Status: complete

Tell Me It's Not Too Late

home to stay

I padded around the kitchen, washing off the marble counters and yawning loudly. The house was silent as all of the Parise babies slept soundly in their respective rooms. I was exhausted from our trip to the zoo and dealing with Hailey's whining along with Landon's crying. My one year old was getting over his cold while my four year old had been dying for some attention. Zach had opted out since he was back in New Jersey for a promotional event with the Devils.

Our three kids missed their father a lot. He had only been gone for three days and the kids were already demanding that he come home. Even Tanner, the calm and collected one, was insisting that Zach needed to come home because he missed him, and he was sick of Hailey crying all the time. It was the middle of July and Tanner's birthday was coming up. My little boy would be turning seven years old, almost to double digits, and I could barely believe it. I knew time could fly, but I had no idea how quickly until I had children.

Mikko lumbered into the kitchen just as I finished my cleaning. I smiled at the puppy, frowning when I noticed how much he was limping. He was getting up there and Zach and I both knew that his hips were starting to hurt too much for him to walk on. It was a hard thing to think about life without Mikko. I crouched down, pressing my nose into his fur and smelling the shampoo from his visit to the groomer yesterday. I kissed his snout and let him lick my face once before standing back up.

I went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and made my way into the living room, sitting down on the couch and flicking on the TV. I kept the volume low so I could hear if Landon needed me, and kicked back to relax for hopefully another hour until the kids woke up. Zach was scheduled to be home later tonight and we were all excited- including me. I missed him more so than usual this time, maybe because it was summer and I was used to him being around all the time for three months. My cellphone rang on the coffee table with Zach's ringtone, making me sit up and answer before the third ring could sound.

"Hey you." I murmured to him, hearing the sound of the radio.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked, a smile evident in his tone. My heart beamed just hearing the sound of his voice.

"I'm good- relaxing. The babies are asleep, worn out from the zoo. How are you? Are you on your way to the airport?" I asked, checking the time to see that he should be on his way.

"No, I'm almost home." He told me, making my eyebrows furrow.

"You mean, you're almost to the house in Jersey? Honey, that is the opposite direction." I giggled, hoping he wouldn't miss his plane and have to come in later.

"No, I mean I'm almost home. Like to you." He chuckled.

"I thought you were coming in later." I pointed out, standing up and heading towards the stairs, but not before glancing out the window to check the driveway. He was known to call me from the driveway and psych me out.

"No when I said that I meant I wouldn't be back in Eden Prairie until tonight. I came home on an earlier flight because I had a meeting with my agent in St. Paul this afternoon. But it ended earlier than I anticipated." He informed me.

"What were you doing in St. Paul." I frowned, walking into the bedroom and throwing my shirt off and into the laundry hamper. I pulled on a yellow, v-neck t-shirt along with a new pair of white shorts, figuring since I hadn't seen him in a few days- I could put myself together for him. Even after all this time together, I still wanted to look good for him.

"Just some business stuff." He told me, "but anyway, I just wanted to call and see if you were home. I missed you." A smile twisted onto my lips as I walked to the bathroom, checking my makeup.

"I missed you too, baby. How close to home are you?" I pulled my toothbrush and toothpaste out.

"About ten minutes. Hopefully the babies stay asleep. I want you to myself for a little bit." He murmured. I giggled and told him that could be arranged. The kids were worn out from their exciting day seeing the wolves, polar bears, and of course da pretty kitties, as Hailey calls the lions and tigers.

"Alright. I'll see you in a few then." I told him before murmuring an I love you and disconnecting.

I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a pony tail, frowning at the frizzy mess it was before just shrugging it off. I made my way back into the bedroom and picked up a few items that were strewn about the floor before heading into the hallway. I checked on Tanner first, smiling when I saw him passed out in his bed. I watched him for a few moments, remembering how Zach and I had stood over his crib when we first brought him home. I closed the door quietly and moved onto Hailey's room, cracking the door to see her lost in a sea of stuffed animals. She had to have one of every animal you would find in a zoo. I shook my head at her angelic face, wondering how such a beautiful little girl could turn into such a brat.

