Elizabeth jumped. A bit startled by the familiar pair of arms that wrapped suddenly around her waist from behind. "Good morning Wonder Woman."

Lucky was just barely awake, and his greeting sounded deep and gravely. Elizabeth remembered proving herself worthy of the pet name the night before. She was instantly more than tempted to forget her ambitious attempt at cooking, and climb straight back into bed with him.

The family wasn’t up yet. Nobody expected food from her. Especially none that was actually edible…they definitely had time for quickie.

Lucky’s hands smoothed along the sweater she wore, reinforcing her naughty thoughts.

"I can’t believe you’re up," he whispered. "Dressed and…cooking." He nuzzled her neck and inhaled deeply. "Damn, you smell good."

"That’s the food. Blueberry Christmas Pancakes, to be exact…Look, they’re in the shape of little Christmas trees," she said pointing to the pan where they sizzled. "Your mom told me they were your favorite when you were little…so I’m doing my best to recreate the magic."

"Mmm," Lucky said inhaling the scent of her neck instead. She’d gotten out of bed, showered, dressed, and come downstairs to make breakfast? Where the heck had he been? He didn’t usually sleep that soundly. But then again, they’d really done a number on each other the night before. Talk about being worn out! "I think, if I remember correctly…you already made my favorite thing last night."

Elizabeth giggled as he bunched her sweater between wandering fingers. She suddenly felt very domestic and warm inside. She wondered if, a year from now this was what their life would be like every morning. She knew she was a horrible cook. She didn’t harbor any grand illusions of mastery in the kitchen, but if Lucky decided he’d like to greet her like this every morning…well – domesticity was something she could fully embrace.

Maybe just maybe it could happen. Just like all the other dreams that had come true for her, maybe this one could too. She was starting to believe that anything was possible when she stood in the arms of the man behind her.

"Did I?"

"You did," he said, his voice still pushing it’s way towards total consciousness. "Thank you so much for trying to make these for me," he said sticking his finger in the bowl of left over batter.

Elizabeth smacked his hand out of the way, upon hearing the doubt in his voice. "TRYING? Lucky I’m not TRYING to make them for you. I AM making them."

"Yes you are," Lucky said agreeing quickly. "And I’m sure they’re going to be just…delicious. Mom has a back up though right?"

She turned around and socked him in the shoulder. "Listen, wise guy I need to practice these kinds of things. What if our kids want blueberry Christmas pancakes one morning and I can’t make them?"

Lucky smiled down at her and wiped a smudge of blueberry off her cute little nose. "Well considering Christmas only happens once a year, I’m thinking they’ll survive the trauma."

She socked him again, and he jolted backward. Holding his arm. "Hey woman!"

"That’s Wonder Woman to you and don’t you forget it. I CAN make these pancakes and I CAN make them the best you’ve ever tasted.

Lucky took a step back. Well, well, well, look what had happened to his little Elizabeth. Was this the same woman who used to deny that she had even the smallest of talents? He leaned down to kiss her.

"What was that for?" Elizabeth asked leaning back.

He shrugged. "Nuthin’…just for thinking about us the way you are…like long term. Like making our kids Christmas breakfast – long term," he said improvising. Although it wasn’t exactly a lie. He was more than ecstatic about that too.

Elizabeth shifted her weight from foot to foot. She had news for him. Making their kid breakfast was going to be happening by next year. Of course the pancakes would have to be served pureed, but still.

She smiled up at him and licked her lips. "Of course I am. I love you, you know?"

He opened his mouth and before he could get the words out, she shoved a small spoonful of batter between his lips. Lucky’s brows knit, and lifted a moment later as he "mmmd".

A slow smile spread across his face and he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth, pulling her towards his hips.

"I stand corrected," he mumbled. "Mushy…but good."

"See," she said with a smile. "I make anything I want."

‘In fact I’ve got something in the oven right now,’ she thought.

"Yes you can…delicious," Lucky mumbled as he swallowed. He took the spoon from her and turned it towards her mouth. "Here, you should really taste some."

Elizabeth opened up and allowed her self to be fed for a moment. Remembering what it was like to have Lucky feed her wedding cake at their reception. A reception they’d only spent a few moments at.

But then, her petticoats had kept her from feeling what she was feeling now. Something growing beneath his pajama pants. Once more, the word ‘quickie’ flashed through her head at warp speed. But she knew the moment she had him alone, she wouldn’t want it quick.

She’d want it slow. She’d want it to take forever, and then the Spencer family could say goodbye to their special Christmas breakfast.

"You’re right…mushy…but good," she agreed.

"I’ll tell you what’s better," Lucky sighed, as he dabbed a bit of the batter on his wife’s lips. He moved in close. Too close for the kitchen in his parent’s house, Elizabeth thought quickly. When he used his tongue to lick the batter away, the thought fluttered away like a flighty little humming bird.

"These really are the best…Blueberry pancakes I’ve ever tasted… I’ve never had them…" he said licking her lips. "Served like this before."

