Chapter 43 – New Years City

Letting a cough escape my throat, I collapsed against the bed. Traveling the five and half hour flight across the country was long, grueling for those who were still trying to get over the flu.

My fever had broken the next day and then it was the sore throat and cough that had hung around. I had been up taking care of Liam, taking a nap ever time he did. I was doing okay and with Troy around, it was a big help. It would have been impossible if he wasn't here.

Troy carried the rest of our luggage into the room as I got up to check our view. We would be able to watch the ball drop from our balcony, which would probably be what would happen do to the fact, that, Liam would need to be asleep and it would be crazy crowded down below.

We had a great view as Troy came up behide me. His arms circling around my waist bring me into a long hug. "How are you feeling?"

"I am due for a nap, one in a bed."

"So is your son, so while I go do something with the team, you two can nap. Are you sure you are feeling okay?" I nodded my head as I didn't move from his arms. "Where are you going?" I asked, "Just to the Knicks court, we are going to hold a shoot around for about an hour. Once I get back we can go grab some dinner on the town."

"I want to stroll through central park," I quickly added, "We are going to be here for a few days Brie; we will have plenty of time." I looked at him as he kissed my forehead. "I know but tomorrow is New Years Eve, the day after that we already have plans to do some shopping, I mean us girls, and then we fly home on Monday."

"Okay…maybe we can, since I think both of us will be nursing a hangover all day."

"What about your son?" I asked, "Being a parent sucks sometimes,"

"I know but I think since I was pregnant last year, I should get to drink." Troy laughed as he pressed me close to his body. "You do? I mean my sick, beautiful wife wants to drink on New Years Eve?" I didn't talk for a second as the sick part came into play. "Okay…maybe I don't want to drink since I already have that pounding headache but…" Troy smirked as he kissed my forehead.

"How about just a quiet evening on our balcony, watching the show from up here, together." I gripped my fingers around his arm as I nodded, "Sounds fantastic to me," I said glancing up to his eyes. Troy bent down to kiss me again as somebody knocked our door.

"Bolton! Let's go!"

Troy sighed as he kissed me once more, "I think Liam is crashed in swing, so do you need anything?" I shook my head as he let go of my fingers. A chilly breeze swept over us as I walked back into my room, crossing my arms over my chest. Troy had run out to buy Liam a warm coat since living in California, we didn't have one.

Putting Liam's bed together, I laid him gently down into it as I kissed her forehead. I crawled into my own bed as I texted Lucille and Jack letting them know we were safely in New York.

I then sent a message to my mom letting her know I was in New York; it had slipped my mind to tell her while I was sick and I had such a short time to plan it.

Closing my eyes, I curled my hands around the blankets as sleep quickly over took my body.

"Liam," Troy said trying to get him to eat the small amount of human food in front of him. Liam looked up at Troy as Troy looked down at Liam. "You two, are crazy," I said as I rested my head onto my hand, my elbow holding everything up. "Yes, I know that your son is totally stubborn." Troy grunted as he finally got the small piece of noodle into his mouth.

Liam made a face as Troy shook his head, "I give up for the night. Do you want to try?" he asked, we were sitting at a steakhouse. Chad and Taylor were with us but currently both were in the bathroom doing, something. Sliding over to be next to Liam, I got him to take three large bites of his food.

"That is so unfair." Troy said tossing his napkin off to the side. I smiled as I kissed the top of Liam's head. Chad and Taylor both emerged at the same time, looking the same and it only had been five minutes, nothing more than a horny make out session. "I think we should go do what they just did."

"Funny,"

"You never know, the next Bolton could be conceived in a restaurant." I shot Troy a long look as he sat back in his chair laughing. Once Taylor and Chad sat down, Troy leaned over to talk to Chad for a moment.

"I am going to take Gabi out after this for a little while, I didn't know if you mind watching Liam. He is only going to sleep for the time being but I just want to him under supervision." I looked at Troy as he winked back at me, "It's another part of your Christmas present and I called them to make sure you would be okay since you are a little sick."

"What are you making me do?"

"You don't have to do it, I just…I think you should just wait." Troy squirmed in his seat as if he didn't know if it was a good idea. "I want it to be a surprise since I have this whole idea already, how about after dinner we take a walk through the park followed by my crazy idea I had."

I raised my eyebrows in suspense as he squeezed my knee gently. "I promise nothing will be that bad."

We made it through dinner as we sent Chad and Taylor with Liam back to the hotel room. Liam was already almost asleep so all they had to do was change him into PJ's.

Troy and I began to walk slowly in the park as he glanced over at me. "I was not drunk when I came up with this, nor was I kidding when I told this to Chad who thought it might be stupid, or bad to do."

"You are killing me here, would you just like to tell me?"

