Title: It's a Wonderful Life
Chapter 10: The Honeymoon's Over Or Now What?
Time: December 2008 (after the sixth season of Reba and beyond)
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Previously-
Reba turned to the wall and cried. She wondered if her marriage was real at all. She wondered if Brock had used her to get close to their son. She couldn't believe that she was married to a man who was the father of her son, and she still didn't remember sleeping with him in the first place. She hoped that Brock would be able to save their son...
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out! Keep reading to find out more!
The answers to the questions above will be revealed as you read the story. Here is "It's a Wonderful Life!"
Now on with our next chapter-
Brock tried to make his way down the hall. That's when Max Thornton found him. He'd already spoken to a very distraught Reba.
"I don't know whether to knock your lights out or thank you." Max eyed him with suspicion. He still took on the job of protecting Reba.
"I'd hope that you'd thank me. I'd prefer it if you didn't knock my lights out," he responded with a chuckle.
"You're a funny guy, Hart. Don't get me wrong. I'm really steamed about the way that you married Reba, but that doesn't matter now. I just want to thank you for forcing Reba out into the open. Mike and John are better off knowing the truth. He's a great kid. You're a lucky man."
Brock genuinely liked this guy. He seemed to be after what was best for the kids. He also really seemed to want Reba to be happy. "Hey, Reba has explained that she's worked out a family arrangement with you and Mike. I'm not here to disrupt that. I think that there ought to be room in their lives for all of us."
"Reba's not very happy right now. She's really upset about what happened with Mike. She's confused about that night in Vegas. She doesn't remember anything. She wonders why you came forward like this."
"I've loved her since the first moment that I laid eyes on her. I was stupid and foolish to let her get away. I married her because I love her. Even though I love her, I'm not the type to keep quiet about something so important. I don't want to lie to her or the kids."
"Actions speak louder than words with Reba. You're gonna have to get a paternity test done. She needs proof. Right now, we need to get tested to determine the best match to save John."
"I'm right behind ya." Brock followed Max down the hall to the lab.
The testing process was swift. Max got the doctor to order a paternity test, along with the other necessary tests. Just to prove a point, Max and Brock decided to have all three men tested. Knowing Reba, it would save everyone a lot of time and confusion. Max knew that Reba wasn't sure who she was with in Vegas. She often suspected him of being John's biological father, especially since he was so handy with John's medical issues. He just never had the heart to lie to her. Something told him that Brock was telling the truth. He didn't use the information to force Reba into anything.
Max just wished that he wouldn't have allowed himself to get in so deep with his feelings for Reba again. He knew how she felt when they started the affair. It wasn't her fault that she didn't fall in love with him again. He knew that Mike would come first. Max had to admire how Brock was handling the situation. He got Reba to marry him, instead of Mike. That was progress. The kids seemed to like him and accepted their mother's sudden marriage quite well.
The doctor came back with the news. Brock was a genetic match for his son. The surgery was scheduled for the next day. Brock would be donating part of his liver to save his son's life. Max paid for a rush on the paternity results. Brock now had those results in his hand. He was torn between going to see his son or his wife. With results in hand, he went to see his angry wife. He hadn't seen her in two whole days. He wanted to finally talk to her about their situation, facts in hand. The rest of the family was surprisingly cooperative about the situation. The kids spent time with their mother, singing Brock's praises to her.
John refused to discuss the paternity test until the results were back, but he at least agreed to see Brock in the meantime. That was something that Reba refused to do. Brock settled on safe topics of discussion. It was nice getting to know his son. It was a bittersweet moment because he knew that the dream would end soon. He'd be back to a reality where his son was dead. The possibility did exist that Reba could make different choices in 1983 that would save John's life. Brock shook with fear at the thought of Reba deciding to wipe out their entire life together just to be with Mike and John. Did he mean so little to her? What about Cheyenne, Kyra, Jake, and Elizabeth?
He loved John, too, but it was too big of a sacrifice to wipe out their entire family. He prayed for God's wisdom to help guide him through. He prayed that Reba would have another chance to be a mother to Maggie and John. He prayed for another chance to be her husband and their father. He ran his fingers through his hair and approached the room to Reba's hospital room.
