When Darren woke the next morning, he blinked his eyes and stretched slightly, careful not to wake his sleeping husband.

Deciding to let Daniel sleep, Darren eased himself out of bed and crept quietly into the bathroom. Once there, he eased the door closed, and after relieving himself he got into the shower.

The hot water felt nice, easing muscles that had gotten cramped during the flight. Suddenly he shivered and the water no longer felt so good. He shut off the shower, stepped out and began to dry himself.

�I wonder what that was all about? I feel like someone stepped on my grave or something.�

He finished drying and then wrapped the towel around his waist, even though Daniel had seen it all more than once. Grinning at that thought, he stepped out of the bathroom and checked on Daniel. He saw the gentle rise and fall of Daniel�s chest, the slight movement of his body and his eyes moved to the swollen belly.

�I think it�s bigger.� He wanted to touch it, run his fingers over it, but he knew Daniel needed his sleep. The guitarist had undergone a lot of physical changes in becoming pregnant and all the stress he�d been under because of it certainly hadn�t helped any. So he blew him a kiss and a promise and went downstairs.

They�d left their luggage inside the door, so he�d just get clothes from there.

He started the coffee pot, then looked in the refrigerator to see what they might have for breakfast. �Not much. No surprise. I need to go shopping today.�

Moving to the pantry, he looked there. �Hmm� well, I wouldn�t mind oatmeal. But Danny�s supposed to eat and he won�t if I give him that. Perhaps��

*DING-DONG*

Darren frowned slightly but moved to see who it was. He looked through the peephole in the door, then smiled and unlocked it.

�Paula, good morning!�

�Hi, Darren! Went shopping this morning and brought you a few things.� Paula smiled brightly, stepping around Darren and heading toward the kitchen. �Is Daniel up yet?�

�He wasn�t when I came down,� he answered as he watched her pull things out of the bag. �What�s all this?�

�Eggs, lean ham, low fat shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, skim milk,� she replied, winking at him as she skillfully put everything away while she talked. �Enough to get you through breakfast until you can go to the store, anyway. And with slight modifications to the ingredients, you could have lunch, too.�

Darren smiled. �Thanks, Paula. I owe you.�

She turned to him, with her hands on her hips. �Don�t you dare even *think* about paying me back!�� She giggled then, returning his smile.

�Have you eaten?�

�Yeah. I could do with a cup of coffee though.�

Darren chuckled. �Help yourself then, since you won�t let me pay you back.�

�Thank you. Don�t mind if I do.�

She fixed coffee, then sat down at the small kitchen table. Darren joined her with his own cup and they chatted.

About forty minutes later, Daniel stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Darren looked up from their quiet conversation. Daniel was only wearing his boxers, the roundness of his belly prominent. He looked at Paula, a bit concerned how she would take it but she winked, grinning, and mouthed �how sweet�. Darren blushed, then stood up and hurried to greet Daniel.

�Morning, babe,� he said as he gave Daniel a quick kiss. Daniel smiled sleepily and rested his forehead on Darren�s.

�Morning,� he replied quietly.

�Come on,� Darren urged gently. �Let�s get you something to wear.� He effortlessly turned Daniel back around, leading Daniel to the study where he himself had changed earlier before the guitarist realized they had company.

When they came back to the kitchen, Paula was at the stove. Daniel was a bit more awake but didn�t seem to realize she had been there earlier when he had walked in nearly naked.

�Morning, Daniel!� Paula called out, smiling at the two men. �How would you like your eggs?�

�I�m not really hungry.�

�Danny, the doctor told you you need to eat. You�ve got to gain weight to keep our baby healthy.� Darren smiled gently and placed his hand on his husband�s stomach.

�I know, Darren,� Daniel sighed. �I�m really not hungry, though.�

�Daniel, you need to eat! That baby is growing like crazy right now. And your body is undergoing a lot of change and stress as well. You *need* to eat something. At least a little. A number of small meals are just as good for you as three regular meals.� Paula told him in no uncertain terms.

Daniel�s eyes widened at the outburst.� Darren chuckled at Paula�s firm gaze, her hands on her hips, her toe tapping.

�Danny, I really think you should listen to her.�� He got an idea then.� �Paula, just a cheese omelet please.�

He pulled a chair out for Daniel, then poured the guitarist a cup of coffee and set it on the table for him to fix as he liked. He sat down next to Daniel and a few minutes later, Paula set an omelet in front of him.

�Oh, this is really good, Paula. Thanks for bringing the groceries. I�ll find a way to make it up to you.� He said with a cheeky grin.

