~*~ Chapter 7 ~*~

Janelle was beginning to become a permanent fixture around the Firehouse. After two months, the trial had come to a close and the jury was in deliberation. The verdict was going to come in any day and Janelle would be free to leave. Scott found himself fighting his feelings for Janelle. He had promised himself that he wasn't going to fall for her, but it was too late. Each day he was growing more and more dependant on her and she quickly became more than a client. To Janelle, the feeling was mutual. She felt happiness with Scott that she hadn't felt in a long time. She just didn't want to leave.

Scott was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper when he heard the front door open. He lowered the paper just enough to peek over the top to see Karen coming through the door. "You're early," he said lifting the paper up again.

"Yeah, good morning to you too, dad," she replied walking over to join him on the couch. Since the day Karen overheard the conversation with Scott and Serena, she no longer felt uncomfortable about calling him dad all the time, instead of just when Serena was around.

"I'm sorry honey...Good Morning...where's Chris?" he asked folding the paper and placing it on the coffee table.

"Oh, he was called to the hospital and since my car is in the shop, he dropped me off...so are you ready to go?"

"As soon as Serena comes down...He doesn't mind that you're going furniture shopping without him?"

"No, actually, I think he prefers it. If he's not there then he doesn't have to make any decisions. Typical man." She said with a smirk.

"Hey, hey...watch it there..."

"What? Are you really defending Chris?" she asked with a shocked expression.

"Well...us men have to stick together, you know. We have to make sure that you women don't go overboard spending our money."

"If you didn't want to worry about money, then you should've had boys."

"Now you're starting to sound like Lucy," he said teasing her.

Karen just smiled and changed the subject. "Where's Janelle?" she asked.

"She went for a walk. She walks down to the lake every morning."

"So how are things going with you two? You seem to be getting rather chummy with her, lately."

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, knowing full well what she meant.

"Dad, come on...you haven't been this happy since you were married to Lucy...just follow your heart. Did you ask her out yet?"

"No," he said jumping to his own defense but then coming to terms with the idea. "I don't what to say."

"Gee, that's amazing..." she began "Scott Baldwin at a loss for words towards a beautiful woman, I never thought I would see the day."

"Never thought that you would see the day for what?" Janelle asked coming through the door. "Hi Karen."

"Hi...I was..." Karen greeted.

"Nothing..."Scott interjected. "How was your walk this morning?" he asked changing the subject.

"Invigorating!" she gasped. "So, dragging the old man out shopping today, huh?"

"Yeah...unless..."she said turning to Scott "Dad just wants to give the me the credit cards..." she said flashing him a big smile and then turning back to Janelle.

"Not a chance...my daughter and my credit card is a dangerous combination," he joked, hugging her from behind.

"Janelle, why don't you come with us...three women and the man with the money." Karen offered.

"Sure...sounds like it will fun." Janelle said.

Scott picked up the phone on the table "Serena...Karen's here...let's go...Hi Jessie..."

"Okay...I'm coming...I'll call you when I get home Jess." Serena said over the phone.

"Jessie, huh?" Karen said to Scott with a disappointing look on her face. Karen didn't really approve of Serena's choice of friends lately; she saw them as nothing but trouble.

"Yeah...she's coming over later to spend the night...I don't think they'll get into to much since Janelle and I will be here," he said. Noticing the expression on Karen's face he summed up the discussion by turning her attention to the shopping trip.

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"How many times have we been to this store today?" Scott asked with amusement. He was enjoying spending the time together and listening to Karen, Serena, and Janelle discuss every detail of the baby's nursery.

"This is the last time, I promise. I think, I've decided on the light oak set. That will be the best match for the crib set that Serena picked," Karen said as then entered the store. All three women left Scott behind as they went straight to display.

"Hi," a store attendant greeted to Scott. "You're back."

"Yeah...she claims that she decided," he replied with a smirk as they walked over to join the group.

"Is this the one you want, honey?" he asked Karen.

"Can you mix the sets?" she asked the attendant "because I would like this crib, with that armoire and 4 drawer chest."

"Uh...no...we don't mix sets," the saleslady admitted.

"Then we'll take them both." Scott said determined that Karen would get what she wanted.

"Dad, that's not necessary," she started.

"No, Karen," He said turning to the saleslady "what my daughter wants, my daughter gets. Besides, what you don't want we'll put at the firehouse," he finished reaching for his wallet, just as his cell phone rang. He handed his wallet to Karen, "take care of the details while I take this call." She nodded as she took the wallet and walked to the sales desk.

"Baldwin...now...okay, we're on our way," he said finishing up the phone conversation and joining Karen. "Everything set? Deliver that to her address," He said. With the details finished, Karen and Scott joined Serena and Janelle. "The jury has reached a verdict, we need to get to the courthouse," he said to Janelle. "Serena, I'm sorry but Jessie isn't going to be able to come over tonight."

"What? Why?" she asked upset.

"Because, I am not going to be there," he said with authority.

"Wait...you just bought half of Port Charles for Karen...what happened to what my daughter wants, my daughter gets?"

"Serena, I'm not going to argue about this with you."

"Dad..." Karen interrupted, "I'll stay there with them. Chris is working tonight and I was just going to work in the Nursery. I just spend the night. That way, I can walk to the garage in the morning to pick up my car."

"Are you sure?" he asked knowing how Karen felt about Serena's friends.

"I'm sure...we'll have a girls night." She said smiling.

"Okay then, I'll drop you two off at the firehouse."