Chapter 16

"Marcus, guess who's here?" Steve poked his head in the front door, grinning when he seen Mark sitting on the couch, feeding his nephew. "Breast pump thing already?"

"She's upstairs sleeping, you ass. She's worn out." Mark growled, putting a rag over his shoulder before gently raising Marcus up to burp him. "Don't you ever stay home?"

"Hell no." Steve stepped in, carrying another bag with that grin on his face. "Guess what I bought…"

"Aww Hell…"

"Are you spoiling my child, Stevie?" Chalice's sleepy voice sounded down the stairs, a bright smile on her face, and slowly walked down them, wincing since she was still sore. She wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world and walked over, hugging her brother around the neck, and kissed his cheek. "What did you buy now?"

Steve wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing his forehead against hers, and kissed the tip of her nose. "Nothin' much, just some more clothes and whatnot." He answered with a grin, guiding her to the couch before dropping down in the chair, the bag at his feet. He quickly pulled out a camouflaged outfit, holding it up. "What do ya think?"

"Ohhh that's too cute!!" She squealed happily and smiled as she held it up, seeing Marcus wouldn't fit into it for a few months, but it didn't bother her. Marcus wasn't like other babies, especially with Mark and Steve's genes flowing through him, and set it aside. "Did you see what your nephew is wearing today?" She asked casually and glanced over at her husband, who had the baby, and showed the Austin 3:16 onesie Steve had bought him.

Mark held Marcus up, grinning when Steve started laughing. "Kinda big on him, but he'll grow into it. Won'tcha?" He rubbed his nose against Marcus's cheek, smiling.

"Damn kid is gonna break some hearts. He's too good lookin'. Just like his Uncle Stevie." Steve joked, next pulling out a monster truck. "Now I know he's too young for this, but…"

"We'll keep it in the packaging until he grows up for it." Chalice smiled back at her brother reassuringly, taking the monster truck, and held it up to Marcus. His big blue eyes were looking at it in wonder and reached for it. "Nope, not right now, baby boy. You get this." She handed him his stuffed animal and smiled when he snuggled into it. "He actually looks a lot like Mark, except the eyes. He's got that auburn fuzz going. Makes me wonder if you two got together and made him." She giggled.

Mark grimaced, making a face, agreeing when Stevie started sputtering out Hell no's. "Now that is just sick and twisted, darlin'." He grunted, shooting her a look, rolling his eyes when she just giggled some more.

"I ain't havin' nothin' with Mark, Challie." Steve finally said, calming down. "Except maybe a hangover."

Chalice laughed softly as she took her baby boy in her arms from her husband and started bouncing him. "Wow and here I thought I was married to the most sick and twisted man in the WWF." She retorted with a teasing tone to her voice and smirked at her brother. "And I thought I was related to the toughest S.O.B. in the business to date? I guess I was wrong." She smirked wickedly as she looked down at Marcus. "Whatcha think, buddy? Are they both a bunch of wimps?"

"We're wimps cause we're not gay?" Steve shook his head, burying his head in his hands. "I have one seriously demented sister."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, Steve, for once." Mark stared at his wife and son, smirking when Marcus spit up on her. "I think you have your answer, darlin'."

Sighing exasperatedly, Chalice rolled her eyes and took the rag, wiping it off of her, and then shot Mark a look. "Well if SOMEONE would've burped him the RIGHT way, he wouldn't be puking on ME now would he?" She shot back and started walking back and forth with him, burping him with a growl. "You two are the demented ones. I was only implying you two can't take jokes, but whatever you say, pops and gramps." She smirked and walked into the kitchen with her son.

"Pops and gramps? Well Hell… Mark ain't THAT old…" Steve snickered, ignoring Mark's warning growl. "Jeez, ya look like shit, man. Yer hair is all over the place. Ya look like ya slept in them clothes, what the Hell?"

"Steve, why the Hell are you checking me out?" Mark asked in an irritated voice. "Go get laid…by a woman."

Chalice walked over to the window, seeing how beautiful it was outside, and smiled when the baby burped as she wiped his mouth off. "That's my baby boy." She cooed to him and smiled when he giggled back at her, sighing when she smelled his diaper, and got a smirk on her face. She walked out to the living room, handing Steve his nephew, and stated, "I'm going to take a shower." She kissed her brother's cheek with a sweet smile. "Oh and by the way, brother of mine, he needs changed. Love ya!" She then bolted up the stairs, laughing her ass off.

