AN: All I will say here is that I view this chapter as the most important. Why? You'll see for yourself once you've finished reading! And yes, kittenish is a real word. Seriously, google it. It fits so well, it's damn near hilarious.

Much More Than Maternal

Chapter 4

The Confession

In the days that followed Penny's departure, the void she had left in Gumball's heart slowly began to heal, helped along by the love of his mother. Nicole stood by her son, hoping that when the time came and her son had fully healed, she would be able to step in and fill that void. Not as a mother figure though, but as something so much more and maybe, even something intimate. She never pushed him too hard though, she wanted her son to deal with his pain on his own time. The emotional pain was still there, lingering like poison in a wound, but she never turned him away when he asked for her support. In fact, Nicole loved the one on one time she spent with Gumball. Once, while the two had been alone, Nicole had dropped a small hint or two, giggling to herself when her oblivious son missed them. Despite the love and support Nicole provided him, there were times when Gumball's will faltered.

He would cry for Penny, wishing he'd tried to change her father's mind. The nights had been particularly rough on the boy, his sub-conscious would torment him mercilessly with fragmented dreams of Penny. Nicole couldn't bear to watch her son writhe in his sleep and she would scoop him up into her arms, holding him until he stopped squirming. But despite everything her son had been through, all the pain and grief, he never lost his happy and care-free attitude she loved so much.

Nicole sipped at her coffee, watching her son from the kitchen as he played a video game with Darwin. The fish grunted from the couch, concentrating hard as his fins tapped madly at the buttons on his controller. Beside him, Gumball narrowed his eyes, his own fingers dancing over a controller. Nicole gazed longingly at her son, who hadn't bothered to put some pants on. She'd dreamed of him again and it had been a very pleasant dream, but the ending was what she kept returning to. It had been a while since she'd woken up, but she could still feel the way his fingers had touched her. Nicole shivered slightly, a low moan escaping her as she remembered how he'd used his tongue. In her opinion, the dream had ended too early for her to fully enjoy it. Gumball shouted triumphantly, pumping a fist into the air as Darwin groaned beside him.

"Dude, that's the third time in a row!," Darwin said, throwing his controller to the floor with an exasperated sigh.

Gumball laughed, putting his controller beside him. Nicole brought her cup to her lips, when suddenly, Gumball raised his eyes and met her gaze, nearly making her inhale her drink. He gave her a wave and she blushed, returning his small wave with a smile before she burst into a coughing fit. He smiled at his mother then turned to his adopted brother, a sly smirk on his face.

"Wanna have another go?," he asked, picking up his controller.

Darwin thought it over before retrieving his controller from the floor.

"Bring it!," he exclaimed, pressing the start button with a fin.

As the boys started another fiery round, Anais descended the stairs, rubbing at her tired eyes. She offered a good morning to her brothers, but both boys were too engrossed in their game and she received no answer.

Anais shrugged and sat herself at the table, saying a thank you to Nicole who placed Anais' breakfast in front of her. Nicole sat next to her daughter, giving the bunny a motherly hug as a way to say good morning.

The boys shouted, drawing Nicole's attention. Darwin was on his feet, dancing happily while Gumball stared at the screen, utter defeat etched into his face. Darwin continued his dance, cheerily flaunting his win in his brother's face.

"You got lucky that time, dude," Gumball said, turning off the game.

Darwin laughed and finished his victory dance with a small twirl.

"What now?"

"How about you two go outside and play?," Nicole said, looking up at the clock on the wall, the clock read ten past nine.

"Mom, there's nothing to do outside," Gumball groaned, looking out the window.

"Oh come on, it's a beautiful day out there!"

"Nah, I think we'll just watch TV for a few hours," Gumball replied, picking up the remote and stretching out on the couch.

"Come on, Gummypuss, It'll do you good."

Gumball groaned, slid off the couch and fell to the floor, his face ending up in the carpet.

"Fine," came his muffled reply.

"Thank you, Gumball," Nicole said, taking Anais' empty bowl. "And don't forget to put some pants on, please."

Gumball picked himself up off the floor and bolted upstairs, tripping over the top step in his haste.

"Don't run up the stairs!," Nicole shouted after him.

He came tearing back down with an old box under one arm and proudly presented the item to Darwin, who gasped and nodded.

"Damn it, Gumball, what'd I just say?"

"Don't run up the stairs?"

Yes, and please, put some pants on."

Handing the box to Darwin, Gumball walked back upstairs for some pants. Nicole went to the foot of the stairs, the empty bowl still clutched in her hand.

"And make sure you grab a clean pair!," she shouted, ignoring her groggy husband as he stepped from his bedroom.

"Morning, Nicole," Richard mumbled, yawning loudly.

She didn't answer him, instead she watched him head upstairs and enter the bathroom. She gave the closing door a reproachful stare, her expression quickly changing from cold to warm when Gumball appeared. He held his arms out to his mother, showing her the pants.

