AN: Here's my holiday gift to you all wonderful readers an update Yay!

Chapter 11

Musa woke up to a throbbing in her head like the energizer bunny was banging on his drum and he kept going and going. She rubbed her eyes scanning her surroundings and realized she was not in her room, but had woken up once again in Riven's bedroom and she had no clue how she got here. To be honest she didn't care how she got there all she really wanted was for her headache to go away. She went to get out of bed to find some aspirin, then noticed the two sitting on the table with the water. "Thank you Riven." She said aloud grabbing the pills popping them into her mouth and chugged them down with water and prayed they didn't take forever to relieve the pain. Making her way to the bathroom she borrowed Riven's comb once she got a glimpse of herself in the mirror and ran it through the bird's nest that had become her hair. When she was finished she emptied the comb into the trash, then put some toothpaste on her finger and used it as a makeshift toothbrush to get the taste of morning breath and stale beer out of her mouth. When she was done in the bathroom she washed her hands and went to the kitchen in search of some much needed coffee.

Finding everything she needed was easy enough since Riven had everything set out on his counter next to the coffeepot. Then prepared a pot of coffee and leaned against the counter listening to it percolate as the aroma of the joyous caffeinated drink wafted through the room. Once it was done she poured herself a cup and made her way to the living room. It was there she noticed Riven sprawled out on the couch with an arm and a leg hanging off side and head barely on the edge his mouth hanging open. "That cannot be comfortable." She thought. Taking a sip of her coffee she sat on the sofa enjoying the quiet and waited for Riven to wake up.

Around her second cup of coffee she noticed Riven starting to stir. "Morning." She said once he'd finally opened his eyes.

"Morning." He replied groggily rubbing his eyes while doing his best to sit up without falling off the couch.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Coffee would be great." He mumbled out.

Placing her cup on the coffee table she went to the kitchen made him a cup and was standing in front of him a moment later with a steaming mug of black coffee just the way he liked it.

"Thanks." He told her taking the cup.

"No problem." She told him grabbing her coffee and sat down next to him. They didn't say much after that, Musa knew Riven wouldn't be up to do anything until after his first cup of Joe.

"So how bad was I?" Musa asked breaking the silence once Riven began drinking his second cup.

"Huh?" Riven looked at her quizzically.

"Don't huh me. You know what I'm talking about."

"Oh you mean your drunken behavior."

"Yes."

He took a deep breath and sighed, "Well in the beginning you were fine danced, played pool, rode the bull, but later well… you decided to reenact the scene from Coyote Ugly where Piper gets up on the bar and starts singing Can't Fight the Moonlight all while taking off your clothes."

"I did what!" She screeched.

"If you want to see I'm sure you can find videos of it on YouTube."

"Oh my God." Musa exclaimed cradling her head in her hands.

Riven patted her back sympathetically.

"Hang on." She said her head jolting up, "You were my bartender last night." Musa pointed her finger at him accusingly.

"Yep." Riven nodded.

"Then why the hell would you give me tequila? You know it-"

"Makes your clothes come off." He finished smiling at her.

Noticing the mischievous twinkle in his eye "Jerk!" She said punching him in the arm playfully. "Don't kid about that stuff."

He just smiled and took a drink of coffee.

"Seriously though how bad did I embarrass myself?"

"You didn't." He said placing his cup down on the table.

"Really?" She asked unconvinced, "Because when I go blackout drunk usually I can get very handsy."

"You were fine nothing like that happened." He lied sparing her the embarrassing tale of her trying to feel him up. "The worst thing you did was try to walk a straight line to prove to me that you weren't drunk you fell and I had to help you up."

"Phew that's a relief."

"Question though?" He said.

"Yeah?"

"Why wasn't your license in your purse?"

"Huh?' she looked at him confused.

"I was just going to take you back to your place last night, but I didn't know your address. I figured it'd be on your license but when I went to look at it, it wasn't in your purse." He explained.

"I'm surprised it wasn't in there." She told him honestly, "I guess it must've fallen on the floor when I was exchanging purses since I didn't need that big of one last night."

Before he could reply Riven's cellphone started ringing. Checking the caller I.D. it was Layla. "What's up Layla?"

"Have you had your coffee yet?"

"Yeah just finished."

"Good. When you get dressed I need you to come in so we can get the bar cleaned up. And bring Musa with you, I'm assuming she's at your place since her trucks still in the parking lot."

"Okay." He said, "How'd it go at the doctors?"

Layla gave a heavy dejected sigh, "I'll tell you when you get here." Then she hung up the phone.

"What's going on?" Musa asked.

"Layla wants us to go help clean up the bar." Riven told her.

"I figured that much. I mean how'd it go at the hospital? Did they figure out what's wrong with her?"

"She didn't say but from the way she sounded I don't think its good news."

"Then we should hurry and get there." Musa said.

"Agreed." Riven replied.

They both got up and went to Riven's room Musa to grab her shoes and him to change.

