Author's Note: "Sunday Train" written by Bethany Joy Lenz...

"You're late."

"I know, Chris. I know", Haley said as she rushed out of the elevator.

He glanced at his watch and shook his head.

"Nice work. We finally score this meeting with the heads of Maverick Records and you pull this?"

"Jesus, it's not the end of the world. Taylor left the place a mess and CAT is sick and I couldn't find my purse and then there were no cabs and you try getting this guitar on the train and…"

"Yeah, yeah. Look, we've got five seconds to get in there."

Haley nodded and tried to run her fingers through what had become a windblown unruly mop. She took a deep breath as they entered the mahogany double doors. Haley froze, stopping dead in her tracks causing Chris to almost trip over her.

"Haley!" he whispered sternly in her ear.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God."

"What?"

"I just thought this was a meeting with the producers."

"It is."

"Then why the hell are Madonna and Guy Oseary here?"

Haley felt her heart pounding wildly. Madonna, besides being an icon and one of the world's greatest entertainers was the founder of the Maverick label and Guy was her partner, the CEO. They hardly ever showed up for artists' showcases and just being in their presence was a very big deal.

"Chris, Haley, come in. Please. Have a seat."

They entered and shook hands, exchanging various pleasantries with the bigwigs that ultimately signed their paychecks.

"Haley, with the success of Come On Home, we're anxious to get you back in the studio", Madonna began. "I had a chance to listen to some of your material and I love your writing style. It's really cool to see that even though your range has grown over the years, you still have that uniqueness to you."

"Um…thank you", she blubbered to a living legend.

"I know you've met with the other producers to discuss the specifics of the recording but Guy and I were in town and we had a meeting here earlier and when we heard you and Chris were coming in, well we were anxious to hear the new work in progress."

"Okay…sure", Haley said, pulling her guitar out of its case. "This is something Chris and I have been working on for a while and it's called Sunday Train and it's the tentative name for the new project so uh…here, here goes."

She looked at Chris and took a deep breath. She was confident in her work but it was still unnerving performing for such an audience. Her hands were shaking but the minute she played that first chord, she got into "that zone" where the music would just take over her body and soul.

Sunday is only two days away

Already they said a train was coming in late

I'll wait

This reminds me of last year

September, I think

When you said you loved me

But you had to leave me

So I'll wait, I said

On a Sunday train

I can hear the whistle

Blowing you away

On a Sunday train

I can hear the steeple bells

Ringing a refrain

And I'll say goodbye, again and again

Cause I can't get it out of my head

And I'll wait like I wait for every Sunday train

She stopped playing after the first verse and nervously looked around. It was quiet for a while and just when she was on the verge of tears, Guy spoke up.

"Chris, you have anything new for us?"

Haley closed her eyes. Nice going! They must have hated her. She felt like apologizing and asking for another chance. She wasn't ready. Maybe her voice had been a little off key or she had missed playing a note or two. She was really sorry. She could do better. She just needed another chance. If they only knew what she had been going through. But any hint of a second opportunity to play went by the wayside as Chris began to strum and do his own songs. He played the latest one he had been working on and also finished to silence.

The normally overconfident blue eyed babe with the smirk looked deadly nervous as the quiet in the room was almost unbearable. He and Haley looked at each other, both on the verge of mental breakdowns but the episode was interrupted by applause. Chris quickly smirked and instantly regained his poise while Haley couldn't believe it. A standing ovation.

"What can we say guys? Absolutely brilliant! It was our treat to hear what you've been writing and I think I speak for Madge here when I say keep up the good work. It sounds great."

Haley finally relaxed and smiled after breathing a huge pent up sigh of utter relief that had been lodged inside her.

"Thank you", she smiled, more at ease.

"Now, you've had the meetings with the new producer and sound engineer, correct?"

Haley didn't answer. She felt a little light headed, like the room was spinning.

"Haley?"

"What? Oh, I mean, yes. Yes. I had the meeting last week. Um, everything went great and I can't wait to get in the studio."

"Perfect. Now all we have to do is…"

Haley felt a wave of nausea so strong it nearly knocked her off her chair. Oh God. Not now. Please…

"…and things should go a lot smoother with the relaxed timeframe and…"

"Oh God!" Haley shrieked.

But it was too late. There on the lavish top floor of the New York Maverick Records building in front of her musical colleagues, the head boss and Madonna for God's sake, Haley Joy James lost her breakfast all over the conference table.

She puked hard. Harder than she ever have. And when all was said and done, there was still that godawful retching and dry heaving. The room fell silent as she finally raised her head. She could see one of the executives make a face and she couldn't blame him. The mess totally reeked.

"Oh God", Haley said tearfully. "Oh my God. I am so sorry. I…I didn't mean it. I'll clean this up. I'm sorry. I…"

"It's okay", Madonna interjected. "We'll have the custodians come in."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Haley. Really."

Humiliated, she walked out to compose herself and clean up. She felt like dying inside that bathroom and the embarrassment only deepened when the door opened and it was Madonna.

"You okay, kid?"

"Yeah…I'm fine. I'm sorry. I…I am so embarrassed. I don't know what happened in there."

"It's okay."

"That was so gross."

"I'm a mommy", Madonna shrugged. "Before my kids, yeah that would have totally grossed me out. But once you have children, things change. Hell, I've been sneezed on, peed on, puked on and pooped on. Nothing phases me right now."

"Thanks", Haley sheepishly smiled.

"No problem. I hope you feel better", she said as she left.

Wiping her face with a wet towel and searching her bag feverishly for a breath mint, Haley finally emerged. To her surprise, Chris was outside waiting.

"Hey. Um, what are you still doing here?"

"Making sure you were still alive", he quipped.

"That…oh God, that was so bad back there. I feel like a fool."

"Shit happens or in your case, puke."

"Chris…"

"What?"

"It's not funny", she pouted.

"I know. You feel any better?"

"Actually yeah. That's the funny thing about this whole morning sickness deal. First of all, the title is such a lie. It comes morning, noon or night and when it rains, it pours. You feel like you're going to die and then all of a sudden, just like that, it's over."

"Well, I heard hot tea and Saltine crackers are good for nausea and all that crap."

"Where'd you hear that, Dr. Keller?" she teased.

"I read it."

"Where?"

"In that book, you know, What To Expect When You're Expecting."

Haley had to laugh. She couldn't believe it.

"Chris, you read that? Oh my God. Why?"

"Because you're pregnant and neither one of us has been pregnant before so we need to know what to expect, right?"

She studied his face. As unbelievable as it was, she saw absolute sincerity.

"Yeah", she said softly. "I guess we do."

"Come on", Chris nodded. "Let me get you home. We can hang out and work on some music and maybe I could you dinner."

"Chris…"

"That is, if you want. I mean, it's no big deal", he shoved his hands in his pockets.

She just looked at him. Despite the fact that was still the same old argumentative, smart ass, arrogant Chris Keller, he had been nothing but a friend to her over the years, especially in the month she had revealed her pregnancy secret to him. She had to admit that he and Taylor had been helpful. Maybe he didn't know but it was a big deal. A very big deal.

"Okay. Sounds cool. What are you making me?" she teased.

"I got this really cool new recipe for rotisserie, honey glazed cat and…"

"Chris!" she playfully hit him.

"Just kidding", he smiled. "Whatever you want. How about North Carolina style pork chops?"

"With mashed potatoes and corn?" she asked hopefully.

"With mashed potatoes and corn. Whatever you want, Haley. Sound good?"

She gave him a grateful smile.

"Yeah…sounds great."