Seville Seven Plus
About This Story: Following an accident, some news surfaces that is destined to change things for the entire Seville family. The chipmunk siblings deal with this new information and try to process things. Warning: some chapters contain more adult themes than others. Age-wise they are 15. I don't own any part of the Chipmunk franchise, just borrowing them from Nickelodeon, Janice Karman, & Ross Bagdasarian, their family, & their company.
About This Chapter: Rated PG-13, for the romantic situations, as well as some medical descriptions
Pairings: Alvin/Brittany, Theodore/Eleanor, Simon/Jeanette
11. Hope For The Future
"Hey, Alvin!" Eleanor opened the door to the Treehouse nearly three hours after getting home from the doctor's appointment. "I was hoping you would be the one Dave sent to check on Brittany. You're just in time. Won't you come in?" She smiled warmly and comfortingly, since she could tell he had been crying.
"Thanks." He nodded with a sniffle, while his eyes were red and puffy. "But actually, Eleanor, I'd like to talk with Brittany outside - you know, where Dave and my brothers can see us. And we have no temptation to..."
"Oh - oh, I see." Eleanor nodded as she understood. "Let me go get her. She's already in her pajamas, but I'll tell her to bring a blanket - maybe an extra one for you, too. And would you guys like some hot cocoa?"
"Yeah, that does sound nice. Thanks, Eleanor." Alvin blinked. "I'll just wait for her at the patio table."
Eleanor returned to the Treehouse patio a moment later, carrying two mugs of hot cocoa, with an extra blanket slung over her shoulder for Alvin. Brittany sluggishly followed her, dragging her feet clad in house shoes, while the rest of her was wrapped up in a blanket. Whenever she sat down in the seat to Alvin's left and adjusted the blanket, Alvin could see that she was wearing her pajamas and her robe underneath.
As Eleanor headed back inside the Treehouse, she paused to tell them, "If you guys need refills or anything else, just let me know." They both nodded and smiled to thank her as she went inside.
Once they were alone, Alvin glanced over at the girl who was almost the mother of his child. Her blue eyes had obviously been cried out, and were still red and puffy. He took a breath, still not really sure what to say. "Oh, Brittany... I can see you've been crying. I've been crying, too. I think I've cried for the past two or three hours straight, until I couldn't cry anymore."
Brittany nodded. "I just needed a little time to cry by myself, but I'm glad you came along so we could talk." She shivered after taking a sip from her mug and adjusting the blanket. "Although for selfish reasons, I'm hoping this won't be too long of a talk."
Alvin chuckled slightly. "Sorry about that, Britt. I knew if we talked outside in the cold air, there wouldn't be any desire to remove any clothing. And your sisters, and Dave and my brothers could be watching us through the windows, even if they can't hear us. But so we don't freeze out here, I'll try to make this as short as I can. Basically, Brittany, I'm sorry for...well, everything. This miscarriage may have changed a lot of our plans for the future, but I want to let you know that it doesn't change my feelings for you. I still love you very much, Brittany, and I..." he placed his left hand on top of her right hand. "If it's OK with you, I hope our relationship will continue, and even grow." He took a deep breath. "Brittany Charlene, M'Lady and My Princess, will you give me another chance? I'd like for us to have another chance to take things slow, and wait for...the physical stuff."
She smiled at him, letting her right hand gently take hold of his left hand. "Oh, Alvin Michael...when I said that I was glad we didn't get married for this, I'm so sorry if I let you think for even a moment that I meant that the end of this pregnancy was also the end of our relationship. I love you too, M'Hunky-Munk and My Hero. I'd also like another chance to take our time."
"Really?" Alvin started beaming. "To think I was so worried when I came over here that you might want to break up with me over this...traumatic experience of the miscarriage."
"Aww..." she squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry I ever let you think that. I mean, I know it's hard for us, and our family, but I know we can get through this together. I mean, married couples who are really meant for each other don't get divorced over this. Even though we no longer have a baby on the way, I kinda feel like our relationship has been reborn on some level. We've been too close since we've known each other to let our friendship and our relationship die. It feels better to know that our relationship gets another chance."
Alvin sighed happily. "Another chance... From now on, we'll have a clean slate. We can be abstinent until our wedding night..." he started to look uncertain. "...or we can learn to use other forms of protection. I mean, sometimes lightning strikes more than once. And if we know we've already 'been there', the temptation to return 'there' will be stronger, and it'll be harder to resist going 'there' again. Yikes..." but he shook his head and took a deep breath. "We don't have to talk about all that right now..."
