A/N - This is a story I started on summer holidays last year, but I'm just publishing it now. Hope you enjoy it! (Disclaimer - I do not own any characters, or anything. I'm not getting any money for this either.)

CHAPTER ONE -

Riley pulled himself up off the couch and went into the kitchen. He opened the cupboards, to see what he had to eat. There was very little that he actually wanted.

Ben and Abi had been gone a grand total of three days, and at first, he was having fun.

He could put the music or TV up as loud as he wanted, eat and drink whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. And basically do whatever he pleased.

But now, he was getting kind of lonely.

He grabbed a bag of gummi bears from his secret stash of candy and a can of pop from the fridge. Then, he went back to watch TV, making a mental note to go shopping for groceries later.

A second after he sat down, the telephone rang. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Riley. It's me." Ben!

"Hey Ben! What's up? Are you guys having a good time?" Riley asked.

"It's great here. Hot and sunny." Ben and Abi were spending two weeks in Florida, while Riley was looking after the house back in DC. "How's the weather back home?"

"Oh you know. Snowing." Riley told him, unenthusiastically. But they both knew that Riley really loved the snow.

"That's good." Ben replied. "I bought your Christmas present today. You're really going to like it."

"Awesome." Riley said. That was another thing he had to go shopping for. Ben and Abi were getting back only a few days before Christmas.

After he spoke with Ben, Abi came on, and told him how much she missed him.

"I miss you too Abigail." Riley assured her, rolling his eyes. He thought it was funny how it had only been a couple nights, and she was already missing him.

But after he hung up, he felt a bit empty. He really did miss his friends too. After a few minutes of sitting there in silence, he decided he would go shopping for groceries now, while the stores were still open.

At least that way he would have some human interaction. Even if it was only with the cashier.

He grabbed his coat and ventured out into the freezing cold evening.

At the grocery store, he reminded himself to pick up some healthy food too, not just junk food. He would eventually want something substantial to eat.

So, he got bread, milk, cheese, eggs, chocolate milk, frozen pizza, and few other things. He wasn't really used to shopping for himself. As pathetic as it was, Abi did most of their shopping.

It was completely dark by the time he was driving home, even though it was only 7:30. Snow had begun to fall again, and visibility of the roads was decreasing.

It seemed like no one was driving that night, and it was creepy how quiet and empty the streets were. So Riley drove a bit faster, wanting to get home. However, he soon found himself fighting for control of the car.

He gripped the steering wheel, and slammed on the brakes. But the car skidded on the ice and spun out of control.

Suddenly, the car was lying on it's side, in a snow filled ditch. Riley sat there in shock for a minute before he unbuckled his seatbelt and awkwardly climbed out of the vehicle.

He stepped back onto the road and took a look at the damage.

"Well this sucks." He muttered, hugging himself to keep warm. The snow was falling pretty heavily, and the only light came from the orange glow of the nearby street lamp.

His beautiful car was a wreck. And he didn't have a flashlight or his cell phone, or anything with him. All he could do was wait by the side of the road for a car to drive by.

He stood leaning against the lamp post for what felt like an hour before he finally saw faint headlights up the road.

"Hey!" Riley yelled. He stepped out into the middle of the road, waving his arms madly to get the attention of the driver.

Much to his relief, the driver of the car slowed and rolled down the window.

"Can I help you?" The person asked. It was a woman with curly red hair. Her eyes were puffy, and red. She seemed to have been cry, which took Riley by surprise.

"Uhm, yes. Please. As you can see I have had a bit of an accident." Riley gestured to the ditch. She looked past him at the wrecked vehicle.

"Oh my." She said. "Are you alright."

Riley nodded. "I'm fine. I was just wondering if you had a phone I could borrow. You know, so I can call a tow truck?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have my phone with me. And anyway, I don't think a tow truck would come. It's pretty hard to drive in this weather." She told him.

Riley laughed wearily. "You're telling me." He said. She smiled.

"Well, if you want me to, I could give you a ride home. Where are you heading?"

