**NEW VERSION - EDITED**

Brock's POV

My palms began to sweat profusely against the steering wheel as the car grew closer and closer to my childhood home. This is not going to begin or end well for me.

"Holy shit," Dani muttered under her breath from her spot next to me. I knew she was referring to the size of my parents home and the home I'd grown up in.

"If you think this is big, you should see the house my older sister's husband just built her," I commented before parking the car as close as I could so she wouldn't have too far to walk with her knees aching and all. I killed the engine and told her to stay put while I got everything unloaded.

"Why?" she snapped, narrowing her eyes at me in suspicion.

"I don't want you to have to stand around waiting for me to get everything unloaded when your back and feet have already been hurting," I explained, "I figured you can just get out once I have everything out." Her eyes quickly morphed from skepticism to appreciation as she nodded. I finally did something right...?

I did just as I said before helping her out. Once she was standing and finished doing all of her odd stretches, I slung both of our duffel bags over my shoulder and grabbed her luggage case filled with nothing but her pillows to roll behind me. I was caught off guard as I felt her tiny hand grab my forearm as I started to slowly walk towards the front door of my family home. I expected something to be wrong, but she wasn't looking at me when I looked back. She was staring up at my family's house, taking in all the details up close.

I looked up, doing my best to fight off the grin that wanted to make its way to my face at the way it felt to have her want to touch me. She cradled her lower belly with her other hand, rubbing soothingly back and forth - an action I'd noticed was a nervous tick of hers over the past few weeks - as we made our way to the entrance.

I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile before I whipped out my set of keys and turned the lock. I released a slightly shaky breath from my lips before pushing the heavy wooden door open before stepping into the foyer. There was a light roar of noise created by multiple voices talking all at once coming from what I knew to be the kitchen as a sense of belonging warmed my chest for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. Home. God, I missed this place so much.

"Wait, do you hear that?" my mother's familiar voice floated to me after she'd successfully shushed everyone. I closed my eyes, fighting off the sting in my eyes at the familiar sound of her voice in person, not just over the phone. I missed her so much. I heard footsteps quickly approaching and stepped in front of Dani to shield her from my mother's immediate view.

"Oh my God, my baby!" my mom yelled before practically mauling me. I laughed while accepting her smothering hold and endless cheek kisses. I curled my arms around her before pressing my face into the crook between her neck and shoulder, inhaling her scent that never changed. I was immediately transported back to my childhood. Scraped knees, grass-stained pants, muddy clothes, missing teeth, no responsibilities. Before I was so messed up.

I held her tight, gripping her harder than I probably should've been. I didn't want to let go, I couldn't. I hadn't realized how desperately I needed my mother's hug until she was actually here in the flesh, her delicate hand stroking the back of my head whispering in my ear how much she missed me.

"Hi, Ma," I finally managed to chuckle out once I trusted that my voice wouldn't crack or break. I gave her one last good squeeze before setting her back down on the ground, bringing my hand up to wipe away the few tears that had trailed down her cheeks. I saw the rest of my family filing into the living room after hearing the commotion my mother had caused.

"Sweetheart, I think we'd all like a chance to say hello to him," my father joked while pulling my mother's small frame back into his chest.

"You didn't go through nineteen hours of labor with this ungrateful brat only for him to call once every two or three weeks," my mom shot back before giving me one of her signature glares as tears welled up in her eyes once again. I gulped before giving her a sheepish smile that she just quirked her eyebrow upwards at. I gave her an apologetic smile, and her look of annoyance melted immediately as she reached her hand up to cradle my cheek. She could never stay angry at any of us kids long.

Her attention was suddenly drawn to the space behind me as Dani continuously shifted her weight - I'm assuming from the pressure on her lower back and soles of her feet. My mom abruptly shoved me out of the way before her face lit up with a bright smile. Her eyes were drawn to Dani's bulging stomach as she squealed with happiness. She jerked Dani into as tight of a hug as she could possibly get before kissing both of her cheeks and squealing again, unable to contain her noise of happiness.

