'I don't want to get a ring. Maybe a bracelet and the ring can wait until I'm ready to propose.'
Roman read the text from Dean, then looked up from his phone to the blonde sitting next to him at the table. Dean made eye contact and gave a sheepish smile, one that turned into a grin the second he saw CJ carrying their baby into the dining room. Roman didn't think he'd ever get tired of seeing the "Lunatic Fringe" mellow and happy. But he looked back at his phone to type his reply to Dean when he felt fur brush up against his legs.
"I know you've told me a few times that this is a dog, but I really don't believe you." The Samoan stated as he looked over to Dean, seeing that his brother had the baby in his arms and was absolutely enamored by the small human.
"I didn't believe he was a dog until I heard him bark." CJ told Roman while she pulled Dean's hair back so she could kiss his forehead. "Don't hog her."
"I'll do what I damn well please."
"Language." Judith sang and CJ bit back a laugh as she sat down at the table.
"Sorry."
"How'd you sleep last night, Chrissie?" Beth asked as she put Lyric in her high chair and CJ smiled up at the older blonde.
"Once I got to sleep, I slept pretty well." She spoke with a smile, watching as Dean handed Olivia to a hesitant Roman. "You're doing fine, big man."
"She likes you." Dean commented, fighting a laugh when Roman leaned in and got a little fist in his eye.
"She's definitely a firecracker just like her mother." Roman commented, keeping his eye shut while Dean let his laughter loose. CJ only smiled, watching as her boyfriend set his head on the table while he laughed. "I brought your Christmas presents."
"That's sweet. We need to set up the tree and stuff but we'll certainly put them under the tree."
"We have a tree?" Dean asked, breathless from his laugh attack. "When did we get a tree?"
"Beth, nana, and I went Christmas decoration shopping yesterday. We were waiting for you to come home so we could decorate as a family. You included, Mr. Reigns."
"I know, babygirl, I'm family. But I need to steal Dean away for a shopping experience."
"That's fine. Shopping for me?"
"Depends on how good of a girl you are this morning." Dean teased, watching as Jay tipped her chair back and a small scream left her mouth.
"Asshole."
"Christina Jeanette." Judith scolded, making CJ look at her in shock. "You're no longer exempt from the rule now that you're a mother."
"Total BS."
"Get over it." Adam stated, setting a cup of coffee in front of CJ. She nodded her appreciation before taking a drink, kicking at Jay under the table.
"But I'm the baby."
"Not anymore." Jay teased, kicking her back. This caused a war of kicks aimed at one another beneath the table, something they thought nobody else noticed when, in all actuality, everybody noticed and just let it happen until Judith sat down at the table and looked between the two.
"How old are you two? Seriously? Because you've been acting like you're five ever since you've been under the same roof."
"Not even." Jay and CJ argued in unison before looking to Adam for confirmation.
"I think you're too old for me to save you guys." Adam stated, making the two share a glance before looking to the unimpressed matriarch of the Copeland family. Dean and Roman shared a glance, neither certain why Jay and CJ looked so worried. CJ had pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and Jay had brought his fingertip to his lips as they looked from Judith, to each other, and back again.
'Whats going on?' Roman texted Dean, who glanced to his girlfriend before texting back.
'I dunno.'
"Just calm it down, you two." Judith requested, watching as they nodded slowly. "Jay leaves tomorrow morning and we just need to spend today as a family without all the petty arguing and bickering for bickering's sake."
"Alright." The duo sighed and Judith smiled her appreciation.
"Would it be too cheesy to put-"
"Ambrose." The men around him collectively groaned, Lyric trying her best to throw in her two cents as well. They'd been in the jewelry store for close to an hour and Dean had only picked out two charms for his Pandora bracelet for CJ. Adam, Jay, and Roman had already gotten helped by the same assistant in the time it took him to pick out one, so they weren't expecting him to be quick about it because they had already finished shopping.
"Dean, just put whatever you want on it. It's a charm bracelet, so there's no right or wrong answer." Adam tried helping, placing a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Chances are, she'll love it no matter what you put on there because she loves you and this is a thoughtful gift. But take your time, since we all originally came to help you."
