#para010

For the first time in...Lord knows how long, Sam woke up on his own. No alarms and no obligations. Alone, of course. But alone was good in a large bed that wasn't his, in a room with a closet that was double the size of his own back home in a house that if he closed it eyes and listened closely, carried the gentle sound of waves. 

He could see them too, if he wanted. Slip from warm sheets and cross the floor to the balcony. But it was still New England in November and he'd meet nothing but the cold winds coming off the ocean. So this was how the other half of Castleport lived. In beachfront properties they hardly spent time in, except in the sweltering summer months, in big beds, and little cares. 

Sam rolled onto his side. He would have to get up soon. See where everyone was in terms of cooking duties. He didn't imagine that his Thanksgiving would be...this. In an Airbnb courtesy of a hookup Santana had because of course she knew people. He didn’t even know how the hell he’d even pay her back for it, feeling funny at even accepting the offer until Santana mentioned it was practically given to her for free. It was just the four of them. Him, Santana, and their siblings. 

He was glad for the buffer that Santana and her brother Steven provided, along with the chance to get out of their childhood home for the holiday. The thought of having to be in that house now...away was good. Since her arrival the night before, he hadn’t spoken more than a handful of words to his sister. After helping Steven carry in the bags (theirs and some grocery ones), he settled on the massive couch in the large living room in front of the very large flat screen. Stacy had tried to approach him there, wanting to engage him in conversation, to discuss the facility that their father would call home for the next 30 or so days, but Sam sat in silence. His gaze refusing to leave the television as he casually flipped through the channels. 

Stacy’s scoff stayed with him when she turned to leave, stalking away in a cloud of auburn hair and a startlingly bright green sweater, but Sam refused to call after her. The anger he felt at her going along with Quinn’s plan to effectively shut him out of James’ treatment had yet to subside. It sat with him, in the pit of his stomach like an ugly, thorny weight. 

Waking up in a bed with a view of the ocean could only do so much, but he was determined not to let it spoil the day. Reaching for his phone, he checked his messages, scrolling through the various texts from well-wishers...which seemed like such a weird thing to do for a holiday based on eating and football. Still, he sent out a few messages, because he was thankful for the people he still had. 

And tried to ignore the feelings about the others. The Thanksgivings of old: Quinn dropping in for dessert with his family, his mother insisting on cutting an extra large slice of her chocolate mousse pie for the girl. Or the ones after Maggie, spent with Mercedes and the chaotic warmth that came from a Jones holiday with his girlfriend doting on his little sister. Wouldn’t do any kind of good to dwell on old shit. 

With a groan he got up reluctantly from the warm cocoon of blankets, and showered in the adjoining bathroom, taking the time to savor the hot water from a pipe that didn’t need a good five minutes to warm up. He loved the charm their old house had, but character couldn’t compete with a modern water heating system. 

Sam had taken his time, toweling off and getting dressed, emerging from the bathroom to find Stacy perched on the edge of the bed. She’d made it for him, the corners of the sheets tucked in tightly and the blanket folded at the foot. Her sweater today was oversized and a soft dark gold, that complimented her auburn curls and reminded him so much of their mother. Especially with that look in dark eyes, the determined one that he should have expected. 

But Sam wasn’t in the mood for any more words on the matter. He’d had enough of them with Quinn. And if the pair of them wanted to go over his head, he was no longer dealing with the issue. He tugged on the olive-colored long-sleeved thermal, smoothing it down while he turned in the mirror, paying his sister dust. 

“You really won’t talk to me? Really, Sam?” 

He raked a hand through his still-damp hair, deciding to let it air dry after finger combing a bit of moisturizing pomade through it. He glanced up, gazing at his sister through the mirror, waiting a beat before joining her on the bed. Only to tug on his boots. 

“You wanna talk to somebody, talk to Quinn. Y’all are running things now, right?” 

It was a low blow, and he barely flinched when Stacy shot off the bed hands on her hips. “You’re such a goddamn hypocrite, Sam. This is why people don’t tell you things. If it’s not something you wanna hear, you shut them out. I did what I thought was best for Daddy, and Quinn supported that. Why can’t you?” 

It pained him, hearing the emotion in his baby sister’s voice. Sam couldn’t even recall the last time they fought. Everything he did, he did for her. Any money he could spare, he sent her way. He was so proud of her, it hurt. To lose her mother even younger than he did, and left with a father who could barely take care of them and a brother who wasn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a shining example unless it involved squandered potential. 

But she managed to excel and shine, and do all the things that made him want to protect her from all the ugly shit that happened at home. And Sam wasn’t sure if he was just angry at himself for putting effort into maintaining an unnecessary facade or at Stacy, for exposing just how useless he was in all this. That he could look at the measure of it all, and find that he wasted so many years waiting around this damn town, all for what?

“I didn’t shut anyone out,” he replied simply, pushing off the bed to his full height. “I was pushed out. You two decided I wasn’t needed and made your own choice. So I’m respecting it. And I got nothing else to say about it. You wanna talk to me? Talk about anything else. But this? I’m done with it. You and Quinn made decisions about him...y’all can handle whatever the hell happens from it. I mean it, Anastasia.” 

His tone was void of anger, but carried a hint of exhaustion that seemed to zap a good bit of the goodwill that came along with the swanky house. But, it was Thanksgiving, and he didn’t want to spend it angry and tired. He’d spent enough days in the last year like that. At so  much. 

Even more so after...Sam shook his head. He didn’t like to think too long about the blackout. About finding that car out on North Road. About Rachel… 

Not today. 

Today, he’d try to concentrate on the good things he could still grasp. Cold winds coming off the ocean, in a house by the sea, in a bed with soft sheets, in a room with a closet twice the size of his own back home. With a shower that didn’t need five minutes to warm up. That wasn’t in a house empty of laughter but heavy on memories and shame, and dust, and and and….

Not today.

Today, was for thanks. For the people who mattered most to him...those he was still talking to, anyway. If there was a lesson to be taken from this Thanksgiving to the last, it was that life was just...too damn short.

His sister was standing in front of him, eyes glassy and Sam reached for her, arms curling around her shoulders as he held her in a hug, waiting for the moment he felt her arms around his waist before he pressed a kiss to her temple. 

She didn’t deserve another house with bad memories, or another holiday with tears. Not on his account. 

“Let’s go help San and Steven” he told her, giving her shoulders a small squeeze before separating. Things were...not good. They wouldn’t be. 

Everything hurt, scarred wrists from the burns could easily be covered with bracelets but, it was the inside that was hurting the most. Another person-- Tristan had called her out for being gay and so what if she was? It felt wrong, that was what. Even though she was with Clare she still felt like she was doing something wrong. Lying to half of the posse, to her own stepsister about who she was with. It was finally happening, maybe everything was finally coming down around her, that’s what she got for being a bitch, right? The facade was breaking, and it was for real this time. It was all becoming too much.

