Disclaimer:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I do not own 7th Heaven and I stepped in doggy-doo.

Sorry about the long update! I had some other things to do! But I did post two chapters in one day, so I suppose I'm right on schedule!

Chapter Six

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Ruthie was awake, he could tell. Just for fun, he decided to pretend to still be asleep.

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It was now morning. Ruthie felt much better, safer in this bed with Martin's arms over her protectively. Who knew the star player liked to cuddle?

"Martin," She whispered, turning so that she was face to face with the 'sleeping' man. He let out a soft snore, causing her to giggle. She caught him smiling and knew he was awake.

"Martin, wake up," She said a little louder. He opened his eyes, making Ruthie notice just how startling they could be from up close and how his hair looked browner the black up close. Unknowingly, she inched forward, her eyes studying his jaw and a small bruise just behind his ear. From baseball, she assumed, but it was healing nicely.

Martin loosened his hold on her waist, looking at her, wondering what she was up to. Her small petite hand went up to touch his bruise, from when Susie was throwing softballs and accidentally hit him. It felt exhilarating for her to touch that bruise, and he wanted to lie in the bed with her for the entire day, just looking into her eyes, wondering how deep they were.

He inched toward her, almost closing the spot between them when a knock on the door sent them flying to different parts of the room, panting. Ruthie looked down, cheeks flaming and opened the door to let David in.

"I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" David asked, worried

"No," Martin smiled, "Ruthie had another nightmare and was leaving. What's up?"

"Mom wants to be informed of what you have planned for activities," he shrugged, "You look pale," He added to Martin

Martin ignored that last comment, "Nothing, why?"

"Well, Mom is cleaning the house. She has recruited Sam and I to kick everybody out and then help her clean," David glanced at his watch, "You have to leave in 0100 hours, and stay out for 0400 hours" He smiled and left.

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"Ruthie!" Annie ran over to her, "Get Martin out of the house! The party things are coming in fifteen minutes!" She handed Ruthie a piece of toast and ushered her upstairs.

Ruthie came in Martin's room, not bothering to knock.

"Hey! I could've been getting dressed or something!" Martin pointed out, putting his watch on, annoyed.

"You always change in the bathroom," Ruthie said, racking her brain for ideas, before grinning, "Will you teach me how to play baseball?"

She already knew the basic layout. She wasn't Lucy after all. Still, Martin would be easy to distract with baseball.

He frowned, "Well, if you want me to teach you, I'd recommend wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt. I don't think that you'll do so well in a skirt and a shirt-thingy," He gestured to her spaghetti top, making her laugh,

"I have none of these clothes with me," She frowned, "I can probably borrow one of Mary's old jeans that she still has in the attic, but I'll need a top," She poked through his suitcase, "Will this do?" She held up a ratty old shirt that Martin never wore anymore that was in his suitcase, just in case Suze needed it as a security blanket or something.

"Sure," He sighed, grabbing his cell phone to find a place to play ball.

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He couldn't believe his luck that he found an indoors baseball diamond. If Suze was with him, she would've been practicing sliding into home, having him yell "Safe!" even if she really was out.

"Ok," Ruthie frowned, picking up the bat, "I haven't played baseball in a long time,"

"I can tell," Martin said, switching the end of the bat for her, "I hope you remember how to hit the ball?" He asked seriously.

"Duh," She rolled her eyes, making him laugh. He forgot how much Ruthie would make him laugh.

A good fifteen minutes later, only did Ruthie let Martin teach her how to hit the ball correctly.

"Elbow up," He said in her ear, causing her stomach to flip-flop, "Bend your knees a little more, little more, yeah, yeah, that's good,"

She was blushing so hard inside, but didn't think it would be appropriate to tell Martin how turned on she was.

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He chuckled at her fierce glare. Her tongue stuck out a little bit, as well as other parts of her body. It made him thankful that he only had to pitch to other guys. Otherwise Ruthie could beat him in a pinch, just doing that wiggling thing.

He gave a slow ball, just as slow as the ones he would give Susie, and smiled at Ruthie's delight when she hit it, an easy pop up. It bounced to the ground in front of his feet. Before he knew it, she had made a mad dash to first and he was catching up with her as she rounded third, hearing her giggles. She had slid to home and he more or less tackled her, caught up in the frenzy of the game.

"Safe!" She yelled, laughing, "I win!"

There was dirt all over her and him as well, but Martin didn't think she had ever looked as beautiful as she did in that moment, her eyes twinkling like mad. Remembering earlier when he wondered idly just how it would feel to kiss her, opening a new gateway into his and Ruthie's until now, very open relationship.

