Chapter 9

Steve grinned when she opened the door, holding out a bouquet of white roses. "Good mornin', my beautiful sister." He greeted warmly, leaning forward to kiss her cheek, and groaned when he smelled food wavering from the kitchen. "Mmm, do I smell pancakes?"

"Yes you do and thank you. They're beautiful, Stevie!" She exclaimed, taking them from him, and smiled softly as she kissed his cheek. "Come on in, breakfast is almost ready." She shut the door behind him and walked back into the kitchen, immediately putting the roses in a vase, and set them in the center of the table. She then walked over to the pan and started flipping the pancakes in the air, the smile never leaving her face. Chalice couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy and never wanted it to end.

Mark groaned when Steve sat down at the table, immediately helping himself to a cup of coffee. "Man, what do I got to do to get rid of you?" He joked, slapping his friend on the back with a grin.

"Yer stuck with me, man. I come along with the package." Steve nodded at Challie when she agreed with his statement. "So, how are ya both this mornin'?"

"Spectacular." Chalice beamed as she walked over, setting a huge stack of pancakes on the table, and whistled as she twirled around in the kitchen with bare feet. It was such a beautiful day outside as the sun streamed through the windows, which were open, and grinned as she started setting the huge spread on the table. Bacon, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage links, waffles, and toast with orange juice were the foods consisted of the spread as she finally sat down at the table. She grabbed her plate and immediately started piling it on after pouring herself a huge glass of orange juice in the process.

Mark watched her wide eyed, glancing at Steve, and grinned when he seen Steve was already pulling up a trashcan. "Smells great, darlin'." He complimented, watching as she ate. "Hungry much?"

Steve was already making his own plate, making himself right at home as always and replied, "I would be too. Takin' care of yer ol' ass must be exhaustin' work."

"I told you I had a craving." She reminded him playfully and giggled at her brother, knowing he always made himself at home with her, and started eating. There was a huge pile on her plate as she started shoving food in her mouth, groaning at how good it tasted. She already knew breakfast was going to be one of her cravings and grinned as she poured more syrup than normal all over her food, even the eggs.

Mark looked sick himself when he seen her do that, making his own plate before studying the table. "Forgot the ketchup." He grunted, shaking his head and getting up. He sat back down when he had his condiment of choice in hand and proceeded to drown his food in it.

"Now that's just SICK!" Steve exclaimed, pushing his own plate away, and eyed his future brother-in-law skeptically. "Are you havin' sympathy cravin's?"

Chalice didn't pay attention to them, too focused gobbling her own food down, which was drenched in syrup. She finally cleared her throat and piled more food on it, causing both her brother and fiancé to stare at her in shock. She didn't notice them though as she sighed happily and giggled, rubbing her stomach with her hand. "You're a hungry little bugger aren't you?" She started eating again after pouring my syrup on her plate.

Steve looked back and forth between them, his blue eyes twinkling as Mark helped himself to more as well, proceeding to once again drown it in ketchup. "This is so cute. The Undertaker is havin' pregnancy sympathy cravin's…AND gainin' sympathy weight!" He crowed amusedly. Mark just grunted, flipping Steve off, not looking up from his meal, wondering if that all might be true since he generally despised ketchup.

"Mark, you hate ketchup." Chalice suddenly pointed out, raising a curious eyebrow at her fiancé, noticing what he'd done, and put her fork down on her plate. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked softly, pressing her hand to his forehead, her eyes filled with concern.

Mark smiled, catching her hand and pressing a kiss against her palm softly. "I'm fine, darlin'. Steve sounds like he's right. It must be sympathy cravings." He started down at his now empty plate and shook his head. "I can't believe I just ate ketchup…" Steve snorted in response before going back to eating his food.

"I was hungry, honey and craved breakfast. I told you that. Why did you just eat ketchup?" She asked, truly shocked and astonished. Even though, she was still licking her lips from the two huge plates of food she just engulfed.

"I don't know. Ketchup just sounded good is all." Mark admitted, shrugging, raking a hand through his hair.

Steve held up the almost empty bottle. "It must've, man…" He whistled. "Yer gonna turn into a tomato now, ya know that right?"

"I'm the one pregnant and you're having cravings?" Chalice started laughing whole heartedly as she walked over to her chair and sat down, pouring more syrup on her plate, and started eating again. This baby was making her a bottomless pit as she giggled to herself, ignoring her favorite men in the world for the time being as she started her third plate.

