Chapters 17 and 18 have been posted.

"No school?"

Kenna shakes her head, blowing the top of her hot mug. "Got flu," she says as Francis searches for his homework. "Where did you last leave it?"

Francis glares at her. "The moon, where do you think?"

"Do you think you could have left it in France?" Bash suggests, making Francis pale.

"Shit!"

"I told you to double-check we had everything before leaving," Bash says, shaking his head. "I'll see if Dad will send his PA to drop it off here and bring it to you myself. When do you need it?"

"For my two-thirty lesson," Francis says, groaning when he's missing his house keys now. "Fuck my life, this morning."

He rushes about, Kenna swerving out of his way as he dashes into the living area to look under the sofa pillows and Amelia's toy box. He heads back to the kitchen and freezes before going over to the key hook and meekly grabbing his keys.

"Should I drop you off? You're late," Bash states, amused.

Francis nods. "Yes, please," he mutters.

Bash turns to Kenna, grabbing his car keys. "Do you need anything from the pharmacist? I don't think we have any flu or cold meds actually and it is the season..." He trails off, checking the medicine cabinet. "Need to child-lock this..."

"She's not even crawling," Francis calls over his shoulder as he heads to the garage.

"Uh, yeah," Kenna finally says, sipping her hot drink. "Lemsip or something."

"I'll get those," Bash promises her before going over to kiss her forehead but stopping short when he realises that Francis is nearby. "Uh, see you later. Just get some rest and I'll be back as soon as possible to handle Amelia."

Kenna waves her hand dismissively. "Take your time," she says, biting her bottom lip pointedly.

Oh, there's no flu..., he realises, eyeing the open garage door.

"Unlock the bloody car, Bash! I'm already late-"

Bash unlocks his car from his position, hearing the car door open and then slam soon after before pressing his lips against Kenna's hungrily. "I don't condone day-offs for sex, but I missed you."

Kenna grins. "I missed you too," she says, stroking his cheek and making him close his eyes. "Hurry back."

With one last, lingering kiss, he leaves and gets even more scolded by his brother when he starts up his car and raises the garage door.

"Alright, we're going!" He mutters, rolling his eyes.

...

"Promise me you won't tell anyone this, like the girls," Francis says that lunchtime as he slides onto the seat beside Mary's. "Wait, where are the girls anyway?"

"Attempting to fight through the Year 7s in the cafeteria line," Mary says, picking at her chicken salad. "Mother said it's healthy. It's disgusting. I miss Kenna's cooking. Fuck her flu."

Francis laughs, stealing a tomato from her container. "Anyway, about Kenna's flu... It's pretty much non-existent."

Mary frowns, turning to him. "What do you mean? She had a temperature yesterday. I even tested her myself."

"You know how Bash has a million baby monitors around the house that's linked up to his phone and mine?" Francis asks coyly.

Mary nods warily. "Feels like, big brother's watching. I'm always paranoid that Amelia will hear us having sex or something."

Francis snorts. "You don't have to worry about that. My end is always muted."

"Phew. Anyway, you were saying?"

"So, it has footage that gets stored on our drives so one day, I lost my birthday gift, the one from my parents. You know my signet ring with my initials for my sixteenth?"

"I know of the one you're talking about," Mary says, looking at him to get on with his point.

Francis nods. "So like I had to obviously look through the footage to remember where I put it and got a lot more than I bargained for."

Mary's brows raise. "Okay...?"

"And the night of Julien's birthday, I questioned Bash about the used condoms in his room and naturally assumed he'd brought someone around," Francis continues, pausing to steal another tomato. "Then I remembered that Kenna didn't really look like she'd gone out. In fact, I swore I heard heels head down the stairs but thought it was the secret girl from when I was looking for the condoms so didn't decide to question Bash until we were away from our guests."

"You think they're sleeping with each other?" Mary breathes out in shock. "Francis!"

Francis chuckles. "It makes sense, doesn't it? And they've been calling a lot more. No more texting. And then this morning, Bash stayed in the kitchen for longer than needed. He was probably getting foreplay started."

