Author's Note: I just wanted to let you all know that I have had so much fun writing this fic and listening to all you give me ideas to make it better. There is only one more chapter and an epilogue to this story.
Just a funny note: It was pointed out to me by a friend that I act out the emotions and small actions from my story as I write them. Such as when I write that someone was making a pouting face I would stick out my bottom lip and squint my eyes as if I were going to cry, or I would grin like crazy as I wrote my jokes, or even pretend to smack some invisible person sitting in front of my computer screen. It made her laugh to watch me type away the other day seeing me making all these faces. One of these days I'll have to record myself writing and see what she saw. I'm sure I'm amusing. Just thought I'd pass along that humorous bit of information. LOL
Shoutouts:
Fudge2428- I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. I was trying hard to keep it fun, glad that you thought it was. I still think that chapter 15 is probably my worst chapter for jokes and such, but that's okay. I couldn't help but laugh as I proofread this chapter. Hopefully you find it as funny as I do! LOL Enjoy!
brankel1- Aww I'm glad that you loved it. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, I think as far as jokes go, this is one of the best chapters. But you guys have to be the judge on that one. Thanks for sticking with me through this story! Hope you enjoy it, the end is coming very soon. I already have it written, now it's just editing and revising. Hopefully this will all be worth it.
zeopurple- I really debated about having the 'kids' in this story, since I really didn't watch Dino Thunder, but hey it worked out. I hope I did the characters justice, I can only base them off the fanfics that I have read with them in it. (Okay I do have a few episodes to go off as well but not many) I figured Kat with her quiet determination was not going to let herself be bound to that chair, she always came across to me as having a silent strength about her. Don't know how many agree with me on that, but it's what I saw that made her my fav. Hope you like this chapter. And I want to thank you for sticking with me since the beginning. You've been one of my most faithful reviews, hence I dubbed you "Official Reviewer" a while ago. LOL Thank you!
icekrim91- Review made me smile. I'm really glad that you liked the last chapter, even though I thought it was probably one of my worst written ones. LOL they seem to come and go. Have a good chapter then a not so good one. I want to thank you too, for sticking with me. And for filling my head with more ideas for another story LOL Although it'll be a while before I debut that one for you. I've got the first chapter hashed out and working on the second, but I would like a few more done before I post. It keeps the updates closer together. Anyway, hope you like this chapter. The story is almost done. Thanks again.
The end of January brought hope to Tommy and Katherine. Her surgery to repair her back had gone well. Thanks to Katherine's determination and a great therapy team, Katherine was able to get around with not much more than a cane. Her personal goal was to be able to go without that by the end of February.
Tuesday, February 4th, Tommy and Kat found themselves sitting in a small court room waiting to hear the future of a certain redhead.
"All rise. The honorable Judge Greggs residing." the bailiff called out. The entire room rose to their feet to show respect to the man in the black robes.
"You may be seated. This is the case The people Vs Nikki Oliver. We have accepted a guilty plea from the defendant and will render sentencing during this hearing. At this point the victim Katherine Hillard has a few words she would like to address to the court."
Kat made her way to the front of the room holding tightly to her cane. She saw Nikki stiffen slightly as she moved through the small gate. She stood at the small podium and unfolded a small piece of paper. She slowly took a deep breath before biting her bottom lip.
"Thank you for allowing me to speak today." Kat started. "I'm here today, not asking for revenge, but for forgiveness. I ask of you today, that Nikki be given the chance to find the help that she needs and that she has a second chance at a normal life. This woman nearly killed me and my unborn twins, and if I can find it in my heart to forgive her, then the courts should find it in theirs as well. If you sentence her to life in jail, then I should be there right along with her. I pushed her to do this by destroying her life. She felt she had no other choice than to seek her revenge on me. I can only hope that with some guidance she will learn that she did have other options."