"I thought about getting tattoos, more specific tattoos of our wedding date followed by each other names. Yes, I know, they say don't do it because you will one day get a divorce from this person, like it's an omen." Troy began to babble as I thought about it. A tattoo to symbolize our love to each other, not a bad idea but what if our relationship ever went south?

"I feel like if we don't do it then we will regert it later, but if we do it, then we will regert it because we some how broke up," I finally shushed Troy as I put my fingers to his lips. "Calm," Troy's blue eyes gazed over me as we began to walk again. "Sounds great,"

"Really?" Troy asked, "I know that they say not to get tattoos with loved ones names on it, but I don't think I will ever get rid of you, Troy, you will always be special to me."

Troy brought me close to his body as tiny snowflakes twinkled around us. "I know, I have some ideas but we don't have to do it tonight."

"No, let's do it. I have always wanted a tattoo, I just, have never had something to do. I thought about getting Liam scripted somewhere but that can come later."

Troy gripped my hand as he stood on the left and me on the right of him. "When we stand like this, our hands connected, we can do always on one of our hands and then our wedding date underneath, followed by the other persons with forever with the wedding date underneath."

"I like that, it doesn't say names and that date and you will always be special no matter what happens." Troy pulled me in close as he kissed my temple. Moving across the streets, Troy walked up to a place, "They say he is the best and he offered to take us later."

"You are going first," I teased him as we walked through the door. "If you say so," Troy walked in as he walked over to the front desk. The guy sitting behide it glanced up before a thin smile crossed over his face. "Convinced the wife huh?"

Troy smirked as he leaned across the counter, "It wasn't as hard as I thought," Troy glanced back over at me as I smiled at him walking closer. The room was dark, the little lights on in the place with dark walls covering around. Nothing more would give you the creeps like this place.

It looked clean though and that is very important, "This is what I kind of had sketched for you guys, if you are going with the same ideas."

Leaning against the counter, my head leaning against Troy's shoulder as he grabbed my hand. "I like these, Gabi,"

Looking at them, I then looked up at Troy. "You have to love it Troy, I know that I don't exactly love them," my eyes brushed over the sloppy design. Always and forever was blocked letters with the numbers kind of scuffled together.

"I told you she wouldn't like block letters," the guy behind the counter laughed out loud. "Do you two know each other?"

"College," they both muttered together, this surprised me since I knew most of Troy's college friends. "You wouldn't know him because that is when you were at Stanford. He was in one of my basic classes, dumbass back there." The guy looked at Troy, then me, "Wait, this is the same girl from high school you would never shut up about?"

"Still don't." Troy commented as he flipped through the book. My guard went down a little as Troy knew this guy well enough to call him a dumbass. I blushed as the guy laughed; he stood up as he stuck his arm out. He wasn't covered in tattoos but enough to know he had interest.

"Matt," he said shaking my hand, "Gabi," Matt nodded as Troy rolled his neck, "I don't know, do you have another design?" Troy asked him, "Yea, I actually do since; this shitty Bolton who can't play basketball is dumb, not knowing what women like."

"Dude, do you really?" Troy rolled his eyes, "Do you two stay in contact or something?"

"No…not really, we were pretty close. Dude, how did you not meet Gabi?" Troy asked confused, "Because I was getting laid, drunk, or high." Troy snorted, "Straight up." My looked at Troy shocked as he shook his head, "Not the laid part, I swear," Troy threw his hands up as I held my lips in a straight line.

Matt broke out in a laugh, "Well his freshman year, he was basically a party animal that is about it. No getting laid, very loyal to his very pretty girlfriend, who is now his wife." He winked as he laid out some more designs.

One was very script to the point you almost couldn't read it, but it was cute. Then then next one was a lot less curvy but romantic looking. "Are you still looking at your wrists?"

Troy looked over at me and I then nodded, "I loved Troy's idea, I thought it was really cute, but would it look corny with always on Troy's wrist?"

"You could both just do forever on your wrist with the wedding date scripted underneath, or" he paused as he shuffled around his desk before pulling out another paper. "Or you could get 'Love Forever' with the wedding date underneath." My eyes glanced over it as I nodded. "I love that."

Troy glanced over it as he smiled, "Yea that will be awesome."

"Do you think you could put like a tiny heart at like, oh, or if you could put like a heart instead of an o in love." Matt looked at my nodding as he sketched at work for a moment until he brought it up. I then fell in love what would be my first tattoo.

The simple cursive letters, carefully etched out as the o in love was a heart swinging into the v making it look amazing. I smiled as I finally nodded my head, "Yes, I love it."

"I will go without the heart; I like that one a little bit more." Troy gave me a sly wink as Matt nodded, "Fair enough. Let me just get set up, I assume you want everything in black."

I thought about it very carefully as if I wanted something different. I then nodded, "Just black,"

"Who is going first?" I turned to look at Troy as he smiled, "I am," we all walked back as I leaned forward to kiss Troy's lips. "I hope I never have to regret this."

"I am never letting you go."