Elizabeth spoke against his mouth. "No, me neither…more?"

Lucky nodded, not sure what he was saying ‘yes’ to anymore. It certainly wasn’t just pancake batter.

Elizabeth reached behind her to dip her fingertips inside the bowl. She put some on his mouth, and then applied a dab to the hollow created by his collarbone because it looked tasty enough to eat anyway.

There was a thought she’d had before…something about his parents…or…birds? There’d been something…but God help her if she could form one coherent thought.

She pushed the loose collar of his t-shirt out of the way and feasted. Swirling her tongue into the deep well and licking away flavor. The flavor of blueberry and the flavor of him – her husband. He shivered and drew his fingers through her hair as she made her way up towards his chin. The warmth of her mouth had him shifting his weight against her. Seeking some relief from his growing arousal. He started to back her towards the counter…

What a merry little Christmas it was turning out to be.

"Meeeeeeeeeery Christmas my little lovebirds!"

Lucky and Elizabeth jolted apart like too guilty teenagers and Luke grinned like a maniac from one of them to the next.

He’d spoken too damn soon, Lucky thought as the Santa from Hell came barging into the kitchen.

"Well Lizzie, look at you making breakfast!" Luke said, pointing to the stove where edges were currently starting to scorch. From being left unattended, he was sure.

"Now Lucky, why didn’t you ever make your mother and I breakfast? What a NICE gesture this is, Elizabeth," he said going on and on. Knowing that each of the young people in his kitchen wanted to kill him with one of the Ginsu knives that hung in a wrack next to the stove.

Didn’t they realize that all that made him want to do was keep talking? When would children ever learn? Yes, it looked like he – Luke Spencer – would have to teach them a lesson in discretion.

Elizabeth cleared her throat as Lucky wiped his mouth with the back of his hand to remove any remnants of batter. "G – good morning Mr. Spencer."

"Oh no," Luke said, shaking his head. He turned towards the bowl of batter that he’d found. "Elizabeth I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again. Anyone who makes me pancakes gets to call me Luke. Or in your case, Honeylamb - Papa."

She smiled awkwardly. ‘Papa’ had just caught his son and Honeylamb, licking one another into oblivion. "Ok…Papa."

Luke winked as he tasted some of the batter. "Oh this is perfect. Now Lucky why would you go and say that your wife can’t cook?"

Lucky glared at his father and Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest as she turned to her husband. "Yeah Lucky why would you go and say that? I thought just last week you were talking about how great I was in the kitchen."

Luke cleared his throat and Elizabeth went red to her roots, as she replayed her own words in her head. The floor just never opened up when you needed it to.

Lucky smiled brightly. Knowing his wife’s embarrassment meant a short reprieve. "Sweetie these pancakes are going to be delicious. Come on," he added, lowering his voice for effect. "You should be able to tell how much I love them."

Jeez, were they trying to kill her? She started blushing again. Now all she needed was Laura to walk through the door and ask if she was feeling any morning sickness yet. Then maybe for good measure, Lu could come in and talk about how she’d be needing sound proof walls when she came to stay with them in New York, so that way she and Lucky wouldn’t keep her up all night.

"Don’t worry Honeylamb," Luke said, grabbing a pancake out of the pan. He didn’t mind a little black edges. "Lucky’s bound to be very grateful for these pancakes Darlin’…Although it looks like he’s already pretty darn greatful," he finished, trying not to laugh at his own not too subtle joke.

Where oh WHERE WAS THE DAMN HOLE IN THE FLOOR?!

Lucky reached up to scratch the back of his head. "DAD, Elizabeth was trying to SURPRISE THE FAMILY. Why don’t you GO BACK upstairs and get everyone ready to open gifts…and pretend to act surprised about breakfast when you come down."

"Oooh no," Luke said shaking his head. "This is too wonderful for me to keep under my hat…granted I’m not wearing a hat," he said, rubbing his head. "But if I were, it’d be too big. No, this is just such a wonderful thing for her to do. I think I’ll go tell the entire family and get them ready. Yep, that’s what I’ll do," he said moving towards the kitchen door. He stood in the doorway and shouted. "FAMILY!!!!"

Lucky was stuck somewhere between wanting to kill his father or kiss him. The guy was crazy, but at least he was trying to give Elizabeth an ego boost. Though, apparently she no longer needed one.

Luke turned back inside the kitchen just long enough to stomp on any tender feelings his son might have had. "Besides," he said. "That’ll give you two a few more minutes to finish up whatever indecent thing you were about to do in my kitchen. Bye now."

Elizabeth dropped her head into Lucky’s chest and shut her eyes. Like it wasn’t bad enough that she was about 95% sure his parents had heard she and Lucky going at it last night in his childhood bedroom? Now THIS!

"Oh my God…your father…I’m so embarrassed."

Lucky kissed the top of her head. "Don’t be. If I had a nickel for every time I walked in on my parents doing something ‘indecent.’ I’d be a very rich man."

"You ARE a rich man," Elizabeth countered, looking up into his beautifully rich eyes.

