A/N: I'm finally continuing this story! Do I still have readers? :O

Oh, and remember Craig? He's baaaaaack!

Lizzie dug around in her purse for her cell phone, which was spewing out some old Jason Mraz song, signaling that someone was trying to call. She finally found it and held it up to her ear, turning down the radio volume at the same time. The kids moaned complaints.

"Hello?" Lizzie asked. Realizing she had almost missed their turn, she took a sharp left turn. The kids screamed like they were on a roller coaster.

"Lizzie? This is Craig," came the answer.

"Craig? Like, Craig the military guy?"

"Yes. I was wondering if tonight's a good night for that date."

"Oh. Well, I'm taking David's kids out to a movie. So I probably wouldn't be free until around 10:30."

"That's fine. Maybe we could meet downtown for some drinks? There's this really hip bar on the corner of 3rd and Partake."

"That sounds great. See you then?"

"Sure thing. Bye, Lizzie."

"Bye." Lizzie put the phone back in her purse and turned the radio back up. Rose squealed joyfully.

"Who was that?" Scott asked suspiciously.

"Someone I met a while back. After the movie, you're going to hang out at the hospital with Dad while I go out for a drink, okay?"

Scott scoffed.

"What's wrong, now?" Lizzie sighed.

"I don't want to hang out at the hospital all night. What if I want to sleep?"

"Then curl up on a chair or something. I'll be gone an hour at the most. I really like this guy, Scott. Just do this for me, okay?"

"Okay," Scott smiled at Lizzie. She caught his gaze in the rearview mirror and smiled back.

They visited with Gordo for about 15 minutes before they had to leave for the movie, which Lizzie actually enjoyed more than she expected. She dropped the kids off in Gordo's room again and headed off to 3rd Street.

Craig was sitting at the bar, Scotch in hand. "Lizzie!" he waved her over.

Lizzie slid her purse over the back of the chair and took her seat. She smiled at Craig. "Thanks for inviting me."

"I'm just glad we could work this out." Lizzie nervously ordered a drink for herself and turned to Craig.

"Well…tell me a little bit about yourself."

Craig told Lizzie about why he had wanted to join the military, and how when he was deployed, he had been sent on a mission with five other men. All good friends of his. They had all died, but Craig had gotten out of the way of the bomb just in time. He felt for a long time that he should be dead, too.

"Everything happens for a reason, though, right?" Lizzie said after his story.

"I suppose so," Craig agreed. He looked down into his drink and began to tell about his ex-wife. He then asked why Lizzie had never been married.

"Haven't found anyone," Lizzie said simply, hoping he would get the hint and change the subject.

"I thought you and David had a bit of a thing, did you not?"

Lizzie blushed and looked away. "You know David?"

"Gordo? Yeah! I lived on a base with him for a while. He told me all about his past girlfriend. When I was assigned to inform a Ms. Lizzie McGuire of his disappearance, though, I knew it was the Lizzie McGuire he had talked about. How many Lizzie McGuire's live here, after all? I didn't tell you I knew about you, however, because we didn't want to make you grieve any more than necessary."

"Did Gordo tell you…why we broke up?"

"No, he seemed rather touchy about that subject. He bragged about you often, though."

"Bragged about me? You're mistaken. He was married, for Christ's sake." Craig nodded.

"I know. Doesn't mean he can't say you're a good person."

Lizzie blinked. The guy had had a few drinks tonight. He must be a little foggy. But then again, the part about Gordo being touchy about the break up seemed right.

"Lizzie," Craig said, "this isn't just the alcohol talking." Was he reading her mind? Lizzie shook her head. She had had a couple drinks, too.

"Okay," she said nervously. "I'd better go. I left the kids at the hospital with Gordo."

"Alright. Oh, and Lizzie? One more thing. Gordo said that you're the only person he would ever trust his kids with."

Lizzie felt her ears burn once again, but before she could say anything, Craig leaned over and pressed his lips to hers. He tasted of Scotch, a bitter taste (one that she wasn't fond of), but Lizzie's head still swirled with adrenaline. She pulled away, gave a smile, and headed out the door to her car.

