1.15

Seeing lights dancing off the wall Kaylee peeped around the corner of the window to see a red sports car come to a smooth stop in the driveway. Some of the tension eased in her stomach. Pulling back she gave Gabe a little bounce making him laugh before he rested his head against her chest. Smiling Kaylee walked outside and stood on the porch. She was startled when the passenger door flew open then was loudly slammed shut. The sound stirred Gabe who raised his head and began to whimper in fear.


"Shhh," Kaylee whispered as Frances ran toward them. She absently noted that Damon moved at a more sedate pace as he looked to the left and right before making his way toward the house.
"Kaylee! Girl, get in the house!" Frances said in a rush. Before Kaylee could move Damon grabbed her arm, he had moved so quickly, and ushered her into the house. He poked his head out the door and looked around before he shut and locked it. Without a word he pulled her and Gabe into his arms.
She was surprised to realize that his heart was hammering in his chest. "Little girl, when Fran woke me up I thought something horrible had happened to you. This is bad but...don't scare me like that again," he rumbled.
"Yes sir," Kaylee said as she let herself rest again him for a moment. She looked to her left when Frances cleared her throat to see her motioning with her hands.
"Let me see that baby," she demanded.

Gabe resisted leaving her arms for a moment while he studied Frances then with a grin he stretched out his arms and leaned forward.
"There's a good boy," Frances crooned. Damon stepped closer to peer down at him.
"Look at this. A warrior before he's even five." Damon reached for him and surprisingly Gabe leaned forward to meet him half way. "And look at that. He's not scared of the big man."
"That's because he knows the big man is a big marshmallow," Frances said with a laugh before she passed him over. Her smile faded when she turned to Kaylee. "Now, you start from the beginning and don't leave anything out," she commanded as she walked over to the couch.
Kaylee watched in amusement as she climbed onto the sofa and swung her leg over the back so she was straddling it. With a sigh she sat down and began to talk.

"And she said his name was what?"
"Hunter...Quentin Hunter"
"I've heard of him. He pretty much runs Sim City. You know the Tri-States. Pleasantview, Veronaville, and Belladonna Cove? He has his hand in all of those. Sim City is his version of Las Vegas...it's a whole lot gritter and there his word is law. He's a corrupt man. Apparently he wasn't always like that though. I'm sure you've heard of the Goth's?" At Kaylee's nod she continued.
"Well, just picture Romeo and Juliet mafia style."
Kaylee groaned. "Bella again? What is it with her? Does she have a golden-"
"Nope," Fran said with a loud laugh. "Not Bella this time. He's not that old. Believe it or not he was in love with one of Bella's nieces. When her father found out about the two of them he married her off to Hunter's rival and almost immediately after the wedding she was gunned down by another rival. Since then..." Frances shrugged.
Kaylee huffed out a breath. "What is it with people not being able to let go of the past?" she demanded angrily.
Fran shrugged before looking over her shoulder at Damon and Gabe playing peek-a-boo. "I don't know kiddo but I have to say...if someone took Damon away from me I'd want their head too."
Kaylee's stomach lurched at the prospect of losing Ty to an act of violence...at losing him at all. She tried to swallow back down the bile but to no avail. With a groan she leaped up from the couch and raced to the bathroom where she proceeded to lose the little bit of food she had been able to eat.

"Oh god," she moaned as she stood. She wiped at her forehead before she reached down and flushed the toilet. She turned to go but quickly whipped back around to vomit again.
"Oh hell," she moaned as her knees hit the linoleum. Wrapping her arms around the bowl she continued to dry heave.

Damon patted Gabe on the head before standing and looking across the room at his wife. She shook her head before hopping off the couch and walking toward him.
"She has no idea what she has gotten herself involved in," he whispered.
"No, she doesn't. But it isn't like she intentionally involved herself Damon. Janet-"
"Yes Janet," he growled between clenched teeth. "When ever I catch up with that woman I'm going to wrap my hands around her scrawny neck," he snapped before taking a calming breath. "However, what are we going to do about this situation? Hunter is not a person to just let someone waltz off with his son."
"True and Janet had to know that."
"Of course she did," he hissed. "Kaylee is going to look after her brother one way or the other regardless of what we tell her. He's family and she can't see, won't see pass that. Her heart is too big."
"There's no such thing Damon." Fran made a slicing motion with her hand when they heard the moaning and puking stop. After a moment the toilet flushed. "We'll just have to stick close to her is all."
Damon shook his head and grinned as he patted her on the butt. "Yeah babe, that's going to be such a hardship for you."
Sticking out her tongue she went to wait by the door for Kaylee. She absently wondered if the girl even knew she was probably pregnant.

