Self Help (Third part)

[Walking Contradiction]

woo hoo! The third installment.....

Chapter One *Benji's POV*

I had fallen asleep on the couch. I walked upstairs and checked on the twins, they were asleep in their beds. I heard Paul snoring away in his room. I walked into my bedroom and Bunny was asleep on the bed.
"Wake up....and I'll make you some breakfast...." Bunny didn't respond. "Yo babe, wake up!"
She still didn't move. I walked over to her. She was breathing very shallowly. I put my head to her chest and her heartbeat was weak.
"What's wrong?" I screamed. I picked her up in my arms. "Paul! Paul! Come in here and help me!"
I was panicking...Paul walked in half asleep.
"What's the matter Benji?" Paul noticed that Bunny was limp in my arms.
"Help me get her to the car." Paul helped me carry her down the stairs and put her in the car. I drove her to the hosptial.

"Well Mr. Madden it seems that your wife has a concusion and when she went to sleep she slipped into a coma. Luckily she has been in a coma for that long." The doctor explained.
"So your telling me when she came here yesterday you over looked this concusion. This is potentialy fatal. Most people don't come out of a coma!" I was furious.
"Yes i know Mr. Madden. Please calm down."
I walked into the hospital and sat down beside the bed. I looked at Bunny. She had tubes running all through her. I started to cry. It seemed that everything had to happen to her....

*Tony's POV*
I drove over to the hospital. I had decided to come closer to the end of visiting hours. I was trying to aviod seeing Nikki and Paul. Luckily when I got there it was just Benji, Jessica, Billy, Erin, and Joel. I stayed for a while trying to console Benji. Visting hours ended and it had started to rain. The rain came down hard. We all ran to our cars and waved good bye.

I was driving down the back road trying to see through the darkness and the rain. I saw a person walking down the side of the road. It was a girl. She was wearing a black hoodie, a black skirt and combat boots. i decided that it wasn't fair for her to walk alone i nthe rain and decided to give her a lift. I stopped the car. I rolled down the window.
"Can I give you a lift?" I couldn't see her face because it was dark and her hood was pulled up. She opened the door and climbed inside the car. I pulled away.
"So where can I take you?" She shrugged.
"What's your name?" She turned and faced me. Then she pulled off her hood. I swerved then gained control of the car.
"Bunny?!!!!" I shouted. "What I thought you were in a coma? Whats going on?"
She put her finger up to her lips, then smiled.
"I'm here to help you..."
"How are you here where your there..in the hospital..?"
"I'm having like and out of body experience. Only you can see me..." I was freaked I must be dreaming!
"No your not dreaming Tony.." How did she know what i was thinking?
"I can read your mind!!" She said in an almost scary vioce. Then she started laughing.
"Well Tony you ready to be helped?" She asked. I wasnt quite to sure.....

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 2 *Bunny's POV*

I walked into Tony's small house. I had been there before a while back. It was just for like five minutes. He was usually the one to come to everyone else's houses. I looked at the bare walls.
"Dang Tony, you need some color on these white walls.." I ran my hand along the wall as I walked through the hallway. I couldn't feel it.
"Yeah I know...I'm the only one who lives here so it doesn't really matter." We had entered the kitchen and i jumped up on the counter and sat there swinging my feet. I looked down at my boots.
"So how are you supposed to help me?" I looked up at Tony.
"I dunno..I still have to figure that out...." He gave me a funny look and sat down at the kitchen table. "All I was told was that i had to help you.."
"Who told you?" I looked up at the ceiling. He obviously got my hint. Me and Tony talked about things in his life and of things that I could possibly help him with. There where a number of things I just didn't know where to start.