Kat paused and turned toward Nikki. "I don't want you to think I'm letting you go for what you did to me and my children, but I can't live with myself knowing that I took away your life. What you did is completely unacceptable, you nearly killed innocent unborn children, but at the same time your actions are understandable in an illogical way of thinking. I hope that one day you can put this all behind you and move on. And maybe one day you can forgive me, as I have already forgiven you." Kat turned back to face the judge and repeated her opening line. "Thank you for allowing me to speak." With that said Kat turned as made her way back to Tommy in the back row.
She had been fighting back the tears the entire time she had been speaking, but with Tommy's arms around her she let them quietly fall. Judge Greggs watched her with amazement. He had truly been expecting her to beg the court for the full sentence, to lock Nikki away and throw away the key. After all, it had been her children nearly killed in addition to herself. Yet she stood there begging for forgiveness for the one person she had every reason to hate.
He took this into consideration and looked to Nikki. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Will the defendant please rise?" Nikki stood alongside her lawyer. "You have plead guilty to three counts of attempted murder, but in light of the victims heartfelt speech I will reduce your sentence to one count of attempted murder." Gasps were heard filling the court room. "Maximum twenty-five years, with parole in ten should you complete a rehabilitation and counseling program. Ms. Hillard has thrown you a second chance Ms. Oliver. Don't waste it. Court dismissed."
Tommy and Katherine watched as Nikki was lead away by two officers. "It's over, it's really over." Kat cried as Tommy hugged her closer.
"Nikki wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you two!" Bridget Little nearly yelled as she approached them. Bridget had the same piercing green eyes as her sister, but she lacked the flaming red hair. Instead her lightly tanned round face, was framed by hair so dark brown is teetered on the edge of black.
"Bridget, I don't think we should get into it here." Tommy snapped as he stood up from the bench. Kat remained seated. "Besides, Kat just begged them not to throw the book at her. You should be thanking her."
"Thanking her?! Ha! It's because of her and you that Nikki even lost her mind! I'm not going to thank your mistress because she felt guilty about what she did to Nikki!"
"That's enough Bridget!" a male voice said as he made his way to the group. Tommy acknowledged Charlie Little with a nod of his head. Charlie placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "These two are in love, and I'll be damned if I blame them for Nikki's bad choice. Sure they could have gone about thing differently, but they didn't and that's the way it is."
"But Charlie, Nikki's going to prison for ten years!" Bridget cried.
"Ten years that she deserves. These two had an affair but normal people don't go around trying to kill the other woman, especially pregnant women. If anything Bridget, she deserves much more for the fact that there were two innocent children."
"I… Nikki…" Bridget sputter before crossing her arms and closing her eyes. "You're right. Those babies never did anything to Nikki, even if they are the result of the affair that broke her heart."
"Come on Bridget let's go home. We've got our own children to take care of. Thank you for speaking on Nikki's behalf Katherine." Charlie said. Bridget stood there a moment, as if the realization that Kat had spoke on her sister's behalf, just dawned upon her.
"You did help Nikki didn't you?" Bridget gasped.
"I told you she did." Tommy muttered.
"I'm sorry for my outburst." Bridget said, leaving the other three adults with wide eyes. "I just… I was thinking of Nikki. Sitting there for ten years. I could only think that she'll be thirty-eight once she's free. That's not enough time for her to move on with her life. She's always wanted a child and now…"
"Bridget, there are women in their forties having children, she could still become a mother someday. Plus, there's always the chance that she finishes her rehabilitation and counseling early and gets out for good behavior. I've seen it happen." Charlie soothed.
"I know it's not worth much, but I am sorry for what we put Nikki through." Katherine said as she stood and finally joined the conversation.
"And I'm sorry for what Nikki put you through." Charlie replied.
"It's a vicious cycle that I had to put an end to." Katherine explained. "If I had asked the courts to no mercy, then Nikki would have wanted to get even a second time with me. As it stands I believe there is nothing left between the two of us."