"My last baby's finally settled down!" my mom squealed as her eyes welled with unshed tears. She spun on her heels and slapped me on the arm harshly. "How could you marry without telling the family?!" she demanded. I swallowed the lump that'd formed in my throat before looking away from her probing gaze and down at my feet. I saw her shadow on the floor turn away from me and back to Dani.

I glanced up under my lashes and watched as my mom examined Dani's face, belly, and finally her left hand with no shame. Her shoulders slumped before she turned to me. Her face displayed all the disappointment she felt in me - I knew she wanted more for me and my siblings than she and my dad had. It's not like they weren't in love - clearly here they still were, thirty years later - but they wanted us all to be married, or at least engaged, before children came into the picture. It was something they constantly hounded us about it growing up. So far, Ellie had been the only one to fall short of the expectation - until now.

I clenched my jaw and averted my gaze, unable to take her stare any longer. She released a short sigh before turning and retreating back into the kitchen without another word to me. My father carefully inched towards me as my body tensed up in fear.

"You go get her settled into your room and then meet me in my office. I'm giving you fifteen minutes boy. You hear me?" he growled under his breath, only loud enough for me to hear. I cleared my throat and nodded before picking up our bags that I'd dropped onto the floor and ushered Dani towards the staircase. She looked confused at the sudden turn of events, but thankfully kept her questions to herself.

I opened the door to my old bedroom and threw everything onto the bed before beginning to pace the room with my face in my hands.

"Brock...are you alright?" Dani quietly asked from where she'd sat on the edge of the bed.

"No. Maybe," I grunted, unsure of the real answer I should give her. My dad looked pissed. We had a lot of talks all through high school and college about my extracurriculars as he liked to call it. He made it known on numerous occasions that he wasn't a fan. I'd fucked up big this time. "If I'm not back in half an hour, get my mom," I ordered seriously before darting out of the room and making my way to my father's office, my stomach feeling like there was a brick of lead in it.

"Lock the door," my father instructed before getting out of his seat and making his way around the desk, leaning his body against it. For being 51, my dad still had a large and imposing-enough build to make anyone shit themselves when his anger was directed at them - especially considering the fact that he didn't look his age at all. He made sure to take care of himself.

"You know how your mother and I feel about children out of wedlock or at least a fucking engagement for christ sake. You know why we feel this way, yet you're still fucking stupid enough to go out and get some random girl knocked up? Why? Where did we go wrong raising you?" my dad questioned, disappointment heavy in his tone. I clenched and unclenched my fists, masking my face into one of stone so the hurt at his words and disappointment didn't show.

"I know you guys want us to all settle down and find love and whatever. Sometimes that's not for everyone," I grit out. "I know how bad this looks, but I've already talked to her and figured things out. We'll be living together and pretending we're one big happy family in front of the child until they're eighteen and move out or go to college. I already have David working on a contract that way neither one of us can back out when things get tough," I explained, trying to lessen his palpable anger towards me.

"I don't give a shit about the logistics of your co-habiting. What you've basically told me is that you don't ever plan on settling down. Why? I tried reassuring your mother that your bed-hopping ways when you were a child were just a phase due to immaturity. She's known what you've been doing this entire time, do you have any idea how hard this has been on her? She doesn't think it's acceptable behavior from either you or your sisters, but she was so worried about you after everything that happened with me and the family that she didn't want you to push her away even further than you already had. You were a typical teenage boy, but now you're a man and you're still acting like an immature twenty-year-old who will stick his dick into anything with a warm hole! Do you even fucking want this kid?" he finally yelled, getting riled up as he spoke.