*Benji's POV*
I sat in Bunny's hospital room. I had hold of her hand almost as if to tell her to not let go. No one had coem to visit yet today. She had been in a coma for almost a week. Tony walked in.
"Hey Tony.."
"Hey Benj.." Tony stood close to the door. He kept looking to his left like someone was standing next to him. The doctor came in and asked to talk to me. I left the room and stood outside talking to the doctor.
"She's at a ninty percent chance of waking up."
"So your telling me that my wife has lost ten percent of her chances at living?"
"I'm afraid so sir." Then he just walked away. I couldn't believe it. She still had a fair chance...I rested my head up against the wall. Then I heard Tony talking...
"Can you hear what they say to you?.....Really?...." I walked into the room and Tony stopped talking. I decided not to ask.
"So Tony what brings you here today?"
"Oh I just wanted to know how you were doing..Where are the rugrats?"
"Oh they're with my mom..I'm ok...I'm stressed out but I'm ok.." Just then Nikki and Paul walked in. Tony looked flustered and embarassed (sp?)
"Umm..I'ma go now...See ya later Benji." Tony walked quickley out of the room.

*Tony's POV*
"Do you love her?" Bunny asked.
"...yeah...I think I do.." I turned to face her but she was gone. People looked at me in the hallway, probably wondering who I was talking to. I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"Tony?" I turned around. It was Nikki.
"Yeah?"
"Look I just wanna say I'm sorry for the other day..."
"No that's ok.." I quickly walked away. I didn't want to bring up past emotions.
I got out to my car and stumbled to find the key. I unlocked the door and I quickly sat down in the driver's seat and leaned my head on the steering wheel. I wanted to cry..but I wasn't going to.
"Why did you guys break up anyway?" Bunny said. She startled me like so many times before in the week.
"Why do you always do that?"
"Don't avoid my question."
"She told me she loved me..."
"Yeah and you love her too.."
"I do but when she said it I didn't believe her...and I couldn't say it to her. I see the way she looks at Paul. How can she possibly love me when she's too distracted with Paul?" I began to cry. Bunny looked shocked to see me cry. She leaned over and hugged me. I could feel her. She had been with me all week and had told me that she couldn't feel anything and that no one could feel her...Almost like a ghost.
"How come I can feel you?"
"You only feel what wants to be felt"

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 3 *Jessica's POV*
I stood with Benji in the hallway as the doctor talked. I knew it couldn't be good.
"Her chances of waking up have now dropped to seventy percent." Benji's
head dropped. I put my hand on his shoulder. " I'm sorry sir. We are doing
all we can."
Benji walked away. He walked back into the hospital room. I wlaked over and sat
on Billy's lap. Tony was sitting in the chair next to him.
"She only has a seventy percent chance now...." I looked at Bunny laying
in the bed with all the tubes and wires strung up to her. I wanted so badly to just
tell her to wake up and then we could all go home and not worry. I noticed Benji
had started to cry. Bunny had always said that you dont know a person utill you see
them cry. I was beginning to think she was right. Billy pulled me closer to him.

*Bunny's POV*
I stood next to Tony. I watched Benji begin to cry. I wanted so badly to reach out
and comfort him. I looked down at Tony.
"Don't let them take me off the machines unless the chances go below thirty...Promise
me." Tony nodded his head. "Below thirty. Even if it's only thirty-one...Don't let them take me off."
I had been in a coma now for a month.

We sat on Tony's back porch and stared up at the sky. Me and Tony had been growing really close, seeing he was the only person that I could talk to, I was starting to realize how great of a friend he was. He had changed over the month. Something in him had changed since that night in the car. We had been talking about his situation with Nikki.
"I don't think I love her...Well I loved her....But now that I don't have her anymore..I don't think I love her anymore..."
"So your saying you loved her when you had her but now that she's with Paul and her love isn't directed at you that you don't love her?'
"Well I love her in the sense that I don't hate her. But yeah pretty much."

*Tony's POV*
I looked her in the eyes as we talked. I wanted to tell her and I wondered if she really could read my mind. If she could she didn't seem to know. I had spent so much time with her that I was begining to think that i was falling in love with her. WAIT! What was I thinking? This is my best friends wife I'm talking about! I can't be in love with her! But I couldn't help the feelings I was having....
"What I think you should do is find yourself someone that you actually love."
"Yeah that would be nice. It would be like Benji and you. Or Jessica and Billy. You guys are all in love..."
She nodded her head. ''I'd like that."
"I think you should go for it..If you find someone that you love you should just go for it..." I liked that idea. To bad the person I wanted was already married...I started thinking of all the girls I had dated. There were so many. Alot of them I had told them that I loved them but I wasn't so sure. Some of them i wasn't sure but i think I still might have loved them. I wasn't even sure I knew what love was....

