Riley grabbed her messenger bag from beside her office desk, throwing it over her shoulder for the long weekend ahead. She was excited that school started again, seeing her students that were once Juniors now Seniors and ready to leave start their lives. But, she was ready for a little mini vacation. The phone on her small desk, covered in pamphlets and reports rang and she pressed the speaker button, not wanting to sit back down at her desk.

"Yello." She said as the woman on the other end cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Uh, Hey Rye… There's a woman here to see you?" She said slowly, carefully as Riley's eyes narrowed on the red button.

"What's her name?" She sighed, putting her bag down on her desk and sitting back down heavily in her chair knowing the outcome of this conversation.

"Debbie. She says she's your mom?" The younger woman questioned as Riley put her face in her hands, giving it a hard rub before pushing her blonde bangs back from her face.

"Yup, send her in." She said clicking off the phone and rolling her eyes. "This ought to be good." She said to herself. Before long a woman in a jean jacket, leopard print shirt and black pants came into view down the hallway through Riley's glass office windows. Riley looked at the older woman as she smiled before opening Riley's office door.

"Oh wow, Rye you have your own office? This is something!" The woman said, going around the desk to give Riley a hug. Riley stood quickly, putting her arm out and pointing towards the seat on the other side of her desk. Riley knew she wasn't here for hugs.

"What can I do for you Deb? I don't have any money…. And how'd you know where I work?" She asked with a glare, taking a seat in her chair. Debbie kept the smile on her face, looking around her daughter's office.

"Well, Rick told me…" She shrugged as Riley rolled her eyes.

"Of course he did, you went to see dad?" She questioned, putting a hand to her face. "Now I have to clean up that mess… What do you want?" She asked again, crossing her arms over her chest as Debbie's face fell at her daughters harsh disposition.

"I am here to see my baby girl." She shrugged as Riley rolled her eyes, getting from her chair and grabbing her messenger bag. She opened it, taking out her wallet and grabbing what cash she had on her from it.

"I only have sixty on me right now, OK. So, take it and go." Riley said, handing her mother the cash as Debbie shook her head.

"I'm not here for money Rye. I'm here to see you, see how accomplished you are. I mean, this is great!" She said looking around her office as Riley leaned down against her desk.

"I was leaving for the day and have a great long weekend ahead of me, OK. I don't need this bullshit so, please take this and go." She said slapping the wad of twenties on the desk in front of her mother before heading towards her door. Debbie looked at the cash and then her daughter, holding open the office door for her to get up and leave. Debbie sighed, grabbing the cash from the desk and walking to Riley, handing it back to her.

"I'm not here for this, this time Rye. Really." She said softly as Riley squinted at her in disbelief. Shaking her head she took the money back from her mother and started towards the school exit. Her mother followed behind her as they made their way out of the building. "If you can just stop and talk to me, I'll leave you alone." Deb said in labored breaths as she tried to keep up with her daughter's fast steps.

"Fine, what?" Riley asked, turning on a heal as Deb stopped short in front of her. Deb caught herself before running into the angered younger woman before her and looked around her surroundings. She saw a nice coffee shop down the street as she smiled, pointing towards it.

"There, let's go catch up and have some coffee." She said taking her daughters arm in hers as she walked them down the street.

"So, how have you been?" Debbie asked as Riley looked over at her with a furrowed brow.

"Good?" She asked in a question as Debbie smiled nodding her head, as they made their way across the street. "Are you dying or something? Is that what this is?" She asked as Debbie chuckled.

"No, I don't think it would take me dying to want to see you."

"No, just money and running out of it and making sure you have enough for a case of beer." Riley responded, pulling away from her mother's arm linked to hers, making a b-line to the café. Debbie followed behind her as Riley looked over her shoulder at her mother every now and again at the smiling aging woman's face. Blonde hair with graying at the roots and her always "rocker" persona with dark eyeliner and red lipstick on her wrinkled face from years of smoking. She tried to remember the last time Debbie needed a "visit" with her daughter, almost four years ago.

Riley walked back from Willow's apartment shaking her head with a large smile over her face from something Mikey had told her earlier as she noticed someone standing outside her apartment building. She squinted and then sighed shaking her head and putting her hood up to try and make it past the older woman without her noticing. Riley walked up the small stoop as the woman looked at her, trying to see around the large dark hood. Riley felt her hands clenching into fists as Debbie sighed, putting her hand on her hip.

"You don't think I don't know my own daughter?" She asked as Riley rolled her eyes.

"What?" She asked as Debbie opened her arms for a hug. Riley stepped back from her, having Debbie drop her arms with a false pout.

"You really won't hug your mother?" She asked as Riley nudged past the woman to unlock her apartment building door.

"What do you want?" She asked as Debbie held the door, walking in with her unamused daughter. Riley sighed making her way to her small, one bedroom apartment.

"I wanted to see you…"

"And?" Riley asked unlocking her apartment door, not bothering to hold the door open for her mother as Debbie slipped inside.

"Well…" Riley shook her head reaching to her small cross body bag grabbing a wad of cash from it shoving it into her mother's chest.

"Here, leave." She said simply as Debbie fanned the money in front of her.

"I wanted to see you too." She added with a shrug. Riley snorted, grabbing a beer from her fridge and sitting down heavily on her old, torn love seat.

"I don't wanna see you." Riley said simply as she clicked on her TV as she twisted the cap off her beer, and took a swig. "It's all I got on me." She said looking at her mother still standing in her small kitchen.

"Is this really what you think of me?" Debbie asked softly as Riley laughed again with no humor behind it.

"What else is there? You have enough there for some smack and beer. Just don't bother dad, he doesn't need your bullshit." She said, flipping through the channels as Debbie felt tears sting in her eyes.

She always went to Frank first, to mix up old memories and put him in another hole of hurt and devastation when she left almost as fast as she came. It always broke him a little more each time, and Riley knew it even though he said he wasn't ever effected. It just made Riley's hate for her mother deeper.

Riley opened the café door, not leaving it open for Debbie as she took a seat at a table near the window. She tsked as it rocked back and forth, looking down she noticed the feet of the table were off. Taking a sugar packet she shoved a couple under the off level foot of the table, leaning back in the wooden, unfomrotable chair. She was not mentally prepared for this bombard of her mother. She was never emotianlly ready for her mother in general but, she knew she was had to hold herself together and get though this before she could finally go home and relax with Mikey for their long weekend. She was wondering what he was doing as Debbie sat across from her, a big dumb smile on her face putting her small black purse on the table. Riley's stomach twisted in anger as she glared across the table at her mother.

"So, Mikey is cute. How long have you guys been…"

"What the fuck is this? Really?" Riley asked again, as Debbie smiled softly.

"Really Riley, I'm older. I missed a lot, you're a grown woman now and have a wonderful career and did good for yourself. I'm sad that I missed so much of it…"

"All of it, you missed all of it." Riley said shortly, getting from the table as the chair squeaked against the tiled floor. She noticed people around them look over at Riley's sudden movement putting her head down and going to the counter to order a coffee. Debbie followed behind her, that same dumb smile across her aged face.

"Oh, those scones look good, huh?" She asked Riley pointing to the bake case as Riley furrowed her brow in almost disgust at her mother's act.

"Large black please." She said, scowl still hard on her face as the younger man with a beard and tattoos up his arms took her order. "Do you want anything?" She asked out of habit as Debbie smiled, moving Riley aside with her hip playfully.

"I got it, a small black please and two of those chocolate chip scones." She said taking out her wallet. Riley eyed her for a moment putting her wallet back in her bag as she watched her mother take out a debit card. She watched almost in amusement as Debbie swiped the card waiting for the decline, but beeped with approval.

"You win the lottery or something?" Riley asked, taking her coffee from the younger man and walked back towards the table. Debbie rolled her eyes with a smile, putting a couple dollars in the tip jar before following her daughter to sit at their table.

"Something like that." Debbie shrugged, placing the scones in front of Riley. "I'm clean, been clean for almost two years now." She said with a bright smile as Riley arched a brow.

"Ok…" She said slowly… This was new territory. She never knew her mother to be clean. She knew her mother to try and get clean, fail and be so strung out that she couldn't form complete sentences. She knew her mother to be clean, but drunk off her ass twenty four seven. She knew her mother to be clean but, smoking weed until she passed out. But, she never knew her mother to be clean.

