The Gift Box

Scott took Emily home. She was glad to be there, but found it hard to relax. If it wasn't for sheer exhaustion, she wouldn't have slept. Melody and Bridgette agreed to help look after the kids, allowing Emily to rest.

Scott, Erica, and Mal discussed their parents for a long time before they slept. They discussed what Eric had told them, and how worried they were about Emily. Scott telling them of what his dad had said, and they agreed about their mother.

"Scott, what if daddy doesn't come home? What then?" Erica asked him.

"I don't know sis, I just know that I will be the one to take care of her, dad already asked me too." He looked at them, "Did he tell you he thinks she's going to have another baby?"

"No, he didn't mention that." Mal looked up at him quickly.

"You can't be serious Scott!" Erica got up to stretch; she had been sitting so long her body hurt.

"Yeah. Just before we left he told me something's that really bothered me, but made me promise not to say anything. But I wanted you to know about that, because if he, I mean, Mom's gonna be crushed, and then dealing with that, he thinks if she's not careful, she may loose this baby."

"God, you really think that dad is right?" Mal shook his head in confusion.

"I don't know, but he made me promise, and he wants me to come back by myself later so we can talk." he took a deep breath and looked at them, "I'm scared. I love mom, but I'm not ready for this, I mean, I'm not ready for, damn it!" the tears rolled down his cheeks, frustration building inside.

"Look, Scott, go get some sleep. We all need sleep, and you and mom have had less than we have. Go upstairs and go to bed. Dad will be fine, you'll see."

"I hope your right, but it's going to be a long road of recovery. They still haven't told us everything that has happened, and I'm afraid when they do, it's not going to be pretty. But dad will push himself, you know he will, especially for mom."

"Scott, he's going to be fine, one way, or another, he's going to come home and be back to normal with mom. It will push you out of her bed for awhile any way." Erica snickered.

"Thanks for that." Scott stood up, "Wake me up if I'm not up when Hayden and Bren get home, ok."

"You sleeping with Mom?" Mal shot him a funny look, knowing all to well the answer.

"What do you think." he smiled as he got up and headed towards the staircase.

"I don't want to hear any funny sounds coming from the room Scott!" Erica teased him.

"Don't worry, moms out of it, and I'm too tired."

He left them in the living room and went up to Emily, crawling in next to her, feeling the warmth and security of her body against his, drifting off to sleep. Erica piled up in the guest room, Mal just crashed on the chair in the living room.

Things were quiet in the house, Bridgette and Melody kept the babies fed and occupied. Ryan was even delighted with the company of his cousin and aunt. Melody was very good with the children, and she and Bridgette got along very well. They talked girl talk, things that she and Erica never talked about, and bonded, becoming close friends in the end.

Scott got up before Hayden and Brendan arrived home from school, preparing to tell them about their dad. Emily slept, and he watched her, not sure if he should wake her. He stroked her hair from her face and she didn't even move.

He whispered to her, trying to understand his emotions, "God mom, dad wants me to take his place if he dies, but are you going to accept me like that?" He kissed her gently and left her side.

After a quick shower, he went down stairs to see everyone busy with the babies and his younger brother and sister. It was almost like a holiday with everyone around. He pulled Erica off to the side to talk to her, "Did you say anything about dad to them?"

"No, not yet. I thought you wanted to do it."

"I do, but you guys need to hear what I have to say as well. All of you." He made it a point to include Bridgette and Melody. They all gathered in the living room and Scott stood before them, he took a deep breath before he spoke. "Hayden, Brendan, I have some news about dad." they looked up at him.

"Is it bad? Did he hurt mommy some more?" Hayden asked.

"I hope not, he shouldn't have been mean to her. I hope someone's mean to him." Brendan smarted off.

"No. No you don't!" Scott snapped at him, not realizing how harsh his tone was.

"Scott, if momma hears you, she's going to bust you for treating him that way!" Erica glared at him.

"I'm sorry Brendan, but you shouldn't say things like that. It's not nice. And I know that he hurt mom's feelings, and... just don't say anything like that again."

"But he hurt momma, and I don't like it when she's hurting! It's like when I tease Hayden, and momma gets on me. It's not nice to make her cry!"

