"Jesus," Melissa stated as she stared at Rachel's arms. "What the hell..."

"I told you my arms were burnt from the airbag," Rachel told her friend as she unzipped the duffle bag Melissa had brought. Melissa had stopped by Rachel's house and packed a bag of clothes for not only her but McKenzie. Her friend had also brought shower items along with other random items. McKenzie school bag and track bag. Her piano book. Rachel's sketchbook which she wasn't sure could even properly hold a pencil at the moment. Her friend's heart was in the right place.

"Yeah but I hadn't been expecting...that," Melissa motioned toward her arms.

The gauze had been removed that morning. Her arms were an angry red which made her self conscious. Tyler hadn't been able to stop staring before he and the rest of the Chasez clan left that morning for the airport. With JC's family gone, his house had grown silent until The Fatone clan arrived. Lance and Michael had arrived as well. Rachel supposed she should be downstairs entertaining. After all, they did come to see her. However, she needed a shower and fresh underwear.

"The doctor said it's not uncommon for airbag burns. I did get it worse than usual."

"Doesn't it hurt to shower?" Melissa sat down on the bed and reached out, touching Rachel's arm.

"When you touch it, it does." Rachel moved her arm away and continued rifling through the bag. She paused when her hand hit a box. Pulling it out she stared at it then at Melissa who started giggling. "Seriously Mel? Condoms?"

"Why not? You're gonna be here at least tonight and tomorrow night you said." Melissa grinned. "Take advantage!"

Rachel felt a blush cover her face and put the box of condoms back in the bag, burying them beneath the clothes. "We were supposed to go out on a date tonight. I was gonna see if you'd take Kenzi for the night. On our trip to the mall I was gonna buy this black dress I saw at Bloomingdales. Stop at Victoria's Secret...Seems like something always gets in the way."

Melissa frowned at Rachel's words. "They'll be other date nights. Next Saturday you can go out. I'll keep Kenzi. You guys go out... come back here..." she wiggled her eyebrows. "You could just move in here. Then you don't have to wait until Saturday."

"I've been thinking about that an awful lot." Rachel confessed. "Even before Mississippi. I hate how we are always left standing in the driveway watching the other drive away. I'm not sure I can do some traditional dating for a year before we take it to the next step of living together. Waiting a couple more years before becoming engaged. Another year or so before we get married..."

"So don't." Melissa said simply. "There are no rules you have to follow. Joey and I moved in together almost immediately. Lance and Michael didn't wait that long either. Do what feels right for you."

"What if it doesn't feel right to him?"

Melissa rolled her eyes. "Rachel you can put a leash around his neck and lead him anywhere. Hell you don't even need a leash. He'll follow you regardless."

"What exactly am I supposed to say? Can I move in with you? Seems sudden and needy."

"Rachel. Why do you want to move in with him?"

"Because I love him. Because I'm so damn tired of watching the taillights of his car as he drives away. Because I'm tired of crawling in to bed alone. Because I want to wake up and him be there. Because I don't want to waste any more time."

"Then don't waste any more time. This accident could have been so much worse. It could have ended badly. Go after what you want. You didn't fifteen years ago. Do it now. Move in together today. Get married tomorrow. Have a baby in nine months."

Rachel laughed. "Seems kind of sudden."

"It's been fifteen years!" Melissa said exasperated. "I thought Joey and I took forever. You and JC... molasses moves faster than the two of you. Hell, glaciers move faster! Pluto orbits the sun faster than you two."

"Alright alright, I get it. We move slow."

"Slow isn't even the right word for what you and JC do."

"What about Kenzi?"

"You're kidding me right?" Melissa asked. "That girl thinks JC hung the moon. Seriously. You might as well get him bronzed and sit him on the mantle."

Rachel snorted. "That might hinder our ability to procreate and have that baby you want in nine months."

"Do I even want to know?"

The girls turned around and saw JC in the doorway. They burst out laughing.

"Sorry you had to find out this way," Melissa said laughing. "But Rachel and I are lesbian lovers." She continued laughing even as a balled up shirt from Rachel hit her in the face.

"Goodbye Mel." Rachel watched as Melissa left the room. "She forgets to take her meds."