"Okay. Uh, you think seeing the Reds logo would make her think of me?"
"We were watching a rerun of an old Reds-Cubs game and she started crying because she missed you." Jay commented as he removed Lyric's hand from his hair. "She was tired, too, which I think sparked the crying, but yeah. Reds'll do it."
"Okay, so that wood looking one one." Dean requested, pointing to the charm he wanted. "So I've got a symbol of me, Liv, and Bear, what else should I do?"
"Some love symbol and maybe the little house, because you did buy her that house."
"You're a genius Adam."
"I try."
"The only house charm we have in stock is this one, and all of our love charms are in this tray if you'd like to look while I put this together for you?" The saleswoman offered and Dean nodded, looking into the suddenly intimidating tray of charms. There were so many different ones and he didn't know which one to pick. He didn't want her to not like what he picked out even though Adam assured him that she'd love it. This was all so new to him and he could feel his mouth get dry with how nervous he was becoming over a piece of jewelry.
"Take a couple deep breaths, Ambrose." Roman stated, gently patting Dean's back as he moved to stand beside the blonde. "Overwhelmed?"
"Just a little." He admitted, eyes never leaving the tray. "I don't want to-"
"Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Just like before our first 'Mania. Relax, because she's going to love it. You did what Adam suggested and avoided dangly charms, all you need is one more and we're done. Alright?" Roman coached, smiling when Dean nodded and did as he instructed. Adam and Jay were grateful to have the Samoan there since neither would've guessed that Dean was feeling overwhelmed, nor would they have known how to handle it. They'd never really dealt with anybody like Dean before, so they wouldn't have realized until it was too late.
"That one." Dean decided on a whim, pointing at the silver padlock-like one that had a little key attached.
"Good choice." Adam praised, hoping to further reassure Dean that he was doing alright.
"Would you let me marry your daughter?"
"I let you guys bring another human into the world and didn't complain when said human threw up all over my new shirt, so yeah. I'd give my blessing, but we're not looking at rings today."
"Why not?"
"You're seconds and another decision away from an panic attack over a bracelet, Ambrose. Let's get through Christmas and then we'll work on that." Adam suggested, smiling at the saleswoman as she rang everything up and taking the bag while Dean slid his card and punched in his pin. "You use debit?"
"Credit cards weird me out. I have one just in case there's an emergency, but I've only ever used it in different countries." Dean explained, taking the bag from Adam and neatly folding the receipt before carelessly dropping it into the bag.
"Smart."
"Thank you. Can we go get coffee or ice cream or something sweet?" Dean requested, needing to calm his nerves somehow and not wanting to smoke. He had been doing so well without them, an emergency cigarette didn't appeal to him anymore even though he kept an emergency pack in his trunk.
"Yeah. We'll have to call the women and see what they want, too."
"Ice cream in December. It just doesn't fit." Judith commented as she watched CJ line the banister of the staircase with garland.
"It's also Vegas and not Toronto." CJ reasoned, smiling at the matriarch before finishing up her Beth given duty. "This will probably drive Dean crazy but he'll get over it."
"He's going to be gone most of the time, anyway." Beth commented and CJ nodded.
"Don't remind me." The youngest of the three groaned, sitting down on the bottom stair and laying back against the others. "I don't understand why it's so hard for me when he leaves, when it wasn't before."
"Because you had a baby and he was with you twenty-four/seven until he had to go. The baby strengthened your bond as a couple and because of that you find it hard to deal with him being gone." Judith reasoned, watching as her granddaughter flailed her arms slightly in what she knew was inner emotional distress. "I know it sucks but he's all yours from Christmas to March."
"I just wish the bond strengthening didn't increase my dependence on him. I was once fiercely independent, and that's the woman he fell in love with. What if he slowly realizes that I'm not that same person anymore and leaves?"
"That's not going to happen, Chrissie." Beth spoke sternly, abandoning putting the tree together so she could deal with the melodramatics happening on the stairs. "When did you start sounding like a soap opera?"
