Chapter 200

I know a change gonna come

Eric stared at the suitcases sitting by the door and chuckled to himself. Between Alexis and the two girls there were nearly eight bags - knapsacks, carry-ons and larger bags and then there was his one lone carry on suitcase. Such was his life now, surrounded by women. And he wouldn't change it for anything. As they prepared for the family holiday/honeymoon to Florence he realized just how much he like being tied down.

Smiling as he felt his wife's arms slide around him, he turned around and stole a quick kiss. "Hello wife," he grinned.

"Three days and not tired of it yet, huh?" she replied, smiling.

"Not even a little."

"I need to ask one more time-"

"Alexis-"

She placed her hands on his chest. "Eric, are you sure you're okay with the girls coming? I can have Ric and Sonny take them and we can be alone."

"Alexis, I am happy that the girls are coming along. It will be a great holiday for all of us. Besides, they have to sleep some time, right?"

Her cheeks blushed faintly as she shook her head. "Married life is definitely working for me."

Tipping her chin up to him he fastened his mouth over hers as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him. Alexis' hands threaded through his hair, deepening the kiss. She moaned lightly as their tongues tangled and their breath mingled. There was simply no getting enough of each other.

The buzz of his cell phone vibrating through his pocket pulled them apart. Smiling apologetically, he fished it from his pocket and frowned at the call display. Flipping it open, he answered.

"Smitherman," he barked.

Her fingers still coiled through his belt loops, Alexis watched as his brow furrowed and his face srunched up. When his hand holding the phone started to tremble, she touched his arm.

His blue eyes shimmered as he passed the phone to her. "It's....it's Lucie," he stammered. "She....Josh....she wants us to come and get Josh. She says she can't take care of him any longer and doesn't want him. I....I don't know what to do."

Taking the phone from him, she pressed it to her ear. "Lucie? It's Alexis. Start talking." She wandered to her office and left Eric standing frozen in spot.

His head was spinning and yet he could not make himself move from where he stood. Not a day went by that he didn't think of Josh and when he knew he was in the hospital for treatment it took superhuman strength on his part not to visit him. He missed him and didn't for a moment believe he was better of with his aunt but knowing it was out of his control, he was doing his best to try and move on. This phone call, the sound of Lucie's exasperated, pleading voice threatened to undo all the progress he had made.

He had no idea how much time had elapsed when Alexis emerged from her office. It wasn't until she touched his arm that he even realized she was calling to him.

"Wh-what's going on?" he asked, almost breathlessly.

"She wants to renounce custody" she said slowly, watching his reactions. "She wants us to take him because she doesn't feel she can care for him at all."

Eric swallowed thickly. "She can't just give him to us," he replied, not daring to get his hopes up.

"No, she can't. But a judge can. I've called CFS and I've called my friend Judge Meyer. He has scheduled an emergency hearing for later this afternoon. I'm going to petition that we be granted temporary custody, that her guardianship be terminated and I'm going to file a motion to start adoption proceedings."

"Adoption? Alexis we haven't really-"

"No we haven't really talked about it but Josh belongs with you - with us. We can give him a home and we can love him and we can start to undo to damage that's been inflicted on him. I know this Eric. I know he is meant to be with us. So unless you tell me outright this isn't what you want, then I'm moving ahead."

He chewed on his bottom lip. "I can't tell you that" he said quietly.

"I didn't think so," she smiled. "I'm on way to my office and I'll call you when it's done."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

She shook her head. "Stay here with the girls while I do my thing."

Nodding, he reached for her hand. "Okay."

Standing on her tip toes, she pressed her lips to his before gently pulling away and grabbing her briefcase. With her hand on the doorknob, she stopped and turned around. "Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you should call the airline and cancel our flights. We aren't flying to Italy today but," she smiled lovingly at him, "with any luck I may just have the best wedding gift ever for you."

And with that she disappeared out the door. On shaky legs, Eric walked to the couch and sank down. Reaching inside his shirt, he pulled out his Michael the Archangel medallion that he had not taken off since Robin had given it back to him and he held it tightly in his hand. They were going to need all the help they could get.

*****
"Can I help you?" Patrick asked playfully as he felt Robin's hands curl around his behind.

"Don't mind me," she replied teasingly, "I'm just groping you."

Shaking his head, he continued to load clothes into the washing machine. "So I noticed. Is there are particular reason for the gropage or am I just that irresistable?"

