Chapter 11 - Phone Calls And Police Officers

Paige sat on the end of her bed, her hand shaking. She knew his number by heart, all she had to do was press a few buttons. But it was harder than she'd thought it would be.

"All I have to do is apologise." She told herself. "Tell him how sorry I am for being such a bitch."

It took three attempts to put the number in right - her hands were shaking so much, and so slick with sweat the she kept pressing the wrong buttons by accident. But finally, she had the phone pressed against her ear, listening to the ring.

She hoped he wouldn't be in, that she could leave a message on his answer phone and that would be that. She wasn't really sure why she was doing this ... she missed him like crazy, loved him so much, but didn't expect him to take her back. No chance. She just felt guilty for the way she treated him. And ... and as Prue had said, he deserved to know he was going to be a dad.

"Hello?" The sound of his voice made her jump, so familiar, and yet it sent tingles down her spine.

"Kyle?" She said, her voice barely a whisper - her throat suddenly dry.

"Paige?" His voice sounded surprised ... but was she imagining that he sounded pleased?

"Yeah ... hi ..."

"Um, hi. It's good to hear from you ... How are you doing?" He asked her.

"Um .. you know ... it's ... um, better, I guess. Listen, I'm sorry, for the stuff I said to you and ... Can we meet up sometime, to talk? I really have to tell you something." Well, how else was she supposed to tell him he was a father-to-be? And that she ...

"Sure. Um, how about tomorrow, at one? There's this cafe near the station we could go to."

"Yeah! That's great. Uh, where about it?"

He gave her the name and exact directions to get there, then rang off.

----

She hadn't made much of an effort, but at least she wasn't wearing that grey sweater. God she hated that thing. She hadn't dressed up, though, because she didn't want to give him the wrong impression - she wasn't trying to get him back, just to talk.

Although if he wants to get back together ...

"Paige." His voice was even better in real life than what she'd remembered it. She looked up slowly, smiling widely, and gazed into his eyes. It was his eyes she'd noticed first, his eyes that told her she could trust him ...

Who was she kidding? He probably already had a girlfriend. She didn't have a chance.

"Hi." She said, and he slipped into the seat next to her. It was lucky that she'd got here first, she could tell him about the baby before he saw. Well, it wasn't really luck ... she'd made sure she was ten minutes early after all.

"It's good to see you again." He told her, and she believed him - she knew he wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true. "So ... uh, what did you want to tell me?"

She looked at him, and took a deep breath. "First of all, I need to apologise, for the way I treated you after ... you know. I didn't mean any of it, I just ..."

"It's OK. I know what you were going through ... I actually need to say sorry myself, for not calling you afterwards." He replied levelly.

"You did .. or you tried." She muttered, staring at the table. There was a ketchup mark near the middle. "I must have had ... oh, a thousand missed calls."

He gave her a little grin, which sent her heart racing ...

"Yeah, and then I gave up." He sighed. "And I shouldn't have done ... I should have fought for you ... I wish I had ..." She looked into his eyes. Big mistake. She was dizzy, she was grinning like an idiot ... she felt like that seventeen year old who'd met him for the first time.

"I wish you had too." She whispered. He looked at her, with the look that told her he was going to kiss her. Ohh no. If he did, she'd totally loose her head and she'd end up not telling him.

"And secondly." She said loudly, leaning back for good measure. "There's something else I should have told you, but I was getting my head round it, then ... the accident ... then I was avoiding you because I was ashamed of being such a bitch to you ..."

"You weren't a bitch." He interrupted. "I've been where you were, I know why you did it."

"Right." She said. "I ... I'm ... pregnant."

He looked at her, shock all over his face, and she lowered her eyes. "Pregnant?"

"Yes. To you, of course." She added quickly. She looked up at him, bracing herself for his reaction ...

His face cracked into a huge grin, his eyes sparkling.

"Really? I'm going to be a dad? Really?" He was talking so loudly several people turned to look. "Oh, Paige, that's fantastic!" He jumped up, pulled her to her feet and hugged her over the table. "Oh, look at that." He laughed, touching her swollen stomach. He raised his gaze, locked his eyes on hers, and right there, in the middle of the cafe with it's stained tables and nosy clientele, he kissed her.

She nestled her face in his neck, and he tried to pull her closer, accidentally banging her leg on the table, but she didn't care. "I never stopped loving you." He whispered into her hair.

"Me neither." She laughed a little, and pulled away. "Come on, lets go back to my place, where we can talk properly. I haven't even told you about my sisters yet."

"Sisters?" He looked at her with a little confusion, then realisation. "You mean you found you're birth family?"

She nodded, her face hurting from all the smiling - she could only guess she hadn't done it often enough over the last few weeks - and giggled. It felt unreal, but right now, she was deliriously happy.

His mobile started ringing, and silently cursing it, he pulled away from her and answered it.

"Yeah ... now ... OK, right, I'll be right over ... I'll tell you later." He hung up, and gave her an apologetic grin. "I have to go, that was my partner, Andy. We've got a lead on a case, but I can come over later, if you want."

"Sure." She beamed at him. She told him her address as they walked out of the cafe, promised to give him the full story on her sisters, and kissed him goodbye.

"Kyle." A dark-haired guy was walking over to them.

"Hey." Kyle said, pulling away. "Paige this is my partner, Andy Trudaue. Andy, this is Paige."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Andy said, his gaze travelling down to her teeny baby bump (is it that obvious?) then over to Kyle questioningly.

"I'll be over later." Kyle promised, then he and Andy walked towards the car parked nearby. "Do you need a lift?" He asked her, stopping at the door.

"Kyle -" Andy interrupted.

"No, no it's OK." Paige said quickly. "My car is over there, I'm OK."

"Are you sure you can drive?"

"Yes. Go on, go." She said, with a little look a his partner, who's already started up the engine. He turned as the car started down the street, and flashed her a smile.

Entirely Paige/Kyle chapter there, but the next one will be back on the sister stuff. So, click that little button 'n' tell me what you think ...