"I even quit smoking, and drinking. No vises, well… Coffee." She chuckled. "But, one day at a time." She said with a shrug as she took a bite of her scone. "Those are good, have one." She said moving the plate closer to Riley.

"Um, so where do I fall into this?" Riley leaning back in her seat, her black coffee in her hand as she barely sipped it.

"I want to be here for you now. I want…"

"I don't need, nor do I want that." Riley said shaking her head. She placed her coffee on the table as Debbie reached over, placing her hand over Riley's. Riley looked down at them, noticing the track marks faded between her mother's fingers as she pulled her hand away. "Deb you…"

"I hate when you call me that…" She said softly, looking down at her plate as Riley rolled her eyes.

"It's your name." She said shortly as Debbie met Riley's eyes, tears starting to glisten in them as Riley rolled hers at her mother's antics. "See, I knew this was a stunt." She said, leaning back in her chair.

"It's not Rye, really."

"Fine. So, you wanna be like besties now, great. What about all those times I tried to do this when I was younger? When I actually needed a mother, instead I was stuck cleaning up your vomit and needles to hide them from dad?" She asked leaning her body over the table, as her hands clenched in fists under it in a harsh whisper. Deb felt tears run down her cheeks wiping them away before anyone else in the small café could notice their argument.

"I know, I know this is a lot for you… And, I'm asking a lot from you…" She said softly. "But, you're my one and only daughter, my only family. I know all I've done is mess up. I'm sure that's how you've always seen me, is a mess up. Even before, when I would come and ask for money…" She said looking down ashamed. "I still loved you." She shrugged as Riley snorted a laugh, feeling the prickle of tears in her own eyes but, swallowing them down quick. She would never give her the satisfaction to believe that she had any effect on her.

"Are you even aware what that is? Really?" She asked as Debbie nodded her head.

"It took me awhile but, I figured it out and it all lead me to you. Everything kept bringing me back to you." She said, reaching across the table in attempt to hold Riley's hand again. Riley watched her mother's hand slide slowly over the crumbs and sugar before softly touching her hand that was clenched tightly around her paper cup. Leaning back in her chair and crossing her hands over her chest out of her mother's reach she met her mother's sad eyes from across the table. "I know this is a lot, my sponsor said it was going to be a lot for you to take in and you were gonna reject me… But, I shouldn't take it personal because…"

"Really? You shouldn't? Because it wasn't the drugs choice to leave me and dad, it was yours." She said as Debbie nodded.

"But, that's just it Rye, it was the drugs, drinking and wanting to be on the road. I was young and…"

"I know, I've heard this story." She said shaking her head. "So, you wanna catch up?" She asked shaking her head and taking another pull of her coffee not believing any of this. Deb took off her jacket in the warmth of the later afternoon sun shining in from the large window. Riley noticed the familiar track marks on her arms, old and faded. She checked again trying not to miss a fresh wound and didn't see one.

"I would like to catch up, yes. Mikey… He's cute?" She said with a smirk taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, how do you even know about him?" Riley asked, shaking her head.

"Your dad talked highly of him when I went to see him and showed me a picture of you two at Willow's wedding. She's so beautiful now too, all you girls are." She said with a small smile as Riley shook her head looking out the large window at the people passing by. "How long have you two been a thing?" Deb asked as Riley rolled her eyes.

"Three years." She shrugged as Debbie's eyes widened.

"Holy shit Rye, that's amazing! He must be something to keep you interested that long." She smiled as Riley sighed.

"Yeah…" She said in a breath of a laugh. "I wonder where I get that from." She said as Deb's smile faded.

"With catching up I also wanted to apologize…" She said softly as Riley eyed her mother attempting to keep her attention outside the window.

"You don't have to. I'm fine." She said as Deb shook her head.

"I know you're not and it's OK not to be." She shrugged as Riley snorted a laugh again.

"Yeah. You learn that at AA or some shit?" She asked as Deb nodded slowly. "Great. How many chips you have?"

"The last time I saw you… It was just so awful I couldn't do that to you anymore and I knew that regardless if you rejected me today or not. After I came for the money, I ended up in the hospital after seeing that look of just disgust on your face much like you have today… I tried to kill myself." She said softly as Riley's face turned completely towards her mother now. Her brow furrowed as she leaned in closer to her what her mother was saying. "I went to Rick to apologize too and he said he didn't need it but, you did."

"Well, he's wrong. I'm good." She said with a shrug turning back towards the window in disinterest.

"Well, like I said I still need to…"

"For you, you need to. Not for me."

"It's a part of this yes, but that doesn't mean I didn't want to Riley."

"OK, so what you had a midlife crisis and now you think coming in and putting a band-aid, buying me a coffee and scone that all of the shit I've dealt with my whole life will just go away and we're cool? It doesn't work that way Deb." She whispered harshly moving the scone away from her as the plate slid roughly against the table. The two sat silently for a minuet before Riley shook her head, looking back towards her mother's sad face. "Why do you think I'm a student counselor?" She asked as her mother looked up from picking at the scone meeting her daughter's angered eyes. She shrugged as Riley turned her body to the table, engaging in the conversation for the first time since sitting down. "…Because the one I had in high school was one of the best people I met in my life. She drove me to go to college and get my degree. She helped me and dad with financial aid when she didn't even have to! I was already graduated her job was done, but she kept helping. She was there for me and for dad and she didn't even have to be. Someone that had no connection with me other than me being a student at the high school she worked at helped more than the person I was literally born from." She tapping her finger in anger and emphasis against the table as she leaned over it, keeping her eyes locked on her mother's. "I still keep in touch with her, visited her on Sunday. She's met Mikey for Christ Sakes! But, the one person I did want there couldn't have given two shits if I got my degree. The one person I wanted, I needed to know about everything wasn't, ever, there."

"I'm here now though, Riley." She said softly, attempting the grab her daughter's hand again as Riley moved it under the table.

"Too little, too late mom."

"So, what happens now?"

"They didn't go over this in your class?" Riley asked with a snarky tone as Debbie's soft face finally took on a familiar glare Riley was so used to consuming her mother's face. The glare she would get after screaming matches as a teenager, the glare she would see whenever she tried to pry the bottle from her mother's sleeping hands, the glare she would get as Riley nearly cried on the kitchen floor scrubbing the bile and liquor from the tiled surface.

"No, they didn't." Debbie said shortly, crossing her arms over her chest. "And don't think I didn't notice you looking at my arms." She said leaning in across the table now, in a harsh whispered. "I told you I was clean." She said as Riley shrugged.

"Sorry? I don't exactly trust your word. I'm ready to go, are we done?" She asked as she noticed tears start to well in her mother's eyes again. "Jesus…" She sighed, giving her a napkin.

"I needed to come here, I needed to do this for you and for me even if you didn't want to… Want to… I don't even know. Forgive me? Dance off into the fuckin' sunset? This is all new to me too Rye. I never had all these feelings or felt like I needed anyone in my life. The drugs and boos just took over everything, there was nothing else…" She said wiping her tears with the rough napkin Riley gave her, dabbing under her eyes. "I loved Rick, your dad I loved him so much and it scared me. It terrified me to the point that I ran. You were so beautiful…" She said as her bottom lip quivered. She put her napkin over her face to hid her tears from the other patrons in the café as Riley did a quick scan around to make sure no one was too invested in their conversation to come over and say anything. "My beautiful little girl…" She sniffed, shaking her head as she covered her face with her hand, looking out towards the window. Riley sighed, rolling her eyes trying to push down sting of tears as she clenched her hands tightly under the table leaving crescent shapes in her palm from her nails. "All of my decisions were fucked, I know that. I even knew it when I was doing it but, the want for drugs was just so strong Rye. It was like nothing I've ever felt…" She said shaking her head and wiping her finger under her eye to stop her mascara from running. "It's the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, an addition like that and it's so hard to fight… I didn't want to fight anymore." She said putting her face in her hand, taking a slow breath before lifting her head up to look at her daughter. "But, I needed to get to that place to get here. I needed to get clean before I could see you again. I couldn't put you through anymore…"

"This is the thing though…" Riley interrupting, taking a long breath in and out before continuing. "There is nothing more you can do. It's all been done, all of it. Your fuck ups, my fuck ups. They're in the past and buried and that is where I want… Need them to stay. My life now, everything that worked hard for day in and day out was done because of me and dad. Everything that is going good in my life now, everything that I need now, I have. I am sorry to say Deb, that you're not apart of it… Clean and sober or not..." She said with a shrug. "I just can't have it in my life anymore." Debbie felt more tears sting in her eyes as she dropped her head, nodding it slowly.

