A/N: thanks for the reviews guys! here is chapter 3 as you demand! enjoy and please leave a review

Chapter 3

Jo slammed the bathroom door behind her as fast as she could. She'd practically ninja-ed her way into the house that afternoon to avoid Ellie or Tyler seeing the bag in her hand. She pulled out the small box and read over the small sheet of instructions before getting down to business.

Fifteen minutes later she was pacing the small tile floor. She peeked over at the stick which was still blank.

Please be negative…please be negative….please be negative… She prayed.

It had been hard enough the last couple of weeks without adding another thing to her 'my-life-is-a-living-hell' plate. This wouldn't just add to it; it'd break her completely.

Whoever said 'silence is golden' had never gotten the silent treatment from Mac Taylor. Jo was handling it though. She could handle him blatantly ignoring her. She could handle him speaking less than two words to her a week. She could handle him giving her the third degree.

What Jo Danville could not handle was being pregnant with Mac Taylor's baby.

She looked over at the stick again and slowly a symbol appeared.

Negative…negative…negative… She hoped harder as she crossed her fingers and shut her eyes.

When Jo opened her eyes a tiny, pink plus sign stared back at her.

Positive? This can't be happening…this isn't happening…let me read those instructions again…

Jo snatched up the small sheet and read it over again; minus equals not pregnant, plus equals…

God, why? What did I ever do to deserve this? What am I gonna do? How am I going to tell Mac? Oh, God no. I can't tell him. I can't…why me?

Jo slid down the door of the bathroom. She tried hard to mask her quiet sobbing as she stared into the darkness of her arms.

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.

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"Jo, where'd you go? We were worried about you when you ran out today." Lindsay's panicked voice said through Jo's cell phone.

After her emotional breakdown in the bathroom, Jo locked herself in her bedroom. She emptied her body of every last tear possible before falling asleep. It was late into the night before she woke up and not once did Jo think about calling work to let them know she was okay. She would have had to call Mac and Jo just wasn't in the mood for that conversation.

At least Lindsay still cared about her whereabouts. "I'm…fine. I just felt sick."

"Are you okay? Do you want me to come over?" Lindsay was already rising out of her bed.

"Linds, it's almost midnight. I'm fine."

Jo's voice was monotone and Lindsay could tell she was trying hard to hide whatever emotions she was feeling. "Jo, what's wrong? Are you sure you're okay?"

Jo pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm fine, Lindsay. Good night." She promptly hung up the phone. Jo pulled her knees up on the couch and buried her head in her arms again. Giant tears rolled down her cheeks and Jo covered her mouth as loud sobs escaped her.

"Mom?" Ellie asked gently. She was awakened by the sound of her mother sobbing loudly. Ellie had only seen her mom cry twice, maybe three, times in her entire life so this had to be something important.

Hearing her child awake, Jo frantically wiped at her eyes. She turned to Ellie with a weak and fake smile. "Oh, hi sweetheart. I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Ellie came around the couch and sat as near to Jo as possible. She looked up into her glazed brown eyes and frowned. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Jo stared at her a moment with the same plastered on smile. As much as she wanted to be strong for her daughter, for herself, she couldn't. In a second she broke down in tears again and covered her face with her hands. Though a bit startled, Ellie put her arm around her and hugged her tight. She didn't know why her mom was so upset and she honestly didn't care at the moment. All she knew was Jo was hurting and she needed comforting.

"I'm sorry, Ellie…" Jo mumbled. She tried wiping the tears away but they continued to roll down her face.

"It's okay." Ellie said not having a clue what Jo was apologizing for. Once again she didn't really care. She just wanted her mom to smile again. "What's wrong?"

A shaky chuckle escaped Jo. "Everything…" Jo brought her head up and untangled Ellie's arms from around her waist. She moved to the far end of the couch and Ellie cuddled in close in her lap. Jo wrapped her arms around her and kissed her head. "Promise me you'll never fall in love…"

"Um, no…that makes for a very boring life." Jo giggled and hugged Ellie tighter. "Is that why you're crying?"

There was a moment's silence and Ellie thought Jo would break down in tears again. Instead Jo's voice stayed low and calm. "Yeah…I just…I don't know what to do."

"For one thing you could stop over thinking this…" Ellie's head looked up to see the confused and cautious gaze of Jo. Ellie continued to clarify. "This is about love and love is simple."

"Honey, love isn't as simple as you think."

"Mom, love isn't as complicated as you make it." Jo was about to retaliate but she honestly wanted to hear where her daughter was going with this. "Why do adults think love is so hard? That it's only about heartache and heartbreak and loneliness and crying your eyes out all the time? That's not love. I don't know what that is but it has no business being related to love."