Laughing, Robin grabbed hold of the hem of his shirt and started to tug it upwards. Frustrated that he would not lift his arms, she slapped his butt. "I'm frisky dammit. I have needs and you need to help me with my needs."

Amused, he shrugged but did not help her in her efforts to remove his shirt. "You always have needs" he answered, reaching for the detergent. "I have needs too - and right now the needs are for clean clothes."

"Paaatrick" she whined.

"Don't pout," he carried on, dumping the liquid inside the washer. "One of us has to keep this house running while you're off having naps."

"Hey!" she protested, unable to see the grin on his face. "I am 400 months pregnant with your baby - you try lugging this kid around and see if you don't need a nap every five minutes. Besides," she sniffed. "This is the last room we have to christen."

Closing the lid on the washing machine, he slowly turned around and leaned back. "Last room, huh? So...what you're saying is..."

"What I'm saying is," Robin sniped, her hands on her hips, "are you seriously going to stand here and do laundry when you could be doing me?"

Throwing his head back, Patrick laughed loudly. From the first time he had met her he had been sure that a fire simmered just below the surface. He had been happy to be wrong - it wasn't a fire, it was a volcano. They were so perfectly matched in so many ways, including sexually, and his long ago fears of not wanting to commit to one person in fear of being bored or dissatisfied had long since evaporated.

Taking hold of his own shirt with one hand, he peeled it from his body and tossed it to the laundry basket. "I'm pretty sure I'd much rather do you" he told her huskily as his eyes darkened with desire.

"Then what are you going to do about it?" she challenged.

Crooking his finger, he beckoned her closer. "Get up here" Taking hold of her, he picked her up and placed her on the washer. He motioned for her to take her dress off, his arms folded across his chest as he waited.

Shifting under the movement of the washer, Robin bit the bottom of her lip. Slowly she reached for the hem of her dress and pulled it away. The sound of Patrick's gasp as she revealed her body, in full pregnancy bloom, made her skin flush. Not wearing a bra, she cupped her full breasts and lazily kneaded them. Holding his gaze, she smiled seductively as he licked his suddenly dry lips.

"Are you leaving me to do this all by myself?" she asked. "Because I can."

Patrick swallowed thickly as he noticed the small damp patch darkening her pink panties. "Show me" he rasped. "Show me how."

She exhaled heavily as she curled her fingers into the waistband of her underwear, pulling out a condom and placing it beside her on the washer. Returning to her breasts, she kneaded them, flicking her nipples with her fingers; she groaned as the peaks hardened under her touch. As the vibrations increased underneath her, she spread her legs and moved her hips in time with the washer. Tracing one hand down her torso, she dipped it inside her panties and teased herself.

Patrick moaned involuntarily as he watched her. He shifted from one foot to the other trying to relieve the growing pressure inside his jeans. "Does it feel good Robin?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes becoming heavy-lidded. "It's so good," she whispered. "I can close my eyes and picture your hands touching me - your hands squeezing and tugging on my breasts."

"Wh-what else would my hands do?" he asked.

Robin peeled her undewear down her legs, kicking it off. She gave him a feline smile. "I think they would do this too" she panted, her body humming with greater intensity as she fingered the sensitive nub at the apex of her thighs.

Unable to simply watch any more, Patrick moved to her and cupping her face, kissed her hard on the mouth. Heat streamed down to her belly and to the very tips of her toes as his tongue swept inside the velvety heat of her mouth. His arousal pushed at her thigh as he pulled her to him, his kisses continuing to bruise her mouth; she returned the kiss with alacrity. His hands left her face and trailed slowly, teasingly down her soft skin - over her shoulders, down her arms before sweeping across her stomch. His lips followed in short order, whispering kisses along her neck, dragging his tongue along her collar bone before sucking softly at the hollow in her neck.

Robin bucked against him. Her fingers twisted in his hair trying to pull him closer. It mattered little how hard his kissed her, how softly he touched her - she wanted more. Her hands slid over his shoulders, feeling the muscles ripple underneath her touch. Her breathing became ragged as the combination of the washer and his ministrations brought her closer to an orgasm.

"Patrick," she panted.