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 4 *no more POVS*

Benji sat beside the bed and held Bunny's hand.
"Wake up..Come on Baby wake up." He kissed her hand and looked up at her face. He was waiting for any movement...even a twitch. The nurse came in.
"I'm sorry sir but your going to have to leave. Visiting hours are over." Benji place her hand back on the bed. He grabbed his coat and walked to the elevator.
He watched the doors close with a ding. He pressed the button for the first floor. For a brief moment he looked down at his feet. He didn't know what he was going to do.

"Thanks mom." Benji slung a sleeping three year old over his shoulder. Grabbing Kye's hand he walked him to the car. He buckled them both into their car seats. As he drove down the lonely back road. He saw someone walking down the street in a black hoodie. He blinked and they were gone...He must be tired. He hurried home and put the twins in bed. As he walked down the stairs he noticed how bad the house looked. He hadn't bothered to clean in the past month and a half. As he began to clean he realized how much of a mess there really was. The twins had toys everywhere and there were numerous cups and cans left everywhere. Then he saw her combat boots sitting next to the couch. He missed her clumping down the hall in her boots.

He finally retired to bed. As he passed the couch he grabbed the boots and took them upstairs. He set them nicely in the closet and got into the shower.

"Where are you?" Tony asked. Suddenly he jumped as Bunny tapped him on the shoulder. "I will never get used to that. You gunna sit with me tonight?"
"No actually I have something else I wanna do." With that she disappeared.

Benji walked downstairs to get a glass of water before finally getting to sleep. He pulled a glass from the cupboard and watched as the cup slowly filled with wter from the faucet. He felt as if someone was watching him. He spun around real fast. No one was there. He decided to get into bed. He didn't bother to turn the lights on when he walked to the stairs. He tripped. When he looked down, with what little light there was, he saw the combat boots sitting there in the middle of the floor. How did they get there?

"I always love it when it rains like this.." Bunny said. It was Tuesday and it was raining. The sky was still light from the sun.
"Yeah this is pretty cool.." Tony answered. They sat and watched the rain pour from Tony's back patio. He wanted to tell her how he felt. This seemed like the perfect time but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His heart felt like it would burst when she looked at him. He had never felt this way about anybody before. She looked over at him and smiled. He wanted to run..
"Tony.....What do you thinks gunna happen?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean like...Do you think I'm going to wake up? Do you think that if and when I do..do you think that I will have helped you?"
"Well you have already helped me and I sure do hope you wake up."
"Aww I didn't know you cared so much...Really? I helped you?" He really wanted to just tell her how much he really cared.
"Yeah. I mean you helped me let go of Nikki..and since you've been here I have taken showers everyday and my house looks better." She smiled at him again. She felt good that she had helped him. She just didn't know why he looked at her the way he did.

I leaned in closer and we could feel eachother's breath on our skin. I looked from her eyes to her mouth. I leaned closer and closer. Our lips met and a wonderful sensation ran through my lips.***
Tony awoke with a jolt. He shook his head. Then he looked up. There was Bunny standing near the door to his room. She looked at him. She obviously knew what he had been dreaming. Tony shook his head and tried to clear his toughts. He looked at her. With that she turned and walked away.

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 5
Tony sat out on his back porch watching the rain fall. It had rained so much the last couple of days. Bunny hadn't been back since the other night that he had had that dream. He looked up at the sky. It was raining just the way she always liked it. He heard the faint sound of his doorbell ringing. He got up and answered the door. It was Benji. He was standing there on the steps, obviously upset. He was soaking wet from the rain.
"Dude, Benji What's wrong?" Tony asked. Benji looked at him.
"Her chances dropped again."

