Strange what desire will make foolish people do/I never dreamed I'd meet somebody like you/And I never dreamed I'd lose somebody like you

Blossom's hands quivered as she covered her eyes with one, the other hand clutching her thigh. She was trying to control what was happening to her, but it was no use.

She could see it again. Hear it. Feel it. Feel him on her. The weight felt suffocating. She couldn't move and she couldn't breathe. She needed to try and bring herself back to the present.

Her breathing was fast and loud, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to blind herself to what she could see, but it didn't make any difference.

She hated to admit in her head that she had no idea what she should do when this happened to her. With each flashback that came to her, she tried her best to push it away and pretend it wasn't happening.

She could even smell him. The musky cologne and moist smell of sweat. She clicked her eyes open, looking around quickly. He wasn't there. Of course he wasn't. She was in her apartment. She looked up; the ceiling was her own, not Jeremy's pale blue lampshade.

Her vision was back, but she could still hear it. Panting and mumbling, her own mumbling, whimpering. She reached over to her TV, switching it on and turning the volume up loud.

It's Monday. You are at your apartment. He is not here. You are perfectly safe. And so is your baby. You're stressing the baby. Calm down. Stop doing this! It's over. You're fine. Brick is on his way to pick you up. You'll be safe with him. You'll be safe... She told herself mentally.

"I'm safe. I'm safe. He's not here. I'll be safe." She mumbled, exhaling quickly, closing and opening her eyes again. The sounds disappeared slowly. Her chest loosened. She touched her face, realizing it was drenched in tears.

When would all this stop?

Brick twirled the keys to the house on his finger as he sat in his car below the apartment block Blossom lived in. He was waiting for her to come down. A few minutes later she appeared, walking over to the car.

"Hey." She said, sitting down next to him and pulling the car door shut.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He asked, scrutinising her face. She'd been crying, that was for sure. She looked tired and pale. He started the car and pulled away.

"Fine, fine. Beginning to get fed up of being this huge." Blossom grumbled, shifting the seatbelt uncomfortably under her bump.

Brick narrowed his eyes, but dropped it. "Not long left." He muttered as they glided along in his sleek red car.

Blossom had been home for 4 weeks now, but not much had changed. Brick had come with her to her appointment that week, which had gone much the same as the one before, Brick being just as mystified as he had been previously.

But they hadn't spoken about their relationship woes, or more if one existed. She was pretty certain he was going to be there for the baby. He'd not explicitly said so, but he had been there already - he'd been to another appointment with her. But she had no idea how much further that extended.

Blossom had an inkling Brick had something up his sleeve as they drove out to a suburban area of Townsville. It was in the west of Townsville, not far from Bubbles or Buttercup's houses. She didn't want to inquire too much, though she was curious. She was grateful to feel safe and distracted by his presence. Her maternity leave had started so she was happy for distractions these days.

"Where exactly are we going? You've gone too far out for Bubbles or Buttercup's place." Blossom questioned.

"There's just somewhere I want to show you." Brick said in a cheery voice. Blossom looked at him curiously; why was he in such high spirits?

They pulled up in front of a large house, on a sleepy little street filled with lots of other houses very similar to the one they sat outside. Blossom turned in her seat slightly, catching the road sign. 'Azalea Avenue'. She didn't recognise it. They were sitting outside number 3.

"What do you think?" He asked.

Blossom furrowed her brow confusedly. "Well it's lovely, of course. Who lives there?"

Blossom noted how it looked empty, as Brick answered. "No one, at the moment."

It looked like a house plucked right off of Wisteria Lane, all of the houses did. This one had duck egg blue cladding, with white windows, panels and a gorgeous front garden filled with lots of lovely summer flowers. It was like a children's doll house, with such intricate detail, it was truly enviably.

"Right, so why are we…" She began, but then the penny dropped.

"Do you want to go inside and have a look?" He asked, a glint in his eye.

"Have you -?" She asked, her voice getting higher in pitch. "Have you bought a house?!"

He shrugged, smiling. "Looks like it."

"Oh my god. Oh my god! Brick!" She cried.

"Do you like it?" He asked, hope clear in his voice.

"Well, of course, I mean - it's gorgeous, it's beautiful. It's a house of my dreams but - I can't believe you've bought a house." Blossom said, ogling it.

"I thought it was about time. I don't want to raise a child in an apartment. I mean, we could just fine but - if we don't have to I don't want to so, we're not going to." Brick said, getting out of the car, and in a second being at her side, opening the door for her. "Want to come have a look inside?"

"Erm, sure, o-okay." She said, completely overwhelmed.

