A/N: Sorry for the delay. Time slipped away from me. I really can't believe it's almost May, pretty soon it'll be Xmas all over again. Anyway, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS. Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty-Two

It took several minutes to get up the stairs and with a sigh of relief, Kimberly let go of the railing to approach the bedroom that had been turned into storage. Boxes upon boxes were inside, some on top of a mattress that possessed no comforter or sheets. The room used to be Angel and Jerry's but now it was going to be turned into a nursery.

Fifteen minutes later she was shifting through boxes from where she was perched on the bed. The front door opened and shut just as she opened another box but she kept herself busy, pulling out items and sorting through what could be saved and what could be possibly put into a garage sale.

Bobby's heavy steps alerted her to his arrival and she knew without looking up from the box that he was hovering in the doorway. "Did you get noodles?"

"Actually, we ran into Angel and La Vida Loca. They brought KFC so Marley and I just picked up some sodas."

"I thought we agreed to cut down on caffeine around here."

He leaned against the doorframe. "We did. I picked up a 2-liter of 7up and some Sprite."

"Sprite has caffeine in it genius."

"I'm still allowed to have caffeine damn it."

She looked up from the box. "Well, I can't damn it."

"And you've gone months without it, what's the big deal? There's plenty of water in the fridge."

"You can be pretty dense sometimes Bobby Mercer."

His eyebrows rose. "What happened in the fifteen minutes I was gone? Is this just a mood swing or something? Cause I can take my ass back downstairs if the plan is to attack me."

Kimberly frowned and snapped the lid shut on the box with a flick of her wrist. "The plan was to sort through these boxes and get rid of things that are simply taking up space. And from the looks of things," She rose from the bed as smoothly as she could and slapped the object that had been in her hand against his chest, "you've got a lot of junk."

Bobby looked down at the swimsuit calendar, the coy smile on the face Anita flashing back at him. "I wondered where this went." He glanced back up when she snorted. "You want me to throw this away don't you?"

"Why the hell would you keep it?!"

"She signed it!" He motioned at the front cover where there was scribbled writing across the image of the model in a bathing suit. "It's worth a lot of money! I could put it on Ebay and-"

"I'm going to chop off your dick and put it on Ebay if you don't get rid of that Bobby!"

His eyes widened, nostrils flaring. "It's just a calendar Princess, there's no need to get all excited and start throwing out threats I know you already regret making."

"I mean it Bobby. Get rid of it."

"How about instead I box it back up and we forget we ever saw it?"

She exhaled harshly out her nose and slapped her hands onto her hips. "What is so important about that calendar that you can't throw it away? Or burn it, burning it is good." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do not even laugh!"

Bobby covered the chuckle threatening to escape with a cough. He tossed the calendar onto a box and reached out to pull her close, Kimberly remaining stiff.

"Stop it." She muttered. "We're in the middle of a discussion."

"I can't get enough of you when you get all jealous and fired up." He pressed his lips against hers and drew back with a grin. "You try so hard not to kiss me back when I know you want to."

"There's a thin line between arrogance and confidence Bobby."

Smirking, he kissed her again, not pulling away this time until she responded to the light caress. "Is it still arrogance when you know you're right?" He actually did laugh as she poked him in the stomach to no avail. "Look, if you want me to throw it away, I'll throw it away Princess."

Kimberly rested her forehead against his chest. "It might be a mood swing but I still don't want it within a hundred feet of me."

"You're sexier than any girl on any calendar or magazine baby, you know that."

"I don't feel sexy right now." She mumbled into his shirt, "And there's a difference between a sexy nameless girl and a sexy girl you're fucked staring back at me with half of her goods flashing out at me."

"You think Anita's sexy?"

"Bobby!" She pulled back and punched him in the stomach harder than before, Bobby actually grunting at the contact. "You are an asshole!"

He was laughing as he jerked her gently back to him despite her protests. "I was an asshole long before I met you Princess and now look at you." He grinned down at her. "You can't get enough of me."

