Taylor carefully shed his clothes, stripping to his boxers, before climbing quietly into bed

Title: Before There Was Penny

Pairing: Taylor/Natalie

Rating: PG

Summary: Taylor and Natalie have important things to discuss.

Author’s Note: I don’t pretend to know what goes on in Taylor and Natalie’s marriage. I don’t know the reasons for their marriage, I try not to even gossip about it. But I have a certain respect and love for all of the Hanson brothers. That makes me wish that this is how it really is. It’s just a possible scenario. So please don’t write and tell me you think differently. I don’t want this to be a pissing contest. If you have something constructive to say, I welcome it. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: This is a fictional story depicting real live people. No disrespect or hurt feelings were meant. I make no money from this venture. It’s fiction, not fact.

Taylor carefully shed his clothes, stripping to his boxers, before climbing quietly into bed. Natalie stirred but didn’t wake as he pulled the covers up and over himself. He pressed closer to her, wrapping an arm around her side. His hand pressed to the place where their child was growing inside her. He smiled, kissing her neck. She groaned sleepily, pressing back into his arms.

“Oh, Ike..” she murmured. Taylor froze. She giggled quietly, turning in his arms to face him, laughing at his shocked expression. “Oh, honestly Taylor, you could wake a deaf man with all the tromping around you do in the dark. How did you brothers ever manage to spend so many years sharing a room with you?” Taylor’s mouth snapped closed.

“Isaac?” he whispered, voice still shocked. Natalie just laughed again.

“Oh, come off it, Taylor. Like I have time to have an affair, what with Ezra climbing all over me all day. And with your brother of all people! Besides whenever you’re out of town so is he! Besides Zac is much more my type…”

“Zac??!” Taylor growled. Natalie just shook her head in amusement.

“Keep your voice down! You’ll wake Ezra!” she admonished, leaning up to press her mouth to his. Taylor kissed her for a moment before pulling back.

“Why must you tease me like that, Natalie?” he whispered, pulling her closer to him.

“Because it’s so much fun!” she yawned, covering her mouth with one hand. “Excuse me,” she murmured blinking sleepily up at him.

“How was the baby today?” Taylor asked tucking her dark hair behind her ear, and pulling the blankets up higher.

“Hmm.. Which one?” she asked blinking slowly at him. He smiled at her sleepiness.

“Both of them?” he answered. She smiled.

“Ez was fine. Your Mom took him for part of the morning, so I could get some rest. And this one has been kicking me in the kidney all day.” She pressed a hand to her side. Taylor’s hand followed hers.

“That’s my little Junior,” he whispered. Natalie scoffed, suddenly looking much more awake.

“No way is this baby being named after you, Taylor.” She nudged his shoulder with her free hand.

“Why not?” he asked, already knowing the answer she would give.

“Because! I refuse to have to deal with both a husband and a child both named Taylor. You already have a Jordan as Ezra’s first name, and to really be a ‘Junior’ this child would have to be named Jordan Taylor. I think it’s cruel to name both children the same name. We are not the Foreman’s.” The argument was an old one, but was never really serious. Taylor just liked getting her all riled up once in a while. He liked making her rant in that cute way that she had. He pushed her hair back again and kissed her mouth.

“Ok, Ok. But what if it’s a girl?” he asked. They had yet to seriously discuss girl’s names.

“I don’t know. Do you have any good ideas?” she asked.

“I was kinda thinking about Penny for a girl,” he said sheepishly.

“After the song?” she asked, quietly. His hand found hers in the dark.

“Well, yeah.” He avoided her eyes. “I just really like that name is all. That is why I used it in the song…” he trailed off. Natalie narrowed her eyes at him.

“I like Penny, too. But don’t you think it might be awkward for her to be named after a song?” She asked.

“Well, not necessarily,” he said quietly. Natalie grinned.

“If you want to name our daughter after a song, then why not ‘Madeline’, or ‘Lucy’? What’s so special about ‘Penny and Me’?” she asked. Taylor began to blush, something he hadn’t done in front of her in what seemed like forever. “Tay?” she said quietly, her grin vanishing.

“I wrote that song, about you, Nat.”

“I didn’t know that. Why haven’t you ever said anything before?” she asked.

“It’s a song about missing the one you love, and not being able to stop thinking about them after you had to leave them. Of course it was about you. I mean it was a group effort, of course, but the parts I wrote were definitely about you…”

“Oh, Tay,” she kissed his cheek; it was still pink with embarrassment. “I guess it’s better than naming her ‘Crazy/Beautiful’..” she whispered. Taylor let out a bubble of laughter, hugging her to him. They laughed quietly together and for a few minutes all the seriousness of their previous conversation fading away. When they sobered, it was Taylor who spoke.

“I bet she would be though,” he whispered.

“What? Crazy or beautiful?” she asked quietly. He was silent a moment before answering.

“Probably a fair bit of both,” Natalie’s laughter rang clear and genuine throughout their dark bedroom.

“How could she not be with you for her father?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Nat. I’m beginning to suspect you and a certain brother of mine might be keeping something from me.”

“Oh shut up and let me get my beauty rest.”

“Yes, Dear!”