By the time Brooke's moderated bed rest was over and the drama began to die down, September appeared suddenly. Vivi would begin the 9th grade, something her mother would not stop lamenting about. Brooke would return to the office after doing limited work at home, and Lucas would begin his teaching job at Stuyvesant High School downtown.

The weather is gorgeous and Brooke could not be happier now that she is feeling better and is allowed to move about however she wishes. Deciding to start getting into the swing of the new school year, Brooke insisted that the trio go school supply shopping.

Stepping outside her apartment building, Brooke links one arm through Vivi's and rests the other on her round belly.

"Isn't it positively gorgeous out?" Brooke asks. She is radiant, her skin giving off that famous pregnancy glow. She is five months along and her body and mind are showing every sign of pregnancy. She couldn't be happier about it.

Lucas falls in line beside Brooke and smiles at her enthusiasm, "Just as gorgeous as it was yesterday when we went to Whole Foods", he says teasingly.

"Hey!" Brooke replies as she takes her hand off of her stomach and swats her boyfriend. "I'm just excited, Luke."

"I know, babe. And you look adorable when you're excited."

"You're still teasing me, mister!"

It had taken many months and an unexpected pregnancy with twins, but Lucas and Brooke fell into step as a happy couple. Brooke's heart took a while to mend after Lucas and Sam came in and out of her life, but she talked it over with Lucas and she decided that they had both changed. The couple has grown up and they were ready to continue to grow together and form a family.

Lucas leans over and kisses the side of Brooke's head, "I'm sorry, babe. You know I only tease you because I love you."

Brooke smiles. She's happy, really happy, for the first time in a while. Her apprehension about being with the blond brooder again has disappeared almost completely. She smiles widely up at Lucas, dimples gleaming in the sun.

"Oh, Jesus", Brooke says as her expression changes and she rests a hand back on her stomach.

Lucas springs to attention, fearing for the worst, "What is it?!"

"One of the babies is kicking really hard", the woman explains as Lucas signs in relief.

Vivi, who had been walking a few steps ahead of the couple, hears her mother's comment and turns around.

"Can I feel it?" the teenager asks apprehensively.

Brooke nods and smiles at her daughter. "Of course you can, beautiful!" she says.

The trio is certainly an interesting picture. Walking down a city street, they pull off to the side. Brooke leans with her back against a building and then grabs Vivi's hand. The mother guides her daughter's hand to a spot on the right side of her belly.

"Wait a second", Brooke says.

As if on cue, Vivi and Brooke both feel the kicks.

"Holy shit", Vivi says calmly as she looks up at her mother. Brooke's eyes are glistening with tears.

"Cool, huh?"

"Very". Vivi pauses. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really", Brooke says, "They're mostly just wiggling and the kicks aren't that hard. It'll be more painful in a couple of months when they start running out of room. If I recall correctly, you would kick me so hard, I'd have to double over."

"Sorry?"

Brooke laughs, closing her eyes softly, "There's nothing in the world as amazing as being pregnant."

"Wow", Vivi says.

Both Vivi and Brooke look towards Lucas who had walked off and become engrossed in a restaurant's menu a few feet away.

"You're really happy, aren't you?" the young girl continues.

Brooke turns around to face her daughter, removing both of their hands from her belly. "I really am, babe."

"I can tell. You glow."

"I don't glow, Viv. I sweat. It's 80 degrees and I'm carrying around two babies and 15 extra pounds."

"No, Mom. You glow."

Brooke smiles softly and hugs the teen, linking their arms again and walking towards Lucas.

"Hello, ladies", he says. "Want to eat here?"

"If it's Mexican or Italian, no. If it's Indian or Thai, bring it on!" Brooke says enthusiastically. The cravings and aversions had started. Brooke could no longer stand to even hear the words "taco" or "lasagna", but drooled at the thought of pad thai or curry chicken.

"It's Thai", Lucas says.

"Well, then bring it on!"

--xx—

The Staples in Midtown was crowded. School in New York City is to start in just a few days and boys, girls, and tired parents are running around the store with long lists of school supplies that are needed for the upcoming year. Brooke and Vivi wander the aisles, scouting for what Vivi and Lucas need.

"Do you want blue or black pens, baby?" Brooke asks as she and her daughter stand around the writing implements.

Vivi turns to her mother, sort of confused, "Are you talking to me?"

Brooke smiles and kinks her eyebrow, "No. By baby, I meant the ones in my belly."

"Very funny", Vivi says, "and black, please."

Brooke grabs several packs of pens and tosses them into the cart. "Are you okay, Viv?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just on a mission!" she explains as she smiles and pulls a few highlighters off the rack.

Brooke is not convinced by her daughter's excuse and she raises her eyebrows questioningly, "Are you nervous about starting in the Upper School?"

Vivi's private school has three levels: Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School and the Upper East Side academy held a strange resemblance to the old TV show Gossip Girl.

"Sort of", Vivi answers, "It's just so weird to think I'm in 9th grade already."

"You're telling me, babe. Being pregnant now is really making me remember being pregnant with you and when you were really little." Brooke says. She walks to Vivi and hugs her tightly. Pulling away, Brooke continues, "When did I give you permission to grow up?"

Vivi smiles at her mother and then looks down again at the list she has written out. "I need a stapler", she says plainly as she begins to walk.

"Wait", Brooke says, "if you start to get stressed or anything, I need you to come to me. I don't want you turning to drugs again."

"I'll be fine, mom."

"Tell me you'll come to me, Vivi."

"I will."

"Good. Now, about that stapler…" Brooke begins pushing the cart as Vivi stands by her side.

"How are you feeling?" Vivi asks her mother.

"Good. I feel good, Viv."

"Not tired or anything?"

Brooke laughs at her daughter and grabs her hand, "Please don't worry so much. Everything is okay."

Vivi and Brooke's relationship has always been strikingly reciprocal. Brooke was clearly the mother, but they often took turns caring for each other.

"I just get concerned", Vivi explains. "When do you go back to Dr. Weiss?"

"Next week. She'll be able to tell us if the twins are boys or girls."

"What do you think they are?"

Brooke and Vivi round the corner and come to face even more office supplies.

"I'm thinking girls", Brooke says. She reaches for some staples and a pink stapler and throws them in the cart, "It doesn't really matter either way. Do you want to venture a guess?"

"Boys", Vivi replies as she grabs a bottle of Elmer's glue. "Are you scared? About having twins?"

Brooke straightens up and stops the cart to answer her daughter's random question, "I'm nervous. Definitely nervous. I haven't been around a baby in a while since you grew up faster than the speed of light. It'll be interesting to have two babies around, but I'm mostly excited. I have a feeling those maternal instincts for caring for babies are going to kick right back in."

"I think they already have, mom. You're amazing."

Brooke lowers her head and tears threaten to escape from her eyes. "Thank you, Viv. That's really sweet of you. Are you trying to con me out of money or something?"

Vivi laughs. "No. I just like to tell you sometimes that you're a really great mother. I'm excited to meet the babies, too."

"They're going to love you", Brooke says. She rests her hand on her belly again and feels several kicks in response.

"What time are we meeting Lucas?" Vivi asks.

"At 2. He's upstairs making a million copies", Brooke explains. "He's really excited to start teaching." The woman is nearly beaming, a bright smile escaping her lips. She blushes when she realizes this. "We're this cute, little pseudo family now."

"Not pseudo", Vivi says. "We are a real family."

--xx--