Chapter 62

"He's seen her naked, Tom, and they've probably made love with her dying!" she cried. "Doesn't that mean anything to him and her carrying his children?"

Tom took her in his arms and said as gently as he could, "Krystal, AJ is dying inside at the thought of losing her. And lovemaking is a beautiful way to share the most intimate communication that a couple can. Maybe that was the only way she would listen to his love. He said she was trying to drive everyone away that loved her, maybe she admitted that she needed to be held and loved in a physical way, but couldn't do it in an emotional one?"

"He was wrong," she said wiping her eyes and staring at Tom.

"About what, Krystal?"

"That baby wasn't Kris, it was me. He forgot one thing, we are identical even down to our birthmarks," she looked at Tom grinning.

"So, he was admiring MY fiancée's naked butt was he? I will have to hurt him for that when he gets back!" Tom smiled at her, thinking of the night when he could finally see her birthmark for himself.

"Can't wait to tell the Admiral that he's seem my tush. Just the look on his face should be priceless. Should I have him brought up on charges?" laughed Krystal pulling Tom down to lie on top of her for a kiss.

"Um, he could counter them with that slap you delivered earlier, darling," Tom reminded her. He kissed her and then got up quickly, helping her to her feet too. This was not a situation he was comfortable with knowing that he would have to wait to fulfill the desire raging in him. "We should get dinner started, they'll be back soon."

"Tom, I know he's your friend, but if he hurts Kris then he has to answer to me, Admiral or no Admiral," Krystal frowned as she got to her feet to follow him.

"Krystal, all he wants to do is love her!" Tom took her into the kitchen, where he got out the food he planned to prepare for dinner. "Would you like to help me, darling?"

With hands on hips, she looked at him and asked, "Does it have anything to do with bacon and eggs?"

Tom was instantly nearly helpless with laughter. When he could finally gasp out an answer he assured her that it did NOT! Handing her a head of lettuce he suggested that she start the salad. "Here you can cut this up. Pretend it's the enemy and chop the hell out of it," Tom handed her a knife.

"Where do you want the slaughter preformed, Admiral?"

"On that butcher block, right there on the counter," he grinned knowing she needed to release some tension.

"Yeah, I've got it," she replied, making lettuce fly. 'Take that Admiral Chegwidden, and that,' she thought.

"Trying to kill someone, Krystal?" Tom laughed, watching her attack the lettuce.

"No, just do permanent damage to them," replied Krystal chopping away at the lettuce.

AJ pulled up to Krista's apartment in the Escalade. He wished he had stopped and gotten an engagement ring, but he could pick one up later. The most important thing was to ask her tonight. Krista meant too much to him and he couldn't lose her…not to cancer, nor to his stupidity. Climbing the steps he knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.

Krista opened the door in a skirt and T-shirt; he saw that it said, 'Construction Zone!' with a large arrow pointing to her swelling belly. "Hi!" she said cheerfully, "Let me get my bag and I'm ready to go," she let him follow her into the apartment as she grabbed up a large shoulder bag and then turned to face him again.

"We have a few minutes, so can we talk, Krista?" he asked, as he led her to her couch to sit her down.

"Sure, there's something I need to tell you too, you go first!" she smiled up at him happily.

"Krista, I want you to know that last night while I loved you with my body, I was loving you with my heart as well. Darlin', I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, no matter how long they are," he declared going down on one knee and taking her hand. "Krista, please say you'll marry me, become my wife. I need to be with you every second we have together, my love I beg you to say yes."

"No, Albert, I won't marry you, I'm sorry," she stood and went to the window to look out, her arms crossed across her tummy where the babies rested.

To be continued…