"You look like crap," Skeeter commented. "We distracted Kenny with the interrogation."

She smiled at that. "Does that mean I'm free to go?"

He sat on the couch in Jimmy's office next to her. "Nah, I have to interrogate you first. You were scary good."

"Not bad for someone who hasn't done this in two years? You have me on tape, what else do you need? Have you heard anything about Natalie? I know it was just through the shoulder, but…have you?"

"You know she committed a felony?"

"Yeah…she was still my friend, probably the only one I really liked out of that group. She's going to hate me, she should hate me."

"Felony, Max."

I get it, she thought, wanting to flee…to start over. So up and down…no, I love Kenny, our family, how could I even think. "I know."

"But?"

She shook her head. "I need to pick saner friends. Or never leave the house again. So what do you need from me?"

10101010101010

"You should hear what your wife says about you," Ann sighed. "You'll have her in this room soon enough."

I have had her in this room, he thought, right on this table. What did Max tell her? Max run off, kill our kids? Not likely…she may want to kill me some days. "I'm sure she has a lot to say."

Ann smiled. "You want to know?"

"Enough," Jimmy stated, shooting Kenny a look. "We've been looking for you for a long time."

She sighed. "I needed a vacation."

Almost shot my wife, Kenny thought, who I really think is pregnant. Did she know before…she would of told me if it was positive. "At the spa? While your kids were dead in the woods?"

She frowned. "Paul did it."

"You were out, planning parties, two days later," Jimmy continued. "You knew. You killed him."

101010101010

"Damn," Max said under her breath, as she sat on her bathroom floor a hour later. Staring at the row of positive pregnancy tests lined up on the edge of the bathtub, she leaned back against the toilet. I can do it again. One more.

"Mommy!"

Sweeping them all into the trash, she stood up slowly. Pregnant. Opening the door, she smiled despite herself. "How is my Monkey-Girl?"

Emily giggled, as she held up her picture. "Look. It's you and Daddy."

"I love it."

"Can we play?"

This is what matters, Max thought, them, this…one more time. One more baby. Damn.

1010101010

"Killed Paul? The man who was cheating on me? Beating me?" Ann continued. "He got what he deserved. Our babies…"

Kenny frowned, she knew they were dead, and she was out asking Max to go shopping? Something isn't… "I don't believe you."

"I believe your wife wouldn't mind slitting your throat either. She told me all sorts of things."

"She told me," Kenny lied. What happened, we used to tell each other everything…was I that much of an ass? What did I do to her? "Why don't you tell us about what happened to your kids, while you were off planning parties?"

"Did you kill your husband?" Jimmy interjected.

"I want a lawyer."

1010101010

Max tossed the sponge down and stared around the spotless kitchen. This is it, this is going to be my life. And it's okay, one more baby, how can I not want another baby? Rubbing a slow circle over her flat stomach, she relished the silence at the moment. Late night feedings, no sleep, childbirth…I almost died…for that screaming, slimy and wonderful Lindsay…I'm okay, I can do this. "Hey."

Kenny looked at her for a long moment. Is she that miserable? Look at her…tank top, braless and old pajama pants, and the kitchen is scrubbed clean. I did this to her. "Hey yourself."

"How did it go?" she asked. "With Ann?"

He shook his head. "She asked for a lawyer. I think she was more interested in … she said a lot of veiled things about you and me."

"Like what?"

"What did you tell her?"

"She was my friend," Max stated. "I told her and Natalie…we talked about stuff. You wouldn't talk to me. Are you really mad at me about this?"

"I'm not mad. She almost shot you, then…How you feeling?"

"Good…Kenny?" she asked, a little of unsure of what to tell him. "I'm fine. I took…I took six pregnancy tests. They were all positive. I'm pregnant. Hey!"

Kenny swept her up in arms and kissed her. Pregnant? Pulling back, he ran his fingers through her long hair. "Yeah? You look good pregnant…Ah, come here, Honey."

"You're okay with it?" she asked, as he kissed her again. "Kenny?"

"You're going to a doctor, to make sure everything is okay. You're going to take it easy, low stress…ah, Max, I love you. Come here."

Kissing him back, this is right, this is what I want. Kenny, the love of my life, our family…and my job back. "Kenny, wait."

"For what? My beautiful wife told me she was pregnant. It's been a long few days, Honey…and you braless is really doing I for me. You're not going to be able to do that for much longer. Max? Honey? What is it?"

"I…We were talking about me going back to work."

Almost shot. Pregnant. My wife, my reckless and impulsive wife. "It changes things, I know. Max, I know what you want and…yeah, I'm going to worry about you, you're pregnant, and…you really want to work. It's that important to you?"

