63. Strip It Down

Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. I hope that you guys like this chapter. Not too many more to go.

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Jay exhaled in his sleep and rolled over on his side as he started to wake up. His strong arm wrapped around a still sleeping Erin's middle as his eyes fluttered open.

The early morning sun was shining through the windows and onto the wood floor of the cabin in Wisconsin.

Jay tightened his grip around Erin's middle, his large hand rested against the tiny swell of of Erin's abdomen and he smiled at the thought of his twins growing under his hand. He nuzzled the back of her head and inhaled the soft scent of her shampoo.

Jay smiled when he felt Erin curl back into him and sigh in her sleep. His smile widened when he heard her mumble his name in her sleep before she started relaxing again. Jay placed a kiss on the back of Erin's head and laid his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes.

The sound of Everly on the baby monitor caused Jay's eyes to open again and he turned his head and looked at the screen and saw Everly laying in her crib rubbing her eyes. Her small legs kicking under the blanket as she began to wake up.

Jay watched as Everly stilled and he hoped she'd fall back asleep. But his hopes fell at the sound of his daughter whining and calling for him.

"Da-dee" Everly's sweet voice echoed through the monitor and into Jay and Erin's room.

Jay quickly grabbed the monitor and turned it off before the sound woke Erin. He slipped out of bed and walked out of the master bedroom and down the hall to the nursery. He opened the door and walked over to Everly who was standing in her crib holding onto the railing.

"Good morning" Jay greeted as he reached for Everly's binky in her mouth and pulled it out.

Everly whined and her face turned into a frown as she reached for the binky in Jay's hand.

"No Ma'am" Jay shook his head and slipped the binky into the pocket of his pajama pants.

Everly sat down on her crib mattress and laid back on her back and let out a whine befoe looking at her father.

"Binky pwease"

Jay shook his head again "No Everly, you don't need it. That's only for bedtime"

Everly rolled over onto her stomach and up to her knees, She grabbed onto the railing of the crib and pulled herself up to stand. "Da-dee"

Jay reached into the crib and pulled Everly up and into his arms. Everly burried her head into Jay's neck and whined.

"So grumpy this morning" Jay said as he rubbed his hand up and down Everly's back. "Are you hungry?"

"No no" Everly shook her head as Jay walked over to the changing table and laid Everly down on it.

"I bet you are. Daddy will make you pancakes. Does that sound yummy?" Jay asked as he started to pull Everly's pajama bottoms off so he could change her diaper.

"No" Everly said shaking her head as she started to whine again.

Jay sighed and handed Everly a toy to keep her occupied while he changed her wet diaper and re-dressed her in her pajama bottoms.

"Are you ready to eat?" Jay asked as he squirted some hand sanitizer onto his hands and rubbed it in before picking Evie up off the changing table.

"No no" Everly said again shaking her head.

"What's the matter?" Jay asked as he walked down the steps of the cabin and into the kitchen as Everly's whines started to turn into an actual cry.

"Da-dee" Everly cried as Jay walked over to the counter and sat Everly down on it.

"No No" Everly cried as she reached for her father. Not wanting to be out of his arms.

"Evie-bug" Jay soothed as he gave up on the idea of setting her down to see what was wrong.

Everly laid her head on Jay's shoulder hot tears falling from her blue eyes and onto his bare chest as she pushed her hand into her mouth and chewed.

"Are you getting another tooth?" Jay asked as he watched his daughter gnaw on her hand. "Can daddy see?"

Jay reached for Everly's hand to take it out of her mouth and she let out a shrill cry before she turned her head away from him and started crying harder.

Jay quickly walked over to the fridge and grabbed a frozen teething ring out of the freezer and opened the back door and stepped out on the back porch, shutting the door behind him.

He sat down on the swing and adjusted Everly so she was sitting on his lap.

"Da-dee!" Everly cried as she turned in his lap so that she could face him.

"Just a minute" Jay assured as he handed Everly the ice cold ring and the baby instantly put it in her mouth.

Everly held the teething ring in her mouth with one hand and laid her head on Jay's bare chest as she clung to him. Jay gasped at the feel of the ice cold ring on his chest and he rubbed Everly's back as she she started to calm down.