"I understand that. Look, the reason I say that is because dad did get hurt." He blew out a breath and sat between Hayden and Brendan, "Look, dad was in a car accident last night. Remember when he left in mom's car last night?" they shook their heads, "we'll mom called him and he said he was sorry, and then when he was on his way back home, he, well, something happened and he..." Scott choked, trying to hold back his tears.

"You know how mom is always trying to tell me to be careful when I drive in the snow. You've heard her tell me, right?" Malcolm knelt before them, "Well, dad was driving in the snow, and he slid off the road, and got hurt really bad." he looked at Scott, "Dad is in the hospital, but they won't let us see him very much because he's in really bad shape."

"Is he gonna die?" Hayden asked bluntly.

"We don't know." Emily's voice came from behind them all.

"Momma, I'm sorry, I didn't want daddy hurt!" Brendan ran to her, crying.

"It's not your fault Bren, he just had an accident in my car. No one is to blame."

"Yes momma, I wanted some one to be mean to him like he was mean to you."

Emily gathered him in her arms, "Brendan, you only said that because you were angry, but daddy got hurt long before you thought that. Now, daddy is going to be in the hospital for a while, and you and Hayden, and everyone else, need to be strong, and help me out, because I am going to be trying to help daddy get better. But I need everyone's help." She looked at all of the kids, "I need everyone."

They all nodded and stated their agreement to her.

"Mommy, I'll clean my room really good." Hayden said, hurrying to her.

"And I'll make sure I do my homework, and keep my toys and games up." Brendan hugged her.

"Good. I need all the help I can get. It will be just like when daddy broke his leg, but now, I'm going to be back and forth to the hospital as much as they will let me. So we all have to help here at the house." she looked at her two hugging her, "Do you two have homework?"

"Yes." they said in unison.

"Ok, Hayden, you help Bren, get your homework done. I'm going to find something for supper, and then Scott is going to take me to the hospital for a little while. I can't stay long, but I need to see your dad." she smiled at them, "It's important we all pitch in and do our best to help daddy. Ok."

"YES!" they said again.

"Now, get your books, go to the kitchen, and get your homework done, I'll be right there to get you a snack, after I talk to your brothers and sisters." she shuffled them away and came back to Scott. "Now, you were saying?"

Scott stood up, taking her hands, wanting to hold her and kiss her pain away. "What I was going to tell everyone before, was that dad has left me instructions to take care of you, and the younger ones, if he doesn't make it."

She backed away from him. "When did he tell you this?"

"This morning, when I... right after you left his room."

"What!" Emily snapped.

Scott looked away, "Yes, and he told me to take you to see Liz, and make sure you rest, and don't stress out. Mom, he's intrusting me with your safety and well being."

"I can't believe this. Why wouldn't he tell me?"

"Look, mom, he wasn't, he didn't want you to worry any more, he wanted to tell me that I was in charge if he dies." He bit his tongue, wanting to tell her the rest but left it at that.

"I, oh Eric!" She dropped Scott's hands and went to the kitchen, leaving him dumbfounded.

"Why didn't you tell momma everything?" Erica asked.

"Because I promised dad I wouldn't," he looked back towards the kitchen, "and I'm not going to unless something happens to him."

Emily fixed something quick to feed the kids, and spent some time with Willow before she and Scott left for the hospital. It was almost six before they got there, and she wasn't allowed much time with Eric. He was sleeping when she arrived, and Scott left her to go visit Tangy and his daughter.

Emily spent the next two days with Eric in and out of consciousness, the doctors still not telling her anything. When she couldn't sit with him any longer, she went down to see Tangy and Emilia.

They were getting ready to release her on the second day, and Emily offered to take her home. Tangy wasn't sure, because of Scott, but accepted the offer. Emily checked with the nurses to see what time she would be released, and it gave her a few hours to gather some things up for Tangy.

With a bit of coaxing, she got Scott to help her go shopping for a car seat, some diapers, and other things Emily thought she might need. They took Tangy and Emilia back to Tangy's mothers, Emily spending some time discussing Emilia, and Eric with them. Scott told Tangy he would see them in a few days, and took Emily back home to rest.

***

After two weeks, they moved Eric from ICU. He was fully awake, but couldn't sit up. Emily sat with Eric, holding his hand. She looked at him, first asking if he was in much pain, and if they had said anything about his condition.

