Moaning in his sleep, Aaron rolled over, gracelessly landing on the floor with a thud. Jerking the blanket over his body, however, he merely shifted slightly before his soft snores continued. Nick, jostled by the noise, slowly lifted his head, blinking sleepily as his bleary eyes focused on Alana. "…What was that?"
"Your brother hitting the floor," Alana murmured softly as she brushed the back of her fingers soothingly down Nick's cheek, grateful he had slept on the side opposite of her IV lines. "He's better than an alarm clock."
"Not as good as a baby barfing, though," Nick decided with a yawn, tilting his head to lightly kiss her palm. "How you feel?"
"I'm fine," she promised, reaching with her other hand for the pain medication control, attempting to sneakily depress the button. "You're going to have an awful crick in your neck… Not to mention your back…"
"I'll get Aaron to walk on it later…" Nick trailed, glancing over his shoulder to see his brother snoozing happily on the floor. "What do you want for breakfast? I'll get Aaron to go anywhere you want--"
"I'm nauseous, I don't want anything to eat, so let the poor boy sleep."
"Okay," Nick murmured, letting his head resting on the mattress once more. Threading his fingers through hers, he smiled slightly when he heard the soft beeping of her medicine pump. Knowing she was in pain, and wanting only to help her in any way possible, he found it adorable that she tried to put up a strong front.
"You can go get something to eat though," Alana suggested as she pushed the control away for her medicine, wrapping it around the side rail. Easing her body back against the pillows, she muffled a soft groan of pain. She hated being a patient in the hospital, but worse, she knew that she was out of a job. "…Handsome, you're going to go back to Brian's to get cleaned up and rest, right?"
"Later…"
"You're exhausted," Alana decided as she brought their hands to rest gingerly on her chest.
"I'm fine," Nick lied, reaching with his free hand to rub his neck. "I'll catch a nap in the other bed later--"
"Go back to Brian's house," Alana suggested as she brushed her thumb over his hand that had intertwined with hers. "Get a long, hot shower to loosen your muscles. Take a nap with Zachie. Take some Tylenol. Call Allie for a massage. Take care of that cracked rib."
Nick eyed her warily. "…Like you want her giving me a massage--"
"If it makes you feel better, I don't care--"
"I don't need a massage. Or a hot shower. I'm fine right here. I feel better, being with you," Nick argued softly, shaking his head. "You come first, Beautiful."
"Handsome…" Alana sighed softly, bringing his hand to her lips for a soft kiss. "You're way too damn sweet. I want you to take care of yourself, too. I have nurses and doctors here that'll take care of me… If I need it…"
"You do need it… And I'm going to stay here to make sure you let them take care of you. And even though Aaron's insisting that he's taking care of you--"
"I am taking care of her!" Aaron snorted from his curled position on the floor. "And you're disrupting her sleeping process!"
"Go back to sleep," Nick grumbled. "Beautiful, I'm gonna go take a--"
"Stinky, smelly shit," Aaron supposed as he climbed up from the floor, yanking the blankets away from his body before throwing them to the extra bed. Stretching his lithe body for a moment, he then moved to push Nick out of the way, only to climb onto the bed with Alana. "I'll keep her company, so get lost."
"You know what, I'm really starting to regret introducing you two," Nick whined as Aaron shoved him away with his feet. "Don't get in the bed with her! You might--"
"Too late," Alana murmured as she muffled a groan of a laugh, feeling the shift in her mattress. Glancing over, she was surprised to find that Aaron was moving to shove his legs underneath her blankets, allowing the sheet to be a barrier between them. His arms then snaked around her upper torso, moving to allow her to rest against his shoulder. He was gentle about the whole procedure, barely causing an unnecessary flush of pain through her body.
"See? I'm skinny, I can fit," Aaron informed Nick with a smug smile, smacking a loud kiss on Alana's cheek.
"Yeah, you're skinny, which means I can chunk your scrawny ass out the window," Nick warned with a scowl, heading to the bathroom. "Beautiful, if he hurts you, just pinch his nipple, that'll send him screaming."
"I think he might like that a little too much," Alana decided as she nestled close to his shoulder with a soft sigh, listening to the closing of the bathroom door.
"He's talking about incest," Aaron shuddered, making a face at the mere thought. "Maybe we should--"
"Good morning, Ally," a voice announced from the doorway.
"Oh, fuck me raw," Aaron grumbled when he recognized Dr. Allman.
"Be nice," Alana warned.
"It's really hard to be nice to some asshole who's undressing my Sis with his eyes," Aaron returned, tightening his arms around Alana gently as Dr. Allman entered the room with a nurse.
"He's just a friend and coworker," Alana murmured softly as Dr. Allman made a face at Aaron being in her bed. She offered a meek shrug, but it seemed to hurt worse than she anticipated.