Brittany chuckled as she stood to her feet and extended her blanket-wrapped arms out to him like the "wings" of a flying squirrel. "Come here, Alvin!"
Alvin took that as his signal to do the same, wrapping her with him in his blanket. "Let's make a chipmunk burrito!"
Brittany snuggled with her head resting against the left side of Alvin's chest. She could hear and feel his heart beating. Her hands held either end of her blanket to his back from right under his arms. He felt so warm as she leaned into him and his muscular, athletic arms enveloped her frame. With every breath, she inhaled his musky scent. He could be so thoughtful and sweet at times like this! Was he trying to stimulate her senses on purpose? Or was he just trying to keep her warm? It was going to be tough for her to keep her hands off of him before the wedding!
As Alvin held Brittany with his arms reaching behind her to softly rub her back, he thought about his conversation with Simon and Jeanette. For now, Brittany was his treasured baby! He could feel her shivering, so he held her closer to keep her warm. There was something so cute and irresistible about her when she showed her vulnerable side to him. It was her way of showing how much she trusted him. It encouraged him to share his vulnerable and sensitive side with her. With her body leaning up against his, and with her head snuggled next to his heart, it brought back memories of their middle school years when Alvin first discovered how much he loved her. Just the emotional intimacy he felt giving her his heart, and receiving her love in return! It was going to be tough restraining his desire for that physical affection before they shared a last name!
To keep her mind out of the gutter, Brittany turned her gaze to look at Alvin's eyes. He felt her movement, so he turned to face her. His forehead rested against hers, and his eyes closed to where his nose met hers. They briefly took in one another's scent as Alvin brought his lips to hers. Both of them tasted of the other for a short moment.
Brittany's hand came between their lips, and she cleared her throat. "A-hem... You did say the others are watching us?"
Alvin chuckled awkwardly as he turned his pelvis aside. "Oh yeah, right. Sorry if I got carried away, there."
She shook her head and shared the chuckle with him to ease the awkwardness. Then she gently planted a kiss on Alvin's left cheek. "I love you, Alvin."
He reciprocated the gentle kiss to her cheek. "I love you, Brittany." He shrugged as they both returned to sitting in the patio chairs. "And, just so you know, I was also ready to love...anyone else who we thought was coming along." He reached over to gently and affectionately rub her belly as he spoke. "I guess I'm gonna miss talking and singing to your belly a little. Now it's just gonna be weird. But, you know, for what it's worth, I think you'd look cute with a big baby-bump. And you would make a great mom for my kids."
"Aww, Alvin..." She squeezed his left hand affectionately. "I feel so much better knowing that you would still be around, and still think I was attractive, even once my belly got too big for your arms to fit around me, and my elephant ankles could no longer fit in my favorite shoes." She sighed. "Not that I wouldn't want to subject myself to that someday...hopefully years after my 'Sweet Sixteen', and after a big white wedding - er, white-ish wedding - to a successful rockstar." She winked over at him. "...And maybe even enjoy a few years where I can travel and tour with my husband. Have him all to myself for a while before he starts giving shoulder rides, horsey rides, and piggyback rides to play with our kids. And then one of them yells, 'Dog-pile Daddy!' And the other twenty-nine of the kids jump onto him."
Alvin's eyes widened. "Thirty kids? Really?"
Brittany laughed looking at his expression. "Look who's suddenly good at math! Just joking about that, you know, it started as my nightmare, but I turned it around to make it your nightmare, too. I didn't want you to feel left out. But if it makes you feel better, maybe some of those kids are cousins to ours."
Alvin chuckled as he reached under the table. "I'll admit, I was kinda looking forward to playing with my kids - hopefully our kids - like that someday. And I even got a little something for you. I wasn't sure if I should give it to you for Christmas, or if I should wait for a baby shower sometime in early spring. But since the baby shower thing won't happen this year for us... Anyways, I thought you could open it now." He placed a glittery golden gift bag on the table. There was a tag tied to it that read, "To: My Precious One. With Love From: Daddy."
Brittany's eyes widened. "Oh, Alvin... In the spirit of 'waiting' in our renewed relationship, are you sure I shouldn't wait until Christmas?"