Resting my feet against the arm of Troy's chair, he was still in the process of getting his tattoo. He had been there for about an hour and half as it was growing late. I yawned as I was very much on mommy time.

"Did you hear that I have a son," Troy mentioned carefully, he winced every now and then but nothing much. He said the pain was doable as I would cough roughly sometimes, Matt would look at me, and "You have to sit as still as possible."

"I know," I said to him. "I will try my hardest. I swear this cough is killing me though."

"I heard something that you had a son but I never thought it was true. I am assuming since you are married that you are mommy," I nodded my head, "That is why I am yawning, I am on mommy time."

"Or because she is still sick," Troy said glancing over at me. "He is really protective of you," Matt mentioned, I snorted, "No flipping joke," I wrapped my arms around my waist as Troy turned to me. "Find him a picture of Liam."

I rolled my eyes as I dug around for my phone in my bag. Flipping through my pictures, I found a new picture of us three before showing it to Matt as he paused his work.

"Wow, looks just like you Troy with Gabi's skin tone and hair." I smiled as I thought I should call Taylor to check up on Liam. "Do you care if I call my friend to check up on him?" Matt nodded, "Go ahead, I am almost done with Troy." I stood up as I went to the front of the shop.

"Hey, how is everything going?"

"Good, I will wait to tell you what the hell we are doing but anyways, how is my little guy?" I asked, "Great. He is sleeping peacefully in your room. We are lying in your room watching paper view."

"That's fine; we should only be about two more hours."

"Does Troy remember he has to play tomorrow?" Taylor asked, "Yea, his words are that he doesn't have to be there until later in the afternoon since it's a night game."

"True,"

I yawned as I let Taylor know I would call on our way back. Ending my phone call, I walked back to see Troy standing examine his new permeate ink. Troy was getting his on the right and then I will get mine on the left.

"Let me see," I said walking towards him, he stuck out his wrist, "I want to send my mom a picture, and she will flip!" Troy said laughing, "Oh come on, and it's not that bad. I mean does she watch the NBA?"

Troy raised his eyebrows as Matt looked at me, "You ready Mrs. Bolton?" I could hint that this was teasing, "Oh yea, I will try my hardest not to fall asleep on you, I promise."

"Yea, Bolton, are you going to pay me over time?" Troy walked over to a fridge as he pulled it open. "Bolton, what the hell do you think you are doing?"

"I think I am grabbing this beer from your fridge. Dude, I knew you in college, I know whatever fridge you have will not go without beer." Troy popped back the tab as I shook my head. "I think we should do shots tomorrow Gabi," I looked at him as if he was crazy. "Do you not remember your twenty first birthday?"

Troy blushed as he nodded, "I do remember my twenty first birthday but I have done them plenty since then."

"And we have Liam," Troy groaned as Matt wrapped up Troy's wrist carefully, "Make sure this is wrapped tomorrow during basketball or I swear to God, I will run down from the stands and kick your ass."

"That was our trade," Troy mentioned as he tilted the bottle backwards getting a lick of beer from the bottle. "I give him amazing seats during the Knicks and Lakers game, a free tshirt, and to get to meet a player."

"And that player is going to be…Chad?" I questioned with a hint of a smile. "I told him that was the only one off limits." Troy smirked taking another drink. "Funny."

"I want prewrap, tape, followed by a sweatband or something; I mean I would understand if you didn't want people to bug you about an injury."

"All over press tomorrow," Troy mumbled as Matt sat down; he looked at me as we both went over our design again. "Alright, here we go."

My eyes groggy as I rested my head against the back of the seat, Troy had turned on the radio as conversation became a little mum do to us all becoming tired. Matt was alert as he was very careful since I would cough every few minutes.

It had only stung a little, a few pinches of pain here and there but it was good. Letting a deep yawn go, Matt pulled back as he glanced down at his work. Then he blinked, "Done, do you like it? Want anything changed that I can change?" I pulled my wrist away from the table as I looked at it.

It was perfect. I smiled, "Thanks, it beautiful."

Matt stood up as he went over to grab a beer from the fridge himself. I yawned again as Troy stood up, "I will leave the tickets at will call. I am putting you next to Gabi and Taylor, plus little Liam so you will get to meet him tomorrow." I looked up at the clock as it was past two in the morning.

"Keep the bandage on over night; take a gentle shower in the morning. Pat dry, do not rub. Ointment, Troy, you need to put a bandage on yours during the game because it will be tender and basketball will be rough so keep it protected." Troy yawned and nodded himself.

"Yes sir," flickering his hand, Matt finished my bandage and then he patted my leg. "I will see you tomorrow, Bolton; I will see you after the game tomorrow." Troy nodded as he slipped his hand into mine.

I texted Taylor that we were leaving as I let another yawn slip through my teeth, "Do not rush getting up tomorrow, I am thinking about sending Liam with Taylor and Chad."