"You're a strong woman, Rick raised you well." She said with a shuttered sigh.

"I'm glad you're clean… If you really are…" Riley said slowly trying to find the right words. She didn't know what she was feeling. Angry, definitely. Sad, and frustrated… Possibly because everything her mother is saying to her now is something she wanted and wished for, for so many years and now. But, now it's as if it's falling on deaf ears. "This is just…" Riley sighed, trying to fight back the tears that were catching in her throat. "I'm glad you're clean De.. Mom…" She shrugged as Debbie smiled sadly, reaching across the table again. Riley hesitated, her hand twitching as she saw her mother's hand reach for her own. She resisted her bodies reaction to shift and pull away, letting her mother place her hand over Riley's knuckles. Riley clenched her eyes tight as she felt the sting of tears. She saw her hand in her mother's, the similarity between them. The same shape and length of fingers, the wrinkles and creases over their knuckles. Riley took her hand back slowly, putting in on her lap underneath the small table.

"She looks just like you…" She could hear Mikey's voice in her head as she cried on her childhood floor months ago. She could feel the sting of hurt and flare of anger in her chest as a teenager seeing the small post-it note on the fridge in her mother's sloppy handwriting that she left again. She could smell the stale beer and vomit of her mother's friends after a long night as a young Riley stepped over them carefully and slowly to make her way to her small mattress in the corner of the small apartment her mother called her own when she first separated from Rick. She felt the hate, anger and pain from all these years she kept buried inside her for her mother, for her younger self, for her father all come crashing up to the surface.

"I'm glad you're clean…" Riley said again, her voice shaking rubbed her sore hands on her thighs. "But, this is the last time I want to see you." She closed her eyes slowly before meeting her mother's fallen face. "It's for the better for you, and me. I am sorry that this didn't end up with unicorns and balloons like you wanted, but this is what I need from you. You want to do something for me? Do this. Leave me and dad alone." She said, getting her messenger bag from the floor and pulling it over her shoulder. "Please…" She whispered softly, a tear slowly moving down her cheek as she took another slow breath. "Good-bye Deb." She said getting from the table. She felt her mother's hand on her sleeve as she passed her but, the weight of it fell almost as quickly as it came.

She heard the bell of the café ring over head as she fresh autumn air hit her hot, flushed cheeks. Her chest felt like there was a cinder block on it as she shuttered a breath in and out. She never knew what a panic attack felt like but, it couldn't be any worse than this.

She walked down the side walk, not looking back at the café she knew her mother had walked out of after hearing the same bell chime shortly after her. She just walked, forcing herself to not look back and see the look of hurt and confusion on her mother's face. She had to walk away for her own sake, her own sanity. She had wanted this day for so long, waiting for her mother to come back, wanting those unicorns and balloons but, reality of it was too much. Looking at that strangers face across from her, so familiar and haunting she couldn't image seeing it every day without feeling pain, regret, anger. She was so angry… She clenched her hands tightly into her light trench coat pockets as she walked. Walked away from her past, her mother, and everything that she's been waiting and wanting for her whole life, a mother to be there for her and love her. She needed to just walk away from all of it.

She walked to the train, scanning her metro pass and sat. Her eyes glared down at the dirty metal floor of the train as people's feet walked pass. She heard the muffle of people around her, some coming to sit beside her, other's standing in front of her but she kept her gaze ahead.

"Last stop, Monkaue." She heard in a muffled voice over the intercom of the train as she picked her head up. She furrowed her brow, looking around the nearly empty train and stood. Her legs felt stiff from sitting for so long, her hands cramped from clenching onto her leather bag. She walked outside and the smell of cold ocean air hit her warm face. She closed her eyes and heard the waves crashing on the beach.

She started walking again, until her shoes were flooded with sand and cold ocean water. She took a deep breath, her eyes looking up towards the dark sky. Stars were clearer out here over the ocean. She looked down the beach and saw no one, nothing but darkness and some lights along the coast.

It wasn't until she felt her lungs burn and the sound echoed back in her ears that she realized she was screaming. The freezing air from the sea making her tears dry to her cheeks as she took a shuttered breath in, coughing as she fell to the cold sand. She dug her hands into it gripping it in her fists as the waves gently kissed her knuckles.

"You did this to me every time." She said, her voice horse as she looked out towards the blackened water, the moon shifting and moving to the waves. "I can't do this anymore…" She sighed, leaning back on her heels and closing her eyes as she looked up at the night sky. She furrowed her brow feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket. She clenched her eyes shut, shaking her head to herself. "Fuckin' idiot." She sighed, looking at the time and missed calls from Mikey, Willow, Felicia and Izzy. She scrolled through the messages, reading all his asking where she was, if she was OK? He said he was going to find her and to wait where ever she was. That was the last one sent over an hour ago. She looked towards the beach and got to her weak, shaky feet as she brushed the wet sand from her trousers.

Walking back to where she came she noticed a set of headlights on and a familiar shadow watching her from the boardwalk. She stopped, looking back down at her phone as she walked towards the parking lot, squinting to make out the familiar figure.

"I'm glad you didn't leave yet…" He said softly, meeting her halfway down the steps that lead to the beach. His hands tucked into the large pocket of his grey hoodie. He kept his hands there as she walked up to him finally noticing his face covered in worry, sad eyes rimmed with red and puffy cheeks blotchy as if he had been crying. "There's a tracker on your phone…" He said, his voice rough as the waves crashing against the beach behind them. He nodded to her phone in her had as she looked down at it and back towards man she loved. "I borrowed Izzy's car to drive up here…" He said, thumbing behind him up the beach at the luxury SUV that sat in the closet parking spot crooked, as though he didn't even stop the car before he got out of it. "I thought I was gonna get a speeding ticket." He sighed and snatched the back of his head in a nervous habit, giving a small beautiful grin that made her heart leap to her throat. She felt a sob leave her lips rushing up the rest of the cement steps as fast as she could, crashing into his strong body.

"I love you so much…" She cried into his chest as Mikey moved her hair from her face.

"You ever do this to me again and I-I don't know what I would do babe..." He sighed into her hair taking in a breath of her. He didn't know what she was doing all the way out here but, he was overjoyed that she was safe. He felt his stomach twist and turn in worry as he watched the navigation system Donnie gave him that tracked exactly where she was, or at least where her phone was. He kept his nunchaku in the back seat in case he needed them, not knowing what he might be furiously driving towards as he reached the tip of the state. Riley shook her head to herself at her stupidity, burying her face into his warm chest and taking a breath of him in. He felt her chest raise and fall against his with a small smile as he rubbed her back. "You're frozen, let's get you in some heated leather." He said, taking her bag from her and putting an arm around her waist. "What are you doing out here?" He asked as she sighed, shaking her head.

"I can't talk about it right now…" She said softly as he nodded, opening the passenger door for her as she climbed in. The heated seats felt good against her frozen body as Mikey jumped into the driver side of the compact SUV. He sighed, running a hand through his hair before looking over at her in the passenger seat. He furrowed his brow, watching her as she wrapped her arms around herself, putting the seat buckle on slowly. Her cheeks were red from the cold hair, but her eyes were rimmed red. He knew something bad happened but, he didn't want to push her… But, he didn't know if he could drive in silence with her beside him if this was something to do with their relationship. He didn't want to think she'd cheat…He didn't want to even have that thought but, his stomach twisted in anger and sadness at the thought anyways. He sighed, putting his seat buckle on, and turned the radio off, turning up the heat and putting it to the hottest setting on Riley's side.

"When you can talk about it, I would love to know." He said after a few moments of silence. "…Because this…" He sighed looking around for other cars before turning onto the road and started for the way back home. "I can't… Lose you…" He said softly, almost ashamed of it as she turned to look at him. It was dark in the cabin, the only lights coming off the console and street lamps they passed but, she could hear it in his voice. He pressed his lips together, shaking his head as his crystal clear eyes became red and glassy.

"Mike.…" She said softly, as he shook his head again, wiping his tears from his face.

