Standing Tall

Rebecca heard Scott's voice but didn't want to open her eyes just yet. She could tell he was talking to Gia, but she couldn't quite make out what he was saying. His voice was getting closer, and as he had a one-sided discussion with Gia about what they had done during their time together, Rebecca couldn't keep mouth from smiling.

"And remember...not a word about this to mommy, G. What she doesn't know won't hurt her," Scott smirked as he saw Rebecca laying on the sofa with a smile on her face. He knew she was awake, but couldn't help but himself.

"I wonder if mommy is really awake...what do you think G? Think she would be faking?? Maybe she's trying to get out of spending time with us..." Scott pouted as Rebecca cracked open one eye and smirked.

Scott held Gia in his hands and lowered her down so that she could give Rebecca a kiss on the cheek. Rebecca turned over onto her back and stretched out her arms to take Gia from Scott. She pulled up her knees so that Gia could sit back against them on her stomach. Scott sat in the spot on the sofa that her feet had vacated.

"How was your lunch with Lindsey?" Scott asked as he ran his hand down the side of Rebecca's thigh.

"It was...good. She said he apologized for everything, and she thinks he's grown up from when they were together," she answered.

"I wish I could confirm that...but I haven't been able to get much out of him for a really long time. He's been closed off except on the ice...and even then it's all business," Scott said apologetically.

"It's alright babe, it's Lindsey's life. She can do what she wants," Rebecca said as she placed her hand over Scott's.

"But I'm sure you threatened his life he if he hurt her again," Scott smirked.

"Of course. You'll be short one center...cause I'll personally break his legs," Rebecca said.

"I have no doubt," Scott laughed.

"Uh oh...I think someone's ready for her nap...," Rebecca said as Gia's mouth opened wide to yawn.

"I'll take her," Scott said, getting up off the sofa. He kissed Rebecca's lips before picking up their daughter and kissing her forehead.

Twenty minutes later Scott returned to the den with the baby monitor and placed it on the side table next to the sofa. Rebecca had shifted to the end of the sofa, but when Scott sat down she nuzzled into his side so he could wrap his arm around her.

Scott rested his chin on her head while she ran her hand along his stomach. "So...about Tyler....," Scott hesitated to start the conversation. He didn't like being reminded of Brad and what had transpired a year and a half ago, and it would be over his dead body that they would contact him for anything.

"So I was online searching how to get Ty's name changed...and everything that I found said that both parents have to give consent," she said as she sighed and pressed her head against his chest. "I thought changing his name would have been the easiest route...instead of having to go through an adoption process, but even that would require Brad's consent."

"You looked into adoption too?" Scott asked, stroking her hair with his right hand and laced his left hand with her right .

"Yeah...after..." she sighed, rubbing her thumb against his. "I can't...I can't call him. Not after..." Scott shushed her when she started to shiver, letting go of her hand and lifting her chin so he could look into her eyes.

"Babe, you don't have to worry about him. All of that is in the past. We got through it...it made us stronger...and let us get here. He will never be an issue." Scott whispered, looking deep into her eyes.

"You don't know that...he waited fifteen years before showing up out of the blue. What happens if we actually contact him? He'll try something again...I know it...I don't want to think of what he'll try to do this time..."

Her eyes glistened and welled with tears. She tried not to blink, she didn't want to cry. It had seemed like forever since she had thought about Brad, and even longer since she had cried about it...

"Babe, are you alright?" Scott asked through the bathroom door, his voice was soft and concerned. Rebecca had been dealing with horrible morning sickness for the last two months, but this was evening. She had never gotten sick this late in the day before.

"I'm sorry. I'll be right out," Rebecca said. She was sitting on the side of the tub, elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. What was she so worked up over? It had just been a simple question, one that they had no idea would have forced her to have this reaction.

Of course he hadn't told them...why inform them that their son was dating, and had impregnated, a married woman? Married to the father of her teenager after he tricked her into thinking he was dying just so he could get her back and have a relationship with their son. They would have hated her for sure, even moreso now that she was ruining their Christmas dinner. She sobbed loudly into her hands.

Hearing her crying, Scott's requeat became more stern. "Rebecca, please...if you're not going to come out, let me in," Scott ordered through the door.

"Is she okay?" Scott's mother asked from a few feet away.

Scott turned to answer, "Yes mom, she's just been going through some stuff...with Tyler's father. It's been hard...she's been trying to cover but I think it's all getting to her."

Joy took a few steps closer to her son so that she could whisper and not let anyone else hear their conversation. "Scottie, why didn't you tell us? I never would have asked if Tyler had contact with his father if I knew there were issues. I'm sorry I upset her..." her words trailed off as Rebecca slowly opened the door to the bathroom.

Scott immediately turned to her to try and console her. "Babe..." the look on her face told him that she had been crying. He held her head in his hands and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Rebecca I'm so sorry I upset you. I didn't know about...," Joy started but stopped when Rebecca pulled back from Scott and smiled at her.

"Joy, it's fine. It shouldn't have gotten me so upset. It's a long and difficult story that we're trying to get through and with the help of your son..." Rebecca looked at Scott and smiled, "Tyler and I have been able to deal with it a thousand times easier than if we were on our own."

