Well...needless to say family came night and ice cream didn't happen in the Buckingham household that evening.

Lindsey had forced Stevie into the pool with him and the kids after lunch. Time had flown by as the four of them cuddled on a blanket in the grass. Stevie wanted to watch the stars and Lindsey wasn't about to leave her disappointed.

The kids had long fallen asleep but their parents weren't quite finished savoring the moments of peace and quiet like this.

"This is nice. The stars are so pretty."

"It's so quiet," Stevie whispered, turning her head to look at him. Her face glowing in the moonlight. "It's so beautiful."

He nodded. "Not as beautiful as you." She stared up at him contentedly and sighed.
"What?" He asked, sort of confused by her brief silence.
"This is just....it's perfect. You and me, them." She gestured to the kids. "This little one.." She placed a hand to her stomach

"I really think our backs are going to regret laying like this in the morning, but I don't want to wake them; I'm in literal heaven," Lindsey closed his eyes and smiled softly. She smiled to herself and snuggled closer to him. "Me too baby, me too"

Leelee woke up and positioned herself on top of Lindsey, her head resting in the crook of his neck. "Daddy, when are we going to bed?" She grumbled.

He chuckled a bit then sat up slowly. "We're going.. Come on Lee, let's get everyone inside and into bed."

Lindsey stood Lee up on her feet for a minute to he could pick up Will and position him in one arm, skillfully bending down and scooping her up with the other. Both children snuggled into him and fell back asleep. "I'll come back out and get he blanket," he told Stevie.

"Okay." She sat up and began to slowly fold the blanket.

"Don't bother with it," Lindsey said quietly over his shoulder as he began to walk towards the house with his babies in his arms.

She shook her head and laid back down for a moment, accidentally falling asleep for the five minutes Lindsey took putting the kids to bed. He came back into the yard and smiled as he saw she had fallen asleep.

He got down beside her and pulled her hair away from her neck "Do I have to carry you in too?" He whispered into her ear. She smiled, lazily waking up a bit, "I guess so." He chuckled. "Alright."

"Or we could just sleep out here?" She suggested.

"But what about the kids?" He asked

"They'll be fine," she yawned. "I don't know Steph, our backs aren't what they used to be.." He said jokingly. "Oh come on old man-" he laughed and cut her off. "Honey you're older than me!" She elbowed him playfully. "Oh come on Linds...please?"
She batted her eye lashes and batted her lips over dramatically. "Okay. Lay back down." She smiled brightly.

After snuggling up to him she was almost back asleep before she heard "Don't be grouchy in the morning when you wake up hurting."

"Same goes for you." He laughed then kissed her head. "Goodnight Stephanie"
"Goodnight Lindsey"

He had pulled her against him and tucked her head under his chin, using it to rest his cheek against.

They fell into a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night and woke up way too early the next morning, for Stevie's liking.

"Stevie," Lindsey tickled her nose with a feather that he found laying on the ground beside him. She kept scrunching her nose and itching it but refused to wake.

When she finally stirred and saw what he was tickling her with she swatted his hand away, "Are you trying to give me some kind of fucking disease, Lindsey?!" She whined, causing him to laugh at her wiping her nose off with the blanket.

"Come one honey it's time to get up."
She shook her head. "What time is it?" He gulped as he looked down at his watch. "Ummmm....7......" She immediately shot her arm back to slap his chest. "Ow! Baby! That hurt!" He said slightly laughing. "You brought it on yourself. Waking me up at 7 o'clock...idiot.."

"Please-we're hungry," he poked his bottom lip out. Apparently the kids had opened their bedroom window and announced that they were ready for breakfast while Stevie was still sleeping.

She knew that Lindsey would either burn down the house or give the kids food poisoning if she didn't get up and cook soon. Stevie only had a few minutes before Will and Leelee would be down there raring to go.

She sighed and sat up slowly. Him helping her stand and they then made their way to the back door. Once inside the kids were already sitting restlessly at the kitchen table. "Mama! We're starving!" She huffed. "Oh don't be so dramatic you two! I'm going as fast as I can."

"No you're not, daddy and Will said you're not waddling yet so you're just lazy," Lee fussed. Wrong thing to say to a pregnant woman.

Stevie quickly turned to see Lindsey grab Will in his arms and make a run for the living room. "Lindsey and William Buckingham! Get your butts back in here!" Lindsey froze and carefully put Will back down and they both slowly walked towards Stevie with their heads down. "How dare you two, you know what? I cook, I clean, I-" Lindsey kissed her out of the blue and both kids squealed and zoomed out of the room. Stevie and Lindsey glad because it got a little heated until she finally pushed him back a bit. "I'm still mad at you." She said, pointing at him as she turned back to get the eggs out of the fridge. He laughed, "Well, that's better than wanting to kill me."

