Hey my lovelies! I'm sorry. I'm a little, very late, lol. I should have posted a little while ago. Real life has been crazy. I haven't had a moment for myself. Thank you for sticking with me regardless. I hope you enjoy the chapter. It's quite long.

"Thomas!" Steffy yelled at him, and he realized his mistake. He turned to his mother who had her head and gaze lowered.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to." He apologized.

"It's okay." Taylor said brushing him off with her hand.

He turned back to his sister and his apologetic gaze turned into an angry one. "I don't understand your decisions, Stef. You know what you're worth. You deserve so much more than what Liam has to offer."

"I'm still here." Liam reminded him.

"Yes, I know. Though, I don't know why." He replied.

"Thomas, seriously, what the heck?! You're sounding like Dad now!" The raven-haired woman remarked.

"Oh you think so? Well, you know what? I'm actually supposed to chat with Dad tonight, so why don't you take advantage of the chance to tell him. You think I'm freaking out? He'll show you freaking out."

Steffy rolled her eyes and Liam heaved a sigh. This was definitely not how he had hoped things would go. Wasn't it amazing how his girlfriends' brothers always seemed to dislike him with passion? First, Rick. Now, Thomas. He couldn't really blame them though: he got where they were coming from. It wasn't like he had been particularly committed to Steffy or Hope. He really had been going back and forth between those two ladies, and thus, disrespecting them; and he would have to find a way to prove to Thomas that he wouldn't be doing that anymore. If this was how Thomas felt, he could only imagine what would be Ridge's reaction. He wasn't impatient to find out.

Why are you being like this?" Steffy asked her brother.

"Being like what, Steffy?! Being like what?! What did you expect?"

"I expected you to be happy for me!" She snapped. "I expected you to say 'Oh my God, sis, you're pregnant?' and crush me in a tight hug and spin me around like you used to when we were kids!" She said, and Thomas tilted his head with a sad expression on his face. "I thought you'd be excited to be an uncle… I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I would be if the circumstances were different."

"Thomas, please try to listen to what we have to say." Liam asked and waited for the Forrester young man to turn around before he continued. "I love your sister, and I did not come back to her because of the baby. I didn't even know when I made my decision." He said.

Thomas turned to his sister. "Is that true?" he asked her.

"It's what I've been trying to tell you for fifteen minutes." Steffy responded.

Thomas heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He apologized. "I am not trying to take the fun out of this experience. I am not trying to… cut your wings. I'm happy for you. I am." He assured her. "I just…" He struggled with what he was trying to say. "We were three, Steffy." He said and with those four simple words, the atmosphere shifted, and everyone's expression in the room suddenly turned awfully serious and sad. "We're only two now. You're the only sister I have left, and I need to make sure you are as happy as you can possibly be." Thomas declared.

Steffy advanced to him and pulled him into a warm, brotherly hug. She knew how much he missed Phoebe. She was her twin sister: she missed her that much more. She had a void in her heart she knew would never be filled. A part of her was gone forever. She remembered that night her sister was taken away from her fondly…, like it was yesterday. Steffy would never forget that night.

She still had nightmares about it sometimes. However, nobody knew that. Obviously, Liam was aware that she had nightmares, but he didn't know they were related to her sister or the latter's tragic accident. That was a part of herself that Steffy didn't like to share… with anyone.

"I am happy." Steffy assured her brother.

"Are you?" He asked her, concern and worry showing through his voice.

She broke away from his embrace to look into his eyes as she answered. "Yes." She affirmed.

Thomas nodded. "Okay, then. In that case, I'm happy for you." He declared. "And I'm thrilled to become an uncle." He added sincerely. "It's just that… Well, let's be honest here, so far, your taste in men has been sort of debatable: between Rick, Bill… Liam." He uttered that last name in a lower voice.

"I am still here." Liam reminded him once again.

Thomas turned to his sister's boyfriend to give him a playful conspicuous look.

"You forgot Marcus!" Steffy exclaimed. "Marcus was a good guy." She opposed.

"Yes." Thomas agreed. "Your first and last good guy." He commented.

/

"Hey, are you okay?" Oliver asked Hope who was sitting at the other end of the main room in the Forrester's jet pulling her out of her daydream.

"Huh?" The blonde said turning her head to him.

