BMB: Version 2-2

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and it was created solely by me as the author. Any similarities to characters, businesses, places, or things are all happenstance, though my appreciation to those who have inspired my works is immense.

Author's Note: This entire series is based on the same characters, places, and general situations, but will be shared in the form of five different versions. I'm hoping you'll appreciate the various approaches as they are posted. And be aware, some versions go into certain details more than others, so remaining calm and awaiting the next installment may be necessary, but I assure you, it'll be worth it. Questions and comments are welcome. I hope everyone will be kind.

And this story will make little to no sense if you haven't read Version 2-1. ENJOY!

BMB: Version 2-2

While Tommy drove her back to her place, Trin was quiet and lost in her own thoughts. Pregnant. The night they were together had produced a baby. The night he didn't realize, recognize, or even acknowledge had actually happened had produced a pregnancy. And they had lost it. She knew she had to tell him. She knew nothing would ever be OK if she didn't face the fact that something had to be said, and the ball was in her court. He didn't know and couldn't know until she set him straight. She had to do it. She knew she had to do it.

"Do you want to go to bed when we get there or sit in the living room for a little while?" Tommy asked and looked over at her as they waited at a stoplight.

"Living room, I think," she answered. "I've had quite a nap, so I guess I need to wind down from the 'excitement,'" she explained and put up her fingers to do air quotes for the last word.

Tommy brought her into the house and had her set up on the couch before he shut and locked the door and made his way back over to sit with her. "Can I get you anything? Soup or some clear soda? I stopped on the way over from work because I thought when you said you didn't feel well that maybe it was a stomach bug or something."

"I'm fine," she told him and then realized he probably hadn't eaten anything since work. "Oh, gosh, Tommy," she said sadly. "Have you eaten? I have some food in the fridge you could heat up if you're hungry. I wish I would have thought about it on the way here. You could have picked something up for yourself."

"I'm fine, Trin," he told her and sat down next to her. He looked around. "I can't believe I haven't really been in here all that often. I mean, I know the layout of your house from when we helped you move in, and I've been here recently, not to mention that great Thanksgiving feast you served, but after all this time, we just haven't hung out or anything."

"That's what a rule will get you," she said sadly and shrugged. "Do you want me to put on a movie or some music?"

"Music would be cool," he told her and watched as she leaned down to pick up the remote to turn on her stereo. "So, you lead here, Trin. I don't want to ask a question which will upset you, and I don't want to pry. I just want to go back to the way things were between us. And if you want to have me leave the room so you can let the father know, I can do that too."

"No need to worry about the father, Tommy," she told him. "It's a moot point." She sighed. "Well, I don't know if we can totally go back to the way thing were, but we can iron some stuff out, I guess."

"Here's what I remember," Tommy offered. "We met up at Frankie's, and after the discussion between you and us builders, we were on good terms. We talked about getting together to have a talk about the fact that the rule was no longer an issue, but we couldn't talk then because the bigger party called us over."

"Everyone sure knows how to ruin a good thing, right?" Trin asked and sniffed a laugh.

"Right? I hate that," he told her and reached for her hand. She let him hold it and smiled. "So, um, the rest of the party after you left got blurrier and blurrier, I guess. I have very little recollection about it. I'm told that Joe brought me here. When I remember that time frame, I remember being at the pub watching you leave and then waking up in my bedroom with what felt like a mangled-up hangover."

"I filled you in on the part I played by figuring out that you had been drugged. I'm told you called for a ride to come get you to bring you home once I fell asleep. While it's not what I would have had you do, I couldn't have stopped you, I suppose, since I was asleep. You're a grown man, Tommy. And you made it home safely and to work on time, so there was that.

"I was in a great mood when I woke up, so I stopped and got us our coffees and pastries before heading into work. When I walked in, I thought I'd give you your things before heading up to my desk. You did not share my good mood and made sure to let me know that, so I went upstairs, and shortly thereafter, I received a call from Sheriff Dugan. I met with your dad to let him hear about the incident from the sheriff as well as my issue with his lack of discussion about the rule with me. I left, bumped into you, and then went home to sleep off my frustration before getting ready for the Christmas party."

