"Where's Aileen at, Brian?" Kevin had been watching out the window, expecting her to return that night.

"She's staying at a friends, Kevin. I didn't think it was a good idea for her to come back here after your little outburst." Brian replied, quietly.

Kevin started pacing the room. "I'm not gonna hurt her, you know."

Brian sat on the sofa and watched his cousin. "You already hurt her, man. She hates your guts right now and probably doesn't care if she ever sees you again."

Kevin sank down beside Brian and put his hands to his head. "I've been so mixed up since I found out about all this, Bri. I don't know what to feel. I love her, but.."

"You sure have a funny way of showing it, cuz." Brian said. "What's making you act this way?"

"The day I left the hospital Aileen wanted to visit with Nick while I finished packing. I was done and the doc gave me the final checkup, so I headed down to Nick's room. She was just leaning in for a kiss and I heard Nick tell her that he loves her. He said he was sorry I got her first." Kevin had begun to cry.

"Did you ever think she was just giving him a kiss, like a friend? She's known Nick a long time and they are friends, she cares about him." Brian put an arm around Kevin's shoulders. "If you love her, I think you have to act better than you have been and apologize to her, or she's gone."

Aileen sat on the bed in the spare room and surveyed her surroundings. A small part of her wondered how much of Nick's money had gone into furnishing this place. "How did I get here?" she asked herself. "Other than with Kevin, I think this might possibly be the last place I'd want to be." She started getting ready for bed and wondered how Nick was coping. His mom hadn't made an appearance since Kevin's announcement. "I bet this is the last place Jane wants me too!" Aileen smiled ruefully.

Just as she was settling into bed, Aaron bounded into the room. "Hi 'Leen!" he hollered and gave her a huge kiss.

"Hi buddy boy!" she ruffled his hair and gave him a hug.

"Are you going to marry Nick?" Aileen stared at Aaron.

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Well, Kevin said you were having Nick's baby and Nick's crying that he loves you. Soooo, are you gonna be my sister?"

She continued to stare at him in amazement, how could he know so much about what's going on?

"Nick's crying?" she asked, finally.

"Yeah, he keeps telling mom that he loves you so much and this just ruins everything, that you'll never talk to him again. You still like Nick, don't you?"

"Of course, I do Aaron, I'll always like Nick, and you..." she started tickling him.

Just as Aileen had gotten to sleep, there was a small tap on the bedroom door. She sleepily rubbed her eyes and looked at the clock. 3am?

"Who's there?"

she called out, groggily. The door opened slowly and Nick was standing there, shadowed in the doorway.

"Nick?"

She sat up and told him to come in the room.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Nick, I'm sure, we need to talk to each other." She looked at the clock again and rolled her eyes. "Now's a good a time as any." He came over and stood beside the bed, she patted the mattress and asked him to sit down.

"It's really true?" Nick asked her. "It's my baby?"

She nodded and reached over to hug him. "I'm so sorry Nick. After all you had been through, I could never find the right time to tell you, and then you had to have the surgery."

"Kevin's not too pleased, huh?" he looked at the floor.

"No, but he had a lot to deal with all at once, it might take him awhile to process all the information." She put her hand under Nick's chin and tipped his face up. "I don't hate you Nick."

He took her hand and held it tight. "Thank you, 'Leen, that means a lot to me."

Aileen was just about to say something when she felt a small twinge. "Do you want to feel your baby?" she asked him. Nick looked at her curiously. "Here." She took his hand and placed it on her belly. "He's just starting to move around." she told him. "He's advanced for his age!"

Nick smiled. "Do you know it's a boy?"

"No, it's just easier than calling him an it all the time." Nick gave her a hug. "I'd like you to be involved, Nick, as much as you want to be."

Nick looked at her in the moonlight for a moment and then leaned over and kissed her on the lips. When she didn't resist, he kissed her longer and deeper. Aileen pushed him back, gently.

"Nick, I think..." Nick sat back and grabbed her hands.

"I love you, 'Leen. I meant what I said at the hospital. I love you with all my heart. I want us to be together." With that he stood up and left the room.