Two weeks later

"Honey? I got you something," Lucas said the afternoon after they returned from Ireland. He had gone into work for a few hours and came back, ready for a quiet evening with his wife.

"You did?"

"Yep." He handed her a gift box. "Open it."

"Beth? Dad?" Vannah called, walking in the door. "I'm home."

She was early. Like 24 hours early. "Van? I thought you were coming tomorrow," he mentioned, kissing her forehead and hugging her.

"I thought I'd come early. Is that okay?"

"Well, sweets, we sort of had plans for the evening."

Beth walked over and hugged her new step-daughter. "Its alright, honey. Its good to see you. We can make things work."

"But…" Lucas said.

Beth squeezed his hand and winked and he hid his disappointment.

"Dad, I can see if Mom cares if I go back home for another night. Or I can stay in my room here. You won't even see me."

"Not necessary, Van. Really, like Beth said, we will make things work."

The gift box sat all but forgotten on the kitchen counter as they made dinner, ate it and sat down on the couch to watch a movie. Lucas felt a bit frustrated but he was an adult and there wasn't any reason he couldn't work with whatever happened. Van comes home early and they would adjust.

Elizabeth could feel the tension in Lucas. He didn't hide his feelings very well in having to change their plans. She put her fingers into his grasp and squeezed to get his attention.

He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "You okay?" she whispered.

"Sure."

She pressed a kiss to his lips silently, not needing to alert Vannah to anything.

She snuggled into his side and he wrapped his arm around her. This would do. At least he wasn't at work.

Vannah yawned a few times and decided to head to bed so that left them finally alone.

As soon as Vannah was out of sight, Lucas turned toward Beth to kiss her but she was asleep.

He forced himself not to groan and just kissed her forehead. "Baby, lets go to bed. You're tired."

"Mmm, no. I'm awake, I'm awake." She popped her eyes open and smiled. "I want to open my gift."

"Babe, let's do that in the morning. You need sleep."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back down on the couch. "Sweetheart, I need you more than I need sleep."

"Let's compromise." He stood and offered his hand. She took it and he led her to the kitchen where the gift still sat unopened. He grabbed it and then led her to the master.

He watched her face as she opened the gift.

"Oh, a picture frame," she said with a smile.

"Its digital, Beth. So we can upload our pictures from the wedding and our honeymoon and whatever else we want to it and it will cycle through."

"Oh wow! That's really cool. Thank you, hon." She stood on her toes and gave him a thank you kiss. "Will you show me how it works?"

"Tomorrow. Let's just get ready for bed. I work tomorrow and you need sleep too."

…..

Allie and Tim's house

Allie still couldn't believe she was pregnant. She could only roll her eyes at herself and Tim. They had taken steps to prevent it but they apparently weren't as careful as she thought.

She hadn't told Tim yet. She didn't want to stress him out. He was worried about that credit card and what that would do to their finances. What would an impending child do to him?

Thankfully, she was sick after he went to work or before he came home so he hadn't noticed anything different. She hadn't started gaining weight yet so she still had time. She wasn't sure that she wanted to be a mom yet. She didn't feel ready. She wanted to talk to Beth.

"Mom? Are you busy?" she texted but she didn't get a response that evening. That was okay, she was very tired so she fell asleep anyway.

A bit later, Tim slipped into bed behind her and sighed. He was exhausted and was getting a headache and sore throat so he came home a few hours early.

"Tim?"

"Mm. Babe, go back to sleep."

"What are you doing home?"

"I'm catching something. I came home early to sleep."

She eased out of his arms and hurried to the bathroom, trying to be quiet so he didn't hear her getting sick.

"Al? Are you sick?" he called from the bed.

"I'm fine," she called back.

"Babe? You're throwing up," he said, walking into the bathroom. He held her hair back for her and waited until she got up. "What's going on? Your stomach has been bothering you alot lately, hasn't it?"

"I don't know."

"Allie."

"I guess."

She sat back down against the cabinet and closed her eyes. "Allie."

"I'm pregnant, Tim."

"What? That's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

"We were waiting. Until you were done with school, right?"

"That was the plan."

"Babe, how are we going to do this?"

"I don't know. I'm scared too. I don't think I'm ready to be a mom. I don't know how to take care of babies." She burst into tears and he sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms.

"I guess we will figure it out together. I'm sure we are not the only first time parents that were scared and clueless."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right."

"Al? How long have you known?"