"And how would you know so much about love? You're thirteen."

"Age is but a number, my dear mother." Ellie and Jo giggled. "You think I don't know anything about being in a relationship, which I don't, but I do know what love is. Love isn't different whether it's between a mother and a daughter, a brother and a sister, or a man and a woman. Love is a bond between people; where both can't stand to be without the other, and both want to protect the other, and both want to give the world to each other. How is that complicated? You make it so hard because you're afraid."

That hit a nerve. Jo shifted behind Ellie and tightened her hold around her.

"You're afraid of getting hurt, or losing him, or him not feeling the same, or whatever goes on in your weird adult brain. Stop being afraid and be in love. Hate isn't the opposite of love; fear is. It's keeping you from going after what you really want and need."

How was it that a thirteen year old knew more about love than a grown woman? Along with Ellie's advice, Jo pondered this question. She had to admit Ellie was right. She was afraid; of losing Mac, of him not loving her anymore, of trying a relationship with him only for it to fail. She'd been playing the 'what if' game about them for months now.

"It's Mac, isn't it?" Ellie said when Jo had been quiet for too long. When Jo responded with silence, Ellie took it as a 'yes'. "I knew it! From the second I met him that day at the lab, I knew you liked him." The child turned in her position to face Jo whose fake smile had become a very real, very wide one.

"Yes…how do you know so much?"

"Because I take after my mama and my mama is a genius," Ellie leaned forward and pecked Jo on the cheek. "And you knew this too, you just didn't want to admit it."

"Yeah…sure…"

"Mom, you're doing it again; doubting yourself. You're never going to get Mac if you keep thinking you don't deserve him; you do. And he deserves you. Now stop being a bunch of idiot adults and tell the man you love him." With another peck on the cheek, Ellie rose off the couch. "I'm going back to bed. If Mac isn't here tomorrow afternoon when I get home from school you're going to be in serious trouble young lady."

Jo chuckled as she watched Ellie walk back to her room. Ellie was right in every sense of the word. Jo was afraid and fearful. How could she tell her boss she loved him? It didn't even sound right when she said it in her head; I love you, Mac. Okay, it did sound right. It sounded perfect and beautiful and truthful. Why couldn't she say it? Why did she have to be such a wimp and keep her feelings bottled up?

She used to think keeping her feelings inside made her strong; it's what Mac did. But now, Mac had confessed to her; he said without a trace of insincerity that he loved her. That didn't make him weak or a coward; it made him the bravest, most wonderful, loving, caring man in the world to her.

Jo just couldn't be the same for him.

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.

.

Jo held the papers with shaky hands. She'd been trying to talk herself into this all morning. It was something she had to do. It was just too hard being around him all the time, knowing what she'd done to him. And what would she do when the time came and she started showing? How was she going to explain that to everyone? No, that would be even more hell on her heart. It was best to just leave and never look back.

But to leave the people she loved and cared about and respected? It surely was not that easy. She couldn't turn her backs on them. They'd become like family over the last two years. As a southern gal, Jo knew one thing; you never turn your back on family.

Of course her family was about to get one little bundle bigger. Instead of risking both their hearts and telling the truth, she decided to be a coward and walk away. Even after everything Ellie had said the night before, Jo just couldn't take her daughter's advice. It was best for everyone…right?

Jo pushed open the door to Mac's office with trembling hands. He looked up for a split second then ducked his head back down. "Can I help you, Detective Danville?"

That was an expected blow. He'd barely spoken to her the last month and a half. Somehow they'd made it through every day avoiding each other at all costs, much to the dismay of the team. She didn't even have the luxury of him calling her by her first name anymore. It was strictly Danville or nothing at all.

"Um, yeah…" Jo stammered. She forced her hands to stop shaking as she waltzed up to Mac's desk and placed the papers down.

Mac snatched them up and quickly read them over. Immediately he jumped up, startling Jo half to death. "What the hell? Resignation papers?"

His voice boomed so loud it grabbed the attention of a few lab techs down the hall. They looked up from their work, trying to figure out where the sonic boom had originated. Realizing this, Mac grabbed Jo's hand and dragged her to the elevator. He pulled her inside and promptly shut it down. The lights were dim and Mac could barely make out Jo's bewildered expression.

At least in his office she could have ran out the door. Had he locked it she wouldn't mind jumping down thirty five floors. In this elevator she had no escape. She'd have to face him whether she was ready or not.

Mac's voice was still loud and frantic as he struggled to control his head and his heart. "What the hell, Jo? You're resigning? Why?"