JC chuckled, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him. "I came up to see if you needed anything. Needed help." Yesterday when she had showered, he had to help pull the shirt over her head and unclasp her bra. Then he stayed in the bathroom the entire time, ready in case she needed him.

"How much of the conversation with Mel did you overhear?"

"Just the part about procreation and having a baby in nine months."

Rachel nodded and stopped emptying her bag. She turned and reached for JC's hand, holding his fingers lightly with hers. She sat on the edge of the bed and he sat next to her. She stared at their hands, moving her thumb back and forth over his fingers. From the angle she could see the marks on her skin; a reminder that everything could have been different.

"Rachel?" JC said after the silence stretched on. "What's going on? Talk to me."

"I love you."

JC smiled squeezing her fingers. "I love you too."

"I'm not really good at this." She took a breath and raised her head, meeting his eyes. She could see the questions in them. "I want to move in together. I know we haven't been together very long and I'm sure there is some sort of relationship timeline we should follow... but our relationship isn't like most. I'm so tired of kissing in driveways and watching you drive away or driving away from you. I'm tired of late night phone calls before bed when all I want is for you to be there with me. I hated leaving Thursday night. That's all I could think of as I was driving away. How I wanted to stay. How I wanted to come in here and get ready for bed. How I wanted you to crawl in beside me. How we would make love then fall asleep in each other's arms."

JC had been thinking the same thing Thursday as he watched Rachel drive away. Every time she and McKenzie left, his heart left too. They were his family. Just like his father had told him. Not like his mom and dad or Tyler and Heather, but his family. They were his. His girls. His world. Just like he had told Lance, Joey, and Michael downstairs when he asked their advice on if he should mention them moving in together. The advice had been unanimous.

He broke the hold her hand had on his and cupped her cheek. "I've been trying to think of a reason to not have to say goodbye since that day in the parking lot next to the cafe. I wanted to tell you to pack a bag Thursday and stay. We could get Kenzi to school on time. Getting up early would have been worth it to have you here with me. To not have to watch you drive away." He gave a small chuckle. "You beat me to it. I was going to ask to move in with you."

"Move in with me?" Rachel repeated shocked. "You want to move in with me? As in my house? But what about your house?"

"This is just a house. Your house is a home. Kenzie's already been through enough. I don't want to add to it by making her move here. The only change for me would be a longer drive in to the city. I'm okay with that."

"You're serious?" Rachel asked, still shocked. She had expected to move in to JC's house. While she loved the house in Calabasas, she only rented it. She'd only lived in it for two years. There hadn't been much of an attachment on her part.

"I'm serious." JC confirmed. "Your accident scared me. This road is terrible and I don't want to get another phone call like that again. Not about you. Not about Kenzi when she starts driving in a few years..."

"I can't believe you'd do this..."

"I love you Rachel. I would do anything."

Rachel leaned forward and kissed him. Their lips moved softly together as she brought her hands up to lightly cup his face. Her fingers ran over the stubble on his unshaven cheek. "I love you JC."

"In a couple days, when you go back home, I'm bringing a bag and staying with you. We'll handle the insurance and shopping for a new car. Once you've healed, we'll start combining our places..."

"When I said I'd let you take care of me, I didn't mean you could take over. You are not buying me a new car."

JC smiled and kissed her again. "I never said I was buying you a new car. Though..." he pretended to think and started laughing when Rachel tickled his side with her fingers. "Maybe you should explain to me what I can and can't do when taking care of you."

"No buying me a car." Rachel said sternly. "You wanna buy me something? Buy me tacos."

"Car no. Tacos yes." JC lips twitched as he fought back a grin.

Rachel stood up and giving his hand a tug until he stood up as well. "Taking care of me means helping me undress when I can't do it myself." While her muscles still ached, she was able to pull the shirt off her head unassisted. That didn't mean she wanted to. "It also means joining me in the shower and helping wash my hair..."

"Lead the way."

Rachel tugged on his hand and like Melissa said he would, he followed.

*~*

By the middle of June, JC was no closer being moved in to Rachel's house. Most of his things still resided at his house in West Hollywood. Sure he had his clothes hanging in the closet and folded in the dresser. His bathroom items shared space in Rachel's bathroom. Some of his music items were in the spare bedroom.  Rachel's house was just too small to accommodate the stuff he had accumulated over the ten years he lived in California. Even if he got rid of all the furniture in his house, Rachel's house would still be bursting at the seams. Something had to give.