"See – there you have it," Lucky said with a smile.

"Meeeeeeeery Christmas," Wallace said bursting through the kitchen door. Lucinda followed him, lugging a huge box behind her.

"Hey could you help me Hercules?" Lucinda said, tapping Wallace on the shoulder.

Wallace shook his head, dismayed by his insensitivity. "Oh, I’m sorry Honey," he said stepping out of her way so she could lug it all the way over the threshold.

Lucinda rolled her eyes and pushed the huge box into the kitchen. " ‘Tis the season," she muttered under her breath.

Elizabeth disengaged herself from Lucky, to help Lucinda lug the box inside. It wasn’t supposed to be this…big was it? Wallace was supposed to make one of those mini-ones. Like the kind you could buy as a kid. Not an arcade version!

Wallace perked up, when he realized that a woman in a delicate condition was lugging the box. "Stop that. I got it!"

Lucinda folded her arms across her chest. "Oh so now you’ve gotta be pre…PREGO," she said instantly at the look she got from Wallace and Elizabeth. Her eyes went wide at her own almost-mistake. "Prego. You have to like…like Prego to get help with a box?"

Wallace shook his head. His girlfriend was drop-dead gorgeous, smart, sexy as hell, but nobody would ever accuse her of being smooth.

Lucky watched all three of them, watch each other. What was going on here? "Prego? Elizabeth likes –

"Prego," Elizabeth said, dawning a fake laugh. "Yeah Prego. I told her to buy me some because I wanted to make dinner for your family too. Spaghetti…it’s like the only thing I know how to make…even that’s from the jar though…but still."

"Elizabeth my mom’s got a turkey in the oven already."

Elizabeth threw up her hands as if she were surprised, shocked, and quite frankly annoyed. "Are you SERIOUS?! Nobody told ME! Does NO ONE trust me to cook!"

Wallace wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Pretending to comfort her. He forced her head down on his shoulder with a splayed hand. Patting her as if she were Foster. "Oh Lizzie…it’s ok. It’s true nobody DOES trust you to cook. But it’s OK."

Lucky’s brows knit. "It’s Christmas. Sweetie of course there’s a turkey."

"Oh like I’m supposed to know that!" Elizabeth said throwing up her hands. She tried to lift her head, but Wallace kept it there. She elbowed him in the ribs and he let go.

"Really Lucky," Lucinda said, in mock indignation for her girlfriend. "You should have told her before I went to all this trouble."

Wallace frowned at her. ‘Not too far there Lucindabean, he’ll catch on for sure.’

Lucky shook his head. There was something amiss, but as long as Lucinda had his gift for Elizabeth in that box he didn’t care about Prego or anything else. Shaking off the weirdness of the moment, he went on. "Aren’t you two here a little early? Nobody’s even up yet."

Wallace dropped the box into the corner of the kitchen and sighed. "Nope. Your Dad called and said that the early bird catches the worm," He draped his arm around Lucinda’s shoulders. "I’m not trying to catch any worms, but when Papa Spencer says jump, I say early bird."

"What did I tell you about using expressions?" Lucky said distractedly eyeing the box.

"Don’t?"

"Exactly," Lucky said as he moved over to it and leaned on it. "Oooook. What the heck is in here?" He knew ONE thing that should have been, but this box was way too big. He shook it and Elizabeth scowled. "It’s heavy," he said.

Elizabeth moved to stand between him and the box. Very protective of her secret. She wanted him told on her time damn it! Not by some slip of the tongue, she thought, shooting imaginary darts at Lucinda.

Her friend grimaced and mouthed the word ‘sorry,’ as Lucky further inspected the box.

"Lucky if you don’t step away from this present –

He reached around her and shook it again. "Wow, this must be REALLY cool."

She folded her arms. "It’s more cool than you can even imagine…BUT, you’re never going to see it if you don’t step away from it…Don’t you have things to do? Get dressed for God’s sake."

Lucky took a step back and grinned. "Fiesty."

"Yeah and you’re about to force Wonder Woman to open a can…so go away," she said smacking him lightly on the behind.

Lucky wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and moved closer. "I thought you opened the can last night?"

Wallace cleared his throat. Had they forgotten there were people in the room? What was with the weird super hero sexual innuendo anyway? They called HIM strange? What a bunch of freaks. Bondage was one thing…but superheros? These two belonged in some DC Comic fetish manual.

Lucinda stepped in front of the box, along with Elizabeth and Lucky scowled. "You know that’s not fair. It’s already Christmas…I should get to see my gifts."

"Well good things come to those who wait." Lucinda quipped.

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you very much Lucinda."

Wallace chuckled. "And you’ve got a LONG time to wait my friend…like MONTHS."

Elizabeth and Lucinda both turned to scowl at Wallace this time. Elizabeth was THIS close to killing everyone in the room.

Wallace grinned. He’d spent the last day and a half finishing this little project for her, so if he wanted to throw out a few hints he most certainly would!

He stuck his tongue out at Elizabeth while Lucky wasn’t looking.

