Shane sat watching Riley make her way through a tub of ice cream at a steady pace. She'd gotten up early that morning claiming there was no point trying to sleep with a baby sitting on her bladder. She hadn't made eye contact with him or said anything since.

"Riley, do you want me to go pick the new crib up today?" he asked.

"Whatever."

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Why ever would I be mad at you Shane?"

"Do I really have to say it?"

She raised her eyebrows in a way that said 'Of course.'

"Because I went on a date."

"Oh, you think I'm mad because of that? I can't stop you living your life Shane and I won't. Go on as many dates as you want. I mean once the baby is here I won't be condemning myself to a life of celibacy."

That was something Shane had never though about before. He'd thought about himself going on dates, but not Riley. That was something else entirely. Riley was the mother of his baby, she was his wife, not some other man's sex object. That was so wrong for so many reasons. Shane couldn't help but shiver when he thought about it.

"Riley, I think we should talk about the whole dating thing." Shane said.

She didn't even look up from her tub. "Really?"

"Yeah, I think we shouldn't."

"Shouldn't what?"

"Date."

Very slowly, Riley put her spoon in the tub, but the tub down and wiped her mouth. "Shane, that's a really noble idea, but do you think you can do it?"

Riley's tone was full of sarcasm, and Shane knew it but couldn't say anything. He also noticed she used the word 'you' and not 'us', but didn't mention that either, just so she didn't beat him with the spoon.

"Well, it's not really fair on the baby. This is a difficult enough set up without Mommy and Daddy having boyfriend's and girlfriend's. Plus, what if it gets serious between one of us and someone else?"

She gave a slow nod. "They're really valid points Shane. I'll think about it though."

Riley got up and waddled out of the room. Shane wondered how long she was going to torture him, and what she'd do if he told her that he was starting to have 'feelings' for her. She'd probably kill him, hell, Shane would probably kill himself. It was hard enough just saying it in his head.

Riley sat herself down in the nursery, right by the crib in the lemon armchair she insisted on having as a rocking chair would be too much of a clique. She smiled slightly, that would teach Shane. The baby kicked.

"Yep. We showed Daddy didn't we?" she asked. "Daddy is an idiot if he thinks he can do things like that and expect Mommy to be ok with it. Daddy's stupid. Daddy shouldn't mess with Mommy, no he shouldn't."

The baby gave another kick and Riley took that as a sign that he or she agreed. She didn't want to think of the real reason that she was so mad. Because she was beginning to think of Shane as hers and not anyone else's. Because, as much as she didn't want to say it, Riley thought there was a chance that she might just be falling in love with Shane Helms.

"Damn it." she whispered out loud. Damn it all.

She heard Shane come up the stairs and rolled her eyes.

"Riley. We have to go out."

I don't have to do anything, Riley thought. But instead she got up and went to get changed.

The out was Shane's parents and changed met a red top with big sleeves and stretchy black pants. Mrs. Helms greeted them both with a kiss, and a pat for the bump that was her Grandchild. Mr. Helms was sitting in the kitchen trying to put something together. Every time Riley saw him, without fail she thought of her own Dad. James Riley hadn't been not included in her life by his choice, but by Yvette's for reasons she never understood. Riley had met him a few times and she remembered fierce fights between her parents for years as Yvette shipped her and Sydney around the country. Eventually he stopped trying and she had no idea where he was now. Riley never felt she missed out on not seeing him, but every time she saw Shane's Dad, she got a horrible twinge of loss. Shane's Dad smiled at her and hugged her as best he could.

"How is my Granddaughter today?" he beamed.

Shane rolled his eyes. "Dad, your jinxing it."

"No I'm not. I just telling you the truth, it's a girl, I can tell."

He winked at Riley and pulled her out a chair before going off to make her a cup of tea. Mrs. Helms produced a plate of cookies before sitting down and launching into a in depth conversation about what had happened that week. That was when the thought came into Riley's head.

"Yep." she thought, placing her hands on her stomach so the baby could hear it too. "I'm defiantly in love with him."