"How are you going to heal properly if you're giving up your bed already, Ally?" Dr. Allman questioned with the utmost seriousness, though the nurse seemed to laugh as if it were a joke. Alana looked as if she might speak out against him, but he glanced around the room once more. "Where's that brute of a man you call your significant other?"
"Nick is in the bathroom," Aaron informed him defiantly. "What do you want with Sis now? Didn't you poke and prod her enough yesterday?"
"There is never enough poking and prodding in medicine, Aaron," Alana answered with a soft smile, glancing up toward Dr. Allman to search his eyes. Something about the darkness of his slate gray eyes told her that he wasn't there for a visit. "…Is there something wrong?"
Dr. Allman smiled slightly. "No, nothing's wrong. We just need to check a few things. The blood tests came back, and, well--"
"Why don't you go get something to eat, Aaron," Alana suggested softly as the nurse excused herself to get some sort of equipment.
"I think that would be best," Dr. Allman hurriedly agreed.
"Why? If something's wrong with Sis, I want to know," Aaron insisted. "She needs someone here--"
"Because I have to examine her and ask her some personal questions I doubt she wants her little brother listening to," Dr. Allman hurriedly interjected. "Why don't you do as she asked? I won't be that long."
"Fine," Aaron groaned, kissing Alana's cheek before sliding out of the bed.
"Take Nick, too," Alana suggested as the bathroom door opened and her lover stepped out adjusting his jeans.
"Take me where?" Nick questioned, his hand pausing its scratching when he saw Dr. Allman. "What's going on?"
"Something's wrong with Sis and she won't let me stay in here to find out what," Aaron grumbled, gesturing vaguely toward Alana as Dr. Allman folded down the blankets and reached to pull up her hospital gown.
"Whoa, whoa, what the fuck--" Nick yelped, moving forward quickly to jerk the blankets back over Alana. "I don't fucking think so, Doc!"
"Nick," Alana gasped in shock. "He's just doing his--"
"Would you wash your hands before pubic hair gets on me," Dr. Allman growled with disgust as he stumbled backward several steps from Nick's hearty push. "I have to assess Ally immediately and I can only do that by touching her!"
"Then you can fucking wait till a nurse gets here," Nick hissed, tenderly tucking the blankets around Alana's figure.
"Touchy much, Carter?" Dr. Allman growled. "Afraid she might find someone better?"
Alana frowned. "Mike--"
"You're getting a new doctor," Nick announced.
Alana's frown deepened. "Nick--"
"Well, don't we all look happy this morning?" the nurse intervened as she entered the room once more, pushing an ultrasound machine.
Nick glanced at the machine, hardly recognizing it for what it was. "What's that for? Is something wrong? Beautiful--"
"If you would have let me assessed her in the damn beginning, Carter, I might have been able to tell you what was wrong," Dr. Allman scoffed, gesturing for the nurse to bring the machine to Alana's bedside. Ducking down to plug it in, he then moved to jerk her covers down once more.
"C'mon, Nick," Aaron murmured, tugging gently on his older brother's arm. "We'll run down and get a bite to eat. There's a nurse here, Dr. Asshole won't try anything--"
"What the Hell is that machine doing in here? Is she bleeding? Does she have a tumor? Is she dying? I ain't fucking leaving till I know what's going on," Nick immediately disagreed, yanking his arm away from Aaron's hold before pushing him out the door. Reaching to close the door before Aaron could weasel his way back in, Nick moved toward the opposite side of Alana, watching the doctor smooth transducer jelly over her lower abdomen. "What's wrong with your stomach, Beautiful? Why didn't you tell me it was hurting?"
"I just told you, Nick, I'm nauseous…" Alana trailed.
"Well of course you are," the nurse smiled as she moved to place a sheet over Alana's legs. "That's to be expected in your condition--"
"Her condition?! What kind of condition?" Nick demanded.
"She's pregnant, you asshole," Dr. Allman muttered as he turned on the machine and applied the Doppler to Alana's lower stomach. The squelch of sounds startled Alana at first, causing her to jerk. "Her blood work showed an active pregnancy and I want to be assured that the fetus is unharmed from the fall… And I'm guessing you're the Sperm Wonder that did it…"
"…Pregnant?" Nick repeated in a whisper, dropping into the chair at Alana's bedside. "You're pregnant?"
"I was on birth control…" Alana mumbled as she glanced toward the screen of ultrasound, hurriedly searching for signs of life within her womb. Tears of disbelief slowly fell from her dark teal eyes as she tried to remember what had gone wrong. How she possibly could have conceived with birth control being… "Not a hundred percent effective…"
"Oh my God," Nick breathed, reaching for her hand when he heard the echo of a heartbeat coming from the machine. "We're pregnant!"
