A couple of days passed, filled with rehearsals, work, and David moving most of his things into Sydney's house. With how things were progressing with the baby and Rachel, it was looking more and more like Arlen was going to get what he hated himself for wishing…his chance to raise the baby girl. Controlled chaos was the best way to describe everything happening at once. With all that had been going on, Sydney and Nathan hadn't had a moment to even outline the project Principal Hawkins had assigned them. So, Wednesday night, after Sydney had done her part at "Just Be", she had Nathan meet her at her home so they could at least try to get part of their mentoring program on paper.

Nathan was sitting at the kitchen table, legal pad blank in front of him. "Syd, we don't have to do this tonight."

Sydney was standing in front of the stove, frantically cooking enough for a small army. "Nathan, I know we need to show him something soon…things are a little hectic right now, but…"

"I'm fairly certain that's a gross understatement," he laughed. "Look, uh…" He sighed. "I feel like an ass asking this and you don't have to answer, but…David's moving in?"

Sydney stopped stirring the meat in the skillet and turned to face Nathan. He could have sworn he saw shame in her eyes. "Have you ever wondered about this house?" Nathan cocked his head, silently questioning her. "Substitute teacher? Crappy income, nice house?"

"Um…not really."

Sydney shook her head. "To make a long, pathetic story short, David had this house built for us before he, you know…he felt so terrible about everything that, well, here I am while he's been in an apartment." She tuned back to the stove. "The big, fancy doctor is paying rent despite having had this."

Nathan understood the look in her eyes now. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked about it."

"I hope you're not worried about anything in particular," she said, her voice quite a bit lighter than it was a moment ago. "He's with Arlen…"

"Oh, uh, no," Nathan stammered. "I know that, I'm not thinking that you two are…fuck, that's a lie."

She turned to face him again, smiling. "I know." She walked over to him and began to massage his shoulders. "If it makes you feel any better, I think you might have set the bar too high for anyone else in several areas." He relaxed into her touch, but she still felt tension. "And you're still worried?"

"The way you described him…intense and sort of overpowering…"

"It was most likely overcompensation for what he was really feeling."

"Two bodies under one roof that he…shit. Syd, I…"

Sydney leaned down so her head rested on his shoulder. "I can understand your concern, Nathan, really, but I swear to you, there's nothing to worry about." Her voice saddened. "I've been saving what I can for a while. If I could catch a break and get a permanent position, I could move out sooner, but…"

"No, I don't mean…" He groaned. "I shouldn't have said anything."

She moved so she could face him. "Whether or not we happened, this was always temporary. I can't stay in a 'guilt house.' I knew as soon as he and Arlen were ready…and now with Rachel in rehab and the baby due to leave the hospital in a couple of weeks…" Tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them back. Nathan got up and took her into his arms. "Then there's Jess and Brynn and I know he needs someone and…"

"You have so much going on," he said, kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry."

"Things will calm down after the weekend. The fundraiser will be over, David and Arlen will be here together and…honestly, it's cute that you got a little 'concerned.'"

"I wasn't jealous," Nathan said, all too quickly.

Sydney smiled fully, retuning to the stove, but looking over her shoulder. "Funny, that's not the word I used."

"Uh…" He approached Sydney, looking at her over the top of his glasses…she loved it when he did that. "Well, I…" He blushed. "I'm finding it difficult not to worry just a little."

She bit her lip. "Well, that is a matter I'll be sure to dedicate some more time to."

Nathan circled her waist from behind. "Mmm…dedication?"

"Mm hm." She put the wooden spoon down again and turned to place her arms around his shoulders. "We're not getting much work done, Mr. Gardner."

"Work is so very overrated." He leaned in to kiss her, but the front door opened and a commotion that sounded like fifty people (which was, in reality, five) interrupted their moment. Nathan sighed, defeated. "Sneaking around has it perks, but when the time comes I'm going to make such a spectacle of us." He winked and returned to the table. Sydney blushed heavily.