Moving Rachel and McKenzie in to his house wasn't an option. There was no doubt everything would fit, he just wasn't comfortable being on that road anymore. Maybe it was an overreaction on his part. After all, accidents can happen anywhere. If they moved in to his house, McKenzie wouldn't be guaranteed a spot at the school she was currently in. He didn't want her to leave all her friends.

"Just buy a new place," Joey said as he grabbed a soda from the fridge in Rachel's kitchen. "Sell your place. You're only renting this place. Find a place big enough to fit all your crap."

That was an option JC had been contemplating. A new house would solve everything. They could find the house that was big enough to fit their things after they combed through duplicated items. Rachel needed room for her paintings; spaced to do her drawings. He didn't care if she said she was fine sitting at the kitchen table. He wanted her to have her own space. He needed room for his music. His own studio space so his things weren't cluttering up the living room like they were now.

"Lot of places on the market around here," Joey continued. "As well as where Lance just moved."

"But Kenzi goes to school here."

Joey shrugged. "It's only about an hour drive. Won't be so bad in the mornings. After school might suck with traffic, but she's in a million things anyway. So might work out. If living so far away bothers you, just look for a place around here."

"What kind of place are we looking for?" Rachel asked as she walked into the kitchen with Melissa. They had been going over the latest rough sketches for their next book.

"A hooker bar," Joey said with a grin when he saw JC give a small shake of his head.

"Like you don't know where those are." Melissa teased. "You have their locations saved on your maps. Along with a detailed notes section."

"Don't be jealous," Joey wrapped an arm around Melissa's neck, pulling her into him. "You know you're my favorite hooker."

Melissa snorted and pushed him away. "I haven't seen you leaving cash on the dresser lately."

"Well maybe tonight, but instead of pawning our heathens off on Rachel, you invited her heathen to our house for the night."

"Should have offered first."

"Bambina, that offer is always on the table."

"Do you guys always talk about sex?" Briahna asked as she walked into the kitchen with McKenzie. McKenzie had a bag slung over her shoulder; all packed and ready to go.

"What else is there to talk about?" Joey grinned when his daughter groaned. He lived to embarrass her. "You heathens ready?"

Briahna rolled her eyes. "Yes Dad. We've been ready. Waiting for you to stop talking."

"Mouthy for someone who I am taking shopping for skiing gear." Joey tossed his can in the trash. "I'll get you a blue Cinderella jacket. I bet they have matching skis. Disney Princess ones..."

Briahna rolled her eyes and nudged McKenzie's arm. "And you wanted a dad. I'd have given you mine for free..."

"Sorry Kid," Joey wrapped an arm around Briahna's neck much like he had done to his wife earlier. "You're stuck with me forever. Lucky you."

"Lucky me,' Briahna grumbled as she untangled herself from her father.

McKenzie met JC's eyes and smiled when he winked at her. JC moving in hadn't upset anything at all. He slid seamlessly into their routines. The last month of school he had taken her to school and picked up afterward. He'd been there for her final track meets, her spring band concert, her school awards, and her piano recital.  At home it hadn't taken him very long to become another parental figure. She had been shocked the first time he raised his voice at her when she coped an attitude with her mother. From the look on his face, he had been shocked as well. She hadn't told her mother he apologized when he came into her bedroom that night to tell her goodnight.

"You remember the rules?"

McKenzie looked at her mother and rolled her eyes. "Yes Mom. No heart attack inducing purchase on the credit card."

"Right." Rachel told her daughter. The Fatones were heading into the city to purchase their skiing gear for the Colorado vacation over the holidays. Since McKenzie was staying the night at their house, she was tagging along. Rachel had given her daughter her credit card so she could get what she needed as well. She trusted Joey to make sure she was outfitted properly. That might have been a mistake on her part, but she was sure Melissa would keep Joey in line. JC already had everything he needed. That had left her. She couldn't purchase anything at the moment. She met JC's eye across the room and smiled. He returned her a smile and Rachel grinned. He had no idea.

"Alright, time to go. Faster we get there the faster we can get out." Joey said, not looking forward to taking the entire family to get ski gear.

