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Chapter 21

When I woke up, Fang wasn't in bed with me. Instead, Tabitha and Tyler were staring at me. I groaned.

"What babies?"

"Ciss-mas, Max!" Tabitha smiled at me.

Oh yeah…shit. I had to get me gift out of the shed. I hope that it survived the night. What do you do with a dead-

"Daddy?" Tyler looked at me.

"I don't know where he is, Ty." I stood up. "Come on."

They jumped off the bed before following me into the living room. Fang was standing in the closet.

"What are you doing?"

He slammed the door shut. "Oh, uh, hey guys."

I rolled my eyes. "I have to go get my gift."

"Where is it?"

"In the shed."

"…Why?"

"To hide it from you guys, genius." I walked out of the room, through the kitchen, and out back. The shed was small and seemed so cold. I was wary about living the little thing in there but I made an executive decision.

"Here kitty." I opened the door. The kitten meowed at me, looking up from the bowl of water I had left it last night. "Come here, Kitty."

I picked her up. "You ready to go meet Fang? I bet he'll just love you…not. Tabby will though."

I carried her back into the house. Fang was standing next to the tree, separating Tyler and Tabitha's presents. When Fang looked up at me, his cheerful expression changed.

"Max-"

"Max, 'ook!" Tabitha was bouncing up and down. That's when I saw…it.

"Fang! You got them a dog?" Great…jackass.

"Yes!" He looked just as mad at me. Tyler, who was looking at the puppy, turned his attention to me.

"Kitty!" He ran over to me, holding up his arms. I sent Fang one last look before smiling down at Tyler.

"You want to hold it?"

Tabitha walked over to me too. "Kitty?"

"Yeah." I sat the cat one the ground. It was scared. The dog ran over to Fang, biting at his shoes.

Tabitha had already lost interest, as the cat wasn't jumping around like the dog. She went back over to the puppy. Fang crossed his arms, going over to me.

"Max, we cannot have a cat."

"If I had known you were getting a dog I wouldn't have gotten it." I put my hands on my hips. "You said that we couldn't have a dog so I got a cat. Why did you get a dog?"

"For you. You said that families have pets and I want us to be…you know, a family." He was nervous. I hadn't seen him nervous in almost a month. It made me smile.

"Alright, I'll take the cat back to the pound and we'll keep the dog. I'm sure someone will take it."

I looked down to get the cat but Tyler was trying to pick it up. "What are you doing Ty?"

"I gots a kitty, Ax." He smiled. "My kitty."

Fang sighed. "I guess we're keeping both."

I smiled at Tyler, getting down on his level. "But the kitty's for Tabitha. You can have to dog."

"No!" Tyler sat his cat down, laying next to her. The kitten sniffed Tyler's face before licking it. "My kitty. Love kitty."

Tabitha had her arms wrapped around the dog, giggling as he tried to break from her grip. I stood up, stepping over Tyler and his cat, standing next to Fang.

"Are you mad?"

"About the cat? No." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against him. "Your mom will be here in a minute."

"Why? I thought we were going to her house for dinner."

"We are. She just wants to see them open their gifts. I was supposed to wait to give them the dog but it was in the closet and started scratching on the door." Fang kissed my head. "Was the cat my gift?"

"Yeah." I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "There's a litter box in the shed. You need to get it."

"Of course I do." He smiled. "You know, dogs don't need litter boxes."

"Yeah. Have fun teaching it to go outside."

"Well, you have to show the cat how to use a litter box."

"No I don't. You do."

He shook his head. "Max."

"I think it may already know. I got it from the pound but they said some family gave up a lot of kittens so they might have showed it how to use one. I guess you'll find out."

"Yeah, I guess I will."

There was a knock on the door before it opened. Mom walked in, a few more presents in her hands.

"Hi." Fang took them from her, setting them into one of two piles, Tyler or Tabitha's. Neither of the kids looked at mom, both too interested in their new pets.

"You already gave them the dog?" She seemed sad. Then she looked at Tyler. "…And a cat Fang?"

"Yeah, well…" He shifted a little.

"Hi Tyler." Mom went over to him.

"Max gets me kitty." He looked up at her.

"What's her name?"

Fang's son frowned. "I no know."

"You get to name it, baby," I told him.

He smiled, looking at his newfound love. "Snickers."