"What if they are waiting up?"

"They aren't. They both crashed around midnight, right after you called. I don't want to get up at six thirty tomorrow to deal with him since he is way off with sleep."

"You would think he wouldn't understand the whole time change thing but he wakes up at the same time no matter what," I felt drained as my head turned to the side. Troy yawned again himself as I let a laugh out, "It's crazy. Since we became parents ten months ago, we havent went and did anything crazy."

"Nope. You have been perfectly in bed by at least midnight." I nodded trying to suspense another yawn. "Liam wears me out and doing anything you with wears me out."

Troy wiggled his eyebrows, "Well…can you really complain about that?" he asked me, and I giggled as I pressed my body into his. "Nope, I really can't."

Once the taxi pulled up to our hotel, we began towards the elevator. I looked down at the neat wrapping on the bandage, how I just did something that was going to be marked on my body for the rest of my life.

"If we ever do get separated, you are paying for tattoo removal." I joked with him, "Funny," Troy said kissing my temple, "Too bad I am never letting you go."

"Good, I never want you to let me go." We arrived on the Laker floor as we moved past many doors. I guess most of the teams family was on this trip too, Troy was the one who kind of started it though, I guess, that is what I was hearing. Troy pulled out his key card as he punched it in letting a deep yawn go.

The thing blinked green as he pushed the door open gently. Taylor was sitting up in the bed as her hair was pulled back, her eyes were groggy and Chad was lying down in the bed. "How about you take our key and sleep in our room?" Chad whispered as Troy went over to check on Liam.

"I am such a sucker for this kid, if you guys just want to go to your room. Somebody is going to have to get up early, might as well be me." Troy said as he fixed something in the crib. "This was all my idea anyway."

"I want all of the details tomorrow morning." Taylor mumbled as she walked past me. I gave her a smile as I hugged her, "Thank you."

"Mhm…"

Once Chad and Taylor both left, I collapsed down into the bed as Troy stripped off his shirt. He then pulled off his jeans followed by grabbing a simple pair of basketball shorts. Troy then rolled into bed grabbing me into his arms.

"Come here my love,"

Troy kissed my forehead as I rested my eyes.

Rolling over at the sound of Liam's cry, a long groan escaped my body. Being out till two am was not the best thing in the world anymore. The bed creaked as Troy stuffed a pillow into my face. "Go back to bed…and its nine forty five." Troy mentioned I rolled back over letting my eyes rest again as I felt myself rolling back into another long sleep.

Hearing the door click open to the bathroom, I was faint in-between and out of sleep for a while. "I will be down in the lobby okay?"

I raised my thumb up over my head as I didn't want to move the pillow. Liam cooed as Troy chuckled.

"Go back to sleep,"

Letting the door click close out to the hallway, I knew Troy and Liam had left. I was free to sleep for a little while longer.

Troy's POV

Letting out a deep yawn, I traveled down to the lobby to grab breakfast and coffee. "Thank God you understood how to sleep in when you are supposed to." Liam blinked his eyes as he then turned his body in my arms.

Walking into the lobby, I saw Taylor and Chad talking at the table, looking down at my new form of ink. I had taken care of it just like Matt said we should have. It was red and a little swollen but nothing I couldn't handle.

Waving back at Chad who had spotted me, I showed off the new tattoo. Chad smirked as Taylor looked dazed. Her mouth formed words with shock expression. I moved towards there table as Chad pulled up a chair. "Is that what you two did last night?" Taylor asked me.

I nodded my head as I showed them. "It's beautiful." Taylor spoke as her eyes scanned the tattoo. "Thanks," I yawned as I settled Liam down into my lap. "It will look a whole lot better once the swelling goes down." I told her, "What did Gabi get?"

"Basically the same thing but with a heart in love." Taylor looked over at Chad, "That is really cute,"

"Why do you always compare me to Troy?" Chad asked taking a bite of the fruit in front of him. There waiter came over and asked if I was joining. I nodded my head, "Yea, I just want a coffee with two pancakes and eggs."

"Dude, do you really think you should be having pancakes on game day?"

"I have to feed Liam something," bouncing Liam in my lap he began to suck on his hand as he loved to do now a day. "He likes pancakes?"

"I dunno this will be the first time we try pancakes." I kissed the top of his head softly as he played with some of the stuff on the table, murmuring little things.

"I can not believe how cute he is," Taylor said as she leaned over picking up his hand. He looked up at her as he smiled and then laughed. The waitress came over to set a thing of black coffee down as I thanked her. Taking a sip of the hot black coffee, I could already feel myself waking up.

"Chad, once you become a parent, the pot of coffee because so much more." I said patting her back, "I thought I found that in college."

"Oh no…" I told him, "You have no idea," I murmured as I yawned again. The waitress brought over the plate of food as well as Chad and Taylor. Chad got an omelet with some fresh fruit and toast with peanut butter. Taylor got waffles and peanut butter to go with them.

