Author's Note: Just some fun in this chapter, a pretty big payoff. Um, yeah.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Chapter 52: Valentines

Julie stood in front of the mirror, pushing her hair behind her ears and then pulling it back out. Connie laughed.

"Nervous?" She said. Julie nodded, "Why?"

"I've never done the whole fancy thing with Jimmy," She sighed. "And he's done it a lot."

"He came to your dad's wedding," Connie said.

"That was different," Julie said, "It wasn't that fancy." Connie nodded, there was a knock on the door. "Hi Guy."

"Hi," He said, "So are you ready Cons?"

"Yeah," She nodded, "See you down there Julie."

"See you," She said. She sat down on the bed and started flipping through a magazine. Where was Jimmy? He was never this late, but he'd been so weird lately. Although since their talk the other night, things were a little better. She just couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding something back from her. There was a knock on the door. She took a deep breath and opened it.

"Hi," Jimmy smiled. She exhaled slowly. She'd never seen him look like this. He was wearing a clean cut, perfect tuxedo and she was overwhelmed for once by exactly how tall Jimmy was. She tried not to seem too eager when she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "You look beautiful."

"You too," She whispered, "I mean, handsome, I mean, um,"

"I know what you mean," He laughed, "I'm really not comfortable in this thing."

"You look amazing," She said.

"Thank you," He smiled. He wanted to tell her over and over again how beautiful she was. She was beautiful all the time, but tonight she seemed to sparkle. She wasn't wearing red, and he was glad. Every other girl in that room would be wearing red, she would stand out. "I got you a corsage," He handed her the red rose.

"Thanks," She said slipping it around her wrist. "We should go."

"Yeah," He said, sliding his arm around her waist as she pulled a wrap around her shoulders. "God, you're so beautiful."


"Cass," Rick said as she walked in, "Hey, where've you been? I mean, I know the dance is lame, but you know its Kelly, and I got us reservations for after, and,"

"Can we go upstairs?" She said. He nodded, and they walked up to his room.

"What's going on?" He asked. She kissed him. "Hi there."

"I'm ready," She whispered. He blinked.

"Really?" He said. She nodded. He kissed her. "I still don't understand why you're late."

"I was getting ready," She said, "And I was about to leave, and I saw the picture of us at my deb, and I realized, I'm going to be with you for the rest of my life, and I didn't see any reason to not be with you anymore." He kissed her. "And after that, I had to change."

"Baby," He kissed her softly, "I know it's been a while, but you don't wear clothes when you have sex."

"Not my clothes," She shook her head. She pulled the slip dress she was wearing over her head. "Into this." He smiled, looking at her, her soft dark hair resting around her shoulders and the pink silk slip she was wearing. She'd never looked more beautiful to him and he wanted her more than he ever had. "Rick, say something."

"I love you," He said softly and kissed her. "We're going to do this?" She nodded and smiled, kissing him and they fell backwards onto his bed. She was on top and kissing him softly as his hands ran over her thighs. She whimpered softly. He kissed her. "I don't think I've been this nervous since I was virgin."

"I don't think I was this nervous when I was a virgin," She whispered and giggled. He kissed her again. "I love you."

"You're trembling," He said softly, she nodded, "Cassie," He kissed her, "We've done this before, a lot actually."

"Is it a total cliché," She whispered, "That it's Valentines?"

"No," He said, "It's perfect." He kissed her. "It's you Cassie. You're the one." A few stray kisses and a minute later he was inside of her.

"Rick," She whimpered. "God, I love you."

"I love you too," He said.


"You don't want to go out?" Cal said coming in from work and seeing Elyse sitting on the couch in sweats, her hair piled on top of her head. She shook her head, "It's Valentine's Day!"

"I'm fat." She said.

"You're not fat," He sat down, "You're pregnant, and beautiful. And it's our first Valentine's married."

"I am fat!" She said, "And if I smell chicken or shellfish I barf, so where do you suggest we go out Cal?"

"Fine," He nodded. "So what do you want to do?" She laughed and stuck her feet out. "Shocking."

"It feels so good when you rub my feet Cal," She said, "It's Valentine's Day, please?" He laughed and started. "Thank you!"

"Two months in and we're already at the staying home and feet rubbing stage," He said, "We're sad."

"Yeah," She nodded, "Next year, when this thing is out of me,"

"Our child," Cal said.

"Yeah that," She nodded, "We will go out."

"We'll have a five month old," He laughed.

"Nanny Steve," She reminded him, "The kid promised cheap babysitting anytime we need it."

"Not so sure Steve-o is big on the Gaffneys right now," Cal grimaced. Elyse nodded. "She hated leaving him. It was one of the top reasons to stay."

"I know," Elyse nodded, "I think he knows too."

"So," He said, "Pizza? You can eat cheese right?"

"Right," She smiled. "And open that bottle of wine Jaime gave us for the wedding, this whole solidarity thing you're doing is cute and all, but I can tell, you need your caffeine and you're dying for a drink."

"We're saving that bottle for our anniversary," He said, "But I do need the caffeine." He went and grabbed the phone. "Did Julie call today?"

"Yes!" Elyse said, "I meant to tell you, but I got caught up in the pizza and the foot rubbing." He nodded, "She's probably out with Jimmy now."

"It's OK," He said, "Just I remember this one time, when she was seven, right after Jaime left, she was sleeping in bed with me, she always did that year, she had these nightmares, and she woke up in the morning and she said, 'Daddy, we don't need Mommy, because I promise to be your Valentine forever.'" He smiled, "Forever just got a lot shorter."

"She has a boyfriend Cal," She laughed, "She's still your little girl."


Kelly opened the door to her and Linda's room when there was knocking, she stood and sighed disappointed when it was Charlie.

"Oh, you," She said.

"Hi Kelly," He nodded, "Good to see you too. Is Linda here?"

"She's down at the dance already," Kelly said, "She's running it."

"Right," He nodded, "We weren't clear on our plans."

"Uh huh," She said, "Don't really care."

"You look hot," He nodded.

"Thank you Conway," She nodded, "I appreciate that." She was wearing a small red silk dress with black lace trim along the bottom. It was probably sexier than anything she'd every worn, although it was nothing to what she was wearing underneath. He was standing in the doorway, "Do you need something?"

"No," He said, "No, I'll just go."

"OK," She nodded and smiled. He walked away. "God, freshmen," She mumbled looking into the mirror and flipping her now perfectly blown out hair behind her. She did look hot, she knew it.

"Hey beautiful," Scooter came quietly behind her. She turned around and he leaned down and kissed her. "Wow," He said looking at her, "You look unbelievable." She smile and he kissed her again.

"Let's go," She said softly and walked away from him. He followed her, he couldn't help it, he just followed her.


Reviews Please!