A/N: I don't own any of this. That's clear to everyone. This chapter is dedicated to HandsOff, for two reasons. One becayse she's reviewed twice (thanks) and two because, like me, she's called Hannah. Dumb reason, but hey, that's my twisted brain in action.
I also want to add a warning that this story is degenerating into total fluff. I thinks it's just to balance the angst factor of my Everwood fics, but I can't be sure. Maybe I'm just turning into a romantic.
Chapter Four
The next two weeks were the longest of Luke's life. The days dragged on forever, but Luke kept his part of the bargain. He avoided his friends so he didn't end up telling them, and he hid in the library to avoid Grace. He talked to his Mom a little, and shared with her most of what Grace had said, but mainly he kept to himself. Somehow he managed to study enough to keep his grades up, but he didn't talk much.
Helen was a little subdued too. From her position as a teacher, she kept as close an eye on Grace as she possibly could. She made sure Grace ate lunch every day, and didn't look too sick in the mornings. She tried to see if there was a slight bump to Grace's stomach yet, but under the baggy clothes it was almost impossible to tell. That, Helen supposed was a good thing, because she hadn't heard anything on the rumor mill, and she wanted it to stay that way as long as possible.
But as slowly as the two weeks went, they eventually were done and winter break arrived. Then, Helen kept her family as busy as possible with Christmas preparations to prevent the anticipation becoming too unbearable.
But it was Tuesday, Christmas Eve, before Grace came back. It was Joan who first noticed her sitting on the porch steps, but Luke saw her only moments later. He grabbed his jacket, and pretty much ran out to see her.
"Grace?"
"Hey. I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me."
"Have you been here long?"
"I just got here, but it's really cold. Can we go inside?"
"Of course. I mean that's probably bad for you right? Oh, God. I'm so sorry."
"Geek-Boy," Grace threatened.
"I know. Shut up, right?"
"That's the one."
Luke opened the door and ushered Grace in and towards the stairs. On the way past his family, who were all in the living room, Luke glared to warn off anyone who might consider eavesdropping.
Once they were safe in Luke's bedroom, Grace sat down on the bed.
"Back here again, huh?"
"I guess so," answered Luke who had claimed the spot next to her.
"OK, well, I'm Jewish, so I don't really go in for Christmas. But I have kind of a non-denominational-winter-holiday gift for you."
Luke paused. "I don't have anything for you. "
"I think you've given me enough, thanks." Grace gestured towards her stomach and raised an eyebrow. "So anyway, here."
Grace passed an envelope to Luke, who looked at it for a moment and then opened it. Inside was a Polaroid picture from a sonogram.
"Is that?" Luke asked. "Oh wow."
"As of yesterday. They did my first full exam. Dude, that was a weird experience."
Luke examined the picture. "Ok, I know what I should be seeing, but it just looks like one of those fuzzy inkblot tests."
"Look, there," Grace pointed. "That's the baby's head, and there's the body, those are the arms, there's the legs and that's the heart."
"I see now. That's our baby." Luke stopped. "Sorry, your baby."
"Our baby, dumbass. I'm pretty sure you had something to do with it. That's really what I came to say." Grace turned to look Luke in the eye. "Until yesterday, I still had no idea what I was going to do. My dad really wants me to give it for adoption, and I didn't think that was a horrible idea. I still don't."
Luke's face faltered, but Grace continued.
"But then I had the exam, and they did the sonogram, and I saw my baby move. I got to hear its heart beat." Grace smiled broadly. "And I kind of knew that there is no way I'm giving my baby to anyone."
At that moment, Luke was sure he was feeling every emotion known to man, and possibly a few new ones. Ok, so mostly it was a mix of excitement, happiness and absolute terror.
"So where does that leave me?" Luke was almost afraid to ask.
"I guess that's up to you. I'm not into the pressure shit, so if you want to be involved, that's your choice."
"Are you insane?" Luke looked at Grace incredulously. "Of course I want to be involved. This is my baby too, I'm his father." Luke froze. "Father, oh shit. Is yours going to kill me?"
"If he knew who you were, I'm sure he would try. He's not exactly thrilled with my decision. Between the yelling and the cursing in Hebrew, I got that he doesn't want to see me anytime soon."
"He kicked you out. Grace, I'm so sorry. Do you want to stay here? I'll take the couch, and you can sleep up here."
"I'm gonna stay with Rove. I'm not sure your parents would like the idea of me moving in."
"Are you kidding? This is the first grandchild. I'm surprised they haven't kidnapped you yet."