Brick took the keys from his pocket, passing one to her as they walked up the drive and to the front door. Blossom looked down at the shiny silver key, dumbfounded.

It was absolutely outstanding inside. It had a large lounge with a big open fire. A huge country style kitchen diner with oak cupboards and marble worktops; an island in the middle. Four vast bedrooms up a winding white wooden staircase. The place was breathtaking, the kind of home she'd only dreamed about some day living in.

He'd even done a bit of furnishing, a pair of sleek crimson armchairs in the living room already, a chunky oak coffee table in the middle of the room, a shaggy red rug beneath it. After looking around, they'd ended up back in there so Blossom could sit down.

"I can't believe you've bought a house!" Blossom cried, flabbergasted. "I mean, we've not even spoken about things, about where we stand, about what we want and - and you go and buy a house!"

Brick realised she was beginning to sound like this was an unwise thing to be doing, no longer as awe struck and amazed as she had seemed as he showed her around.

"Well, you can just move in if you want, if you're not sure about living with me... Then when, or - or if you think you're ready I'll join you." Brick offered, trying to seem reasonable, though it was far from what he had planned. He'd wanted them to move in together. But he had completely sprung this on her, he didn't want to make her do anything she wasn't happy with.

Blossom's face fell. She began to struggle to her feet. "Erm. No, no don't worry. I think I'll umm -"

Brick's face fell now too. "What? Where are you going?"

"I don't need this." She said simply. "You think this is what I need right now?"

Brick was absolutely lost. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't need this!" Her voice was indignant. "What do you think I am - some poor defenceless woman who needs some rich hotshot knight in shining armor to come and rescue me, just because I got knocked up by him?! No, no - I can do this myself, thank you. I'm a professional - I'm a doctor, I'm a Powerpuff girl - I'm a woman! I can do this without you, without all this!"

"Blossom, what the fuck?! It's nothing like that at all, I'm not trying to 'rescue' you!" Brick cried, following her as she made for the door. "I got this place for us because I thought –"

She'd turned suddenly, Brick nearly being flattened by the bump. Blossom thrust the key into his hand. "I don't need your charity Brick! I'm so sorry you feel obligated to look after me now! What a nuisance I must be!"

"It's not fucking charity! Why would I buy a fucking house for charity?!" Brick snarled as she threw open the door.

"You think I can't do this without you? You think you owe me this house for impregnating me?!" Blossom accused furiously, and rather loudly he noted.

"Blossom keep your voice down, it's nothing like that!" Brick urged her, getting angry now too.

"You'd sooner buy a house for me to live in –"

"For us to live in!" He hissed, but she carried on.

"That's not what you just said! You'd sooner buy a house for me to live in, and not move in too, then sit down and talk to me about our relationship, and what's actually going on and going to happen between us? You'd rather make sure me and the baby are all happy and neat in a big pretty house, to keep your conscience clean, then face the mess that is us?!"

Brick growled, frustrated. "You, Blossom Utonium, are fucking impossible! I thought I was doing the right thing!" He gnarled ferociously.

"Oh of course you did!" Blossom started up again but Brick interrupted.

"I'm not going to stand here and let you try to make a fool out of me for buying us a fucking house!" He turned sharply, slamming the door and throwing Blossom's key down at her feet.

Blossom watched him speed off in his car down the road, the silence of the neighborhood almost devouring her as he disappeared out of sight.

She tutted angrily, bending down awkwardly and scooping the key up, locking the front door.

Popping it in her purse, she called a taxi to take her home, hating the lonely feeling that swept over her.

Blossom was wrong.

Brick thundered about his apartment, pacing here and there, beside himself with anger.

Blossom was so wrong! He hadn't bought that house as a bandaid - he'd bought it for them both! As an icebreaker! It was an icebreaker, it was a means to begin to rebuild their relationship, to potentially -

He froze suddenly, realising something he'd just thought. An icebreaker. He'd bought a fucking house, as an icebreaker. Rather than just talk to her, and maybe discuss the eventuality of moving in together, he'd just gone whole hog and bought a rather expensive house, gotten a mortgage, put down a large sum of money - to break the fucking ice.

Blossom was right.

He banged his fists against the worktop angrily, a crack appearing along it.

She was so fucking right! He wouldn't say it aloud. It hurt enough just thinking it. He needed to wake up and smell the coffee. He loved her. He did, he loved her, he had never stopped loving her.

He thought of her, putting his hands on her stomach as the baby kicked, her taking his hand gently as they listened to their baby's heart beating. She loved him too. She did, she hadn't stopped loving him. She'd told him so herself the night they spent together.

