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Chapter Forty-Four

Lindsey knocked softly at the bathroom door not sure what he was doing or
why. Willow and Cordelia stood nervously behind him waiting for the blonde
witch to answer, he knocked again, "Who is it?" Douglass's muffled voice came
from behind the door.

"Douglass, it's me, Lindsey."

"Come in." Lindsey looked behind him at the two girls wondering what was
going on, turning back to the door he opened it slowly almost expecting to
get jumped once he got inside. Douglass was the only person in the room, and
she was sitting on the side of the tub, her arms wrapped protectively around
her stomach.

"You wanted to see me." Lindsey approached the blonde cautiously. Taking in
her teary eyes and the tension in her body.

Douglass's gaze skipped to him back to the bathroom counter that she was
staring at intently. "What time is it?"

"Three-ten." Lindsey checked his Rolex.

""Four more minutes." Douglass nodded. Lindsey stood waiting for some kind of
answer but Douglass stayed quiet except for her deep breathing. Walking over
to the counter he tried to locate what would have the blonde in such a mood,
skimming over the usual paraphernalia his eyes rested on a pregnancy test.
His blood ran cold.

"What is this?" Lindsey demanded his eyes unable to leave the test.

"Our possible future." Douglass paled even more.

Lindsey felt his stomach lurch as the implications sunk in, test equaled
possible baby that equaled him daddy. His palms started to sweat as he stood
there staring, his breathing matched hers as he watched the test. "What are
we looking for?"

"Plus we're having a baby, minus we escape the bullet."

Lindsey stared at the test his mind in shock. Too much was happening at once.
He was stressed this morning when he woke up knowing he had no job. Would
soon have Wolfram and Hart chasing after him, stopping only when his blood
poured from his dead body. He was surrounded by people that only days ago he
was convinced he despised. And a women who he loved that could barely look at
him, all because he was one hanious jackass.

A child. Who was he kidding, if Douglass was pregnant the child deserved a
father that hadn't done so many evil and vile things. How could he be
expected to take such a purely innocent and help raise it. Even from his own
upbringing Lindsey really couldn't say he had a great experience to recall
from.

A child. And lets not forget the lifestyles we lead aren't the safest for a
child. And money, he just walked away from his life, with out thinking what
was going to happen the next day. Yesturday he had only himself to worry
about. Now he might have Douglass and a baby to have to think of as well.
Well its not as though they were poor, like he had been growing up. And
Douglass wasn't some suicidal drunk. She would make a wonderful Mother, not
like his. And anyone could be a better father than his own. Didn't he swear
years ago, before he was warped by Wolfram and Hart, that he would one day be
the best Daddy in the world? It seemed lifetimes ago when he had made that
promise to himself.

<Breathe Linds. There isn't anything you can do now but sit and wait.>
Lindsey sat next to Douglass, not having the words he wished he could speak
to make the anxiety they both felt go away.

Taking her hand in his he felt a tad calmer. He could do this, if Douglass
was pregnant he was going to be the best damned father any child could ever
wish for. "Do you know that I'm here for you?"

"Do you know that you didn't have much of a choice?" Douglass answered back
squeezing his hand as Lindsey let out a soft chuckle.

"So..."

"So..." Lindsey stood to find out his future.
***********************

"Move! I can't hear." Cordy pushed Gunn aside and pushed her ear closer to
the door. "I can't hear a thing they're saying."

"No you wouldn't over your blathering." Spike growled. "I have super hearing
and can't hear those two over your yapping."

Aria pinched Spike's arm to silence him.

"Shh I think I heard something." Willow whispered.

"Honey, that would be me." Five sets of eyes turned to see Angel leaning back
against the couch watching in amusement. "Have any of you heard of privacy?"

"Are you new?" Cordy sniffed turning back to the door. "We have eight, no
scratch that, seven people, two vamps, an ex evil lawyer and three guests all
under one roof. Do you *think* there's any privacy?"

Willow blushed as Angel cocked his eyebrows. Leaving the others she joined
him near the couch. "So have you talked to Buffy?"

"Haven't had time. Wesley has found something and I still don't have a clue
what I should say to her." Angel reached out and tucked a fiery lock behind
Willow's ear, staring at her lips, Angel would die a happy man if he could
just have a taste of them right that moment.

"Well, seems those two have finally done something about their raging
hormones." Spike quipped staring at the couple who was oblivious to anyone
else.

"Think he's taken that soul for a test drive yet?" Gunn winked at the blonde
vamp.

"Hello again with the no privacy. Don't you all think that we would know if
they had sex?" Cordy scuffed.

"Pet, Im positive that there is stuff that goes on under this roof that not
even you know about." Spike leaned closer to Cordy issuing a challenge.

"Maybe," Cordy smirked back."But we *all* know about what you and Aria did
today." Crossing her arms over her chest she revealed in the shocked looks on
Spike and Aria's faces.

"The vents in this place let us hear *everything* and I do mean
*everything*." With a smile and a wink Cordy walked past the couple finally
able to put Spike in his place.