AN: I do not own Val, Tyler, Jamie, Caitie, Hank, Jas, Brooke's parents, Nick's Parents, Brooke. Nike, Alex, Jen, Amy, The Vikings, The Packers. However I do own. Adam, Christy, Angel, Reese, and another Jen. Anything else you've never heard of is mine. And just for the hell of it. My favorite football team is the Minnesota Vikings and I hate the Green Bay Packers. I also know almost nothing about football. I wasn't gonna post this in chapters but I decided to be nice. They're not actually chapters. Just shorter portions of a larger story, that happen to have some not-so-clifhanger endings. Read and review. This author's note is getting longer than the story. So what are you still reading this for? Read the story.
Graduation
"What's for lunch?" Asked Val walking into the kitchen of the apartment she and Tyler had shared since their sophomore year in collage. They had both graduated with honors two years before and had decided to stay together after collage. Val and Tyler were both respected doctors, both specializing in pediatrics.
"Pizza." Said Tyler kissing his girlfriend on the cheek. It was one of the rare days off they had together.
"And what is our little Angel gonna eat for lunch?" Cooed Val.
"Well, why don't we ask her." Suggested Tyler.
"What'll it be Angel? Peas or carrots?" Asked Val holding up two jars of baby food. Angel reached up to grab one of the jars. "Carrots, Good choice." Said Val opening the jar.
"Mail's here, I'll go get it." Said Tyler looking out the window, while Val washed the pizza cutter. It was the only dish they had needed to use because the pizza came on cardboard and both felt that it made a good plate. Besides it made less dishes for them to wash.
"Hey Val, we just won a million dollars." Joked Tyler. "Bill, bill, junk, junk, junk, letter from Brook, and one from your parents." Val grabbed the letter from Brooke and ripped it open.
Val-
I don't know if you're gonna read this first or the letter from Mom. Mom's letter is an invitation to my graduation and graduation party. I'm asking you to come two days early, I have something I need to tell you. And you'd better get me a good present. (Thinking along the lines of jewelry, or money. Hint, hint)
Brooke.
"What's Brooke say?" Asked Tyler.
"Oh she's asking us to come a few days early to her graduation. She says she has something to tell me."
"She's not the only Lanier sister who has to share something." Said Tyler turning serious.
"I know I have to tell them." The only thing Val's parents knew about her and Tyler was that they were living together. That and that they were going out. "I just don't have the nerve yet."
Val & Tyler
You are invited to the graduation and graduation party for Brook Lanier. Her graduation is June fifth and her party is June twelfth. You are welcome to stay with us for the time you are here.
Mom & Dad
"Val, Brooke's graduation is in one week, her party the week after. With Brook asking us to come early you've, we've, got five day to work up the nerve."
"What do you mean by we've got five days to work up the nerve'?"
"Val, We're in this together."
"Tyler, I'm scared of what they'll think."
"I'm sure they'll be mad you didn't tell them you were pregnant, they're parents, they'd want to know." Said Tyler calmly.
"That not the part I'm worried about." Said Val leaning her head on his shoulder. "They trust me to make good choices."
"What. . .?" Tyler started to say. "Oh, the little fact that we're not married." Finished Tyler.
"They won't understand that we're both happy like this. Sure I'll want to get married, to you, but not now, not yet."
"I know, Neither of us is ready to get married yet."
* * *
"So Jamie, little Brookie is all grown up, graduating from high school." Sighed Caitie.
"Hey, we only graduated from high school six years ago, well you did. I only graduated five years ago, you're making me feel old." Pouted Jamie.
"Oh, we won't be old for another year at least." Said Caitie Kissing him quickly on the lips. "I've got to work for at least an hour today. My publisher is going to kill me if I don't get five chapters done by the end of the week."
"You're no fun."
"You still have lunch dishes to clean." Said Caitie throwing the dish towel at him. "You know I really hope you can get time off so we can go to see Brooke." Jamie was a paramedic and Caitie was a writer and already one of her books had made the best seller list.
"I bet Val, Tyler, and Hank will be there too. We haven't seen them for years."
"We E-mail."
"Still, I bet you want to see Val. Finally tell her the few minor things you left out of your E-mails."
"I'm going to go work, and you're going to go clean." Said Caitie.
* * *
"It's good to be back in Kingsport." Said Hank to Jasmine. When Brooke's party invitation came, he and Jasmine decided it would be the perfect time to visit her parents. They would stay there for the next two weeks.
"Come on Hank." Said Jasmine taking and abrupt turn.
"Where're we going?" said Hank, the roads beginning to look more and more familiar.
"The station, you know you want to."
