1.17

Taking Gabe from Ty, he resisted for a moment before he relented and went into her arms, she set him on the floor. Without a word she walked over to the couch and sat down. After a moment Ty followed her and she noticed, with a sinking stomach, that he sat on the opposite end leaving a wide gulf between them. He never did that she thought before taking a deep breath and turning to look at him.
"I don't know where to begin," she said softly lifting her hands to rub at her face before dropping them back into her lap.
"The beginning is always a nice place," Ty said tonelessly. He had an unreadable expression on his face and he was staring at her as if she were a stranger.
"Ty, I-"

"I just have a question before you start," he said cutting her off.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and gripped her hands tightly together. "Yes?"
"When have I ever given you any inclination that I would turn my back on you?"
She was horrified. "Ty, it wasn't-"
"Then what was it Kaylee? Help me to understand why you kept such a huge secret from me?"
"I-I...I didn't want-"
"And there lays the heart of the matter. You didn't want. YOU Kaylee. Don't you understand this isn't just about you anymore? Everything you do, or don't do in this case, affects me as well. For fuck's sake Kaylee, my mom could have knocked me over with a feather when I walked into the house to see her playing with him."
"Gabe," Kaylee whispered. Out the corner of her eye she saw Gabe turn his head at the mention of his name.
"What?" Ty snapped.
"His name is Gabe and he's my brother."
"What?!"
"How much did your mom tell you?"
He snorted. "Nothing. Because she said she had made a promise to you."
Wincing at the accusation in his voice she cleared her throat before telling him everything. About Janet's visit, about her deciding that she was going to raise him, about her begging his parents not to tell him. She told him everything...except for the fact that she was pregnant.

"Un-fucking-believable! I'm gone for less than a day and Janet comes here and pretty much just abandons her son? And leaves you with a shit load of problems to handle by yourself? Not just with Gabe but with this Hunter character and you don't think that I would want to know? That I would NEED to know?"
"Shit, shit, shit!"
Kaylee's mouth dropped open when Gabe crawled by her muttering that word in his sing song voice. Her head snapped around and she glared at Ty. "Watch your mouth! There's a baby in the house."
"Look, even Gabe knows this is a pile of crap Kaylee. You claim to love me-"
Kaylee's breath hitched and she dug her fingernails into her palms afraid of the words that would follow next.

"You claim to love me but you don't think I'm strong enough to handle your problems. You don't trust me enough to take care of us, to-"
"No, you don't understand Ty! You care too much! You'd put my needs ahead of your own. You always have. When we were growing up no matter how hard I fought it I somehow ended up confiding in you because you're as steady as a rock. If your friends with someone, if you care about them, nothing else matters to you but ensuring that they're taken care of. Even in college you'd want to talk about me. It was always about me. Someone has to take care of you Ty. I was trying to take care of you! God, don't you understand?"

She didn't realize that she had stood until she realized that Ty was staring up at her with a strange expression on his face and Gabe was sitting in his lap.
"Janet is like poison. Anything she touches becomes toxic. I don't want her touching you our your family. Don't you understand that I would do anything in my power to make sure you're able to follow your dreams just like you do for me? I love you too much to let you give up a part of yourself and then have you hate me for it later. And then what would we have?"
She turned and took a few steps away from him. "I know it's a lot to handle. I didn't want to pressure you. I don't want you to feel that you're stuck with me because we're engaged. He's my brother, my responsibility. He has nothing to do with you. I-"
"Nothing to do with me? He has EVERYTHING to do with me. He's your family which makes him MY family." He sighed. "You don't get it yet Kaylee. You never did. You still have the whole mentality that you're not worthy of love because that bi-," He glanced down at Gabe who was staring intently up at him.
"Janet didn't love you. So, you hold a part of yourself back just in case. Just in case something goes wrong. Me, I give myself wholeheartedly. Sure, that leaves me wide open for pain but also for love. I'd do anything for you because that what loving someone means. It's not thinking your tying someone down. It's knowing that you have someone to help you carry the load."
Kaylee blinked back tears. Why did she always make things harder than necessary? What Ty said was like an epiphany. She wasn't tying him down. People had families and juggled hectic schedules every day. She and Ty wouldn't be any different.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted out then could have bit off her tongue. She whirled around so her back was to him and stared blindly out the window. What had she been thinking? He'd already had one bombshell. He didn't need-

