Disclaimer: I've checked and doubled checked-I don't own anything.
A/N: Hey everyone. Ya'll are going to kill me--I'm going out of town this weekend, so don't expect another chapter until Monday or Tuesday. I know- I'm cruel, aren't I? LOL. I will have the next chapter uploaded on fanfiction (just not added to the story yet), so if I get a chance and get near a computer I will post it. Ya'll are great-until next time-PCGirl.
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"Hey, what's going on here?" asked Livvie as she walked into the gym to see Alison standing on a ladder putting up decorations.
"We're having a party later tonight," she said as she got down with Livvie holding the ladder. "We're telling everyone about the baby during it."
"Alison, you can't do this. Caleb is going to come in here and ruin it. I'm telling you."
"And I'm telling you this," she said as the two moved the ladder over a few feet. "You can either help me with these decorations or you can leave," she said as Livvie climbed up the ladder and was handed the decorations.
"So have you got any name in mind?"
"Well, definitely not Joshua. And sorry, but no Olivia or Caleb either."
"Awww, I'm hurt," said Livvie as she began to smile. "So what, there will be no Junior?" she said, not realizing that Alison hadn't contemplated this was Caleb's child.
"Excuse me? Are you saying that I'm pregnant with Caleb's child?"
"Well, yeah-that's what Caleb said."
"In case you haven't noticed, I don't believe anything that comes out of his mouth. Also, wouldn't Rafe sense that I was carrying hellspawn's baby?"
"Don't take this the wrong way Alison, but he isn't exactly the sharpest stake in the box."
"Livvie, thank you for hanging the decorations now I think you should leave."
"Fine, have fun at your tacky party tonight."
--------
"What's wrong with you?" said Jack as he saw her come in and sit down in one of the chairs.
"Oh, same old thing-I try and help someone and it backfires."
"Usually it's you try and kill someone and it backfires. Do you even remember how to help someone, Livvie?"
"Everyone's a comedian," she said getting down off the chair.
"Lighten up some. Hey, Rafe and Alison are having a party later-why don't you come with me? It'll cheer you up probably."
"Trust me Jack, they don't want to see me tonight. If they were smart they wouldn't have the party at all."
"Do you know something you aren't telling me?"
----------
"Neil, there's a Halloween party later if you want to go to it," yelled Frank as he folded clothes in his room. "I can call and see if Serena will be there, if you want."
"I guess that would be fun. Will Karen be there?" he said, then seeing the look in Frank's eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Come here Neil," he said as he sat on his bed and patted the area next to him. "Neil, a few months ago Karen died."
"Oh," said Neil as his voice got sad.
"But you know what? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want you to be sad."
"Are you still missing her?"
"Yeah, I am, kiddo. I miss her a lot."
"Well, we can be sad together," he said standing up and giving Frank a hug, which brought tears to his eyes. But for the first time they weren't tears of sadness, but tears of happiness-because Karen was up there, knowing that Frank had a bigger mission in life than he had expected.
----------
"This place is getting full, and fast," said Alison as she hung on Rafe's arm, seeing people slowly coming in.
"Well, yeah. You invited the whole town," he joked at her.
"No, not all of it-only half," she said with a smile. "There's Chris, I'll be back," as she gave him a kiss and went off.
"Hey Alison," said Chris, as he filled a small plate with grapes and cheese. "Have you talked to your mother lately?"
"No, I was hoping you had. I'm sure everything's fine though," she said as she started to rotate her ring on her finger, which she always did when she started to worry about something.
--------
She was six years old again, standing in the middle of the living room with her Uncle, Melanie's father. She looked down at her clothes, soiled and beyond being worn-but that's what she got, Melanie's clothes that should be thrown away. She couldn't hear his voice, but could read his lips. She didn't need to hear his voice, she knew what he was saying.
"No!" she screamed, waking up for her sleep. Her pillow was damp from sweat. Going to the bathroom she leaned over the toilet and threw up, then getting a wet wash cloth she attempted to fall back asleep-knowing too well that it would take hours before that was to happen.
----------
"What if I don't know anyone?" said Neil, worried about being the only kid there.
"Nah, you'll know Serena. Lucy said she'd be here before we would," he said as he walked in the door, and saw Lucy standing with Serena near the door.
"Hi," said Neil to Serena.
"Hey," she said giving him a hug. "How have you been?"
"I've been good," he said as they walked off to their corner to talk.
"How's everything going with him?" asked Lucy.
"Good. We registered for school today. He starts Monday. I was hoping that Serena and him might have a class together, so he won't be so shy."
"You know how she is, Miss Perky. I'm sure she'll have him having more friends than he knows what to do with in a few weeks," she laughed as they looked over to where the two were now talking and laughing together.
"Looks like Chris is giving me a weird look. We better go explain," he said as they walked over to let him in on the details of Frank's new-found fatherhood.