The sound of the back door opening caused Jay to look over and he gave a faint smile to Erin as she stepped out onto the porch, dressed in a long t-shirt that fell to her knees.

Erin walked over to the swing and sat down next to Jay. Her hand reaching out to rest on Everly's back as Erin rested her own chin on Jay's bare shoulder.

"Baby, go back to bed. It's still early" Jay said kissing Erin's forehead.

"I'm ok" Erin assured. "Is she ok?"

Jay nodded and looked down at Evie who was chewing on the ring. Her blue eyes were clouded with tears as she focused on Kane pacing back and forth along the edge of the lake as he tried to figure out a way to get to the ducks that were swimming in the lake.

"She's getting a new tooth" Jay sighed and patted Everly's back gently.

"It explains why she was so cranky on the drive up here last night" Erin yawned as she thought about the hellish drive that she and Jay endured as they drove up from Chicago last night.

They'd both hoped that leaving at night would ensure that Everly would sleep the majority of the drive, but they were wrong. Shortly after they'd packed up to head up to the cabin, Everly had developed a fever and Erin had given her a dose of baby Tylenol but it had left Everly extremely cranky for the majority of their four and a half hour drive.

"I'll go get her Tylenol" Jay said yawning before he moved Everly over to Erin's lap.

Everly whined as Jay moved her over to Erin's lap.

"Da-dee" Everly whined and reached her hands towards her father as she watched him go in the house.

"Daddy will be right back" Erin soothed.

Everly whined and turned in Erin's arms, resting her head on Erin's shoulder. "Mama"

"I know. Mommy and daddy are gonna help you feel better" Erin rocked slowly back and forth in the swing and hummed softly as she rocked Evie.

Jay walked out onto the porch with the small medicine bottle in his hand and took a seat next to his wife. Jay reached for Evie and handed Erin the Baby Tylenol and laid Everly down across his lap.

Everly's whines once again turned into sobs as Erin opened the bottle and got the dose of medicine ready.

"I know, it's going to be over so fast" Erin soothed as Jay held Everly still in his arms.

Erin quickly squirted the medicine in Everly's mouth and Jay raised her back up and bounced Everly on his knee. "All done" Jay said with surprise in his voice as he tried to calm Evie down.

Everly didn't take notice to her father's voice and instead threw her head forward and into Jay's bare chest and cried. "My poor baby. I know you don't feel well, you just tell daddy all about it"

Erin stood from the swing and Jay followed her as the two walked back into the house. Erin opened the freezer door and pulled out a freezer bag.

"What's that?" Jay asked as he bounced a still crying Everly in his arms.

"It's a frozen wash cloth" Erin explained as she pulled the cloth out of the plastic ziplock bag and walked over to where her husband was. "I put it in there last night, I figured she might need it. Her one year molars are coming in and her pediatrician suggested it to help with her discomfort"

Jay nodded and took the wash cloth from Erin and brought it up to Everly's mouth.

"You want this?" Jay asked.

Everly reached for the washcloth and put it in her mouth and started chewing it. She laid her head on his shoulder and started to calm down.

"Does that feel good on those gums?" Jay asked placing a kiss on Everly's forehead as Evie sighed.

"I'll make us some breakfast" Erin said turning to head to the fridge.

"I'll do it" Jay quickly said. "You take Everly and you both go back upstairs and I'll fix us something"

Erin smiled and turned to face Jay. The idea of going back to bed was more than tempting, especially since she felt like she couldn't get enough rest these days.

She was happy to be pregnant again, despite it being a surprise, but she found herself way more exhausted than she ever was when she was pregnant with Everly, of course chasing after a toddler may have a little to do with that.

"Well, if you're offering" Erin said reaching for Everly and taking her baby girl and placing a kiss on Evie's head.

"I am indeed" Jay said watching as Erin left the kitchen.

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"Burgess, come look at this!" Adam yelled down the hall to his wife.

Kim laid Jackson down in his portable crib in the guest room and pulled the door before walking down the hall to find her husband.

"Adam, get out of their room"

Adam shook his head as Kim walked in the master bedroom. "Look at this bed"

"Adam" Kim folded her arms over her chest and looked at Adam who was laying on Erin and Jay's bed.