"Oh, Francis, ew!" Mary cries out. "But you're right. What about the footage?"

Francis cringes now. "My thoughts were confirmed. A lot of uh, sex noises and name-calling and I saw the start of the real thing on the table where we eat on! Rarely eat on, but still!"

"Oh, God," Mary says before giggling. "My poor baby's scarred for life."

Francis pulls a face. "So, do we call them out on it now?"

Mary shakes her head. "We should leave them to it. Remember how tense and awkward it was for them to even be in the same room? If they get to know each other better, without us breathing down on their backs, it will do wonders for their blossoming relationship."

Francis clicks his tongue, nodding as he swipes a chicken piece. "I always did think they made an attractive couple."

"I never would have put them together," Mary admits, scowling at her lettuce. "I mean, Bash did preach his disdain for girls like her. But I'm happy for them."

Francis chuckles. "You sure look like you are. You look like your salad's just insulted you!"

Mary pouts. "I don't want it..."

"Should I buy you something better in town?" Francis asks. They're allowed to leave school premises during lunchtimes but none have bothered except the rare times the boys headed out to the nearest supermarket. "McDonald's?"

"You can't leave anywhere without Bash's permission," Mary reminds him. "I'll stick to my salad today but you have to get Kenna to cook something better and bring it in."

Francis nods. "I will," he promises her with a quick kiss when one of their teachers come inside.

...

"What do you feel about having more kids?"

Kenna stills, Bash's arms wrapped around her as she stares at the baby monitor screen where Amelia's fast asleep. "Bash, we've barely been together and Amelia was a surprise enough for me to not want to be a mother again in the near future."

"That's what I'm talking about," he says. "The future. Like five-ten years from now."

"I don't know," Kenna mumbles.

Bash bites his lip. "We could give Lia a brother or a sister," he tells her. "I've had the best weekend in a long time because I got to meet Hercule for the first time and got to bond with my other little brothers and sisters for the first time in four years. I'm not saying we should be like Catherine and my father and have a bunch of kids but having siblings has benefitted us both, right? Don't you want the same for Lia?"

Kenna sits up, using the duvet to cover her chest as she says, "I do but," she sighs, letting out a chuckle in disbelief. "I don't expect us to be together in five or ten years..."

Bash raises an eyebrow, sitting up also as he looks at her inquisitively. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I mean," she says firmly. "Bash, how many relationships forged by unexpected pregnancies last? We're in the babymoon stage right now when our endorphins from having a baby are high and our hormones are raging but soon, we'll drive each other crazy, split up and get a divorce, leaving Lia in the middle of that. Then, we'll meet other people, fall in love with them, get married to them and have other kids with them, leaving Lia in your position now with no full siblings but half-siblings from both sides."

"How do you know that will happen?" Bash asks her. "How do you know that we won't make it and not become a statistic?"

Kenna groans, rolling her eyes. "Why did you have to bring kids up? I was enjoying the post-sex silence."

"So, that's what this is?" Bash asks, pointing between them. "Sex?"

"You're the one who said I was 'good sex'," she reminds him. "Bash, you need to understand, that I've had the quick relationships shit in the past where the only thing expected of me was my body. I'm looking for something slow, I'm looking for something that gives me and my daughter stability and security. I've also got to focus on my education. I want this relationship to succeed, if not for us but for Amelia because ultimately, she's the one who misses out regardless whether we're together or not. She's my priority and school, not this relationship. So you can either be patient and go slow with me or we can end it right now. Because if you remember, not even two months into my pregnancy, you were still in love with Mary."

Bash sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Well, do you still have feelings for her?"

"No!" Bash cries out.

"Do you love me?"

Bash keeps silent. I do, but you'll be scared off.

"There it is," Kenna says softly, cupping his cheek and turning his face so their eyes meet. "It will take a while and a lot of effort to build a healthy relationship. Over the months, I've had to fall out of love with you because you didn't want me. A part of me latched onto you, making me open to whatever this is but the other parts doubt you and your intentions towards me."