"Good, you can carry him or her four and a half months," Alana breathed as the nurse gestured toward the small mass toward the center of her uterus. She didn't know what to think as she focused on the image, noting the overly enlarged head of the growing infant inside her womb. When Colton died, she had told herself there would be no need to have another child. She couldn't stand the heartache of going through pregnancy only to lose another. Zachary had been a fluke in her original design, so she risked her heart for him. But now… Alana glanced down as the nurse measured her abdomen and slowly calculated the date of her last period. "I'm about six weeks pregnant…"
Overwhelmed with the idea of becoming a father - again, Nick stared at the screen, smiling slightly when the nurse pointed out the heartbeat. Still staring at the screen, he abruptly dropped her hand, counting backwards on his hand. "Six weeks? Did we--"
Alana's body tensed as she glanced over at Nick with disgust. "If you are about to suggest that I slept with someone else--"
"No! I was just remembering," Nick promised with a smile, taking her hands in his again. "That was a really great day--"
"You remember the exact day you impregnated her?" Dr. Allman scoffed with disbelief.
"I remember all the times I've made love to Beautiful," Nick defended, offering the doctor a scowl before turning to face Alana. "It was that rainy night, remember? When I showed up on your doorstep? And we made love by candlelight with the storm raging…"
Alana's eyes widened. "When you almost broke--"
"The bed," Nick hurriedly finished.
"Right…" Alana murmured with a small smile. "When you almost broke the bed…"
"Charge," Nick crooned, leaning up to offer her a gentle kiss. "We're having a baby, Beautiful…"
"You are absolutely horrible," Alana groaned against his lips, though she kissed him nonetheless. She decided to relish in the excitement that Nick was exuding. She'd worry about the troubles of having a child later. About the need to confront of fears all over again. "Mike, the baby… Is he okay? From the fall and everything?"
"Looks perfectly healthy," Dr. Allman grunted. "Even his roommate."
"Roommate?" Nick repeated, whirling around to stare at the screen once more. "We're having twins?!"
"That's one way of putting it," the nurse chuckled.
"Twins…" Alana murmured softly. "I'm having--"
"Okay! I can't hear anything y'all are saying from against that damn door! So, what's wrong?!" Aaron finally burst, throwing the door open.
Nick looked to his brother, grinning from ear to ear. "We're pregnant! With twins!"
"So that's why you've been putting on weight?" Aaron laughed, gesturing toward his brother's middle.
"You know what, screw you--"
"Hey, Sis! Did you know that I'm a twin?! So you can thank me for that little surprise!" Aaron whooped as he bypassed his older brother to reach Alana's side, wasting no time in swooping down for a congratulatory hug.
"Thanks so much, Aaron," Alana laughed softly as she accepted the cool washrag from the nurse when Dr. Allman was done with the ultrasound, freezing an image of the twins to be printed. Reaching to clean away the mess, she glanced up toward her surgeon. "I'd like a change of pain medication…"
"But the stuff you're on is working so good," Nick argued. "Why--"
"Because it might not be healthy for the pregnancy," Alana murmured softly. "I'm not getting rid of pain medication entirely. I just need something different that won't harm them."
"I'll get in touch with your OB/GYN," Dr. Allman promised with a nod. "I'll have her stop up and see you as well as help me select an effective pain medication."
"Thanks, Mike."
"Yeah, thanks, Mike," Aaron echoed, staring at the printout the nurse had handed over. Squinting at the barely discernable images, he suddenly grinned. "I'm going to be an uncle! Woo-hoo!"
"I'll leave you to celebrate," Dr. Allman concluded, reaching down to affectionately kiss Alana's forehead. "Congratulations, Ally, you'll be a wonderful mother."
"She already is," Nick murmured as the doctor strolled from the room.
"Did you not hear me, Nick? I'm going to be an uncle!" Aaron burst as he hopped onto his brother's back, furiously shaking his shoulders.
"I heard, I heard!" Nick cried, wincing at the pain that radiated from his ribcage from his brother's rough handling. "I'm going to be a Daddy! Now get off me," he wheezed, backing up to shake his brother off. "My rib, Aaron, my rib!"
"I thought it was just a bruise?" Alana inquired with a skeptical glance as she finished cleaning away the mess, setting the cloth on her bedside table before working to gather the blankets and pull them over her exposed form once more.
"It still hurts," Nick replied, elbowing Aaron hard in the stomach in order to get him off. Leaning over to get the ultrasound printout off the floor, he pressed a hand against his aching ribs, deciding it was time to get something to eat so he could take the painkillers the Emergency Room doctor had prescribed.
"Poor Baby," Aaron cooed as he moved to lie on the bed once more.
"Wait," Nick decided, grabbing Aaron's arm before he could claim the spot beside Alana. Digging into his pocket, he withdrew his wallet, handing over a handful of bills. "Go get us all some breakfast, okay? Something good… And… You can keep the change?" he offered.
"Like I'm going to fall for that bull--" Aaron's sepia eyes widened in disbelief as he added the money. "-Shit, there's more than a hundred here! Thanks, Daddy-To-Be! I'll get you some awesome breakfast, Sis!"
