Please Don't Envy Me
Written by: American Idiot's Broken Dreams

Chapter Four
Don't Crush My Heart Again

As I was lying down across the sofa, aimlessly flipping through channels and waiting for Craig, another wave of nausea. I ran to the bathroom and once again threw up, but his time I actually made it to the toilet. After what felt like forever, I could finally sit back and catch my breath.

"Paige, honey," Mom whispered from the cracked door.

"Yeah," I answered weakly.

"Craig is here, honey, are you…" her sentence trailed off and I knew what she was insinuating.

"Yeah, tell him I'll be out in a minute. I just gotta get myself together. And if he asks, I've got a stomach virus."

"Okay," she closed the door behind her and I heard her talking to Craig.

Brushing my teeth vigorously, I tried not to look so pale and sick. Wait, I reminded myself, I am supposed to be 'sick'. So, I wiped my face and neck clean of the sweat I had produced during my upheaval, and sprayed a little perfume and applied a little foundation and eyeliner. I had to make myself presentable, yet, still look miserable.

When I came back into the living room, Craig was expectantly waiting for me on the sofa, a red rose in one hand, and a brown paper bag in the other. He immediately jumped up and walked over to me.

"Hey, baby, how are you feeling?" he asked, softly, holding my face in his hands.

"Okay, I guess, I mean, how good can you feel after trying to bring you intestines up through your nose?" I remarked.

I loved the feeling of my face in his hands. As he chuckled at my comment, he looked deeply at me and I felt my heart flutter. I loved him so much that he could look like hell itself and my heart you still flip at the sight of him.

"Is it okay if I…" he gently brushed his thumb over my lips.

"I don't think I'm still contagious, but I'm not to sure you should. I don't want you to get sick." Part of me was deeply ashamed of myself for lying to Craig, but the other part was so amazed that I was building on this lie so easily.

"I'll risk it," he smiled, before capturing my lips in a fevered kiss.

There it was again, the sensation that the Earth was falling from under me and I couldn't hold myself up. Craig must have felt this because he pulled me tightly against him and wrapped his arms around my waist. I was totally in heaven.

Pulling back and looking into my eyes with his beautiful, emerald green ones, he breathed, "Feeling better?"

"Much," I giggled, giving him another small peck on the lips.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot." Craig walked over to the abandoned rose and brown paper bag on the coffee table. "For you milady,"

I smiled and took the rose, smelling its fresh, perfume-like fragrance. These were just some of the things he did, just because, and loved him so much for it. The cookies and Ice cream were perfect too. Fresh, soft-baked and a dozen in the pack all I wanted was to curl up with them and the cookies and ice cream, with me in his arms, but I knew I had other things to take care of.

"Craig, let's sit down," I said smoothly, lacing my hand in his.

"Oh-kay," he replied slowly.

I was partially sitting in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, as I wrapped mine around his neck. I was just about to get into telling him, when Dylan walked into the room.

"Hey, Dylan," Craig greeted friendlily.

"Craig," Dylan replied, slightly stiff and cold.

Craig's eyes crinkled in suspicion at Dylan's odd demeanor.

"Hey, are you about to…" Dylan insinuated.

"Yes and if you would get out, I could get on with it." I growled.

"Ah. Yes. Good. I'll keep the parental unit upstairs." And Dylan slowly slid from the room.

"Are you about to what? And what are you getting on with?" Craig asked scowling with confusion.

"Baby, um, do you remember at Heather Sinclair's party at the beginning of school? When we snuck off to be together?" I asked, playing with his necklace.

A mischievous, sexy glint came to his eye and he gave me a peck on my neck.

"Of course I remember Paige, how does one forget the most amazing night of his life?" Craig grinned.

"Come on, be serious, this isn't easy." I replied.

"What isn't easy?" he asked bemusedly.

"Telling you what I'm about to tell you."

"Paige, please tell me. Between you and your brother, I'm getting very freaked out."

"Well, that night at the party, we both know we did. And apparently we didn't think about the consequences that might come with making love."

"Babe, what consequences are you talking about? We used protection, didn't we?" he replied.

"I don't think so," I said, tears coming to my eyes.

As I closed my eyes, I felt his hand come up to my face and gently begin to caress. All I had to do was say it. Just tell him I'm pregnant and wait for a reaction. Finally after a long time, I spoke.

"Craig, I'm pregnant."

His hand froze on my face and I opened my eyes. He had blanched horribly and the look in his eyes nearly made my heart break. He was scared. I could just tell by the look in his eyes that I had just dropped a huge bomb on him.

As he turned away from me, I could distinctly heard him mutter, "Not again,"

It was just too much for me to handle. I couldn't handle looking at him look so scared and pale. And all I could do was put my hands over my face, and sob miserably.

"I'm sorry, Craig. I'm so, so sorry," I sobbed, my shoulders shaking heavily.

"Oh, no, Paige, baby," Craig had turned back to me and gently touched my arms. "This isn't your fault. Not at all, baby,"

Craig gently pulled me to his chest. While he gently massaged my back as I cried, he whispered in my ear, "It's alright, Paige. Just calm down so we can talk."

I realized that he hadn't stormed off and called me a slut, saying the baby wasn't his. I realized that he hadn't pushed me away and told me he wanted nothing to do with me. I realized that Craig actually cared about me and wanted to work through this. Eventually, I stemmed the flow of my tears and sat up.