"Does it count," he starts. "If I could see myself fall in love with you? And not because of Amelia or any other factor but you being you." I love you, I love you, I love-

Kenna blinks in surprise. "Uh..."

Too soon. "Remember what I told you last week? About finding something worthwhile in you?"

She nods. "I do."

"I mean it."

"Should I remind you when we break up and start hating each other?"

Bash scoffs. "I don't intend on letting you go, Kenna. Ever." I'd be stupid to.

She crawls onto his lap, cupping both of his cheeks and her knees on either side of his hips as his arms wind around her waist. "No bringing up kids talk until we're at least six years into this."

"Deal."

"No using our pasts against each other," she adds.

"Deal," he replies, leaning up for a kiss but she moves back.

"And no assuming the worst of each other," she finishes. "I mean it because the next time you pull that card, I'm leaving with Amelia and I won't look back this time."

Bash raises his brows in slight surprise but he then decides it's a fair term and he never wants to lose Amelia. "Deal," he promises.

She finally gives him what he wants, pressing her lips against his as he flips them over, her back against the bed as his lips explore her body. She feels him shiver when she runs her nails lightly over the nape of his neck and she sighs wistfully, her fingers entwining in his hair.

...

She feels his lips against her shoulder before they're gone and the front door opens, Francis coming in and taking his shoes off, slamming the door closed as he does so. He's late but Bash doesn't seem all that bothered by that.

"Ma famille, je suis revenue."

"You can go un-return yourself," Kenna teases him, accepting a kiss to her cheek before sipping her tea. "How was school?"

"Leith got punched by a kid from the other private school," Francis says casually, checking the pots for dinner. "Ooh, nice."

Bash turns to him in shock. "Is he okay? What happened?"

"Basically," Francis starts, washing his hands and then collecting a plate. "Greer was being bothered by the other guys as she and the girls were heading home so naturally, Leith and I went to defend our ladies and their friends and well, one of them said something rude about Greer and then the fight started. I stayed out of it, don't worry. Julien and Remy saved the day and showed the other guys what was what. I think they both wanted to impress Lola."

Kenna snorts. "She can't decide which twin she prefers herself," she mumbles.

Bash rolls his eyes. "Boys and their girls..."

"Says you!" Francis replies. "Anyway, how is your flu, Kenna?"

Kenna blushes lightly. "It's fine..." She trails off, lifting her phone from the counter. "I'll go check in with the girls and demand to know why they didn't think to tell me about their exciting afternoon."

"Good luck with that," Francis mutters. "They were murderous against us!"

"Well, you are all hot-blooded. Especially you, Francis," Kenna states, getting up.

Francis stammers, scoffing and rolling his eyes. "When have I ever-"

"Me," Bash reminds him. "Thanks to you, I had a broken nose just over Mary. And don't forget that black eye you gave me and the busted lip and those threats-"

"Well, I've matured since then," Francis says meekly before hugging Bash. "I'm sorry..."

Bash rolls his eyes, chuckling. "We've moved on from that," he says, giving Kenna a wink which she giggles to. He mouths, "Totally going to seek my revenge," to her and she zips her mouth up before disappearing upstairs as Francis lets go.

"So, how was your day?" Francis asks knowingly as he fills the kettle to make some tea. "Found yourself in any Scottish situations...?"

Bash looks over at him in shock. "What?"

"I mean, you look like you've got laid," Francis continues casually. He can't keep this knowledge of Bash and Kenna's relationship to himself. "And Kenna doesn't look all that sick."

Bash sighs, crossing his arms. "The baby monitors, right?"

"Yep," Francis admits with a growing smile. "I'm glad for you both."

Bash smiles wryly. "It's early days. We're taking things slow."

"But you like her, right?"

Bash takes a seat as Francis joins him. "I love her, Francis," he says quietly.

Francis's eyes widen and a smile threatens to breakthrough but it doesn't when his older brother doesn't smile with him. "What's wrong?"