"I'm offended." CJ muttered, sitting up and glaring at Beth as she sat down beside her.
"Then fix it. You know that man isn't going to leave. You and that baby are his everything."
"For now. What happens when he gets bored?"
"Have you seen or heard yourself lately?" Beth laughed. "Your emotional roller coaster alone should be enough to keep him occupied while the postpartum is in motion."
"Is that what this is?"
"Yep. It's no big deal, though. Because you're not alone in this." The older blonde assured, pulling CJ into her side. "Call that therapist you told Adam and I about you seeing in Iowa. I'm sure she can help somehow."
"That's a good idea." She mumbled just as the front door opened, the dogs rushing to greet the men and Lyric.
"You're just in time to string popcorn." Judith called, making Adam and Jay groan in obvious displeasure. Beth stood and went to relieve Jay of Lyric while CJ went to go finish setting up the tree. Dean went to sit down beside her since Roman offered to keep the bracelet with him until they parted ways on the twenty third.
"Hey."
"Hey. How was shopping?"
"Stressful. I'm still scared that I bought the wrong thing."
"I doubt that you did. You had the ultimate helpers in Adam and Jay." She spoke with a smile, leaning in to kiss his lips gently. When she pulled back, he gently cupped the back of he neck to pull her back in until a stuffed animal was thrown at their heads.
"No gross stuff." Adam called, smirking when the two huffed. "Put the tree together."
"Go string popcorn." CJ muttered, rolling her eyes as she looked at the instructions. "Why didn't we just buy a real tree?"
"Because this is Vegas and not Toronto." Beth stated and the younger blonde nodded, leaning into Dean as he took the instructions from her.
"Where's Liv?" He asked quietly, kissing her head before she looked up at him.
"She's over there. She fell asleep during tummy time with Mr. Monkey."
"Tummy time?"
"It's supposed to help her with holding her head up and the monkey is her favorite thing right now."
"Right now. That'll change."
"If you grow out this facial hair then that'll definitely change." CJ spoke with a smile, sitting up right when he gently tapped her side so he could stand and look at the tree.
"I know you want me to."
"It's sexy."
"During paternity leave, I'll only shave to keep it trimmed down. For you, my darlin'." Dean spoke as he started primping the branches. "The tree thing is cool."
"The skirt?"
"Yeah."
"We have a train, too. Adam brought it with him. It's a cool ass train." CJ spoke softly, and Dean could see a little sparkle in her eye. He knew then that the train really meant a lot to her and he couldn't wait to see just how cool it really was.
"I can't wait to see it."
"Really?"
"You said its a cool ass train. Why wouldn't I?" He said with a smile, loving the way she smiled up at him before Olivia started fussing. CJ was quick to tend to their baby and he watched as she checked her diaper before scrunching up her nose. "Do you want me to..?"
"No, I got it. Unless you want to?"
"Not necessarily."
"Then why would you offer?" CJ laughed as she stood, appreciating the way Dean reached out to keep her steady even though he was chuckling the whole time.
"I was trying to be nice."
"I can't believe our neighbors frost their grass with that fake snow stuff." CJ complained as she rocked Olivia to bed while looking out the nursery window and Dean slowly came up to see what she was talking about.
"Their house looks like the North Pole threw up and we've still got two weeks until Christmas." Dean commented, gently taking CJ into his arms. "We could drive upstate to where the snow is, if that interests you."
"You hate snow, Dean, I wouldn't do that to you."
"But you love snow, baby."
"I love how it looks when it's freshly fallen, but that's about it. No need for a special trip upstate." CJ assured, smiling up at him in time for him to kiss her forehead.
"You sure?"
"Positive. But thank you for remembering that I liked snow and offering to take me to the snow."
"It's my job, darlin'. But I need to ask you something."
"Anything, Dean. After everything we've been through together, nothing is off limits."
"That's so good to know, sweetheart." Dean spoke softly, suddenly nervous as he watched CJ lay Olivia down in her crib. Like normally, the two stood over the crib and watched her sleep for a moment before Dean turned on the mobile and looked to his girlfriend.