---------
"Well, hello," said Caleb as he stood in the open doorway. "Glad you could make it, I had started to get worried you wouldn't show up."
"You must be Caleb," she said smiling, and walking over to shake his hand. "It was an offer I couldn't refuse."
"That's what I figured. So you know everything you have to do?" he asked and was given a nod in response. "Good," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek and leaving. He had other plans for the evening, and he couldn't be late.
---------
"Maybe I should just go home," she said as she made a u-turn on the steps.
"No, you've come this far Livvie to turn around," he said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door. "Now smile, and play nice," he said, flashing a smile, as they entered.
"Wow, this tacky party has gotten huge," exclaimed Livvie as she looked around.
"Stop calling it tacky," said Alison as she came up and gave Jack a hug and kiss on the cheek, "You are late."
"Sorry, we had to try and rush everyone out as quickly as we could," said Livvie, who was now Jack's new bouncer, as he called her.
"Well, I am glad you got to see your masterpiece."
"Yeah, it doesn't look too shabby," she said with her arms crossed at her chest.
"This coming from someone who just called this place tacky," laughed Jack, who saw his brother and decided to go say hi.
---------
"Hey cousin," said Lucy as she walked up to Rafe.
"Luce," he said giving her a hug. "I haven't had a chance to say how much I enjoyed seeing you at the wedding. Things have been kinda crazy, you know? I mean we find out that Alison's father is still alive, and then for some reason Elizabeth decided to stay back."
"Something strange is that," she said pointing to Alison and Livvie talking and smiling. "When did they become friends again?"
"I'm not sure, but Alison isn't complaining about it. Maybe marriage has made Livvie realize something."
"I wish it would make her realize that she's now connected to a madman for an eternity."
"Yeah, well let's not discuss him. I do have an announcement though," he said getting Alison's attention as she walked up next to him. She looked back at Livvie, seeing that she was still uneasy about this.
"Everyone," yelled Rafe over everything else. Jack turned off the music, and went over to where Livvie was. "Alison and I wanted to thank you all for coming tonight. We're definitely enjoying ourselves, and all of your friendships. There is something else we want to tell though. While on the honeymoon we found out something very special. We are expecting our first child," he said as applause came from everyone.
Just then the lights went out, "Hold on, I'll fix it," yelled Ian as he ran to the back. When the lights came back on there, at the entrance of the gym, was Caleb standing in the doorway.
A/N: Hey everyone. Ya'll are going to kill me--I'm going out of town this weekend, so don't expect another chapter until Monday or Tuesday. I know- I'm cruel, aren't I? LOL. I will have the next chapter uploaded on fanfiction (just not added to the story yet), so if I get a chance and get near a computer I will post it. Ya'll are great-until next time-PCGirl.
~~~~~~~~
"Hey, what's going on here?" asked Livvie as she walked into the gym to see Alison standing on a ladder putting up decorations.
"We're having a party later tonight," she said as she got down with Livvie holding the ladder. "We're telling everyone about the baby during it."
"Alison, you can't do this. Caleb is going to come in here and ruin it. I'm telling you."
"And I'm telling you this," she said as the two moved the ladder over a few feet. "You can either help me with these decorations or you can leave," she said as Livvie climbed up the ladder and was handed the decorations.
"So have you got any name in mind?"
"Well, definitely not Joshua. And sorry, but no Olivia or Caleb either."
"Awww, I'm hurt," said Livvie as she began to smile. "So what, there will be no Junior?" she said, not realizing that Alison hadn't contemplated this was Caleb's child.
"Excuse me? Are you saying that I'm pregnant with Caleb's child?"
"Well, yeah-that's what Caleb said."
"In case you haven't noticed, I don't believe anything that comes out of his mouth. Also, wouldn't Rafe sense that I was carrying hellspawn's baby?"
"Don't take this the wrong way Alison, but he isn't exactly the sharpest stake in the box."
"Livvie, thank you for hanging the decorations now I think you should leave."
"Fine, have fun at your tacky party tonight."
--------
"What's wrong with you?" said Jack as he saw her come in and sit down in one of the chairs.
"Oh, same old thing-I try and help someone and it backfires."
"Usually it's you try and kill someone and it backfires. Do you even remember how to help someone, Livvie?"
"Everyone's a comedian," she said getting down off the chair.
"Lighten up some. Hey, Rafe and Alison are having a party later-why don't you come with me? It'll cheer you up probably."
"Trust me Jack, they don't want to see me tonight. If they were smart they wouldn't have the party at all."
"Do you know something you aren't telling me?"
----------
"Neil, there's a Halloween party later if you want to go to it," yelled Frank as he folded clothes in his room. "I can call and see if Serena will be there, if you want."
"I guess that would be fun. Will Karen be there?" he said, then seeing the look in Frank's eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Come here Neil," he said as he sat on his bed and patted the area next to him. "Neil, a few months ago Karen died."
