Until the End of Time

10

December 13, 1985

Stevie checked into Betty Ford twenty-four hours after she was discharged from the hospital and as she walked out, Lindsey was leaned against his Mercedes waiting to pick her up. 

"How do you feel Angel?" Lindsey asks when she falls into his arms.

"For the first time in about nine years, I feel clear." She tells him.

"That's good. So, shall I take you home?" Lindsey questions opening her car door for her.

"Well..." She bites her lip.

"What?" He asks.

"I don't really want to go home." She shakes her head.

"What do you mean?" He questions.

"I mean that I want a new beginning. I bought that house with Todd and now it's just me. I overdosed in that house and I had my brother thoroughly go through it and see if I still had some cocaine, he said he couldn't find any but I..." She starts

"Might've hidden it in a place that he didn't think to look or where you don't remember hiding it?" Lindsey questions.

"Right." She nods.

"How about this, I just bought a new house because I am in month one of my divorce. I have five more to go, and then a custody hearing but I just moved in. I know we're not...we're complicated but if you want to move in with me you could. There are nine bedrooms so you don't even have to sleep with me if you don't want to. It would be nice for someone else to pay the 850 dollar HOA fee,"  He scratches the back of his neck.

"Lindsey we've had one night stands for about seven years. Are you sure you want me to move in with you?" She asks.

"I'm going to marry you someday, so we're eventually going to have to move in together it might as well be now." He replies. 

"Fine. But first, we go to my house so I can get some of my essential stuff." Stevie pats his cheek.

***

It's around eleven at night when they get to Lindsey's house with Chinese take out. Stevie handles the food while Lindsey grabs her overnight bag and he leads her into the house. 

"Wow, you have decent taste." She looks around.

"I'm still slowly gathering furniture pieces. Right now all I have is a television and a couch in the living room the barstools at the island in the kitchen and a California King upstairs. I was thinking, tonight we bless the house, I have to pick the kids up tomorrow morning, and it's their first week with me so I was thinking tomorrow afternoon we come back here get you, we go out to lunch so you can meet my kids properly and then we go shopping for stuff for their bedrooms. I already promised them that I'd camp out with them in the living room until we got their rooms set up but I figured we could do that all on Sunday." Lindsey drops her bags and wraps his arms around her. 

"I'm always up for furniture shopping." She rubs his arms.

"Perfect, but there is one thing that I want to request." He places his chin on her shoulder.

"What?"

"Your lamps." He tells her.

"The lamps from my house?" She asks.

"Yeah and that brown leather armchair." He kisses her cheek.

"Alright, I'm taking my coffee table too then." She nods.

"Great." Lindsey grins grabbing at the food and leading her further into the house where the kitchen is. 

***

The next morning, when Lindsey's alarm woke them up Stevie shot up in bed.

"What's the matter?" He asks as she bites her lip.

"I want to make them breakfast or brunch or something." She tells him.

"They like pancakes and I have all the ingredients downstairs. I can't cook for shit but they said if they were burnt they wouldn't mind because at least it was pancakes." Lindsey explains.

"I don't burn food, Mr. Buckingham." Stevie kisses his jaw. 

"Good to know." Lindsey smiles. 

***

Lindsey was anxious pulling up to his driveway because even though the kids were anxious he was terrified. Stevie hadn't met his kids before and he was worried that they weren't going to like her. He took a deep breath as he helped his kids out of the car and into the house from the garage entry door and Stevie was blasting music at the stove. She was barefoot and tiny wearing a black and white polka dot dress and she was dancing and humming along. 

"Kids, I'd like you to meet Stevie. Daddy's friend." Lindsey says causing Stevie to turn around.

"It's nice to meet you. William, you look just like your dad, and you girls are oh so pretty." Stevie says sweetly. 

"You're pretty too. I'm Stella." The youngest one with big blue eyes and brown curls smiles. She's missing a front tooth and it makes Stevie's heart swell a little bit. 

"Well thank you," Stevie grins at the young girl. 

"Dad said you were making us pancakes?" The middle one. A girl with blonde hair and bright blue eyes almost identical to the younger girl says.

"Yes. I made chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and a fruit salad." Stevie nods moving away so the kids can see the plates lining the island. 

"Bacon, like actual Bacon?" The ten-year-old asks.

"Well...yes." Stevie nods.

"Dad, we're keeping her." William turns to Lindsey and climbing up onto the island.

"Kristen doesn't let them eat a lot of meat. She's a vegetarian." Lindsey explains.

"Well, that's no way to live. A growing boy needs meat." Stevie puts two more slices on his plate. 

***

As they were walking down the aisle of the store, the kids had already picked out their rooms and their bedroom furniture, to be delivered after five in the evening, they had gone to Bed, Bath, and Beyond per Stevie's request when Stella reached up and grabbed her hand and started swinging it. 

"Stevie, you're nice." Stella looks up at her with her little grin.

"Well thank you, Hey do you want to know something?" Stevie asks brushing a strand of the girl's hair back.

"What?" Stella questions.

"Your middle name is Lynne right?" Stevie asks.

"It is, did daddy tell you?" Stella questions.

"He did. Yes, but the fun fact is that my middle name is also Lynn." Stevie 

"Your name is Stevie Lynn?" Stella gasps.

"Well, Stephanie Lynn but yes." Stevie nods.

All Stella does is wrap her arms around Stevie and cheers.