AN - Happy birthday Zen. Birthday Rade one shot. I own nothing please support the official release.

"Stupid Sizowitz, stupid school, stupid Shapiro, stupid baby," groaned out Jade who was stretched out across her own black couch. Sitting at her desk typing up their journal for the day was Robbie who frowned at the mention of his name. He understood her anguish but to blame him wasn't cool. Before he could voice this Jade picked up her pillow and screamed into it. Shaking his head he sighed and went back to his work.

"Journal entry day six, baby Harrison cried for most of the night. Daddy took over this time, for the fourth night, taking care of the duties. Cradling and taking care of the baby was hard but after several hours he finally went to bed." Robbie said while he wrote.

"Stop it," Jade shouted throwing the pillow across the room at him. Hanging out with her for almost a week Robbie had grown accustomed to Jade's behaviors and ducked right before pillow slammed into his face.

"Hit me once shame on you, hit me twice shame on me," he said remembering the first night he had stayed over. There was nothing romantic about it at all, just an assignment for school. Sikowitz had gotten together with the sexual education teacher and convinced him that it would be a good acting lesson if the class, divided into pairs, acted like real parents to a sack of flour. Of course with it being Sikowitz it couldn't be a normal sack of flour, that would be too easy. Instead each one had a device in it like those electronic pets that were all the craze a few years ago. Not only could it tell when it needed to be fed or changed but it cried as well, and not only a normal baby cry but a Sikowitz pretending to be a baby cry. It was the worse thing in the world but it kept everyone from just ignoring the thing.

"Stop calling it Harrison, stop monologing out loud your thoughts. For the past week I have gone from tolerating you to dangerously close to liking Vega over you," Jade snapped. If this was day one when Rex was still around, he decided to stay home once he saw there really was a wood chipper in the backyard of Jade's, he probably would have apologized and just took the coward's way out. However for the past week they had spent so much time together that Robbie ended up gaining some of her ways, including a back bone.

"Shut up Jade," he snapped back slamming the laptop close and walking over to her, towering over her. "I have taken your abuse for the last time West, I know that us working together wasn't the ideal situation considering that were barely stand each other. Or should I say you only," using air quotes, "tolerate me but it's an assignment. Something we have to do for class and I'm quite sick of doing all the work, writing all the journals, taking care of our kid. While you lie around and do nothing at all, it's crap and I'm fed up with it. Either you sit down at that computer and write up the rest of today's assignment or I'm walking out of here."

Jade was speechless, despite what she had said she had grown to more then tolerate Robbie in the past few days. Outside of school she came to see who Robbie really was, a kind, caring friend. The first night they had stayed over at his house and for the first time she saw his room and it was pretty cool. His walls were splashed with pictures of everyone from the gang, groups, individuals, ones with him in them and ones without him. She had made a snide comment about how poor Rex was doing and he just made a one off comment on how he was like a bear in the sense that he was hibernating. That was when she got the impression that his school persona was the same as his home one. The same passive kid that she knew she could bully into doing most if not all of the work, all she had to do was hang out with him. She knew that Robbie wouldn't tell on her but if any one else from their gang found out she'd be in trouble for sure. However something happened that first night that made her see him in a whole new light.

FBFBFBFBFBFB

Fumbling with his keys as Jade stood impatiently behind him holding their child poorly in her hands, in fact the baby was starting to lose some of it's innards. Spinning quickly, his legs twisted together as he spun and tumbled onto the ground all while Jade laughed above him. Pulling himself up he blushed slightly apologizing and taking the baby out of her hands and holding it upright.

"Come on Jade, at least try to act like a good parent."

"It's not like it's real Shapiro, let's just get this over with." She started to push her way in yet that first spark of defiance in Robbie pushed out and he pushed the door close. Leaning in close she saw a sort of glint in his eyes, where was this confidence coming from and why was she suddenly feeling so flushed.

"Look my dad's home, probably passed out on the couch in front of the TV so we go to my room quietly and not wake him or else."

She almost asked him or else what but instead just nodded. Slowly pulling open the door he led her inside and halfway up the stairs before a voice cut through the silence.

"Is she an escort Robert? Because I know you couldn't get a real girl into your room unless you paid for it and you don't have that kind of money," the voice was sharp, coming from his father's form. In a way it sort of sounded like something Rex would say.

"School project dad," he said softly then louder.

"Whatever, make yourself useful and get your old man another beer."

"First door on the left," he whispered to Jade handing her the baby, "Just don't spill anything I don't want to fail on day one."

Nodding she had gone into his room setting the baby down on his desk and waited, for the longest time she wondered if something happened to him. While she waited she considered that there actually was someone else in their gang who had worse parents then she had. A soft creek drew her from her thoughts and she turned to see Robbie slink in, his unruly mop was draped down and covered his right eye. Walking over to him she raised her hand and brushed away the hair, her breath hitching in her throat as she saw the darkening mark around his eye. Pulling away he went over to his computer and sat down.

"How about for the rest of the week we do this at my house," she suggested and he nodded darkly not saying more then a few words the rest of the day. Deciding to play it cool, and at the same time making it so he did most of the work, Jade was able to get more information out of Robbie. When he was twelve his mother lost the battle to lung cancer even though she wasn't a smoker, this drove him to depression and his dad to drinking. Robbie told her that he had a system to keep his dad calm and for the most part it worked, at the same time he had a countdown clock next to his bed and accidently let it spill that on the nights he couldn't sleep he'd jus stare at it and watch it go down.