"I fully agree. I can't tell you how much I admire you for being the bigger person Katherine. Not many people in your shoes would ask for forgiveness for the person they have every reason to hate." Charlie said as he offered her his hand. Katherine took it and shook hands with a smile.
"I wish you two happiness." Bridget said quietly. Both Kat and Tommy knew she was only saying that to be polite now that her outburst was over. They thanked her nonetheless.
Bridget and Charlie walked out of the court room leaving only Tommy and Katherine standing there. "Shall we go home?"
"Of course. Let's go get our babies and go home." Kat grinned as they started out the door. "Speaking of home, did you get those tests graded?"
"Oh come on Kat!" Tommy groaned.
"You're the one who wanted to be a teacher Dr. Oliver!" she teased.
"Hey you finally called me Dr. on the first try!" Tommy hooted and raised his arms in victory.
"You sir, are not very charming right now."
"Never claimed to be." Tommy grinned as Kat stuck out her tongue. "Let's go rescue AJ and Lex from Uncle Rocky."
"I think he's the one that needs rescuing." Kat said as she turned on her phone to find ten text messages from Rocky asking when they were coming home.
"Should we torture him more and go for lunch?" Tommy asked.
"If we do that, he'll never forgive us and I still want him in the wedding party. We can pull that stunt after our wedding."
"Oh come on Kat." Tommy whined.
"Stop acting like Conner and Rocky." She playfully scolded. "Honestly, those two are enough, I don't need you to start acting like that." Tommy watched her walk ahead of him and he slightly smirked.
"Kat, I'm starving!" He hollered as loudly as he could.
"Tommy!" she hollered back. Tommy continued to follow her making sure to stay out of reach of her cane or her hands.
_______________
"Oh thank God you two are back!" Rocky huffed as Tommy and Kat walked in his front door.
"Why? What's wrong?" Tommy asked.
"Let's just say, that I am no Mr. Mommy!" Rocky said seriously. "I couldn't handle two of them by myself. I had Casey home from work. The crying is starting to get to me man! I don't think I'll be able to sleep for a week!" Tommy and Kat only laugh at Rocky's plight.
"And you want a big family." Kat playfully teased.
"So long as there's no twins!" Rocky huffed.
"You don't have any control over that Rocko." Tommy patted his shoulder as they made their way to the living room where Casey sat on the couch watching the TV.
"It wasn't as bad as Rocky says. I think we should watch them more often for you two."
"So how bad was it?"
"They did cry quite a bit, but it's the first time they've really been away from Katherine since she got home. So that was to be expected. Before you ask they're asleep in our bedroom in that playpen you left here."
"Thanks for rescuing Rocky." Kat said as she plopped down on the couch next to Casey.
"I couldn't let the little darling suffer because Rocky is completely unprepared for kids."
"I'm not unprepared, just a little overwhelmed."
"You said you could handle it Rocky. 'I love kids! Two at a time isn't so bad'. Your exact words when I asked you to watch them." Tommy said patting Rocky on the shoulder.
"I didn't realize that all they did was cry and poop." Rocky huffed. "I thought I could play with them or something."
"Rocky they're barely two months old. They can't play much." Casey shook her head. "Do you know anything about babies?"
"No, not really." Rocky admitted.
"At least you know how to make a bottle and change them with care." Kat cut in.
"That's because you showed me."
"And someone showed me, or rather told me." Kat explained. "You'll make a fine Dad one day Rocky."
"Yeah, but I think that I'm finally starting to agree with Casey. Three kids is plenty enough."
"Told ya, he's agree after watching the twins." Kat said the Casey.
"Wait a second, this was… Did you set me up?" Rocky exclaimed.
"Possibly!" Casey grinned. Kat and Tommy could only laugh.
"I talk to Casey the other day, she said she was still having a tough time convincing you that she didn't want ten kids." Kat laughed. "So I suggested that Tommy ask you watch the twins while we were in court."
"I already had taken the day off from work so I've been at the coffee shop waiting for you to call me home." Casey grinned wildly.