"What did you say?"
She jumped, startled. She hadn't even heard him get up. She cleared her throat.
"We're having a baby."
"I thought that's what you said," he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. She smiled when she felt his broad hand on her stomach. He placed his chin on her shoulder and took a deep breath.
"Well, that's one way to take the fight out of me," he said with a laugh. "When did you find out?"
"Officially? A few weeks ago. My next doctor appointments in a couple of weeks."
"I'm so there," he said quickly. "I'll do what I have to do Kaylee. I'll fly back and forth to training camp if I have to but I don't want to miss a single moment of you pregnant. You're going to make a fantastic mom. Do my parents know?"
She rested back against him. "Yes, your mom knew before I did. I had morning sickness that you wouldn't believe. I still do but not as bad."
Slipping her hand over his she gave it a gentle squeeze before she turned around in his embrace.

She was stunned to realize that he had been silently crying. She reached up and brush at a tear on his face. He gave her a watery smile.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"What are you sorry for?"
He shrugged. "I have no idea! I'm just so happy." He chewed on his lip then, "Are you happy?"
"To be honest I wasn't at first but I now...I wake up with a huge grin on my face when I remember that we created something out of love." He leaned forward to kiss her lips but she put up a finger to stop him.
"What?"
"Ty, will you marry me?"
He laughed. "We are going to get married. We're already engaged remember?"
"Yes, I know. And I know that you'd be content to remain engaged until I was ready to get married and...I'm ready now. I want to be your wife."
"When?"
She grinned at the excitement in his voice. "Sometime soon. A few weeks at the most. Do you think we can pull it off?"
He snorted. "We're not going to have much say in it really. My mom is going to take control the moment we tell her." He stared at her a moment before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "We're having a baby," he whispered against her lips.
"Yes. Now come on, let me fix you guys something to eat."
Gabe and Ty got acquainted through dinner. Kaylee watched them with a happy smile on her face but the smile quickly faded when her stomach tightened. Clamping a hand over her mouth she hurriedly excused herself away from the table.

"We're having a baby," she heard Ty said over the sound of vomiting. She groaned.
"Ty, go away! I don't want you to see me like this," she moaned.
Crouching down beside her he rubbed the small of her back with one hand and with the other he pushed her hair off of her sweaty forehead.
"Why not? It's natural Kaylee. And you'd take care of me if I were sick right?"
"Of course," she snapped as she gripped the toilet bowl, "But that's completely different!"
He sighed then helped her to her feet. "Brush your teeth and get ready for bed. I'll clean up in here, put Gabe to bed, let Buster out for the night and then join you."
She opened her mouth to protest but he only gave her a gentle shove before closing the bathroom door.

She stirred when she felt Ty climb into the bed. "Ty?" She opened her eyes to see him staring down at her with an awed expression on his face.
"Hmm?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I can't believe we're having a baby. And not only that but I have a little brother and I'm going to marry the woman I love in a few weeks. My life couldn't be any better," he said as he slid underneath of the blankets.
Kaylee turned on her side and he slipped his arms around her.

His hand rested on her stomach for a moment before he started to rub it gently. "So, what do we want? A little girl? A boy?"
Kaylee shrugged. "I haven't really given it much thought. I'm still getting used to the idea of being a mom."
"I can't wait to see you big and swollen with our child," he whispered as he kissed her shoulder.
There was a silence and she had just stared to drift off to sleep when she heard Ty whisper something.
"Huh?" she asked groggily.
"You've always been beautiful to me Kaylee but I'm sure pregnant you're going to be stunning."

The next day they told his parents about their plans to get married in a few weeks. After Fran shed some tears and Damon pulled her into a hug Fran became almost...militant in her vow to make sure that they had a 'proper' wedding. Kaylee put her foot down when she started talking about churches and flowers. She wanted something small and intimate and so it was soon agreed on a wedding in the back, on the beach, with just family and friends.