"This thing is huge" Adam said as he rolled side to side. "This is like a bed you'd see on Cribs"

"Would you stop? Erin and Jay said we could house sit. That doesn't mean that we mess in their stuff" Burgess explained as she walked into the bedroom and over to the bed.

"I'm not messing. I'm about to take a nap" Adam said as he pulled Burgess by the hand and down on the bed.

Kim laid down on the bed next to Adam and sighed. Her brow furrowing for a moment as she adjusted herself on the bed. "Damn"

"Right?" Adam said "Jay's got something going with the whole "Functional Reform" thing"

"This bed is amazing" Kim said closing her eyes.

"Oh no no no no" Adam said rolling over on his side and looking at his wife. "You're not going to sleep"

"I'm just resting my eyes" Kim said.

"Well, how about you come over here and rest" Adam said dropping his head to kiss Kim on the shoulder.

"Not happening" Kim said not opening her eyes.

"You sleeping hasn't stopped me before" Adam said as he started to kiss Kim's neck. "In fact, I'm thinking that's how Jackson come to be"

Kim laughed as Adam started to kiss down her neck and collarbone, unbuttoning her shirt as he went.

"Adam" Kim said with a sigh as she ran her hands through his hair.

"Mmmm?" Adam asked as he kissed down Kim's stomach, pushing the red cami she wore up as he moved down to kiss over the waistband of her leggings.

"Adam..." Kim groaned as she gripped Adam's hair tighter. "Stop"

Adam sat back on his feet and looked down at his wife "Don't you want this?"

Kim sighed and looked up at Adam. She pulled her cami down and shrugged her shoulders. "I do...It's just..."

"What is it, Darlin?" Adam asked running his hand over his bearded chin.

"It's...you haven't...Well...we haven't...since" Kim stumbled over her words.

"What are you saying?" Adam asked.

Kim sighed and sat up in bed "I just don't want you to think I look bad. My body isn't the way it was before Jackson and I know that's the body you want me to have"

Adam sat dumbfounded as he looked at his wife. He watched as Kim moved off of Erin and Jay's bed and went to the doorway before he grabbed her. "Kim, talk to me. tell me what's going through that head of yours"

Kim sighed and looked away from her husband. "I just worry that you don't want me anymore"

Adam shook his head "Not want you? Kim, I love you. I want you all the time. You have to know that. I just worry that I'm going to hurt you"

Adam raised his hand up and ran it across Kim's cheek

"Adam I promise you…I am fine…you don't have to worry" Kim turned her head and kissed the inside of Adam's wrist.

"Really?" Adam cleared his throat and he leaned in and rested his forehead against Kim's.

"Really" Kim's eyes fluttered closed when Adam leaned down and kissed her.

The kiss started off slow and romantic, but weeks of being apart ate at the both of them and what started out as innocent had turned into the two of them clawing at each other in need. Kim stood on her tiptoes and deepened the kiss and she walked with Adam as he backed up to the bed. They pulled away long enough for Adam to pull Kim's tank top off and push her leggings down over her hips. Once the back of Adam's knees hit the bed Kim pushed him down so that he was sitting. She moved to straddle him and Adam ran his hands through her long dark hair. Adam loved her hair it was one of his favorite things about her, he'd always run his fingers through it every night they'd lay in bed. Kim had mentioned wanting to cut it, mostly so it would be more low maitenance with Jackson to take care of, but Adam really hoped that she didn't. Kim ran her hands down Adam' back as they kissed and he slowly moved his from her hair down her sides to her hips. He gripped them tightly and rocked his pelvis up into hers letting her feel the effects that she was having on him. Kim groaned against his mouth and in turn rocked his hips into his even harder. They soon fell into a rhythm and Kim tore her mouth away from his.

"Adam…please" Kim really wasn't sure what it was that she was begging him for but at this point she really didn't care.

