A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, I've been having writer's block lately. It may take a while for the next chapter too, sorry. But maybe we have something to look forward to on the real show! ;)


One morning a few days later, Mike brought up the subject of moving in again as he and Susan lay on the couch watching TV.

"So…" he began, not entirely sure why he was nervous.

"Yes, Mike?" Susan replied, turning to look at him.

"About this moving in thing…"

"Yes?"

"Well…"

"Mike, what is it? I asked you to move in last week, you seemed excited about it, then you act like you forgot about it. I'm letting you decide when the time is right, so what's up with you?" Susan asked, exasperated.

"Well, have you talked to Julie about it?" Mike asked, sighing.

"No, but I told you, she'll be fine with it."

"I'd feel better if you talked to her first."

"Ok, I'll talk to her," Susan promised, then smiled when she heard the front door open.

"Mom, I'm home!" Julie called as she dropped her book bag next to the door.

"Speak of the devil," Susan said. "Julie, come in here for a second, please?" she called.

"Ok, hang on!" Julie replied, heading into the kitchen for a drink. Mike turned to Susan with a panicked look on his face.

"Now? You're asking her now?" he sputtered, turning red.

"Yeah, is there a problem?" Susan replied, smirking as she sensed his nervousness.

"No, no. I'll just leave you to it," he said, getting up and heading for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I, uh, I've got a thing," he stammered.

"A thing? I don't think so. You wanted me to ask her, you stay," Susan laughed, beckoning him back into the room. Mike sighed nervously and returned to his seat on the couch just as Julie came into the living room.

"What's up, Mom?" she asked, looking from her mother to Mike. "Is Mike ok? He looks a little sick," she said, peering more closely at Mike, who was staring at the floor.

"Mike's fine," Susan replied, smirking and nudging Mike with her elbow. "We actually have something really important to ask you."

"Oh, ok, what is it?"

"Well, you know Mike's been staying here every night lately, and well, we thought it'd be more convenient for him if he just…" Susan trailed off, suddenly nervous herself. It was Mike's turn to smirk at her. She had been fine with it before, but she just realized that a man had not actually lived in their house for a very long time. Once again Julie looked between Susan and Mike, and deduced what her mother was trying to say.

"If he moved in?" she finished for Susan, who visibly relaxed, while Mike returned his gaze to the floor.

"Yes, if he moved in," Susan confirmed, looking at her daughter, who was silent. "Julie?"

"You know, Julie, if you're not comfortable with this-" Mike began, but Julie cut him off.

"Finally!" Julie said, laughing. "I've been wondering when you two would make it official."

"So you're ok with it?" Susan asked hopefully, and Mike continued to look on nervously.

"Of course," Julie chuckled. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I just wasn't sure if you'd want someone who wasn't your dad living here."

"Oh, Mom, that doesn't bother me. Mike treats you better than Dad ever did. Honestly, it's great," Julie continued. "What did you think, I'd expect you and Mike to live in separate houses once the baby was born?"

"Well, no," Susan said, blushing. "We just wanted to check."

"It's cool with me," Julie confirmed, and Mike finally smiled. "I've got homework to do, though, so I'm going to head upstairs. Oh, and Mike?" Julie continued, heading for the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"Welcome to the family," she replied, winking. "You're stuck with us now." Julie grinned, then headed up to her room, dragging her book bag behind her. Still sitting on the couch, Susan turned to Mike, who closed his eyes and flopped over, his head in her lap.

"Well, was that so bad?" Susan asked, chuckling and running her fingers through his hair.

"It could've been," Mike replied, and Susan laughed.


That Friday, Mike began the process of moving his stuff into Susan's house. He would not allow Susan to lift one finger to help him, and enlisted Tom's and Rex's help in transporting his things across the street. The men were in the process of carrying a load of boxes across the street when Mike noticed Karl had arrived to pick up Julie for the weekend. As he approached the door, where Karl was waiting to be let into the house, Mike could not resist exaggerating his actions. Turning to Rex and Tom behind him and smirking, Mike nudged past Karl.

"Excuse me, Karl, coming through," he said politely, though hardly containing his grin. "Heavy box." He then proceeded to open the front door, and Tom and Rex also pushed past Karl. "Oh, come on in, Karl, Julie's almost ready," Mike called over his shoulder. He winked at a confused Susan as she entered the hallway from the living room. When she spotted a confused Karl and a smug Mike, she smirked and rolled her eyes. Mike just grinned and led the other two men up the stairs to Susan's room.

