everpresentpast: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked it and you'll see whata happens with both Robbie's mother and Maddie this chapter. I hope you like it!

Bluehaven 4220: Yeah, Robbie's mother did need to hear that. You'll see this chapter if it helped at all. And I don't really know about premies from first hand experience, but I sort of based Maddie's experience on a story I heard about someone else. I tried to keep as believable and correct as possible, so hopefully I did a good job. Anyway, I didn't go into detail about the delivery and stuff in this story, because I did in my other one, but I hope you like the outcome. Thanks for the reivew.

meadow567: Okay, thanks. I couldn't remember and I tried to read through the chapters and find out if I did, but I couldn't find it. Anyway, thanks for the review and I hope you like this chapter too.

LaLaGirl33: Thank you so much! That's so nice of you to say. I'm glad you love the story and are hooked. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 25

Robbie woke up just before seven on Christmas morning. By the time he was ready to go to Laura's, he still hadn't heard anything about Maddie, so he gave Rizzo Laura's home phone number and asked him to call when he heard something.

On the drive to Laura's, Robbie began getting a little nervous and hoped her parents liked him. He was mostly worried about her dad though. Robbie hadn't had the best experiences with girls' fathers in the past, and they weren't even girls he was dating at the time. In his freshman year of high school Robbie went to his crush's house to study, and after meeting her dad he decided that she wasn't worth the trouble of pursuing a relationship. Another girl's father lectured Robbie for over an hour before he took his daughter to prom. And the girl had asked him to prom in the first place! That didn't go too well either.

Shortly after eight, Robbie pulled up in front of Laura's house. The house didn't appear to be as big as Robbie's, but from the outside it appeared to have a cozy and welcoming feel. A wreath was on the door and the windows were decorated with Christmas lights. Just as Robbie began worrying that Laura might still be asleep and that he would have to meet her parents before seeing her, she ran out to greet him.

"Hey baby!" she screamed, and jumped into Robbie's arms. "Merry Christmas!" Laura gave him a kiss.

"Merry Christmas to you too. I can see you're excited to see me."

"I am. My family's excited to meet you too."

"Okay, let's go in then," Robbie said, trying to hide his nervousness.

Everyone was waiting in the living room when Robbie entered her house. Laura began introducing him to her family.

"Robbie, these are my parents," she said, motioning to them. "And this is my baby brother, Brandon." Brandon clearly wasn't a baby, but actually only a few years younger than Laura, but she always called him her 'baby brother' though. "My sister, Ashley, who I think you met at the beach last summer is with her fiancee and his family in Chicago."

"Yeah, I remember," Robbie told her, then looked at the rest of her family. "Hi," he said awkwardly and waved slightly. Laura's mother got up to shake his hand.

"It's so nice to meet you," she said. "You can call me Anna."

"Nice to meet you too. These are for you," Robbie said, handing her flowers.

"Thank you. That's so nice. Lilies are my favorite." She took the flowers and turned to her husband, who was still sitting on the couch. "Greg, where are your manners? Get up and introduce yourself."

Laura's father reluctantly got up and shook Robbie's hand without saying much. Robbie started having a really bad gut feeling that Laura's dad didn't like him. Both Laura and Anna seemed to notice the fear written all over Robbie's face.

"You can call him Greg," Anna said for her husband. "And don't let him intimidate you."

"Dad, you can stop with the overprotective father act. It didn't work on Michael and it won't work on Robbie." Laura explained that Michael was Ashley's fiancee.

"Sorry honey," he told Laura. "I just wanted to see how he'd react. I think I had him a little scared for a minute," Greg said with a smile. Robbie breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it had been an act. "How's hockey going?" Greg then asked Robbie.

"Great. The team is coming along and I' having fun. I can't believe the games are only two months away though."

"I bet it went by fast."

"It has," Robbie replied. Then Laura spoke up.

"My dad loves hockey. Once I told him that you were a hockey player, he immediately liked you."

"Do you play? Or did you?"

"A little bit. But I didn't have the talent of an Olympic athlete, that's for sure. I was even good enough to play in college. But I did play throughout high school, and I grew up loving the North Stars."