"I'm not the perfect wife and mother you think I am."

"You make me happier the I deserve. Oh, and the perfect mother thing? Yeah, you are. I love watching you with the kids…Max, I get it. But you're pregnant, we're going to have a baby in nine months…it doesn't make sense right now. Not because I don't trust you, but because you'll have to go on maternity leave seven months in."

"Five kids…that's a lot."

"I wanted six."

"We would have…Oh," Max trailed off, thinking of Josh. "I don't think we knew better then."

"I'm here, okay? I won't leave you alone in it."

She nodded slightly, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her again. "I know. We make great kids, right? Maybe this one will be more calm? Emily exhausts me."

"Because she is you."

"Lindsay follows her like a puppy…Em adores Nate. Samantha is growing up so fast and…I love our kids. I love you. Having a baby…it's…Of course it's what I want, and…I'm not just this mom person."

"It's what I forced on you."

"Yeah."

"You're a great cop. I know that…I know you want to work. I get it, but you're pregnant. You're last pregnancy…it nearly killed you and we're not taking that chance again. You're going to take it easy, and then…have the baby and then…Max, it isn't that long."

And you want me so caught up in another baby that I…No, that isn't what he wants. He wouldn't do this to me again. "It was a fluke."

He nodded, combing through her hair. "I know. Come on, lets go to bed. I'm exhausted."

10101010101010

"Ann was arrested?" Kelley said.

"She shot me," Natalie stated. "She…Do you think she killed them? I didn't..but."

"Maxine set her up."

"She lied to me…she saved my life."

"She's a bitch."

10101010101010

"No, no, no," Max groaned as she vomited the next morning. "I forgot about this."

"Honey?" Kenny asked, rapping on the bathroom door. "You okay?"

"I would of rather been shot then this," she groaned, as the bile rose again. Upchucking again, she groaned. "I'm okay."

"Liar," he said, holding his hand out to her. "You look like crap."

"I feel like crap," she admitted, as he pulled her up. "Don't look at me like that, it's morning sickness, I'm fine, Kenny. Just pregnant, like millions of other women."

"Yeah, with our kid, that makes it different. Really, you don't look good."

She smiled despite herself. "I though you found me irresistible when I'm pregnant."

"Max, I can never keep my hands off of you."

"One of the things I like best about you."

"You want to fool around?"

She smiled, as he combed through her hair again. "Don't you have to go to work?"

Question your friend, he thought, find out what really happened. No, I want to stay here with her, the kids…especially now. How does she not know how lucky she is to be with them? "Yeah. You okay? Really okay?"

She nodded, kissing him again. "I can handle being pregnant, I've done it twice before. Don't worry about me so much."

"I'll be home early."

"Go catch the bad guys."

101010101010

"She's very well behaved," Dr. Meadows said, as she ran the bulb over Max's stomach.

Max glanced at Lindsay, happily engrossed with her stuffed elephant. "She's pretty great. Is she going to be a big sister?"

She smiled at her. "You're about eight weeks. Congratulations."

"Is it safe?" Max blurted out. "I know it is, but…I had a stroke."

"You're fine. You're going to have a beautiful and healthy baby."

Max smiled at that, as she pulled her shirt back down. "Really? Good. I guess I'm just nervous."

"I want to see you in four weeks."

She nodded, as she scooped Lindsay back up. "Okay. You ready to go, Kiddo?"

"Mommy?" Lindsay chirped, snuggling into her embrace. "Home?"

She's perfect, we do make great kids. Being a mom…I love it…I want more then it. Damn it… "Soon, we're going to get your sister and Nate. Can you handle that?"

She nodded. "Mommy pretty."

"Oh, you take after your Dad."

"Max? What are you doing here?"

"Mommy having a baby," Lindsay piped up.

"Max?" Jill asked, as she winced a bit. "Are you pregnant?"

"Yup. About eight weeks," she started. "Full on morning sickness today. I just not ready to tell people yet…although this one seems intent on spilling the beans. Right, Lindz?"

"Ice cream?"

"You've been hanging around your sister? That's her line," Max said. "Yeah, I could go for some too. Jill, I have to go."

She isn't okay, Jill thought, I want to sit down and talk to her. She was happy, grinning ear to ear, glowing, about her first two pregnancies. "We should get lunch this week."

"Yeah, sure."

101010101010

"I can handle Ann Davidson," Kenny stated. "Just because…She doesn't get to me."

"Max spilled whatever problems you two were having to her. That doesn't get to you?" Jimmy asked.

"She said it was nothing. I believe her."

"She did good."

"You want her to come back to work, she wants to work," Kenny said finally. "I get it. She's pregnant."