After Tony had gotten Benji to calm down and got him into some dry clothes, they sat in the living room talking.
"I just don't know what to do...I mean what if she doesn't wake up? What am I going to do with the twins..They need a mother.."
"Benji remember on your wedding day when you thought that she might say no? She said yes didn't she? It will be ok..I'm sure she will wake up."
After a while Benji fell asleep on the couch. Tony sat thinking about what it would be like if Bunny didn't wake up. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if she didn't wake up. How would everyone react if she was gone forever? He leaned over to the coffee table to get his cup. Something told him to look up. There she was with a child on her hip. The child looked to be about six years old.
"Tony..I have to go..."
"What do you mean? Are you going to wake up?"
"I don't know...."
"Who's that?" Tony said pointing to the little girl on her hip.
"This is Constance." Constance was the name they gave the first baby. Tony couldn't believe it. She bore a shocking resemblance to Benji. Bunny set Constance down and walked over to the sleeping Benji. She stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. She beagan to cry.
"Please wake up. You can't die on us." Tony pleaded.
"I don't have control over what happens..We will just have to wait." She walked back over to Constance and picking her up she disappeared. Tony was worried. Benji awoke from his nap. He looked at his watch.
"Oh..I guess I better get going.." Benji got up and grabbed his clothes. Tony looked at him...He didn't even know....

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 6

Tony walked past dozens of blank headstones. He walked up the casket. There she was lying there. Jessica, Erin and Nikki were standing with Billy crying. Tony rested his hands on the top of the casket. He began to cry. Benji walked up to him and put his hand on his shoulder. Tony turned to face Benji. He was holding hands with someone else. Tony squinted to try and see the face finally it came into focus. It was Bunny. They walked away. Tony lifted his hands from the casket they were covered in blood.

Tony woke to a cold sweat. He looked at his palms. They were clean but now he was worried. He laid back in bed and watched the sun rise.

Benji walked into the twins room. It was four o'clock in the morning and he couldn't sleep. He sat down on the edge of Kye's bed and watched him sleep. Mia rolled over in her bed and looked over at Benji.
"Daddy?" Benji looked over at his half asleep daughter.
"Yes..?"
"When's Mummy coming home?" Benji wanted to cry.
"I dunno..Hopefully soon.."
"Why can't she come home now? I miss her..." Mia started to cry. Benji picked her up and walked down to the livingroom. He sat with her in his arms on the couch and cried with her.

"Billy come on we need to go....now!" Jessica yelled upstairs.
"I'm coming!" Billy yelled down. Jessica put Billy lynn's jacket on her.
"Ian where's your other glove?"
"I don't know mommy..." Ian replied. Jessica rolled her eyes. Billy walked down the stairs and grabbed his coat.
"You ready now?" Billy nodded and they walked to the car.

When they arrived at the hospital they were shocked to find that Benji wasn't there. Tony came in soon after them.
"Hey Tony have you seen Benj?"
"No..Have you called his cell?"
"No but I guess I should." Billy walked outside with his cell phone and dialed Benji's number.
"Helloooo" Benji answered.
"Hey Benj where are you?"
"I'm at the mall..."
"Why are you at the mall?"
"I took the twins shopping...."
"Why?"
"They wanted to buy there mommy something for when she wakes up."
"Oh" Billy was happy to hear that someone still thought that she was going to wake up.....

Benji walked into the hosptial room with Mia and Kye. Jessica, Billy, Tony and Nikki where there. Benji had dozen roses in his hand.
"Here can someone get me some water?" He handed the roses to Nikki. Her and Jessica walked out to find some water to replace the old roses.
"Did you have fun shopping?" Billy asked.
"Yes....We gots lots of stuffs for mummy..." Kye answered excitedly.
"Yeah we gots her a teddy bear...and stuff..." Mia added. Paul returned from the cafeteria with Billy Lynn and Ian. The kids immediatly started to play with eachother. Benji set a small brown teddy bear on the bed beside Bunny's hand. Tony swore he saw her hand twitch. But he blinked and it didn't seem real. The doctor walked in.

Benji walked back into the room after talking to the doctor. He looked down at the floor.
"She has a fifty percent chance now..." The mood in the room suddenly dropped. No one spoke.

The weeks passed by and it was getting harder. Her chances kept dropping. Benji was growing reckless. Tony was worried. His dream had scared him. When herr chances dropped to thirty nine everyone started to spend more time at the hospital. Tony had made Benji promise, just as Bunny had made him, that they wouldn't take her off the machines until her chances dropped below thirty. Benji wondered why Tony had been so worried about it.

