Shoutouts:
icekrim91- Sorry the last chapter wasn't as long as you heped. I just couldn't really think of anything more to put into it. I'm glad that I still have your attention for this story. I have to say of all the darn stories that I have on here that this is quickly becoming my favorite. I spend all my time working on this one instead of the couple I've had on here for a couple years LOL
fudge2428- well here's the chapter I wrote for you! All about their friends. Take into consideration that when I wrote this story a few years ago it was around Christmas time so I hope ya'll don't mind a little Christmas time in March! It's not as long as I was hoping I could make it, but it did give me a chance to throw in a bridge to a scene in an upcoming chapter. Hope you enjoy this Chapter!
DistantDreamer07- Well better that you join a story late and know it's got an ending than be with one from the beginning and have it never finished like a few I was following. That always disappointments me so much! Well anyway, regardless of you joining us late in the story I'm glad to have you enjoying my story. Thanks for taking the time to review! Enjoy!
zeopurple- Yeah it wasn't what I had envisioned either, but I'm not done with Nikki. So hopefully I can make it up to you. This chapter is just kind of filler piece to start bringing in the other characters. They've been feeling a little left out according to fudge2428 LOL Well hope you like!
CoolDiva- Wow thanks for ALL the comments! I'm glad to see that you have joined us for this story. I sure hope that I can continue to keep your interested and coming back!
Without further delay I introduce to you all Chapter 11!!
Rocky and Casey were sitting on the couch watching TV cuddled up in each others arms. "Rocky, do you realize that Christmas is just twelve days away?" Casey asked suddenly.
Rocky looked a little shocked at first. "I guess I had forgotten how close it was With everything going on with Kat…"
"I know what you mean. Thanksgiving came and went, we hardly celebrated. It was kind of hard to be thankful when one of our best friends was laying in a coma. Now Christmas is around the corner. We haven't even started our Christmas shopping…"
"We have my godchildren to go shopping for." Rocky grinned. "We should get some poinsettias for Kat's room and maybe a small Christmas tree to sit on her nightstand."
"That's a great idea Rocky!" Casey exclaimed. With that she jumped up from the couch and grabbed her purse off the coat rack. She began slipping on her shoes.
"You want to go right now?" Rocky asked
"Of course. I'm in a shopping mood. Let's go. We've only got twelve days to get this all done." Casey grinned. It had been the first genuine smile Casey had managed since Kat's accident.
Rocky complied and got off the couch to slip on his own shoes. He took Casey's hand as they walked out of the house making sure to lock the door though. "So what should we get the twins?" He asked.
"Is that what everyone is going to call them? 'The Twins'? For heaven's sake Rocky, they have names." Casey teased.
"Well, 'the twins'. is faster to say that Aidan and Alexis." Rocky tried to defend himself. However, he realized he was in a loosing battle with his soon to be wife. "Alright. How about AJ and Lexi?"
"AJ?"
"You know, Aidan Jacob."
"Rocky, your too much." Casey playfully rolled her eyes as she got into the passenger side of Rocky's silver Honda Civic.
"Yeah, in more ways than one." Rocky sent her a lopsided grin as he climbed behind the wheel. Casey rasied an eyebrow knowing exactly what he was insinuating,
"If you use the term, 'hung like a horse' to describe yourself again I'm going to make you sleep in a barn with the horses." Casey threatened.
"Hey now! Don't insult Mr. Peepee!" Rocky gasped in mock horror,
"You call it Mr. Peepee?" Casey bust out laughing.
"No not really. I just knew it would make you laugh. I call him Rocky Jr,"
"Rocky!" Casey shook her head. Her life with Rocky was going to be an interesting one that was for sure. They made small talk trying to decided what to buy for the twins for Christmas as well as something for Tommy to try and cheer him up in spite of Katherine's condition.
Rocky parked the car in the parking lot of the mall. "So you think that we can convince Tommy to bring Aidan and Alexis to our house for Christmas dinner? We can invite his parents and Kat's dad. We just have to get Tommy out of that hospital for more than an hour."
"Well, if we don't have Christmas dinner on Christmas, we might be able to. I'm sure that he'll want to spnd Christmas with Kat. Even if she's not really there."
"Oh, I guess that's true." Casey replied. She slipped her small hand into Rocky's larger firmer hand. "I'm so glad that we can finally spend Christmas together."
