A/N: This story was finished a long time ago when Jen and Michael were still together... no Ben is just my likes of names and the name of my babysitting boy!!!! Who will be 11 on Wednesday BTW... ;o)

PART 18

„Can you hold on a sec though? I want to talk to our eldest first."

"Good idea, I'll have one last talk with the other one then." Vaughn lifted his body of the bed, stretching out his arms to help his pregnant wife up. They both quickly got the twins settled in their bunk beds first.

"Where's Jenny?"

"Right here with me" Tim shifted his covers a bit to reveal the horse on his stomach, holding a firm grip on it. He held it out to Sydney who dropped a peck on its nose.

"Good! Did you clean your teeth?"

"Uh-huh" he nodded his head.

"Alright then, give mummy a kiss" he complied to his mother's request.

"Wait! The baby too!" he demanded as Sydney was about to leave the room "I love you mummy. I've been missing you big time" They shared a long hug.

"I love you too Timmy and I missed you big time too!"

"I'm glad you are home again" she smiled the way only a mother could smile at her son.

"Me too baby!" she dropped another feather light kiss on his forehead, then also said goodnight to Collin before making her way upstairs to Alex' bedroom. She knocked at his door but she didn't get any answer. So she peeked her head inside.

"Can we talk?"

He was sitting on his bed, with his knees up to his chest, his arms holding them. She carefully stepped inside and went to sit down on the edge of his bed.

"Listen, I know what Oliver did wasn't very nice towards you and dad is talking to him right now. I just want you to know that you can talk to me, right?" She waited in order to let the message sink into her son, hoping he would tell her how he felt.

"I know" he whispered. Sydney noticed that he was withholding a sob but didn't force him to explain anything. She knew her children could count on their parents if help was needed.

"I'm really mad at Oliver right now. I'm sorry though that I told him before that I hate him which I do not. I mean he's my brother after all"

"Yes he is sweetie"

"I'm 11 mum not a baby anymore! There are things he just doesn't understand and I want him to leave me alone but all he is doing is nag me around. Just like all the others."

"I know and I'm sorry you have to go through that."

"Why mum? I don't understand it myself" Sydney saw his wrinkles on his forehead; he was thinking about which words to say next "All I know is that I like to be with her. She's a nice person that's all. And I think she likes to be around me the same way I do. She's a good swimmer and I also like to see her play soccer with us mum. She's really good."

Sydney watched her son talk about this girl he seemed to like really a lot. Here she was sitting in her son's room, talking about girls with a teenager while a baby was moving inside of her. She suddenly felt older than she had ever felt before. By the time her last baby would have Alex' age, she would be 53! She immediately shook that thought out of her head, focusing on her son's dilemma.

"I don't know how you are feeling about this and I don't want to infer if you don't want to talk about it. Just don't let other people influence your judgement about her. If you like her that is totally normal for boys of your age. Do you understand?"

"Yes but I don't understand why the others make such a big fuss about it!"

"That's the way kids act between each other. It's a phase you'll have to go through. I know you're strong and you can do it. I know it's also easier said then done especially when those are words coming from your mother. I think that the best you can do is ignore their comments and you'll see that after a while they'll get tired of it."

"You really think so?" His pleading eyes finally met with those of Sydney's.

"It will be hard but I'm sure it will work"

They both sat in silence for a little while just looking at each other. Sydney tried to relax and balanced her upper body on one arm behind her and the other one unconsciously traveling to her middle to rub it softly.

"Mum?"

"Yeah?"

"You alright?" That's when Vaughn met with the conversation waiting outside in the hallway listening to his wife and son talk unbeknownst of them.

"Yeah, why? The baby seems to be fine again today"

"Oh does she move again? I mean he or she?" he flashed his mother a large grin.

"Yes a little just like earlier" Alex changed position to get closer to his mother so he could touch her stomach again, feeling the tiny pulsation underneath his hand.

"Mum? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course but then you'll have to sleep ok? It's getting late and you have school again tomorrow" he understood and just nodded lightly.

"Are you sad about only having boys?"

"Well I don't want to lie to you, so I would have to say yes, but just a little bit, you know. Every woman would like to have a girl. That's the way it is. Same goes for men who would also like to have a son."

"But you have four boys and Francie and Will have a boy and a girl, while uncle Eric has two girls. That's so weird... Are you going to be sad if it is another boy" The look he had on his face was too much for Sydney. She felt sorry as he tried to understand the way of life and it wasn't an easy task to go into details with him right now.

"I guess I might be a little bit disappointed but you know it's a part of your dad and me so I think we're both going to survive it. I'll love him the same way as I do each one of you all." She sent him a wink and ran her hand swiftly through his tousled hair.

"I know... I would love to have a baby sister you know so I can play with her and take care of her because I would be her big brother but if I have a brother then it can also work. I could teach him how to play hockey and soccer and many other stuff, you know"

"Yes I know and thanks for that." Alex smiled shyly at his mother "Give me a hug and then go off to sleep, ok?" he obliged and they said their goodnights before Sydney decided to go lay down again and check up on that book she's been trying to read before. She slowly closed the door behind but was startled when she felt Vaughn's arms pull her on the waist.

"Here's my wife" he said as she felt him nibble on her earlobe.

"Yeah, as if you didn't know where I was. How long have you been standing, ears dropping on us anyway? And how did that talk go with Oliver?"

"Oliver is settled for the next week I think but I didn't miss out on your talk with Alex about this little one" he said nibbling further down to her neck with his mouth and let his hands drift southwards to feel his child.

"The only one we'll have to worry about now is Oliver, this better be another boy" he proclaimed.

"Hey!" Sydney protested giving him a little shove "That's not what you said the night before you left"

"Really? Hmmm... I think I wasn't really aware of what I was saying. If I might recall you that we were doing something like this." He turned Sydney's head so he could look at her and crash his lips down onto hers into a heated kiss, pushing her inch by inch closer to the wall until she was standing against it with her back.

Breaking the kiss, coming up for air she breathed "Michael, I don't think the hallway would be a good idea for this..."

"How come?" He tried to kid with her, tickling her waist.

"The boys..." she hissed.

"What boys?" Vaughn couldn't get his mischievous grin out of his face while he kept on kissing her, his hands roaming over her very much curved body.

"If you try to play the innocent one, this territory will be no longer available for you tonight" she pointed with her fingers at her body and then Vaughn pouted. Sydney knew far too well how this was going to end. He knew how to play the game and so did she.

"Michael Vaughn! Stop that, right now!" but he just pouted and wouldn't look at her.

"Ok come on let's go!" she was fed up with this and pulled him by his hands, leading them downstairs. Vaughn was one lucky person walking behind Sydney so the smile that was on his face did go unnoticed by her. Or at least so he thought...

"And get rid of that smile once we're behind closed doors" She reminded him, pushing him into their bedroom and closing the door behind them, the thoughts of getting some lecture done far away.