A.N. I'm back!!! I know this is out earlier then I said it would be, but since it's Christmas break I got that break from school. This chapter is fairly long since there's a lot I wanted to cover. And there is some language, mostly a curse word here and a curse word there. Also Miguel might be a little out of character, but this was just the way I saw him behaving in this fic. It's also Tuesday instead of Monday, I was going to post it on Monday but it wasn't quite done, but all my other updates will be on a Monday.

A.N. 2: Little Ethan is 4, Maria is a 1 ½ and Endora (thanks for telling me the proper spelling chocolate babe, I don't know why I thought it 'Andora', might be because I'm reading a book where that's the main character's name…anyway…) is also 1 ½

Part 5

15 minutes earlier

Tabitha's Household

Kay stares at herself in the mirror for a brief moment. Luis hasn't seen her in the dress; it's the dress that Hank got her to wear in the pictures with Maria. This article of clothing has quickly become her favorite, the dress clings just right to her curves, it dips just enough in the front where it shows a hint of cleavage leaving something to the imagination. In the back it's slung low so half of her smooth tanned back is showing.

She turns toward Maria who's perched happily on her bed playing with the shirt she's wearing. Maria's shirt has a glittering swirl pattern that her daughter fell in love with the moment she saw it in the store. It was so sparkly and shiny it had Maria fascinated. Kay knew that she didn't really have the funds to buy the thirty-dollar item of clothing but her little girl wanted it so much that she couldn't say no.

The doorbell rings from downstairs that has to be Luis. For the past three weeks she and Luis have been getting closer with each other. Kay loves spending time with him, he takes time out of his day to go with her and Maria to the park, he took her to lunch when Maria was at her play date, and most importantly Maria loves Luis. Every time Luis walks in she goes nuts clapping her hands, saying his name over and over and lifting her arms for a hug.

Kay quickly sits on the end of the bed, grabs her thick-heeled black boots, puts them on and zips the boots up. "Come on sweetie, let's go see Luis. You want to Luis right?" Maria's face lights up, her mouth forming a neat little 'O' of excitement and she nods her head enthusiastically.

"Ok." She lifts Maria up on her hip grabs her scarf and purse then heads downstairs to meet Luis.

There he stands in the entryway look absolutely delicious in black slacks, black Dockers, and a black t-shirt. His navy blue sweater and his leather jacket are hung up on the coat rack next to the door. As they descend the stairs Luis hears Kay's footsteps and Maria's joyous giggle and turns to face them smiling wide.

Kay looks stunning in her velvet dress and Maria is adorable in her skirt and glittering shirt. Her shoes almost exact copies of her mother's except where Kay's thick heel is close to 3 inches tall, and Maria's is just a small quarter of an inch.

"Wow, you two are beautiful." He comes forward kissing Kay on her lips, wanting to linger but the girl on her hip won't be ignored. "You want a kiss too huh?" He takes Maria out of Kay's embrace and presses 3 smacking loud kisses against her cheek.

Tabitha walks out of the living room towards the laughing three announcing that she was ready to go to the Bennett's. She notices Luis shoot a glance toward Kay, and Tabitha knows what Luis wants. "How about this, why don't I take Maria with Endora over to your parent's home, Kay, and you and Luis could have a moment together without all the family around."

"Would you mind Tabitha?" Kay questions.

"Not at all." Tabitha waves a hand in the air. "You two haven't had a moment alone for a couple days now. I wanted to ask you both, what would like me to tell everyone when they see you're not there with me? Since I know you haven't told your family that you're dating."

"Umm, tell them whatever you want. I'm not going to hide my relationship with Luis. While we haven't told anybody except you and Hank that we're dating, we also haven't been hiding it either." Kay rubs Luis's arm and he smiles down at her reassuringly.

"Alright, that's all I need to know." Tabitha puts Endora's coat on and waits while Kay puts Maria's jacket on.

"Now Maria, I want you to be good for Tabitha, mommy and Luis will be there in a little bit, ok sweetie?"