Benji was the last one in the hospital room. Mia and Kye had fallen asleep on the floor. He looked at his wife. He closed his eyes and prayed that she might wake up. Her chances were now only 29 percent. They were going to take her off the machines tommorow. There was a chance that she might wake up but it was highly unlikely. He put his hand over hers. He set his head on her chest. He wanted to stay there forever. Her faint heartbeat reminded him that she was still alive. He could hear the beep of the machines and all the people in the halls. Soon they all drowned out and all he could hear was her heartbeat and her shallow breaths. He soon got lost in his thoughts. Suddenly it was as if a bolt of lightning had hit her body and she suddenly jolted. Benji jumped up off of her and called the nurse. He watched as her hand began to twitch. Her eyes tried to open and Benji's heart started to do flips. Her hand grabbed the teddy bear and squeezed. Mia and Kye woke up.
"What's going on daddy?" A frigthened Kye asked.
"I think Mommy might be waking up..."

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 7
The air burned her nostrils and the light was bright in her eyes. Her hand was gripping something soft. Where was she? And how did she get there? There was somehting in her throat...a long tube. As she gained focus she saw doctors around her. They were running around her and looked panicy. She saw Benji out of the corner of her eye. He was confused. He didn't know if he should be happy or afraid. He had picked up Mia and Kye stood hugging his leg. Bunny wanted to go over to them and hug them but she couldnt get up. Then she heard one of the doctors say
"On the count of three take a deep breath. 1...2....3" She breathed in. The tube was removed from her throat. She nearly choked.The first wordsout of her mouth were
"Benji!..Mia! Kye!" They were softly spoken but they were heard.

Joel woke to the ringing of the phone. He rolled over and picked it up. Erin awoke beside him.
"Hello?" He said in a groggy vioce.
"Joel! It's Benji.." Joel looked over at the clock. It was two in the morning.
"Who is it Joel?" Erin asked.
"It's Benj..What's up?"
"She woke up!" Joel jumped out of bed and searched for his pants.
"Ok I'll be right there.." Joel hung up the phone. Erin's heart sank the first thought in her head was that Bunny had died over night.
"what's going on Joel?" Her voice was shakey.
"She woke up! Come on lets go!" Erin jumped out of bed and searched for clothes. Soon they were on their way to the hospital with a sleeping Sadie in the backseat.

Billy stood with his arm around Jessica waiting for Paul and Nikki to come out of the hospital room. Benji paced back and forth in the hallway. Only two people were allowed in at a time. She was still tring to fully wake up. She could talk fine but she couldn't move to well. Finally Nikki and Paul emerged. Billy and Jessica went in. Benji just kept pacing. Tony came running down the hall.
"Tony!" Benji shouted and ran over to him.
"Hey Benj....How is she?"
"She's ok she can talk but she can't really move. The doctors say she is doing good though. She might be able to go home in a couple of days."
"That's great!" Tony exclaimed. He wanted to see her badly. He wondered if she would remember anything that they had done together. He was eager to find out. Erin and Joel came down the hall. Joel gave Benji a hug and they went over and started talking. Erin went over to talk with Nikki and Paul. Tony waited for his turn to talk to Bunny.

"Hey Bunny...How ya feeling?" Tony asked. He was so happy to see her awake and in the flesh.
"Okay" Her groggy voice pushed out. She looked up at Tony through blurry eyes. Benji had come in with Tony. Benji grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. She looked over at him and smiled. Tony's heart sank knowing that the girl he loves' heart was another mans. Tony bit his lip and stood watching them. The he decided he needed to leave.
"Uh I gotta go."
"But you just got here."
"Yeah but I'm really tired. I see you later." Benj was confused as he watch Tony rush out of the room.
Tony got to his car and sat in the drivers seat. He was worried. How was this going to work itself out? He pulled out of the parking spot and headed home.