Lucky shrugged. "Doesn’t matter. I bet my surprise for you is better than your surprise for me."

Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. Was he actually challenging her? Of course he was. He was Lucky Spencer, game master. He made everything a competition.

"Spencer this is one game, where I’m going to kick your ass….like SO hard."

"Oh really?" Lucky said, his grin broadening. "There is NO such game."

Elizabeth stepped back. "Oh yes there is. In fact it’s a game that you LOVE to play. It’s that one where you shock people. You do something crazy…unexpected…fantastic. I’m about to win the all time trophy for that one. You’ll never in your life be able to top it."

Lucky rolled his eyes, folded his arms across his chest and then did the donut roll across the bridge of his teeth. The one that said ‘you are SO goin down.’

"Wallace will you tell my wife here that I am the MASTER of that game. Unbeatable…Site for her, if you will the F.A.O. Schwartz extravaganza and the marriage proposal by spotlight - 2002"

Wallace slapped his friend on and left his hand on his shoulder. "He’s right Liz. He was indeed the master for a long time."

"Was?" Lucky asked. "I beg to differ, son. I am STILL the undisputed champion…and shall remain."

Wallace shook his head. "Dude…three words for you: hold on tight."

With that, Wallace walked out of the kitchen and Lucky scratched the back of his head. Shaken.

"What’d he mean by that?"

Elizabeth turned towards her pancakes and flipped the last of the singed ones onto a plate.

"What’d he mean by that?" He asked again, his voice suddenly a little high pitched for a man his age.

She patted him gently on the cheek as she lifted her plate and turned towards the door to the living room. "Nothing Dear…I think your family might be ready to start their Christmas festivities. Go on out and join them."

Lucky watched Elizabeth untie her cute little apron, and sashay out of the kitchen as if on some kind of mission. Well if she thought she was going to beat him in the surprise department, the little woman had another thing coming! He was like…KING of all surprises. He’d flown back to Las Vegas after meeting her ONCE for God’s sake. She thought she could compete? Puhleeze. Did she even KNOW who she was messing with?

He muttered the words, "hold on tight," to himself. "What the heck does that mean?"