"Well your mom has been staring at my stomach for the last two weeks, trying to see if I'm fat yet."
"Grace, it's not fat, it's pregnant."
"Good answer."
"So are you?"
Grace just rolled her eyes and pulled her t-shirt up half way, revealing a slight swell to her stomach. Luke started to reach for it, then looked at Grace's face asking for permission.
"If you have to."
Luke placed his hand on Grace's stomach and just kind of stopped.
"Wow."
"Yeah, but let me make one thing clear. You are allowed to do that because it's your fault it's there. You are the only one allowed to do that, and even then only when I say it's ok. Please make it clear to your Mom and Joan that they are not allowed to touch me. Got it?"
"Of course, but wow. I mean I knew, I saw the picture, but this is like physical proof. We did this. I mean totally by accident, but we still did this." Luke paused. "Where does this leave us? I mean 'us' us. Is there even an 'us'?"
"I think there can be an 'us', but only if you follow a few simple rules. One, absolutely no PDA's except in front of Price to piss him off. Two, don't piss me off, and three, absolutely no promises. You're 16, I'm 17, c'mon we have to be realistic."
"Fine."
"You're sure?"
"Of course."
"Great." Grace pulled Luke into a kiss. When they finally broke apart, they found themselves lying on Luke's bed, with Luke half on top of Grace.
Grace started to laugh. "Oh, God. This feels just a little to familiar. Isn't this exactly what got us into this mess?"
Luke looked down at Grace. "You're different."
"Huh?"
"You're less, I don't know, less hostile."
"I blame it on the hormones your kid is producing. But I can go back to being a bitch if you want?"
"No, no complaints here." Luke leaned down to kiss Grace again. "No complaints at all," he murmured as their lips met.
It was almost an hour later when Grace and Luke came back downstairs. Helen had persuaded Joan to join her in the kitchen making Christmas cookies, as much to distract herself as Joan. Will was watching The Godfather on DVD and Kevin was out with the basketball team.
So while Luke talked to his parents, Grace was left in the kitchen with Luke."
"So? C'mon Grace, spill."
"Get used to being called Aunt Joan."
Joan squealed. "Oh wow, that is so cool. I mean not the accidental teenage pregnancy thing, because I've been reading up. And pregnancy? I so don't envy you, but I'm shutting up now." Joan moved to hug her best friend, but after a sharply raised eyebrow decided against it.
"Ok, Girardi. This alters our friendship in no way. It does not mean I want to go shopping at the mall with you, or get smoothies. The only this it does mean is that I'm gonna use you for free babysitting for the next 10 years."
"Ok, but still, I'm happy for you guys. Does this mean that you guys are like a..."
"If you say couple, I'll hurt you. There's some kind of semi-quasi-thing, but I refuse to define it with the dumbass criteria set down by High School morons."
"That still means you're going to make out in front of Price, right?"
"Of course."
Luke called Grace into the living room. So Joan was left alone in the kitchen to frost the cookies that were ready.
When the doorbell rang, a few moments later, Helen asked Joan to answer it. Outside was a familiar figure, Gothboy God.
"What are you doing here?"
"Full of Christmas cheer I see Joan."
"Sorry. Cookie?" Joan indicated the plate she was carrying, and Gothboy God took one. "But what do you want? This is kind of an important evening, and I know you know that. But I really don't want to have some wacky task."
"No wacky task. Just invite Grace to stay for dinner."
"Fine, ok. That I can do."
"Great." Gothboy God held up his cookie. "One of my better inventions don't you think?"
"I do. So, Happy Christmas, and tell your son Happy Birthday for tomorrow."
Gothboy God just smiled and walked away.
It was a little over a half hour later when Joan felt safe to interrupt her parents, Grace and Luke. To avoid making her best friend mad by interfering, Joan asked her mom, and Helen asked Grace.
"Uh, thanks for the offer, but I guess I should get back to Rove's place."
"Nonsense Grace. I'll call them. I know they probably have plans, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you stayed here." Helen tried to persuade Grace.
"Are you kidding? This is Rove we're talking about. He's lucky if his Christmas Eve plans are Chinese Takeout and a video!""Then that's settled. I'll call Adam and his father. We have plenty of food." Helen walked into the kitchen to find the phone.
Luke trailed after her.
"Mom, Grace can't stay for dinner!"
"Now Luke, why in the world would you say that?"
"Mom, it's Christmas Eve. You cooked a ham, like every year."
"And?"
"Mom, Grace is Jewish. Ix-nay on the acon-bay."
