Okay. VALENTINE'S DAY CHAPTER! With an unsuspected twist at the end. It's good, it's good. Okay, so that means time skip. Little less than a month. I decided the birthday is Nov. 23rd so, 3 months after that is Jan. Soooo, next month= VALENTINE'S DAY! Other good news is, I'm so much better; I'm going back to school tomorrow. But, the bad news is, to get rid of my cough the doctor prescribed a medicine that makes me dopey and tired and unable to think straight. But, if I don't think about it, it goes away. But, I'm getting dosed up at 10, so, gotta write fast. Stevie Rae and Rephaim are only in the beginning. The rest is our other main couple, except for a brief interlude with Lillia. One more thing, I don't have a single review for the last chapter. But, that's okay. You guys'll get around to it. BTW, comment on whether you like Lillia and Alex, please? Thanks. Read On!

Chapter 10: Loved

Stevie Rae

"Mommy, no tired." Kalleb told Stevie Rae when she tried to put him down for a nap. School was out for a day for Valentine's Day and she wanted time with Rephaim.

"No nap, Mommy." Her daughter followed suit. This was normal routine, but they'd be out like a light once they were in their cribs.

"Yes. Sleep tight, ya'll." She kissed their foreheads and turned out the light.

"Hi, honey." Rephaim told her as she walked out.

"Hey." She sat down next to him. "Happy Valentine's Day." She pulled a box of chocolates from behind her back.

"Thank you." He pulled out a teddy bear and gave it to her. They kissed and it was long, sweet, and romantic. "And thanks for that, too." He smiled. She punched him softly in the arm.

"You're such a guy."

"Last time I checked." She punched him again.

"And what do you know, a jackhole." She muttered (a jackhole is a word I created and a combination of a jack-a, and an a-hole. Don't curse, remember? –StevieRae2011).

"Am not, just trying to make you laugh." It worked. She cracked and let out a giggle.

"Alright." She leaned in and kissed him again. It remained slow and sweet.

"Let's watch a movie tonight, just the two of us." He suggested. Before the twins came along they used to that all the time, but hadn't done it in a while.

"Sounds like fun. How about Titanic?" she loved that movie, but the end always made her cry.

"Fine. Anything for you, I guess." He, on the other hand, hated it. It was too mushy.

"Awww. I love you."

"Love you, too." She popped the movie in and cuddled up next to the love of her life.

Zoey

"Why don't we take the girls out to lunch for Valentine's Day?" I asked Stark. We were curled up on the couch just cuddling. Lillia was over for the day off like always. She was on the opposite couch. We were all waiting for the twins to wake up.

"Sounds good. But, what if Lillia doesn't want to go." He looked at her and I knew who he directed the statement to.

"I'd be happy to come, if I'm not a burden, Zoey." She smiled at me. I loved this girl like my own daughter. Of course she wouldn't be a burden.

"Of course not. Hmmmm, if Joi and Layla sleep much longer they won't sleep tonight. How about you go wake them, Lil?" I told her.

"Sure." She left and I got an idea. But, I wouldn't tell Stark until later, when all the kids were in bed.

"Where do you wanna go?" Stark asked me, shocking me out of my thought. He still only looked 17, but his eyes were the right age, Wiser with the accomplishment of adulthood.

"Applebee's, IHOP, or Subway." I told him.

"Applebee's." he told me. It was Stark's favorite restaurant.

"Did I hear Applebee's?" Lillia asked, walking out with a baby on each hip.

"Yep. Don't you remember that's Stark's favorite, too?" I asked her.

"No. but, I figured you'd overrule him when he brought it up. Again."

"Actually, she gave me the option. And she does not overrule me." Stark said, outraged.

"Yes I do." "Yes she does." Lillia and I said at the same time.

"But-" We gave him a look that said We have elements. Where are your arrows? "Okay, yes she does." he submitted. We girls high-fived because we'd overruled him again.

"Can we just go now?" he asked, pouty.

"Sure, honey." I gave him a kiss and went to take Layla from Lillia. "Hey Lay-lay. Are you hungry?" I cooed.

"Food Mommy." She said.

"I hundwy." Joi said. Stark, Lillia, and I all laughed at how cute they were and they laughed a little, too. We laughed harder.

"Well, come on, then. We'll go get some food."

