Brighter Than a Shooting Star, The Walkers - June 5th, 2017

It had been exactly five years since miss Ainsley Belvedere had gotten married to the most wonderful man in her life. No longer a Belvedere, but as of that day back in 2012, she became Ainsley Belvedere Walker. Sure, things had been good and bad since then, ups and downs, but they got through them, no matter what. In that period of time, they found out who they are, and now have matured much since.

To this day, Ainsley could never see herself with anyone else. She trusted Shaye with all her heart, no matter what. Whatever he did, she did too, keeping time and keeping Shaye out of trouble of course. To Ainsley, he still seemed to possess that wild child jokester personality trait, but that just attracted her more to him. As for ups and downs, they've had their fair share. A little more than a year ago Ainsley had gotten into a car accident, breaking one of the bones in her left hand. She did her fair share of time with physical therapy and one surgery to repair it, though she still had her occasional trouble with gripping certain things, but most of the time she could grip them fine.

On top of that, Roxy had past away several months before their fifth anniversary. Sadly, cancer had taken over the poor dog, and the only way to relieve the suffering she had was to put her down. Ainsley had been mourning the poor dog since.

As for ups, on the other hand, meer months after their fourth anniversary, they got a late anniversary present...Ainsley became pregnant. It was their first baby, so naturally she was very anxious and nervous about this baby to come. The months have flown since then. Now at almost eight and a half months, she wasn't as nervous. She more or less just wanted to get the baby out. She was growing very tired of looking like a balloon about to pop, but there were still 3 weeks to go before this baby would come. They had the gender written down and slipped into an envelope, but hadn't looked at it and as her job became more demanding with more business, she kept forgetting about it. Her aunt and uncle, also known as 'Mom' and 'Dad', bought tickets for a trip for their fifth anniversary present, and here they were now in southern Florida, not far from Orlando.

It was a beautiful beach house, the one her aunt and uncle rented for them. They flew down from Evergreen. The house was right along the coast, secluded from other houses and people. They had almost a little patch of the beach to themselves. It had already been two days since they had gotten there, and today was their anniversary. As far as she knew, they were going to spend the day on the beach, and go out for an anniversary dinner that night, though she couldn't be for sure.

Ainsley was sitting inside the house in the early afternoon, laying back on the big king bed in the room. Her growing belly in front of hers held the envelope she had thrown in her suitcase before leaving up. It was time to find out what they little creature they were having was going to be. The weird thing was, she had no idea where Shaye was at the moment. She felt little kicks and bumps, her belly moving slightly with them. Both of her hands instantaneously went to her belly, rubbing it in certain spots. This baby was going to drive her mad soon enough. "Shaye! Are you around here somewhere?" she called out, still leaning against the pillows on the bed. She didn't hear anything, so she slowly, but surely got up, taking the envelope in her one hand, and started to walk around the bed and out of the room.

She went out the door, walking into the main room. Suddenly, she heard a clashing sound of sorts, her head turning round to see where it was coming from.

Shaye walked into the house and left the door open. A warm breeze followed him into the house but Shaye really liked it. After Ainsley had gone to rest he popped out and got her some flowers to celebrate their anniversary. The vacation had been a god send. It'd been nice to get out of Evergreen for once but he never traveled outside of Indiana before. The Hawaiian trip proved to be stellar and more then he could imagine. It was nice that her aunt and uncle rented the house out for them. A little bit of paradise before the baby came and their last time to really just be them before the little monkey came into their lives.

Ainsley had called out to him and his head turned in the particular direction of her voice. He waited a couple of seconds before he'd go see what she needed incase something had been up. Shaye had been trying to attempt to put the flowers he got her into the vase. Setting them down on the counter he went to go find his lovely wife. He was pretty sure she had been in their room resting the afternoon away so Shaye just went forth in search of Ainsley. It wasn't as though she could run away or hide in the state she was in, heck he loved that big round belly of hers.

Taking a rather awkward step, he tripped on the rug. Shaye fell face first into the brightly woven rug. Picking himself up he continued to walk towards Ainsley. His hand touched his nose to make sure he hadn't a bloody one. That would have been all he needed to get a bloody nose on their vacation, especially vacation. Shaye's eyes looked down at his hand and had seen no blood so he was in the clear at least for the time being. maybe he should toss the rug to the side, what if Ainsley tripped on it as well? Over the course of her stomach expanding Shaye had been very protective over her. He just wanted to make sure that she alright and that the baby was safe and sound.

When he drew attention away from his self, he noticed Ainsley walking in. Shaye's face lightened up like it always had whenever she was around. Ainsley would be beautiful in his eyes in any shape or form. "Hey, is something the matter?" He asked as he walked up and met his wife. His hand rested on her back as he gave her a half a hug. There was just more of Ainsley to love and it hadn't bothered him at all. The fact that something they created and grew in Ainsley amazed him. Less then a month and they would have a baby, Shaye being a father had filled him with excitement and a little doubt. He wouldn't leave her or their baby behind like his father had. No Shaye would never do that to her, he promised himself to always be there for her since the day they got married.

Kissing the side of her head. He took a step back, the hand that rested on her back recoiled till he took her hand in his. Five years they had been together and he loved every moment of it. Even all the things they went through they stayed together. He remembered thinking that this poor girl matched to him might think of him as a joke and want annulment just after a few short hours of marriage. Luckily Ainsley took him as himself and stayed married to the fool. "So hows my baby doing." He joked around, he meant her.

The pregnancy had its own little quirks. Maybe she was the one with quirks more than Shaye now? She had massive cravings this last trimester, wanting mostly healthy stuff surprisingly. It seemed like most craved chocolate or ice cream. Ainsley? She just wanted some juicy watermelon or pineapple most of the time. It seemed like they had bought Mack's Grocers out of every piece of watermelon and pineapple they had, and boy did Ainsley eat a lot of it too. Very healthy though for baby, so it wasn't a bad thing, but boy was it an expense. Ainsley had to put her job on hold as she reached six months, as her belly was just getting too big for her to bend down and do different things with photography. She hated having to do that because she knew they needed the extra money with the baby coming.