"I was asking you if you're okay." He repeated.

"Oh uh...yeah. Mmmhh." She hummed before turning her face back to the window.

"Is that why you haven't said a thing since we got in?" He asked sarcastically.

Once again, she turned her head to him, but this time, Oliver caught something in her eye that he didn't like at all.

"Hope!" He called and got up from his seat to get to her. He sat near her by the window side. "Are you alright?" He asked her again, but with much more concern in the voice.

She nodded. "Yes, I am. Don't worry." She reassured him.

"No, I do worry." He opposed. "You don't look okay. You weren't like this three hours ago." He remarked. "Did something happen?" he inquired.

She shook her head. "I just don't like airplanes that much." She wasn't lying, technically… She didn't enjoy being in airplanes. That was true. She just wasn't telling him all that was troubling her.

"Really?" Oliver asked raising a skeptical eyebrow at her. "Haven't you been in one since you were like two?"

That made her laugh softly, and it made him smile: at least, he had managed to get a laugh out of her, even if it only lasted a few seconds.

"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I like them." She said to him. "I love Paris though." She declared and her face basically lightened up at the thought that they were on their way there and that she would get to do some shopping at the Champs-Elysées. Ah… the dream. "And I'm very excited to get there. I'm just anxious about the press conference." She told him.

"Don't be." He told her. "You'll nail it, just like you always do." He reassured her, and she chuckled.

"You're amazing, you know that, right? How is it even possible to be so amazing?" She asked him and she wasn't even joking.

He smiled shyly and looked down.

She merely chuckled. She turned her body around and leant backwards to slowly rest her head on his lap.

Oliver reached out and fondled her cheek with the back of his hand lovingly.

It felt so great to be with her again. Even though they weren't technically together –yet –Hope's mere presence by his side was enough to make him happy.

They were going to Paris together, the most romantic city on earth. This was the perfect occasion to remind her how amazing they were together, and how they could be again, if she was willing to take a chance on them again, to give him her heart again… He knew it wouldn't be an easy task considering how much Liam had broken her, but he was fully intent on fixing her.

Hope closed her eyes to enjoy Oliver's touch, shutting away all thoughts of Liam. She was going to Paris, one of her favorite cities in the world, and she was going to enjoy her time there and nail that press conference. There was no way she was going to trouble herself with thoughts of Liam and that mind-blowing kiss or let him ruin this trip for her or take the fun out of it. It wasn't like her problems wouldn't still be there waiting her in Los Angeles when she would return anyway. For now, all she wanted was to get away from all the negativity in her life and try to have some fun! She needed that.

/

"This is good, Miss Hayes. This is really good." Liam said to Taylor talking about the plate of lasagna she had cooked for them. "Steffy, you should learn from your mother." He told his girlfriend and the latter raised a brow at him. She shook her head disbelievingly and shared a knowing look with her mother who simply chuckled at Liam's comment.

"Uh, Thomas, I think your computer is vibrating." Taylor noticed.

Thomas got up from his seat to go check.

"Oh… It's Dad calling me via Skype." He informed the others.

They all nodded.

"Stef?" He called.

"Yeah?" Steffy answered looking up from her plate.

"Don't you want to talk to Dad?" Thomas politely offered.

"No, thanks, I'm good." She said and her gaze returned to her food.

"Steffy…" Thomas called again in a more forceful, insistent tone, delivering a clear message.

"Honey, Thomas is right: you might want to talk to your father." Taylor stepped in.

"I do not want to." Steffy said again.

She had already dealt with her brother, and it had turned out to be much more difficult than she originally planned. She was not willing at all to share the news of her pregnancy with her father too now. There was only so much a girl could take in one night.

Thomas sighed and sat on the couch.

"Come on." He mouthed to his sister before he accepted his father's video call.

"No!" Steffy mouthed back.

'Hey, Dad.'

'Hey!' Ridge greeted back. 'How are you?' He inquired. 'It took you a while to answer.' He noted.

'Yes. I was eating.' Thomas replied.

"Steffy, go talk to your father!" Taylor ordered her daughter in a mumbling voice making conspicuous eyes at her.

"I can talk to him later!" Steffy said in the same mumbling voice.

'Is your mother around?' Ridge inquired.

