Keep Pressing On

Warning: Love Scene

Warning: Traumatic Content

Six Months Later…

As the last traces of a warm summer breeze blew in through the windows, Kelsi sat nestled on the couch beside Alisha, their little ones playing happily on Luke and Alisha's living room floor. Jason hung out in the kitchen with Luke, going over their plans for a total restoration project on a Chevy that had rolled into the shop that week. Luke and Alisha had welcomed Landon Miles Perry exactly one month after Talia was born, making them the ideal pair to grow up together.

Kelsi laughed as Talia pleasantly sat up on her own, watching Landon rolling over as he'd recently learned how to do. Their babies were growing so fast and she couldn't help but feel that ache that all mothers do as the child they'd carried and nurtured approached new stages of growth. It was bittersweet, wanting them to stay little forever, but they marvelled at their tiny eagerness to learn.

"Can you believe this, sugar?" Alisha said, smiling at her son on the floor. "I still can't believe I managed the get that boy outta me! I mean look at the size of him."

"I don't know either, Alisha," Kelsi laughed as she compared the two babies, "I thought that little six and a half pounder was a mission. If she had been anywhere near eight pounds, I probably would have died!"

Jason bit his lip at the thought, the unwelcome memory of nearly losing her years ago creeping back into his mind, but he shoved it away as the warmth of this family surrounded him. "You happy to get to raise up another crazy cowboy like you, Perry?"

"Darn right I am! But you were right about one thing, Cross," Luke drawled as they sipped on a couple of beers in the kitchen, "it's sure does give you a new kind-a respect to watch your woman lovin' on a baby."

They both looked on from the kitchen as the babies began to whine, their appreciation for the way their wives took care of their children flooding their faces with smiles.

"Guess it's that time again," Alisha said as she and Kelsi retrieved their nursing covers.

"When is it not that time? Although I am finding her less hungry in the night now that she's started taking some cereal at dinner time," Kelsi said as they settled back on the couch. "I'll feed her and then we'll get going, okay, J?"

"Sure, hun, all the littles need their naps," Jason replied and helped gather their things. Once the babies had finally had their fill, they bid good bye to Luke and Alisha and made their way home. As they drove, Jason's phone lit up in the cup holder and he couldn't help but glance at it.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed and slammed on the brakes to pull the car over to the shoulder.

"Jason!" Kelsi screamed. "What are you—?!"

He grabbed the phone once the car stopped and pressed it to his ear. "Dad?!"

Jason veered a little too wildly into the parking lot of Kirkland Air Base, although the sudden urgency of his arrival would be easily understandable. That call had shocked him to his core, but it flooded his body with so much adrenaline he could hardly contain it.

Kelsi gripped the door, but an excited smile broke through how surprised she was at his erratic driving. The car screeched to a halt and they jumped out. Jason turned to help her with Tali, but she waved him off. "Go, go! I'll get her and catch up," she urged.

Jason smiled in appreciation and turned for the base. He approached the guard gate, his ID ready. "I'm here to meet my dad, Sergeant Mark Cross. He just returned from deployment."

The guard, a young airman, nodded, his expression neutral. "Name?"

"Jason Cross."

The airman took his ID and typed quickly on his computer, then looked up. "You're cleared. Proceed to the visitor's centre for security, Building 32."

Jason thanked the guard and headed towards the building. Inside, the familiar hum of the base filled the air. He moved through the security as fast as possible and finally made it to the waiting area where he saw the sight that had flooded his dreams for months, hoping he'd see it: Master Sergeant Mark Cross was finally home. He was sitting in a chair, his worn duffle bag dumped beside him, a look of exhaustion and heaviness on his face. When he looked up and saw Jason coming, he stood quickly to his feet, a little unsteadily for the able bodied man he was when he had left.

As soon as he could, Jason broke into a run and met his dad in a bear hug. They embraced and released tears of joy and relief that washed away the stress of the past months. "Dad!" he exclaimed, squeezing Mark tightly. "You're here!"