"OF COURSE I WANT THIS GODDAMN KID!" I screamed, standing up so quick the chair i'd been sitting it flew backwards and fell over. I could tell my abrupt outburst of anger caught him off guard as his stance slightly staggered. "I love her!" I screamed, grabbing the closest thing to me, which happened to be a glass cup filled with pens, and threw it across the room before it shattered into pieces. "I love her so goddamn much and it fucking terrifies me! I can't be what she needs because I'm too fucked in the head, but I know she feels the same. When I look at her, I see what you see in mom. She's funny and spunky and she's a good cook and she doesn't take my shit, she calls me out on it. I feel like I can actually be myself around her and that she doesn't just want me for my money. We get along amazing and she does all the little things that amount to the big things just like mom says, but..." I trailed off, my voice dwindling in volume until it was nothing but a cracking whisper. I couldn't continue, my chest rising and falling rapidly from my outburst as I dug my hands into my hair in frustration and pulled.

"But what?" he asked, his tense stance completely changing.

"I can't entrust all of my happiness into one person," I choked out, my voice breaking. "I saw how mom was when you were in your coma after you were...after you got shot," I murmured, slumping into the chair I hadn't knocked over. "I...I can't do that dad. Your loss affected everyone, but so did the loss of mom. She wasn't the same person. Fuck, you couldn't even call her a person with the way she was living life. The scariest fucking part is that I already know I need her," I rasped out, my voice wavering with emotion as I leaned over, my elbows resting on my knees as I pressed my face into my hands.

"Why didn't you tell your mother, or I, this? Fuck, Brock. You're my son! You can come to me with anything! We could've talked about this! You weren't alone back in high school, and you aren't alone now!" he exclaimed before dropping down in front of me and pulling me into a tight hug. I just shrugged my shoulders, not knowing what to say back to that. At the time, I felt like I had to deal with it alone, I didn't want to add to the issues my parents were having. That was partially my fault. There wasn't much I could do about it now.

"After I told her it was over, I spent the following four fucking months trying to feel anything with another woman. Even just an inkling of the same connection I had with her, but there was nothing," I continued, "I failed every goddamn time, dad. It was the worst four months of my life. And as fucked up as it sounds, I don't just love this kid because it's my own, but also because it's given me a reason to have her back in my life and to keep her tied to me for the rest of our lives no matter how big of an inconsiderate prick I am," I husked out with a single shake of my head. He remained silent as I sat there in my self-loathing.

"You want to know the worst part?" I pushed on, unable to stop myself once I'd started. It felt good to finally get it all off my chest and out of my head. I was so sick and tired of denying it - even denying it to myself. "I was going to propose. I'd purchased the ring, I had everything set up, and then when I'd realized how deep I'd gotten myself, I just...ended it. I can understand why she hates my fucking guts. I get why she waited four months to tell me we'd conceived a child together. Can you even imagine being invited over for a candlelit dinner with wine and a five-star meal only to be told seconds before you sit down to eat that you got too attached and you don't want to be seen anymore? For weeks after, I saw the broken look on her face whenever I would close my eyes. It still haunts me sometimes," I hissed.

"Well, you've got the same fucked up, stupid decision-making skills that I had when I was younger, that's for sure." He snorted before pulling me in for another short hug, ruffling my hair in the process.

"I've fucked everything up, dad," I grunted. "I don't know how to fix what the fuck is wrong with me. I just keep fucking everything up. And even if I wanted to try and fix it and become serious with her, she would never take me back. Not after the way I've treated her in the past and even now," I admitted, ashamed of myself.

"You never know. Especially if she loves you the way I know you love her. It's worth a shot, son. If there's one thing I ever taught you, it's never to give up on anything you want in life," he insisted before clapping me on the back and shoving me towards the door. "Go talk to her and explain everything like you just did me. And for the love of God, please start calling your mother on a regular basis after you guys leave here," he exasperated. I laughed lightly before nodding and shutting the door behind me. I released a heavy sigh before shoving my hands in my pockets and making my way back the way I'd come.

Back in my bedroom, I was confused to see both the room and attached bathroom completely empty. Meandering down to the first floor of the house, I followed the muffled sound of feminine voices into the kitchen, where I felt an intense sense of belonging wash over me at the sight before me.