Immediately Jo was hung up on the fact that he just called her by her first name; the first time in weeks. She shook the thought off; it probably didn't mean anything. Faced with his questions again, she wondered whether she should tell him the truth or take the easy way out. "You know why." Easy way it was.

"What? Because of what happened in Vermont?"

"Yes, Detective Taylor, because of what happened in Vermont. We obviously cannot work together any more so I am resigning." Damn, she was a bad liar. Jo's eyes were looking anywhere around the silver prison but Mac's face. They kept shifting from left to right. When the silence proved too much between them, she crossed her arms and her body caved in slightly.

Finally Mac answered. "Is that really why you're leaving?"

"Yes," She said no more.

Mac had noticed the tell-tale signs of her lying and called her out on it. "I know you're lying. You think I don't know you by now?" Jo remained silent as she turned her head to the side. "You can't look me in the eye, you're not using contractions, you're huddled over, and if you lick your lips one more time I might have to kiss you."

That got her attention. Her head shot up and she stared at him with wide eyes. Did he just say what she thought he did? There was no way; that was impossible. "What?"

"What is this really about, Jo? Why are you leaving?" He took a step closer and she took a step back.

Another step and her back would be against the wall. She'd really be in trouble then. "Because I can't stay here," She said with her face still turned away from him. The last thing she needed was to look him in the eyes and just collapse into his arms like a baby.

Seeing her hesitation, Mac said more calmly, "I'm sorry. I know I made your life hell the last few weeks and I'm sorry. I should know better. That's not the kind of man I am and I should have never treated you like that. Please don't leave because of me."

Jo finally looked up at his face. The anger was gone now. Misery and worry were etched into his features. "No, no…I'm not leaving because of you…" It wasn't a total lie. "I just…I don't…" She didn't even know what she was trying to say. Why was she leaving? Right…she was pregnant with a baby that was half a man she could never have. She couldn't stay there and torture herself with the possibilities of what would never happen.

"What? Please tell me." Mac took another step and Jo found herself pressed against the wall of the elevator.

She closed her eyes tight. "I…I…" Lord, just strike me down with a bolt of lightning…PLEASE! When she opened her eyes she was still stuck in that dimly lit elevator with Mac merely inches away. Dammit…

"You what? Jo, talk to me."

Just as his hand reached up to touch her cheek she slapped it down. "I'm pregnant! Okay?" Her voice hitched and a single crystal tear rolled down her cheek. "I…I'm…pregnant…" She managed to say again through sobs. Her eyes and voice betrayed her and she covered her face as tears rolled down her face in two rivers.

Mac simply stared off into space, too stunned to speak. She's what? How the hell…Vermont…This is why she's been so distant. This is why she's resigning. What have I done? Oh God, what have I done?

Coming back into reality he heard her silent cries and saw her trying to escape the closeness between them. He wouldn't let her go though. He had to make this right. Gently, he moved her hands away from her face and wiped away her tears. Her eyes were shut tight but she could feel his warm touch holding her cheek.

"Open your eyes…" He said softly.

She shook her head and turned her face away from his hand. As much as that simple task pained her, she had to. It was happening all over again. He would say it and she wouldn't. She'd be all alone again and this time there would be no way to fix it. She'd leave, never to return, and Mac wouldn't come after her. That was how it had to be.

"Please…for me…" Mac tried again.

Jo shook her head again. She prayed he'd turn the elevator back on and let her run away.

Instead Mac pulled her face back to his. He leaned in and fitted his lips with hers. In a matter of seconds, Jo's eyes shot open. She wanted to squirm and shift and fight him off but she didn't have the strength. His kiss was slowly draining her of energy and all she wanted to do was fall into his arms.

When he finally pulled away, Jo said, "What was that?"

Mac wiped the slight lipstick off his lips and smiled. "That was my promise; to never go another day without doing that."

"But…but…we…"

He brought her lips back to his. "We're in love. I know that. You know that, but you don't have to say it. I'm sorry I made you think that. I'm sorry I've been a jerk to you these last few weeks. I was angry and confused but you didn't deserve that."

"But…but…"

"But nothing," Mac kissed her again. "I won't walk away from you again and I won't let you run away from me. I want you, I want this baby, and I want us. Please tell me you do too…"

"I do, but-"

"Then that's enough." One last time, he pulled her close and crashed his lips into hers. "You two are more than enough."

It seemed the fourth time was the charm. Jo's bewilderment finally broke and she smiled up at Mac. This is how it was supposed to be; this was right.

A/N: yay! happy ending! but I'm not done just yet! i have one more chapter for you! it'll be up soon! please leave a review