Part seven has arrived. Thanks for your reviews.


Kenny stared at her without saying anything. He grasped her hands in his, as her words played over and over in his mind. Pregnant, his mind screamed, pregnant! Not possible! We've been so careful. She can't be pregnant.

"Kenny," she said softly in his silence, "It's not definite . . . I mean those tests aren't 100% accurate."

"You took a test?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Last night."

"And you're just getting around to telling me now," he snapped, "Why the hell did you wait so long? How long did you suspect it for?"

Max swallowed, "A few days. I missed my period, but I figured it was just stress. Then the nausea this week. I didn't want to worry you for no reason."

"No reason? Max! We're having a baby dammit! How could you not tell me?"

"I'm telling you now," she practically whispered.

"We're having a baby," he repeated, walking to the other side of the room, "A baby? You and me? How did this happen?"

"I think you know where babies come from."

"This isn't time for jokes Max. You're pregnant."

"And this is why I was scared to tell you! This wasn't something I planned on! And it scares the shit out me! I don't know anything about kids or being a mother!"

"Yeah? Well neither do I," he shot back, "I need to get some air, take a walk or something."

"Fine, go."

Kenny stared at her for a long instance, still trying to absorb what she had just told him. Saying nothing, he walked out the door.

"Rachel. What are you doing here?," Jimmy asked, looking up from his desk.

"I was in the neighborhood," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders, "So I thought I would stop by. Are you upset?"

"Surprised. We're not exactly friends."

"We have nothing left to fight over Jimmy. Why don't we just bury the hatchet?"

Jimmy paused, "I think that Jill would like that."

Rachel smiled at her best friend's name, "Are you working all alone tonight Jimmy? I thought that the sheriff always got off early?"

"We've been short staffed lately, so we're all pitching in," Jimmy answered, as Rachel advanced closer, "What are you doing?"



Kenny sat down on the couch a few hours later, and gazed down at the sleeping figure on it. Running his fingers through her hair, he tried not to feel guilty when he saw the tear streaks on her face. I didn't think she would still be here, he thought, although I'm glad she is. We have a lot to talk about. Wrapping the blanket more securely around her, she groaned slightly.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hi," she said cracking her eyes open, "Um, how was your walk?"

"Fine," he answered, as she sat up with the blanket wrapped around her, "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yeah. I wasn't sure if I should stay or not."

"I'm glad that you did. We've got some stuff to talk about. What you said about these tests . . . I bought some while I was out. I thought you might want to take a few more, just to be sure."

"That's probably a good idea," she agreed, accepting the paper bag slowly, "Thanks. I'll be right back."

Kenny watched her go silently, and sunk down on the vacated sofa. A baby, he thought, we've been together two months. It's way too soon for this. Even with Max.

"Now we wait," she said softly, breaking him out of his thoughts, "Ten minutes . . . then I guess we know."

"Yup."

He held out his hand to her, and pulled her down next to him. Leaning into him, Max settled her head on his shoulder.



"Come on Jimmy. Let's have a little fun. Your deputy seemed to enjoy it," Rachel drawled, "Who is going to know?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Maybe a little," she agreed, throwing her arms around his neck, "You know you want this. We wouldn't have fought as much if you didn't."

"I'm calling you a cab," Jimmy responded coldly, pushing her away.



"You ready?," Kenny asked, as they paused outside the bathroom door, "Cause I'm not sure I am."

"Why don't we just get it over with? It worked better that way yesterday."

Kenny nodded, and squeezed her hand tighter in his, as he shoved the door open, "Okay."

"Wow," Max whispered, needing a reaction from him, "Um, yeah."

"Yeah," he agreed, staring at the row of positive tests glaring back at them, "That's something."

"I guess we know for sure now."

"Sure? Maybe they're all wrong? Shouldn't you go and see your gyno or something, just to make sure?"

"They're 99% accurate, and there are 10 of them here. Do you know how much urine that took? Plus the one I did yesterday."

"You should still go and see a doctor."

"I am. Tomorrow morning, before work."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Max nodded slowly, "Would you? Please. I don't know what I'm doing any more."



"You think you can just throw me out!," Rachel screamed, lunging for the door, "You can't!"

"Rachel," Jimmy started, as she shot out the door, "Dammit!"

"You'll see," she yelled, "I hate this damn department!"

"Please, calm down. I know you've been hurt, but you need to take a deep breath and relax."

"I don't need to relax," she growled, as she turned to go, "Don't bother with the cab. I'm walking."



