Darkest Shadows

9) AJ

"You're going to be a great mom."--Ashely

♡

One year later...

2980

The whole family was waiting with huge smiles when Rhett and Ace stepped inside the Highrise, though none of their smiles could match the smiles Rhett and Ace hold on their faces. Their dreams are officially complete. They only ever wanted to be with their family, get married, and have a kid, now the last piece of the puzzle is here. Ace sets the car seat on the floor by the sofa and scoops the baby out of the seat and into his arms, the little bundle squirming around. My son. "Oh, he's precious!" Tracy coos, "That's my grandson!"

Rhett decided to surprise Ace with adopting a baby, the baby was born two weeks ago and was already arranged to be adopted by him and Ace and now they finally get to take their son home. "What's his name?" Jaxin asks who is wrapped in his boyfriend's arms.

Rhett sighs and turns to Ace with a nod. "His name is Ace Junior or AJ for short," his husband beams. He's been begging anyone who has a kid to name them Ace Junior, it's no harm to their kid so why not make Ace happy.

"And you allowed this?" Gemini chuckles, his arms wrapped around his wife's torso who is holding their son.

"Yeah. It's not going to hurt the baby and I wanted to make Ace happy; who am I to deny him that?" Rhett responds simply, taking AJ with joy as Ace hands him off to his dad. He leans down to kiss his son's head. "Hey, Chico."

Beside him, Ace gasps. "Baby, look at his eyes!"

Rhett looks down in shock then up into Ace's eyes. He's heterochronic. "Holy—he's got heterochromia too?"

He can't begin to explain the look in Ace's eyes, the love, shock, and gratitude that is beaming from him. Even tears start to shimmer in his eyes, Rhett switches AJ to his right arm and opens his left for Ace to fold into, clutching onto his shirt and crying. "Babe?"

Athrhea steps forward and takes AJ from Rhett and nods at him who nods back, she, AJ, and the rest of the family leave the room so Rhett can comfort his husband alone. He pulls Ace over to the sofa and sits with him practically in his lap, hugging him close and brushing his fingers through his hair. "Ace, look at me please babe."

He has to nudge Ace's face up for him to look at him, his lips are pouty and his eyes red with flaming cheeks. It's absolutely adorable. "Sweetheart, why are you crying?"

Ace sniffles and drops his head back in Rhett's neck before speaking. "He has my eyes."

"Yeah, babe he does, and he looks perfect with them. Just like I told you, they are beautiful, I love your eyes and I love his. I love you both, you're the family I chose, and I don't regret choosing you for a second. Don't forget that, okay? Promise me?"

Ace looks up with a watery smile and nods, "Promise."

They had never had such a love-filled kiss before, the kiss at their wedding, the seal of their union was sweet and so was their first kiss, but nothing means more than a simple press of the lips that lingers, nothing as special as a touch meaning I'm here for you, I'm never leaving.

♡

Rosé stands next to Ashely with her nephew in her arms, smiling down at the baby with hearty eyes. Ro was worried about having another baby in the house, Tarver was a handful as a baby, and she doesn't want to deal with another screamer. Now, seeing the look in her brother's eyes at this baby she can't complain, Rhett has gone through some tough crap and it's about time he gets everything he ever wanted, not to mention the way Ely is goggling the poor child, soon enough she'll be asking Ro for a baby.

"Should one of us go check on them? To make sure Ace is okay and that they aren't doing anything lewd on the public sofa?" Jax asks.

"Oh please, none of us are getting in your car anymore Jax, not after what you and Ambrose did back there," Ro shudders and blanches. "If Tracy dies because of your lack of abstinence then I inherit the paddle and you will regret the day you were born."

Jax and Ambrose shrink back to where Maezie and Ascelin stand talking. Ely wraps her arm around Ro's waist and kisses the side of her head. "You're going to be a great mom."

Just the thought worries Ro. She never wanted kids truthfully and seeing how much of a toll it took on Rhea scares her; she doesn't think she can handle that even if Ely is there with her. Ro's head is brought up by a whistle and she sees Rhea smiling at her with a nod, it sometimes gets annoying having two people living in the same house who can read minds whenever they please even though there is some courtesy, this is one of the times Ro is grateful for it. Rhea is the big sister she never had and the one she always needs, it's nice having older male siblings but she really needed a big sister, someone who gets her, and she has that in Rhea now.

"Let me guess, you still want a kid?" she asks her girlfriend.

When she looks up into Ely's eyes she gets her answer, that lovestruck look in her eyes is the same one she gets when she looks at Ro, the signature Ashely Look of Love. "Oh yeah, and we have to get a boy!"

"More boys? First Grey, then Tarver, then Jaci, then AJ, and now you want to add another boy?"

"Oh you know you want a boy too," Ely fires back. Ro rolls her eyes. "Are you gonna let me name him like Rhett let Ace name AJ?"

"Maybe. As long as it isn't a stupid name."

"So I can't name him Alfred or Bertrum?"

"By the gods no, why not something simple like...Jason or Leo? Except it's L-I-O instead."

Before Ashely can respond the parlor door is opened by Rhett with his arm around Ace whose eyes aren't red and puffy anymore. "Can I have my son?" Ace holds his arms out for the child and with a sigh Rosé hands him over, not before kissing his head first. "Seems like you've woven your way into their hearts little man, good job. Are you ready for a nap little one? Don't worry, Dad is taking one with you, I'll hold you for the nap only because tonight you're sleeping in your own bed, I want Daddy to myself."

Ace takes his son and kisses Ro's brother before leaving the room and speaking to the child on the way upstairs. "Gosh I love him," Rhett whispers, looking lovingly after his husband.

He turns back to Ro and Ely with a grin. "When are you two getting married?" he asks.

Ro was expecting to be the one to answer but Ely answered for her. "Don't know if we will. Why do we need marriage anyway?"

"So you prefer to stay virgins forever?"

"Who said I'm a virgin?" Rosé asks seriously making everyone in the room jaws drop except for Ashely who gets the hint to play along. "Why do you think we like staying at the Highrise so much?"

"WHAT?!"

Ro and Ely freeze at Tracy's yelp, they look at each other and nod before taking off out of the house. It was a joke, they're both still virgins but damn the reaction was hilarious, except for Tracy's. The poor woman can't get a break. When they are safely away from the Highrise Ro leans against Ely's shoulder as she wraps her arms around her. "You okay?" Ely asks.

"Do you want to get married?"

"Doesn't matter to me, if you want to then we can, but I don't see the point of it. I know I'm not going to be with anyone else, so I don't think we need a huge wedding to show that. If you want a ring I'll get you one though."

"I'd have to get you one too then."

"No, I don't need one, it's hard to work with a ring so I don't know how Rhea does it."

"It's because she treasures it, the flashy jewelry and big wedding don't matter to me, I've got you and that's all I need Ely."

Ashely blushes and kisses the top of Ro's head. "Same here cupcake, same here."