***

Dani's POV

My heart raced in my chest as I processed what I was hearing from the other side of the door.

Should I have been eavesdropping? No.

Was I still going to do it? Yes.

Besides, he might be scared, but he loves me and goddammit that's all that I care about!

Pressing my ear to the door once again, I didn't have to strain my ears as hard as it seemed they'd grown closer.

"You want to know the worst part? I was going to propose. I'd purchased the ring, I had everything set up, and then when I'd realized how deep I'd gotten myself, I just...ended it. I can understand why she hates my fucking guts. I get why she waited four months to tell me we'd conceived a child together. Can you even imagine being invited over for a candlelit dinner with wine and a five-star meal only to be told seconds before you sit down to eat that you got too attached and you don't want to be seen anymore? For weeks after, I saw the broken look on her face whenever I would close my eyes. It still haunts me sometimes." All of the air left my lungs in one swift rush as I stumbled away from the oak I'd had my ear against.

Oh my god, that's why he had the ring in the first place! It's been for me this entire time! I couldn't help the giddy squeal that escaped my lips as I did a happy dance right in the middle of the hallway, not thinking about the very real possibility that I could be caught any second now.

I skipped-slash-hobbled away from the door as fast as my big belly would allow back to the bedroom Brock and I were staying in. I viciously rummaged through our entire room before finally finding where he'd tucked the velvet box away to. I flipped the box open and examined the massive ring, actually looking at it this time. He'd been picturing our happily ever after when he bought this ring. I couldn't wipe the massive fucking smile off of my face if I even tried.

I contemplated slipping the ring on my finger and playing as if we just didn't want to overshadow his older sister's child's birth, but then that would keep Brock from telling me how he felt from his own mouth...I carefully slipped the ring back into the hiding spot, giving it a loving pat. Despite not slipping the ring on, I still quickly turned and made my way to the kitchen where I'd last seen Brock's mom - who I knew was the best way to soften up Brock's dad. That was something he'd told me once before. I had some major damage control to conduct.

From what little information Brock had given me about his family, I knew that his parents were sticklers for tradition and that he was terrified of disappointing or angering his father. I could see why now - the man was terrifying when he was seething with anger. I'm sure I would be able to figure out something to say to Poppy - I didn't have anything prepared, I was just hoping I would be able to wing it and it would all end up hunky dory.

I finally wandered into the kitchen where I found Brock's mother doing what he said she always did when she was really upset - baking. I hit the jackpot considering she was alone as well.

"Mrs. Carmichael, would you like some company?" I softly called, catching her off guard as she jumped and spun around, her hand pressed against her chest as she gasped in surprise. I giggled at her reaction before walking further into the room.

"Sweet Lord, honey, don't you know not to sneak up on a woman while she's baking?" she exclaimed before forcing a smile and wiping at her forehead with the back of her hand. I couldn't help but fall in love with her southern lilt as she spoke. It was much stronger than Brocks, but I equated that to the fact that she'd grown up in the south and hadn't ever left, whereas Brock had lived in New York for the past four years. If you were only allowed two words to describe the woman, I had no doubt anyone and everyone would say she was a southern belle.

"Sorry about that, I figured you'd heard me coming, but you must have been pretty distracted," I answered before finally coming to stand next to the kitchen counter. She was about to turn to go back to baking when her eyes scanned my belly and lingered.

"I'm six-and-a-half months," I murmured, following her line of sight to my rounded tummy. I placed my hand at the top just under my boobs and slid it down until it rested just above my pelvis. A genuine smile pulled at Poppy's lips. As if God was watching out for me, I felt a swift and strong kick in my belly.

"The baby's kicking!" I exclaimed with a big smile and a disbelieving giggle. I was always shocked whenever I felt her kicks, they were...amazing to me. "Do you wanna feel it?" I asked, searching Poppy's face. Her eyes lit up as she frantically nodded, dropping all the cooking utensils she'd been holding at once and rounding the counter to press her hands to my belly. I lifted her hands and guided them to where I'd felt the kick, pressing my hands over her own and holding them there. Not but a few seconds later, baby girl gave a harsh kick in the exact same spot.