Steve inhaled deeply and regretted it, turning a sickly greenish color. "He's YOUR son, you change'em!" He ordered, holding out Marcus to Mark.

Mark shook his head, laughing. "Nope, diapers and wipes are over there." He pointed, getting up and backing out of the room. "Have fun!"

Growling, Steve seen they had both abandoned him and sighed, holding Marcus against his shoulder while he got a diaper and the wipes. "This can't be all that hard…" He said, trying to reassure himself, laying Marcus down and undoing the onesie. "Holy Hell, kid! What is in that milk?" He held his breath and undid the diaper. "Oh Christ…Hey…HEY STOP!" Steve exclaimed when a stream of urine came flying up at him.

He knew he was alone when he heard the back door shut, knowing Mark had gone outside and Chalice was in the shower. He pulled off his wet shirt and tossed it aside, making a face. "Now no more of that junior, it ain't nice to piss on people, little man." He made another face, quickly cleaning his nephew's butt. "Is that thing supposed to be there?" He murmured, studying Marcus's umbilical cord, and shrugged, guessing it must be before diapering and refastening the onesie. "That wasn't too bad…minus the shower." He yawned, laying down on the couch, Marcus on his chest.

Chalice finished up her shower, a towel wrapped around herself, and walked down stairs. She had her robe on too and it was tied as she smiled tearfully at her brother. Marcus was sleeping on his chest as she shook her head, slowly walking over, and gently pried the baby from her brother. She then carried him upstairs to his nursery. She kissed his forehead before laying him down, turning on his spinning toy that hung over his crib, and walked out. She stretched and yawned, heading to her bedroom to change.

Steve shot up not more then ten minutes after Chalice took Marcus, his hands going to his chest. "Oh fuck! I lost'em!" He shouted, looking all over the place. "Marcus? MARCUS?"

Mark came bursting through the door at the sound of Steve shouting and demanded angrily, "What'd you do now?"

"I lost him!"

"How the Hell did you lose him?" Mark growled, grabbing Steve by the throat and lifted him up in the air until his feet dangled off the ground. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST MY SON?!"

"We were sleepin' and I woke up and and and…I CAN'T BREATHE!" Steve rasped out, his air supply being completely cut off by Mark's hand wrapped around his throat.

Chalice fished through her closet, a smile on her face, knowing her baby boy was sleeping peacefully in his nursery. She picked out a pair of pajama pants with a tank top that showed off the tops of her breasts. It was an Undertaker set that was purple and black as she slipped it on before walking over to the mirror, brushing out her black hair. She'd let it go back natural and smiled at her reflection, her stomach a little big from the pregnancy. After the six weeks was over from recuperation, she was going to hit the gym and get her old body back in shape. Chalice stopped what she was doing, hearing commotion downstairs, and immediately bolted out of her room and down them, her blue eyes widening in shock. "Mark, put him down right now!!" She ordered, rushing over to them, and tried to break her husband's grip off of her brother's neck. "Mark stop it!! He can't breathe, you monster!!"

Mark reluctantly dropped Steve, wanting to tear the man limb from limb. "I lost him, Challie!" Steve gasped out, looking panicked, stumbling away, a hand on his throat as he coughed a few times to get the air back in his lungs. "I lost Marcus!" Growling, Mark tensed as if he would go for Steve's throat again, his green eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

"Good fucking god you two!" She growled back at them, planting her hands on her hips, and sighed exasperatedly. "Stevie, II/I took MY son upstairs to sleep in his nursery while you were sleeping. You two really need to stop overreacting like this or else I'm taking MY son and LEAVING!" She shouted at them angrily and stormed upstairs, flipping them both the bird on her way up, and walked into Marcus's room since he was crying from the outbursts. "Shhh I'm here, Marcus." She cooed and picked him up, holding her baby close as she started bouncing him, calming him down.

Mark and Steve both trudged to the kitchen. Mark pulled out two longnecks and handed one to Steve before both men dropped down at the table, clinking their bottles together. They popped off the caps and took long swigs, not sure what to say to the other. Steve rubbed a hand over his bald head and asked, "She got that…post partum shit?"

