Brown Eyed Girl 75: If everyone loves a kiss scene, then you're going to LOVE this chapter. Thank you so much for your kind words and your late night chats, I really can't thank you enough

katydid13: Thank you, enjoy this next one

rejazzz: You're going to love it even more now! Thank you for the review

ooOoo

When you're in love, there's no time and no space, there's a permanent smile on your face. Your friends all complain that you're going insane, but the truth is, they're just afraid

Sea of No Cares- Great Big Sea

ooOoo

Craig and I had danced around each other for so long it was difficult to break the habit. In fact, when I woke up next to him the morning after the game, I was startled to find that I was only covered in a sheet, and Craig's arm was draped across me.

I poked Craig in the arm to wake him up.

He groaned and rolled over.

"Come on, wake up!"

"What's up, Viv?" he cleared his throat, flipping over on to his back.

"What happened last night?" I propped myself up on my elbow, facing him.

His hand went to his face. He groaned again.

"Did we…"

"Make love? Yes."

I flopped back on the pillow and turned away from him. An awkward silence had settled between us as I debated drifting back off to sleep.

"Viv…" he hand stroked my shoulder. "Viv, if I've made you uncomfortable…"

I said nothing.

"I'll go…" he made a move to get up.

Before he got very far I reached back and grabbed his forearm.

"Vivianne?"

Smirking, I pulled him down and threw a pillow in his face.

He beat the pillow down to the bed and pinned me underneath him. "Now what was that for?"

"Because I could," I laughed, landing a soft punch to his chest. "Come on, let me up…" he made me happy, disgusting happy, and in all honesty, I couldn't help but laugh again.

"But what if I don't want to?" he answered, placing a kiss to my collarbone, making me shiver.

I braced myself against him and rolled him over. "Believe me, Mr. Patrick, I'd love to stay in bed and make love to you all… day… long…" I kissed his nose. "Unfortunately, you, as the assistant coach to the team that just rocked the world, have press junctions and other things to attend to, and I have a plane to catch."

"What?" he rolled me off of him. "A plane? Where are you going?"

"Back home."

"Why?"

"Because Bane and Marcie need my help, Craig," I got out of bed and found my bra, hastily putting it back on. "Not easy with six kids, and my mom needs a break too."

The look on his face made me melt.

"Oh come on, it's not as though I'm abandoning you, it's only a month," I pulled my shirt back over my head. "Fly on up after you're done here and come and meet Bane and Marcie. They won't bite."

"It's just the thought of leaving you…"

I crawled back on to the bed and kissed him. "Tell you what," I started. "When you get to St. John's, I'll meet you at the airport, we'll rent a room, and you and I can stay there as long as you like…" At that last sentence I dropped my voice to a whisper.

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled, releasing me.

We said goodbye once more before the taxi got there, and before I knew it, I was on my way back home. I'd left him my phone number and my address, so that he could write and call me as much as he pleased.

It was going to be a long month.

ooOoo

It looks like I was wrong. With Abbie, Michelle, Linda, Debbie and Kim all determined to help their mom take care of Charlie, it was frustrating for everyone, least of all me. Marcie was beyond stressed, and my mother needing a rest wasn't making it any easier. When I got there Marcie was yelling at one of them, I could hear it through the door, though I couldn't make out who it was she was yelling at.

"Abbie, grab Debbie before she makes a mess!"

"Why do I hafta do it?"

"Because I'm changing Charlie's diaper and Daddy's at work!"

"I don't wanna! It's always me, I don't like it!"

"That's just the way it is!" Marcie shouted back.

"No!"

"Abigail Elizabeth Kearney, if you do not…"

"No!" she screamed. "No! No! No!"

It looked like I'd arrived just in time. "It's alright, Marcie, I'll get her…" I made my way toward Debbie's room and found her sitting on the floor, eating what looked to be some sort of sandwich.