Blowing out a breath Kaylee opened the bathroom door. Seeing Frances standing there she slapped a smile on her face. "Sorry about that, I haven't been able to keep anything down. It's probably nerves," she said with a laugh.
Well, that answered that question, Frances thought while she scrunched up her nose. "Girl, go brush your teeth! That's just god awful. After you're done there come back out to the living room."

"So, what are you going to do with him?" Damon asked as soon as she rejoined them.
"What do you mean what am I going to do with him?"Kaylee asked as she straightened from giving Gabe a bottle. At least Janet had left those for her. "He's my brother. I can't just..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the look Damon and Fran shared.
"What?" she snapped.
Damon shrugged his broad shoulders. "We knew it was going to be something like that. So, understand this Kaylee. Until I can install security in the house you don't answer the door if you're not expecting anyone and think of everyone as a potential threat from Hunter. Are we clear?"
"W-what?" Kaylee was stunned. "No, we're not clear! I don't understand..."
"Do you really think that a man like Hunter is going to let someone take away his son and not want him back? You're stupid mother just involved you in something that was way over her head but at least she knew who she was getting involved with. You? You're like fresh meat in a river of piranhas. Now are we clear?"
"Damon, you don't-"
"No Frances! She has to understand exactly what she's getting herself into. Janet may or may not have been telling the truth about who the father is but...we're going to err the other side of caution. Kaylee?"
Swallowing dryly she stared up into Damon's face. His expression looked as if it could have been carved in granite. This was not a side of Damon she was used to seeing. She nodded her head.
"I-I understand."
Damon relaxed. "Good. Go get a shower so you and Fran can go shopping for some stuff for the little guy. I'll watch him while you're gone."

It was quiet when Kaylee finally got out of the shower. Pulling on some clothes she walked down the hall toward the kitchen. She was suddenly ravenous. She stopped when she walked past the window. Damon and Frances had found the hot tub. She and Ty had spent a lot of time in that hot tub before he left, she remembered with a fond smile. Peering over she saw Gabe sitting near them playing in the sand.

Her eyes misted when Damon grabbed the back of Fran's head and pulled her closer to him. She should have felt like a voyeur but something this beautiful was too hard to look away from. She looked down when she heard gurgling. Somehow Gabe had spotted her and crawled back into the house.

"Hey little guy!"
"Momma!"
She winced and her heart tightened. "No, I'm Kaylee."
"Momma!"
Sighing she picked him up and took him into the living room. "No, I'm sissy! Now, let's try and teach you how to walk while we wait."
Gabe did more sitting than walking and by the time Fran and Damon came in Kaylee was sitting on the floor with him.
"Can I borrow some of your clothes? Mine got wet when Damon threw me into the ocean."
Kaylee laughed and motioned toward her room.
A few minutes later Fran come out and was ready to go. Kaylee walked down the sidewalk and started to get into the passenger seat.
"Nope, I don't think so. You're driving."
"What? I don't drive!"
"You do today."

Kaylee climbed behind the wheel of the car and sat there for a moment before she turned to Fran. "Why do I suddenly have to learn how to drive?"
"What happens if you have to leave quickly? You can't get very far walking with a baby in tow."
For the first time the magnitude of what was going on hit Kaylee full force. If this Hunter character came after her she and Gabe would have to make a break for it. And she was involving even more people in it.
"Fran-"
"Don't even say it kiddo. Like we told you before, you're family now. And-" she said holding up her hand when Kaylee opened her mouth, "I'm sure Tyrese is going to feel the same way. He's been head over heels for you since day one Kaylee. He's protective of you. The last thing he's going to let you do is leave him."
"Now you make him sound like a psycho."
She shrugged. "He gets that from his dad. Now drive."
Kaylee turned the key in the ignition and then wiping her sweaty palms on her skirt put the car in reverse.
"See? That wasn't so bad was it? Now-"
Distracted Kaylee put her foot harder on the gas then necessary and they zoomed out of the driveway to come to a screeching halt once she slammed on the brakes. She glanced over to see Fran staring at her. "Sorry," she mumbled.
"That's okay. Just take it slow. Put the car in drive and slowly step on the...slowly Kaylee. SLOWLY!! JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!"