"Martin," She pushed him out of his thoughts, "Would you mind if you moved? Not that it's wonderful to be trapped under a hulking beast of a man, but I'm a fan of oxygen as well,"

He stood up, mumbling a sorry to her. He felt wrong just thinking of Ruthie like that. She was practically his sister after all.

"But she's not your actual sister," A voice sang in his head. The same voice that told him to sleep with Sandy and to go out after curfew with Zoë, so he ignored it, thinking it was just going to get him in more trouble.

After trying and failing to explain to Ruthie why a runner to first base could loop around, but not a runner to second or third bases, Ruthie told him that she was thirsty. As she walked away from him, he noticed that his shirt looked much better on her then it did on him or that guy that wore it in the commercial, before scolding himself.

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As they were at an indoors sports park that included a skating rink, Ruthie beat her way against the crowd of eager ice skaters hanging around. Apparently the park was the new "it" place for teenagers, Martin mused.

"May I please have hot cocoa?" Ruthie asked, digging in her purse for change, "I'm really cold," She added to Martin

"One-fifty," Said the kid in a monotone voice, showing he couldn't care less if she was cold.

Martin smiled and gave the surly looking teenager at the cash register the money for two hot cocoas, "My treat,"

"Oh wow, big spender," She teased, smiling

"I try," He said humbly and Ruthie dissolved in laughter.

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"Do you want to go skating?" She asked, eyeing the new ice rink, "It is Christmas after all," She had some whipped cream on her upper lip and hadn't noticed it yet. Martin's "devil" voice bugged him with clandestine ways of how to get rid of it.

"Ruthie," He chuckled, "You might want to wipe your lip, you have some whipped cream, here," He handed her some napkins. Frowning at his inner voice for the suggestions it had whispered in his ear, he stood up and said,

"I'm just going to call the house and see how Susie's doing," Martin pulled out his cell.

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"Hello?" Lucy picked up, in the middle of helping her mom cook.

"Lucy!" Martin said, "I'm just calling to check on Suze,"

"Oh!" Lucy laughed, glancing at the girls outside, helping Mary decorate the yard, "She's fine, just popping some balloons with Savannah,"

Lucy froze. They weren't supposed to pop the balloons! Knocking on the window she got Mary's attention and pointed to the girls and Charlie popping all the balloons she-well Kevin had worked so hard to blow up. Mary shooed them away, rolling her eyes.

"Why do they have balloons in the first place?" Martin asked surprised, "Is there a party or something?"

"Uh, Kevin blew up a bunch for them, to play some game with them," Technically, she wasn't lying. He was the one who had showed them the different ways to pop a balloon and apparently, popping balloons was a game!

"Well, can I talk to Suze?" He asked, turning to see if Ruthie was still in her seat. She wasn't. Instead, she was at the bench, tying up a pair of skates,

"Uh, now isn't a good time," Lucy said. Susie wasn't good at keeping secrets, everyone knew that.

"Fine, I'll call when Ruthie and I are coming home," He said, having lost interest in the conversation, wondering what Ruthie was up to.

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"Martin!" She grinned, "Here are your skates," She handed them to him, putting her gloves back on, "I've decided that I want to try my luck at ice skating again," She explained simply.

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"When's the last time you went ice skating?" Ruthie asked, supporting Martin on the ice.

"Uh," He frowned, shrugging, "Fourth grade?"

"Same as me then," She smiled, "But you must have not been very good, because I'm doing fine, holding you up at least,"

"Let go," He said, his male ego getting the better of him, "I can do it," He ignored Ruthie's derisive snort and began wobbling on the ice. Just as he was about to fall, someone caught him.

"Thank you," He heard Ruthie say, laughing, "I'm sorry about him, he's a little stubborn sometimes," She was holding him up again, smiling at some guy.

"No problem, ma'am," He smiled, showing his white teeth, "I'd put your brother in the beginning rink, so he won't injure as many skaters,"

Martin didn't like the way this guy talked down to him, as if he was a four year old attacking some old biddy with his blade when all he had done was almost fall.

"I don't think that's necessary," Ruthie laughed, "Martin will be fine as long as he stays near by the wall,"

His heart sort of clunked when she ignored what he had said about Martin being her brother.

"And you, miss?" He asked, smiling

"I will be fine by the wall as well, next to Martin, but thank you for the concern," She smiled and left with Martin, hand in hand.

She was gliding on the ice like an angel while he was tripping over imaginary rocks every few minutes, causing her to laugh by the end when his jeans were so soaked that he needed to get another pair of pants from the sports store.

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"Hey Martin, when's your birthday?" Ruthie asked casually.

