A/N:

A/N: The reviews were great and I thank everyone who reviewed to the last chapter: DaleSnail, Bluebear48, singdance, and Nelle07.

Than to Ever Live Without You

Chapter Nine

Christmas Day had come and all of New York was in the spirit including Kaelyn who sat in the living room with Katherine on her lap. She helped Katherine open gifts. She looked up as Damien walked out of the kitchen into the living room with two hot cups of hot chocolate and a bottle of chocolate milk just for Katherine. He sat them on the table as he sat on the floor next to the mother and daughter as Katherine ripped at the paper that was in front of her. She giggled at the sound of the ripping noise.

"Let mommy open a gift." Damien said as he pulled a small box from under the tree and handed it to Kaelyn.

Kaelyn gave him a smile before she started to open the box. Inside she pulled out a beautiful necklace. Katherine went to grab at it, but Kaelyn quickly moved it away and turned to Damien giving him a smile. "It's beautiful."

"I saw it and I knew it would be perfect. Here let me put it on you." He took the necklace from her hands and then moved behind her. Kaelyn lifted her hair for him where he put it around her neck and fastened it. Kaelyn turned her head and kissed him when he was finished.

"Daddy!" squealed Katherine and Kaelyn looked to see Chuck walking into the living room with gifts in his arms. She quickly turned from Damien and looked at Chuck. Katherine crawled from Kaelyn's lap and grabbed into the coffee table where she pulled herself to her little feet. She then tried her hardest as she walk as fast as she could without falling over to Chuck.

"You're walking." He said surprised.

"She started a couple weeks ago." Kaelyn responded as she also stood with Damien following in suit putting his arm around her waist.

"Up!" Katherine yelled up to Chuck as she stood at his feet with her hands in the air reaching for him to pick her up.

"Alright baby girl." He said as he sat the gifts on the couch and bent down to pick up Katherine who laughed as he picked her up.

"You've gotten so big." He said as he threw Katherine in the air and she laughed aloud.

"She has, I've been buying her new clothes nearly every week." Kaelyn commented in response.

"I brought gifts, but first." Chuck looked from Kaelyn to Damien. "Kay I was hoping that we could talk." He said.

"Mik!" Katherine yelled as she pointed to her bottle on the table. "Mik, Mik."

"I will get that for you." Damien said as he picked up the bottle and went to take Katherine from Chuck's arms. "And you two can talk." He said giving Kaelyn a reassuring smile before walking out of the room with Katherine in his arms who had already grabbed her bottle and was drinking the chocolate milk.

Kaelyn sat on the couch and Chuck sat on the couch right across from her and looked at her with a smile. "Kay I've been thinking lately and I'm sorry." He started.

"Sorry?" questioned Kaelyn.

"For everything that I did. I was wrong for running off with Amber and suggesting we separate. I've realized that I love you and I don't want to live without you… Kay I want to come home." He said as he leaned forward to Kaelyn. They sat for a moment in silence and then he stood and walked over to Kaelyn and sat next to her. He put his arm around her and Kaelyn moved away.

"Well I'm sorry." She said looking at him intensely. "You tore me apart when you left me. I didn't know what to do with myself and I was left here to learn to re-enter into society with a daughter to take care of. I tried to fight for us and you wouldn't have it so for now all I can say is no you can't come home and you will learn how hard it was for me and you will have to fight for me."

"I'll fight Kay. I want you back." He said looking at her and taking her hand into his. Kaelyn ripped her hand away from his.

"Well fight." She said as she stood and started cleaning up the wrapping paper that was already on the floor. She held in the tears that she felt inside as she picked up the paper.

"You are serious aren't you?" he asked as he watched Kaelyn for a second before standing and walking to her where he put his arms around her and held her close to him.

Kaelyn pulled herself away from him. "I am." She spat as she finished picking up the paper and walked into the kitchen with it to throw away. Damien sat at the table with Katherine on his lap who was now babbling something incoherent to him as if she was having an actual conversation with him.

