"Wait, Brain." Kevin said, standing in his front yard. "Slow down. AJ and Nick did what?"

Kevin had been on his way to the store for Kristen when Brian called. Kevin was gettin nervous with stress. Kristen thought she was pregnant again and now this situation with Nick and AJ was getting worse.

"Oh my God, they did that in your house?" Kevin asked, flabbergasted at what Brian just told him.

"Then Nick just left? Did he say where he was going?" Kevin fired another question at Brian.

"Okay, listen Brian. I have to go to the store for Kristen, she thinks she's pregnant again." Kevin explained, getting into his car. "When I get back, I'll call Nick and try and talk some sense into him, okay?"

Kevin hung up the phone and started the car.  Before pulling out of the driveway, Kevin sighed, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the seat. He was starting to get a headache and he felt like problem aftern problem kept hitting him from all sides.

He finally pulled out of the driveway while thinking to himself, Can this all be over soon? I need a break!

When he finally made it to the coner store, he decided to get some Advil along with Kristen's pregnanct test. It took him about five minutes to find a parking spot.

As he parked and shut off the car, Kevin mutter to himself, "About dang time, I just want to get home."

He got out and sprinted into the store. He found the Advil straight away, but it took him about ten minutes of strained searching to find the pregnancy tests. Just as he found the right aisle, his phone started ringing. Kevin pulled it out of the pocket and checked the caller ID; it was Kristen.

"Hey baby, what's up?" He answered the phone quickly.

Are you at the store? Kristen asked.

"Yup. I'm in the pregnancy test aisle. Which do I pick? There's so many of them!" Kevin asked, confused as he looked at all the boxes.

Just choose one. Kristen answered.  And get home soon.

"Okay, babe. I'll be home soon." Kevin answered as he pick a random box and headed to the counter.

Kristen hung up just as it was Kevin's turn to pay. As the clerk rung up the Advil and the test and bagged them, she asked,

"Expecting a new addition to the family?"

"That's what we're about to find out." Kevin answered as he paid and took his bag.

He smiled at the clerk and left the store. It had gotten a whole lot colder outside. He went to his car as fast as he could and jumped in. He threw the bag into the passenger seat, started the car, and turned the heat up. When it got warm enough in the car, Kevin pulled out of the parking space and headed home. It took less time to get home than it did to get to the store. When Kevin parked the car in the driveway, Kristen opened the door and waited for him.

He got out of the car quickly and headed to his wife. Whe he got to the door, he hugged her gently and said,

"Let's get inside baby, it's cold. I don't want you to get sick."

They stepped inside and Kevin shut the door against the cold. As soon as the door was closed, Kevin and Kristen headed into the living room where a nice warm fire was going in the fireplace. Kevin took the Adivl and pregnancy test out of the bag, put them on the coffee table, and went into the kitchen to throw his bag away. When he got back to the living room, Kristen and the pregnancy test were gone.

He sighed and sat down. He opened the Advil bottle, took two pills out and took the with the water he had been drinking earlier. Kevin closed his eyes and laid his head on the couch as he waited for Kristen to come back with the results.

If she's pregnant again, I hope it's a baby girl. Kevin thought to himself. Just as his headache started to ebe away, he heard Kristen's small yell from the bathroom. Kevin go up so fast, he knocked his glass of water off of the coffee table. He didn't bother to stop and pick it up because he was too concerned about his wife. When he made it to the bathroom, Kristen was sitting on the floor, staring at the test in her hands.

Kevin knelt down next to Kristen, took her face into his hands and asked, "Baby, what's wrong?"

Kristen looked deep into Kevin's eyes and whispered, "We're going to have another baby. Mason's going to be a big brother."

Kevin looked down at the test, which said positive, and then back to hiswife. His heart lept with joy at the news. He passionatly kissed Kristen and thanked God that Mason was staying the night at a friend's house. Kristen pulled back from the kiss breathing heavily.

"Calm down, big guy. I'm breathing for two now, remember?' Kristen giggled.

Kevin smiled and said, "I can't wait to tell everyone! Mason's going to be so happy thar he's going to be a big brother."

"Yes, yes he is!" Kristen beamed. "And so are our parents. We gotta tell them that they're going to be grandparents again."

Kevin smiled again and said, "Of course. How about you call your parents and let them know and I'll call my parents? We can inform everyone else later."

"Sounds good to me." Kristen agreed, holding her hands out to kevin so he could hekp her off the floor.

Kevin took her hands and gently helped her up. He hugged her gently. He never wanted to let her and their new baby go.

