The One Where Sean Wins...

"How'd it go?" Sean asked when Zoe returned to the hotel an hour later.

"Okay."

"Zo, you can tell me."

"I didn't think I'd feel like this," she admitted. He pulled her into him and hugged her tightly.

"There's a lot of history. You can't just turn it off. But now me and you are going to make our own kind of history."

Zoe giggled. "We've been making history for years."

"Yeah, but now you're actually mine, for keeps."

"I've always been yours and you know it."

"I thought you were always mine, until Max. Thank God he's a royal fuck up otherwise you would've married him and I would've had to kill myself."

"Sean! That is not funny!"

"True though."

"Sean..." she warned.

"Love you."

Zoe sighed. "Love you too Aves."

"How's junior?"

"We are not naming our baby Sean Jr."

"You know you want to."

"You know I don't. Besides, you know we're going to have a girl."

Sean groaned. "Don't go putting that out in the universe! That would be the worst thing ever!"

"Would serve you right for being a douche your entire adult life."

"Don't complain. You fell in love with me."

"Lord knows why."

"I'm irresistible."

"You're something all right."

"You're irresistible. You're everything." He kissed her and pulled her down onto the bed with him. She giggled as he kissed her.

"I made plans with Gwen and Danny, for dinner. Lindsey and Claude will be there too. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

Sean grinned. “I’ll go anywhere as long as its with you.”

“When did you get so mushy?”

“When you started carrying my baby,” he answered, rubbing her belly. “But don't tell anyone. You'll ruin me.”

“Too late for that, Aves. Everyone will know you’re a giant pussy after that article comes out on Sunday.”

“Watch your mouth in front of our baby, Mrs. Avery,” he teased. “Or I’ll have to punish you.” He smirked at her.

“I’d like to see you try,” she challenged.

"I love you Mrs. Avery. No matter what."

Zoe smiled and laid her head on his chest as Sean held her in his arms. She knew it was the only place she ever wanted to be. "I love you Mr. Avery. No matter what."



Gwen smiled warmly as she opened the front door. "Come in, come in," she said, opening the door. "All the kids are here, I hope you don't mind. Jax was asking for you last week and he insisted on coming. Scott and Wayne are here too. I haven't told any of them about you two. Not even Danny."

"It's fine, Gwen," Zoe said. "We can handle it."

"Aunt Zoe! Aunt Zoe!" Jax yelled, running into the room. He launched himself at her and she picked him up.

"Jax!" She cooed. "You are just the most adorable thing ever! How's my favorite guy?"

"I good." He peered at Sean. "Where Uncle Max?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. This is Sean."

"He not Max."

"No, he's not."

Jax stared at him. "Do you play hockey?" He asked Sean.

"Used to. For the Rangers."

"Rangers suck."

"That's my boy," Claude said triumphantly as he came into the hall. "Hey Zo," he said, pulling her into a hug.

"Hey Roo. You look good," Zoe answered.

"Avery," he greeted the other man with a handshake.

"Hello Claude," he replied politely.

"Come on, everyone wants to see you. We miss you in the stands," Claude said. He led the way to the kitchen where all the adults were hanging out.

"Hey!" Zoe said happily, going to Scott's side and hugging him, then Wayne. She walked over and hugged Lindsey and then Danny. She stepped back and clutched Sean's hand in hers.

"Spill it," Scott demanded. "What is this?" He said motioning his hand between Zoe and Sean.

"We got married," Zoe answered, smiling up at Sean.

"You what?!" Danny yelled.

"We got married, four months ago."

"You broke up with Max and married Sean?"

"Yes."

"Holy shit. Does Max know?"

Zoe nodded. "That's the reason we're here. I wanted to tell him myself."

Danny eyed Sean suspiciously. "She married you?"

Sean chuckled. "Stranger things have happened. I mean, Gwen married you and she's smoking hot."

Gwen blushed and Lindsey giggled. "I'm Lindsey; I don't think we've ever met," she said, shaking Sean's hand.

"You're the poor girl who married Claude. I'm so sorry," Sean deadpanned with a flirtatious smile. Lindsey giggled again and Sean winked at her. Claude tucked her into his side possessively.