Mark chuckled, returning the hug. "I'm home, son. Well… mostly anyways."

As they pulled apart, Jason's gaze followed Mark's to his left leg. It was covered by his uniform pants, but Jason could see a subtle difference in the way he favoured his other leg. A chill ran down his spine. "The hell happened to you?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Mark's smile faltered. "Well, things got a bit... eventful. Our convoy took heavy fire. The tank was destroyed and the next thing I knew I was in a hospital in Jordan, and..." He paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and determination. "I had lost my leg." He pulled up his pant lag to reveal a metal prosthetic. "They kept me there until I had done enough therapy to be able to walk, but I still have a long way to go."

Jason gulped and searched for words. "Well that's shitty," he said with a half chuckle. Suddenly his phone started ringing and Kelsi's picture lit up the screen. "Yeah, babe?

"Jason, can you come over here and help me get in?" He turned towards the door and saw Kelsi was stuck at the entrance, clearly having trouble with security. "Just a second, Kels, we'll probably just come out. You ready, Dad?"

"Ready."

"Okay, just wait there, we're coming."

At the sight of Jason coming out of base with Mark at his side, Kelsi let tears of joy run from her eyes. One of the pillars of their family, a strength and steadiness that had been missing, had finally returned. "Look, sweetheart, grandpa's home!"

Mark's face lit up when she saw them, his eyes glued to the grandchild he had never met. He walked as quickly as he could up to Kelsi and marvelled at the child in her arms. "Wow, look at this beautiful girl," he said. "I didn't think I'd get to meet you …?"

"Talia Ruth," Kelsi answered before giving Mark a tearful embrace with her free arm. "We've told her about you and showed her pictures, she might know who you are. Would you like to take her?"

"Yes, I would," Mark said, taking Talia gently. When she gave him a gummy smile, he laughed and cried at the same time. "It's so good to meet you, Talia. She's wonderful, Kelsi. You and Jason did good."

"So we've been told," Jason chimed in with a grin. "Come on, Dad, let's get you home. Does Mom know you're coming?" He led the way to the car, barely keeping it together that his dad was really home, and not in a wooden box. Sure, he had suffered a great injury and he had a lot of recovery ahead of him, but he would do it with the love and support of family here at home.

"No, that's why I called you. I really wanted to surprise her, maybe we could video call Andrew at the same time?"

"No problem," Kelsi answered. "I'll call him on the way." She secured Talia into her car seat and settled into the back seat, quickly pulling out her phone to text Jenny. When she got a response that they were free, she waited until Jason pulled onto his parents street to make the call. After a few rings, Jenny picked up.

"Hey Kelsi, what's up?" she asked, Andrew appearing at her side with Oliver in his arms.

"Oh not much, just that we're about to bring a big surprise home to Mom," she answered and turned the phone around to reveal Jason driving with Mark in the passenger seat.

"Wait! Is that Dad?!" Andrew shouted, his excitement palpable.

"He just got home!" Kelsi exclaimed.

Mark turned to smile and wave at the screen. "Hey, Andrew! I see Jenny and Oliver, but where's my granddaughter?!"

"She's here! Lillian come here, grandpa's home!" Andrew called, causing a squeal to erupt across the room. Soon Lillian jumped into Jenny's lap and looked eagerly at the screen.

"Grampa!" she shouted with a smile at the screen.

"Well we're headed in to surprise Mom now, we wanted to share it with you so sit tight we're just pulling up now," Kelsi said.

Jason flung open his door. "I'll go ahead and see where she is, then you come in after, Dad," he said as he hopped out. He started towards the door and knocked before making his way in the with his spare key. "Hey, Mom! You home?" he called into the seemingly empty house. He made his way through to the kitchen and saw her working in the garden out through the kitchen windows. Perfect. He ran back to the door and waved for his dad and Kelsi to come in. Jason watched his unsteady steps as he made his way up the path, the result of a sacrifice he shouldn't have had to make. Although he could have continued to grumble in his heart at the army for this last bit of damage that had been done to his family, he chose to be grateful that his father was walking towards him rather than being handed a folded up flag.

