AN: Merry Christmas to you all, thanks for the reviews and support, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Reminiscing part 2

C.J. had just finished tying his tie when he turned around from the mirror and saw his wife of fifteen years walk into the room, he didn't realize how fast time can really go by until he was sitting at the dinning room table across from this beautiful woman, celebrating their 15th year together months ago, it just seemed impossible that they already got to that milestone, yet they did.

Brenda sees the look her husband was giving her and she asked with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

He holds out his hand, so she walks up to him and takes it, then after he brings her closer to him, he cups her cheek with his other hand and asked. "Nothing, I just love you. Have I told you that today?"

Brenda smiled with a nod. "You have, but you know I can't get enough."

"I do Brenda, and these last fifteen years have been amazing. I can't believe I had gotten so lucky to have this beautiful woman in my life."

Brenda shook her head with a smile as she stopped the blush from coming. "Stop it."

C.J. shook his head as he brings her closer to him. "There will never be a day that I'll stop telling you that you're beautiful, you were when I first saw you at age 11 and you are now at age..."

She puts a hand up to his mouth and shook her head. "Please don't continue."

He chuckled before placing a soft kiss on her hand, then he pulls her hand back and brings her in a hug as she whispered. "I love you too and the life that we have is beyond amazing."

After they held each other for a few minutes in silence, and as she steps back from his arms, Brenda's phone rings from the dresser, so after a smile, she walked to the dress and grabbed it before answering it. "Hi Chris."

C.J. smiled at the mention of his first child's name, he also couldn't believe how fast time flew regarding him, he was 24 and had been living in New York since he left for college at age 18, he went to New York university like his mother. Currently he's working as a manager at a electronics store.
There were a few similarities between father and son as he was growing up, but he could never capture the spark that his father had when it came to basketball, so he chose to go a different route, he actually played soccer, like his aunt Christy, during his school days and was really good at it, even winning a few championships himself.

After a back and forth conversation, Brenda turns to her husband and hands him the phone. "He wants to talk to you, so how about you do that while I get the rest of the kids ready, then we can go, alright?"

C.J. smiled again with a nod as he took the phone from her hand. "Ok, sweetie."

After she kissed him on the cheek, she walked past him and out of the room as he put the phone up to his ear. "Hey buddy. How is it going?...I'm glad...Yeah we understand, I'm sure they will understand too...I'll tell them...Love you too...Marry Christmas...Bye." C.J. sighed as he ended the call, he was going to miss having his oldest not here today, but he understood the responsibilities on going to the girlfriends' parents house sometimes.

After walking out of the room, he walked down the hall, hearing his wife talking to the younger kids as he passed one of their rooms, then he walked down the stairs and grabbed the bag of presents they had already put in the bag to take to his parents house before walking out of the house and heading toward the mini van.

Once he put the presents in the vehicle, he closed the back and looked at his two-story house.

It was very similar to his parent's house, including it being next to the beach, in fact when they had saved up enough money they were looking forward to having a house, possibly, on the same street as his parents, but there was none available at the time so they had to take a house on another street.

His thoughts get interrupted when he heard his 12 year old daughter's voice. "So are we ready to go, dad?"

Jessica Caine was the spitting image of Brenda, right down to the glasses, and she absolutely loved her father. Their bond was strong the second she was in his arms, but seeing how strong the bond was with the women in his family, it really wasn't that hard to imagine.

He smiled as he looked at Jessica, but before he could speak, his 6 year old son, B.J., speaks right behind her. "Yeah are we?"

B.J. looked like and was alike his father in a lot of different ways, even playing basketball, but was really closer to his mother.

C.J. nodded at them. "Yeah, we are."

As they smiled back they continued to walk to the mini van while his mind takes him back to the past.

Flashback

12 years ago

After C.J. walked into the apartment, which was the same apartment that Brenda was living in before they had gotten back together, he places his keys on the table beside the door as he spoke. "It smells nice in here."

From the kitchen stove, Brenda smiled and said. "Thank you."

He walked around the counter and up to her before wrapping his arms around her from behind and kissing her head, then watched her stir the sauce for the spaghetti, he then smiled, and after another kiss on the head, he asked. "So what kind of wine would you like tonight?"

They were celebrating their third wedding anniversary tonight while Chris was over at his parents house, and since they don't drink that much when their child is with them, he thought they could indulge tonight.

Brenda paused, then she shook her head. "I don't want any tonight."

He was a little curious on why she would decline on something they didn't do very often. "Why not?"

"Do I have to have a reason? Is there a rule that states when my son isn't here that I should just go crazy and grab the first alcoholic beverage around?"

C.J. pulled his arms from her waist and shook his head. "No, of course not, I'm just curious? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine."

Of course he wouldn't let it go and kept pushing, and normally Brenda was a very patient woman when it came to this protective side of him, but today hadn't been a good day for her, so she lost her patience faster than ever before.