"God I hope not." Mark groaned in reply, looking alarmed.

"That makes two of us. I don't know if I could handle that. She was a pill durin' her pregnancy. Could ya imagine her bein' depressed?" Steve's blue eyes widened at the thought.

"No." Mark replied honestly, not wanting to imagine it. "Doesn't matter, we both still love her." Steve agreed with his brother-in-law, taking another long swig of his beer.

"You two have a funny fucking way of showing it. Thanks a lot for making me realize what two DICKHEAD men I have in my fucking life!" She shouted at them, truly hurt that they would even talk about her that way behind her back, tears swelling in her eyes. "I'm SO sorry that my pregnancy put a damper on your fuckin' moods and days, GENTLEMEN, but you know what, fuck it. I hate you both so much right now. You both can sleep on the fuckin' front porch for all I fuckin' care tonight because you're NOT staying in MY fucking house!" She then stormed away from them, having overheard every word, and ran up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door. She locked that door then the one that lead to the bathroom, refusing to come out, having everything she needed in the bedroom for Marcus. She'd set up a bassinet in their bedroom, wanting her son to stay close to them, especially with his tiny form.

"Oh shit." Mark groaned, not believing his wife had overheard what they were talking about, and felt like an ass.

"Hey…What are ya doin'?" Steve demanded when Mark got up. "Answer me!" He snapped, watching as Mark disappeared in the utility room, coming back out with two sleeping bags, and got the picture. "OH…"

"You're camping out with me." Mark said gravely, leading the way to the front porch. Steve grabbed the beer from the fridge, pretty certain they were in for a long, grueling night.

Chalice flat out refused to come out of the bedroom for the remainder of the day. Once night fell, she immediately walked out and locked the front door, putting on the security alarms, and then locked the back door. She then locked all the windows and proceeded to make her some dinner. Marcus was laying in his playpen in the living room as she wiped away her tears. She was truly hurt by what her husband, the man she loved and gave her whole heart too and her brother, the man who'd been there for her entire life, said and couldn't believe they talked bad about her behind her back. "They need to grow a set of balls and tell this shit to my face or I swear I'll leave both of their asses and take my son somewhere." She threatened, meaning what she said, and threw the oranges away, feeling sick at the thought of them since that was her craving throughout her pregnancy.

Mark and Steve had built a bonfire in the front yard, not even bothering to attempt going inside for anything to eat, not that they were hungry. Instead, they both just sat in front of the fire, nursing their beers, wondering how the Hell they were going to make this one up to her. "Roses?" Steve suggested, knowing his sister's love for white ones.

"If you want them stuck up your ass…" Mark growled, downing his third beer, and threw the bottle in the fire before dropping his head in shame.

Hearing Marcus whimpering, Chalice smiled tiredly as she walked over, lifting him up in her arms, the shades drawn so she didn't have to look at the scum that was in her front yard. She then sat down on the couch, rocking her baby boy back and forth, and proceeded to feed him. She smiled as she ran her finger down his cheek and kissed his forehead softly, allowing him to have his fill before putting him over her shoulder and burping him. "That's my beautiful boy…" She murmured softly to him in a soothing voice.

"How bout we build her somethin'?" Steve suggested once more, wanting to get back in his sister's good graces fast.

"Steve, we can't be buying our asses' outta this. She's not stupid." Mark sighed, tossing another bottle into the fire before laying down on top of his sleeping bag, finishing his fourth beer. "Best be apologizing is what we need to do."

"Written?" Steve asked hopefully, not wanting to face his sister.

"You're chicken shit, Austin you know that?"

"No, I'm smart. This way, if she don't accept the apology, we ain't around to get jack slapped or somethin'." Steve argued, sitting on his own sleeping bag, his knees bent, and had his elbows resting on them.

"Steve, this was the kinda talk that got us in trouble." Mark reminded him, groaning, and stared up at the stars, wishing he was inside with his wife and son. "Think she locked the doors?"

"Just as sure as I got balls."