"I just might be sick."

"That makes two of us." Angel grinned from the door. "Dinner's ready. Stop making out and come downstairs." He paused from turning to head back down. "Hey! My calendar! I've been looking for this!"

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Kimberly shifted in the desk chair for what felt like the hundredth time. Her feet hurt, her back ached and she wanted something to eat, again. Impatiently she hit the intercom buzzer on her phone. She waited for a split second then hit it four more times.

"Okay, okay!" Melody came rushing through the door, a stack of envelopes in her hand. "Calm down will ya?"

Kimberly made a frantic motion for the envelopes, almost practically snatching them away. "I'm starting to think paying you by the hour is a bad idea. Can you get me a sandwich or something?"

"Didn't you just eat like-" Melody froze as Kimberly looked up slowly from the envelopes. "What kind of sandwich would you like Boss?"

"One that doesn't talk back."

Melody giggled. "Sandwiches don't-"

"Mel?"

"Right. I'll go do that. There's a call for you on line one by the way."

"Who is it?"

"What am I, psychic?"

Kimberly pushed her glasses up her nose and narrowed her eyes. "No but you're about to be unemployed."

"Well aren't we just a cranky pregnant lady today." Melody smiled. "It's the man responsible for your current not so lovely mood."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Kimberly snatched up the phone from the cradle. "Hello Bobby."

"Hello Wife."

She couldn't stop herself from smiling at that but it disappeared as Melody made a cooing noise. She raised her middle finger. Chuckling, Melody exited the room, shutting the door behind her. "We're not married yet Bobby."

"So? I'm practicing."

"What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong? Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice."

"You never call me Bobby. What's wrong?"

"I do too call."

Kimberly sighed and rested her chin on her palm. "Bobby…"

"I want to get married baby." He admitted quickly. "You're eight months and soon the baby will be here and I want to be married when he gets here."

"Being married first matters to you?"

"Being with you matters. I want you to be my wife."

She smiled softly and leaned back into her chair, her hand resting on the large curve of her stomach. "I don't have a dress big enough to fit into Bobby…"

"It doesn't have to be big and fancy right now Kimmy. We can do another ceremony after the baby comes. What do you say?"

"You want to get married right now?"

He chuckled into the phone. "Yes, I want to get married right now."

"But-" She looked down at the ring on her finger. "Okay. What do we do? Where are you?"

"I'm downstairs in the parking garage."

"What?" She sat up straighter in her seat. "You're what?"

"I'm downstairs." He chuckled. "I thought I would kidnap you if at first you said no. Guess now would be a good time to tell you Jerry got ordained just so he could do the service."

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It was like a dream, a fast pace moving dream that was never going to end.

Kimberly surveyed the nursery with a satisfied eye. Her hands stroked her round stomach as she took the crib, toys, and furniture that she had collected. Everything was better these last few months leading up to delivery. She was due in less than four weeks, she was married to a man she loved more than she could ever possibly describe, and along with her father, Marley was a light in the darkness that had once been a giant, dark void in her life.

It was getting close to Thanksgiving as well. Each day that drew closer to it she couldn't help but notice Bobby's attitude fluctuate dramatically. There days when he was carefree and in a good mood but then there days where he didn't even talk and she knew it had to do with Evelyn.

Seven years had passed since she had been murdered and even now Bobby still struggled with dealing with the loss of someone he loved without end. He rarely talked about it with her and when she brought it up, he simply pressed his body into hers and allowed her to hold him. Those moments of weakness were rare and she appreciated them for what they meant to their relationship.

Kimberly reached out to drift her fingers across the blue padding of the bed. Bobby had been furious when she had purchased the twelve hundred bed set for the crib. She still remembered the day like it was yesterday; his face red and fists clenched as he fought hard to not yell at her. She had simply let him have his say before quietly telling him she was going to buy only the best for their children and if it meant spending every penny she had that's what she would do. It was a last minute decision to add that if he didn't appreciate that fact he could take his frustrated ass to the couch and sleep it off.