Landon's room was last as I stood next to his crib, running my hand over his brunette hair. He looked just like Tanner did when he was a baby. He was just like Tanner in an attitude sense as well-, very calm and rarely fussy. He was heaven sent and because of the trend Zach and I saw going, we decided that Landon would be our last. Zach had begrudgingly given up his idea of having a whole team, but figured that since we were so blessed with three, we didn't need to push our luck with a fourth. Landon started to stir a bit as I patted his head softly. His brown eyes flickered open and looked at me. A big yawn stretched his face as he turned about. But seeing me was calming to him so he fell back asleep within another minute. I smiled and exited the room before quietly padding down the stairs.

Zach was just pulling into the driveway as I made my way into the living room, settling in and waiting for him to enter the door. He came in through the garage and the kitchen, throwing his keys on the counter and wheeling his suitcase behind him. He smiled at me, his dimples poking into his skin, and headed my direction.

"Baby." I grinned, kneeling on the couch and wrapping my arms around his neck. Zach kissed my cheek, rocking us back and forth for a moment before he pulled away to give me a kiss on the mouth. When he pulled away, my lips were slightly swollen and I had to resist the urge to throw him onto the couch.

"It feels so good to be home." He gave me a small smile, gesturing for me to climb into his lap. I did so, looping an arm around his neck before resting my chin against his shoulder.

"How was Jersey?" I asked him, running my fingers through the side of his hair. His eyes closed for a moment before he fluttered them open once again.

"Successful." He murmured, leaning his head into my hand as I giggled. I scratched at his scalp with my nails before pulling his body into mine so we were fused together.

"How so?" I wondered, watching him turn towards me. There was a glint in his eyes that hadn't been there when he left Minnesota. His calm demeanor was fading away and I could tell by his smile and eyes that he was excited about something. "Zach?"

"Baby, I've got some news. Some serious, life-changing news." He grinned at me. I figured it couldn't be anything bad because he wouldn't have such a large smile on his face.

"Oh?" I asked, skeptical about the news he had to give me.

"Remember how we always talked about moving back to Minnesota after I retire?" He started out, eyes flicking to me.

"Yes." I said slowly, blinking a few times, trying to figure him out.

"Well, that is going to happen sooner than we anticipated." He told me, his eyes sparkling.

"You retired..." I asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. Retiring now didn't sound like a practical idea and it honestly kind of freaked me out a bit. Hockey was a big part of Zach's life and I couldn't really imagine him functioning well without it.

"No. I signed on to play for the Wild. That's why I went to New Jersey, and that's why I had the meeting in St. Paul this afternoon." Zach told me, the pieces beginning to fall into place.

"The Devils just let you go." I mumbled, not quite believing they just sent him off to a different team. But Zach just shrugged.

"Its not up to them to decide my fate. I was a free agent because I didn't take the contract the Devils offered me before last season. Plus, I wanted to bring us back. Tanner is about to start first grade, I want him to go to school here."

"He is not going to Shattuck." I stated, my eyes narrowed in on my husband.

"Well not right away." Zach rolled his eyes at me as I shook my head.

"No. Not at all." I stated, pointing my finger at him. "Boarding school is not an option."

"Babe, it's more than just a boarding school. And we can talk about it when the necessity arises. Plus, you can't deny that Shattuck will help him for hockey."

"Zach, you don't even know if that is what he wants to do." I stated, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Baby, where Tanner goes to school is not the point. All of that is future stuff. Right now, I'm telling you that we are moving back to Minnesota." I was quiet for a moment, letting that realization sink in for a second. A few moments later, a large grin stretched my face as I placed my hands on both of Zach's cheeks. I kissed his lips softly, happy tears brimming in my eyes. It wasn't that New Jersey was a problem, it was just that it meant a lot to me that I got to go back to the place that had given and taught me so much.

