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Hope you all enjoy this update.
Leese
Nick stumbled sleepily down the hallway towards the kitchen and living area. It was four a.m. and Grace was craving some of the leftover pizza that was in the refrigerator. He was dressed in his boxers and a t-shirt and was barefoot. He cursed as he caught his foot on a box of Dean and Kay's belongings that was in the hallway ready for them moving out.
"Fuck!" he mumbled in a sleepy voice as he lifted his foot and held it in his hands. He hopped around on one leg as he did.
He placed his foot back down after a few moments and continued on his journey to the kitchen. As he approached the doorway that led into the living area, he saw that the light was on. He could hear voices from within and realized that Sam must have arrived finally. He had been delayed by a few weeks, just like Kay and Dean's apartment had. He pushed open the door to the kitchen and squinted against the bright light that assaulted his eyes. He headed into the kitchen and made his way over to the refrigerator.
"Hey Nick," Dean greeted brightly. "Grace having a craving?"
"Mmm." Nick replied as he reached the refrigerator. He wondered how Dean could be so cheery at this time of day as he pulled the door open and got the pizza out. He then closed the door.
"Nick I'd like you to meet my little brother Sam," Dean said as Nick started to turn around. "Sam this is Nick."
"Hi Nick it's nice to meet you." Sam said as he stood and went over to shake Nick's hand. Nick stared at Sam in shock as the pizza box slipped from his hand and landed on the floor. Sam stopped in his tracks and looked at Dean in confusion. Dean's expression matched his as Nick continued to stare. He lifted his hand up and poked Sam on the cheek with his index finger.
"Nick are you okay?" Dean asked as Sam took a step back and gave Nick an odd look. "You look like you've seen a ghost man."
"Nick baby what's taking so long?" Grace asked as she arrived in the kitchen. She was stroking her six month pregnant belly as she did. She saw Nick's face and asked. "Nick sweetie, are you okay?"
"That's what I asked," Dean told her. "But he's staring at Sam like he's seen a ghost."
"Nick look at me," Grace said as she walked over to her husband. She reached up and cupped his face in her hands and turned his attention away from Sam and to her. "What's wrong?"
"It's Wade." he mumbled. Grace's brow creased in confusion.
"What do you mean honey?" she asked softly. "Wade died, remember?"
"Wade was Carly's boyfriend right?" Dean asked. Grace nodded as Sam sat back at the table.
"I'll show you," Nick told her in a freaked out tone as he pulled away. He headed out of the kitchen as he said. "Wait there."
Grace frowned as she watched him leave. She then saw the pizza box on the floor and her craving kicked in with a renewed intensity. She frowned as she wondered how she was going to pick it up. Sam saw and he stood from the table and retrieved it for her.
"Thanks," Grace replied as she took it from him. "You must be Sam."
"Yeah," Sam said as he smiled. "Grace right?"
"That's me," Grace replied with a smile as she headed to the table and sat down to begin munching on the pizza. Sam took his seat again as she did. She picked a slice up and took a bite. "Mmm just what the baby ordered."
"What's up with Nick?" Dean asked curious. Grace shrugged her shoulders as she ate.
"You have about as much idea as me," she replied after she had swallowed the pizza. "I'm sure we'll find out when he comes back. Right now my main concern is my craving. Otherwise I'll be cranky."
As she spoke, Nick came back into the kitchen area. He still looked freaked out as he glanced at Sam. Sam felt extremely uncomfortable as the way Nick was looking at him. He glanced at Dean as Nick sat beside Grace at the table. They could see that he had something in his hands.
"Sorry to act all weird on you," Nick began as he frowned. He looked at Sam again and the frown deepened. "It's just you look exactly like my sisters dead boyfriend."
"I do?" Same asked as he shifted uncomfortably.
"Yeah," Nick replied quietly. He then handed Sam the photo. "She sent me this a while before he died."
"Whoa! That is freaky!" Same said as he studied the picture. It was of Carly and Wade at a party. "If I didn't know better I'd say that that was me."
"Let me see," Dean said as he took the photo from him. He almost choked on his beer as he saw it. "Damn no wonder you looked the way you did."
"Can I see?" Grace asked through a mouthful of pizza. Dean handed it to her and looked at Sam in surprise after she studied it and swallowed her food. "Are you sure you weren't adopted? Or had a twin brother that was?"
"I'm sure." Sam said as he managed a laugh.
"Sorry I acted all weird on you," Nick apologized as Grace handed him the picture back. "It was just a shock seeing someone who to me was Wade and dead."