Alvin giggled. "No, it's a baby gift, and in light of the miscarriage, it will be too depressing to open it Christmas morning. But I definitely want you to see it for some closure to...well, everything that's happened to us in the past year. Besides, when Christmas morning comes, you can still open my gift that's just for you."
Brittany smiled with more enthusiasm. "Oh, OK. I get a 'me gift' for Christmas, but this is a gift for the baby - that could've been." She started looking a little saddened again, but she took a deep breath as she took out the white tissue paper.
"Aww!" She squealed as she pulled out a tiny red baby onesie. "Short sleeves, so it could be worn when the baby comes in probably May or June!" She noticed the design printed on the front. It looked like the design that was on Alvin's backpack in middle school - the Jolly Roger with the skull wearing a red baseball cap and the crossbones made of guitars - all outlined in black. "Oh! For the bit of Daddy in them!" She giggled. "Or does this mean you were hoping for a boy?"
Alvin chuckled. "Nah. I wanted them to have that whether they were a boy or a girl. Since either would have all of my love, and half of their genetics from me. I mean, if we had a girl, we could just give her a hair-bow and a matching tutu. Full disclosure - I consulted Auntie Eleanor for designing it to be for either a boy or a girl, and she sewed it. There's also something on the back."
She looked on the back and noticed it said "Seville" in white cursive letters outlined in black, with the "I" dotted with a red heart outlined in black, with a black arrow shooting through it. There was even a slit in the back to make room for a chipmunk tail. "It's so cute!" Brittany squealed as she stood up and pulled him up into a hug. "Oh, Alvin, I would've been so thrilled for my kids to call you 'Daddy'! You really would've been a wonderful dad! And now, I might cry again. Sorry, the hormones are still there."
Alvin embraced her and patted her back at waist-level. But he balled his hands into a double thumbs-up as he held and rocked her for a few moments. "I could cry again, too. I didn't even think that was possible, since I spent the last three hours crying my eyes and my heart out. But unlike you, I can't blame it on hormones." He released his hold on her. "Well, Britt, do you feel like turning around, yet?"
"What?" She shot him a puzzled look. "Why would I want - "
"SURPRISE!" The voices sounded like Dave in addition to the other four chipmunks.
"Oh, you guys!" Brittany squealed giddily as her sisters and Alvin's brothers enveloped her in a group hug.
Jeanette explained, "We wanted to give you any baby gifts now, so we can...have closure before Christmas."
Eleanor added, "We also wanted to show you how much we love and care about you, and how much we want to be together with you through this, as your family."
Dave stood on the ground and handed off a small wooden trunk to Theodore, who was waiting on the mid-point landing below the Treehouse patio, which had stairs between the Seville yard and Miss Miller's yard. With a wave to Brittany, he explained, "I didn't get to wrap this gift, but you can store some of these baby gifts in here, kinda like a 'hope chest' for sometime years from now, after any of you get married and wish to start a family."
"Dave, thank you!" Brittany sniffled as she walked down the stairs to give her father a hug around his neck and a kiss on his cheek, once he picked her up. "I love you, David Seville! You are the best Daddy ever!"
He returned the kiss to her cheek. "After all, Brittany, your last name may not be the same as mine yet, but I still love you very much, and I have considered you my daughter for the past ten years. So I'm also thinking it could be like a dowry someday, as well."
"That is so sweet of you, Dave!" She sighed, with her arms still wrapped around his neck.
Once she let go to look at him, he smiled at her. "I'm so glad you're feeling better, Brittany. Now, I'm gonna let the others spend a little time with you and show you what they got you - er, for the baby that you almost had. In the meantime, I'm still getting some dinner ready for all seven of us. So come inside whenever you're ready." He placed her back on the landing of the staircase before he headed back inside.
When Brittany came back up the rest of the stairs to the patio, Simon gave her a larger brown gift bag. Inside it was a chipmunk-sized infant car seat. "Theodore and I worked on a car seat for your baby that would fit in Alvin's little red roadster. I don't mean to spoil other surprises, but we were still working on one for the hybrid bike, as well as a safety helmet."
Alvin helped Brittany open a few other smaller generic baby gifts from the others, like various baby blankets, bottles, and bibs to put into the hope chest. Brittany cooed about how cute each item was, shedding a tear or two every time about how she was still saddened that there wouldn't be a baby for them this time. Then Eleanor would comfort her by saying that someday their kids would love them or look so cute using them.