'Why would you ask that?' Thomas asked back. 'You don't think I'm able to cook a meal of lasagna?'

'I don't think. I know.' Ridge replied pointedly. 'The last time you set foot in a kitchen in the attempt to cook something; you almost burned down our kitchen. He reminded him. 'That was in two thousand and seven.' Ridge added.

'Right.' Thomas nodded with a tight-lipped smile, remembering. 'Good times.'

'Good times?!' Ridge repeated with an appalled expression matching his voice. 'I don't think your mother would agree.'

'I don't.' Taylor confirmed appearing on the screen, standing next to her son. 'Hey, Ridge.' She greeted her ex-husband.

'Hey, Taylor.' He greeted back with a smile on his face. 'How have you been since the last time we spoke?' He asked her.

'I have been good. How about you?' She asked back.

'Likewise.' Ridge responded.

'Actually, Dad, there is somebody else here who would like to talk to you." Thomas said and turned in direction of his sister who threw him a deathly glare at his bold move. But she still stood up from where she was seated and walked to her Thomas and Taylor.

'Hey, Dad.' She greeted her father at her turn sitting down next to Thomas.

'Steffy!' Ridge exclaimed. 'I haven't seen you since you last –for the least abruptly –ended our conversation!'

'I know. I know.' Steffy acknowledged her faults nodding. She knew she should have called her father or Skyped him or something… But she and Liam reunited soon after her visit to the hospital, and after that, time had passed in a blur! Besides, every time she talked to her father, she felt like she was lying to him, so it was much easier not to talk to him at all until she felt ready to let him know.

'I sent you a message though…to reassure you.' She said.

'What's your point?' Ridge asked, clearly annoyed and mad at his daughter. 'Reading a message from you is one thing, talking to you or seeing you are something completely different, Steffy! Your mother had to do a whole lot of convincing to keep me from flying there!' Ridge told her.

'I know.' Steffy said apologetically. 'I'm sorry, dad. But I'm fine, I promise you.' She assured him.

'I still can if you want me too.' He told her.

'I don't.' She replied. 'I mean I do, but not because of me or because of that incident.' She corrected herself. 'I went to the hospital and everything's alright. I'm okay.'

Ridge nodded. He narrowed his eyes at the screen. 'You actually look okay.' He commented.

'I am.' Steffy said nodding.

'No, but I mean, you look good.' Ridge explained emphasizing on the word 'good'. 'You seem happy.' He noticed. 'Did something happen?' He inquired, suspicious.

'Well…' Steffy thought about it twice before telling her father, but finally decided to go for it. 'Liam and I are back together.' She announced.

'You are.' Ridge said, and it sounded more like a statement than a question. He didn't really seem surprised. 'For how long?'

'Dad!' Steffy said in a rebuking voice.

'Sorry.'

'But seriously, for how long?' He asked.

'It's not like the other time.' Steffy said.

'You mean it's not like all the other times…' Ridge corrected causing Steffy to blink.

She glanced at her boyfriend anxiously across the room.

Ridged frowned lightly. 'Is he there with you?' He asked.

'Uh…' Steffy started but Liam stood up from where he was and answered for her walking towards everybody.

'Yes, Mister Forrester, I'm here.'

'How are you?' He asked after Thomas stood up to leave him his place.

'I'm fine.' Ridge answered. 'How are you?' he asked back.

'I'm good. I'm very good.' Liam answered and passed his arm around Steffy as if to show the source of his happiness.

'So you are back together?' He addressed both his daughter and her back-to-be boyfriend.

'We are.' Liam responded in both their parts.

Ridge nodded. 'For how long?' He asked again causing Steffy to roll her eyes and look away with an exasperated air.

She knew her father was simply looking out for her, just like her brother was moments before, but it was about time that they figured out that she could look out for herself. She wasn't a baby anymore! As a matter of fact, she would have a baby of her own really soon, and she knew what was best for herself and her child –and that was Liam.

As much as Steffy loved her father and her brother, and as much as she respected and valued their opinion, they would just have to deal with that.

'Permanently.' Liam responded very seriously causing Steffy to turn to look at him, quite surprised, not necessarily by his answer, but by the resolve she could perceive in his voice.

It felt unexpectedly good to see him willing to prove himself to her family.

'Is that so?' Ridge insisted.

