Sooo sorry it took so long to update, I've hardly even had one day off work lately. Anyway, here's the next installment - seeing as last chapter was set mostly on the road, I'm just gonna skip ahead a bit and make it that they've just arrived in Florida. Hope you like!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Yeah, Dad, everything's going well… No, no car troubles… No, friend troubles either," Nancy added with a laugh. She sunk down onto the grass under the grove of pine trees behind their campsite, cradling her cell phone to her ear.

"Well, Bess is a little depressed at leaving Tommy behind in New York, but other than that… Yeah, Ned and I are good… What do you mean?" she asked, blushing in response to her father's question about the sleeping arrangements. Nancy could almost see her dad rolling his eyes at her response to his question.

"Well, yeah, we've shared a bed," she answered, "It's really been the only option most of the time - but don't worry, nothing's happened."

Hearing Carson sigh on the other end, it was Nancy's turn to roll her eyes. Trust her dad to make such a big deal about it.

"Listen, Dad, I've gotta say goodbye - we're in a camp ground tonight, so we've gotta get some dinner on the barbeque before it gets to dark to see anything… Okay… Love you, too. Bye."

"Everything okay back home?" George asked when Nancy reached their campsite.

Nancy nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine."

"Hey, guys, can I talk to you for a sec?" Bess asked timidly, peaking out from the tent.

Frowning, Nancy asked, "What's up?" It wasn't like Bess to sound so nervous.

"Um, I'll tell you in a minute, but can the three of us just go someplace quiet?" she asked, gesturing to Ned, busy cooking on the barbeque. "No offense to Ned, but I'd rather just talk to you guys."

George shrugged. "Okay."

They walked over to the pine grove where Nancy had been sitting earlier, where Bess nervously wrung out her hands. "Guys, I'm late."

"What do you mean 'late'?" George asked.

Bess rolled her eyes. "You know, late, as in I'm late for my period."

George shrugged. "So? I'm late all the time. You're probably just stressed about… sleeping in a tent again, I mean, you can't - oh, right, you and Tommy…" she trailed off.

Bess nodded. "What if I'm…?"

Nancy held up her hand. "Whoa, whoa, Bess. You and Tommy only slept together like a week ago, right?"

Bess nodded.

"So, no one can know if they're pregnant that fast. You're probably just late for other reasons, as George said."

Bess shook her head vigorously. "Nan, I've never been late since I was fourteen. It's always within two days of exactly four weeks. You guys, I'm scared."

"Did you and Tommy use protection?" George asked, already dreading the answer she was pretty sure Bess was going to give.

Bess shook her head sheepishly. "I guess we just got too caught up in it all."

"Bess!" Nancy exclaimed. "You know better than that."

"I know, I know," Bess moaned, sinking down against a tree and covering her eyes. "I'm an idiot. But, seriously, what if I am?"

"Don't think about that yet," Nancy said. "When exactly was your period due?"

"Four days ago." At the look on her friends' faces, Bess held up her hands, "Look, I know you two think I'm making a big deal about nothing, but seriously, I'm never four days late. It just doesn't happen."

Nancy sighed. "Okay, Bess. But how about you give it another week of so before you start panicking- kay?"

Bess nodded slowly. "I'll try. But what if it doesn't come?"

"Then you'll deal with it. Look, Bess, whatever happens, George and I will be here for you, you know that, right?"

With a small smile, Bess got up and hugged her friends. 'Thanks."

"Yo, if you three don't wanna starve, I suggest you get over hear!"

Nancy grinned. "I think that's our cue."

The three of them trudged back to the campsite, where Ned was dishing up dinner onto paper plates.

"Aww, my hero," Nancy said, standing on tiptoe to give her boyfriend a kiss. "Seriously, Ned, thanks for making dinner."

"No problems," Ned replied, kissing the top of her head as they sat down at a wooden picnic table.

"This is really beautiful," Nancy said, gesturing with her and Ned's joint hands to the moss covered trees and swampy river they were walking along on their late night stroll.

"Mmm," Ned murmured in agreement. "Lots of 'gator's down there," he added with a grin.

Nancy rolled her eyes. "Nickerson, this was supposed to be a romantic stroll, and you're teasing about alligators."

Ned laughed. "Hey, I was just pointing out the facts. But if it's romance you want…" he trailed off, pulling her into his arms.

Nancy grinned. "This is more like it," she whispered as his lips met hers in a searing kiss.

They continued their make out session for another few minutes, eventually finding themselves laying on the moss covered ground.

"Nan," Ned gasped breathlessly, "I know what we talked about in New York, but you did say that we could still do -other things - right?"

Nancy nodded in response, claiming his lips with hers, crawling into his lap. Ned's lips were now tracing the path of her neck, behind her ear, her throat, lips, cheeks, shoulders…

"Mmm, Nan, you taste good," he murmured against her neck.

Nancy smiled, her own lips hovering at the top of his chest, exposed by the low cut wife beater he wore. After a minute, Ned rolled Nancy under him, again claiming her lips. Their tongues wrestled for dominance, hands roaming each others bodies.

"Think Bess and George will notice if we take a little longer than we first said?" Ned asked with a grin.

Nancy smiled. "Nah."

The end. Of the chapter. What did you all think of Bess' storyline? I pretty much know where I want to go with it, but still like to hear what the readers have to say. Easily the most popular answer to my question last chapter was 'yes' so I guess that will happen at some point also. Hope you enjoyed, please review : )