Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/RB/Index.html

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**  **  ** Meanwhile @ Western Heart Memorial Hospital **  **  ** "SASHA SPEAKING"

"Ma'am..." The Nurse said gently as I looked up from the forms I had been filling out for the better part of an hour. "Would you like to hold the baby?"

"Really?" I asked and smiling so wide my face almost hurt. Seeing Cara's baby, a girl by the way just as Ms. Paddington has predicted, in the nurses arms. I moved beside her and watched her grin or what I thought was a grin and shift in the blanket. "She is so perfect."

"She's gonna be a heartbreaker" Nancy said, the nurse that is. "Hold her?"

"I don't wanna break her" I said as she laughed gently and laid her in my arms.

"Hold her head like this" Nancy said. "You're a natural."

"Hey baby, hey Cara's perfect little angel" I said as the baby, no name yet, seemed perfectly content in my arms. What a wonderful feeling that is.

"Have you and your...partner?"

"Friends, maybe more" I said. "She's kinda everything to me now."

"Name? You need one" She said as she adjusted the baby's blanket. "Any thoughts?"

"How about Fred?" I asked as Nancy laughed.

"So no thoughts just yet?" Nancy asked. Me thinking briefly about the Jamie Lynn name Cara had mentioned but pushing it from my mind as to not get my hopes up.

"No, we seriously haven't talked about it" I said. "Is Cara OK?"

"Still resting, just like the last 20 times you asked about her" Nancy said as I blushed. "She came through it like a trooper."

"She did, and I'm still hyper, on my god what an experience" I said as the adrenaline surged through me once again. "I may never sleep again."

"Trust me you will" She said. "How about you let me have the little bundle of joy and you go check on your friend?"

"Yeh, and don't you start missing me, cause kid your my world now too" I said as I looked down at her. Kissing her forehead as she shifted and whined a little as I laughed. "Already mad at me."

"You woke her up" Nancy said as I laughed. Handing her back to Nancy and taking a deep breath and heading back into Cara's room.

"MMMMMMMM oh god what happened?" Cara asked as she slowly awoke from her slumber just as I came into the room. "My baby? Is she OK?"

"Hey little Mama" I said with a huge smile and sitting down on the edge of the bed and taking her hand. "How's my girl?"

"I'm not your girl and where's my baby" She snapped as I released her hand.

"Cara she's OK, she's perfect I was just holding her" I said as Cara took a deep breath and held her stomach. "You OK?"

"Yeh as good as I can be" She said but to my surprise putting her hand back over mine. "Don't be mad at me, I'm just really sore I'm even sure what I'm saying."

"It's OK little Mama" I said as I kissed the back of her hand before she pulled me towards her and let me lay down next to her. Her giving me a smile that said more than words could ever. "You got a brand new baby girl Cara Aguilera."

"I know, and she's grounded" Cara said as I laughed so hard my sides hurt. "What?"

"You're so funny" I said as Cara blushed. "Speaking of...names?"

"Yeh, Sasha the second" Cara said as I laughed again.

"Seriously"

"My brain is fried right now" She said. "Only name I can think of is Jamie Lynn."

"Jamie Lynn?" I asked with a huge blushing smile. "After you?"

"And you...my...ummmmm...my girl" She said as my heart raced. Her lacing her fingers with mine and kissing my cheek. "You've been so good to me, I could never have done it without you."

"Jamie Lynn Aguilera, that's so beautiful" I said as Cara smiled and agreed. "So that's it?"

"I think so, give her both our names and she'll be holy hell in diapers" Cara said as we both laughed.

"I'm so looking forward to that" I said as Cara yawned and agreed. "You still tired?"

"MMMMMMMMM yeh" She said as she yawned again. "You tired too?"

"Actually yeh" I said as I followed her yawn with one of my own. Cara pulling the blanket up a little and inviting me to slip under the covers with her, which I did after kicking off my shoes. I can't remember anytime in my life when I've slept better than with Cara's head laying against mine and me still holding her hand. Everything in the world is perfect right now.

