Cheer Challenge Prompt
(Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda) for day 21 of @jlpplays1-41daysofcheerchallenge of anticipation
(Thomas x Amanda) and all the other pairs going even further in the storyline of And Then I Met You
A/N Not quite a Christmas theme but still anticipation worthy. After Thomas and Amanda were able to give Kathleen her Christmas Wish of a new baby coming soon, I wanted to further explore what happens when they decide to find out what they are having.
@lxaah11 @alleksa16 @penguininapinktuxedo @blackcoffee85 @stopforamoment @hopefulmoonobject @krsnlove @annekebbphotography @cora-nova @hopelessromantic1352. @sunflowergirl05 @desiree-0816 @greywitchyshots @lilyofchoices @emceesynonymroll @dr-nancy-house @aworldoffandoms @ab1901 @pixieferry @lolablackwrites @flyawayboo @i-bloody-love-drake-walker. @trappedinfandoms
Masterlist
Plot Twist
Informal Living Room of The Royal Palace, Cordonia...
"Settle down everyone!" Liam called out. He waited patiently for his friends to cease talking. "Who would like to present their arguments first?"
Amanda nodded to Thomas. "After you."
"This is ridiculous." He muttered. "We do not need to base this decision on a vote!"
She glared at him while placing her hand on her very noticable baby bump. "I am tired of arguing this with you. We have reached an impasse. I am more than willing to bow down to the decision made here. If the majority votes for you, then I will not be angry nor hold it against you."
Thomas ran his hands over his face. He should have remembered how much more stubborn pregnancy hormones made his wife. "Fine." He stood up and went to the center of the room.
"This ought to be good." Olivia whispered.
Thomas cleared his throat.
"Come on, professor!" Addison yelled impatiently. She covered her mouth when he leveled the same disapproving look he used to give her when she was a film student.
Thomas looked around the room. His commanding presence made all still.
"I think we should wait. To not only discover we are pregnant once more on top of finding out that it's twins is an even greater gift. We decided to let Kathleen be a surprise--"
"I gave in." Amanda mumbled.
"Shhh." Liam ordered. "You can speak when it's your turn. Please continue, Thomas."
"As I was saying, Kathleen's birth was by far full of unending anticipation since we were unsure who we would meet. It was a moment I will never forget when the doctor held her up and said it's a girl. I don't want to miss out on that with our next two." Thomas paused for dramatic effect. "I know it is asking a lot, but I hope you will see it is the right way for us to go."
Liam nodded to Amanda. She struggled out of the oversized chair, thanked Ryan for his assistance, and took the spot Thomas had left. She cradled her belly and looked down. Color bloomed on her cheeks at having to speak before everyone.
"As sweet as it was to wait with Kathleen, I believe we should find out. We now have twice as much to plan for. Names, clothes, and I would like to have a nursery ready before bringing them home." Amanda looked up at Thomas. "The chance of us becoming pregnant after this is unlikely. If we do this then we will have had both types of pregnancy experiences: the excitement of the unknown and the thrill of planning everything."
Thomas released a deep breath. "Very well. We will find out."
"Wait! We don't get to vote?" Maxwell exclaimed.
Amanda swiped at the tears that fell down her cheeks. "Really? You won't be upset?"
Thomas got up and pulled her close for a sweet kiss. "How could I be upset with finding out who are children are?" He smiled softly when she hugged him tight. "I will admit now that I nearly caved with Kathleen."
She laughed and kissed him again. "So did I. Multiple times."
"I was ready to have a say on baby Hunt two and baby Hunt three." Addison cried out in frustration.
"Were we used for nothing but marriage counselling?" Drake teased. "And Thomas had my vote for the record."
"Mine too." Riley added.
"You must be joking. Amanda has mine." Olivia stated. "Preparedness guarantees victory. You're going to need it with twins and Kathleen."
"Oooh." Nadia grimaced. "I was all for Thomas until you reminded me of that. My vote is Amanda's."
"Clearly." Holly muttered. "She's the one thinking with her head instead of sentimentality."
Ryan turned around in surprise. "How can you expect a man to not be somewhat sentimental over the birth of his own children?"
Matt nodded. "Though we always find out because we have never been able to wait on anything." He winked at Addison. "We at least try each time and see if we can keep it a surprise."
"Three more for Lord Hunt!" Addison called out. "Liam, are you keeping score?"
"I am," he replied with a smile, "and added mine also to Thomas."
"You're winning." Amanda whispered.
"I know my audience." He whispered back, smiling when she started laughing.
Maxwell looked around the room and sighed. "Sorry Amanda, but Thomas's heartfelt speech won me over."
