Because some people (you knowwho you are)whine so well...;)

Enjoy,

M

Reality

Chapter 24

"Slow, that's it, don't rush it," CJ holding the car door open reached in to help Moe out.

Moe stopping as he slid to the edge of the cars seat, looked up, "Touch me again and die Caster! I don't need you to pull, push or give me your damn arm anymore so stop acting like a damn mother hen!" He slapped CJ's hand away as he refused to remove it himself, "I can get out fine! Geesh!"

Jamie walking around the car to them, laughed, "Would you two stop fighting already? You know you act just like an old married couple!" She gently pushed CJ, who was about to protest, away, "Go get the bag, I'll help gramps here up the steps."

Moe grinned up at her, "Who you calling old lady? You're the grandmother not me!"

Standing slowly as he exited the car finally he began walking to the steps of the house to see Rose was on the porch waiting for him.

Overhearing the exchange she commented loudly though with humor, "Hey, don't mess with her Mister, I finally got two grandchildren and two great grandchildren because of her Maurice Louis. Even if I had to steal them cause you two won't get married!"

Moe on the steps was grinning at her even though he was wearing a furrow on his brow from the walk to them and climb up, "Hey, Ma you know that doesn't matter anymore! Hell, if we start now you could have another one by Christmas!" He turned slightly to look at Jamie a suggestive twinkle in his eyes, "How about it Jamie?" Turning back he stepped finally upon the porch, home, kissing Rose's cheek as she very gently slapped his good arm, "Maurice don't you DARE start your nonsense!" Rose was winking at Jamie over his shoulder, then pulling back from him as she patted him on his cheek, added lovingly, "Come on baby lets get you settled in." They disappeared into the house, Rose leaving the door open for Jamie and CJ to follow.

Jamie stared at Moe's retreating back, not commenting as CJ coming up behind her asked, "You gonna tell him anytime soon?"

Glancing up at him startled she snapped out, "No, and neither are YOU." She followed Moe and Rose into the house.

CJ trailing behind shaking his head slowly gave a small grunt as he started in on her, again, "Jamie..."

"NO, CJ," she abruptly stopped, "NO." Her voice once again soft but still firm, "Let it go for now, please."

Frowning, not willing to let it go he started to make an additional comment, but seeing her look sideways at him and the anxious hard look in her eyes stopped him cold, instead he muttered, "Okay." Then passing her he took the bag in to Moe's bedroom.

"Do you want something to drink? Eat?" Rose was hovering over Moe, who was grinning as he watched her.

"No Ma, I'm fine. Sit." Taking her hand he gently pulled her down onto the couch with him as he settled back onto it with a sigh pulling a pillow to rest his left arm still in the sling, on, adding, "I ate lunch at the hospital and I'm not thirsty."

Unable to control herself, Rose gently snatched him into a hug, "I'm just so glad you're home honey. Not to mention finding out you're NOT a drug dealer, or a murderer." Though she'd known this for a long time now, and had already discussed it with him in the hospital, Rose couldn't help but chide him on it a bit.

Dropping his chin to his chest, he reddened, "Ma, I said I was sorry," but he was smiling as he cut his eyes up at her knowing she was teasing him.

"Yes Maurice, yes you did," she grabbed his chin in her hand holding him while she planted a kiss on his cheek, "And you can keep saying it. After what you put me through, you have a few more times to go mister!" Leaning her forehead against the side of his head as he put his arm around her.

"I love you Ma," he whispered to her. "I love you too baby," she whispered back, sitting back as her eyes took him in, hardly believing he was indeed home finally.

Jamie covertly watched them as she moved about the kitchen, putting the medications away, stealing glances as she passed the entrance moving back and forth, as if to reassure herself he indeed was home. A smile on her face as she saw finally things were okay between he and Rose.

Spotting her as she passed the doorway once again, "Hey," he called out to her, "leave that for later. I can't sit here anymore, I need to go outside! Come sit with me on the porch." Slowly standing up again, he waited as she came through the kitchen door to him. Putting his hand out to her, as she joined him, taking his hand in hers she stopped him while Rose seeing he wanted to be alone with Jamie decided to go and put away the things in his bag. CJ was heading to the kitchen to get lunch started for himself and the women as picking up Moe had made them late on eating, he grinned at both of them as he disappeared through the doorway.

"What?" Moe grinned down at her as they stood together, "I can't go outside?"

"No," she replied seriously, "I mean yes, of course, I just..." trailing off she swallowed then smiled, "sure, lets go."