She was starting to get concerned as she waited for a response. She had no idea where he was. She hadn't seen him all morning. It was like he was trying to avoid her or something. Ainsley never expected that out of him, though the clash confirmed he was definitely around, unless it was a wild animal or something. That thought suddenly came into her mind. Rabies? Disease? Please no! She tried to put the thought aside, and suddenly, Shaye had come into view. She had a smile from ear to ear, her ocean blue eyes sparkling with joy as he came to her. Ainsley was personally glad he came to her, because honestly, she didn't have much energy to move, and this baby and the weight that came with it made her want to move less and less. Ainsley could see Shaye's face lighting up with seeing her, she liked that, and it made her blush a little bit.

She always felt secure around him, and oddly, he seemed to be a little too protective over the last eight and a half months. It wasn't like she was planning on something happening, though it probably was a good thing he was extra protective. "Hey, is something the matter?" she heard him say. She felt his hand upon her back as she was given a half hug. Ainsley often felt that Shaye felt he was going to squish the poor humanoid baby she was carrying. She knew he wouldn't be able to do that if he tried, though it would be a little difficult to give a full hug since Shaye would get a big belly in his belly, and probably suffocate him or something. Ainsley was really feeling the need for a close hug though with him, rather than just a half of a hug. It was okay though. "No, no. I was just wondering where you were. I haven't seen you all morning. I missed you. Baby missed you too. She kept kicking me. I think she or he wondered where you were." she said to him, a smile adored upon her lips, her voice and beckoning. Her eyes fell upon her belly, where her bad hand came and rubbed over different spots.

What she got from Shaye was that he was happy to becoming a father soon. She could have been wrong though. The last ultrasound confirmed their baby was right on schedule, if not above schedule. Her doctor said she could deliver possibly earlier than her current due date, but he was still betting on right on her due date. Shaye was very attentive to her, and she liked that. She hated the fact that he had to deal with all those roaring hormones of hers, but really, she only had a few major mood swings the whole pregnancy, and really the major thing was just the cravings she still dealt with now. Now, as she stood there, she felt his lips press against her head. It made her blush a little bit. She still hadn't got over the anxiousness she had when he did little things like that. She loved it.

"So how's my baby doing?" she heard him say. She knew it was a joke and gave him a look as if saying "Oh really? Caring more about the baby than the one who has to defy all laws of physics to push a watermelon out of her body after nine months". She couldn't help but smile though. "Well, I'm doing fine, but maybe you should see for yourself as for how baby is doing." she answered. Ainsley reached out for his free hand, as her other one had become intertwined with his, ever so lovingly. She lifted her shirt up a little, exposing how big her belly really was. It was ever so curious how such a tiny creature could live and grow in her tiny body and frame with how skinny she was. She was amazed at how elastic her skin was. She rested his hand on part of her bare belly. The shirt was only a barrier, and her belly had warmness to it that radiated off of like the rest of her. It was like the baby knew her or his daddy was there, as there was a couple kicks and movement. "I think she knows you're here." she said.

Suddenly, it came to her, as she looked to Shaye now. She noticed his nose seemed a little red. "I heard a crash earlier and your nose looks a little red. Did something happen? You weren't flying off the ceiling trying to be spiderman were you?" she said jokingly. "I'll make it better." she continued, trying to stand up on her tippy toes to reach his face and kissed his nose gently. As the moments came and passed, her mind came back to that envelope. She bent down and picked it up, as it had fallen out of her bad hand earlier. Bending down was even difficult at this stage of the game. Once she got back up, it was clear she was out of breath to a degree. "Hey, want to go out on the beach for a bit? It's too nice of a day to stay inside." she asked. She was already ready to go. Her bikini was on underneath her shirt and her sunglasses were just on the table nearby.

He looked down towards her stomach as she guided his hand to it. It kind of amazed the guy that something was growing inside her and how big her stomach had become. In less then a month they would have a baby and he felt more then enough ready. Well as ready as anyone could be, which actually wasn't that much. Shaye had no doubts or worries at least yet about the biggest change that was going to happen in their lives. They'd be good parents, he was sure of it. As embarrassing as it had been he practiced on those fake babies. It had been hard but he tried to do the best he could. It wouldn't stop crying if he told a funny joke but of course that had been just for pure amassment.

Shaye was engrossed by the touch of her hard stomach. In all honesty it felt weird or maybe that had been just him thinking that. The first kick brought a smile to his face and by the time the second one came it brightened even more. There really had been life in there, inside of Ainsley. A part of him wanted to believe what she said, that the baby knee he was there, that it had been his hand on it's mommy's tummy. "I think you were right." he said as he took a quick glance towards Ainsley before redirecting his attention towards where his hand rested. Shay couldn't help but run his finger tips smoothly against her skin.

Ainsley kept referring the baby to a she. He wondered if she already knew what the sex was. He thought that they were going to open the envelope together and see what was in store for them. If she had, he guess he couldn't blame her if she did. They had been so busy the last few months that they kept putting it off but they were getting close to the due date might as well find out or leave it as a surprise. Maybe Shaye had been totally off anyways, maybe it had just been intuition or whatever women called it.

When she mentioned his nose looked red, Shaye instantly looked back towards his wife. A bit of a horrified look had replaced the smile that had been there just moments earlier. So he really must have taken a tumble if it got red. What if it bled now? The hand that was on her stomach instantly made it's way back towards his face but stopped as Ainsley leaned forwards and kissed it. 'Maybe it wasn't then.' He thought to himself. He laughed at her joke, but if she only knew. "You know funny thing you mentioned that. When I was younger we had a shed in the back yard at the time and I some how managed to climb on top of it. Anyways I thought maybe, just maybe I could fly too when I wore this cape though it was just a towel I tied around my shoulders. Needless to say I wasn't happy when I hit the ground running." He had been a foolish little kid when he was younger. Before he could let Ainsley retort to it he quickly said "I promise never to repeat that to our child or let them do it themselves!"

"I tripped on the rug." He said plainly and playfully glared at the rug he abandoned on the ground. "I know it's nothing like saving a kitten from a tree or putting out a fire." Shaye joked as he looked Ainsley in the eye. She picked up a discarded envelope from the ground that e hadn't noticed. When it came into closer view he realized what it had been. It still remained sealed and inwardly he sighed in relief. He wanted to be there with her as they found out what they were having and was giddy with anticipation that it wasn't opened yet. Shaye felt a bit bad when he noticed that she was huffing a little bit after just simply picking something off the floor. He should have done it instead of letting her. Everything seemed to become harder on Ainsley as the pregnancy dwindled on. Shaye kissed her on the mouth and lingered for a little. He wanted to show her that he appreciated her and loved her more and more as the days went by.

