Dereck's Pov:
Fifteen years passed by in a blink of an eye. Life has been amazing and hectic and messy and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Vin and I graduated high school and spent the summer after touring Spain, Italy and Germany.
The summer after we finished our two year degree at the University of Texas we had a destination wedding at a villa in Italy. We flew our family and friends out and enjoyed the simple yet perfect ceremony. We spent the rest of that summer sailing on Vin's yacht around the coast of Italy, Venice, Sicily and the Mediterranean sea.
Vin studied criminal justice and then went to the Police Academy. He moved through the ranks and five years later became a lead homicide detective. I studied law and became a prosecutor. I was the DA for homicides but stepped down four years ago. I'm currently an ADA in special crimes division. We both love our jobs and life.
Four years ago we sold our house and bought a much larger one here in Austin. We adopted three siblings and wanted them to have plenty of space to call their own. Sasha is the oldest at 7 and incredibly bright and very into painting. Then it's the four year old twins Lance older by seven minutes and Bianca an absolute little princess. I'm not ashamed to admit our children are our world and spoiled but not to an unhealthy degree.
Veronica's Safe Haven has of course remained near and dear to our heart and we've managed to expand it past the five locations in Texas. We currently have ten and are planning on breaking ground on our eleventh next spring. True to his word Vin paid for all the best people to oversee and audit the charity to ensure no one embezzled and every dime goes to the women and children that need it.
We also used part of our inheritance to build a subdivision in each town one of the Safe Havens is located in. They're good houses, most are three bedrooms and have modest yards and we provide all the major appliances, even the washer and dryers. Specially for the families that come through. After we've gotten them trained and secured in a steady job we offer them the option to move out but still be part of the program so they'll continue to get the support even if it's just moral support that they need. Instead of taking on a high rent and all the utilities they can stay in one of the houses. Two hundred a month and that's with all utilities included.
Mitch and Jared were in fact gay and yeah in love! I know shocker right? It took them until the start of college to really come to terms with it. They are still together and own a very cute bakery and catering business down town. No kids yet but we're only 33 so there's still plenty of time.
Ariel and Sams are still together and believe it or not have two kids. One boy and one little girl. Sams finished college and became an architect and Ariel in true Ariel form studied business management and now owns two bars on 6th street. One huge dance club downtown and yes a huge strip club that caters to both males and females.
She dragged all of us there for the grand opening and basically traumatized us by having us pulled up on stage and having the male and female strippers do their thing. Thank god she has a no camera or phone policy. I'd hate for pictures of that night to get out.
Lisa went to college then on to surgical school. She lives in California with her equally brilliant and hot surgeon husband Mitchel. They have two dogs and a new born. Mitchel is a doting daddy and Lisa still loves photography. In fact she comes down and takes all our family photos.
Robert and Sean lasted about three years but Sean got tired of waiting for Robert to finish college to get married. They split amicably and are still friends. Sean got married a few years back to a nice guy name Devin and they just adopted their fist kid. Sean's a vet and Devin is a Realtor.
Robert finished college with a PHD in Psychiatry and met his husband Richard when he interned at his practice. Richard is five years older but you can't see the age difference. They're head over heels for each other and after four years together they adopted an eight year old named Paul and his three year old sister named Isabel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vin flung the front door open and walked in like he owned the place. "Oi! You two idiots left the front door unlocked? Hello, don't you watch the news and know that people break in to nice houses especially if the idiot owners leave it unlocked!" Was his greeting.
I laughed as Ariel flipped him off and Sams kissed his cheek and shot me a wink. "Good thing we have you two big tough men here to defend us." She teased. Vin ruffled her hair and rolled his eyes.
Ariel jumped into my arms and kissed my cheek. "You two fairies get in here and lets pop this bottle of wine open and drink. It's not every day we get to kick back and hang without the rug rats around. I still cant believe Mitch and Jared took all five at once. He's never gonna want kids now." She said with a laugh.
"Oh stuff it short stack. Our kids are angels. And thankfully Vanessa and Rodrick are taking after Sammy and not your hooligan ass so they're angels too." He teased pulling her into a hug.
She punched his arm but giggled. "Too true. Lets hope it stays that way."
We sat down and all grabbed a glass of wine. "So what occasion are we celebrating?" Vin asked.
Ariel grinned and Sams smiled impishly. "We're gonna have a baby."
"Awe that's great guys! I didn't know you were adopting again. Congrats!" I cheered.
Ariel stood up and began pacing in front of Vin and I. "No, not adopting. I mean we're gonna have a baby the old fashion way."
Vin nodded and wrapped his arm around me. "That's great girls, I'm so happy for y'all. So who's carrying and when is our niece or nephew due?"
Sams stood up and began pacing then stopped in front of us and sat down on the coffee table. "Okay sooo this is gonna sound like a crazy ass idea. When Ariel first told me I laughed so hard I nearly pissed myself. But I love you guys and you'd be my favoritest brother and brother in law if you just sit there, listen and then think about it. Because once the initial shock wares off it's actually a brilliant idea."
Ariel nodded. "Of course it is. It was my idea and I'm just gifted that way."
I looked at them suspiciously and shrugged. "Okay shoot."
Ariel spoke. "Sooo we talked for months about wanting to have another kid. But we both want to be pregnant, to now what it's like to carry a life in you ya know. I think it's a woman thing obviously because you men cant actually carry a life in you. So anyway we pored over all the options at the sperm bank and well none of them were right for us ya know. So we looked at other sperm banks and still nothing 'fit' ya know. We read all the info and facts about every donor but none of them were right. Nothing was wrong with any of them specifically but none of them. meshed with how we envisioned it'd be. None of them clicked for us. You following?"