The lighter sparked as she played with it again, pushing the trigger down and pressing it up to her wrist. Instead of making a noise the girl bit down on her lip, tears pulling at her eyes when she felt the burn begin to leave it’s mark. She couldn’t make a noise. The wall were thin and Esme slept right next to her. Zoe knew that if anyone ever found out about this, she was ruined. She couldn’t stop though. Doing it in secret, in places no one would usually see, it made her feel better as if the marks were her only friend. ‘run away, no one at Degrassi would miss you’, the words rang in her head as her phone sat open on her pillow and a tear dripped down her cheek.

It was true? Who really would? Her friends? Probably not, if anything Tori would become leader of the group or they’d just replace her. Clare? Again that was doubtful, the girl would probably be lucky to be rid of her after a while, not having to hide anything from KC. Speaking of the boy, he wouldn’t either. He hated her, as did Zig. She was just just a slut to both of them. Nothing about herself was adding up in her head, and the white blinding sensation of pain filled her mind again as she pressed the flame to yet another part before letting the lighter go and dropping it to her bed. The flame thankfully disappearing as she curled into a tight ball against her pillows.

Sutton had been lounging at her apartment watching Netflix, taking some time to relax and get used to her home once more. After all, she had been away from it for months. Had she thought of Patrick while she was gone? Of course. The travelling was something she needed to do, and she had known that he had things in his life he needed to do as well. Their timing had been poor. She felt as though she had changed somewhat. Travelling had helped her find herself, something she hadn't taken the time to do after Markus had passed. Sutton was simply happy that Patrick was willing to meet up. So, she grabbed her purse and headed to the cafe, sitting down at the table that they had spent many afternoons at together.

Patrick had had a pretty chill morning, for the first time in forever. He had gotten to sleep in and have his coffee without his phone interrupting him, and it was all just very lovely. Now, he had agreed to meet Sutton for a cup of coffee. The two hadn't seen each other in two months, because she had been travelling and Patrick had been so busy. Before that, they had dated for a good four months. It had been one of Patrick's longest relationships, and one that he had really believed in, so when the two decided to split, it hadn't been easy on the guy. However, they had agreed to end things on a good term, and Patrick had really felt that from their latest conversation online. Walking into the café, Patrick instantly saw Sutton's face and a smile grew on his lips. "Hey there stranger," He said, hoping to catch her attention, before giving her a tight hug. It felt good to see her again. "How are you?"

Sutton smiled as she saw the familiar blonde hair approaching the cafe, and stood to greet him, reciprocating the hug fully. "Hi back handsome. You look great." She smiled, gesturing to the seat and sitting down in her own. "Honestly? Nervous. For this, and for seeing everyone again. I'm excited to see what is new in everyone's lives, but I'm not looking forward to the repetitive questions about my own." She shrugged softly. "What would you like to drink? This is on me."

Patrick pulled back from the hug, sitting down into the chair that Sutton had motioned to. "So do you," He told her, a grin resting on his face. He was really happy to see her again, it had been too long since the last time. Chuckling, Patrick resting against the table, keeping his eyes on the girl next to him. "That's understandable, it's been far too long since I've seen everyone," He said, a light and happy tone in his voice. "Um, I think I'll just have a cappuccino, thank you," He said, making sure to remember that it was his treat next time the two met up again.

Sutton nodded and stood, heading over to the counter and getting their drinks. One cappuccino, and one rolo drink, her favorite. She brought them back with a couple of croissants to pick at and smiled. "So tell me what's new with you, Patty. A lot can happen in two months."

Patrick watched Sutton get up, his eyes on her the whole time. He had missed being with her, to be honest. Their relationship had been good, and there hadn't really been any problems. They were good for each other and they made each other feel nice. It just hadn't been the right time to start dating, which was unfortunate for them. Clearing his throat as she returned, Patrick sat up and thanked her once again for his coffee. "Well, I've just been promoting my DVD for the last two weeks, in a couple of different countries. Now I've got time off until the new year. What about you?" He asked her, taking a sip of his coffee as he listened.

Sutton took a piece of the croissant and ate it, listening to him speak and watching the way his eyes lit up about his work. That was something she had loved about him - his passion. Something she still loved. "I somehow managed to get myself an early copy." She grinned, taking a sip of her rolo drink. "It's incredible Pat, I'm proud of you." Setting her drink down she took a deep breath. "Well, I travelled as I mentioned - took lots of photos, and just spent time getting to know myself again. I've been considering making some big changes in my life." She shrugged softly.

Patrick could feel his face go a bit red once Sutton admitted that she had gotten herself a copy of his film. It was something that Patrick couldn't quite get used to. It was weird, but he liked it. "Thank you," He said, feeling his face change into a deeper shade of red. He listened to her talk, taking a bigger sip of his drink before setting cup down. She had somehow managed to change, but still remain herself. It was quite unbelievable. "Oh yeah? What are those?"

Sutton took a deep breath. "It's kind of huge. I haven't even told Sam or Julian yet, but well..." should she just come right out and say it? "I've been doing some research on in vitro and... I'm thinking about having a baby." She scrunched her face, afraid of what his reaction might be.

Patrick grabbed a piece of the croissant in front of him and dipped it into his coffee, before eating it. He was intrigued to hear about what she was planning on doing. He knew Sutton well enough by now, and could tell that she was the kind of girl who thought things through before doing them. Once she revealed her plans, Patrick's head tilted. He had not expected that. "Wow..." He started off, leaning back into his seat. "That's... New!" Patrick really was surprised by it, but he knew that Sutton wanted kids. "So you want to go through the whole pregnancy thing?"

Sutton took a deep breath. "New yeah. I've thought about it a lot - of course if I go through with it there would be a lot more planning to do. It's something I feel I might be ready for. And I feel like this is the way to do it, I mean, after Markus, and you, I feel like I had what I was supposed to have. I don't know if I will have the chance again, and I don't want to risk it being too late you know?" She took a sip.

Patrick nodded along. He knew it had been hard for Sutton to get over the death of her husband and he really admired her for being able to step back into the dating game, especially with a guy like Patrick who was all over the world constantly. He figured she needed someone who could stay there with her, and spend time with her, and not be busy on the phone all the time; that was if she wanted someone, of course. "I can understand that," Patrick said, nodding along. "If it's what you feel is right, then I think you should go for it."

Sutton smiled softly. "You really think so? Your opinion means so much to me I mean I still - " Sutton stopped herself and laughed awkwardly. "I still.... trust you. A lot." Smooth, for sure. "It's scary."

Patrick couldn't help but smile, knowing now that she felt that way about him. They really had gotten a lot closer during the four months that they had been together, and it had been really lovely. Sutton had a good effect on Patrick, knowing how to make him smile. "Well, you should, I saw you naked," Patrick joked, a grin forming on his lips. He was making sure that his tone was playful and that he didn't mean any harm by it. "You're going to be okay, and I know for a fact that you're going to make an amazing mom."

Sutton couldn't help it, her sappy self was coming through. She wiped at her eye and smiled. "You did, and I saw you naked." She teased back, laughing. "Thank you, Patrick. Really. This means the world to me." She took a deep breath. "But enough about this! Anything exciting happening?