'Dad!' Steffy had had enough.

"Steffy… Can you please give us a moment?" Liam asked her nicely.

She looked at Liam, then at the screen. "Perhaps we should tell him before I go." Steffy suggested in a muttering voice.

Liam shrugged. "Whatever you feel is right."

Steffy turned back to the screen.

'Dad, we have something to tell you…' She started.

Ridge knit his brows slightly. 'Other than the fact that you're back together?' He raised his brow at them.

Steffy swallowed with difficulty.

'What is it?' Ridge asked, his anxiety becoming more evident in his voice.

'Are you guys getting married?' He asked them, his early disapproval and reproaches already ringing in his voice.

'No!' Steffy exclaimed immediately. 'No, Dad! Of course not.' She responded.

He let out a sigh of relief. 'Okay, then what is it?' He asked them.

Steffy turned to Liam for his approbation. He nodded twice.

She turned back to the computer. 'Okay, promise me not to freak.'

'Don't give me a reason to freak.' Ridge replied.

'Dad!' She snapped.

'Steffy, I'm not promising anything. Now, you tell me what is going on.' He demanded out of patience.

'I, uh… I'm…' She stuttered. She didn't know why: the words just wouldn't come out of her mouth. Fortunately, Liam understood and took her hand into his comfortingly. He ran his thumb along the back of her hand gently and gave her a reassuring smile before he turned to the computer screen.

'We're pregnant, Ridge.' He announced to his girlfriend's father who would soon become a grandfather. 'Steffy and I are awaiting a child.' He reformulated.

Ridge's eyes widened and his gaze shifted to his daughter for confirmation. She only glanced at him, but her expression was enough to tell him what he needed to know.

He looked away from both of them and closed his eyes as his mouth drew slightly open. He touched his hand to his forehead in a mix of disbelief and overrun. He opened his eyes again and looked at the screen, and when his eyes finally met his daughter's, the apprehension he perceived in them dissuaded him from saying what was really at the tip of his tongue. So instead he said. 'Congratulations.'

Steffy's head jolted to the screen at that. She expected just about any reaction but that one. 'What?' She asked.

'Congratulations.' Ridge said again.

She widened her eyes slightly. 'Really?' She asked him, incredulous.

'Of course.' He answered.

'Thank you.' She said more grateful than he could imagine that he had avoided her yet another series of uncomfortable explaining.

'Thank you, Ridge.' Liam said too.

'How many months are you pregnant?' Ridge asked his daughter.

'About two months.' Steffy responded.

'So you knew when you came to visit me in Paris?'

'I did.'

'Yet you didn't tell me…'

'Yeah…' Steffy shrugged. 'I'm sorry. I felt like I should tell Liam first.'

Ridge nodded, understanding. 'Who else knows now?' He inquired.

'Mom, Bridget, Hope, and therefore probably Brooke too.' She answered. 'I think that's…' She turned to Liam for confirmation that that was it. 'Oh and uh, Bill.' She remembered.

'And we just informed Thomas.' Liam added.

'How did he take it?' Ridge inquired.

'You sure as hell took it better than him.' Steffy responded. 'He was concerned about Liam's commitment to me and… us being together being what is best for me.' Steffy told her father, and he merely nodded and commented in an even voice.

'He's a good brother.'

Despite his congratulations and the fact that he didn't imply that their reunion was due to Steffy's pregnancy, Liam could see that Ridge was anything but thrilled about the whole thing and needed reassurance about his daughter's happiness, what was only natural. Given Thomas' reaction only a few hours before, he could only imagine how troubled Ridge truly was. He appreciated him keeping it undercover for Steffy's sake though.

"Steffy, would you mind giving us a moment now?" Liam asked the raven-haired woman again.

"Sure." She agreed and nodded once. "I'll be in the kitchen" She said and got up to go join Taylor and Thomas.

Liam waited until Steffy was out of sight and out of the hearing range before he spoke. 'Ridge, I understand any concerns you may have.' Liam started and his interlocutor arched a brow expectantly.

'I haven't proved myself to be worthy of your daughter.' He acknowledged. 'Any of your daughters.' He specified. 'But I intend to change that. I am committed to Steffy, fully committed to her, and to our child.' Liam guaranteed to Ridge.