He didn't look as scared as when I blurted it out, but there was still that scared, I-don't-know-what-to-do look plastered across his face.

"So, you're actually pregnant?" Craig asked, holding my hands in his.

"Yes, I, uh, went to the doctor today and she confirmed it. I'm about a month and a half to two months along." I said, softly.

"Okay, this next question I'm about to ask, please don't hate me or hit me for it, okay?" he looked at me for conformation of his request.

"I could never hate you, Craig, I love you too much." A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Okay, is this baby mine?"

Even though it wasn't asked in a nasty way or like he thought of me as a slut, it still stung that he asked me. But, I really couldn't blame him. I'd want to know too if I was in his position.

"Yes,"

"Okay, okay, good, good," Craig murmured to himself, biting at his nail.

"Are you totally angry at me, that I'm pregnant?" I asked coyly.

His eyes snapped up and he looked at me. It was as if he couldn't believe I asked him.

"Paige, how could I be angry at you because you're pregnant? I mean, if anything you should be angry at me. It's not exactly like you asexual; you didn't do this on your own." Craig said smiling slightly.

"So, are saying you still want to be with me?" I questioned hopefully.

"Before I answer that, can you tell me something?" he said leaning closer to me.

"What?"

"Are you getting an abortion?" he asked, straight out.

I should have seen this coming. Craig honestly thought that I was going to pull a Manny and kill our baby. Suddenly, the tears acme back and I could barely speak.

"Paige, don't tell me you're getting an abortion." Craig whispered weakly.

"Craig, I…"

"Look, if you promise me you're not getting an abortion, then I promise you that I'll love you, stay with you, and support you and this baby. Paige, tell me you're not getting an abortion." Craig told me, gently holding my face in his hands.

Through my tears, I managed to reply, "Craig, I'd never, ever murder any baby that I'm carrying. I swear on everything, I'm not getting an abortion. In fact, I'm actually keeping and raising this baby."

A huge smile came over his face as he suddenly reached over and pulled me into a soul-searing kiss. I was so glad I was sitting on the couch, because otherwise I would fell because my knees became weaker than ever.

"Paige, I love you, more than you'll ever know. I swear on both my parents' graves that we'll make it through this. I love you!" Once again, he kissed me.

"But, Craig, why would you think I'd get an abortion?" I asked.

Looking slightly guilty, he answered, "Well, I guess after what happened with Manny, I couldn't be too sure. I wanted that baby, I really did, but I guess my wishes meant nothing to her. I'm so glad you didn't crush my heart again."

"I could never hurt you, Craig. You mean too much to me."

With a dreamy sigh, Craig leaned back on the couch and murmured, "I'm going to have a family."

As if it just dawned on him, Craig leaned forward, and put his hand to my stomach.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked, caressing my stomach fondly.

"I don't know. I thought I would wait to find out until after I told you, because I didn't know how you would take it." I explained.

"I want to find out."

"Do you, really?"

"Yes," he smiled and kissed my belly. "I want to know exactly who you're bringing into this world."

I smiled as he began talking to my stomach, and telling the baby who he was and how much he loved it already. My last thoughts as I drifted to sleep were about how much I loved Craig, and the family we would yet to have.

Disclaimer: See chapter one

OMG! I can't believe this; I've gotten eight reviews on the first day! I'm really thrilled that you all liked it enough to heed my request of ten reviews or no other chapters. You guys rock! By the way, Sahnjeet is like so mad that on my first day, I've already gotten so many hits and it took her like two days to get two hits. She's pretty broken up about, but trying to take it like a woman. So, I'm asking you, as an authoress who's got control over this story, to please, please, please, review her story. But once again, I thank everyone who reviewed! As of now, you all officially KICK ASS!

Reviewers

Baby05: Once again, my loyal reviewer had returned to make me happy. I did a good job with the twist, huh? You'll see what kinds of problems this is going to cause between Ashley and Paige, Manny and Paige, Spinner and Paige, Craig and Spinner, and Craig and Ashley. The next few chapters are going to be good!

Jaydat: I have checked out your fic, and it's damn good! Thanks for the complement; I didn't think too many would be interested in a Craige fic.

Maibe Josie: Your constructive criticism is the best I've seen yet! I've fixed the mistakes in chapter two, after I talked to my mom, who just had a baby three days ago. So, the chapter two mistakes are fixed and they should meet you satisfaction. Go back and read them, if you haven't already done so.

Medicated and Dedicated: Truth is I hate Spaige fics too. After "Ghost in the Machine" he turned into a real ass, and that was proven in "Anywhere I Lay My Head", when he told Manny that Paige was the one that should be earning the points. So, I totally agree with you on the opinion that Spaige fics are gay. Oh yeah, not to be messy or anything, but I was reading your profile and you said you hate Craig. So, my question is, if you hate Craig, how come you're reading my fic? Not that I have any problem with it, I'm honored that you take the time to read my fics and review, but I was just wondering!

ilovedc: Yeah, I'm so, so proud of myself for that twist! It was going to be Craige from the beginning, but I want to set it up to make you think that it was Spinner, so I can blow the roof off this pop stand when I said it was Craig. Plus, there aren't too many Craige fics out there and I love being diverse!

Lychee Arika and Miki: Thanks, and just so you know, it only gets better!

Once again, thank you for reviewing and keeping coming!