Hey everyone!

As far as season starters go, season 7's was the most epic of all, don't you agree?

Anyway, I've been away, hence the lack of update so here's a longer than normal chapter :)

Oh, and for people who read my fic 'Still Alive and Kicking', the sequal is now up, it's called 'All The Time In The World'

Review!

xoxElle


Players


Three days later Kate and Ari returned to Miami after spending an extra day at the Lake. Kate was now sitting on the lounge downstairs filling out some papers for the adoption agency while writing an essay for her Geography class while Ari was upstairs having a shower.

April sat down on the couch next to her and yanked all the papers out of her hands.

"What are you doing?" Kate asked, attempting to get the papers back. April threw them over the back of the couch and looked at her.

"You look like you're about to have a nervous breakdown" She said.

Kate smiled at her "I'm fine"

April raised an eyebrow at her and tucked her legs underneath herself to face Kate better "I know when you lie to me Katie, I'm a doctor, so clearly I'm not an idiot"

"Where's Cameron tonight?" Kate asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Working the graveyard shift at the hospital. Tell me what's wrong"

Kate looked down at her stomach and let out a sigh, running a hand over it before looking back at her sister "Ari wants to keep the baby" She said "But the right thing to do is give the baby to someone who can raise him right, we're only teenagers...We can't raise him"

April sighed "I know, but Ari does have a right to have second thoughts"

Kate shook her head "We're being responsible"

"But you have to look at it from his point of view, it's a lot from someone to go through"

Kate nodded "I know. I'm going through it too...It's just that I know we won't be able to handle it"

Neither heard as Ari walked and stopped half way down the stairs, sitting down on one of the steps and listening as the two sisters talked.

"But do you ever wonder what it would be like if you kept this baby?" April asked softly.

Kate laughed without humour "I try not to" She said before swallowing and looking away "The only thing I've thought about is that I hope the baby has Ari's eyes"

Ari smirked slightly from where he was sitting, shifting slightly to try and get the stair behind him to stop digging into his back.

April smiled, hearing the staircase creak quietly "Well, I think what you're doing is the right thing. But you've got to give Ari time to think about things"

Kate smiled slightly "Thanks April"

April nodded and bounced up off the couch with too much enthusiasm for someone who had just finished working 18 hours "I'm going to go get what limited sleep I can. And maybe you and the young man sitting in the middle of my staircase can have a talk"

Kate's head whipped around just as Ari lifted his head in slight surprise of being caught. The two shared a look before April smiled and said goodnight taking her blonde hair out of the tight ponytail it was in.

Ari stood up as April passed him and made his way down the rest of the stairs, walking around to sit next to Kate on the couch, letting Kate put her back against his chest and lapsing into silence as he held her.

"I heard what you said" Ari said a few minutes later as he took her hand and played with her fingers absentmindedly.

"I guessed" Kate said, her head lolling back to rest against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

She felt Ari take a deep breath before he spoke again "I know I am being unreasonable Caitlin...But this is what I feel is right"

She sighed, tears coming into her eyes. Stupid hormones, she thought as she pressed a hand to her forehead "It's not the right thing to do, raising a baby when we wont to able to support him"

"We could"

Kate kept her eyes closed as her voice wavered slightly "Don't you think I've thought about this? I've gone through every situation possible, and it always ends with one of us dropping out of school, not having enough money, or being found by one of our fathers" She struggled to push herself up off the couch and turned to face him, tear obviously brimming her eyes now and her cheeks turning slightly red from emotion."We have to think what's right for the baby, not what's right for us"

Ari watched as Kate made her was up the staircase, listening as she closed the door to their bedroom upstairs. He waited a few minutes before following, walking up to the door and turning the handle, only to find it locked. He sighed and knocked.

"Caitlin?" He said through the door quietly, pressing his forehead against the door "Caitlin, please open the door"

Kate stayed firmly in the middle of the bed, closing her eyes and ignoring Ari's knocks as she tried to fall asleep. She placed her hands on her stomach and felt the baby kick under her palm. She smiled softly and reached over to pick her phone up off the nightstand and pressed her speed dial.

"Hello?"

"Hi Annabelle, it's Kate" She said as she heard Ari's footsteps retreat from the door softly.

"Hey Kate! How are you? How's the baby?"

"He won't stop kicking" Kate said as she ran a hand over her stomach again, putting her hand on the place where the baby kicked again "And he's found a nice resting place on my bladder"

Annabelle laughed slightly "So, what's up?" she asked.