**  **  ** Meanwhile @ Kim's Place **  **  ** "KIM SPEAKING"

"You let Connie know your leaving?" Val asked as I came to the top of the steps were she now stood with car keys in hand.

"Yeh Connie's cool" I said as we both laughed. Signaling the opening of my little sisters door as she appeared in her body length pajama's with a mean look on her face. "What are you doing up?"

"You woke me up" Gemini said with a mean looking finger point. "You a cheeseburger."

"Then go back to bed"

"Where you two go, you got keys" Gemini asked as she spied Val's car keys. I'm constantly amazed at how clued in she is sometimes. "You go bye bye?"

"Yeh we'll be back before you get out of bed, now go" I said as Gemini whined and pushed my hands away.

"Nooooo can I go?" Gemini asked in her most pleading voice. "I be good."

"No, Mom's in bed and you need to be too" I said as Gemini looked to Val and asked, "Please?"

"Why not Kim, I can sit out outside and play with her while you go inside and see Cara" Val said as Gemini grinned and ran to her, Val sweeping her into her arms.

"I be good" Gemini said as Val kissed her cheek.

"Do you love her more than me?" I asked Gemini as she put her hand on her chin and looked to be deep in thought before answering, "Nope."

"How about you bug Connie about letting us take mini cheeseburger with us and I'll get her dressed?"

"The things I do for the girl I love" I said with a sigh as Val smiled and I headed off to let Mom know what the situation was. An hour later we had Gemini dressed and she was now fast asleep in her car seat as we drove all the way across town to Western Heart Memorial Hospital, which in fact is about a 35 minute drive. Val not saying much of anything as we drove and I know she didn't really wanna see Sasha, neither did I really. But Cara was no doubt looking forward to seeing her and I was dying to see the baby. Val parked and I put the money in the meter as she got Gemini out of her car seat. Gemini still drowsy from her nap as she slumbered now with her head on Val's shoulder. "Was it the third floor?"

"Yeh room 325" Val said as we headed up in the elevator. "You go in? I'll hold Gemmy and let her sleep for a little while and when you done..."

"Cara wants to see you" I said as I took her hand. "Now come on, no one is gonna hit you."

"I don't wanna see her" Val growled at me as I looked at her in surprise. Gemini raising her head and rubbing her eyes before looking at Val in confusion.

"Why you mad Val?" Gemini asked pointedly. "Kim be mean?"

"Gemmy no, it's not Kim, it's my friend Sasha" Val said.

"I like Sasha she nice" Gemini said as Val smiled and seemed to relax as we came to the floor and got out of the elevator. A silence hanging in the air as the nurse with the name tag of Nancy pointing us to the right room.

"Don't stay too long" She said softly and smiling brightly. We tapped on the door and looked inside to find Cara and Sasha both sleeping quietly, that is until the damn door creaked and Sasha stirred as she looked up and saw me and Val and smiled as she rolled out of bed and met us by the door. Saying, "Hey, didn't think I'd see you guys this soon, and hey there cutey."

"Hi Sashy" Gemini said as she smiled brightly. "You been mean to Val?"

"Huh?" Sasha asked as mine and Val's lip dropped open. "Who told you that?"

"Her said you mean" Gemini said as she pointed to Val.

"Gemmy it's OK" Val said as she kissed Gemini's cheek. "I'm fine."

"Let's step outside?" I asked as all four of us moved the conversation into the deserted hallway.

"What have you been telling her?" Sasha asked. "Why am I mean?"

"Just drop it" Val said.

"No, you tell her I'm mean I wanna know why" Sasha said in a calm voice. "What's up?"

"How about the fact that you beat my brains in a hundred mother fucking times?" Val fired as Gemini looked at her in shock. Sasha though looked to be the one in total shock as she took a step back.

"What? Val noooo" Sasha said. "I hit you a few times but not like that."

"Fuck you" Val said in a very acid toned whisper. "I hate you."

"Chill" I said as I got in between both of them. "Calm down Val, please?"

"I didn't hurt you, I never once hurt you..."