"There, happy now, Mom?," he said, clicking his belt buckle into place. "Can I go now?"

"Yes honey, have fun!," she said, leaving the stairs to wash the dishes.

Gumball followed her into the kitchen and went through the back door, joining Darwin outside. Nicole watched them sit on the grass, wondering how a box could get them so excited. As she washed the dishes, she kept one eye on the boys, curious to see what they were up to. Gumball opened the box, gesturing to Darwin before reaching in and taking out a board. Nicole cocked her head, the dishes momentarily forgotten as she watched the boys. Gumball laid the board out and gestured again, his mouth moving quickly. Darwin nodded in agreement and gave him something. It was too small to make out and she didn't have a clue as to what it was, until Gumball threw it. The dice clattered across the board and Gumball took a card, reading it aloud. Both boys laughed, taking off towards the side of the house and out of Nicole's line of sight.

She placed a wet dish in the rack so it could dry, humming a tune to herself as she grabbed a dirty dish from the soapy water. Movement caught her eye and she looked up. Gumball had a colander on his head like a helmet and Nicole giggled to herself. She had to admit, he looked damn cute wearing it. Darwin stepped into sight, a broom handle in one hand and a traffic cone on his head. Nicole almost burst into laughter at the sight.

Curious, Nicole watched the boys, who were both engaged in a serious discussion. Darwin nodded and handed Gumball the broom handle, who took it with a smirk. She returned her attention to the dishes briefly, placing the final dish back in place. A loud crack startled her and she looked out the window, half expecting to see one of the boys lying face-down on the ground. To her relief, neither of the boys were on the ground, instead they both had their backs to Nicole and they were looking into the distance at something she couldn't see. Nicole noticed the broom handle Gumball held had been snapped in half, one half in his hand and the other lying on the other side of the yard.

Darwin yipped loudly, clapping his fins together excitedly as Gumball smiled smugly in response. Nicole emptied the sink and went outside, sitting down on the back stairs so she could watch them play. Or more specifically, watch Gumball play. Darwin left to fetch another broom handle, waving at Nicole who returned his wave. Gumball threw the broken handle to the ground and sat on the step under Nicole. He leaned back into her legs, laying his head over her knees so he was looking up at her.

She looked him in the eyes and swooned a little as a powerful surge of love flooded her senses. He smiled up at her, evoking a powerful feeling of want in her as her heart skipped a beat. In her eyes, he was so beautiful, Gumball was her entire world. And yet, he still didn't know how much she cared about him. She'd give anything to be alone with him, to have another shot at telling her son how much she loved him. Nicole smiled back, her mind urging her to lean toward him and kiss him. She pooled together all of the courage she had and placed her hands on either side of his head, leaning forward a little.

"Gumball, sweetie, I want to tell you something," she choked out, she could feel her heart racing wildly in her chest.

"Sure, Mom, what is it?," he said, his smile did not leave his face.

"This has been a long time coming, honey," she began, her throat was uncomfortably dry, like it was packed with cotton.

"What do you want to say, Mom?"

She hesitated, lifting her head and searching their surroundings, hoping nobody was eavesdropping on their conversation. When she was sure nobody was around, she returned her eyes to his and melted inside all over again when she made eye contact with Gumball. He gazed up at her, patiently waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Gumball, do you remember that night when you found me crying in the living room?"

He nodded, "Of course Mom, you were so sad that night. I hated seeing you cry and wanted to make you feel better, so I gave you a hug."

Warm tears stung her eyes at his affection and she blinked them away. Gumball frowned for a second.

"The hug helped, didn't it?," he asked timidly.

"It helped, sweetie and it also helped me realize something," she said, giving his cheeks a little squeeze.

"Realize what, Mom?"

Again, Nicole went against what she wanted and hesitated, her fears and self-doubt sinking their claws into her. She bit her lip, trying to think of the perfect way to express how she truly felt. A cracking sound made her jump and she panicked, throwing caution to the wind and finally opening her heart to her son.

"I love you, Gumball," she confessed softly, her voice shaking as her emotions exploded inside her.

Fear tore at her heart with ice cold fingers and she held her breath, refusing to take her eyes from her son. She was both hopeful and scared of what his answer could be. Gumball chuckled and righted himself so he faced his mother properly.

"I know that, Mom!," he happily said, his statement sent Nicole's body into overdrive and she nearly fainted.

"Y-you do? How long have you known?"

"You're my Mom, you're supposed to love me!"

Her breath caught in her throat, her heart screamed and her happiness went down a notch.

"No, honey, you don't understand."

His smile vanished and he frowned at her, scratching the back of his neck. "What do you mean?"

"What I meant to say was I love you, not I love you," she slapped herself mentally, cursing at her muddled words.

Gumball, who was beyond confused, gave his mother a puzzled look.

