A/N: OK, so here's the thing. I get it, if people don't like what I do. But calling me a slut, and making fun of me for liking music that I don't even like, but if I did, no shame, is kind of odd. And terribly unnecessary. And so Anonymous weirdo who's reviews I deleted, thanks for giving me and my roommate a good laugh last night. Also, way to catch on to me, I am in fact a massive slut, who documents my sexcapades by disguising them as characters from the Mighty Ducks. I knew someone would catch on eventually!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 14: Limbo

Bella stood quietly cleaning a dish. She'd been home for two days and felt increasingly strange.

"Bella!" She heard a yell. She jumped. It was just TJ but she was really jumpy. "Gordon's here."

"OK," she called back and dried her hands. She walked into the foyer and smiled softly at him.

"Hey Leigh," he said and kissed her.

"Hey," she said and hugged him.

"So," TJ said, "I'm the only one home, but I'm going to go not be home." He pointed to the door and then walked out. Gordon looked at her.

"Bella," he whispered, "what's going on? Are you OK?"

"Can we sit and talk for a little bit?" She whispered. He nodded and they walked into the living room. "Um, Gordon," she said, "I um," she swallowed.

"Look, I thought a lot about what you said, at Thanksgiving," he said, "and you were right, OK? This is our time, and we should just do the things that are important to us now, and we'll get through it." She nodded and started crying softly. "Hey, come on, I thought this was what you wanted?"

"Gordon, I'm sorry, I," she looked at him. "I'm pregnant." He stared at her.

"But, I mean, how?" He whispered, "it's been almost two months since we had sex and, we were," she swallowed.

"After," she took a deep breath, "after we talked before Thanksgiving, and we had that big fight, you know?" He nodded. "I was packing and Kevin came in." He leaned back. "And he just, he started saying all these things about how he felt about me, and I don't know, it just all kind of," she sighed.

"Kevin?" He whispered. She nodded. "You're pregnant, with my best friend's baby?"

"Gordon, please, it was such a mistake!" She took his hands, "I love you so much, and I just missed you so much and we were fighting and he was there and so sweet." She looked at him. "I was going to, I mean, I wasn't going to keep it, but then we went, and I couldn't go through with it."

"Are you with him?" He asked standing up. "I mean, is that what these past few months have been? I went through hell, trying to become the man you wanted me to be and you and Kevin were screwing around behind my back?"

"No! It wasn't like that!" She insisted. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, Gordie," she took his hands and he pulled them away. "Please! Please, just listen, I love you, I want to be with you," she stood up and tried to hold him.

"Don't touch me," he said, "never again, Bella, I'm done! We're done. And you can tell Kevin the same." He marched out and she sobbed in a ball on the floor.

Kevin paced around in front of Tanya and Fulton while they sat on a couch in the living room of their house in DC.

"Kevin," Tanya said, "did you flunk out of Georgetown?"

"No!" He said, "no I actually did pretty well, I mean, I bombed one final, but once I tell you why, I doubt you'll care," he took a deep breath. "Bella's pregnant."

"Oh," Tanya said. "Well, I guess that means she can't take the job, that's why you're telling us this? That's too bad, really," Fulton stopped her.

"It's yours isn't it?" Fulton said. Kevin nodded at his father.

"I don't understand," Tanya said, "Bella is dating Gordon."

"Probably not for much longer," Kevin said, "unless he's an even better guy than we've given him credit for."

"Don't make jokes about this," Fulton said. "Is she alright?"

"She's, yeah," Kevin said, "I mean, she's scared. Um, she was going to, I mean, we went to a clinic, but she changed her mind."

"Oh my God," Tanya whispered. "You got your best friend's girlfriend pregnant?" Kevin looked down. "You are completely your father's son." She stood up and marched upstairs and slammed the door.

"I don't," Kevin started, "was that about you and Dean?"

"Possibly," Fulton said. "Are you alright?" Kevin shook his head. "How did this happen?"

"I've had feelings for Bella for a while," he said softly, "I told her, um, and she'd just had a fight with Gordon, so she was really vulnerable." He sat down. "I'm not proud of it, and she's barely speaking to me."

"And she's absolutely decided to keep it?" Fulton said.

"She hasn't absolutely decided on anything," he shook his head. "But she promised to let me know when she did." He looked at Fulton. "You're taking this really well."

