Title: Will It Be Me?

Author: Megan Faye

Rated: Teen/R

Disclaimer: I don't own Rent or NBC's Kristin. And yes, I know that Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel aren't sleeping together, and they never have or will. This is fanfiction only!

Note: Kristin's mother's reaction was based directly on a conversation between my friend and her mother. Knowing her daughter was going to someday have sex with a woman, she could cope with. Finding out that it has already happened.....well....she flipped. Even after my hubbie and I moved in together when we were engaged to be married, my parents and his assumed we were keeping it PG-rated. (spam hit the fan when they found out other info!) My beta recommended I change the line, and I know she's right, as always, but it is how it happens with Mothers in Denial.

Thanks to my Beta. I-Stalk-Espinosa-xo is a fantastic beta, and I thank her, whole-heartedly.

Thanks to my friend, without whom Kristin's mother would be much less......interesting.

Thanks to my husband for making my life easier so I could write

Thanks to The Last Truffula Tree, and to my friend Lisa, for letting me rant about life, and the morons that are in it.

And Thanks to Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel for being two fantastic performers, musicians, actresses, women, and inspirations to all the little Broadway Wanna-Be's!

August 2003

Tommy handed the apple in his hands up to the child perched happily on his shoulders. She munched as they walked; Kassidy sleeping in the stroller in front of him.

It had been a little over a month since he and Sasha had started dating, and he enjoyed taking time off to just hang out with the girls. Sasha had a court date, to finalize custody of the girls.

"Auntie Maureen will like her gift."

"Yup," Allison said, handing down the apple.

"What do you call Kristin?"

"Aunt Kristin."

"Why?"

"She lives with Aunt Mo-ween." Tommy nodded and walked on.

"Mommy is meeting us for lunch soon," he said, taking a bite out of their snack. "Do you need to potty? We're right near my work, and Santa can take you."

"Nope."

"You're sure?"

"Yup."

"Okay." Tommy continued on.

Things were quiet for the 6 blocks until his building was lost in a sea of skyscrapers.

As they got to the cafe where Aldo, Jack, and Sasha were going to meet them, Tommy set Allison down at the table and ordered a water for himself, and a milk for her.

"I have to potty, Tommy!" A couple passed them as she made her announcement and chuckled.

"Can you hold it until Mommy gets here?"

"I gotta go bad!"

"You didn't have to ten minutes ago, sweetie."

"Sir, you can take her to the men's room--" the waiter suggested.

"Are you out of your friggin’ mind? Urinals? Men with their-- No." Tommy lifted the sleeping toddler in one arm, and took Allison's hand. "The young lady would like to make use of your lady's room."

"Do I look all right?" Aldo asked as he stepped out of the cab.

"Very handsome."

"Biased."

"You look great, Ali." Jack straightened Aldo’s tie and kissed his forehead. "Now let's go meet this boss." Aldo took his hand and headed into the cafe. There were several ladies standing in line at the bathroom.

"What's going on here?"

"There's a man in there with his daughter. He didn't want to take her into the men's room, so we’re giving him some space." The woman looked amused.

"Hey, Tommy," Aldo called, knocking on the door. He opened and stepped in. From one of the stalls, he could hear:

"Good job, kiddo! Pull-up is still dry and everything!"

"Will Mommy give me a sticker?"

"Yep. Now pull those up, and we'll wash hands."

"Aw, you're all suburban," Aldo said, as Tommy left the stall.

"Cute. Take the baby?" Aldo carefully transferred Kassidy into his own arms and tucked the blanket around her. "Wash up," Tommy reminded.

"Is Mommy here?"

"Not yet, but soon."

"Where is Sasha?” Aldo asked.

"Court date."

"Special." Tommy dried Allie's hands and the four left the ladies' room. "Hey, she's waking up," Aldo said, handing the baby off.

"Hey there Kassie!" The baby rubbed her eyes and rested in Tommy's arms.

"Aldo," Jack called from the table where Kassidy's stroller waited.

"Tommy, this is Jack, my b-"

"Friend," Jack filled in, as Allie climbed into her seat. "Aldo, she's a baby."

"She's smart," Tommy warned. "Aldo and Jack are friends, Kiddo."

"Like Aunt Mo-ween and Aunt Kristin?" Tommy nodded. "Oh. Okay. I want grilled cheese."

"And there we have it; the three-year-old has figured it out."

Kristin looked over her sleeping lover, naked and tangled in the sheets of their bed.

Their bed.

Theirs.

She was part of a 'their.' It scared her. 'Their apartment.' 'Their friends.' 'Their cat.' (They had no cat, but if they did get one, it would be theirs.)

Kristin adored being one half of a 'their.' If things had gone better with her mother, she'd have been able to sleep in and go ahead with something that she had planned in May, when her mother was visiting. Three months, and she hadn't yet had the nerve to even attempt to get her basic plans into motion. The timing was never quite right.

Twelve years ago, Maureen would have been ready to run for the door; she’d done this anytime things got serious with Mark, and it continued into Joanne.

But with Kristin, things were different. Maureen was different.

"What are you doing up, baby?" Maureen mumbled, sliding one eyelid open.

"It’s after noon, we should have been up hours ago."

"It’s a mid-week day off! Live a little. Sleep!"

"I can't sleep this late. As soon as 6:45 rolls around, I'm up."

"What did you do all morning?"

"Laundry, dishes, organized the book shelf, and talked to my mom." Maureen sat up and opened her arms as Kristin decided to snuggle in. "She and Daddy are really angry."

"Baby, do you want to get married?"