"Wow." Amanda looked up at Thomas. "Good thing I have you on my side."
"Yes it is." He grabbed her hand before she could poke his side.
"When do you find out?" Riley asked.
“I think what Riley meant to ask was, when do we find out.” Maxwell corrected.
"I have an appointment scheduled in three days." Amanda announced.
_______________
Upstairs in the playroom of the Royal Palace...
Kathleen sat at one of the tables, coloring a picture she had been working on for her mother.
“Kat! Come on! I need you on my team!" Xavier Beaumont yelled from the top of the pillow fort he had constructed.
"I'm coming." She finished sprinkling some glitter and studied her creation. Her lips firmed in a frown as she tried to see if she left any of her vision for it out.
"Nuh uh! Kathleen should be on our team!" Prince Emerick yelled back."
I want her to play tea party with us!" Ashley Rodriguez, her little sister Ally, and Mia Beaumont glared at the ones in the pillow forts, trying to steal their friend away on some stupid war.
"Lightsaber battle!" Juliet yelled. "I need another sith, Kat!" Prince Ellis and Marcus Rodriguez stood ready to fight as Jedi.
Kathleen looked up when everyone started arguing. She couldn't tell what had started it nor what they were fighting over, having tuned them out as she worked. She slipped out of her chair then escaped the room.
"And where do you think you're going?"
She turned around and ran over to Thomas. "I was going to look for you and Mommy."
He swung her up in his arms. "You haven't learned where everything is here. I don't want you getting lost."
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where's Mommy?"
"Taking a nap. Mommies with babies in their tummies need a lot of rest." He explained.
“Oh." She mumbled.
"I have a surprise for you." Thomas told her, smiling at the excitement on her face. "We are going to not only see the babies in Mommy's tummy but also if they are a boy or a girl."
"Really?" She asked. "Then I can say I have a baby brother!"
"And possibly a sister. You might have two little brothers or two little sisters. We won't know until we see them." He set her down and kissed the top of her head. “Why don’t you play some more and I will come get you when it is time for dinner.”
The playroom door swung open.
“Kat! I nearly died from the attack Emerick and Jackson threw at me. Michael is holding down the fort. I came to find you and take you to safety. Come on! Hurry!” Xavier grabbed her hand and pulled her giggling back into the playroom.
Thomas watched it all unfold with a slight frown.
Matt soon joined him in the hallway. “Everyone still alive in there?”
“So it seems. Your son, Michael, might have a future in the military. He is brave enough to hold down a pillow fort while his fellow soldiers go off on special missions.”
Matt opened the door some more to peep inside. He saw his two daughters sitting calmly among the chaos with Mia Beaumont, gossiping and sipping apple juice from tiny tea cups. His younger son Marcus was teamed up with his best friend, Prince Ellis, as they fought against a formidable Juliet Nevarkis-Walker.
Prince Emerick and Jackson Nevarkis-Walker had somehow talked Phoebe Summers into being on their side for the great pillow fort war. Kathleen waved to her from the other fort and laughed when Phoebe rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all.
Matt chuckled as he shut the door. “Ryan went to check on the smaller ones in the nursery. He won’t believe it when I tell him that his little no nonsense girl is helping a future duke and a crown prince fight a pillow battle.”
“And somehow mine got involved on the opposing side.” Thomas shook his head. “Xavier Beaumont is part pied piper when it comes to Kathleen. She always gives in to his plans.”
Matt coughed on his laughter. “From the childhood stories I’ve heard from both Amanda and Maxwell, it looks like history is repeating itself.”
Thomas frowned even more. If history was to repeat itself, then his little girl would one day be heartbroken over Xavier only loving her as a friend.
“Come on.” Matt motioned with his head. “Drake has suggested a Hollywood vs Cordonian billiards game.” He had a smug grin on his face. “They have no idea that you play so well.”
___________________
The Night Before the Ultrasound...
“I’ve already begun a list of possible names.” Amanda explained.
“I always loved that part.” Riley sighed softly. “Thinking of the perfect name to match the new little one.”
“Making certain it is a name that they can carry into adulthood without embarrassment.” Drake added.
“Thankfully, we are pros at that.” Matt grinned at Addison.
“I’ve begun a list too.” Thomas remarked.
The children listened somewhat from their table as the adults laughed and talked.
“What’s the list for?” Ellis whispered to Kathleen.
“Mommy is having babies and she is trying to find names for them.” She whispered back.
“Oh.” He went back to his dinner.
“What are you gonna do?” Juliet asked.
“About what?” Kathleen looked at her friend in confusion.
“If it’s girls?” Her face scrunched up in disgust. “You should be the only girl.”