"Don't worry about it." Sam assured him with a friendly smile.
"I'm just glad that the pizza stayed in the box," Grace said as she finished the last piece. She then looked at Nick and said. "Otherwise somebody would be on a pizza run right now."
"Sorry I dropped it." Nick told her softly. She smiled at him in response.
"That's okay, I was only teasing you," she replied. "In fact my craving was that strong I probably would have eaten it off the floor."
"That's just wrong." Nick told her as he pulled a face. Sam and Dean couldn't help but chuckle at the look on his face.
"Now I've dealt with my craving I'm heading back to bed," Grace said as she stood and went over to the trash can to throw the now empty pizza box away. She then looked at Nick. "Can you come and rub my back? It kinda hurts."
"Sure I can," he replied as he stood. "Come on."
~X~
"Breakfast is ready!" Grace yelled from the kitchen a little later that morning. "Come and get it while it's hot!"
"I bet that's what you say to Nick all the time huh?" Kay asked as she came into the kitchen followed by a bleary eyed Dean. He was followed by Nick and then Sam.
"What if I do?" Grace asked her sister as she smiled. Kay laughed at the look on her face.
"I bet you're glad we're moving out today huh?" Dean asked Nick as they sat at the table.
"Actually yes," Nick replied with a laugh. "I have a nursery to get ready remember."
"I bet you can't wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl huh?" Kay asked as she smacked Dean's hands away from the pancakes and helped herself.
"No I can't." Grace replied happily as she smiled widely. "Are you sure that you and Dean will be moved into your apartment by this afternoon?"
"Sure we will," Dean told her. "We have Sam here to help and there's only like a car load of stuff left anyway."
"I don't know, I just get here and you already have me doing manual labor." Sam joked.
"It's about time you made yourself useful Sasquatch!" Dean replied in a teasing tone. Nick and Grace burst into laughter as they heard the nickname Dean had used.
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that?" Sam asked as he gave Dean an offended look.
"You did," Dean replied. "Doesn't mean that I have to stop it though."
"I've had to put up with this every time the two of them met since I ran away," Kay told Grace as she rolled her eyes. "It's like they go back to being teenage boys every time they see each other."
"So I can see," Grace replied. She then grinned as she said. "At least I don't have to worry about that with Nick. Although when he hangs out with Nathan he does seem to act younger."
"Who's Nathan?" Kay asked curious.
"Karen and Keith's son," Grace replied. "He goes to college at Duke."
"What's he majoring in?" Dean asked curious.
"Basketball." Nick replied after he swallowed his mouthful of coffee.
"Is his last name Scott?" Sam asked.
"It is," Grace replied. "How did you know that?"
"The college I work at played Duke a few weeks ago and Duke thrashed us," Sam explained. "Nathan Scott practically got all of Duke's points on his own."
"That's how he got his scholarship," Nick replied. "Nate said the scouts came to see him and were so impressed they offered him the scholarship half way through the game he was playing."
"I suck at sports." Dean said as he pulled a face.
"Football was my thing," Nick told him. "I was close to getting a scholarship but then I took the rap for a friend and ended up in jail."
"The Dalton thing?" Dean asked and Nick nodded in response.
"That sucks man," Sam said as he saw the sad look on Nicks face. "Do you wish you could go back and change it?"
"No I don't," Nick replied surprising everyone. "Because if I did that I wouldn't have met Grace and be where I am now."
"Aww that's so sweet honey," Grace said as she leaned over and kissed him. She then noticed the time on the clock that was on the wall. "We better get going otherwise we'll be late."
"It's time to go already?" Nick asked with a sigh.
"Sure is," Grace told him. She then turned to Kay. "So I'll see you at the café at lunch time?"
"You sure will sis," Kay replied. "And you better tell me if I have a niece or nephew as soon as you find out. Or else!"
"Whatever," Grace replied with a laugh as she stood. "Come on Nick. Let's go."
"I'm coming." Nick replied before he quickly gulped the remains of his coffee.
~X~
"So you answered my call finally," Andy said in a frustrated tone as Lynn Andrews answered the phone. "Why did you publish those articles?"
"Because you obviously aren't doing your job correctly." Lynn replied. Andy's eyes widened at the tone she had used.
"If I'm not doing my job correctly then why do I know where they are?" Andy replied in an annoyed tone. "And I am doing this as a favor remember?"
"You know where they are?" Lynn asked in surprise.
