Chapter 36

It was after midnight by the time they arrived back at Emerald. Even thou she was jet lagged Luce was almost bouncing with excitement. School, home. School meant classes, swim practice, routine. But it also meant having to face Becky's ever growing belly. Luce chewed on her lip. They pulled into the parking lot. Luce looked out the window of the car at all the old red brick buildings and the snow covered ground. Luce was giddy about the snow. She turned to Daniel. "Can we go swimming?" Daniel looked into Luce sparkling hazel eyes. He had been starring into space most of the car ride.

"Not tonight Luce. We start practice again Tuesday. Plus we start classes tomorrow. Are you excited or something?" Luce nodded.

"Nora said she'd have the room ready. Oh I can't wait. Our curtains, Nora color explosion my white and purple comforter. And the twinkle lights. Oh Daniel, what about your room?" Daniel smiled.

"I'll have to set it up tomorrow but Nora had my stuff brought back from storage with yours. So it's all there." Jackson opened the door for them and Daniel climbed out fallowed by a ever more excited Luce. They grabbed their stuff fallowed by Jackson and headed across campus to their dorm building.

The large brick building with its beautiful stained glass windows was a wonderfully familiar sight. Luce quickly walked into the lobby with small convenience store to the right. Daniel and Jackson fallowed her into the elevator. Luce hit the number two and three buttons. When the floor dinged she felt a little sad. Daniel gave her a kiss. "I'll see you in just a minuet." Daniel had only brought two bags with him so Jackson was helping Luce with all of hers.

"Ok love you ."

"Love you." Luce was getting excited. The elevator dinged signaling they were at the third floor and all the sudden Luce felt butterfly's. They walked down the hallway to Luce room who quickly slide her card key thru the readier.

The room was just as if they had never left. Luce walked over to her bed with its white and purple comforter, gauzy curtains and twinkle lights. Under was her yellow laundry baskets, dresser and mini fridge. All her books were on the built in shelves and even her statue of Liberty paper weight was in place. Than there was Nora side with the TV, bright colors, and wall of nail polish. All that was missing was Nora. Jackson cleared his throat. "Oh thank you Jackson. You can just leave those there." Jackson nodded than left. Nora came reeling out of the bathroom.

"Your home." Luce hugged her big sister.

"I've missed you." Yes it had only been a day or two but still.

"I've missed you little one. But no time to party we have classes tomorrow. But it is so good to be back. Wanna make some popcorn and we can watch a movie?" Luce nodded. Nora made the popcorn and Luce started to unpack finally feeling her jet lag setting in. After unpacking Luce set her tablet in its stand on the desk. She noticed her picture were all of just her and the girls. She quickly changed some back to pictures of her and Daniel. "There now everything is perfect." She didn't even change out of her t shirt she just took off her jeans and crawled into bed.

Next day was a crazy blur. Luce had three classes Monday and Wednesday. Then two on Tuesday and Thursday. But she had to go full time for her scholarships. So she was taking Observation and Guildans 1, Psychology, Intro to Consoling, Environment and Curriculum Planning 1, and Language and Literacy development. "Ugh." Just thinking about the course load was overwhelming. She hadn't seen Daniel all day when she finally got back to her room. She was so tired she almost ignored her phone when it went off.

Hey baby. You wanna meet up for dinner.

Luce rolled over in her bed and moaned.

Can you come to my room? I'm really tired.

Daniel smiled looking at the text. He had figured she would be to tired to go out.

Ok baby. Does a salad sound good?

Luce smiled.

Yeah that works thanks. :)

Daniel had already guessed what Luce was thinking and bagged up her salad. He then turned heading for their dorm building.

Luce was still laying face down on her bed when she heard the knock on her door. "Ugh I need to just get him a key." Luce rolled off her bed still with shoes on and everything and opened the door to a very handsome blond. "Hey you." Daniel leaned down and kissed her.

"Hey you." He walked in setting the food on the end of Luce desk. "So how was your first day of winter term?" Luce kissed him pinning him to the bed. "Well okay." Daniel rolled on top sliding his leg between hers.

"Can we just sleep. I'm really tired. And we start practice again tomorrow." Daniel kissed he neck then took a deep breath.

"Ok but you need to eat." Daniel sat next to her handing Luce her salad. Suddenly she actually felt hungry.

"Thank you for dinner. " Daniel nodded.

"Anytime love. So you sleeping here tonight or." Luce smiled and blushed a little.

"Yeah for tonight. I need sleep." Daniel smiled even throw it wasn't what he wanted it was nice to have things back to normal.

They sat eating watching a movie when there was a knock at the door. Nora and Cam had been hanging out all day. It was like Cally had been some fluke. "Hey next time can I meet your friends?" Cam twitched a little.

"You know Nora, I am just not sure that a good idea. I mean it's not that I don't want you to meet my friends. I just don't think its the best idea right now." Nora knocked on the door to be sure than walked in.

"Hands where I can see them and clothes on boys n girls." Daniel shook his head and Luce smiled. "Hey you two. Luce you sleeping here tonight?"

"Yeah I'm exhausted." Nora patted her head and started grabbing clothes for tomorrow.

"Ok little one the rooms your for the night. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok Bye." Nora and Cam headed for Cams room.

"So no room mate this term." Nora laced her fingers thru Cams. His warm palm against hers gave Nora goose bumps.

"Nope. Jason wanted a room of his own this term so it's just us." Nora smiled.