"Like he ain't already swimming in his own money," Nick muttered, rolling his eyes as Aaron bounded from the room. Moving once more to Alana's bedside, he eyed the space beside her. Wanting only to be able to hold her, but too afraid he would hurt her. "Is it alright if I…"
"Handsome, it's different when he's spending his big brother's money," Alana explained with a small smile as she touched the remote to raise the head of her bed, biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep from crying out at the shift. "I'd be grateful if you laid with me. If that'll help your ribs?"
"My ribs are fine," Nick informed her softly as he eased next to her in the bed. Turning on his side to face her, he carefully placed his hand on her abdomen. "You're okay about the babies, aren't you?"
"Kind of late to be asking that question, ain't it?" Alana suggested as she glanced down to see Nick moving the blankets and her gown so he could feel the smoothness of her skin. The heat of his hand sending a shiver through her body, never realizing how much strength her lover could give her when she felt so very insecure. Never realizing his excitement thrilled her further about the pregnancy.
"We're going to make it, Beautiful," Nick promised as he lightly caressed her skin. "Snot Sucker's going to make a wonderful big brother, you know… I'll train him in all the correct ways of treating the kids--"
"Train him? Like, give him a biscuit when he does something right?" Alana questioned with a raise of her eyebrows, trying not to shiver in delight at the soft caress of his fingertips. "…So you're happy? That we're having twins? That we're having kids at all?"
"Ecstatic," Nick assured her, tracing a fine line from her navel to where the sheet covered her pubic bone. "I can't wait to see you grow with them…"
"At least you know now that we'll never be able to part… We'll always be intertwined in each others' lives because of them," Alana suggested as she tucked her head underneath his chin, shifting as close as possible within his embrace without another wash of pain. The very thought that she had twins growing in her womb was terrifying, knowing at that very moment their hearts were developing. If something happened to them because of her…
"That's a good thing, though," Nick murmured, reaching to twine his fingers with hers. He could not imagine spending the rest of his life without Alana.
"We could always pull a Parent Trap--"
"What's that supposed to mean? You don't think I'll want to be with you?"
"It's always a possibility--"
"Beautiful, I hate to break it to you, but you're stuck with me forever…"
'For the kids,' Alana thought as she nestled herself close to him, burying her face against the crook of his neck, realizing he had taken a shower earlier in her private bathroom. "Well, you won't have to worry about state separation. I'm going to be terminated from my job."
"Then I can take you home with me once you're able to walk?" Nick questioned hopefully. He felt a thrill of excitement at the possibility of taking her to his new home in California. To spend his days with her and their children wrapped in their arms… It sounded like Heaven. "I love you so much, Alana…"
"You can take me to your home even when I can't walk," Alana promised, deciding not to lament over the issue. Maybe it was time that she moved away from Kentucky and started anew. She could always fly out to visit Colton's grave on the necessary occasions, though her child would always be in her heart. She had to think about the children inside her now. They needed their father.
"We can talk about it when you get out of the hospital," Nick decided softly, content just for the moment to hold her.
"I'm really springing for an early discharge," Alana sighed, kissing his neck.
"No. You're going to stay here as long as Dr. Jerkoff says you need to--"
"Nickalicious--"
"I mean it, Beautiful."
"There ain't a way to sway you otherwise?" Alana whined softly, nipping at the crook of his neck.
"No."
"This is going to be a miserable existence for the next…too many months…"
"Well…" Nick trailed, kissing the top of her head. Smiling slightly to himself, he squeezed her hand gently. "You'll have me by your side the whole time, isn't that going to make it a little bit better?"
Alana groaned softly as she buried her face against his neck for protection at the mere thought of his jealous, irate, over-protective state. "I think that's going to be the problem."
Natalie bit down on her lower lip as she watched Baylee lift the large vase into his arms, swaying precariously under its weight as they stepped off the elevator. "Bay-Bee, let me carry that--"
"No!"
Seeing Natalie's concerned expression, Brian transferred Zachary into her arms, making sure she had a hold of the blanket before rushing after his son. "Scooper, you're going to drop--"
"I carry it m'self!" Baylee insisted, waddling down the hall with an air of defiance. Not caring that he was drawing the attention of all the nurses, he paused to look into each room as he passed, wanting only to find Alana. "My 'Lana's flowers from her Boogie, her Boogie carry'em!"
"Is he swinging back into his terrible two's?" Natalie questioned with the utmost seriousness as Zachary fussed at the loss of his pacifier. She stopped halfway down the hallway to fix the situation, not able to handle another shrieking cry from the demanding infant. He had gratefully slept most of the night. But that morning had been a terror without Alana near, especially when he wasn't feeding. It was amazing to see how attached the infant was to-"Baylee Thomas Wylee Littrell!"