"K, mommy." Kay gives her daughter a kiss and sets her in the twin stroller Tabitha had ready.

"Don't be too late you two." The old woman smiles at the couple and leaves her home with the toddlers in tow.

The second the door closes behind Tabitha the couple are in each other's arms. Luis cradles Kay in his strong embrace, lifting her up he carries her to the couch their lips never losing contact, and he lies her down on the sofa, and he quickly follows her down.

Kay's tongue sneaks out requesting access to Luis's mouth, which he immediately grants. It's so right being in his arms. When she was making love to Miguel the night she conceived her little bundle of joy it didn't feel this perfect.

It was strange at first being with Luis as a couple, when for years she had been in love with Miguel. But slowly Kay began lose her love for the younger Lopez-Fitzgerald and gaining love for the older brother. She couldn't help it; Luis was just so easy to love.

Her family might not be too happy about her and Luis, but she didn't care. He had been there for her when no one else, except Hank and Tabitha, had been. She wasn't looking forward to this dinner. It's not that she cared what her family thought, at least not anymore, but the last thing she wanted or needed in her life right now was the family yelling and judging her about her choice in boyfriends.

Kay breaks the kiss reluctantly, as much as she would love to continue their make out session she didn't want to leave Maria alone with her mother and cousin for to awful long. As far as she was concerned they weren't her family, especially Grace, no real mother loves her niece above her children. "Mmm, Luis, I really don't want to stop but we have to get over there before they come over here looking for us." She smiles her breath coming out short and swallow.

Luis nuzzles her neck pressing soft kisses against the smooth column. "You're right." He licks at the quickly growing mark that he's causing on her neck. "You taste so good." Luis nips at the purplish hickey and doesn't move from his spot between her legs.

Her entire body is flushed with desire. "We really…uhhh" she moans as Luis strokes his hand up her slim stomach and cups her breast giving it a rough squeeze. "…have to go, or else we'll never leave." She nibbles at his freshly shaven cheek.

"Ok," he slowly rises from above her; takes her with him and giving her one more kiss before he sets her back down on the sofa. Kay reaches up and wipes off the lip-gloss that is smeared across his lips. He gets off the couch and brings Kay up with him keeping her close to his body. "Let's go before I take you upstairs and say to hell with Thanksgiving." His mouth turns upward in a dazzling smile that makes her want to melt at his feet.

Both walk hand and hand down the sidewalk as they come up on the Bennett household. Before they can begin their trek up the walkway Luis tugs on Kay's hand pulling her to a stop. He wants another kiss before they face up to four hours with their families. As much as he enjoys Kay's lips smashed against his and her body pressed close he doubts their families would appreciate him sticking his tongue into Kay's mouth in front of them.

Placing both of his large, capable hands on her cheeks he brings her close settling his lips on hers sweetly and gently. Their kiss quickly moves from tender and loving to passionate and desperate. The two had yet to make love, but they knew it was only a matter of time. At the rate they were going she wouldn't be surprised if her and Luis made love on the table during dinner.

While the couple sneaked in one last kiss before facing their families and friends Theresa, Fox, and Little Ethan pull up in a limo. The driver exits the driver's side door and runs around the back to open the Crane's door.

Theresa is the first to step out and the first to see the kissing duo. "Oh my God, Fox, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Fox who had yet to step out of the limo replies, "No, honey, I haven't, considering you're in my way." He smiles lovingly at his wife. She moves aside and he steps out turning to pick Little Ethan up before he looks for what Theresa was asking he saw. There on the sidewalk was Luis and Kay kissing up an inferno, he could feel the heat from here and he was surprised that the freshly fallen snow hadn't melted yet. "Wow."

"I didn't know those two were dating."

"Maybe they're not, maybe they're just fu…" he looks at his son on his hip and rethinks the end of what he was going to say. "Maybe they're just friends with benefits." Fox stares at the two, Luis's hand left hand is barely noticeable but he can see he's caressing Kay's breast. "Possibly very good friends, with very good benefits."