"What does it countdown to?" she asked him on day four.

"When I turn eighteen," he said with that goofy smile that she was starting to like to see and that had been confusing her. She was still broken up with Beck and it seemed like they weren't getting back together despite those rumors and video compilations on the Slap, it seemed some students thought she and Beck made the perfect couple. During the entire break up she was so focused on what he was doing, who he was going to be dating that she wasn't really thinking about herself. On the night of the fifth day they were eating out at a restaurant, as per the assignment for the day, a family outing, and Jade found herself thoroughly enjoying Robbie's company and conversation.

"Only two more days and then the baby goes off to boarding school or something," Robbie mused spearing a piece of pasta from Chester's Grove.

"It's been five days, why are you still wanting to annoy me by calling it a person, it's a bag of flour"

"I know what it is Jade," he said annoyed and set down his fork, "Look just like I know Rex isn't a real person you still get attached to things and well I've become attached to baby Harrison here."

She didn't know why she did it but the old Robbie pushed back and she was suddenly very annoyed. Annoyed at his outlook on life, on his mention of Rex, of how easy it was for her and others to tease him so without warning she reached over and smacked his soda glass which spilled across the table landing on both him and the bag of flour. Indignated, he rose from the table, grabbed the bag and stormed off to the bathroom. Following him she found herself smiling as he went into the unisex bathroom that had the changing table in it. Taking a deep breath she forced her way in coming in backwards.

"Look Shapiro I'm sorry I did that, I was just," she said turning to face him and she involuntarily gasped. He wasn't facing her but his shirt was off so she could clearly see the bruises and scars that were healing on his back. In a daze she went to him and spun him around. As he gapped and gasped trying to form words to say about this intrusion Jade merely ran her fingers across Robbie's baby abs tracing the welts and bruises,

"Sometimes he gets mad and just needs someone to lash out at," he said softly.

"Like me? Is that why you let me tease you so mercilessly?"

"It's nice in a way, I pretend," he started but shut up. Looking up at him and glowering she regretted it instantly as she saw the hurt and pain in his eyes. Softening up she, fluid but still shaky, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. For a few moments she just held him but soon his own equally shaky hands came up and snaked around her.

She was certain that it was that moment last night when she saw the real, real Robbie that she fell in love with him. No matter how much she told her mind and her heart that it couldn't be she couldn't help but smile when she watched him and now here he was, towering over him with a look of confidence that hadn't yet wavered. Getting up on her knees she did something unexpected for both of them, she sat up and kissed him. Instantly she was hit with a wave of happiness that she never felt before, a fact that was intensified when she noticed that he was kissing her back, his hands had gone up to her head and ran through her hair. Pulling back a little she rested her forehead on his.

"What are we doing?"

"I have no idea," Robbie said tilting her head again to catch her lips with his again.

"I hate you," she said between kisses.

"I know," he said not showing any sign of slowing, in fact climbing over the couch and coming down next to her instead. Before he could lay down with her she broke away and stumbled off the couch. Standing and straightening her dress she walked over to the laptop and sat down. Robbie also sat up, his fingers went to his lips before he flipped over onto the couch, his hands behind his head. He watched her type a few lines before asking.

"Jade, what does this mean?"

Instead of answering him she finished typing and sat back, reading it out loud.

"Day five, after an insane dinner last night mommy and daddy were at wits end, Divorce was definitely in the future and with their previous track record daddy would probably get full custody. However the next day in a burst of confidence display daddy confronted mommy about why she was acting this way. The truth of the matter was that mommy saw a new side of daddy, it was then that she knew that she was in love with daddy and knew that she had to at least try to make this work, for the baby."

While she read what she wrote Robbie had sat up, stunned at this confession.

"Are you making a joke and calling me the mommy?" he asked getting a laugh from Jade as she came over to the couch and sat down next to him. Instead of replying she threw herself at him, hugging him close and laying there with him.

"What are we doing?" he asked her and she raised her head from where it rested on his chest and looking into his eyes.

"I have no idea," she whispered before kissing him again and resting her head back down on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

Monday they stood in front of the class together going over their experience with the flour baby. The room fell silent as Jade finished reading Thursday's journal entry since she left it the way it was. The silence was broken as Rex asked if Robbie was the mommy in that sense and everyone laughed. Jade included but it wasn't missed that she reached out and took the reddening Robbie's hand, giving it a squeeze. The teacher clapped for them and the rest of the class started up with him.

"You two did and excellent job, I admit I didn't like that you did most of the work Mr Shapiro for the most of the week but it looks like you and Jade bonded and really drew everything together in the end so you both get an A"

None of their friends were in their health class and they were surprised as Jade and Robbie came up to their lockers. Jade had mellowed out at little and Robbie had gained confidence but both of them tensed up as Beck approached them. For a second they started at each other without saying a word, finally before Jade could speak Beck piped up.

"You two balance each other out, it's weird but in a way it fits. Are you two happy?"

Jade and Robbie exchange glanced, without emotion on their faces, Jade smiled a thin smile and Robbie broke out into a huge grin. Leaning down he kissed her gently and she returned the favor, pulled back once they heard Beck laughing.

"I'm happy for both of you," Beck started but Sikowitz came up to them in the hall, "Drive by acting?" he asked the weird teacher noticing that the man had his hands behind his back. Shaking his head at the happy couple he smiled and thrust a bag into Robbie's hands. Looking into the back Robbie's smile faltered. Jade took a peek and groaned.

"Oh come on Sikowitz, you cant be serious."

"Congratulations, twins."