Ike and I crossed the threshold of the penthouse and I sighed at how quiet it was. No music coming from Lauren's room. No television program playing. No voices or ringing phones. Just Ike and me, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to enjoy it.

"Mr. Evans?" He turned to see me pulling off the thin sweater I'd worn over my outfit. "Could I interest you in a siesta?"

He smiled, reaching for me. "I think I could be tempted, Miss Diamond." Head lowering to meet my upturned face, our lips brushed as our arms wrapped around one another. "I love you," he breathed, tongue dipping back into my mouth for another taste. "And I cannot wait to answer you with 'Mrs. Evans'." I smiled into his kiss and he lifted me into his arms, making me giggle.

"You're going to break your back, Ike." I felt huge, and he was a big man, but honestly. "And that would be a damn shame, since I happen to need you in peak physical condition for what I have planned."

Eyes twinkling as he carefully lowered me to the bed, he shook his head. "A nap, Liz, that's what you have planned." I was unbuttoning his slacks after I'd unhooked his belt as he chuckled. "Don't make me-"

"What will you do to make me behave, Isaac?" I dared, tugging his belt loose and throwing it to the floor, letting his unfastened pants pool around his feet. My fingertips slid under the waistband of his shorts, my eyes locked on his. "Will you punish me?" I pulled the fabric slowly down, taking care to not hook him on the elastic. I licked my lips as his shorts landed on top of his pants. "Are you going to send me to bed without-" I leaned forward and licked along the swollen head of his most private part. I hummed when I heard his moan, and again when his fingers slid through my hair. Sitting on the edge of our bed, I tasted Ike carefully, savoring him every single inch. "Are we still sure I need a nap?" I asked as I stroked the lubricated length of him.

I was naked faster than I'd gotten his pants off of him, and he yanked his own shirt off, kicked his shoes across the floor and untangled his feet from his pants and boxers. And then, I was straddling him, our mouths locked together as I showed Ike how much more enjoyable a nap could be after we had dessert.

I woke up with him tight against my back, the sun dipping low outside our window. Ike's breathing was even and deep and I smiled, thinking that he needed that nap more than I did. And then, as I laid there, with his hand on top of my bump, I felt it and so did he. The first hard kick that both of us got to experience, waking him up and then repeating as he sighed and moved his hand over the curve.

"Hey, Baby Evans," he whispered, his smile curving against the skin of my shoulder where he moved to kiss. "Liz, I think our little one wants attention."

"I think our little one wanted Daddy to notice them." I smiled, putting my hand over his as another kick came. "I've been feeling them for a while now."

Ike moved until his face was beside our hands. "Is that right, little one?" Another bump. "Do you know how much daddy loves you already?" Bump. "Just stay put for a little while longer, so daddy can make an honest woman out of mommy, ok?" He kissed the curve of my stomach and I smacked his shoulder with my free hand.

"'Honest woman'?" I raised my eyebrow as he kissed his way back up my body. "I'm not honest enough for you?"

Kissing me deeply, he pulled away and smiled. "I think you're honest, Liz, more honest than the rest of us." I shook my head and pulled him back for another kiss. When we parted again he was still smiling. "I do want to marry you, soon."

"I know, and we will." I swallowed as I stared into his eyes. "Just the divorce finalization and-"

"Ben." He sighed, but nodded. "You're right. Let's take care of business before we celebrate." We heard the door open in the main living area and voices. "Lauren's home." He stood up and pulled on his clothes as I sat up. "You can stay in bed if you want to," he started, but I was already pulling on my own things.

"While that is very tempting, I want to see how Lauren's day with her brothers went." He smiled and helped me with anything he felt I needed help with, and kissed me soundly before we opened the bedroom door.

"Pop is right," he muttered, and I smiled, thinking about how Arthur wanted us together as a family, and what he'd said about my place in it.