"No, they have to be dating Fox. Mama told me a couple days ago that her and Luis are always together, and every time she sees them together they have a look of euphoria." Theresa disagrees with her husband.

"And again I say, they could just be friends with benefits. It is possible." He leans in close to Resa. "We were once friends with benefits, till I realized how much I loved you and wanted you to become my wife." Fox nips at her earlobe, causing a shiver of desire to flow through Theresa.

"Hey now, none of that…at least not right now." She slyly grins up at him and drags him toward the Bennett home. Theresa glances back at her brother and Kay, she can't help but think those two would make it work. They're going to have obstacles, of that she was sure of, but the obvious passion she sees between them, and the utter joy that's been on Luis's face these past few weeks gave her hope that they'll be happy.

Raising her hand she knocks on the door, a few seconds later Jessica answers smiling broadly. She greets them and steps aside for them to come in.

Fox, in a booming voice, yells out, "Wow…did you guys take a look outside. Luis and Kay are practically ripping each other's clothes off." He grins placing his family's coats on the coat rack that is filled to its last hook with jackets and scarves.

"You're kidding?" Jessica smirks and peeks out the front door. "Oh my God they are." The two are pressed together so closely that air can't get between them. Luis has one arm wrapped tightly around Kay and the other is stroking her cheek. While Kay has one arm under Luis' coat and the other threaded through his short dark locks.

The surprised Bennett family and young Lopez-Fitzgerald male run past a smiling Tabitha to get to the door in order to see what Fox yelled out. They could plainly see that Luis was placing open-mouthed kisses against Kay's neck and her obvious pleasure.

Sam notices how brightly Kay's face was aglow, it was a look that he had to admit that he hadn't seen on her face in a long while. He can't say he's entirely happy about Luis and Kay being a couple, mostly because of the age difference between them but any man that is able to bring back that gentle radiance on his daughter's face is alright in his book. Although he could definitely say them making out was something he could have lived without.

Tabitha comes forward chastising the family at their nosiness. "Now, you let them be, they don't get to many moments alone with each other." She gently pulls each member by the door away one by one, closing the door behind her.

"How can she make out with Luis like that right out in the open. Where anyone can just walk by and see them?" Miguel questions in disgust not at all pleased.

"Well, what about when you play kissy face with Charity right in front of Kay, I might add? At least those two aren't doing it right in front of you. It's just plain cruel that you would be all lovey-dovey with Charity, in front of her when you knew Kay had an enormous crush on you for years. You're only getting what's coming to you." Tabitha toys with the jewelry around her neck not a bit embarrassed that she's causing the majority of the guests to be uncomfortable.

A few moments later after everyone was seated back in the living room Kay and Luis enter the house holding hands, not bothering to knock. "Hello all." Kay grins to everyone, not taking notice, or not caring about Miguel and Grace's glares.

Everyone can plainly see the light hickey on Kay's neck and the couple's swollen and red kissed lips. "Hey, thanks for having us." Luis shares Kay's smile, seeing Maria waving her hands at him he leaves his girlfriend's side and picks up the toddler. "Did you miss us sweetie?" He takes her to the couch and listens to her babble about everything under the sun, and although he can only understand a few words here and there because she mumbles Luis is absolutely engrossed.

Kay smirks in delight, loving the picture her baby girl and her boyfriend make. It warms her heart watching how the two interact with each other. Miguel was never like this with her, even in the beginning, he would come over once or twice when he could, but most of his time was with Charity, or he would bring Charity with him to spend time with Maria. When that occurred Miguel spent most of his energy on her and not his daughter. Where Luis took the two of them to lunch, played in the park with Maria, and invited Kay to come to his apartment, so she could study and he could help watch Maria.

Someone had told her once that the way to a mother's heart was through her children. Before Maria she never quite understood that, now that she's a parent she understands it perfectly. If Maria hadn't liked Luis he would have never become such a large part of their lives. He would have been good enough to fulfill her sexual needs for a night or two but nothing else.

She moves behind the couch placing her hands on Luis's shoulders and rubs them lovingly for a brief moment before leaning down and she asks, "I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything honey?"

