Thank the Lucky Stars

Nicole was in the bathroom for a good twenty minutes before Tyler woke up. She went in the room and changed his diaper before taking him down to the kitchen to feed him. When she came down the stairs she saw Ira taped to a chair and a mess.

"What happened while I was gone?"

"Avery kidnapped his own sister." Ira said.

"Avery? But It thought..."

"I was helping him out. I'm so sorry Nikki." Max said sweeping up the last part of a vase then looked at her apologetically.

She couldn't stay mad at him for long, not when she looked him directly into his blue eyes.

"Do you forgive me?" He asked walking up to her with the broom and dust pan.

"Yeah." She sighed. "But if you ever do something like that again I won't be so forgiving."

"Hold on a minute. You forgive Max for being a part of a kidnapping but you won't forgive me for dumping you?"

"Yeah. Because you used me." She said before walking to the kitchen with Max right behind her.

Max put the broom up and stood behind Nikki.

"Hey there little man. Did you finally get some sleep?"

Tyler smiled up at Max and held his hands out to Max.

"You'd you look at that. His tooth finally broke through. You feel better?"

Max took Tyler so Nikki could dig through the diaper bag for some jar food. When she found it she popped the lid off and Max sat down next to her.

"So what's going to happen when we get Elise back?" Nikki asked giving her baby boy a small spoonful of baby goop.

"I'm going to break the engagement off with her."

"You proposed?"

"Yeah." He said almost shamefully. "It would've been a mistake. You're the only one that I want to marry."

"Max. Not right now. I'm exhausted. And everything that has happened in the past twenty-four hours has left me emotionally drained."

"I get it Nikki." He said putting a hand on her knee.

"So, Ira is taped to a chair because..."

"When Avery told everybody the truth, he went nuts. He broke half the vases in the living room and smashed the T.V."

"And all this time he was complaining about mud tracking through the house and us touching everything."

"I know."

The two of them laughed. Once Tyler was finished she made a little bit of formula and they went back into the living room. Max put Tyler in the playpen and Nikki put the bottle in there with him. She couldn't help but smile when she felt Max's hand on her lower back rubbing from side to side soothingly. He stopped and sat on the couch and Nicole followed. Brett got tired of hearing Ira talk so he just taped his mouth shut and Tyler whined when a clap of thunder sounded.

"It's ok sweetie." Nikki said soothingly.

"Ira. You are the man." Charlie said.

Then the power went out, again.

"Shit." Max muttered. "Again?"

"Go flip the breaker." Brett said to T.K.

"Why me?"

"Because you're the only one that knows where it's at." Brett said smartly.

"Fine." He sighed getting his shoes and leather jacket on before walking out the door.

"That's the second time. Ira your parents need to see why the electricity goes out so much." Nikki said.

Max put his arm on the back of the couch and rubbed Nicole's shoulder secretly. None of them knew that Max and Nicole were planning on getting together, except for T.K. The lights came back on and everyone silently celebrated. Nikki looked over at Brett and he was looking at the boy that was hitting a rubber duck with his teething ring. She couldn't figure out that look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Max whispered to her.

She motioned her head to Brett. Max looked at Brett and followed his eye line to the baby.

"Maybe he's finally considering to step up a little." He whispered.

"What the hell are you two whispering about over there?" Brett asked breaking his concentration from the little boy.

"Nothing." Nikki said flatly.

They heard the front door open, signaling that T.K was back. But Nikki felt that there was something off.

"Brett?" She said with a hint of concern.

"What wrong?" He asked softly.

That's the first time he's spoke to me like that for a long time.

"Do you have that gun still?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Someone else is here."

"Nikki, you're paranoid." He said blowing her off.

"Brett I'm not paranoid."

"Everything's fine. Drop it Nikki." He said in a bored tone.

She looked at the doorway and saw T.K. Nicole gave him a concerned look and he confirmed it by moving his eyes to his peripheral vision.

"Guys! Guys!" He said trying to get their attention.

"Alright. Fuck! Jesus Christ." A voice came, alerting everybody.

"Yeah, huh..." T.K started then was pushed into the room.

There was a blonde guy that came from behind T.K and he had a gun. The guys got up, Nikki went to her son and Ira started panicking.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ! What are you guys, nuts? Drop the gun."

"No. You drop the gun." Avery said bravely while holding the gun.

"Drop the gun." The guy said again.

"Alright. Take it easy. That's Lono. He's a friend."

"Alright. I'm gonna blow your fucking friend's head off. Drop the gun."

"Don't put it down Avery." Brett said.

"Thanks Brett." T.K said.

"Avery put the gun down already. You're going to get us all killed." Nikki said.

"Put the fuckin' gun down."

T.K's pager went off and the guy got startled.

"Fuck is that?"

"It's-" Nikki started.

"Nothing, just-fucking girlfriend."

"Chickie. Call the woman back. Come on."

"Charlie, what do you want me to do?"

"Shoot..."

"No." T.K said backing away quickly.

"Him." Charlie finished.

Lono shot Brett in the leg without hesitation.

"Holy shit!" Nikki yelled out fearful for her and her son's life.

Tyler let out a shriek and Nicole picked him up quickly.