After putting Marcus to sleep, Chalice laid him in his playpen on his stomach, since that was his favorite sleeping position, and sighed sadly. Why did her brother and husband have to be such fucking pricks? They could be standing here with her watching Marcus fall asleep and felt the tears burn her eyes. She hadn't meant to be so mean during her pregnancy toward them, but damn it, it was her hormones! How could she stop or control them? Shaking her head, Chalice walked over and laid on the couch, curling up in a tight ball, and sobbed silently to herself.

After having herself a decent cry, Chalice finally picked up her son and headed upstairs to bed. She didn't care about her husband at the moment, deciding if he wasn't going to show her any love then she was going to reciprocate those feelings. She decided to have Marcus sleep with her in the bedroom, shutting the door behind her, locking it along with the adjoining one. She knew Mark could get through the garage, since the door didn't have a lock on it, and set Marcus in the bassinet. She then laid down on the bed and just stared at the wall, crying silently, not wanting to wake up her son.

When it got too cold out, Mark said enough of this shit and found a way inside, Steve following. He pointed to the couch before heading upstairs, hesitantly trying the door. Sighing regretfully when he found it to be locked. Mark settled down against the wall, his feet planted near the door, and hung his head. He planned on sleeping right there. As close to Chalice and Marcus as he could.

Halfway through the night, Marcus started screaming, causing Chalice to bolt up off the bed, and immediately picked him up in her arms. She sighed, knowing he needed to be fed, and was too tired to feed him through her breasts since they were sore. She unlocked the door and walked out, almost tripping over Mark's huge legs, and grunted as she held her son protectively against her. "Damn it, Mark!" She growled at him and stomped down the stairs, needing to warm up a bottle for Marcus as he continued to cry.

Mark got up and followed her, taking Marcus from her even though she shot him a deadly look, holding his son against him, and rubbing his back soothingly. "Momma's heating up a bottle right now, little man." He cooed, listening as Marcus calmed down somewhat, now nuzzling his shirt as if searching for his food.

"Give me my son. I need to feed him." She ordered, extending her arms to her husband, and growled when he refused to hand him over. "Fine, you wanna feed him? FINE!" She shouted, thrusting the warm bottle in his direction, and stormed away from him and up the stairs. Too tired to deal with this shit right now. He'd really hurt her, but all she wanted to do was sleep at the moment and knew he'd take care of Marcus. "Fuckin' prick." She muttered, slipping into the bed as she wiped away a few stray tears that fell down her cheeks.

Mark sat down at the table, cooing as he fed Marcus. He didn't think about Chalice, just focused on his son and spending time with him. He wasn't surprised when Steve padded into the kitchen and joined them, just sighed. "She hates me." He murmured softly.

"Nah, she's just pissed at us." Steve assured his brother-in-law, patting his shoulder.

Mark smiled down at his son. "Easy there, tiger, drink it slow." He whispered, tugging away the bottle. "Get some air into them lungs, son."

Finally deciding she couldn't sleep, not without her son, Chalice turned on the television, flipping through the channels, boiling with anger. She couldn't believe Mark would actually say those things about her behind her back. Even though Steve said most of them. She knew she shouldn't be upset, but after everything that happened, she thought Mark would defend her. Apparently, they were closer than Chalice ever thought and shook her head as she stared down at her wedding ring. Anger coursed through her body as she took it off and put it on the nightstand before flipping it to a movie.

Steve studied Mark thoughtfully, taking in the haggard look on his face. The circles under his eyes. Steve whistled when he seen an actual lock of pure gray hair streaking through Mark's tresses. "Damn, ya are gettin' old." He murmured.

Mark just nodded, burping Marcus before standing up. "Night Steve." He muttered, heading up the stairs, walking into the bedroom, cradling against his shoulder as he stared down at his wife. Not missing the fact that she wasn't wearing her ring and it was on the nightstand.

Chalice lay on the bed, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and immediately stood up when she seen Mark walk in with her baby boy. She took Marcus from him and laid him down in the bassinet. She completely ignored his presence as she pulled the comforter back and slipped under it, the bed big enough for both of them, and turned the TV off. She rolled over on her side, facing away from him, not wanting to look at him right now. Chalice wanted him to hurt as much as he'd hurt her by talking about her like that behind her back and breathed out shakily, sniffling a little and closed her eyes.