Adam groaned and rolled over so that Kim was under him now. He pulled back from her and rested on his knees. He ran his hands down her hips and looped his thumbs through the waistband of her underwear and he slid them down her hips. Once they had been removed. He dropped them by the side of the bed and moved back on top of her. Kim ran her hands down Adam' back and pushed at his boxers in an effort to get them off of his hips. Adam smiled against Kim's mouth and he moved his hands down to help her. He kicked them off the edge of the bed and moved his hands to rest under Kim as they kissed. Kim turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. Adam trailed his kisses from her jaw down her neck and finally to her shoulder. Kim rested her feet on the bed so that Adam' hips were cradled between her thighs. She whimpered softly when she felt his hips grind into hers. Kim turned her head back and Adam instantly moved to kiss her again. Kim pushed against Adam' shoulders as they kissed and he pulled back to look at her.

"You ok?" he asked his voice was deep with want as he looked at her.

Kim nodded "Condom"

Adam leaned down and kissed her quickly before reaching over to the nightstand for his wallet. He managed to open it with one hand and get the condom that he carried with him. He tore the silver package open with his teeth and put it on and then settled back between Kim's thighs. He placed soft kisses all over her face before pulling back and looking at her.

"If I hurt you…just tell me to stop" Adam' eyes searched Kim's for any sign of hesitance. Kim smiled up at him and kissed the side of his mouth softly.

"It's fine"

That was all he needed and with one thrust he slid into her. Kim groaned against his neck and exhaled deeply. Adam waited for a minute so that Kim's body would have a chance to adjust to him again. It only took Kim a moment before she slowly rocked her hips up into his and they fell into a slow rhythm. Adam rested his forehead against Kim's as they made love, after a few minutes he felt his own release approaching and he picked up the pace a little. Kim bit her lip and her nails raked across Adam' shoulder blades as her own release raked over her body. Adam followed right after her and he kissed her one last time before collapsing against her. Kim ran her hand across Adam' forehead and leaned up and kissed him.

"I love you, Adam"

Adam smiled and nuzzled her nose with his "Right back at you, Darlin"

Kim looked around the bedroom and a small smile graced her lips. "Erin and Jay are going to kill us for having sex in their bed"

Adam shrugged his shoulders and pulled Kim closer to him "Eh, what they don't know won't hurt them. We'll flip the mattress"

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Erin quietly closed the nursery door behind her and walked down the steps to where Jay was in the kitchen.

"She's out" Erin said with a sigh.

Jay shut the back door behind him as he carried the steaks he just pulled off the grill on a plate and sat them on the counter top.

"Is it too terrible to say Thank God?" Jay asked. Feeling just a little guilty.

Erin sighed and walked over to the counter and grabbed her bottle of water. "I didn't think teething was going to be this hard"

Jay shook his head as he started cutting up a cucumber to go with their salad. "You know, we could just leave her on the doorstep of an orphanage, she's cute. I think someone would take her home"

Erin laughed and reached for a slice of cucumber and took a bite of it. "Oh God"

Jay stopped cutting and laid the knife down on the cutting board "What? Is it the twins?"

Erin shook her head and laid her hand on her stomach "No...No not at all. I was just thinking about how we're going to have to go through this double time in about two years"

Jay watched as Erin pulled herself up on the counter next to the cutting board as he picked up the knife and started cutting again. "You know, we could find one of those high quality orphanages. One where people like Madonna go"

Erin grabbed another slice of cucumber and took a bite of it, giving her husband her signature eyebrow raise. "Yeah, cause Madonna is going to want our kids. Plus, I think we'd miss them"

Jay shrugged his shoulders and was quiet for a few seconds.

"Jay?" Erin asked

Jay shook his head "Oh...sorry. I was just picturing a world without Peppa Pig toys on that kitchen table and it replaced with beer bottles and my naked wife"

"And..." Erin asked tilting her head to the side.

"I kinda like the toys better" Jay laughed as Erin shoved his shoulder and frowned.

"Jerk" Erin frowned and grabbed another cucumber slice.

"Erin!" Jay said suddenly

"What?" Erin asked mid chew.

"Save some room for dinner" Jay shook his head as he looked up at his wife.

Erin narrowed her eyes "First you slam the idea of naked me and beer on your table, and now you tell me not to eat. I thought this was supposed to be some romantic weekend. You're forgetting buddy, you did this to me" Erin gestured down to her stomach.