Once the last of these items was placed into the hope chest, Theodore came over to hug both Alvin and Brittany in a sandwich-hug. "We just want you guys to know that we love both of you guys, and we would've gladly welcomed your little one - or more. I think the first baby chipmunk for the next generation would've been loved as everyone's baby."
"Aww, Theo!" Brittany sniffled. "Here come more waterworks! But don't worry, these are happier tears now. You - not just you, Theo, but all four of you - would make awesome uncles and aunts, as well as godparents someday." She sighed contentedly. "Oh, I almost forgot one more thing for the hope chest." She went back to the patio table for the onesie that Alvin designed. "Look what Alvin designed - then Eleanor made it! Isn't it adorable?"
"Aww!" The others all cooed as Brittany displayed the front and the back.
Brittany unfolded it more, and motioned to the snap-closed crotch. "And this will come in handy so Daddy can easily change all those diapers! Hint, hint..." She patted Alvin's arm and chuckled after putting the onesie in the hope chest.
Simon playfully nudged Alvin. "Someday, Theo and I will be avenged after all those years of dealing with your stinky socks."
"Not that we wouldn't be happy to help out and spend time with our niece or nephew." Theodore hugged Alvin from the other side.
Jeanette smiled as she knelt to close the lid to the hope chest. She stood up to pat Brittany's left shoulder. "It would've been another adventure for our whole family to do together. You know, it may not be breaking a diamond-smuggling operation, or escaping from an island where we are stranded as a volcano is about to explode. But we would've gladly been there with you in the midst of it."
Eleanor hugged Brittany from her right side. "I'm personally relieved that we didn't have some kinda 'pregnancy pact' going among the three of us sisters. I mean, I may just be speaking for myself - but I'm not ready to be a mom yet. But I would've still been excited to be an auntie."
"I'm with you, Ellie." Jeanette nodded as she opened the front door to the Treehouse so that Eleanor could bring the mugs and blankets back inside, and so that Simon and Theodore could move the hope chest inside. To them, she said, "I guess you can set it in the entryway for now. We can think of a better place for it sometime after dinner." She returned to Brittany's side. "But...yeah...about that 'pregnancy pact' Ellie mentioned...I don't know...maybe we can revisit that one of these days, hopefully years from now, after we're all married."
Simon saw her throw a quick sideways glance at him. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he looked over at his brothers and gulped. "You guys realize this means that we may all one day become uncles and dads together."
Alvin and Theodore looked at each other and shrugged.
"I'd be OK with that." Alvin smiled.
"Yeah, me too." Theodore nodded. He then sighed, "I guess I'd better get used to the concept that the day is coming when I will no longer be the cutest chipmunk."
Alvin rolled his eyes. "That day already came some time when you were about thirteen."
Theodore laughed. "No, it didn't. It really came when we were in Kindergarten and we met the Chipettes - but especially when I met Eleanor." He smiled over at her with a nervous giggle.
"Aww! Theo, what a sweet line!" Eleanor giggled as she came over to hug him. "Keep talking like that, and I may have to get my sisters to invoke that 'pregnancy pact' sooner."
Theodore laughed again. "But I thought we agreed to invoke the 'marriage pact' before invoking that pact?"
Brittany's eyes lit up. "Oh, Theodore, that's brilliant! You are such a genius! We should totally have a 'marriage pact' - you know, all get married together, like a triple wedding. That would be so awesome! Oh, this is so exciting to think about planning our triple wedding!"
"Whoa! Calm down, Britt!" Alvin placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I'm crazy about you, too. At least wait until I can propose to you with the perfect ring. You know it'll be several years after college and a very successful world-wide tour before I can afford one."
Brittany took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah...thanks, Alvin...sorry I got a bit carried away there. The pregnancy hormones are still in place. According to that pamphlet from the doctor's office, I'm still considered pregnant, and I'm still taking prenatal vitamins." She saw Alvin blink with a concerned expression. He didn't even have to vocalize his question. "You know, until I either do that 'D and C' surgery, or...I pass everything naturally on my own."
Alvin winced with her. "Are you leaning to one choice or the other yet?"
