[hockeypreg2]

Zach looked at him a little sadly. "I don't know. Maybe next time we'll plan for it and can do something ahead of time. Make you gain weight or something. But Caleb, I'm not willing to risk you for a baby. Not when there are other ways to have a baby. You're too important to me."

[Sam260]

Caleb laughed softly and shook his head "A year ago you were singing a different tune..." Caleb sighed and smiled softly "You weren't ready to settle down, or look for someone to strap yourself too for the rest of your life..." Caleb pointed at Noah and then himself "Now you have two people strapped to your back."

Caleb sat up slowly, adjusting the bed as he sat up, groaning and grimacing at the pull in his stomach "What other options are there?" he asked quietly, grabbing a cup and pouring himself some water "I... I'm not very well-versed in children... I mean, I know there are other ideas out there, but..." he shrugged and looked down as he drank the water.

[hockeypreg2]

"I was stupid a year ago and didn't want to believe what I was feeling," Zach said, smiling at his son. "I missed you so much when I left and I kept pretending I was fine when I wasn't."

He leaned over to kiss Caleb gently. "And we could get a surrogate or adopt a child." He bit his lip. "Or we could find out if I can do it."

[Sam260]

Caleb shook his head firmly "No. Not happening, Zach. Don't you remember Elias Butler? He was that actor that got pregnant with his boyfriend... They shunned him, laughed at him, he was fired from acting and no one has heard from him since -- I don't want you to torpedo your career like that, Zach."

Caleb sighed and rubbed his still slightly rounded belly, it was much softer now and definitely made him just look fat instead of pregnant "I think we should look into adoption or even fostering - There are so many kids out there that need loving parents... We can't possibly get turned down from an adoption agency..."

[hockeypreg2]

Zach shook his head. "I think I would be able to survive it. But I am all for adopting or fostering. Right now, let's concentrate on this little guy before we start planning the next one." Noah yawned widely and shifted in Zach's arms. "Something tells me he's going to keep us on our toes."

[Sam260]

Caleb giggled and moved the bed back into a laying position "Something tells me he's going to be in diaper commercials and other baby-related commercials... Have you seen how cute he is?" Caleb asked with a grin as he laid back down, curling onto his side carefully.

((Skip if you wanna))

[hockeypreg2]

One year after Noah was born, Zach got nominated for an Oscar for Solar, the movie he had been filming when he had met Caleb. At that point, he'd had Caleb on his arm for the Emmys and Golden Globes but the Oscars were another thing entirely. He wanted to drape Caleb in diamonds for that and he had a particular diamond ready for the occasion.

He had been ready to marry Caleb for ages now but Caleb had wanted to finish school first. He had just graduated in December and though he didn't have a job lined up, had passed his state license to practice as an RN in California. It turned out Zach really loved having his family with him when he traveled for work - the complete opposite of what he had expected - and Caleb, Noah, and Leo were joining him when possible. They were heading to Spain next month - Leo included - to film a sequel to an action movie Zach had done a few years ago.

So now was a good time. And he was going to get his son to help. He had the enormous ring tied to Noah's pacifier and they were all playing in the backyard. He sent Noah toddling over to Caleb, pacifier in his mouth and ring dangling from it, glinting in the sunlight.

"Daddy," Noah said with a cheeky smile. He took out the pacifier, wet and drooled on, and gave it to Caleb.

[Sam260]

Caleb blinked as the shining object on Noah's pacifier blinded him for a brief moment "What baby? Why are you giving me your..." Caleb stopped mid-sentence when he saw the huge diamond ring sitting on the plastic flap part of the pacifier. He quickly took the pacifier from Noah's hands - although gently, not wanting to startle their son and start a tantrum.

He looked up at Zach with tears quickly coming to his eyes "Is this...?" he asked breathlessly, untangling the ring from the pacifier carefully - he handed the pacifier back to Noah.

Noah stuck his slobbery pacifier back into his mouth and plopped down on his diapered bottom right there in front of Caleb and Zach, a front row seat to all the action.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach moved closer and took Caleb's hand. "I tried to come up with a big, romantic speech but it turns out I'm bad at those so I went with the cute factor." He tilted his head in Noah's direction. "Caleb, will you marry me? I don't want to spend my life without you and I want to marry you. It's that simple."

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and smiled tearfully up at Zach, grasping his cheek and tugging him closer to plant a firm kiss on his lips "Yes. Yes, Zach, I will marry you." Caleb whispered and planted another kiss on Zach's lips before pulling back "Oooo put it on!" Caleb squealed as he held his hand out for Zach.

"I don't... I don't want a big elaborate wedding though. I know you'll probably have a heart attack hearing things, but... It's not important to me. Just you, our son, and our closest friends - That's all I want... and of course the media, because they are everywhere, especially after Noah's birth."

[hockeypreg2]

Zach slid the ring on Caleb's finger, admiring it. He had gone big and fancy and over the top on the ring because he knew Caleb would like it. Caleb's taste wasn't actually that expensive and he tended to shy away from big, showy gestures (except for awards show outfits) but Zach wanted to go big on this.

"The wedding isn't that important to me either," Zach admitted. "We could get married at the courthouse and I'd be fine with it."

