A/N t&a: Sends out massive amounts of chicken nuggets to all. You're all beautiful and wonderful and this story wouldn't be as fun for us to write without you. So, thank you.

We don't think we need to tell you this but, we don't own.

3

I fell asleep beneath you
In the tall blades of grass
When I woke the world was new
I never had to ask.

It's a brand new day
The sun is shining
It's a brand new day
For the first time in such a long time
I know I'll be okay.

Most kind of stories save the best part for last
And most stories have a hero who finds
You make your past your past.
"Brand New Day" Joshua Radin

I wake up curled around Bella. Her back is pressed to my front, her hair tickles my face and our legs are tangled. I slide my hand over the hill of her belly. The belly that our baby is growing in. I'm still so amazed, so shocked, so fucking excited that in two months we're going to have an addition to our family.

I slide my foot up and down her bare leg in tandem with my hand running over her belly. She hasn't been able to stand sleeping with anything more than a beater and underwear on—she wakes up sweating and irritated.

I think she's really cute when she's irritated. She doesn't agree.

The best decision that I ever made was going back for her. The best. Because she wouldn't have told me. I would've lost the greatest fucking thing ever because of fear, because of my pride, because I was a jumping to conclusions jackass.

Bella hums and wiggles against me, pressing her ass against my morning wood and I groan.

"Are you awake?" I whisper.

"I am now." She chuckles sleepily and rolls over to face me before rubbing her nose against mine.

I think it's the cutest damn thing that it takes her so long to move around. I put my arms around her and press my lips against hers. "I feel like a pervert." I rub her hair back from her face.

"That's cause you are," she says with another laugh and runs her fingers lazily up and down my back.

I give her a dramatic frown and shake my head. "No, I'm serious. I'm all like hard and shit against the belly. What if the nugget can feel me?"

Her hand doesn't pause its ministrations up and down my back as she giggles. "He can't feel it. And if he does he thinks it's another hand. Or maybe Finn's foot."

I narrow my eyes. "I told him to stop rubbing your belly with his feet."

"It's fine. He has very gentle feet. I love that he likes to rub my belly." She places two kisses on my nose.

I slide my hand down her back and over her ass. "He has hands."

"He's four. Any way he wants to show the nugget love, I'm a fan of," she says with another little laugh. "Now I have to pee. I really miss bladder control."

"But." I pout and tighten my hold on her. "I want you to stay here."

"As sweet as I should think that is, if you keep squeezing me, bad bad things will happen."

I groan, lean in and kiss her again before I release her. "Fine. I'll just be here. By myself. Alone."

She rolls her eyes. "I could get Walt and Nemo if you'd like company."

"Don't insult yourself like that," I say and swat her ass when she stands up. "You're a lot more cuddly than they are. Plus, you have boobs. They'd probably just follow you into the bathroom."

She just laughs and saunters into the bathroom. She's so fucking sexy. She was already sexy but seeing her all swollen with my baby makes her a million times hotter.

I groan, rub my face with my hands and roll over. I need to get out of this bed. Savannah is bringing the kid over soon. But all I want to do is lie in bed with her.

She comes out of the bathroom combing her hair with a pair of shorts on. "Why'd you put those on?" I whine.

"Cause Finn doesn't need to see my ever expanding rear," she says and hits me with a pillow. "Come on, lazy, get out of bed and I promise not to cook."

"Promise?" I ask as I swing my legs off of the bed and get up. "The floor's cold," I say and wrap my arms around her waist before sliding my hands over her ass again and squeeze. "I like your ever expanding rear."

She presses up on her toes and kisses me. "That's a really good thing, cause I don't think it's getting any smaller."

I smile against her lips. "Whatever. It's still hot." I press my lips to hers three quick times and then pull away. "I need to go get dressed before Finn gets here. He doesn't need to see my ever expanding gut."

She splays her hand on my stomach and rubs it. "I like your sympathy belly."

I snort. "Sympathy belly? Are you implying that I'm getting fat?"

"Never. You're still the only guy I want to see naked."

"Oh, thank god," I say dramatically and slap a hand against my chest. She laughs. "And ditto." I squeeze her ass again and then really step away. "Now, I seriously need to shower."

*pco*

"Why are you encouraging this?" I ask as I drop down on the couch next to Savannah. Bella and Finn are fawning over the big, stuffed blue dog he got for the baby. "He thinks he's getting a brother just because he wants a brother."

She laughs and bumps her shoulder against mine. "You think you're getting a daughter just because you want a daughter," she counters.

I ignore her. "Huck, your sister is not going to want a blue dog."

Bella leans over and whispers something in his ear. He looks at me and says, "My brotha is gonna want a blue dog." And then he sticks his tongue out at me.

Both women laugh. I roll my eyes. "You're gonna have to let go of these delusions, kid. We're getting a girl."

He giggles and runs over to stand in between my legs. I reach down and pull him up onto my lap. "Daddy, a sista can't play baseball with us."

"That's not true." I shake my head and tighten my arms around him before leaning in to whisper in his ear. "Did you tell Bella that she's getting a surprise today?"

He turns to look over his shoulder at her. "Issybella, you're getting a present today!" he says excitedly.

"I am?" Bella asks with a wide smile. "It's not my birthday…"

Finn shakes his head and looks at Savannah. "Momma, tell Issybella that it doesn't need to be her birfday to get presents. Right?"

Savannah grins. "Right, baby." She stands up and presses a kiss to the top of his head. "I have to go or I'm gonna be late for work. Call me later and tell me how Bella likes the present?"

"She's gonna love it," Finn says. "It's a—"

I clamp my hand over his mouth. "If you tell her it's not gonna be a surprise, Huck."

"Should I close my eyes?" Bella asks.

Savannah laughs and leans over to kiss her cheek. "Let me know if you need anything," she tells her.

"You don't need to close your eyes, Issybella," Finn informs her. "We have to go pick him up. Daddy, can we go now?"

"Yes." I run my hand over his head and kiss his forehead. "But first, go ask Bella if she needs anything while we're out."

He jumps off of my lap and runs over to the other couch. He curls up into her side and puts a hand on her belly. "Issybella, do you need anything while we're out?"

Her arm wraps around him and she leans in to kiss his forehead. "French fries and chocolate ice cream, please."

"From McDonalds?" His eyes light up because, yeah, he's my kid.

"Sounds perfect, Finn, the baby is craving it."

He jumps off of her couch and runs back over to me. "Daddy, we hafta go. Harry is hungwy. So we hafta hurry."

I stand up and put my hand on his head, ruffling his hair. "Who is Harry?"

He looks at me like I'm retarded. Bella giggles. "The baby," he says.

I look at Bella. "We are not naming our girl Harry."

She holds up her hands. "I'm not taking sides here. I'm still voting for being surprised."

I lean over her and press a kiss against her lips before leaning down and kissing her belly. "Call me if you need anything?" I ask her.

She nods and then Finn jumps up on the couch. He kisses Bella's cheek and then her belly. "Call us if you need anything," he says.

*pco*

After I park the car I jump out and let Finn out. He's vibrating with his excitement. "Daddy, Issybella is gonna love her present," he says as he wraps his arms around my neck.

I love carrying him. Honestly, I don't know how much longer this I can carry him period is going to last. I don't know how much longer he's going to want me to carry him.

I lock the car and start walking towards the animal shelter. "You think she wants a puppy?"

He shakes his head and puts his hand on my throat. "We have two puppies."

"What about… a fish?"

His hand goes to my cheek. I look at his face and can't hold back my smile. "She can't hug a fish," he informs me. "It would die."

I nod in understanding. "A hamster like the Mr. Abraham Lincoln you have at school?"

He shakes his head. "Too small."

I sigh in mock exasperation. "So what should we get her?"

He presses his cheek into my shoulder and hums for a second while he thinks about it. After a minute his head pops back up. "What about a cat?" he asks.

I pretend to think for a minute even though this kid is too fucking smart for his own good. "You think Walt and Nemo will like having a cat around?" I ask as I pull the door to the shelter open.

He nods enthusiastically. "They'll have a baby to take care of," he says. "Like me. I'm gonna have a baby brotha to take care of."

I nod and try to hold my smile back. "You're getting a sister," I tell him and walk us over to the cat selection. "You like any of these?"

He takes a minute to look at all of his options before pointing and nodding enthusiastically. "I like him," he says and points at a cute little black and white kitten. "He looks like oreos."

I laugh, nod and squeeze him tighter. "I like him too."

I look around for someone that works here. Once we're finally all done we walk out. I've got a kitten in a kennel in one hand and a kid that wants to hold him in the other.

"Daddy, we can't forget," he says. "We hafta get Issybella fwench fwies and ice cweam."

"She's lucky to have you around, kid. Are you hungry?"

He nods enthusiastically. "I want nuggets."

*pco*

When I unlock the door to the house, Finn bursts in before I can even get it open all the way. "Issybella!" he shouts. "We got food and your pwesent."

My hands are full of kitten and food but I strain my ears to hear her response. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she says as I kick the front door shut.

When I walk into the living room, Finn is cuddled up against her and rubbing the belly again. "My arms are going to be sore tomorrow," I complain and kick my shoes off.

Bella's eyes are trained on the kennel hanging from my hand. "You brought home a new friend?"

"Issybella, don't look!" Finn says and covers her eyes with his little hands. "Daddy, take him out."

I put the food on the counter so that the dogs can't reach it even though they're more preoccupied sniffing the front of the kennel. I open it up and take the kitten into my arms before walking over to them. I sit down on Bella's other side.

"Huck, let Bella open her eyes now," I tell him. The kitten is so small in my hands.

He drops his hands, one goes to her shoulder the other to her belly, and bounces on his heels. "Issybella, open your eyes."

Her eyes open slowly and land on the squirming kitten in my hands. And then they widen. "Oh he's so small," she says and reaches out. "Is he mine?"

I place the kitten in her hands. The smile on her face rivals Finn's on Christmas. "He's all yours," I tell her and kiss the side of her forehead.

"Except Walt and Nemo hafta take care of him. He's their little brotha. Like the baby is mine," Finn says and rubs her belly again.

Bella's eyes get watery and I stroke the back of her head. "Big brothers are very important. The baby will love you extra special." As Finn nods and continues rubbing her belly, Bella cuddles the kitten against her face.

"You like him?" I whisper into her ear.

She looks up at me through big brown eyes and gives me a huge, heartbreaking smile. "He's perfect. Good practice for us all—having something so tiny in the house." She tilts her head up and presses her lips to mine. "I love him, and my boys. Thank you."

"Issybella, can we name him Dobby?"

Her eyes light up and she grins at him. "Absolutely. He looks just like a Dobby." She presses a kiss to Finn's head and he gives her a big, proud smile.

I give them a mock frown. "I wanted to name him after me."

Finn half huffs half laughs. "Daddy, we would get confused," he says. "If Issybella says your name you won't know if she's talking to you or the cat."

Bella giggles. I laugh and rub the top of his head. "You're right, kid. When did you get so smart?"