Might as Well Face it, You're Addicted to Love (Joe Perry/Nikki Sixx)

Chapter 122: Recovery of the Heart & Soul Part 2

Seeing Nikki here at this moment, he takes my breath away. Knowing at this moment he is ok, and so am I. Such a beautiful moment and all of us together......Carefully now, I am handing James to Nikki.... helping him, murmuring to our son as he latches on & begins to suckle. Tony and Frankie meanwhile, are fussing but I hear Josephine murmuring to them.... Truly Nikki & I have amazing children, doing amazing things each & every day...each one of them.

"There Now James.... Mommy is amazing, isn't he?" I murmur.

James is staring up at Nikki, little eyes wide but I KNOW he can hear me....

"Joe..." Nikki begins voice soft, "I argue that you are.... but really at the end of the day we both are."

Before I can say anything, Amara, my oldest 'twin' pipes up adorably, "Dat wight daddy an' mommy!" Followed by those precious giggles & her smile that is just like Nikki's.

"I agree Princess, I agree." I chuckle, loving her cuteness. James's meanwhile is feeding away, perfectly content....and it turns out he doesn't get full, so he gets switched to the other side & is at last full & burped.

Before Long, Frankie and Tony too are burped, fed & are now cooing as I help Nikki hold our three youngest. Now Josephine & Amara are closer to us, all of us again: TOGETHER. And there is so much love in this room, so much love. And I know it helps Nikki, and all of us really feel better.

True we all still have a long road ahead, especially Nikki but moments like THIS help more than we realize. How lucky am I? A gorgeous partner inside and out, married to said partner and who has taught/done so much for me. Because of Nikki, I feel normal.... grounded, loved.... needed. I've learned how to love, comfort, to be the best version of myself. Each moment with Nikki is a gift, he IS a gift......and I see and feel every day that I have done or that I do much the same for him. And look where we are now: him awake, out of his coma.... he and I surrounded by/holding our five children. Our children who are the greatest expressions of our love....

"Daddy?" Cautious in tone, Josephine speaks, and I glance carefully at her. "A-Are you ok? You're crying."

I didn't even realize.... But she is just like Nikki, hating to see my tears...afraid I can tell its something SHE has done, when NOTHING is her fault. Now SHE is crying...

"Hey.... come here..." Softly, Josephine pads around Nikki's bed, and stands at my side, "Closer sweetheart...." At these words, she clings to me arms wrapped around my waist and is being mindful of her baby brothers and sisters. "---Josephine, you don't ever have to be afraid to ask me something nor mommy. I can see you think somehow, it's something you've done wrong, honey I swear to you it isn't. I didn't know I was crying honey, you're just like your ma hating to see me cry.... I hate to see ANY of your cry. But I am emotional.... meaning, I was thinking about Mommy, how much I love him.... what we've been thru and then I was thinking about you, and your brothers and sisters."

"R-Really?" She sniffs, murmuring.

"Yes honey, we all need to lean on one another right now. We've been thru so much, especially mommy.... We need each other. we can get thru this together."

"Ok daddy.... i love you." She whispers.

"I love you too."

Amara insists on climbing off the bed before anyone can stop her, she is ok & next thing I know she is comforting her older sister & soon Josephine I can tell calms.

Nikki also speaks to Josephine, while holding our youngest with my help of course. It really helps her; he truly is an amazing mother to our children. But I can see how exhausted he is, and the triplets start getting fussy. Tony, James & Frankie need sleep, so does my husband but before anything can happen...Amara has an idea....

"Daddy sing?"

"I think Amara that would be an amazing idea." Nikki yawns, struggling to stay awake and of course I agree with Amara, and I sing.... I sing a very special song, 'I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing'. Of course, this song would be released & recorded for the 1998 movie: Armageddon. It would also become Aerosmith's first single. More importantly to me, not the fact that it was our first number 1 nor that it would be HUGE, but the most important thing about the song. Well, it was a testament to Nikki, to how much I loved him. It was FOR him; he was and still is very much my muse.

I sing the song, and the babies calm & drift off to sleep. Nikki amazingly is still awake, barely but still awake. Carefully I take each of my precious newborns & place them together in their bassinet, whispering to them how very much I love them and if they need me, I will come running.... I linger for a moment, turning back to Nikki who is now asleep. Tony, James & Frankie were moved or rather I should say were close to where Nikki could see them, if you happen to be wondering.

I make my way to Nikki, realizing Josephine has Amara occupied so I can have my moment.....gently I brush a lock of untamable hair behind my Honeybee's ear, kissing him & I whisper, "I love you so much Nikki...and....and I am proud of you, of how far you've come, of you being mine, of going thru all this....just for everything. You are an amazing person, partner, and mother.... You are my greatest addiction, always. I just wanted to tell you."

Nikki's features relax, he KNOWS of course. I sit down, gathering my oldest children to me, Josephine at my side & Amara in my lap getting her cuddles with daddy in as we watch over Nikki & the babies.

"Daddy?" Josephine asks quietly so as not to disturb her sleeping mother/siblings.

"Yes sweetheart?"

"That song was about mommy, right?"

"Yes, I've been writing it on & off for a long time. And one day we're gonna record this song and share it with the world & the world will know if they don't already know, how very much I love your ma." I tell her.

"I ike (like) ew sing betta dan (than) Unka Pink." Amara declares Nikki's mischievous grin on full display.

"Well, I am your father after all, stands to reason princess you'd like me better." I tease.

"Unka Pink good too daddy......it was pweety song......" Amara turns to look at her older sister, "Josey?" She asks questions, really, with Josephine aka Nikki's oldest clone thinks.

"It is really Pretty Mara, and it shows how much Daddy loves Momma. Momma loves the song I know and loves Daddy & all of us so much....so much." Josephine's green eyes glow, shining brightly.

More time would pass, a few weeks. Nikki's physical recovery was long....it was rough, and God I hated to see him struggle or be in any pain. Still, I was by him every step of the way. Nikki was bound & determined, telling me often. "Joe, YOU & OUR children give me the strength to keep going. I would go thru this over & over because I love you & them so much more than you could ever truly know."

Where you next find the Perry family or rather, I should say Nikki and I sharing a moment together is towards or at the end as it turned out of my husband's recovery.... There were tears, there was laughter, there was US. And slight spoiler: there would be good news.

A/N: Part 2 is done & there will be part 3. So excited for it!