"I just don't see why you have to make this such a secret, it's a song!" The young man who had interrupted rehearsal a few days ago strolled into the kitchen as though it belonged to him, once again trying to anger information out of Jess. Jess followed him in.

"And I don't see why it's bothering you so much. As you said, it's a song!" He saw Nathan at the table and smiled. "Hello, Nathan," he said politely.

"Hi, Jess," Nathan replied. He then looked at the young man. "And Eric, I'm guessing?" He based this on what Sydney had told him. "We haven't formally met."

Eric extended his hand. "That would be me, yes," he answered, almost smugly. "You work with Sydney at school, correct?" Nathan nodded. "Do keep an eye on her, I worry that an overzealous senior may fall prey to being 'hot for teacher.'" Sydney rolled her eyes at Eric's idea of flattery. Eric was, somehow, Jess' best friend…and the person Brynn had gone on a date with. He came from money and always sounded the part.

"I'll do my best," Nathan responded, chuckling, dirty thoughts speeding through his mind.

"Oh, Eric, really?" Brynn asked, entering the kitchen next, Arlen and David following closely behind. "That'syour first impression?" Eric shrugged and sat down at the other end of the table.

"Sweetie, let me help," Arlen said, going over to the counter. "You shouldn't have to do all this yourself."

"She's not," Nathan said quickly, moving the still empty legal pad from the table. "I was just finishing up and I already offered to help." Sydney looked at him inquisitively, then smiled. He took this as an invitation to stay and help.

"You're staying for dinner?" Arlen asked. "Yay!"

"Yay?" Eric asked. "That doesn't bump me off the guest list, does it?"

"Jesus, Eric," Jess sighed.

"I made enough for about fifteen, I swear," Sydney interrupted, trying to put out potential fires between the two. "We're all eating, but the two of you are doing all of the clean-up."

Eric smiled, trying to butter Sydney up a little. "Of course. Thank you for including me."

Sydney half nodded in response, she was a bit too busy seasoning the immense amount of taco meat in the skillet. As the table was being set, Arlen talked about the process of taking the baby home and Rachel's current treatments. Jess was trying to listen, but couldn't tear his eyes away from Sydney and Nathan. They weren't doing anything out of the ordinary. Nathan was cutting tomatoes and grating cheese and Sydney was still stirring the beef…nothing special at all, yet after what Jess had seen, something so menial seemed all the more wonderful. Jess knew from witnessing one kiss that Nathan was fixing everything that had broken inside Sydney and it made the young man want to thank him over and over again…too bad he wasn't supposed to know about it.

Much of the dinner conversation revolved around the fundraiser and Arlen's nerves about pulling it off. He went over a few more details and then suddenly looked at Nathan. "Oh, hon, are you sure you can't break your 'date' and tickle the ivories a little? I'm terrified that we could run short."

Nathan blushed slightly and swallowed his food. "I promise, had you asked a week earlier, I would have been all in."

"Date?" Jess asked, confused.

"More of an obligation…a favor…"

David chimed in now. "Well, you've certainly made some dashing changes, you must be seeing someone."

"Hey, I'm gonna need him to come back time to time to work on our happy little program, can we not drill him?" Sydney tried her best to keep her voice from going too high. Everyone listened and the topic changed. Once they had their fill, Jess and Eric tended to the clean-up (rather civilly, as they didn't argue over anything), David and Arlen took another carload of belongings upstairs, and Brynn relaxed on the couch, happy that no arguing was floating out of the kitchen. Sydney and Nathan were out on the porch. "I'm so sorry about the ambush," Sydney said, her voice low. "Can you understand why I'm being a little selfish right now?"

Nathan caressed her face. "Very much so. To be fair though, aside from Eric, they all love you…they all want you to be happy."

"And I am…very much so." She swallowed hard. "It's just that, Nathan, if things fall apart, I get each and every one of those people that love me telling me how sorry they are and how someday things will be better and…"

The history teacher smiled, his eyes bright. "Then isn't it good to know that I have no intentions of letting anything fall apart?" He looked at all nearby windows and made sure they were alone. He kissed her as he'd wanted to earlier…and she didn't doubt a word he said.