"I let you Buckingham men turn me into a softy! You guys get away with everything!" Stevie chuckled, purposely acting over dramatic.

"And what about Lee?" He asked

"My sweet little angel? She would never do anything like that. Remember our pact; the boy is your mess and he girl is my princess, besides I'm her favorite." Stevie laughed

He scoffed sarcastically. "Mhmm. Sureeee." She gave him a look. "It's true." He just looked at her like she was crazy.
"Lee! Baby come in here real quick!" The little girl came sprinting around the corner as she heard her mama's voice. "Yeah mama?"
"Who do you like better? Me or daddy?" The girl didn't even hesitate. "Mommy!"
"That's my girl! You can have two cookies before breakfast," Stevie replied, getting them out of the cabinet. Lindsey sulked as he watched her hold her hands out for the treats. "Can I have some milk too?" She asked.
"Yes my little mama's girl!" She gave the little girl her treats and she exited once more to the living room. "That's not fair." Lindsey pouted

"How?" Stevie sassed, cocking her hip. Feeling the satisfaction of victory.
"Well....you're...she's... You're both girls!" She laughed. "So what? Will likes you better than me."

"I doubt that too," he hung his head. Wallowing in his defeat.

"Oh come on Lindsey..." She sashayed around the counter to him and slid her arms around his waist. "You're a wonderful dad. The best."

"Yet they still like you more," he replied, Stevie honestly didn't mean for him to be upset over this. It was just fun and games

"Lindseyyyyyyyy"

"Do you think Will feels the same way?" He asked, wondering if his spent on the Say You Will album was affecting his roll as a father

She then saw the actual thoughtfulness in his eyes, as if he were really contemplating something.
"Lindsey. Both your kids love you. Actually all three of them do. What's bothering you honey? I wouldn't have said a thing if I knew you'd be this bothered." He sighed. "All this time I've been gone, or in the studio working on the album.. What if it's taking a toll on my relationship with my kids..?" He finally confessed his fears and looked up in her eyes. Her heart broke at how hurt he looked. "Oh Linds, honey you don't need to worry. Of course we all wished you were home more often but the kids understand and they love you so much, and so do I."

"You're going to need my help more often now that we are working on the album and taking care of two kids while you're pregnant with our third. I should be around more, but I really do miss the studio and I am having a good time with making music again. I just get so torn and lose sight of what's most important. I do want the kids to not be able to choose between us- not in a bad way, but i want them to love and enjoy us both the same, does that make sense?" He asked

"Of course Lindsey! Honey-LeeLee was only kidding!"

"I know and I don't mean to get hurt over it-I just realized that maybe I could spend a little more time with you guys instead of being in the studio."

She beamed. "Well you know we'd absolutely love that.." She smiled as she stood up on her toes to give him a tiny kiss.

"Let me help with breakfast and then we can do something together. When is your doctors appointment?" He asked. She smiled once again. "Thanks, that sounds lovely, and it's at two thirty."

"Well then we will call Karen over to babysit for an hour or so and I'll gladly take you," he kissed her cheek and walked over to the stove, attempting to start with the bacon. He laughed when he turned on the wrong burner and was wondering why the pan didn't heat up. "Wrong burner Lindsey. And that sounds wonderful by the way."

"Good. You know I think I finally realized why I'm such a bad cook." She scoffed. "Uh huh and why is that?"
He smiled. "Because you're always around distracting me with your beauty!" She busted out laughing. "That was so cheesy!"

"Eh, if worked in my head," he shrugged and tried to bounce back from the fact that he couldn't use the stove. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his waist

"Do I have it on the right one now? I don't think it's working," Lindsey bent over to tie a closer look at the burner. She just shook her head. "How could you ever get along without me? Why don't you go take care of something around the house-do something manly-I'll cook."

"But I wanted to," he pouted "you've eaten sandwiches during the last few months of both your pregnancies and I want to take better care of you this time, so could you please teach me how to use he stove?" He asked, very bashful. Stevie realized how much this actually meant to him and helped him out. "Okay. Listen up."

He perked  his ears up and kissed her cheek, "Just think how you could take advantage of this. I'll probably be cooking for you and the kids from now on," he smiled

She laughed. "Don't get too cocky now Linds.. This is only this meal.. However you may be right- I could definitely get used to not cooking"

"Alright let's fire this sucker up," Lindsey clapped and rubbed his hands together.

She handed him the handle of the frying pan. "Okay take it over Mr. Chef"

He placed the pan on the back burner and made sure that he used the correct knob to turn it on medium. "Uh okay what now?"

She had to stifle a laugh. "You just sit here and watch it. And flip the pieces occasionally until they look done."

"Well that doesn't sound so hard, you do that with everything right?" He asked

She couldn't control the fact that she then just busted out laughing. "Oh-my-Lindsey!"
"What?"