Riley's eyes lit up. "I actually live just about ten minutes from here." She unlocked the door and opened it for him.

He paused, looking back at his car, which was quickly gathering snow on top of it.

"It will still be here tomorrow." The driver said. "You can call the tow truck then."

Riley nodded and got in the car. He took off his toque and ran a hand through his hair. When he brought his hand back, there was some blood on it.

"You have a cut on your forehead." The woman said, letting her eyes momentarily leave the road.

"Oh. I must've hit my head when the car went off the road. It's okay, though. It doesn't hurt."

After a few moments of silence, Riley spoke again.

"I really appreciate this. Not many people would give a total stranger a ride. Especially at night." He wanted to add 'especially a woman', but he was afraid of sounding sexist.

"Well," the lady said with a sigh. "I guess it takes a lot to scare me." She half smiled sadly, and for a second, Riley thought she might cry again.

And then there was crying, but it was not coming from the driver.

Riley turned to see a baby strapped into a carrier in the back seat.

"It's okay sweetheart." The baby's mother said, watching her child in the rear view mirror. "Don't cry, mommy's here."

Riley turned in his seat and gently rocked the carrier. The baby stopped crying.

"He's really cute." Riley commented.

"Thank you." The mother said. "So I turn up here?" She asked.

"Yep." Riley confirmed. They were almost back at the mansion now.

Riley looked back at the baby. He was adorable.

"How old is he?" He asked.

"Three months." The mother said. Riley let the baby curl it's little fingers around his. Part of him wished that he were a father sometimes.

"Do you have kids?" The woman asked.

"No." Riley replied.

"Too bad. You seem to be very good with them." She said. Riley blushed a little.

"Wow. Nice place." The woman said, pulling up to the mansion.

"Thanks." Riley said, grinning. He didn't bother to mention that it didn't really belong to him.

"And thanks so much for the ride. I wish there was some way I could pay you back."

"It was nothing. And if I think of a way you can repay me, I know where you live."

Riley laughed.

"Well, thanks again. Have a good night." He turned again and gave a little wave to the infant. "Bye bye baby." He stepped out of the car into the cold. He headed inside and the car pulled out of sight.

The second he got back inside, he smiled to himself. It was warm, and he was glad to be home.

Then he thought back to his car. The smile disappeared.

He swore loudly, and the curse echoed in the empty house. He went into the kitchen, planning to fix himself a later dinner. Food always made him feel better.

Then he remembered his groceries were in his car. In the ditch.

He slapped his forehead in anguish, and cringed. He'd forgotten about the cut. He went to the washroom and bandaged it. Despite the fact that it was barely 9 o'clock, he decided to just go to bed. He was exhausted.

Very early the next morning, he awoke to the sound of the doorbell ringing urgently. He groaned, wishing whoever was there would just go away. But they didn't. The ringing persisted.

So, he threw on his hoodie over his pyjama t-shirt, and looked out the bedroom window. There was a black car parked in the drive. He sauntered downstairs to see who was there.

"Coming!" He yelled. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, the ringing stopped, and as he got to the door, he saw through the window the car pull out and book it down the street.

He caught a glimpse of the driver before they were gone. Whoever it was had red hair, and for a moment, Riley thought it was the lady who had driven him home the night before.

He slipped on some shoes, and opened the door, to see if he could be sure who it was before they were too far down the road. As he stepped outside, he nearly tripped over a cardboard box that was right in front of the door. Riley didn't remember that being there the night before.

There was a letter taped on top. He pulled it off and read it quickly.

"I've thought of a way you can repay me. Please take care of him", it said.

Riley, confused, glanced down at the box. 'Him'?

He slowly lifted back the flaps of the box, and his heart dropped. To his horror, there was a baby inside. The baby looked up at him.

"Glahhh!" It squealed. Riley stared at the baby, stunned beyond belief. What was he supposed to do now?

A/N: What do you think? I should have the next chapter up soon, but exams are coming, and you know how it is. Please R/R!