I know. It's been forever since I updated. Been so busy with school and planning for summer. Ugh. No excuses. Sorry sorry sorry! Hope you enjoy.

I know this chapter is really short, but I just had to post SOMETHING. More coming soon, I promise.

PS, these next few chapters are gonna be...intense. Stick around!



"Babe, how am I supposed to get a job when I'm not qualified for anything?" Leo protested as we walked down another aisle. We were Christmas shopping in the third store we'd been in today.

"But you could do something. Besides, you're the one who wants a job. I like having you home," I smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Of course you like having me around to wait on you hand and foot!" he laughed.

I smiled. "Oh! Look at this!"

I held up a pink sweater.

Leo flipped his wrist and made a disgusted face.

"Are you, like, kidding me? Pink is, like, so not my color! Ew!" he said in the girliest voice he could manage.

I hit his arm. "For Phoebe!" I laughed.

"Yeah, I think she'll like it," he laughed back.

"Okay," I said, counting the items. "That's five for Prue, five for Phoebe, amd we got Paige..."

"Twelve," Leo laughed. "That's fair."

"They won't know anyway," I shrugged. "They're spending Christmas with Prue's new boyfirend."

"New boyfriend?" he questioned.

"Andy something," I said, walking over to the electronics. "He's a cop," I added, perhaps gaining Leo's approval.

"Oh," he said.

I spotted a green digital camera. "Look!"

He looked at me. "And who would that be for?" he mocked.

"Paige would really love this," I smiled.

"Babe, you're picking favourites with your sisters," he laughed.

"I am not! Phoebe likes pink, so I got her a pink sweater. Paige likes green, so..."

He smiled. "The sweater is thirty dollars. The camera is," he looked at the price on the shelf, "300 bucks?!"

"She'll love it," I said, ignoring him.

"And I'd love a plasma!" he laughed.

I frowned and gave him a sad look.

"Alright, get her the camera!" he said. "But I should a plasma out of this..." he added with a grin.

"Yay!" I kissed him on the cheek.

By the time we were done, we'd spent more on Paige than everybody else combined.

"Just put everything in our closet," I told Leo as we carried it all in.

"Presents!" Paige exclaimed as she came out of her room.

"No peeking!" I ordered.

"I'm not!" she said defensively.

Leo took the bags from my hands.

"Geez those things weighed like fifty pounds!" I complained.

"I hope it's all for me!" Paige laughed.

"Most of it," Leo whispered.

I hit him. "Shush!"

Paige laughed. "Score for me, then."

"Babe, I think I'm gonna go get some sleep," Leo said.

"Alright," I replied as he kissed my cheek.

I walked into the living as Leo disappeared into our bedroom.

"I'm hungry," Paige said, following me.

I smiled. "Let's go eat."

****************

When we got home, Paige went to finish her homework, and I went to join Leo in bed.

"You asleep, babe?" I asked as I entered the bedroom.

He sat up. "Hey baby!" his words slurred.

"You okay?" I laughed as I took my jeans off and climbed into bed.

"Never better," he said, smiling. He leaned over and tried to kiss me.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed. "Your breath! You've been drinking!"

"Just a little."

I spotted a bottle on his nightstand, barely a quarter of the Jack Daniels remained.

"Leo, that damn bottle was almost full!" I said, disgusted.

"Calm down, babe." He tried to kiss me again.

"Stop it!" I said, pushing him away.

He sat up and faced the wall as he muttered something under his breath.

"What?" I demanded.

"Nothing," he sighed angrily before storming out of the room, making sure to slam the door.

"Ugh!" I screamed, frustrated. I slammed my head back down against the pillow.

I laid in the dark as angry tears streamed down my face.

I couldn't take much more of this stress. Neither could my baby.