After she checked the food on the stove, she turned around and said. "Fine, you want to know why I don't want wine?" He stopped talking while she finished with tears in her eyes. "I'm pregnant, ok!" She sniffled and said. "And I was going to make this special dinner and tell you then, but you ruined it." Then she puts her hand up to her mouth and ran out of the kitchen to their room so she could use the master bathroom.

C.J. stood there very shocked at what was just revealed, then a few seconds later he sighed and started walking to toward the room.

Once he got in there, he knocked on the bathroom door and said. "Brenda, honey, can I come in?"

A few seconds later he hears the toilet flush and the faucet on, then once there was no sound, the bathroom door opened and she walked past him so she could sit on the bed and look down at her hands. He watched her for a second before walking over to her and kneeling down, then he placed his hands on her thighs and said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed. I guess I was just worried that something was wrong and you were scared to tell me."

She sniffled before looking into his eyes. "I wasn't scared on telling you, or had any thought of keeping it to myself until I couldn't anymore, I just wanted to tell you at the right time."

He smiled a little and replied. "I know, and I had to go and ruin it, like I said, I'm sorry."

She paused for a second before asking. "So should I have been worried to tell you?"

He moved so he was now between her legs, then he cups her cheek with one hand while he delicately placed his other hand on her stomach, and smiled with love in his eyes. "No, this is great news, actually forget great, this is wonderful news."

She felt a little better, but before she rejoiced in this news, she asked shyly. "Is this the right time for us to bring another baby into our lives?"

He didn't even hesitate. "I think it is, but we should start looking for another apartment or a house because three people in here is fine, but with four, I think we'll go a little crazy."

She nodded in agreement as she placed her hand on top of his that was on her stomach while the butterflies in there had calmed down. "Can we get one close to the beach?"

C.J.'s eyes sparkled as he replied. "We'll see what we can do about that, ok?" Brenda smiled with another nod, then he sighed. "Brenda, about earlier, I..."

She puts a finger to his lips to stop him. "You don't have to keep apologizing, I know you are just looking out for me when you get that way, just know that if my health was in serious trouble and I needed to tell you immediately, I would."

He nodded with a smile, then he leans closer to her and kisses her softly on the lips before pulling back and saying with a very big smile on his face. "A baby, honey, and I get to be there from the beginning."

She wrapped her arms around his neck while she replies. "Yeah, you get to see me balloon up like a whale and everything else that goes with it, sounds like fun, huh?"

He ran his thumb in circles over her stomach and said with love in his eyes again. "You'll still be beautiful to me, and I'll proudly walk down the street with my hand in yours, beaming at every person that passes us by."

She played with his hair in the back as she looked into his eyes. "You really would, wouldn't you?"

"Oh yeah." He ran his thumb up and down her cheek with his other hand as he continued. "And I'll get to see and feel the things I didn't get to the first time, and I get to be there for you and give you support when you really need it." His eyes started misting up, and after a peck on the lips, he removes his hand from her cheek and his other hand from her stomach before wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her while saying he loves her and thank you over and over again.

She closes her eyes as she held him to her, feeling and hearing his words against her neck, knowing that being there with her from the start this time was just as important to him as being there after the baby is born. That's just who her man is, and no matter what, she's going to love every side of him that he shows, even the ones that drive her crazy at times.

6 Years ago

After the doctor had checked the weight, measured and cleaned the newest Caine baby, he smiled as he walked toward the family. "Ok mommy and daddy, time to meet your son."

Their eyes beamed, and as the doctor handed their son to Brenda, C.J. asked. "A Son, really?"

When Brenda was pregnant with their second child, the moment they could know what they were having, they wanted to know, and was happy to be adding a girl to the family, which also made Calleigh happy, and when they had gotten pregnant the third time, they decided to wait and be surprised, so they had no idea who they would be getting today.

The doctor nodded with another smile at C.J. before he saw him turn his attention back to his son, then he cleared his throat before speaking again. "I'll give you guys a few minutes alone."

The parents nodded, but their full attention was already to the little guy in Brenda's arms.

When the door clicked shut, C.J. kissed her temple and said. "Another son, honey."

She smiled as she looked at her husband. "You ok with that?"

He smiled with a nod. "I was ok with any gender we got, just as long as they came from you."

After a peck on the lips, she looks down at her son and said. "I do feel bad for your mother though, I think she was hoping for another girl."

C.J. shook his head as he started playing with his son's little fingers. "She'll be fine, once she sees his face, she'll forget ever wishing for another girl in the family."

"You sound very confident on that."

He nodded as he turned his eyes to his wife. "I am, because I know how much she loves her boys."

Brenda smiled and replied. "And I love mine."

He leans toward her and they peck on the lips a few times before he pulls back and said. "And I love my girls."

Her eyes was beaming with that comment, then she cleared her throat before talking again. "And speaking of our boy and girl, you should call them and let them know."

He nodded as he looked at his son again. "I will in a minute, I just want a few more minutes with you guys."

As she watched him looking at their newest addition, she fell in love with him all over again just by his face beaming with pride that he had another child to love and care for.