"Sure, can you get me a beer?" He shoots her a quick glance, his eyes crinkling in amusement at Miguel's facial expression. It's no secret their relationship has been outted by Tabitha, the looks they got coming in was clue enough. Some were expressions of delight with some confusion, others like the one Miguel is sporting is of anger or disbelief.

Kay pats his shoulder before entering the kitchen to get Luis his beer and her coke. She closes the fridge door to come face to face with her mother. And her mother was not happy, not if her narrow gaze and crossed arms were any indication.

"Is there something I can help you with Mom?" Her voice clipped and cold, not willing to take any crap from Grace but at the same time trying to respect her. Kay takes the beer, sets it on to counter popping off the bottle cap, she picks it up again prepared to go back out to the living room.

"I want to know what do you think you're doing?"

She gazes down at the beverages in her hand. "Getting something to drink. Did you want something?" Pretending not to know what she's talking about.

"Don't get smart with me young lady. What you're doing with Luis. It's just some way to get back at Miguel for choosing Charity over you, isn't it? Why else would you be with Luis?" Grace accuses.

Oh no she did not, she did not just say that. The younger Bennett glares at Grace; her jaw locks in anger. "First of all, as difficult as this may be for you to grasp, not everything I do has something to do with Miguel. Second, I'm with Luis because I want to be. He is a wonderful man and Maria and I are lucky enough to have someone like him care about us as much as he does. Third, my life is none of your business, not any more. You made sure of that when you kicked my ass out when I was pregnant with your grandchild. The grandchild that you never see or call or send Christmas or birthday cards too. Now, if you'll excuse me Luis is waiting for his beer."

Kay pushes past her shocked mother and enters the living room drinks in hand. The spot next to Luis is empty so she sits down and crosses her legs quickly, the anger clearly radiating from every area on her body.

She hands Luis is beer and takes a deep breath working to calm her nerves and growing temper. They aren't even here 5 minutes and her mother starts in on her. She shouldn't have expected anything less from her mother, but she had hoped Grace wouldn't do anything to upset her, apparently that was a little too much to ask.

Luis nudges her shoulder after setting Maria down on the floor to play with Little Ethan and Endora, wondering what happened in the 2 minutes she was in the kitchen. Kay turns her face towards him and smiles shaking her head, telling him without words that she's tell him later. He takes her hand in his and squeezes assuredly.

Fox noticing the tension in the room decides the say the most inappropriate comment he could have made. "So, we saw you two mackin' outside. When were you going to tell the rest of us?" Theresa embarrassed at her husband's bluntness smacks him on the shoulder. "Ow."

Kay coughs, soda filling her lungs, she had a feeling the subject of her and Luis would come up tonight, and it did but in private, she should have known Fox would announce it the entire room.

"Mommy?" Little Ethan speaks up. "What's mackin'?"

Theresa crosses her arms. "Since you brought it up you can be the one to explain it to your son." She smirks winking at Kay whose blushing.

"Well, Little E it means they were kissing." Fox honestly tells the young child. Leaving out the desperate groping and tugging of their clothes that the couple had been engaged in.

"That's gross, you and mommy kiss all the time." The little boy shivers in disgust. "I'm never gonna kiss a girl." L. Ethan is positive on that. If he kissed a girl he could get a disease; at least that's what his friend Aaron told him.

Fox laughs. "You won't be saying that in about 10 years. I can guarantee it little man." The blonde haired man turns toward Kay and Luis waiting for them to answer his earlier question.

"Fox, as always I rely on you're amazing ability to be tactful." Kay sets her drink down on the table, playful sarcasm seeps from her voice. She can't be mad at Fox; he has one of those faces that can make you laugh even if he just insulted you.

"You know me." Fox smirks at her.

"Unfortunately, I do know you." She grins right back at him, shaking her head. "To answer you're question it would have come out tonight anyway. Since everyone was here we figured it would be the perfect time." Kay shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly.