Joy nodded that she understood and simply said, "I'm still sorry."

"I'm the one that should be sorry. It's Christmas..and definitely not how I wanted our first meeting to go. Forgive me for being rude," Rebecca responded. "Can I have a few minutes alone with Scott? We'll be right back to dinner."

"Of course. Take you're time. I think Kyla is entertaining Tyler so there's no need to rush," Joy said as she placed a hand on Rebecca's shoulder and then returned to the dining room.

Rebecca turned back to Scott, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face into his chest. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. I just freaked out," she began crying again into his shirt.

"Ssshhhh it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. I should have just warned my parents not to talk about Brad. It's my fault. I didn't even think," Scott tried to sooth her by stroking her hair with one hand while wrapping her tightly into him with the other.

"No, none of this is your fault. You've been amazing through all of this. I was so stupid to think he..." she tried to choke back another sob and felt his arm tighten around her waist. She looked up into his blue eyes, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Ditto," was all Scott could say before he pressed his lips to hers. Rebecca's arms fell away from Scott's neck, down onto his biceps where she squeezed gently feeling the rock hard muscles that kept her safe. Scott moaned against her lips and ran his hand behind her neck, angling her head back further, causing her mouth to open so he could slide his tongue in to meet hers.

Rebecca shifted her hands to his chest and gently pushed to separate them. "Scott...we shouldn't be making out in the hallway like this."

"Fine, then let's go upstairs," Scott said with a wink and a grin.

"Scott. No. I will not take advantage of your parents' hospitality like that. They're waiting for us," Rebecca couldn't help but smile when Scott had that look on his face.

"Let them wait," Scott responded and kissed her again.

Rebecca pushed him away harder this time. "You are horrible. Come on, we didn't give them their big present yet." Scott sighed heavily and followed Rebecca into the dining room to join the family.

"Everything alright?" Bill asked as Scott and Rebecca made their way to their seats.

"Yes, fine now. Thank you. I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again," Rebecca smiled as she took her seat next to Tyler. Scott nodded at his father as if whatever had happened she didn't want to talk about and to just drop it.

"So, even though we opened gifts this morning, there's still one we didn't give you. We wanted to wait until the whole family was here," Scott said as he looked around the table at his parents, brothers and sister.

"You really didn't need to get us anything else. The cruise is enough dear," Joy said.

"Tyler, can you get the box?" Rebecca asked and Tyler sprang up from his seat, ran to where they had hid the box so that it wouldn't be opened accidentally, and came back out of breath. "Thanks sweetie. You didn't have to run," she laughed.

"I'm excited...and I already know what it is," Tyler smiled and looked around the room. Scott took the box from Tyler and put it on the table in front of his parents. Bill and Joy looked at each other and then back at Scott and Rebecca.

"I hope you'll love it," Rebecca smiled nervously but felt better when Scott started rubbing her shoulders.

"One of you open it!" Kyla, Scott's sister, shouted from the opposite end of the table. "We're dying over here. It's gotta be something great for all this mystery!"

Joy pulled the box to her, slipping the red ribbon off the corners and placing it in a pile on the table. She lifted the lid of the green box and put it next to her on the table. When she peaked inside, a look of confusion came upon her face. She looked at her husband and then back in the box. Her hand slowly lifted to her mouth as her jaw dropped. She looked up, her eyes darting between Scott and Rebecca.

"Well?!" Kyla asked, always impatient.

Joy reached into the box and lifted out an orange and black infant bodysuit donning the Flyers crest on the front with a large tag pinned to the shoulder that read "Coming July 2012". Kyla squealed and jumped up from her seat and wrapped her brother in a bear hug.

Bill stood and walked to Rebecca, who was still seated, and took her hand to lift her out of the seat. He kissed her cheek and gave her a hug that reminded her of his son's hugs. Kyla had finally released Scott but was now squeezing the daylights out of Rebecca. Bill hugged his son, and when he pulled back there were tears in his eyes. "You alright dad?" Scott asked with a smile. Bill could only nod.

After receiving handshakes and hugs from his brothers, Scott and Rebecca turned to face Joy. She still sat motionless holding onto the baby's bodysuit. "There's another piece to the gift in the box," Rebecca said as she walked towards her. Joy looked up at her when Rebecca stopped next to her chair.

"There is? What could..." Joy's words trailed off as she looked into the bottom of the box and pulled out the photo paper. Tears came flowing down her cheeks as she looked at the first images of her newest grandchild, the ultrascan pictures.

"I hope those are happy tears mom," Scott said quizzically, moving to stand next to Rebecca. Joy looked up at the couple, Scott's left arm was around Rebecca's waist and his right hand was planted on her not-so-present baby bump.

"Most definitely," she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks and then opening her arms wide to take them both into a hug at the same time.

"It'll be okay. We'll figure something out." The sound of Scott's voice brought her back to the present day. "Maybe we can buy our way to a name change," Scott chuckled.

"I don't think that will work hun," Rebecca smiled.

"It's worth a shot," Scott laughed and then brought her lips to his. He would try anything not to have to involve Brad...because that would lead to Rebecca finding out what he had done.