Patrick chuckled, rubbing Sutton's back soothingly. The two had always been able to joke around, which was amazing. It always cheered Patrick up, if he had had a long day on a production set, and he got to go out with Sutton for dinner. They'd normally always stay in the restaurant until it closed, having drank a bottle of wine and laughing over something completely random. It was a good relationship. Shrugging his shoulders, Patrick took a last sip of coffee before he was done with it. "No, not really," Patrick wasn't sure if he should mention Cassie's pregnancy, considering the fact that Sutton herself wanted a child, and the fact that Cassie wasn't too keen on speaking about it. "I'll see you at the reunion, right?"

Sutton found herself thinking back to what things were like before they had split. Had she wanted to? No, but she felt she wasn't being fair to him, and that she needed to fully understand herself before she could treat him the way he deserved. "I've missed this." She muttered softly, resting her head on his shoulder momentarily. "You will! Hey - if I give you 'the look' will you save me?" She giggled

Patrick remembered back to the times that they had shared, feeling Sutton's head on his shoulder and chuckling, amused by their chemistry. "Of course. I'll always save you," He told her, his arm running around her body and pulling her closer to him for a tighter hug. He really had missed her. "You know, it was amazing seeing you again," He said, keeping her there, closer to him. "I'm determined not to lose the contact with you, after this."

Kenzi let out another low sigh as she pulled the covers back up and over her head. Her mom hadn’t stopped coming in and out of her room offering her food or anything else she could think of to get her up. It was the same every time she went into a funk. Though they rarely happened - possibly only once or twice before, it was always a loss as to what to do about it. Her doctor said it was part of functioning with severe ADHD as an adult, but it still sucked. Personally, Kenzi preferred to tantrums she threw when she was forced to not to do something. At least she was less of a burden on herself or others. Usually, she would have followed up with saying she preferred violent outbursts, but they got her into this mess in the first place. When the door clicked, letting her know that her mom finally left her alone again, she turned under her covers, finding her phone and flicking through her messages. She felt awful that she hadn’t text Cobie at all, but she didn’t know whether she had seen that awful picture or not. If she did, she was sure she wouldn’t have wanted a monster like her around her baby, or even her. Though she had been told that she wasn’t nuts, and she wasn’t evil, it was hard to believe it when someone told her she was. Always the optimist and the stereotypical kind of chaotic good, Kenzi was very easy to crumble under her own self doubt when she was pushed to it.

Cobie was in the process of finishing off one of her paintings in the garage when she heard her phone buzz on her desk. Expecting it to be Kenzi, she quickly put down her brush and moved to grab it, frowning when she saw that it was from Estela. She'd never received a text from anybody's mother in her life, so naturally her stomach began to twist uncomfortably. That feeling only grew when she swiped down and read it. Kenzi was depressed. She wasn't moving from her bed or eating, and her mother was worried. Without pausing for breath, Cobie quickly grabbed her hoodie along with her car keys, then headed straight for Kenzi's place. On the way, she made sure to stop off to get her girlfriend her favorite food - Subway. That would surely entice her out of bed. Next stop was her Grandma Rogers' to grab an old white sheet from the shed, along with her paints and darts. Then it was onto the store to get balloons, and she was finally done. Her plan was going to work flawlessly, or so she hoped. Pulling up outside the Harrington place, she grabbed the stuff she needed, smiling at Estela as she let her in and told her Kenzi was upstairs. After making her way towards the girls room with her hands full, she kicked open the door and frowned when she saw she was hidden by covers. "Babe, what's wrong?" she asked, placing everything she'd brought on the floor and making her way to sit on the edge of the bed. "I got you Subway!"

Kenzi almost groaned when she heard her door open again, not really in the mood for more coaxing from her mom. All she needed was to just lay and feel sorry for herself for a few days and then she’d be right back on her feet like nothing happened. It was perhaps the best part of being the way she was. Nothing was permanent. “I don’t wannaaaa,” She groaned, moving further under her sheets before Cobie’s voice rang in her ears, making her freeze. Cobie seemed to be acting like she had no idea what was going on, so she couldn’t have seen the pictures. Hearing talk of food, Kenzi’s stomach growled like a bear and she let out a small whimper, turning around to lay on her back and pulling the covers back. Cobie had moved to sit on the bed, eyes scanning her face with worry. “Hey..” Kenzi greeted with a husky voice, trying to force a smile which turned out being nothing more than an awkward simper. She wanted to ask if she knew what was going on, or she’d heard from Ofelia, but she couldn’t. If Cobie was unaware, she kind of wanted to keep it that way. After all, she was pregnant and already stressed enough. She didn’t need Cobie worrying more. “You didn’t have to get me food baby..” Kenzi shook her head softly, but her heart was aching for how caring her girlfriend was. She really didn’t deserve her. “Did my mom call you?”

Cobie grabbed the food for Kenzi out of the bag on the floor, frowning as she kicked her shoes off, then moved to lay down next to her. "I did have to get you food, because you haven't eaten. That's really not like you, so I'm gonna need you to eat." She passed the sandwich to her girlfriend, then nodded her head. "Well, she didn't call me. She texted me, and I immediately came over here. But not before grabbing some stuff." Leaning in, she pressed her still slightly sore lips against Kenzi's forehead. "You gonna tell me what's wrong?" she asked, her fingertips tracing soothing patterns on the bare skin of Kenzi's arm. "You know you can tell me anything, so don't be afraid to." Cobie really didn't like seeing the girl she loved in such a funk, and not knowing what had caused it was worst. Perhaps it was all the stress from past couple of days getting on top of her. Either way, it sucked to not see Kenzi smiling, and she knew that she had to try and get her to brighten up before her mom came in and started worrying again. It was sweet how much Estela cared. Whenever Cobie holed herself up in her bedroom, it was always Shaggy that tried to get her to come out. Colbie never once did. She always marked it down to being 'teenage strops', even after Cobie reached her twenties.

Kenzi played with the wrapping of the sandwich in her lap, not being able to help the tiny smile that tried to tug it's way onto her lips when Cobie kissed her forehead. It figured that her mom had texted her. After all, she was all Kenzi could talk about recently, and Estela was always bringing up how she made her calmer and less reckless. Though, when Cobie asked what was bothering her, the smile trickled away as fast as it appeared. "I..." Kenzi started, taking a break to let out the breath she was holding in her lungs. She knew it would probably come around sooner or later, but now she had deleted the picture, she wasn't too sure what she should say. "Ofelia.." Kenzi answered simply, keeping her gaze down on the food in her lap. "I just... Do you really want me around your baby? Or you.. When you're.. Yknow.." Kenzi muttered, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm an aggressive freak," she whispered, mimicking Ofelias text. "A monster,"