"Is there anything that can make you change your mind on me meeting your friends?" Cam thought about it what could it hurt to have Nora meet Arriane and Annabelle. The girls would get along, most likely. And maybe he needed them here. Nora had told him about the fight Daniel and Luce had and the whole thing screamed Bill. Not that Cam had any way of proving it. Sometimes he wished God would just smite his sorry ass. Not that someone wouldn't be right there to replace him but his replacement wouldn't care about Daniel and Luce. A simple text message. That all the snake had said and it almost worked. Cam had to figure a way to keep Lucifer away.

The next two weeks just flew by with Daniel barley seeing Luce. Which is why he was at her door knocking. Nora opened the door. "Hey Nora is Luce here?" Nora shook her head.

"Nope. I think she's held up in the library. I'm warning you she isn't in the best mood."

"Why?"

"She wouldn't say but I guess it might have something to do with Becky leaving this attached to the door." Nora held up an ultrasound picture. Daniel took the picture. A girl. The baby was a little girl. He had to find Luce and make sure she was ok.

"Thanks Nora." Daniel grumbled taking the picture.

"Daniel she is trying to be ok with everything. But I think it is getting harder and harder for her." Daniel ran his hand thru his hair.

"I know Nora. At least she not on the swim team anymore. I don't know why she would drop this off here thou. I'll have a talk with her." Daniel turned and walked down the hallway back toward the elevator. He stepped into the little moving box and instantly getting slightly uncomfortable.

"Hello Daniel." He turned to see Bill standing there flipping his coin.

"Oh hey Bill."

"How are you doing this evening?" Just like on cue Daniel got the creeps. But Bill seemed like a nice enough guy.

"You know dealing with baby mama drama. You?"

"I'm good actually. Head or tails?" Bill flashed a full mouth smile. The elevator dinged.

"Ahh heads. Well you have a good night."

"You know she always choose heads too. Good night Daniel." He shook off the creeps and headed for the library.

Luce was hiding in a far corner of the library working on a paper. Well trying to work on her paper. She couldn't get the ultrasound out of her head. A little girl. Daniel might be having a little girl. Luce thought about her relationship with her Dad. "Ugh." She really needed to be okay with everything. But she just couldn't. Luce was starring at the same passage she had been for the last 20 minuets when Daniel sat down in the chair next to her.

"Hey." Luce briefly looked up.

"Hello." Daniel moved the chair closer.

"So how are you?" Luce rolled her eyes and turned the page in her text book. "Luce we need to talk . ." She shut her book setting it on the table in front of her.

"No. We don't." Daniel ran his hand thru his hair.

"Baby."

"Are you excited?" Daniel wasn't sure how he was feeling. Having a sex put to the baby was kinda exciting. Knowing the baby was a girl. But at the same time Daniel knew that Josh and Becky were still planning on raising the baby together. Well at least as far as he knew. Luce took his silence as a yes and started packing up her stuff.

"Where are you going?" Luce shrugged not trusting herself to talk.

"Back to my room. I have a ton of homework."

"Can I come with?" Luce sighed.

"Not tonight Daniel. Tell Becky congrats for me." Luce walked away leaving a hurt and confused Daniel.

After Luce had left Daniel went back to his room. Maybe she just needed some space. He laid on his bed with the pictures of little toes, hands, and hmm. It was sucking its thumb. Hmm. He laid it back on his chest when someone knocked on his door. "Becky." She stood there eyes red and swollen.

"Daniel can we talk." Daniel nodded letting her in.

"Yeah whats going on Becks?" Becky was in a pair of yoga pants and a t shirt. She plopped down on Daniel bed rubbing her slowly getting larger stomach.

"Josh thinks the baby looks like you. And wants to slow things down until we know." Becky started sobbing. Daniel squatted down in front of her.

"Becks don't cry. He is probably just getting cold feet. I'm sure he'll come around. Hey are you excited? It's a girl." Becky sniffled.

"Kinda. Yeah. I keep looking at her little toes and wondering what she is going to be like. But then I think that I can't possibly do this without Josh. I love him Daniel. I don't know the first thing about being a mom. And how will I do school and raise a little kid? Maybe I should think about adoption."

"Becky don't talk like that. Everything will work out. Plus if you really want to step out of the picture. I'll raise the baby." Becky thru herself into Daniels arm knocking Daniel onto the floor. They laid there a minuet looking into each others eyes. Daniel knew what Becky was about to do when she kissed him.

"Daniel thank you but I think . . ."

"What the hell!" Both looked to see a fuming Luce standing in the door way.

"Oh shit. Luce wait." But she had already turned and left. "Becks please get off." Becky struggled to up right herself.

"I'm sorry Daniel." Becky climbed off with some help.

"Don't worry about it. Becks I'm here for you. Ok. Just give him some space and you can hang out here for a while just lock up on your way out. Ok. I gotta go."

Luce stood on the other side of the door listening to what they were saying. She knew nothing had been happening. Well except that kiss. She was standing in the common area when Daniel came jogging around the corner. It was snowing out making it look really dark outside. "Luce." She didn't dare turn around. She wasn't sure weather she wanted to cry or punch him. "Look Luce she fell and. . ."

"And you caught her again. Good for you Daniel. But hey at least this time your clothes stayed on." Daniel just looked at his feet.

"Josh and her are having a little bit of a hard time and she needed someone to talk too. It's not that big of a deal." Luce just stood there. "Will you look at me?" She spun around.

"There now I'm crying. Are we happy now." Daniel hated seeing Luce cry. "Your right no big deal. I mean you would be fine walking in on me on top of some other guy and kissing him right?" Daniel was getting made just thinking about it. She was right. But it had been just an accident. The kiss not so much but the rest of it. Daniel knew nothing would have happened but Luce didn't know that and with their past history.

"Don't cry Luce please. It didn't mean anything. It was just a kiss." Luce walked away. "Luce don't walk away." But she did.