He knocked on the door. He heard her softly answer with a gentle "come in." He slowly opened the door, poking his head in. "Even me?"
Reba nodded. Brock sat down in the chair beside the bed. Neither one of them knew how to break the silence. Finally, Brock cleared his throat.
"I have this for you." Brock handed her the paternity results.
"Well, you three were certainly thorough," she responded after glancing at it.
"We agreed that it was best for everything to be out in the open to avoid any confusion." Brock racked his fingers through his sandy locks.
Reba couldn't help but eye his actions with interest despite herself. She found the way that he did that quite endearing and attractive. She was really getting desperate. She had gone from having her needs met nightly to a complete dry spell, and she was a newlywed, for crying out loud. She didn't think that it was so wrong for her to want to know what it was like to make love to her husband. She had to remember that she was mad at him. He'd deceived her. He might even possibly be using her, but he was doing everything that he could to save their child's life. She kept watching him. She licked her lips. She was more interested in him than the paper in her hand.
Brock saw her staring at him. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"
Reba looked down at the paper again. "No, I'm fine. Wow, this was the last thing that I expected when I saw you four days ago."
"I can imagine. I was thinking about what Mike said. When I look at John, I do see both of us in him."
"Yeah, I noticed that yesterday when I visited him. I'm a little blown away. I have a child with a man and I don't remember doing...you know." Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"What?" Brock enjoyed watching her blush.
"Doing ring-a-ding. With you, that is. Do you remember?" Reba's voice stumbled over the words.
Brock chuckled. "Yeah, Sunshine. I remember every time."
Reba blushed again. "I'd like to try something if you don't mind." She held her hands out to him.
Brock scooted closer to her bed and put his hands in hers.
"Now, open your mind. I want you to remember things about us that I can't. Show me the things that I can't remember."
Brock did as she asked. He opened his mind and let a whirlwind of memories wash over him. Once he started, he couldn't stop. This Reba was treated to visions of memories that didn't make sense to her. She couldn't understand why so many memories flew at her. It was like they had been together for the entire 25 years since they first met. She didn't understand. She pulled her hands away from his. "What exactly are you showing me?"
Brock sighed, not quite knowing how to explain what just happened. "Have you seen the movie, The Family Man?"
"Yeah, I think that everyone wishes that they could see what life would be like if they'd make a different choice."
Brock looked deeply into her eyes and sighed. "That's what this is." Reba tried to pull her hands away from Brock's, but he wouldn't let her. "It's not that I have an overactive imagination. You asked me why I act the way I do. I love you, Reba. I always have. I've known you for the last 27 years. It's been my privilege to see your beautiful face every day for the last 24 years."
Reba rolled her eyes at him. "So, you're telling me that we're together in another life. What's this then? You wanted to know what would happen if you chose not to be with me? What happened to change your mind?"
Brock looked down. It wasn't the first time that he'd felt so ashamed of himself for his actions, and it wouldn't be the last. He was a fool to give up on his marriage. He lost the only woman that he truly loved and offered her up to his rival on a silver platter. He knew if he ended up losing Reba to Mike in December it would be his fault. "I live with you in another reality. In my reality, it's a lot like this one only some things are reversed. I'm your ex-husband. We have four children and two grandchildren together."
"Cheyenne, Kyra, and Jake are yours?"
"Ours. Van and Cheyenne never got divorced. They have Elizabeth and a new baby boy. You never married Max. You wore yourself out, trying to provide for Paige and John. You gave birth prematurely. John didn't make it."
Reba's hands flew to her mouth. Tears filled her eyes. "No! I refuse to accept that!"
"Reba, I'm not telling you this to hurt you. You asked me for the truth. You kept your location a secret from everyone but Lori Ann. She finally revealed where you were when your health was in danger. I was there when John was born, and for the two days that he lived. We helped each other through losing him. We found our way to each other. You got pregnant with Cheyenne, and we got married. We moved to Houston."
"What happened? You said that things weren't much different for me in your other life. I had an affair with Mike still, didn't I?"