Cobie almost couldn't believe what she was hearing as Kenzi told her what Ofelia had said. She could feel the anger rising inside her, and her jaw clenched tightly. Why couldn't Ofelia just leave things the fuck alone? Every time Cobie thought that things were getting slightly better, she always had to do something. And now she was messing with the person she loved. It was like she couldn't help herself. Sure, Kenzi had smacked her, and maybe it wasn't necessary and a little too violent, but now she was just acting like a bitch. It was hard for Cobie not to get off the bed and head straight to her former best friends again, just to smack her on a part of her body that wasn't already bruised. Maybe she'd cunt punch her, seeing as she was acting like one. The part where Kenzi called the baby just Cobie's didn't go unnoticed, either. Inhaling deeply for a few seconds, then exhaling, she rested her palm on Kenzi's cheek, then pressed their foreheads together. "Ofelia is a fucking liar, and she knows jack shit about who you are, or what you're like around people that aren't her bitchy ass. You're not any of those things, baby. I promise that you're not, and you know I wouldn't lie to you," Cobie reassured her, brushing their noses together. "And the baby is ours. Not just mine. Our baby." She gave the girl a small smile before pressing their lips together softly. "Never listen to a thing she says. Ofelia fucking loves mind games, and if she thinks she can get in your heard, she will. It's her way of controlling people. Trust me, I know her, and she's trying to fuck you up mentally because she's twisted right now. You are the farthest thing from a monster. She's a monster, and she will be until she gets help." Taking Kenzi's hand in her own, she guided it down to her stomach where there was a barely forming bump. "Do you honestly believe you could hurt pequeño bean, or me? Because I sure as hell don't."

Kenzi couldn't stop the way her heart started to flutter when Cobie brought their foreheads together. Even though she still felt like an awful person, and every thing was just becoming very quickly overwhelming, she still felt a lightness inside of herself that was always there when Cobie was around. She quickly learned to believe that it must have been the effect of love. To be content and happy with someone no matter what else was going on. That they made you feel like more of a person. Feeling her breath catch in her throat, Kenzi let Cobie guide her hand down to her stomach and shook her head. She'd never hurt Cobie, and she knew she wouldn't. She couldn't. Or the baby. "Never," she answered simply, shifting back a little to let her eyes flicker over Cobie's face, lingering at her angry, split lip. She didn't regret finding Ofelia that day. She maybe regretted hitting her, but it was the only thing she knew how to do to protect the woman she loved. Lifting a hand, she traced below the cut, before leaning in to kiss the other side of her girlfriends mouth. "I don't know if.. I'm still in Mystery Inc or not. I don't know who she sent the picture to." Kenzi admitted, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "I would have thought she'd send it to you. Everyone's gonna hate me." She shook her head, letting her fingers slip under Cobie's shirt to tickle at the skin of get stomach. "I'd run if it weren't for you,"

Cobie smiled as she felt Kenzi's lips against her own. She was always so tender and soft. How could anyone truly believe that she was capable of monstrous things? Everyone made mistakes within the gang, and hitting Ofelia was one of Kenzi's, and if people couldn't see that she was truly wonderful despite doing that, then none of them deserved to truly know her, and Cobie would gladly tell all of them that. "You're still in the gang. I won't let anyone kick you out." When Kenzi mentioned a photo, one of Cobie's eyebrows quirked upwards. "A photo? She has been sending photos of her face around? So fucking typical. Wants the attention, wants the glory, wants the sympathy. I'm glad I didn't get it." Pulling Kenzi into her arms, Cobie shook her head, her lips pressing to the hollow of her collarbone. "Nobody is going to hate you, and you don't need to ever run. People know that you did it to protect me. Sure, they might not agree with what you did. But they can't hate you. Ofelia hit me, and I'm pregnant, so they can't hate you for getting mad." Cobie was so angry about how Ofelia had made her girlfriend feel, and she knew that everything the girl was doing was pushing her further and further away, making their friendship become more irreparable. "Plus, if you ran away, I'd totally come with you." Her lips peppered kisses up Kenzi's neck, then down her jawline until she met her lips again. "I love you," she whispered, looking straight into brown eyes as she said it. "Now, do you feel ready to finally eat? Your mom is so worried, baby. And so am I. If you wanna just forget things and have some fun, I brought something, messy, and stress relieving for us to do."

Kenzi reluctantly nodded when Cobie asked if Ofelia was sending a picture of her face around. Though Cobie was reassuring her that everything would be okay, and she always believed anything she said, there was still a little inkling inside of her that it was going to blow up somehow. That Danny would hate her and she'd lose the closest person she has to a brother, that she'd make Topher mad at her. That Cam would make Cobie's life hell if he didn't want her around the baby. When Cobie's lips started peppering her skin, Kenzi let out a deep sigh, her chest feeling the lightest it had felt all day. The girl just had a way about her that took away all her troubles. All her worries. Her head was never so busy when Cobie was around. She could never be able to find the words to thank her for that. "I love you too." She smiled, lips tingling from Cobie's kiss. Nodding, Kenzi turned to the food in her lap, unwrapping it and taking a bite. With her mouth full, Kenzi's brow peaked in interest, eyes flickering to the pile of stuff inside the doorway. "Wha' yu plannin'?" Kenzi asked with her mouth full, before swallowing the food. As always, so polite when she was hungry. "Is it you?" Kenzi asked, a devilish smirk finally finding her face.

Cobie let out a sigh of relief when Kenzi finally began to eat, glad to see that she was obviously feeling a little better about everything now that she had been reassured. Laughing, Cobie shook her head. "Not this time, babe. I think this might be even funner than doing me, even if I'm pretty fun," she teased, kissing the tip of Kenzi's nose with the good side of her mouth. Springing up off the bed, she walked over to the doorway to collect the stuff she'd gathered. "We're going to balloon paint. I'm gonna hang the white sheet on a wall, then fill balloons with fabric paint. I'll then pin them to the sheet, and we can pop them with darts. It makes something really pretty, and then the sheet can be used. We just need to figure out which room to do it in, and protect the floor with something. I did it with my dad once, and he hung the sheet in his bedroom. It's really cool," Cobie explained, turning to look at Kenzi who had cheeks full of food, which totally reminded her of a chipmunk. "You're so fuckin' cute," she breathed, a smile forming on her face without even realizing it. Her heart was beating fast, and she really had no idea how one person could make her feel so much love just by sitting there and doing nothing. "So, you down to get messy?" she asked with a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "We can totally do it in our underwear if it'll make you feel better"

Kenzi quirked her head as Cobie started to explain what she had planned. If it was apparently better than doing Cobie, then it had to be a blast. Taking her final bite, she smiled through her chewing. “Hell yeah,” She grinned with a mouth full of half chewed food, not being able to stop her reaction to Cobie smiling. It was honestly the best part of any of her days now. Swallowing her food, Kenzi stood up and pulled her shirt over her head. After laying around barely moving all day, it felt nice to get it off. Also, anything was always improved without clothes on. “We can use one of the spare rooms. The one at the front only has a small bed and nothin’ else,,” Kenzi grinned as she pushed off her pajama pants. Letting out a low breath, Kenzi almost skipped over to Cobie and took the supplies out of her arms and into her own. “You ain’t carrying anything.” She grinned, waiting for Cobie to open the door so they could walk down to the front bedroom. It had never really been used before - only really as overflow if they had family staying over. It was kind of perfect for a makeshift art room and her mom couldn’t be mad. She was out of bed, which was all she wanted. “How are you so smart?” Kenzi smiled, waiting for Cobie to open the bedroom door. “I feel like shit and you always make it better. You should sell your magic to my doctor,”