"Kenny," Jimmy called the next morning beckoning him into his office. Taking note of the dark circles under his deputy's eyes, "Is everything all right?"

Kenny shrugged, "Yeah. What's going on?"

Jimmy paused, not wanting to add anything else to Kenny's already obvious stress, "You sure? Anything wrong between you and Max?"

"We're fine," Kenny said flatly.

"I said no more secrets, and I meant it Kenny. I know it's your personal life, but the relationship between you two directly effects what goes on in here."

"It's nothing. We'll work it. What did you want to see me about?"

Jimmy paused, "Forget it. It's not important anyway."


Kenny watched Max for a long moment before saying anything. She does have great legs, he thought, watching the way the fray from her cut offs brushed against her skin. The way her bra strap peaked out from under her tank top was driving him crazy, and he wanted to brush her hair back and kiss her neck.

"How long have you been standing there?," she asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"Not long," he answered, nodding toward the mess on her kitchen counter, "Are you cooking?"

"I was hungry, and I guess I have to start eating something better then take out every night."

"Did the doctor call?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago. This confirms it. I'm six weeks pregnant Kenny."

"We're having a baby."

"We're having a baby," she repeated, leaning up against the counter.

"Six weeks? That doesn't leave us much time," he continued, walking closer to her, "Ssh, don't say anything. Just listen to me."

Max nodded, as he took her hands in his and just looked at her before continuing, "Max, I've been in love with you for five years, you know that. It was torture seeing you every day and not being able to tell you, touch you like this. I can't imagine not having a life with you. And now we're having a baby. So, would you do the honor of being my wife?"


"Rachel, hi," Jill said, as her friend walked into her office, "I didn't expect to see you today."

"I doubt you did," Rachel said quietly, "Did Jimmy talk to you? I told him I would, if he didn't."

"No . . . what's going on?"

"Oh Jill. I don't know how to tell you this," Rachel said quietly, "I went by the station last night, to bury the hatchet between Jimmy and myself. He had been drinking, and he reeked of it. He tried . . . I don't know how to say this."

"Rachel."

"He came onto me Jill."



"You want to get married?," Max asked numbly.

"That's what I just said," he replied, brushing her hair back, "Max?"

"You just asked me to marry you," she repeated, "Um, Kenny? Where is this coming from? Two months, we've only been dating two months."

"We're having a baby Max. That changes things."

She shook her head, "I'm not marrying you just because I'm pregnant."

"Max."

She cut him off, "I seriously doubt you'd be asking me this if I wasn't. Kenny! We can't do this. Are you ready to get married? I know I'm not. Being pregnant isn't a reason to do it."

"Yeah? What about the fact that I'm in love with you? That doesn't mean anything at all?"

"Of course it does! This is going to fast. Babies, marriage . . . I'm not ready for this!"

"Well you better get ready. There will be a baby here in eight months, and it'll need both of its parents!"

"Do you honestly think it will work out this way? I, we . . . can't do this. Not now, not like this."

"What the hell do you want to wait for?," he shot back, grasping her wrists in his hands, "So this is a little fast then we planned."

"Planned? When did we plan on having kids? It took us five years to go on a date and admit what we feel for each other!"

"You never thought about having kids together?," he countered, pulling her closer to him.

"You're hurting me!"



"That isn't funny," Jill replied flatly, after a moment, "Why would you even say such a thing?"

"It happened. He was all over me Jill, I tried to stop him. He's so much bigger and stronger then me, but I tried."

Jill sat back at her desk, and stared at her shell shocked friend, "Rachel. How . . . he said that he had to work late."

"I think it surprised him too," Rachel replied softly, "I didn't want to hurt you Jill, but I thought that you had to know."



Instantly contrite, Kenny let go of her wrists, "Max, I didn't mean . . . Are you okay?"

She stepped back from him carefully, not saying anything. He studied the red marks on her pale skin, and felt like he was going to be sick knowing that he had put them there. Feeling the fight go out of him, he wanted to do something to make that flash of fear disappear from her expression.

"Max," he began again, not moving any closer to her, "I'm sorry. You're the last person that I would want to hurt. You just . . . you get me all riled sometimes. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head, "No. I'm fine. They're fading."

"Hey," he said quietly, afraid to touch her, "Are we going to be okay?"

She nodded, "I hope so. Can we just table this for tonight? I just want to crawl into bed and sleep."

"Do you want some company?"

"I need some time . . . to cool down and just think," Max trailed off, "Can we call it a night?"

I'm losing her, Kenny thought, vowing that he wouldn't let her push him away, "Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow.


To be continued.