Rushing inside the Fruity Music Bar they saw Layla and Nabu sitting at one of the tables together.

"What's going on are you alright? Tell me it's nothing serious." Musa pleaded with worry as she ran to her friend.

Riven was there right with her he didn't ask questions but his whole body language radiated concern.

Layla looked at her best friend and grabbed her husband's hand she took a deep breath, "We're pregnant!" She beamed proudly jumping out of her seat.

Musa's face went from worry to shock then to happiness in milliseconds. The two friends hugged and squealed with delight while they jumped in place. Riven seemed to visibly shake off his worry before smiling and extending his hand to Nabu in congratulations while they did that half hug/handshake that men do.

"Hang on if you're pregnant why did you sound all freaked out and worried on the phone?" Riven asked a bit annoyed.

"Oh that. I just wanted to freak you guys out a little that's all." Layla said with a wave of her hand as if it were nothing.

Riven sighed but let it go if that's how she wanted to freak people out before telling them she was pregnant it was her business. There was no point in dwelling on it. Though in his youthful days he probably would've gotten pissed and stormed out the door. Ah memories he thought to himself.

"Alright now let's get this place into tip top shape. We're closed today so let's get as much done as we can today, so we hopefully won't have to do anything tomorrow." Layla said with exuberance.

Layla and Musa each grabbed a bin to start clearing tables while Nabu and Riven went to the stage to take down the haystacks. While the girls were on their way taking the filled bins to the kitchen Nabu was coming back inside and swiftly took Layla's whose bin seemed rather packed with glasses and bottles. Layla growled and placed her hands on hips. "And just what do you think you're doing?" She demanded of her husband.

"This seemed rather heavy so I figured I'd take it to the kitchen for you." He told her as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Layla took a deep breath "Nabu I'm only going to tell you this once so you better listen. Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I've become an invalid."

He made a protesting noise but she held up her hand. "Let me finish. Yes in the future I'll need your help but as of right now I am completely capable of handling this myself. If I need help I'll ask for it got it?"

"Got it." He said.

"Good." Then she took the bin and made her way to the Kitchen Musa following.

Nabu looked over at Riven who had come in after he'd taken the bin from Layla. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked his friend.

"Don't ask me Dude. I'd rather not have my horse in this race. If my knowledge is correct pregnant woman can get away with murder and I'd rather not be on her hit list."

"Can you believe him?" Layla asked annoyed as they separated the glasses and bottles, glasses going into the sink to be washed and bottles in the recycle bin.

Musa just shook her head. "Cut the guy some slack Lay it's your first child together he just doesn't want anything to happen to you or the baby." Musa told her calmly setting a glass in the sink.

"I guess you're right I did get a little overzealous didn't I?" She said putting a bottle in the recycle container.

"You did." Musa agreed.

"I'm going to apologize I'll be back."

"Take your time I've got things covered here."

After she emptied separated both bins Musa began washing all of the glasses.

"Brought you some more." Riven said as he walked into the kitchen holding a plastic bin full of bottles and glasses.

"Thanks just set it on the counter." Musa told him as she washed a glass.

"Want some help?" He asked leaning against the counter.

"Sure I'll wash you rinse." She told him holding out the glass she had just been washing.

He took it rinsed it off and set it in the strainer to dry.

They continued like that until the sink was empty and then they both went and emptied the other bin, and resumed their wash and rinse routine only for Riven to accidently splash Musa with water as he vigorously rinsed a glass.

"Hey." She sputtered.

"Sorry." He told her.

It's okay." She told him then splashed water from her side of the sink at him.

"Musa." Riven proclaimed.

"Sorry." She smiled at him.

"No you're not."

"I know." She agreed.

He just huffed and when she went back to washing he splashed her again.

"Riven!" She playfully chastised.

"Musa!" he replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

They both stared at each other mischievously before splashing one another relentlessly with water, and what didn't land on their person sloshed in puddles on the floor. As they laughed joyfully. Musa grabbed of the bigger glasses and filled it with water from her side of the sink and tossed all of the water in it at Riven.

"You want to start going bigger okay. Well then you asked for it." He said and grabbed the sprayer and squirted her mercilessly.

She screamed and laughed while trying to wrestle the offending item from his hands. In their struggles they slipped in the puddles of water they created. Landing with a thud Musa was on her back on the floor as Riven hovered over her slightly. As they lay there panting for breath Riven stared into her captivating blue eyes. Oh how he missed just gazing into those enchanting orbs of hers, missed the softness of her touch, and in a moment of reckless abandon he pressed his lips to hers damning the consequences. He felt her stiffen shocked by his action a moment later she relaxed and kissed him back tentatively. He brushed her wet hair away with his thumb and she sighed leaning into his touch.

That was the sight Layla and Nabu saw as they stood in the doorway to the kitchen lured by the screams and crashing sound. Layla smiled grabbed her husband's arm and pulled him away letting the two have their moment.

AN: Thank you for reading and I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year.