"Lord Jesus girl!" Fran exclaimed as she jumped from the car as soon as it came to a stop in front of the mall.
"It wasn't that bad," Kaylee said as she came around the side of the car to see Fran on her knees mumbling up at the sky. "I told you I didn't know how to drive!"
"I'm driving back home," Fran said as she got up off her knees. "I don't think my heart can take much more of your driving," she said as she walked on rubbery knees into the mall.

They walked into a toy store and Fran looked around before nodding. "Good prices and sturdy toys. Alright, get whatever you need. We still have to get some food for him. I noticed that you and my son seem to live on take out food."
"I can't let you..." Her voice faded at Fran's steely look. "Fine. I'll get what he needs for now." For Kaylee shopping for Gabe was like being a kid herself. She poked and pulled at toys just to see what the animation would be. She marvelled at the minute details on a little toy solider and the frills on the tutu of a ballerina. Finally when her arms were so full that she just couldn't hold anything else she and Fran left the store. True to her word Fran got behind the wheel and drove them to the local market.

Kaylee stocked up there as well. She hated to shop but this time she actually looked the ingredients on the back of packages. She didn't want Gabe eating anything that he wasn't supposed to. She grinned when she remembered him stuffing his mouth full of sand. Okay, she didn't want him eating anything harmful if she could help it. On her way to the register she paused in front of the pharmacy. A particular box caught her attention. Looking around she realized that she was alone. Hesitantly she reached out, just to read the back of the box, she told herself.

"Kaylee! Where are you at?" Fran called from the next aisle.

"Coming!" she called back quickly snatching her hand away before strolling forward to meet Fran.

"So, I figured that I would make this Gabe's room. Ty and I have just been using it for storage." Kaylee, Frances and Damon stood in the spare bedroom as Kaylee outlined her plans.
"I would change the wallpaper of course. Something age appropriate. And the carpet as well. Something fun ya know? Something a boy would like."
"I can see that," Fran said as she nodded her head.
"And I'm here to help you move stuff. Use me," Damon said as spread his arms wide.
Fran punched him lightly in the side. "I'll use you."
"Of course you will babe. How can you resist?"
Kaylee had to look away. Damon reminded her so much of Ty that it physically hurt. She swallowed then cleared her throat. "So, I guess you guys are leaving for the night?"
"What? Are you kidding? I got a little pup tent on the beach for me and Fran."
"What?"

Kaylee stared at the tent in amazement. "You guys can have the bed. I'm sure-"
"Girl please! This will be like our honeymoon. Mr. Let's-take-a-mountain-vacation loves to rough it when he gets a chance." She leaned up and kissed him then laughed when Gabe leaned forward as well. She leaned down for him and he placed a wet kiss on her mouth. Damon turned to her.
"I have my cell on me. If you hear anything call me. I don't care what it is. Don't go and investigate. CALL. ME."
Kaylee nodded and he roughly patted her shoulder then patted Gabe on the head. Shaking her head she walked back into the house the sound of Fran giggling and Damon shushing her following after her.

The night past without event and Kaylee woke up as the alarm went off. Quickly shutting it off she sat up. She looked over to see Gabe curled on top of the blanket. Her heart clenched and she placed a trembling hand on his tiny shoulder. He stirred, pressed back against her, and continued to sleep.
He was just so tiny, she marvelled. He didn't seem so small when he was awake. With his red hair and green eyes, just like Janet's, he was a whirled wind of activty. Almost as if he had never had free reign to just play and be a kid. Her hand clenched into a fist. She would give anything in her power to make sure that he did have a normal childhood. Something that she had always wanted. She looked over her shoulder when she heard a knock on the door.
"Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were awake. I'll take him. Go get ready for work," Fran said as she slipped into the room. Smiling gratefully Kaylee did just that.
Feeling fresh and rejevunated Kaylee walked down the hall toward the kitchen where she heard the murmuer of voices. Inhaling deeply the delicious aroma of french toast greeted her. She loved french toast. Grinning she picked up her pace but came to a stop when her stomach lurched as the aroma became stronger.

Please, please she repeated in her head. Don't let me throw up all over my clothes. This is the last nice outfit I have. Breathing through her mouth she stood frozen in the hall until the nasuea passed. Wiping her sweaty forehed she walked tentaively into the dining area. When her stomach stayed settled she sat down and greeted everyone.