Paula simply raised an eyebrow, the ends of her lips curled slightly, reminiscent of the Mona Lisa. �I�ll be dusting in the living room,� she replied and then stuck her tongue out, giggling before she turned and left.

Daniel shook his head, then chuckled lightly. Darren grinned, then held up a forkful of egg to Daniel.

The younger man shook his head with a regretful smile.

Darren leaned forward. �What if I give you a little reward?� he whispered. He heard Daniel�s breath catch. Darren sat up and studied his partner�s face. He smiled at the glow in Daniel�s eyes.

Daniel opened his mouth a bit, the movement echoed by Darren before the singer moved the fork into Daniel�s mouth. Daniel�s lips closed over the fork and Darren pulled it out. The guitarist chewed a bit, then swallowed and looked at his partner expectantly. The singer smiled and leaned in, pressing his lips to Daniel�s. The younger man ran his tongue over Darren�s lips, but Darren pulled back.

�You have to earn that, baby.�

They continued eating the omelet, Darren rewarding Daniel for each mouthful he ate. Paula had come back at one point, smiled at the scene before her, and then let herself out, locking the door as she did so.

When the omelet was finished, Darren let the guitarist�s tongue slip into his mouth and they kissed gently but heatedly. Finally they broke for air and each smiled to the other. Darren ran a finger over Daniel�s lips, then along the guitarist�s jaw. �That wasn�t so hard now, was it?� he asked teasingly.

Daniel blushed, and shook his head.

�And I�ll do it at lunch time and every time,� Darren whispered in his ear. �If that�s what it takes to help you do what you need to.� He ran the tip of his tongue over the rim of Daniel�s ear and the man shivered, a small moan escaping his lips. �And now, I�m afraid, I need to go see Leonie. Do you think you�ll be all right here alone? Or do you want to come along and say �hi�?� Darren grinned, certain he already knew Daniel�s answer.

�Ah, no. I don�t think so. Thanks anyway. I think I�ll let you handle that one. You�re more than a match for her, I think.� The guitarist smiled and placed a kiss on Darren�s forehead. �I�ll be fine here. I know your cell number.�

�Hopefully I won�t be long��

Daniel walked Darren to the door, put his arms around Darren�s neck and captured his lips again. When he broke the kiss, he sighed. �I�ll be waiting.�

�I could get to like this,� Darren replied breathlessly.

Daniel smiled. �That's a good thing, because I hope to do it every time you have to leave me.�

Darren gave him another quick kiss, then grabbed his keys and was out the door.

Daniel watched him drive off, then closed the door. �What to do now?� Daniel stood a moment, then walked back into the kitchen and picked up the few breakfast dishes. He washed them quickly and poured himself another cup of coffee. He momentarily considered making real coffee, but shook his head and sighed. �Darren would be quite upset if I did.�

He decided to show himself around Darren�s house, since he�d never seen it before yesterday. It was bigger than he�d expected. He smiled at the room where Anne Rice novels shared shelf space with some of Darren�s extensive collection of Star Wars toys. Farther down the hall, he stopped and ran his fingers over the frame of Darren�s copy of the APRA award they had won and for just a moment he was filled with a melancholy longing.� It *had* been fun whey they�d started. Perhaps� but someone had once said �you can never go back�, and he knew that was true. Especially for him� �And especially now,� he thought. He looked down, running a hand over his stomach, bringing a smile to his face and dispelling the momentary regret. The end of the long hall brought him to a large patio door, covered by white lace curtains. The wood deck had a waist high railing around it. Two lounge chairs and a table with a collapsed umbrella sat to one side. The lawn was well manicured. Rose bushes lined the privacy fence. A padded loveseat sat under a large maple tree. He smiled at the serenity he imagined would be found there. As he continued his tour, he was surprised to find a piano in a side room with a view to a small rose garden.

�Darren? Playing piano? No. Wait. Didn�t I read somewhere that he bought a piano for Walter to use when he was making his solo album?�

A twinge of jealousy struck Daniel then, but he couldn�t blame Darren. Could he? After all, *he* was the one who�d needed out. Desperately. He ran his long fingers over the polished wood, and the next he realized, they were coaxing a melody from the ivory keys, the ebony adding poignant inflections to the tune.

�Where were you, Darren? What happened during the last ten days? Your cell was off. Your mother didn�t know where you were. Your father said you weren�t his son any more and could go to hell for all he cared. What�s going on, Darren? This is the second time in almost four months that you�ve up and left without a word to me!�

Darren sighed deeply. It hurt to hear his father�s words. Even from Leonie. He had confided everything to her once. What had happened between them? �Daniel.� His mind whispered to him. He nodded to himself, willing himself not to cry in front of Leonie.

