Author's Note: HELLO MY LOVES hugs all around I missed you. Sorry I have been MIA lately. I had some not so good stuff go on the last couple of weeks, but fear not for everything is fine now..although right now I am battling a lingering allergy...growl. I was also a little writer's blocked. But FAKEmpregnator wanted me to continue with Thanksgiving (thanks for the idea!) so here is another mush-mush chapter for you all. If you look closely you'll see it continues a spoiler from a FAKE side story Sanami had done awhile back so if you haven't seen it, try to avoid. What else...OH! I recently saw Mirage of Blaze! (SUCH A GOOD ANIME..needed a little more loving..but...Naoe...meow)..so I am thinking of doing a story for that because it is now on my list of favorites. I saw Winter Cicada (made me almost cry..but hoo boy talk about some hotness) and some others. BTW anyone know if there are more Mirage of Blazes out there (the mangas..I heard it spans ALOT of stories and artbooks..which I need to find..anyone know where they might be?) Okay talked enough! Enjoy the chappie!
Ryo awoke to the sound of Grace crying. He yawned, a little happy that he finally got a good nap in. He realized he had an arm around him and looked up to see Dee snoring contently. He smiled and kissed Dee's chin.
"Well, well look who is awake!" A loud female voice rang out. Ryo turned and saw Aunt Elena smiling at them while holding Grace who was sucking away at her pacifier. Ryo then realized that he and Dee had fallen asleep at Elena and Rick's house on Thanksgiving!
"OH MY GOD!" Ryo said anxiously. "Dee wake up!" He shook his husband who grunted and mumbled "few more minutes Ryo."
Elena laughed as Ryo glared at his lazy husband who tried shaking him awake. Elena walked over to her nervous nephew.
"Ryo sweetie relax!" She said as she gently took his arms.
"Elena I am soo sorry, I didn't mean to nod off like that!" Ryo pleaded. "That was so rude of us!"
Elena shook her head as she bounced Grace.
"You are exhausted honey!" She said. "It's fine! Rick and I know that you two have been working yourselves ragged what with Grace and work. Besides the turkey is still in the oven and Rick took Bikky to a football game so you both got some sleep."
She turned to Grace.
"And little Grace has been doing just fine. She had a good nap as well and wants to her see her daddies."
Dee at that moment took the time to grunt, scratch his chest and awaken just as Ryo took Grace in his arms.
"Holy moley what time is it?" He asked.
"Half past five." Elena mentioned. "You three were asleep for almost 2 hours. This is fine because the bird is almost done and Rick and Bikky should be back any moment now. They went to a football game at the high school."
"And how about my squirt?" Dee said looking over at Ryo who was chuckling as he bounced the baby in his arms.
"Looks A-okay to me!" Ryo said. "I guess she needed some rest too."
Elena felt a warm sense of pride as she watched her nephew and nephew in law play with the little baby who cooing away and smiling a toothless grin. The front door then opened and in walked Bikky and Rick.
"Speak of the devil!" Elena said. "How was the game?"
"We won!" Rick said giving his wife a half frozen kiss. "But it was pretty chilly out there!"
"It was great!" Bikky said.
Rick eyed Bikky.
"You were paying more attention to the cheerleaders!" He said jokingly. "Heh, Ryo you better get ready because once this boy hits high school he's gonna be a lady killer. I saw a few of those girls giving him the flirty eye."
"Oh beautiful." Ryo groaned and fell backwards on the couch. "By that time Grace will be one year old and probably unstoppable once she starts walking. Add my son with his fan girls, I'm going to get run for my money!"
"A hormonal teen and a super speedy squirt!" Dee said. "I think I am going to go into hibernation for the next four years!"
The family laughed. Bikky just huffed, but was secretly flattered that he had been eyed by some girls. Even though Carol was of course his leading lady, no one can resist an ego boost.
Just then a ding went off in the kitchen.
"FINALLY THAT STUPID TURKEY IS DONE!" Elena said. "Okay everyone get to the table and we can eat!"
"Here Elena let me help you!" Ryo said getting up. "I need to prepare Grace her evening bottle too!"
Ryo followed his aunt into the kitchen while the three others headed to the elaborately set dining room. Dee continued to bounce Grace in his lap and make funny voices while Grace smiled and made her own laughing noises. Bikky and Rick joined in too and the baby ate up all the attention she was getting. Ryo and Elena re-appeared carrying bowls and plates of food and then headed back into the kitchen to retrieve the rest and Grace's bottle.
