A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! :D Anyway, I take it the last chapter was a bit of a relief to you all, huh? Haha. Well, get ready. This ride isn't over yet! I have much more coming for you guys. Does anyone think they can last with the story the whole way? :D I think you all can!

Can I just say... I'm listening to music as I write this that has absolutely NO RELEVANCE whatsoever to Zevie. Lol. It's seriously a Violin Version of "My Heart Will Go On". Ugh, I'm obsessed with Titanic too lol. Have been for years. :) That movie gets me everytime even though I've watched it probably 300,675,986,346 times, haha. I know every line, it's pathetic. Anyway, enough of me and my pathetic obsessiveness!

WARNING: This chapter is probably 13+ . No descriptive content, but please keep in mind this warning.

Way to go, Zander. You probably just destroyed everything you ever had with the girl! Zander snaps to himself. He keeps his eyes on the road while Stevie looks out the window. The car is silent the whole way back to the apartment.

As Zander pulls into the parking lot, Stevie unbuckles herself and prepares to get out of the car. As he pulls the keys from the ignition and gets out of the car, Stevie gasps. Zander bends down to look into the car and says, in a concerned tone, "What?" Stevie stares at the floor of the car for a second, her hand resting on her slightly protruding stomach. "What it is?" Zander asks again. Stevie exhales deeply and says, "I don't know..."

"Are you okay?" he asks. Stevie nods her head, and as she makes to get out of the car, she gasps again and says, "There it is again. Zander, I think it's kicking..." She smiles a bit and holds her hand on her stomach, waiting for the baby to kick again.

Zander sighs relieved, and he walks to her side of the car. He helps Stevie out of the car and as he shuts the car door, she grabs his hand. "Do you want to feel?" she asks. Zander gulps a bit. He's been careful not to touch her lately. Not because she's in a careful state, but because of what's happened between the pair. They still are only strangers.

Stevie squeezes his hand a bit to bring him back to reality and says, "Do you?" He isn't entirely sure, but the look on her face looks almost hurt. He clears his throat and nods his head. She smiles a bit and then brings his hand down to where she's been feeling the small kicks. "You might have to wait a little bit, but you'll feel it," she says quietly.

And then he does.

And it brings a wide smile to his face. He holds his hand on her stomach just a bit longer as the baby continues to kick. Stevie gives a small laugh as the baby kicks again, and soon Zander joins in. "What's if feel like to you?" she asks. "A heartbeat," he says. "Out-of-rhythm heartbeat... but a heartbeat," he says. "It feels like a small muscle twitch," she laughs. Realizing he's probably had his hand on her long enough, he pulls away.

They walk into their apartment and go straight for the living room. There isn't much to do as they wait to go Stevie's mother's house. They watch reruns on TV of shows they've heard of but never actually seen. Halfway through the Dick Van Dyke Show, Stevie speaks up, "Why did you kiss me... back in the car?" Zander groans mentally as he has been expecting this question. He changes the subject and says, "What time are we going to your mother's?" "In an hour, now why did you kiss me?"

Zander shrugs. "Because, Stevie... it was an impulse of the moment kind of thing," he says. He regrets saying it. Stevie stands up frustrated and says, "I'm not your play toy Zander! You can't just use me to blow off your tension! I'm not a toy! I'm a human being!" she yells. Zander feels like face-palming himself. He knew that was the wrong thing to say. Honestly, he really isn't sure why.

"I don't really know why I did. It seemed... right?" he says. Stevie scoffs. "Either you like me that way or you don't, but I'm not going to be used!" Stevie snaps. "That's how we got into this mess," she adds under her breath. "I'm sorry okay? Truth is, I don't know what I feel for you, Stevie. I don't hate you... and I enjoy you being around. But I don't think I 'like' you," he says. "Back at you," she says.

"Anyway, we should probably get going. My mother isn't expecting us, so I'd like it to be early that we get there instead of late," she says. Zander nods, grabs the car keys from the kicthen counter and follows Stevie out the door to her car. He really does miss his car...

It's probably still sitting out of the city... or someone's hotwired it. Either way, it won't be coming back.

Halfway to Stevie's mother's, Stevie says, "I just remembered... my mother doesn't approve of this sort of situation... In other words... we're going to have to pretend to be in love..." she says. "I can do that," Zander says. "Can you?" he asks. Stevie flips him off and glares out her window. Prick. she thinks.

As they pull into the driveway of Stevie's childhood home, Zander can already tell this is going to be sticky situation. The yard looks like it's barely been taken care of... Ms. Baskara probably won't be in any mood for the news at all. He takes a deep breath as he shuts the car off and he gets out. He goes around the car to help Stevie out, and soon they're waiting for the front door to open.

When Ms. Baskara answers, and sees Stevie in front of her, she almost looks frightened. "Can we come in... mom?" Stevie says, choking on the last word. Ms. Baskara nods and walks the two into the living room. "Mom... this is Zander... We want to talk to you about something..." Stevie explains. Here goes everything... Stevie thinks. Ms. Baskara holds up her hand though as Stevie makes to speak. "It's quite obvious what you're here for..." Ms. Baskara says. Stevie gulps and says, "It is?" in a high voice.

Ms. Baskara nods her head and looks to Zander. "What's obvious?" Zander asks, feeling quite stupid and scared now. Ms. Baskara looks to Stevie again and says, "I am your mother. I think I would know when my daughter is pregnant," she says. Stevie shuts her slightly open mouth and waits for her mother to speak again. "It's obvious because you've gained a lot of weight since I last saw you... what is it now? Six, seven months?" Ms. Baskara says. Stevie nods. "I guess you want the story then?" she asks.

