I run to Target for something and as I search the shelves for what I've been questioning myself on, the item able to give me the answer I need before I make any decisions. I back up into a strong built body, a familiar chuckle greeting me. "How you been, 'Drya?" 

I take a deep breath and turn around, hugging the one person I hated for so long. "I'm good, but too much is going on," I tell him, glancing at the shelves I had been looking at. 

He follows my eyes, smirking. "Oh, another of those situations?" 

I groan, knowing he knows me far too well. "Yeah, and I need to hide from a couple people I have to avoid." 

"Come stay with me. Grab that, pay for it and let's go hide out. We can even hide on the opposite coast, hell, you can join us on tour." 

I do as he suggests, following him back to his house and cry with my head on the steering wheel in the driveway. He opens the door, pulling me to his body and leads me as he sits on the hood, letting me cry on him. "Why do you care?" 

He kisses the top of my head and I tense up, not knowing what to expect. "I never stopped caring; I just took the time to figure out the right way to show it. Years later, I learned the right way. I fell down time and time again, between the drugs and bad choices, still pulled myself back up and chose not to give up. I know everyone around me needs me for some reason and that you all care, now I'm finally ready to return it. Especially when it comes to you."  

I shakily inhale, sniffling. "I might be..." Why can't I say that word? Pregnant. 

I feel him hug me tighter. "Pregnant?" I nod, confirming his suspicion. "I'm going to be here for you and anything that might come along." 

"How do you just accept me, Alex?" 

"I always have, it just came so easy to me when it involves you." 

"You have to be joking," I fire back, wiping my face and stepping back. 

"Not as teenagers. I was downright stupid as guys come then and thought with my dick." I look at him confuzzled, my head tilted to the right. "Yes, I said that and I'll admit that I was dumb enough to let myself fuck up the best thing I had going other than the group." 

"Then the drugs." 

"That was to hide the emotional suffering." 

"Then Kenisha." 

"Trying to get close to you." 

"Ginna?" 

"Closer to you." 

"Telling Nick he's retarded?" 

"Just that he's a stupid fucker for doing the same thing I did with a slut nugget who thinks she's worth it because she has access to every drug under the sun." 

"What about the whole scare with him before?" 

"I told him to 'glove it before loving it', but he didn't listen." AJ shrugs, having no defense for Nick about it. 

I reach up to take his shades off with one hand on his chest still, my left hand stopping just before. "Can I?" 

"Yes, 'Drya." 

I take them off and see his beautiful brown eyes looking into my honey orbs. "Why hide such beautiful eyes behind sunglasses?" I demand, squinting my eyes. 

"To hide the injury, then the drugs, then my emotions." 

I giggle. He smiles at that. "How long did you hide from Denise?" 

"Two and a half weeks. I kept telling her that Howie or someone needed my help for one thing or another." 

"How do you feel about me?" 

"I genuinely care. I love you, but I'm not sure if I'm in love with you. I enjoy your company. I'm comfortable around you. I know you know I know you." 

I laugh. "I saw you see me see you!"  

He laughs a little, pulling me close. "Can we go inside? It's getting hot as hell out here." 

"Only if you agree that any place we happen to be alone has the same rules as Vegas," I barter, our eyes locked. 

He marks an X over my heart. "Promise, even if we try at it again." 

"Even just cuddling?" 

"What cuddling?" he replies, feigning stupidity. 

I smile, cheesing big time. "Exactly." 

"Oh, and no secrets." 

I link my pinky and middle fingers with his. "No secrets." 

"How late?" 

"Seven weeks." 

"You're never that late." 

I nod. "Tests?" 

He reaches in the car, leaning over the driver's side to grab the keys and Target bag. "First things first." He places the balled up bag in my hand, requesting that I find out. 

"Only if you're staying in the bathroom with me to find out." 

He softly nods, lacing our fingers together and kissing the back of my hand. "Only if you're sure you want me in there." 

"Positive." 

I just peed on the stick, placing it on the counter in a plastic baggie and I open the door. Alex walks in and leans on the wall facing it, setting a timer on his phone. I strut over and rest my head on his pecs, encircling his waist with my arms. He reciprocates the affectionate motion. "Could I ask who the dad is?" 

"Erik." 

"What? I thought you were with JC?" 

I sigh, but tell him anyway and hold nothing back. "And that's how it would be his and not JC's." 

"That's quite the conundrum you got yourself into." 

"Please don't tell a soul." 

He waves a hand between us. "Not a problem."  

His phone alarm tone goes off. "You check, I'm too chicken shit." 

He smiles and does as I request, leaving me to turn off the alarm. "Well, uh, that pickle you got into is going to last for 18 plus years." 

I take a deep breath. "Then so be it." 

"I'll help you out when you ask and however you need me to." 

I nod. Talk about difficult situations. "Thanks, Alexander." 

"Anywhere you want to go?" 

"Orlando." 

"Bev and the girls?" 

"Kinda." 

"Which one?" 

"Emily." 

"I'm sure Molly still hates my guts." 

"Actually, no; she wants Nick and JC on full body silver platters." 

His eyes widen, nearly comically. "I thought I hurt you, but they got me beat."  

"You better believe it," I confirm, nodding. 

"What are you going to do about this?" 

"See Emmy and hide away from nearly everyone." 

"Hide where?" 

"Maybe Jazz would know a good place to hide out?" She pulls her phone out and begins typing away at lightening speed. "Looks like we're going to hide out in Fitchburg, Massachusetts." 

He screws his face up in bewilderment. "You forget that we have an album being finalized right now and four months from release and six from a tour? We can hide out until it drops, but then you can hide behind us." 

"That means I'm gonna have this kid while on tour." I begin freaking out, hyperventilating and scared. 

He pulls me to him in a tight embrace, calming me instantly. "It's going to be fine." 

"What will Nick say? Howie? Kevin?" 

"I think we should tell them and Brian, but I'm going to let you make the final decision about it." 

"Stay with me when I do?" 

He hugs me tighter. "Anything you want me to do, I will if it isn't crazy." 

I nod. "We should get it out of the way and tell them tonight." 

"If that's what you want to do, okay."