"July 23rd, why?" He asked, putting the car in park

"So, it's not your birthday today?" She said

"It's my half birthday. Susie likes to find out people's half birthdays for fun," Martin said cheerfully, "Again, why?"

"Just curious," Ruthie had now figured everything out. She knew Martin's birthday wasn't today!

When they were standing on the doorstep, Ruthie turned to him, showing a twinkle of laughter in her eyes,

"Just play along, okay? We can sort everything out later," She said to him

"Huh?" He said, walking into the house to find it dark before a bunch of people jumped and yelled,

"SURPRISE!" people came out of nowhere cheering and blowing their whistles.

"Martin, go change," Ruthie said forcefully, having him go upstairs, while she sorted all the confusion out.

She moved to where Annie was, handing out small appetizers for everyone, smiling.

"Mom," She said, "Martin's birthday is in July, the 23rd to be exact,"

"But Susie told me that-" Annie looked at where the little girl was, giggling with Savannah.

"It's his half birthday," Ruthie explained, "She got mixed up, I guess,"

"Is Martin okay?" Annie asked, worried, "He must have been very surprised!"

"He's fine," Ruthie grinned, "Just nursing his wounds," Glancing at all the people, "Uh, do you mind spreading the news and taking down the decorations?"

"I'm glad we just invited family," Annie was relieved, "Now we can have a family dinner!" She was happy at this new trinket of news.

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"Martin," Ruthie barged in just as he finished buttoning another pair of jeans,

"Again, I could've been changing!" He half yelled at her, more annoyed then upset.

"Who takes that long to change?" She shot back to him, "Besides, the birthday party has left to be replaced by a family dinner," She grinned, "You're family,"

"Come along," Annie ushered them into the dining room table, "Dinner's starting!"

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"Robbie!" Ruthie yelled, having spotted the young man she had befriended as a little girl. She smiled her big Ruthie smile that was contagious and ran over to him, laughing.

"It's great to see you!" She said, smiling, "How are you?"

"Better," Robbie smiled, looking fondly at Mary, "A lot better

"I'm sorry about your mom," Ruthie said, a half smile, "Is Mary taking good care of you?"

"Yeah," He laughed, "She's happier these days, making sure I eat my breakfast and wash my hands," He had a glazed look in his eyes as he looked at Mary, talking with Lucy.

"I always knew Mary was the one the was going to be like Mom," Ruthie grinned, "You two are having at least half a dozen of kids, mark my words,"

"What about you?" Robbie asked, curious, "Any plans in your future?"

"Well," She sighed, "I'm trying to get over Peter and Brady," She rubbed her arms up and down unconsciously, showing Martin, who was watching her from the corner of his eye, that she was uncomfortable, "Single and I don't think I want a guy in my life for a long time,"

These words stopped him. Had he, without knowing it, wanted a relationship with Ruthie?

He turned back to talking with Sam, just as she said,

"If the perfect guy came along though, I'd give him a chance,"

Ruthie searched for Martin's reassuring eyes. Robbie noticed her looking at Martin's back and said,

"Is that the perfect guy?"

Her lips turned up in a smile, she couldn't help it, "I don't know, but I've liked him for a long time and he just thinks of me as a sister," She shuddered.

"I don't think I've met him, Snookie," He craned to get a better look, "Is that my replacement?"

"Martin Brewer, yeah," She smiled, waving at him to come over when he reluctantly caught her eye.

"Hey Ruthie," He smiled, looking at the floor

"Martin, this is Robbie, Mary's boyfriend. Robbie, this is Martin, a good friend of the family's," She smiled

"I've heard nothing but good things about you from Snookie and the other Camdens," Robbie shook his hand, "I actually was a boarder for a while, as well. Got the Hello Kitty room," He laughed weakly.

"So did I," Martin nodded, "Snookie?" He didn't want to ask, but had to know.

"When Ruthie was like ten," Robbie laughed, "She had a habit of eavesdropping and butting in when she should've stayed out. One day she stole some of my cookies, so as a habit, I began calling her 'Snookie'," He explained

"I still do that even today," Ruthie said thoughtfully, "For example, I overheard from Lucy that you have a surprise for Mary," Her eyes shone, "Are you really going to ask her?"

"Yeah," He grinned, "I got the ring and everything," He frowned, "Not a word to anyone, you two. I only told Lucy, because I needed her to tell me what kind of ring I should get,"

"Lucy must be happy that she knew about it first," Ruthie said dryly," Have you asked Dad?"

"No," He frowned, "Should I?"

She shrugged, "Ben didn't and Mary turned him down. Kevin did and Lucy's still married to him, isn't she?" She pointed out.