"I'm in this, for real Rye and I'm all in, you know that. But, if this is about a guy or…" She tsked, moving her body closer to his in her seat as she grasped his hand in hers quickly. She brought it to her cheek, nuzzling it against her skin. She shook her head at herself again, she couldn't believe she had been such an idiot to not think about him, or how he would be reacting to all of this. To her just disappearing without a word.

"I'm so sorry Mikey…" She said softly as he felt warm tears cascaded down his knuckles. "It's not about anything like that. I love you." She said, linking their fingers together and kissing the top of his hand. He pulled his hand away slowly, shifting the gears as they merged onto the highway. "It's, my mom…" She said in a slow shuttered breath. She put her head back against the head rest and closed her tired, sore eyes.

"Oh…" He said, looking over at her, as her face scrunched up in pain as she replayed the past hours in her head. "We can talk about it later." He said softly. "I just want to get you home and warm." He said as she nodded, pulling his hand to her and putting her head down on his strong shoulder over the console.


"So, you've been taking the vitamins I've been giving you, and following your ovulation schedule?" Willow's doctor asked with a smile as she sat behind her large office desk. Leonardo grabbed tightly onto Willow's hand with a squeeze as Willow nodded slowly. "Well, why don't we take a test then? Couldn't hurt?" Doctor Burton asked as she got from her desk and opened the door to an examine area to the couple. "I know this is hard, and it's not an exact science but, I have had some success with the regiment I have you on Willow, so if nothing happens yet, don't get upset." Burton said as Willow followed her into holding tightly onto Leonardo's hand.

"So, are we to except that if this doesn't work that there are other regiments that we're able to try?" Leonardo asked as Willow looked up at him. Burton smiled, grabbing a pee cup from her desk and handing it to Willow.

"There are other practices we could try, yes. But, let's see how this goes first."

"But, I get pregnant right, what's to say I won't have another miscarriage?" Willow asked as Doc Burton looked sadly at her patient. She placed a warm hand on Willow's shoulder handing her the cup.

"One thing at a time, OK? We'll cross that bridge when we get to it and there is always other things we can try. We need to get over this hump first." She said with a smile at the couple as Leo nodded, kissing Willow on the cheek. "Use the bathroom across the hall." She said nodding to the hallway as Willow sighed with a nod, heading towards the bathroom. "How long have you two been married?" Burton asked as Leo looked around the room.

"Uh, three years." He said with a smile as Burton nodded.

"My wife and I have been together for four." She smiled. "We're also trying and… I don't like to talk about my person life with patients but, you guys are special." She said with a shrug, turning towards Leo as she leaned against her desk. "My wife is very much like Willow and I have her on the same regiment. We haven't had any success yet, but… We're not going to give up and neither should you two." She said with a smile as Leo nodded.

"Thank you, I appreciate that." He said as she nodded.

"You have brother's right?" She asked as he nodded slowly. "You have great genes, have any of you ever thought of being a sperm donor?" She asked with a tilt of her head as Leo's eyes widened and he quickly shook his head.

"Uh, no…" He laughed nervously as Burton chuckled herself.

"So, it's kinda habit whenever I meet a beautiful man with good genes… Comes with the territory I guess." She shrugged. "Sorry." She said rolling her eyes to herself. "That was very unprofessional of me." She said as Leo shook his head.

"No, it's fine. And uh, no they all have significant others so, I highly doubt they'd want… To do… that." He said slowly as Willow came back into the room with her cup. He sighed happily as Doctor Burton smiled, taking the cup with a gloved hand.

"So… We wait here or…?" Willow asked, grabbing onto Leo's hand as Doctor Burton nodded.

"Yeah, I'll go get this tested and, you two wait here. Shouldn't take more than a few minuets." She said leaving the room as Leonardo looked down at his wife with a smile.

"What was unprofessional of her?" She asked as Leo chuckled a little.

"She asked if me or my brothers were sperm donors." He said with a shrug was Willow's eyes widened.

"What?" She asked as Leo shook his head.

"She and her wife are trying to get pregnant too, she was telling me while you were in the bathroom and she asked if I had brother's and if any of them gave sperm, I guess." He shrugged as Willow furrowed her brow. "I said no obviously." He said with another chuckle. "It's still weird…" He said shaking his head. Willow smiled at him, taking his hand into hers.

"Well, it's not like you don't have good genes. I mean, look at you." She chuckled as he rolled his eyes. "But, aside from that, you're all smart and loyal… You're all just good people." She said with a smile. "It's a shame you all can't donate sperm, the world would be a much better place." She said as Leonardo laughed.

"Yeah, think about that again when you watch Mikey eat, or Raphael get pissed and break something over a video game." He said with a chuckled as Willow shook her head with a smile of her own.

"They're still good people." She said as he nodded. "You raised them to be." She shrugged as Leo signed, kissing the side of her head. "I want you to be a daddy…" She said, feeling tears well in her eyes. "If I can't give this one thing to you, what good am I as a wife?" He looked down at her, kissing her forehead as he pulled her into his hard chest.

"You're my wife, that's all I need." He said into her hair as she shook her head. They heard a knock on the door as Doctor Burton stepped into the room.

"So, I have the results…" She said softly as Willow sighed. "You're pregnant." She said with a smile as Willow looked up at Leo, and then back at her doctor.

"What?" She asked, going over to her doctor as Burton gave her the results.

"You're about a two weeks along so far, so we're really, really early on in this process. OK, so… I know this is a happy time but, there are still other things to figure out." She said, nodding her head into her office. Leo and Willow followed, both smiles on their faces as Leo grabbed Willow's hand tightly, kissing the top of it as they sat. "So, we're over this hurtle but, that doesn't mean we have a long way to go." She said looking at the two smiling couple. "Willow, last time you got pregnant you were along by about two months." She said, looking at Willow's medical records. "Which doesn't mean it'll happen again this time, we want to go the full nine, obviously and we're aware of your pregnancy early on this time which is another good thing. But, that doesn't mean we're out of the wood yet, OK?" She asked as Willow and Leonardo nodded. "I am going to give you another regiment to follow. I want you to read some books too, you too daddy so we're all on the same page. Cravings are going to be a killer and so isn't morning sickness but, some of this should help. No more coffee, decaf or otherwise. No more soda, no more tea, no more GMO or trans fats. All healthy things for momma, got it?" She asked as Willow grimaced a little all the new dietary restrictions.

"So, like no pizza?" She asked as Burton smiled a little.

"If you're gonna have it, get organic. Make it yourselves, good bounding time for mommy and daddy." She said with a shrug as Willow smiled looking over at Leo who had a huge smile over his face. "I would also hold off on telling family just yet, OK? I want to make it past the two month mark." She said as Leo and Willow nodded.

"I think that's a good idea… At least for now. Let Raph and Fee have their time in the baby spot light." She said as Leo nodded, kissing the side of her head.

"Raph and Fee?" Doctor Burton asked as Leo smiled.

"My brother and his girlfriend, just found out they're pregnant too." He said as Doctor Burton nodded.

"Good for them, but that doesn't mean you two shouldn't enjoy this a little bit." She said with a nod.


Mikey placed his hand on his forehead as he looked out at the sea of red tail lights ahead of them. The long holiday weekend was off to a great start as they made their way back from Montauk due to Riley's sudden needs for some beach side. Mikey looked over at her every now and again and as she looked out of the passenger window, silent, shaking her head to herself as she sighed, and ran her fingers through her hair knotted hair.

"Do you want to get something to eat when we get back to the city?" He asked softly as Riley nearly jumped to his voice in the silent cab. She looked over at him, his face still as worried as it had been when he saw her on the beach. She smiled at him, cupping her hand around his warm cheek and running her thumb along the dusting of freckles under his blue eyes.

"No, I just want to go home." She said with a breath. She leaned over the console of the car, kissing his lips softly. He hesitated at first but, leaned into her. She felt his breath against her face as he kissed her back, placing a hand to the side of her neck. "I'm so sorry Mikey." She said softly, pressing her forehead to his. They were unmoved in the line of traffic to get into the city so she knew she could take this time to get close to him.

"Babe, it's OK as long as you're OK and there's nothing ya, know… About us goin' on then… We're good." He sighed, looking back towards the line of traffic as he moved along slowly.