They were having a child together. They would be a family; they could be a family.

The question was: could he move past what had happened? What she'd done with his brother.

Did he love her enough to make it work; to have a child together; to live together and be a family?

If he didn't, Blossom would forever be the mother of his child. The child who he'd only see on the weekends, or some similar arrangement. And the house on Azalea Avenue, that would go back on the market, to a couple who did want to be a family. Did he want that?

Of course I don't! His mind screamed at him. This is everything you've ever wanted and more!

Brick thought about how utterly miserable his life was without her in it. And now, he was potentially ruining getting everything he longed for just because he was being too stubborn, and holding a grudge about something she did when they weren't together, even though she had seemed to be able to move past something he did when they were together.

He shook his head, a determined smile replacing the miserable grimace on his face. He knew what he had to do.

He had to fix this.

It was safe to safe that Blossom was in a pretty foul mood. She couldn't believe what Brick had done, and was incensed by what he had said.

Why would he think buying a house would make everything better? It was stupid. And ridiculous. And she was so angry she could pop.

Did he think he could just make the problem go away by throwing money at it? It didn't work like that.

He'd left her there too; driven her all that way and then just drove away without her in his rage. It wasn't as simple to just fly home when you were heavily pregnant; the large bump made her off balance; getting in a car just seemed safer.

The door went then, and she got up huffily, knowing exactly who it would be. Sure enough, Brick stood there, looking quite jolly considering they'd just had a blazing argument on the doorstep of their potential new home together.

She hadn't accounted for the armful of flat boxes, rolls of tape and marker pens he held though.

"What?" She said simply, the latch on the door. He pushed the door open, the latch breaking away like a pencil as he let himself in.

"Kind of a useless thing to own when the majority of those around you are super powered." Brick noted, setting the tape and pens on the floor, and beginning to unfold a box.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Blossom demanded, closing the door after inspecting the broken latch mournfully.

"Moving you in." He answered simply, taping a box together.

Blossom scoffed, not believing the man's nerve. "What, so now you're forcing me to move into your little love shack?"

Brick stopped as he had created a second cardboard box and turned to look at her, a devilish smile on his face. "Yes." He answered, resuming to making more boxes. "So I suggest you start filling these with your shit. Because the 'love shack' awaits."

She folded her arms on top of her bump. "You can't force me to move! What if I refuse?"

He stood now, still grinning wickedly, and loomed over her. "Then I shall pick you up, kicking and screaming, and land you there myself." His voice was like velvet as he tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. She almost, very very almost succumbed to his charm, but she stood her ground.

"What if I don't want to live there? You can't make me Brick." She insisted.

"We both know you do want to live there. You used to always go on about a house out that way; and starting a family in it. Well now we can, can't we?" He said, and enjoyed watching her face change to a look of surprise.

"We?" Blossom asked, stunned.

"Yes, we." Brick answered, touching the side of her face tenderly. "Blossom, I love you. I really do, I always have. If you can move past what I did, I can move past what you did. Sound like a deal?"

Blossom smiled, pulling him as close to her as she could. "Deal." She said, before she sealed it with a kiss.

"Oh Blossom, it's beautiful." Bubbles gushed, as she stepped into the kitchen diner, taking in the masterpiece that was Brick and Blossom's new home. "You did good!" She said, turning to Brick, who stifled a smile at her.

He shrugged. "I know what my lady likes." He was at her side now, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm so happy for you guys." Bubbles said, sitting down next to Buttercup at the big white and oak dining table in her country style kitchen. It had been 2 weeks since they had begun to move in; the place was now fully furnished and looking more like a family home.

"Thanks." Blossom smiled, nuzzling into Brick. "We're pretty happy too."

"Where's Jay and Mitch?" Bubbles asked, turning to Buttercup.

"Jay's at a friend's house, and Mitch is working over time - so, it's just me. Where's Boomer?" She replied.

"He's just getting some of the food we brought in from the car with Butch." Bubbles said casually.

"With Butch?" Blossom asked.

"I didn't think that would be a problem…" Bubbles said in a quiet voice. Blossom and Brick looked slightly worried at the prospect of him being here, so did Buttercup.

"We can't leave him out just because of what happened! He's your brother, Brick!" Bubbles cried.

"I don't want him here." Brick said firmly. Blossom turned, taken aback by his demand. "Well, you know what he's like! You think he'll come over and not cause any shit? Cos I don't."

"I thought you two were okay? I mean you lived with him for months knowing what had happened." Buttercup asked, almost reading Blossom's mind.