"It's good to know we have something in common then," Robbie replied.

Laura, Robbie, and Laura's family talked a few minutes before sitting down for breakfast. Robbie really liked her parents and brother, and everything seemed to be going well so far.

"Before I forget," Robbie started, facing Laura. "I have some news."

"Good news?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," he said, hesitantly. "After you left last night, Maddie went into pre-term labor. She's in the hospital."

"Oh my God! Is she okay?"

"I haven't heard anything yet. Rizzo is calling here as soon as he hears anything."

"I hope everything's okay."

"Maddie's your friend that's working with the team, right?" Anna asked. "Jack's fiancee?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't you tell us she was due in February?" Greg asked.

"Valentine's Day actually. I hope she's okay," Laura said. Just then, the phone rang. "I'll get it!" Laura said, jumping up, hoping that it was a call about Maddie. "Hello?"

"Uh, hi. This is Riz - Mike Eruzione. Is Mac there? Er, actually, Robbie. Is Robbie there?" he asked. Oh yeah, and Merry Christmas. I'm sorry to bother everyone early on Christmas morning." Laura laughed quietly at Rizzo's awkwardness during the phone call. She decided to give him a hard time.

"Robbie who?"

"Uh, Robbie McClanahan. Or actually, I can talk to Laura instead."

"Laura who?" Rizzo then caught on.

"Laura, is that you?"

"Yeah , it's me. Merry Christmas!"

"Thanks. You too. I was calling to talk to you and Robbie actually."

"Is it about Maddie?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll get Robbie on the other line." Once Robbie was on the phone in the kitchen, Rizzo started talking again.

"Maddie's doing okay. They had a rough night last night. Jack didn't go into much detail about that, but they have a baby girl. Isabelle Rose O'Callahan. Four pounds, six ounces, seventeen inches long."

"Aww," said Laura.

"So they're all okay then?" Robbie asked.

"Yep, everything's fine. I guess the baby's in the ICU, but the doctors think she should be fine. Apparently she's a fighter and actually pretty healthy for a premie. She was born at eleven twenty-seven last night."

A few minutes later, Laura and Robbie got off the phone with Rizzo and sat down for breakfast.

"This is delicious," Robbie said, eating a piece of cherry danish.

"Well, thank you, but I didn't make it. It's only from the bakery. I don't cook very well."

"I'm sure you're an excellent cook," said Robbie.

"He really knows how to win people over," commented Anna. "No wonder you like him so much Laura. He really lays on the compliments."

"Well, Robbie, from experience, I know she's not an excellent cook," Greg told him. "I've eaten more burnt meals than I can remember. And if Laura's ever cooked for you, then you have experienced Campbell cooking and know what I mean."

"Hey," Laura said. "I take offense to that. "I'm not that bad. Robbie likes some stuff I've made. And I made a turkey on Thanksgiving. That was edible."

Once they finished arguing over cooking skill, and finished breakfast, everyone went to the living room to open presents. Robbie was surprised that Laura's parents even got him a little something.

"This is so nice of you. Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell." Robbie got a pair of tickets to a North Stars game, a polo T-shirt, and a huge tin of Christmas cookies.

"You're welcome. But Mrs. Campbell is my mother-in-law, it makes me feel old."

"Sorry," Robbie said with an apologetic smile.

"The tickets were my idea," said Greg proudly.

"Who are you taking?" Anna asked.

"Laura," Robbie responded automatically.

"Told ya," Anna told both her husband and son.

"You can't take Laura. You have to take a guy," Brandon told him.

"Yeah, those tickets are meant to use to get away from Laura for a night. I know how too much of her can be," Greg said, joking. Laura hit her dad.

Laura and her brother opened their gifts, and then gave gifts to their parents. Lastly, Laura handed Robbie a couple boxes. In the first was a signed Danny Grant hockey card. Danny was Robbie's favorite player who was a left wing and played for the North Stars for several years.

"Thank you, Laura! I love it. Where in the world did you find this?"

"I have my ways," replied Laura.

