As they pulled into the driveway, Dawn felt a pang of fear run through her. She wasn’t sure why. AJ sensed her uneasiness. He put the car into park and took her hand in his.

"What’s wrong, Angel?"

"This is our home, baby. You belong here. You, me, Arianna, and the baby….we’re a family. We belong together."

He gently placed his hand on her stomach.

"I know", she looked over and smiled at him. "I don’t know what my problem is. I just……I don’t know".

"I know you will", she squeezed his hand as she looked back towards the house.

"Hey," he brought her hand to his lips and tenderly kissed it. She looked over at him. "I love you".

"I love you, too", she replied without hesitation.

He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Mmmm, just wait until we get Arianna in bed tonight", he said with a sly smile.

"We can’t, Alex…"

"Ahh, shush. I told you that I was gonna take care of you and that’s exactly what I intend on doing."

Dawn chuckled.

"So, are you ready to go in?" AJ asked as he caressed her cheek. "There’s someone in there that really wants to see you".

Dawn smiled, "I know. I wanna see her, too. Let’s go".

"Okay, stay right there. Don’t move", he commanded.

Dawn watched him, puzzled. He got out of the car and walked over to her side and opened the door. He helped her out of the car and closed the car door. He grabbed her bags from the backseat and put his arm around her waist, helping her walk.

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you hungry?" She asked as they approached the door.

"Umm, I hadn’t thought about it, but now that you mentioned it, yeah, kinda. Why?"

"Well, I’ve had this taste for a Romanburger all day. I don’t know why…."

"I know why".

Dawn looked at him, puzzled.

"Because Dominic wants Mr. Hero", he smiled as he patted her stomach.

They both laughed as he put her bags down to open the door.

"Let me get you inside and settled, then I’ll run up there and get some food".

"Thank you, honey. What would I do without you?" She teased.

"You’ll never have to find out", he kissed her lips and opened the door.

The second they entered the house, they heard Arianna scream.

"Mommy!!!"

She came running down the stairs and barreling around the corner with Denise following close behind.

"Mommy! You home!!"

Arianna can running into her arms as Dawn bent down to give her a hug.

"Hi baby! I missed you! Have you been a good girl for Grandma?"

She stroked her hair as the little girl’s arms remained locked around her neck.

"Yep! I a good girl! Right Gwamma?"

She looked up at Denise who smiled down at her.

"Yes you were. You missed your Mommy, didn’t you?"

"Yeah. I miss eeeeveybody. Only me and Gwamma here", she looked back at Dawn sadly.

AJ helped Dawn back to her feet then bent down to pick up Arianna.

"Come on, munchkin. Let’s go put Mommy’s things in her room".

He picked up Dawn’s bags and headed up the stairs with Arianna.

"No, I don’t think so", AJ chuckled.

"Where’s Daddy gonna sleep? He’ll be lonely."

Dawn and Denise heard AJ ask as their voices got further and further away.

"Where’s Ari gonna sleep?"

"She really missed you", Denise said as she kissed and hugged Dawn. "How are you feeling?"

Dawn sighed, "Okay, I guess. I’m tired…….and hungry".

"Why don’t we go in the kitchen and I’ll make you something to eat".

"Sounds like the little one is getting pretty demanding", she laughed. "Well, let’s go sit down, you need to get off your feet".

They walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Alex is so excited about you coming home, and about the baby. I don’t know if he told you yet or not, but he’s already bought the baby a little hockey jersey".

"Nah, it won’t really matter to him. He’ll get over it. You see how he is with Arianna."

"Yeah, I know. He’s amazing with her".

Dawn looked down at her hands then back up at Denise.

"Has Alex mentioned anything to you about not touring anymore? Like leaving the group?"

"He hasn’t come out and said that, but he’s hinted at it. I think he just really wants to be home with you and the kids".

"I know, but I don’t want him giving up his career. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen when we first got together. He would give up everything for me. That’s what I didn’t want. Denise, we have to do something".

"Honey, you know Alex just as well as I do. When he makes up his mind to do something, no one is going to change it. I think maybe after you’re home for awhile and things die down, maybe he’ll realize that you’re not going anywhere and he doesn’t need to be here every waking moment. Right now, his focus is getting his family back together and making you happy".

"Just ride it out", she leaned over and patted Dawn’s hand. "His life is changing. His priorities are changing. He just needs to figure out how to fit it all in and make it work. He’ll be fine. Give him some time".

Dawn sighed.

"Yeah, I guess. I just worry that he’ll make a big mistake and regret it later".

"Alex is a very impulsive person. It’s a good thing that he didn’t decide to bow out before the tour. By the time the tour is over, things will be different. Everything will be back to normal for both of you and he won’t be so scared of losing you."

"Do you really think that’s why he’s doing it?" Dawn looked at her sadly.

"I know it is. I know my son and I know that he makes a lot of decisions with his heart, not his head. He almost lost you, and that’s what’s fresh in his mind. That pain is still there and it will be for quite some time. What’s important now is that you’re both committed to each other and to making things work. Just concentrate on that for now and everything else will fall into place in time", she smiled as she squeezed Dawn’s hand.