"It was an assy-dent!" Baylee screeched in defense as he crashed face-first into Aaron's legs. Aaron, coming from Alana's room to get a soda, had just enough time to react, stooping to retrieve the vase before it crashed to the floor. "Assy-dent! Little Nicky won't watch where he's goin'!"
"I swear, he's turning more and more into his father every day," Natalie muttered under her breath, grateful that Zachary's cries had been halted by the pacifier. Groaning when water sloshed from the vase onto Baylee, soaking his clothes, she glanced to Brian for help.
"There's an extra set of clothes in the diaper bag," Brian sighed as he shifted the bag of presents in his hand to Aaron's fingers before reaching to grasp his son that was attempting to wriggle away.
"Not an ass dent! A leg dent!" Aaron exclaimed with disbelief as he glanced down to the puddle of a little boy, then to the now damp legs of his jeans.
Baylee glared at him through his dripping wet bangs. "Watch where you goin'! I could'a broke my 'Lana's 'resent!"
"Oh boy, I sense an early bedtime for someone," Natalie breathed as she slipped past the mêlée between father and son. Hearing Aaron's muttered curses about ruined shoes and no change of clothes, she heaved a weary groan as she entered Alana's room. Seeing Alana sitting up in the bed, she smiled brightly, noticing her friend was weaving intricate braids in Nick's hair as he slept, his head slouched against her chest. "…Isn't that precious?"
"Are you making fun of me? 'Cause I doubt he'll be happy when he wakes up," Alana guessed with a small smile as she reached for another lock of hair to weave, needing something to occupy her time. Nick had hardly slept her first night in the hospital, so it didn't surprise Alana that he soon drifted to sleep after he absorbed the news of the twins. She truly didn't mind him sleeping against her either, comforted by the tickle of his warm breath against her skin as the hospital gown slouched slightly.
"Just let me take some pictures before he realizes it?" Natalie requested with a soft giggle, shifting Zachary slightly as she settled into the chair next to the bed. Feeling the infant squirm with impatience, she rolled her eyes playfully. "…You could always braid Zach's peach fuzz?"
"Is that your way of telling me that someone needs me?" Alana guessed as she finished with the last braid, watching Zachary reach his arms out in the direction of her voice, kicking his tiny feet toward Natalie's chest. "…Was he bad for y'all last night? 'Cause Nick could have came back to the house--"
"No, no, he was a little angel," Natalie promised, wincing when one of Zachary's feet sharply jabbed her breast. "And he was fine this morning until I got him downstairs and he realized his Mommy wasn't waiting for him - Ow, Zach, that was Nattie's - Hold on, I'm getting her, I promise--"
"I'll take him," Alana offered as she gently shifted Nick closer to her left side so she could keep Zachary to her right and away from her IV sight, though she hoped Nick wouldn't pull it out when he awoke.
Leaning over, Natalie gently placed Zachary in the crook of Alana's arm, smiling when he began to settle down immediately. "He wouldn't drink his bottle this morning, so - Good God, Bumpkin still has the diaper bag. Be right back--"
"He'll be alright till Brian gets back," Alana attempted to persuade as she reached to play with Zachary's silky locks. Tipping her chin, she layered his sweet face with several soft kisses till the little boy began to coo with appreciation. Nuzzling the side of his face, she listened to him babble 'Ma.' "Hey, Good Looking, I missed you."
"Damnit, Nat, you're buying me new shoes just like these," Aaron whined as he entered the room. Dropping the heavy diaper bag into her lap, he wrinkled his nose in disgust, kicking his shoes off. "They're ruined! Look at them! Covered in smelly, stinky flower - Well hey there Bud!" he cooed suddenly, seeing Zachary nestled against Alana's side. Leaning close, he pressed soft kisses to the baby's cheeks, grinning. "If you ain't the cutest--"
"He ain't that cute!" Baylee hollered from the threshold of the doorway as he attempted to reach for the vase once more, only to have his father lift it far above his head to prevent another disaster.
"Ma!" Zachary insisted with a squeal of delight, reaching to tug at Aaron's platinum locks.
"You want to hold him?" Alana offered to Aaron.
"Well, looks like at the moment he's holding me…" Aaron trailed, gasping when Zachary tugged harder on his hair. "Dude! Your Dad's the one with the dreads going on today not me--"
"You just have to know how to entice him away from your hair," Natalie giggled, watching Zachary squeal louder as he pulled Aaron closer. "Give him 'Lana's boobies to snuggle on and he'll leave you alone forever--"
"Sis's boobies are only allowed to be snuggled on by me," Aaron grumbled. "Can't you give him to suck on? A bottle? A finger? Nat, pop out one of the girls and let him give that a spin--"
"Daddy already asked her to do that," Baylee announced loudly. "This morning' he was screamin' and he told her to try to… Daddy? Was it boobie feed or boobie pats'i'fy--"
"It was, Scooper, be quiet before you're grounded till you're fifty," Brian muttered as he set the vase of colorful roses on Alana's nightstand. He then reached to pluck Baylee from the floor, sitting him on the chair with a stern glare, though the blush seemed to pacify it.