Ms. Baskara nods her head. She doesn't look disappointed.

Stevie explains how for five months she went without knowledge or her baby. She explains how she and Zander met-earning a small glare from Ms. Baskara to Zander. She even explains the depression and starvation she's been putting herself through. Ms. Baskara's eyes water a bit and when Stevie finishes, Ms. Baskara says, "It's all my fault. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't shut you out!"

Ms. Baskara begins sobbing and that's when Zander finally speaks. "It wasn't a mistake. Nor was it your fault, Ms. Baskara. In fact... I wouldn't take any of it back." he says. Stevie looks over at Zander confused. Ms. Baskara wipes her eyes and says, "That's sweet of you, but you don't have to pretend to love my daughter. I know what happened," she says in a soft voice. Zander keeps a straight face and says, "I'm not pretending. Believe me. Over that past few months I've known your daughter, Rena-may I?" Ms. Baskara nods. "I think I've fallen for her. I've tried denying it. But... it's gotten too complicated for lying," he says.

Stevie looks touched almost. That's when Ms. Baskara says, "Is that true?" Zander nods his head. "Every word." Stevie gives a small, unaudible gasp. He loves me? she questions herself. In that moment she feels like kissing him and just holidng him and never letting go. Do I love him too? she asks herself. Oh my god. I think I do! she cries in her head. "Stevie?" Ms. Baskara says.

Stevie looks to her mother confused. "Are you alright?" she asks. Stevie turns to Zander and says, "You love me? After all I've said and done to you?" she says, choking on a sob. Zander nods his head, afraid she might reject him. Stevie gives a small, happy laugh and says, "I think I'm in love with you too, Zander..."

Ms. Baskara smiles.

She leaves the room for a moment to go get something from the attic. Stevie isn't sure what it is, but she turns to Zander and says, "I'm sorry about what I said to you before... about using me. I guess we were both denying each other. Do you really love me?" she asks. Zander leans in and kisses her right on the mouth, and for a moment she does nothing. But then she melts into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck.

"We need to leave soon," she whispers in a slightly husky voice. Zander laughs. "I think you can hold out," he teases. Stevie pouts, but she rights herself as she hears her mother coming down the stairs. Zander clears his throat just as Ms. Baskara comes into the room. She gives Stevie a small knowing look, to which Stevie blushes.

Ms. Baskara takes her seat in one of the armchairs and holds up a small yellow and white blanket. "Do you remember this, Stevie?" she asks. Stevie's mouth opens slightly as she remembers the blanket. "That was mine," she says, smiling absently. Ms. Baskara nods and smiles. "I want you to have it... for your baby. Do you know what the sex is?" Ms. Baskara asks. Stevie nods. "No. I told the doctor I wanted it to be a surprise," Stevie says. Zander looks confused. Stevie gives a small tsk and says, "I asked you, Zander. You said 'yes' when I asked you if it should be a surprise. You weren't listening were you?" Stevie gives a small laugh as Zander sheepishly shakes his head.

"Anyway, Stevie... Take it," Ms. Baskara says. "Thank you, Mom..." Stevie says, taking the small yarn blanket her other made her when she was a baby and held it close to her protruding stomach. Ms. Baskara smiles. "Do you have names? I'm sure you don't want a nameless baby," Ms. Baskara teases.

"No... we haven't started picking names out yet," Stevie says.

It's a couple hours before Stevie and Zander say goodbye to Ms. Baskara and go back to the apartment. As Zander drives, Stevie absently rubs her stomach. "The baby is kicking again," she laughs. Zander smiles. "Well, I hope he's kicking when we get back," Zander says. "He?" Stevie asks. "I have a small feeling it's a he," Zander shrugs. "A little Zander jr." Stevie laughs. "I don't know if I could live with another," she teases. "You wound me, Baskara," Zander laughs.

"You deserve some wounding," Stevie jokes. "Says you," Zander replies. Stevie rolls her eyes, amused, and stares out her window. Zander frowns. He sighs as he says, "Stevie?" "Mm hm?" she says. "You're going to hate me after I say this..." he says. Stevie's expression goes from amused to careful. "What?" she says slowly. "Back in the hospital... the nurse had told me to make sure you eat because she said you were in a fragile condition. At the time... I didn't know what she meant... but that day you left... I knew." he says.

"What do you mean?" Stevie asks, feeling slightly betrayed. "When... but when I told you... you were so shocked... You couldn't have..." she says in a strangled voice. "Because you said it. Because you knew was why I was shocked... All along I'd known... but I just didn't think about it enough to know from the start...andd I'm sorry for that," he says. Stevie looks out the car window, pushing herself against the door. Suddenly... being as far apart from him as she was didn't seem to be enough. "I can't believe you, Zander. You knew!" she says in a pathetic voice.

"I did... after you left I knew," he says in a small voice. "I can't believe you!" she yells. She sits as far from him as the car will allow her to and doesn't say anything to him the rest of the night. Even in the apartment she doesn't say anything.

She doesn't want to sleep in his room. Instead, she takes the couch, and Zander is forced to sleep in his own bed. It suddenly became the last place he wanted to be. He wanted to be beside her.

But he knew that wasn't going to happen. Not at all.

A/N: oooh. :/ Annyway, let me know what you think, yeah? :) I feel like I'm losing reviewers. :O I got probably 3 last chapter, which is nice... but I used to get about 9 or 10 a chapter. What happen? Am I losing my spark with this story? :O let me know?