They tiptoed into the house, Kelsi struggling to keep her phone recording while she carried Talia. "Here, take your daughter," she grunted as she pushed the carrier into Jason's hand, "I don't want them to miss this!"

Mark's steps were as quick as he could make them towards the back door, clearly anxious to meet his wife and Kelsi hurried to keep up with him.

At the sound of the back door sliding open, Lucia jerked in surprise from tending to her vegetable garden. The snippers fell from her hand as she took in the sight before her with a gasp. "Mi amore," she whispered and hurried towards the figure she had wondered every night if she would ever see again. "Mark! My darling, you're home!" She threw her arms around him and kissed him repeatedly, receiving his warm embrace in return.

"I missed you, Lu," he cried. He was hardly an emotional man, except when it came to the love of his life. When her leg bumped against his, he noticed the confusion on her face and took a minute to explain what had happened.

"Oh! Why did they not allow you to call us, mi amore? You endured all of that alone…"

"The tensions over there got worse and orders were given for no further contact out. I'm sorry you were in the dark, Lu." They embraced again and Lucia finally noticed Jason and Kelsi standing at the door, the phone held up for the video call. "Jason! Kelsi! Are you filming?!"

"No Ma, Andrew and Jenny are watching with the kids," he answered with a smile and stepped out to meet his parents, barely holding back tears that they were all together. He set Talia down beside them who giggled at the sight of her grandma.

Kelsi joined them and brought the camera near so that Lucia and Mark could see the smiling faces that added to the chorus of welcome. So maybe it wasn't perfect, but the family was all together for this reunion.

The spring sun shimmered through the leaves of Lucia's home vineyard as the whole family gathered again down a long table set up in the backyard of the cross house. Easter dinner was another excuse to get together and no one would miss it for the world.

Jason sat beside Talia, happily smashing mashed potatoes and carrots all over the place that splattered onto his shirt and Kelsi's dress as she sat on the other side of the high chair. This was the routine now, their baby girl was almost a year old and the mess never ended. But he still managed to find the laughs in the middle of the chaos.

"Oh, you little mess maker," Kelsi teased as she wiped the splattered food from her clothes, "everyone's going to need clean clothes by the time we're done here. Sorry about that Kelly," she said, looking apologetically across the table at Jason's cousin and her boyfriend who she'd brought back from MIT with her for the holidays.

"It's okay, Kelsi," Kelly said with a smile, wiping the potatoes from Callum's cheek, "that's what babies do."

Kelsi accepted the kind words, but still felt bad that Talia always made such a mess. She had been mortified when the little girl had managed to get her hands on Jason's beer at the last family gathering, spilling the sticky liquid all over the patio table. Jason had thought it was hilarious, joking that at least she hadn't tried to drink it, but she was still embarrassed by the menace and mess Talia seemed to be all the time.

As their baby became more mobile, Kelsi felt herself strained and on high alert wherever they went, desperately trying to keep her from breaking something or injuring herself. Jason was a pain in the neck, doing as all dad's do, loving it when she got into a mess, while Kelsi tried desperately to plaster on a smile even though she was losing it inside. It was something they'd fought about on the way to this very party, nearly yelling at each other over it, but Jason managed to bring them back to a calm disagreement before they stepped out into the warm spring air to join their family for another wild party.

Once desert was being cleared up by Lucia's usual army of helping hands, Jason and Kelsi found themselves lounging under the warm rays of the sinking sun on the patio sofa with their dads. Talia had begun pulling herself up on things and was so close to taking some independent steps, making Kelsi's heart tremble with worry and bittersweet feelings of her daughter growing so fast.