"You know how much this means to me." I murmured against his lips as his hands wound around my back.

"I do know. That's why I told Jack to do everything he could to get me in Minnesota." He mused, speaking of his agent who was considered a member of the family.

"I'll have to remember to thank him then." I smiled before pulling his lips to mine by the back of his neck. We shared a slow, sentimental kiss before we were interrupted by a small squeak from the stairs.

"Daddy!" Hailey screeched, running from the doorway and launching herself onto Zach and I. We both caught her, pulling her in between our bodies. She snuggled in, blue eyes shining up at her father. "I missed you." She mumbled, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"I missed you too, darling." He told her, kissing her forehead softly.

"Why did you have to go?" She wondered curiously, toying with the chain that hung around his neck.

"Daddy had some business to take care of." He told her, brushing a few baby hairs away from her face.

"Oh. Well, you are home for good now?" She wondered innocently, blue eyes blazing beautifully up at him. He gave her a tender smile before his brown orbs flicked to me.

"Hailey, I'm home for good." He murmured, kissing her dainty nose before pulling his two girls into his body tightly.

Yes, The Parise family was finally home to stay.
***

I sat in the comfy office chair looking straight across the large, cherry oak desk at the black leather couch and chairs that was still here after seven years. My blue eyes scanned over the office, landing on pictures that I had dug out of a box after they had been collecting dust since I left the Pioneer Press to move to New Jersey. The original white walls were now painted a comfy, light green while a dozen or so photos hung around the wall. A few were of the family while the others were of friends and notable people I had interviewed.

The phone next to my computer rang and I swiveled around to catch it on the second ring. "Abbie Parise, Pioneer Press." I spoke into the phone, smiling as I said it. I had missed speaking such a short sentence.

"Come to my office, now." Brian spoke before there was a click as he hung up. I rolled my eyes with a laugh but pushed away from the desk and began to walk the short distance to the editor's office. Brian had been named editor of the sports section a year and a half after I left. When I left, there was no longer a question as to who would take over to bring the paper in a new direction. Brian was the obvious choice, and now, he was my new boss.

"Hey boss." I smiled, stepping into the large office at the end of the hall.

"Hello top reporter." He grinned, standing up and pulling me into a tight hug. "Do you have everything situated? You ready to start cranking out Pulitzer worthy news?"

"Oh yes." I told him.

"Good, cause we had a deal." He winked, walking across the office to sit down again. I smiled at his cluttered desk, filled with pictures of him and his new wife on their wedding day along with the first ultrasound of their soon to be first child. Carrie was four months pregnant and Brian was ecstatic to become a father.

"Right." I rolled my eyes as sunk down in the plush leather chair, shifting around and crossing my legs. "I only took this job because you begged." I joked, remembering the conversation we had in August after we had moved all of our things from New Jersey and put the house up for sale.

Brian and I had lunch a couple weeks before labor day, discussing a possible job opportunity. I had been skeptical about getting back into the work force since I had been out for so long. I was nervous that I didn't have the same drive and knack for writing that I did have. But Brian assured me that there was a spot he knew I would thrive in. he gave me the Sunday sports feature, a place that I considered to be second best to editor. It was what every reporter wanted, front page every Sunday with their stories.

Even with a lax job opportunity I still wasn't sure about my writing ability, or what I would do with the kids while I was at work, and Zach was at practice. Zach's mom came to the rescue, saying that she had missed out on so much of her grandkids lives that she would watch them for the few hours. As for the writing aspect, Brian gave me a project on a high school athlete and instructed me to write a spotlight on him. He loved it so much he told me I didn't have a choice- I had to take the job.