"You guys are so not fair." Rocky pouted. Casey stood from couch and placed hand on Rocky's shoulder, but Rocky pulled away from her. "Oh no! Don't you touch me you evil, evil woman!"
"You know I love you Rocky." Casey soothed as she batted her eyes at her husband.
"So plotting behind my back shows me that you love me?" Rocky tried to remain serious but couldn't hide the slight smile already formed on his lips.
"Say you love me too Rocky. I know you do." Casey cooed. Rocky sighed as stopped fighting the smile.
"I love you and all your crazy antics." Rocky said as he wrapped his arms around Casey's waist, and pulled her to him.
"You have just as many crazy antics Rocky." Casey whispered before she gave him a light kiss.
"Hey Tommy, could you and Kat take your kids and go?"
"Rocky!" Casey gasped. "That was rude."
"What did you want me to say? 'Take your kids so I can have my bedroom and make hot passionate love to my wife'?"
"Rocky!" Casey exclaimed again.
"Or better yet, 'I want to get started on those kids now, so adios.'?"
"I get the hint." Tommy laughed as he grabbed the car seats and headed for Rocky and Casey's bedroom. "I even will leave the playpen for later so that we're out of here faster."
Kat sat on the couch just giggling away. "Stop laughing Kat, you're only encouraging him." Casey said trying to keep her face as serious as possible. She was doing a pretty good job at it.
"I can't help it! Oh the images!" Kat laughed even harder.
"Those images should be giving you nightmares Kat, not laughing fits." Tommy called from the hallway.
"Yeah, well if you were inside my head, you'd laugh too."
"I have a feeling I don't want to know." Rocky groaned. Casey slipped out of her husbands hands and sat next to Kat.
"Oh tell me!" she whispered.
"I can picture him standing there trying to seduce while wearing some clown getup or something." Kat whispered back. Rocky stood watching the girls trying to decide if he wanted to know or not.
"That's slightly disturbing Kat." Casey giggled.
"I always thought he had a clown fetish or something." Kat grinned.
"Clown fetish?!" Rocky yelped. "What in the hell…"
"Never mind Rocky." Casey grinned as she once again slipped back into his arms.
Tommy rejoined the group carrying both twins in their car seats. Somehow he had managed to bundle them up and strap them in, without waking them.
"How the hell did you do that?" Rocky said as he realized the twins hadn't woke up. "I could barely move around the room without waking them and you fully picked them up and didn't even get so much as a whine."
Tommy grinned wildly. "Practice and a steady, swift hand."
"Well, thanks again Rocky. We owe you."
"Yeah you do." Rocky raised an eyebrow. "How about dinner?"
"Are you kidding?!" Kat gasped. "I said we owe you, but I would like to send my children to college one day."
"You know one of these days, all those jokes about my appetite are going to get old."
"Well today's not the day." Tommy teased. "We'll see you later Rocky. If you really want you and Casey can come over for dinner. I think we were planning taco night."
"Tacos?! A man after my own heart." Rocky said as he placed his hands over his heart and pretended to swoon.
"Oh you know it." Tommy winked which only caused Casey and Kat to laugh.
"Shall Kat and I go, there is a bedroom calling to Rocky ya know." Casey laughed. Kat's jaw dropped as she stared at her friend in disbelief. Tommy set the car seats down and rushed across to Rocky.
"Let's go babycakes!" Tommy said as he threw Rocky over his shoulder.
"Tommy! She's joking! Tommy stop!" Rocky cried as Tommy ran down the hall toward the bedroom. Casey and Kat both stared at each other.
"Oh my God! What just happened?!" Kat choked out.
"I think…"
"That was so not funny Thomas!" Rocky yelled as he rushed out to the living room. He stood behind Casey using her as a human shield against Tommy.
"I actually thought it was quite funny." Tommy grinned.
"Is there something you need to tell me Tommy?" Kat asked.
"Oh yeah, I knew I was forgetting something." Tommy smirked. "Kat, I'm secretly in love with Rocky."