"I don't want you to marry me for my p--"

"I am not asking for them. Sweetie, I love you. I love you for who you are, and who you were, and for who you will be. I'm asking you if you want to commit to me, in front of God, to be joined in His house and in His eyes."

"My parents have nothing to do with it?"

"They have to do with when I asked, not why I asked."

"Mo, I..." Kristin sighed.

"I know, baby," Maureen soothed, trying to mask her hurt feelings. "Things are moving pretty fast, aren't they?" Kristin nodded. Maureen tucked her in to an even tighter hug. "Kristi," she said after a long pause. "I want to commit to you. I want to be your wife. More than anything in the world, I want to be with you. If that isn't what you want, you really need to tell me now."

"It’s what I want, Mo, but--"

"But what?" Maureen asked, pulling away.

"I...wanted...I wanted to be the one who asked you," she whimpered. "You have taken the lead in everything. I had my mom fly up here to meet you, and I was going to sneak you away for a romantic dinner and ask you. I got a gorgeous ring, and I didn't get the chance because you asked first," she sobbed.

"You--"

"I knew I was going to ask you the first time you kissed me," she cried. "And now the surprise is all wrong. I'm sorry I waited so long to ask, but I just wanted to do something really sweet for you since you always do so many things for me and for us and I want to marry you."

"Ring?" Kristin looked up into Maureen's tear-filled eyes. "You got me a ring?"

"A few days before my mom flew in."

"Are you serious?" Maureen said, smiling. "No way."

"I'm serious. It’s in my dresser, under my tidy-whities." Kristin left the warm bed and padded to her dresser. She brushed tears from her cheeks as she pulled the box out. It was purple, velvet and small. "I knew," she started, crawling under the blankets. "I knew I wanted you, and that we were going to be together for the rest of our lives the first time you kissed me." She opened the box. "What I didn't know, Maureen, was how or when to ask you. I guess, like everything else, I needed a nudge from you."

"Oh my God," Maureen muttered. The ring was stunning; a white-gold band with a heart-shaped stone. "Kristi, it’s..." she started, but stared at the little velvet box and its contents. She couldn't hold back the tears as they streamed down her cheeks. Kristin carefully took the ring from the box and took Maureen's hand.

"I'm going to assume the answer is 'yes,' Mo."

"Oh my God."

"Have I finally surprised you?" Maureen nodded and sniffled.

"Yes, you have. Yes, I will. Just...yes." Kristin slid the ring into its proper place, and kissed Maureen's hand. "What about you? Do you want a ring?"

"I didn't actually think about that. But we'll talk later. For now, let's just enjoy being engaged."

"Sasha," Tommy called into the apartment. He worried when it was unlocked. A man's voice could be heard. "Sasha, I'm home," he called in a booming voice, in hopes of intimidating whomever it was. He put Kassidy in her play yard in the living room and headed toward the voices.

"Tommy!" she called. Tommy pushed into the kitchen, where Sasha and a man stood. "Tommy, he wants the girls." She buried her head in his chest as he hugged her.

"Who is this loser?" the man asked.

"Thomas Ballintine."

"Nice. I'm Ron Douglas. Are you done playing house with my kids?"

"You signed them away, and buddy, you can't just waltz in here and unsign."

"Dada," Kassidy called from her play-yard. Ron shoved past Sasha into the living room.

"See? She wants her Dada." Ron picked the baby up, who squirmed and reached for Tommy.

"Dada!" she squealed. Tommy took her.

"Can you take her into the other room? I have something to say, and I don't want to say it in front of her." Tommy handed Kassidy to Sasha, and kissed the baby's forehead, and Sasha's cheek. As soon as the two were gone, Tommy stood tall.

"Well?"

"You haven't seen her since she was ten months old. She has no idea who you are. I'm the one who changes her diapers when Sasha needs a break. I'm the one who held her little hands when she took her first steps to her mom. I'm the one who tucks her in every single night, and I am the one who will walk her down the aisle when she gets married. You walked out on the greatest woman you'll probably ever meet, and the two best kids on the planet, buddy. Now I suggest you continue with the habit and walk away…right now." Ron sized the man up. Tommy was taller, and looked twice the strength.

"They will always be my daughters."

"They may be your daughters, but they are my girls. And I will be damned if I let you hurt them again. You got that?"

"We'll see you in court."

"Bring it on, buddy." Tommy grabbed the man by the coat, and dragged him to the door. "Thank you for stopping by, great to meet you, ya putz," he said, as he shoved Ron through the door and closed it. "Sash? Are you all right?" he asked, looking around the apartment.

"In here," she called from the bedroom. Tommy went in, and saw her rolling her sleeve up.

"Sweetie, did he hurt you?"

"He grabbed my arm, is all." There was a hand print-shaped bruise forming. Tommy pulled Sasha into his arms and held her.

"Do you need a doctor?"

"No." Sasha sat back on the bed and wiped her cheeks.

"Sweetie, we need to go to the police station, and have this documented. He grabbed you, and might try to get the girls."

"Tommy, where's Allison?"

"Maureen and Kristin took her for the afternoon."

"What if he tries--" Tommy pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, Maureen'll keep her away from him. I promise," Tommy whispered, holding Sasha to his chest.

"I'm scared."

"Okay. I'm going to call them to take Kassie, and then I'm going to call the police to come get a statement. All right?" Sasha nodded, still hugging tightly to him. "Do you want to lay down for a while?" She nodded again and let go. Tommy pulled a quilt over her as she stretched out. "I'll take care of you, Sasha. You don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Thank you," she whispered.