"Yeah, come to think of it I'd like to go, I want to see if Alex is as much of a slave driver to the new squad as he was to us." Jasmine Laughed. When they pulled into the station they saw Alex's beat up old car there. "I guess he's still here."
"Hey mind If we come in?" Asked Hank, knocking on Alex's office door."
"Hank! Who's your friend? What are you doing here?" asked Alex quickly.
"Hey Alex. We're here for Brooke's graduation and party."
"Here a little early, aren't you?" Interrupted Alex. "You still haven't told me who this is yet." Said Alex pointing to Jasmine.
"Oh, This is my wife, Jasmine. She used to come by the station a lot. We're here to visit her parents."
"How long have you been married?"
"A little over a year." Said Jasmine. "Do you know if anyone else from the squad will be coming to the party? I'm sure Hank wants to see his friends."
"Well Brooke tells me they were all invited."
"Hey where is Brooke? I know she still works here because everything is organized." Said Hank laughing and looking around for Brooke.
"Oh she had a doctor's appointment today. I'll tell her you stopped by though."
"Thanks Alex. We'd better get going Jas's parents were expecting us a few minutes ago." Just then the alarm rang cutting off all further conversation.
* * *
"Val, why are you dragging me along with you." Whined Tyler as they walked into the third Jewelry store they had visited that day.
"So we can say Brooke's present is from both of us." Said Val, walking in and looking around for the perfect gift.
"I hate shopping." Grumbled Tyler. "You said we just had to pick up Brooke's gift."
"We do, we just have to pick it out first." Said Val, an evil glint in her eye.
"You're evil."
"I know. Hey look this would be perfect for Brooke." Said Val holding up a necklace with a purple heart hanging from it on a silver chain. "Simple, but perfect for her." Val took the necklace up to the counter to purchase it. She had it gift wrapped and put in a navy blue velvet box. "Ready to go, Tyler?" Asked Val a few minutes later. "I bet Angel's giving your sister a hard time." They had left Angel with Tyler's sister, who absolutely adored Angel. She was the only member of either of their families to know about her. She was five years older than Tyler and was married to a man named Adam White.
"I'll be out in a minute, I'm gonna just use the bathroom quick."
"Okay, I'll bring the car around if you give me the keys." Tyler tossed them to her and she caught them easily.
"Come on, I still don't like leaving Angel with a baby sitter. Even if she is my sister." Said Tyler once they were on the road.
"You know Angel's gonna be six months old this month." Said Val when they had reached a stoplight.
"Has it been six months already?" Asked Tyler, amazed. He thought back to the day she was born. December 21st.
"It's a girl." Said the doctor, handing her to Val to hold. Val hadn't wanted to let go of her but she knew Tyler wanted to hold her too. She handed her to him, her eyes watching the entire time.
"Have you picked out a name yet?" Asked A nurse.
"No, not yet. We wanted to meet her before we named her, besides we didn't know if she was gonna be a boy or girl." The doctor took her to be checked over. Also giving Val and Tyler time to talk.
"Eight pounds, three ounces. Twenty-three inches long." Said Val. Still in disbelief over the fact that she and Tyler were parents.
"She's perfect, Just like you." Replied Tyler, kissing Val on her forehead, who was also in a similar state of shock as Val was. "This is going to be the best Christmas. She's our Christmas Angel."
"Have you thought of any names yet?" Asked Val. "I want her name to be original, not weird, but not common either."
"I have an idea." Said Tyler after thinking for a minute. "How about Angel. She is our Christmas Angel."
"I like it." Said Val, nodding her head. "She needs a middle name thought. I'm stuck between Marie and Leigh. Which sounds better, Angel Marie Connell-Lanier. Or Angel Leigh Connell-Lanier?"
"Which do you like?" Asked Tyler, knowing Val would want to pick.
"I like Angel Leigh Connell-Lanier."
"Angel Leigh it is than." Agreed Tyler, happy for so many reasons. He was a father, it was almost Christmas, even thought they were in the hospital, they were there for the best reason. Val and Angel would come home on Christmas Day. They were having Tyler's sister Christy and her husband Adam over that day. They didn't want her overwhelmed on her first day home.
"Tyler are you paying attention." Asked Val bringing him back to his senses.
"Yes, why?"
"We've been here for five minutes already, and you're still in the car."
"Oh, sorry. Maybe I haven't been paying attention, I was thinking about the day Angel was born."
"Lets go and get her."
"Christy, we're here." Called Tyler coming in, he didn't bother to knock anymore.
"In the kitchen. You and Val want some coffee?" Called Adam, in reply to Tyler.
"Sure." Said Val coming in and picking up Angel.