Baylee sighed miserably, looking towards Natalie as though she would help him in his plight. "But, Daddy, Knot told you that only you could see her boobies--"
"Here's that bottle," Natalie announced suddenly, all but shoving it into Aaron's hands once he had freed his hair from Zachary's grips. "It's still warm, we had it in the insulated pouch. And he's probably due for a change, I'll go wet a cloth for his butt, since his skin doesn't like the diaper wipes…"
"He's breaking out?" Alana guessed with a frown as Aaron plucked the infant from her arms, pressing the nipple into his mouth before he could cry out. Shifting, she watched Aaron take Natalie's seat as she stood to gather washcloths. "Is it bad?"
"No, not bad at all," Natalie promised. "I think it's because we had the scented ones. His rear was just a little pink last night. I put some ointment on it and gave it some air this morning. It's already starting to fade… Bay was the same way when he was a baby. Just the hint of a scented wipe and his tushie broke out--"
"Knot!"
"Don't you know better than to embarrass him in front of his woman?" Brian scorned with a bemused smile, noticing the dark pink flush gathering in his son's cheeks. Though, Baylee didn't find it adorable as his tiny hands balled into fists of fury as if he were about to throw a fit. Whistling, Brian scooped Baylee from his seat, carrying him toward Alana's bed. "You can't jump around, but are you going to kiss your 'Lana? You haven't quit talking about her since the other day."
"You think I'm bad now… Just wait till he brings home a girlfriend," Natalie warned with a coo before slipping into the bathroom.
"'Lana, I missed you so much," Baylee burst, leaning close to kiss her. "I prayed that God'd fix your boo-boos last night, and I slept with your pi'ture on my pillow, an' me an' Knot made you lots of 'resents to dec'rate with an - Why Nicky gots braids?!"
"I got bored 'cause no one's letting me move around," Alana explained with a small smirk, blowing a raspberry against the side of Baylee's face. "Maybe you can tell them to give me a break?"
"Uh-huh! An' when you gets to go home, you stay with me? S'eep in my room? Me an' George an' Simba'll wait on you hands and feets," Baylee promised.
"I don't think you want to share a bed with me, Boogie. I'm gonna take up too much room with my broken legs. And I wouldn't want to impose on your Daddy," Alana declined gently, reaching to play with his lengthening blonde locks, wondering when Natalie was going to take him for a trim.
"It was Daddy's idea," Baylee informed with a grin.
"And how much is Nicky paying him?" Alana challenged.
"Nicky don't know--"
"Like that ain't something new," Aaron muttered as Nick snorted in his sleep, turning to bury his face deeper against the swell of Alana's breasts.
"Nicky's dumb," Baylee sighed, whining when his father pulled him away from Alana to place him in the chair once more.
"Apparently not, 'cause he still knows how to get to the promised land," Brian breathed, though his light blue eyes widened in horror when he realized that Alana had overheard his comment. "Alana, I am so--"
"Busted?" Alana guessed with a small laugh as Natalie came out with several damp washcloths.
"What'd you do this time?" Natalie questioned with a knowing smile.
"Admiring my woman's breasts," Nick muttered with a heavy yawn.
"Well, who can blame him? They are lovely," Natalie decided with a grin as she reached to spread the changing pad at the foot of Alana's bed.
"Thanks, Natalie…" Alana murmured, reallocating Nick from her chest so she could draw the blankets upward.
Groaning, Nick slowly sat up, hearing Natalie, Baylee and Alana begin to giggle as he rubbed his eyes. "What?" he questioned sleepily, looking at everyone's faces in turn. Wincing at the sudden flash of light from Natalie's camera, he scowled, wondering what they all found so hilarious.
"Zach's dirty ass needs washed and he can't use those crappy scented wipes you bought because they make his butt turn redder than a pair of balls in Howie's hot lemon honey tea," Aaron explained as he stood to hand over the freshly burped infant to Natalie. "So, you've got to go out and get some washcloths from the nurses otherwise Sis is going to beat the living shit outta you for irritating her baby boy."
"Okay… Sheesh, why didn't you just say so?" Nick questioned with a grumble, sliding out of bed. Smoothing the wrinkles from his t-shirt, he stepped into his shoes, muffling another yawn as he stooped to tie them. "I'll run down to the drug store and get some unscented--"
"Well hustle! Bud's ass can't wait all day!" Aaron insisted.
"Handsome, can you grab me a magazine and some good candy and a Big Slam of Pepsi?" Alana inquired hopefully, knowing when he realized what she had done that she wouldn't be getting any further preferential treatment. "You can grab the money out of that bag in my closet that has my shredded clothes?"