Brittany looked worried. "I don't know. It's scary thinking about going under the knife, but at least the doctors would know what they were doing, and I would be blissfully unaware of the pain, with all the drugs. But I'm more in my element with my family at home - whether it's the Treehouse or Dave's house. That almost sounds like a 'home birth' to me, except there's...all the blood, bodily fluids, and tissues, just no baby. And like an actual birth, I don't really have any control over when or where it happens."
Alvin pulled her into a comforting hug. "Well, call me if anything happens before your doctor's appointment. I mean, I was there...for the start of this pregnancy, and I was hoping to be there when my baby came, but for now I'll settle for...the end of the pregnancy, as unpleasant as it sounds. I know I'm not your husband yet, but this is one of those 'worse' things I would take you for if I were your husband - as in 'for better or for worse'." He affectionately kissed the top of her head.
"And we'll be standing by for that as well." Simon spoke up. "Theo and I, as well as Dave will be on call for that, too. I mean, we'll do what we can at home, but we may need access to medical treatment at a hospital. You know, if we still can't stop the bleeding or alleviate the pain from the cramping contractions."
"OK, enough of that, Simon!" Alvin glared at his older brother. But he rubbed Brittany's back and continued to hold her close. He said in his gentler voice, "Can't you see you're scaring My Princess?"
"Aww..." Brittany looked up at Alvin. "And you were grossing out My Hero!"
Eleanor gagged. "And now you guys are grossing out the rest of us."
The group shared a chuckle, before Theodore looked at his phone. "And on that note, Dave just texted me to let me know that dinner is ready."
Jeanette sighed happily, "This wouldn't be the first time we've talked about someone's genitalia over dinner. Remember Alvin's skateboard accident several years ago?"
Alvin cringed as Simon patted his shoulder. "That's another reason why this pregnancy was such a miracle for the rest of us."
Brittany motioned across the footbridge from the Treehouse to the balcony of boys' bedroom. "Come on, guys, this pregnant lady is still getting hungrier by the moment. Since I'm already in my pajamas and house shoes under this bathrobe, I vote we go this way. Wait...does my vote still count twice?"
Alvin chuckled. "Even if it doesn't, I'll go that way with you. We'll be in the warm house much faster."
"What are we waiting for? Let's go eat!" Theodore held Eleanor's hand as they led the way across the footbridge.
Alvin had his right arm around Brittany's shoulders as they walked across the footbridge. Brittany's left arm was around his back at waist-level, with her head resting against his right shoulder.
Simon waited for Jeanette to lock up the Treehouse before the two of them took up the caboose to cross the footbridge. She beamed at him to thank him for waiting for her. He responded by placing his right arm around her shoulders. She leaned into his shoulder, hugging him around the back at waist-level with her left arm.
"Oh, Simon, your shoulders feel a bit tight." She smiled into his eyes. "Do you need to make an appointment for another massage?"
He chuckled as they shared a quick kiss to the side of their lips. "Sure, Jeanette, that sounds great! When can you do me - er, massage me?"
Jeanette seemed to think for a moment. "Hmm...well, I promised Brittany she would be my next client - either tonight after dinner or some time tomorrow. Could I get to you after that?"
Simon smiled. "Oh, absolutely! Perfectly understandable to do Brittany's appointment next - you know, given the circumstances."
THE END
A/N: Alvin's backpack design (hence, the design on the baby onesie) is based on the black backpack he has in various episodes of the Nickelodeon cartoon. I noticed on the cartoon that they have a landing between the Treehouse patio and the ground, and I'm thinking it should have two sets of stairs - one from Ms Miller's yard, since it's in her yard in many episodes - and one from the Seville yard, since they visit each other so often. I've also never seen Dave visiting the Treehouse. I assume that he can't fit in there, but he never even hangs out at the bottom of the staircase to just say hi. But several other humans do that (Ms Croner in "Good Luck, Mister Whiskers", Mrs Havisham from "Mister Manners", Amber and Annie in "My Sister, The Weirdo", the photographer from "The Treehouse"). Alvin's stinky socks are mentioned from the episode "A Room Of One's Own". Jeanette mentions breaking a diamond-smuggling operation, which is from "The Chipmunk Adventure", and being stranded on an island when a volcano is about to explode is from "Chip-wrecked". Alvin's skateboard accident is from my other fanfic "Munkin' To The Extreme". In that same story, there is a footbridge between the Treehouse and the boys' bedroom window, instead of the zip-line seen in the cartoon.
