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XLI .. the one
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"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE I BEEN ALL THIS TIME?" dutch said as the bartender handed him his beer. "so you mean to tell me that you knocked her up? she's pregnant with your kid? you could've told me this when you two went down to reseda."

"you see, you might wanna come up into the city once in a while, you miss out on important news." tommy laughed as he took a swig of his beer.

"you didn't get to see the baby's first picture!" jimmy chuckled. "you're gonna be an uncle."

"i can't believe it." dutch smiled. "ace degenerate's really gonna have a kid. so, how're you feeling, daddy?"

"i mean, it's tough and it's different but we're trying to make it work." johnny smiled softly as he took a swig of his banquet. "bella's doing okay, she feels sick every now and then but she's pulling though. the kiddo's doing great though."

"so what is it? nephew or niece?" dutch smiled.

"don't know yet." johnny sighed. "it's too early to tell. we should know in about a month or two when the baby starts kicking."

"i think it's a girl." tommy said as bobby agreed with him.

"it has to be a boy. jen and i think it's a boy." jimmy said as he disagreed with the guys while taking a swig of his beer.

"i agree with jim. it definitely has to be a boy." dutch chuckled. "it's gotta be a baby cobra."

johnny chuckled as the guys debated on the gender of the baby. "so, you always talked about a future with bella, you got the baby; still thinking about marrying her?" bobby said.

"wait, you weren't kidding? all that sappy shit you said about marrying bella back in the day, you still wanna do that?" dutch said as he asked the bartender for another beer. "i just thought that you were, y'know, love sick."

"i've been thinking a lot about that." johnny sighed as he held the beer bottle between his hands. "i love her and i wanna be with her–"

"for the rest of your life?" dutch said.

"of course, you idiot." tommy said as he lightly smacked dutch.

"one chick for the rest of your life?" dutch said. "you're tying yourself down. don't get me wrong, bella's a great girl and she's been like a sister to me, but you ready to settle down? let's face it, we all know you're too wild and horny to settle down and fuck the same girl for the rest of you life–

"it's not just about sex. i'm crazy about her." johnny sighed.

"look, if you decide to marry her, we'll support you, but it's gonna be a challenge." bobby said. "you're gonna have to work twice as hard in order to support bella as your wife and baby because it falls on you as the husband."

"and let's not forget the many sleepless nights, you two are gonna have because of the baby, which means no more getting hammered and going to parties." tommy said. "getting married and taking care of a baby is hard. i know you two can do it, but are you ready to give up the drinking and the partying?"

johnny remained quiet as he stared at the half empty coors banquet bottle as he listened to what the guys had to say. he's been thinking about proposing to bella for a while now, but was unsure about it. dutch and the guys were right; there were responsibilities that he would have to take up as a husband and father which made him terrified. what if he failed? as a father? as a husband? and what if he lost bella forever? he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, especially now that she was carrying their child, a little baby that was a little piece of both of them.

"look, i love bella and i never thought i'd say this, but i don't care that she's gonna be the only girl, ever. i'm crazy about her and i want her." johnny said as he turned to the guys. "she's the one i want, forever."

"she's really the one?" jimmy smiled. "you sure you want her? for the rest of your life?"

"yeah, she's the one." johnny smiled.

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

FLASHBACK — LOS ANGELES, CA; 1985

graduation was a couple weeks away and the senior class was getting ready to walk the stage after four years of high school, which seemed like an eternity. as preparations for the ceremony went underway, it was the time when the students who were graduating with honors were announced and of course, bella was amongst the honor graduates.

to celebrate, johnny planned to take bella to a fancy restaurant downtown, but as he planned their evening, he decided to give bella a small promise ring. now, johnny didn't know a thing about jewelry, so he brought chrissy along to help him pick out the perfect ring for bella.

"what about this one?" chrissy said as she pointed to a small princess cut diamond ring. "it's pretty."

"yeah but the price isn't so pretty." johnny sighed as he looked around the store. "is ring shopping always this hard?"

"hon, wait until you look for an engagement ring for her." chrissy joked as she looked around the store. "do you see a future with bella? like do you ever see you two together after high school or maybe college?"

"you tell anyone about this, i'll kick your ass, but i do." johnny said as he walked around the jewelry department. "a couple nights ago, i stayed over at bella's because she had the place all to herself and it felt as if we were a married couple, just laying in bed watching television after a long day. it felt nice and i want that in the future."

"i got it." chrissy said as she found the ring. it was an emerald cut gemstone ring with a gold band. the gemstone was a light green stone. "it's even got your birthstone."

"what the hell is a birthstone?" johnny said.

"every month has a stone. you're august right, so that stone corresponds to your month." chrissy explained. "i like it and i'm sure she'll love it."

"it looks good and the price is pretty good too." johnny said. "you really think she'll like it?"

"she'll love it, trust me."

･ ⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

PRESENT DAY — VAN NUYS, CA; 1990

bella walked out of the bathroom wearing one of johnny's zebra shirts, putting her hair up as she let out a loud sigh. she walked to the kitchen to grab a cherry coke from the fridge, twisting the cap off and flicking it to the side. bella had gotten out of work early because she was feeling slightly overwhelmed and needed a small break.

once she got home, she felt a bit more relaxed as she laid down in bed with a bowl of grapes, flipping through the pages of the newest issue of vogue. bella turned flipped the page and looked up to find her boyfriend, walked into the bedroom, freshly showered and only wearing sweatpants.

"you look so stressed." bella said as johnny sat down next to her. "and tense. come here."

"i feel fine." johnny chuckled as bella began to softly massage his shoulders.

"your shoulders say otherwise." bella laughed as she softly dug her fingers into his skin, attempting to remove the knots in his back. "what's got you so stressed?"

"it's that time again." johnny sighed as he held some bills in his hand. "we're low on funds and i get paid in two weeks."

"again?" bella sighed as she softly ran her fingers along his shoulders and back. "second time this year. i don't get paid until next week and i really don't wanna tap into my savings. i think we might have to go with plan b–"

"i really don't wanna take anymore money from your folks." johnny said, slightly arching his back as bella ran her hands down to his upper back. "and i'm sure as hell not taking any money from sid."

"they don't mind, y'know." bella chuckled as she placed her chin in his shoulder. "they said they would help us if we ever needed money. i could even ask them or i'll figure out how to get some money."

"look, i'll figure it out. i'll either ask mom, ask tony, or get some money out of the bank. if that fails, then i'll go to your parents." johnny said as he placed a small kiss on bella's forehead. "but, don't you worry that pretty little head of yours, i'll take care of it."

"there's my man talking." bella smiled as she softly placed a kiss on his shoulder. "i knew you'd come through, lawrence.

"i told you i'd take care of you and i will." johnny smiled as he turned as placed a kiss on bella's lips. "i'm gonna take care of you and our kiddo, i promise."

"i know you will." bella sighed as she placed her head on his shoulder, as johnny placed a kiss on her temple. the couple laid down and embraced each other as the radio played heaven by bryan adams. bella ran her hands down his chest as johnny cuddled her closer to him, as she softly closed her eyes.

baby you're all that i want,
when you're lying here in my arms.
i find it hard to believe, we're in heaven.

bella softly groaned as she peacefully slept in johnny's arms. she placed a hand on his torso as johnny smiled as he looked at the small ring on her finger; the light green emerald cut promise ring he bought her back in high school.

"you're the love of my life." he softly whispered as he kissed bella's temple. "i'm head-over fucking- heels in love with you."

johnny softly closed his eyes as he held bella in his embrace. bella; his girlfriend, his best friend, the mother of his child, his one and only.

and hopefully, his wife.