Life After High School. Is It Scary? You Bet. By Risty Maskell and Silver15 Disclaimer: to J. R. R. Tolkien: That is sooo unfair! I hate you! (audience: Think Kevin and Perry Go Large) Summary: Geez. do I have to? **************************************************************************** ***************** As I hugged Emma, I knew she wasn't happy. She was just pretending. She and Billee had been for a little walk somewhere. I decided to talk to her later. I didn't want Boromir worried. We went into the kitchen and Benny, who was sitting at the table, let off a piercing wolf-whistle. Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir began to clap and everyone else laughed and clapped. I could see Emma was folding under the pressure. "Hold it guys! You're scaring the Bride-to-be!" I called. Frodo came over and put an arm around my waist. As the cheering and applause died down, I saw Elladan and Elrohir give Billee a reproachful look. I knew what was going on, so did Elrond and Arwen. But no one dared do anything about it, because last time, Elrohir had gone absolutely nuts and gone at Billee with a kitchen knife. No one knew why. But it had been very frightening. Especially for little Colan, who had gone to stay at Wendy and Blue's for a couple of days.

Later, when everyone was doing their own thing, Emma and I went down to the creek. A memory surfaced in my mind. It was of the first day of the school year in year twelve.

*** "Hi guys, how were your holidays?" I had asked. "Do you mean on average, or when I fell into the creek behind our place in Hobbiton?" asked Blue.

***

I laughed at the memory. Then I told Emma, she managed to smile. "Emma. I can tell you're worried about something. I'll leave it up to you whether you want to tell me or not, I think I did enough damage last year." I winced at the memory of me jumping out of the closet. That had not been good. "I know I can trust you, Jamie. But I'm just really scared you'll get up me or something." Emma said after about two minutes of silence. I dappled my foot in the water. A fish swam out of the way. "What do you mean?" "I.I'm pregnant, Jamie." I felt my eyes go wide. My jaw dropped open and I stared at the fish for a second. All I can tell you it was a trout. "B-but you had that o-operation when you had Kane." "It failed. That's where I went with Billee this afternoon. I went to the doctors." "Oh Emma. I'll always be there for you. And so will Billee. You know that. But this is Damon's baby, isn't it?" Emma nodded guiltily. "Yes." "What did Billee say?" "He said I could explain it away as the result of a one night stand." "You do have another option." "What's that?" "Abortion." "What!?" "Well. Hit me if I'm wrong. But you hardly seem the type to get drunk and climb into bed with some macho asshole from Rohan or somewhere. " "Your right. But I dunno Jamie. What do I do?" "Hey, don't look at me. It's your choice. But I will help you. If you want it."