"I can't tell her otherwise I'd scare her off," Bash tells him. "I fall in love quickly and that's been my downfall in all my relationships so I understand where she's coming from in terms of her seeing if we'll still be together in five or ten years. And if I did admit my growing feelings for her, she would think it's because of Amelia."

"Right," Francis says quietly. "But you have to ask yourself if it wasn't for Amelia, would you ever see or think of her as a potential partner?"

"That's the thing," Bash says. "I don't know."

"You rarely saw each other prior to having sex," Francis informs him. "You only saw her whenever she was with Mary and at parties, I'd drag you to. It's not like you ever initiated contact with her until you got majorly drunk and got her pregnant."

Bash frowns. "I still don't know why my mind just strayed to what it feels like having sex with her when I saw her across the room," he says in confusion. "I mean, I was thinking about someone else but why her? Out of any girl there, I chose her for a reason but it's beyond me."

"She's beautiful," Francis states. "Clever. Witty. Confident. Flirty..."

Bash's eyes widen in realisation. "Oh."

"What is it?"

"Kenna and I aren't that different," Bash tells Francis, slightly amused. "Our personalities are quite similar whereas where I'm the quiet, strong type, she's the loud, outgoing type. We don't really care about what others think about us either. We've both been burnt by others in the past and we're both stubborn."

Francis clicks his tongue. "I fear for Amy," he jests. "Well, you got your answer. Kenna was single, the alcohol only enhanced your attraction to her and I'm not going to lie, a lot of guys at school could only wish they were winked at by her at least. You're lucky, Bash, don't ruin what you've found in her."

"I won't."

"And stop sneaking around. I'm happy for you guys," Francis says, getting up to prepare his tea and serve his dinner.

Bash chuckles softly. "It's actually quite exciting. Sneaking about. Also, it's Kenna's idea, so can you keep quiet about you finding out about us?"

"Definitely. Good luck," Francis says.

"Thanks," Bash mumbles before heading upstairs and finding Kenna on the phone, Amelia feeding on her chest. He gives her a warm smile and she returns it, continuing to speak to Greer about what happened to Leith.

When she's finished talking to Greer, she places her phone down on the bedside table and turns to him, one hand cupping Amelia's cheek as the baby stares up at her mother.

"Do you mind taking her after? Have to study for real this time," she says.

"Yeah, sure," he replies before stepping inside and closing the door. "Quick thing..."

Kenna nods, tilting her head to the side. "Go on."

"Out of all the girls at the party, I chose you."

Kenna blinks, stunned at his statement and she furrows her brows a little. "Okay..."

"I want you to remember-"

"That you chose me to impregnate?" Kenna finishes teasingly. "Why, I feel so honoured to have carried, birthed and mothered your child."

Bash chuckles, rolling his eyes playfully. "Trying to be serious here."

"I know," she says, a smile still playing on her lips. "Thanks for the reassurance."

"I'll let you, uh, finish up and check up on Francis..." He leaves her bedroom, heading downstairs.

When he enters the kitchen, he spots Francis rubbing his chest and clearing his throat before going over to the sink to pour himself a glass of water. He leans against the door jamb, studying Francis as he winces.

"Francis?"

Francis stills in front of the sink. "I'm fine-"

"Francis," Bash snaps.

Francis flinches at his brother's tone and turns to face him. "Okay, I'm not fine."

Bash's eyes widen when he sees the collar of Francis's shirt. "Francis, you've got a rash," he says, undoing Francis's tie to inspect his red skin. "We're going to the hospital-"

"I don't want to-"

"Francis, we are going to the hospital," Bash says firmly before heading upstairs. "Kenna, I'm taking Francis to see his doctor. We'll be back soon."

Kenna's eyes widen. "Wait, what's wrong?" She asks, slipping out of her bed with Amelia still in her arms. "What's happened?"

"I think he's got an infection," Bash says as they head downstairs to see Francis pulling his coat on.

"Don't tell Mary," Francis begs her.

Kenna nods. "Oh, yeah. Uh, drive safe," she mutters as she watches them leave. "Shit..."