Kim and Tommy sat together down stairs with the baby monitor sitting between them. Tommy had a beer in one hand and held Kim's with his other. He could tell that she was still mad at him, but now she was willing to listen and judge whether or not she was going to stay mad. He hated these conversations, but he knew this one could not be avoided. She needed him and he had neglected that, it was something that neither of them could stand.
"What do you want to know?" Tommy asked as she leaned into him and he watched her eyes close as she got more comfortable.
"Just explain it to me, what we're going to have to do. If I have any other questions, I'll ask," Kim said as he rested his hand over the small bulge that was beginning to form in her lower abdomen and smiled as he thought about what the coming months were going to entail.
"You won't be doing anything until after this baby is born," Tommy whispered into her ear as she closed her eyes and sighed. She felt wonderful against him and he wished that he could make this up to her the way that he had in years past, but that was too dangerous now, much too dangerous.
"I could do something," Kim said as she looked up at him and he just shook his head. Her body couldn't take what he had gone through today right now, he couldn't risk losing her, no matter what she said.
"I've almost lost the both of you once, I can't do it again," Tommy forced out as his eyes watered over and he tried to bring his emotions back in check.
"Tommy…I didn't…" Kim whispered as she reached up for his face and gently brushed away the tears rolling down his cheeks.
"It's okay, you didn't know why I was pushing so hard to find this answer and now you do. What will happen is that the kids will be drained of their residual powers, that isn't painful, they'll probably just fall asleep," Tommy said as she barely nodded. She was glad that that was not going to hurt their children, but she worried about what was going to happen.
"The painful part?" Kim asked as his hands gently rubbed her side, every now and then grazing over the staples that held her skin together. Next week they would go to the doctor to get the staples removed and then try to go on from there.
"Having the powers put back in is pretty rough. You and I would carry their powers until they are old enough to decide whether or not they are going to take them back," Tommy said as she gritted her teeth as her shirt caught on one of the staples. "I got it."
"So that's the real reason I'm not doing anything right now," Kim said as Tommy pulled the shirt up high enough that it would not get tangled again and he resumed caressing her skin.
"Yeah and with Chloe we still have some time, we have to do this now or Wyatt will get hurt," Tommy whispered as his voice broke and she just wrapped her arms around him. She didn't want to think about the risk of losing either of their children.
"You'll be taking all the powers yourself?" Kim asked as Tommy barely nodded, as he didn't trust his voice at the moment and she just closed her eyes and laid there for a moment. "What about when it's Chloe's turn?"
"You'll do the same thing with Chloe," Tommy managed as he buried his face against her hair and finally let himself truly cry about everything that was going on.
"Okay, I can deal with this now. I was just having a hard time without you here this week. I've been hurting a lot and I'm so sick from the baby that…" Kim trailed off as he looked up from his spot on her shoulder and then groaned. He could not believe that he had been so exhausted to not even notice that his wife was in pain.
"And you didn't say anything to me," Tommy stated as she placed her hand on his thigh and she just looked up at him.
"Because I knew how important this was to you and I wasn't going to get in the way. I just didn't know why it was important," Kim said as he let out a long sigh and then pulled her closer. He really felt like an ass right now.
"I didn't tell you?" Tommy asked as he closed his eyes and prayed that she would tell him that he had, but he knew that he hadn't.
"Not really. I was so out of it at the beginning of the week that I don't remember much," Kim said as he let out a groan and she laughed. "Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Kim, I'm sorry. Life has been rough lately and I just forgot some things, more than just telling you about that," Tommy said as he gently kissed her neck and she shivered at the contact. He knew the things to do to make her entire body tingle in just one action and she could feel it again.
"You forget things when life isn't rough," Kim forced out as he moved away from the sensitive area and she let out a moan.
"I'll make that up to you when we can, I promise and thank you," Tommy said as he kissed her cheek and then looked over to his other hand. "You don't mind me having a drink tonight, do you?"
"You've had a bad week, I'll let you slide this time," Kim joked as she reached up and kissed his lips.
"I forgot my not drinking when you're pregnant rule," Tommy said as her hands steadied on his arm and he looked over at her.
"Yeah, but it's okay, you can make it up to me later," Kim said as his eyes narrowed in confusion. Why in the world would she suggest something like that when she was barely able to walk?
"The doctor said we couldn't…" Tommy began as she placed a finger over his mouth and he pouted.
"I just want a good back massage since I'm forbidden from taking any medicine stronger than Tylenol," Kim said as the pout disappeared and he smiled.
"That bad?" Tommy asked as she barely nodded her head. She was in enough pain to ask this without him offering and that was something that she rarely did. They let each other do things most of the time without even asking.
"Wyatt's heavier than you think," Kim explained as he looked up at the ceiling.
"Is there anything I haven't fucked up in the last week?" Tommy asked as she laughed at him.
"Don't worry Tommy, you'll make up for it and it's nothing that will damage our marriage permanently. This week has just been hard on the two of us," Kim said as he gently pulled her onto his shoulder and he sighed.
"I'll get the kids tonight, you need a break," Tommy said as she looked up at him in shock.
"Tommy, you've had a really bad day," Kim said as he placed his hands over hers.
"Come on, I owe you because of this last week. I'll get the kids tonight if they wake up," Tommy said as he pulled her up off the couch and he watched her face tighten in pain.
"You can't feed Chloe," Kim said as he scooped her up and she looked at him.
"Then I'll come wake you up, if that's what needs to be done you need some sleep after this week," Tommy whispered in her ear as she let out a light laugh and smiled at him.
"You're sure about this? You're not looking so great yourself," Kim responded as he shook his head.
"I am, you're worse off than I am, come on, just let me do this," Tommy said as he put her down in bed and she pulled him down on top of her. "Don't tempt me."
"Okay, hold yourself up and I'll roll over," Kim whispered as she got comfortable and he then started kneading the sore muscles of her back. He watched as her face relaxed and he smiled down at her. He knew that he was going to have a lot of work to do, but this would help get them back on the right track. No matter what she said, he felt that they needed to work on some things. This pregnancy was going to be rough, the beginning showed it.