"Wow, those are look yums," I said as I tore apart a pancake to feed to Liam. Adjusting him onto my lap, I let him lean against my arm as I placed a piece of pancake into his mouth. He chomped down as he opened his mouth for more without finishing the first bite.

"No, finish," I told him, he looked at me and I shut his jaw gently. "Finish." Taylor began to laugh, "Wow, he is going to be so stubborn." I rolled my eyes, "You have no idea, you'll be like, Liam…go get your toys. Y'know Gabi is trying to get him to start listening to her but he will just stare at her and I swear, his favorite word is no."

Chad chuckled as he then snorted, "Pretty sure that was your favorite word to" I shot Chad a look as Liam bit my finger as I fed him another bite. "Son of bitch," I murmured pulling my finger out of his mouth; I looked at it as you could see his small teeth marks in my finger.

"You just called Gabi a bitch," Chad pointed out, "No…" I said as I examined my finger closer, "I just cursed to get all of the pain out because that hurt."

"Troy he has baby teeth, how bad can it hurt." I gave Chad a bite of the pancake and I offered him to feed him. Chad looked at Taylor who was smiling but egged him on.

Chad put the piece of food near his mouth as he carefully placed it inside and faster than Chad could react, Liam bite. It was like a fish and worms.

"Fu…crap." Chad winced as he pulled his fingers away, "Like a flipping dog or cat, why the hell does he have that sharp of teeth?" I shrugged my shoulders as I gently feed him again.

"Can you believe that he will be one in a matter of two months?"

"I just can not believe Gabi was pregeant last year at this time."

Taking a bite of eggs for myself, I took a deep breath. "What time are you going to the gym?"

"When the bus leaves."

I rolled my eyes as I nodded, "Be a smartass."

"So who did your tattoo?"

"Matt Lang from college, do you remember him?"

"Matt the one who was always at some sort of party, flunking college?" I laughed and nodded, "That would be him. We became really good friends that year when he wasn't drunk or high."

"Or in bed with some random girl," I nodded as Liam and I both finished our breakfast. Getting another thing of coffee we all hung out in the lobby as more players began to stumble downstairs after activities from last night. Blinking my eyes for a few moments, I yawned looking at my watch as it was approaching noon.

"I am going to get Gabi up since I have to be leaving in an hour or so."

"Bring her some food,"

"I will let her order room service; I don't know what she would want."

"You don't know what she would want?"

"A noon usually lunch but since she hasn't woken up yet, I don't know."

Liam leaned against me as I pushed him up into the air. I smiled as he giggled, "You need a bottle still."

He grinned pushing his face into my shoulder. Going up to our room I pushed the key card in as the door buzzed open. I pushed it in as I walked across the room, glancing at Gabi sleeping in the bed, her arms curled against her side, her head lying gently on the pillow as the blankets were up to her shoulders.

She was lying on her shoulder as I crawled in next to her, my lips touching the back of her neck simply. I let Liam crawl over her as he started to play with her hair.

A smile crossed Gabi's lips as she reached out to touch Liam's arms. "Good Morning little guy," he clapped his hands together as Liam smiled as he leaned forward falling onto his chest. I laughed as did Gabi; she turned her head lightly as she collapsed onto her back, picking up Liam.

"What time is it?"

"Noon,"

Gabi yawned as she sat up, "I just want to take a shower before you leave."

"Okay," I told her gently, "I need to feed Liam anyways, might be about time for a short nap."

"I need him to be awake so I will stay awake." She said yawning; I leaned over to kiss her forehead and then traveled down to her lips. "Mmm…I love you."

"I love you too, thank you for letting me sleep."

"I kept you out, plus I am doing it again tonight with New Years Eve." She smiled as I pulled her close as Liam tried to cliff jump off the bed. "Nope," I said picking him up by his stomach. He whined softly as I kissed his forehead as I gave him back to Gabi.

Gabi smiled as she cuddled him to her chest. "Go get in the shower babe,"

"Mkay,"

Gabi's POV

Taylor shrieked as I turned the corner. "I want to see it!" I felt a lazy smile roll over my lips as switched Liam to my other arm before holding my wrist out in front of her.

"Amazing. I love them both, it really fits."

"We thought about doing names but that is just like, asking for trouble. Even if something happened Troy will be the one I love forever, no matter what we go through."

Taylor sniffled as she acted like she was crying. I pushed her gently as she laughed; I sat Liam down in his stroller as we were getting ready to go to the game. Troy had hired a driver for us, not wanting to risk anything later.

We had just arrived at the stadium as Taylor gave me a ticket. "So what are you and Troy doing tonight?" I smiled as pushed Liam's stroller towards the entrance. "I think we are just going to hang out in our hotel while Liam sleeps."

"You have a balcony right?" I nodded my head, "That is more of what we are doing, since I am semi-sick." Taylor gave the window person her ticket before I gave her mine.