"It's just difficult to be around him, and Blossom." Brick said sourly. "Did he even want to come?"

"Of course he did, he's still your brother." Bubbles answered, matter of fact.

"He wasn't saying that when he was -" Brick cut his own sentence short, catching Blossom's indignant expression and red cheeks.

"He'll be on his best behavior." Bubbles smiled, as the two remaining ruff's walked in.

"Nice digs huh?" Butch said, leaning on the counter as though he'd been there many times before.

Brick flashed him an irritated stare.

Brick and his brothers were in the backyard, cranking up the BBQ ready to start cooking some meat. Blossom was inside, sitting at the dining table chatting with her sisters; they were going to come out shortly too, allowing the boys to make a start on grilling the food.

"So are you glad to be back with Blossom, 4 years down the road?" Butch asked Brick, as he poked at a sausage on the grill.

"Yeah, I am." Brick replied, leaning against the back door. "Feels like we never broke up to be honest. Like none of it happened."

"You do seem a lot more Brick-like." Boomer added. "Or more, happy-Brick."

Brick smirked. "Well, I am more happy-Brick now. The house is all furnished, we've even got the baby's room done. 7 weeks now till the little one is due, and it's all starting to feel real. I'm beginning to get used to the fact I'm going to be a Dad. It's weird but, good weird."

"You and me both, and I've got 11 weeks to go!" Boomer said, laughing nervously.

Butch watched his two brothers chatting about upcoming fatherhood bitterly. Both of them seemed so happy and settled. Both were going to be Dad's. They were going to get to be Dad's. He didn't want to admit he was jealous of them both, of everything they had. Of the way they were so comfortable in their happiness. It pissed him off; Brick more so than Boomer. Brick had fucked up big time yet look at him now. It just didn't seem right to him, or fair.

So he did what he normally did. He ruined it.

"That is," Butch said, stopping Boomer and Brick's conversation short. "if you are going to be a father in 7 weeks time."

Brick looked at Butch darkly.

Boomer flashed Butch a nervous look. "There's no 'if', Butch. So there's no need to talk about it -"

"Of course there's an 'if'! You were right when we spoke about it last - how can she really be certain it's yours? I mean, I dunno what she's told you bro but, there are literally days in it, not weeks! The last time we had sex wasn't that long before the time you two did. So how can she be so confident it's you? And how can you just believe her?" Butch questioned, his expression mean.

Boomer looked over at his redheaded brother, who's eyes had clouded over in anger as he glared at his brunette brother. The cooking tongs he held in his hand were bent and mangled he'd clutched at them so hard as Butch had spoke.

"They did the math Butch - anyway, this is pointless to even talk about! We don't need to talk about it." Boomer said, attempting lamely to diffuse the situation. "Brick? It's all good okay we don't need to fucking discuss this."

"That's the thing Boom. We're not talking about it are we? Brick's got nothing to say on the matter cos he knows he can't say anything. It could be mine. You said it yourself a couple of weeks ago - I'm not exactly out of the woods, am I? We were at it all the time - including days before she came looking for me but settled for you. It's surely too close to call." Butch sneered, his voice acidic.

Brick's teeth were grit tight and he dropped the utensil he'd ruined to the ground.

"Butch - will you shut the fuck up! Hey look - the dogs are burning, Brick, just ignore him." Boomer cried, but he might as well have been talking to himself.

"It's not your baby." Brick growled. "It's my baby."

"Won't you look stupid, buying a house, and all the shit a baby needs - and then some black haired little bastard pops out of her?!" Butch suggested with a nasty snigger.

"Butch!" Boomer snapped, but he ignored him. Brick's breathing became ragged as his anger reached boiling point.

"What?! Come on, it's a possibility! It's basically 50/50 that that could happen. And Brick needs to be aware of that, right bro? Just like I do. So really, I'm just looking out for you. Uncle Brick. Maybe wanna get used to that one, just in case." Butch suggested, his eyes lighting up at how riled Brick was becoming.

Boomer stepped ahead of Brick slightly, anticipating a fight breaking out. "Brick, just ignore him! You know he's just trying to make you snap." He turned to his green eyed brother then. "Butch, what are you fucking doing? You said you wanted to come - you promised you weren't going to cause any shit!"

"Wanted to come? Don't be dumb. I only came along to check in on things. You see, the moment Brick and Blossom have some stupid little argument or whatever, Blossom will be right on my doorstep begging to get back into my bed again - you just watch!" Butch baited with a cruel smile.

Brick got to him before Boomer could even attempt to stop him.

r&r (: