A/N: Things I should be doing: studying for my AP test. Things I am doing: writing this. I'm sacrificing possible college credit for this, so I hope you enjoy it :)

Chapter 2

Wally sent the two little girls downstairs to watch TV and Kuki watched a small smile ghost his face as their matching, dark ponytails swung as they raced out of the room.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Wally said sliding down to lay on his side, "My beautiful wife and I will get down to business." He pulled Kuki down next to him, their noses brushing lightly.

"Wally…" Kuki giggled. He made her melt. She knew there was something she wanted to say to him, but a few seconds of looking into those blue eyes she so rarely saw made her forget completely. He kissed the tip of her nose, his fingers caught in her long, dark locks, so much like those of their daughters'. Kuki trailed her fingers along his cheek. "You're scratchy. Go shave"

Wally grinned at her and rubbed his stubbly cheek against her smooth one. "Stop, stop, stop!" Kuki giggled and squirmed, finding herself suddenly locked in Wally's arms.

A cry. They both froze. "Crud," Wally muttered. He loosened his arms from around her body. They had woken up the baby. Wally loved each of their children immensely, more than anything else in the world, but he could definitely do without the crying. And there would be another soon. Wally placed his hand on Kuki's newly showing baby bump. Five kids.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Kuki quoted, "I will go get Max out of his bed." She kissed Wally quickly on the lips, rolled out of bed, and walked away.

Wally, realizing he had yet to see or hear one of their daughters that morning, stretched his arms above his head and got out of bed. He brushed some of his too long blonde hair out of his eyes and went off in search of his middle daughter. Wally opened a bedroom door to find Kaida still asleep. He wasn't surprised; the three year old was the sleeper out of all their kids. Kaida looked more like Wally than her sisters. Her hair wasn't definitively brown; it was, as he often put it, "trying" to be blonde. And she had his eyes, which Kuki loved.

"Kay-kay, it's time to wake up, bug." Wally rubbed his daughter's back and saw her eyes slowly open. She gave him a lazy, morning smile.

"Daddy." He swung the little girl into his arms and proceeded down the stairs, where he could hear that the ruckus known as breakfast had begun. "Everyone's up?"

"Yep, Violet and Emi, Mommy, and Max. You were the last one; how long were you gonna sleep, forever?"

Kaida laughed as Wally placed her on her booster seat. He, too, sat down at the table and was greeted by a hand-full of Cheerios to the face, courtesy of Max. Kuki came up behind him and ruffled his hair. "What do you want for breakfast, Wally?"

Wally looked around at his family and couldn't think of anything else he wanted.

Fanny woke up for the second time that morning to find herself curled up against Patton's strong body. His even breathing close to her ear let her know that he too had fallen back asleep. One of his arms was thrown across her waist. She felt safe and loved and she sneered at herself for feeling so. She could never say whether or not she actually liked there being one person who could soften her tough exterior.

She had tried so hard not to love him. Fanny had been terrified by the idea of being so vulnerable, letting herself be so close to another person. But there were quite a few things Fanny and Patton had in common, and determination was one of them. Patton swore he'd never stop chasing her; while Fanny swore she'd never want to stop running. But then there was a point, when she was about 28, where she found she couldn't make up any more excuses.

She wiggled herself closer to Patton. She felt slightly sick to her stomach, as she had the last few mornings. The moment she realized she was going to throw up; she hopped out of bed and ran into their bathroom, shutting the door. All as quiet as possible, the last thing she wanted to do was wake up Patton. After, she flushed the toilet and sat with her back against the wall. She'd been so tired lately, like she wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. Fanny was flustered and upset. Her freckled hands shook as she pulled her red, curly hair up out of her face. She stared at the drawer underneath the sink.

Patton pounded on the door. "Fanny, what are you doing in there? Were you just sick?"

Fanny sighed. She hadn't been quiet enough.

"Open this door! I want to come in!" Patton commanded.

"Always so dramatic," she muttered. "For the love of Pete, Patton, don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm fine," she yelled. She was not fine.

"Well, excuse me," Patton responded just loud enough for her to hear.

Fanny rested her forehead on her knees. She could see herself doing it. Opening that drawer and knowing for certain her suspicions. A baby. Her, Frances Fulbright-Drilovsky, with a baby. That was one thing she didn't know if she could see herself doing.

