"Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd?! The hell are you two doing here?!" Arnold then asked in a frustrated tone. "I thought you two rich asses had better things to do than harass the paramedic that failed that fateful night!" Arnold turned away and crossed his arms.
"Arnold, we-"
"What?! Just come here to harass me more and disturb my damn PTSD?! Is that what you two wanted?! I was minding my damn business until I saw you two pricks here! What, what are you two gonna do now?! File a fucking lawsuit for something that happened a few years ago?! Something I couldn't control?!" Arnold was agitated.
"Arnold, why are you yelling? Keep it down, will ya? And who's at the-" Spinelli soon walked over. "Oh…" Spinelli gave an unsatisfied and annoyed look. "What do you assholes want?! We were only minding our damn business until you two showed up."
"There is much that needs to be explained… I know you're infuriated with us, and we don't blame you. I know we don't have that same trust or connection we once had… but we hope to at least rebuild the connection we once had." Buckley started. "We also brought this little guy." Brooke then opened the box she was holding which had holes for air.
It revealed a stuffed animal.
"Is this why you're here… Wasting our fucking time?" Arnold lowered his eyelids. "Noted… Can't make a simple joke…"
"How do you expect him to take a joke when you two spent day and night harassing him over the death of his wife… YOUR DAUGHTER." Spinelli was starting to get short-tempered.
A German Shepherd would soon run up to their feet and bark. "Oh, there he is."
"If you're trying to squeeze yourselves back into my life with 'gifts' like this, then I should minus well close this door and forget of you pathetic assholes. I don't need MY daughter to grow up brainwashed by you two evil sons of bitches and eventually hate me for barely knowing her damn mother!" Arnold was more agitated than ever before.
"You two have some nerve coming here…" Spinelli glared and slammed the door shut.
"Boy… I seriously never knew we caused that much damage towards him…" Brooke then regretted everything she directed at her son-in-law.
"It'll take time for him to regain some trust… I feel terrible about all he's been through. He doesn't have a father with him anymore, and his mother works constantly as a Battalion Chief. Not just that, we took away the little sanity within him for our own selfishness…" Buckley replied as they walked away.
"You think he'll ever be able to trust us again? I miss having him as like my son… I miss the special connection we had once…" Brooke hung her head. "Don't worry. I know we'll have to make it up to him, always be there whether he wants it or not. We seriously hurt the boy…" Buckley replied.
"You alright now?" Spinelli rubbed Arnold's back. "I'm grateful not to have passed out from the rage coursing through me… And thanks."
"There's no need to thank me. You were there when I needed someone the most, and now, I wanna repay that and be here for you." Spinelli then held his hand. "Handsome." Spinelli then leaned over for a kiss on his cheek.
Arnold blushed. "Gee, I… Thanks." Arnold soon smiled as the two rested their heads against each other.
"Hey, Arnold. You think they're really trying to make amends, or just fake all that shit and steal your daughter away behind your back?" Spinelli asked. Arnold then sighed. "I honestly have no idea… I hate to say this but I barely miss seeing them, I have supportive friends here and at the Fire House. And to think that they might try and take away Andrea from me to later on brainwash her… it really hurts…" Arnold hung his head.
"Arnold, look. I swear when I say this… I'm not letting anything or anyone take Andrea from you. I don't care what their intentions are, but for sure as hell, they're not getting near her! Arnold, we're practically raising her together, and I'm also taking responsibility for her. We're in this together, you're not alone anymore." Spinelli squeezed Arnold's hand.
"Thanks. I really do appreciate all the help you can give me." Arnold soon shedded a smile. "There's the Arnold I know, that beautiful, charming, and bright smile I know you for." Spinelli soon smiled back. "And I know that beautiful smile anywhere. A smile that can light up a room, your sparkling eyes that shine the way to success."
Spinelli blushed. "Oh, Arnold, stop! My cheeks are gettin' hot!"
"I think I can maybe help." Arnold soon smirked for the first time in a while. "Arnold, stop!" Spinelli laughed a little as Arnold kissed her neck.
"Arnold, not now!" Spinelli kept laughing as she felt like she was being tickled. Arnold kissed her neck once more before he nuzzled his nose against hers.
"Alright, alright. Just let me check on Andrea, and then we can do something a little fun…" Arnold then gave a small kiss on her cheek, making Spinelli blush even more.
Arnold got up and went to check on Andrea. Spinelli kept looking at him until he went out of sight. She could already feel the kind of fun she wanted to have but decided it was best for later. Her phone then rang. "Ugh! The hell can it be now?"
She then picked up and answered. "Hello…?"
"Ashley? Ashley, is that you?" A female voice started. "Ashley?! Who the hell are you calling Ashley, sissy?!"
"Isn't that your first name, Pookie?"
"Wait, MOM?!" Spinelli went wide-eyed.
"How's my little girl doing today? Who's the most beautiful Princess in all of this world? You, of course!" Arnold then heard Spinelli's shouting. "Oh, dear… Just hang in there, Andy, Daddy will be back soon, Ok?" Arnold then laid Andrea back into her crib.
Arnold ran back to the living room to see Spinelli rather distressed.
"You haven't seen me since I left third street… But you want to come find me after all these DAMN YEARS?! IN WHAT HEAD DOES THAT FIT?! I BETTER NOT BE SEEING YOU HERE OR I'LL-" Arnold then took the phone from her hand and hung up. "Any reason why you were shouting about?"