"So, Fran and I were thinking that we'd buy a house around here. There's this lovely piece of property about five or six miles away from here."
"I thought you two loved Pleasantview," Kaylee said in astonishment.
Damon shrugged. "It's not the same without Ty there. The house just seems so big and...well-"
"He won't admit it but he misses his son."
"Of course I miss the boy. He knows that."
Kaylee laughed. "Yes, he does. He said you'd be moving here sooner or later."
"So, that wouldn't be a problem for you?" Damon asked hesitantly.
Kaylee was surprised. "Why would it be a problem? Just like you think of me as family...I think of you as family."
Damon grinned. Getting up he started to clean up. "Good."

"And Kaylee?" he said from the kitchen.
"Yes?"
"I know things are crazy right now but...when things settle down Frances really would like to plan a wedding so..."
Kaylee didn't hear anything after wedding. They were both so confident that Ty would still want her but she wasn't so sure. Sure, he loved her but...now she was part of a package. Ty had always talked about wanting a big family but...And how much could one person take? Janet kept throwing stuff at her and Kaylee kept catching it and picking up the pieces. Maybe one day when she looked up Ty would be gone.
She shook herself out of her morbid thoughts when she heard Fran calling her name.
"Kaylee, I thought you wanted to get to work early?"
"Yeah, I did."

Fran felt Damon wince when Kaylee ground the clutch before trying to back out of the drive.
"That's my car," he whimpered hoarsely.
"I told you she couldn't drive," Fran said as they stood on the porch and watched her lurch back and forth.
"When Ty gets back he better teach her how to drive in his truck."
"I'm so excited though. She's going to be so surprised when she comes home. You should have seen her in the store Damon. She was like a kid herself. Poking and prodding at things and giggling. She actually giggled! And you should have seen her picking over everything so carefully. Trying to make sure that I didn't see her checking out the prices of things before she added them to the cart. She's going to make a great mother."
Damon looked down at her. "Gabe isn't her son."
Fran shrugged. "He might as well be but...he wasn't who I was talking about. Wave."

They were up to something, Kaylee thought as she looked at them talking on the porch. They were whispering and nodding and when Fran noticed her looking she grinned and waved energetically. Shaking her head Kaylee waved back and then finally figuring out how to back up smoothly she put the car in drive and then zoomed off with a grinding of gears. She looked in her rearview mirror to see Damon's horrified expression and Fran patting him on the shoulder.
Work was uneventful. It was actually mind numbing. It was just a bunch of paperwork which allowed her mind to wander more than it should. Pat came by her desk and asked her if she wanted to come over to her place later but she had to refuse. She wanted to get started on Gabe's room. She came up with some excuse and Pat nodded in understand and suggested another time. As soon as it was time to go Kaylee hopped in the car and drove home.

Getting out of the car she stared at the truck that had just pulled out before shrugging and walking into the house.
"Hello?" she called out. There was no response but she could hear laughter coming from down the hall. Curious she followed the sound. Pushing open the door to Gabe's room she froze.



Gabe was on this little rocking horse, with his little arm flung in the air, shrieking with laugher as Damon and Fran encouraged him. Not only that but the walls were redone, there was new carpet down and on one side of the wall was a crib and a changing table and on the other side was a toybox. Other toys were spread around the floor which let her know that Gabe had been in his room playing long before she came home.
"Kaylee! You're home. How do you like it?"

She opened her mouth to say how wonderful everything looked but all of the sudden her throat tightened and her eyes started to fill. She tried to blink them away but her blinking only caused the tears to overflow. Embarrassed she stood there with tears trailing down her face.

She heard whispering then Fran slipped her arm around her shoulder and guided her into the living room.
"I don't know what's wrong with me!" Kaylee wailed then burst into sobs.
Fran waited for her to calm down a little before she spoke. "You don't know or you don't want to know?"
Kaylee winced. "A little bit of the first and a lot of the second. There's too much going on now for me to throw this at him Fran."
"Tyrese has always been about family. Kaylee you-"
"I know he loves me," she snapped. "But loving someone doesn't mean that you're going to stick around when you have dreams of your own."
"And you think his dreams won't include you once he hears you're pregnant?" Fran asked in confusion.

"I know that he would put aside his own dreams for me and never regret it. But I would. I would regret it for the rest of my life."
There was a pause then: "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know Fran. I really don't know."