"I have an ultra-sound tomorrow afternoon at four, I wanted to know if you and Patrick wanted come"

She could practically hear Annabelle grin "We'll be there"

"Alright, bye" Kate said with a smile as she hung up. She put her phone back on the side tablet before picking up the small black bear that had been sitting on top of the alarm clock since Ari gave it to her. Well, the baby technically. She frowned and put it back, picking up Ari's pillow from next to her and pushing herself off the bed.

Ari looked up as she walked down the stairs, his pillow clutched in her hand as she approached him with a frown.

"I'm going to go for a walk" She said as she placed his pillow down on the couch next to him. He watched her as she turned around and made her way towards the front door.

"Caitlin..." He said quietly, standing up and moving to stand in front of her "I am sorry fo-"

"You don't have to apologize Ari...I just need time to think" She said.

Ari nodded and put his hands on her hips and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead "I love you" He murmured into her ear.

"I know" Kate said quietly, pulling back to look up at his face with a sad smile "I'll see you later"

Ari nodded and squeezed her sides gently before stepping back and letting her turn to walk out the door.


Meanwhile, at the park not far from Miami High after school, the six friends were throwing a football to each other. Sarah sat off to the side next to Alyssa, who had an advance algebra book open on her lap, while Sarah sat with a notebook sitting on the bench next to her.

Rick threw the football to Renee, who began running in the other direction, quickly brushing her black and blue hair out of her face, only to be tackled to the ground by Jeff. He pinned her to the ground and they stared at each other for a few moments before hastily getting up and getting back to the game.

Alyssa and Sarah shared a smirk with each other before getting back to what they were doing.

After they had finished playing, Renee sat away from everyone else, resting with her back against a tree as she studied the grass stains on knees. She heard someone walk up and sit down next to her, so she glanced to the side and saw Jeff settling on the grass, leaning his back slightly against the tree. He ran a hand through his black hair and gave her a lop-sided grin.

"That was a great game, don't you think?" He said after a moment, trying to start a conversation.

Renee nodded "Yeah, it was"

Jeff's eyebrows knotted together "You okay, Ren?"

She smiled slightly at the nickname that Jeff had been calling her since middle school. She turned her head to look at him, brushing away some of her hair out of her face again.

"I'm fine" She said with a smile. Jeff grinned back at her and put his hand on the ground next to hers, his fingers brushing hers.

"Are you coming to our party tomorrow night?" He asked her.

Renee shrugged "I don't know. Probably not...I have heaps of homework to catch up on"

Jeff frowned slightly "Oh, ok" He said "I was kind of hoping you would come..." He said quietly.

Renee looked down, hiding her blush "Yeah, maybe I'll come"


Tony had never been happier to wake up at two o'clock in the morning. He rolled out of his bed, only wearing his boxers, quickly made his way over to sit at his computer and logged onto it. He ran a hand through his messy hair as he waited, letting out a grin when Ziva popped up on his screen.

"Makes you love web cam, doesn't it?" Tony said, making Ziva smirk "How's Israel?"

"It is fine" She answered shortly. "It is good to see my sister again. I have missed her"

"I've missed you" Tony said "You should hear some of the crap they're saying at school about why you went back to Israel"

Ziva smirked "And what are they saying?"

Tony shrugged "That I knocked you up, that you're on the run from the cops...that kind of stuff"

Ziva laughed lightly "Let people think what they want Tony" She said "I am surprised that you are awake"

"Seeing you is a good enough reason to get up at two in the morning" He said, leaning forward in his chair.

Ziva smiled at him, but a noise in the background made her turn around, then quickly turn back to the screen.

"I have to go now my love, I will talk to you another time" She said before the screen went blank.

Tony sighed and turned off his computer, going back to his bed and lying down.

He didn't sleep for the rest of the night.


Kate hadn't slept alone since she became pregnant and found that she really didn't like it. She stood up, putting a hand on her lower back and walked towards the bedroom door.

She was surprised when it creaked open just before she reached it, revealing Ari standing there with a slight smirk on his face.

"Hello" He said quietly.

Kate smiled back at him "Hello" She mimicked.

They stared at each other for a moment before Ari stepped more into the room and closed the door behind him softly, outside the window it began to rain, breaking the silence that had engulfed the room.

"I was hoping that I could sleep in here" He said with a sheepish grin. Kate smiled and laughed softly.

"I was just coming to get you" She confessed, outstretching her hand to him. He took it and kissed her fingers before they went back over to the bed, lying down with Ari holding her from behind, both looking out the window as the rain came down heavier.