"Yeah," Kevin sighed, butting into their conversation, having heard the end of Ruthie's comment, "We're married, but I don't know if we're happily married,"

"What do you mean?" Robbie asked, "After all, you have Savannah, Jacob, and Michael and a beautiful wife. What's wrong with your marriage?"

"Robbie," Ruthie smiled, her eyes twinkling merrily "In all these years we've known each other. Tact is not something you've learned yet, is it?"

He looked down, attempting to seem bashful. Martin chuckled and Ruthie glared at him, and he too, looked down at the floor, as bashful as Robbie, who now had a smirk on his face.

Kevin smiled, "Uh, I don't even know what I was saying, just forget it," He smiled and walked away, a slight frown on his face.

"Maybe he's not getting any," Robbie suggested, "Lucy has been busy with the church, what with all the holiday stuff going on,"

"Oh believe me," Lucy interrupted them, again, only hearing the last part, "I am not so busy that I can't stop to see my family and friends," She winked at Robbie to show she wouldn't tell a soul.

"Forget it Lucy," Ruthie said, bored, "I heard Robbie tell you about the trip to Tiffany's,"

"We've already promised not to tell anyone," Martin said, "Just, is there a ring?"

"I'll show you later," Robbie walked away with Lucy, joining Matt and David in a conversation about medical emancipation.

"So," Martin smiled, "Guess it's just the two of us again,"

"Guess so," Ruthie grinned as some music came on, "Wanna dance?" She rolled her eyes at Martin's refusal and pulled him onto a small dance area, laughing at his poor attempts to leave.

"Sing to me, please," She whispered, placing her hand in his palm, smiling.

"I don't know the song," He admitted, listening to Eric strumming on his guitar as the singer belted out a song that was meant for a faster kind of dance, but Ruthie didn't want Martin to step on her feet, so she rolled her eyes and dragged him outside.

No one, but Anna, Susie, and Charlie were out there giggling. Ruthie left the door open, so they could still hear the faint strains of the music.

"Please, sing something," She asked him again

He sighed, "Why is it that I can't seem to refuse you?"

"I have charm," She laughed, "I got it from Mom, or that's what Dad says,"

"Please sing, Daddy!" Susie and her two friends were now sitting on a bench, eager to hear Martin's voice, "Sing a Christmas song!" Her eyes shined

"White Christmas, please?" Anna added

He laughed, "Okay, okay," Taking a deep breath, he sang,

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten and children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow"

Susie's eyes lit up, clapping her hands together as she, Charlie, and Savannah hummed together. Ruthie laughed, putting her head comfortably on Martin's chest, listening to his heart beating as he crooned.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white"

Ruthie loved it when Martin sang. It felt like he was sharing a secret with her with his eyes and she was the only one who knew his secret.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white"

He finished with a slow soft ending, giving one of these cryptic, but so readable smiles that Ruthie loved.

"Will it snow this year, Daddy?" Susie asked, glancing at the barren grass, the wind whistling through it, "It was snowing when we left Boston," She added, sadly

"I know how you feel," Ruthie admitted, "When I was little kid, I wanted snow for Christmas. Something about snow on Christmas is just magical," She chuckled, "Now in New York, when it snows, which is rare as well, I barely give it a glance," She sighed

Martin took note of how her expressions changed as she was talking. No matter how she was feeling, her face would always be doing something cute that Martin it was hard for him to not notice.

"When it snowed last year," Savannah said cheerfully, "Daddy took me on the police car and we got to ride behind the snow cars with the sirens on!" She puffed up her chest as she said this.

"Wow," Charlie said, impressed, "We don't get snow in Puerto Rico, so Papa takes me to see Mommy then, so I get to make snow angels with Mommy."

"My mommy was too busy being fat with Michael to play with me," Savannah told her, "I'm real glad that she's not fat anymore,"

Martin choked down a laugh at Savannah's comment.

"Well, my daddy can't get fat," Susie told them, "So he plays with me all the time!" She smiled, "Last year, Daddy made a snowman with me and I threw snowballs at him," She giggled.

Ruthie and Martin left on a little nature walk at this point, telling the kids to stay at the house.

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"You should probably teach her the difference between being fat and pregnant," Ruthie told Martin, smiling, "I was Anna's age when Sam and David were born and no one really told me the difference,"

"I should," Martin said, "But I think Kevin should explain the difference. After all, he is Savannah's father," He grinned cheekily.