"Thank you," Robbie said again, and gave her a hug. Robbie opened the next present, which was a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. When he read them, his face immediately turned red. He was only embarrassed because Laura's parents were sitting right there, watching them, and both the boxers and shirt were sexually suggestive.

"Like them?"

"Yeah, thanks," Robbie said. He really did like them. They were both hockey themed and the boxers said, "Wanna score with a hockey player?" and the shirt said, "Less teeth means more tongue."

"Don't worry, my parents already saw them. My dad thinks they're funny," Laura said, as if sensing Robbie's embarrassment and unsaid fears about what her parents were thinking.

"They are amusing," said Greg. Robbie was still embarrassed though. Greg continued. "Of course, I only decided that they were amusing after Laura informed me that seeing you in boxers and a shirt at least means you're wearing something." If at all possible, Robbie turned even more red after that comment.

"Open your last present," Laura told him. He opened the next box to find a little scrapbook with hockey pages revolving around the Olympics and the team and pages of memories of him and Laura over the past months.

"I love it, Laura." Robbie gave Laura a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek, quick enough so it wouldn't be awkward for everyone else in the room.

Laura and Robbie hung out for a while longer at Laura's house. Around four, they left to go to Robbie's. Robbie was very happy with the way their day had gone so far. Laura's parents made him feel really welcome and seemed to like him. Now he just hoped his family, actually his mother, got along with Laura today too.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Robbie said upon entering his house.

"Merry Christmas," David called back to Robbie and Laura.

"How was breakfast this morning?" Beth asked. Robbie had told them that he was going to meet Laura's family that morning.

"Great. I think they liked me."

"Laura, how have you been?" Beth asked.

"Good, thanks. My head's basically all better. And dinner smells delicious by the way."

"Well, we're just waiting on my sister, her husband, and David's parents, and then we'll eat," Beth told her.

Laura and the rest of Robbie's family sat down to dinner and enjoyed some conversation. Robbie thought Laura seemed more like herself this time too. She was talking more, laughing, and making jokes, overall acting like her normal outgoing self. He guessed it was because she was under the assumption that his family liked her. Robbie was sure that if Laura knew that his mother was still getting used to her, she would be nervous like she was the last time. Robbie was also happy that his mother didn't mention much about marriage, kids, and other future life plans.

After dinner and dessert, while everyone was in the living room, Robbie into the kitchen to refill Laura's drink, and pulled her with him.

"Are you having fun?" he asked.

"Yeah. Your family's great. I love your grandparents. And your grandfather is hilarious."

"I'm glad you're having a good time."

"Want to know the best part?"

"What's that?"

"That I'm with you," she said, and kissed him gently but deeply. When Laura and Robbie pulled away, Beth was standing in the doorway. Laura's face turned red upon seeing her.

"Hi Beth. Uh, okay. I'm gonna take my drink in there now," Laura said awkwardly.

"You don't have to be embarrassed. I'm actually glad to see some affection. I was beginning to think you two never showed anything for one another," commented Beth. Robbie shot his mother a warning glance.

Later that night, Robbie and Laura were standing in the hallway, saying good-bye to everyone. "Nice meeting you again Mr. and Mrs. McClanahan," Laura said to Robbie's grandparents. "And Merry Christmas everyone."

"You too, Laura," Robbie's grandfather said. "And Robbie, make sure you get lucky tonight. After all, it's Christmas. Guys deserve to get lucky on certain nights of the year and Christmas is one of them." Laura's face turned red and Robbie's jaw dropped.

"Grandpa!"

"Well, I'm just being honest. I always get lucky on Christmas. Ask your grandmother if you don't believe me."

"Ew!" exclaimed Noah and Natalie at the same time.

"Dad, please!" David said to his father. "No one needs to hear that information."

"We're leaving before this gets any more awkward," Robbie told Laura. He knew his grandfather was probably only joking, but sometimes it was hard to tell whether he was telling the truth or not. Either way, implication or not, it was still an over share.

"Not so fast!" said Noah, before Robbie and Laura could leave.

"What now?"

"You two lovebirds are standing under mistletoe," he pointed out.