"Really now?" he asked as if he really understood the ramblings that came from her mouth.

"We should finish opening gifts." She suggested with a weak smile.

"Everything alright?" He asked her as he stood holding Katherine who had her arms out to Kaelyn.

"Yeah." Kaelyn said as she walked to him and picked up Katherine who had then started to babble to her.

"Come on baby girl, Daddy brought you some gifts." Kaelyn said to Katherine as she walked into the living room where Chucks at on the couch waiting. Kaelyn put Katherine down so she could walk and she waddled her way over to Chuck who held a large box that Katherine immediately started to tear the paper away. Pulling at the paper with all her might Katherine fell to the ground on her butt and started to giggle before pulling herself back up and starting to pull at the paper again. Kaelyn now stood with the video camera as she taped Katherine's battle with the wrapping paper.

"No! No!" Katherine screeched at Chuck as he attempted to help her with the paper and she wasn't having it. She was convinced that she was going to do it on her own.

Damien and Kaelyn both laughed as they watched Katherine who was only a forth done with ripping the paper from the large box. Kaelyn felt Damein put his arms around her waist and she smiled as she leaned into his arms. Chuck glanced away from Katherine and looked over to Kaelyn and Damien. Kaelyn noticed his stare and her eyes met his before she quickly turned away and focused her eyes on Katherine who looked frustrated with the paper.

"Here let daddy help." Chuck said as he reached his hand and before he could even touch the paper Katherine was screaming at him angrily. He laughed as she went back to the paper. It took her nearly fifteen more minutes, but she finally got the paper off of the box and was now looking at the pictures on the outside of the box as Chuck sat assembling the pieces of the kiddy car that he had gotten her. Katherine sat yawning and whipping her eyes as she let out small frustrated cries.

"Nap time." Kaelyn said as she picked up Katherine who immediately started crying. "Stop fighting it. It's time for a nap." She said to the little girl who she started to rock in her arms and was once again yawning. While rocking her Katherine fell right asleep in Kaelyn's arms. "Let me put her down." Kaelyn said as she started up the hall and walked into Katherine's room where she put her into the crib.

Walking into the living room it was now completely awkward without the distraction of Katherine. It was now the three of them Kaelyn, Damien, and Chuck. Kaelyn bit her lip nervously as she stood tapping her foot on the wood floor.

"You're nervous, don't be." Chuck simply said looking at Kaelyn.

"What?" she questioned.

"You bite your lip and tap your foot when you are nervous." He said with a smile. He then stood from the newly assembled little car that Katherine was guaranteed to be riding around the house on all day when she woke up from her nap. "Well I'm done. I guess I will see you later. My dad is throwing a New Years paper I hope you can come." He said as he gave Kaelyn a smile.

"I'll see." She said as she started fiddling with her hands to keep her mind off of things. "I will take lots of pictures of Katherine on the car for you." She said.

"Thanks. It means a lot." He said with a smile before walking over to Kaelyn and grabbing her into a strong kiss. "See you later." He said with a wink before giving Damien a nod and leaving the apartment all together.

"Alrighty then I guess he is serious." Kaelyn said as she stood in the same spot starring at the front door.

"Serious about?" Damien questioned.

"He told me that he wants to come home and I told him he had to fight for me." Kaelyn responded as she still stared and then she started to move towards the couch the clean up the paper from Katherine's attack on the box.

"He will have a fight on his hands because I plan to fight also." Damien then said as he also started to pick up the paper. Kaelyn looked at him and he smiled. "I love you and I will fight just as hard or even harder to be the one who wins your heart."

"Damien please I just don't know what to do. I can't be split between the two of you. I've had this problem before and I don't know if I can handle it." Kaelyn said sitting on the couch with her face in her hands.

Damien walked over to her and sat next to her putting his arm around her. "If it is clear that I have lost I will back away. I won't smother you I will just keep my distance." He said giving her a reassuring smile. "But he will know that he is fighting for the heart of one of the most beautiful and wonderful women I know in my life that I have ever met."