He said no, the medication was helping the pain, and he didn't know anything except that he wrecked her car. She stroked his face in a place that wasn't bruised, and talked some more.

"We told Hayden and Brendan. I don't think it has set in yet that you aren't coming home soon. They are used to you being gone a few days at a time, and working, so, I don't know if they really understand."

"I'm sure they do more than you know," he said with a raspy voice.

She looked at him, face serious, "Eric, why did you tell Scott I was his responsibility? I can take care of myself."

"No, Em, it's not that you can't, it's that you won't." he squeezed her hand.

"What do you mean I won't?"

"You will run your self ragged if some one... look, baby," he coughed a little, flinching in pain, "Just trust me on my decisions. I need you to take care of yourself, and the baby."

"Eric, I haven't even told you if I was or not!"

"Have I ever been wrong before?"

"Only once." she looked away.

"No, I wasn't, remember." he reached up and touched her face. "Even though you had your monthly for the first two months, Hayden still came, and she was right on time."

"Liz said it was break through bleeding, not a monthly, that's why she put me in bed."

"Yes. But I was right, wasn't I."

"Yes. Yes you were." she smiled, putting her hand on her belly.

"How far along are you?"

"A few months."

"We'll, let's see the belly." He motioned her to stand up. She moved away from the bed, pulling up her shirt and showing her already protruding tummy. "MY God Em, I'd say you're more than a few months."

"No, according to my calculations, I should only be a little over three months, working midway on my fourth."

"You've never been that big this close to your third, not even with Brendan, and he was almost ten pounds when he was born."

"I have another doctor's appointment in two weeks. Liz is going to do the sonogram."

"Why didn't you tell me you have already been to see Liz?" He reached up, taking her hand.

"I was going to, the night of the accident, but..."

"Baby, you should have told me. I don't ever want you to deal with anything like this alone."

Emily put her shirt back down, "I know. But, after what happened and everything I've done with Scott..."

Eric shook his head, "I told you Em, we discussed it before, as long as it didn't interfere with what we have between us, then, I'm ok with it." he smiled, putting his hand on her swollen belly. Emily sat back down, he brushed her cheek, bringing her to face him, "Baby, I love you. Nothing will ever change that. You've known that since our first kiss."

"Eric, I can't do this with out you."

"Yes, you can Em, because you have Scott. You have our son to help you. And he love's you, and I accept that. Em," he pulled her to him, trying to hold her, "Baby, if I wasn't afraid that I won't pull out of this, then I wouldn't have ever said anything to him." Emily started to cry and he wiped her tears away, "baby, for me, I need to know he will take care of the only woman I have ever loved. I trust my son to take my place in his family, and care for you as a woman, and his mother."

"Damn it Eric!" she hotly whispered, laying into his shoulder for comfort, crying harder.

"Em, baby, he loves you as a woman, I think we both agree that he is the best choice for all of your needs."

"Eric, it's not about my needs, he's our son, but you're my husband. He can't take that place."

"No, and I wouldn't expect him too. I expect him to care for you, and make sure you're happy, and safe. I know you love being with him, and you love having sex with him, and I like what it has done for the three of us, bringing us closer. I have always trusted my son, and his judgments, and now, I am entrusting him with the most precious thing in my life, You, Em."

"You talk as if you're already dying. Eric," she looked at him, and he brought her to kiss him.

"Emily Kathryn," he said in the midst of the kiss, "even if I live, I may never walk again, and I can't deny my wife her pleasures. Nor will I ever." the kiss deepened as much as it could, and when he moaned in pain, she pulled away. "Too much excitement." he groaned.

Eric held her close, but as much as he was loving the attention, the pain was more than the pleasure. He told her he was sorry, and she apologized for causing him more anguish, and she put her arm over him.

"I love you," she softly whispered, watching his eyes, brushing his hair from his face.

"Emily, I've never loved you more than I do now." he smiled at her, and relaxed, drifting away from her.

When Scott came back, she was asleep, her head lying at his side. His heart ached for her, and his dad. Scott woke her, and she walked down the hall to the restroom and got some water. Scott thought his dad was asleep, and started to leave when Eric called him back. He sat in the same chair Emily had been in, and took his dads hand.