They led us too our seats as she walked away with a bright smile. Keeping Liam next to me on the aisle, we were in the first row, so Liam could have his stroller. "So Chad and I are going to try again, for a baby, after New Years," I looked up shocked Taylor. "The doctor said since it was a first pregnancy it might just have been a fluke. If it happens again, we will have to see doctors."

"Just…" I paused to give her some advice hoping I wasn't going to intrude. "Just don't stress about it." I explained to her, "Troy and I talk about having another baby soon but it just won't be as fun if you are stressing over it."

"You and Troy are already talking about having another one?"

"Not yet, oh no, not yet, we are going to wait until Liam is at least one."

"I feel as if that is very smart." Taylor said laughing; I smirked as Troy was on the court with the long sleeve shirt on covering up his uniform. His purple socks were sticking out as I noticed this was the first time in purple socks.

"Has he always been wearing purple socks?"

"No, Chad is wearing them too." I shook my head as Liam cried out, I leaned my head towards him as I picked him up. "Are you ready to watch daddy play?"

"Dadddaaa…" Liam began to say as I kissed his temple. "How is that tattoo missy?" I turned to see Matt, with a crisp Laker t-shirt on and a beer perched in his hand. "Sore, but okay."

"Man, is this the kid? He looks a hell of a lot like Troy." I smiled as I faced Liam towards Matt. "This would be Liam," Liam looked at Matt curiously as he then turned his attention else where. "Cute, I can see how much I am liked."

"Dad is a bigger and better person." I told him, he laughed before sitting down right next to me. "Taylor, I want you to meet Matt. He went to college with Troy for a year; he did our tattoos last night."

"Matt, Taylor, Chad Danforth wife." Matt smirked, "Ol' Boy Chad!" her eyes widened before she relaxed into a laugh, "How do you know Chad?"

"Tay, Troy and Chad were best friends. Matt went to college with Troy where Chad also went. They probably know each other," I explained carefully. Taylor rolled her eyes, "How long have you dated Chad?"

"About the same length as Troy and Gabi,"

Matt nodded his expression turning before he faced the court. I looked at him, "Chad never told you about us?"

"I bet he did, I was drunk half the time or stoned, I just might not remember." I bit my tongue to keep from saying he remembered me but that would just start a catfight that I didn't want. Taylor was finally happy and excited for another baby.

"Matt, did you go and tape Troy's wrist up for him?" I asked surveying the tape job. "Oh yea, I told him that I did not trust him." I cracked a smile as Taylor looked at the court with a long face. "What's up?" I asked her gently, "Nothing."

"Taylor," I asked with a whine. "I just, I always wondered what the hell Chad did at college when I was at college myself. I just never knew."

"So what does that make him do?"

"He was probably a druggie." I rolled my eyes as I glanced over at Matt, "Did Chad do drugs?"

"Oh hell no, those two were way too focused on basketball. Yes, they drank probably a little too much, I mean what freshman in college doesn't but really? No drugs. That was just me for a very short period of time."

Taylor leaned back letting go of a long sigh, "I just, I don't ever want to know what he did in the past because I don't want anything to ruin what we have now."

"Chad loves you," I told her, "Yea, well," I looked at her as a smirk gripped at her lips. "I love him too."

Collapsing down onto the small sofa on the balcony, I listened to the band that was playing on the stage way down below. The backdoor slide open again as Troy walked out handing me a simple beer.

"Thanks," Troy picked up my feet before sitting down, letting my feet rest in his lap. "Wow, it has been a long few days." I nodded as I looked at Troy closely. "How did you feel out there today?" I asked taking a small pull of the beer. "Good, how did I look?"

"Great." Troy smiled as he rubbed my feet. "How was Matt?"

"Fun. He is a great guy."

"I know I flipped when he said he had become a tattoo artist, or at least he was telling me that he was going to become one in New York, that is when I last heard of him."

Troy's phone buzzed as he pulled it out of his jeans. His eyes scanned over the words as he smiled, "Chad said they are having a blast down below."

"That's fantastic. I have to know something though, it kind of came up with Matt but it didn't go far." Troy's eyes glanced up at me, his intense eyes gazing over mine. "Did Chad do something stupid in college?" Troy didn't talk for a moment but then he shook his head.

"If you are asking if Chad cheated, then no, he did not do something stupid. If he accidently made out with a girl when he was hammered then yes, he made a mistake." Troy's fingers brushed through his hair as he then grabbed my foot to rub it gently. "Did he know the girl?"

"Chad doesn't even really remember, he remembers the party and drinking but he never remembered the kiss. Matt and I watched him before we pulled his off, dragging him back to the dorms letting him crash. We told him the next morning and he really thought about telling Taylor."

"Would you have told me?"