Cobie watched as Kenzi removed her shirt, trying not to let her eyes linger for too long on her now revealed torso. She was so hot, and it was so hard not to stare. "That sounds good to me. I just hope the paint doesn't stain anything. Other than us and the sheet." Averting her eyes, Cobie focused really intensely on a picture on the bedroom wall, not trusting herself to look at Kenzi in just her underwear without wanting to jump on her. Maybe doing this in underwear was a bad idea, but oh well. Paint, plus an almost naked Kenzi? It was just heaven. Her heart fluttered, and everything felt warm and fuzzy when her girlfriend took the box from her and made her comment. She was already worrying about Cobie carrying stuff, and that was just the sweetest thing. It was shocking to think that anybody believed that this wonderful woman was capable of anything other than protecting and loving someone fully. Chuckling, Cobie shook her head. "I really don't think your doctor can bottle what I have. It's called true love. Even if he tried to use, it wouldn't work. He doesn't love ya like I do," she said with a shrug of her shoulders as she pressed a kiss to Kenzi's cheek. Opening the door, she gestured for her girl to go first before following her down to the spare room. Once they were in there, she finally removed her clothes to match the beautiful girl standing beside her. "Right. Can you help me pin the sheet? Then we have to fill the balloons! I trust that you won't cover everything with paint for fun? I don't want your mother to kill me."

Kenzi was definitely starting to think that the idea of true love being the most amazing feeling and Cobie feeling that was about her would never get old. She must have done something truly amazing in her past life to get something so great in this one. Either that or her seemingly unbelievable dumb luck. When they were finally inside the spare room, Kenzi placed the box down and have the place a sweep with her eyes to see where it would be best to pin the sheet up. When her eyes drifted back to her girlfriend, she caught her just in time to watch her peel away her clothes. She'd seen her naked before and studied every inch of her body, but Cobie still took her breath away. It should have been illegal to want someone this much, all the time. "..uh, yeah," Kenzi nodded, tearing her eyes away from Cobie's chest as she registered she had been asked to help out. "Usually I'd be so down for paint bombing this bitch but I wanna make stuff with you," Kenzi grinned proudly, picking up the sheet and walking with it, towards a blank wall. "But I might wanna get some paint hand prints all over dat butt," she smirked as they pinned the sheet into place.

Cobie could practically feel Kenzi's eyes burning a hole in her chest from how intensely she was staring. If it wasn't so flattering, she'd have reminded her that she also had a perfectly good face to look at. Then again, with the whole split lip deal, it wasn't as attractive as it could've been. "Good, because I wanna make stuff with you, too. It'll be special." She pinned her side of the sheet, tuning to look at Kenzi as she commented about paint hand prints. "Maybe I'll let you play with the leftover paint and me after, seeing as you've had a rough day and all." Stepping back, Cobie made sure the sheet was secure before grabbing the water balloons and opening the pack. After handing one to Kenzi, she began to fill one herself with one of the bottles of paint, being careful not to get it everywhere. After tying it, she stepped closer to the other girl, one hand reaching out and squeezing her breast through her bra as she squeezed the water balloon in the other. "I'm checking to see how they both compare on a squish rating scale. For science. Your boobs are definitely better." With a grin, she made her way over to the sheet to pin the first balloon.

Kenzi sucked in some air when Cobie moved closer to her and reached out for her breast. She was a little confused at first, but her face broke into a winning grin when she caught on. “Good. I’d pretty proud of ‘em,” She grinned as she took the empty balloon and moved to sit cross legged on the floor. She was never really all that tidy with anything, more likely to make a mess than make something decent, but she was really going to try her best. With her tongue sticking out of her mouth in intense concentration, Kenzi lifted the bottle of paint and carefully filled the balloon. Climbing a wall or performing intricate dirt bike tricks were nothing to her, but these little minute tasks needed all of her concentration. For a person like her, it was difficult. After filling the balloon with her very unsure hands, she carefully placed the bottle down to start tying the balloon, looking completely unpracticed - like a deer learning to walk. “Did it!” She grinned, hopping up and moving to the sheet to pin it, noticing that Cobie had already pinned up a few in the time it took her to do just one. Turning to her girlfriend, she held out her hand eagerly to ask for another empty balloon. “AND I didn’t even make a little bit of a mess,” She beamed, turning over her hand to show the small amount of paint splattered on it. “On the floor, anyway.”

Cobie watched Kenzi out of the corner of her eye as she filled her own balloons with paint. The way she stuck out her tongue in concentration was adorable, and if it wasn't for the fact that Cobie knew how hard she was trying, she'd have kissed her. It must have been incredibly difficult to focus on something that required a keen eye and steady hands, when all you really wanted to do was let your mind race and jump off things a majority of the time. She pinned up her filled balloons as she waited for her girlfriend to finish, turning to look as she yelled out that she'd finished. Wrapping her arm around Kenzi's waist, Cobie pulled her close to her side and kissed her cheek. "I'm so proud of you. I saw how hard you tried." Grabbing another balloon, she passed it to Kenzi, along with another colored bottle of paint. Taking a seat on the floor, Cobie continued to fill more balloon with various colors, even mixing colors together in some. When she looked at how many balloons were now on the floor in front of them, done by both her and Kenzi, a satisfied smile made it's way onto her face. "Okay, I think we might have enough now. Once we pin 'em all up we'll know. Then we can start popping and making a mess." Getting up from the floor, she began the task at hand. Soon enough, the sheet was covered, and they could finally make art. "Alright, grab some darts and lets go! Stand back, though."

Kenzi couldn’t wipe the grin off her face when she continued to fill balloons slowly, knowing that Cobie was proud of her. She had always failed art in school - honestly, she failed most things, so it was nice to know that she was doing something right. “This is gonna be awesome,” Kenzi smiled as they pinned up the balloons. She wasn’t too sure what was going to happened when they popped the balloons, nor what it would look like, so the small girl was nearly vibrating in excitement. After all, making things explode was up there with her most favorite things. That and making a mess. But this, unlike anything else she had done, was a good mess that led to something really pretty. At least, she hoped so! She just wanted to do it right. When they stood back far enough, Kenzi couldn’t wait before throwing a dark, jumping a little as she did and hitting a balloon, sending paint splattering out and causing a little squeal to leave her mouth. “THAT WAS AWESOME,” She shouted, pulling her lower lip between her teeth to suppress her smile. She was just very easily amused. “This is the best idea, baby!” Kenzi smiled, moving behind Cobie to wrap the arm not clinging to darts, around her waist. “You’re just the smartest,”

Cobie moved back, her eyes on Kenzi as she watched her throw the first dart. She knew that the girl was going to be excited, but the pure excitement and enthusiasm that came from her when she watched the paint leak out and run down the sheet was nothing short of amazing. Seeing someone she loved so happy, and all because of something she'd suggested, felt like nothing else. It made her heart swell in her chest, and her stomach flutter with butterflies. "I'm really glad you like it! I figured it'd be your thing." A wave of serenity washed over her when Kenzi's arm wrapped around her waist, and he heard her say those four sweet words. Nobody had ever really called Cobie smart before, but Kenzi was always saying it to her, and for once she could actually start to believe it, because she'd truly made her happy after she had been so sad. That had to be smart, right? "Do you think you'd be down for doing more stuff like this?" Cobie asked, throwing one of the darts that she was holding, grinning as blue paint ran down the sheet, and splattered them slightly. "Because if you are, I have more ideas that are a lot like this. Like, if it makes you feel good, I wanna show you all the fun you can have with paint."