"What?!" Rocky exclaimed as he pulled Casey even closer.
"Oh get over yourself." Casey elbowed him in the ribs. "He's joking."
"You weren't the one he threw over a shoulder and ran away with." Rocky mumbled.
"Love you too baby!" Tommy grinned as he once again picked up his kids. "Come on Angel Eyes, let's get home. I'm feeling the need to prove my masculinity."
"Is that your idea of foreplay?" Kat shook her head as she followed toward the door. "We'll see you guys tonight at six for tacos and I'm think margaritas are in order too."
"Don't let Tommy have one while I'm around." Rocky smirked. "He might forget that you're the one he's engaged to."
"Oh I can never forget Kat, but I might think about you for dessert." Tommy joked. Kat reached out and smacked him upside the head.
"Stop scaring the poor boy and get out of here." Kat scolded. "Later guys." she waved to Casey and Rocky before following Tommy out the door toward the truck.
"Tommy has gotten weird." Rocky commented as they stood in the living room alone.
"He's been around you and Zack for too long." Casey replied. "So were you just joking about starting on those kids?"
"Not at all, you're not getting any younger miss thirty-something."
"First off, it's Mrs. Thirty-something, and secondly, It's only thirty."
"Are you telling me I don't know how old my wife really is?" Rocky laughed. "You turn thirty-one next month, so I can get by with my first comment."
"Rocky, just shut up and kiss me." Rocky smiled before pressing his lips to hers in a long passionate filling kiss.
"You should have seen the look on Rocky's face when you tossed him over your shoulder! It was priceless! Wish I'd had a camera." Kat laughed as they sat in the living room gently rocking their twins.
"I thought he would take that joke a little better." Tommy laughed. "Then again coming from me, I'm sure it took him by surprise."
"You've been around Rocky too long."
"Actually that idea came from Zack, he always joked that he would do that Jason if he could lift him off the ground."
"So you're not original?" Kat laughed.
"Of course I am!" Tommy protested. "Oh hell! I have to call Zack and tell him I used his prank."
"Catch." Kat called as she tossed the phone toward him. Tommy caught it one handed and proceeded to dial a number.
After a few rings Zack finally answered. "Hello?"
"Hey Zack."
"Hey Dr. Daddy! How's it going man?"
"Just fine, how's things with you?"
"Great, I was just thinking about calling you."
"Really what for?"
"I'll tell you after you tell me what you called for."
"I pulled a prank on Rocky!" Tommy couldn't help but grin at pranking the prankster.
"You didn't?! I knew I felt a disturbance in the force! Welcome to the dark side. What did you do?!"
"You know that bedroom joke you've always wanted to pull on Jason?"
"No way! You didn't."
"I did! The opportunity was just too good to pass up."
"Details!"
"He was being typical Rocky and joking around, pretending to flirt with me. Casey made a comment that she and Kat should leave us alone, so I took to the opportunity and threw him over my shoulder and ran toward his bedroom."
"Man I wish I could have seen it."
"Oh it gets better, I called him babycakes before picking him up! And I said that I've been secretly in love with him. He hid behind Casey, using her as a shield."
"You're an evil genius Tommy."
"I know, I know! I think I could get into this jokester thing." Kat shot him a glare with a raised eyebrow. "I think the future Mrs. disagrees."
"Well, she didn't fall for you because you make her laugh." Zack laughed on his end of the line.
"So what were you going to call me about?"
"I was going to tell you that I finally am going to propose to Aisha!"
"No way! When?!" Kat noticed Kat perk up expecting him to tell her what was going on.
"She's coming here next week for the weekend. I'm going to take her out to dinner at her favorite restaurant and do the whole one knee thing."
"Man Zack, that's awesome."
"Do me a favor and DON'T tell Kat."
"Why would I do something like that?" Tommy protested.
"You tell her just about everything. If you tell her she'll tell Kimberly and Kim will tell Aisha and then my surprise is ruined. You know the women man, they can't keep secrets from each other."
