"Merry Christmas" Jessie called out as she came into John and Trish's house. She was carrying a casserole and had a bright smile on her face. Behind her Sylvain was balancing Rosalyn, Rosalyn's diaper bag, and an arm load of presents. Trish came out of the kitchen and when she saw the load she immediately came over, and took Rosalyn out of Sylvain's arms. He muttered a 'thanks' and carried the presents over to the tree, sitting them under it.
"Where's Kevin?" Sylvain asked, looking around for the little boy. He was expecting to be bum rushed as soon as he stepped in the door.
"He's up in his room with Sydney and Matty watching a movie" Trish told him as they walked into the kitchen "figured it'd keep 'em out of our hair while we finished dinner and all". Jessie and Sylvain greeted John, Randy and Lexi and the adults sat around talking as John and Trish cooked.
After dinner was ready Randy and John went to go get the kids. Randy winced as he stood up from the table and his knee popped. "Old man" John joked as they walked up to Kevin's room.
"You're older than me" Randy pointed out.
"Technicality" John remarked as he picked up Sydney and Kevin grabbed his hand.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah" Randy cameback lamely as he took both of Matty's hands in his to let him walk. Ever since he first started walking he had been doing well but sometimes his legs betrayed him and he stumbled a bit so Randy decided to help him, especially since they were going down about 12 or so stairs.
They got downstairs and got the kids situated in their seats before John started handing out food. "Ok sweetcake" John said, leaning down to Sydney and taking her hand "ham at 5 o'clock, mashed taters at 7 o'clock, green beans at 9 o'clock, and a kiss for Uncle John at high noon" Sydney giggled and kissed John on the cheek. He smiled and went to sit in his seat.
Everyone talked and had a good time as they ate. No major things happened during the meal, just the usual minor things. Such as Rosalyn getting food all over her and Sylvain who was feeding her and Sydney bumping her koolaid with her wrist, Randy's good reflexes caught it before it spilled though. It was something he did without thinking, having been used to doing it alot over the years.
"Alright" John said after the meal was over "now we have to do Rosalyn's birthday cake".
"It Rosie's birday?" Kevin asked, looking confused "I thought it Chismas".
"Sure is" Trish told him as John walked into the kitchen to get the cake "she's 1 year old today". John came back out then, holding the cake with the candle lit. He sat it in front of Rosalyn and he and Sylvain tried to coach her in blowing out the candle. It didn't quite work though and John just blew it out himself as she tried to reach for it, fascinated by the color and movement of the flame. He took the candle out, letting out a small 'ouch' as he accidentally touched the hot tip, and cut the cake into pieces which were mostly for the kids since the adults were stuffed from dinner.
"Time for presents" John said, clapping his hands together. The kids cheered. Everyone decided to let them open theirs first. John passed each kid their own presents and everyone watched as they tore into them, letting out screams of excitement as they saw what was under the wrapping paper. Sydney got a cassette tape of various fairytales, a kitchen playset (that Randy told her that he would attach braille tags to so she could know what everything was), a stuffed bear cub doll that made real sounds when you squeezed the stomach and tickled the foot, and a Dress Up Kitty doll that you could dress in different outfits and that had shoes you could really tie. Matty got a Hot Wheels Danger Island playset, Land Before Time: The Big Freeze movie, Clifford the Big Red Dog: The Full Length movie, and a tricycle that wasn't assembled yet. Randy told him he'd put it together for him after everyone else opened their presents, he was hoping that the little boy would be asleep before that happened so he could wait and do it the next day. Kevin got Rugrats Go Wild movie, The Rugrats movie, and huge Tommy Pickles and Chuckie Finster dolls. Rosalyn got a Fisher Price Gobble N' Go Hippo, Fisher Price Little People Animal Sounds Farm, Fisher Price Poppity Elephant, and two books; The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt.
After the kids opened their presents the adults got to theirs. "Oh honey I love them" Trish exclaimed, hugging John. He had gotten her diamond earrings and a diamond tennis bracelet that had Kevin's birthstone every other stone.
"Oh my God Trish this is so cool" John said, opening the Ipod she had gotten him. She had gotten tired of hearing how his broke and how he got SO bored working out without one so she had gotten him one.
"It has all our songs on it" she told him.
"Baby" Alexis exclaimed, breathless when she saw her gift that Randy got her "its so perfect". He had gotten her a mother's ring that had her birthstone in the middle and the twins' birthstone on each side. She hugged him and kissed him in thanks.
"Woah" Randy said, as he opened his gift from Alexis "these are so cool". She had gotten him cufflinks that were monogrammed with a gold 'R' on them.
"Open them" she told him. Randy did as she asked and felt tears come to his eyes. Sydney's picture was in one and Matty's picture was in the other. He took off the ones he was already wearing, slipping them in his pocket, and put on the new ones. He smiled and kissed Lexi in thanks.
"Here honey" Sylvain said, handing Jessie her present. She opened it and gasped loudly when she saw what it was. It was an afghan that had their family picture imposed on it. She hugged him tightly and showed everyone who was in awe of how beautiful it was.