"Honestly?" He said, "we kind of braced ourselves for this kind of talk with Anne." Kevin laughed and then it hit him.

"Oh God," he groaned. "Anne! She's going to kill me."

"I wouldn't worry much about Anne," Fulton said, "but Connie." Kevin stopped. He hadn't even thought of Connie. "Connie might kill you. If Gordon doesn't beat her to it," Kevin swallowed. "You two will move in here?"

"I don't know," Kevin said, "I mean, we're not together, and if she decides to stay in Minnesota," he closed his eyes, "I'm kind of in limbo."

Denise sat outside on the porch of her mother's house leaned against Mike, looking at her ring.

"It suits you," he said.

"Do you think she would have like me?" Denise asked. "Your mom?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded. "I think she would have. Maybe not at first, but she would have. You would have completely charmed Cal, I can tell you that," she laughed.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," he said. Then there were people walking closer from the general direction of the river. He sighed when he saw who it was. "What's he doing here?"

"Be nice," she said, "I mean, Eva and I are best friends, maybe you two will be too."

"I don't hate him because he's your ex, Denise," he shook his head. Shawn walked over. "Hey Shawn, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he nodded. "Hey Denise."

"Hey," she said and stood up and hugged him. "You look good."

"So do you," Shawn nodded. Mike kissed her softly.

"I'll be inside," he said, "you two can talk." He walked inside and Denise and Shawn sat down.

"Ted told me that Europe was awesome," he said. She laughed. "He got laid a lot?"

"A whole lot," she nodded, "by slutty eurotrash types who didn't speak English." He nodded. "Mike and I are getting married."

"Trav told me that," he said. "Congratulations." She smiled. "Anyway, I just wanted to congratulate you and say Merry Christmas." She hugged him.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm proud of you Shawn. I heard the album, it's beautiful."

"Thanks back at you then." He laughed. "See you around."

"Sure," he nodded and walked away. She sighed and walked into the house.

"What did he want?" Mike asked.

"For me to hand over all of my latest songs," she said, "I just tossed him my notebook," Mike looked at her. "Believe it or not, he wanted to congratulate us." He looked at her. "Really!"

"OK," he said. "How did he know?"

"Trav told him," she said. "Hey," she said and kissed him. "Forgiving Shawn was what was best for us. It's all in the past, and we're the future."

Connie smiled as she and Henry walked into the house through the back door.

"My parents are probably still at work," she explained, "they'll be back soon."

"OK," he nodded. "I'm still soaking in them,"

"I know," she grimaced, "it's really big. Especially for just the three of us, but my dad could never bring himself to sell it or hand it over to some historical society to turn into a museum. It was his home." Henry nodded and kissed her. "Come on, we'll get settled in and then I'll show you around." They walked into upstairs to her room and then she heard a doorbell ring. "Hold on," she whispered and kissed him. She ran downstairs and opened the front door. Gordon was standing there, his eyes red. "Gordie, what are you doing here?"

"I um," he swallowed, "I couldn't stay at home."

"Do Charlie and Connie know you're here?" She asked. He nodded. "Come in, what's wrong?"

"Bella," he whispered, "Bella's pregnant." She stared at him and then it dawned on her.

"Oh God!" She said softly. "Kevin?" He nodded. "Oh Gordie, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

"I just," he shook his head, "I couldn't stay."

"Connie," Henry came downstairs, "is everything alright?"

"Um, yeah," she said, "Henry Lucas, this is Gordon Conway, my brother. Gordon this is Henry, my boyfriend."

"Hi," Gordon waved. "Your parents aren't here?"

"Not yet," she said, "but you know you're always welcome. They like you." He nodded. "Here, I'll get you a room, and you can take a shower and, I don't know, burn my prom pictures." Gordon laughed. "According to Lizzie it's very helpful."

"That's OK," he said. "It's nice to meet you Henry."

"You too," Henry nodded. "Connie, I think I'm just going to crash out. Jet lag," Connie nodded and kissed him. He walked out.

"He seems nice," Gordon said. "I bet he won't break up with you and then get my girlfriend pregnant."

"I broke up with Kevin," Connie reminded him.

"Whatever," Gordon mumbled. "You knew about them?"

"I knew that he had feelings for her," she said softly.