"I subject I know only too well. No worries, my lips are sealed. I'll talk to you later man."
"Later Tommy." Both men hung up the phone and Tommy looked to Kat.
"So what's going on?"
"Can't say." Tommy shrugged.
"You're sworn to secrecy, which means it one of two things. Zack's moving home or he's finally proposing to Aisha. I'm assuming the latter of course."
"How do you know all these things?"
"So it is the latter."
"You tell Kimberly and you can forget our wedding." Tommy playfully warned.
"If I have to forget our wedding you can forget getting to try for another child."
"Who says I want another one?" Tommy grinned as he settled further back into the couch with Alexis. Kat raised an eyebrow.
"I said 'try' for another one. Which means no fun for you."
"So your cutting me off?"
"Maybe I should until we are married." Kat grinned.
"Not fair Kat." Tommy pouted.
"Like I can keep my hands off you." Kat giggled. "I think I'm just as guilty as you."
"Yeah you are. I didn't even have to seduce you, you willingly did it with me."
"Don't worry I won't tell Kim. I can keep secrets you know. Anway, I'm going to put Aidan in bed and start dinner. It's already half past four."
"Why don't you just say four-thirty?"
"Because I love you and want to confuse you." Kat teased.
"You're speech doesn't confuse me, only the reasons you talk like that do."
"Exactly." Kat grinned as she made her way to the kids' bedroom. She gently laid her sleeping son in the crib and made her way to the kitchen.
She began browning the hamburger when Tommy walked into the kitchen. "Do you want some help?"
"Tommy Oliver is offering help in the kitchen!? Who are you?"
"Very funny Kat. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen while you were in that chair. I do know my way around."
"Usually someone has to twist your arm to get your help in here." Kat grinned. "You can cut up the onion."
"Oh sure, give me the task you hate doing."
"I hate onions."
"Why are we having them then?"
"Because you invited Rocky and he smoothers his tacos in them."
"Poor Casey."
"She won't kiss him till he brushes his teeth." Kat shrugged. "She'll probably pack his toothbrush in her purse just because of that."
"She knows Rocky only too well." Tommy laughed. "Those two were made for each other I swear."
Tommy and Katherine prepped everything for Taco night together and then set the table. Almost on cue, the doorbell rang. "Come on in!" Kat called from the dinning room.
"Hey, guys." Casey called as she walked in the door. "Are Aidan and Alexis asleep again?"
"They're newborns, they sleep a lot." Kat shrugged. "Lucky for us."
"They are starting to get a little more interactive though." Tommy added.
"Very true. They're both trying so hard to hold their heads up." Kat said. "Where's Rocky?"
"Right here!" Rocky said he came in the house with a couple bags of groceries.
"Go help him." Kat told Tommy. He shrugged and walked over to Rocky.
"Here sugar, let me help you." Both Kat and Casey doubled over in laughter in the dinning room.
"Don't you even think about it Tommy!" Rocky growled as he pushed past Tommy. "Where do you want these Kat?"
"What did you bring?"
"Some drinks and extra taco shells. As well as some dessert."
"You guys didn't need to bring anything." Tommy said as he joined them in the dinning room.
"Yeah we know, but we did anyway." Rocky said as he too joined the girls.
Kat giggled as she watched Rocky place Casey between himself and Tommy. "Oh come on Rocky, you don't really think that Tommy has a crush on you do you?'
"No, I just don't want him to try that again or something worse just to make you two laugh." Casey just shook her head and left Rocky's side to take a seat.
"Oh you mean something like this." Tommy smirked before he grabbed Rocky's shoulders and placed a kiss on his cheek.
"What the hell?!" Rocky shrieked. "You're on crack I just know it!" Tommy grinned triumphantly as he walked over to Kat. "What the hell are you on?"
"Nothing." Tommy grinned again as he wrapped his arms around Kat's waist. He gently pressed his lips to hers and pulled her closer to him to prove that he was very much straight. "Let's eat."