"It's not OK for me to just up and leave like that…" She said pressing her face into his neck. "I never want to see that look on your face again, it was…" She sighed heavily, remembering his red eyes and worried expression. "I'm so sorry baby." She said softly, kissing the side of his neck as he moved back from her, their eyes meeting as she leaned up and kissed his lips. She clenched her eyes shut, remembering the feeling of his lips against her, trying to burn it into her memory forever. She felt like at any moment this wasn't going to be real and he was going to float away.

"What… Um, happened?" He asked again as she sighed placing her hand over his on the shifter.

"My mom came to visit me at work…" She said shaking her head.

"Oh…" He said slowly, unsure and then looked over at her, her head resting on his shoulder. "I thought your mom never…"

"She drops in and out… Usually to get money. Money from me, money from dad… But, apparently this time, as she stated she's been sober for two years…" She said shaking her head. "When we started hanging out… When I first met you guys, my mom came to me for some money… Which I honestly was waiting on because it had been a couple years since I heard or seen her. She was strung out…" She sighed shaking her head. "The worst I'd ever seen her, but when she left something felt different? I felt like that was the last time I was ever going to see her again because I thought for sure she was going to OD or whatever… But, apparently she didn't. She told me today that that was like her breaking point to get better." She watching her fingers move against Mikey's strong hand that gripped onto the leather shifter. "She said she tried to commit suicide…" Riley sighed softly as new tears welled in her eyes. "It's so dumb… I thought for sure she was dead and then she comes back telling me that she tried to kill herself and all of a sudden I'm a mess over it? I didn't care, so why do I care ya know? It's fuckin' dumb…" She said wiping her already sore eyes as Mikey kissed her hand.

"She's your mom babe… As much as you want to think you hate her, she's still your mom." He shrugged as she nodded.

"So, she tells me that she is sober and that her sponsor told her to find dad and me and ask for forgiveness, and try and I don't know… Patch things up." She said shaking her head. "Like she can just put a band-aid over 30 years of neglect and pain? How…" She shook her head trying to calm herself before she felt the cinder block on her chest again and her lungs constrict as if the air was being squeezed from them slowly. Mikey had only ever seen her like this one time before, she prided herself in not losing it about her mom in front of him but this was different and something she couldn't keep to herself, not anymore and not to him. He was everything to her and if she couldn't move on from this with him then she wouldn't be able to move on from it at all. It would forever haunt her. "So…" She said swallowing some tears before wiping her face. "I tell her that I am happy she's sober but, that doesn't make up for all the years of me cleaning up after her, her vomit and bile her fuckin' needles just hanging around our living room. I used to clean them up before my dad got home, it still amazes me that I never got stuck with one…" She said shaking her head as Mikey listened intently.

"Rick never knew your mom did… Heroin…?" He asked slowly, almost unsure because he himself never knew her mother did heroin… He knew she was a mess but, he never thought it went to that kind of extreme.

"No, he knew, he just was too blinded by being in love with her to care." She shrugged. "I've forgiven him for it… I told you I didn't have an idyllic childhood… I'm sorry this is all coming out and…"

"Babe no, don't ever apologize…" He said, looking over at her as she leaned back in her seat, placing her head against the leather head rest. She tried to breath calmly, taking breaths in slowly and deep as Mikey's hand rubbed soothing circles over hers. "I love you and if this will help please, I want to be able to help you." He said looking at her as the traffic slowed again. She smiled a little as her chest felt less heavy and her lungs didn't burn with each breath. His soft eyes calming her slowly, his harm warm and rough against hers making her whole body relax and sink into the heated seat.

"I love you." She said softly as he smiled, taking her hand and kissing it before looking back at the road. "So…" She sighed. "I told her that I couldn't forgive her for all of that, that I have already made my peace with it and moved on long ago, as much as it still hurts it's what I had to do to be free from her. I asked her to leave, leave me and dad alone and not come back. She wanted to do something for me as a mother, I asked her to do that and then I left…" Another long breath leaving her lungs as the tension in her shoulders started to lessen. "I felt her hand on my arm for a second and I just kept walking… I walked to the train station and just got on the first one… It took me to Montauk and…that's it." She paused, looking down at her hands twisting nervously in her lap as laid everything out for him. "…I-I couldn't be near her… I needed to just think, I guess? I didn't know what I needed really. It was like everything that I had been holding in, wishing for and needing for 30 years came true and I didn't need it anymore. I didn't want it." She said shaking her head as it fell back against the leather head rest. "I feel bad that she got sober and went to me, her only daughter and I rejected her but, she wasn't my mom… She was my mother but never my mom. Maggie and Jane, those are my mom's. Those are the woman who cared about me and took care of me, make sure that Rick was doing everything he could for me as a young woman. I mean, he was a guy he didn't know what the hell to do when I got my period for the first time so Jane and Maggie both got me like a starter kit…" She said with a laugh, shaking her head. "It had chocolate and A Walk to Remember in it…" She said thinking about the bright red basket she received when she was thirteen. Mikey snorted a laugh as Riley chuckled.

"They're really wonderful people, it's a good thing you had that." He said as she nodded.

"It was… But, still the nights I slept over Willow's and Maggie would always say good-night to us, I never understood why. Felicia asked me once, 'your mom never says good-night to you?' and I just shrugged and said she's always out. Even when her and dad separated and she had that sorry excuse of an apartment, she would never say good-night to me or read me bedtime stories… I just wanted a mom…" She said again softly with a shrug. She watched the tail lights ahead of her dim and brighten as traffic started to flow a little. Mikey was finally able to get back to the freeway speed limit as the cabin of the luxury SUV was silent.

"Well, that's one thing we have in common." Mikey after a moment as she looked over at him. "Not that it's the same but, I always wanted a mom too." He said as she smiled at him.

"Well, now you have like three." She said with a laugh as he chuckled. "I know what you meant though, seeing movies and TV shows with moms and not knowing what it was…" She said softly as Mikey nodded.

"Just, being normal in general… I never really knew what that was." He said with a shrug as she turned her body to him.

"You never talk about that…" She said softly as he shrugged, looking at his blind spot and switching lanes.

"Never really wanted to… Or I guess, I'm older now and all of this has happened that it's nice that we have this normalcy but, it's still weird." He chuckled. "I don't know it's like everything and nothing at the same time." He said as she squeezed his hand. "But this…" He said lifting her hand to his mouth. "You are everything. I would give anything and everything I have to be sitting next to you for as long as I can." He said softly as she felt more tears well in her eyes for a different reason. "I love you babe."

"I love you Mikey." She said softly, leaning across the console again and kissing his cheek. He smiled as she adjusted in her seat moving as close to him as she could, her upper body leaning against the large leather console as she laid her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his bicep. She looked up at him as he drove, his face straight and focused on the road ahead. She felt a sudden rush of over whelming love and joy as they drove towards their home, thinking of their night together being cuddled in bed.

All of her worries about her mother fading with just one of his looks or touch. She never thought that she would feel like this with a man in her life, this ridiculously happy sensation that came over her whenever she laid eyes on him, human or no. His laugh and voice made her heart beat faster, his touch and kiss made her body scream for more. She was certain that whenever Felicia and Willow would talk about this kind of feeling they were just talking out of their asses, being the overly sensitive, emotional beings that they've always been. They both fell in love first and asked questions later. But, Riley always questioned everything first.

She knew she loved Mikey that was without question, but this acceptance into her life that he never knew of was mind boggling to her. The way he listen and understood her past, her mother's addiction, the problems and all the heart ache she felt as a girl into woman hood was something she's never experienced. These were things she even kept from her best friends and now he knew them, he knew all of it.

Looking up at him, his beautiful features glowing in the minimal passing lights of cars and darkness of the cabin made her heart leap to her throat. He was everything to her, and she was everything to him. She smiled as he looked down meeting her eyes with a smile of his own.

"How long until we're home?" She asked looking at the city come into view slowly, still about an hour or so before they were home.

"Probably like forty minuets with me driving." He said with a devious smirk. She nodded, leaning her body up and pressing her lips softly against the side of his neck. She reached just under his perfectly chiseled jaw bone, humming to herself at the smell of him, the feeling of his warmth next to her and strong arms she held onto like he was keeping her anchored to this earth. Moving her lips slowly back and forth over his pulse point she opened her lips against his soft skin tasting the bitterness of his cologne. She clenched her hand tightly around the fabric of his hooded bicep feeling his strength as he just sat there, driving. It was like she was seeing him for the first time all over again, she felt heat strike hot in her stomach and move like flames through her body.