Opening the door she held it for him. Narrowing his eyes at her, "What? What's wrong, I know that face, tell me."

"Nothing," she smiled at him, "I just,I missed you that's all. Its been a long three weeks with you in the hospital, and before of course." She shrugged, "Long few months." Blinking up at him as he pulled her close to him, as he caressed her face with his hand.

"No," he whispered, "Its been a long damn year, and I've missed you too. Now are you going to put a coat on? Its gotten almost as cold here as back home."

Snatching a coat off the rack next to him with his good hand, he held it for her as she slipped into it. Grabbing one down for himself, Jamie had to pull it up onto his right arm for him, drape it over his left shoulder as with his arm still out of commission and his chest still hurt too much to do it himself with only one arm.

Finally outside sitting on one of the long porch sofas together, cuddled up tightly to one another, he sighed as he admitted, "You know," looking down into her upturned face, "I thought last December that I'd never see you again. Not like I needed too that is. At one point when Louis kept after you, I wanted him to be with you just so I coul..." He stopped, looking away from her.

"Its okay," she touched his face, turning it to her, "I felt you there, and at one point I wanted to also, just to feel close to you again."

"But you didn't," his eyes darkening, voice husky, "you didn't."

"No," she smiled, "but not for lack of want. I have to be honest, when I went to his room, I wasn't leaving. So when you told me, or rather when he told me, or..." she paused giving a slight giggle, "you both told me, it was YOU, I was damn glad."

"Yeah," he grinned now, "me too. Only I wish CJ hadn't decided to 'teach' Louis a lesson like he did!"

"I have a confession to make," she was hesitant in her speech.

"What?" he asked pulling back to look more closely at her face.

"When I left here, thinking that you were Louis again only," Jamie sighed, "I wasn't coming back. But when I realized in the ambulance that it was you,or rather..anyway that had been attacked, I didn't care Moe! I didn't care who was in here!" Laying her hand on his heart, "I couldn't leave again. When I went into your room that day, I was there to tell Louis that I was staying. That no matter what, I was going to try with him." She leaned away as she felt him stiffen, "Please, don't. Don't shut me out, listen to me."

Swallowing nervously, Moe nodded, his heart racing, "Okay."

"I love you, all of you, I've told you that several times. Moe, Bosco, Louis, hell even Maurice,but um, lets not go there okay?" She smirked up at him.

Laughing in spite of the seriousness of her words, he nodded, "Agreed, I think we can leave Maurice out of this discussion."

"Every one is YOU, maybe not a whole part of you, but still YOU," she reached her hand up again touching his face gently at first then more firmly holding his cheek against her palm, feeling him lean into it, "And I can't stop loving any part of you anymore than I can stop breathing Moe. Anyway, I just wanted to explain why I stayed, when you knew I thought you were Louis."

A slow smile spread over his face he put his hand over hers, nodding, "I hope you never stop Jamie cause if you did, then I would stop breathing because I can't imagine being without you anymore, I love you."

"Good," she met his lips with a kiss first tender then with growing passion, until they heard tapping on the livingroom window, breaking the kiss and looking at the window both broke out laughing as CJ and Rose waved to them. Then Rose called out, "What are you thinking? Do you want to end up back in the hospital Maurice? You just got out!"

She was laughing as CJ rubbed one finger over the other, "Shame shame shame, and on the front porch! Have you no dignity!"

Shaking his head, Moe commented grinning as he waved back, "You know I heard that hotel has some nice rooms..."

"You want to go to a HOTEL?" Jamie turned back looking up at him.

"No," he looked down at her with a grin, "Not us..."

"Moe Behave!" she laughed putting her head on his shoulder as they watched the seagulls come in, "UH OH your tenants are back! Want to make a break for it?"

"Naa," he dropped his cheek down onto her hair, "Call CJ out and tell him to feed them in the yard...hehehe."

"Oh yeah," she grinned eyeing the birds carefully, "you told me about them, and your Mom and I have seen them, but he hasn't seen them in action!" Leaning forward, calling out, "OH CJ! Come here a minute! And bring some bread, we have visitors!"

Later that night:

"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" CJ yelled from the hallway, Moe was still laughing about the seagulls.

"Oh," he gasped holding his chest with one hand, "Oh hell yes it was!"

Rose sat shaking her head at him, "You can be so mean Maurice!" Smirking over at Jamie, "But it was funny!"

"Yes," Jamie giggled drinking her coffee, "it was at that."