"Yes I do and I already told you that," Andy replied. "I would have called again sooner but I got called onto another job again and it was one that I couldn't say no to."
"Then why don't you tell us where they are?" Lynn demanded angrily. "I don't care about your other work Andy. I only care in getting my daughter back. Then we can work through what she did and she can work off her punishment!"
Andy was surprised yet again. He remembered a conversation he had had with Kay years ago where she had told him about Lynn behaving like she currently was and he had dismissed it. Now however, he wished he had listened. He wondered if that was why both girls had disappeared.
"Because I want to speak to them first." Andy told her. He heard the scoff of annoyance from the other end.
"Well it's a good thing I've had this call traced and I know where you're calling from isn't it?" Lynn replied in a smug voice. "Goodbye Andy."
Andy didn't have time to respond as Lynn hung the phone up. He placed his phone down and stared in disbelief. He couldn't believe her attitude after all the effort he had put in. He thought that he knew Lynn after all the years that he had known her and it turned out he was wrong. He hoped she was lying about tracing the call however he realized that the least he could do would be to warn Nick and Grace that at least one lot of parents could possibly be heading their way.
~X~
"That's the last of them." Sam told Dean as he loaded the box into Dean's car.
"Awesome!" Dean replied as he turned to Kay. "So Sam and I will head over to the apartment and unload this stuff. Then I'll come and get you when there's space in the car."
"That's totally fine," Kay replied. She then smiled as she said. "It means that I don't have to do any heavy lifting."
"And that means that you'll save your energy for tonight." Dean told her as he gave her a knowing smile.
"Just remember that your brother will be in the adjoining room." Kay reminded him as she shook her head at him.
"I can be quiet," Dean said as he frowned. "I mean we've been staying here with Nick and Grace so I've had plenty of practice."
"Whatever! Just go and move the stuff into the apartment. I'm going to go and clean up the kitchen so that Grace doesn't have to deal with it when she gets back from her appointment." Kay told him before she headed inside.
"I'm going woman," Dean told her disappearing figure. He then turned to Sam as a car pulled up across the road. "Come on Sammy, let's go and move this lot."
"I've been ready to go for ages," Sam told him as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Impala Dean drove. Dean climbed into the drivers' seat. "I've been waiting on you but you've been too bust making eyes at your wife."
"Just wait until you meet your wife Sammy," Dean said as he started the car. "You'll be doing exactly the same."
"Sure I will." Sam replied with a sigh as Dean pulled out of the driveway of Nick and Grace's house.
~X~
Andy watched as the Impala moved out of the driveway. He frowned as he wondered if Nick and Grace were moving. He had seen them going into the house when he had returned from one of the other jobs he had been called to work on. Even from behind he had been able to tell that it was them. He hoped that they weren't moving. He climbed out of his car and headed towards the house. He went over to the first window he saw and peeked inside. He could see into the lounge and saw that there were still pictures of Nick and Grace on the wall and breathed a sigh of relief. He could also see Kay moving around in the kitchen area as she cleaned up. He then headed back over to his car and climbed back in. He started the car and headed in the direction that Dean and Sam had taken.
~X~
"It's nearly time for me to go to the clinic!" Grace said in a happy voice as she saw the time. Karen smiled at her as she did.
"I think I'm just as excited as you are to find out if you're having a girl or a boy." Karen admitted.
"I really can't wait!" Grace told her. "Are you sure you don't mind me taking the whole afternoon off?"
"Of course I don't," Karen told her. "Kay will be here. And after all she did have the morning off."
"I can't wait for me and Nick to have to house to ourselves again for a while before junior here arrives." Grace confessed as she got a dreamy smile on her face and rubbed her bump.
"You'll need it," Karen told her in a knowing tone. "Once the baby arrives it will feel like you won't get a minute to yourselves."
"So Haley told me," Grace replied. "I can't believe that Jamie is almost one! I mean when we first arrived in Tree Hill he was a baby."
"I can't either," Karen agreed. "I'm just happy that we can share his first birthday as a family."
"It's good you have plenty of time to plan the party," Grace told her. "I heard it's going to be amazing."
"Haley said she wanted to keep it simple, but my first Grandson only turns one once," Karen told her. "So I'm doing it in style."
"I don't blame you," Grace said with a fond smile. "When this little one turns one, he or she is having the works!"
"Have you and Nick discussed any names yet?" Karen asked her.
"We have a huge list of both boys and girls names," Grace replied with a grin. "There are too many nice ones to choose just one."