"I'm sorry I made you come all the way out here for me…" She said softly as he shook his head.

"I would go anywhere for you babe. Even if it was just to make sure you were safe, if I came today and you needed time or told me to go away I would at least have stayed to make sure you got home OK." He shrugged as she leaned her face back against the warm skin of his neck.

"I would never ask you to go away Mikey." She said softly, moving her hand that was wrapped around his bicep to his hooded covered chest. He grabbed it from his chest with his hand that was shifting gears, bringing it up to his lips. He kissed the top of her knuckles putting it back over his heart as she shook her head to tears welling into her eyes. "I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you." She said softly as he looked over at her before looking back at the road.

"I feel the same way babe." He said leaning his face over to kiss the side of her head.

"I don't know if I can wait forty minutes..." She whispered against his ear as the tip of her tongue glided against the curve of it. She felt him shift under her, tuning to look over his shoulder again for a blind spot and maneuver through the traffic.

"F-For what?" He asked feeling her warm breath wash against his neck. She chuckled a laugh, deep in her chest as she took her hand that was still over his chest moving it slowly down his stomach. She watched her hand move down lower to his abdomen and then to the roughness of his jeans. He looked down at her hand and smiled a little before shifting gears and moving faster down the highway.

"You don't think Izzy would mind right?" She asked softly, as she palmed him over his jeans. He took a slow breath in, feeling his excitement grow against her palm.

"Mind what?" He asked his voice low as he pressed harder on the gas pedal.

"You know what road head is right?" She asked as he looked over at her then back towards the long highway ahead of them.

"U-uh yeah…" He said slowly as she smirked, unbuttoning his pants. "W-wait Rye…" He said looking down at her hand opening his pants and back to her face lit by the passing cars and minimal console lights.

"Yeah?" She asked, moving her palm back and fourth over his jean covered lap, using her other hand to pull the zipper down. He closed his eyes for a moment as she took him from his pants and moved her thumb over his head slowly.

"R-Rye… We can't do this…" He said looking around at the other cars as he looked back down at her hands grasped tightly around him. She leaned forward and he could feel her moist, warm mouth hovering over him.

"Why not?" She asked as she flattened her tongue against his tip. His head went back against the seat, his foot pressing harder on the gas as he swerved through New York City traffic. He felt her warm mouth engulf around him completely, as she grasped him at the base of his shaft. He looked around at other cars, keeping a steady pace trying to ignore his girlfriend's head bobbing up and down on his lap.

"Fuuck…Babe, we shouldn't do this…" He said again, looking down at her beautiful blonde head moving up and down over his lap. He had dreams very close to this when he was a teenager and to think that something like this would be coming true was beyond anything he could comprehend. Not that she's never given him head before, but… Not like this, not in someone else's car. He looked at a car beside them keep pace with him which was just distraction enough for him to completely annoy him. "Babe…" He said again softly as she sighed, looking up at him, her lips wet and shinning from the light in the car

"Babe relax, Izzy has black out windows no one can see in here." She said with a shrug as he looked down at her again. He placed his hand on the side of her face, moving her hair out of her eyes. He sighed, clenching his eyes for a moment before opening them back on the road, focusing on the road ahead.

"Y-you don't have to do that…" He said, his voice low and soft as she smiled.

"I know I don't have to, I get to." She said moving her smiling face back down over his lap. "Just relax Mikey." She said as he sighed, shifting himself in the seat and relaxing his body.


Felicia and Raphael both stood outside a very busy restaurant in the heart of Manhattan. Raphael kept his arm tightly around Felicia's shoulders as people pushed and shoved their way around the crowded side-walk.

"When did you parents say there were coming?" He asked again as Felicia sighed, taking her phone out of her pea-coat pocket.

"Two more minuets." She said with a sigh, looking up at him as he looked up and down the busy street. She smiled up at him as his long arm gripped tighter around her shoulders. "They'll be here babe… It's busy."

"Because it's a fuckin' Saturday night in down town fuckin' Manhattan…" He grumbled as she smiled, turning her body into his, placing her chin on the chest of his dark leather jacket.

"You're handsome." She said as he rolled his eyes at her, looking down the street again. "You look good in red." She mused with a small laugh as she looked at his button up red shirt he had on underneath the leather jacket with a pair of black jeans and motor boots on his feet. She didn't want to leave their apartment when he came out of the shower dressed and smelling like a GQ ad. She hated that all their alone time they could be having is going to spent in a stuffy restaurant with her mom and dad asking questions they didn't have the answers to.

It took her forever to find something to wear and finally after calls to Willow, Riley and Izzy, Izzy was able to stop by with some old Maturity dresses she saved from her pregnancy. Felicia wasn't too far along yet but, she felt just uncomfortable enough in all of her clothing that she felt as though she needed a whole new wardrobe. Luckily her once pregnant friend came to her rescue with a beautiful black wrap dress that hid her small bump just enough that she looked curvy in it. Her breasts were on display more so than they've ever been as well which made her smile whenever Raphael's gaze would last a little too long on them while she was talking.

"Finally…" He sighed as he lifted his large arm up in the crowd as Jane and Randall made their way over to the young couple.

"Felicia!" Jane cooed as she took her daughter into a tight hug. She placed her hand on her daughter's stomach as she smiled. "I can't believe this." She said looking over at Raph with a smile and moving to him next for a hug.

"Hello dear." Randall said as he gave Felicia a half-ass hug, wrapping only one arm around her shoulders. Felicia furrowed her brow to the gesture, looking up at her father as his eyes glared ahead of him at her boyfriend. "Raphael." He said shortly, nodding his head towards the larger man, not giving him his hand. Raphael put his forward, not to be intimidated by Felicia's father. Randall looked down at it as Jane nudged his shoulder, hard. Randall took Raphael's hand shaking it once as he glared into the younger man's eyes. "So, we have reservations. Ladies." He said motioning towards his wife and daughter to go first. Randall held the door open for them as Raph placed his large hand on the door, motioning for Randall to go first.

"Please sir, after you." He said kindly. He forced a smile to his face, his hand clenched tightly to the door thinking his fingers would leave indentation in the soft metal. Randall looked him up and down and entered the warm resturant. Raphael let his smile fall, quickly as she pulled the door harshly behind him, knowing the hinges would catch before it would slammed shut.

The hostess walked the foursome to their table that sat in the middle of the resturant with two extra settings. Felicia looked over at them in questions, putting the napkin in her lap.

"Who else is coming?" She asked as Randall smiled.

"Your brother." He said with a nod as Felicia sighed, looking over at Raphael. She grabbed his hand from underneath the table as he gave a small squeeze back, leaning over and kissing the side of her head.

"I'm not worried about it." He said softly into her hair as she looked over at him. He brought her hand up to his lips giving it a kiss as she smiled.

"So, you two… Are you excited?" Jane asked as Randall looked over the menu.

"Uh, yeah… We are, very excited. It's hard to kind of realize this…" Felicia chuckled, smiling over at Raph as he gave one back.

"Well, usually when a couple realizes they want to have a baby, they've already been married for some time." Randall said looking over the top of his menu at Raphael. He smiled back at Randall with a nod.

"That's true, however we're just happy that we're together and the baby is healthy." He said with a shrug as Randall hummed a noise, going back to his menu. Jane rolled her eyes at her husbands antics and grabbed Felicia's hand into her own.

"Any names yet?" She asked as Raph chuckled a little.

"No, not yet…it's way too soon for that." Felicia said as Raph looked over at her with a shrug.

"I'm sure it'll come to us as we go along." He said with a smile as Felicia looked over at him with a confused smile. She couldn't believe how OK he was being. How he was completely ignoring her father's disrespectful attitude towards their relationship and on top of that the surprise of her over protective, married with a baby brother coming to dinner.

"So, when is Logan coming?" She sighed as Randall smiled.

"He's here actually." He said getting from his seat and waving his eldest son over. Logan smiled, the hand of his beautiful wife grasped tightly into his as he hugged his dad and then mom. He moved to Felicia next giving her a kiss on the cheek in passing, and placed a hand on Raphael's shoulder.

"Hello everyone." He said, holding out his wife Melissa's chair and letting her sit first. "I'm starving. The waiter come by yet?" He asked looking at Raph as Raph shook his head.

