Until the End of Time

30

December 24, 1995

As 1995 was coming to an end the family was back into the rut that they had been in back in 1994 before the baby came, and as much as Stevie hated it she was just glad that she had all five of her kids under one roof and she wasn't raising any baby by herself. Lindsey, on the other hand, was ready for a new beginning. He had decided that he was not ready to lose her. He had slightly lost her when he hit her and then he really truly almost did lose her at the beginning of the year and he knew exactly what he had to do. 

As Christmas Eve morning arose Lindsey woke his children up-even the baby who was extremely grumpy because she inherited her mother's sleep patterns-they knew the plan and they knew that the whole top story of the house was off-limits. The oldest three knew why the younger ones did not but he just made Kaci believe that the surprise he was going to have for mommy was going to take a long time. 

Lindsey woke her up, by simply giving her kisses and she just rolled away from him. 

"Awe come, on..." Lindsey coos. 

"No, if my children aren't up I'm not getting up." She states.

"But I have something to give you." He kisses that spot on her neck and she moans out.

"Can't what you want to give me wait for tomorrow morning, or at least tonight?" Stevie inquires. 

"Well, it can...but I don't want to wait any longer and besides. You hate Christmas Gifts and you're going to murder me if I give it to you as a Christmas Gift." Lindsey explains pulling her into his arms and laying her against his chest. 

"Well then, get it over with I want to go back to sleep before my kids are awake." She reaches up and pats at his jaw. 

Alright then...here." Lindsey reaches into the end table and pulling out the velvet box. When Stevie sees it she pushes up on her arms and she just looks at Lindsey. 

"Lindsey?" She asks.

"I've told you for what, eighteen years now that I was going to marry you. And you said yeah right just as many times as I told you I was going to marry you. But then the past couple of years you've been getting antsy and after I was this close to losing you I knew that I couldn't chance it anymore and I had to ask you...So, I'm going to marry you right?" Lindsey asks.

Stevie opens the ring box and she gets a big cheesy grin on her face nodding very slowly. 

"Do you like it?" Lindsey asks taking it out of the box and sliding it onto her finger. It was a shiny silver ring with three diamonds on it and the band was encrusted with Diamonds. 

"It's perfect. Thank you, Lindsey." She smiles collapsing on top of him and kissing him. 

***

They had just finished mindblowing morning sex when a faint cry was apparent in Stevie's ears. 

"Get off me." She states.

"Awe Steph, I was gearing up for round two." He pouts.

"Lexa's crying," Stevie says slightly out of breath. 

"I don't hear anything." He shakes his head.

"No, she's crying I can hear her," Stevie tells him as a knock comes at their bedroom door. 

"Dad, Lexa's...I don't know something's wrong. She won't take her food and her diapers dry. She's not closing her eyes for a nap." William calls through the door. 

"I'll be right there honey," Stevie calls out. She smirks at Lindsey and rolls out of the bed and grabs her pajamas and bathrobe slinging them on.

When she gets downstairs, Kaci attacks her in a hug and she looks up to her mother. 

"What was daddy's surprise for you mama?" Kaci questions. 

Stevie just holds out her hand to her daughter and Leelee and Stella start cheering. Kaci just looks at it like she doesn't get the big deal.

"It's a ring, you have a lot of rings." Kaci smiles.

"I know I have a lot of rings, but this one is special. This one is from daddy and we're going to have a party in a few months to celebrate it...Now, I need to take care of your sister alright, do you know what happened?" Stevie questions. 

"We don't know." Kaci shakes her head. 

Stevie just gives a pursed smile and takes the baby into her arms. Lexa calms instantly and just nuzzles into Stevie's chest. 

"Well kids, I think she just wanted mama huh." Stevie kisses her chubby cheeks and rakes her fingers through the brown curls.

"Wait so when are you guys thinking about getting married?" Stella questions.

"I don't know kiddo. We haven't talked about it. I don't want a big fancy wedding or anything. I just want it to be us, our friends, and our family. Speaking of which, are you guys upset that we aren't spending it with the grandparents this year?" Stevie asks sitting on the couch Lexa perched onto her stomach. 

Ruth was going to spend Christmas with her sister and Barbara and Jess decided to vacation in Florida. 

"Personally, I'm not...too many people." William shakes his head. 

"I'm just surprised they're all willing to miss Lexa's first Christmas." Stella shrugs sitting next to Stevie on the couch and starting to play with her. 

"Me too, but they'll be here for her birthday...Yes, they will, yes they will." Halfway through her sentence she switches into her baby voice and rubs her nose against Lexa's. 

It was then that Lindsey appeared out of nowhere and started rubbing Stevie's biceps and kissing the top of her head. 

"Did Stella and Leelee tell you that they helped me pick out the ring," Lindsey asks swooping down and taking Lexa into his arms. 

"No, they did not. I adore it. Thank you, girls. Now you...be careful with my baby because I'm going to go get started on breakfast. I was told I was making that French Toast with strawberries and cream cheese frosting." She stands up from the couch and kisses Lindsey before patting his chest and heading for the kitchen. 

"Mom, am I your baby?" Kaci questions. 

"You're all my babies. Even William." She walks by the only boy child and pats his scruff covered jaw. He groans out in protest but she wraps her arms around him anyway and the six-foot boy melts into her.