"This is the shop I was talking about last week Kaylee. Just go on and try on some dresses. What can it hurt?"
She grimaced as she stared at a dress in the window. She NEVER wore dresses. She didn't really want to wear a dress to her wedding but Frances just became so animated when she talked about it that Kaylee finally gave in and agreed to wear one. Something simple, she had said firmly. She noticed that Fran had just gave a noncommittal hum before she dragged her out of the house.
"I like that dress," Pat said.
Z titled her head as she studied it then shook her head. "Not Kaylee's style! We need something bold, daring!"
Somehow it had turned into a girl's day out as well. Kaylee had invited the girls from work to her wedding and they insisted on throwing her an engagement party.
"Well, let's go in. There's more dresses against that back wall that I think would be perfect for her."

Several hours later Kaylee sat down at a small table as everyone talked around her. She just didn't get worked up over clothes and she didn't see what the big deal was about wearing a dress that she'd probably only wear once in her life.
"Kaylee? Are you feeling alright?" Fran asked
"Just a little tired is all. Fran," she said with a sigh, "Can't you just take this whole thing over? I trust you. It doesn't matter to me what I wear just as long as at the end of the day I'm wearing Ty's ring."
Fran's hand flew to her chest as she stared down at her. "Sweet baby Jesus, that might be the most romantic thing I've heard from you. Let's go on home. I'll handle everything okay?"
Kaylee gave her a blinding smile. "Thank you!"

The day of the engagement party Damon came over with boxes in hand.
"What's that?" Kaylee asked as he put them down in the hallway.
"Security. My friend finally hooked me up with some top of the line gadgets. I'll have these up and running in no time."
"Damon, you don't-"
"Yes, he does Kaylee," Ty said as he walked over to toe at the boxes. "Not only are we caring for the son of a known mobster who may or may not be searching for him, but rivals may be looking for Gabe as well to hold as leverage."
"That's exactly what's happening. My...source has told me that word has leaked out about Gabe. Hunter has gone MIA and some are speculating that he's looking for Gabe. So, this system will be on and recording at all times."

"Now," Damon said as he finished hooking up the cameras. "This monitor is connected at our house too so I can see if anything is amiss day or night. The four cameras are wired to that computer monitor and that alarm system has a direct line to dispatch. If you feel threatened don't hesitate to hit it and ask questions later. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," Kaylee said.
Ty handed Gabe to Kaylee. "Dad, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Kaylee watched them as they walked outside then glancing at the clock gave a small shriek of alarm. Their guests would be arriving any minute now. And she would finally get to meet some of Ty's teammates.

"My name's Karrick. I'm the tight end. Ty talked about you all the time at training camp."
Kaylee smiled at the soft speaking man standing in front of her with the fierce looking tattoo on his forehead. She tried not to stare but she was couldn't help it. She was intrigued.
He grinned at her. "I got it when I was five years old. I'm so used to it that I don't remember that I have it until people ask me about it."
She was appalled. A tattoo at five? Who would do that to a child?
He shook his head. "Our five is like your twenty. Think of it as us aging in dog years," he said with a laugh.
"What does it mean?"
He traced the tattoo with a slim forefinger. "I'm part of the warrior class. My home world isn't a peaceful place. I was bred for war. When my donors fled the planet they took me with them while I was in stasis. When I awake I was here on this planet."
"Your donors?"
He nodded. "We don't really have parents as you humans do. Our species-"
"Hey Rick! Harold's over here lying about you! Come defend yourself man!"
With a friendly nod in Kaylee's direction he excused himself. Kaylee gnawed on her lip as she stared after him. The more she learned the less she knew about the green skinned people here.