Mark smiled at her as she pulled herself along the table, gradually making her way towards him. "Well look at you, Tali, you're better at walking than me," he chuckled and pulled his metal prosthetic out of her way.

"How is the therapy going, Dad?" Jason asked with a sip on his beer.

"It's going good, there's been some lingering pain that they're helping me work through. Soon I should be ready to get back into jogging and running once I get fitted for my running blade," Mark answered.

"That's truly amazing, Mark, how you're right back at it after what you went through," Steven remarked.

"Just part of the job," Mark replied humbly.

"Well let me know when you're ready to run again, Dad, I'll go with you whenever I can," Jason added as Kelsi picked up Talia who had made her way over to his leg. "Unless you want this little girl to outrun you!"

Across the yard, Hayden and Reed had put on some tunes and started a dance party under the old desert palm in back corner of the yard. Callum and Kelly were the first to join them while Chris's girlfriend Megan hauled him impatiently out of his lawn chair. Mark stood as quick as he could at the sound of the music and caught Lucia to get in one dance before she headed back into the kitchen.

"Hey, little miss, come here for a second," Jason said with a sly grin as he took Talia from Kelsi's arms. "Why don't you visit with Grandpa Steve for a few minutes while I steal your mom."

"Of course, come here, sweetheart!" Steven said happily as Jason passed Talia into his arms.

Before she could protest, Jason snatched Kelsi's hand and pulled her to her feet to drag her over where the dancing was heating up.

"Jason! That wasn't very nice to just dump Tali on my dad! Why would you do that?" she snapped as she struggled against him. She could only fight so hard though, her balance a little precarious in the strapped wedges she'd worn.

"Because if I'd asked, you would have said no," he replied, pulling her close in the glow of the garden torches.

"Yeah because we have to look out for our own kid, J," she said firmly, trying to turn back. "We can't just dump her off with people like that."

"Kels…" Jason whispered softly in her ear, making her stop struggling against his strong embrace. He could feel her body relaxing, the tenderness in his voice was either settling her or turning her on. He'd find out soon enough. "Baby, you're always looking out for her, never letting anyone help you. This is our family, that's what we're all here for. You've gotta let go. You don't have to be Super Mom all the time."

Kelsi winced at his words because she knew he was right. As she glanced back with worry at her dad, she didn't notice Jason had pulled her into a comfortable dance position. His right hand snaked around her waist while his left clasped hers and pulled their entwined fingers to his chest. She turned back with glassy eyes. "But, J… she's our responsibility. We can't… we don't have a life anymore."

"That's bullshit, Kels, and you know it," Jason replied, kindness in his tone despite his choice of words. "We do have a life. It's with this family around us to support us. We're not taking advantage of them just by asking someone to watch the baby for a few minutes while we enjoy some time to ourselves. Look how happy your dad is."

Kelsi turned again towards her dad, who was happily bouncing Talia on his knee, making her laugh with gleeful squeals. She sighed and a shiver ran down her spine as Jason leaned in to whisper in her ear again.

"I'll prove it to you. Follow me," he said softly, releasing all but her hand to lead the way to the house. On the way, he smacked Andrew on the shoulder and quickly said something in his ear. His brother nodded back.

Kelsi, thoroughly confused, could only follow Jason, her curiosity piqued. When they reached the back door to enter the house, she looked over her shoulder and saw Andrew casually following behind. "Jason… what's going on?"

"Just brothers looking out for each other." He led the way quickly down the hall towards his old room which had been turned into a spare room when he moved out and quickly shut the door behind them. Before Kelsi could ask any more questions, Jason swept her up in a passionate kiss, backing her roughly against the wall.

"Okay, Jason, stop!" Kelsi hissed as she shoved him back. "What the fuck is going on here?!"