"Luke, I know that. I cooked a chicken too."
"When?"
"I put it in when Grace arrived. There is no way she's not staying. That's our first grandchild she's carrying."
"Ok, Mom, that is creepy on so many levels."
"Now go make sure Grace has everything she needs. It's your job to keep her comfortable for the next six months."
"Mom! You make it sound like we're married or something, we're barely even dating."
"Give me a few months." Helen smiled enigmatically.
"Ok, really Mom, stop! This is a whole new level of creepy."
"I'm kidding Luke. Now out."
Adam and Mr. Rove happily agreed to join the Girardis and Grace for dinner, and they arrived an hour later. Dinner was lively, but before they started desert, it started to snow. The three adults stayed in the kitchen, while everyone else sat in the living room watching a movie. By the time the Roves and Grace were ready to leave, the snow had turned into a real storm, and Helen refused to let anyone leave in what she called "these horrible conditions."
They made up the couch and Helen decided that Adam should share with Luke, and Grace with Joan. But as it was only 10pm, and the kids had (like most days on winter break) slept till noon, so they decided to watch another movie in Joan's room.
Kevin went right to bed so it was left to Adam, Luke, Joan and Grace to pick what they wanted. Grace chose Starship Troopers, but soon, only Adam and Joan were watching it, as Luke and Grace were sitting in the corner making out.
"Ew, Grace. I know you make out with my brother, but do you have to do it in front of me?"
"No," Grace answered. "Luke, want to go make out in your room?"
Luke just got up and followed Grace out of the room.
Adam and Joan just lay together on the bed watching the movie. When it ended, Joan looked at the clock. It was 12.05.
"Hey Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"It's Christmas."
"It is?" Adam pushed himself up so he was looking down on Joan. He smiled. "Merry Christmas, Jane." He leaned down to kiss her.
After a moment Joan broke the kiss but they didn't move. Adam's hair fell into his eyes, but Joan pushed it back out of the way. They kept eye contact for a long time but eventually surrendered to what they both felt.
Adam leaned down and whispered, "I love you," into Joan's ear. Joan smiled.
Later, when they were lying together, on the verge of sleep, Adam stroked Joan's hair calmly. At that moment he knew what he wanted for the rest of his life.
"Marry me, Jane," Adam whispered.
"What?" Joan, who had been on the edge of slumber, was suddenly wide-awake.
"Marry me," Adam repeated. "I mean, not right away or even right after High School, but someday. I just need you to know that this, that you, are what I want for the rest of my life. See, the thing is that without you nothing makes sense. I just want to be with you."
"That's exactly what I want too. I mean the a few weeks ago I caught myself wondering how may children we'd have and what we'd call them. I thought I was going insane."
"So is that a yes?"
"It's a yes. But not yet. High School marriage is a little too movie of the week for me."
"Yeah?" Adam smiled wider than Joan had ever seen.
"Yeah. Now sleep, it's late." Joan snuggled into Adam's body and fell asleep almost immediately.
Adam lay awake for a long time; unable to stop the movie his mind was running of his future with Joan. He fell asleep seeing an older Joan, heavily pregnant and standing in the kitchen, laughing at something Adam couldn't quite see. To Adam, this Joan, like every one he could possible imagine was perfect, and his.
When the next morning dawned, Helen woke up early. She decided to check that everyone had at least got some sleep. Not wanting to wake anyone, she silently pushed the door to Joan's room open. When she saw Adam and Joan peacefully sleeping snuggled together she knew exactly what had happened. She wasn't mad at them, and she had actually expected that this would happen. But she said a silent prayer that she wouldn't end up with a second grandchild due three months after the first.
Quickly checking on Luke and Grace, Helen smiled when she say them, still fully clothed she was pleased to note, spooned together. They had kicked the covers off and Luke's hand rested on the bump that contained their child.
This was a sad moment for Helen, as her babies were no longer children. Kevin had told her two nights ago that he and Rebecca were looking for an apartment together, Joan was in her senior year and would be off to college before she knew it. And Luke, her baby, was going to be a father. They still needed her, she consoled herself, but from now things would be very different.
Helen headed downstairs to get a cup of coffee and to start plotting in her special motherly way. With Kevin moving out, Helen saw herself turning his room into a room for Grace and the baby. Not that she didn't hope Grace would be able to go home, but from her few short meetings with Rabbi Polanski she doubted it would be possible. He was a nice man, who had done an excellent job of raising his daughter after his wife had left. But he was traditional, and Helen feared this would be too much for him.