Shaye nodded his head when she asked if they could go outside. "Sure thing babe." With that he led her out the still opened door and into the beautiful scenery. Hawaii wasn't a place to doubt it's wonder and beauty. Just outside their house was the beach and a secluded area of wild life. Shaye led her towards one of the seat swings and helped her settle down before taking a seat with her. It reminded him of the first time they really got to talk, the swing in his mother's back yard. "Oh good old times." He said quietly, mostly towards himself. "It's really beautiful here hmm." Shaye said before he looked back towards Ainsley. She was beautiful as well, she always stood out to him even amongst the lush scene around them. The smell of the sea was something he liked. There really wasn't any seas around Evergreen and he was lucky to even get to go to one any chance he got. At least he had been prepared and brought the swimming shorts along.

He couldn't help gut let his eyes wander towards the envelope. The thing they had been wondering about the most rested inside folded paper, it was their future. "Are you scared to find out?" Shaye asked innocently enough. What if it was something they hadn't even thought about, like a monkey but he highly doubted that could have occurred. They would love the child no matter what it turned out to be. Plus he really wanted to pick out names, he made mental notes about names he heard and wanted to use. If Ainsley said no to anything he picked, Shaye wouldn't be totally broken hearted. He'd love them even if their name would be Augusta or Boris or even Dorcas.

It was amazing how such a tiny thing could grow within a nine month span. What was just the size of a peanut was just over nineteen or twenty inches now. On top of that, it was something that feelings, emotions, and most definitely an unruly sleep time. The last several nights reeked havoc on Ainsley's sleep time, and she seemed to only get sleep during the day. At night she would just simply get up and walk around a little bit, occasionally walking out onto the beach where it seemed to calm down this little being inside of her. As odd of an idea as it was, it worked. The sound of the ocean and breeze within the trees seemed to help. Maybe they just needed to move to a beach and live there until she gives birth? Like that would happen though.

His hand on her growing stomach was a warm spot to her, and felt wonderful, if that would be a word to describe. She smiled with happiness as she saw Shaye's face brighten up as the sight of feeling the kicks and movement of their little sea monkey. This just made her believe even more that they were ready for this little person to come into their lives. "Now if only our little person could get on a sleep schedule that would work with momma here." she said with a little laugh. She was getting tired of the restless nights. The motion of Shaye's fingers against her light, smooth skin was calming and enticing. It made her see how much he could not wait to be a father, and this excited her. She reminisced in her mind about the last five years, seeing where they've come and where they're at now.

As for whether their baby was a boy or girl, sure Ainsley favored one or another. Didn't everyone? She really hoped for a girl so she wouldn't be outnumbered by boys, but on the other hand, one of them was going to be outnumbered no matter what. She had name ideas, of course. Kaeden, Karley, Lilly, and more, but she didn't even know what she was having anyway, at least at the moment.

She laughed as Shaye told her the story of him thinking he was superman jumping off the shed. He then promised never to let their child do that though she wasn't convinced. You never know what Mr. Shaye Walker would do. She loved the surprise moments she got from him. They always amazed her. "Oh Shaye! If you would have gotten hurt that wouldn't have been good at all. You sure seem like you were a daredevil as a kid." she said. If he tried to jump off a shed roof now she probably would freak out. She needed a father for her baby, not a crippled one. Then, he told her exactly what he had done....tripping on a rug. She tried her hardest not to laugh, but ended up laughing a little with him. Ainsley knew Shaye was not the most graceful of people, neither was she. Now Ainsley would just get paranoid over rugs fearing for her life when she would go over them now. After picking up the letter, she knew somehow Shaye felt bad for her picking up the letter. The problem with bending down was just the drop of weight. All that extra weight was in front of her, and pulled her down like gravity when she bent down. She had a similar issue when on her back too. She felt like baby was suffocating her a bit and now had to sleep at an angle if on her back so it didn't feel that way as much, or she had to sleep on one of her sides.

Soon came the kiss that Shaye led into. It was deep and passionate, something she hadn't gotten in awhile now. Sometimes she felt like Shaye was afraid she was going to break if he hugged or kissed her. She wasn't going to. She just had a giant tumor on the front of her that was hard as a boulder and had a baby growing inside of it. Her eyes closed as she fell into the kiss, keeping it going with him as he let it linger onward. She missed some of the intimacy they used to have. She just wanted one night of it. Once the kiss ended, she just wanted to keep going, but she let it go as he did.

Hawaii was such a beautiful place. The gorgeous foliage, clear ocean, and variety in wildlife, as well as the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Before going out, she slipped her shorts off, as well as her shirt. She was ready to hit the beach. As they say, flaunt what you've got, and even though she wasn't at her best, this belly of hers was like a deadly weapon. She could probably use it to knock somebody out if she had to, in theory anyway. She had her Hurley brand bikini underneath, exposing her belly for what it was. Ainsley had been using stretch mark cream the whole pregnancy, and boy did it smell good too, so the stretch marks weren't very visible, though a little. Her own battle wounds she would have for the rest of her life. She planned to go workout some after the baby is born so she can slim back down though. Out of the house they went, Shaye leading the way, her hand still connected to his the whole way. She listened to Shaye as he made a comment about how beautiful it was in Hawaii. "It really is. Makes me wish we had a beach in our backyard at home in Indiana." she added onto his comment. The smell of salty sea water filled her nose. It was a sweet, but salty smell she could feel in her mouth, and the ocean breeze was nice with the hot weather.

She came to the swing down on the beach, sand going in between her toes as she made her way through the sand. Then, with some help from Shaye, she sat down. This was getting old though. She just wanted to sit down by herself without needed help, watching as Shaye then sat down beside her. It was true, it reminded her dearly of the day they got married and were sitting on that swing at his mother's house. Speaking of it, then had a little girl come up to them too that day. Maybe that was a sign, and look at them now, on the beach with their child, though not in the arms as of yet, but there in spirit and being though. She turned a little to put her back into Shaye's side to take some weight off of her back. She wrapped his arm around her and let it rest on her exposed belly so it wouldn't get tired resting on the swing. Her one hand laid ontop of his as her other brought the envelope forward. Shaye asked if she was scared to find out what they were going to have. In a way, she was. What if it was a girl and Shaye didn't want that? Would he reject her for it? What if it was a boy and Shaye pressed it in her face or if the kid got older, would leave her out of everything? It was crazy for such thoughts to cross her mind, but they did.

