A/N: Thank you for the follows/favorites. I'd love to hear from you, so I know how I'm doing. Here is the next update.

Title: A Love Worth Fighting For

Chapter 5

***The Next Day***

(While doing some paperwork at her desk, Hope is a little caught off-guard by the knock on her office door. Hope looks up to see her mother)

Hope: "Hey, mom. How's it going?"

(As Brooke walks in, they continue their talk)

Brooke: (nods) "Good. Did, uh, Liam tell you he came to see me at my place?"

(Hope turns her head a bit in confusion)

Hope: "And I am guessing it is about me. Why?"

Brooke: "Let's just say he is concerned about you."

Hope: "Well, he does not need to be."

Brooke: (clears her throat) "He also, uh, let some things slip. That I'm guessing you want to keep private."

Hope: (confused) "About?"

Brooke: "He mentioned you were on birth control, and you might want another baby in the near future."

(Hope groans loudly as she gets up from her desk chair and walks to the mirror that is near the door)

Hope: "Oh, my god! I swear, he does not know when to shut his damn mouth!"

(Hope turns around to face her mother)

Hope: "Do I want more kids? Maybe. But not right now. And I made it clear to Liam, definitely not with him."

Brooke: (eyes widen) "I hope not with Thomas!"

Hope: "Mom, I do not know what the future is going to hold for Thomas and I. Have we talked about kids? No. Does he want more kids? I do not know. And I said before. I do not want any more right now. Maybe in the future. I am being present. It is not your decision, mom."

(Brooke rests her hands on her mouth before putting them down and speaks)

Brooks: "Please, think about what you are saying. Whatever you do, do not have any more kids with Thomas."

Hope: "Like I said, not your decision. Please respect that. If you cannot respect it, then stay out of it. I need to get back to work."

(Brooke shakes her head as she walks out of the office. Hope knew that she probably disappointed her mother with her choices regarding Thomas. She did not care, though. Hope is doing what is right for HER and THOMAS and THEIR life together)

(Hope places a few strands of hair behind her ears and thought about what just happened while standing against her desk)

Thomas: "Is it safe to come in?"

(Hope looks behind her to see the man in her life at the office door. She nods and he walks towards her)

Thomas: "I am here to listen if you need to talk. No judgments. No advice, only if you ask for it."

(Hope sighs deeply as she faces the man she was coming to adore)

Hope: "Liam has decided to share some information with my mother that I thought was innocent at the time. I did not think he would go sharing it with the whole entire world. He is also making it out to be this big deal."

(Thomas tilts his head and gently speaks)

Thomas: "Can I ask what was said?"

Hope: "It was the night I made it clear to him that you are the man in my life. But I just said that I want to be present. That I am open to anything. When he said 'not anything'. I just shrugged. He thought that meant I might want another baby. I admitted down the line I might. He asked if that meant with you. I made it clear that it certainly was not with him." (scoffs) "He then asked if I was even on birth control."

Thomas: (angrily) "I'm sorry. He asked you what?"

Hope: "I made it clear that it was NONE of his business. Ugh!"

(Hope tenderly touches Thomas' face and tries to smile a bit before resting her hands on his shoulders before speaking again in a sincere tone)

Hope: "But I just want to be clear on something, Thomas. Yes, I am on birth control. I would NEVER try trapping you like that. That is NOT who I am."

(Thomas sighs softly at Hope's revelation and sincere confession. He could tell that she was hurt by Liam's accusation or whatever it was. Thomas takes his girl in his arms and lets her cry it out until she was ready to continue the conversation. They break free. He rests his hands on her rosy, red cheeks and kisses her before speaking)

Thomas: "First of all, I know you would never trap me into anything. You are too good of a person, too sincere of a person to do that. I completely believe you and I love you. I appreciate you telling the truth because that is who you are. You are constantly loyal and that is what I love about you. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be present and seeing where life takes us in this relationship. Please excuse my language, but it pisses me off the way Liam treats you and talked to you like that. You are young and beautiful and if you ever decide in the future that you want another child, I will admit that I hope I am the father of him or her." (smiles happily) "Because I love you so much, Hope. Ever since I fell in love with you, I wanted a future with you. However, I have no problem at all going at your pace." (nods) "However, if I am not the father of the possible baby, I understand. I am just telling you how I feel. Even though you are not Douglas' biological mother, you are his mother in every way that counts, baby, because you adopted him. He loves you as his mother and considers you his mother in every way. I agree with that, as well. To me, you are his mother."

(Hope nods and smiles at Thomas' honesty)

Hope: "I appreciate your honesty. Thank you for defending me like that. And thank you for saying that about Douglas. I love Douglas like my own even though I didn't give birth to him."

Thomas: "Always. I know you would never trap me, baby."

(They embrace. Thomas made a mental note to have a few words with Liam. After breaking free, they change the subject)

Hope: "So, how are the preparations coming for the party your grandfather wants to throw?"

Thomas: "Good. It is going to be tomorrow night. Granddad invited family."

(Thomas shows a hint of a smile)

Thomas: "Would you like to be my date?"

Hope: (smiles) "I think I can do that."

(They smile at each other and look at the others lips)

Thomas: "God, I would love to kiss you right now."

Hope: (giggles) "Nothing is stopping you."

(They share a few kisses when there is a knock at the office door. They both see it's Eric, who is walking slowly. So, Hope and Thomas go to him)

Thomas: "Granddad, hi. Everything okay?"

Hope: "We usually do not see you here. Not for a while now."

Eric: "Donna is with Brooke and Ridge right now. I wanted to tell you something…both of you."

Thomas: (nods) "Okay."

Hope: "Whatever you need."

(Eric taps Thomas on the shoulder and briefly places his hand on Hope's cheek in an affectionate matter)

Eric: "I know not a lot of family members or friends support your relationship. They think it will not last. I just want you both to know that I completely support your relationship. It is not the scandalous relationship everyone is making it out to be. I want you both to follow your hearts." (smiles) "If that is together, happy, forever, the more the merrier."

(Thomas and Hope cannot help but smile appreciatively at Eric's kind words. They both separately embrace Eric before Eric makes his exit)

Thomas: "It is true. What granddad said is right. What we do is up to us."

Hope: (nods) "I agree."

Chapter 5 Done

A/N: I am going to keep writing this story until I run out of ideas. I will not include the party in this story as my focus is 'Thope' or the characters that support the couple. I am putting my own spin on their storyline from the show. But, I wanted to include Eric's scene as I felt it was important because not a lot of people support Thomas/Hope's relationship. Slowly, though, people will. I will be including more family members of the couple as the chapters go.