It didn’t matter! He had to catch up with Lucinda and make sure HIS surprise for Elizabeth was somewhere tucked inside that huge box. His wife had another thing coming…if anyone’s jaw was about to drop – it was going to be hers.

~~~~~~~

Leslie ran up to the Christmas tree. "Alright guys…you’ve GOT to be done eating by now. It’s TIME to open these presents already! I mean they’re just SITTING here!"

Lucky grinned and wiped his mouth with a napkin. His little sister had been obsessed with presents ever since she’d been old enough to realize what they were. Some things never changed. And although he was eager to get to it himself, the pancakes were so good he wanted to shovel down just a bit more. Even the slightly burnt ones tasted of heaven.

"You’re gonna have to wait…I’ve got another pancake on this plate," he said, ending with a kiss to his wife’s cheek. "Wonderful baby. You’re turning out to be one helluva cook."

She grinned at him and Leslie rolled her eyes. "Oh COME ON. You guys can do kissy- face LATER. There are IMPORTANT things to take care of here…like this one," she said tapping a big box with her name on it.

Laura stood up and winked at Elizabeth. "They really were wonderful pancakes Sweetheart."

Leslie flopped down on the carpet, giving up.

"Yes Sweetheart they were," Luke said with a devilish grin. "You’ll have to come over more often. Without Lucky. We actually want to EAT these pancakes. Not have them inhaled by the Hoover."

Lucky spoke around a mouthful. "You’re one to talk."

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD I WANT TO OPEN PRESENTS!"

Wallace held up his glass of milk in cheers to Leslie. "Here! Here Les…I’m with you. Let’s get to it already. Some of us stayed up ALL night working on certain…ahem – THINGS."

Leslie’s lifted an eyebrow as Wallace got up from the table and came over to the tree. "What are you so anxious about? There’s none here for you."

Wallace faked a laugh. "Oh girlie you just lost an ally. Of COURSE there are some for me. I bought them and put them under the tree myself."

The teenage girl laughed and then jumped up. "I’m gonna start opening them and if you guys –

"You most certainly will not," Laura said, sighing as she made her way over. "We have guests you know? The least you can do is try and behave like we have civilized Christmases here."

"Why?" Leslie said in true wonderment. "They all know us. Wallace has been coming forever. He knows we’re animals. Lucinda dates him, she can’t possibly be surprised at the kind of people he associates with."

Wallace nodded and crunched a piece of bacon as he draped his arm around his girlfriend. "That’s true. She’s not."

Luke scratched the back of his head and came over to the tree. He knelt down and started going through names so he could pass them out. "Nobody here behaves themselves, especially when there’s loot to be had."

"Well we SHOULD try and act with some sort of decorum. Especially now that there’s a new –

Wallace, Luke, Lucinda, and Elizabeth all shot looks in Laura’s direction. She withered under the gaze unable to believe she’d almost slipped up. Unknowing she was already the third person this morning.

"Especially since what?" Lucky said, still engrossed in pancakes. He’d looked up only because of the sudden silence in the argument over civility.

"Since we now have a new member of the family," Laura quickly covered. "…Elizabeth."

Lucky’s brow knit. He didn’t realize they were still considering her ‘new.’ "Um…k. She’s used to uncivilized. She lives with Foster."

"Where is that mutt anyway?" Luke asked, sniffing the air.

"In the kitchen," Elizabeth answered quickly. "Eating the REALLY burnt ones."

"Das gut," Luke said. "Very very good for the complexion."

Lucinda laughed and Wallace shook his head. "Don’t encourage it. He doesn’t know when to quit." She wasn’t touching that one with a 10 foot pole, if anybody should know…

Elizabeth took a deep breath, suddenly on edge. Lucky’d bought his mother’s explanation after her almost-slip, but if one more person accidentally almost let the cat out of the bag, there would be no need for any kind of surprise.

"Ok," she said, deciding to get this show on the road before that exact thing happened. "Get up you," she said, tugging on the sweater her husband had put on. It was a deep, lush, forest green and it made his eyes twinkle so much they looked almost the same color.

"Aw, Sweetie, I’m eating here…they’re so good."

"I’ll make you some more later, now get up." She yanked him upwards again.

Lucky chewed and swallowed. Took a drink of milk and then rose from his seat. "Alright ready. Lu…you better have gotten some good gifts, for all this pushing."

"You’d know, wouldn’t you?" Leslie asked hopefully.

"Please. You think I actually BOUGHT you something? Does precedence mean nothing to you?"

Leslie positioned her fingertips within centimeters of one another. "You’re THIS close to losing the best Youth Executive you’ve ever had before she’s even started."

Lucky grinned. "Ya promise?"

Elizabeth elbowed her husband in the ribs as they sat down on the couch. "Be nice. You need her."

"Do not."

"Do too," both Elizabeth and Leslie said at once.

Leslie winked at Elizabeth and Lucky sighed. This was NOT going to be a good arrangement.

Lucinda sat down next to Leslie and whispered something to her and they giggled. This was definitely NOT going to be a good arrangement, Lucky thought again.

"Ok," Luke said, reaching beneath the tree. "First gift…for you Wallace. I think it’s from me. It’s insect repellent. Make sure you get all those hard to reach places."

"Gee thanks Mr. Spencer, I got you the same thing!" Wallace said, grinning as he ripped into it. Lucinda cuddled next to him as he sat on the floor, not even wanting to know what that was all about.

Though she had to admit it was the most fun she’d had on Christmas since leaving Kansas. God, she was happy.

Elizabeth smiled and waited for the gift that was at the very back of the tree to work it’s way out to Lucky. She smiled even bigger as she watched him peck his sister on the top of the head and them came back to sit next to her.

She’d married the best guy ever. And had married into the best FAMILY ever. She was afraid she’d beaten Lucky already…because she’d already won.

~~~~~~~

Elizabeth was starting to get nervous. She knew he’d be happy. He’d be totally happy. Wouldn’t he? But now that it was taking so long…She pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear.

She wished she would’ve just told him instead of waiting this long. She should have just done it that night in the boxcar when she’d had the chance. But no, she’d had to be ‘cute’ about it.

Aw yes, a room full of his family and friends was the way to go, she thought sarcastically. Now if he wasn’t all that thrilled about the idea of having a child so soon, then he’d have an entire audience to play a part for. How much more awkward could she have made this for him? Why hadn’t she thought of this ahead of time?!

No, no, no…she was getting herself worked up for nothing. He would LOVE this news. Adore this news. Worship it – to put it in Wallace’s terms.

"Alright," Lucky said, interrupting her thoughts as he sat her final gift on her lap. She’d gotten some great things from her in-laws and her sister-in-law and from Wallace and Lucinda, but now it was time for the thing that had Lucky grinning like a fool. "Open it," he said softly.

Elizabeth gazed into his eyes for a moment before slipping her fingers beneath the wrapping paper. Wrapping paper that had flamingos on it. Flamingos that wore Christmas wreaths around their necks. He really and truly thought of everything.

"I’m saving this paper," she said with a smile as she gingerly pealed it away from the box. A bit of the box was slowly revealed to her but she still couldn’t tell what it was?

Some kind of toy? Had they both gotten each other something to play with? No, real surprise there.

"I hope it’s the right one. They said that it was," Lucky said, staring intently at her hands as she finally removed the last few corners of personalized paper. "Lucinda helped me find it."

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped instantaneously, just as Lucky had wanted, but she was silent. For a long, long time she was completely silent.

"Elizabeth?" He whispered. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from the box. From the furry little bear inside that peaked out from the plastic. "Go ahead…you can take it out. Do you want me to open the box for you?"

She swallowed hard and shook her head. When she finally looked up her eyes were so full of tears, Lucky doubted she could actually see his face. He prayed that they were good tears and he hadn’t just made some huge mistake.

