Beauty and the Beast

28

October 3

Leaving John and Christine alone was good because it landed Christine pregnant and they had a little girl on September 8th, they gave her the name Molly and even though John wasn't necessarily thrilled about the baby, to begin with, as soon as that little girl took her first breaths and John got to hold her, he fell in love with her. 

However, wedding festivities were in full swing, and to top it off, it was their daughter's first birthday.  Stevie's whole family was up at the mountain and despite Jess freaking out, he had hired a young man to work in the bakery with him other than Christopher, and it was the first time he had left him alone and it was worrisome for him.  

Stevie and Lindsey were woken up by the sound of wheels rolling outside of their door. Stevie sucks in a sharp breath and looked up at Lindsey.

"What?" He questions.

"The babies are up." She replies.

"Well, Ruby and Lucy are hardly babies anymore they're toddlers and we didn't hear Bella cry for us." Lindsey retorts wrapping his arms around Stevie and pulling her in tighter. 

"But my brother and sister in law are here as is my father so there's a potential that they woke her up but I swear that's Bella's little wooden walker thingy that's rolling around outside our door." Stevie uses her knee to push against Lindsey's hip telling him to get out of bed. 

He made a noise but then he threw his bathrobe on over his pajama bottoms and teeshirt and made his way out into the hall to see that it was in fact his child. He made a face and peered into the bedroom at Stevie who just laughed still in her curled up position on the bed and rolled over tucking the blanket up under her chin. 

"You realize it's my birthday right." He states as she just cackles from her place in the bed. 

He huffs and stares at Bella who upon seeing him stops in her movement and giggles reaching up for Lindsey. Before he picks her up he just looks at her and takes her in. Her little blonde curls are pinned back by a yellow bow and the dress she was wearing was yellow with a lace overlay and a little flower on the left cap sleeve kind of like a pin. She had little white tights on her feet and she was using her little walker thing. He could See Lori and Jessie in the bathroom so he was assuming that Lori had gotten her ready for the day as she was currently bathing two-year-old Jessie. 

Lindsey swooped down and took the little girl into his arms and then he ventured into her nursery and plucked her little giraffe stuffy and carried her into the bedroom. He sat on the bed with her and placed her on Stevie's hip who gasped and took her baby into her arms. 

"You are so cute my little princess, yes you are...yes you are." Stevie coos cuddling her close. 

"Mommy and Daddy want to get some more sleep so you little miss, are going to snuggle with us," Lindsey replies kissing Bella's cheek. 

When Stevie laid her down between herself and Lindsey Bella snuggled the giraffe close to her and then reached up for Lindsey.

"What?" He asks.

"I think she wants Daddy to hold her. She's her daddy's little girl." Stevie smiles. 

"Yeah I guess you're right, we share a birthday and we share a name. We share our curls...don't let momma fool you, her hair isn't naturally curly she always has curlers in her hair." Lindsey whispers to the little baby and giving her a kiss on her little chubby cheek.

"Happy Birthday Lindsey." Stevie leans over and kisses him. 

"Thanks, Angel." He grins.

"Happy Birthday Bella," Stevie whispers kissing her daughter's little cheek as well and then sliding back down into the pillow her hand going to rest on Bella's stomach as Lindsey was actually holding her like a proper baby. 

***

October 24

It was the day of Stevie's wedding and she was nervous, but she was trying not to show it. 

"What's the matter, love?" Christine sighs walking in with her tray of tea for Lori and Robin who was in her chambers with her.  

"Nothing, nothing is the matter." Stevie shakes her head wringing her hands as Robin combed through her long blonde hair. 

"Everythings the matter she just won't admit it." Robin turns to Christine. 

It was sweet how everyone just kind of clicked. Sharon and Lori became great friends as well as Christine and Robin and it seemed like everything was going perfect. 

"I feel like I'm going to throw up." Stevie shakes her head.

"Are you pregnant?" Lori asks.

"What?" Stevie questions.

"When was the last time you and Lindsey had sex?" Robin questions.

"His and Bella's birthday after everyone had gone to bed." Stevie slightly blushes.

"Okay, when was the time before that?" Lori pushes.

"Um, contrary to popular belief we don't have sex that often so probably like My birthday." Stevie states 

"Oh, then it's not that because you'd definitely be showing. Why else would you want to puke?" Christine sets the tea down.

"Maybe because literally all of the townspeople are here...look at them all....and my mom isn't here and I'm freaked out because I don't know the first thing about being a Queen." Stevie points to the window shaking her head.

"Honey, you already are a great queen, I'm not worried about you, but with that being said it's about time we get you in this gorgeous dress."Christine hugs her as Stevie nods.

"Yeah I guess so, this is happening." She nods.

"It really is, you're marrying Lindsey and I didn't think he'd ever get married," Christine smirks as Stevie starts laughing.

***

The wedding was beautiful and Stevie and Lindsey had mingled around the Towns People. It was around seven at night at the festivities of the day were winding down. Stevie was holding Bella who had fallen asleep in her arms. The one-year-old was dressed in a dress the top was a white teeshirt and the bottom was gold tule and chiffon as chiffon is Stevie's preference and there was a little rose off to the side where the top met the skirt. While the toddler was sleeping in her mother's arms her face pressed into Stevie's breast, Stevie was talking to one of the dressmakers from the town she had expressed wanting to make an outfit for Bella and Stevie agreed even though Margi spoils the poor baby she wasn't going to turn down a townsperson especially as the new Queen. 

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" Lindsey calls as the party comes to an end. 

"THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND CELEBRATING MY WEDDING. QUEEN STEPHANIE, OR AS SHE WOULD RATHER YOU CALL HER, STEVIE AND I ARE THRILLED THAT YOU ALL COULD MAKE IT. I KNOW I HAVEN'T BEEN THE BEST KING IN WHAT, TWENTY YEARS, BUT I'VE TURNED OVER A NEW LEAF AND STEVIE'S HELPED ME WITH THAT. WITH THAT BEING SAID THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE AROUND HERE, I'LL BE HOLDING THRONE SESSIONS. MY FATHER USED TO DO IT, HE'D SIT IN THE THRONE ROOM AND A TOWNSMAN COULD COME AND EXPRESS THINGS THAT HE WANTED TO HAVE DONE OR CHANGED, OR A REQUEST OF SOME SORT. I PLAN ON BRINGING THEM BACK, BUT I AM NOT MY FATHER. I OPENED UP A DIRECT MAILING LINE TO MY OFFICE. YOU CAN WRITE ME A LETTER DETAILING WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO ASK, REQUEST, OR NEED. I'LL WRITE YOU BACK PERSONALLY WITH A TIME AND A MEETING PLACE EITHER HERE IN THE CASTLE, IN MY LIVINGROOM, OR DOWN IN EVERCREST AT YOUR PLACE OF CHOOSING. STEVIE AND I WILL BE BRINGING BACK THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY, NO DATE FOR THIS YEAR HAS BEEN SET YET BUT WE'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW AS SOON AS ONE IS SET. I AM YOUR KING AND I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU FOR WHATEVER YOU NEED AND I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I AM ON YOUR SIDE AND I'LL BEING DOING WHAT IS GOING TO BE BEST FOR YOU...AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND GET HOME SAFELY. " Lindsey announces holding up his glass. 

***

That night after everyone had gone and the guests that were staying at the house had gone to bed Stevie and Lindsey consummated their marriage and they knew that their lives were going to flourish.