Brock's hand covered hers reassuringly. "You came back here to visit, but nothing happened. We've always had a passionate relationship. We never cheated on each other while we were together. Eventually, we stopped communicating. We got separated. I ended up with Barbra Jean. We got divorced. You've been back and forth between Mike and Max since then."
"Why are you here? Did you want to win me back?"
"Yes and no. I do want to win you back, but I'm here because I wanted to see what your life would be like if we'd never gotten married. You're getting ready to marry Mike. Apparently, you want to wipe out everything that we've shared because you believe that he's your destiny. You've never even considered the possibility that Mike might not be John's father in that other life. All of this happened because we are meant to be together. I didn't plan any of it. I just want the chance to be a better husband and father. Barbra Jean and I are divorced, and I've been working on winning you back ever since. You're just really stubborn."
Reba laughed sarcastically. "I'm stubborn. Look in the mirror. Don't they have paternity tests in that other world? Why aren't you staking your claim there?"
"It's complicated. I didn't want to push you. I don't want to lose you." Brock ran his fingers over her cheek.
"When do I lose you?" Reba said in a small voice.
"Huh?"
Reba rolled her eyes at him again. "When does this end for you? When do you have to go back to your world, you mo-ron?"
Brock chuckled. "Only you have the power to make that sound like a term of endearment. I love you, Red. I've never stopped. I think that I only have a day or so left. I feel like I might be out of this when John and I go into the surgery."
"That's not a whole lot of time. What happens to us after you wake up? Oh my god, John won't be there when you wake up."
"I know, but it's more important that I'm here with you right now. When I wake up, we're not together anymore."
"Do something about that, you mo-ron! You can't just give up." Reba slapped Brock on the back of the head.
"Don't you think I know that? We've got a chance to have John and Maggie all over again if we end up together."
"We lost another child?"
"Miscarriage. It happened while we were separated. You waited years to tell me about it. You wanted to name her Maggie."
"I know. That's what I wanted to name the baby I lost six years ago."
"See I told you. Same events, different husband. I wanted to find out if you and Mike were truly meant to be together."
"Obviously not. Does Barbra Jean want to be with Mike in that other life?"
"They just met, but there's an attraction there."
"Good, let's put our heads together and work out a plan. The only way that you have a shot at winning me back again is with my help. That sounds so weird. Anyway, let's talk things out."
Reba and Brock spent the rest several hours talking things out. It was the best communication that they'd shared since the early years in their marriage when their relationship was good. Brock was booked into a room for the surgery. Reba insisted on sharing a hospital room with her husband. Together, they worked out a plan for Brock to implement as soon as he got back to his own reality. Brock spent part of the night, lying with Reba wrapped in his arms in her bed. She finally got to share in their memories together.
The uncertain feelings weren't so strange to her anymore. She knew now that she loved him, but she understood why her other self would try to hide that away. She couldn't imagine losing him again. She understood why the other Reba would simply not take the risk. She, on the other hand, was happy that she took the risk. At least, she wasn't losing her husband to another woman. She was sending him back to fulfill their destiny. She was sending him back to save their son and daughter from never being born.
Brock, in the meantime, was afraid of telling her about their trip to 1983. He didn't want her to experience the heartache that he felt at the possibility of wiping their three other children from existence. She loved them. Would she even believe such a crazy tale? He'd already gotten plenty of help from her. He had help from John D and Terry. He knew that he could use his knowledge of the past to keep her from changing their history completely. His plan was simple.
All he had to do was keep her confused and distracted long enough to keep her from marrying Mike in Vegas. As long as the wedding doesn't happen, they return to their own time with their family intact. Well, not quite intact, there was still the matter of stopping her wedding to Mike in 2008. He took a deep breath. He had to concentrate on stopping one wedding at a time.
The kids arrived to see Reba and John first thing in the morning. Brock was in his bed when they arrived. Elizabeth ran up to Brock. "Grampy?"
"Yes, honey." His heart soared at hearing that from her again.
"The man in the corner said that you still need more help." Elizabeth pointed to the corner as she whispered in his ear.
Brock looked at where Elizabeth was pointing. Sure enough, John D was standing in the corner.
"You'll have to get one of the kids to help you. We'll have to send one of them back in time to help you."