"About two weeks," she admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He hated when she kept him out of the loop. It used to be him that did that but the tables had turned.

"I didn't want to disappoint you again."

"Honey," he said softly, pulling her into his arms even closer. "You don't disappoint me."

"The credit card?"

"Okay, I was mad. Not really disappointed."

"I'm sorry, Tim. I'm not sure how this happened."

"Please don't apologize. It takes two to tango doesn't it?"

She giggled and kissed his cheek. "You're a big dork."

"And you're so beautiful."

"What part of me is most beautiful? The girl sitting here on the floor with bad breath that just threw up? Or the girl with tangled hair and your old fire department shirt that is carrying your child?"

"All of the above. Now we should get back to bed if you think you feel well enough."

"Let me brush my teeth and I'll be there. Can you set my phone alarm for noon? I need to register for classes."

"Are you still going to go back to school?"

"I'm going to do the fall semester. Then I will only need to finish one more and I'll have my degree."

"Make sure you submit the cost of the class and books online so the station will pay us back."

"I will."

"And please, Allie. Please keep me in the loop. We need to talk more. We need to communicate."

"I'll try. I'm not good at it, Tim."

"Neither am I but we are a team, especially now that we are married and having a child."

"I promise."

…..

Downtown Denver

Ivy watched as Marley flirted at the bar with a very cute guy. Ivy, herself, sat alone at the table that she, Marley and a few of their friends were sharing. Why she came, she didn't know. She thought that it would be nice to meet new people.

It was awkward. She didn't want to date anyone but Jared. So flirting with anyone but him felt wrong. Ivy was her ride so she had to stay and watch her twin flirt and dance and their other friends were over on the other side of the dance floor.

She pulled her phone out and texted Jared. "U busy?"

"Just homework."

"Can you come get me? I'm at Heather's downtown."

"Ivy, are you drunk?"

"No, just uncomfortable and alone. I just need a ride. If you can't, I will call someone else."

"I'll be there in ten."

"TYVM."

"I'm sorry, Jared," she told him as she walked with him out of the bar.

"It's fine."

"Look, you are my friend and I didn't know who else to call. I'm sorry I'm such a bother."

He sighed. "You're not, Ive."

"Well, I'm getting a different vibe from you."

He locked their doors and turned toward her. "We need to talk, Ivy."

"Alright."

"I love you. I've loved you since our first date. I never stopped loving you. I felt betrayed that you knew about Oliver and I didn't. You didn't give me the choice to choose him and you. You went through the miscarriage with your family and not with me. I was his father, Ivy. I should have known when you went to the hospital and found out what was happening. But you didn't tell me. All of that being said, I've tried to be your friend as we have worked a few things out. Heck, I got a tattoo of our son's name with you. God, Ivy. I'm so confused and yet, I know that you are it for me. I don't want to be just friends with you but my heart….I don't know if I can handle losing you again if you decide to break it off with me. I honestly don't."

She closed the inches between them and kissed him right then and there. She loved him too. She wanted him too. They would always have a son that they had lost between them but that could make them stronger, couldn't it?

"I love you too, Jer. With all of my heart. You are it for me too and I'm scared too. We went too fast before and I want to go slow this time." She placed a softer, less hurried kiss on his lips. "I will try my hardest not to hurt you again. To tell you everything. To give us an honest chance. I think we can make it."

He threaded their fingers together and kissed the back of her hand. "Babe, I think we should keep our Sunday coffee dates and see where that takes us. How does that sound?"

"It sounds perfect."

…..

Lucas and Elizabeth's house

Lucas faced his wife, watching her sleep. She was beyond beautiful and his heart was full of love for her. He slowly moved toward her, placing a soft kiss on her mouth.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Mm," she mumbled, kissing him back. "That was a nice way to wake up."

"Beth, I…thank you for marrying me."

"You're welcome," she whispered, blushing. "It was my honor to be your wife, love."

He looked at the clock on his bedside table. He still had three hours before work.

"Are you hungry, Beth?"

"I'll take coffee."

"You got it." He started to get up but she kept a hold of him.

"Please stay. Coffee can wait."

There was something about the thought of him leaving her side, even for a few moments…it made her feel cold and not whole. He made her a whole person. Made her heart whole. Made her mind work smoothly. He was her person now. Forever.

"Will you stay with me today?"

"I need to work, love. I've been gone a long time."

"I understand."

"But we still have a few hours."

"Perfect."