"Anyway, I have something to run by you." Brian started, shuffling some things on his desk. "This concerns your job since this is your job title, but I'm not sure if this is something you would be comfortable with. I can totally hand this off to Jessie if you don't want to do this." He told me, speaking of the new sports reporter we had. I shrugged, motioning for him to go on. "Zach Parise is back in town, that's big enough for a feature in the paper. I mean, it would obviously be a Friday morning thing since that will be his official debut with the Wild. Do you want to do it?" I gave him an amused smile, laughing lightly.

"I don't know if I could keep a straight face if I had to interview him." I told him honestly. "I think it would be best to give it to Jessie. He deserves a shot at it, plus I don't think I would have time to interview him because I need to talk with Mauer about his winding down career." I sighed, shrugging my shoulders.

"That's true. Alright, I'll get Jessie on it."

"Anything else?" I asked, standing up.

"Um, I kind of have a personal thing. Carrie is having these mood swings, like crazy bitch mood swings, and she keeps calling me and yelling at me. Do I pick up, or do I just let it go to voice mail?" He asked, scowling at my laugh.

"Pick up and take it like a man, Brian. You knocked her up, you get the hell for it." I chuckled and walked out of the office, heading back to mine. I smiled the whole way there, relieved that I was finally back in a place I belonged.
***

"Mom, why is dad wearing green?" Hailey asked me, nibbling on a chicken finger that was coated with ketchup.

"Because he plays for a new team, baby." I smiled, running a hand over her hair lovingly. Tanner, Hailey, and Landon were all decked out in Wild gear. Hailey was wearing a cheerleading outfit while the two boys and I wore the green jerseys with Parise adorning the back. Zach was currently on the ice, warming up for his first game in front of his hometown crowd. The Wild were starting their season against the Colorado Avalanche, and Zach had barely been able to contain his excitement for the past week.

"I guess green is okay." she cooed to me, nuzzling into my side as Landon let out a high pitch squeal when Tanner pointed out Zach to him. We were sitting in the lower level as per Tanner's request because he loved to be right next to the action. Grandma and Grandpa Parise were coming as well as Uncle Jordan. The kids were excited because of the holiday like feel to the event; holidays were the only time the kids got to see all three of the other Parises.

"You look good in green, baby doll. Don't worry." I smiled at her, wrapping my arm around her and setting my eyes back on the ice.

The teams exited the ice, so I took the opportunity to get up and change Landon one more time before the game started. By the time I made it back to my seat, the lights were dimming and the crowd was starting to get excited. The Wild logo swirled around on the ice from the projectors above- green and red filled the arena while Hailey and Landon looked around excitedly. It got loud and Landon reached for me from Tanner's lap, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Shh, it's okay Lan. You're okay!" I smiled at him, kissing his baby nose and squeezing his sides to make him smile. He gave me a gummy one and I turned him so he could watch the players file onto the ice.

The green jerseys flew onto the icy surface as the Xcel clapped along with the song that blared from the speakers. I smiled as I found Zach talking to Cal Clutterbuck- his center. The teams quickly lined up along the red line and I smiled as Zach set his look into his game face. His eyes began to drift slightly and Hailey began to wave wildly. I watched the corners of Zach's mouth twitch slightly as he tried not to smile at our little girl.

"He sees you baby, but its time for him to focus." I told her, kissing her cheek softly.

The lineups were announced and when Zach's name was called as the starting left wing, the place went crazy. Wild fans stood clapping on their feet, so I rounded the kids into a standing position as well. Zach's family and I were so proud of him. My cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling through the long and loud standing ovation. It felt great to be home.

The game started a few minutes later, fast paced, just like a hockey game should be played. The two teams were pretty evenly matched as they both battled in each end along with a lot of play in the neutral zone. I sighed halfway through the second, Landon beginning to get heavy as he slept soundly on my chest. I dealt with it the rest of the game, not even standing to cheer when Zach scored the second and game tying goal. Tanner, Hailey, and Zach's parents and brother cheered for me as I clapped in my seat, rocking Landon when he started to protest at the loud noise. Pretty soon, just like the other two adapted, he would be able to sleep through the cheers.