"I told her everything that I think she needs to know at this time, we talked about the baby. But I didn't tell her about my dream, or whatever the hell it was." his voice was groggy, "Scott, I didn't tell her what the doctors have told me, but I did tell her that I may never walk again."

"No, dad, you have to, you have to walk, you have to..."

He cut Scott off, "Son, what ever happened in that wreck has caused more damage than what I understand. The pain is killing me. The only reason I'm even talking to you right now, is because I'm so zoned out, I'm speeding. In about ten minutes, I'll crash. I'm hurting Scott. I'm hurting bad."

"Dad. I..."

"I know son." he took a deep breath, and brushed a tear from Scotts face, "I don't want Emily to know how much pain I'm in. I don't want her to know what has happened. I told the doctors not to tell her anything negative. If the internal bleeding starts again, and they can't stop it, I'm done for. I got lucky and didn't get but a few broken ribs, but when the car rolled, hell Scott, for what it's worth, I'm glad Tangy was following me."

"If it wasn't for Tangy, none of this would have happened!"

"Don't be angry with her, she's was only doing something she thought was right."

"Dad, how can you say that!"

"Because, at this point in time, it's trivial." he clenched his lips in pain, "Scott, what's done is done, don't blame Tangy for my stupidity! I shouldn't have gone up the mountain, what if it would have been her and the baby instead of me, then I wouldn't have a new granddaughter, and your wife would be laying here."

"She's not my wife any more." he snapped.

"No, but Scott, she still loves you. In her own sick little way, she still loves you." he flinched in pain again, pushing his button for relief. "Scott, Tangy was lost, and what she did was wrong, but what I did to your mother was wrong too. Tangy promised me she would care for the baby, and tell you the truth. Did she?"

"Yes. But I'm still waiting on the DNA tests to be sure."

"Trust her, she's young, and she lost the only man she ever really loved, You, son. She was scared to be without you, and she knew if she was close to me, she would be close to you. Emilia is your daughter, and just like Breyden is your son, you need to take care of her."

"Are you saying I should work something out with Tangy?"

"Do what you feel is right in your heart, but don't make your daughter suffer." his voice was fading, "Scott, take your mother home, make sure she rests, and I'll be better tomorrow." He sighed, "Scott, Em needs to focus on the pregnancy, not me. I need you to help me..." his voice faded completely and he was asleep.

"I'll do my best dad."

Scott and Emily walked out to the parking garage, and he stopped to hold her quietly for a few moments when they reached the car. It had been so long since he could actually do it the way he needed to, that he forgot what it felt like.

He snuggled into her hair and kissed her softly. She held him tightly, leaving a trace of light kisses on his neck and chest, taking in his scent. She wasn't sure if it was her or him that made the first move, but they found each other's lips and took them passionately.

He pulled her tightly to him, and slipped his tongue into her mouth, entangling his with the warmth of hers, licking, and nipping at her lips. She sighed as he touched her, feeling his hands on her back and sides, she felt the tautness of his muscles under her hands, and excitement drifted over her body.

She breathlessly spoke through their kiss "Scott, take me home, make love to me. I want to forget everything but you and me. I want to feel nothing but us together. I want you to make love to me, not fuck me, take me home, and make love to me." He pulled away from her, "Mom, we can't, everyone is there. I mean, Malcolm and Bridgette are home, and..."

She cut him off, putting her fingers to his lips, "then take me up to the cabin, just for a few hours, I need you Scott. I need to be with you, and forget everything, I love you, and right now, I need you more than I ever have."

"Emily, I need you too. I need to feel you. I want to make mad passionate love to you." he kissed her hard, long and deeper than before. "If we don't stop, I'm going to make love to you here in the car." She laughed at him, nipping at his lips.

He pulled the car door open, still kissing her. "Emily, I can't take the place of your husband, but I can love you the way I think you deserve to be loved, like the beautiful woman you are."

He pushed her against the edge of the door, "Yes, I want to make love to you, feel deep inside of you, taste your body, and kiss your soul. I love you, I love you!" he whispered to her, before he broke the kiss.

It was so hard to let her go, he wanted to keep kissing her, tasting her, his want of her flared, as she pushed into him, tugging at his shirt, touching his skin. "Scott, I need you baby." she wrapped herself around him tightly, kissing him deep and then slid away, and into the seat of the car.