Kenzi watched as Cobie threw darts, splattering paint down the sheet. She nodded erratically, before realizing that Cobie wasn’t looking at her. “Hell yeah.This is the kinda art I can probably do,” She grinned, lifting her arm to throw another dart, mixing colors as it splattered and dripped. “And I get to do it with you, so it’s even better,” It was a nice change from the stuff she normally did, and she was sure more than just her parents would appreciate the low risk on her life. She always got into a lot more trouble when she was left to amuse herself. As the last of the balloons were popped, Kenzi could still feel the excitement bubbling under her skin. Skipping towards their handywork, she grinned, taking it all it. It was awesome. She’d have to find somewhere to keep it when it dried. Crouching down, Kenzi placed her hand in some stray pain on the covered ground. After letting her other hand follow suit, Kenzi stood up, playing with the paint on her hands before turning to Cobie with a smirk. “Sorry for staring babe, but you look like a work of art,” Reaching out, Kenzi rubbed her hands across Cobie’s stomach, spreading the pain against her skin.

Cobie smiled softly as Kenzi agreed that she wanted to do more stuff with paint. "I'll do anything and everything with you, you know that." It was a simple statement, but true. Cobie truly would do anything that her girlfriend asked of her, as long as it wasn't going to scar her for life, or get her thrown into jail. Her eyes watched the paint continue to drip down the sheet as the last of the balloons were popped. They'd truly made something beautiful together. Maybe other people would see it as a huge mess, but they didn't. For Cobie, it was a masterpiece, because her and Kenzi had done it together, and it was something that had made her girlfriend extremely happy. Her eyes lingered on her girlfriend as she watched her rub her hands in the paint on the ground. She knew what was coming, and if she really wanted to, she could have stopped it. But she didn't. "That is so cheesy," she chuckled, watching as small hands moved over her stomach, creating a messy mixture of colors. "Baby's first painting," she teased, leaning forward to kiss Kenzi's lips quickly. "I can get you back, though," she shrugged, bending over to cover her own hands in paint. "Hmm, where to paint first," she mused out loud, before then deciding on Kenzi's chest. Pressing both hands just beneath her collarbones, Cobie grinned as she pulled them back. "Mine."

Kenzi felt her breath hitch in her throat when Cobie uttered that it was the baby's first painting. Letting her eyes flicker to her girlfriends stomach, Kenzi's eyes softened. It was still mind blowing that a baby was growing inside there. She'd never really been around pregnant people, apart from one or two teachers during her time at school, so she didn't know what to look for or what to expect. But the thought that there was something coming to life even though she couldn't see it - that was pretty amazing. Caught up in her mind, Kenzi was taken by surprise when Cobie left paint stained handprints on her chest, heart pounding at the sweet possessiveness she was showing. "You know it," she grinned, bending over to pick up some more paint. "But it's totally on, baby," Dragging paint down the side of Cobie's neck, Kenzi pressed her lips against the mix of blue and yellow, before moving to pepper kisses over her chest, leaving a stain as she went. It was at that moment, the door of the room swung open, showing a very confused looking Estela. Perhaps both with the fact that her daughter was seemingly feeling herself again, but also because the pair of them were covering each other in pain, clad only in underwear. Though, she knew to expect weird from Kenzi. "I don't even want to know," she sighed, stepping back into the hallway and closing the door behind her.

Cobie smirked as Kenzi's hand spread paint over her neck, her breath hitching when the girl pressed her lips against it. There was mild concern rushing through her mind over the fact her girlfriend could ingest some of it, but that was soon wiped clean out of her mind when soft kisses were being peppered across her chest. The paint was most likely non-toxic anyway. When the door flung open, Cobie let out a loud gasp as she saw Estela standing there, watching as Kenzi was continuing to press her lips to her chest. "No, wait!" she yelled, not wanting her to get the wrong idea about what was going on. But it was too late, the door had already shut. "Oh my god. Your mom probably thinks I brought you in here to fuck in the paint. That's so embarrassing. Your mom just saw me in underwear! It's a good job I'm wearing good stuff," Cobie groaned, her eyes glancing down at her chest to check out the lip prints left by the paint. "That does look really cool, though. Also weirdly hot..." Crouching down, she dipped her hands into the purple paint, then stood up straight to grab Kenzi's butt, pulling her close. "Now your ass is not only my favorite thing, but also my favorite color," she teased, kissing the corner of a paint stained mouth.

Kenzi couldn't stop her amused chuckle when her mom backed away, Cobie desperately trying to call her back to explain. She looked horrified, which wasn't really needed. Even if they were having freaky paint sex, her mom wouldn't care. She was kind of used to dealing with Kenzi and all the odd things that came along with her. "She probably won't bring it up, it's cool. She's a kinda cool mom," Kenzi grinned, "But you do look super fine," watching as Cobie bent down to coat her hands with paint, she didn't even flinch as pain covered hands moved to grab her ass and pull her close. Her breath hitching in her throat, Kenzi lifted her arms to wrap them around her girlfriends shoulders, pushing their skin together. "We're real messy," Kenzi grinned, lightly kissing the tip of Cobie's nose, leaving a paint stain behind. "Wanna take a shower with me?"

Cobie nodded, but couldn't quite believe it when Kenzi told her that her mom wouldn't mind. She couldn't imagine Colbie ever acting that way if she saw them in the position they were currently in. She'd have probably gone wild and caused an all out fight in the middle of the house. "As long as she'll be okay with it, then cool. I don't wanna come across as disrespectful in her home." Cobie let out a deep breath, her tongue wetting her lips as Kenzi pulled their bodies close together. A small giggle escaped her throat as her nose was kissed, and she gave her girlfriend a smirk. "Hmm, well, how could I ever say no to seeing you naked and wet?" she asked, her lips lightly pressing against yellow and blue ones. "Plus, I can totally wash your hair and relax you even more." Looking at the sheet on the wall again, Cobie smiled proudly. "We did really good. I hope when your mom sees it, she'll understand and not think of me as a complete sexual deviant," she laughed, removing her hands from Kenzi's ass to wrap her arms around her middle, squeezing her tight. "Let's go get clean, then. Hopefully your parents won't see us, or your butt, because that'll be even more embarrassing, even if it is a masterpiece."