"Just-nothing," she wiped the tears from her eyes. "No honey, some things depend on what you're making them for." Stevie explained to Lindsey. He nodded, his cheeks red.
She noticed and kissed him on his cheek. "It's a learning process Linds and you're doing good. But honestly there's a lot you'll have to learn for yourself."

"How about I observe for a while and then take over when you are too tired to do it?" Lindsey wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling his stress rising as he watched the bacon grease start to bubble.

"But I thought you sai-" just then a big drop of bacon grease popped out of the pan and onto his hand. He jumped back and cursed while shaking his hand.

"Oh baby! Let me look at it," Stevie reached for his hand. He muttered under his breath as she took his hand in hers to examine the damage. "Here run it under the faucet and it should be fine but keep an eye on it."

"What about the food?" He asked while running his hand under the water, straining his neck to keep an eye on it. "Lindsey just let me take care of it."

"I got it, Steph," he replied turning off the water and gently dabbing his hand with a rag. She sighed. "Okay but be careful."

"Can you go find something to put on this though?" He gestured toward his hand. "Sure" she left him on his own as she went in search of some burn cream.

"Stephanie! It's shooting out at me!" He panicked and yelled out for her soon after she left the room. She chuckled to herself as she heard his pleas in their bedroom. She grabbed the burn cream out of her night stand and gingerly paced back into the kitchen. "Lindsey, calm down its not this hard."

Stevie saw him standing all the way across the kitchen, looking at her. "Do something!" He pleaded. She huffed. "Lindsey Adams Buckingham. Go play with kids and get out of my kitchen."

"Thank you, I give up," he kissed her cheek and raced out of the kitchen to play in the living room. She just stood there and laughed.

She figured she'd still be getting sandwiches later on.

Stevie did appreciate the effort he was willing to put in to make this easier for her. She just had to face it; Lindsey was impossible to teach.

She finally fixed breakfast and set it up in the dining room. "Kids! Come on, breakfast is ready." The children ran into the kitchen and sat in front of their food with Lindsey trailing behind them. "What about me? Don't I get food?"
"I said the "kids", did I not?" She said as she coyly looked over her shoulder at him.

Lindsey grabbed her quickly and tickled her sides, "Oh really?"

She immediately fell into his arms and dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Li-Lind-Lindsey stop! Cut it out! Lindsey!" She continued to laugh wildly. Their children even giggling at the seen before them. "Only for a kiss." She quickly pecked his lips and just like that he let her go almost immediately and made his way to his seat at the table. "Lindsey!"
"Who's a 'kid' now." He stated proudly. 

"Don't forget, I can go by myself today," she warned, composing herself again. The kids were still laughing at the whole thing," would you two like to be next?" She smiled. They shut up by stuffing their food into their mouths.

"Daddy wouldn't let Mommy do that to you," he pulled them under each arm for a hug. Stevie just glared at all three of them. "What?" Lindsey shrugged, causing Stevie to shake her head.

"I love you," Lindsey grinned, his goofiness making her giggle.

"I love you too." Stevie replied. Both of the kids making faces and giggling.

Karen arrived a short while later to watch Will and Leelee so Stevie and Lindsey could get ready for their appointment.

"Lindsey come on! We'll be late if you keep lagging behind like this!" Stevie yelled as she had been standing on the front porch for the longest minute of her life! "I'm coming I'm coming! Hold on." He ran past her so fast that he actually was buckled into the car and ready to leave before she even got to it.

"Damn, i didn't mean that fast!" She cursed as she got in and buckled up. "I swear we're like an old married couple." She rolled her eyes and checked her make up in the mirror.

"Well we must not be too old after all I did knock you up again." He said jokingly and she smacked his shoulder. "Good grief. Okay-I'm old, you're a child."

"Just drive before I smack you again," she replied, smirking at him.

The car ride hadn't lasted long in silence before Stevie spoke up, "Can I talk to you about something," turning the radio volume down. "Okay......what is it?"

"Are you truly happy about the baby? I know I didn't give you much of a choice about this." Stevie replied.

He was silent for a moment. "Stevie, I already told you. Of course I love you and I love this baby. It's another piece of you and another piece of me."
She just stared at him quietly, til he finally continued to speak. "Look, I don't want you doubting me during this-I'm here for you and the last thing I want is for you to feel alone in this pregnancy." He was a little frustrated with her question but he also was just as concerned about where her mind was.

"Okay, I'm sorry," she looked back at the road and rested her hands on her lap. "I just didn't want you to be unhappy and...try to cope by going to Kristen again..." Bringing up his past affair.

He quickly pulled the car over off the road so abruptly she was a little frightened. He put in in park and turned the engine completely off.
"What is wrong with you?? You promised me you'd never bring that up again! Good grief Stevie I thought we were finally over this crap!"