�Yes? Yes, what?�

Darren realized he must have done more than agree with himself. �I�m sorry, Leo. I wasn�t� I didn�t� Can we just start over, please? I need to talk to you, and I can�t if you are just going to stand there and yell at me. I am quite well aware of how my father feels. I�d like to talk to you. Want to� *need* to� but not like this. Can we get out of this office? Go have a coffee somewhere?�

��� Leonie�s glare darkened, and Darren turned away. He wouldn�t deal with this. Not right now. If he did, he�d regret it later and Daniel had been his only *real* regret. He put his hand on the doorknob.

��� �Darren. Wait. Please?�

��� He turned back. Her glare had softened to a worried frown.� �Well?� he asked. Not sorry for the bitterness in his voice.

��� �Let�s go get some coffee and fresh air. That Starbucks down the street has outdoor seating if I remember?� she smiled faintly.

��� He nodded, unwilling to let go of his own frown so easily. �Yeah, it does.�

��� �Come on,� she said, walking up and taking his arm. �I�ll buy.�

Darren�s frown continued its hold on his features even as they made their orders at the counter. After getting their coffee�Darren a vanilla soy latte and Leonie a caramel macchiato, they went outside to take a seat at a table in an unpopulated corner of the patio.

They sipped their coffee quietly for a few moments. Darren watched the people walking by on the other side of the hedge that separated the patio from the sidewalk.

Leonie sighed.� �Darren. I�m sorry. I overreacted. I�m just worried about you. You�ve gone off twice without talking to me. We used to be so close, Darren� what happened?�

Darren studied his friend. He used to tell her everything. When did it stop? �When she started dissing Daniel. Always trying to run him down in my eyes, as if making Daniel smaller would make me more successful.� Darren pursed his lips.

�Tell me what you think of Daniel.�

�Oh, Darren. Not this discussion again,� she sighed. �Your career is going very well. I thought you understood you don�t need Daniel.�

�I think I do.�

Leonie frowned at him.

�Did you really think my performances without basis? That I was playing up to Daniel on stage because it would make �good press�, or something? Did you *really* believe all those weak excuses for being in one another�s room while on the road? Come on, Leonie. How many times did I tell you of my attraction to Daniel? It was no coincidence I went to Daniel and not you after my divorce from Colby.�

Leonie stared at Darren.

�Did Sharon tell you *anything* after London?�

�She told me she thought you needed to see a doctor and you refused.�

�God. If you had been there� I wasn�t sleeping. I wasn�t eating. It should have been obvious.�

Leonie raised her eyebrows in question.

�I drove myself into the ground because of Daniel. Because he wouldn�t see me.�

�When�? You mean the Australian promotion?�

�I tried for three days. He wouldn�t talk to me. When I left England, I went right back. And we finally got it worked out.�

�Oh?�

�Leonie. You know how my Dad feels about my sexuality. I discussed it often enough. How could you not understand?�

�I�ve never thought him gay, or good enough for you if he was.�

�You don�t give me credit for knowing what I want?�

�Darren, you get infatuated easily��

The singer studied his cup. Then he sighed heavily. �We�re married.�

�What!�

�That�s where I was the last ten days. Making the arrangements and taking a short honeymoon. Daniel and I are married.�

Leonie slapped her hand over her face and sighed with exasperation. �I thought we agreed it was best to keep your sexuality unspecified. Keep everyone guessing.�

Darren grunted. �You, maybe. Sony no doubt. I only played along until I could make up with Daniel.�

�Oh, Darren,� Exasperation filled her voice.

�I�ve got more news. But I�m not sure you�re ready to hear it.�

Leonie groaned.� �Go ahead.�

Darren�s frown was driven away by his broad smile. He couldn�t help himself.

�Daniel�s pregnant.�

Leonie choked and spit out the coffee in her mouth, barely missing Darren, who tried to frown again but ended up laughing as she coughed and her face turned red.

�That�s�that�s not��

�Oh, but it is. And Daniel just happens to be one of the few men left who can. Isn�t that wonderful?�

Darren watched Leonie. She knew how much he wanted kids.

�I�Darren� oh, wow. Not what I expected to hear. None of it is.�

Darren sat quietly, drinking his coffee, and watched the emotions that played over his manager�s face.

�Penny for your thoughts,� he broached with a cooked smile.

�I�I�m just wondering what sort of damage control this will require.�

�None. I�m not going to shout it from the steeple. I *do* have Daniel to think of too, you know. But we�ve discussed it and if it gets out, or I�m asked about it again, I�m not going to deny it. Truth is easier to keep straight than lies.�

�Daniel agreed to this? As much as he hates being in the public eye?�

�He did. And he won�t be so much in the public eye. Remember, that community I live in has private security. He won�t be bothered there. And I rarely get to go anywhere without �backup�.� He winked.