"I wouldn't be able to keep it from you." Troy's eyes looked into mine as I looked across to see the long lines of people. Streamers, loud talking, honking of horns, blaring music and I wonder how Liam slept in our room, "Why did he not tell her?"

"They were already fighting some from the long distance and Chad didn't want to make it worse. He loves her and never did it again, always be aware."

Troy pressed his hand against my foot as he finally reached forward to press my eyes into his. "I promise I would have told you if something like that would have happened."

"You seemed to forget Alicia." I mentioned to him, Troy rolled her blue eyes as he reached over to grab my hand. "That was different, it happened before you were around."

"It happened while I was around." I told him, his blue eyes looked into mine. "Are you still upset over that whole thing? It's almost been a year."

"Well its just, how do you do something like that without telling you're soon to be girlfriend?"

"I figured you already knew Alicia and I had a relationship of sorts," he rubbed the back of his neck, "It was nothing, I mean, it was something for a while. I thought I did love her, yes, but then you came around showing me a whole different kind of love." I looked at him as I pursed my lips together.

"So I was your first true love?" Troy nodded his head, "Yea, Alicia was more like my sister that I had kissed more than once." Our eyes held a connection for a few minutes until he rubbed my ankle softly. "You know, we were never ones to talk about exs, I know nothing about any of yours."

"You know that I had a total of two boyfriends before you." Troy nodded, "Kyle was one of them," I nodded, "So you know more than you think. Kyle was more like a best friend in the end…"

"Who was the other one," Troy asked with a hint of the smile. "Uh, no, unless I get another one out of you."

"What if I never had another one?" Troy asked tilting his head backwards, "Troy Anthony, I know you had more than one girlfriend."

"I had two," Troy said with a wink, "You had more than two," I corrected, Troy laughed as he took a drink of his beer. I smiled as I took a drink of my own. Troy leaned forward as he balanced my feet in his hands. "God, look at all of those people down there." Troy said.

"I know it's crazy." My eyes scanned over the whole party area, drinks being past around and people cheering and yelling over everything. Maroon 5 was here for New Years Eve as they were playing on stage right now.

"Your Beautiful," Troy sung, I laughed as I looked over at him. He patted his lap as I crawled over towards him. He swayed me gently, rocking me back and forth. His words whispering into my ear as I snuggled up against him, "I do not know what I would do without you sometimes Brie,"

I leaned our tattoos together as we both looked at them with watchful eyes. "Did you get any questions on the tattoos?" I asked him as my finger smoothed over his. "Once but they thought it was an injury."

Grinning, I felt the little bumps of the vain in his arm. He squeezed his arms around me, flexing every muscle in his arms. "Merry Christmas." He whispered gently. "I thought we said no gifts to each other."

"Yea well…I didn't want anything."

I glared at him and he nodded with a smile, "it's true, I didn't want anything." My feet draped over the side of his lap as he pressed his lips against my chin, "Do you remember when it was the summer before our college year and we went to Texas together for some random thing but we sat on the hotel room balcony just kissing."

"It was hard to forget, it led to hours of sex." I whispered as I pressed my lips up against his. "Everything is so different now." I nodded as I deepened the kiss with a swipe of the tongue. Wrapping my arms around his neck I let my beer bottle hang sideways. Troy set his down as he let his hand slip up my shirt.

His other hand came up to hold my face as I pressed my body into his, which let a long moan come out of his mouth. "God, you make me go crazy." He panted for a few minutes as we both leaned our heads together. "Something that you have makes me go crazy. Crazy." Troy whispered to me.

His hands ran over my back as the hair on the back of my neck stood up high. He moved forward as he gripped me tighter to his chest. "Think we should start getting suites so we don't have to have sex in front of your son."

"Our son and God, you have no idea how great that sounds." Nuzzling my face into his neck he kissed my forehead. Troy tickled my sides gently as I felt a giggle leave my mouth. A smile tugged at his mouth as he pressed his lips into my neck. I could feel the smile tugging at his face as he kissed me which left my breathless.

"Something that you do makes me breathless, all the time," I said, "Whenever you laugh or smile, that makes me breathless." Troy whispered to me. His voice rough, husky making me go nuts. "I didn't plan on this," rubbing the back of my neck, I nodded, "Yes, I know what you mean, and I never planned this."

Troy and I kissed like this for about another twenty minutes until I finally collapsed on his lap. His fingers twirling around my stomach as he kissed the top of my head, "What I was saying earlier was I never planned to get married this young or have a kid. Hell, for a long time, I never wanted kids."

I glanced back at him as he nodded, "It was rough when you first told me about Liam but I knew you were already upset about it, so I played it up a little but as everything kept happening the more excited I got. Then you had Liam and all I want is kids. He is so amazing and you are so good with him."

I didn't speak as I looked at Troy, "That surprises me. You are so great with Liam, gently, patient, caring, loyal, you are just always there for Liam and you care for him so much."

"I think that was the dad in me taking over."