"Do you realize that we've been together through three Christmas's but have yet to spend one together?"
"That what I just thinking about."
"Next year we'll be husband and wife at Christmas time."
"You know Rocky. I've been thinking…" Casey was cut short as Rocky's cell phone starting ringing.
"Hey it's Tommy." Rocky said as he flipped open the phone. "Hey Tommy, everything okay?"
"Rocky! Things couldn't get any better!"
"What's going on?"
"She's back Rocky! Kat's awake!"
"No joking?! Kat's back?"
"I wouldn't joke about that Rocky and you know it. I was never so happy to see her sapphire eyes. She's still pretty weak and has almost no voice, but she's awake!"
"Damn Tommy. I don't know what else to say. Casey and I will be up there in a little while! See ya then." Rocky closed his phone as a huge grin covered his face.
"Kat's awake?!" Casey squealed forgetting all about what she was going to talk to Rocky about.
"Yeah! Let's get that mini Christmas tree and poinsettias for Kat. We can shop for the babies later. I just want to go see Kat."
"I agree. We'll shop later!" Casey nodded as they hurried into the mall to find the two items for Katherine's room.
Tanya hummed along with her Christmas music as she finished wrapping her last present. She had finished her shopping a couple days before and finally was now done wrapping them. Adam was due home any minute and she couldn't wait to see his face when he saw the decorating was completely finished.
She set the present she finished wrapping along with the other's going to the hospital for the twins, Tommy, and Kat. Kat. Tanya felt her chest tighten at the thought of her best friend. This was her children's first Christmas and she wouldn't get to experience it with them. She longed to see her friends shinning blue eyes and hear her joyful laugh.
Tanya sat down next to the small pile of presents and pulled her knees up to her chest. I shouldn't have treated Kat so bad in the beginning. I can't believe what I said to her. 'Have an abortion Kat!' Jesus, what the hell was I thinking?! Why should I have cared if Tommy and Nikki's marriage fell apart? It did anyway.
So many thoughts ran through her mind. All of which involved Kat and Tommy. Tanya had gotten herself so involved in keeping Tommy and Nikki together she never stopped to think about how much Kat had loved Tommy. What kind of friend was she? Yet Kat had forgiven her immediately, asked her to be the godmother of her children, and be the matron of honor at her wedding.
Tanya thought of how Kat was laying the hospital right at that moment, fighting for her life. Everyone unsure if she would ever wake up. She rested her head down on her knees and let the tears fall down. She never even heard Adam come into the house.
Suddenly Tanya felt strong arms wrapping around her. Adam lifted her into his lap and hugged her close whispered encouraging words as he rocked her back and forth. "It's okay Tan. Everything will be just fine."
"Adam. I was so horrible to Kat."
"But you made up. Look at everything you two have done together before her accident." Adam replied.
"But I shouldn't have gotten so mad at her before. I mean, I tried so hard to push her and Tommy together in high school…"
"Tan, Kat forgave you. You should forgive yourself. It's in the past and can't be changed. If Kat could let it go you should too."
"I know your right, I just can't help but think if Kat…"
"Kat will be just fine Tanya. She'll wake up."
"You should so sure."
"She'll come to Tanya. Kat's a fighter. She's strong. She'll find her way back to all of us. I don't think that she would want to leave her beautiful children or Tommy for that matter. Not after what they have gone through to be together. Kat won't give up."
"You're right Adam." Tanya finally gave her husband a smile. She stood up and offered her hand to him.
"By the way. The house looks great." Adam smiled as he walked over to the tree sitting the corner. He noticed Tanya had hung their stockings on the wall next to the tree, but what was written on the stockings caught his eye. "Mommy and Daddy?" Adam turned back to look at his wife with wide eyes. "Tanay are you…"
"Pregnant? Yes!"
"Wow! We're going to be parents! What a Christmas present!" Adam quickly rushed over to Tanya and wrapped his arms around her as he pressed his lips to hers. The sudden sound of the phone made them both jump apart. "I'll get it."
Adam walked over to the end table where the phone was resting. "Hello?… Tommy how's everything?… No way!… Wow!… Yeah, we'll be there shortly… Awesome man. See you in a little while. Bye Tommy."
