Author's Note: Okay, here's a major chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Have a good new year, a safe one. I myself am going into the city for my last under 21 New Year's Eve. Woot.

...wouldn't it have been smart of me if I made it so the last chapter was in it is taking place on NYE? BUt no, I'm lazy.

See ya in 2005...for those of you not already there.

MIA:

In the week between the Cosmo ceremony and Christmas I made a discovery about myself. That I wasn't exactly all alone. I mean, even when no one else was around I wasn't alone. That isn't a deep thought about other beings or anything. I discovered that I was going to be having a baby. Michael and I were going to be parents way before we planned on it.

I mean, I had ignored the signs, figuring that I was just jittery with all the new things going on. Plus, I'm on a pill that makes it so I only get my period four times a year; I wasn't due to have another for a month.

I wanted to tell him right away but with the wedding I couldn't see exactly how I could. I would tell him Christmas night. That would be his final present.

Before I told him about our unexpected guest, I had to be sure he knew that Joshua was in the past. That is why I gave him Joshua's song. That is why I had the bracelet engraved with his initials (the property thing was kind of a joke going back to the tattoo I had gotten earlier that year when he teased me about getting a 'property of' added to the ink.)

I have to admit, I was terrified when I found out I was pregnant. What would the people of Genovia think? This would be the second heir in a row that was bred out of wedlock. But then I remembered. This baby would not be an heir to the Genovian throne. It would hopefully be part of rock royalty instead.

Also, Michael's words calmed me. He didn't know that I was 'with child' but he started talking to me about a family. He mentioned how someday we would have to get a bus to travel on with a little area for our kids to play in. He talked about having kids more and more which I took as a good sign.

I sat on the bench waiting for him to come back into the room with my Christmas present. I thought about how this would be our first and last Christmas alone together. Last year we had been in St. Louis in a hotel room with the rest of the band celebrating. He had given me an ankle bracelet and a book of poetry he had heard me mention before. I had given him a traditional Genovian Trust Ring (which still surprises me to this day. A Trust Ring is given to a man that the woman hopes to one day marry. Back then I didn't want to even consider the idea), and a painting of John Lennon that is now hanging up in the bedroom. Kind of creepy actually. It's almost like he watches us in there.

Michael returned with a small package. But I know him. He's very sneaky. It's probably a picture of something that he is giving me. "What is it?" I asked carefully.

"Open it."

So I did. And I was sorely disappointed. "An autographed picture of Conan O'Brien," I said softly. Disappointment.

"Yeah. I even got it framed."

I nodded, "I can see that…"

"What, you don't like it?" he asked, surprised.

"No…no I do."

"Okay. Well. What time is your mom planning on having us over?"

I stared up at him. "That's it?" I asked, trying not to sound greedy.

"Well, what else do you want? You told me not to-"
"Michael James do you understand how much work I put into your gifts?"

"I know-"

"And for crying out loud you still don't have everything!"

"Huh? There's more?" he asked.

"Uh yeah."

"Um…sorry?" he asked.

"Ugh!" I said as I walked past him and stormed into our bedroom. I slammed the door shut.

"Mia, what is it? Why are you so m-"

I opened the door a little bit. "Come and see me in about seven months to find out the last present."

He looked at me oddly. "Huh? Mia, you aren't making a bit of sense."

"Of course I'm not!" I exclaimed. "I'm going over my mother's. You can come over when you want."

I took a cab to my mother's loft and watched my little brother open his gifts. Frank gave him some Beatle's action figures. "Now son, those are vintage. Not to be played with."

"Who is your favorite Beatle?" I asked him.

"Ringo of course," he replied.

I was happy that he was a normal eleven year old. A lot of kids these days are doing the goth thing and totally rejecting their families. Not my Rocky though. He loved when ever I came over, but loved it more when Michael was there.

"Where is Michael?" my mother asked as we picked up the wrapping paper late that afternoon.

"He's at home."

" Doing?"

"Probably nothing," I replied.

"You get into a fight?" she asked.

"I gave him a piano, a song and a bracelet and you know what he gave me?"

"No?"

"An autographed picture of Conan O'Brien…framed of course."

She burst out laughing. "That's a man for you-"

"Mom, I'm giving him something else too that I would have to say is one of the better gifts a woman can give a man."

"Mia, I don't want to hear any dirty-"

"Mom, I'm having a baby."

Her face softened as she stared at my stomach. "Oh Miiiia," she cooed, hugging me. "How far along are you? Are you sure?" she asked backing up and putting her hands on my stomach.

"I took three tests."

"I'll get you an appointment before the wedding."

"Well, they originally caught it in my physical. But I took three tests at home to make sure."

"So? How far along are you?"

"Two months."

"You can't tell," she said rubbing my belly. "Imagine, Cassy and her niece could go to school together!" she said with a laugh.

"But I haven't told him yet."

"Why the hell not?" she asked.

"Remember your didn't want Frank to know about Rocky right away?" I asked.

She nodded. "We all have our own reasons for doing things. But tell him before the wedding."

I nodded as the front door opened. "Tell who what before the wedding?"

"Oh, hi…Michael," Mom said slowly, looking at me. "I was talking about her father. About her real plans…umm…"

"Bye Mom," I said giving her the hint.

"Okay, I gotta go," she said wiping her hands. "You two finish up with the wrapping paper."

With that she walked out of the room.

"Mia, what's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

"Fine. Leave all this and come with me."

"Where?" I asked as he grabbed my wrist.

"Just trust me," he said softly. "Miss Thermopolis, I am kidnapping your daughter!" he called into the kitchen.

"Okay dear. I'll see you kids tomorrow!"

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as he hailed a cab.

He told the cabbie where to take us.

"Why are we going to the Empire State Building?" I asked.

"All will be explained in due time my love," he said squeezing my hand.

We arrived at our destination and stared up at the high rise. "What are we doing here?"

He took my hands in his own. "Mia, there was a dance my senior year that I always wanted to take you to but didn't have the nerve to ask. And now," he said pulling me into the building. We walked into the elevator before he spoke again, "And now I am going to share this Christmas, the first for us as a couple, with you re-enacting that night that we never got."

Now I want you to know that my emotions are going haywire. I started crying hysterically. We were at the Empire State Building. My grandmother arranged it so that they could have it there since she'd messed up the original prom plans. I had secretly hoped Michael would invite me, but he went bowling with his band instead...I was invited to that with Lilly though. But not to the prom.

"Mia, are you okay?" he asked as we reached the Observation Deck.

"I…."I stammered. "I'm going to be sick."

MICHAEL:

She ran to the nearest trash bin. Geez, I'm glad my Christmas gift makes her ill. I held her hair back as she threw up. "Mia, what did you eat at your mom's?" I asked her.

When she finally got up, "I'm sick," she stammered.

"Do you want to go home?" I asked, worried.

"It's not a big deal."

"Mia, I think you just threw up a baby there-"

"I what?" she snapped. Her eyes were wide as anything.

"It's just a…Mia?"

She looked away, clearly avoiding my eyes.

"Yes?"

"Are you…"

"Yes."

"Pregnant?"

"Yes."

I stared at her for a minute as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. She started shaking a little bit. "Mia, are you sure?" I asked, rubbing her arm.

"Yes. They told me when I had my physical."

"You are right," I said softly as we hugged.

"Huh?"

"You have given me the best present you ever could."