"You are incorrigible," Zoe said, slapping Sean's forearm. "Stop flirting with all the pretty girls."

"But they're so pretty," Sean teased her.

"Just because I said that about Richie one time...." He grinned and hugged her to his side.

"Tell them," he prodded her. She nodded and turned back to the group.

"I'm pregnant," Zoe announced softly. Sean wrapped his arms around her and let his hand rest on her belly. Mouths dropped around the room and Danny shook his head and walked over to Zoe. He wrapped a hand around her wrist and walked her from the room.

"You're really not going to take him back, are you?" Danny asked, closing the door to his office behind him.

Zoe shook her head. "I'm not. I still love you guys. Hell, I still love Max. I'm just not in love with him. Look, Max and I talked today and I think we'll be okay. And I know this is crazy but I can't even begin to put into words what Sean did for me, what he put up with, for me. What I went through, running from Max, losing the baby, that changed me and I realized that Sean's it for me. I hope you can accept that one day because dammit, I miss you. I miss you and Gwen and Roo and everyone."

Danny pulled her into a hug. "We'll always be friends, Zoe."

"Thanks Danny. Just promise me you'll watch out for Max?"

"I will. He'll find someone when he's ready; she won't be as great as you but she'll be perfect for him."

Gwen opened and closed her mouth several times as they all stared after Danny and Zoe. Sean smiled at her. "It's okay, Gwen. He has to be sure, I get it. He only wants what's best for her and he thought exactly like you did, that it was Max. Zoe made up her mind otherwise. Trust me; I had a tough time believing it too."

"Why aren't you an asshole?" Gwen asked. "Everyone said you're an asshole. I can't hate you when you're not an asshole!"

"Give me five minutes; I'm sure to say or do something that will change your mind."

"Liar," Scott said. "When it comes to Zoe, you're anything but. I've seen you around her and there's nothing you wouldn't do if she asked. All it takes is a look. That's why I'm okay with this. I know how much she means to you and that you will do anything and everything to make her happy."

"Love does crazy things to a man," Sean replied.

"That's so sweet!" Lindsey gushed.

"Are you tricking these girls into liking you?" Zoe asked as she and Danny walked back into the room. She walked over to him and hugged him. He kissed the top of her head.

"Trying to," he answered.

"Never gonna happen."

"I'm pretty sure I'm halfway there with Lindsey." He winked at her and she blushed.

"Don't fall for his lines, Linds," Zoe warned. "He doesn't live up to the promise," she teased.

"I'll show you promise," Sean whispered hotly in her ear.

Claude made a gagging noise. "You're ruining my appetite," he complained.

"Poor Roo," Zoe said, walking over and hugging him. "You'll live."

Everyone laughed and Gwen shooed them into the dining room, announcing that dinner was ready.

After dinner, Scott and Wayne took their leave and an hour after that, Lindsey and Claude left. Danny, Gwen, Zoe and Sean talked for another couple of hours before Sean and Zoe took their leave on promises they'd see each other when the Flyers came to New York to play the Rangers.

"You good?" Sean asked her as they drove back to their hotel.

"Yeah, I'm good," Zoe promised him. "It wasn't as weird as I thought."

Sean reached over and took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and kissing it softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, Aves."

They pulled into the parking lot at the hotel and headed for their room. Sean pulled her in for a kiss as he slipped the room key in the door. He swung the door open and guided Zoe in, their lips never breaking.

"I'm glad it was me," Sean said.

"Me too," Zoe replied softly. "I'm glad we're in this together. Because I really can't picture my life with anyone but you."

"I'm glad that you're having my baby. I would've been everything you would let me be when it was Max's but this, our baby, excited me more than you could ever know. I love you," he breathed.

"Softie," Zoe giggled. "But I love you too. And I'm sorry it took us so long to get it together."

"I'm sorry we left a trail of exes in our wake. Could've saved them a lot of heartache."

"So sad, too bad," Zoe answered. "I've got you now."

"You’ve got me for keeps," Sean promised as they fell into bed together.