"Baby?" Kristen whispered against his chest.

"Yes, love?" Kevin asked dreamily.

"Are you going to let me go so we can tell our parents about this new bundle of joy that's gonna be added to our family?" Kristen asked, giggling again.

Kevin reluctantly let her go and smiled ather. She smiled back and gently kissed him on the lips. When she pulled back, she said,

"Let's go, handsome. We have some phone calls to make."

As they walked out of the bathroom hand in hand, Kevin had pushed everything else out of his mind, including the stress of Nick's issues and how he was supposed to call him and make sure he was okay.

.....

When Nick's plane landed in L.A, he was happier than he had been in weeks. Lauren had taken him back and she was going to pick him up from the airport. He was going to put AJ behins him and if he had too, the rest of the boys as well.

If they don't like what I do, screw them. I don't need them. Nick thought to himself as he got off the plane. Lauren said she would meet him at the bagge claim. He quickly picked his was through the crowd so he could get there and see his girl. It took him twenty minutes to get to bagge claim because of all the holiday rush.

When he finally got there, Nick spotted Lauren instantly. She was standing there, taping her foot, scanning the crowd for him. He snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped a little and then sighed when she realized it was him.

She turned around and kissed him. After two minutes of this, Lauren pulled back and said, "Let's get your bags and get out of this crowded airport."

Nick let her go, smiled back, and said, "Sounds like a plan to me."

Nick spotted his bags, grabbed them quckly, and followed Lauren to the parking garage. They didn't speak to each other until they made it to the car. As she unlocked the trunk, Lauren said,

"I'm so glad we're going to work this out. I've missed you so much Nicky."

Nick closed the trunk, walked over to the passenger side door, looked at Lauren over the car, and said, "Me too, baby. You mean everything to me. I wasn't the same without you."

Lauren smiled as she opened her door and said, "Good. Now, let's get home because you look like crap.

Nick snorted and got inside the car as well. "Thanks babe. Way to make me feel better about myself."

As she started the car, Lauren said, "No problem, love. Anything to make you feel better."

Nick snorted again and kissed Lauren on the cheek. She smiled as he started going down the levels of the parking garage as Nick switched the stations on the radio in attempt to find a decent song to listen too. Their house was only fifeteen minutes away from the airport, so it didn't take them long to get there. When Lauren parked in the driveway, Nick sigherd and relaxed in his seat. He was so glad to be home with Lauren and the dogs. They really did mean everything to him.

"Ready to come back home, love?" Lauren asked him gently, grabbing his hand.

Nick squeezed her hand and said, "Yes. I want to be at home with you forever."

Lauren leaned over to him and kissed him with all her being. Nick kissed her back as if this his last day on Earth and he would never see Lauren again. When the pulled back, Lauren smiled at him, and said,

"God, I've missed you so much, Nickolas Gene Carter. Let's never break up again."

Nick grabbed her hand again and said, "I would never dream of it, love. It's you and me, together forever, I promise you that."

Lauren hugged him hard. When she let go, she said, "Let's go inside. The dogs are going crazy."

Nick smiled and said, "Sounds like a plan to me, baby girl."

After another quick kiss, they both got out od the car. As Lauren went to unlock the front door, Nick got all of his stuff out of the trunk. He slowly dragged it all up to the front door, letting it all sink in. As he stepped inside and closed the door, he thought tp himself with a smile, I'm finally home with the woman I love.

.....

Rochelle jsut sat in Ava's room, staring at her beautiful daughter. She was in shock. AJ's mom, Denise, had just called her, telling her that AJ was in pain and had been crying because he missed her. Rochelle didn't know what to think. She thought she was the only one who was hurting after they broke up. But now he wantsher and Ava back.

What do I do? Ro thought to herself. I really miss him too and Ava needs  her daddy in her life.

She sighed and looked at her phone. She'd been trying to convince herself to call AJ for the last hour. She was scared of what he would say. Rochelle sighed and finally decided to call him before Ava woke up from her nap. He was still number one on her speed-dial. Her thumb hovered over the call button for about two seconds before she finally pressed it. AJ answered imediantly.

"Rochelle?" he wishpered.

Ro could hear the tears and sadness in his voice.

"Yes, Alex, it's me." she whispered back. "I love you."

"Oh, Ro." he whispered. "I love you too. Both you and Ava."

"Alex?" Rochelle asked softly, scared out of her wits about what she was about to ask him becacuse she didn't know if he knew about what happened between her and Nick.

"Yes, Ro?'

"Will you please come home? We need you."

.....