I frowned. He comes up with the stupidest names… "That's a good name."

Tabitha had gotten her dog to sit and was now petting his head. Fang looked over at her. "What do you want to name him, Tabby?"

"Tank!"

God Fang's kids are weird. I smiled at her, walking over there. "Tank? Like an army tank?"

She nodded. "Yes!"

Fang shook his head. "I guess I'll get him a name tag later."

Tyler stood up, his cat following behind him. He sat down in front of the tree.

"Pe-sants, Daddy?" Tyler looked up at him, hope in his eyes.

"Yeah." He pushed one stack towards him. "Tabby, come open your presents."

She kissed the dog on the nose before walking over. Tank walked over to me, sniffling around my feet. Snickers walked over too. Tank wagged his tail at the kitten while she reached a paw out, touching his nose. He leaned down, butt in the air, tail wagging. The kitten had had enough of her new housemate and walked back over to Tyler.

Fang sat down next to his kids. "Max, come help."

"No, I'm good." I laid down on the couch, shocked that my mom didn't comment. Huh, she hasn't cut me down yet. I'll just keep waiting for it. After them opening their presents, Mom taking pictures, Mom went to make breakfast.

"I can do it," Fang offered, already knowing what she would say.

"No, it's okay," she smiled at him, walking off into the kitchen. "And there's a hundred in my purse. It's yours."

He rolled his eyes. "Aren't I too old for gifts?"

Mom didn't answer, instead getting to work on food. Tabitha followed her, taking Tank with her. Tyler was playing with some action figure, making it fly around Snickers's head.

Fang grabbed a box off the coffee table. "You ready for your other gift?"

"Promise it's not a ring?"

He rolled his eyes. "Max."

"Okay, okay, I'm ready."

He handed it to me, nervous again. He's so cute. I opened it, a look of confusing falling over my face. Fang took this as hatred.

"I'm sorry. I'll take it back. You can get you something. I just-"

"No, I like it, it's just…why?" I stared at it. It was…beautiful. It was a gold chain with a cross that had a blue stone in the center.

"Well you said that you were religious."

I frowned. "What?"

Fang looked really sad, like I had just crushed his dreams. In a way, I had. He got me a dog, thinking that I would love it but I got a cat. He gets me something that's so amazingly pretty and I ask him questions about it.

"Don't you remember?" He stared at my blank face and sighed. "We were in bed with the kids and you said that you thought I was going to hell, only you were joking, because if you were serious that would be a horrible thing to say and then-"

"Okay, I remember." I shook my head. I would never have remembered that on my own. Fang's so…thoughtful. That felt like forever ago to me. I got up and hugged him, hard. "I love you."

He froze, confused. "But you want me to take it back…right?"

"No, of course not." I pulled back enough to look into his dark brown eyes. God I love his eyes. "I love it. I'm so happy that you remember me saying that and that you're not just careless boyfriend, that you really care about me."

Fang smiled, now realizing he had done good.

I've had a lot of boyfriends and they all had their types. Cheaters, macho, drug addicts, you name it, I've fucked with it. But, at the moment, I felt like I was dating the worst one of all. He's such a fucking liar.

"Shut up Angel." Nudge glared at her. It didn't do any good but it was nice to have someone on my side.

"Why should I? She still left, she still didn't come back, she still didn't tell us that they were taking her. So what if her baby died?"

Fang's eyes hardened. I had never heard him yell at Angel…until now. "Get out."

"What?" She looked at him.

"Outside. Now!" He grabbed her arm, dragging her out the door. "Get your bags and her's, Gasman. You guys are going to the airport early."

"Fang-" Mom started but he just dragged her out of the door. Tyler, who was sitting in my lap, smiled, happy that Angel was gone. I leaned down, kissing his head and for a second, he was Kevin and I was back at the School. I guess that's why I favored Tyler slightly, because he was what I always saw Kevin as being, hoped he would be. When I went to sleep at night and would dream about Kevin growing up, he and Tyler would seem to morph together. Iggy, who was sitting next to me, shocked me by patting me on my back. Iggy and I were never close, and never had been very affectionate with each other. That's why it took me by surprise. He stood up, walking down the hallways, following Gasman.

Mom bit her lip, looking at me. I knew that she wanted to say something but didn't know what.

