Chapter 4

Next Morning

Craig sat up in the chair and his back informed him that he had in fact spent the last six hours or so bent in half over Cass' bed. Cass was nowhere to be found. He stood up and looked in the bathroom. She and Spike walked in behind him.

"Hey sleepyhead," Cass said, wrapping her arms around Craig. "We just went to see Adrienne. He's got an IV in his head, it looks horrible. Just so you know when you go in, I almost burst into tears when I saw it."

"Thanks," he said wrapping her into a hug. "Did the doctor say anything? Is everything okay?"

"Craig, he'll be fine," Spike put a hand on his shoulder. "The doctor said it will probably be a week before they send him home."

"That's not that long," Craig said helping Cass back into bed. "How about you?"

"I'll be discharged later today. There is a cot in his room. One of us can stay."

"Well, do you want me to stay, or do you want to?"

"No I'll stay. I didn't take classes this semester, since I kinda knew this was coming, you shouldn't miss too much school," there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Hey baby," Dylan walked in with a bouquet of flowers and a bunch of balloons.

"What are you doing here?" Cass smiled from ear to ear. Dylan put the flowers on the bedside table and let the balloons hit the ceiling.

"Well my anniversary is tomorrow so I took a couple days and drove home to see Marco. So I went to Degrassi to surprise him this morning and he told me you had the baby," he kissed her forehead. He reached across the bed to shake Craig's hand. "It's good to see you here man."

"You knew didn't you? At Christmas?" Craig asked with a tight grip on Dylan's hand.

"Yeah, I did. Cass made me promise not to tell, but I thought you should know."

"I appreciate that," he let go. "Did Marco know?"

"Yes, but not until a few weeks ago. I was worried about her after Pete threw her out and I told him. He wanted to tell you. I think if you hadn't found out soon he would have cracked. Oh I almost forgot, I thought you'd be itching for THESE." reaching into his pocket he produced a pack of Camel Lights and a book. "Oh and Marco had me bring this." He handed Craig a digital camera. "I'm supposed to bring it back when I pick him up so that everyone can see the baby."

"Thanks," said Craig as he reached for the cigarettes. "But you can take these back."

"No he can't," Cass snapped. "I quit cold turkey eight months ago and now my baby is in the NICU. I think I deserve a cigarette."

"It's not good for you," Craig said.

"You know what," Spike piped up. "Let's save this argument for later. Craig go get pictures of your son for your friends." Craig followed orders and Spike picked up the cigarettes. "He's right."

"Aunt Christine?" but the look on her face made it clear that arguing wasn't going to work.

That Afternoon

Joey came in the hospital room followed by Snake and Emma.

"Hey guys," Cass said from the bed with the baby in her arms. "He's doing a lot better, we just have to take him home on an apnea monitor in a week. But he's out of intensive care and on a regular floor."

"That's great guys," Joey put an arm around Craig and took a seat in the many chairs they had accumulated over the past few hours. "But I think the big question is where is home right now."

"Well Cass and Adrienne can stay with us until she finds an apartment," Emma said and then looked at her parents. "I mean I would think so."

"Of course Em," Spike answered. "But is that what's best?"

"Well where else would she go?" Joey asked.

"I was thinking with her fiancé," Spike answered timidly.

"Her what?" Snake looked surprised and everyone was confused. Cass lifted her left hand and showed them the ring.

"Craig is that your mother's ring?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"It was the bane of my existence for awhile. Your dad gave it to you?"

"No, actually I stole it from the floor after mom threw it at him. I've worn it around my neck since I was eight."

"Well, that's irrelevant right now. The point is, what happened? When we talked last night I thought we were on the joint custody idea. And the, you being too young idea."

"We're not getting married next week Joe, after I graduate. But I thought until they found an apartment maybe they could move in with us."

"I still want to know what happened?"

"Jeremiah," Snake put his hands on his best friend's shoulders. "Craig and I had a chat last night. And I'm not entirely sure if I think her moving in is the best idea, but maybe they owe it to Adrienne to give their relationship a shot. I mean they love each other, and things aren't perfect, but nothing ever is."