"Sure… I've got it," Nick promised, checking for his wallet. "Bay, you want to go with me?"
"Not with you looking like white bread," Baylee declined, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he coined AJ's phrase, oblivious to the meaning.
"Baylee!" Natalie chided, though she continued to giggle as she handed the dirty diaper and cloths to Brian. Seeing Zachary's smile, she quickly snapped up his blue and green rugby-striped romper up before stepping over to hand him to Alana.
"Whatever…" Nick trailed, still wondering why everyone seemed to find him so amusing this particular day. Shrugging, he leaned close to kiss Alana softly. "Love you, Beautiful…"
"Hurry along," Aaron demanded.
"I love you more, Handsome," Alana promised as she shifted Zachary onto her chest, gently patting his back as he sighed with sheer satisfaction at his current situation. Though, he cooed happily when he found his mother's hand to suck and nibble upon. Making sure to avoid all eye contact with the disaster she had created of Nick's usually perfect hairdo. God, he was going to kill her.
Shoving his hands into his pockets as he strolled out of the room, Nick paused when he heard the sudden burst of laughter just after his exit. Looking down at his clothes, he assured himself that the jeans and red t-shirt were alright enough, considering that he was staying in the hospital and just running out to grab a few things. They were all just weird, he decided as he continued down the hall, groaning when he saw a bunch of balloons that would fill Alana's room to capacity. Recognizing the hand that clutched the ribbons, he groaned again when his gaze shifted to the large bouquet of violet roses in the man's opposite arm. A lady from the hospital Auxiliary was right behind the man, pushing a cart filled with various treats and wrapped presents. Damnit, did AJ always have to show him up?
"Hey, Nicky-Dicky, how's my Al doing- What the fuck did you do to your hair?! You look like the long lost black brother of Einstein who got his hand caught in a toaster while his weaver was playing with an electric eel!" AJ hissed in disbelief as he pulled away the ribbons of balloons that had blocked his view. His dark rustic brown eyes widened in disbelief as he noted the way the tightly weaved braids stood straight on a point, jutting in every direction. He looked like a horror story.
"My hair?" Nick questioned dumbly, reaching to rake his hands through it. When his fingers tangled in the braids, he gasped sharply, whirling to look in the nearest shiny surface he could find. Bending low to see his reflection in the fire extinguisher box, he whined at the rows of neat braids standing atop his head. "What the fuck--"
"S'up, my brother from another lover's mother!" AJ whooped with a ruckus laughter, slapping Nick heartily on the back before moving toward Alana's room. "If you'll excuse me, you're looking like a jackass and I'm having a gorgeous ass day, I need to love on Al while the getting's good!"
Growling low in his throat, Nick jerked to an upright position, shoving AJ aside. Storming into the hospital room, he took one look around the room before his eyes landed on Natalie's face. Under his scrutiny her cheeks turned a bright red, and he knew he had the culprit. "YOU!"
Squeaking, Natalie hopped from her seat, moving to hide behind Brian. "Nicky, don't get mad--"
"Don't even start on her, Nickalicious," Alana immediately intervened as Natalie ducked behind Brian's seat, covering her hands over her head as means of protection. Aaron was moving from his seat as well, heading for the door, knowing Alana would be sure to mention his squirting of maximum hold gel into his brother's hair. But, Alana merely continued to rub Zachary's back as he suckled her fingers. "I was hurting pretty bad and they haven't got my medicine change in yet, so I had to take my mind off the pain. You had fallen asleep and I was bored and--"
"Decided to make me look like a white imitation of Buckwheat?" Nick whined, throwing up his hands in disgust. "And were you all going to just let me walk out into public like this?"
"Like you won't be looking like a bigger fool stumbling into public in boxer shorts, a ratty t-shirt, wild hair, grit in your eyeballs, and a curse in your mouth because of Sis's midnight cravings," Aaron muttered. "We were just preparing you!"
"Midnight cravings?" Natalie inquired, popping back up from behind Brian's seat. Looking to Alana with surprise, she held her breath. "You're pregnant?"
"The pain medicine makes me hungry," Alana hurriedly attempted to explain, shooting a hard glare toward Aaron. She wasn't even sure how she felt about the pregnancy entirely, so she wasn't exactly thrilled about the news being shared so quickly and so early. She had to make sure she felt comfortable with the pregnancy before all of Nick's friends celebrated the news, almost definitely cornering her to the point of suffocation.
"Yeah," Nick confirmed, moving towards the bathroom in order to wash the stiff gel from his hair. "I had to run out at two this morning to get her a calzone…"
"I'm a miserable patient," Alana laughed nervously, burying her nose in Zachary's dusting of dark locks to inhale the soft scent of his baby shampoo.
"What's this button do?" Baylee questioned suddenly. He was kneeling on the floor at the foot of Alana's bed, staring with the glee only a child could conjure at the panel of buttons. "It has an arrow, Daddy! Does that mean it'll make my 'Lana float?"