Coming from the hall, standing a moment glaring at Moe but not commenting, CJ stalked into the kitchen.

"Aww come on Ceeggg, don't be like that," Moe making an Opps face at Jamie, "it wasn't that bad!"

Stalking out of the kitchen again, carrying a cup of coffee and a plate with a slice of pecan pie on it, CJ stopped, glaring at him again, "I'm not talking to you." Flopping down in a chair next to the fireplace that was on the wall between the two hallways.

"Yeah," Moe rolled his eyes winking at Jamie, "the day that happens I'll be swimming in the Hudson!"

"Keep this kind of stuff up and you might be swimming in the ocean," CJ growled, but he was beginning to thaw, "Damn birds, who the hell taught them that?"

"I don't know," Moe cracked, "but I bet they regretted it after."

"Awww come on," Rose giggled, "dive bombing birds are everywhere."

"YEAH!" CJ exclaimed, "BUT seagulls who sit on your head? And try to keep you OUT of a house?" Now they were all laughing again. "The bad thing, well the really bad thing is YOU GUYS, ALL, KNEW ABOUT IT," CJ couldn't help but laugh, "and you still led me like a lamb to the slaughter!"

Moe evily grinning cracked, "I thought about getting Ma to do the feeding, but I know what she would have done to me after."

"Oh you better believe it mister!" Rose stood up with a yawn, "Well as much as I love torturing CJ, I'm calling it a night." Leaning down she kissed Moe on the cheek then Jamie, "Goodnight loves," pointedly telling Moe, "YOU don't stay up to late."

Now it was CJ's turn to laugh at him, "OHHH look Moe's Mommy just gave him a bedtime!"

Rose reaching his side now leaned down and pecked his cheek, "YOU TOO Mr. Caster!"

"HAHAHA," Moe pointing to CJ snickered, "You got one too!"

Jamie stared at the ceiling as Rose muttering about 'fools' went to her room. "How old are you two again?" she asked standing and placing the dishes on the tray to take to the kitchen, "was it five for you," pointing to first to Moe, then to CJ, "and three for you?"

"Yeah," CJ stood to join her, as his pie was demolished in only a few bites, his coffee already ready for a refill, "like you're any older! You're the one called me out there. The only reason she didn't give you a bedtime is cause you've got grand kids, and she's after them, she was just being nice to her elder."

"OOOHHHHHHH NO YOU DIDN'T! GOOD ONE CJ, MA'S ELDER...!" Moe roared in laughter, holding his chest tightly as he did, "OOOOWWWW no fair, don't make me laugh like that it hurts!" He coughed a few times with tears rolling as Jamie glared at both of them.

Jamie stopping in mock shock, thrust the tray at CJ, who took it before he thought good, "OH REALLY? WELL HOW'S THIS FOR ELDER! YOU WASH THEM AND FINISH CLEANING THE KITCHEN BY YOURSELF!" Turning back to Moe, she exclaimed, "AND GUESS WHO'S SLEEPING BY HIMSELF TONIGHT! AGAIN!" Then she was down the hall to her room, but before they could apologize or react they heard her laughing as she closed her door.

"What the," CJ exclaimed as he stood looking down at the tray in his hands, "SHE PLANNED THAT!"

"WHAT THE HELL," Moe glaring at CJ lost his laughter quick as he exclaimed, "THANKS A LOT CASTER! SLEEPING BY MYSELF? SHIT!"

Looking at him, CJ grinned, "Well since you're not getting any tonight, and after laughing like a hyena over it, maybe for a long time to come, want to join me in the kitchen?" He disappeared through the opening.

"Sure," Moe sighed, "why not." Slowly standing he went to join him, sitting carefully on one of the stools at the breakfast bar, "And I wasn't thinking I was getting anything but a warm body to sleep next to me...Boy when are we ever gonna learn to engage the brain before the mouth?"

Putting detergent into the sink, turning on the water CJ observed, "Probably when you go swimming in the Hudson Moe."

"Yeah," he replied, sighing heavily putting his head down on his arms on the bar, "but my luck it will be my mouth that gets me there."

"I hear ya bro," CJ swirled the water as the sink filled, "I hear ya, hell I'll probably be right beside you." A wicked grin came over him as he offered, "Hey, I'll sleep with you if you want, my rooms cold as a witch's..."

"NO," Moe laughed, "that's ok, thanks anyway, been there done that, you snore."

Both men were grinning as they continued to talk while outside, standing on the beach a man watched the movements in the house, soon it would be time, soon.

TBC...