Kenzi was starting to think that it really was crazy that her emotions could whiplash so much, all due to one person. One moment, her libido was flaring at the thought of being ​naked and wet​ with her girlfriend. The next, the thought of having her hair washed and being so close to the woman she loved in such a caring fashion warmed her, her body arching closer on it’s own accord. It must have been some kind of voodoo magic, and Kezi was pretty sure only her grandmother was into that kind of thing. Turning to look at the painted sheet, Kenzi let her head fall onto Cobie’s shoulder, not caring that paint could be getting into her hair. “She’s gonna love it, babe. I love it. I want to keep it forever. It’s the first thing we like… Made. And it’s perfect,” She grinned, kissing the underside of Cobie’s jaw before pulling away to take her hand. “My butt is for your eyes only.” She smiled, dragging Cobie out of the bedroom and towards her ensuite. “My butt and the rest of me,” She added, pulling Cobie into the bathroom and kicking the door shut and wrapping her arms back around her girlfriend's waist. “I hate showering, but I think I’m gonna love it with you,”

Cobie kissed the top of Kenzi's head as it rested against her shoulder. "Of course it's perfect. We did it together. Anything we do together has to be pretty great." A sigh of contentment left Cobie's lips as she felt warm a soft kiss against her jaw. Nothing felt better than when she had her girlfriend in her arms, and her lips pressing against her skin. It was amazing how one person could just ease everything. Just take away every bit of worry, self doubt, stress, and anger. Cobie really wished that her and Kenzi could just be left alone together forever. At least then, neither of them would have to suffer the hurt and emotional torment that seemed to come with being in Mystery Inc. these days. It was ridiculous how heavy everything was, and Cobie wished that she could just leave. It'd be so much easier than staying and dealing with everything. If things carried on the way they were, she was worried for the baby. "Mm, you know it, baby." Following the girl to her bedroom, Cobie looked around at the pictures hanging on the wall quickly as she rushed by. There were so many of baby Kenzi, and it was absolutely adorable. Nearly tripping over as she got pulled into the bathroom, Cobie shrugged one of her shoulders with a coy smile. "Maybe you will. No funny business, though. I don't wanna slip and die some horrible, dramatic death in a shower. Shower sex is so risky. I don't know why people do it." Reaching over her girlfriend, Cobie turned the water on before reaching back and snapping her own bra open. "After you," she grinned. This day was turning out so perfect, considering how it had begun.

Kenzi was quick to pull the last of her clothes off when Cobie turned the water on, starting to fill the room with a soothing warm steam. She’d never showered with anyone before and honestly it wasn’t really anything she’d have wanted before. But then again, no one else was Cobie. “I don’t wanna get you hurt, not with pequeño,” Kenzi smiled, going up on her tiptoes to kiss Cobie’s cheek before stepping into the hot stream of the shower. Feeling the water soak her hair, she let out a low, satisfied groan before turning around and holding out her hands for Cobie’s. Pushing back her girlfriends already damp hair from her face, Kenzi smiled softly, the heat around them somehow managing to match the feeling of her insides whenever their eyes connected. Though they were both so close, and so naked, all she could look at was Cobie’s face. Sure, the rest of her was tempting, and Kenzi was literally always down for sex, but she loved her above everything. Just being with her, Kenzi felt like the happiest version of herself. Cobie was tender and caring, and she hoped to do the same right back. “Thank you,” She spoke softly, thumb brushing against a perfect cheekbone. “For today.. I needed you. I just.. Didn’t know what to say,”

Cobie stepped out of her underwear, then took Kenzi's hands and stepped into the shower with her. When her hair was pushed back from her face, and blue eyes met brown, Cobie could have sworn that her heart literally stopped, along with her breathing. There was just something about the way her girlfriend was looking at her right then that was so intense, so...consuming. "You don't have to say thank you. It's part of the girlfriend job description, y'know?" Cobie said softly with a smile, her arms wrapping around Kenzi's waist to pull her body tight against her own. "Next time you need me, just tell me you're feeling a little sad. I'll be right over. I'm glad your mom text me, because the thought of you being in bed, sad and lonely all day hurts my heart. I wanna be here for you as much as I can be, y'know? You've been here for so much since we got together. You've helped me through more than most couples help each other through over years together. I love you, and I'll always be here to make things better. I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else." Cupping the back of Kenzi's neck, Cobie brought their faces together, her nose brushing against the other girls before she kissed her a little harder than she'd been able to manage over the past few days, due to her lip. Pulling back, she fixed her eyes on Kenzi's and whispered, "Estoy desesperadamente enamorado de ti. Sin tu amor la vida no vale la pena ahora mismo." Reaching to the side, Cobie grabbed the shampoo, squeezing some into her hands before beginning to run them through Kenzi's hair, her fingertips massaging her scalp soothingly. Honestly, for Cobie, life couldn't have gotten much better than it was right there and then. It was just one of the few most perfect moments the two of them had shared.

Kenzi relaxed against Cobie’s body, unable to think of a single place she would rather be in that moment. Every word that left the other womans lips seemed to dance around her ears like a sweet song, making her heart soar. “Why are you so good to me? All you had to do was show up and everything was perfect again. I just hope that I make you feel that way when I try to help you too. We’ve already been through a lot.. But it all just makes me love you more,” Ever since Cobie had been hurt, they hadn’t really been able to kiss properly due to the gash in her lip, so Kenzi was pleasantly surprised when Cobie pulled her closer and pressed their lips together. If she wasn’t being held so firmly, Kenzi would have probably slipped and fallen down in the shower due to how fast her heart started to thumb inside of her. When they parted, Kenzi had half a mind to blindly follow the sweet lips she loved so much, but was cut off by Spanish tongue, her breath momentarily leaving her body with the immense feelings the words gave her. “Soy la persona más afortunada. Amandote. Esto hace que todo valga la pena.” When Cobie started to thread the cinnamon shampoo through her hair, Kenzi’s eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into her girlfriends touch. She was so tender and caring with her, she was almost positive she had melted into a puddle at the bottom of the shower, soon to disappear down the drain. “Mi cielo,” Kenzi whispered, a relaxed smile complimenting her face as her hands danced around Cobie’s sides, wanting to trace and treasure every inch of skin. As her hair was rinsed under the water, Kenzi finally let her eyes flutter open, taking in Cobie’s serene, relaxed face. This whole day was turning out to be perfect. Peaceful. Everything it should be while they were together. WIth a soft puff of air, Kenzi sighed as she let her head fall to Cobie’s shoulder, wet lips leaving gentle, loving kisses as she pulled back. Her nose brushing against the underside of a beautiful lawline, sensitivity and that wonderful feeling of raw closeness intensified by the water and steam. “Let me take care of you too, corazón,” Kenzi whispered, taking the shampoo and starting to work it through Cobie’s hair, albeit, with no expertise. She was never really all that good in getting herself clean the way she should, and really had no experience with anyone else, but she wanted to try her best. Cobie was worth it all and she always would be.