"You don't call bruises up and down her arms hurt?" I asked as I turned back to Sasha. "I saw those, a couple of times. Not one punch."

"Look, I'm in therapy, and Cara believes in me and I'm working my butt to take care of her" Sasha said as tears of frustration came to her eyes. "I'll never forgive myself for hitting you like that, but I'm trying to do it right now."

"Say you are sorry" Gemini said as everyone looked at her. "Sashy say you sorry for being mean, please?"

"I'm sorry for being mean" Sasha said honestly. "I know you won't forgive me, but at least I can try to make it right. Anyway, ummmmmmm...anyway wanna see the baby?"

"I guess we got a minute or two" I said as I looked to Val for approval. She shrugged as Sasha opened the door to Cara's room and we all headed inside.

"Can't fuckin get any rest...owwwww" Cara groaned as she opened her eyes and saw us. Sasha moving back by her side quickly.

"You OK?" Sasha asked.

"Yeh just really really sore" Cara said before looking to see me, Val and Kim, "Hey guys."

"Where da baby?" Gemini asked as Cara smiled at Gemini.

"It's in the nursery, you wanna go and see it?" Sasha asked as Gemini grinned brightly and wiggled to get down as she ran to Sasha's side and took her hand and pulled her along and took Val's hand too. Looking up to both of them as if she were playing peacemaker.

"Hey, Kim, stay with me?" Cara asked. "Let them two feuding bitches go and see Jamie Lynn? They got a peacemaker."

"Sure" I said as I sat down by Cara on the bed and Val nervously followed after Gemini as she pulled both girls out the door and into the hall. Me praying that this would turn out good and even hoping that it would help a little.

**  **  ** Meanwhile @ Western Heart Memorial Hospital **  **  ** "SASHA SPEAKING"

"Come on, I wanna see da baby" Gemini said as she pulled me and Val down the hall as fast as she could. That little girl is beyond adorable and I think we both know without her pulling me and Val along that my ex-girlfriend would never have agreed to be alone with me, like it's any surprise after what I've done. But with Gemini's insistence and tugging arms we both silently made our way down the hall to the nursery. Me looking to Val several times but noticed she refused to look at me. Gemini, still holding both of our hands, looked to both of us as we stopped in front of the nursery window and obviously wanted to be picked up. "Hello, I'm short."

"Yeh I noticed that too" I said as I looked down at her and being surprised when Val covered her mouth and tried to stifle a giggle. "So what's the big deal?"

"I wanna see da baby" Gemini said as she pointed to the window above her head.

"Try jumping up and down" I suggested as Gemini gave me a dirty look. Why she didn't think to look to Val is beyond me. "It might work."

"You right Val her is mean" Gemini said as I covered my mouth and laughed. Gemini gladly excepted Val's arms as she picked her up. I pointed to the world's most perfect little angel, Jamie Lynn, she was resting comfortably in the front row just a few feet in front of us. Strange too, since out of the 8 or 10 babies in the nursery almost all of them were now crying or being fussy (a word my Grandma loved using) but not my little Jamie Lynn. "Baby pretty."

"She sure is" Val said as her and Gemini smiled at each other. "She looks like Cara."

"It should" I said as Val laughed softly. "She's an angel."

"The baby or Cara?" Val asked as Gemini looked to me and then back to Val with a concerned look on her face. "I wanna hear you say it."

"Both" I said.

"You're actually in love with her?" Val asked.

"Her love Kim now" Gemini said as she pointed to Val. "They kiss, it's gross."

"Do they?" I asked as I grinned at Gemini and we started to slap at each other as Val tried not to smile.

"Will you two stop" Val said finally and looking directly at me and asking, "You love her? Not beat her...really love her?"

"I love her and thanks to her I'm still in therapy too" I said. "Three days a week now."

"They figure out what got you so screwed up?" Val asked with bitterness in her voice.

"He's good, but not that good" I said with a smirk as Val half-smiled. "So you moved in with Kim?"

"Yeh living in the basement, she's so good to me" Val said. "Number one? No hitting even when she gets mad."