"So, I went in and talked to my dad after I had bumped you and had my whole world altered. I went home after work and took a nap," Tommy told her and sat back to look at her. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah," she answered him. She was finding herself right back into the ease of being with him. She wasn't sure how he was going to take the news, but maybe if they got all the other stuff out in the open, she could get back to that night and ease into the subject. "Do you want to share the blanket? Oh, do you want to change? I have a pair of large sweats or shorts and a t-shirt I got for my brothers to wear when they visited, but they never used them."

Tommy got up and helped her off the couch to bring her to the spare room. "Oh, you cleaned it up," Tommy noted and sat on the bed. "Last time I was here, I think, you mentioned that you were cleaning out the room. It looks nice." Trin was surprised he had remembered that, but then again, he probably didn't realize that it was the night in question.

"Yeah, um, thanks," she told him and held out the shorts, pants, and t-shirt.

"I'll take the shorts," he told her and walked past her to go into her bathroom to change rather than into the everyday one next to the spare room. She stood frozen for a few seconds and then shook her head and shrugged. She walked into her room and sat on the bed to wait for him to come out. She just wanted to see how he would react.

Tommy was wearing just the shorts as he came out of the bathroom, and when he looked up, Trin stood up. He stopped for a full 30 seconds and then slowly walked up to her. "Have I been in here before? This is really familiar."

"Yeah, you used my bathroom last time you were here. Anyway, is the shirt good? Need a different one?"

"Oh, it's fine," Tommy told her and put it on as he followed her out of the room. She swore he looked back at the room for a little longer, but she held his hand and kept pulling him toward the living room again. She got under the blanket and made sure he was covered as well before moving on with the conversation.

"So, I showed up to the party and brought in all my gifts for all of your family and for the Secret Santa exchange," Trin continued. "I went looking for your dad and came upon your conversation in the study. That was probably my final straw, Tommy. That was hurtful. I wish you would have just told me that you wanted to break up the partnership. I never intended to hold you back. I never thought to think we weren't good together."

"What? No, Trin, I didn't say we weren't good together," Tommy clarified. "I said that part about holding me back to convince my dad that I needed to get out of the situation we were in. And by the next day, when I opened that gift you got me, and then again on Christmas, I didn't feel that way anymore. I was upset about something else and let it get the best of me."

"What were you upset about? What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything, Trin," Tommy told her and sighed. "I was embarrassed about the way I had acted at the pub, how it looked like I'd fallen off the wagon, and about the fact that I had no recollection of that night."

"What happened to you wasn't your fault," Trin told him and shook her head. "No one could have known."

"You knew," he told her and covered his face. "And Trin, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about that night. I never intended for you to hear that conversation, and when I got your gift, I wanted to take you for a walk and tell you all about what I had been thinking when I had told you we needed to have a talk."

"You liked the gift?"

"Liked the gift?" Tommy asked her and moved the blanket to sit closer to her. "Trin, it was the most thoughtful, amazing gift. I wanted to thank you properly that day, but you were gone. And then the silent treatment began. Oh, you definitely made your point known," he told her and cupped her cheek. "Have you forgiven me for the way I treated you and for what I said that day about our partnership?"

"Yeah, I forgave you," Trin told him and pressed her face to his hand which held it. "I'm sorry I left without watching you open it. I knew you'd love it. I just, I couldn't sit there after hearing what you'd said." Trin closed her eyes and tried to bring her breathing back to normal again. "Tommy, why'd you choose to go into my bathroom rather than the one next to the spare room?"

"I don't know," he told her and shrugged. "I just felt like that was where I should have gone to change. Why? You're not upset with me for that, are you?"

Trin laughed quietly. "No, not for that, no," she answered and put her hand over his hand which had remained on her cheek. "Um, I need to tell you something. Would you mind if I turned off the lights for this? I figure we'll talk about this last thing and then go to bed."