Ebony saved her from having to speak. "Should we not go take the ham out of the oven?"

Mom nodded slowly. "Yeah."

That's when I decided that I liked Ebony. She wasn't into drama, apparently, and that was great. Too bad Nudge didn't have the same trait as her mother. As Mom and Ebony walked out of the room, Nudge turned to face me.

"I am so sorry Max."

I shrugged. "It's fine. She can think what she wants."

"She's such a little brat." Ella, who was standing by the couch, crossed her arms.

"Yeah," Nudge agreed. "I can't believe she said that."

Tabitha, who was in her idol's lap, patted my leg. "Go see Tank?"

I sighed, leaning over and kissing her head. We had taken the dog and put him in Mom's back yard. Tyler's cat was sleeping on the floor in front of the TV. Fang and I didn't want to bring the animals but my mom, who had a major soft spot for what she considered her babies, gave in when Tyler started whining.

"You want to?"

"Yes!" She jumped out of Nudge's lap. I stood up, carrying Tyler with me, Tabitha following. As we walked through the kitchen, Mom gave Tyler a piece of ham and Tabitha some turkey. Tank was sleeping out in the yard when we got out there.

"Tank!" Tabitha ran at the German Shepard puppy. "Tank get up. You 'azy!"

The dog shot up, tail wagging hard. Tyler looked up at me.

"I no 'ike Tank."

"Why baby?"

"Him 'ike Tabby. Him 'ild."

"Wild?" I smiled when he nodded. "You love your kitty though, right?"

"Yes! Snickers my kitty. Love Snickers."

"You love her?" I made a shocked face. 'More than me?"

"No!" He wrapped his arms around my neck. "Love Max."

"Well I love you too," I said, watching as Tabitha chased her new best friend around the yard. "Tabby don't hurt him."

She giggled. "No 'urt Tank!"

"I know but you need to be gentle with him. He's a baby."

She and her dog finally stopped running, now walking over to me. "Him my baby? 'ike Mesh?"

"Better than Mesh."

Tabitha kissed her puppy. "Love Tank."

"I know you do." I sat down on the porch steps, setting Tyler on the ground. Tank started licking my hands. Tyler patted the dog and Tank turned his attention to him. The dog tackled him to the ground. Tyler pushed the puppy off before climbing into my lap.

"Hate Tank!" He declared, burying his head in my shirt. We stayed out there with the dog for a while before going back in. Mom gave the twins more meat as we went into the living room. Tyler's kitty was now on the couch. Tyler climbed up next to her, laying behind the tabby, wrapping an arm around her.

"Love Snickers." Tyler snuggled against the cat as I sat down next to him. Nudge was texting, seated on the loveseat. Tabitha joined her, looking at her phone.

"What you do'in Nub?"

"Texting Drake."

"Who D'ake?"

"My friend." Nudge looked down at her. "And very well possibly the guy I'm going to marry."

Ugh, high school girls. Tabitha giggled. "Marry?"

"Yep. Who are you going to marry, Tabby? Tommy?"

"No!" She frowned before giggling at something. "Me marry Daddy."

Nudge smiled. "Max might beat you to that one."

Fang came back a little later. I had just taken the cat outside, letting it poop in the neighbor's yard. Hey, at least now I don't have to clean it up. It was around twelve and Tyler had gotten sleepy so we were in one of the bedrooms, laying down. Tyler's kitten was sleeping with him while I laid there, wishing for sleep.

"Hey baby," greeted Fang as he walked into the room. "Where's Tabby?"

"Nudge took her flying."

He leaned down and I leaned up, meeting in the middle for a gentle kiss. "How are you doing?"

"Good. You?"

He shrugged. "Angel said sorry."

"She doesn't mean it." I sighed. "You didn't make her cry, did you?"

Fang sat at the foot of the bed, not answering my question. He put his head in his hands. It was silent for a few minutes before he spoke.

"She just doesn't get it. No matter what she does, I'm not letting you go, not again."

I didn't know what to say so I just kicked him softly with my foot. "Calm down Fang. She doesn't hurt me. She'll never hurt me. She just feels like I betrayed her, like I let her down. Angel will move on eventually."

He shook his head. "I don't like when she disrespects you, like your trash. I'm not going to let her taint Kevin's name like he's nothing. You and Kevin are my family and theirs' too."