"Yeah, you’re right. Let’s take things one at a time. Now we have to just work on where we go from here. It’s not easy, Denise", she shook her head and ran her hand over her face.

"Nothing in life that’s worth having is easy, sweetheart, especially love. You two have a lot of work to do, but you love each other very much and you’ll pull through this".

Dawn looked over at her and smiled, "Thank you, for everything".

"Oh, no need to thank me, you know I’m always here", she leaned over and hugged her.

Just then, AJ and Arianna came racing down the steps. They ran around the corner and both scurried over to the couch, one on each side of Dawn.

"Ha ha! I won! Mommy sleeps with me tonight!" AJ teased.

"No fair!!" The little girl whined as she crossed her arms, "Daddy cheated! He bigger an wuns fasser!"

Dawn laughed and looked over at AJ.

"You know where she’s going to end up tonight, don’t you?"

"Yeah, I know, I know", he groaned.

"Well, I’m off to get some food. Mom, do you want anything?"

"No, honey, I’m gonna head home and let you guys relax."

AJ bent down and kissed Dawn.

"Romanburger?"

"Yeah, thanks. Oh, and a large Iced Tea."

"Iced Tea?" He gave her a puzzled look. "Since when do you drink Iced…..nevermind", he chuckled. "I’ll be back!"

He grabbed his keys and walked towards the door.

"Oh! And can you get me an order of mozzarella sticks, too?" Dawn yelled after him.

"Anything else, Dominic?" He teased.

Dawn laughed, "Yeah, can you stop at Burger King and pick me up one of those peanut butter cheesecakes?"

"Your wish is my command, my lady. I’m leaving now! If your little heart desires anything else, my cell is on!"

"I love you!" Dawn called after him as he opened the door.

"I love you, too!" He yelled back as he closed the door behind himself.

Later that evening, after Dawn and AJ put Arianna to bed, they were laying in their bed, listening to the radio. Dawn wanted to get up to take a bath, but she didn’t have the energy. Not to mention, she was quite comfortable where she was, snuggled up in AJ’s arms. They lay there in silence, simply enjoying being together. AJ gently stroked her hair as she lay between his legs, running her fingers softly up and down his arm.

"I could lay here like this forever", Dawn finally broke the silence.

"I know, me too. I’ve missed this", AJ replied.

Dawn turned her head and looked up at him. He caressed her cheek as she placed a tender kiss on his lips.

"Me too", she whispered when she broke from him.

His fingers tangled with hers as he rested his hand on her stomach.

"Hey!" He exclaimed.

"What?" Dawn looked up at him.

"You have a little belly!"

"No, I know that, I just mean that I didn’t realize that you were showing already".

"Yeah, well, after your first baby, you show sooner because your body is already stretched out".

"Huh, I didn’t know that", he placed his other hand on her stomach and pulled the material of her shirt tighter across her belly so he could see it.

"Wow".

Dawn’s hand rested on AJ’s as he continued to rub her stomach.

"Can I see it?" He asked softly.

"Are you just trying to get me naked?" Dawn teased.

"No", he sighed, "I just wanna see your belly. I missed a lot of this with Arianna".

Dawn looked up at him and smiled.

"Okay".

AJ smiled as Dawn sat up to unbutton her shirt. She removed her shirt and AJ sat next to her. She lay back on the pillow as he sat staring at her stomach in awe.

"Wow. There’s a baby in there".

Dawn chuckled.

"Yep".

"He’s so small right now".

"He’s supposed to be. I’m only four months along".

"I wonder if he can hear me?"

"I’m sure he, or SHE can", Dawn smiled as she took AJ’s hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Hellooo in there", AJ sang as he leaned closer to her stomach.

Dawn laughed.

"Just wait until it starts moving around and kicking. That’s when the fun begins".

"Will he start moving soon? You haven’t felt him kick or anything yet, have you?"

He looked up at her.

"No, not yet. In the next couple months, I’m sure".

"I can’t wait to feel him kick", he looked back down at her stomach and cleared his throat.

"Hey, Dominic, this is your father speaking, you and I need to have a little talk", he began. "When you start kicking and moving around in there, I want you to take it easy on your mother. She’s been through a lot lately and I don’t want you turning it into a kickboxing class in there".

Dawn laughed as she watched AJ and listened to him intently. He turned his head and gently laid it on her stomach. She stroked his hair as he remained still, as if trying to hear something.

"This is amazing", he said softly, not lifting his head.

"Yeah, and we did it together".

AJ lifted his head and looked up at Dawn. She continued to stroke his hair as they looked into each other’s eyes.

"Everything I’ve done in my life so far, pales in comparison to this", he looked down at her belly. "We created another person", he said in disbelief.

Dawn just watched him, the look of amazement apparent on his face. He rested his head back on her belly and began singing softly.

Dawn closed her eyes and sighed as she listened to him sing to their child.

AJ kissed her belly and whispered, "I love you, little one."

He looked up at Dawn and smiled when he saw she had fallen asleep. He kissed her forehead and snuggled next to her pulling the covers up over them.

"I love you, Angel," he whispered kissing her cheek.

He slid his hand under the covers and onto her tummy, rubbing gently.

"I love you, Dominic," he smiled.