"What's on your mind, Ambrose?" CJ asked, taking his hands in hers and holding them tightly in hers. "Babe?"
"I really don't know how to ask this question, since I've never loved a woman like I love you, so this is pretty new territory for me."
"Dean, just come out and say it, alright?"
"What's your opinion on marriage? I mean, like, marrying me?"
"Are you proposing?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at his statement. She was confused, to say the least, but she was certainly okay with him proposing if that was the case.
"Not yet, but is that something that you want from me?"
"I don't want you to marry me because you feel like you have to. I want you to marry me because that's what you want to do."
"Trust me, sweetheart, I want to marry you some day down the road. I just wanted to make sure this was what you wanted before we end up like that YouTube video where the guy gets hit with the ukelele." Dean murmured, taking his hands from hers and setting them on her hips. Her hands moved to lock around his neck and she loved the way her body fit against his without the baby bump.
"I've always wanted to get married to my knight in shining armor and you're my knight, Sir Ambrose."
"I'm glad that I-"
"Chrissie, Adam to do the train now." Jay called, successfully interrupting Dean, and CJ looked to the doorway in mild excitement.
"What's the deal with the train?" Dean asked as she pulled him out of the room and headed towards the stairs. She didn't respond until they had reached the bottom level of the house and Dean's eyes widened at the various pieces scattered around their living room floor. He looked to where Beth, Jay, Roman, and Judith sat at the table, then spotted Adam sitting by the tree looking directly at CJ. She gave a nod and he nodded back with a small smile on his face while she mirrored the smile, although she still looked mildly awestruck with it all as she released Dean's hand and sat down on the floor. He looked down at the father/daughter pair before looking to the table, going to sit down with both Beth and Judith beckoned him over to sit with them.
"That train has been in the family since maybe five years before Adam was born." Judith started with a smile, her eyes never leaving the pair of blondes as they started working together. "When Adam was old enough; my dad used to set it up with him and when we got Chrissie she was so detached from everything, which was understandable given the circumstances."
"Yeah." Dean mumbled, looking over to CJ before looking back to Judith even though she wasn't looking at him.
"She wanted nothing to do with anything that wasn't sitting in her room and golfing. We didn't celebrate Thanksgiving but Christmas was hard to get her to take interest in because she had never really had a real Christmas before."
"Never?" Roman asked and Beth shook her head.
"Nope. Chris' parents would send her a gift but it was never made a big deal for her." Beth explained as she looked to Judith, who was still watching CJ and Adam.
"So Adam knocks on her door and asks if she wants to set up the train with him and at first she was convinced that she'd screw it up." Judith continued, making Jay chuckle as he nodded. "He had to carry her out of her room and she was afraid to touch certain things but it didn't take too long for her to get comfortable with it."
"That was the first time they ever really bonded." Jay commented, briefly glancing to Dean and Roman before looking back to Adam and CJ. "I remember him calling me that night and being so excited because he finally got her to open up to him just a bit."
"This had been tradition for them ever since. If she couldn't make it home for Christmas, he didn't set up the train. It has only happened twice so far, but Christmas isn't the same without them putting the train together." Judith stated, the smile never leaving her face as they all continued to watch the two work. They were either ignoring the five at the table or blissfully unaware that they were being watched, but they were talking about something and neither had stopped smiling since they started and Dean found himself making a vow to himself to make sure that CJ was with her family for Christmas every year. The smile on her face was one he'd never seen before and she looked so genuinely happy going about something so simple as putting together a train set. But he knew now that this was no ordinary train set, it was what made her start to confide and trust in Adam and it was something that he'd never treat as being insignificant. If it put a smile like that on her face, then it was way more than "just a train".
So if anybody was wondering how CJ and Adam started bonding, you now have your answer. If you weren't, then...is there anything you do want to know more about when if comes to this story? Leave it in a review or pm me, I don't bite.
Thank you to ChelleLew, TajiaK, angelsdee327, UntilNeverDawns, Sarcastic Nightmare, Guest, Deanambrosesmile, and NikkiMoxey for reviewing the last chapter! I really do appreciate it!