Pilar comes around the couch and sits on the coffee table; she clasps the couple's hands in hers. "I for one am happy that you both have found someone to be happy with. I realize you've only recently started going out, but I hope this lasts. You both need love so much especially after everything that's happened to both of you."

"Thank you Mama." Luis leans forward and kisses her cheek.

Kay embraces Pilar. "Yes, thank you Pilar. You have no idea how much your blessing and approval mean to me." She whispers.

"I think I have some idea." Pilar whispers back. Kay needs love and support particularly now when her mother seemingly wants nothing to do with her. It's no secret in the town of Harmony that Grace dotes more on Charity then anybody. She can't imagine loving anything or anyone more than her children. Grace obviously has to rethink her priorities.

Pilar shoots them another smile and rises from her temporary spot on the table. If she had seen Miguel with the menacing glare on his face and his fists tightening in anger she would have stepped in and stopped him, but she was to busy moving to help Theresa with Little Ethan, who was beginning to act up.

Without warning Miguel flew across Kay and punched Luis directly in the jaw. His head whips to the side blood trickling out the side of his mouth. Screams and gasps are heard, Kay yells Miguel's name loudly then pushes him off her; he lands hard against the chair he had been seated in.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Kay grinds out. She tenderly touches Luis's quickly swelling jaw. "Are you ok?" Concern clearly evident.

"I'll be alright." Normally he would be up and out of his seat fighting his brother with everything he had, but Little Ethan, Endora, and Maria were in the room watching with avid fascination. He wouldn't fight in front of the children. "Paloma, Jessica can you do me a favor and take the kids in the kitchen and keep them occupied for a while?"

The two fast friends nod, gather up the children, and head to the kitchen. As soon as the group of 2 teenagers and 3 children are out of the room Luis stands up, stalks up to Miguel and lifts him by his shirt bringing him eye-level with him.

"Kay asked an excellent question. What the fuck is your problem?" Luis shakes his younger brother.

Miguel tries to get loose of Luis's grasp but it's useless. His brother wasn't letting go until he got answers, maybe even then he wouldn't. "You're taking Kay and my daughter away from me. I'm not going to let you do it, they are mine."

"Whoa, whoa, back the possession train up a bit." Kay stands behind Luis glaring daggers at her once best friend and long time crush. "When was I ever yours? I don't belong to anybody least of all you."

"As for me taking them away bro, it's your loss. You had the opportunity to be with Maria, spend time with her, hold her, get to know her, but you blew it. Maria doesn't even know you; you're just somebody she sees once in a while. And my relationship with Kay, is none of your business." He presses his nose close, almost touching but not quite, to Miguel's. "You're with Charity, you're planning to get married. What should you care if Kay's dating me? Happy with me? Doesn't she deserve to be happy." He shoves Miguel back and he lands in the plush chair behind him.

"She's only with you because she wants to punish Miguel for choosing Charity." Grace speaks up from behind her niece. "Kay will always love Miguel, Luis not you. Never you."

"That is not true and you know it mother. Yes, I will always have some kind of affection toward Miguel, I can't help that, he was my best friend for years, my first love, and the father of my child. I can't just throw away feelings that I had for most of my life. That doesn't mean that I won't grow to love Luis, just as much or more than I did Miguel." She can't say she loves Luis yet, not this soon, but it was close. As close as it could be this soon in their relationship, and she knew Luis understood that.

They didn't just sit around all time making out…although the two of them did do plenty of that, they talked about their relationship, where they hoped it would go, where they were at that moment in time with each other. Luis told Kay that a part of him would always love Sheridan, it wasn't something that shocked her; it would have been a blatant lie if he said he would lose the love he felt for her.

When someone has been or still is a huge part of your life the love you feel for them doesn't go away, it changes certainly, but never goes away not completely. "Luis and I care about each other. We're not ready to say if it's love or not. That doesn't mean it can't become that. So don't you dare say that I'll never love Luis like I loved Miguel, you know nothing about my life so that means you don't get to comment."

