The Past Comes Round Again

Spoiler: This story is a continuation of Viva Las Vegas, and You Can Never Escape Your Past
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer I have nothing to do with The Agency and receive no
compensation

Chapter 6

Stiles was really getting excited about Christmas this year. The day after he got back from Afghanistan, he went crazy buying things for his son, who wasn't due until the beginning of February. Terri couldn't believe it.

Stiles wanted Christmas to be special for Terri. He still couldn't believe that she was giving him the best present ever; he was going to be a Daddy. Stiles decided to go shopping for Terri's present. He went to the jewelry store. He found a beautiful cross; in the middle of the cross was the Claddagh symbol, the same one that was on their wedding bands. He bought that for her. Then he bought her the perfume she had wanted.

Stiles went to the video store, he found a few old movies Terri really liked and bought them on DVD. He also bought her a box of popcorn and some of her favorite candy. He had Joshua make up a certificate on his computer for one night of her favorite movies and he would watch them with no arguments, any night she wanted.

Stiles then called Terri's doctor. He wanted to know if it would be okay for Terri to travel on New Year's Eve. The doctor didn't see a problem, so Stiles booked a flight to Andros leaving December 30th and heading back on January 3rd, after he made sure with Carl she could have the days off. He thought about taking her to Las Vegas, but that flight was longer, the doctor thought that the flight might be a little uncomfortable for her. He wanted to make their anniversary special. He called and hired someone to stock their apartment they bought and have it cleaned. He didn't want her to have to do anything but relax when they got there.

Terri didn't know what to do for Stiles this year. He was so super to her last year, when she was sick. She really wanted to do something special. Terri knew that Stiles loved his parents and grandfather. Hannah, Dave and Patrick had already decided they would be coming to visit them from the end of January until after the baby was born. She decided to buy plane tickets so they could spend St. Patrick's Day in Ireland with them. Stiles often talked about how much fun he always had at the big party in the pub. Terri was beginning to stay home more, so she decided to paint a picture for Stiles. She called and asked Hannah to send her the picture in the bar of Frederick Stiles holding his young son A. B.

Stiles was just 3 days old, it was right before Frederick left for Vietnam. Terri began working on a painting of that photo for Stiles. She hoped he would like it. When she finally finished it she went and bought a cherry wood frame that matched his desk in the study.

Terri invited her family over for Christmas Eve. She thought about how she was sick last year and Stiles wouldn't leave her and how he won Helen over.

It was about 6:30 when the doorbell rang. It was Helen. "Hi Mom." Stiles greeted her with a big smile.

"A. B. how are you doing?"

"Fine."

"Where's Terri?"

"She's in the kitchen."

"You're making her cook in her condition! Why aren't you in there helping her?"

"I was until the doorbell rang." Stiles answered with just a slight touch of sarcasm.

Terri could hear them. "Hi Mom. Merry Christmas."

"Honey, you look tired you should be resting." She looked over at Stiles. "He should let you take it easy and do the work."

"Mom he was doing most of the work."

Kevin and Rick arrived a little bit later. "Hey Terri, you look great how you doing?"

"Really Kev, you think I look great, Mom has already been giving Stiles a hard time."

Rick smiled. "I'll let you two talk, I'm going to see if Stiles needs a hand in the kitchen." Rick headed in to see Stiles.

"Terri what's wrong?"

"Why is mom jumping all over Stiles? He treats me great, he's taking very good care of me."

"I know. I can see that." Kevin smiled at her. "Terri when you were married to Jeff." Terri just looked at him like don't even mention that name. "What did he ever do? I remember coming over on Christmas Eve, you were dead tired, and he would show up hours after he should have been home, with some ridiculous excuse."

"Where are you going with this?"

"Mom was always there for you. She would come over early and help you get ready. You needed her. "

"Kev I still do."

"But it's different. Think about it, if you were still married to Jeff, God forbid." Terri smiled. "You would have needed Mom here all day helping you. Stiles was here, I know Stiles dotes on you and spoils you rotten."

"You would think she'd be happy about that."

"I'm sure Mom is glad that he does. I think she just misses you needing her like that."

Terri stood up and kissed Kevin. "Thank you. I'm going to talk to Mom." Terri hadn't realized although Helen loved Stiles, she was a little jealous of him. When Terri was married to Jeff, Helen knew that Jeff would be useless. Terri always seemed to need her; this was a confusing time for Helen. She was glad that Terri was happy and loved, and being taken care of, but she missed being the one Terri depended on.