"Not yet." He said casually as Felicia looked between the two.

"Psh, well yeah I should have known that otherwise you'd have a beer in front of you." Logan chuckled as Mel slapped his arm. Raph smirked a little.

"He's not wrong." He said with a shrug as Logan chuckled. Randall watched the exchange between the two with his smiling face taking on a more sour note.

"Well, I didn't know you two were so buddy, buddy." Randall said as Raphael shrugged looking over at Logan.

"We've hung out a few times with Hayden, Tyler and Casey." Logan said grabbing the menu and looking it over. "We have an awesome Fantasy Football team going right now actually." He said as Felicia looked over her shoulder at Raph.

"Really?" She asked as Raphael shrugged.

"Passes the time in between classes." He said as Felicia furrowed her brow, looking at her brother and back at her boyfriend.

"Huh…" She mused, with a smile of her own as the waiter came by filling up everyone's water glass. The waiter took drink orders and read off the specials as Melissa eyed her sister-in-law drinking water.

"No wine tonight Fee?" She asked, shifting her eyes to Jane who smiled brightly at her daughter. Felicia rolled her eyes looking at Raphael as he grabbed her hand, putting it on the table with his tightly intertwined.

"Well, um…"

"Oh shit." Logan said with a smile, jumping out of his chair. "You're pregnant?" He asked with a huge smile as Felicia smiled back nodding her head. "Oh man! That's awesome!" He said going over to his litter sister and wrapping her up in a hug. Raph got from his chair as Logan have him a tight hug next slapping his friend on the back. "Wow… Congratulations."

"Don't buy a thing! We have some much from Jameson that you won't need a car seat, or cradle." Melissa said, getting up and giving Felicia a kiss on the cheek. "This is so exciting, don't you think dad?" She asked looking over at Randall as he sipped his whiskey.

"I don't think it is that exciting." He said finally as Jane tsked at him.

"Don't Randall, we're going to have a good night and celebrate…"

"Celebrate the fact that my daughter is having a baby out of wedlock?"

"Time have changed dad…" Logan said slowly. "This is a happy time for Fee…" He said looking over at his father disappointingly. "Is this why I was invited? To jump on your band wagon of marriage?" He asked as Randall looked at his son, wife, daughter and then Raphael.

"Excuse me." Randall said, getting from his chair, slapping his napkin over his plate and making his way out of the resturant. Logan went to get up to follow his father, Felicia dabbing her tears with a napkin as Mel and her mother soothed her with whispered trying not to bring too much attention to their table.

"I'll go." Raphael said, nodding his head towards the door as Logan grimaced.

"Dude… That may not be the best idea?" He asked as Raphael smirked.

"I've handled worse, believe me." He said getting from the table. He gave Felicia a kiss on the top of her head before walking to where Randall left.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, this isn't what I had planned." Jane said as Felicia rolled her eyes.

"No? You didn't think this would come up? He already hates Raphael as it is…" She said with a sigh as she rolled her eyes at herself for getting worked up. "I need to go to the bathroom." She said softly as Mel nodded, following with her. Jane looked over at her son as Logan sigh, shaking his head.

"Randall." Raphael called, having the older man look back towards the resturant where he came. Randall shook his head, stubbing out a cigar he started to smoke.

"I remember when you could smoke anywhere in this city, now you're shunned down into a dirty alleyway." He grumbled as Raphael walked up to him.

"Felicia would really appreciate it if you came back inside." He said thumbing towards the resturant as Randall laughed bitterly.

"Would she? And what else do you know my daughter would appreciate Raphael?" He asked as Raph sighed slowly.

"Listen, I know I'm not your favorite person and to be honest wit' ya, you're not mine. I'd much rather be at home with ya daughter watchin' a movie relaxin' there instead'a at this stuffy resturant tryin' to impress a buncha people I don't really know. What I do know is that I love ya daughter, I love that kid and I ain't goin' anywhere as hard as you wanna try. So, we can either go back inside, get this night ova wit' put on a happy face for the woman or you can stay out here, smoke a stogy and be shunned down a dirty alley?" He asked with a shrug as Randall's face changed from angered to confused to an eerie calm that Raphael couldn't decipher whether that was good or bad.

"Ya know kid, I was a lot like you when I was younger. Strong, bullheaded and didn't know my ass from my elbow so I joined the service to try and figure shit out. I fell in love with Jane in the meantime and got shipped anywhere and everywhere. Jane followed me for a short time but once she was pregnant with Logan stay back in Massachusetts with family. It was easier for her…" He said with a sigh, relighting his cigar. He took a slow puff, wincing through the smoke at Raphael as he stood and listened respectfully to the older man, waiting for him to get to the point so he could go back into the warm resturant and out of this busy sidewalk. "I don't know what you've been through… Paul has told me you've had a past, I don't know what that means I don't know if I want to know what it means but, I do know that he speaks highly of you and your brothers. You're all good men…" He said nodding his head. "Doesn't mean I wanted one of 'em to knock up my baby girl." He said looking up at Raph as Raphael sighed, thinking that he was in the clear with all this bullshit but, apparently this was just a long winded way of Randall saying that yeah, I do still hate ya, and no, you're not good enough for my daughter. "At Willow's wedding, were you two dating?" He asked as Raphael furrowed his brow.

"Not at that time no." He said with a shrug. Why lie to the guy? His opinion means little to him anyways.

"Why?" He asked as Raphael sighed. "Why date her again if you're just gonna end with her down the line? I know guys like you and…"

"Sir, with all do respect you do not know a guy like me." Raph said holding up his hand. "What happened at Willow's wedding was…" He stopped remembering Felicia's freezing body against his as she ran at him inside of the rotting crate. Her face broken and bleeding from the heel mark left by Karia's boot. "It was a mistake on both of our parts, and Felicia would agree with me on sayin' so. Don't believe me? You can ask 'er but, what does that even matta? Right now, I'm with Felicia. Right now, we're havin' a baby and right now you can hate me if you want but, I want to go have a beer and eat a steak." He said pointing towards the resturant. "I am not gonna keep them waitin' any longer, I was raise better than that. If you wanna join me, you can I know your daughter would appreciate it." He said turning from Randall before he could say another word.

Raphael's hand clenched and unclenched at his sides as he felt his teeth grinding inside his mouth. He felt anger flare up inside of him like he's never felt before. Everything inside of him was screaming at him to just say 'fuck it' and walk away from it all but, he knew he couldn't and he wouldn't. He was not going to let this man that knew nothing about him, or his relationship with the woman he loved make these kind of decisions for him. He knew if he did that he was doing exactly what Randall expected and he would never again leave Felicia like that. Raphael took a long breath of the cold air into his lungs before entering the warm resturant, shrugging out of his leather jacket and giving it back to the coat checker. He felt someone come up beside him as he moved out of the way, noticing Randall hand the young girl his jacket.

"You're right, I don't like you. I don't hate you but, I don't like you." He said adjusting his tie and making his way back to the table. He sat quietly as Felicia and Mel both were back from the bathroom. Logan eyed his father, taking a sip of his beer as Jane sniffed the air around her husband.

"Really Randall, a cigar?" She asked dryly as he shrugged taking a sip of his whiskey.

Felicia watched as her father and father of her unborn child walked back to the table. She noticed Raphael's hands clenched, white knuckled at his sides as he slowly relaxed them as he took his seat next to his beautiful girlfriend. He looked over at her with a forced smile as she tsked at him, her eyes narrowing back at her father. Raphael leaned over to her, kissing the side of her head.

"We're good." He said softly as she looked at him almost in disbelief. He noticed a frosted glass in front of him as he leaned back from her intoxicating scent, making his anger and heart start to calm.

"Sam's." Felicia said with a smile as he leaned over to her giving her cheek another kiss. "What happened?" She whispered as he shook his head, kissing her again.

"So, are you two done?" Jane asked taking a sip of her wine as Randall grabbing his wife's free hand.

"Just needed some air my dear." He said with a smile as Raphael nodded.

"Well, neither of you have a black eye so that's a start." Logan shrugged as Raphael smirked.