Kay takes a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself down but it doesn't do any good. "Regarding Maria, as far as I'm concerned she's not yours either. Sure you contributed your sperm but that's about it. You call yourself her father? Do you know what her favorite cereal is, her favorite cartoon, or how about her favorite stuffed animal that she believes can take away all her bad dreams away while she's sleeping? You know nothing about her Miguel, how can you consider that you're a father?"

"I know I'm not there as often as I should be but I'm still her father." Miguel feebly tries to argue but he can't deny that all the things Kay mentioned he doesn't know.

"No, I am Maria's mother and father. Not you. I'm the one that holds her when she's scared; I'm the one that takes an entire week off from work and school to take care of my baby when she's sick. I am the one that puts food on the table and clothes on her body, I am the one that is there first thing in the morning to wake her up and make her breakfast and I am the one that reads her a bed time story every night no matter how tired I am. And what do you do?" She whispers the last part out hoarsely. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Luis makes his way over to her and wraps his arms around her comforting her and whispering soothing words love and support against her hair.

For the rest of the night the families were divided into two groups, one that supported Luis and Kay and the other that didn't. Well, most everyone supported the couple, the one three that didn't were Grace, Miguel, and Charity, who agreed with whatever Miguel said. He could have told her the sky was pink and she would have believed him no questions asked.

Sam had come up to the Kay when she was by herself shortly before she was ready to leave with Luis and Maria, Tabitha and Endora had left almost an hour earlier, and told her he was going to be divorcing Grace. He told her his reasons for doing it, and Kay saw that her father didn't love her mother any longer, but she did see a love there.

She questioned him about it and he admitted that there was someone he was starting to feel for, again. Kay had a fairly good idea as to who it was, she leaned in close and whispered to him that she always liked Ivy, Sam had stared at her in shock unsure of what to say to that, but he didn't deny it.

A few moments later he had approached Luis about dating his little girl, he didn't care how old Kay got she would always be his little girl. Sam threatened him, like any father would, with bodily harm if he ever hurt his daughter. Luis smiled good-naturedly and promised he would make Kay happy and if he didn't Sam had his full blessing to come kick his ass.

As Luis walked Kay inside, with Maria tucked securely in his arms sleeping soundly, he stopped Kay just outside the threshold. "Are you alright with your father divorcing your mom?" She hadn't told him yet and wondered where he heard that. So she asked. "Well, I saw the divorce papers yesterday at the station house on his desk. I figured he told you tonight."

"Yea, he did." She nodded affirming his suspicions. "And yes, I am ok with it. It's weird, since they've been together for so long but I can tell daddy isn't anymore, at least not with mom. I think he loves Ivy, I don't think he ever got over his love her just kind of buried it. As long as dad's happy then I'm happy with whatever he decides."

He doesn't ask about Grace, he knew how she felt about Grace's happiness. She didn't care about it at all. "Has he told Jessica yet?"

"I don't think so. Jessica's going to be devastated when he tells her, she really loves mom and this will just be one more thing that is tearing her family apart. When Jessica found out that Ethan was dad's son it hurt her that he would have a child with another woman…even though it happened before dad met mom, then when Noah left and has hardly called it was another blow. Shortly after that David and John came into the picture knocking her, Noah and myself down the love meter with mom, then when I left with Maria she was left with hardly anybody. Now with the divorce, I'm afraid this might cause her to spiral head first back into depression."

"Depression?"

"Yea, Jessica has had depression since she was a child. She takes anti-depressants and that helps but I'm just worried that the divorce will be a breaking point for her." She breathes out.

They enter Tabitha's home and Luis thinks about what Kay told him. "How about we start inviting Jessica out to our lunches? That way she won't be so alone and you can start to rebuild the relationship you had with her." He suggests.

"Oh Luis, that's a wonderful idea." She hugs him around his waist giving him a soft kiss on the lips. "Thank you so much. I'll call her tomorrow and invite her to lunch on Wednesday." Luis grins at Kay's joy.

They put Maria to bed and have some cocoa by the fire and snuggle close, until they fall asleep in each other's arms.

TBC