As a matter of fact, she remembered at one point saying they would give Shaye's mother a call when they did find out. The fact is, they hadn't though about opening the envelope until now. They had put the envelope in the back of their minds for a couple months now. Shaye's mother was like the mother figure Ainsley never had, and loved her dearly. She had even desired to come to two of her ultrasound appointments earlier in the pregnancy when Shaye had to deal with his job and couldn't get off. She loved his mother, and that's what counted the most. Ainsley knew she'd be a great G-Ma, grandma, Grammy, Me Ma, whatever you would like to call it. G-Ma did seem sort of gangster like though. "I don't think I'm scared. Just sort of nervous about it, not saying that it matters whether we get a little girl or boy. It doesn't matter to me. As long as it's a healthy little girl or boy. That's all we should care about." she said, turning her head to look at him with a gentle smile and bright ocean eyes. "Plus, i suppose we can call this our little anniversary present." she said, before looking back at the envelope. "No matter what, our baby will the most beautiful thing and our most cherished present." she said. "Let's do this." she added.

She started to undo the sealing on the envelope, taking the piece of paper out of it, a picture of their baby inside as well. She looked at the picture for a moment, a tear of happiness from her eyes. She just couldn't believe how far they have come since nearly nine months ago and even five years ago. It was just incredible. She then set the picture aside as she opened up the note, an expression of delight and excitement on her face as she turned toward Shaye showing him the letter in better view so he could see it more. Ainsley and Shaye's little monkey is going to be a......

"Well papa bear will take some night shifts." He said jokingly to Ainsley. Shaye really wanted to be there for both her and the baby when the time came. If it meant spending half the night up or changing diaper after diaper then so be it. He'd be there for both of them till the end. His responsibility was to protect them right? There had been no doubt that he would be on her beck and call once things went under way. Shaye was willing to do anything for Ainsley, whatever her heart desired because she deserved it. He gave Ainsley a pick peck on the cheek as he kept his hand on her stomach and the other intertwined with her's.

He hadn't known the effect his touch had been doing to Ainsley. He was still that innocent little boy she met five year previous. Sometimes he felt like he truly hadn't grown up that much since then. He still liked his video games, joked around and trying to understand what Ainsley wanted or not. He just wanted to have everything alright, to have her happy and to hopefully have this baby healthy and alive. He resisted the urge to poke her belly and start to baby talk towards it. As much as that would be something he may do, Ainsley might not have appreciated it.

"It wasn't as much as I was a daredevil, more that my imagination ran wild. If I hadn't had Spencer I may have been in lala land and a ton of super hero friends and no actual friends. We'd have a justice league of some sorts I think. Who wouldn't want to be a super hero?" He laughed along side with his wife. Shaye wouldn't dare to let his children, assuming she wanted more, do that but he had done so without his mother noticing till he was on the ground. Kids got sneaky that way, he should know.

The look on her face after he told her he tripped on the rug made him worry. Ever since she got pregnant her expressions were easier to read and more expressive. Not that he thought it was hard, just sometimes he felt unsure about what kind of mood she'd be in. Shaye was just accident prone and never really cared if he got injured, Ainsley at the moment had been his first priority to keep out of harm's way. Running his hand down her back he wanted to comfort her and tell her he'd make sure that there wasn't anything to be worried about. "It's just a rug that won the battle but not the war. I'll make sure it'll not be in your way, I am your prince charming. Nothing to do any harm to princess Ainsley." It was a promise he'd make sure stayed strong. Shaye would always be there, to protect her and to love her.

They settled on the bench and Shaye hadn't been so relaxed or calm in his life. As Ainsley had rested herself along his side, he shifted so she could be more comfortable. Eight months pregnant must have been a killer on her. Shaye never knew or well ever know what it'd be like if he had to carry everything like she had. How her body changed never changed how he viewed her. Shaye loved every new bit about his wife even the large stomach. His arm rested on her shoulder as she started to reply to his question. He kissed her forehand as Ainsley looked up at him. Her gorgeous blue eyes always drew him in and left him lost in them. Blue eyes met blue eyes, it had been a match made in heaven.

His heart stopped as she showed him the letter. This as it, they'd know what they were having and he wasn't sure if he was ready. The last few months were grueling to wait in anticipation and now here were the results. His eyes scanned over the gibberish as he looked to see the gender. There. Shaye's eyes stopped when he read it. They were having a baby girl. Momentarily shocked, he just sat there and took it in. His arm was stiff against Ainsley's shoulder. As she was full of excitement he just couldn't believe he was about to have a baby girl. Tears started to gather in his eyes but he hadn't wanted to cry, especially in front of Ainsley. Pulling himself upright, he brought her closer and kissed Ainsley soundly on the lips. He just loved her so much and the same went for their little princess in the making. He never expected to react like this. Maybe the roles should have been reversed but her Shaye lied with his wife on the verge of tears because he had never been so happy in his life. "It's a girl, A girl!" He said as he broke the kiss.

Peter Pan was the story of the boy who never wanted to grow up. He wanted to stay a kid forever. Problem is, everyone has to grow up at some point. Ainsley has always loved that childish, joking side of Shaye. It’s the Shaye she has known since the beginning that she loved the most and still is to this day. The papa bear comment made her smile in every single way. She guessed she was the momma bear then and now baby bear was coming soon. Maybe they would have those three bowls of porridge and those beds and chairs as the story goes? She definitely wanted the hot porridge and the softest bed though. Especially right now.

She knew that she wanted to be the best mother she could possibly be and have it be better than when she was growing up. Ainsley’s mother died shortly after she gave birth to her, so she never really had a mother figure in her life growing up. Ainsley knew this baby would be dearly loved and she knew in her heart Shaye would be the most affectionate and loving father than any other man she had ever seen. Maybe it was that affectionate, loving side of him that reassured her as so? That caring, protective side to him was very reassuring on top of that. The small kiss on her cheek made her smile even more.