Jay raised an eyebrow as he put the knife down and moved over between Erin's legs that were dangling off of the counter. "Oh, baby I remember doing a lot of things to you that night"

Erin felt her cheeks turn crimson as she looked away from her husband. "You're unbelievable"

Jay laughed and moved back to the cutting board and away from his wife.

Erin looked over at the picture on the wall of a young Jay and Will, each with an arm wrapped around the others' shoulder, both proudly holding a fishing pole in their empty hands as they stood in front of the lake.

"Can i talk to you about something?" Erin asked as she turned to look at Jay.

"Of course" Jay said "You know you can talk to me about anything"

Erin nodded "I was talking to Nata-"

"Not about Will" Jay said quickly

"Jay" Erin said.

"What?" Jay asked looking at his wife.

"I just thought that maybe you two could talk" Erin offered.

Jay shook his head "I don't have anything to say to Will. He made his bed and now he can lay in it"

Erin slipped off of the counter as Jay emptied the cutting board into the salad bowl and walked over to the sink.

"I think Natalie made some really good points when we talked at the hospital after Ev's accident" Erin started.

"It's nothing that I haven't heard before I'm sure" Jay could feel his temper starting to rise and he willed it to settle before he took it out on his wife, who didn't deserve it.

"I think that Will could learn a lot from you" Erin walked over to Jay and stood beside him.

"Erin, he always does this. It's what he does. He makes you think things are going to be different and they never and the worst part is that you're letting Will and Natalie take advantage of you in your hormonal state"

Erin shook her head "Excuse me?"

Jay turned and faced Erin his eyes locking on hers "You're letting them take advantage of you because you're pregnant and hormonal. And you're a bleeding heart"

Erin narrowed her eyes at Jay "No, I'm not. And how dare you use this pregnancy and how I feel against me. You don't know anything about how I feel"

Jay raised his eyebrow in surprise "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Erin backed up and turned on her foot. "You're smart you figure it out"

Erin walked out of the kitchen, Jay hot on her trail.

"No, enlighten me, Erin" Jay said in disbelief. "Please, I'm so curious to know. Why the hell is my brother suddenly so important? The guy who up and left when his own damn mother was dying in front of him. Tell me why it's just soooo damn important I go down that road again.!"

Erin spun on her foot and looked at her husband "I'm not trying to say he didn't do some shitty stuff! But Jay, your mom didn't die. Arden got better and that's because of you"

Jay nodded "You're damn right, I'm the one who took care of her. Me and Rachel while Will was off doing Christ knows what"

"I'm just trying to help you, Jay!" Erin explained her voice rising.

"Well, I don't need your help" Jay shot "This is what pisses me off most about you Erin. You think you can go and fix things that shouldn't be fixed. When really, you just need to stay out of it"

Erin exhaled as she tried to fight back tears that were about to fall. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Jay. I only brought it up because I don't want you to have regrets...I know that you say you don't. But if you have the chance to fix things with people you love...you should"

Erin wiped hot tears that burned her eyes and fell down her cheeks. "You don't know what I'd give to have the opportunity to talk to Camille one more time. What I'd give for her to be able to be here and see Everly..." Erin ran her hand over her stomach and looked down at her tiny bump "...and these two"

"Erin" Jay said as he took a step towards her.

"No!" Erin said taking a step back and shaking her head. "Jay, you don't have to do it today or tomorrow, but you're so lucky. Because you have a family to fix...I don't have that. I've never had that and I never will. Teddy and I never had what you, Rachel, and Will had. And sure...I love Hank, and I'll always be so thankful for every single thing that he did for me...but sometimes I think about what it would be like to have a normal family. I just think if you can fix it, you should at least think about it. I love you, and I want you to have every opportunity to be happy"

Jay watched as Erin walked past him and he reached an arm out to her, only to have her jerk away from him and walk towards the front door, grabbing the keys off of the end table.

"Er" Jay called as he walked towards his wife.

"Leave me alone" Erin simply said before walking out of the door and shutting it behind her.

Jay started to follow her but Everly's cries filled the air and he stopped in his steps and sighed.

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