"Why the fuck is there a baby here?"

"He's my son ya dipshit." She snapped while cradling Tyler's head into her neck.

"Oh, fuck! Why me?!"

"It was your idea, Dunsky."

Brett howled in pain.

"You ok?" Lono asked Charlie calmly.

"Ah, so-so. Except for this." He said showing his extremely bandaged up hand.

"They cut your finger off? You fuckin' sick fucks. It's all this fuckin' rap shit, isn't it? Who's he?"

"That's Ira. That's my man. It's his house."

"Nice house."

Ira muffled a thank you to Lono.

"You're welcome." He said then looked at Nicole. "Cute kid too."

"Uh, thank you?" She said confused.

"Who's the dad?"

"You shot him." She said simply with a shrug.

"How can you just say that?! That guy just shot me!"

"And I care because why? You deserved it. Hell you deserve more." She said angrily.

She saw Lono raise his gun to Brett again.

"No! Once was enough. I finally got my baby calmed down."

He lowered it a little.

"Avery, put it down. You'll shoot yourself in the foot." Charlie said.

"I can't let you go."

"Charlie, what do you-come one. Let me fuckin' shoot this kid."

"Thank your lucky stars I don't let Lono do to you what he would like to do.

"Fuckin' 'A' right."

"You let Lono take me outa here right now, everything goes ahead like nothing changed."

"I can't let you go." Avery said again.

Nicole put Tyler back in the playpen and got a baby wipe.

"We don't have a choice." Max said while Nikki cleaned the blood off his hands.

"I got a gun in my hand! We have a choice!"

"No we don't Avery. Look at Lono, he's a sharp shooter and probably trigger happy too! Get it through your head that we're fucked Avery!" Nikki said.

"Smart girl." Lono said to Nicole then looked at Avery. "You wanna end up like your friend on the floor? Drop the gun. Get it over with."

"If we let him go, Elise is as good as dead."

"Christ Avery. We don't let him go, we're all dead, including Nikki and Ty. At least this way the three of them has got a shot."

And a shot sounded, making Tyler cry again. Nikki growled glaring at Lono before picking Tyler up again.

"Ok, here's the plan. I'm takin' Charlie with me to the hospital, ok? You'll get your sister back. Maybe you'll live to see graduation. Got it?" Lono said in more of an order tone then asking.

"What guarantee di I have if I let you go, you won't back out on the deal?"

"Avery...you got my word."

"Do you believe this fuckin' guy?" Lono asked.

Max walked up to Charlie and started taking the tape off.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm lettin' him go."

"Ah! At last. Obviously a graduate." Lono stated.

"No, you're not. I'm not kidding." Avery said cocking the revolver.

"Avery, you shoot him, you'll be dealing with a very angry female that will make your life a miserable hell. More than it is now." Nikki threatened.

"Avery, put the fuckin' gun down." Max said glaring at Avery. "What are you gonna do shoot me? Do whatever you gotta do, but I'm lettin' him go."

"The gun again. Can't you guys just play nice?"

"Drop the gun asshole." Lono said.

"Look, why don't you drop your gun." Max snapped, clearly irritated.

"I don't drop my fuckin' gun, Ok?"

"Ok." He sighed with annoyance.

Once he was done cutting the tape off Lono helped Charlie out of the house. Avery, T.K and Ira followed them out.

"You ok Nikki?" Max asked holding her elbows gently.

"I'll be fine when all of this is over."

"Why the hell are you touching her like that?" Brett groaned.

"None of your damn business Brett." Nikki snapped.

"You're cheating on Elise."

"No he's not."

"But there is something going on between you two? That's why you're letting him hold and play with my son, right?"

"Don't be bringing Tyler into this." Max snapped. "It's not my fault that you ran out on her when she needed you most. Guess who helped her out when she needed it? Me. So Ty is more of my son then yours."

Nicole put Tyler in his carrier and strapped him in while Max started taking the playpen down quickly.

"Have everything?" Max asked throwing the playpen strap on his shoulder.

"Yeah." She said putting the diaper bag on her shoulder.

She was about to pick up the carrier but Max stopped her.

"I got him."

"Ya sure."

"Yeah. Ready little man?" He asked smiling down at the little blonde boy.

He picked the carrier up just to spite Brett. Brett wasn't there for her through the pregnancy, he was. Max wasn't going to let Brett ruin him and Nikki's little family.

"Wait. What about me?" Brett called out.

Nikki and Max headed outside.

"Where are you goin'?" Ira asked.

"I gotta take Brett to the hospital and take these two home."

Nikki hugged Ira quickly before going after Max. When Max got the carrier strapped in Nikki got in the back with Tyler and Max got in the driver's seat and pulled up to the house. He got out to fetch Brett. A couple of minutes later him and Brett got in the car. The ride to Nikki's house was awkwardly quiet. When they arrived she took the carrier out along with the diaper bag and playpen.

"Need any help?" Max asked getting ready to get out of the car.

"No. I've got it. You need to get the jackass to the hospital."

"Alright. I'll see you in a bit."

"Ok." She said and walked into her apartment.

Be safe Max. And as much as I hate you, please be ok Brett.