When it came to his dare devilish tactics of sorts, it did make her realize how much of an imagination he really had. She was beginning to imagine now what he would have been like without the Spencer influence, and that was a little bit of a scary thought...in a funny way. As for the rug, that was a different story. She did think it was funny when he said the rug won the battle, but not the war. It sounded like a THIS IS SPARTA! sort of moment in a way, just without the Gerard Butler voice.

As they were on the swing, the moment had come to find out if they were going to have a son or daughter. Either way it was very exciting and the expression on Ainsley’s face blossomed with happiness. Bright ocean hued eyes sparkled as they saw the paper, then showed it to Shaye. They were having a girl! These last few months had come down to this very moment. In a way, it was good that they had left it to now. It was like a big anniversary present they never expected, and something that would be memorable for years to come after this little monkey came. She could easily feel the excitement in his voice as he announced after seeing the paper, seeing that this little sea monkey swimming inside was hers. She felt him pulling her in closer, lips touching hers as the kiss began. “A girl it is!” she said in reply after the kiss. “I can’t believe it!” she continued, excitement very obvious is her voice.

“Our little munchkin...” she began before breaking off for a moment, her eyes gazing upon her belly as her hands began to rub all over it. She turned herself so she could face Shaye more so. “Shaley...how about Shaley for her name?...Like Shaye and Ainsley...but together...” she questioned. She leaned into him, arms wrapped loosely around his neck and back as she went in for a passionate, deep, loving kiss, as to say ‘I love you more than anything else right now’. After a little bit of time, she let go of the kiss for a second to speak. “I love you just so, so much, my sweet prince.” she said, her eyes looking into him with that loving look within them. She hadn’t felt this much love since ever. It went above and beyond what it had ever been.

“I think we should do something to celebrate tonight. What do you think?” she asked, a smile on her lips as wide as the eye could see. It was such a momentous occasion. Not only was it their wedding anniversary, but it was the beginning of the next stage of their life to come. She nudged him lovingly. “Let’s go.” she said. She was determined to get up herself without any help. Shaye did too much and she felt like she never did enough to pay him back.

Ainsley eventually got up. She straightened herself up, hands on her back helping support it. She looked to Shaye, facing him, a look of innocence on her face. Oddly though, a minute or two later, she felt a small pain in her belly. It was odd. Maybe they were just braxton hicks contractions? Nothing serious, just practice for the real thing. Ainsley looked away for a moment as another came, but seemed to stop afterwards. Her gaze went back to Shaye. “I think I need to go lay down for a little bit, I could always use a nice, warm pillow to snuggle up to...” she mentioned, winking once afterwards.

"That's ummm....that's a nice name choice." He said, trying to think of a different way to give hope to other names. Shayle sounded like a name of a kid doomed to be teased. Shaye hadn't wanted to disappoint Ainsley, especially since she was pregnant and hormonal but he already had a few names he'd like to give a chance. "I kind of like Katie, Kimberly or even Madison." His hand started to play with the end of her hair as he waited to her approval of the names he gave. He'd be interested in some that she may have stored away for when they decided to think of some for their child. "What kind of names had you in mind?" Leaning his head forward, he kissed the back of her head.

Once she shifted to face him more, Shaye's hand left her hair and waited till she got comfortable before he wrapped them around her back. As she kissed him, he kissed her back with as much intensity. He really loved Ainsley dearly and wouldn't change anything in their marriage. The good and the bad, everything. "I love you so much my darling." He replied while his lips brushed against her's while doing so. He looked into Ainsley's eyes and Shaye couldn't help but get lost in them all over again. Even though she had been pregnant, she always was beautiful to him no matter what.

When she got up, he reluctantly let her do it herself. He wanted to help her get up or anything she was doing. It was silly really, Ainsley was able to do things still for herself and he knew that but Shaye wanted to help ease things for her. Shaye got up and stood next to her as he thought of things they could do for their anniversary. "Well if you're up to it, I thought it'd be nice to maybe go out tonight and eat at a little restaurant and maybe head back here and walk along the beach. Star gaze even? It's up to you Ainsley." He had it already planned out but if she just wanted to stay back then he was totally fine with that. Nothing could ruin their night.

A smirk played along his lips once she said she could use warm pillow. He knew what she meant. He got behind Ainsley and wrapped his hands around her middle but could reach his other hand. Nudging his head into the crook of her neck he planted a kiss before he said "I think I can help with that." He awaited to be brought along back into the house for some loving from his loving wife.

Katie....it had a nice ring to it. It was beautiful, but playful and childish, all at the same time. The name brought a smile to her lips as she sat there. They had a name for this little being that was going to brighten, and terrorize, their world in several weeks. She could feel him playing around with her long, wavy blonde hair now. It was childish, but she couldn’t help but love it. She loved that kid-like side to him. A kiss was felt against her head not long after. It was one of those moments that Ainsley couldn’t help but blush like a little schoolgirl with a crush. “I think Katie would be perfect for our little munchkin. I couldn’t have thought of a better name myself.” she said.

Ainsley couldn’t help but love when he would kiss her, though in this case, he seemed to be getting rather ahead of himself as he kissed her more intensely than ever. ”I love you so much my darling.” she listened to him say softly to her. “I love you more.” she said, so soft, but sincere in every single way. More kisses were gently planted against her lips, like little roses blossoming. Temptation for more, but a teaser for the future. Shaye’s eyes were a wonder, how easy it was to just stare into them and continually wonder, mostly about what he was thinking about.

Once she had gotten up, standing was beginning to become a chore, but when Shaye got up, it seemed like it all didn’t matter anymore. ”Well, if you’re up to it, I thought it’d be nice to maybe go out tonight and eat at a little restaurant, and maybe head back here and walk along the beach. Star gaze even? It’s up to you Ainsley.” she heard him say. “That sounds wonderful. You are the most romantic man I’ve even known, or well, the only one I know.” she said with a small laugh. It was true, Shaye had been her only boyfriend, and husband her whole life.