"You did?" He asked. She nodded. "And her?"

"I'm not really privy to Bella Riley's psyche, Gordie," she whispered. "But I don't think she did. What did she tell you?"

"That it only happened once," he whispered. "But I just don't think I can stay with her and raise someone else's kid." As soon as he said it, he saw her eyes widened.

"Yes, I can see how that would be difficult," she mumbled and stood up.

"Connie, no, I didn't mean it like that!" He insisted, "obviously, you know," she looked at him.

"Whatever, Gordon," she said, "I'm going to get some sleep." She hurried upstairs and tried not to cry. What Gordon had said had hurt, but that wasn't the only thing. She couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous that Bella Riley was carrying Kevin's child. She walked into the room and smiled seeing Henry.

"Is your brother OK?" He asked.

"I don't think so," she sighed. "His girlfriend is pregnant. He's a little freaked out. I'm really sorry, I thought my life would be a little quieter when you came here."

"It's alright," he said. "Is she here too?"

"Who?" She asked.

"The pregnant girlfriend?" He asked.

"Oh no," she shook her head, "it's not his baby, it's his best friend's. That's why he's so freaked."

"OK," he nodded, "I really like being the only thing that's not dramatic in your life." She snuggled her head into his chest.

"I really like that too," she whispered.

Bella wiped her eyes, sitting on her bed. Eddie was sitting with her.

"Bella," he said softly. "I've been um, thinking, a lot, since you told me you were keeping the baby." She nodded and looked at him. "You can't do this alone."

"Oh, Eddie, no!" She said, "please! I don't," but he was already on a knee. "Eddie,"

"I know this isn't," he said softly, "but I mean, we could tell people we got back together, and then, we'll get married, and it'll be fine, because we love each other and," he took a ring out of his pocket. Bella knew the ring perfectly, because, well, she'd seen it her whole life and until two years before had always imagined him giving it to her.

"Eddie," she said, "stand up and stop being ridiculous!" He stood up. "I am not going to marry you and tell people that this is your baby. First of all, Gordon already knows that it's Kevin's. Second of all, you're not in love with me, you're in love with Elisa, remember her? Your girlfriend? You'd break her heart that way?"

"It was just an idea," he mumbled.

"It was a stupid one," she said. "Although, sweet, you know it would take the heat off with my parents. Or at least my dad, he still wants me to marry you." Eddie laughed. "That should not be interpreted as a yes." She pointed at him.

"Right," he nodded. "When are you going to tell them?"

"After Christmas," she whispered.

"Sure," he nodded.

"You don't have to keep it a secret anymore," she whispered. He looked at her. "You can tell Ellie."

"You're going to be OK, Bella," he whispered. "I think you're stronger than you know." She nodded. He kissed her on the forehead.

"Thanks for coming over," she said softly. "But I kind of just want to be alone." He nodded and hugged her again. She sat quietly for a while and looked over at her desk. There was a framed picture of her and Kevin and Gordon on graduation day. She and Gordon had their arms around each other and Kevin was dumping a bottle of water on them and all three of them were laughing. Trina had taken the picture and given it to Bella on the same day as gala. She swallowed. Had Kevin loved her then? As the three of them were goofing around, half drunk on champagne had Kevin been wishing things were different and she was in his arms instead of Gordon's? She closed her eyes and put her hand on her stomach. She picked up her phone and dialed.

"Hey," Kevin said answering it. "I was wondering when you were going to call."

"Yeah," she said softly. "I told Gordon." He sighed. "He hates us, as expected."

"Yeah," he said, "I'm sorry, I know you were hoping," he sighed. "I told my parents."

"Wow," she said, "and?"

"My mom locked herself in her office," he said, "and my dad asked if we wanted to move in to the house." She smiled softly. "I said that I'd like that, but um, you know if you wanted to stay with your family, I get that."

"I'm waiting until after Christmas to tell them," she said softly. "Then I'll decide."

"OK," he said.

"Hey, Eddie proposed to me," she said.

"What?" He laughed.

"He proposed and he said that he'd tell everyone he's been cheating on Ellie with me, and that I got pregnant," she laughed. "It was kind of sweet, actually." She was quiet for a minute. "I love you, Kevin."

"I love you too," he said. "Call soon, alright?"

"Alright," she whispered. "Merry Christmas." She hung up.

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