Robbie looked at Laura and pulled her in for a kiss. When they broke, Robbie's grandfather shot another comment at them.

"That was no kiss! I didn't see any tongue."

"Grandpa!" Robbie yelled. He thought Laura suffered enough embarrassment already.

"That's okay," said Laura. She looked at the old man. "I like to keep things rated G in the presence of family members. We save everything PG and above for the privacy of his room." She said it in a joking enough tone so that everyone laughed at the comment, everyone except Beth that is. No one noticed her not laughing though.

Minutes later, Robbie and Laura were on their way to the dorms and Robbie's family began talking about Laura. Everyone liked her, but Beth still wasn't convinced.

"So let me get this straight," David said, after Beth explained her reasoning for not liking Laura. "First, you don't like her because she's too quiet, and doesn't show enough affection, and she's not committed. Now, you don't like her because you think she acts like a slut?"

"Did you hear what she was saying all night? They may have just as well gone at it in the living room. She made enough comments about their private lives!"

"That was my fault," said David's dad. "I brought all of that on."

"I wasn't just talking about the kiss thing. There were other things before that. And I really don't care who brought it on anyway. She still made the comments."

"You're way too hard on her. Laura's a nice girl. And she loves Robbie. Would you just let them be?" David asked Beth. Beth didn't want to argue with everyone on Christmas, so she decided to drop it. When she didn't say anything in response though, David continued. "I think you're just looking for things to be wrong with her."

"Not intentionally," Beth said to defend herself.

"Oh, I think it's intentional. Maybe not exactly conscious though."

Beth finally gave in, just to get her husband and everyone else off her back. "I suppose maybe I am a little hard on her. I guess I need to get used to her."

"If it's any consolation, I hated you at first," David's mother spoke up.

"What?"

"Oh, I did. I hated how good you were at cooking, and I absolutely hated your hair. And you were so disproportionate . . . your head seemed big on your shoulders, and your legs were boney compared to the rest of you. With that, I also thought you were loud and obnoxious. Oh yeah, and I thought you had the typical spoiled rich kid attitude. You thought just because-"

"We get it Mom," David said, cutting her off.

"I never knew that you didn't like me. I would have never guessed in a million years!"

"Well, I think it's a mother thing. No mother ever thinks a girl is good enough for their sons. Especially their oldest. I like you now though."

"What, may I ask, made you change your mind?" Beth asked her.

"After a couple months, I came to realize that you weren't going anywhere. When sabotaging your dates with Davie didn't work, I gave up. Eventually I just got used to your faults. And now I guess they're not all faults either. Just things that make us different from each other."

"I guess so," responded Beth, still surprised at this revelation.

"But I'll let you in on a little secret." David's mother leaned toward Beth to whisper in her ear. "Guys always end up marrying a girl that is in some ways similar to their mothers, maybe nothing that you can exactly see necessarily, but when she gets older, I can guarantee she'll be more like you than you can imagine." She winked at Beth and gave her a smile.

Hearing everything that her mother-in-law just confessed made her feel a little better about Laura. Maybe she was the right girl for Robbie. Beth would have to get to know her better, but now she at least had a little more incentive to.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So, you know what my grandpa said about me getting lucky tonight?" Robbie asked Laura once they were in his room. "What do you think my chances are?"

"Eh," Laura said, pretending to think it over hard. "Well, I guess your chances are pretty good. It could really go either way though."

"Is there any way I can help to convince you?"

"Maybe," Laura said, as Robbie pulled her close and kissed her deeply, his tongue exploring her mouth, and his hands resting on her hips, and then slightly moving up her shirt. "You're doing a pretty good job," Laura said. She laid down on the bed and pulled Robbie on top of her. "As a matter of fact, I think I'm sold."

"Good," he said, moving his lips to her neck and his hands to the button and zipper on her pants.

A/N: Hope everyone liked it. And if anyone wants to read about the baby being born or anything, it's in Glory Days. I couldn't get the links to the chapters in here, because it wouldn't work, but it's chapters 21 and 22. The next chapter for this story will be up sometime next week.