Cobie brushed her lips against Kenzi's cheek as she spoke, her head nodding yes. "Of course you make me feel that way. Whenever I'm upset and you hold me, or you reassure me, I feel like... I feel like nothing else matters but you. Like, that night I told you I was pregnant. I was fucking terrified, and before you arrived all I'd been doing was going in and out of panic attacks. But then you came in like princess charming, and completely changed my mood. You helped me go from an absolute mess to a smiling idiot. And all you did was be you. You're amazing, and you make me feel safe, loved, happy, protected, and like I'm the first best for once in my life. With everyone else I'm second, third, maybe fourth. But for you, I'm your number one, and you don't know how much that means to someone like me." Her speech was longer than she'd expected it to be, but she really couldn't hold back on feelings when it came to Kenzi. She was the only person who ever made her feel anything other than lust or loyalty. She made her feel so at peace. So special. Her heart fluttered as she heard her girlfriend speak back to her Spanish, and her hands worked through Kenzi's hair as she tipped her head back to rinse the shampoo out. When her head rested on Cobie's shoulder, she kissed the top of her head. "You smell so good," she breathed, her hands running up and down the length of her girlfriends back. Crouching down slightly, Cobie allowed Kenzi to begin washing her hair, her eyes drifting closed. She could tell that she'd never done this with someone before, and it warmed her heart with how much she was trying to care for her. Her thumbs brushed over Kenzi's hips as she moved to put her head under the shower, sighing softly as she opened her eyes to watch the soap swirl down the drain. "Do you want to get rid of baby's first painting?" she teased, her fingers brushing over her stomach and smudging what was left of the paint. "It'll be like giving the baby a strange massage from the outside."

Kenzi was almost at a loss for words after Cobie managed, as always, to really translate what she was feeling. For someone who always seemed to do the things that irritated everyone else, it was amazing to know that for once, she was doing good. She was doing the right things without even trying. Making Cobie smile and making her forget about the mad stuff, even just for a moment, came naturally. She was right. Kenzi knew that Cobie was her number one. She was her first love. Her first of many things. All the feelings and the love she had discovered and sank into made that pet inevitable. Always having been loyal to her friends and her parents, there was no doubt that she would be for a partner. When Cobie looked at her, or smiled, or kissed her, Kenzi could feel that she was important too. With everything going on in Coolsville, or in Mystery Inc, they needed this. They could rely on one another for a safe space. "You'll always be my number one." After helping to rinse out the shampoo, Kenzi's eyes fell on Cobie's paint colored stomach, head cocking to the side as a content grin crept onto her face. "I dunno, maybe the kid likes to be messy," Kenzi smiled, letting her hands join, moving the wet paint around soft skin. Picking up the soap, Kenzi lathered her hands before starting to wash away the paint. It was perhaps the most gentle thing her hands had ever accomplished in their 19 years, her insides swelling at the thought of the growing life. "Do you think the baby knows I'm here?" Kenzi asked, letting the water take away the paint with the help of delicate hands. "I know it's really small. Your phone said so,"

Cobie couldn't believe how content she felt. For once in her life, her heart was just so full. Before Kenzi, she felt like there was a part of her heart that was missing. There was always a dull ache in her chest; a longing for something that she didn't have. The love she felt for Ofelia couldn't even fill the void, but now that she loved Kenzi, and the girl loved her back so purely and entirely, everything had changed. Every morning Cobie woke up without the anxiety she used to feel, and with a smile on her face rather than a look of disinterest or sadness. It was all thanks to this beautiful girl that was standing in front of her, loving her everything she had, and supporting her through every horrible experience, no matter how much it could ruin her life as well as Cobie's. That was such a raw, passionate, and rare love. "You'll always be my number one, too. Along with our pequeño. You two are everything to me." She chuckled when Kenzi mentioned that the baby could be into mess. "It could be. I mean, I love getting messy when I'm doing my art, so maybe he or she will, too. I won't mind that. All of us can have fun together." Cobie watched Kenzi's hands move around her stomach, and her heart was swelling with pride in her chest as she saw how gentle her movements were. She was just so sweet, and so loving. It made Cobie's eyes begin to well up with tears. The happy kind, of course. "Of course it does. If it can feel how crazy my stomach goes, and feel how hard my heart beats when you're near, then it definitely knows when you're around, baby." She smiled at the thought of her girlfriend reading about the baby on her phone, and grabbed the soap before lathering Kenzi's chest to remove the hand prints she'd left there. "It's tiny, but it's ears and nose is starting to form. Soon it'll be able to hear you! How cool is that? We're gonna play them so many songs, so that they come out with super cool music taste like us." Cobie moved her hands up to hold Kenzi's face. "You're incredible. You know that, right? The best person I've ever met. Your mom is second," she grinned, her lips pressing against the small bruise still left on Kenzi's forehead. "Must be the Harrington charm."

Kenzi couldn’t take her hands off Cobie’s stomach as she had her chest washed, the colored water running away and leaving her clean. The thought of the tiny baby being able to hear her made her insides leap. She could talk to it and make it’s little life less lonely. Maybe the baby would come out seeing her as someone special too, like it would see it’s mom and dad. Her thoughts were nipped in the bud when Cobie took her face, her breath hitching in the way it always did at their intimate closeness, sure hands gliding to take a slim waist. “I thought I got the charm from my dad,” Kenzi grinned, eyes screwing shut as Cobie kissed the dulling bruise on her head. It was just a reminder that the shitty fight would soon die away. Newly clean, Kenzi turned around the shut the water off before pushing herself back into Cobie’s body, not certain she wanted to get out just let, content to just enjoy the steaming hot smog of the bathroom. “I could live right here,” Kenzi sighed, pushing their foreheads and closing her eyes as she held her girlfriends close. “Especially with you,” WIth her hands trailing up and down Cobie’s toned back, Kenzi let out a sigh, her nose running along the underside of Cobie’s neck. “But someone will probably drag us out and I’ll have to kill ‘em,” She grinned, peppering kisses to the good side of Cobie’s mouth.

RYDER LYNN

NO, Ryder was not jealous of the fact that Marley had a boyfriend. Who just so happened to be Jake, y’know, THAT Jake.  Ex-boyfriend Jake who was suddenly not-so-ex-boyfriend Jake.  Ryder wasn’t jealous of him, of them, why would he be?  No.  No, Ryder was just annoyed because he knew that Marley could do a billion times better, especially given the stuff that Marley had told Ryder about her and Jake’s relationship in the past.

Yeah.  She could do better.

It had seemed that this past week, he and Marley had kind of been on edge with each other.  And that had sucked, like, a lot, because he and Marley were never on edge with each other.  They never argued over anything serious, but it been tooth-and-nail this past week between the two of them, and Ryder hated that.  He hated fighting with her, not being five-thousand-percent okay with her because that wasn’t the way that it was with him and Marley, and it never had been.

He knew that things were tense with Marley and Rachel, but why did that mean that things had to be tense between Marley and Ryder?  Ryder might not have been the smartest RoseArt crayon in a world of Crayolas, but he wasn’t stupid.  He knew that when Marley got tense with him, it had something to do with Rachel.  No, not Rachel, but Ryder’s relationship with Rachel. That had to mean something, there had to be a correlation there somehow.

Of course, he knew that he wasn’t really Little Mr. Sunshine when it came to Marley and Jake either, so he couldn’t really say anything about how Marley acted around Rachel without being the world’s biggest stupidest hypocrite.  So, he was gonna meet the dude.  And he was gonna act totally normal around him, and it was going to be fine.

It was going to be fine, right?