"Well you have plenty of time." Karen told her as the café door opened and Nick and Keith strolled in.
"Hello there gorgeous," Nick greeted Grace as he smiled. "How is my wife and son or daughter getting on?"
"We are getting on great," Grace replied. "How's daddy?"
"Eager to find out what's in that bump of yours." Nick replied as he smiled widely.
"Hopefully Kay and Dean will be here soon." Keith said as he sat at the counter. As he did Kay and Dean came dashing through the door.
"See I told you we wouldn't be late." Dean said in a matter of fact tone.
"You guys look a little flustered," Grace said as she surveyed them. "And rumpled."
"That's what you look like when you move sis." Kay told her as she headed behind the counter.
"And how does your shirt end up inside out and the wrong way round?" Grace asked as she took her apron off and handed it to her sister.
"That Gracie is down to a horny husband." Kay whispered causing Grace to snigger quietly as she retrieved her purse. She then headed to the customer side of the counter.
"Come on Nick. Let's go and see our baby." she said in an excited voice.
"I can't wait." Nick said as he took hold of her hand.
"See you later guys." Grace called as they hurried out of the café door.
~X~
"Hello Grace, sorry to keep you waiting," Doctor Copeland apologized as he came back into the exam room. "My last patient took me a little longer to deal with than I thought."
"That's okay," Grace told him as she smiled. "It's fairly comfy on this bed."
"Glad to hear it," Doctor Copeland replied as he smiled in return. "So how are you feeling mom?"
"I feel great actually," Grace replied. "I've had a few head rushes when I've got up a little too fast and a little bit of backache. But other than that I've been good."
"And how is dad getting on?" Doctor Copeland asked Nick.
"I'm good," Nick replied. He then playfully added. "A little tired from the late night craving runs, but I think I'll survive."
"Good to hear it," Doctor Copeland told him with a laugh. "So shall we take a look at Davis junior?"
"I think we should." Grace said enthusiastically. Nick and the doctor laughed softly in response.
"Can you lift your gown so I can put some gel on your belly?" Doctor Copeland asked.
"Sure." Grace replied as she did as he asked. The doctor made sure that the blanket covering her lower half stayed in place.
Doctor Copeland then picked up the tube of gel and squirted some onto her bump as Nick took hold of Grace's hand. He looked down at her and smiled as he squeezed her hand. She gasped as the cold gel hit her skin. The doctor then picked the transducer up ready to begin the scan. Grace gasped as she saw their baby on the screen.
"It's so much bigger and clearer." she said as she glanced at Nick.
"Wow look at that!" he said in an awe filled whisper as Grace's eyes went back to the screen.
"Everything is looking perfect in there," Doctor Copeland told them. "Perfect size and development looks good. The placenta is in a great position."
"That's a relief." Grace said as she smiled. Nick nodded in agreement.
"Do you still want to know the sex?" Doctor Copeland asked. They had told him in previous appointments that they wanted to know and he was checking to see if they still did.
"We do." Nick replied.
"Yeah we have a nursery to prepare." Grace added.
"And names to figure out." Nick continued.
"Let's see if we can tell this time," Doctor Copeland replied with a laugh. The last time he had tried to tell them the baby was in a position where he had been unable to tell. He moved the scanner over Grace's belly and smiled. "Well you'll be pleased to know that junior here is letting us know that he's a boy."
"A boy?" Grace asked in an incredulous tone. She had secretly been hoping that they would have a son.
"Really?" Nick asked in the same tone as he broke out into a huge smile.
"Yes you're having a perfectly healthy baby boy. Congratulations," Doctor Copeland told them again. "I'll get you some pictures printed off and I'll see you in another two weeks this time."
~X~
"So are we having blue in the nursery then?" Nick asked as he and Grace surveyed the various colors of paint in front of them.
"But of course." Grace replied.
"Good idea," Nick told her. He grinned cheekily as he said. "It means less work for me."
"Our son is getting a nice fresh nursery." Grace told him.
"Our son," Nick replied as he once again broke out into a wide smile. "I love the sound of that."
"Me too," Grace agreed. "Do you think it would be crazy if we got like a sand colored carpet?"
"We can have whatever we want in our son's nursery," Nick told her as he kissed her temple. "We can always get it cleaned if we have to."
"I like that answer." Grace told him as she beamed widely.
"Are we ordering the furniture today too?" Nick asked as they went back to looking at the various shades of blue before them.
"I think we should," Grace answered. "It might take a while for delivery."
