January 16th, 2004

Week 32

It was killing Jimmy being home and not working. But he had a month left of physical therapy and probably another month before he could return to work. At least he'd have a brand new baby keeping him company.

Jimmy got out of the car holding his cane tightly. He found it very difficult to try to walk without it. He was going major food shopping for the house, but first he wanted to stop at Camelot. He slowly made his way up the stairs. He smiled when he saw everyone at the kitchen table.

"What? No hello?" Jimmy asked. All the men's faces brightened up.

"Doherty!" DK up and gave him a bear hug. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"I came to say hello." Jimmy smiled.

"You look good." Carlos said glancing at the cane.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Jimmy said, glancing at the table. "You playing poker?"

"Yeah. You have cash? Want to join in?" DK asked as he sat down. Cash? Just the money Alex gave me to buy food with, Jimmy though.

"It's okay. I just wanted to come by and say hey." Jimmy said.

"Jimmy boy is chicken." Carlos said as he started to make chicken noses. All the men were laughing.

"I have a hundred and fifty in my pocket." Jimmy said as he sat down, "Deal me up."

"Jimmy is good. Watch out." DK said. Jimmy smiled. If he could double the grocery money, he could get more name brand things and a bouquet of roses for Alex. She'd like that.

"You in?" Carlos asked. Jimmy looked at his hand. He had two queens.

"Um…yeah. Give me three." Carlos handed him three cards, "Okay, I put in twenty-five."

"I see your twenty-five and raise it twenty.' Carlos said.

"I'm out." Several men said.

"I see your twenty-five and put in fifty." Jimmy said.

"Let's see your hand." Carlos said.

"Three queens" Jimmy said. Carlos growled and put his hand down.

"A pair of jacks." Carlos muttered. DK took the cards and started to deal again as Kim walked in, "Kim, you in?"

"No…" She said watching Jimmy count his money. "That's a lot."

"I know." Jimmy chuckled. He looked at his new hand and chuckled.

"How did you get the money to play?" Kim whispered.

"Alex." Jimmy said placing his bet. Kim frowned deeply.

"I highly doubt she would have you gambling money, knowing your history." Kim said as everyone but Jimmy and Frank folded.

"It's grocery money which I plan on doing after I've double it." Jimmy said. Kim looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't do this." She murmured as Frank put his cards down.

"Shit." Jimmy cursed. Kim watched as Frank took the money from the middle of the table.

"I'm calling her." Kim walked over to the phone. Jimmy ignored her and continued to play.

* * *

Jimmy walked into the house quietly. He had lost everything but five dollars. He bought some eggs, bread, and a gallon of milk. Alex as sitting on the couch, waiting for him.

"Hey." He said holding up the bag. Alex narrowed her eyes.

"That must be some god damn expensive milk." She hissed as she pulled her sore body up.

"It was." Jimmy mumbled as he walked ito the kitchen. Alex followed him.

"Why are you so god damn selfish?" Alex cried, "That money was for a month and a half to feed your god damn family."

"Aidan won't eat anything for awhile." Jimmy said opening the fridge.

"Bullshit. Breast milk won't have what he needs if I don't eat." Alex glared at him.

"Oh…" Jimmy mumbled.

"Yeah oh. This is hat happens hen you gamble, Jimmy, and you know it." Alex said, "Now I'm going to have to trudge out there in the snow eight months pregnant." Alex cried. Jimmy hung his head.

"I'm really sorry." Jimmy said.

"Yeah I sorry too." She said grabbing her jacket.

"I'll go, Alex. You stay here and put your feet up." Jimmy said. Alex shok his head.

"No, Jimmy. I don't trust you to feet your own family. At east I don't need to get eggs and fucking milk."

"Bread too." Jimmy said. Ax shot him a look. "I'm sorry, Alex."

"Yeah you said hat already." She said leaving the house. Jimmy growled deeply. God, He had fucked up royally. He should have known better to piss a pregnant woman off.

January 30th, 2004

Week 34

Okay, so things were a little stressful between Alex and Jimmy lately, but Jimmy was determined not to let this fade away like the others did. He was decorating the nursery for her. He hoped that this would make her feel a lot better. She had been feeling so bad lately, partly because of Aidan and partly because of him.

"Hey, Alex." Jimmy stood in the doorway of the bedroom.

"Yeah?" Alex mumbled, not looking up from her book.

"I'm all done." He said.

"With?" Jimmy chuckled as he walked over to the bedside.

"Aidan's nursery." He said. Alex looked up with a giant smile upon her face.

"You're done?" She sat up; "Can I see it?" Jimmy scratched his chin.

"I don't know. I may just have to make you wait until Aidan sees it for the first time." Jimmy laughed as Alex growled loudly.

"Now." She extended her hand. Jimmy helped her to her feet.

"Okay. Now the theme is a little cheesy for us, but I had fun doing it." Jimmy said. She chuckled softly.

"What's the theme?" She asked, "Noah's Ark or starry nights."

"None of those." Jimmy smiled and opened the nursery door, "Fire men and fire trucks." Alex stepped in and grinned brightly.

"Wow." She whispered as she looked around. The room was all blue with fire trucks all around the place. Alex walked over to the crib and touched the fire truck comforter. "This is amazing, Jimmy."

"I knew you'd like it. But you haven't seen the best part." Jimmy closed the door to show her the mural he had painted. Flames licked up from the floor to two firefighters, her and Jimmy.

"Oh my god. That's so cute!" Alex laughed.

"Joey and Cole are right over there and I'll paint Aidan there soon." Jimmy beamed proudly.

"I love this, Jimmy. It's absolutely gorgeous." She said picking up a stuffed Dalmatian.

"Does this even everything us out between us?" He asked her. Alex laughed softly.

"Yeah it does. Don't worry about it." She said easing herself down into the rocking chair, "Where did you get all of this stuff?"

"All the furniture was Joey's. I just had the boys repaint it." Jimmy said. "Bosco even refinished that rocking chair."

"Boscorelli??" Alex laughed loudly, "What the fuck for?"

"He was running his mouth off and I threatened him." Jimmy said.

"Great." She chuckled. "Jimmy, thank you for all of this."

"You don't need to thank me, Sweetheart." Jimmy knelt down in front of her and kissed her stomach so tenderly it made her shiver, "I did this because I love you and Aidan. Our boy needs a place to sleep."

"Yes he does." Alex ran her hands over his hair. "How long has it been?"

"How long has it been since what?" He asked her with an arched eyebrow.

"Since we've had sex, Jimmy." Alex smiled shyly. Jimmy chuckled slightly as he looked into her large sparkling blue eyes.

"A week before the accident. I remember it clearly." Jimmy said with his patent smirk. "Why?" Alex arched her back slightly.

"I have an itch." She giggled softly. He kissed her stomach again.

"What kind of itch?" He asked her.

"The kind of itch that got us into this mess in the first place." She giggled softly. Jimmy chuckled and stood up. He extended his hand.

"Let's see if I can maneuver around that stomach of yours." He said. Alex giggled as she pulled herself up. "If you're on top, you may crush me."

"You're really pressing your luck, Mr. Doherty." She said closing the nursery door behind her. Alex made a kissy face at him.

"I'll be pressing something very soon." He wobbled to the bedroom. Jimmy held onto Alex tightly. She smiled at him. She didn't mind having him lean on her so much. It made her feel wanted.

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