen. "He was really worried about not being able to spend any more time with me after the baby is born."
Brooke sighs and nods her head.
"I think both of our kids are worried about it. I already know Sam has issues without her even saying anything and I think it has to deal with the fact that she's adopted and Zack and this baby isn't. Then we have Zack who is worried that his father isn't going to have time for him anymore. I feel bad."
"Brooke, things will work out. Everyone will be fine and Sam has her own issues that she hasn't worked through, but we are here for her if she ever decides to deal with it. As for Zack, I think I settle it today."
Julian wraps his arms around Brooke and kisses the side of her head.
"How is baby?"
"Baby is fine, but he or she misses daddy. I can tell."
"I missed both of you, but now Zack is all set for school to start in two weeks. The summer went by fast," Julian mentions.
"Yeah, pretty soon, Zack will be graduating high school and having a girlfriend. Oh god, I don't want that to happen just yet. Zack is my baby boy. I don't want him to grow up."
Julian chuckles.
"Neither do I, baby, neither do I."
-You Found Me-
"It was nice to meet you Sam, but we best be going," John says as he stands up from the couch.
Sam shakes hands with John again and gives him a smile.
"It was nice to meet you too as well. I hope to see you again at some point in the future."
Sam just stands in the living room while Kyle walks his parents out to their car.
"What do you think?"
"She seemed nervous," John mentions. "It's understandable though. Sam is definitely not our first choice son, but from what we can tell, you love each other and the way she interacted with the kids was nice to see. I approve."
"Yes, son, I agree with your father."
"Tell Charley and Ashley we say bye," Gloria says before getting into the car.
Kyle stands and watches as his parents drive away. Gloria and John Decker had not changed a bit.
-You Found Me-
Kyle walks back into the house with a sigh.
"Are your parents always like that?" Sam asks.
Kyle nods his head.
"Imagine how I grew up. Anyway, now we won't have to worry about them for at least another year," Sam raises an eyebrow. "That's just how they are. They visit once a year and only call a few times a year. They're weird."
Kyle takes a seat on the couch and Sam is quickly to follow.
"Two weeks left of summer then we go to work, our kids go to school. How do you feel about that?"
"I'm excited. I love my job."
-You Found Me-
"Zachary Baker, get up, it's time for school."
Zack opens his eyes with a yawn. His mom woke him up and he wasn't really happy about it.
"I don't wanna go," Zack whined as he rolled over in bed.
Brooke just smiles. She never really had a hard time getting Zack up from school, but apparently today it was going to happen a little bit differently.
"Zack attack, get up now please," Brooke says before tickling her son awake.
Zack's laughter was so loud that Julian had found himself stumbling into the room.
"What's going on?"
"Momma, stop," Zack says out of breath.
Brooke laughs and stops tickling her son.
"Alrighty, get up and get a shower so we can eat and daddy and I can take you to school."
Zack whines as he gets off his bed and exits his room. Julian and Brooke laugh at their son.
"He's so much like Sam."
"Yeah, but here's what I don't get. She hated getting up for school in the morning and now she has to as an adult."
Brooke laughs at her husband and cuddles into him on their son's bed. Julian places his hand on Brooke's tummy.
"I love you."
Brooke smiles gently at her husband.
"I love you, too."
-You Found Me-
Charley and Ashley walk up to Ashley's locker so she could get her things for class. Charley and Ashley were happy that a lot of their classes were the same. As Ashley was digging in her locker, Charley had noticed two men walking their way.
"Looks like we have two new students."
The taller boy had brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. The boy next to him looked like his brother only he had brown hair and green eyes. He was wearing jeans and a basketball jersey.
Ashley closes her locker and looks at the boys.
"I thought you heard already."
Charley looks at Ashley.
"What do you mean?"
"The taller one's name is Mark Healy, he's sixteen and the shorter one is his brother Thomas Healy and he's fifteen years old."
"And do you want to tell me how you know this oh wise one?" Charley questions with a smile.
"Mom has them in her English class which just happens to be ours once again."
Charley smirks.
"This year is about to get interesting."