"What's going on?" Tanya asked.
"Kat just woke up." Adam grinned. "Now this really is the best day in the world. We're going to be parents and our friend just came back to us!"
"Come on Adam, I have to see for myself!" Tanya called back, she was already at the door slipping on her jacket. Adam continued to smile as he hurried over to his wife.
Jason sat in his patrol car watching the road for any speeders. So far there hadn't been hardly any cars on this street. He didn't mind, since his mind was else where. Kim and Jason had gotten into a fight the night before about Nikki.
Jason felt that Nikki should be prosecuted for three counts of attempted murder, while Kim felt Nikki should be let off with reckless endangerment. Kimberly may have decided that Nikki wasn't a true friend and couldn't really be trusted, but she understood that Nikki had been hurt and probably lost her mind. Most she just hoped that Nikki could get the help she needed.
Flashback----------------------
"Jason, her life was just shattered and someone else stepped right into her place." Kimberly argued.
"Kim, things like that happen in life. But normal people don't go around trying to kill pregnant women. She planned that Kim."
"Nikki just needs some help."
"I thought you didn't want anything to do with her after what she said about Tommy."
"I may not want to be her friend, but I do understand where she's coming from!" Kim shot back.
"And I know the law Kim. She planned that attack on Kat. She was planning on killing Kat and those babies! She deserves life in prison. She's a danger to the world."
"Not the world Jason. She lost control of herself once she realized there was no chance for her to get Tommy back. She just snapped Jason."
"I don't care if she just snapped or what! She tried to kill innocent children Kim. Babies that weren't even born yet!"
"She needs to get some help Jason. I'm asking you to use your influence to get her the help she needs so she doesn't sit in jail for the next thirty years."
"I won't do it Kim. She deserves life."
"What does Tommy say about it?"
"I haven't asked him he's opinion. Besides, he doesn't have a say in it. The investigators and lawyers have the decision."
"You're giving up? Just like that? I thought we were supposed to protect the innocent and weak." Kim hollered again.
"Yeah, Alexis and Aidan are the innocent and weak here Kim. Nikki tried to kill them before they even got a chance to live."
"She's a victim too! Tommy and Kat both had a hand in destroying her life. Everything she had wanted with Tommy, Kat suddenly had. Then they had the nerve to flaunt an engagement right away…"
"Why are you so upset for Nikki? Again you said nearly three months ago that you didn't want to talk about Nikki anymore, you were done with her."
"Because I know where she's coming from." Kimberly said. "I just want to see that she gets help instead of the book thrown at her."
Jason suddenly realized why Kimberly wanted to protect Nikki. "You were still in love with Tommy when he got with Kat huh?"
"Yeah." She whispered turning away from Jason.
"You felt that Kat had kind of taken your life away from you?"
"In a sense. I mean I did leave Tommy for someone else, but seeing him with Kat had hurt. Then they got engaged right out of high school. I had always thought that would be me… I can understand the feelings that drove Nikki to do what she did. I'm just glad that I had self control and support. She didn't, that's why it ended like this for her. She needs help. I got that help back then and I want to make sure that Nikki gets it now."
End Flashback------------------------
Jason shook his head again trying to decide if it would be disloyal to Tommy and Kat if he did as Kim wished. Would Tommy disagree and want maximum charges brought against Nikki, or would he be more forgiving like Kat, and got with the minimum charges. So many things swirled in his had about Tommy, Kat, Nikki, and Kimberly.
His cell phone ringing brought him out of his thoughts. He recognized the ringtone as his home. "Hey babe." Jason greeted.
"Jason, what time can you get out of there?"
"My shift isn't over for another four hours hun. What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong! Kat's awake and I was hoping we could go see her together!"
"Kat's awake?! That's awesome! But I don't think that I can get away. You could go see her and I'll come up after I get off work."
"I'll wait for you baby. Besides, everyone else will be up there too. We can visit later, when everyone else has left."
"Okay, I'll come straight home and change clothes. We can take up their Christmas presents when we go visit."
"Okay, sounds good Jase. I'll see you when you get home. I love you."
"I love you too Kim." Jason smiled as he ended his phone call. Well now that Kat's awake, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk to our prima ballerina alone without Kim or Tommy. After all, she's the victim here. But I'll wait a while