Leslie Lu sniffled a bit from her place on the carpet. Her brother had explained to her the other day what he’d gotten for his wife. Ugh, it was so romantic she could just cry. One of these days, some guy was going to score BIG on her test if he did anything remotely like this for her.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and finally spoke. "It’s…It’s Mr. Woahbly."

Luke spoke from his chair. "Who?" Laura hit him on the back of the head. "What? I’m just curious. The poor girl is all choked up. I thought she called it a Woahbly."

"I did," Elizabeth sniffled. "And I’m not a poor girl," Elizabeth corrected, with a watery smile. "I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have your son in her life….Your son found me my teddy bear…my very first teddy bear as a little girl. From my dad – my real dad –I loved it so much…" She sniffled. "Something happened to it. I’m still not sure what…but this – this is an identical match."

"I wanted to go back and find your teddy bear," Lucky added sincerely. "I tried…but I didn’t get much…" his voice trailed off. Not wanting to bring her mother’s uncooperative nature up at such a happy time. "Anyway, I contacted the company that used to manufacture them, and they had a few left over from years back, just sitting in a warehouse collecting dust. They promised me, that this was what I was looking for."

She nodded quietly again. Touching it’s cream colored terry cloth tummy with her fingertips. "It is. It’s Mr. Woably just like I remember him…just cleaner."

Lucky grinned and Elizabeth turned to hug him tight. The hug lasted for a long time before Lucky cleared his throat. "See…Told you my surprise would top yours."

Elizabeth pulled back slowly with a smile a mile wide. "This – this is a FANTASTIC surprise. Really. I could never – would never – have guessed this in a million years. I don’t know how you do it every time."

"It’s a gift," Lucky sighed. Luke gave him a thumbs-up sign. Laura sighed.

Her husband was smiling so big, she had to cut him down to size. "But it still doesn’t top mine."

His face fell. "Elizabeth…come on – admit it. I topped you."

Wallace chuckled from the floor and Lucky started to get nervous. "What? What already?!" He asked. "If somebody doesn’t tell me soon…"

Elizabeth held her hand out. "Wallace could you please hand me that box just to your left please? It appears someone can dish it out, but is incapable of taking it."

"Sure thing."

Once it was in her hands, Elizabeth grinned again. "My lovely assistant Mr. McKenzie helped me to put this together. Without him it would not have been possible."

Wallace took a bow and Lucky got even more nervous. Since when were these two in cahoots? He should have put a stop to it with those documents at Stephanie’s apartment. That had been a bad precedent to set.

Elizabeth passed the box to Lucky and he started to unwrap the paper that was plain in comparison.

Why the heck was he doing it so gingerly it wasn’t specialty wrapping or anything. "Oh you’re one of those? Open it! Open it!"

Lucky chuckled as she slipped her own fingers on top of his and helped him uncover the gift at a quicker pace. "What is this?" He asked, staring at the small screen and the tiny joysticks on the little machine.

Wallace shook his head. "My friend, If you don’t know what that is, you’ve definitely been away from the office for too long."

"I know what it IS McKenzie…I just don’t know…WHAT it is."

"Glad we cleared THAT up," Lucinda scoffed. Leslie giggled.

Lucky narrowed his eyes and then turned back to Elizabeth. It looked like a 1980’s version of a hand-held arcade game. Not the technologically advanced Nintendo Game-boy of the 90’s or Sega Game Gear, but a much larger – sit on top of your desk at work - kind of game.

"This is so cool," he said, turning it over in search of something that would tell him what the name of the game was. "Pac-man? Mrs. Pac-man? Don’t tell me…Space Invaders?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. Why don’t you turn it on. There’s already batteries," she said moving closer to him.

Lucky glanced around the room and saw a few faces that knew exactly what was going on here, and a couple that didn’t.

"Ok," he said smiling at his wife. He flicked on the power switch and watched as the screen lit up. A title filled the screen and he read it aloud. "Guess Your Christmas Present," Lucky chuckled.

He glanced from Wallace to Elizabeth and then back to the screen. It looked as if the game were made up of some elements of hangman and some elements of Tetris. You had to slide the letters into the right slots to come up with the right word or phrase.

Lucky maneuvered a few of the pieces, getting it wrong several times. "Is it going to be next Christmas before I get my gift?"

"More like summer…August probably. We’ll have to pick which climate is better for me to be in at that point. New York or Las Vegas. Sticky or dry."

Lucky glanced at her in confusion for just a moment before returning his eyes to the screen where it all became clear. "What are you talking ab…

The room along with the rest of the world seemed to grow incredibly still all of a sudden and Lucky took a deep, shaky breath.

"A…A baby? It…" There was a sing-songy little triumphant sound emanating from the small machine. A melody that simply meant he’d won the game. "I won…I won a baby?"

Elizabeth smiled, once again with tears in her eyes. They mirrored his. She nodded. "Yep. You won a baby. See…you really can win the jackpot in Vegas," she said gesturing to herself and her stomach.