[Walking Contradiction]

Chapter 8
The banner was hung on the staircase and balloons floated to the ceiling. They were waiting paiently for her to get home. They heard the car door close. Finally the door opened and Benji helped her in.
"Welcome home!" They all shouted. Bunny was surprised. She looked up and took in the sight. She was home again and it felt good. Everyone she knew was there to greet her. She felt so welcomed.

Everyone was chatting and haveing a good time. Music was playing in the background. Bunyn was sitting on the couch. Tony saw this as his oppurtunity (sp?). Tony sat beside her.
"Hey Tony, Having fun?" Bunny said.
"Yeah..This is great." There was a long silence between them. Tony still wondered if she remembered anything they had done together. He decided it was now or never.
"Bunny, I love you." Tony suddenly said.
"Oh I love you too Tony." Bunny said in a friendly way. She looked over at him and smiled.
"No I mean I.." Tony was interrupted by Benji plopping down on the couch on the other side of Bunny.
"Hey Babe. Having fun?" Benji said giving Bunny a ksis on the cheek.
"Yeah..This is just perfect. Thanks Benj." Benji placed his hand on Bunny's knee and the sight of it made Tony's stomach burn. He got up and walked over to the other side of the room. Benji soon got up to go converse with other people.
"What where you saying?" Bunny said before relising that Tony had gotten up. She looked around but couldn't see him though the crowd that filled her living room.

Bunny knocked on the door. She waited. It was raining the exact way she loved. It had been doing that alot lately. Finally a groggy half asleep Tony answered the door. He was shocked to see that it was Bunny on the other side. He turned and walked back to his living room.
"What you can't say hi? We haven't seen eachother in forever. You haven't come by and you haven't called. What's going on?" Bunny asked. Tony sat on the couch with his head in his hands.
"Is there something wrong?" Bunny asked.
"No I've just been bust with the band that's all.."
"I don't think that's all.." Bunny said sitting down next to him on the couch. Bunny's cellphone rang. She picked it up and walked down the hall with it. After she told Benji what to pick up for dinner she hung up and turned around. Tony was about two inches from her face. She backed up to the wall and he edged closer. He leaned his face towards hers. It was all too familiar. Just before he was able to touch her lips with his her hand shot up and covered his face. She pushed his head back as far as she could. He pushed against her hand.
"Tony think about it. Do you really want this?" Tony nodded.
"I love you of course I want it." Tony said. His words were muffled by her hand. He pressed his body against her's. He could feel how uncomfortable she was.
"If you love me let me go.." She said looking straight into his eyes. Tony stared back for a moment and relized she was right. He moved back. Tony walked outside and stood at the pole to the cover of his back porch, thinking about what he had just done. Bunny walked to the door way and watched him.
"We are friends and thats all we can be..." Bunny said almost in a whisper.
"I miss..I miss.." Tony started.
"You miss the night we had together?" Tony nodded his head. She remembered.
"I do too."

Chapter 9
There was two weeks of Christmas shopping left. The malls were getting hectic and the traffic was a pain. Benji smacked the steering wheel as some dude pulled out in front of him.
"What are you doing?" He yelled.
"Benji calm down." Billy said. They were on their way to pick up Joel and Paul. Benji spotted a jewlery store.
"Hey can we go in there for a minute?" He said already turning into the entrance.
"Uh yeah but make it fast." Billy said.

"Where are they?" Joel asked himself. He picked up his cell and called Paul.
"Hello?" Paul answered.
"Yo. Paul. Do you know where Benji and Billy are?"
"Nope."
"Oh nevermind here they come." Joel hung up as he watched Benji pull into the driveway.

"Mia no!" Bunny screamed as Mia reached for the porcelian angel that sat on the bookshelf. Mia ran over to the other kids. Bunny sat down at the kitchen table with Jessica, Erin, and Nikki. They were talking while enjoying some of Erin's brownies and some hot tea.
"I wonder what the boys are up to.." Erin said.
"They are prolly knocking some old lady down to get that one last thing that you must have that you don't really want." Bunny said. They all laughed.
"I think Paul is going to propose this Christmas." Nikki said.
"Really?" Jessica asked.
" Yeah. I just have this feeling..."
"Oh well I hope he does." Jessica said. Bunny and Erin agreed.
"I want some Taco Bell." Bunny suddenly blurted out.
"Oh no don't start that again.." Erin replied.