Lillia

Lillia looked at Zoey and Stark and Lay-lay and Jo-jo. She realized she wished she had a family. Or, more importantly, had this family. She wanted Stark, with his cocky grin and loving, kid eyes as a father. She wanted the strong and sensitive High Priestess who she considered to be a mom to actually be her mom. She wanted little dark haired and funny Layla as a baby sister, as well as tiny light-haired Stark-ish Joi. She wanted them to adopt her but knew it could never, would never be. So, she settled for being here right now, holding Joi and laughing with the only parental figures she'd ever known.

Zoey

I saw something sad flash through Lillia's eyes even as she laughed. I wondered what was wrong but didn't ask. We walked to the car. I let Stark drive us in his Kia. Lillia sat in the back, and I watched her make the girls laugh.

(10 minutes later) Stark

Stark felt Zoey had an idea. As they sat laughing and eating lunch he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Are you going to tell me this idea of yours?" He was concerned, she never kept secrets.

"When all the kids are asleep." She replied and left it at that. She reached over and fed a bite to Layla and he did the same for Joi. Lillia told jokes and made everyone laughed. Like Zoey, he loved her like his own.

"Lillia, have you decided what you're going to be once you get out of school?" he asked, obviously forgetting she was High Priestess in training.

"I'm going to be High Priestess, remember?" She lifted up her leader of the Dark Daughters necklace.

"Oh yeah." Stark laughed and the other grown-ups followed suit. They all had a very fun afternoon/ night.

(7 hours later) Zoey

"Stark, we should adopt Lillia." I said, finally telling him my idea from before.

"What? No. We already have enough trouble with the twins."

"Stark, she's almost never had a family. I know what it's like to be alone. And so do you." I was referring to when he first died.

"I know that, but we have no room."

"I'll hire a freaking contractor to add an extra bedroom. Stark, she's 16. She needs a family."

"I know. But, Zoey, we can't take her in. What if she rejects the change? It'll hurt too much." Neferet had taken the secret with her, but I had an answer to that.

"So, wait. We should throw out our kids, too. Because they might reject the change? And, Stark, you blood carries that potion. So does Stevie Rae's and Kramisha's and Johnny B.'s. I tasted it in yours."

"No. And, wait? It does?"

"Yes. So, now what's your excuse?"

"I'm not good with worrying about people. I care about her too much already. If we adopt her, she'll be mine, and it'll be my job to worry for her."

"Oh. Stark. You can't be afraid to care. We can do it. We do it with Layla and Joi. What's one more tally?"

"Another mouth to feed." He mumbled in a way that stunk of defeat.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes." He sighed. I jumped into his arms and gave him a big sloppy kiss on the lips.

"I can't wait to tell her." I said.

"I'll bet you can't. But don't wake her up. Let her sleep." He told me. He was so sensible.

"Okay." I walked into the girls' bedroom. I kissed each of my girls on the forehead, including the one who wasn't officially mine yet.

(The next morning/night) Still Zoey

"Lillia we have something to tell you."

Lillia

She heard Zoey tell her that she and Stark needed to talk to her. A thousand thoughts rushed to her head. Were they mad at her? Was she in trouble? They didn't want her to stay with them anymore?

"Lillia, how would you feel about us adopting you?" Stark came right out and said it. Her heart exploded in joy. She screamed.

"Yes! I've wanted that for, like, ever!" she shouted. She ran up to Zoey and hugged her. She did the same to Stark.

"Lillia, I want you to know you've always been like a daughter to me. I just wanted it to be official." Zoey told her.

"Same for me." Stark said.

"Oh. I've always thought of you guys as parents. I still can't believe it. Can I call you Mom and Dad?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course you can." Zoey and Stark said together. Lillia couldn't tell you how many times 'Mom' or 'Dad' had almost slipped out when it came to them. Lillia looked at her new parents and Zoey and Stark looked at their new daughter. They all burst into happy tears. Zoey's and Lillia's were loud and messy while Stark's were silent and slow.

A couple minutes later, everybody wiped their tears. And, like a dream come true, Lillia sat down with her family for breakfast, the day after Valentine's Day.

Okay. Really good chapter that I'm proud of. I love the character of Lillia and am proud to have invented her. Ha-ha, I made Stark cry. The last part in Lillia's PoV is a reminder Valentine's Day isn't just for couples. It's for families and friends and all who share a love that is true. Whether that love is friendly, romantic, or familial depends on the relationship. But, that's enough life lessons. As much as it shames me, I'm 11 and my bedtime (scowls at word 'bedtime') is 10:30, so, I must go. Hoping you enjoyed, StevieRae2011, signing off.