End of Flashback

He comes back to the present when he heard his wife's voice. "You ok, sweetie?" He mentally shook his head as he saw her walking hand in hand with their last two kids, 4 year old twins, Alison and Aaron.

Alison had brown eyes with medium length, brown hair and Aaron had brown eyes with short, blond hair.

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's go."

Alison slipped her hand out of her mother's and ran to her father, he smiled as he picked her up and carried her to the driver's side of the vehicle so he could buckle her up while Brenda took care of Aaron.

After everybody was in the vehicle and buckled, and as he checked the review mirror, his eyes saw the twins again and his mind takes him back to when they became theirs.

Flashback

Four years ago

After they had B.J. they had a discussion about having one more child, so when they thought it was the right time, they tried again, and when they found out it wasn't happening they went to the doctor, and that's when they found out that they couldn't have anymore biological children.

When they went home after getting the sad news, they comforted each other, and even mourned a little for the loss of the child they'll never have, but at the end of that evening, they talked about how blessed they've been with three other children and that's more than a lot of couples had, and they thought that was the end of their baby discussion.

Which it was for a few months after that day, until he brought up adopting. She was a little hesitant at first, not because she thought it was a horrible idea, she just didn't want to be in a situation where she was happy and excited about it then something happens and it didn't go through. But she cautiously said ok and decided to go with the flow, and if it didn't happen, then she would tell herself it just wasn't in the cards for them anymore.

When the day that they were signing the papers had finally came, they walked into the adoption agency and to the office of the woman that was helping them out, then after she placed the papers in front of them, she smiled and said. "Now let's get these papers signed so you two can be once again proud parents." They smiled in return as they started signing all the papers that they needed.

Once the last signature was made, C.J. slid the papers over to her, and after she checked them over, she said. "Alright, just sight tight and I'll be right back."

The couple nodded, and when they were alone, he slipped his hand in his wife's and asked. "Does it feel real to you yet?"

She kept that cautiousness with her through this whole process, and she wasn't letting up just yet.

She shook her head with a sigh. "No yet, I have to hold..."

He cuts her off. "I understand."

She nodded again as the door opened and woman behind them said. "Here we go proud parents."

The couple got up from their chairs then turned around and walked up to the woman, and only when their 1 month old babies were in Brenda's arms, did she look at her husband and said with her eyes beaming. "Now it is real to me."

When they started the process of adopting, they had planned for just one child, a daughter, but when one of the files they were looking at turned out to be about twins, a boy and a girl, she took that as a sign that they should be bringing home twins, and C.J. just smiled and told her more the merrier.

He smiled at his wife as he kissed her temple before looking down at the twins that made their family complete.

End of Flashback

He came back to the present when Brenda places her hand on top of his, then he looked over at her and she was looking at him with a curious look. "Are you sure you are ok? You seemed a little zoned out today."

He smiled as he squeezed her hand. "I think my mom gave me something that she use to do while I was growing up."

"Which is?"

"Flashbacks of our kids."

She nodded in understanding with a small chuckle. "Well I do it too, so it must be a sickness all our parents give to their children. Just make sure you get us to our destination safely."

"Of course, when it comes to you guys, safety is my middle name."

They smiled at each other, and after a small peck, which Jessica and B.J. said 'eww' and the twins started singing mommy and daddy sitting in a tree, they chuckled, then after he places both hands on the steering wheel, he started on their destination.

For the second time today, the doorbell came through the Caine household, but instead of Calleigh opening the door, Kyle was there to do the honors.

He smiled at the family and said. "Hi Kids!"

The kids gave their Uncle Kyle a big hug before running in the house to say hi to everybody else before visiting with their cousins.

Once C.J. and Brenda hugged Kyle, they walked into the house, and as C.J. was greeting his parents after putting the bag of presents by the tree, Kyle asked as he shuts the front door. "Aren't you forgetting somebody?"

When C.J. pulled back from his mother, he sighed a little. "Chris is staying in New York for the Christmas holiday with his girlfriend and her parents, but he did say he wanted me to tell you Marry Christmas and that he'll see everybody around New Years."

They nodded in understanding, then Kyle smirked. "So he's spending the holiday's with his girlfriend at her parents house? Interesting, will we be introducing the next Caine soon, maybe a little Caine soon after?"

C.J. looked at his brother and said. "Don't even joke about that, I'm not old enough to have a grandchild."

They chuckled as Kyle walked up to his brother and pats him on the shoulder. "Sorry man, but you know it's coming faster than we all would probably have liked."

C.J. sighed and nodded. "Don't I know it, it feels like yesterday I was just holding them." He points to his other children as they were sitting on the floor. "Now look at them." They all nodded again in understanding, then C.J. cleared his throat before he continued. "Well it isn't the right time to be sad, and there is nothing really to be sad about anyways, we all have our good health and this is the holidays, so how about we enjoy it."

After a third nod, the women walked over to the couch while the men was in their own little area, and they started talking, laughing, smiling, and waiting for the rest of their family to show up.

AN: More to come. Please review.