Lucky licked his lips. He glanced from the screen, back to Elizabeth and then back again. "Y – you’re gonna…we’re gonna…"

"Oh for GOD’S SAKE YOU’RE HAVING A BABY! Let’s hope it doesn’t take Elizabeth as long to shoot the kid out as it does for you to form a sentence!" Wallace shouted.

Lucky threw his arms around his wife so tightly she cried out.

An eruption of joy came from the people around them. Hooting and clapping as the couple hugged each other tight and whispered "oh my Gods".

Leslie Lu hopped up and down and clapped. "DON’T you worry about a THING Elizabeth! You and I are going to find you the absolute cutest maternity clothes while I’m out working this summer! Eeek!"

"No doubt," Lucinda said, high-fiving her.

Elizabeth giggled as Lucky slowly released her and found her eyes with his. He placed his hands on her face and just gazed into them as if he’d never seen them before. As if looking at her for the very first time.

"You’re amazing."

"How amazing?" She asked.

He shook his head as his mouth fell open. "More amazing than you can even imagine. More amazing than I can say."

"So would it be safe to say I beat you then?" She asked, her fingers weaving through his as he fiddled with her fingers.

"Y-yeah…I guess you beat me."

Elizabeth smiled wide. "A little louder please, I don’t think the room heard you."

Lucky cleared his throat. "You beat me! You beat me ok!" He finished, grabbing her and kissing the breath out of her. When he finally pulled away, Elizabeth started to laugh and cry all at once. The room converged on them both. Kisses all around from Laura, Luke, Leslie Lu, Lucinda, and even Wallace allowed his lips to touch her cheek.

Elizabeth’s family was congratulating her…family.

"Congratulations," Wallace said, draping his arm around Elizabeth’s shoulder. He reached out with the opposite hand to grasp Lucky’s. "Just remember, Wallace is a FINE name. It’s not as redundant as all those ridiculous "L" names…and for a boy to be named after his Godfather is just…well – proper," he added for good measure.

Lucky grinned like the cat who’d eaten the canary. "I’ll remember all that and tell Nikolas you said so."

Wallace shook his finger in Lucky’s face and Lucky grinned. The guy was celebrating Christmas at Windewierd, for goodness sake. That disqualified him from the running in Wallace’s eyes.

"Don’t worry," Lucky said at Wallace’s frown. "I meant Foster."

The canine must have heard the sound of his own name, because he came trotting in the living room from inside the kitchen. Lucky nearly laughed so hard he cried when he saw the sign around his neck that said ‘I’m Gonna Be A Big Brother.’

"If he’s gonna be a brother," Lucky said through tears as Foster sniffed at Elizabeth’s ankles. "Then we have got one STRANGE little arrangement going on at our apartment."

Elizabeth laughed and smiled. She cuddled into her husband’s side and sighed as she placed her head on his shoulder. He laid his head on top of hers and made the very same sound.