Terri walked into the family room; Helen was looking at all the presents under the tree. There must have been 20 presents marked Little A. B.

"What is all this about?" Helen asked Terri.

"Stiles went a little overboard with the Christmas presents this year."

"What did he buy?"

"He won't let me open them until tomorrow."

"That's sweet of him." Helen was holding Terri's hand. "I know he is taking good care of you. I just want to make sure he doesn't think he can take it easy now."

"Mom, he's incredible."

"I know. I just wish I could help more."

"Mom I'm really going to need you when the baby's born. Especially when Stiles has to go away for business."

"I don't like how much time he spends away from you."

"Well, before I got pregnant I used to do a lot of traveling with him. It's his job he has to. Mom I'm really going to need your help. Both Stiles and I are counting on you." Helen smiled at her, and realized she should go talk to Stiles.

Helen went into the kitchen to help Stiles. She wanted to apologize to him for the way she was acting. "Rick could you excuse us for a minute?"

"Sure. See ya Stiles." Rick patted Stiles on the back; Helen Fremont was overprotective of both her children Rick knew the lecture Stiles was about to get. He had gotten them too.

Stiles gave Helen a fake smile and continued what he was doing. He was hurt that Helen was as he saw it accusing him of not loving his wife enough. "Are you ignoring me A. B.?"

"No."

"What's wrong then?"

"Nothing." The last thing Stiles wanted was to get into an argument with Helen, he knew it would only upset Terri. Helen looked at him; she knew he had something to say. Finally after a minute Stiles took a deep breath and in a very calm voice told her what was bothering him? "You act like I'm not taking care of Terri. I am. I'm doing everything I can for her."

"I know. I'm sorry. Its just force of habit from when she was married to Jeff."

"I thought we went through this already. I'm not Jeff."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just miss my daughter needing me so much." Stiles smiled at her.

"Mom. Is that what this is all about? Terri and I both need you, and we're going to need you a lot more once the baby gets here." Stiles walked over and hugged her. Helen knew that he was good for her little girl. She still just wanted to help.

"Remember last year you and me made dinner." Stiles smiled he won Helen over that day. "Why don't we make that the new tradition?"

"Sounds like a good plan Mom."

"So what did you get Terri for Christmas this year?"

"Well a few charms for her bracelet, a cross with a Claddagh, and" Stiles knew Helen would have something to say about this. "I talked to her doctor and she agreed that New Year's Eve in Andros would be good for Terri." Helen just looked at him. He knew she wouldn't approve of Terri traveling in her condition. "We have that apartment there, and it is our anniversary. I want it to be special."

"Stiles are you sure its okay for her to travel?" Helen wanted to say so much more, but held her tongue; she knew Stiles wouldn't do anything to hurt Terri or the baby.

"The doctor said it was. Mom I wouldn't have done that without her doctor's okay. I love her. Mom she needs a break. I really thing she needs to get away for a few days."

"I know. You just better keep taking care of her."

"I promise." The rest of the evening went well. Everyone had a nice time. After everyone left Terri and Stiles went up to bed. Neither could wait until morning to give the other their presents.

The next morning Terri was amazed as she opened all of the presents Stiles bought for her. She loved everything. She just shook her head at most of the presents he bought for Little A. B. Most of them couldn't be used for a few years until he was older. Terri knew he was trying, and she loved him all the more because of it.

Stiles couldn't believe the picture she painted for him. "Terri where did you"

"I called your mother, she sent me the picture from the bar."

"I love it, and I love you." He leaned over and kissed her.

"Well I was also hoping to get a picture of you holding our son, and paint that too. We can hang them up next to each other."

Stiles handed Terri an envelope, "Well this is actually more of an anniversary present."

"Tickets to Andros. Stiles this is sweet but I'm not sure I can.."

"Travel." Stiles said finishing her sentence. "I already called the doctor, she said it would be fine."

Later that day Terri and Stiles went to Helen's for dinner. They had a lot of fun. Terri hesitated telling Helen about Andros, she was expecting a comment from Helen about the trip. Terri was shocked when she told her she thought Terri could use the rest. Terri didn't know that Stiles and Helen had already discussed it.