"I'll take them, if you take the girls to the One Direction concert."

"Nope!" Joey said quickly before Rachel even finished the statement. "Not a chance."

"Bye Mom! Bye JC!" McKenzie called and sent them a wave as she followed Briahna's family out the door.

"You're not getting out of that concert," JC pushed off the counter where he had been leaning. "Face it. Come September you're gonna be in the middle of thousands of screaming girls."

"I'll just close my eyes and pretend I'm back at the Backstreet Boys concert." Rachel walked from the kitchen into the living room with JC following behind her. She took a seat on the couch and laid her head on JC's shoulder when he sat next to her. Las Vegas had been a few weeks ago. McKenzie and Briahna spent the weekend with Lance and Michael while Kloey and Caleb went to Melissa's parents. The four of them had flown to Las Vegas on Friday and spent the whole weekend on the go. That weekend Rachel had pulled out the little black dress from Bloomingdales and the matching black lace bra and panty set from Victoria's Secret. Heather and Sarah had been right. He had forgotten his name. The weekend had been so much fun.

"What place were you and Joey looking for?"

"Oh, uhm, we were just talking." JC said. He wasn't ready to broach the subject of buying a new house. He wanted to do a little more research first.

"About hooker joints?"

JC laughed. "Not hardly. We were discussing houses." It wasn't a lie. It was technically the truth. He and Joey had been discussing houses.

"That's a topic I'd like to discuss because this isn't working."

"We'll get it situated. I know it's a little cluttered right now."

"I've seen houses on Hoarders look better than this one." Rachel said dryly. She sat up and turned to face JC, bending her leg on the couch. "Most of your things are still at your house. You're cramped in the spare bedroom... don't think I haven't heard the mutterings when you're in there trying to work. Let's face it. The house is too small for us."

JC frowned. It had been exactly what he had been thinking though. "I guess we can move in to my house. There would be..." he trailed off when Rachel shook her head.

"You know I hate driving my car up your road." The insurance company had totaled her other car out, which hadn't been a surprise. The vehicle she had purchased had been similar in nature. It offered plenty of seating and room. There was no telling what she'd be hauling or how many kids she'd be carrying on any given day with McKenzie. "While you have a pool and that's nice. You don't have a yard. You don't even have sidewalks."

"A yard? Sidewalks?" JC repeated.

"Yes," Rachel nodded. "We need to look for another house that's big enough for what we need."

"A yard and sidewalks?" JC repeated again, confused.

"Exactly." Rachel grinned. "We're gonna need a room for us and McKenzie obviously. We'll need a room for the baby. Plus you need a room for your music. I need one for my art."

"Baby?" JC repeated dumbfounded. His brain had skittered to a halt. He stared at Rachel, her mouth wide in a smile. "Baby?"

"I'm pregnant JC." Rachel grinned and watched as his face transformed.

"You're pregnant?" JC repeated in awe. His eyes looked at her belly; obviously still flat. "We're gonna have a baby?"

Rachel nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "We're gonna have a baby."

"We're having a baby." JC pulled her into his arms, laughing, hugging her tight. "We're having a baby."

Rachel laughed. She buried her head into his neck, sniffling, overcome with tears. His arms tightened around her as she cried. Finding out she was pregnant had brought many emotions for her. It hadn't been possible to keep the secret but for a couple days. She'd snuck away yesterday to her doctor's for the test. This morning he had called with the results. Confirming the pregnancy test she had done in secrecy in her bathroom.

He lifted his head, pulling back slightly and Rachel lifted hers. He cupped her face, wiping the tears away. "This is the best news ever," he whispered. His eyes were wet with tears. "Marry me."

"What?" Rachel's eyes widened hearing JC.

"Marry me, Rachel." JC stared into her eyes, watching as they filled with even more tears. He hadn't pictured asking Rachel this way. He didn't even have the ring on him. Christmas had been an idea, but he hadn't wanted to wait that long. Nothing had been planned. Sitting there he realized it was perfect. They hadn't followed any set plan from the moment they met. Why should they start now? He had the ring and he had Jim's permission. Most importantly of all, he had McKenzie's permission.

When Rachel nodded her head and said yes, JC pulled her to him and kissed her. After fifteen years, they had finally gotten it right.