The game ended with a goal in the final minute by Brent Burns, a blast from the point with Cal Clutterbuck screening in front of the net. The crowd jumped up and stayed on their feet, clapping, until the final horn blew. I smiled and bounced Landon while attempting to clap. Instead, I just patted Landon's back while checking on my other two children. Tanner was a walking zombie while Hailey was quietly sitting down in her seat- an obvious sign that she was tired.

Zach turned to the crowd after he was done shaking hands, looking in the crowd for the four of us. I smiled and waved, pointing Hailey in his direction. He waved to her and blew her a kiss, letting her know he saw her during warm ups. Zach gave her a cheeky smile before winking in my direction and then heading to the interviewer. We said goodbye to Zach's parents and brother since they still had an hour drive to get home.

"Alright Parises." I looked at my sleepy children, setting Landon in his carrier before rounding the kids up to head down to the family lounge. The kids stumbled along, Hailey trailing absently behind the three of us, making me have to stop and pull her along. Eventually I just hoisted her into my arms, struggling before handing Landon to Tanner. I was so glad he was old enough to start helping me out with his younger siblings.

We settled into the family lounge a few minutes later, waiting for Zach to appear in the doorway. The kids were all asleep or getting there when my husband emerged in a his crisp black suit, red shirt, and black and silver stripped tie. His eyes softened when he saw the kids, a small smile tugging at his lips as he walked across the lounge, saying goodbye to his agent. Jack waved to me before he disappeared from the room.

"My babies are tired." Zach murmured softly, running a hand over Tanner's head as his brown eyes drifted shut under his father's comforting touch. Zach pressed his lips to his head before kissing Hailey on the forehead as well. He looked into Landon's carrier, smiling down at the little boy who awoke at the sound of his dad's voice. "Hey little man." Zach waved to him before looking at me. "Hey." He breathed out, eyes sparkling as he pulled me in close.

The smell of his cologne and his body wash wrapped around me, making my head spin as I looked into his dewy eyes. I sighed happily, my heart bursting at the seams. I was having one of those moments where I could barely believe that Zach was mine. He was so perfect, so much different than what he was like in college. I was impressed with how smoothly he was able to transition into being a dad, and how he was able to put his career on hold when the family needed him. Zach Parise was indeed a family man, and I was grateful that he was my family man.

"Good game, baby." I smiled, standing on my tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his lips. He uncoiled into my touch, his arms wrapped tighter around me so that there was no part of our bodies not touching.

"Thank you." He mused to me before pressing our lips together again. When we pulled apart, our foreheads stayed rested together and our noses gently nudged one another. "I love you." He whispered to me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I smiled softly, pulling his lips to mine by the back of his neck.

"I love you too, but these babies need to get to their beds." I informed Zach, who nodded and pulled away reluctantly.

"I'll take Hails and Tanner. You can carry Landon." He told me before cooing to Hailey to wrap her arms around his neck. Tanner opted to walk and hold Zach's hand to the parking lot.

We all headed out, a chain of sleepy adults and kids, before we made it to the Range Rover, piling in and heading back to our Eden Prairie home. Zach held my hand the whole way, occasionally bringing it to his lips and kissing my hand. Each time, I would squeeze his fingers with mine before leaning across the console and kiss his cheek. By the time we arrived home, I was dying to press my lips to his in a deep, never ending, kiss.

We hauled our three kids into the house, Zach carrying Hailey and Tanner this time, while I trailed behind with Landon. We went right to the kids' room to get them tucked into their beds and back to sleep. Landon gurgled sleepily to me as I pulled his Parise jersey off along with his tiny jeans. I slipped him into his turtle footy pajamas before setting him into his crib with a kiss. I ran my hand over the top of his head and watched him for a moment, feeling so incredibly blessed that it made my eyes tear.