------------------------------------------

Maybe it was the raging hormones that made her want to do things she hadn’t done for nine months...or well, the reason why she was as big as a house now. Really, it didn’t matter to her right now. It had been a long day, or atleast in Ainsley’s mind. Probably because of the constant lack of energy she had. She felt his hands wrap completely around her middle, across the hemisphere known as little Katie now. She did wonder how his arms reached all the way around. He had to have had arms of Mr. Fantastic to do that. She laid her hands on top of his, as his head went into the crook of her neck, a kiss laid upon her as he responded with ”I think I can help with that.” It was enticing, what a temptation in her mind.

She left go, taking his one hand in hers, making her way back to the house. Once the doors were closed, she started to lead him to the bedroom, giving him a few small kisses, just to tease along the way. It was a turn on, and since it had been nearly six months since their last bit of intimacy like this, temptation became more than that now. The only thing in the way was that belly of hers.

Suddenly, there was a big thud and Ainsley was on the ground. She had slipped on the rug. “Ow!” she said, trying to laugh it off afterwards. There was this wild guess in the back of her mind that told her this was probably the rug that his lovely husband had kissed earlier with his face. It totally ruined the feeling, but she was hurting more at the moment than she cared for. Luckily, she landed on her bottom. Unluckily though, she had tried to catch herself with her bad hand, a not so great idea, and that began to hurt. She looked up to Shaye with those darling, loving eyes of hers, trying to hide the pain she felt from her hand. “Let me guess....is this the rug you so happened to fall on earlier?” she questioned. Knowing the answer was pretty obvious, she was good at wild guesses. She outstretched her legs and feet in front of her, hands and arms behind her back on the floor supporting her. She put more support toward her good hand rather than bad. She shook her bad hand a little, the pain starting to subside. “I think I have a boo boo.” she said, laughing. Gosh, she was turning into a child herself. Shaye was changing her. She wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing in one way. She laughed a little at the thought. “I don’t suppose you could kiss it to make it feel better, could you?” she asked, an alluring smile curling up along her lips, those eyes of ocean hue sparkling with the light that shone through the beach house.

When she fell to the ground, he had been momentarily stunned. Shaye just stared at his wife who sat outstretched on the floor. His mind had buzzed about how she ended up there. At one moment they kissing and being led to the bedroom and the next she ended up on the floor. He saw the crumpled up rug the lay under Ainsley and figured that the evil rug was behind all this. She confirmed his thoughts as she looked up towards him and asked about the rug. His eyes softened at the scene of her on the floor, she seemed to be alright but he was worried if she hurt and just hiding it from him. Shaye could understand if she was, he had been overly protective of her; he just wanted to be her knight in shining armor or her superman. The thought of ripping his shirt and revealing he was a super hero had played in his mind and he wanted it to be true. 'That'd be cool.' He thought childishly before bending down in front of Ainsley.

He started to laugh as she said she had a boo boo. Ainsley was acting all innocent and he started to wonder if she knocked her head on the floor as well. His hand stretched out and pulled her hair behind her ear. He loved her blonde hair, it was always soft and he liked playing with it. Shaye's hand lingered on the side of her face, his palm rested on her cheek and his thumb moved soothingly against her skin. He hoped she really wasn't hurt, that she was alright and so was their child. Shaye couldn't helped being a worrywart lately. He saw the look in her eye and the smile that played on her lips. Maybe the moment that they had shared moment before really hadn't passed. The same smile played on his lips as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead before letting his rest against her's.

"I can help you with that, just call me Doctor Shaye." He laughed quietly not wanting to ruin the mood. Sometime's he needed to install a filter before he talked. Shaye sounded like the goofy boy he used to be, the guy who Ainsley met the day of their wedding. Had he even changed? His hand slipped from the side of her face as both his arms stretched down and his hands touched the floor or the evil rug. Shaye kissed her lips briefly before staring at his beautiful wife. She was beautiful to him in any shape or form, even as she sat helpless;y on the floor. "I love you Ainsley." He whispered on her lips and kissed her once again hungrily. It definitely had been a long time since they were this close and he hadn't wanted a tumble to ruin this moment.

As much as he wanted to continue kissing her, the floor wasn't the most comfortable place to get all cozy with his wife. It may have been worst for her since she was pregnant. He wanted her to be comfortable it had been what she deserved. Reluctantly he moved and broke the kiss. Getting up, Shaye helped Ainsley as well. Shaye rubbed her back as she stood next to him and held her closely to him. He wanted to carry on but he wanted to make sure she really was ok. "Are you really ok?" He asked quietly, his blue eyes stared into her's as he waited for a response.

Ainsley watched with gently eyes as Shaye down to meet her face to face, level with her. She could easily see what seemed to be frustration in Shaye’s eyes, but what seemed to soften up at her sight. Ainsley was definitely a sight to see at the moment, sprawled out on the floor of the beach house, legs in all directions, her growing belly the sore thumb of it all. She couldn’t help but laugh though. There was a small part of her that wanted to play some sort of joke on Shaye, but she couldn’t justify it as she heard the laughter of Shaye now. Her eyes looked into his with endearment and pure joy. A smile from ear to ear.

There was no secret concussion. She didn’t hit her head on the floor, just her bottom. Not only did her hand hurt, but her pride was hurt too. She hated when things like this happened, for the fact that she didn’t like to be embarrassed. However, it was different when she was around Shaye. He appeared to not care, as long as she wasn’t hurt in the end, and always made her feel better. She looked to Shaye as his hand pulled some of her long, wavy blonde hair behind her ear. Ainsley did nothing special to her hair, it’s just as it was. Wavy, long, and blonde is all there is to describe it in her mind. She blushed a little bit as he pulled her hair back a bit, the palm of his hand then resting on her cheek. Her eyes closed briefly, the soft touch of his hand along her face, thumb moving in a gentle fashion against her blushing cheeks.

Why did she still feel so nervous in front of Shaye still? For goodness sake, they’ve been married for five years. She thought she’d be past this all, but yet, she really wasn’t. He felt his lips press against hers, kissing with just as much passion as he did, letting her forehead lean against his as he let his against hers. Shaye apparently now had his M.D. license now, giggling along with him as he said he was Doctor Shaye. To Ainsley, Shaye was still the old Shaye she knew back years ago. Still joking and fun, but a little awkward on the side. She never wanted Shaye to change. She still loved every little quirk about him. That’s what made him unique.