She studied him then.

�Nothing you can say is going to change what has happened, Leo. We�re happy and I am hoping, if you care for me at all, that you will be happy for us too.�

Contemplative silence followed, then Leonie stood up, smiled, and gave Darren a crushing hug.

�If it makes you happy, I�m happy. And I�ll deal with it. I think this requires more coffee. Be right back.�

Darren heaved a sigh after Leonie went back inside. He�d thought she would come round, but he was relieved nonetheless to have her say so. He�d been pretty sure she wouldn�t disown him like his father, but still.

She returned then and he smiled. �So when�s the big day?�

�Just a guess, but November I think.�

�Think?�

�That�s something else I need to work on Daniel about. Doctors.�

�Oh?�

Darren proceeded to tell Leonie about Daniel�s lack of appetite and his reluctance to see a doctor now that he was pregnant.

�But we received a recommendation from the doctor I took him to in Hawaii. I�m hoping to make him an appointment there soon.�

Leonie nodded. �Sounds like a wise precaution.�

�So. What�s on my agenda for this week, now that I�m back?�

The sound of the doorbell interrupted Daniel, who still sat at the piano. He panicked a minute, but got up and slowly made his way to the door.

When he heard the sound of a key in the lock, he thought perhaps Darren had his hands full and opened the door.

�Oh! Daniel! I didn�t know you were home!� Paula bounced a bit on the balls of her feet as she smiled up at the taller man.

Daniel didn�t know if he should be angry or not. Her warm smile swayed him, though, and he smiled back, albeit hesitantly.

�Sorry about the key. I have my own, you know, as �The Housesitter�.� She laughed lightly after making it sound like the title of a movie. �I didn�t see Darren�s car, though, and I had cleaning I wanted to do. You don�t mind, do you?�

Daniel�s unease returned a bit. �I�uh��

�Daniel. I�m not a stalker,� she joked. �Promise. Don�t worry. You can go back to whatever you were doing. I�ve been helping Darren with the housekeeping since he moved in.� She took her jacket off and hung it in the hallway.� �He locked himself out and his cellphone in shortly after moving in. He came over to call a locksmith.�

Daniel chuckled, feeling a bit more comfortable as he followed her through the house.

She stopped at the laundry room closet and took out a bucket with a long-handled brush and sponges, then picked up a pair of heavy rubber gloves.

�Have the two of you made any plans for Darren�s birthday?�

�Hmm?�

Paula looked at him and smiled gently. �His birthday. Next week.�

Daniel put his hand on his forehead and groaned. �I hadn�t even thought about it.� He shook his head, then looked down and held his hand against his stomach.

�We were planning a little party for him at our house. We�d be thrilled if you�d care to join us.�

�How small?�

�Very!� she laughed, knowing Daniel�s dislike of crowds from Darren�s many tales of the tall guitarist. �My parents, my grandmother and me. That�s it. Unless you come, too.� She winked, then headed toward the downstairs bathroom.

�I think I�d like to do that. I must admit, I�m curious to meet a skydiving grandmother.� He returned her smile. �I need to think of something to get Darren, too.�

�I was hoping you could help *me* with that.� She started as she quickly wiped the sink and then poured cleaner into the toilet bowl. Turning, she motioned him out of the doorway. �Fumes aren�t good for you right now,� she explained and he smiled again. �Besides, I don�t think you could top what you�ve already given him.� She winked, giving him a cheeky grin.

Daniel blushed lightly.

�I mean he�s got more Star Wars toys than I even knew they made!� her voice laughed as she shook her head. �It�s not vampires, but I *did* get him a signed copy of Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice.�

�I�m sure he�ll be thrilled with it,� Daniel smiled easily. He could see why Darren liked Paula. She was very comfortable to be around. �Will you be coming by every day?� He was a bit surprised by the hopefulness in his voice.

�I�d be happy to, if you like. I usually come three times a week when he�s home, but if you�d like some company, sure! Maybe I could show you around if Darren gets busy. Has he said anything yet?�

�No,� Daniel shook his head. �But that�s where he is. Talking to Leonie.�

Paula nodded. �Well, let me finish with these bathrooms, and maybe we can have a cup of coffee before I leave?�

Smiling, Daniel nodded again. �Sounds like a plan. I�ll go make some fresh.�

�Decaf!� She called out as he turned toward the kitchen.

He snorted lightly, shaking his head, but couldn�t stop the grin on his face.

�tbc