Abby didn't like being pregnant. She knew some women did, Kuki for example (although her sanity was always in question anyway), but Abby could never really see the appeal. She never felt like she was "glowing". Gross and tired were Abby's descriptors of choice.

She sat at the edge of her bed and stared down at her swollen ankles. At least the baby would be worth it. Leaning back slightly, she placed her feet on the floor and pushed herself into a standing position. Her dark, wavy hair hung loose down her back. She slowly wound it into a braid, while looking into the bathroom mirror. Even her face was swollen.

"Excuse me, Abigail Gilligan?" Hoagie's voice interrupted her thinking.

Abby rolled her eyes. "Yes, Hoagie?"

"I think you look drop-dead-gorgeous this morning," Hoagie said from his spot on the bed.

Abby spun around to look suspiciously at her husband. She placed one hand on her hip. "Baby, sometimes Abby really don't know about you. We might need to make sure everything's working all right up there." She was swollen all over and she couldn't even walk right, what was that boy thinking?

"You don't see it?" Hoagie had gotten out of bed and joined Abby by the mirror. His auburn hair was sticking up in patches and she made an attempt to flatten a piece.

"All Abby's sayin' is you don't need to make her feel better. Just a little bit longer and we'll have a baby and Abby will be back to lookin' and feelin' like her old self." She tied off the end of her braid and turned to face Hoagie.

"I like this Abby," he smiled.

"Well guess what? Abby don't care much what you like in this case," Abby said jokingly. She turned to leave the bathroom, her long braid swished across her back.

"That really stings, honey. I'm wounded. And guess what? It's not just me. Everyone likes this Abby." Abby gave Hoagie a pointed look over her shoulder. "I'm serious! I could yell it from the roof, 'Abby Gilligan is the most beautiful woman on the face of this planet!' and the commoners below would probably yell back 'Huzzah!' or something, Abs. Trust me, you're stunning."

Abby had stopped walking at the door of Augie's bedroom. "Alright, Abby trusts you. Now go wrap Nigel's present, otherwise you'll forget."

Abby shook her head slowly as Hoagie climbed down the stairs. He was her husband; he was required to tell her she was beautiful, but she did trust him. She glanced down at her huge belly. "As soon as possible would be nice, little one," she murmured.

"You should take Olivia and Palmer to get doughnuts and then to the park for a while," Rachel suggested to her husband as he poured himself some coffee.

"Because…?"

"I don't know. It seems like a nice day." They were throwing Nigel a surprise party. Rachel was extremely proud of herself for keeping it a secret this long. Nigel was one of those naturally suspicious people. He raised an eyebrow at her. "They're your kids, spend some time with them!"

"OK, Rachel, but I think you're up to something. Anyway, doughnuts and to the park it is. I'll just go get the little terrors out of bed."

Nigel walked out of the kitchen. About thirty seconds later, a high pitched squeal sounded through the house. "Someone's excited," Rachel said to herself. That someone being the five year old "terror", Olivia.

"The park, the park, the park, the park, the park!" Olivia sang as she hopped down the staircase. "Mommy, Daddy's taking me and Palm to the park!"

The little girl's energy made Rachel smile. Olivia returned the same smile (that's what everyone told her at least). Most people said Olivia was all Rachel, but Rachel knew there were so many things about her daughter that were decidedly Nigel. Like the borderline crazy determination. Olivia had Rachel's blonde hair and brown eyes, the same smile apparently too.

The other "terror", a three year old by the name of Palmer, was all Nigel in terms of looks. The little boy had followed his sister down the stairs, slowly and holding onto the railing. "Hey Palm! Are you excited to go out with Daddy?"

A grin, a nod of the head, no words. Rarely any words. It was normal apparently, but Rachel hadn't ever come across another kid Palmer's age that didn't talk. Olivia was anything but quiet at that age.

"Why don't you two run back upstairs and get dressed. I'll be sure to hurry Daddy along," Rachel said to the two faces beaming up at her.

"C'mon, Palmer. I'll race ya!" the little girl said to the boy.

Rachel looked out the kitchen window at the gorgeous spring day. She knew every day was filled with both bad and good things; that was life. That day, it was her husband 31st birthday and Rachel Uno was going to make it a day with more good than bad, she hoped.