"I'm not sure that outfit is working for you," she heard Z say behind her. Kaylee swallowed a groan. Z just didn't know when to quit! She absently wondered who she was talking to then stiffened when she heard Fran's voice.
"Girl, you wouldn't know style if it slapped you in the face. And if you don't get out of mine that's exactly what's going to happen."
"I'm just saying..."
Kaylee whipped around to see a scowling Fran and Z opening her mouth to say something else. "So, how are you two enjoying yourselves?" she asked brightly stepping between the two of them. "Great party right? Right? Z, have you met Gerald?" Kaylee asked as she steered her toward another one of Ty's friends.
"The black guy with the tats and the dreads? He's freaking hot!"
After introducing Z to Gerald Kaylee went in search of Ty.

"What are you doing?" she demanded when she found him in the kitchen washing dishes. He grinned at her over his shoulder.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I wanted to let these plates soak before all the food dried on them."
"Ty, you're supposed to be enjoying yourself."
"I am. How do you like the guys?"
"They're great! And all the girls are drooling over them. They are hot."
Ty's eyes narrowed then with lightening speed he whipped his hands out of the water and grabbing the sink hose squirted her with water. "That should cool you off," he said as she yelped. He laughed as she stood there with a wet spot dead center on her chest. Drying off his hands he walked past her but not before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Kaylee saw him talking to two of his friends when she came out of the kitchen and Damon was talking to the youngest player, Ethan. Instructing him on how to kick the ball when he went in for field goals. She went over and talked to them for a moment before she realized that Damon wasn't paying her any attention. His attention was focused on Karrick.
"There's something about that kid that Ty's talking to that I can't put my finger on."

Kaylee snorted. "Uh, could it be that he's green? And I'd hate to tell you this but that 'kid' is probably way older than you think."
"Hmm..."
"Besides, I like Karrick. There's just something about him that makes me feel comfortable." She turned to walked down the hall to the bathroom but looked back when she heard Gabe laughing. She thought she had put him down for a nap. Apparently he had crept out of his crib.

A smile curled her lips when she saw Karrick sitting cross legged on the floor singing softly to Gabe who was trying to follow along. She looked around the room at all the people gathered and felt a warmth fill her. They may not all be friends but they had all gathered to help her and Ty celebrate and that meant a lot to her. The party wrapped up a few hours later and after helping clean up Kaylee stretched across Ty's lap as he turned on the TV.

"Can you believe that tomorrow we're going to be husband and wife? It sounds strange huh?"
Ty ran a hand down her back. "Yeah, it does. I thought it would be years before I pressured you to walk down the aisle."
She laughed. "It might have been if not for Janet."
He scowled. "What do you mean?"
"Well, think about it. If Janet hadn't left I would have never have gone for that walk and we might never have met."
He shook his head. "Kaylee, you're my perfect match. We would have met. Trust me on this."
She grinned up at him. "Your perfect match huh?"
"Yep," he said as he slid his arms around her and picked her up. He walked over to the TV. "Turn it off."
She did then looped her arm around his neck. "Where are we going?"
"I'm going to show you just how perfect we are together."

Kaylee woke up the next morning and smiled. Today was her wedding day. She walked around in a cloud of bliss as she took her shower and dried her hair. It wasn't until she was slipping into her underwear that it hit her. Today was her wedding day! She slid down onto the bed.

She didn't hear the knock on the door and continued to stare off into space when she heard the door open.
"Hello? What are you doing? You should be nearly finished by now," Fran said.
Kaylee placed a trembling hand to her forehead. "I'm getting married today."
"Uh yeah, we've established that. Where's your dress?"
"I'm getting MARRIED today!"
Fran sighed and slapped her hands on her hips. "Yes, you are! You just have cold feet but we don't have time for this. That friend of yours, the fashion guru. is drooling over one of Tyrese's friends who is diligently trying to avoid her. Your whack job of a boss is trying to talk to Karrick but he keeps moving away. That one guy who hates your guts, why did you invite him to the wedding anyways? He's complaining and ya know Damon? He's all geared up to walk you down the aisle. And I don't like to let my man down soooo...move your butt Kaylee!"
Kaylee gave a shaky laugh as she stared up at Fran, her future mother-in-law...and just like that her momentary fear dissolved...and she moved her butt.