Chapter 21: New Beginnings

As she pulled into the school parking lot, she finally hit the brakes, maneuvered into her space, and leaned forward, resting her forehead on the steering wheel. She clutched her greatly expanded stomach with one hand, the wheel with the other.

She'd found out six months before. In that one moment, that one time, that first moment when she and the love of her life were united, he'd left her a little unintentional present.

Far as she knew, he didn't even know about it.

Much to Bethany's dismay, she wanted him to know about it. The Lupess had warned her against it - especially since the unborn halfblood child was a male. "They'll be looking for an heir," she'd said, "and when they see they have one they'll take it away. That way they won't have to worry about getting J married."

Pff. J should've married her. After what he'd done? He deserved to live with her pregnant hind-end for a few months.

She leaned back in the seat, still rubbing her stomach. A kick, a "punch", another kick... dear Lord, this kid was a bruiser. "Why can't you just stay still?" she questioned the child, sighing a little as she felt another kick.

Chris pulled up next to her, and he opened the door for her after he got out. "You okay?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to take and pull herself up with. She took it, and he helped to jerk her out of the vehicle.

"As okay as a single pregnant senior can be," she muttered half-angrily, before leaning back in and grabbing her purse and school things. Chris took most of it, feeling like she shouldn't have been carrying a lot of it by herself in her condition.

"So you're still... upset?" That had to be an understatement.

"I've been upset for seven months, Chris!" she snapped, shutting her car door and starting toward the school (although it was a little awkward, her small frame with the giant stomach). "I thought Jeremy loved me. He did, before he died, and he loved me enough to (buck) me!"

"That, eh... doesn't always require much love, 'Manda..."

"Not helping," she muttered, holding her stomach and looking at the ground as she walked. "I just don't understand. After all this time, I still don't understand. Why would he do this to me?" Maybe it was the pregnancy making her a bit more hormonal than usual, but either way she started tearing up again. Chris hurried next to her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"He probably either knew he didn't deserve you, or," the Lutari grinned as he paused, even though Amanda's face was sullen, "or he's gay. Take your pick."

She actually smiled at that, which made him do the same. It warmed his heart to see her actually be happy about something ever since that whole incident had happened.

After he'd taken her home, Jeremy had said a very weak (emotionally) goodbye before leaving. He stayed to let her parents have proof of his existance, but they'd left out the detail about their little deed they'd done that day. Once he was gone, Laura pointed out a bit of a familiarity she'd noticed in him. "His eyes," she said, "look like someone else I knew."

"Really?" Randy had questioned, raising a suspicious brow. "Who?"

"I think her name was Victoria." Amanda's mother smiled a little. "Yes, that was it. What did you say he was, honey?"

"A... Gelert," Amanda answered, slightly nervous.

"So was she." Laura frowned, as if she couldn't quite pinpoint something. "Why does he make me think of her...?"

Amanda suddenly jumped. "He told me about his family," she said, "when we were there. His mom's name was Victoria..."

"Victoria Camp, yes." For a moment they all stood in silence. "She'd had a son then. Only one. That must've been..." Amanda nodded wordlessly. The older brother.

So the Camp and Jameson family had met before. A little awkward.

Jeremy apparently had never heard of such stories. Anyway, when he made it back to camp, Tavi, Sir Hall, Lady Hall, and all the others were eager to take him back to Gelvale and begin teaching him the ropes of royalty.

He didn't tell any of them, but he felt remorse at that point. Amanda should've been sharing it with him. Whether he was convinced of his love for her or not, they'd loved each other at one point. Sure, it might've been over - but she deserved a part of it.

Even so, Jeremy remained silent on that matter. It wasn't totally long before Tavi forgot the ordeal and the Halls just stopped bringing her up.

Bethany and Jackson, as they weren't actual residents of the city but more acquaintances of some citizens that were willing to help, resumed their normal lives before they left for the human world. Bethany returned to the home her adoptive parents owned, and lived the rest of her school life there. Jackson found his family's farm and enjoyed the good old-fashioned life he'd enjoyed so much before.

Obviously, Chris had stayed with Amanda.

Back to them now.

As Chris had his arm over her shoulders and hugged her closer to him, she smiled again. "You know, even though you've been a real butt," she stated, in reference to his death scare, "you've been the best guy friend I could have. I wish Bethany were here, and Jackson, too... but hey. I guess you'll do." Her free hand wandered up to his on her shoulder and rested on it, and both their hearts fluttered slightly.

"So, any names for the kid yet?" Chris questioned, still blushing from all that was going on.

"Ethan Randall," she said, her hand leaving Chris' and gently stroking her own stomach. "I've always loved the name Ethan, and I promised Dad I'd name it after him if it was a boy."

Chris bit his lip, one more question in mind. "Last name?"

"Camp," she said, almost in a whisper, "since his dad's name is... Camp..." She trailed off, and Chris tried to think of something else. There had to be something other than the baby, to get her mind off him...

The two of them entered the school, their hands slipping in one anothers' instead of over the shoulders. Admittedly, many people were thankful it had finally (allegedly) happened. Chris had claimed that he was the baby's father to throw off any suspicion. Luckily (as he'd done so without asking Amanda) she'd been fine with it.

"You know," he commented casually as they turned down the hallway for their lockers, "they still don't have a replacement for Mr. Hall yet."

"Just another fun day in History, then," she laughed, and they rounded a corner.

And it was then, with as much ferocity that only a crazed, hormonal, pregnant teenager could have, she practically forced him onto the wall and planted a soft kiss on his lips. At first he stood there baffled, red-in-the-face, not to mention delighted, then she took her books from him. "W-what was that for?" he asked, grinning lopsidedly. "I thought we were only fake-dating."

"I guess it never should've been fake," she answered, smiling somewhat innocently and continuing on down the hallway.

Chris watched in utter amazement, frozen in some kind of overly-dramatic stupor, before he hurried, caught up, and turned her around to kiss her back.

When they pulled apart, Amanda smiled a little. "Well... maybe his name'll be Tomlin after all."

The End(?)

Erilis: And yep, that about wraps it up. Hmm, should it be left open, ooorrrr, dare I suggest... sequel'd? Your choice. I'll have the poll up.

Diego: ... Eh, I guess that works instead. Kinda weird, though, building up all that romance 'tween her and J before just kinda... You give U-turn a whole new meaning.

Erilis: Glad to know. Well, read and review! And sorry for the bad organization... FF won't let me put my line up there. -pokes-