"That's good" I said and now knowing that this was gonna be a long road back to me and Val being anything that resembled friends. "I don't understand why you never hit me back though, I've seen you fight."

"You don't hit the people you love you stupid whore" Val said in a rage as Gemini turned around and hugged her.

"SHHHHHHHH, I love you Val" Gemini said as she touched her face with both hands. "I not hit you. Be nice please?"

"I sowwy" Val said as Gemini kissed her chin. "I'm a cheeseburger huh?"

"Nope, you my Val" Gemini said as she hugged her.

I know it's not exactly a peace plan or anything resembling that but I felt a little better about mine and Val's 'relationship' after that. Her, Kim and Gemini left not to long after that. I laid back down with Cara and we both got some well needed hours of sleep before I rose and went to check on Jamie Lynn, I let Cara know she was fine and headed home for a while to get some clean clothes. Which is a trip that literally changed my life forever. Not in some epic way but in a way that showed me all of the good things I'd been doing were maybe coming back to me in good karma. I arrived back at the building just as the cops were serving an eviction notice on the parasite residents of apartment 3C, Ms. Paddington observing from the bottom of the steps as always. Gotta love her.

"What's going on?" I asked as I moved next to Ms. Paddington on the steps a couple minutes later.

"Greg and Tammy are being thrown out" Ms. Paddington commented. "Good for nothings ain't paid rent in months. How's Cara?"

"Tired, but she's a new mama, 7 pounds, 6 ounces" I said as Ms. Paddington hugged me. "Jamie Lynn Aguilera."

"Congrats Papa" She said as I blushed. Noticing our ever cranky landlord, Carl Palmer coming our way in a determined march.

"Don't you start you cranky old thing" Ms. Paddington said to him before he could even say one word. "Her best friend and one of your best tenants just had a baby."

"I don't have an ill word for her Maria" Carl said to Ms. Paddington. "You always assume that."

"That's true" I said as I laughed.

"New baby huh?"

"Yes sir, 7 pounds, 6 ounces, a perfect little angel"

"Well why have I not been informed of this before?" He asked. "I could have bought Cara a nice gift."

"How about you give them that bigger apartment right there rent free for a couple of months you tightwad" Ms. Paddington said. "By now you should be used to the tenants not paying rent."

"Hush" I said as I tried not to laugh.

"It needs work and a new paint job" Carl said. "I can't just let someone move in."

"Why not? Our place is just as bad" I said. "You know what I mean."

"I guess it is" He admitted. "It would be hard for Cara to climb all those steps."

"I'd loved that" I said. "So when the losers are gone...?"

"One month free rent, I guess" He said as I jumped off the steps and hugged him. "And I want my rent first thing every month."

"Oh shut up, these are two young ladies with their heads on straight" Ms. Paddington said. "Unlike those drug selling bums you finally booted."

"Now Maria you know you don't have any evidence of them selling drugs"

"Yes I do, I'm nosey" Ms. Paddington shot back. "Those two and there good for nothing family are a cancer to this complex. You finally did something smart by kicking them out, now how about doing something nice and having those worthless workman you employ move Cara and Sasha down here, she has just had a baby and is in no condition to be moving."

"Thanks Grandma, but that's OK I can handle it" I said with a giggle as Ms. Paddington turned with a warning finger point to Carl and headed back up the stairs.

"I survived another meeting with Maria Paddington, I'm thankful" He said.

"Mr. Palmer, it's all clear" One of the workers said from the front door. "You want us to start the painting today?"

"UMMMMMMM...no" He said as he handed me a pair of keys. "Tell Cara I'm very happy for her."

"Thank you" I said as I smiled brightly. "How much more is the rent?"

"We'll say the same rent for now, I'm just happy somebody will be paying me rent at all" He said. "I think it's time I clean this place up and get rid of the freeloaders."

"That sounds good to me" I said as he took a deep breath and walked off deep in thought. I ran up to grab a change of clothes and headed back to the hospital, Cara unaware in that moment that by the time me and her got back a day or so later with Jamie Lynn in tow that I had a major surprise awaiting her.