"He's SIXTEEN Snake. He can't make these decisions."

"You people are trying to make him just like me aren't you?" Emma piped up. "None of you understand. Shane's parents told him he couldn't make his own decisions at sixteen and look what happened. I spent 14 years without a father."

"Em, this is different," Snake hugged his step-daughter. "Nobody is trying to keep Craig from his baby. And you didn't know Shane before, he was reckless and what he did was stupid."

"But still," Craig said. "She's right. Spike, you of all people should understand."

"I do Craig. If we were going to vote, you'd have mine, but this isn't democracy. This is honestly between Joey and Cass when it comes down to it."

"What? He's not my father!" Everyone looked shocked and Joey looked hurt. "You've been great to me Joey, but the truth is you're not my father and I've been through enough to be able to make my own decisions. Now you don't have to let her stay with us, but you aren't going to stop me from seeing her and my baby."

"Fine." Joey stood up and rubbed his head. "Here's the deal. Craig you are going to move to the garage. Cass will take your room with the baby."

"The garage? My bed is big enough," Joey cut him off.

"NO! that is rule one. This is only temporary. When the baby is off the monitor then we will find an apartment for them. Until then we can work together to watch the baby."

"I can watch him at the house, I keep Jack with me when I have clients, one more won't hurt."

"There we go. Hopefully by the end of the summer EVERYONE will be going back to school, Cass will have a job and an apartment. Cass, we'll get you a car, a sensible one with child seats and stuff. And that will keep us copasetic for a year. Then Craig, you can go ahead and make your own decisions. But until then I'm your father figure, even if I'm not your father, and this is how things are going to be. Oh, and you're grounded for the next month. To school and back, one band practice a week, other then that you are the doting father."

"What? Grounded for what?"

"The fake ID? The fact that you must have lied about where you were all summer? I thought Spinner's parents would have gotten sick of you. Drinking?"

"But, Joey, isn't everything that's happened punishment enough?" Craig sounded like a small child begging for candy.

"NO!" Joey sat back down and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the table.

Chapter 5

A Week Later

Craig pulled in front of the house with Cass and Adrienne. Joey and Caitlin were standing on the front step with Angela. Joey had a video camera hand s waving.

"Craig hold the baby up to the camera." Craig rolled his eyes and obliged his step-father. He wrapped his arm around Cass and they held the baby between them while Caitlin took their picture. As they were standing there a mini-van came around the corner. It stopped and emptied it's contents onto the driveway. Paige, Spinner, Marco, Jimmy, and Hazel got out.

"Hey Craig, we thought we'd come over for our band practice," Jimmy said looking around.

"Well now isn't a great time," Joey answered. "But if you guys want to come in and hang-out we could order pizza. We need some help moving stuff anyway, so a few able bodied men might be helpful."

"Sure," Spinner jumped at the chance for free pizza. They all went inside and helped Joey and Craig get Angela's old crib into Craig's room and carried Craig's clothes from the bureau upstairs to the old chest of drawers in the garage. As they got the last of the stuff in the drawers the pizza arrived. Joey went to pay for it and they all headed for the living room. "Dude, Craig. This sucks. You have a beautiful woman, who wants you bad, living in your house and Joey's making you sleep in the garage." Spin said.

"Yeah, well at least it isn't winter."

"I don't get it," Jimmy offered. "You've already had sex, OBVIOUSLY, so why won't Joey let you and Cass sleep together."

"I don't know, but Cass seems okay with it."

"She's not okay with it," Paige said walking up behind them. "She's just accepting it because that's how it has to be. Unlike your entire species, women can look past their hormones and do what they have to do."

"Whatever Paige, you have your hormonal moments too," Spin laughed and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend.

"Shut-up Spin," Craig and Paige said at the same time. They all walked into the living room and Craig sat down next to Cass who was nursing Adrienne.

"I love you," Craig said quietly into her ear and kissed her on the forehead. "And I love you," he said kissing the baby on the forehead.