Once in Gordo's room, Lizzie let loose. She wasn't quite sure what prompted her to do this (perhaps a mixture of the alcohol and her general confusion about what Craig had said), but she walked across the room and smacked Gordo across the face. He sat up in bed, a bright red mark where Lizzie's hand had been.

"Lizzie? What the hell?" Gordo asked, touching his cheek.

"What did you tell Craig about me?" she demanded.

"Craig?"

"Jackson. Craig Jackson. Don't play dumb because I know you know him."

"Craig Jackson. Right. Well, I don't remember what I told him. That was before…all this."

"Gordo, I swear to God, if you told him anything about the breakup—''

"I wouldn't have done that! What would be the point? To embarrass you and make a complete ass of myself?"

"That's what you deserve to be after what you did." Gordo didn't answer.

"When were you with Craig?" He asked finally.

"I just went to have some drinks with him tonight." She glanced around the hospital room. "The kids," she said, "where the hell are they?"

"Down at the nurse's station. They have some big couches in a room back there. They were tired."

"I'm going to get them and head home."

"Wait, Liz," Gordo said, his voice soft. "Did you…have a good time tonight?"

Was that…jealousy she heard in his voice? She brushed it off. "Yes, I did."

"Are you going to see him again?"

"Maybe. What business of it is yours?"

"You're the guardian of my children. That's what business of mine it is."

"Whatever. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Lizzie."

"What is he like?" Rose asked, putting her baby doll on her pillow.

"Nice," Lizzie replied, selecting a pair of PJ's out of the dresser drawer for Rose.

"Is he a Prince Charming? Are you going to marry him and have baby princes and princesses? And live happily ever after?"

"You've seen one too many Disney movie, kiddo," Lizzie smiled. "And just for the record, I don't know if he's my Prince Charming or not. Now come here. I'll help you change."

Rose walked over to Lizzie and held up her arms. Lizzie switched her sweater out for the blue Sleeping Beauty pajama shirt, then they did the same with the pants.

"Do you have an extra pillow?" Rose asked, crawling into bed.

"What for?"

"My baby took my pillow. She was tired of sleeping on the dresser."

Lizzie went into the living room and came back with a pillow off of the couch. "Here you go."

"Thanks. Will you read me a story?"

"Honey, I'm really tired."

"Lizzie," Rose said, stretching the name out in a begging manner.

"Fine, fine. What book?"

"The Three Little Pigs."

Lizzie yawned, grabbed the book, and hopped into bed next to Rose. "Can't you read it to me?"

"I don't know enough words to read the whole thing."

"I'll teach you sometime."

Lizzie went through the motions of reading the book to Rose, then kissed her goodnight and went to talk to Scott.

When she got to the living room, Scott was lying on the couch, his face towards the back of the sofa. Lizzie leaned over him to see if he was asleep and was surprised to see his eyes open and wet with tears.

"Scotty," Lizzie whispered, sitting down on the arm of the couch, "what's wrong, honey?"

"I don't know," Scott said, wiping at his eyes.

"You must know. Why are you so sad?"

"Well, Dad got kind of mad at me tonight."

"Why?"

"Because I was tired and didn't want to take Rose to the cafeteria. She hadn't had anything for a few hours and was getting grumpy, but I was so tired, and…" his voice cracked with a sob.

"Oh, Scott. What happened? Did he yell?"

"Yes, he yelled at me. Then I said that he was getting grouchy, too, and that maybe he should eat something." Lizzie winced. It was just the kind of smart-mouthed comment that Gordo would make. Like father like son. "That's when he sent us to the nurse's station to sleep. He said that I was being rude and inconsiderate of his and Rose's feelings."

"I'm sure he didn't mean it, sweetie. Everyone's just a little on edge right now, with all that's been going on." Scott shrugged. "He loves you more than anything in the world, you know."

"I know."

"Try to get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"I've been having a lot of nightmares lately. May I come sleep with you?"

Lizzie hesitated, but then said, "Of course. Grab your pillow." They curled up in Lizzie's bed together and talked and joked until they fell asleep.

A/N: Been working on this all day. Enjoy. Please R&R, as always. :)

-Lucy