Raising his head, he covered her mouth with his again, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth and gently nibbling it. Letting go of her mouth, he dipped his head and closed it over her pert nipple letting his tongue swirl around the tip; her head lolled back as her body started to shake. She pushed his head away and covered his face in greedy, hungry, almost possessive kisses. He continued to run his hands along her thighs, teasing her sex, as she nibbled and sucked on his chest.

Hardening painfully, he reached for the condom before quickly undoing his button and zipper and letting his jeans fall to the ground. Stepping out of them, he kicked them aside and tearing open the packet, sheathed himself.

"Tell me how you feel" he asked her, stroking himself.

"I'm almost...I'm almost there" she panted. "But I want you inside me."

Curling his hands around her thighs, he pulled her forward before plunging inside her. The vibrations from the spin cycle echoed from her body to his and the new sensation nearly sent him tumbling over the edge. They rocked together, urgently, their kissing was feverish and wanton; their hands flying everywhere, desparate to touch each other. Robin felt like was on fire.

"Come with me" she demanded, her hand sliding around his hips and massaging his butt.

He was on sensory overload and her name tore from his lips as he thrust hard against her one final time, following her over the edge before nearly collapsing against her. Reaching past her, he stopped the washer.

"Wow" he panted.

Robin nodded in agreement. "I think...I think we may need to build an addition."

******
Hearing Alexis' key in the door, Molly, Kristina and Eric all jumped to their feet waiting with bated breath. It had been more than half a day since she had left the house and despite having placed a few anxious phone calls to her, Eric had been unable to find out how the judge had ruled; he had been preparing himself for the worst ever since. As the door swung open, revealing Alexis with Josh in her arms, the two girls jumped up and down clapping giddly. Eric was once again frozen in spot, afraid that if he moved somehow the spell would be broken. Alexis bent down and set him on the ground.

"Welcome home Josh" she said gently. "We sure have missed you."

The young boy looked from Alexis to the girls and then tentatively to Eric. He hopped nervously from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do. The five of them all stood in suspended animation until finally Eric crouched down and opened his arms to the young boy. Seeing the invitation he wanted most, he sprinted down the steps throwing himself into his arms. Eric closed his arms around him tightly, kissing his cheek.

"Hey buddy, I am so glad to see you again."

"Alexis said I can stay," he said quietly against his shoulder, "can I?"

Eric looked up at his wife, the question clear in his eyes. She nodded, smiling. "We won" she told him, coming down the stairs to join her daughters.

"You sure can," Eric told Josh. "You're home now." The little boy trembled in his arms, several hot tears landing on his shoulder. He soothingly rubbed his back. "You're alright," he reassured him. "Josh, everything is going to be okay."

Josh pulled back, wiped his nose with the back of his hand and looked at the man who had been more of a parent to him than any member of his family had. "Do you...do you still love me?"

"Of course I do" he replied quickly. "We all do. Why would you ask me that?"

"Lucie said you didn't love me anymore - that you had a real family now and that's why you didn't come to visit."

Eric's blood boiled and his desire to inflict as much pain on that woman as she had on him threatened to consume him in that instant. He exhaled as he felt Alexis' hand on his shoulder. She always seemed to know just what he needed.

"You are part of our family Josh," he stated unequivocally. "We are all one family and I love you very, very much." Picking him up, he sat them both down on the couch and continued to reassuringly rub his back.

Kristina and Molly climbed on the couch beside them and Alexis slid in next to them. Josh looked sheepishly at Kristina and smiled nervously. "I sorry I yelled at you" he told his friend.

"That's okay," she replied easily. "We're a family and sometimes you can do that if you hafta."

Josh looked up at Eric. "She threw out my playstation and my Harry Potter blanket."

He exhaled slowly trying to keep his temper in check. Kissing the top of his head, he smiled. "That's okay Josh - we'll replace them." Reaching across the back of the couch, he extended his hand to his wife.

Alexis placed her hand inside his and smiled as he mouthed 'I love you'.

"It's just like Kristina says," she told him, "we're a family."

*****
Patrick helped her down from the washer, passing her dress to her before turning his back and scooping up his jeans.

"Patrick" Robin said suddenly.

"You cannot possibly want round two already" he protested as he stepped into his jeans. "Seriously Robin I think you're trying to kill me with sex."

"Patrick"

"Tiger!" he teased turning around. The word died on his lips as he saw the look of distress on her face. "Robin? What is it?"

She looked down at the puddle at her feet and back to him. "My water just broke."