I rubbed my foot down his back. "Did you like your present Tabitha got you?"

Fang nodded. "Yeah, I told you I would."

"When we get married, you have to wear that tie." The tie had hearts on it and was pink. Tabitha said she got it for him because it showed that she loved him. Mom got it because it was a Valentines tie and was cheap. Tyler gave him a new pair of sunglasses because he wants his old ones, regardless of the fact that they don't fit.

He laughed a little, now feeling better. "Yeah, alright. I'm just happy that you acknowledge that we're going to get married."

I didn't respond to this. "I like what she and Tyler got me."

Tabitha gave me a bracelet that Dr. Martinez and her made out of different color string. I was wearing it and planned to never take it off. Tyler gave me a card he made and a charm necklace that I wore along with Fang's.

"Good." He stretched. "I love you Max."

I just smile, hiding it in a pillow.

I ate at the table with the women. Nudge and Ella were talking about Drake and Mathew, who Ella left. Fang had kissed my head before going into the living room. Tyler was happily eating my food while Tabitha kept looking at the backdoor.

"Tank no hungy?" She asked worriedly.

"No sweetie. He'll eat when we get home." I picked at my food. "Tyler don't eat too fast."

He giggled, holding a piece of turkey up to me. "Max eat."

He fed me for a minute or two before going back to my food. After he was done, he got out of my lap and went over to his cat that was on the floor.

"Snickers." He leaned down, getting in her face. "Come on."

The cat stood up, stretching, before following him into the living room, where I heard him ask Fang for his food. Shaking my head, I went a put my plate in the sink before going out back. I was sitting on the porch, watching the dog sleep when Fang came out there. He sat down next to me, waiting a moment before speaking.

"Having a good time?"

I shrugged. "I guess. I've had worse Christmas's."

"What'd you do last year?"

"Me and this guy got drunk and skinny dipped in a lake."

"So it sucked?"

"No, it was probably one of the greatest times I ever had. Great sex too."

Fang frowned. "Anyways, you really like my gift?"

"Un-huh. Do you like mine?"

"The cat or those Mangas you got me?"

"Both."

Fang wrapped an arm around me. "I loved it."

"Good. I love your gifts too." I leaned against him. We sat there, watching the sunset for a while.

"Hey Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something…personal?"

I glanced up at him. "Uh…about what?"

"Just us."

"Okay, shoot."

"…you're on birth control, right?"

That's all? "Yeah."

"Oh…can you get off it?"

I moved away from him. "What?"

Fang looked down at me. "I want another baby."

"Fang-"

"Come on Max. You know you want one."

"No, I really don't. Fang we haven't even been together that long!"

Fang shrugged. "I still love you and want to have another baby with you."

It was weird, hearing him say another as if he knew Kevin, as if he had always had Kevin, as if he always loved Kevin. A week ago, the name meant nothing to him.

"Fang, we're not even married."

"I want to marry you, Max."

"But you said-"

"Dr. Martinez would flip out if I married you right now. And plus, I want to give you a real wedding. I don't have enough right now but I will, I promise."

"Fang, it we have a baby, it will cost money."

"I know but I don't care. I want another baby."

"Why can't we wait?"

"Because I've waited my whole life! I can't wait any longer."

"Fang, you said that Mom would flip if we got married. Could you imagine how mad she would be if I got pregnant?"

"What would she do? Deny our baby but accept our other two?"

As weird as it was for him to easily recognize Kevin as both our child, it was even stranger to hear him call his twins mine. Not that I minded it but it was just odd.

"Fang-"

"Max, I'm not saying let's have sex every night until you do get pregnant, I'm just saying stop taking birth control. I want a big family and I want to start now."

I bit my lip. "On one condition."

"What?"

I leaned up and whispered it in his ear, as if we were around someone that would care what we were saying, not that we were alone.

Fang gave me a look. "Am I really that bad?"

"Yes."

Fang down stared at me, running a hand through his hair, a small smile on his face. "I think I kind of like your condition."

I stood up, running a hand down his chest as he pulled me over to the bed. "Of course you did. I gave you a blow job. That's just step one of my plan to make you better in bed."

Fang shrugged, covering us over with a blanket. "As long as it's all as great as that was, I really don't care."