"That's up to you, honey," he replied with a smirk. "Andrew's watching the hall and he'll let us know if we're needed, we used to do this all the time when we brought girls home when we weren't supposed to. Trust me, we can make out, cuddle, sit and talk or we can screw around in that bed. You take your pick, we've got 10 minutes."

At the thought of having sex here at a big family party, Kelsi was initially shocked and embarrassed, but the thrill of it quickly began to turn her on too. "You know, I could use a quickie right now, how about you?" she asked as she began to unbutton his shirt.

"I thought you'd never ask," Jason chuckled. "Where do you want to do it?" His hands quickly found the hem of her loose dress and ripped it over her head.

"Just take me right here, J," she replied, slipping her panties off to let them fall to her ankles, "but leave my heels on."

"Damn, woman… that's hot," he whispered and captured her lips in a hungry kiss while he fumbled to get his jeans undone. Once he finally tossed them away, he lifted Kelsi just enough to slide in, pinning her against the wall with rough thrusts.

"Holy shit, Jason," she gasped, her head falling back as he slammed their entwined hands against the wall. She tightened down, the exciting pleasure rushing through her body, flames of their romance licking wildly though her veins.

"Come for me, Kels. Let go, baby," Jason groaned, feeling his release coming fast. He thrust quicker and with more force, the intense tightening of her slick muscles threatening to finish him off.

"Just like that Jason... ah! Babe, I'm coming!" she moaned and let go. She gushed over him, sending a small torrent of her release running down over his leg as he came hard into her. They panted and groaned, happily recovering from their wild little rendezvous. Then, a soft tap came at the far end of the wall, a distinct little pattern that made Jason turn his head.

"What was that?" Kelsi asked.

"Eight minute warning," Jason replied with a chuckle. "Come on, let's get cleaned up and get back out there. Andrew will tap the wall again when the coast is clear.

Kelsi giggled at the thought, that her man was so elaborately sneaky. "You guys sure are something else. How many girls did you sneak around this house?"

"Not as many as you'd think, Andrew was older than me so it was more me looking out for him, but I had a few turns of my own," Jason said with a wry smile.

"Naughty boy," Kelsi muttered with a roll of her eyes. Once they were dressed they waited by the door until another tap came at the wall, a different pattern this time.

"Coast is clear, let's go," they slipped back out into the hall and returned to the kitchen which was empty as the whole family had gone out to join the dance party. Jason ushered her out the door and they returned to the party, their family completely unaware of the great help they'd been to give a spark to their romance that evening.

In the dark of the night Jason's phone vibrated on the nightstand, slowly breaking through his dreams to wake him. He groggily reached for it and answered with a soft, "hello?", wondering who the hell was calling him in the middle of the night.

"Jase, hey it's Troy, listen man, any chance you could come down to UNM Hospital?"

"Uh probably," Jason replied, raking a hand over his face. "What's going on?"

Kelsi stirred at the sound of his voice and woke up beside him. "What the hell, Jason, it's 2am…" she groaned.

"Chad needs us, dude," Troy answered, the worry evident in his voice. "Taylor went into labour tonight and she lost a lot of blood suddenly. The babies are at risk so they're going to deliver them now by cesarean, she's close enough to term that they think they'll be okay. I know Tali is probably sleeping, I just thought since you have a kid, maybe one of you could come help Chad since he doesn't have Taylor right now and…"

"And what, Troy?!" Kelsi said urgently, the fear for her friend peaking.

"Kelsi… they don't know if Taylor will make it," Gabriella answered, sadness flooding her voice. "She hemorrhaged like crazy and she slipped into a coma from all the blood loss."

Kelsi gasped as tears filled her eyes, finding Jason's in the dark with a panicked expression.

"We're coming, guys," Jason said finally and hung up the phone. They quickly threw on some clothes and gathered Talia into the car, who protested at the disturbance of her sleep. "It's okay, Tali," he whispered as they hurried out to the car, "just gotta go help Uncle Chad and Auntie Tay."