"So we're getting a crib, changing table, glider, drawers," Nick rhymed off. "What else?"
"Car seat and stroller," Grace told him. "And then we can get the other essentials in batches."
"Okay then," Nick replied with a chuckle. He then focused on a tin of paint as he did. "Why don't we get this one? It's appropriate don't you think?"
"Blue Babe," Grace said as she read the name of the color. "I think it's perfect."
"I'll get a couple of tins to start," Nick said as he picked them up and placed them in the shopping cart they had. "If we need more I can always come back."
"Good thinking," Grace agreed. "Now we just need the actual equipment to paint with."
"So what are you going to do while I'm decorating our sons nursery?" he asked as they began to head off to look for the other things.
"Supervising," she told him. "And then when you throw me out of the nursery because you have one of those hissy Nick fits that you had when we first met, I'll sit and watch TV while eating my own body weight in pizza."
"Sounds fun," Nick replied as he laughed. "Do you want to stop for pizza when we're done here?"
"You read my mind." Grace said happily.
"Well I better hurry then." he replied with a grin.
~X~
"I like how you thought ahead and ordered three take out pizzas." Grace said as she climbed out of their car in their driveway.
"Well it will save me having to go back out and it also means that you get your craving faster." he replied with a chuckle.
"You are really quite brainy on the quiet aren't you?" Grace asked as she kinked her eyebrow.
"Oh yeah," Nick replied as he shook his head. "Why don't you head on into the house and I'll carry the stuff in."
"Yes you're definitely brainy." Grace told him as she went on her tip toes to kiss him.
"Grace." a voice said suddenly, causing their lips to separate. Grace frowned as she turned towards the voice. She saw who it was and her eyes went wide.
"Andy?" she asked in a shocked voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you Gracie," Andy replied as he came around the car until he was on the same side as them. He saw the swell of her belly and stopped. "You're pregnant?"
"Yeah I am," Grace replied as she moved away from Nick and faced Andy. "You're not a private investigator for nothing are you?"
"That's what I need to talk to you about," Andy said. Nick frowned as he studied the man. "Can we talk inside? It's a conversation that would be better with you sat down."
"You told my parents where I am haven't you?" she asked through narrowed eyes.
"No I haven't," he replied. "I was going to but then your mom started acting all weird. Then she told me she was tracing the phone call so she would know where I am. They're probably on their way."
"You better come inside then." Grace said as she looked at Nick with a frown.
"I'll bring your pizza in honey," he told her softly. "The rest can wait until later."
~X~
"I can't believe you've known where we've been all this time." Grace said in disbelief as Andy finished telling her everything almost an hour later.
"I can't believe that our parents were working together," Nick said with a sigh. He then frowned as he asked. "Do you think they'd bring my parents here too?"
"I honestly don't know," Andy admitted. "I wish that I'd just left you in peace now Grace. You and Kay."
"You know Kay's here too?" Grace asked in a stunned tone.
"Yeah I saw her and Dean moving into their apartment earlier with another guy." Andy replied.
"So you say my mom went all weirdo on the phone to you?" Grace asked and Andy nodded in response. "Now you know what it was like for Kay. And what it would be like for me if she made me go back there after what I had to do to get away from John Ryder. And did you know he isn't dead?"
"I had a feeling he might not be," Andy told her. "I read the article."
"There was a body missing of the tally and it could only have been him," Grace told him. "And who the hell wanted those articles anyway?"
"Your parents," Andy told her. "I think it was a joint decision."
"Great so mine were in on that too?" Nick asked as he shook his head. "Unbelievable."
"I don't want her to know where I am," Grace said. "I don't want her involved in my son's life. I don't want him to have to put up with them."
"You're having a son?" Andy asked in surprise.
"Yeah we just found out today," Grace told him. "We were supposed to be working on his nursery now."
"I'm sorry," Andy told her. "What if I try and throw her off your trail? What if I said that you'd moved someplace else?"
"You know what she's like Andy," Grace told her. "She would hire some other detective to hunt me down."
"Grace honey, remember what the doc said about avoiding stress," Nick told her softly as their doorbell rang. "I'll get it. It'll be Karen and Keith wanting to know how the scan went."
He stood from the sofa, headed to the door and opened it. His face turned to a mask of shock as he saw who was stood at the other side. His parents and Carly were there with a man and a woman that he guessed to be Grace and Kay's parents.
"Hello son." his father told him before Grace's mom pushed the door open and barged into the house.