Steve watched Challie amusedly, his blue eyes twinkling as he watched her start on her third plate of food. He'd finished his own plate and wasn't about to go back for more. Not with these two pigs. He might get his hand bitten off or something as he casually commented, "That is baby is going to be a big one. How many pounds ya think it is?" He asked in the same tone of voice.

The echoing of a fork clinging against a plate sounded throughout the kitchen as Chalice slowly looked up at her brother, tears burning in her eyes, and pushed her plate away. "Did you just call me fat?" She asked angrily, spitting blue fireballs at her brother, and took her plate, hurling it at him before storming out of the kitchen. The happiness and glow were gone from her as she slammed her bedroom door so loud, the walls and pictures rattled.

"Man, I DIDN'T CALL HER FAT!" Steve protested, looking truly shocked, not caring if he was drenched in syrup.

Growling, Mark smacked Steve upside his bald head. "Damn it! Can't you ever keep your fucking mouth shut?" He spat, pushing away from the table angrily.

"I didn't mean she was fat, damn it!" Steve hissed in defense, following Mark out of the kitchen. "I forgot about the hormone thing!"

Tears were sliding down Chalice's cheeks as she stood in the full length mirror of her and Mark's bedroom. Sniffling, she kept looking at her stomach from the side. She ran a hand down it, not believing what her brother just said, and raked a hand through her hair. She knew she'd ate a lot, but she couldn't help it!! She was pregnant with Mark's child and that man was NOT small by ANY means!!

"Baby?" Mark hesitantly called out softly, poking his head into the bedroom. "Can we come in?" He kept Steve out of sight just incase she decided to lash out.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Mark because my fat body might take up too much room!" She spat back at him, her back to the door, and started looking at her stomach again, sniffling softly to herself. Her stomach was just a small hump that couldn't be noticed yet.

Mark sighed inwardly, stepping into the room, gesturing for Steve to wait outside. He crossed over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and pulled her against his strong, muscular chest. "You're not fat, Chalice. You're perfect and beautiful." He whispered, stroking her stomach with his hand, and kissed her neck gently.

"No I'm not!!" She cried out and ripped herself away from him, raking her hands through her hair, and plopped down on the bed as she curled up in a tight ball. "I'm fat!! I'm going to get even fatter and it's all your fault!!" She started crying, her hormones raging, Steve's words ringing through her mind. "This baby is probably going to get so fuckin' big, it's going to explode out of my abdomen before I even go into labor!!"

Mark's eyes widened, wondering how it was HIS fault when it took two to make a baby. He was tempted to say that, but inhaled sharply, keeping himself calm before saying anything he would regret. "Chalice, darlin', you are NOT fat. You're pregnant. Steve didn't mean you were fat, honey."

"Yes he did and he's right!! I ate THREE plates of food down there and that's only going to add to the extra weight of this demon seed!" She shouted angrily and pulled the comforter over her head, refusing to stare at him or anyone else. "Just go away!" She cried out softly, muffled, but she could still be heard clearly as she trembled.

"No." Mark said firmly, setting down on the edge of the bed, and pulled the blanket away. "Chalice, what you're going through is normal, it even says so in that damn book. You're beautiful, you're not fat so quit it." He ordered, placing his hand on her stomach, rubbing it gently. "You really think this is a demon seed?" He asked gently, kind of stung by her words.

"It's father is the fucking devil!" She retorted, burying her face in the pillow, and started crying harder.

"The devil?" Mark echoed. "I'm a lot of things, darlin', but that ain't one of them." He chuckled softly, bending down to kiss her ear, holding her close. "Come on Chalice, you know I love you…"

Sniffling, Chalice slowly uncurled her body and turned on her back, staring up into his emerald green eyes with her bloodshot blue orbs, and nodded. She pulled him down for a passionate kiss, sighing, and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, holding him to her. "I hate feeling like this. These hormones are more than I can take." She whispered out raggedly from crying so hard.

"It's alright baby, you can't help it. It's not your fault." Mark said soothingly, kissing her neck gently, and wrapped her up in his strong, comforting embrace. "It'll be fine. We're going to get through this together, okay?"

Nodding with a small sniffle, Chalice slowly pulled back as she sighed heavily, raking a hand through her hair, and stared up into his beautiful green eyes. "I'm sorry for reacting that way." She apologized softly, wiping her tears away, and shook her head. "I can't wait for these hormones to stop."