When Jason and Kelsi arrived at the hospital, they quickly found Troy and Gabriella waiting anxiously at the entrance. They filled them in on everything as they led the way up to the obstetrics ward.

Chad jumped off his seat in the waiting room when he saw them coming. "Jase? Kelsi? What are you guys doing here?"

"Hey, man," Jason said, putting a firm hand on Chad's shoulder. "We're here to help with the kids, whatever we can do."

"Well I don't even know what's going on, they rushed her in and said she had to go for surgery, I got kicked out here to wait."

"I know my way around the obstetrics ward," Kelsi added, "and my mom is working tonight. I can get in there and find how Taylor's doing in delivery."

"Kelsi, they won't even let me in," Chad said, his shoulders shaking with fear. "It's bad."

With a determined glint in her eye, she turned and made her way to the nurses station. She met an older nurse there, years of experience etched into her features as she worked through her nightly reports. "Excuse me, Nurse Micheals?" she said hesitantly, hoping she would be remembered.

The nurse's eyes drifted away from her computer and met Kelsi's, a sparkle gracing them as she recognized that voice. "Well if it isn't Kelsi, you lookin' for your momma?"

"Yeah, she's supposed to be doing an emergency c-section on my friend, Taylor Danforth, right now. I just wondered if you could take me there to get an update for her husband? He's really worried."

"Well," Nurse Michaels began, her expression softening at the concern in Kelsi's eyes, "alright, honey, you know the way to the surgery observation. Go on up, but don't stay too long, ya hear?"

"Yes, ma'am." And with that she took off down the hall, quickly making her way up to the large glass windows. She looked down and gasped at the sight. Taylor must have still been hemorrhaging because the floor looked more like a M.A.S.H unit than obstetric surgery. Yet through the chaos of everything in the scene, she easily picked out her mother, calm and collected as she eased the second twin from Taylor's womb. Kelsi gasped as she saw the babies for the first time, double the blessing and double the load for Chad if she didn't make it.

"Kels? Kels! Are you there?!" the phone in her hand buzzed. She had been so caught up in the sight that she hardly remembered calling Jason while she ran down the hall.

"Yeah, J, I'm here," she said, "it looks like the babies are okay, they just got the second one out and they're closing up now." She heard Jason relay the info to Chad, who asked about Taylor. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the monitor, steadily beeping as the numerous machines helped keep her friend alive. "I don't know, Chad," she breathed, "all I can tell you is her heart is still beating."

A couple hours later, Kelsi took Talia home and left Jason at the hospital to stay with Chad. Troy and Gabriella had gone home, having already spent long hours there with Chad before. The babies had been taken to the NICU where they were under close observation. Soon they allowed Chad to come in and meet them, Jason offering to help since there were two babies to look after. Chad tensed awkwardly as he picked up the twin that had been born first, a boy, completely uncertain and still carrying his worries for Taylor.

Jason chuckled at him as he confidently lifted the second twin, a girl, from the clear bassinet. "Lighten up, bud, relax and let him settle into the curve of your arm."

Chad breathed a heavy breath in and did as Jason suggested, comfort flooding his face as the baby settled in his arms. "Thanks, Jase… for being here."

"Look, man, I know how you feel. When Kelsi got sick in New York, I knew I'd never recover if I lost her. But we've got tough women, and this won't take Taylor out. You guys are gonna raise these kids together, just like you're meant to."

Chad sniffed back a few tears and directed his attention back to the baby boy in his arms. "Thanks, man, I sure hope you're right. I can't live without her, and I sure as hell can't raise these kids alone."

"Look around you, dude," Jason said, "your friends are with you, you never will."

A/N: as we're coming to the end of this story (one more chapter to wrap it all up), I wanted to let you all know that a spin off is coming for this story! If you've enjoyed Jason and Kelsi's story, follow me for author alerts to catch Troy and Gabriella's story, Legally In Love which is coming soon!