Lauren was glowing with happiness. And I was happy to see that Danny was still with her. She was telling him about redecorating her room, and how I'd helped her pick out new clothes and he was smiling at her infectious glee. Getting him to agree to a fashion show, she rushed off, leaving Danny, Ike, and me on our own.

"You're good for her," he offered, taking in how close Ike held me on the couch. "And for him," he pointed at his dad. "I heard about the ledger." I nodded, knowing he wanted to have his say and with Lauren picking an outfit to exhibit he had time. "When I-" he stopped, glancing at Ike and I knew what he was going to say, or the gist of it.

"My father isn't cut off the same cloth that Ike is, Danny." I took a deep breath and covered Ike's hand on my bump with my own. "When I handed the ledger over, I knew precisely where it would lead."

Danny nodded, but we had to stop our conversation as Lauren came back wearing her first pick. Her brother smiled at her and told her how grown up she looked, and also offered he wasn't sure he approved. With an eye roll, but also a huge smile, Lauren went back for another change.

"I heard about what you requested." The Evans family kept off the radar of the State's Attorney. "You know that only covers dealings with Ben, right?"

"We know," Ike answered, kissing my temple. "Ben's all there was, Danny."

Another nod, and then we all focused on Lauren's show. When she closed with her maid of honor dress, Danny asked the million dollar question. "When?"

"The first ceremony," Ike again came to the rescue, "is loosely planned for Friday." My eyes widened, I had to think about whether I'd checked the fit of my less formal dress. "If Sid's right and the divorce is finalized early, that is." That's right, we may have to postpone. "The second one, where I want everyone to see us exchange vows? After the baby comes and Liz is ready." I smiled and shook my head.

"When is the baby due?" Lauren had changed and heard the end of the conversation. I told her and my eyes really did go wide when I realized what I'd forgotten since I'd returned.

"I need to call Mimi." Danny and Lauren looked confused. "My midwife, she told me that she'd give me names of doctors and midwives when I got settled and it-"

"Slipped your mind?" Ike was chuckling. "I don't know how you could have forgotten." Teasing me about how much was on our plate was he?

"Yes, well, I keep being diverted, Mr. Evans." I smirked as Danny blushed and Lauren giggled. "I'll call her tomorrow."

Mimi had a list, but she also made an offer that I readily accepted. With Ike beside me, she'd offered to come stay until the baby made its appearance and Ike nodded his agreement, assuring her, when he took the phone from me, that he would provide both room and board. He wanted me to be comfortable and he wanted me to have someone near me that I trusted. Mimi fit both bills.

That chore done, we spent the rest of the weekend doing family things. Watching shows with Lauren. Playing games and eating family meals. Dinner with the other three Evans men in the penthouse, I could see the strain leaving Danny and Ike, but there was still an undercurrent between Steview and Ike that I meant to find more out about.

In bed, the night before seeing my father, I finally asked. What happened with Stevie while I was gone? And Ike sighed heavily and told me. Forcing me to understand just how far from the family tree Stevie fell and how much closer to mine he rolled.

"No wonder Klein looked like he would rather eat glass than sign that agreement," he had had a moment of irritation when I requested it, but the urge to get my father was higher even than his own parental grief apparently. "And Lily is gone, of course, so trying to take out my father didn't even garner him the prize." I shook my head. "He wants to make his own way, Ike, but what you're telling me-" I sighed as hard as he had. "What will we do?"

"Nothing," he whispered, kissing my neck. "I'm going to have to accept that Stevie is an adult, Liz, and his mistakes are his." I felt how tense that reality made him and I wanted to throw something. "I have to hope that he learned something from me, and he won't go too far wrong." I nodded, wishing like hell that I could fix everything for him, but that was silly and childish. He was right, Stevie was an adult, young enough to think he was invincible and infallible, but old enough to be forced to face the consequences of his actions.

"Then I'll hope with you," my voice was quiet, but I felt his smile curve against my skin. "Side by side, Ike."

"Forever," he promised.