"I have no idea what you're trying to say, Mom," he said with a shrug.

Nicole breathed in deep, trying to slow her frantic heartbeat. Her hands had become cold and clammy and a cold sweat had popped up on her brow. She was completely lost for words. She wanted to tell him she loved him so much more than he realizes. She wanted to tell him so badly, but her fears had sunk their claws into her and her courage was starting to falter.

"I-I don't know how to say it," she whispered as she dropped her head, her heart had become heavy with sorrow and her eyes welled with tears.

Gumball shuffled closer to her, placing a reassuring hand on his stricken mother's cheek as he smiled at her. For one crazy second, she thought he knew exactly what she was struggling to say.

"Tell me, Mom."

It was a small sentence, only three words, but it was more than enough for her. Nicole moved forward, flung her arms around her surprised son and kissed him deeply. He momentarily pulled back which frightened Nicole, who attempted to break the kiss. Sensing her fright, Gumball pushed back, returning the kiss with surprising confidence as he wrapped his arms around her middle. His inexperienced tongue darted into her mouth and she visibly shivered at his taste, her lust for him demanding more. She pulled him closer, not wanting to let go, not caring if somebody caught them. She dug her claws into the fabric of his sweater, deepening the kiss even more. After a few seconds, Nicole broke the kiss and stared down at her son, who had adopted an expression of astonishment on his face. She blushed a little, giving her son a kittenish smile.

"Understand me now, sweetie?," she asked, blushing shyly at her son.

He continued to stare at her, his mask of astonishment not budging one bit. Her smile vanished, the warmth in her chest was replaced by stone cold fear. She swallowed slowly, her dry throat made a clicking sound. She was suddenly afraid he'd reject her, just like her husband would do and her heart sunk like a stone at the thought.

"Honey, say something, please."

"Um, how long have you felt this way?," Gumball finally asked, dropping his gaze shyly.

"Ever since the night you comforted me," she whispered as she put a finger under his chin and lifted his face to hers.

"Okay, why that night though?"

"You made me feel wanted, you made me feel loved. And that's something your father hasn't done in a long time."

Gumball gasped, "Does Dad know about-?"

"No, he doesn't know" she interjected. "And for the sake of this family, please, don't tell him."

"Why? He deserves to know," Gumball said, he felt a flash of anger at her words.

"Because telling him would destroy our family," she replied, feeling uneasy at Gumball's insistence to include her husband.

Gumball looked away from her, a mix of emotions running through him. Anger, uncertainty and, most confusingly, love. Nicole watched Gumball silently, she knew he had to be very confused right now. She put a hand on his shoulder, turning him to her so she could speak.

"Gummypuss, I want to be more than just your mother. I want to be with you."

He glanced sideways at her then looked away again and Nicole sighed deeply.

"I will tell your father when the time is right," she said.

"What about Anais and Darwin? They deserve to know too."

"Of course and I will tell them as well, when the time is right."

Gumball drew in a deep breath and made eye contact with Nicole.

"Give me some time, I need to think this through," he said, looking away again.

"Take all the time you need, honey. I know it's all very sudden," she spoke, patting his shoulder.

She stood, running her hand through her son's hair, a smile on her face.

"Thank you for returning the kiss, you have no idea how much this means to me, sweetie."

She left him and walked back into the house on rubbery legs, her whole body burning with lust. Gumball watched the way she sashayed through the door, realizing he'd been checking his mother out. Should he do it? He had to admit, his mother was an incredibly beautiful woman. But that was the problem, she was his mother. The woman that had given birth to him and nurtured him into the young boy he is today, had feelings for him. He shook his head, trying to make sense of what had just happened. It felt more like a dream than reality. Yes, it was true what she'd said. He had returned the kiss, more out of surprise, to be honest. But deep in the darkest corners of his mind, a part of him had enjoyed the kiss and it now wanted more.

He shook his head again, getting unsteadily to his feet and walked into the house. His mind was struggling to make sense of this revelation and he knew he'd be awake all day and night musing over it all. After the door slammed shut behind Gumball, a figure stepped from shadows that hung from the side of the house. Darwin stared wide-eyed at the stairs, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed. The pieces of the puzzle all clicked into place and he finally knew the reason Nicole had been acting so strangely. But never in a million years, had Darwin expected something like this. He had to find Anais, she needed to know this and he had so much to say.

AN: Heh, kittenish. Anyway, this chapter is the big one, as you've already read. Originally, I'd named this one The Finale and would've ended it with Nicole and Gumball running away together after she confessed her love to him. But halfway through, I decided that was bullshit and not worth the read. So, I've planned to continue this story for as long as I can. I do apologize for taking so long to write this though. Writers block decided to beat me over the head and work has been hectic. I'll be here all night editing this chapter and the previous ones. I'll go over them and try to make them better, if i can. Gonna try to fix any errors that escaped and whatnot. Thanks for reading!