"I knew it, Roxanne! I knew it! Why wouldn't you tell me?" Stuart yelled.
"Because..." she mumbled, "I didn't know how to tell you or how you would react. I was afraid..."
"Of what?" he interrupted. "Do you think that people would disown you because you're pregnant? Babies are a wonderful thing!"
"I know they are, but... It's Johnny's kid, you know? I mean, what would people think? Everybody knows who he is now, and the kind of stuff that he does, and how he lives his life. What would people think if they found out that I was pregnant with his child? We're not even married..."
"Roxanne," said Stuart, putting his hands on both her shoulders, "If you love him enough, you wouldn't care what anybody thinks. He loves you enough to do that, and your true friends won't disown you. I know I won't."
Roxanne smiled. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back as she swallowed the small lump in her throat. "You're right. I do love him enough, and I believe that we can make this all work. It's just so hard... I mean, he's the Ghost Rider. How will he help me raise this kid if he's randomly off somewhere? I can't just tell him to stay home... The fate of the entire world might be in his hands."
"I know, Roxanne. I don't know what else to tell you except that everything will work out eventually. You just have to be patient."
"Yeah... I know. I just wish I knew where to go from here," she said, sitting down gently in her chair, her head in her hands.
"Why don't you go see that Carter Slade fella? I'll bet he could help you."
"That's a good idea, Stuart... I guess I'll have to go after work," she said.
"You need to go now if you feel like you can't make it through the day. I'll cover for you," he said.
"No, Stuart, I can't leave now. I can't afford to lose any more income than I already have. I have to provide for myself and start providing for this baby."
"Well, okay, if you say so. We need to get our stuff together. We have thirty minutes until the news broadcast."
"I'm ready when you are," she said, giving him a fake, forced smile. He returned it and walked out the door. As soon as he was out of sight and out of earshot, Roxanne's waterworks began once again.
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As Johnny flipped through the channels on the television during his free period, he still couldn't comprehend that he was actually in jail. He had been here for two days now, and he shuddered at the thought that sooner or later, it could be two years. But what he saw after flipping through a few more channels really set him off.
It was Roxanne, live on News Channel 11. She was in front of 51st Street, which was coincidentally right across the street from the jail. He was so close, yet so far. With every passing second that he watched the screen, he felt the hole in his chest grow wider.
He didn't understand it. Why did all of this have to happen to him... To them? Why couldn't he live a normal, happy life with the white picket fence, a beautiful wife, and perfect children? He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't pay attention to the news bulletin, but he didn't care, and as quickly as she had appeared, she was now gone.
"Roxanne Simpson," said somebody from behind Johnny. He turned around and saw a tall man standing a few feet away, shaking his head back and forth, his arms crossed. "She's hot, eh, buddy?" He slapped Johnny on the shoulder.
Johnny began to grow angry. "Watch out, buddy. That's my girlfriend you're talking about."
"No way, really? You're a lucky dude. Half the men in the world want her for their own," said the man.
"Yeah, I know I'm lucky... Too bad I'm stuck in here instead of with her," said Johnny.
"I know what you mean. What are you in for?" he asked.
Johnny thought a moment before answering. He didn't know if this man knew anything about him being the Ghost Rider, and he didn't want to tell anybody that didn't know. No one else needed to know. "I... I stole something."
The man laughed. "What did you steal?"
He knew he had to make something up. "I tried to hot wire a car at a sale."
The man laughed even harder this time. "That's pretty funny. What's your name?"
"Johnny," he said. The man stuck out his hand.
"I'm Benny. Nice to meet you." Johnny willingly shook his hand. He couldn't believe that this man didn't recognize him as Johnny Blaze, the supposedly evil Ghost Rider, but frankly, he didn't care. He knew that he might be here for a while, and he knew that he may as well make some friends if so.