"Boogie, don't do that!" Alana yelped in horror as she forced herself into a sitting position at the whirl of engines beneath her bed. Cradling Zachary tight to her chest, she reached out though she knew it was futile, especially as the lower bed began to raise her legs in the air. The pain was overwhelming as Brian tripped over Natalie's feet in order to grab the little boy, never making it as the bed continued to rise. Alana feared she might scream out till AJ came dashing into the room, shoving the balloons and flowers in Aaron's hands and yanking Baylee over his shoulder before lowering the bed. "Oh, God, AJ…"
"Are you okay?" AJ questioned breathlessly, throwing Baylee into Natalie's arms before moving to adjust the blankets over Alana. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he helped her lay back, reaching to smooth Zachary's hair as he began to fuss. Lifting the baby into his arms once Alana breathed a sigh, he carefully tucked him against his shoulder, cooing softly until Zachary calmed down. "Yeah, it's alright, lil man. It's okay, Mommy's alright…"
"Nothing like breaking my legs all over again," Alana breathed with a pained whimper, attempting to reach down to soothe her throbbing legs. But the other aches and pains from her fall prevented her from doing so. Reaching up, she tangled her hands into her damp blonde locks, tugging as if that pain would get rid of the others. Tears slipped down her pale cheeks as Natalie and Brian argued amongst themselves as they scolded Baylee. "God…"
"What can I do to help?" AJ asked softly, shifting Zachary into Aaron's arms before perching carefully on the edge of the bed. "You want me to go get you some pain medicine? Call a nurse? Rub something? Kill the kid--"
"I'm fine," Alana whispered, though she reached for his hand to squeeze in hopes it'd give her strength.
"You're breaking into a cold sweat, Babe, you are far from fine," AJ whispered back, his other hand reaching to smooth her brow.
"It hurts a little," she confessed, biting hard on her bottom lip.
"Where?"
"My legs, my whole upper torso, my legs worse…"
"Do they need shifting or anything? You sure you don't want me to go get a nurse?" AJ whispered.
"No, just stay here with me…"
"Okay…" AJ trailed, smoothing her hair slightly before leaning close to kiss her forehead.
"Thanks," Alana murmured as she eased her arms around his neck, burying her face into the crook as she took several deep breaths. Soothed by the sweet scent of his cologne, she blinked back several heavy tears as the pain slowly began to subside.
Bracing his hands on either side of her, AJ pressed the side of his face against her head, murmuring softly in a soothing manner. When her body shuddered with pain, he took a deep breath before beginning to sing softly. "I don't mind spending every day / Out on your corner in the pouring rain / Look for the girl with the broken smile / Ask her if she wants to stay awhile / And she will be loved / And she will be loved… Knock on my window / Tap on my door / I want to make you feel beautiful…"
"Alana, I am so sorry that I didn't--" Brian's apology reverted into a shocked silence as he set Baylee in the corner as means of punishment. He was dumbfounded at the sight of AJ embracing Alana, singing something softly within her ear as her arms tightened around his neck and she tucked her face deeper against him. He didn't know what was occurring, but he realized that Nick would be thoroughly infuriated. "Where the Hell is Nick?!"
"Washing his hair," AJ answered without a glance over his shoulder as he gently kissed Alana's cheek.
"So does that make you think that you're the stand-in boyfriend because he's busy?" Brian gasped in horror, glancing toward Natalie with disbelief as if he wanted her to do something.
"She's in pain," Natalie and AJ answered in unison. Smiling slightly, Natalie reached to pat Brian's arm, shaking her head slightly. "He's just helping her," she added softly.
"Nick ain't going to see it that way," Brian murmured as if he were the group's tattletale.
"And you ain't going to tell him a thing," Natalie informed him.
"The Hell I'm--" Brian caught Natalie's stern glare. "Aaron is!"
"And get my ass kicked? I don't think so, Preacher Boy," Aaron decided with a snort.
Brian choked in shock, "You sorry little piece of--"
"Daddy, if JJ is kissing on 'Lana, can I get up?" Baylee inquired.
"You okay?" AJ whispered against Alana's cheek as she began to relax, deciding to ignore Brian as he launched into the reasons Baylee was in the corner. "You want me to send the Kid downstairs to get you a nice cold milkshake?"
"Send him out for ketchup and vinegar fries? And I'll share them with you?" Alana suggested meekly, though she hated asking for help or accepting offers of hand-outs. It made her feel spoiled and she already felt undeserved of their adoration. "I mean, you don't have to, I'm fine--"
"Aaron, go get some ketchup and--"
"I'm on it," Aaron sighed, shifting the sleeping Zachary into Natalie's arms as he got out of his chair. Moving to listen at the closed bathroom door, he chuckled softly. "Nick'll be washing the gel out of his hair for weeks, man…"