"I-I," she was speechless, regretting ever bringing it up but it had been eating at her since she followed them to a hotel and caught them in the act.
She finally just hung her head. "I'm sorry. It's just..memories hurt Linds.."

"Honey that was years ago, it's over now. Kit and I are just friends now," Lindsey said, clearly flustered over the whole thing. "It may have been years ago Lindsey. But people who have an affair usually don't become friends. Or have pet names for each other." She was getting an attitude now but she didn't really care. She still found the fact that they were friends to be ridiculous.

Lindsey slammed his hands down on the wheel, "Damn it, Stephanie! Let it go!" He yelled.

She flinched when he raised his voice but wasn't ready to back down. "I can't let it go Lindsey! You know the only fear I had when I found out I was pregnant was the fear that if I gained more weight that I couldn't loose, or in those six weeks you'd have to let me be after the baby was born is that you would go back to her! That's all I worried about, that's all I do worry about!"

"Why?! Why do you think I would risk my family again?! I won't do it! I'm sorry you feel that way but it is obvious that you don't trust me!" He replied, opening the car door and got out, slamming it shut. She got out after him. "Lindsey! Stop!"
He just kept walking aimlessly down the empty highway. Her following him.

"What the hell are you doing?! Get back in the car! We have the appointment soon!" She tugged on his arm. "Well you know what? If you had just kept your mouth shut about me and Kristen and not brought up the past then maybe we could've actually gotten to the appointment without an argument. Although I'm not sure we'll even be together long enough to make it any appointment together since you still don't trust me after four years!"

Stevie stopped dead in her tracks and let go of him. "I'm sorry," she barely whispered, feeling like he just punched her in the chest. He didn't want to be with her now? "I love you," she replied, walking slowly towards the car and got in the drivers side. She just sat there for a minute trying to figure out what had just happened... Stevie couldn't believe what came out of his mouth, yet she still loved him? The bigger question was, how was she going to get to the appointment or home? What was Lindsey going to do? Should she attempt to drive herself? Well, that seemed like the only good option at the time so she started the car and started to pull away.

He turned around when he heard the engine crank and ran after it like a mad man. She stopped the car once she saw him in the rear view mirror. He ran up to the driver's side and yanked the door open. "Lindsey!" Stevie cried, he quickly pulled her out of the seat and shut the door back.

"Let me go!" She tried to push him away but he kept a hold on her arms.

"Lindsey stop it! I'm going to the appointment," she yelled "You're hurting me!" She grabbed his hand and tried to pry his fingers off of her arm. "Not without me! Who do you think you are??" She snapped and slapped him clear across the face. "I'm your wife! I'm the mother of your children and I'm carrying your child! And now I'm going to an appointment for them whether you are or not!" He quickly pulled out of his rage and just stood there in shock, looking into her eyes intensely before grabbing her and pulling her into a bone crushing hug. "I'm so sorry Steph-so so sorry. I have no clue what got into me! I'm sorry honey! I'm sorry!" He was in tears now and she wasn't really sure how to respond so she just held him tight. "It's okay... It's okay Lindsey...." She wasn't sure that it was. Actually she was positive that it wasn't okay but she had to tell him it was. That was her job. "But are we?" His question caught her off guard.

"No," she shook her head "just get in the car and let's go. We'll talk later." She didn't look him in the eye as she walked around the car and got in. He sighed and hopped back into the car. They drove in silence to their appointment.

Stevie got out quickly and walked toward the entrance.

Once inside she signed in and waited to be called, keeping her head down so she would not be noticed. Lindsey trailed behind her like a little boy who'd just got grounded.

Stevie didn't look him in the eye or even turn her head his way, yes they may have been acting dramatic and childish but when had the not been?

"Stephanie Buckingham?" The nurse called out. Stevie raised her head and grabbed her purse to follow the nurse to the scan room, Lindsey trailing close behind her.

The doctor entered the room, smiling when he saw Stevie. "Expecting again I see!" He said cheerfully, Dr. Bonnet had been Stevie's doctor for her last two pregnancies as well.

"Yes," Stevie replied, "trust me, this one is a surprise."

"Well, let's take a look at them, shall we?" Stevie laid back, pulling her blouse up just below her breasts and hesitantly reaching for Lindsey's hand.

Dr. Bonnet smoothed the gel out with the transducer and turned on the monitor as she held her breath in excitement. He moved the probe around for a few seconds before turning off the monitor.

Her smiled faded when the doctor abruptly stood up and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Lindsey rubbed her arm and stars silent, completely confused as to what was going on.

The doctor returned minutes later with a nurse trailing behind him.

"Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?" She demanded

"I'm afraid there's no baby," The nurse announced.