She felt his hand from the side of her face as he appeared to adjust himself on the floor. ”I love you Ainsley.” rang in her ears as he kissed her, kissing her afterwards, but with much more intensity and passion, which she returned with. “I love you most, more than anything.” she said softly after he had broken away the kiss, whispering it into his ear, invitingly.

Gosh, being pregnant was a chore of it’s own. The extra weight meant extra pressure on her back, and even though it was a lot of effort to get up, she really needed to. To be honest, she really needed a posture pedic bed right at the moment. She got up with help from Shaye. Once she caught her balance getting up, she felt Shaye rubbing against her back. It actually felt quite nice, considering all the weight she carried extra for the last eight and a half months almost. Katie was approving of it too as Ainsley could feel her moving around in that cramped space of her body. She felt closeness with Shaye there, being held close to him. “I’m alright. My bad hand just hurts a little bit.” she replied, voice soft, and quiet, blue eyes gazing into his as they stood there. “Nothing that Doctor Shaye can’t fix though.” she said alluringly. After standing there for a little bit, she took his one hand, taking him along with her as she lead him to the bedroom, door closing behind them. This was the best anniversary to date, and it was only going to get better, especially in a few weeks.

The days came and went, as did the weeks. They came home from their little anniversary vacation, and things went into overdrive. It was ‘get ready for Katie to make her appearance’ time. Especially as the countdown came down to nearly fourteen days. The nursery was done, with only a few minor things left to do with it. An flyaway bird theme was decided on, and Ainsley loved everything she found for that room, despite the fact that it was hard for her to help. It seemed as though Shaye either rejected her help, or she just purely didn’t have the energy to do it. She felt irritable anymore, and just was ready to get this all over and done with. The smallest things made her react, even though she didn’t mean it.

Soon enough, Father's Day of all days (June 18th), Ainsley went into labor around two in the morning, and so, the rush to the hospital began. She wasn't sure if Shaye was flustered or just excited for this little person to join their little harem, the baby bird in their empty nest. She had just gone to the kitchen to find something to snack on after another completely restless and sleepless night when the contractions started. She yelled out for Shaye, and before she knew it, she was at the hospital, getting ready for little Katie to enter the world.

Beads of sweat were across her forehead as time went on, the pain becoming more and more intense. Eventually, she was able to get the epidural, and that calmed things down a bit. All she wanted was Shaye close by the whole time, her hand outstretched for him to take. She laid on her side a bit, which took the pressure off of her back, atleast for now. "I suppose you'll be able to take Father's Day in stride, won't you?" she said, a small smile across her lips. The sounds of machines and the thumping noises of the heart monitor on baby Katie filled the room. Time passed rather quickly though, because before they knew it, it was time to push. She beared down and pushed best she could. After nearly two hours, Ainsley was exhausted, a look of defeat on her face. Tired and exhausted, but she had to keep going. She could hear words of encouragement from around her. After another ten minutes or so, the sounds of a baby's cries filled the room. Ainsley couldn't help but cry. Cry in a good way of course. It was finally over, nearly nine months of being a blimp and here it was. She looked to Shaye for a moment, bright blue eyes meeting his. "Happy Father's Day." she said, rather quietly, but enough for him to hear. She was a mommy now, something she never had in her life, and now she was able to live it.

Once she was all cleaned up and everything, she gave Shaye a kiss before nudging Shaye a little bit to go over and watch Katie. From the first time she saw her, she instantly loved her. Dark brown hair, obviously a Shaye trait, as Ainsley only had blonde in her family. Bright blue eyes, an obvious trait of them both that only made her more beautiful. Plus, it was his turn to bond with their daughter as she was the one who experience it all carrying her for nearly nine months. Now Shaye would have a little playmate for when he goes around the house playing with that toy lightsaber of his, playing Star Wars. He would have his own Padawan Learner now. She laughed a little at the thought before putting her head back into the fluffy pillow on her bed. Once things calmed down, it was just her, Shaye, and little Katie in the room, the nurse checking to make sure everything was okay before letting them to their own demise. "How does it feel to be a father now, my love?" she asked, a smile curled up along her lips. The moment Katie was born made Ainsley love Shaye even more intensely than before. She never felt so much love in her life, and now their little family was complete with the addition of Katie.

He stayed with her as long as she needed him by her side. There wasn't going to be anything that stopped him from being beside Ainsley as she was giving birth to their first child, their daughter. Shaye kissed the hand he held and tried to give encouraging words to help her in any shape or form. This was it, they were going to be parents, proud parents and he felt anxious and excited at the same time. His fears of being like his father were long gone because he knew that he'd never leave Ainsley and never leave poor Katie for her to raise alone. He was in no shape or form to be like him, Shaye was dead set in that way of thinking.

As soon as she started to push he felt his hand being squeezed but his mind had been focusing on other things that he let it slide. It was fine if he couldn't feel anything for the moment, all he wanted was to make sure she knew he was there and that he'd hold her hand till the end. As time went by he tried to keep her spirits high and hoped that it'd all end and that they would be alright. Shaye could tell she was finished, that this was more then she could bare. Then it came, the sound of a screaming baby. A smile plastered on his face as it all happened. Secretly he had hoped he wouldn't be one of those fathers that fainted after the birthing of their child. It actually scared him that it could happen, he hadn't told Ainsley that. All she needed was for something like to plague her before she went through with this. No Shaye stood tall and managed to get through it all and was proud for once in his life. They had a baby, something they created together and brought into the world.

Once she looked up at him, his face slacked into a more loving gaze. If it were possible he loved Ainsley even more then he already had. Stupidly, he said "Happy mother's day." He knew it wasn't and it just slipped out before he could stop himself. Bur she should have known what he meant, it wasn't about him as it had about her and Katie. They were a family now, a complete set. He bent forward and kissed her forehead lovingly before giving a quick to her lips. Shaye couldn't believe that nine months had passed by so quickly and that everything was coming to full force. He let things get cleaned up and waited while staying out of the way. All he needed to do was get in the way and goof around when not needed.

