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Everyone was already starting to sit down for dinner when Kat and Denise came back inside. AJ saw the tears on her face and motioned to the chair next to him.

 “Are you ok?” AJ whispered, leaning in towards her.

 “I’m fine.” Kat said. “Your mom doesn’t hate me.”

 AJ smiled. “I already knew that and I tried to tell you the other day, but you’re just too stubborn.”

 “Like you should talk McLean. You’re just as stubborn.”

 “I know and I’m going to be even more stubborn until you tell me you’ll move in here.”

 Kat groaned. “I thought you were going to give me time to think about it.”

 “I will but it doesn’t mean I can’t pester you about it.”

 “Hey AJ!” Nick called from down the table. “Think you two lovebirds could chat later so that the rest of us could eat?”

 Kat turned beet red and AJ looked like her could slug him. Brenda elbowed him in the stomach and Brian smacked him on the back of the head.

 “Hey, I’m just asking!” Nick yelped.

“Honey, why don’t you do a toast?” Denise asked her son, ignoring Nick.

 AJ stood up not knowing exactly what to say. It was like déjà vu from a few years ago and it made him nervous. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing and have it backfire.

 “I want to thank you guys for coming and I’m sure we’re all going to enjoy this year’s holiday more than last year. The last few years have been rough for everyone and I want to thank you guys for bearing with me. Mom, I appreciate all your love and support. You’ve given me some great advice and have been there for me even when I didn’t take it. I love you.”

 “Love you too honey. Even when you don’t take my advice!”

 Everyone laughed and AJ turned towards the guys and their wives. “Thank you guys, and girls, for being along for the roller coaster ride that we’ve been on. I couldn’t do it without your love and support and I hope you know how much you all mean to me.”

 AJ turned towards Brenda. “Thank you for getting Nick under control and making sure he behaves himself.”

 “It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!” Brenda replied.

 “You do a terrific job.” Brian added.

 AJ turned to Kat and saw the nervousness on her face. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her but he didn’t know if this was the time or place.

 “We’ve been through an awful lot, good and bad, but I think we’ve finally hit a good place. You’ve given me the best gift I could ever get. Jake is a wonderful little boy and he makes me want to be the best dad I can be. I want you to know that you’re a terrific mother and you are incredibly important to me. Thank you for everything.”

 Kat nodded with tears in her eyes. She remembered how she felt two years ago when AJ was telling everyone how much he loved her. It made things a little harder but at least they had worked through most of it.

 “That’s enough of the emotional stuff. Let’s eat before Nick starves to death!” AJ said and sat back down. He reached out for Kat’s hand and she gave it to him.

 -------------------

 Everyone helped clean after dinner and decided to wait for dessert. They decided to take all the kids outside and let them run around to burn off some energy.

 “Mind taking Jake outside? I need to talk to Kat for a few minutes.” AJ asked Brenda.

 “Absolutely.” she replied. She herded Jake and Nick outside with Denise’s help and left AJ and Kat alone in the living room.

 “Can we talk for a few minutes?” AJ said to Kat.

 “Um, ok.” she responded and took a seat on the couch. AJ sat on the sofa next to her and turned to face her.

 “I need to say something to you but I didn’t think it was the best idea to do it at dinner.”

 “AJ, you don’t need to…”

 “Please, let me get this out before I lost my nerve.”

 “Ok.”

 “I love you Kat.”

 Kat’s jaw dropped open and she stared at him.

 “And I don’t mean as a friend. I love you and I’m in love with you. I feel like we’ve been through hell and back and my feelings for you have never changed. I don’t want to waste any more time in telling you how I feel.”

 “AJ, I…”

 “I mean it Kat. I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you and I want us back.”

 “AJ…

 “Please don’t give me all the reasons why this won’t…..”

 “Are you going to ever be quiet McLean?”

 Now it was AJ’s turn to be surprised. Kat leaned in and kissed him. “I love you too.”

 “You do?”

 Kat nodded and leaned in to kiss him again. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her tightly. The kiss started off gently but the intensity increased as all the feelings they both had came flooding back in. Kat wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back hard.

 When they were finally able to pull themselves apart, Kat was shocked to see tears in AJ’s eyes.

 “I thought you wanted this.”

 AJ smiled and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. He pulled her into a tight hug and she rested her head on his shoulder.

 “I do want this Kat. I just didn’t realize how good it was gonna feel.”

 “It does feel good.” Kat said with a smile. She was about to say something else when Jake came tearing into the room with Nick at his heels.

 “Sorry guys, he’s a fast one!”

 Nick picked Jake up and noticed that Kat was sitting in AJ’s lap. “Please tell me you two finally stopped being idiots.”

 “Thanks Nick.” Kat said. “We love you too.”

Nick deposited Jake into Kat and AJ’s laps and ran over to the door.  “Hey everybody, guess who stopped being so stubborn!”

 Brian, Howie and Kevin were the first ones through the door.

 “Finally!” Kevin said pulling Kat up into a hug.

 “Glad you finally told her.” Howie said, smacking AJ on the shoulder.

 Brenda, Denise and the wives were thrilled. Everyone saw what the two of them couldn’t and they were glad to see them back together. While everyone was still talking, AJ pulled Kat aside and wrapped his arm around her waist.

 “I am incredibly happy and I hope you know that.”

 “I’m sorry it took us so long to figure this out.”

 “Doesn’t matter now. We’re a family.”

 “Yup. And I think one with a very sleepy baby.”

 AJ looked over and saw Jake sitting on the couch rubbing his eyes. He yawned and scooted over to a pillow.

 “I think I had better take him up and get him to bed.” Kat said and kissed AJ.

 “Can I come with you? It’d be nice to put him down as a family.”

 “Of course.”

 Kat scooped Jake up and followed AJ to the stairs. They were about halfway up when the doorbell rang.

 “Go get it.” Kat said. “I’ll meet you up there.”

 AJ nodded and watched them head upstairs. He headed down the hallway and pulled the door open.

 “You’ve got to be kidding me! What the hell are you doing here?”