Vin rolled his eyes. "So what you're saying is none of them were what you wanted. I think we got it. Don't have to say it six different times in six different ways." He said dryly.
I elbowed him and he raised his hands up in surrender. "I'm just joking but okay I get it. No more jokes until Ariel finishes what she needs to say. I apologize please continue short stack."
"Thank you dip-shit. So I got to thinking and see what we'd agreed on before we even began looking at bank was that well.. I don't want to use my eggs and truthfully after what my gynecologist told me at my check up last year it probably wouldn't work if we tried to use my eggs. Seems they're a bit... I dunno broken or something. Haha get it I have cracked eggs."
She cleared her throat and took a sip of her wine.
"Sorry I get kind of weird when I talk about that. Anyway so basically Sammy's eggs will be harvested and once they're fertilized they'll be put in both of our wombs. So anyway back to the here and now. We were wondering if you wanted to have kids with us."
Vin was the first to speak. "Umm that's flattering but I don't think a sister's egg and brother's sperm would be... I'm pretty sure that leads to genetic problems... Unless you want Dare's jizz."
He had the cutest look on his face as he processed what he was saying.
Sams laughed and nodded. "See what we were hoping is that maybe y'all would agree and since it's me and Dereck we could do like a double dose thing and Ariel could carry your child for y'all. I know it sounds crazy but y'all were talking about adopting again and this is as close to having our own blood child as it'll get. Not that we don't love our kids because you know we do. It just didn't feel right getting an anonymous guy's juices in my-"
"Okay, got it. But even if I was down for that what about Vin and Ariel. You're talking about wanting a child that's biologically ours but that still leaves Vin and Ariel out." I said cutting her off because as soon as she starts talking about her lady parts Vin will mentally check out.
Ariel shook her head fiercely. "No, it doesn't leave me out. You've been my best friends since kindergarten and blood or not you're my brother. Plus our child will be half Sammy. That's all I need to be happy. I don't have the jizz to get my wife pregnant and the next best option. The only option is my brother, you Dereck." She said passionately.
I looked from Sams and Ariel's hopeful faces to Vin's thoughtful one. I bumped his shoulder with mine. "Babe? It's kinda unnatural that you're being so quiet."
Ariel and Sams stood up. "We're gonna check on dinner and give you two a few minutes to talk." Sams said.
Ariel smiled. "Guys I know this was big and kind of out of the blue. But I want you to know that if you decide against it that's completely fine. We only want to do this if y'all do too. So there is no pressure."
Vin tipped his glass back and finished his wine. "What do you think?" He asked carefully watching my reaction.
I shrugged. "I think you should tell me what you think. Then I can work my awesome lawyer skills and make a kick ass closing statement."
He smiled and pulled me to him. "I think it's complicated and crazy and we'd be in for nine months of serious hell if both Ariel and Sams are prego at the same time. That's double the crazy and cravings and swollen feet or whatever pregnant women go through and as the fathers we'd have to be there every step of the way and them girls are mental on a good day so imagine their hormones hyped up to prego level. I know we'd each need to go to their appointments and we'd both want to be involved through it all. I know biology doesn't make a damn bit of difference to me because Peter was biologically my father and I didn't shed a tear for him at his execution. But Sasha, Lance and Bianca aren't mine biologically but I love them with everything I have in me. I'd gladly give my life for them."
I was about to tell him what I thought but he kissed me and then spoke against my lips. "Although I wouldn't mind having a baby that was half you and half me by proxy of my sister. I know where Ariel was coming from when she said she couldn't give Sammy the baby she wanted but you could as her 'brother' it was the next best thing. Because that's the only thing I ever regretted about us. Not being able to have a child of our own. To look at him or her and smile because they have your eyes or dimples but my blond hair. Or that they grind their teeth when they sleep or any number of little things like that."
"I know babe, hmm and here I had a bad ass counter argument prepared to change your mind."
He laughed. "You can still do it if ya want but if you're on board so am I. I can't wait to tell the kids they're gonna get a new baby brother or sister." He said.
Ariel and Sams walked in and Ariel smiled. "I didn't hear any arguing just laughing soooooo is that a yeah? You'll be our baby's daddy and we'll be your baby's mama?"
Vin laughed and nodded. "That didn't sound weird at all. But yeah I guess we're gonna make some babies."
I groaned. "That sounded even weirder. Me and your sister are gonna make some babies. Oh man that was even worse!"
Sams laughed and pulled my hand. "Let's go hot stuff! I always knew you could turn me straight." She joked.
Vin rolled his eyes. "Go for it but if you bang my man I'll bang your woman and she'll never wanna go lesbo again. I got mad skills" He wagged his brows at Ariel and she giggled. "Any time Frisky Ford."
Sams and Ariel dropped down on the couch opposite up and grinned. Vin pulled me into his lap nuzzled my neck.
"So I guess it's gonna be an interesting year huh? Man our kiddos are gonna be so stoked about this." Ariel said happily.
Ariel and Sams went to take the food out of the oven as the timer dinged but declined our offer to help.
"We're gonna have to explain all of this carefully and make sure the kids understand that Daddies aren't going to love the new baby more then we love them." Vin said after a second.
I caressed his cheek and kissed his forehead. "Sasha, Lance and Bianca know they're the apples of their daddies eyes and we'll make sure they understand that nothing is going to change that. They're our kids and we love them wholeheartedly and unconditionally. Period."