**  **  ** Meanwhile @ Kim's Place **  **  ** "KIM SPEAKING"

"Where's Gemmy at?" I asked Val as she came up the stairs from the basement and into the kitchen.

"Asleep in my bed" Val said as I rolled my eyes. "She was tired after that trip to the hospital early this morning and she just laid down and went to sleep."

"It's about her bedtime anyway" I said as I kissed my girlfriend as she smiled. "And oh yeah...Mom's gone on a date."

"HMMMMMMM really?" Val asked as she made me squeal when she lifted me up and sat me on the counter and moved between my thighs (hers touching mine) as she kissed me again. "Maybe later we can get back to...you know?"

"You mean what almost happened last night?" I whispered as I kissed her and for one of the few times since we've been together she slipped me some tongue, massaging hers against mine softly in a short kiss.

"I think you Kim Castleberry were being taken advantage of huh?" Val asked as I smiled and kissed her once again as I agreed. "Just so unfair of me to do that."

"I know, you're making me like the thought of you like..." I started to say before Tori pranced into the kitchen and Val and I moved apart.

"Get a room" Tori said with a smirk.

"Get your own girlfriend" I fired back as Tori flipped me off and Val laughed. "Oh wait you already got one."

"I already told you I like a bigger cock than Sasha's" Tori said as I blushed and Tori grinned victoriously. The phone ringing right beside of her, shrugging she picked it up as Val snuck another kiss from me.

"Hello?" Tori asked and I knew instantly by the look on her face that this was not what she was expecting. "Who is this? Yeh Kim's here..."

"Who is it?"

"I dunno he's freaking me out" Tori said as she handed the phone to me.

"Hello? Who is this?" I asked in a demanding voice.

"Kimberly?"

"Yes, now are you stupid or can you answer a simple question?"

"This is Steven, your father..." He said before trailing off. My whole body going numb in that moment. Funny thing I knew it was him just by the way he said that. "What that my Torrance?"

"You bastard" I said in reply.

"Excuse me?"

"I said you're a fuckin no good liquor drinking, whore fucking bastard, Dad" I said as anger like I had never known shot through me in an instant.

"Dad? My Dad?" Tori asked as she jumped back up from the table where she had taken a seat with Val. "Calm down he might not call back, let me talk to him. Please?"

"Kimberly, I'm sorry, but thinks are different now..." He said.

"Fuck you" I said as I cut him off and Tori tried to wrestle the phone away from me. "Stop it Tori, he's a bum."

"I DON'T CARE" Tori said as she wrestled the phone away from me and to my own frustration Val hugged me from behind and pulled me back as I struggled against her and me losing my balance. "Hello? Dad, please say something..."

"OWWWWWWWW" Val said as we crashed into the wall beside the door and I realized what happened. "You didn't have to hurt me."

"Yeh, Dad, I wanna see you too" Tori said excitedly into the phone. "Please come and see me I know things are different."

"Oh god, Val no I wasn't trying to I lost my balance" I said. "You pulled me back and I lost my balance."

"Sorry" She said as I felt terrible in that moment. All of the anger fading as I hugged her and found she welcomed it. "Just trying to help."

"I didn't mean to hurt you" I said as I kissed her shoulder, "Believe me?"

"No" She said with a pooched lip look that killed me. "Maybe."

"I love you, thank you for trying to help" I said as she smiled.

"Dad's coming to see me, and if you don't wanna see him fine but I am begging you to let me see him" Tori said as she looked at me.

"She'll be cool" Val said as I shot her a warning look.

"Kim, I love you, this is important, for me?" She asked as I took a deep breath, trying to control my temper. "Well?"

"He don't come in the house" I said firmly. "I am still in charge."

"OK OK" Tori said as she excitedly ran out of the room.

"Thank you, Sasha would have never done that" Val said as I smiled.

"You're lucky I love you"

"So are you" Val fired back and sneaking a kiss as she giggled and ran off with me giving chase. This should be really good.