Shaye stepped to the side as he got out of the way for Ainsley to see their Katie. The little delicate creature seemed like the perfect combination of the two them. She had his bundle of brown hair and he hoped it wouldn't become like his as it grew out, sticking out in odd places or worst a cow lick. To Shaye she looked like she had Ainsley's nose and lips, perfect in their own little way. His eyes traveled from Katie to Ainsley as he watched her stare at their little bundle of joy. It had all started setting in now that Katie was here. Shaye's hand lightly touched Ainsley's back and rubbed small circles. The little nursery they had set up at home was ready for their little princess and he hoped she'd like it and that she would like having them as her parents. He had not been too disappointed when she said no the star wars theme room, he joked that it wasn't girly enough for Ainsley but he really liked what they had decided on.

After she asked how he felt about being a father Shaye took a few seconds to think of the right word. Fantastic, amazing, exhilarating were one of the few he had automatically thought of. He was almost speechless as to what he wanted to use to describe this whole experience. "It's the best feeling in the world." Shaye couldn't have thought of any better way to put. His mother had thrown some sense into his noggin, he wasn't always full of jokes for once. Shaye slowly let his hand move towards the resting Katie and gently touched her cheek before he moved it. Katie was beautiful as was Ainsley. He had been lucky to be her husband and now Katie's father. "How does it feel to be a mommy?" He turned towards Ainsley and kissed her softly on the lips before he'd let her answer. It had been an automatic response but he couldn't stop himself. He let his forehead rest against her as soon as he broke the kiss.

Life is precious...beautiful to say to least. It’s funny, life starts as a little thing, and grows to be this big thing that revolves around one’s self as time goes on. It may start as a single cell, but grows into millions upon trillions more as months go by. Then, the countdown begins, and finally, that once single cell is now a living being, brought into this harsh, and cruel work without choice or reason. However, the best part about it is the love and affection this being, infant, gets from its parents that brought him or her into this world. There’s a reason why when that little kid asks “How are babies born?”, the reply is “Well, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much...” and the story goes on. The result of it, an innocent child only wanting love and affection, all from the start. This is exactly how Ainsley and Shaye were and are. There was nothing else more to describe it.

They were complete, three peas in a pod, the Three Musketeers, whatever you would care to put in there for three human beings. It was no longer just Ainsley and Shaye or Shaye and Ainsley. It was now Shaye, Ainsley, and little Katie. Amazing, though isn’t it how you go through all this pain and practically want to hurt someone verbally and physically in the process of it all, but when that pain is finally gone, there was this feeling of love for this little person they didn’t even know yet? Hours of hardcore labor and delivery for this little person they barely knew, but had been incubating herself in Ainsley for nearly nine months. Amazing it really is in its entirety. All Shaye and Ainsley could do is get pictures of their little seamonkey and just feel and touch the bulbous belly that kept growing for all those months. Even through that, there was a bond that couldn’t be broken. Every kick, every little movement when Katie would shift within. There was an instant bond.

As the birth ended, and little Katie was revealed, she could see the loving gaze that came about Shaye as he said “Happy mother’s day.” She couldn’t help but smile. It had been so long since she had smiled in such a way. Sure, she smiled every day, but this smile was different from the others. It was confirmed now as Shaye bent forward toward her, closing her eyes as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, and then a kiss on the lips in which she returned gently. The love she had for Shaye now was even more endearment and deep affection that she had ever before. She felt connected to say the least, that they were fully on the right page, now and forever.

The tears just started streaming the moment that little bundle of joy, wrapped in pink blankets and a little pink hat, whimpering and almost near the point of crying,was brought to her by one of the nurses. Ainsley was a little nervous, for she didn’t want to drop or hold little Katie wrongly. A look of nervousness came about her that was definitely obvious. Katie seemed to calm down a lot once in Ainsley’s arms, the nurse correcting Ainsley as to how to hold her. Once she got it right, the room fell quiet as the nurses cleared out after everything was cleaned up and back to normal. Ainsley couldn’t take her eyes off of Katie, but if they did, her gaze instinctively went to Shaye, blue eyes sparkling with excitement now. She kissed little Katie on the forehead, their daughter’s little eyes opening for a minute or two before closing again, revealing those beautiful ocean blue eyes, quite similar to Shaye’s more than Ainsley’s. They were more of a neon blue than a sky blue, where Ainsley’s were very much a sky blue or light blue color. Katie’s had some contrast, comparable to Shaye’s. That dark hair of hers, beautiful in every way. It wasn’t blonde, but it didn’t bother her. It was kind of spiky, going in different directions, but that didn’t matter to Ainsley at all. It didn’t make her love Katie any less.

One of her hands came to Katie’s one hand, the born instinct to grab on with those even tinier hands to one of her fingers. She looked to Shaye as she felt a hand of his lightly rubbing her back as she sat up in bed holding little Katie. It felt like the best thing ever after nine months of all of the back pain she had, and now she was just sore from the delivery. She smiled up at her husband as he was rubbing her back, a look of gratitude about her face. No words were needed.

As for the answer to her question, she couldn’t help but smile at it. Exhilarating was definitely a good word for this whole situation. ”It’s the best feeling in the world.” she heard him say in reply. It truly was, even as a mother’s now she felt the same way. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his hand creep forward, touching Katie’s tiny, little squished cheeks as Katie yawned a little bit. Ainsley bent forward and kissed her on the cheek in that loving sort of way. It was like that motherly instinct had already kicked in, the minute she was born, and now it was going full force. Now the question was posed to her as she watched him turn to her, kissing her on the lips in that passionate, romantic way she always loved the most. Her eyes closed for a moment as he kissed her, her eyes opening as they stared into his with a loving gaze when the kiss ended and his forehead rested against hers. She was the luckiest girl in the world. She had the most amazing husband, and now the most amazing family she ever had, something she has lacked her whole life. With her mother having died shortly after Ainsley’s birth, she lacked that mother figure, and her father was absent in her entire life being. Her life was complete now, and now Katie had a family to love and cherish. Ainsley’s answer was truthful and complete though.“Like nothing I’ve ever felt before...”

The future is inevitable. It comes and goes, but the future is always uncertain. Any small thing can change what has or will be set. The changes go with the decisions made, and the reactions that are perceived and revealed. As for the future of Shaye and Ainsley, it is always uncertain. There is always twists and turns, but that’s life. No one can truly tell how the future will turn out to be, and that is all that can be said. All anyone can do is just simply wait and see. As Walt Disney once said “Keep moving forward” and with the future, new and wonderful things will come....



End of thread. -cries-