Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own anything but Jessica, Katie and Jordan! When I win the lottery, I'm going to buy the franchise, though!
Chapter 21
It was only a Nightmare or Was It?
Three small children were playing on the swing set in the back yard. The oldest, a boy with black hair and warm brown skin about seven was climbing up the steps to the slide. When he reached the top a yell filled the yard. The dark headed carmel skin four year old girl was screaming at the boy to quit pushing her. The small two year old girl looked up at her siblings then continued to play in the sand box. The back down flew open and a woman wearing jeans and a modest shirt came out the door holding a dish towel. Her hair was brown and tied back in a neat bun.
"James Hawkes you quit pushing your sister. You know it takes her a minute to go down the slide."
"She is such a chicken!" James yelled back.
"Am not!" cried Kristina.
"Alright you two, time to come in and wash your hands. Daddy will be home soon and dinner is almost ready."
The children moaned but headed in the house to wash their hands. The woman walked to the sand box and picked up the smallest child.
"You my sweet need a whole bath."
After cleaning up the children they were set at the table, just in time for a black SUV to pull in the drive. Sheldon parked and got out of the car. He walked through the front door and yelled, "Katie, honey I'm home."
"AWWW!" The scream echoed through the apartment waking Sheldon out of a deep sleep.
"Katie, Katie. You ok?" Sheldon touched Katie as she was shaking in the bed next to him.
Katie set up in the bed shaking her head and rubbing her eyes. She pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her head on her knees.
"I'm fine. Sorry if I woke you."
"Hey, this is the third time this week you have woke up screaming. What is up?"
"Just a bad dream. I'm fine really. Go back to sleep."
Sheldon just shook his head and closed his eyes. Katie looked at the clock. Three seventeen gleamed in red through out the whole room. Katie slid out of bed. She was not sleeping well. The closer she and Sheldon got, the more often she was having the same dream. She went into the living room and turned on the television.
An hour had past when Sheldon's pager went off. Katie jumped as Sheldon came out of the room dressed.
"Gotta go to work."
"Ok, see you later."
"Hey, Katie." Sheldon stared deep into Katie's eyes. "This isn't over; we are going to talk about these nightmares."
"Fine," Katie resigned.
Sheldon kissed Katie's forehead then left the apartment. Katie sank back into the couch.
Several hours later Katie dragged herself off the couch and walked across the hall. She knocked gingerly on the door. She could smell the bacon from under the door. Danny opened the front door.
"Katie? Why are you here so early?"
"Is Jess here?"
"She just got out of the shower. She is in the bedroom getting dressed."
Katie nodded and walked past Danny to the bedroom. Danny just grinned and shut the door behind her. Katie walked into the room. Jessica jumped and then sighed as she saw Katie.
"What are you doing here so early?"
"It's only eight."
"Yes but to see you before noon is unusual."
"I have a problem."
"Are you ok? You look like you haven't slept in days."
"I'm not sleeping well. I keep having these nightmares. You're the counselor…counsel."
Jessica rolled her eyes. "I am not a dream interpreter. I am a child counselor."
"Just help me please. I'm not sleeping and Sheldon wants me to talk to him about it. I can't; he will laugh at me."
"Who's to say I won't laugh at you?" Katie sighed and started to leave. "Ok I'm sorry; tell me what you have been dreaming."
Katie cringed then told Jessica the dream. Jessica tried to hold the laughter in but still snickered a little under her breath.
"You afraid of being domesticated, Katie?" Jessica couldn't hold back the smile.
"This isn't funny. Me with regular clothes, and kids. Cooking and cleaning. Me cooking. This is horrible." Tears started to well up in Katie's eyes.
"You do great with Jordan. Why wouldn't you be great with your own kids?"
"Jordan is different. First I can send her home. Second, I never had to change diapers or teach her to walk or talk or anything."
"Are you pregnant?"
"Excuse me? NO."
"Then what is the problem. You're not married or pregnant. You will have kids when you are ready. And the rest, if you and Sheldon got married, don't you think he would marry you and not some normal version of you."
"He is so respected and I would have to up hold some … I don't know."
"Katie, relax. Sheldon loves you and would never do anything to make you less than you are. Just talk to him."
"What if he laughs?"
"Has Sheldon ever laughed at you? No matter how eccentric you have ever gotten he has never laughed at you, why would he start now."
Danny knocked on the door. "Breakfast is ready ladies."
"We'll be right out. Katie come on let's eat, then go home and get some sleep."
After breakfast Katie did as she was told and went to bed. The week with little sleep caught up to her and she slept for hours. It wasn't until Sheldon woke her that she stirred.
"Hey beautiful, are you feeling any better?"
Katie yawned, "A little. I guess we need to talk about what has been bothering me."
"I would never force you to talk, but yes, I would like to know what has been going through that head of yours."
Katie looked at him, apprehension filling her eyes. "You have to promise me that you won't laugh."
Sheldon raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Okay. I won't laugh."
"I've been dreaming about us having kids," she mumbled under her breath.
Sheldon raised an eyebrow even higher as images of their future children filled his head.
"You think I am crazy don't you?"
Sheldon moved closer to Katie on the couch, "Honey I have always thought you were crazy, but that is what I love about you. I think it is neat that you are dreaming about your future and I am in it."
"Not funny."
"Katie, honey, I love you. And I dream of our future too. I just don't think of it as a nightmare." Sheldon grinned.
"Being with you is not the nightmare. It's the becoming my mother, that's the nightmare." Katie sighed and continued, "My mother had no life. All she did was spend time with my brother and I or she was doing house work."
"What's so bad about that? Maybe she enjoyed her life."
"She hated it. When she was a teenager she was in an all girl band, she was the lead singer and guitar player. They were really good, I've heard recordings. Then she met my dad. He was a math major who wanted to be a CPA. Image was important in his line of work, so when they got married she went all normal, no more blue streaks, or piercing and when my dad had the money all of her tattoos were lasered off. I know she loved my dad and us kids, but I always got the feeling that she missed what she could have been."
"Katie, I would never ask you to be less than you are. I love you just the way you are."
"Sheldon, do you want kids?"
"Sure, someday, but I want a wife first." He winked at her and her cheeks filled with color.
"How many?" her trepidation voice filled asked.
Hearing the fear in her voice Sheldon reply, "Half a dozen at least."
Katie gasped out load before realizing the joke, "Well then you better be rich and able to afford a nanny."
"Depends on what my wife and I agree on. So how many do you want?"
"Sheldon, are you asking me to marry you?"
"That all depends on if you would say yes."
Katie's eyes filled with tears, "I would most definitely say yes. And two."
"Then maybe it's time I meet your family." Sheldon leaned over and kissed her.
AN: Please, please review!