"You weren't some douche bag who left me; you were there for me every single step of the way."

"Because I love you, I think sometimes you don't understand that." Troy frowned a little as I looked up at him, "I do too understand that. I understand that completely, I know that you love me."

"But I think you expected me to leave, I am not some guy who is going to leave a girl he loves with a baby who he didn't even get a shot."

"I never thought that of you. I was really excited Troy, then you told me about the whole Laker thing and…I was then scared. I thought you were either going to leave me or you were going to not play for the Lakers. I was scared."

Troy didn't talk for several minutes as he kissed my forehead. "New Years, making sure we talk about everything." I smirked as Troy rubbed my back gently.

"Remember last year when we had that big fight," I shook my head, "I would rather not remember that."

"I don't know if we even knew what we were fighting about. I swear, we had too many of those."

I laughed, "I still think the one in junior year was the best." Troy frowned quickly as he shook his head, "Uh no, that had to be the worst."

"I still laugh about it."

"Only because you threw the textbook at my head," I snorted as I began to laugh harder. Troy cracked a smile as he turned his head to the side. "What were we fighting about?"

"It was like our third fight ever, you were ignoring every phone call and I finally had enough shit to throw a textbook at your head…in Darbus' room."

Troy finally laughed, "You almost had me square in the head if I didn't duck." I laughed again as he kissed my neck. His soft lips against my neck as I looked over the ledge again to see it was ten minutes until midnight. "I think you should go grab two more beers and check on Liam."

"Fair enough," I stood up as I pulled back the entry door to see the room dark and empty. The crib was set up in the corner as I walked over to see Liam stretching awake and letting out a long yawn. "Hey," I said as he looked up at me blinking his blue eyes back.

Grabbing two beers from the fridge, I picked up Liam as I rested him against my body. Troy was rested against the couch when he turned around to see me. "Hey," he got up as he took the two beers from my hand. "What was he doing up?"

"I don't know he was up blinking his eyes and looking at me. So I thought we could all three ring in the New Year together." Troy smiled as I sat back down. Troy popped both of the bottles open as I nestled Liam into my lap. I buried him under all of our blankets as he let his head rest on my stomach.

"I forget how cold New York can be." Troy said with a small laugh, a white cloud coming out of his breath. I smiled as I cuddled up next to Troy. His arm supported my back as he pressed his lips gently across my forehead. Liam was in a small jacket as I rubbed his legs to keep him warmer.

Ryan re took the stage as they were about to begin the countdown. Troy gripped my knee as he sighed, "I can not believe everything that has happened this year."

My voice was caught in my throat as I looked down at Liam. A year ago today, Liam was in my stomach and would be for a while two more months. "This year has been crazy." I agreed with him.

"Taylor and Chad, they are going to try for another baby tonight, or beginning tonight." I mentioned to Troy, his eyes focused on down below as his head nodded slightly. "Chad was talking about it with me the other day. He didn't know if he was ready or if Taylor was even ready yet."

"I thought the same thing, I didn't know if I would have been ready yet."

"I know you wouldn't have been ready yet." Troy's fingers slide across my thigh as heat radiated off our bodies. "Two more minutes of two thousand and eleven."

"It's been a very tough, fun, encouraging year."

"I married you," Troy said nuzzling his nose into my neck. His lips pressing against my neck as he smiled softly, "It will be the best year of my life, my little guy was born, I proposed and got married to you, and it has just been amazing."

"One minute!" rang through the crowd; buzz began to pick up as the countdown began. Troy and I watched the tick of the clock on Time Square narrow down, as forty began thirty nine. I felt my heart beat in my chest as the moments of 2011 were coming to a close end.

Troy grabbed on to my arm as it went down to twenty, nineteen, eighteen, the numbers dwindling down to the very end. "Ten, nine, eight, seven…" Troy pressed his lips against mine as the crowd around us kept counting down. "Four…three, two…"

Finally fireworks rang into the sky but I missed that last final seconds due to Troy's lips onto mine. The kiss continued as whistles, fireworks, and everything else rang out around us. Liam cried as Troy finally pulled back away from me. His blue eyes flickered down to Liam, "Happy New Year,"

My throat was dry as I smiled, "Happy New Year,"

Troy began to shift as I stopped him, "Don't, I…I don't want you to move." His eyes leveled down to Liam as I shook my head, "He will be okay,"

Troy raised his eyebrows as he then sighed leaning back, "I finished my year out perfectly and began it perfectly." Troy whispered, "Really?"

"Kissing you, there is no better way to end and start a year."

Ok, sorry if there were any mistakes in the last half of the story. I was trying to read it over but I can barely keep my eyes open and I just want to get this out. So, I hope you all liked it. It was an okay chapter, they tattoos were a cute idea I have been planning for a while so I hope you liked it. :)

Only a total of two more days of school! Woot Woot! :D

PLEASE REVIEW!