Steve took a chance and poked his bald head in the room. "Is it all clear?" He asked hesitantly, offering a tentative smile at his baby sister.

Mark chuckled softly, keeping Chalice firmly on his lap, his arms still around her. "I think Steve is feeling guilty, darlin'." He whispered in her ear.

"It's fine, Stevie. You can come in." She assured him softly, wiping more of her tears away, and looked back at him with hurt still shining in her eyes. "I didn't mean to…to overreact that way, Stevie. I just…these damned hormones are driving me crazy and act up with the littlest thing."

Steve walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, taking her hand in his. "I shouldn't of said what I did, Challie. I didn't mean to hurt yer feelin's, honey" He said apologetically. "I was just playin' with ya and did it the wrong way."

"I know I'm going to get big and I know this baby is going to be big. It can't help it if it's daddy is the size of a gorilla." She joked, letting him know that she was fine, and hugged her brother around the neck as she curled up in his lap after escaping her fiancé's, sighing. "Please bare with me for seven more months and it'll all be over."

"Gorilla? I was thinkin' an elephant unless ya meant King Kong." Steve joked, hugging her back, and pressed his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. "I've been barin' with ya since the day ya were born, Challie. Seven months won't be nothin'." He kissed her cheek lightly.

Smiling back at her brother, Chalice giggled as she hugged him back tightly. "I love you, Stevie. You always know what to say to make me feel better." She whispered in his ear and then pulled back as she raked a hand through her hair. "Mark?" She suddenly called his name, her blue eyes looking at him intently.

Mark stared over at her, his own emerald orbs filled with nothing, but love and admiration. "Yes Chalice?" He reached out to gently touch her knee, stroking it. "What is it, baby?"

She didn't answer him. She looked back at her brother and slowly slid off of his lap before standing before them. "I want to elope. I don't want a big wedding. I don't even want to wear a fuckin' dress. I just want to get married. Mark, you had a great idea. Our parents will NEVER accept Steve walking me down the aisle so I say we three escape. You can bring whoever you want, Stevie, and just get married." She was dead serious and rubbed her stomach a little, feeling herself growing nervous.

Standing up, Mark wrapped her in his arms, bending down to kiss her passionately. "We can do that, darlin'." He whispered huskily against her lips, his forehead pressed against hers gently.

Steve was rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "I can have Cindy come…" He said slowly. "Where ya wantin' to run off too, Challie?"

"Anywhere." She breathed out, the kiss taking her breath away that Mark gave her, and smiled back into his eyes as she hugged him close. "I just want to get married and be with Mark fully. We can elope anywhere you want, but I just want to get married and I want to do it today."

"Vegas?" Steve suggested, arching an eyebrow. It was a bit cliché, but the first place that popped into his mind. He suddenly decided not to invite Cindy since they weren't together any longer, just close friends as she liked to put it.

"Could you think of a more romantic place?" Mark retorted, rolling his eyes, refusing to take his beautiful wife-to-be to some cheap wedding chapel in the city that never sleeps. He wanted this to be special and memorable. It was their wedding after all.

"Hey! What could be more romantic than gettin' married by Elvis?" Steve shot back, causing Chalice's eyes to bug out of her head as she shook it immediately.

"Oh HELL no!" Chalice stated emphatically, putting her foot down, and grimaced when another wave of nausea hit her hard. "No, I can't fly. I can't trust it. I'm only in the first trimester and I can miscarry if I go on a plane this early." She informed them and had to sit down, rubbing her stomach to try to calm it down some.

Mark and Steve exchanged looks and said in unison, "Courthouse."

"Or…we could head down to Mexico in the truck. Ya could go straight on honeymoon from there." Steve suggested, not really wanting to walk his baby sister down the aisle in a courtroom, but if she wanted to, then he would do it.

"What about that small wedding chapel downtown in Houston?" She asked suddenly, remembering that quiet little chapel, and smiled when she'd seen it with her mother. Of course, Beverly would never allow her daughter to be married in a place like that. Then again, Chalice honestly didn't care what her parents thought anymore.

"Anywhere you want, baby." Mark said, hugging her again, nuzzling her neck. "You want to do this now?"

"Shit, I didn't bring any nicer clothes!" Steve exclaimed, looking down at his shorts, boots and muscle shirt.

Giggling softly back at her brother, Chalice sighed exasperatedly and walked into the closet. She brought out two midnight blue tuxedos that would fit each man perfectly and grinned at their shocked faces. "Surprise."