"Oh," said Neil as his voice got sad.
"But you know what? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't want you to be sad."
"Are you still missing her?"
"Yeah, I am, kiddo. I miss her a lot."
"Well, we can be sad together," he said standing up and giving Frank a hug, which brought tears to his eyes. But for the first time they weren't tears of sadness, but tears of happiness-because Karen was up there, knowing that Frank had a bigger mission in life than he had expected.
----------
"This place is getting full, and fast," said Alison as she hung on Rafe's arm, seeing people slowly coming in.
"Well, yeah. You invited the whole town," he joked at her.
"No, not all of it-only half," she said with a smile. "There's Chris, I'll be back," as she gave him a kiss and went off.
"Hey Alison," said Chris, as he filled a small plate with grapes and cheese. "Have you talked to your mother lately?"
"No, I was hoping you had. I'm sure everything's fine though," she said as she started to rotate her ring on her finger, which she always did when she started to worry about something.
--------
She was six years old again, standing in the middle of the living room with her Uncle, Melanie's father. She looked down at her clothes, soiled and beyond being worn-but that's what she got, Melanie's clothes that should be thrown away. She couldn't hear his voice, but could read his lips. She didn't need to hear his voice, she knew what he was saying.
"No!" she screamed, waking up for her sleep. Her pillow was damp from sweat. Going to the bathroom she leaned over the toilet and threw up, then getting a wet wash cloth she attempted to fall back asleep-knowing too well that it would take hours before that was to happen.
----------
"What if I don't know anyone?" said Neil, worried about being the only kid there.
"Nah, you'll know Serena. Lucy said she'd be here before we would," he said as he walked in the door, and saw Lucy standing with Serena near the door.
"Hi," said Neil to Serena.
"Hey," she said giving him a hug. "How have you been?"
"I've been good," he said as they walked off to their corner to talk.
"How's everything going with him?" asked Lucy.
"Good. We registered for school today. He starts Monday. I was hoping that Serena and him might have a class together, so he won't be so shy."
"You know how she is, Miss Perky. I'm sure she'll have him having more friends than he knows what to do with in a few weeks," she laughed as they looked over to where the two were now talking and laughing together.
"Looks like Chris is giving me a weird look. We better go explain," he said as they walked over to let him in on the details of Frank's new-found fatherhood.
---------
"Well, hello," said Caleb as he stood in the open doorway. "Glad you could make it, I had started to get worried you wouldn't show up."
"You must be Caleb," she said smiling, and walking over to shake his hand. "It was an offer I couldn't refuse."
"That's what I figured. So you know everything you have to do?" he asked and was given a nod in response. "Good," he said giving her a kiss on the cheek and leaving. He had other plans for the evening, and he couldn't be late.
---------
"Maybe I should just go home," she said as she made a u-turn on the steps.
"No, you've come this far Livvie to turn around," he said as he grabbed her arm and dragged her to the door. "Now smile, and play nice," he said, flashing a smile, as they entered.
"Wow, this tacky party has gotten huge," exclaimed Livvie as she looked around.
"Stop calling it tacky," said Alison as she came up and gave Jack a hug and kiss on the cheek, "You are late."
"Sorry, we had to try and rush everyone out as quickly as we could," said Livvie, who was now Jack's new bouncer, as he called her.
"Well, I am glad you got to see your masterpiece."
"Yeah, it doesn't look too shabby," she said with her arms crossed at her chest.
"This coming from someone who just called this place tacky," laughed Jack, who saw his brother and decided to go say hi.
---------
"Hey cousin," said Lucy as she walked up to Rafe.
"Luce," he said giving her a hug. "I haven't had a chance to say how much I enjoyed seeing you at the wedding. Things have been kinda crazy, you know? I mean we find out that Alison's father is still alive, and then for some reason Elizabeth decided to stay back."
"Something strange is that," she said pointing to Alison and Livvie talking and smiling. "When did they become friends again?"
"I'm not sure, but Alison isn't complaining about it. Maybe marriage has made Livvie realize something."
"I wish it would make her realize that she's now connected to a madman for an eternity."
"Yeah, well let's not discuss him. I do have an announcement though," he said getting Alison's attention as she walked up next to him. She looked back at Livvie, seeing that she was still uneasy about this.
"Everyone," yelled Rafe over everything else. Jack turned off the music, and went over to where Livvie was. "Alison and I wanted to thank you all for coming tonight. We're definitely enjoying ourselves, and all of your friendships. There is something else we want to tell though. While on the honeymoon we found out something very special. We are expecting our first child," he said as applause came from everyone.
Just then the lights went out, "Hold on, I'll fix it," yelled Ian as he ran to the back. When the lights came back on there, at the entrance of the gym, was Caleb standing in the doorway.