"Awe," Hazel said as she carried paper plates into the room. "Cass, I'm Hazel and this is my boyfriend Jimmy. And that's Spinner, you know Paige and Marco."

"Hi guys, thanks for helping us."

"Do you two wanna go to the movies with us tomorrow?" Spin asked stuffing pizza in his mouth.

"Spin, you're an idiot," Marco threw a balled up paper towel at the boy. "They have a one week old baby. They can't just up and go to the movies."

"We're parents, we're not DEAD," Craig responded but then saw Joey raise an eyebrow. "But I'm grounded for a month with only one band practice a week." They all smirked and suppressed giggles. "What's so funny?"

"Dude, it's just, you're a dad now and you're still getting yourself grounded," Spinner didn't try as hard to suppress the laugh this time.

"Well anyway, even if he weren't grounded, I think Marco is right," Cass looked at Craig. "We're not dead, but it is a little soon to be leaving Adrienne with sitters so I don't think we'll be going out to movies anytime soon. And not that I am not REALLY appreciative of all your help, but I'm exhausted so I think I'm going to head upstairs and get settled."

"I'll go help you with the baby," Craig stood up and took the baby from Cass. "Thanks again guys." They all stood and the girls and Marco all kissed the baby on the forehead and they left. Cass and Craig spent the rest of the evening moving in Cass' stuff and trying to set up the baby monitor. Craig took the monitor with him to the garage when he went to bed so Cass could call if she needed anything. He spent his first night being woken up by the baby. Even with Cass' attentiveness he still was woken up about four times a night and went to school that week looking like a zombie. Every weekend Cass moved to the garage and Craig stayed in the room with the baby so that she got a couple nights sleep. By the end of Craig's grounding they had life down to a science. The house was a little crowded with four adults, a little girl, and an infant, but they made due and everyone was getting along well.

First Friday after Grounding

"Honey, I'm home," Craig called as he walked in the door from band practice. Cass was sitting on the couch nursing the baby while Angela gave a full run down of what she had done that day at school.

"Hey baby," Cass tilted her head back and Craig bent down and gave her a peck on the lips. As she did a timer went off. "That's dinner, can you pull it out? Joey is in the basement and Caitlin is upstairs, call them too."

"No problem," Craig said "Ange, can you set the table?"

"But I don't WANT TO."

"Angela," Joey's voice rang from the basement stairs. "Set the table."

"Yes daddy."

"Caitlin, dinner is ready," Craig called up the stairs and everyone sat down at the table as Cass put the now sleeping baby into the basinet.

"So guys," Joey said as they ate. "Caitlin and I rented Saved!, you guys up for a little double date on the couch? Craig and I could go get some Kettle Corn and some Ben & Jerry's. We'll put Angie to bed and maybe even get Adrienne to stay asleep for the whole movie?"

"That sounds good," Cass said yawning slightly. "But I might fall asleep. I need to pump after dinner I'm going to need this night's sleep, I don't want to have to get up to nurse him."

"Um, well I was hoping Cass and I could go to this party tonight, I was off grounding on Tuesday."

"Craig you can't just assume that Caitlin and I will watch Adrienne, I always ask you ahead of time when I need you to watch Angela, we need the same courtesy."

"It's not a big deal Joey, I'm too exhausted to go anywhere, and I really don't want to go to a high school party anyway."

"Ok then Saved! it is," Joey said.

"Craig, if you want to go, go ahead," Cass said.

"Cass, he needs to realize that he has a responsibility."

"Joey, Craig knows that Adrienne and I will change his life, but I don't want him to feel like we're ruining his life. If he want to go to a party then he should be able to. I don't want him to resent us, that's not good for our family."

"Cass, I don't feel like you're ruining my life. If you want me to stay home, I will, there will be other parties."

"That's the thing Craig. You don't know if the next party I'll have to work, and if the baby will have a fever the next one. GO!"

"Thank you," Craig reached across the table and grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"But, baby, PLEASE get home at a decent hour. I'm so tired."

"I'll be home by midnight."

"Thanks."