"You know I meant Suze," Ruthie rolled her eyes, "Lucy can tell Anna, but Susie's a different case,"

"She has no mother," Martin sighed, "That's my fault, I guess,"

"No one made her overdose on pills but herself," Ruthie shot back, "Just like no one but Peter was responsible for that STD he got,"

"Ruthie," Martin sighed, "I want her to stay my Susie-Rooster for as long as possible. I'm afraid that if I tell her anything, she'll turn out like Sandy or I and become a has-been,"

"You aren't a has-been," Ruthie pointed out, "You and your team won the Series last year, for crying out loud!"

He chuckled, "Ruthie Camden, how do you do it?"

"Do what?" She was perplexed

"Deal with people's problems, day after day. Don't you ever get tired of it?" He asked

"Not really," She smiled, "I suppose I was born to give advice,"

"I don't know if I want to play baseball anymore," He blurted out, before looking down in shame.

Ruthie shrugged, "So?" She inspected a piece of a rock before tossing it as far as she could with all her might.

He ignored her for the time being, "I bet I can throw farther then that," He said,

"Probably," Ruthie agreed, "To make it fair, you have to throw it with your left hand," She grinned, knowing Martin was right handed, "So it's fairer, considering I've never practiced throwing rocks and you throw baseballs for a living,"

"Fine," He amended, picking up a rock with jagged edges,

"Be careful not to hit anything," Ruthie warned, "I did one time when I was in my senior year and it wasn't pretty,"

He smirked, throwing it with all his might. Being his left instead of right, he didn't have dead on aim and his throw was flagging. His pitch was still a lot better then Ruthie's and she groaned.

"I win," He smiled, "What does the winner get?"

Ruthie grinned, "Rematch? Winner has to buy loser dinner,"

"Fine," He said

"Good," Ruthie smiled, "We're racing from here to the house," A trace of a smile as she added, "Now," and sped off with all her might, laughing at Martin's confusion before running behind her, easily catching up.

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Ruthie was fingers away from the door. She only needed to go two more steps before touching the mailbox and then Martin would lose.

Martin was running out of control, panting, laughing, and groaning all at the same time. Seeing the mailbox and Ruthie near it, he lunged.

She got tackled down to the ground, just about to touch the mailbox. If she only could stretch her finger a little more out of Martin's body.

Ruthie was wiggling, squirming all over the place. Laughing, Martin put a hand to the mailbox, grinning at Ruthie's scowl. Before he saw it though, she was clutching the little red post. It was broken off, but had showed she was there first.

Ruthie seemed to realize what she was holding at the same moment and grinned, "I win!" She laughed, spinning around in circles, and doing impromptu dances, wiggling her butt all over the place.

Perhaps losing wasn't so bad if Martin got to see Ruthie show off her dancing, rubbing it in his face. It was very cute.

"Come on, if we don't get in soon, Mom will have the entire neighborhood looking for us," She pulled him up, grinning, "So, I don't leave until the 27th, so you'll have to buy me dinner on the 26th, since tomorrow and Christmas Day are obviously off limits,"

"What are you doing on Christmas Eve?" Martin asked, "Suze and I have to go out and buy some last minute presents,"

"Robbie wanted to take me out to lunch," Ruthie said, stopping at the door, "And I have to go with Simon to pick up his girlfriend later in the evening," She looked up, noticing some mistletoe.

Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed Martin on the cheek before letting herself in, saying, "Merry Christmas, Martin,"

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Everyone had left by the time Martin came inside, after thinking about everything. Susie was with Savannah at Lucy and Kevin's. From what he understood, Sam and David had decided to camp out in the yard tonight, and Eric and Annie were both asleep, exhausted from the spirit of Christmas, and not getting up anytime soon. So that meant that he, Simon, and Ruthie would be the only ones in the house.

Simon was cool about this kind of thing. Martin had a sneaking suspicion that Ruthie's parents didn't know about Ruthie sneaking in the middle of the night to snuggle with him. He also suspected that he owed Sam and David a favor.

For now, he was in his cotton white shirt and a pair of plaid pajama bottoms, trying to get comfortable in the bed he had lived in during his later high school years. For some reason, it just wasn't the same.

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Grumbling, he silently went to the third floor, intent on finding Ruthie to ask why he couldn't seem to fall asleep without her by his side. When he reached her though, she was tossing and turning, panicked and whispering, "I promised," over and over.

Martin gently shook her, worried.

She opened her eyes a little before squinting slightly and hugging him, "Why couldn't I save him?" She asked, sniffling.

"Go to sleep, Ruthie," Martin said, coaxing her into bed.

"Stay with me," She had whispered, clinging to his shirt in a way that he could have never said no if he tried. He lay down, noting that this bed was bigger then this one, liking the more space he got on it.

She put his arm around her, and her legs soon become tangled up with his as they fell asleep.

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