Onions

Disclaimer: I own no one!

A/N-Weird little idea I came up with after having onions with lunch…

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"Melina?" John Hennigan called, entering the door. "I got your chili!" The house was freezing, due to the air conditioner. "Melina, can I turn the AC off?"

Melina appeared, from the kitchen. She held a cup of hot tea. Johnny couldn't help but notice she looked even more pregnant than she had before he left. Was he imagining things? What was going on?

"No onions, right?" she asked, taking the brown paper bag. Johnny groaned. She hadn't mentioned not getting any onions. What was that all about?

"Can't you just pick the onions out?" Johnny asked, sensing what she was about to do. It was the same thing every time he was sent out for food. If it weren't to her liking, he would have to get her a new one.

"Remember what happened to me the last time I ate onions?" Melina asked, protectively rubbing her bulging belly.

He knew she was conniving but that's why he loved her. He also suspected she used her pregnancy to her advantage, using it to get what she wanted. He loved her though and as much as her food cravings annoyed him, he went out for her every single time.

"No onions, a little cheese and what else?" he asked, not wanting to have to go out a third time. Melina sighed.

"A hot fudge sundae with cherry juice, but not a cherry," she said. Johnny nodded.

Melina only liked the food from one local café. She said every other place tasted 'weird'. Johnny put up with her cravings, assuming it meant their baby was normal. After all, she was the 'pregnant one'.

"Back so soon?" Ed, the owner of the café asked. Johnny nodded. "What can I get you?"

"Chili with a little cheese and absolutely NO onions," Johnny said. "My wife's seven months pregnant, and if something's missing or there when it shouldn't be, she sends me back,"

Soon, Johnny had a cup of chili and a hot fudge sundae. He hoped Melina would be pleased. He had an odd feeling that Ed would be locking him up if he came back.

"Did you remember my diet root beer?" Melina asked, beginning to eat her chili. Johnny shook his head, wondering if she had mentioned diet root beer. It didn't sound familiar.

"I'll be back," he said, wishing he had the power to say no. He found it impossible to say no, especially when her bulging belly was exposed. "How's Mariah?"

"Kicking," Melina murmured, running her hand over her protruding belly. "Of course, she's kicking Samara, but I'm sure Sammy's going to get her back later,"

Melina was 29 weeks into an identical twin pregnancy. Samara Roxanne and Mariah Rose were due toward the end of July. Neither she nor Johnny could wait for their babies.

While everything was 'normal', it had taken them close to two years to get pregnant. Melina considered them miracle babies. For Johnny, it wasn't far from the truth. He couldn't wait to hold his little girls, to tell them of their story, just to watch them grow.

"John, I think you're my best customer," Ed said, watching Johnny move through the store. "You've been in here five times tonight." Johnny, perusing the soda case, chuckled.

"My wife only likes your food. Everything else makes her sick, or so she says. I'm not going to argue with her when she's this pregnant," he explained, pulling a two-liter of diet root beer out of the case. "She's due in two and a half months but there's every chance they'll be here MUCH sooner,"

"Why do you say that?" Ed asked, ringing up the purchase. Pulling out a folded sheet of paper, Johnny unfolded it, showing it to the other man.

"Identical twin girls. Mariah and Samara," he explained. Ed grinned.

"I've got seven-year-old twin girls, identical, Elizabeth and Hannah," he said. "Twins are special."

"Aren't they?" Johnny asked, heading toward his car.

By the time he got home, every light in the house was off. Stepping out of the car, he heard the opening song for Good Times playing. What was going on?

A soft snicker caught in his throat, as he entered the living room. Romeo, their English Mastiff was sprawled on the loveseat under a blanket. Melina snored, sleeping on the black leather couch. The empty food containers lay on the floor.

Setting the soda on the coffee table, Johnny turned. Suddenly, he wasn't irritated anymore. Why did he care if she sent him out three, four times? Why should he be annoyed?

Pregnancy wouldn't last forever. Before he knew it, Mariah and Samara, the twins, would be here. Melina would go back to normal, and life would become complete chaos.

He should cherish this time with her, instead of becoming irritated. He should let her act crazy. After all, look at what her body was going through!

"Mel?" Gently, he shook her awake. Blinking sleepily, she gazed into his eyes. "I've got your soda for the morning. Come to bed," Quickly, she seized his hand.

Her belly was warm, under his palm. Just when he was about to question it, he felt it.

It was only a slight pop under his hand, but he knew.

One of their babies had kicked.

"That wasn't exactly feminine, was it?" he asked. It was a rare occasion that he could feel the babies kick. Their kicks were 'dainty' and 'feminine'.

"You felt it," she murmured. He nodded. "Sammy is definitely more active than Mariah. She's probably who you felt," Johnny nodded.

At the moment, he didn't care how crazy Melina drove him. He was just happy to be with her, feeling their babies kick.

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