"You sit over there!" Rocky barked as he pointed at the chair across the table from him.
"Oh come on, you don't want me to hold your hand through dinner." Tommy grinned.
"Okay Tommy, you've had your fun. That's enough now." Kat warned as she sat next to Rocky. "Leave poor King Kong alone!"
"You know, sometimes I wish we knew what your spirit animal would have been." Rocky said.
"So you don't know everyone's?" Casey asked.
"No, only the original ninja rangers." Tommy explained. "But since Kat used the crane powers without problems it might be safe to say that her animal was the crane. Kim and her are very similar."
"I highly doubt that." Rocky retorted.
"Let's not fight over what I would have been." Kat said as she began scooping up some taco meat. Rocky shot her a look.
"You know what I think you would have been." Casey said. Kat looked at her with a questioning look. "A Panther."
"A panther?" Rocky chuckled. "Kat's a giant cat, who could imagine that."
"What makes you say that?" Kat asked.
"Panthers are agile, graceful, sleek, and deadly." Casey replied. "You seem to carry all these qualities."
"Oh my god!" Tommy suddenly started laughing.
"What?!" Rocky and Casey asked.
"Kat would have been the pink panther!" Tommy exclaimed. Rocky immediately broke out in the pink panther theme song.
"Rocky." Kat said sweetly.
"Yes?"
"Put a sock in it."
"Sorry Clouseau." Rocky joked and received a quick kick in the shin. "Ow! That was mean Kat."
"I didn't kick you." Kat said holding her hands up in protest.
"I did!" Casey snapped. "Leave Kat alone."
"Yes my cougar." Rocky quipped. Casey glared at him and Rocky just grinned bigger. "Oh if looks could kill."
"I think somebody's digging themselves a grave." Tommy muttered.
"Somebody better be prepared to sleep on the couch for a while." Kat giggled.
"Hey I'm not worried about it. I got me some today already!" Rocky laughed which caused Casey's scowl to harden even more. "Oh you love me Casey and you know it."
"You're trying to push your luck aren't you?"
"Only if I haven't gone too far."
"Maybe you have."
"In that case I'm sorry."
"Too late."
"Oh come on, you can't resist me and you know it."
"You know it's too early for you two to be fighting." Tommy said as serious as he could. "You have to be married at least two months before you can have a fight."
"Who said this was a fight." Rocky grinned to which Casey grinned too.
"You two are surely weird." Kat shook her head as she took a bite of her taco.
"But you wouldn't have either of us any other way!" Casey replied.
"Very true, you two keep me entertained."
"Is that the only reason you keep me around? I'm so hurt!" Rocky held a hand to heart and made a pouting face.
"Are you hurt enough not to eat?" Tommy asked.
"Never!" Rocky shot back and to prove his point took a huge bite out of his taco.
"Nothing comes between Rocky and his food. And I truly mean nothing." Casey laughed. "He barely put down his hamburger the other day to look at me in my new lingerie."
"You'd pass up that, for food?" Tommy said with wide eyes. "You're crazy!"
"Hey I can have both! I finished my hamburger before she even made it to the bedroom to change out of it."
"Rocky, only you." Kat laughed.
"If Kat walked out here in lingerie I'd drop whatever was in my hands…"
"Unless it's one of the twins!" Casey cut in.
"Well duh!" Tommy laughed.
"Don't you wear lingerie for Tommy?" Rocky asked.
"I'm not telling you!" Kat said with red cheeks.
"Oh come on, I bet he'd love that teal number you have in your dresser!" Rocky grinned.
"Do I want to know how you know that she even has a teal number?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.
"I was about to say the same thing." Casey crossed her arms over her chest.
"I accidentally found it when I was helping her put away clothes one day." Rocky shrugged. Kat's blush deepened as she nodded.
"What were you doing in her underwear drawer?" Tommy asked.