They laid in silence for a while, neither of them able to sleep as their fight ran through their heads and they looked out at the storm that was brewing. Ari's hand slowly traced patterns on her side and stomach, her hand coming up to entwine their fingers together and squeeze gently.

"Annabelle and Patrick are coming to the Ultrasound tomorrow" She said quietly as a loud clap of thunder went through the air. Kate's body went tense and she closed her eyes.

"You are frightened of thunder?" Ari asked, putting his head on his hand to look down at her. Kate sighed.

"It's the sound...it reminds me of my Dad" She said. For the time Ari had known her, they had never been together during a storm, plus, the mentions of her father were rare lately so he leaned down to press his lips against her cheek, running a hand down her arm to sooth her.

"Are you alright?" He murmured into her ear.

Kate laughed softly, tensing slightly as thunder echoed through the room again "I'm fine" She said "It's just been a long day"

Ari nodded in agreement, resting his head behind hers and wrapping an arm around her until his hand rested on her shoulder. She brought her hand up to rest over his and squeezed gently.

"I think we should have a proper talk about everything that's going on" She said "Just not tonight"

"I believe that is a good idea" Ari whispered into her ear "But, there should be no getting angry or walking away"

Kate chuckled "That was subtle" She said before lowering her voice "I love you"

Ari kissed behind her ear "I love you too"


The next day Ari and Kate hadn't had their talk yet, instead putting their focus on the fact that they could spend some time outside the house that night at Jeff and Jamie's party. They had gone to the Ultrasound with Annabelle and Patrick, and everything had been normal, and they got a new ultrasound picture of the baby.

Now, for the party, Kate had put on a red dress that reached her knees and sleeves half way down the top of her arms, while Ari wore his usual attire.

An hour into the party, Kate was sitting on a couch with Sarah and Jamie talking about school while Ari went upstairs and found an empty room to sit in.

Ari looked around the dark room and found it was Jeff and Jamie's study room. Their parents, being CEO's, had their own study that came off their own bedroom, so the boys had most of the house to themselves most of the time.

He sat down against the wall at the side of the room and leaned his head back, closing his eyes and letting out a breath.

A few seconds later the door opened and Ari looked up, seeing Renee standing in the doorway, wearing a white v-neck shirt and black jeans.

"Oh, sorry Ari...I didn't know anyone was up here" She said.

"It is fine Renee" He said. She looked at him for a moment and frowned.

"Are you alright?" She asked stepping into the room and walking towards him.

Ari shrugged his shoulder "I am fine"

She went and sat down next to him, leaning against the wall pulling her knees up to her chest "You don't seem fine. You seem angry about something"

Ari swallowed "Caitlin and I have been fighting about the baby"

Renee cocked her head to the side "What about the baby?" She asked.

Ari ran a hand through his short hair "I feel that it is best to keep the baby, Caitlin does not"

Renee nodded "I see why you're in here, hiding in a study"

Ari chuckled and looked at her "I am not much of a party person"

"Neither am I"

Ari raised his eyebrow "Then why are you here?"

Renee shrugged and looked at the floor "Jeff asked if I was coming, so I came"

Ari raised an eyebrow and smirked "I see"

Renee blushed slightly, shaking her head and plying with the end jeans "It's not like that..." She said softly "Why are you here then?"

"Caitlin needed a night out" He said "It has been a long seven months"

"I bet it has" Renee said "You guys must love each other alot to stick through all this"

"Yes, I suppose so" Ari said lowering his voice. Renee put a hand on his knee and squeezed it gently.

"Everything works out" She said quietly "It'll all fix itself"

Ari looked at her and took a deep breath, running a hand over his face "I do not know anymore"

Renee looked at Ari at the same time he looked up. Their heads moved towards each other slowly, Ari's hand came up to move some of her black and blue hair over her shoulder before pressing his lips to hers.


Jeff leaned over the back of the couch next to Kate, who was laughing at something Sarah had said "Hey Kate...Have you seen Renee?" He asked.

She turned slightly and shook her head "No, sorry. Have you seen Ari?"

Jeff shook his head and sighed "Maybe we should look for them?"

Five minutes later, Kate and Jeff were searching upstairs. Jeff came to the door of the study and opened the door, finding Renee and Ari mid-kiss.

When the door opened Renee broke away from Ari and looked up wide-eyed, quickly jumping up and rushing past the two in the doorway. Jeff turned and went after her calling out her name angrily.

Kate stepped into the room and closed the door quietly, turning back around to face Ari and crossed her arms.

"I think we need to have that talk now"