A/N: So sorry it took so long for me to update! I had part of it written, but then I got busy with finals and work stuff, and my head has been planning future chapters instead of focusing on this one. But thanks for all the reviews and hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 9 – Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

"I take it that's Collin's mom?" Megan said as she looked over Don's shoulder at the picture of him and Kaitlyn at the fair.

Don nodded slowly. "Apparently she'd just found out she was pregnant when this was taken."

Megan sighed, sitting down on the edge of his desk. "You wanna talk about it?" she offered gently.

Don looked up at her and gave a faint smirk. Leaning back in his chair, he started with a sigh, "Collin made a scrapbook, filled with pictures of him from this one all the way up till now. All the firsts, the birthday parties, the trips to the park or the zoo, all of it…" Megan gave him a small smile as he looked down at his hands. "It just reminded me how much I missed."

"Yeah, but Don, you didn't know," Megan said firmly. "And he's only seven years old. You've got the rest of his life to be there."

Chuckling slightly, Don nodded. "Yeah. I just don't wanna miss any more," he admitted quietly.

Smirking, Megan told him simply, "Then don't."

-0-

"Hey Don," Kristen greeted in a rush as she answered the door. "Come on in, Collin's upstairs, but he's already got most of his stuff scattered all over the kitchen, as you can see," she informed him as she ushered him inside and gestured to the mess on the kitchen table.

Don smirked. "My brother's the same way, and he's college professor."

Kristen chuckled. "Yeah, try living with two boys under the age of ten, a toddler, and a teenage girl, plus me and my husband, when he's home. This house is never clean," she sighed.

Don smiled in understanding.

"Mom!" Ryan called, coming downstairs with a toddler. "Take Eric," he told her, handing his little brother over.

"Why? What –" Kristen stopped short, once she was holding the toddler she could smell why her oldest wanted her to take him. She sighed. "Ok, I'm gonna go change your brother, will you go tell Collin his dad's here, and finish getting ready. Chloe should be home in a few minutes and then we'll leave," Kristen told Ryan.

The boy nodded with a roll of his eyes and headed back upstairs.

Kristen glanced back at Don. "Welcome to the crazy house," she sighed, before adding, "Make yourself comfortable," as she went upstairs.

-0-

When Chloe walked in the house, she saw Don and Collin at the kitchen table, and as soon as she had set her backpack down, her aunt had come over.

"Ok, I just changed him, and he's already eaten. There's leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry," Kristen informed her as she handed Eric to Chloe. "We should be back in a couple hours."

Chloe nodded as Ryan came over, one headphone in and his eyes glued to his Gameboy.

"You ready?" Kristen asked him. She got a noncommittal grunt of acknowledgement. Rolling her eyes, she gave Eric a quick kiss and told Chloe, "We'll be back later."

"Bye," Chloe smiled at her.

"Later loser," Ryan muttered as he followed his mother.

"Later dork," Chloe responded in kind, closing the door behind them.

Smiling at her younger cousin, she carried him into the kitchen where Don and Collin had the volcano construction materials spread all over the table.

"Hey Chloe," Don greeted.

"Hey." She saw the pensive expression on his face as he was looking around at the materials, and asked, "Have you ever made a volcano before?"

Don nodded. "Yeah, but it's been a while," he admitted.

Chloe smirked, but Collin held up a piece of paper and told them, "I printed out the instructions off the internet."

"Good, we may need them," Don sighed.

"You guys have fun with this," Chloe commented with a chuckle, turning back towards the living room.

-0-

"So, is that it?" Collin asked as they put the last pieces on.

"I think so," Don nodded. "I think as soon as the glue finishes drying it's good to go."

"Awesome," Collin smirked. He looked over to the living room where Chloe had been working on homework while Eric played in the playpen, but Chloe had gone outside to take a phone call.

Don followed Collin's line of sight, and asked, "Who's she talking to?"

"Probably Rick," he shrugged as he began cleaning up.

"Who's Rick?" Don questioned as he got up to grab the trash can to make cleaning off the table easier.

"Her boyfriend."

Don raised his eyebrows, but before he could comment, Chloe came back inside.

"You guys finished already?" she asked, making her way over after checking on Eric.