Brock rubbed his hand over his face. "That's not going to work. She's going to figure out that I'm there with her. She won't let me near her after that." He kept his voice low so only Elizabeth and John D could hear him.
John D stood with Elizabeth. "She's pretending to be her teenage self, isn't she? She thinks that you are your teenage self. If you show up with one of the kids and introduce them as a relative, what can she say? It's certainly possible for you to have relatives that resemble your children. The perfect one for the job is Cheyenne. Reba will not be able to resist thinking of her. If she thinks about her, she's less likely to go down a road that wipes out Cheyenne's existence."
"I can help show you what to do," Elizabeth whispered. She stopped whispering and turned to her mother. "Look what I can do." Elizabeth changed her mother's hair color from red to blonde. "See."
"Elizabeth Montgomery, you change your mother's hair back right now!" Reba ordered.
"Sorry, Grandma. I just wanted to show Grampy my trick." Elizabeth reluctantly changed Cheyenne's hair back to its red color.
Reba looked at Brock. He was clearly amused by Elizabeth. Reba also had a soft spot for her little granddaughter. Brock held up his hands. "Don't look at me." Brock watched Elizabeth's actions with interest. A light bulb went off in his head. If they changed some of Cheyenne's features, then Reba would be more likely to accept her as one of Brock's relatives. That meant getting Grandma Cheyenne to help.
A nurse wheeled John into his parent's hospital room. "I wanted to see you to thank you for doing this."
"You're my son. I would do anything for you." Brock said, shaking his hand.
Reba watched the exchange between father and son with tears in her eyes. She felt the pain in knowing that Brock wouldn't see their son after this.
John approached his mother's bed. "It's okay, Ma. I'll be okay."
Reba pulled him into a tight hug. She couldn't bear the thought of John being dead. Brock watched her. He knew that it was hard on her to know that John was really dead and this was just a dream. He was glad that he spared her the rest. Brock was surprised when John hugged him. Brock burned this memory into his brain. He knew that someday Reba would want to share this with him.
"I'll be waiting for you after. Thanks for doing this. We've got a lot to catch up on," John said, before the nurse wheeled him out.
The nurse prepped Brock for surgery. Reba was in the room with him, waiting for him to be wheeled out to the OR. "If you don't stop fighting for me, we'll find our way back to each other. I promise. Save us, Brock. Go back and save our marriage. Please save our son. I love you." She gave him one last kiss on the lips before the nurse wheeled him out.
Brock woke up startled in the guest bedroom in Reba's parents' house. He was back in 1983. He had to figure out his next move. When would be the right time to pull Cheyenne into this? He put his hands behind his head and figured out a plan of action. He just hoped that Reba's ideas in the dream would work to win back her heart...
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out in chapter eight of Reba Nell Got Married!
Author's note: This story is finally complete. I will work on Drop Dead Hero and Deceived before I post a new update for Reba Nell Got Married again. I hope that you enjoyed this story.
If anyone has any suggestions on my stories, then I'd love to hear them! Review or Send me a P.M with your suggestions! Please feel free to make any comments that you wish. I may just decide to include it in the story. If I do include one of your suggestions, then I will give you full credit.
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I thank all of you readers for your continued support. Your support really keeps me writing!
Without you, the story wouldn't be continued every week.
Characters I don't own: Reba McKinney, Brock Hart, Barbra Jean Booker, Kyra, Jake, Cheyenne Montgomery, Van Montgomery, Elizabeth Montgomery, Barbra Jean Booker, Henry Hart, Mike Holliway, Terry Holliway, Lori Ann Garner, JV McKinney, Helen McKinney, John D. Hart, Liz Hart, and any other characters from the Reba cast.
Characters I do own: Anyone not part of the Reba cast – original characters developed for this story include: Max Thornton, Cheyenne McEntire-Smith (Nana), Vince McEntire (Papa), Kenneth Smith (Gramps), Paige McKinney, Michael Davis, John McKinney Thornton, Barbara Ann Grant, Kim Campbell-Holliway, Sam Holliway, Jenny Miller, Terry Holliway, Jr., Josh Holliway, Madeline Mitchell (Maddi), Greg Brooks, Jason Holliway, and Maggie.