Poppy and I's faces snapped up as we stared at each other with identical smiles of wonder and amazement. She released a joyous smile as a single tear trickled out the corner of her eye.

"I've been waiting for him to settle down. In the beginning it was for selfish reasons, it was unfair of me. All his older siblings had settled down already. I expected him to follow in their lead and do what it seems our family does best; find the one the first couple years of college and pop babies out. As time passed, I could see that my son was hurting, but I didn't know how to help him. As a mother, that's the worst feeling ever. You never want your children to ever know pain of any kind," she murmured, a sad look in her eyes. "I just want him to be happy," she rasped out, her voice wavering as her eyes welled up with tears as the baby gave another hard kick.

"You should've seen his face when he heard her heart for the first time," I whispered, emotion getting the best of me as my lower lip started to tremble. "He couldn't look away from the monitor. He had this look of...instant love on his face. He gets the exact same look every time he hears it." She hiccuped lightly, rubbing her hand across my belly soothingly. "Last week when I was cleaning the living room, I found a bunch of baby books shoved under the couch in the living room. I think every other page had a post-it note sticking out of it," I giggled. My words made her more emotional; I bit my bottom lip to try and reign in my own.

"You said she?" Poppy cried as her tears came fast, sniffling profusely. I lifted one of my hands to wipe unceremoniously at the snot that threatened to drip out of my nose.

"Yeah, we're having a little girl," I laughed happily.

"Finally. We need more girls in this family. There's so much testosterone in this damn family it's about time someone evens it out," she grumbled causing us both to crack up. It was at that moment that we both became keenly aware of the presence of both Brock and his father standing in the doorway. Brock was wearing an intense look while his father had an easy smile on his face.

"It's a little girl," Poppy repeated while looking at her husband, her voice light and airy. I took a step back as she slipped her hands off of my stomach before making her way over to the pair of men, leaning up on her tiptoes to press a loving kiss to Brock's cheek before pecking her husband on the lips as he wound his arms around her body.

I watched them closely, pursing my lips to refrain from smiling when I saw Poppy mumble to Knox to 'go easy on him," before running her hand over Brock's cheek lovingly one last time.

"I'll be back later, I'm making Kiara take me baby shopping!" she murmured happily. Brock came to stand next to me as his father pulled his mother back by the arm around her waist. I smiled as his mother pouted as his father lectured her on being safe and calling him every once in a while to make sure she was okay. She rolled her eyes and kissed him goodbye as he slipped his credit card into her hand.

"What did you tell her?" Brock asked, astonishment lacing his tone as he watched her retreating form.

"I was just telling her about the baby. You've mentioned before that she loves them, so I figured I'd come down and maybe say hello and give her some more details. Then she started kicking, so I improvised. She was upset earlier, and there's no need for our current...predicament to cause issues for the people around us that we love. I figured, as long as she's happy we won't have any issues," I explained, shrugging one shoulder. His father laughed from his spot a few feet away before sauntering over to me and pulled me into a hug. I was caught off guard for a brief second after how off-putting he looked earlier, but I melted into the embrace a few seconds later. He patted the top of my head lovingly, like a father would his daughter. The gesture made my eyes water, wishing my own father had shown my a modicum of the same affection at any point in my life.

"I like this one. We have the same priorities," he chuckled before reaching down to give my belly a soft rub. "It's magical, isn't it?" he asked with a wistful laugh before glancing up and giving his son a pointed look.

"Alright! I get it! Leave so we can talk," Brock grunted with an annoyed look of his own. His father dipped his head at me in acknowledgement before making his exit, leaving Brock and I alone in the kitchen. My palms started to sweat as the nervous butterflies kicked up in my stomach.

Okay, this is it.