'Is that why you got back together?' Ridge asked Liam in the same spirit of honesty that the conversation started with.

'No, it's not. Steffy kept it a total secret from me until I made my decision.'

'So why did you go back to her?'

'Because I love her.' He answered as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. And really, it was.

'You love Hope too.' Ridge was clearly trying to push his limits. Then again, wasn't it his mission as a father to protect his daughter from men with bad intentions? Ha!

Liam lowered his head briefly. 'I do.' He acknowledged. 'But it's not the same thing.' He countered. 'My feelings for Hope…' He strived to find his words. 'She's been in my life for so long. I probably wouldn't be who I am today without her.' He explained. 'I will always love her. But my heart belongs to Steffy. I'm hers! I'm committed to her and to our child. I'm not gonna hurt her again.'

'Good.' Ridge nodded. 'As long as you keep that promise, we shall be good.'

/

Liam and Thomas carried the little raven-haired to the car after she fell asleep on Taylor's couch and it was time for the pair to leave.

"Thank you." Liam acknowledged after they dropped Steffy on the backseat.

Thomas simply nodded. "Look, I'm not your biggest fan." He suddenly declared. "I've made that obvious. And you aren't mine either. We've had our differences…, big ones." He paused. "But with this baby, and what you mean to my sister, I want to try to put this all behind us." He said making sure to emphasize well on the word 'try'.

Liam slightly nodded, quite surprised. After how the night turned out, this was the last thing he expected. Though, he was more than grateful for it. The last thing Steffy needed was for things to be tensed between him and her brother, so this would be one less thing of her shoulders. He found it very mature and very kind of Thomas' part to take it upon himself to do this. Liam was honestly very pleased.

"Look, I know I tend to be overprotective with Steffy. I realize that. But she's the only little sister I've got left, and looking out for her is my job; it's what I do. I was supposed to look after both of them: her and Phoebe. But Phoebe left us, and…" He paused as his swallowed the lump in her throat and struggled to find his words. "And I guess I kind of transfer the love and protection I was supposed to have for her towards Steffy. That's why I can come off as overbearing and…, and I treat her like a child sometimes." He explained. "But I just really want her to lead a happy life."

Liam nodded twice. "I know. I understand. It's normal: it's your sister. You want nothing but her happiness."

Thomas raised his shoulders and tilted his head in agreement. "I'm not completely blind." He said. "I looked at Steffy today, really looked at her… I saw how happy you make her. I saw that sparkle in her eyes again…" He said. "I missed it. And you're the reason that it's back. You're the one making her so happy and I owe you for that; so for my sister and my nephew or niece's sake, I'm going to make an effort and try to be more tolerant towards you." He declared. "You hurt Steffy. You really did… But… she was able to look past it and move forward, so I should be able to do the same."

"Thank you, Thomas. It means a lot." Liam acknowledged appreciatively. "And I'm sure Steffy will be on cloud nine." He added.

Thomas chuckled. "So am I."

"Drive safely." He told him nodding at his little sister in the car.

"Yeah, I should get going before she starts snoring." Liam commented causing the other man to laugh.

They shared a hesitant look, clearly both wondering how to part ways: whether they should hug or just casually wave or whatever…

It was Thomas who finally decided for a manly pat on the shoulder. "See you around." He said and retrieved his hand into his pocket.

"See you around." Liam said back and turned to enter his car.

/

"Oh my God, I'm exhausted." Hope said collapsing onto the king-size bed of her hotel suite, or should she think their hotel suite. Indeed, whoever had booked their suite at Forrester Creations had forgotten to book two rooms, not that Hope particularly minded anyway –weirdly.

Oliver chuckled at the sight of her. "I told you to sleep in the plane."

"I wanted to work on what I will say at the press conference." She opposed drawing herself up.

That was meant to be taken literally: on the eight hours of flight from Los Angeles to Paris, Hope had spent five working on her upcoming press conference, first by writing a speech, then, by rehearsing it. She actually only stopped when her mouth wouldn't stop yawning and she couldn't really see straight anymore because of exhaustion.

"And are you done?" He asked her.

"No. But I'm too tired to think straight, so yes I guess I am." She answered. "…for now." She nuanced. "The press conference isn't until five pm, right?" She made sure.

"Four-thirty." Oliver corrected her.