Dinners were ordered and more drinks arrived as Mel and Jane asked Felicia about her health so far, and the babies. Felicia showed them all the first picture of the sonogram that the doctor had taken earlier that week. The girls cooed and gushed over the little blob as Felicia felt tears well in her eyes again. Raphael placed his arm on the back of her chair, rubbing her arms as she smiled at him. She was so happy and could barely contain it. She felt his chair buzz before he did as he jumped a little to his phone going off in his pocket. He looked at it with a furrowed brow as Felicia watched.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"Mikey?" He said softly as he excused himself and went to the lobby. "Hey bro, what's up?" He asked.

"How's the dinner?" He asked back as Raphael rolled his eyes.

"It's… Fine? I don't know… It's fuckin' weird." He said as Mikey chuckled.

"Well, I got your surprise all set." He said with a smile looking around the area of an old familiar roof top.

"Yea? How's it look?" He asked as Mikey took a pic and texted it to him. Raphael looked at his phone and smiled. "That's perfect bro, thanks."

"Welcome… You sure you're gonna do it there?" He asked as Raphael sighed.

"No… I don't think I can… or want to? It's not us." He said shaking his head as he put his hand into his other pocket feeling the velvet texture of the box. "She wouldn't want all that attention and people around her…"

"Nah bro, it's for you guys. You do what you think you need to." Mikey said as Riley smiled kissing his cheek.

"Oh hey, how's Rye she OK?" He asked as Mikey smiled kissing, looking over at his beautiful girlfriend laying out a soft flannel blanket on the roof top floor. She looked over her shoulder at him with a smile before making her way back over to him, burying her face into his warm hooded chest.

"She's amazing. Something just came up…" He shrugged as Raph nodded. "Love ya bro, get back to your nightmare." He chuckled as Raphael snorted a laugh.

"Thanks Mike." He said clicking his phone off as he walked his way back to the table.

"Everything OK?" Felicia asked as Raph nodded. "Riley OK?" She asked again as Raph smiled, kissing the side of her head.

"Yeah, Mikey said they're home safe. She just had something that came up…" He shrugged as Jane looked concerned for her daughter's best friend.

"What's wrong with Riley?" She asked as Felicia shrugged.

"Mikey went to get her earlier in Montauk." Raphael said as Jane's eyes widened.

"What the hell was she doing all the way out there?" She asked as Felicia shrugged.

"I don't know, I haven't had time to talk to her…" She said as she took out her phone.

"Well, if she's OK then it's nothing to worry about now." Randall said, shooing her phone away from the table. Felicia sighed, placing it back in her bag. "So, are we getting desert?" He said with a smile as Felicia's face brightened a little. "Anything you want baby girl." He said with a wink, giving her the menu.

After eating desert, having some coffee and Felicia ordering a desert to go the couples all went their separate ways. Felicia's mother promised to see her again for her next doctor appointment and Randall actually shook Raphael's hand as the valet got their car.

As the two made their way back to their shared apartment Felicia yawned, leaning her body against Raphael's hard, long human form.

"Tired babe?" He asked as he put his arm tightly around her shoulders.

"A little… Probably just the chocolate and sugar wearing off…" She chuckled as he nodded.

"Do you mind if we take the scenic route?" He asked, guiding her body to the street as they crossed another block.

"Yeah, it's actually not that bad out, a walk would be nice." She hummed, leaning her body closer to him as he smiled.

"Good." They walked for a couple minuets as Felicia started to notice more familiar buildings from where her and Willow used to live. She furrowed her brow and looked up at Raphael as he smirked.

"Where are we going?" She asked as he shrugged, tugging her body with him as they entered an alleyway.

"I just wanna show you somethin'." He said, looking up and down the alleyway before unwrapping her body from against his side. She wrapped her arms around herself as the chill of the autumn air cut through her thin pea coat.

"What are you doing?" She hissed as he walked further into the alleyway, jumping up easily tugging the fire escape ladder with his weight. The old metal groaned and slammed hard against it's hinges to his weight as he grimaced to the sound.

"Oops…" He chuckled a little, looking over at Felicia who snorted a laugh. "Come 'ere." He said nodding his head, holding out his hand for her. She took it slowly as she started to climb the fire escape.

"Is this Willow's old apartment building?" She asked as Raphael smirked starting after her as they climbed the ladder to the first fire escape platform.

"You've been here enough times you think you'd remember." He said watching her as she climbed slowly to the roof top.

They both reached the roof top and Felicia smiled looking around the small area, a small flannel blanket in the middle with the familiar, old fire pit lit with a warm fire.

"So, this is really why Mikey called?" She asked with a knowing smile over her shoulder at him as he shrugged. She rolled her eyes going to sit on the blanket, next to the fire. Raphael sat next to her as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "So, what's this for now? Another not Raphael thing to do?" She asked with a chuckle as she felt his laugh vibrate in his chest.

"I've been doin' that a lot lately huh?" He asked as she looked up at him.

"I don't mind it." She shrugged as he snorted a laugh.

"I bet." He said as she rolled her eyes, slapping his chest.

"That's not what I meant ass. I meant that it's nice that you've got the hang of this relationship thing with being romantic, It's nice." She said with a shrug as he kissed the side of her head. "Not that you have to do this all the time." She added, looking around the roof top listening to the fire crackle. "I did fall in love with you as an asshole so, don't start gettin' too mooshy on me." She said with a chuckle as he laughed with her.

"Well, on that note." He said shifting against her to get up. She looked up at him as he got to his feet and fingered something in his jacket pocket. "I wanna ask you somethin'…" He sighed, getting down on one knee.

"O…kay…" She said slowly as she sat up watching him adjust himself on one knee in front of her.

"Felicia..." He started before taking a slow deep breath. "...you mean a lot to me and…"

"Wait!" She almost screamed, holding up her hand as he stopped and looked up at her confused, keeping his hand behind his back.

"…What?" He asked as she felt tears start to well in her eyes.

"Raph, if this is because I'm pregnant and you think you have to, or because of my dad…"

"No, will ya shut up and let me do this." He sighed, shaking his head. "Just, wait OK." He said looking at her as tears streamed down her perfect rounded cheeks. He smiled at her, taking his thumb to swipe away the tears. "Babe, I love you. I have never loved anyone like this and…" He sighed shaking his head. "Since the first time I saw you, on this very roof top, standing over there with your short hair and camera…" He said looking towards the roof top's edge remembering her curious face as she looked up meeting his eyes for the first time. "When you looked at me, it was like… You really saw me, like for the first time…" He sighed again shaking his head. "I am not good at…"

"You're doing fine babe…" She said softly, moving closer to him and taking his hands into hers. He smiled, lifting them to his lips.

"You're everything to me Fee… And that baby… That baby is ours and a part of both of us… I want to do right by you and our kid. I'm not doing this because your pregnant… I've actually had this ring for awhile…" He shrugged taking it out from his pocket and opening it the red velvet box. "Felicia, will you marry me?" He asked, his amber eyes meeting hers again on that roof top. She felt her heart leap in her throat as she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders, sobs racking through her body as she buried her face into the side of his neck. She gathered herself, pulling back from him as he still held out the ring to her it being crushed between their bodies in her embrace.

She looked down at it for the first time, putting her hand to her mouth at it's beauty. Red rubies around a tasteful diamond set in silver. "It's so beautiful…" She said softly.

"So, is that a yes?" He asked, the sound of actual confusion in his tone as she met his eyes again. She smiled, nodding her head as a large smile broke across his handsome face.

"Yes Raph, of course yes." She said as he took the ring from his place in the box. She opened her shaky hand as he placed it on her ring finger. "It's so perfect…" She said, admiring the ring wrapped around her delicate finger. She smiled, looking up at him as he gave her a small one back. "You sure this is…"

"I'm sure about you, about us… So, yeah. This is right Fee, it's supposed to be like this." He said with a shrug as she felt new tears swell in her eyes. She rolled her eyes at herself shaking her head.

"I'm going to cry all night now, thank you very much." She said in a laugh as he smiled, kissing her cheek. He stood up, taking a bucket of sand that was next to the fire pit and putting it out.

"C'mon, let's get you home and comfortable." He said, holding out his hand as she placed her hand with the ring in it. He looked at the ring he had been looking at for almost a year on her hand and felt his heart ram hard in his chest. He was excited, and nervous at the same time. He hadn't felt like this since he was a teenager with all this uncertainty that he was facing. But, he knew he was facing it with her. That's all that mattered to him at that moment. Everything else would fall into place behind them.