[Walking Contradiction]

^ If only you knew what the Taco Bell reference was...you would have laughed harder...

Chapter 10
It was Christmas Eve. All the kids where in packed into Mia and Kye's room waiting for Santa to come. All the adults were downstairs putting presents under the tree. Billy carried in a huge stack of gifts.
"Who are those for?" Nikki asked.
"Believe it or not they are all for Billy Lynn...and theres more ofr her.." Billy replied.
"Somebody's spoiled." Joel mumbled while carrying in a big pile of presents for Sadie.
"Your one to talk mister I have to but every toy I see for my daughter." Erin said playfully. Joel kissed her on her check.
"Wait till you see what I got you.."

Bunny jingled some bells and yelled "Good Bye santa!". Then Benji yelled for the kids to come down and open gifts. They came bounding down the stairs straight to the tree. Then there was a knock at the door. Jessica went over and opened it. Tony was standing there in the doorway.
"Hey Tony. Glad you could make. We almost thought you weren't coming."
"Oh sorry..But I'm here now." Tony walked inside.
"We just started opening gifts." Jessica added as she walked away.
Tony went and sat on the couch and watched the kids rip open their gifts with excitement.
"Hand me that one over there...Tinsle Toes..." Erin said.
"Your a loser.." Bunny said sticking her tongue out and handing the gift to Erin.

Once the kids finished opening presents they went to bed and the couples decided to exchange gifts.
"Who's First?" Benji asked.
"Here Jessica.." Billy said handing her a small box. Jessica handed him a bigger box in exchange. They tore open the wrapping. In the box was a set of diamond earrings. Billy got a nicely bound drawing pad.
"Wow Billy thank you!" Jessica said giving Billy a hug.
"Yeah thank you too.." Billy said. Joel decided to go next.
"Here just for you I got it done last night." Joel took off his shirt exposing a brand new tattoo of Erin's name on his shoulder. Erin was shocked. She handed him her gift. She gave Joel (I cant think of anything!). Joel hugged and thanked her.
"Ok well I guess it's my turn." Benji said picking up a smal long box from under the tree. He handed it to Bunny. Bunny handed him a small white envelope. Bunny unwrapped the box. She could feel Tony's eyes burn his stare into her face. She hadn't told Benji about what had happened between them.
"Oh thank you Benji it's beautiful!" She said staring down at the diamond necklace. Benji opened his envelope.
"Oh wow thanks Bunny!" He showed everyone his one hundred and fifty dollar gift certificate to any tattoo parlor of his choice. They hugged then shared a quick kiss before letting go. Just then Tony realised as he sat watching them. He was never in love with Bunny. He was just infatuated with how her and Benji where so in love. He had never loved someone like that before. Everything became clear to him. Watching Benji in the hospital waiting for his wife to wake up and watching Bunny send him signs to show that she knew he was holding on for her. He wanted to be in love like that.

Nikki tapped her foot in anticipation. Its was her and Paul's turn. Everyone was anxious. Paul walked over closer to Nikki and got down on one knee and pulled a small box from his back pocket. He opened the box reveling a ring. Nikki's eyes watered.
"Nikki will you marry me?" Paul said in a shakey vioce.
"Yes" Nikki replied through tears. Paul put the ring on her finger and they shared a kiss.


"Hey Tony Macaroni!" Bunny said hugging his neck from behind. It was Nikki and Pauls reception. She sat down next to him adjusting her formal brides maid dress.
"Have you met my new girlfriend?" Tony asked.
"No I don't think I have.." Bunny leaned over shaking the stranger's hand.
"Hi I'm Sharon." The stranger said.
"Hi Sharon. I'm Bunny. Sorry to make this short but I see my husband waving me over there." With that she got up and ran over to Benji.
"You two seem pretty close." Sharon said.
"yeah she's helped me with alot of things.." Tony knew that she had helped him realized so much. He was now madly in love with Sharon and hoped to start a life with her. He knew without Bunny's help he would have never made the relisation that he wanted love and he never would have looked for it. But it took more than just her help. It took a little ...self help.

THE END