"That's fine by me too. It gives me enough time to take a nap." She said.

"You have lots of time for that." He agreed.

She fell heavily on the bed again, and just when she hit the bed, her stomach made a grumbling noise.

Oliver laughed. "Maybe, you should get something inside that stomach, first." He suggested.

"Hum… that doesn't sound like a terrible idea either." She said.

"What shall I get you?" Oliver asked walking towards the left nightstand where he picked up the room's phone. "I spotted French coffee when we were at the reception." He informed. "It smelled so good." He declared.

"Oh my God…" Hope breathed bringing her hand to her heart. "I feel like you're talking dirty to me." She said, and Oliver burst out laughing.

"Seriously, what do you want?" He asked her again.

"Hum… French croissants, bien sûr." She answered drawing herself up.

"Bien sûr." Oliver repeated in French, and they laughed in unison.

"And pancakes." She added. "And pains au chocolat."

"Alright." Oliver said and started dialing the reception's number that was indicated on the menu card.

"Thank you." Hope acknowledged. She stood up. "I'm going to go wash my face while you do that, okay?" She informed him.

"Okay." He nodded.

She walked to him near the nightstand and cupped his face to plant a big kiss on his cheek. "Thanks!" She said and hopped to the bathroom.

Oliver watched her go, an air at the same time sad but hopeful, a touch of nostalgia in the look.

/

"You should see with Justin if it's a good idea to devote a few pages of the Magazine to a tribute for Stephanie. We also need to decide who…" Bill stopped talking as he realized that his son wasn't listening to him at all. He was sitting on his armchair physically present and facing him, but his mind was completely elsewhere!

"…who should make the cover." He resumed. "I was thinking Steffy. Actually, no scratch that. I think that you, your little brother and I should make the cover. You know? A family portrait. What do you think?" He asked his son. The latter didn't respond, still in his daydream. "Liam!" Bill called forcefully.

"Hum?" He ended up answering coming back to earth.

"What do you think of my idea?" Bill asked again.

Liam nodded. "I think it's great. It's, it's a good idea." He answered, in truth, not knowing at all what it was that he was agreeing to.

"Really?" His father asked him. "You think it's a good idea that you, Will, and I make the cover of next month's number."

"Uh…"

"You didn't listen to a word!" Bill rebuked.

"I know. I'm sorry." Liam apologized. "I'm a little preoccupied." He amended himself.

"Clearly, and I don't understand at all why!" Bill said. "Things have never been more perfect in your life." He commented.

Liam slightly cocked his head, what didn't go unnoticed by his father who frowned at the sight.

"Right?" Bill tried to get a reaction out of him.

Once again, he cocked his head.

"Liam!" Bill lost his patience.

"Yeah. Yes, I guess." Liam eventually answered.

"You guess?" Bill asked advancing towards him, everything in his demeanor screaming disbelief.

"I…" Liam raised his shoulders. "Yes. Yeah, everything's great in my life, yes."

Bill gave him a skeptical look.

"I am happy." He assured his father. "I really am. Steffy is an amazing woman and she makes me really happy. She does." He promised.

"And she's pregnant with your child." Bill felt the need to remind him.

"She is, and that makes me even happier."

"Really?" He asked. "I wouldn't be able to tell." He commented.

"It's just…"

"Please don't finish that sentence by Hope." Bill stopped him and the look on Liam's face at the mention of the blonde was enough to give him away.

"You've got to be freaking kissing me." Bill said.

"Listen, Dad." Liam started.

"Liam, I thought we were done with this; I thought you were past this point."

"I am." Liam affirmed.

"You can't keep acting like this: going back and forth between two women. You're about to become a father, Liam."

"I know, Dad! I'm aware." Liam got annoyed.

"Then start acting like it!" Bill snapped. "What happened now?" He inquired.

Liam looked away avoiding his father's gaze and then down at his desk.

"Liam!" Bill called urging him.

"We kissed." He let out suddenly without notice.

Also, I assume some of you have/had finals these past few weeks, so to those of you who still have exams coming up, all the luck in the world, and to those of you who are done, well you can take now take a breath and I hope you did great.

Okay, thank you for reading! Till' next time.

By the way, don't worry too much. The love triangle won't last forever. I'm not really a fan of it either.