Reviews :

Burgie : It's both a huge blessing and a huge curse. I'm so excited to expand on it.

Firesong-Writes : Woohoo! I'm glad you're pumped, so am I :) And thank you! There's a TON to expand on, for Gideon's character. I can't wait to show you guys just what's on my mind.

A/N : Sorry for the shorter chapter, guys. This semester is eating me alive - my husband's birthday is also this weekend so I'm getting amped for that. I'll be back Monday, get excited, Gideon's almost here! Thank User, I'm about to die of excitement.

Song Listened To :

Vanilla Twilight by Owl City

*Chapter 32*

The dim, still, glassy basement hung in suspended speckles of dust, a single, dim beam of light hung from the ceiling and illuminated the massive canvas Vanellope had been painting on. She sat slouched on her favorite, low, wooden green stool, the only sound that surrounded her was the pattern of drizzling rain outside. Twilight had easily set in, leaving Sugar Rush's gloomy grey skies eagerly kissed with the citrus sunset that desperately cut through any shroud the palace grounds were hovered in, this caused their round, glassy basement to practically sing with color, a tinted show of rose that ladened Vanellope's eyes, she heaved a satisfied sigh through her nose and set her big paint brush down. The dried paint caked in the bends of her knuckles flaked off her skin as she rubbed her forehead, her eyes scanned the gorgeous painting she had conjured up. It wasn't until she could hear Ralph's deep voice, from up and around the sloping bend that lead to their main house, did she understand that someone had come over. Upon further patient listening, Vanellope's warm smile broadened as she could hear Callum's adorable little voice itching for Ralph's whole attention. Vanellope sagged and comfortably allowed her eyes to get lost in her painting, and though she was due to going upstairs and joining Taffyta, Ralph and Callum, she could hear tender footsteps invite themselves into Vanellope's radius.

"... Damn, hang that in a museum," Taffyta's gentle voice pressed as she neared, Vanellope tossed her a kind smile and humbly shook her head as Taffyta stepped into the cut of Vanellope's light source; both girls gazed upon Vanellope's huge painting, crossed arms and tilted heads, Taffyta quietly and patiently continued on, "What's the occasion? It's been awhile since you've painted, like this."

"It's Gideon," Vanellope answered tiredly, though the cute, exhausted little smile on her face proved to Taffyta that she maybe wasn't as bothered as her tone lead on, "It's... Nightly, these dreams he gives are insane. A few nights ago, I had this dream that the world was upside down. Sugar Rush's pink clouds were the ground, and these really winding, swirling, turquoise rivers replaced the sky. The kid likes the color turquoise. It's in everything..."

"Oh, I see it now," Tafftya hissed quietly to herself as she gently gestured her hand out to the painting and took note of just what Vanellope was describing. She finally smiled down into Vanellope's eyes and sweetly shook her head, "You gunna miss the dreams once Gideon is born?"

"I am," Vanellope frowned, she bobbed a nod and peered to her painting in a bittersweet kiss of nostalgia, "I figured I'd get it out of my head and onto canvas before it was too late and long gone from my memory... He's due tomorrow, and... Although I'm really excited to meet him, I'm really gunna miss being tied to his thought process like this."

"You still will be," Taffyta tenderly encouraged, "You know how it goes... You and I both have this weird desire to not let go of the loading bar, but once the kid is actually in your arms, it's a million times better. You know Gideon's gunna tell you all about whatever's on his mind, as he grows. He's only a loading bar, this is the only way he knows how to communicate, y'know?"

"You're right," Vanellope sighed, she shook her head and lulled her eyes closed, "Maybe exterior swapping with him can conjure up the visuals, again. I guess it's not gone forever."

"Zed told me that he took you off the roster, starting tomorrow," Taffyta cooed cutely, she shrugged her shoulders in beaming excitement and hissed Vanellope a cute conclusion, "Hopefully I come home after racing to a new nephewww."

"You probably will," Vanellope stated through a nervous giggle, she grit her teeth and rubbed her forehead, and much to Taffyta's whole surprise, Vanellope's eyes began to well with tears. She tried to conceal said tears, though her voice crackled, thus giving herself away, "Y-You... You don't think this experience is gunna be as painful as when I gave birth to Koko, do you?"

"No, absolutely not," Taffyta firmly assured, she gave Vanellope a loving smile and gripped her shoulder in a squeeze of camaraderie, "User, that sucked to watch... This time will be completely different."

"I just hope Gideon somehow waits for Ralph to come home," Vanellope stated as tears ran down her cheeks, and with the coincidence, Ralph's gentle presence budged into the airy basement with Callum cutely propped up against the side of his chest, "I-I don't want... Him to miss another... Y'know."

"Auntie Vanellope," Callum hissed in boyish excitement as he began to squirm from Ralph's grip, though Ralph gave Vanellope a soft frown, set Callum to his feet and almost dreadfully approached both girls.

"Hi baby," Vanellope cooed cutely as she tried to wipe her tears, though Callum slowed his roll and innocently peered up into Vanellope's eyes, to which he noticed her crying. He raised his eyebrows in a sweet show of polite reservedness and approached Vanellope with care.

"What's wrong?" Callum's sweet voice wondered, he stepped tighter into Vanellope's sat presence, though he easily sagged into her motherly arms as she scoffed a nasally giggle and scooped Callum into a big hug.