"What'cha eating there, pumpkin?" I sat down beside her.

"Sandwich…"

"What kind of sandwich?" I asked.

"Anana and honey…"

"Banana and honey?" I feigned amazement. "That sounds really good, can I have some?"

"No! My sandwich!" she told me, hugging it to her chest.

"Okay, your sandwich," I agreed. "Does Mummy know you're eating it on the floor?"

Debbie shook her head.

"Are you supposed to be eating it on the floor?"

She shook her head again.

"Is that way Mummy's not happy?"

She nodded.

"Come on, darling, I'll get you a plate, and you come and eat your sandwich in the kitchen, okay?"

"Kay…" she agreed.

And that was just my first day back.

ooOoo

Now that the month was nearly up, and Craig had called me to tell me that he'd be arriving in St. John's at 10am, I was more than a little excited. Frankly, I'd never been more relieved. I'd been waiting for him to get here, I had so many stories, and so much to tell him.

For example, about three and a half weeks after I'd gotten home, I'd awoken up in the middle of the night and rushed to the bathroom, feeling as though I was going to be sick. And wouldn't you know it, I was. I must have spent a little over an hour in there, before I heard my mother knock on the door, asking if I was alright.

"Yeah, I'm okay…" I'd managed, getting up and flushing the toilet. Opening the door, she held out a cold washcloth.

"Thanks, Mum…" I'd wiped my face and went into the kitchen.

"Should I make some tea?" she asked.

I groaned, turning to face her. "I don't think I should have tea, Mum, something isn't quite right."

"What do you mean, something's not quite right?"

"I was tossing and turning and when I sat up to head to the bathroom I felt sick. Now I'm all sweaty and clammy and my stomach's turning circles…"

"Should we go to the hospital?" she put a hand on my shoulder.

"No…" my hand went to my stomach. "No, I think just some water will help, we'll see how I feel in the morning."

She nodded, and left me to my own devices. She was tired too, I wasn't going to make her stay up with me all night, that's just cruel. I made myself a nice little nest on the couch and parked myself there for the night.

In the morning, I'd already promised Marcie I'd be over to help her get Abbie and Michelle off to school, so, even though I still felt like death warmed over, off I went.

Surprisingly, Charlie was still asleep and Abbie and Michelle went off to school without a fuss. I'm guessing it was because I was there. When someone else besides Mum does something different in the morning, like make a sandwich for their lunches, they'll actually eat it. I did the same thing, so I'm not surprised.

"Marcie," I whispered as we waved to the girls on the school bus. "Marcie, I've got to tell you something."

"What is it?" she asked.

I placed my hands on my stomach.

"Seriously?" she pulled me around and got me back into the house. "Come on, you, into the bathroom."

"What about Charlie? Is he still alright?" I pointed to the bundle wrapped in the sling around Marcie's shoulder.

"Sweetie, he's okay. Look, I have something for you," she pulled something out from under the sink.

"What's this?"

"Pee on it and wait a couple of minutes…" she told me, holding out the box.

"You actually have some of these?" I asked. "Since when?"

"To be honest, sweetie, all Bane has to do is look at me and I end up pregnant. If he could keep his hands to himself I wouldn't have to tell him to get that damn vasectomy," she kissed my cheek. "Charlie needs a diaper change, I'll be back."

"Thanks Marcie," she vacated the bathroom and closed it behind her. Once I'd locked the door, I set toward my task.

Five minutes later, she returned.

"How's it coming, Viv?" she asked.

"Not seasoned yet!" I called. "Still got about two more minutes left."

"Want me to come in there?"

"No, no, it's okay…" I answered perhaps a little too quickly.

"Alright, I'll just wait out here…" she agreed.

And those two minutes had to be the longest two minutes of my life. I had no idea what this would say, nor was I prepared for the result.

And then…

"There it is!" I screamed, throwing open the bathroom door. "Marcie, there it is! I'm going to have a baby!"