Laura hopped out of her truck in town and shut the door. She strode towards the doctor´s clinic, the papers in hand. She looked around noticing that Nathan´s truck was parked outside of the Sheriff´s office and sighed remembering her brother´s teasing. Instead of being dressed in her customary jeans and t-shirt or tank top, she had changed into a pair of slim, hip hugging black trousers and a backless halter-top. She had insisted to Nick that she was possibly going into Ajo for the evening, nothing more, if she didn´t get held up too long at the doctor´s office with the paperwork. Nick hadn´t believed her as he walked away from her.

With a heavy sigh, Laura made her way to the doctor´s office and inside. She stopped in her tracks at the sight that met her. Kenin was walking out with an attractive black woman that was obviously heavily pregnant. Kelsey. She felt her heart clench, and her stomach do flip flops at facing her. Kelsey turned and her brown eyes widened. “Laura,” she said softly.

Kenin looked over and smiled. “Hey Laura,” she said, taking note of Laura´s stricken look.

Laura swallowed hard. “H… hi, Kel… Kelsey,” she stammered. “Um, how are you?”

Kelsey smiled brightly at her and walked over. “Oh Laura, it´s so good to see you again,” she said embracing her as best she could with her swollen belly. “Riley and I have been meaning to come see you and Nathan and invite you both to dinner,” she said.

Laura stepped back a bit looking at her. “M…Na…Nathan and me?” she questioned. “Ri…Riley?”

Kelsey nodded with a smile. “Yes,” she said. “Riley and I always knew that you and Nathan were meant for each other, and we wanted to share the excitement that we were having a baby with the both of you.”

Kenin stepped in. “Um, Mrs. Peterson, here are some instructions and a prescription for your vitamins while you are here in town,” she said. “I didn´t realize you knew Laura.”

“Laura and I go way back,” Kelsey said.

Laura was beginning to snap out of her astonishment. “Oh yeah, we go way back,” she said sarcastically. “You know, it´s a real funny story Kenin.”

Kelsey looked at Laura biting her lip. “Laura,” she started.

Laura laughed harshly as a handsome black man walked in, surprise evident on his face. “Oh no Kelsey, let me tell her,” Laura said harshly. Kenin looked at Laura, worriedly. “You see Kenin, Kelsey used to be a real good friend of mine, and Nathan´s girlfriend. But then one day they broke up because she was in love with someone else. Unaware of anything I came home one day to surprise my fiancé Riley only to find him in bed. With Kelsey. Oh and have you met Kelsey´s wonderful husband, Riley?”

Kenin walked closer putting a hand on Laura´s shoulder. “Laura,” she said softly.

Riley stepped forward putting a hand on his wife´s shoulder. “Laura that´s enough,” he said.

Laura glared at him. “You have no right to tell me what to do,” she said. “Not after what you did.”

“I have every right to protect my wife,” Riley said.

“Oh!” Laura said, another harsh laugh escaping her. “Of course you do! How stupid of me!”

Kelsey bit her lip, tears in her eyes. “Laura, I never meant--,” she started.

“No Kelsey, you did mean to, you just didn´t think that the ramifications of it would jump up and bite you in the ass one day,” Laura said, cutting her off. She shook off Kenin´s hand and strode out of the office quickly. She paused on the street looking around when she spotted where she had to go. The Standish Grille.

**

Nathan walked into the clinic after he got a phone call from Kenin, Buck following him. “Kenin?” he called.

Riley stormed out. “You,” he growled at Nathan.

Nathan´s eyes narrowed. “Riley,” he growled.

Kenin stepped out. “Do not even start,” she snapped at Riley. “I already have an upset patient.”

Buck put a hand on Nathan´s shoulder, recognizing Riley. “What´s goin´ on Kenin?” he asked.

Kenin sighed. “Laura was here,” she said. “Ran into these two.”

“What two?” Nathan asked.

Kelsey came out of the other room, tears on her cheeks, and a hand on her protruding belly. “Riley and I,” she said softly. “Hi Nathan.”

Nathan rubbed his forehead. “No wonder she went ballistic,” he said softly.

“Laura had no right to say anything to Kelsey that would hurt her,” Riley said.

Nathan narrowed his eyes at the man. “No right?” he asked. “Riley you are damn lucky I have this uniform on or I would pound your ass into the pavement for how you treated Laura.”

“Not to mention someone outta pop ya like you did Laura and give you a fat lip,” Buck said angrily. He would be angry with any man for hitting a woman, but Laura was also his friend.

Riley narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn´t dare,” he said.

Kenin looked at them. “I said enough, all right?” she said.

“Riley, I think it best if we go back to mom´s house,” Kelsey said stepping forward.

“Listen to your wife Riley,” Nathan said with a sneer. He ignored the two people and looked at Kenin. “Where did Laura go?” he asked.

Kenin sighed. “I though I saw her head to the Standish Grille,” she said.

Nathan rubbed at his forehead. “Buck, will you let Chris know what´s goin´ on?” he asked.

Buck nodded. “I will too,” Kenin said.