"I'm just nervous for tomorrow, you know why?" Vanellope stated positively; although Callum was old enough to understand sorrow and have the capability to navigate it, Vanellope put on a front so not to worry him. He grinned, gripped his littler arms about Vanellope's neck and gladly squeezed into her loving scoop of a hug.

"Gideon," Callum whispered cutely, to which Vanellope grinned and laid a firm few smooches to his cheek. The two pulled away and peered hard into each others eyes with a swing of excitement.

"You get a baby cousin," Vanellope whispered, finished with a smooch to his adorable button nose.

"You think he'd want to play swords with me?" Callum asked, his eyes nearly twinkled; Taffyta blurt a giggle and sweetly tucked some of the crazy, curly hair from his eyes.

"Papa Rancis gave Callum a play sword," Taffyta mumbled cutely with a nod.

"He DID?" Vanellope urged with happiness, she poked Callum's belly and was successful in getting a choke of a giggle out of him, "Gotta watch out for Mr. Callum Reese, here... Gunna be as quick as Wren and Penny, huh."

"Quicker," Callum hissed with a boyish grin of delight, to which Vanellope nodded and narrowed her gaze.

"Agreed," Vanellope whispered, she finally sat up a bit straighter and peered into Ralph's loving, honey-brown eyes, he looked pensive, "Taff and I were discussing tomorrow..."

"Genuinely, I won't know what to do with myself if I come home and my son has been born," Ralph mumbled, and though he was entirely aware Vanellope couldn't help it, he heaved a raspy sigh and looked off, "I wish there was a way I could... Blow off game day, I'm serious. As grand as coming home to that awesome of a surprise is, I'd so much rather be present for said surprise, y'know?"

"I mean, you COULD... Mr. Litwak would probably put the 'out of order' sign on your cabinet, though," Taffyta muttered through her grit teeth, to which Ralph sagged his face into his massive hand and shook his head.

"I can't risk it," Ralph rasped, he finally removed his face from his hand and gave Vanellope a sweet look, "Pretty sure Gene would do more than just toss me off the Niceland building... It'd be an insanely awesome surprise to come home to, I just... I surely hope Gideon does me a solid and waits."

"Tomorrow will tell," Vanellope hissed, she finally stood from her painting, stretched her arms above her head and was cutely delighted to feel Callum return to Vanellope's side for another hug. Vanellope giggled and firmly held her hands to Callum's little upper back as she welcomed him tight into her gravity, once more, "Zed, Oliver, Tessa and Koko are coming over right as quarter alerts start, they'll be with me all day."

"Well, at least if you miss it, you know both Gideon and Vanellope will be in good hands," Taffyta gently assured with a nod, she eyed Vanellope in warm assurance, "Also, I can guarantee this time won't be as painful as when you gave birth to Koko... I don't quite remember what it was, but Zed added something to my coding, while I had Callum, and it took the majority of the pain away. It was awesome."

"Didn't you say you couldn't feel your feet for days afterwards?" Ralph choked a laugh, to which Vanellope wildly furrowed her brow and grinned.

"I won't want that," Vanellope stabbed with a giggle.

"Oh trust me, yes you will," Taffyta mumbled, she heaved a soft sigh and peered down to Callum, "Alright, babe, papa has dinner waiting. We should head home, Callum just insisted on seeing you guys."

"That's so sweet," Vanellope cooed, she blurt a giggle as she began to obnoxiously sway Callum back and forth, inside their snuggly hug. Callum erupted with laughter and grappled his arms about Vanellope's lower back for stability, "ALMOST as sweet as a Callum Reesy peanut butter cup!"

"I'm sweeter!" Callum cried with a hard giggle as Vanellope grinned down into Callum's eyes and pushed a few smooches into his forehead.

"Alright, go home, enjoy dinner, get excited for tomorrow," Vanellope rattled, to which Callum pulled from Vanellope's gravity and bounced on his feet a few times.

"Gideon's cominnng," Callum called with joy as he raised his hands, Taffyta and Ralph chuckled as all three beings began to head towards the upwards slope of a bend that lead to the main part of the house, "Bye, Auntie Vanellope."

"Bye, babe, see you tomorrow, okay?" Vanellope assured, and as Callum gave a thumbs up and rounded the corner with Taffyta and Vanellope, she sagged her shoulders, hugged her arms to herself and allowed her aimless gaze to get lost amidst the stir of dust her family had created.

She lulled her eyes closed and gingerly sagged her attention back to the glorious painting she had just finished. Although she was entirely thrilled to meet Gideon, once and for all, she sagged into the steady thud of his little heart beat, once more, and relished in his close, dreamy presence. Always on the verge of a vivid daydream, imagery that was irresistible, Vanellope felt tears sting her eyes, as if she was scared for the loss of permanent camaraderie Gideon gave her. Vanellope soaked in the gentle prickle of silence she was left in, the reverberation of Ralph's, Taffyta's and Callum's voices could be heard gaining distance, and though she knew her and Gideon would have a special, unbreakable bond, she knew she'd likely be banging down Gideon's door until the end of time, to get a fill of just what was on his mind. She heaved a shaky sigh and, although tears stung her eyes, she confidently spoke her nasally tone into the broad of her painting, as if to issue it a final seal of love.

"Promise me we'll always be best friends, Gid," Vanellope stated tenderly, she felt Gideon's awake coding swirl about hers in a sense of cute, rushing urgency as she pressed on in a conclusive whisper, "See you tomorrow."