“Hey!” Ashley shook her fork at Juliet. “Having a baby sister is the best! It’s those brothers that can be the worst.”
Michael and Marcus stared at her for such a statement.
“Amen!” Little Mia exclaimed.
“Hey!” Xavier appeared hurt.
“Well, regardless,” Emerick said, trying to speak like his father though unsure what it meant. “Having babies changes everything.”
“Yes, they do.” Phoebe added. “They cry and don’t do anything fun yet. And mommy and daddy think Harper is so great. She can’t even talk!”
Ashley shook her head while wrapping her arm around her little sister Ally. “They are great!”
“You got her when you were too little to know better.” Phoebe countered. “It’s different for me and Kathleen. We’re more growed up and know stuff. Having a new baby is fun at first but they take too long to be able to play.”
Kathleen felt her initial excitement about her new siblings slowly die with Phoebe’s words.
“Yeah,” Jackson muttered. “Then parents keep telling you to wait while they take care of the baby first.” He grunted when Juliet kicked him under the table. “I remember some of it when you came!”
She glared at him once more before turning back to her friend. “You got to make sure you don’t lose your spot.”
Kathleen’s brow furrowed. “My spot?”
“With your parents.” Juliet explained while Phoebe nodded in agreement.
“How will I know if I lost it?” She asked, worry worming its way into her little heart.
“You’ll know.” Phoebe predicted ominously.
_______________
“Are you excited?” Amanda whispered to Kathleen as the ultrasound technician applied the KY jelly to her protruding belly. “You are about to see your siblings?”
Thomas chuckled when Kathleen nodded nervously. “I know I am.” He lifted Kathleen in his arms so she could see better. He slipped his hand in Amanda’s once their babies appeared on the screen.
Kathleen watched silently as measurements and such were taken.
“Ready to find out what these two are?” the tech asked.
“Yes!” Amanda and Thomas exclaimed at the same time then laughed at doing so.
“Twin number one is being modest, lets check on Twin number two. Oh. Do you see that?” The tech pointed at the screen.
“Is that his--” Thomas smiled when Twin two was announced as a boy.
“A boy!” Amanda covered her mouth as tears built up. She squeezed Thomas’s hand. “I get to have a miniature you running about.”
He bent down and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.
Kathleen wiggled out of his arms and waited on finding out what twin one was. A baby brother wouldn’t make her lose her spot. Only a--
“There we go! Twin number one has decided to let us in on her secret. It’s a girl!” The tech began to pick through images to print off.
“A girl!” Thomas kissed Amanda again. “I see that I am still destined to be outnumbered by beautiful women.”
She laughed and looked for Kathleen. “Sweetheart! You will have a baby brother and a baby sister!”
“Oh!” Kathleen stared at the screen that had just destroyed her life.
Once Amanda’s belly was cleaned and they left after an appointment, the couple looked down at their little girl.
“My only hope is that they will be as sweet and perfect as you.” Amanda said to her.
“We know that you are going to be the best big sister. They will need you to always look out for them.” Thomas added.
Kathleen smiled at them as she thought of what she should do now. There really was only one option. She should run away before she lost their love. They would have a new daughter to take her place. A son would also take special time she had with them away. Why did I ask Santa for this?
_____________
While the parents of the children celebrated the future Hunt’s, Kathleen confided to Xavier her plan.
“But,” He began. “Kat, they will still make time with you. Phoebe’s parents still do her.”
“Yeah, but mine are having twins. More time away from me.” She mumbled.
He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. “Where will you go?”
She shrugged her little shoulders. “I don’t know.”
Michael came over when he noticed Kathleen’s sadness. ‘What’s wrong?”
“Uh...” Xavier began.
“I’m going to run away.” Kathleen admitted.
Michael stared at her in shock. “But...you can’t! I want you to stay!” His little cheeks turned red at admitting to such love. Ashley would tease him nonstop if she knew he liked Kathleen like his dad liked his mom.
Kathleen dropped her head as tears fell silently. “I don’t want to leave you or mommy or daddy. I have to go. It was my wish that messed it all up.”
Before either could try and convince her not to, she hugged them each. “Bye.” Then she ran out of the playroom.
Michael ran out after her and looked down the hallway. He didn’t know which way she went.
“We have to tell!” He whispered to Xavier.
“Who though?” Xavier asked.
Emerick who had been spying on them in case they spoke of the next fort battle, joined them. “We’ll tell my dad.”
_______________
Liam snuck out of the room when he noticed the three boys trying to get his attention. He followed them to his study and sat down as each explained what and why this had happened.
