TIANA'S POV :

      "Y'know , I think I'm starting to see why Scott and Shannon think that thing is obnoxious ." , Ash informs me , looking up at the extremely large stuffed dragon hanging from the ceiling in my bedroom . "It's kinda creepy how it seems like it's watching us ."

     "Hey , don't diss Bertram ! Besides , you're the one that got him for me , remember ?"

      "I just won the game , you picked it out , not me ! And why did you name it Bertram ? That doesn't really sound like a particularly dragon - y name ."

      "I dunno , that's just what it seemed like his name should be ." , I say . "Besides , I've heard some of the stories about the tour bus , and backstage ! Why should you be bothered by a stuffed toy , when you've had the other guys , and apparently , random inteviewers , seeing some of the shenanigans you've gotten up to ?"

      "When you put it that way , I'm not sure , it just seems weird for some reason ."

      "Besides , I'd like to think that you might accidentally have more interesting things to pay attention to besides him when you're here ." , I say , running my fingers down his stomach as he's lying on his back in my bed , his eyes flickering back and forth between me and the dragon .

     "Well , when you put it that way ..." , he growls , giving me a devilish grin . " I think I could ..."

     BANG ! BANG ! BANG !

     "Tiana , time to get up ! It's your turn to make breakfast today , and we're starving !" , we hear Brian shouting outside my door .

      "Fuck ! We're not gonna get him to go away , are we ?" , Ash groans .

      "He's your cousin , you know the answer to that as well as I do ." , I reply . "You go hop in the shower and get yourself ... 'ready for public viewing' , let's say , and I'll deal with our pair of resident ass - monkeys ."

      We get out of bed , with Ash heading for the bathroom , while I throw on my "Nodwick" T- shirt and a pair of red sweatpants, and walk out to the kitchen .

      "Good morning , sis !" , Scott says cheerfully .

      "Well , you're half right ." , I tell him , as I walk over to the refrigerator and open the door .I look inside , see what I was looking for , and take it out .

      "Are you using that for breakfast ? As I recall , that wasn't very good ." , Scott says when he sees the squeeze can of pimento cheese in my hand .

      "Nope , I have something entirely different in mind ." , I inform him , just as Brian enters the kitchen .

      "Hey , you're up ! What's for breakfast ?" , he chirps , and I walk over to him , grab the front of his pants , stick the nozzle of the can into his waistband , and squeeze .

      "FUCK ! What the hell was that for ?" , he screams .

      Scott tries his best to keep from laughing as he says , "Somehow I get the feeling that you interrupted something , hon ."

      "Shit ! I'd better stay away from Ash , or I might end up looking like a freakin' sundae or something ." , Brian mumbles , as he goes to change his pants , and Scott finally loses the fight with his giggles .

      "I didn't want to laugh in front of him . But that was kinda mean , T ."

      "OK , I'll keep that in mind the next time I hear that damn waterbed of y'all's sloshing around . Maybe I'll come stand outside your door and yell 'Cowabunga' , and 'Surf's up" the whole time you're trying to get it on ."

      "You wouldn't !" , Scott exclaims .

      "Yeah , she would ." , Brian says as he comes back into the kitchen . "She actually did that to one of our gaming buddies when he hopped out of the game one day to go to his room with this chick he was banging at the time . Nobody could concentrate on what we were doing , so she got pissed off and came up with that . He didn't do it again during game times ."

      Ash comes into the kitchen , his hair still wet , wearing jeans and a black Iron Maiden sweatshirt , some of the spare clothes he's started keeping here in the three weeks we've been back together .

      "Sorry , dude !" , Brian tells him . "Maybe we should get a sign for the doorknob , so we'll know when you're here ."

      "That's a thought , but I've got another idea . How about you move in with me ?" , he asks me as I'm stirring the pancake batter .

      "Excuse me ?" , I say , almost dropping the bowl .

      "Why not ? We spend most of our time together anyway , and we wouldn't have to keep bouncing back and forth between my place and here . Plus , Scott and Bri could have their privacy back . Unless you don't want to , of course ."

     "Ash , I didn't say that ! I just don't want you to think of that as a way to keep from getting interrupted in the bedroom ." , I respond .

      He comes over and takes the bowl out of my hands , saying , "That's not it at all , babe . I've actually been thinking about it for a couple of weeks , I was just waiting for a good time to bring it up . Just think about it for a little while , OK ?"

      I stand up on my toes and kiss him , and say , "If you're sure it's what you want , I don't need to think about it . I'm in ."

      I finally get the pancakes made , and as we're eating breakfast , Scott's phone rings , then Brian's . They answer , and it becomes clear that they're talking to Shan and Rick , or more like listening to them . After a couple of minutes , Scott passes his phone to me , while Brian hands his to Ash .

      I take the phone , and say , "Hey , Shan , 'sup ?"

      "I need you guys to come over here the second you finish eating ! I want to show you guys something !", she burbles at me .

      " Like what ?"

      "I'm not telling you . And you'll never guess ! You have to come over here !"

      "OK , fine , we'll be there in a few . Let them finish eating , or you know Brian's gonna be cranky ."

      "Tell him to hurry ! See you soon ! Bye !", she says , then hangs up .

      " What do you bet she's been redecorating again ?" , Scott queries .

      "No , Rick wouldn't be that enthused if that was all it was ." , Brian answers . "Something else is going on ." 

     "Well , hurry up and finish eating , or she's liable to run up a wall and explode !" , I say .

      We finally get finished , and pile into Scott's SUV to drive the three blocks to Rick and Shannon's house . As we walk through the door , they're both finishing phone calls , and as soon as she puts her phone down , Shannon leaps over to us and grabs me by one hand , and Scott by the other . "Sit down , go ahead , you have to see !" 

      She seems a little manic , so Scott sort of mumbles ,"Ooookay , then ." , and we all sit down on the couch , with Scott and Ash on either end , and me and Bri in the middle .

      "All right , you guys , what's going on ?" , Ash inquires .

      "We wanted to show you something we got yesterday ." , Rick answers . "We thought it was pretty cool , so , yeah !"

      Shan takes something out of a drawer in the end table and hands it to Scott .The rest of us see that it's a piece of paper , but the surprise comes when Scott reads it and then screams like a girl before tossing it at Brian . He looks at it , and yells "Damn ! Seriously ?"

      I grab it from him , and with Ash looking over my shoulder , start reading . It seems to be a computer printout , with the name of a doctor at the top . As we read , I feel the blood start to drain out of my head , but I try to keep my composure . Ash lets out a whistle , then turns to Rick and says , "Well , congratulations , Daddy !"

      As he and Scott lead the rush on Shan and Rick , I see Brian give me a look , and I know exactly what it means . Just like he knows what's in my head right now . He inclines his head slightly in Ashley's direction , and I give him a nod in return before we join in on congratulating our siblings on their news .

      Because I know that sooner , rather than later , I need to have a serious conversation with Ashley .