"What's going on?" Karl stammered, looking up the stairs after Mike. Susan decided she was going to help Mike rub this in Karl's face.

"Oh, he's moving in," she said nonchalantly. "Julie, you're dad is here!" she called up the stairs. A muffled shout signaled to her that Julie had heard. Karl still stood there, looking confused.

"Mike is moving in? The plumber?"

"No, Karl, Tom is. He's left Lynette and is moving in here, Mike's just helping him out. Yes, Karl, of course Mike is moving in," Susan sneered, and Karl glared up the stairs.

"Why the hell is he moving in?"

"Because he and I are having a baby, Karl." Karl's scowl darkened as both Mike and Julie descended the stairs. Mike noticed Karl's anger and addressed him.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked, dropping Julie's bag at his feet.

"Yeah, there is," Karl replied. "I have a problem with you moving in here."

"Well that's too damn bad," Mike growled. "You have no say in it."

"I beg to differ. What right to do you have to move in. Julie doesn't need another father."

"Karl!" Susan shouted, turning red.

"Listen, Karl," Mike began, taking a step towards him menacingly. "I'm not trying to be Julie's father."

"The hell you're not!" Karl argued.

"Dad!" Julie finally interrupted, glaring at her father. "You have absolutely no right to yell at Mike. He is the father of Mom's baby, and he has a right to be here." Karl stared at Julie for a few seconds, then frowned and picked up her bag.

"Fine. Do whatever you want. Let's go, Julie," he said, stalking out the front door. Julie turned apologetically to her mother and gave her a hug.

"I'll talk to him, Mom," she said, heading to the door.

"Good luck trying," Susan replied darkly. "I honestly don't care if he accepts it or not."

"Have a good weekend, Julie," Mike said, giving Julie a tense smile, which she returned.

"Thanks, Mike. Bye, Mom, I love you," she called, heading to Karl's car.

"I love you, too," Susan replied before she shut the front door and sighed. "Well that was fun," she commented sarcastically to Mike.

"I don't know what you're talking about, that was fun," he replied, chuckling.

"Mature, Mike. Real mature."


A few weeks later, Mike and Susan were sitting in Dr. Morganstern's office for their 20-week sonogram. Both of them were nervous because this sonogram would tell them whether they were having a boy or a girl. The doctor had prepared Susan for the sonogram, but was then summoned to care for another patient, leaving Mike and Susan anxious.

"What would you rather have, a boy or a girl?" Susan asked Mike, turning to watch him nervously tap his foot.

"It doesn't matter to me," he replied, smiling softly. "I've just always wanted kids, period."

"Oh, come on, Mike. Don't you want a boy?"

"Well, of course as a guy, I've always had a fantasy of having a son, but I've also had a fantasy of having a daughter, too. It really doesn't matter to me, I'll be happy either way," Mike explained sincerely.

"Yeah," Susan murmured.

"Besides, if we have a girl this time, we can try for a boy later," Mike suggested, watching Susan out of the corner of his eye as she visibly tensed.

"You shut your mouth right now," she said, chuckling. "I'm done after this."

"If you say so."

"Oh, I say so," she said firmly, and Mike laughed.

"What would you rather have?" he asked her, and she paused thoughtfully.

"Well, I already have a daughter, so part of me wants a boy," she said. "But then again I really loved raising a girl the first time," she added. "It doesn't matter to me either." Mike smiled and nodded, then turned towards the door when Dr. Morganstern walked back in.

"Sorry about that, guys," she said as she approached them. "Are you ready for your sonogram?"

"As we'll ever be," Susan answered, turning to Mike and grasping his hand.

"Nervous?"

"You could say that," Mike replied, chuckling.

"Well, get ready, because here we go," the doctor said, switching on the machine. After a few moments, the image appeared on the screen and all three of them studied it carefully. "Well, Mike, Susan, right now this is a pretty clear indication that you are going to have a boy." Susan watched Mike as his eyes lit up and a grin spread across his face. Smiling happily, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"That's amazing," he said as too turned and kissed her cheek.

"It is," Susan replied as she watched the image. "How sure are you that it's a boy?" she asked Dr. Morganstern.

"Right now, about 95 sure," she replied, and Mike's grin grew.

"Are you sure you didn't have a preference?" Susan asked playfully.

"No, I swear. This is just very cool," Mike replied, smiling.

"It is," Susan agreed. "We're having a boy."

TBC...


Boone