[Sam260]

Caleb laughed and shook his head "No way! We're going to Spain soon... Do you think Jen could maybe... work something out with your schedule and a small wedding venue? All of the people I want there, will be there anyway... So..." Caleb shrugged and looked down at the ring on his hand.

"Just because I want a small wedding, doesn't mean I still don't want romance and all those fancy things about a wedding... I just don't want to make a super *huge* deal about it... inviting three-hundred people and their plus twenties that we don't even know..."

[hockeypreg2]

"I'm sure we can get my family there for whatever magic you and Jen can come up with," Zach said, leaning over to kiss him softly, cupping the back of his head. "And that's plenty of time to get a prenup in place." He held up a finger. "No arguments. It's being put in place for your protection, not mine. Hopefully we never have to use it but if we do I want to make sure you are well taken care of."

Noah climbed onto Caleb's lap and tugged on his shirt lightly. "Daddy. Eat?" He looked up at him hopefully.

[Sam260]

Caleb shook his head and sighed, looking down at Noah since he was their first priority "Alright, baby." Caleb said softly as he pulled his shirt off, he took Noah's pacifier and wrapped it up in his shirt, placing it in the grass. He then lifted Noah up a little better and soothed a hand down their son's back as Noah latched onto one of his nipples and started suckling contently.

Caleb made sure Noah was situated before looking back up at Zach "I understand wanting you to put a prenup in place... I don't approve of it, you're right... but that's only because I don't see us ever having a reason to use it..." Caleb shrugged slightly, not wanting to dislodge Noah from his meal "But we're a Hollywood couple and only the strong survive in this world..."

Caleb pulled Zach closer with one hand and kissed him lovingly on the lips "I want to be one of the strong ones, Zach... that last a life time, don't have our faces on the cover of gossip magazines stating that we're getting a divorce after only being married for two months..." He shook his head again and sighed quietly "I think... even if it got that bad... I still wouldn't want to get a divorce... Noah needs us, both of us, whether we're happy in our marriage or not."

[hockeypreg2]

"I don't plan on leaving you. I think we've done pretty well learning to communicate what we need to each other. As long as we keep doing that I think we'll be fine," Zach said, kissing him again. He ran his hand down Noah's back gently. Noah was perfectly capable of sitting up to nurse at his age. He just preferred being cradled in Caleb's arms and Caleb indulged him since Noah was going to be the only baby he got to nurse.

"Did I do okay on the ring? I know it's pretty flashy but I wanted to stake my claim pretty obviously."

[Sam260]

Caleb smiled against Zach's lips and nodded his head "You did perfect with the ring." Caleb whispered as he pulled his lips back from Zach's and set his newly ringed hand on Zach's chest, the ring still glinting as the sunlight reflected off of it "Flashy is pretty much my middle name, or did you not know that?"

Caleb twisted his fingers in Zach's t-shirt, pulling his fiancee closer as he started to lean back, taking Noah with them as he laid down in the grass and pulled Zach into hovering over their bodies "I love you, Zach... and even if you didn't buy me this flashy, and no doubt expensive, engagement ring... Even if it was a fifty cent special from the gumball machine... I still would have said yes to you."

Noah was mostly done eating now, just contently nuzzling and grizzling at Caleb's chest, occasionally suckling on Caleb's nipples when he still felt a bit hungry - at a year old, he should have started the weaning process already, and Caleb had started... he just... had a soft spot for their only son, and likely would only quit feeding Noah this way when the boy was far too old to be drinking from 'Mommy's Milk' anymore.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach hovered over both of them, so happy and content. His whole world - except for Leo who was snoring by the sandbox - was underneath him. He kissed Noah's head and then Caleb's lips, smiling down at them in wonder. Noah looked so much like Caleb that when they both gazed up at him like this, it made his heart clench. He felt tears pricking at his eyes.

"I'm so happy," he said honestly. "I never knew I could be this happy."

[Sam260]

Caleb giggled as he quickly wrapped his legs around Zach's waist and tugged him down closer "I knew I could, I just had to get you passed your 'I don't want a relationship' phase..." he said, and then frowned when his stomach growled loudly between them.

"Apparently I am not happy though, and the only way to make a growing boy happy is by feeding him... So, what're we having for dinner, Daddy?" Caleb asked, a slightly seductive tone to his voice as he licked his lips - he knew what he was truly hungry for, but that would have to wait until later - much later, after Noah was asleep.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach laughed and wrapped them both in his arms, rolling Caleb and Noah over so they were on top of him. "I don't know. What should we have for dinner, Noah?"

Noah giggled and patted Zach's face. "Noos."

"Noodles?" Zach tickled him lightly. "Noodles and peas for Noah and maybe some chicken with Daddy and Papa's noodles? How about that?"

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and pillowed his head on Zach's chest, patting the other side for Noah to lay down - with the two of them looking so identical, it looked like Zach had twins on his chest, just twenty-four years apart from one another "Noos and peas sound very yummy... As long as Papa doesn't burn the chicken like last time."

Caleb bit his lip as he lifted his leg up slightly, rubbing his knee against Zach's groin "And what can we have for dessert?" Caleb whispered directly into Zach's ear, nibbling on the lobe of it lightly after he was finished speaking.