Finally after everything was set up, the candles were lit and Rick began to carve the turkey. Ryo meanwhile fed Grace her bottle in between bites of his food while Dee watched his husband all smiles. The family chatted happily with Ryo of course bragging about his kids, Dee talking about work and the orphanage, Elena her photography, Rick his business and Bikky his sports.
All the while no one could take their eyes off of Grace. After she drank her bottle, Dee took her from Ryo, wiped her chin with the bib around her neck, burped her and held her in his arms. She rested her cheek against his shoulder as he finished his meal. Ryo took his hand and draped it around Dee's shoulders and stroked his neck lovingly. The sight of her nephew's smiling face became a little too much for Elena.
"Okay I think I'll check the fridge and see about dessert." She said her voice choking a little. No one except Rick noticed.
"I'll get these dishes out of here in the meantime!" Rick said. The three others at the table offered to help, but Rick shooed them away saying that it wasn't necessary. Rick walked into the kitchen where Elena stood over the kitchen sink looking out the window.
"Elena?" He said quietly.
"This damn weather!" She said sniffling. "Must be my allergies!'
Rick frowned, approached his wife and held her in a tight embrace.
"You don't get allergies Elena." He said quietly. "You're thinking about your brother aren't you?"
Elena knew she had been beaten.
"You know me too well." She said. "I just...just wish Frank and Aiko were here to see this. How happy their son is now that he is married with a family. I hate that they can't see this!"
Rick tilted his wife's chin so she could look into his eyes.
"That's not all is it? You miss your big brother."
Elena stifled a slight cry and buried her face in Rick's vest.
"Yes." She murmured. "Frank always made the holidays fun for me while my parents were off at business parties or in Aspen or some idiotic vacation. If parties were held at our house I wasn't usually allowed because I was too young. So Frank would usually come up to my room with some leftovers and we would celebrate together. He always made time for me and supported me when I wanted to be a photographer when no one else in our family would. I hate this! Nearly twelve years, I should be used to it, but I'm not. I want Frank, I want my brother back!"
"I know." Rick said as he stroked his wife's hair. "I felt like such a bastard that I was away overseas when Frank and Aiko passed and couldn't make their funeral. Frank was always like my big brother too and he made damn sure I took care of his baby sister."
Elena giggled.
"I guess we all lost a piece of ourselves when we lost Frank and Aiko." Elena said.
Rick and Elena turned when they heard the sound of laughter coming from the dining. They peeked and saw Dee and Bikky trying to get Grace to imitate the goofy sounds they were making. Grace was now in Ryo's lap and Ryo was laughing hysterically as Grace cooed away making her own breathless laughs. When his laughter ceased, he kissed the baby's head and then Dee reached over and kissed Ryo's cheek. The sight of Rick and Elena's nephew as he smiled and blushed, full of love and fulfillment whereas three years ago was coping with inexplicable loneliness and a deep rooted anger was amazing.
After Frank and Aiko's deaths Ryo had become almost zombie like, prim, edgy, carrying a grudge in his heart and a heavy burden upon his young shoulders. In many ways Ryo was still that eighteen year old boy. He was always tight and determined, smiling here and there, but sadness always holding in his deep black eyes. He had his girlfriends and his flings from time to time, but nothing really serious. Ryo had usually broken it off when the girl got too close or the girl would break it off with him because he was too obsessed with work. A year after his parents died he had one girl that he fallen head over heels for while on a vacation, but after she had committed suicide Ryo felt fearful that falling in love would lead to more deep heartache and loss of those around him. He even felt that when Dee began to warm his heart which often kept him at bay from Dee's earlier advances.
It worried Elena and Rick to no end, wondering if they had lost the other side of Ryo. The side that loved to smile, laugh, laze about from time to time enjoying life's little pleasures and ignoring its slight flaws. When Frank and Aiko died, they believed they had also lost Ryo. But all that changed with Dee and Bikky. With Dee Ryo realized the beauty of true love no and with Bikky Ryo found life's little joys again. And now with Grace Ryo was realizing that life does start again even when those around us have passed. Elena and Rick were truly grateful.
"You know." Rick said quietly. "We may have lost ourselves a little when Aiko and Frank died. But I think they also gave us a whole lot more."
Elena nodded as she snuggled warmly into her husband's embrace. She really was happy to be married to him. Rick always knew how to make everything just right. He had been her pillar of strength even from oceans away when Frank died and then gave all of himself to make sure Ryo was well taken care and happy even in the worst times imaginable. Elena was a very lucky woman.
"You're right Rick." She whispered as she stared out at her nephew and his family as they watched Grace fall asleep in Ryo's arms. "They gave us more than any of us could have imagined."