"Now kids give presents" Kevin said to the adults. They laughed and said ok. Kevin and Sydney passed out the presents that everyone had helped them get for each other. Kevin had gotten John Rugrats loungepants and a sweatshirt with Chuckie Finster on the chest. He ran upstairs and changed into them, coming back down smiling and saying how warm and comfortable they were. He thanked Kevin who looked proud in picking out the present. Trish opened Kevin's present to her and awwed when she saw it. It was a baby blue one shouldered sweater. She hugged him, thanking him and said she'd wear it the next time they went out somewhere. To Sylvain's shock Kevin had gotten him something. He opened the present and started laughing when he saw that it was a Sylvester Stallone Rocky action figure. He thanked Kevin for it and said he'd put it on his side of the dresser. Kevin handed Jessie her present and her eyes widened when she saw that it was the Metallica boxed set. She picked Kevin up and swung him around the room, exclaiming that he was the best little brother ever.
Sydney handed Randy and Lexi their presents. Both opened them at the same time and gasped, tears pooling in their eyes. They were almost the same; a handprint each of Matty and Sydney, but Randy's had a poem about being a father and Lexi's hand a poem about being a mother. They both hugged their children, thanking them profusely for the heartfelt gift.
"My turn" Jessie said, standing up and getting the presents she had gotten. She handed them to John, Randy and Trish. She had gotten John a watch that had a leather strap. On the face it had diamonds. Around the numbers words were inscribed in diamonds. John had to move into the light to see what they were, he gasped as he realized it was Jessie, Trish, and Kevin's names. Jessie had gotten Trish Manolo Blahnik boots which she squealed over when she opened them. Jessie handed Randy his gift and smiled as he opened it. When he got it open he stared at it in shock. It was a guitar signed by members of his favorite band, Pantera. He gently laid it beside him on the couch and scooped Jessie up in a huge hug. He swung her around, much like she did Kevin and said that she was the best little sister ever.
"Now for your presents babygirl" John told Jessie, she clapped happily and sat beside Sylvain. John, Randy and Trish handed her some gifts. She opened Trish's first. It was 3 seasons of the OC that she didn't have yet. She thanked Trish profusely and gave them to Sylvain to hold for safe keeping. She then opened Randy's gift. She smiled as she saw it. It was a picture the two of them had taken at Disney a few weeks back, it was in a frame that said 'World's Greatest Little Sister'. She thanked him and hugged him. Lastly John handed her a long envelope. She looked at him weirdly as she opened it. When she saw the contents she let out a loud shriek that reverberated around the house. John had gotten her tickets to Bon Jovi, front row center, and meet and greet backstage passes. She jumped in John's arms repeating 'thank you' over and over about 30 times before she got herself under control.
"Dessie you no get Swy present?" Kevin asked her, looking perplexed. She laughed and nodded.
"Yep I sure did" she said, before turning to Sylvain. "I wanted to save it for last. Remember when I said I was going shopping two days ago" she asked him. He nodded and she continued "well I didn't go shopping" she took a dramatic pause, knowing that Sylvain was going crazy with anticipation. "I went to the doctor" everyone gasped.
"Are you ok babygirl?" John asked her, looking worried.
"I'm fine" Jessie said, sparing a glance at John before looking back to Sylvain "in fact I'm perfect. the doctor did some tests and found out what was wrong with me" Jessie took another dramatic pause. She put Sylvain's hand on her stomach "you're going to be a father" she told him. Sylvain looked at her in shock. He looked at his hand on her stomach and then at her smiling face.
"I thought that you could not have a baby" he said, dumbfounded.
"The doctor was wrong, I wasn't as affected by the miscarriage as they thought" she told Sylvain. Once it registered what she was saying he pulled her into his arms and hugged her gently to him, giving her a kiss that poured all of the emotion that he felt out of his body into hers. Once they pulled back from the kiss Jessie was hugged by everyone else in the room.
"How's it feel man?" John asked Sylvain, clapping a hand on his back.
"I'm going to be a daddy" Sylvain said, not being able to wrap his mind around anything else at the moment. John laughed and nodded. He pulled Jessie into his arms and hugged her tightly.
"I guess I better get used to being called grandpa huh" he remarked, making Jessie laugh.
"Papa John's fine" she told him, laying her head on his shoulder and just enjoying being in her dad's arms. She took a bit to think over how far she had come in the past few years. She was lucky that was for sure. And it was all because of a father's love.
A/N: This is it. The end of an era of sorts. The end of almost 9 months of hard work, laughter, tears and dedication. I feel like Jessie, Alexis and everyone else are a part of my family almost. Its really hard to let them go. I want to thank everyone who read it and who gave me all the kind words. You guys helped me push on and complete the work. I want to specially thank Manda for the HUGE amount of help she provided from the very start I wouldn't have gotten over some hurdles if it hadn't been for her. She rocks. Melissa helped me also and I want to thank her for kicking my butt a few times and telling me to get ta writin' lol. This is it boys and girls. Walks off with wistful smile on face
Not to make anyone get false hopes but there MAY be one more story in this series.