Tommy got up to turn out the lights so that only the candle on the table under her TV gave them light. When he sat back down, she got up and sat against him so that her back was to his front. "Do you mind if I sit like this?"

"No, I like it," he told her and let her place his hands on her where she wanted them to rest.

"Um, when you threw up, I brought you into the bathroom to get rid of whatever else was left in you. I handled the stuff out here, and then led you into my bedroom to have you take a shower in there because there's a place for you to sit if you felt weak while taking a shower. I left you in there while you brushed your teeth. I then took your clothes and washed them.

"When you got out, you would have found the clean boxers and some clothes to put on to wear to bed. Instead, you came out wearing a towel. Until then, you hadn't spoken or acknowledged me much at all. But when you saw me, you walked right up to me and cupped my face like you did just a short while ago. You called me by my name and then kissed me."

"I... I did? I, um, I don't know what to say."

"No, oh, Tommy, I'm not looking for you to answer any of this. I just think you should know what happened that night." She put her hands on his and rubbed them softly. "You then put your hand on my shorts and slid them off me, and my shirt came off too. Before you laid me down on my bed, I may have caused your towel drop to the floor." Trin took in a deep breath to continue talking. Did she tell him every detail or simply cover the general details of the experience? No, more details might trigger a memory (or several of them) to surface.

"Um, so you climbed onto the bed and slid between my legs to put your mouth on mine, and then down my neck, cleavage, and stomach. When you put your hands on my hips, you brought my panties down my legs to come off next. You made your way up and kinda camped out at my midsection until I was brought to a glorious orgasm. And then you kissed your way up again until your mouth was on mine again. You kissed me deeply, held me in your arms, and told me you wanted to make love to me.

"Before I could respond, not that I would have objected, you began sliding inside of me. You told me it felt really good, and I agreed. You kissed me and held me, and just before you brought me to another orgasm as you found your own release, you told me you loved me. You kissed me softly and delicately as we brought our breathing back to its normal rate, and then you held me and traced your fingers along my back which put me to sleep. When I woke up, you'd left a note," Trin told him. She was about to tell him what it said, but he spoke up.

"Thanks for the clothes. This was incredible. Let's have that talk," he said slowly and put his chin on her shoulder. "Trin, I have spent the last two months agonizing over the fact that I thought I had dreamed that whole scene the morning after the pub. I acted that way toward you that morning because I felt terrible and embarrassed."

"I have only struggled with the fact that I let you do that to me, not that I had a problem with it, obviously, until the next morning when you treated me like that. I wouldn't have dreamed about doing that with you in that state, but you knew who I was. You said my name twice. You knew who I was and what we were doing."

"I don't deny that, Trin," he admitted. "I remembered everything as you just described it, though in my mind, it was a dream." Tommy was quiet for a minute and then inhaled sharply.

"There it is," Trin told him and turned her face to his. "Do you realize it now?"

"We made love, and I came inside you," he told her. "I'm the father. I'm the father? Oh, Trinity! Oh, my God. That's why you said 'moot point.'" He shook his head. "Oh, Trin. Oh, my God. I got you pregnant. I don't ever have sex without protection. I can't believe this."

"I've never had it with protection," she told him and shrugged.

"I need to process this," Tommy finally responded after a long pause. "I mean, I felt some serious mixed feelings when the nurse came out to tell me you'd been pregnant, but for the first time in my life, I didn't want to run away. I needed to be here with you through this."

"I know that had to have sucked finding out that way," Trin offered. "I'm so sorry. And, um, like the doctor pointed out, I guess I owe you for rescuing me. Can you imagine how long I could have been here alone before anyone realized I was in that state if you hadn't come to check on me?" Trin's eyes filled with tears. "Oh my gosh," she whispered. "I could have died." She turned quickly to look up at him. "I could have d-"

"But you didn't," Tommy answered quickly before she could finished her thought. He cupped her cheek. "Trin, you don't owe me anything. Can we just go back to the way things were so I can finally tell you what I was thinking about telling you on that walk?"