It was the sound of contentedness.

~~~~~~~

Lucky wrapped his arms tightly around Elizabeth as they tromped through the snow. The crisp air – of course – making him sniffle.

Elizabeth smiled as both his arms increased their hold and he kissed her cheek. "Lucky as much as I love that…it’s already kind of hard to walk with the snow and all…but with both of your arms –

"Oh is the snow bothering you? Should we go back? I knew it was too cold out here for –

"Lucky," Elizabeth said, stopping to lift a finger to his lips. Effectively silencing him – for the moment. He hadn’t been quiet since he’d finished playing that video game. The man who could have been dubbed the King of Spontaneity had suddenly decided that he needed to plan the entire next 9 months and the future beyond. "It’s not too cold, you’re just smothering me a little."

"Oh – oh," he said, backing off. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t be," she whispered. She closed the space between them. Their winter jackets pressed together in a soft ‘smush.’ She kissed him softly, but it quickly turned into something that could have heated up any winter wonderland. "I love how excited you are," she said pulling away, breathless.

Lucky watched as her breath came out in white puffs, ignoring the fact that his did as well. "See," he said pointing to one as it dissapaited. "You’re way too cold out here. Elizabeth we can walk to the boxcar another day."

"Another day when?" Elizabeth said with her hands on her hips. "You mean like another day a year from now? After I’ve had the baby? Lucky…you’re gonna have to stop this now. You only found out an hour ago and you’re acting like I’m about to give birth any minute…I can still do a high kick and –

She lifted her leg only an inch off the ground before he caught it and placed it back down. "Ah-ah. None of that missy."

"Oh come on Lucky! You can’t seriously believe that I’m not going to do ANYTHING while I’m pregnant. That I’m not going to work and dance and –

"You most certainly are NOT going to dance."

"Excuse me?"

"No," Lucky said matter of factly.

"What? Lucky, I’ll have you know that dancing is a GREAT form of exercise," she said catching up to him as he walked a bit quicker. Was it her imagination or was he suddenly avoiding her eyes.

Lucky stopped in the snow and turned towards her. Sizing her up with what seemed like y x-ray vision. "Yes I know. I’ve seen the results…..but, I don’t think that a woman in your condition –

"In my condition? Lucky who ARE you? Are you the same guy who came to Vegas on pretense of a convention? The same guy who made out with me in a lake? Played ‘dress up’ at FAO Schwartz with me and married me in an overgrown indoor garden?"

Lucky sighed. "Yes I am. But I’m also the guy that’s about to have a baby with that same beautiful, beautiful girl. Don’t want her taking any chances."

"Well in case you’ve forgotten you told that girl that she was Wonder Woman and now she actually believes it. See…you created a monster Lucky, and there’s no going back. I can do whatever I set my mind to. Which means dancing until I’m ready to drop this kid if the doctor so approves…adjusted – safer moves – YES – ABSOLUTELY," she said, interrupting herself before he could. "But STILL – DANCING."

Lucky took a deep breath and shook his head. He had indeed created a monster. A monster he loved with his whole entire heart. He especially loved making her a little crazy like he was now.

There was something new to love about Elizabeth every, single day.

"Well," he said taking her hand in his again as they neared closer to the boxcar. "I guess it’s actually really bad timing for me to start demanding that you not dance anyway."

"Right," Elizabeth said with a grin. "I’m going to start my new job in just a few weeks, teaching kids…I’ll have to at least demonstrate. And I don’t plan on stopping auditioning."

"Right…and then when we go to Vegas to get the new business started up you’ll be working there too."

Elizabeth grinned widely. "You’ve got a place for me in your business already?"

Lucky’s brow creased and then he smiled as if he’d forgotten something. Tossing his hand with overblown nonchalance. "Oh no…no," he chuckled. "Gosh I must have forgotten. No, see I bought you Show Girls," he deadpanned the last. "You know – that club you used to work at? Yeah I bought it. Or actually – you bought it. It’s in your name. It’s yours."

He saw her open her mouth and then shut it and then open it again and then shut it.

Score.

"Yeah it’s yours," he continued casually. "You can do whatever you want with it. Not that you have to decide that right now…but I’m thinking if you really like teaching these kids dance…why not open up some kind of dance studio for kids. Maybe underprivileged kids. They wouldn’t have to stare inside a window like you did growing up…I don’t know," he shrugged. "Just an idea I had."

Elizabeth started to sputter. "Y – you b – bought me…the club? Where I used to –

"Oh yeah – Gino? He’s gone. GONE like gone. Buh-bye Gino. Afraid I can’t tell you what happened though or I’d have to kill you."

Elizabeth’s eyes widened.

"Oh nothing that bad. I make children’s video games for God’s sake……but I reserve the right to kill him if I so choose. He knows that. So he’ll stay far away from the club…and you. Forever," he said standing up from the ledge of the boxcar. His butt had started to get numb from the cold.

He was shaking from head to toe and he knew it didn’t just have to do with the weather. He’d been nervous about how she’d take it. Especially now after her own Earth shattering news.

She’d beaten him and beaten him good.

Elizabeth still looked completely shocked.

"Elizabeth, I know I’m playing it really cool here, but I’m actually kind of nervous. If you could say something else…something closer to ‘WOW Lucky that’s AMAZING. I’ll love you till the day I die’ that would be….just killer."

She didn’t say a word, she just grabbed his face and planted a kiss so deep against his lips that his shiver wasn’t from nerves or from cold this time, but from the sheer depth of love he felt all the way down to his toes.

Lucky stood dazed when she pulled away. "Wow Elizabeth…that was amazing. I’ll love you till the day I die."

She smiled brightly and smoothed her hands across his beautiful face. "You better. Because you’re stuck with me. For better or for worse. For richer or for poorer. For good times and in bad. Through sickness and in health…for as long as we both have dreams in our hearts."

Lucky shook his head, his thumbs smoothing across her cheeks. "That’s not long enough. You’ve already made all my dreams come true."

Elizabeth shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I’m just getting started. WE’RE just getting started," she sighed. "There are lots of dreams left to dream…you taught me that."

"What are you doing?" Lucky said as Elizabeth lifted herself into the boxcar and held out her hand to him. His eyes widened when he saw that she’d set up their secret rendezvous with blankets galore, pillows, and an air mattress. "What’s it look like I’m doing?" Elizabeth said dragging him inside. She lit a candle next to the bed. "I’m about to make a dream come true."

Lucky grinned from ear to ear as her removed his jacket. "Come on over here and keep me warm."

When her jacket was gone and she sat next to him on the thickly blanketed mattress, he kissed her for a long, long time before pulling back.

Lucky took a deep breath. "So…who won?"

She pulled back for a moment, loving the feel of his fingers in her hair. "Who won what?"

"The surprise gift giving exchange?"

Elizabeth drew back her arm and he caught her fist right before she punched him in the stomach. "Just kidding," he said against her mouth. "Just kidding. We both won…we won everything."

Elizabeth sighed as he laid her down beneath him. "And to think…you didn’t even like Vegas."