"Yep. What d'ya think?" Collin replied.

"I think it looks like a volcano," she answered with a smirk. "Good job."

"Thanks," Collin smiled. "Did you say 'hi' to Rick for me?"

Chloe scowled at her brother. "That was Tyler, nosy," she retorted pointedly.

"Sorry," Collin drawled with an eye roll. "What did he want?" he questioned lightly.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe muttered, "He's still getting used to closing by himself."

"So why's he calling you?" This time it was Don asking.

Chloe shrugged, "Mr. Slater's getting me used to it. That way he doesn't have to spend as much time training me when I officially become the assistant manager," she added, seeing Don's confused look.

"'Assistant manager'? Congratulations," Don told her as Collin took the extra supplies back upstairs.

"Thanks," Chloe replied. "It's not official yet, but as soon as I graduate the job's mine."

Don nodded. "That's a big step," he commented.

She shrugged as she grabbed a soda out of the fridge.

"So I take it you still haven't applied to college yet?" Don guessed.

Rolling her eyes, Chloe retorted, "Been talking to Amita?"

"She's just trying to help," Don shot back.

Chloe sighed as she leaned back against the counter. "I know."

"Can I ask you something?" he questioned lightly.

"Would it stop you if I said no?" Chloe asked bluntly.

Smirking slightly, Don shook his head. "Not really."

Looking down, Chloe had a small smile as she remarked, "Guess he gets that from you then." Don smiled.

After a moment, Chloe gave him a look that said to go ahead and ask.

Pausing for a second, Don asked softly, but blunt, "Is taking care of your brother the reason you're not even applying to college?"

Chloe took a deep breath before answering quietly, "That's part of it, but no. It's more complicated than that."

Nodding slowly, Don watched her face for a minute before Collin came back into the kitchen holding up a DVD.

"Have you ever seen this one?" he asked his dad.

Don looked at it for a second. "No, don't think I have."

"Wanna stay and watch it?"

The expectant puppy dog face on Collin's face had Don fighting not to laugh. "Absolutely," he told his son.

Collin smiled, then looked over at Chloe, who simply told him, "You know where the popcorn is."

-0-

When Kristen and Ryan got home, they saw Don and Collin watching the movie with a bowl of popcorn, while Chloe was working on homework, and occasionally glancing up at the movie.

"Oh I love this movie," Ryan said, jumping on the couch next to his younger cousin.

"Eric in bed?" Kristen asked Chloe.

"Yeah, I just put him down about twenty minutes ago," Chloe answered, handing her aunt the baby monitor.

Kristen smiled. "Thank you," she said softly, kissing her niece on the forehead.

Chloe nodded, but Kristen followed her gaze and watched Collin with his father, and the happy look on both of their faces. Kristen ran a hand through Chloe's hair that got her niece to look up at her, and they shared a knowing smile.

-0-

"Do you see him?" Alan asked as he and Don entered the gymnasium where the science fair was set up.

The rows of tables and crowds of people made it difficult to try to see where Collin was.

"Hey, you guys made it," Chloe said as she came over.

"Of course we made it," Alan replied as if there shouldn't have been any doubt.

Don rolled his eyes, but Chloe smirked, "Come on, he's set up over here."

"Hey Grandpa," Collin greeted enthusiastically as he hugged his grandpa and then his father, "Hey Dad."

"Hey kiddo," Don replied with a smile as he returned the hug.

"This looks great Collin," Alan told him as he looked at his grandson's volcano and poster board.

Collin smiled. "Thanks. Dad helped."

While Collin was explaining everything to Alan, Chloe noticed Don's expression.

"He's glad you guys came," Chloe told him with a smile.

Don smiled. "So am I."

Chloe sighed. "Those pictures really got to you, huh?"

Glancing over at her, Don paused for a moment before letting out a quiet chuckle as he nodded. "I just don't wanna miss any more than I already have," he admitted.

"So don't," Chloe shrugged simply.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter! Like I said, I have the next few chapters planned out, I just have to write them. So hopefully it won't take me too long to update. In the next chapter, you'll find out how Don and Kaitlyn met, and why Chloe hasn't applied to college. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!