I headed out of Landon's room and went across the hall to our bedroom, seeing that Zach was still tending to our oldest kids. I then went to the right and into Hailey's pink, princess room, finding Zach sitting there, watching her sleep. I leaned against the door jam, watching the scene in front of me with a light heart, smiling widely as Zach kissed her on the forehead and murmured an I love you. He stood up and turned, seeing me.

"Is Tanner in bed?" I asked him quietly as he shut Hailey's door, leaving it open a crack for some light to spill in if she needed it.

"Yeah. He just gave me a kiss and went into his room. Remember when he needed both of us to say goodnight?" He murmured, bringing me into our bedroom. I chuckled quietly, being pulled back to when Tanner was a baby and needed to see both of us before he went to sleep. I think that was why he had such a hard time when Zach left. He didn't know his dad was okay.

"It feels like so long ago." I sighed, thinking that it had only been seven years since our family of two had grown into a family of three. I yawned as Zach and I walked into the closet, pulling off our clothes and slipping into our pajamas. The flannel of my pants hugged my legs and warmed them up from the biting of the cool wind outside. We slid into bed, Zach pulling me into his arms immediately as I rested my head against his collar bone.

"Abbie." Zach murmured to me, his lips brushing against my ear as he spoke.

"Hm?" I asked him, nuzzling my nose into his neck to be as close to him as possible.

"Thank you for not giving up on me. I don't know what I would have done if you told me I was too late." He sighed, rubbing his hands over my back as he gave me a light squeeze.

"I could never give up on you Zach- not with how much I love you." I whispered, pulling his chin down and kissing his lips.

"You didn't have to take me back." He reminded me, making the corners of my mouth tilt up into an amused smile.

"That's where you're wrong. I've always needed you Zach. I just got used to lying to myself and saying that I could live without you. But I can't, and I hope you understand that no matter what happens in the future, what we have is worth fighting for."

"I would never let anything get in the way of you or the babies." He murmured to me, kissing my ear and then trailing his tongue along the edge of my ear. I shivered in his embrace as he chuckled quietly.

"Good because we love you." I murmured to him.

"I know, and that's the only thing that keeps me sane on road trips- knowing that when I come home, I have four wonderful loves of my life to come home to." I flicked my eyes to his, my blue ones dissecting his brown eyes, smiling when I saw nothing but sincerity- not that I ever doubted he wasn't being honest. It was just good to know that after searching for the five years after he left, I found everything I was looking for in the man who held my heart all along. I smiled happily, relieved to know that I was with the person who I was supposed to end up with.

"So you're happy with the way your life turned out?" I asked him, running my hands up through his hair to rest on the back of his neck.

"Words can't even describe." He murmured, pressing a kiss to my lips as my eyes filled with happy tears. It was always reassuring to know that Zach was as in over his head as I felt.

"Good because I couldn't think of a better life to have." I smiled before snuggling into his chest and listening to the heart that beat only for me.
♠ ♠ ♠
sigh.
well, all good things have to come to an end right???
this is the end for the beautiful Parise family- at least in terms of new chapters.
I loved Zach and Abbie and all three of their kids, especially Hailey if you couldn't tell :D
they were fun to write, to explain the drama of real life situations and choices people have to make every day
I'm going to miss them, but I've lost a lot of my inspiration for this story and I didn't think it was fair to you as the readers or the characters to continue a story that I didn't have much interest in.
soooo I would love to hear what you thought about this chapter, this story, or anything else you want to tell me in relation to the story. maybe what you liked, what you didn't like.
and this is something I usually like to ask when I finish stories: What was your favorite chapter?
I'm thinking mine was the Olympic chapter.. when USA actually beat Canada. I thought Zach was adorable, and I also just love baby Tanner :D
so I'm going to stop rambling now but I appreciate all of the commend and subscriptions this story had. I hope you enjoyed it!

THANK YOU!![/size[