"Arnold, I'm sorry, it's just… my parents are wanting to come see me after so many years of not seeing me… They're curious whether I'm married and if I have children or any of that… What the hell do I tell them? 'My ex-friend kicked me out and killed herself and now I'm living with my closest friend and we have sex together and take care of a child together.' Is that what I tell them?!"
"Well uh… You could remove the part where we're having sex but uh, yeah that basically describes our relationship." Arnold shrugged. "You're not ashamed of the fact we're having sex, are you?" Spinelli raised an eyebrow.
"No! Of course not! I'm not quite sure HOW to put it but… I'm not ashamed that I'm having sex with you, Spinelli. In fact, I feel like it's almost a joy every time we do it…"
"I feel the exact same way, Arnold." Spinelli smiled as the two slowly kissed. "Almost as if you feel loved…?"
"Maybe." The two slowly kissed again.
"But as I was saying, Spinelli, I'm not ashamed of the fact we're having sex." Arnold then held her hands. "And I'm obviously not gonna say this publicly 'cause that would be weird but… I'm proud to have sex with someone like you, Spinelli. You're extremely unique and beautiful in your own ways." Arnold then kissed both her hands.
"Gee, Arnold I… Nobody would ever have the guts to say anything as beautiful as you did just now… And I'm happy to know I'm having sex with someone like you, Arnold." Spinelli smiled.
"Is it weird we're talking about how proud we are to be having sex with each other?" Arnold started to chuckle a little. "Maybe it is, but I don't mind." Spinelli started to laugh. "I don't mind either, Spinelli." Arnold then also laughed.
The two then heard Andrea crying from her room. "I think our princess needs us." Spinelli smiled. Arnold also smiled.
They soon were in Andy's room as she was crying for her Dad.
Arnold picked her up and started rocking slowly while playing with her. "Aw, there, there now. Daddy's here…" Arnold then looked at Spinelli. "And I'm with your new Mommy." Arnold smiled at Spinelli. "Woah, wait what? Are you for real?"
"Spinelli, you said it yourself. We both practically raise Andy together, and I don't want little Andrea to grow up without a mother in her life, and I figured you'd have to be her mother figure. Of course, in your own unique style, that is." Arnold lightly smirked.
Spinelli then kissed his cheek. "As much as I appreciate being her 'replacement mother' and such, you do know you'll have to remarry someone in order to make your new wife her new mother, right?"
"Oh, don't worry. If anything, I probably won't remarry."
"And why, exactly?"
"As much as I want to re-love again, I feel like I just have to wait for the right woman."
"Oh. I see…" Spinelli then looked down. Arnold held Andy in his arms. He moved Spinelli's hair from behind her ear and slowly kissed her there. Spinelli blushed furiously.
"Touched a soft spot, did I?" Arnold lightly smirked as he played around with Andrea.
"You sneaky son of a…" Spinelli smirked. "Hey uh, Spinelli? Could you bring Phoebe over here? There's something we all need to talk about."
"Uh, sure." Spinelli caught Arnold off guard and snuck in a quick kiss before leaving. Arnold only blushed.
Two Minutes Later
"That's my little Andrea!" Arnold kept toying with Andy as she was now laughing.
"You needed something, Arnold?" Phoebe walked in with Spinelli following behind.
Arnold sighed. "Yeah, and it's regarding Andy's future. Me and Spinelli's futures."
"I think I already know. Since you two are first responders, and with how dangerous the job can be, you don't know whether you both will come back home for Andy."
"Phoebe. Spinelli and I are Andrea's only true family." Arnold then put an arm over Spinelli's shoulder. "Anyone else could easily brainwash her and turn her against us, especially me with Rhonda being gone. Her true mother."
"I know it's not official that I'm Andy's mother, but she isn't going to grow up without a mom, and I'm not just Arnold's baby helper or any of that crap! Pheebs, you gotta understand, don't ya?" Spinelli soon added.
"I hundred percent understand you two, and I fully support you two, and I think you guys are making the right decision. I'll always be here for Andy in case anything happens to you guys. You can count on me." Phoebe then smiled.
Arnold and Spinelli smiled. Arnold rubbed Spinelli's shoulder and soon kissed her forehead. "We couldn't have asked for a better friend than you, Phoebe." Arnold smiled.
Later at Seven P.M
"Man, you'll never believe it! Donovan called about a two-alarm fire at a local neighborhood, and you'll never guess what started that fire."
"What did?" Arnold asked as he was coming back from putting Andrea to sleep. "Two cringe-ass teenagers thinking they could pull a firefighter stunt for social media shit! And boy, did those two get yelled at by their mother or what!" Spinelli laughed as she was seated on the couch.
Arnold soon sat over next to her. "Two teens trying to pull a firefighter stunt? No way. You'd have to be insanely retarded to do that!"
"Turned out the older teen was drunk and tried to pull a stupid stunt. Play stupid games? Well, guess what, idiot, you just won a first-class ticket to jail for the rest of the day!" Spinelli sarcastically said.
The two could only laugh.
"Anything else Don said?" Arnold asked. "He invited us out for beers once A shift is over, but I had to decline since we're busy being parents." Spinelli smirked as she set her phone aside.
"Yeah well… I want to ask you something but I'm pretty sure it's not of your taste…" Arnold rubbed the back of his neck as he blushed.
"Oh, Arnold, c'mon! I know I used to be this extremely rough, doesn't care at all, and gritty girl back then, but I grew out of those habits! I also have feelings, y'know. I have a soft spot now."
"Well. If you say so…" Arnold then held her hand. "Ashley Spinelli… Will you go out on a date with me?" Arnold asked extremely nervously.
Spinelli could only blush as she looked at Arnold in the eye.