38. In which Craig tells the truth

I really wondered when I figured out it was Craig who had dated Manny and Ashley at the same time... I wondered how neither of them knew him well enough to know he was lying. Honestly, he's just a terrible liar.

Hillary was standing at the stove, cooking chicken for a dinner their first maid had taught her how to make. Ryan was at Lindsay's and wouldn't be back till late, and so when the front door slammed she was surprised. She turned the fire down on the stove and moved cautiously into the foyer, where she found Craig standing in the dark. She hurried over to flip on a nearby lamp and then turned her eyes to his. He was staring rather blankly at the wall, and was clutching a stack of pictures tightly in his hand.

"Craig?" she asked softly, and he finally turned his eyes to her. She moved over slowly and took the pictures from him. She glanced at them briefly before putting them down on the end table and pulling off his light jean jacket. She laid the jacket on a chair and then took his arm to turn him. Her eyes were clouded with concern. "Craig, are you okay?"

He didn't say anything, just stared at her for a minute. Finally he leaned over and engulfed her in a tight, desperate hug. She held him tightly for a moment before pulling back to catch his eye again. He sighed deeply and she took his hand to lead him back to the warmth and light of the kitchen. She pushed him up on a stool and touched his shoulder gently.

"Craig, what's wrong?" she asked, and he just shook his head.

"Nothing, nothing. It's probably nothing." He said, and her eyebrows were enough to show that she did not believe him.

"Seriously, Craig. What's wrong?" she asked again, and he sucked in a breath.

"I said it was nothing!" he snapped, and she just sighed. His eyes flickered with regret and he pulled her into another hug. "I'm sorry, Hill. I didn't mean to yell."

She nodded a little as she pulled out of his embrace and looked at him expectantly. She could tell he wanted badly to talk about whatever it was but at the same time seemed scared of what she would say. Finally she placed a hand on his knee.

"Whatever it is, Craig, it's probably better to just come out with it." She told him, and he exhaled a shuddery breath. He nodded slowly and his mouth opened just a little.

"Manny might be pregnant." He spoke in a quick, quiet breath. Hillary nodded as she checked on the stove. Craig could tell she didn't understand the consequences of what he had said. "Hill, if she is... I'm the dad."

Hillary dropped her fork then and it landed with a loud noise on the tile floor. Craig jumped from his seat and rushed to her side. He grasped her arm tightly as if he expected her to pass out. She turned to him, a fury in her eyes he hadn't seen in a long, long time. His eyes grew wide as well, and his face shifted into a pained expression.

"Craig I can't believe you..." she started, but he cut her off.

"I'm so sorry, Hill. This happened before you even came back..." he tried to explain, but she pulled her arm away.

"You think I'm mad because I think you cheated on me? Craig, I'm not stupid, okay? I know this all happened before I came into the picture. I can't believe this..." she cried, pacing the length of the counter before coming back to face him. He was obviously very, very confused at that point. He had expected her to be mad about the fact that he had been with another girl.

"Well, if that's not it... what is it? I mean, I know I might have gotten a girl pregnant but..." he began, but this time she cut him off.

"It's not just that, Craig. Getting a girl knocked up is universally stupid, but that's not even the worst of it. Do you know how stupid it is to have sex without a condom? Do you?!" she was screaming now, and he was becoming more and more afraid he was going to lose her.

"Well, yeah. I get it; I'm like a walking sex warning." he replied, and she threw her hands into the air.

"No, you don't get it. Babies are one thing, STD's are another. Even if Manny had been on the pill, did you ask if she had ever slept with anyone else?" she asked, and he stuttered a little.

"Well, uh, no... I just assumed I was the first..." he said.

"You assumed. And what if she did have an STD, Craig? It's like playing Russian roulette with your health. With your life!" she cried, storming off into the living room. In an instant he realized he hadn't even thought about the possibility of getting an STD. Craig was going to follow when he saw smoke rising from the burner. His eyes grew wide as he grabbed a nearby potholder and tried to move the frying pan off the heat. He ended up burning the tip of his finger. Once he had the fire off, he stuck his finger in his mouth and moved towards where Hillary had gone.

He found her sitting in the dark living room. She was in the arm chair, knees drawn up to her chest. He could tell she was crying a little, and it killed him that he was the cause of her pain. He crossed the room and sat down on the arm of the chair. After a moment or so of silence he cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, Hill. I didn't even think." He told her, and slowly her face rose to meet his. She nodded a little.

"I know. I overreacted, I'm sorry. It's just... one of my only friends at school in France had to drop out because of an STD. She got HIV from her boyfriend, who had been sleeping with another girl. What a way to find out your boyfriend is cheating on you, huh?" she spoke, voice cracking a little. Craig slipped down into the seat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He drew her into another tight hug and she held him back desperately.

"I would never cheat on you, Hill." He announced, and she nodded into his shoulder.

"I know. I just can't stand the thought of you going through something like that. I can't stand the thought of losing you." she replied, and he stroked her hair a little. It was softer than he had ever felt. She had obviously been playing in the rain again.

"If you want, I'll go get tested tomorrow." He told her, and she squeezed him tighter.

"I love you, Craig." She spoke, and he laid a kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you too." He replied, and was quiet for a moment. "So what if she is pregnant?"

Hillary pulled away from his enfolding arms and wiped her face. She reached out to flip on the lamp and her face grew thoughtful. She was silent for a moment before she could work out her thoughts.

"Well, I guess you'd be a daddy then." She told him, and he smiled.

"What about you?" he asked, and she smiled at him.

"Craig, I'd love any baby that was yours. Even if it wasn't mine." she replied, and his grin became enormous.

"Really? Hillary, you are the best girlfriend ever." He cried, and she smiled.

"Yeah, I know." She replied playfully, and then her nose wrinkled. "What's that smell?"

"Do you remember cooking chicken?" he asked, holding up his singed finger and smiling a little. Her mouth dropped open as she grabbed his hand and pulled it closer. He winced at the pain the movement caused and her eyebrows furrowed ruefully.

"Oh my god, Craig! Are you okay?" she asked, pressing her lips gently to his wound. He nodded a little and his smile widened. She moved her lips to his, offering him a soft kiss.

"I'm sure I'll be just fine."