Nathan nodded to them both. “Thanks,” he said. He turned and left the clinic, not glancing at either Kelsey or Riley as he walked across the street as Rafe was coming out.

“I was just coming to get you,” Rafe said. “Laura´s getting pretty schnokered.”

Nathan shook his head a bit. “Dammit,” he said, walking faster. When he walked into the Grille, he was not expecting to see Laura sitting on the floor, a bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand, lifting it to her lips and taking a good swig. He walked over, his heart aching at the sight of her. “Laura, come on, time to go home,” he said.

Laura looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot. “No,” she said. “I´m not done.”

Nathan knelt beside her. “I say you are pretty well pickled, Eeyore,” he said.

Laura looked at him more. “You haven´t called me that in a long time,” she said.

Nathan took her hands and helped her stand, extracting the bottle of Jack Daniels from her hand. “It´s been awhile since I bought you anything of Eeyore too,” he said softly. Laura adored Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, and had for such a long time that Nathan had taken to calling her Eeyore and buying her things with Eeyore on them.

Laura looked at him her eyes getting glassy. “Nathan, I--,” she started. She never finished what she was going to say as she passed out. Nathan caught her easily. He nodded to Rafe and some of the others that had taken to making sure Laura didn´t do something completely irrational, and he headed out to his truck.

“She gonna be okay?” Buck asked opening Nathan´s passenger door to let the other man put Laura in.

“Hopefully. Seein´ them couldn´t have helped any,” Nathan said.

“Bet not,” Buck said. “Look, why don´t you get her home and take care of her, Kenin´s already called Chris and I´ll make sure he knows too what´s goin´ on.”

Nathan nodded. “Thanks Buck,” he said. Nathan got in his truck and headed back to Laura´s ranch. Once he got there he quickly explained to Nick what happened, then too Laura to her room and put her to bed. He then pulled over a chair and settled in to keep on eye on her throughout the night.

**

Laura´s eyes popped open the next morning. Immediately her stomach rolled and she flew out of her bed and to the bathroom. Nathan jerked awake when he heard the retching coming from the other room. He rose and walked in, looking down at Laura´s heaving form. He knelt beside her and pulled her dark hair back and off of her face. He gently rubbed her back as she relieved her stomach of the liquor she had consumed the night before. “You okay?” Nathan asked as she calmed down.

Laura put a shaky hand to her forehead. “No,” she whispered. “I saw--.”

Nathan rose getting a damp wash cloth. He knelt beside her again and wiped off her face. “I know,” he said. “I saw them too.”

Laura looked at him. She rose shakily walking to her sink. “I thought I was over him,” she said softly.

Nathan watched her. “You are, but it´s not easy to see what became of them,” he said. “I´ve been over Kelsey for awhile now, and it hurt me to see her.”

Laura brushed her teeth then rinsed her mouth. She looked at Nathan, tears on her cheeks. “They´re married,” she whispered. “They´re… a baby…”

Nathan walked over to her, but she shook her head and walked past him into her room. “It was supposed to be me,” Laura whispered laying on her bed. Sobs racked her tiny frame.

Nathan bit down on the anger and heartache that rose in his chest as he walked over. “There´s someone else that loves you even more, Laura,” he said softly, sitting on the bed, rubbing her back.

Laura´s voice was muffled as she spoke. “Who? Nathan no man could ever love me,” she sobbed.

“I love you,” he said.

“You´re my best friend, you´re supposed to,” Laura said sitting up, wiping her tears away, more falling even still.

Nathan shook his head. “No Laura,” he said softly. “I mean I am in love with you.”

Laura stared at him. “Don´t tease me Nathan,” she whispered. “Don´t--.” Nathan´s lips on hers cut her off.

Nathan gently teased the skin of her lips with his tongue, his hands coming up to caress her cheeks gently. He broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers. “I´m not teasing,” he whispered. “I love you, Laura. I have for awhile. We are meant to be together, not you and Riley or me and Kelsey.”

Laura reached up to place her palm against his cheek. “Nathan,” she whispered.

“You don´t have to love me back right away,” Nathan whispered. “You don´t even have to love me, if you don´t I understand and I still want to be--.”

“Doc, shut up and kiss me,” Laura said.

Nathan looked at her. “I ain´t--,” he started.

“No doctor, yes I know, but I had to get your attention some way,” she said with a soft smile. “Kiss me.” Nathan grinned. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her deeply, holding her close. After a moment, Laura broke the kiss to take in a shuddering breath. “Where does this leave us?” she asked softly.

“I can´t let you go Laura,” he said. “You´re my best friend and I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone.”

“I don´t want to lose our friendship,” Laura said. “What if this doesn´t work?”

“Do you want this?” Nathan asked. “Do you want us?”

“Yes, but what if--,” she started.

“We´ll take things slow. One day at a time,” he said softly. “We can make this work out. But we will always be friends.”

Laura looked into his eyes. “I love you,” she said softly. Nathan gently kissed her in response, cradling her close, never intending to let her go.

.