She smiled at the memory of how he had snapped his jaw shut before stomping away. An hour later he came back to tell her they could keep it. Again she let him have his say, simply smiling before pressing a kiss to his lips and leaving him to set the crib up with the new comforter.

Arms encircled her waist and still smiling she leaned back. "I thought you were going to be at work until six."

"I took off early." Bobby nuzzled her shoulder, his hands finding her stomach under the maternity shirt she wore. "How's my little man?"

"Sleeping." She closed her eyes. "I want to be sleeping but every time I lay down he wakes up and starts working out with my organs."

"Doctor Santos did say babies like movement."

"That she did." Smiling, she opened her eyes and turned to wrap her arms around his waist, her face pressing against his neck. "I love you Bobby."

Bobby pressed his lips against hers. "I love you too Princess." He smiled down as he pulled away. "I'm going to get Marley from Jerry's and go to the store. Do you need anything?"

Immediately she pouted at him. "I wanted to go to the store."

"There's no need for you to baby; it'd be safer if I went by myself."

"I want to go to the store." She repeated sternly. "I've been in this house for two days straight and I want to go out."

"Princess-"

"Besides, you don't even know what we need!"

"I'll make a list real quick."

"I'm going! You can stay here." She scowled as he chuckled. "Don't even try me right now Bobby Mercer. This is not the time for one of your male ego trips. I'll go get my coat."

"Fine but I'm going to carry you to the car. There's a rough patch of ice on the walkway."

Kimberly narrowed her eyes at him. "That better be a joke."

"Hell no it's not a joke baby! You could fall and hurt yourself and the baby out there!"

"I do not want you to carry me to the car." She moved past him into the hall and he followed her to their room. "I can make it just fine; in fact I checked the mail while you were gone."

"I told you not to go outside without someone here!"

She grabbed her coat from the closet and whirled to face him. "Since when did I become a prisoner in my own house? Bobby Mercer, you are the most infuriating man I've ever met!" She jerked her jacket on, brushing him away when he moved forward to help. "I've got it!"

Bobby chuckled, his hands lowering slowly. "Alright Princess."

"I can go out in the snow whenever I want." She muttered grabbing her purse and scarf off the dresser. She looped the soft material around her neck. "If you think I'm going to sit around here and twiddle my thumbs until the baby comes you're sadly mistaken. I might have agreed to work from home but it doesn't mean I have relinquished control to you."

"I've never once assumed that Kimmy."

"No? Well, you've got a funny way of showing it."

"Despite being a walking hormone bomb, I love every single thing about you and I know I show it all the time, thank you very much."

"I am not a walking hormone bomb!"

"You are a damn hormone bomb with selective hearing!"

"Fuck you!"

Bobby burst out laughing and grabbed for her, smile deepening when she swatted his hands away but barely fought him as he pulled her to him. "That hurts my feelings baby." He smiled down at her. "Make it up to me. Tell me you love me."

"I love you."

He cocked an eyebrow at how dryly the words came out. "I know you do. Say it again."

Kimberly leaned into him as he pressed his hands against the slope of her stomach. "I love you."

"I love you too Princess." He kissed her forehead. "Let's go to the store."

"What about Marley?"

"Let her play with Danielle and Amelia a little while longer. We'll call Jerry when we're done." He paused. "Unless you want to do something different."

"No, that's fine. She enjoys spending time over there so there's no rush."

Nodding, he slipped his hand through hers, threading their fingers together. "I love you Kimberly."

The sudden emotion in his voice had her frowning and she squeezed his fingers. "I know you do Bobby."

"I just wanted to say it again. I know I don't say it enough and lately…"

She pressed her fingers against his lips. "You don't have to explain yourself to me." She smiled and lowered her hand. "I love you. I love our family and that's enough for me." She squeezed his fingers again. "Let's go."

"Can I carry you to the car?"

"Bobby!"