"I'd really like that," Trin answered and cupped his cheek. She looked into his eyes and then down at his lips. Before she could ask him to kiss her, he leaned in. It was a simple, soft kiss that lingered, and she felt like she'd had her first kiss... ever. "Hey, quick question," Trin asked in a whisper. "Did she say how long I have to wait to do things, you know, down there?"

Tommy laughed. "I'll check the paper, but I think you have to wait some time since they just did some operating up in there. Now, um, can I tell you something?"

Trin laughed. "Are you kidding? I just told you an immensely detailed sex story and kinda just asked if you thought I could have sex soon. I think you can share anything with me, Tommy."

"Well, two things," he clarified. "One, it really was incredible," he told her and kissed her neck. "And two, I've fallen so in love with you since meeting you at Gram's house 14 months ago. I meant what I said, Trinity Irelyn," he whispered into her ear. "I love you." He put his hands on her waist and got up from behind her to sit in front of her. He cupped her cheek and brought her face to his.

As they kissed, Trin was amazed that it felt so much better than she remembered. As he deepened their kiss, she moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. Before long, they were lying on the couch, making out, and putting their hands wherever they could reach. When Trin finally came up for air, she sighed.

"You've called me 'baby' a few times now. That's new," she whispered and then kissed his neck. He moaned as she sucked on his earlobe. "Does it go both ways? Baby?" she whispered and purred into his ear.

"I want you to keep doing that," he told her as he slid his finger along her back.

"I'll keep calling you that," she promised and kissed his neck.

"Yeah, that too, but I meant to keep putting your mouth on me," he told her and laughed. "Trin, I know this is all new, but God, I've missed you. And I know we're a little off kilter with how this has all gone, but I really do want to do this right."

"Off kilter?"

"Um, well, partners with each other's information within a week of meeting, then a year of constant flirtation with what felt like no hope of a relationship, then we made love, and I told you I loved you, and then we fought like our lives depended on it. We caused two months of turmoil, tension, and stress at work, and then we managed to find out we got pregnant from that one night only to suffer a miscarriage and surgery."

"What's your point?"

"I'd like to date you," he told her and sat up. "Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I want to spend the day with you. And the next day. And I was thinking. We both have lots of vacation time, Trin. Let's take a week off. We could either go away to the family cabin, stay here, or go away away, perhaps to another state."

"I don't want to go anywhere too far right now," she suggested and leaned in to kiss him. "Right now, I want to go to bed. And tomorrow, I want to wake up with you and celebrate Valentine's Day. And Sunday, I have to go to Mass, but the rest of the day is free." She sighed. "Are we telling your dad?"

"About us? I would think so."

"About the surgery," Trin clarified. "I think we need to plan to give him an explanation. Maybe it would explain the tension and the Christmas anger and our need to have a week away."

"Then yes, I think we should," Tommy told her and stood up. He offered his hand to help her up off the couch. "Let's go to bed, woman. I've needed a lesson in patience lately. Nothing does that better than sleeping next to a hot chick you can't make love to no matter how much you both want it."

"Keep saying things like that, Tommy, and I might surprise you," Trin told him as he blew out the candle. They began walking toward her room. "I think we should check the release papers. Surely there's something in there about it."

They settled into bed, and he held her as he had the night they'd made love. She fell asleep with her arm wrapped around his stomach. She woke a few times only to cuddle up to him more. She'd kiss his chest or neck or mouth one time when he was awake. That time, they'd ended up making out for a bit. She laughed when he called her a tease. They were both miserable, but so completely relieved to be together at the same time.

At around 5AM, Trin woke up to find Tommy sitting up against her headboard. Her head had been resting on the pillow next to where he sat. "Mmm, what's up?" she asked him.

"Oh, sorry," he told her and patted her arm. He wasn't looking at a phone or anything. He was just sitting there. "I woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep. I think I'm going to go home to pack my stuff for the weekend and next week's trip to the cabin. I want to let you sleep. I'll be back with breakfast and stuff." He got up and then bent over to put his face by hers. "Sleep well," he told her as he kissed her lips softly.