"Rocky was putting away my clothes while I was in the shower one day. He was trying to help me out around the house." Kat shook her head. "He gave me such a hard time about it. Kept reminding me that blue was his color."
"She looks good in blue too." Rocky grinned knowing that his comment was annoying Tommy.
"And how do you know?"
"Don't tell me you wore it for him." Casey laughed already knowing that it wasn't true.
"No!" Kat shrieked.
"She's worn blue a few times. Really brings out her eyes." Rocky laughed as he noticed Tommy visibly relax back into his chair. "Get jealous much Tommy?"
"No." Tommy replied.
"Yes you do." Casey laughed and Kat nodded with a smile.
"It's okay Tommy. I love your protectiveness." Kat soothed as she grabbed his hand.
The foursome ate the rest of dinner happily. After dinner Tommy and Rocky cleared the table while the girls went to check on the twins. Casey and Kat both returned to the living room each with a baby in their arms. Both Aidan and Alexis were cooing and gurgling at the attention the adults were lavishing on them. Tommy went to the kitchen and made bottles for the twins, knowing that it had been a while since either had eaten.
"You know I really wish that I had been able to have them naturally." Kat with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"I know Angel Eyes." Tommy rubbed her back gently as she fed Alexis. "I wanted to wait until you came to, but without knowing how long it would be…"
"I understand Tommy. I really do." Kat replied. "Still, I'm a mother, and I can't even tell anyone what it's like to have a baby. It's just kind of weird. To me it was like one day I was pregnant and the next their were these two beautiful angels. I have no memory or knowledge of their birth."
"I know that's hard Kat, but you guys can always have another baby someday." Casey replied. "Hopefully everything will work out just fine for you. Women have babies naturally after a c-section all the time."
"I know, that's what I'm hoping for, but no kids for a while for us. We want to wait for a couple years."
"Good plan." Rocky nodded. "I wouldn't want to take care of three little ones."
"Keep that in mind when you're trying to convince me for the second one." Casey laughed. She snuggled Aidan closer to her as he sucked happily on his bottle. "You're such a darling."
"Aidan reminds me of Kat." Tommy said. "Very patient, sweet, and quiet."
"But he looks just like you." Rocky replied.
"Good combination of parents." Casey agreed. "Let me guess, Alexis is just the opposite?"
"In a lot of ways yes. She looks just Kat did as a baby other than she has dark eyes, due in part to me." Tommy grinned. "But she sure acts like me in most ways."
"Yeah very vocal, loud, and wanting to be the center of attention. When I'm alone with the kids and I'm doing something with Aidan she screams and screams until I finally pick her up." Kat added.
"I'm not like that, am I?"
"Yes you are!" Rocky and Kat said at the same time.
"I don't scream." Tommy muttered.
"No you just do other things to bring the attention back to you." Rocky replied.
"You're kids are a great mix of the two of you." Casey cut into the banter. "You're very lucky."
"Thank you." Both Tommy and Kat replied. Kat looked back at her fiance and grinned. She couldn't belive how luck they had been. First off to even find each other, secondly that she had survived the car crash, and lastly because they had such beautiful kids. Yeah, life doesn't get much better than this, well other than actually getting married. Kat grinned to herself thinking about their upcoming wedding. They had finally settled on a June wedding on the beach. She knew that after their wedding, their life would finally be complete… with maybe the addition of one or two more kids.
Author's note 2: I did research the usual sentences for attempted murder. For one count it can range from 5 years to 30 years. So in Nikki's case 25 for three counts is extremely lenient. Especially when you throw in that she can get out with parole after ten years. I felt that this was very fair to both parties. When I first had this story started originally I was going to have Nikki be locked away with for good, but after VintageRanger pointed out to me that Tommy had treated her badly I began feeling sorry for my "bad guy". LOL So thanks to VintageRanger for Nikki's conclusion. I feel that she's serving her time for what she did, but still has a chance to restart her life and hopefully have a happy ending of her own. So thanks again!