“You did right in telling this. Kathleen could get lost or hurt. I’m very proud of the three of you making certain this does not happen.” Liam called Bastien in and formulated a search around the palace. “I don’t want to distress Amanda and Thomas with this until we are certain that Kathleen is truly missing. I will go outside and see if she is anywhere nearby. She might have decided to go to one of the places the children like to play.”
“She loves the wishing well.” Michael spoke up shyly. “She says that it really is real and hopes that one day it will give her a wish come true.”
Liam smiled softly. “Then that is where I will go first.”
______________
The Wising Well in the Palace Maze...
Kathleen climbed the slippery rocks and propped her elbows on the wishing well’s rim. “Uncle Liam told me stories about you.” She looked down at the stars twinkling in the water. “I know you have helped princes and princesses. I’m not one and I won’t wish for it. I just want to change my Christmas wish.”
She shivered as the temperature began to drop. She hoped the treehouse in the maze would be warmer when she moved in. “I still want my baby brother and sister, but can I wish that my parents love me just as much as they do now when the babies are here?”
She closed her eyes and whispered her wish a few more times. “How will I know if it was answered?”
“I know it has.” Liam spoke from behind her. His smile was tender when she turned around and ran into his arms.
“How do you know Uncle Liam?” She asked with tears falling.
He gently wiped them as he propped her on his lap. “I’m the king. Every king is granted the ability to know if wishes to this wishing well will come true. Your parents are going to not only love you just as much as they do now, but I believe that their love is going to grow more over time as they watch you and the twins grow up.”
She sniffed and looked up into his kind blue eyes. “You do?”
He nodded. “You must love the twins very much already to not want them to disappear.”
“I do.” She admitted. “I’ve been wanting a brother or sister for a long time.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” He promised.
Kathleen hugged him. “Do you think Mommy and Daddy will be mad that I was running away?”
Liam gently patted her back. “I haven't told them. And I won’t unless you decide to try this again. We all have moments where we sometimes want to run away from things that scare us or changes that are to come. What matters most is what we do about it. You wished for your family to be together and still love you. That was an unselfish wish. It is one that makes me very proud of you. I will reward such by letting this be our secret.”
She wiped her tears and thanked him. He smiled while standing up and wrapping his jacket around her. “Will you allow me to escort you back to the palace, Lady Kathleen?”
“Yes, please.” She murmured. She took hold of his hand and walked out of the maze.
_________________
“Liam? Have you seen--Kathleen!” Amanda hurried over to her. “Sweetheart, you can’t leave the playroom until you know your way around the palace. What would I do if I lost you?”
Kathleen’s face scrunched as tears started falling again. She threw her arms around Amanda while burying her face in her side.
“What’s wrong?” Amanda sat down in a nearby chair and looked up in question to Liam. “What happened?”
“I believe she is in need of reassurance.” Liam motioned to Amanda’s belly.
Understanding came swiftly. Thomas came around the corner and paused in concern. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Liam whispered about Kathleen’s fears, leaving out her plan on running away. He noticed the three boys watching in concern from behind a suit of armor. He motioned for them to follow as he left the family to some privacy.
“Kathleen,” Amanda said softly. “Do you know why your father and I wanted to have another baby?”
She shook her head.
Thomas knelt down beside them both.
“Because of all the joy you have brought us.” Amanda replied. “We knew that if we got someone as wonderful as you then having another would be a blessing. We didn’t want you to feel alone in this world. Now you will have two that will look up to you and be a source of comfort whenever you need them. I know you will do the same for them with your loving heart.”
Kathleen sniffed and wiped her tears. “But you will have another girl. Will I still be your sweetheart?” She looked at Thomas. “Your darling or will she become those?”
“You will always be that.” Thomas promised. “Your new sister and brother will be just as loved as you are, but they can never take our love for you away. Our love for them will never be stolen either.”
Amanda kissed Kathleen’s forehead. “Just like we are trying to choose names for these two, we will end up choosing special names for them. You will be our only sweetheart and darling. They will be called something just as unique to them as yours are.”
Kathleen hugged them both, feeling reassured by their holding her close. She could feel the babies moving in Amanda’s tummy and smiled. “What are we going to call them?”
Thomas and Amanda shared a look. “We are still debating that. Do you have any suggestions?”
Kathleen tilted her head to the side as she looked down at her mother’s pregnant belly. “Hmm. I like Elizabeth.”
“Elizabeth Hunt.” Amanda smiled. “That is a very pretty name.”
Thomas nodded. “I think that would suit the one I saw this morning.”
Kathleen’s brow furrowed. “Ian for my brother.”
“Ian Hunt.” Thomas muttered. “I think that’s the name.”
“Elizabeth and Ian Hunt.” Amanda smiled with delight. “It’s perfect.”
