October 27th, 2003

Week 36

It was getting to the last few weeks. Alex's body was so tired. DK did everything he could to help her out, but it didn't seem to be enough.

"I don't want to go, Derek." Alex moaned. DK frowned.

"You called me Derek." He said.

"That's because I'm serious." She said, "I don't want to go to any stupid Halloween party in my condition." He chuckled.

"Your condition. You're pregnant." He said.

"Exactly" Alex said. DK smiled.

"Can we please go out? It'll be one of our last changes." Alex stared at him. His eyes were sparkling.

"Sure, you ass." She said pulling herself up. "Do I need to get dressed up?" DK nodded.

"I'm going as a pirate." He said, "You go as a pumpkin. I put everything for you in the bathroom." Alex rolled her eyes.

"You owe me."

"I don't owe you anything." DK said as he got undressed. he heard Alex groan as she saw her costume. he chuckled softly as he got his pirate uniform on. DK tied the red and white stripped bandanna around his head. "Argh!!"

"Okay, are you ready?" Alex asked, "I look like a frigging orange."

"Come out here, Alex. I'm sure you look cute." He said. Alex opened the bathroom door and stepped out dressed in her pumpkin uniform. Orange pants and a orange baby T-shirt is what she wore. She wore a hat of leaves on her head.

"I don't look cute." She said. DK grinned and grabbed some make up.

"You will once I paint a pumpkin on your belly." he said. Alex smirked slightly.

"You look kind of nice as a pirate." Alex said as DK applied make up to her stomach, "It kind of turns me on." DK snickered.

"You're sick." DK got up and kissed her forehead.

* * *

The music was loud as DK and Alex walked into the bar. Everyone was dressed up and Alex was relieved. She wasn't the only one dressed up.

"Hey!!" Kim ran up to them. Alex looked at her slinky outfit. There were two dollar bills were pinned to her.

"What the hell are you?" Alex chuckled. Kim grinned.

"A two dollar whore." She said.

"Oh lord." Alex groaned.

"Don't let, Jimmy see you." DK winked. Kim rolled her eyes and took Alex's hand. She led her over to the food table.

"That boyfriend of yours is rude." Kim said handing Alex a plate.

"He's not my boyfriend." She said piling the plate up with food.

"Oh yeah. I forgot." Kim chuckled.

"Can I ask you a pregnancy question?" Alex asked her friend.

"You sure can, pumpkin." Kim said.

"Hardy har har. Well, before you had Joey, did you have a feeling you knew you were going to go into labour?" Alex asked. Kim thought about it for a moment.

"I had an idea something was off. I didn't feel normal." Kim said, "Then my water broke. Why? are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling fine." Alex said, "I'm just anxious to see Lilah." Kim nodded.

"Don't worry. it'll be over soon and the three of you will be one big happy family." Kim said. Alex looked over to her pirate who was dancing with Lombardo as a gorilla and Holt as a French maid. A real family. Yeah, right.

November 10th, 2003

Week 38

Derek was starting to freak out. He had every right to freak out. He could be a father at any moment. He was having regular panic attacks to boot. he wasn't sure if he could so this. He rang his brother's doorbell. Padrick opened it up.

"Derek! Hey! I wasn't expecting you." Padrick said.

"Yeah I know." He said, "I just needed....I don't know I'm freaking out." Padrick chuckled.

"Come downstairs for a beer. The kids are outside and Heather is cooking dinner." He said.

"Thanks, Paddy." Derek mumbled following his brother to the basement. it was a regular bachelor's pad. Derek loved it down here. He assumed Padrick spent most of his time here.

"What a beer?" His brother asked. Derek nodded.

"Do you even have to ask?" Derek asked. Padrick chuckled.

"No. You seem to have that look on your face." He said.

"Is it really that obvious?" Derek asked. Padrick nodded as he tossed his brother a beer.

"Let me guess, okay?" Padrick smiled. Derek opened the beer and nodded.

"Go ahead." Derek said. Padrick sat in front of his brother.

"You are freaking out and probably having panic attacks about becoming a father." he said.

"You're good." Derek said.

"I'm a man. I know." He said, "I freaked out before Tommy was born. I had panic attacks before Jaime was born and I passed out four times before Anja was born. We're men, D."

"I know we are." he said, "I'm excited to become a dad, but I'm terrified."

"That's all normal." Padrick said. "fatherhood is amazing. Trust me. once you see Lilah you'll want two more." Derek chuckled.
"I won't have that chance." He said. Padrick nodded..

"Sure you will. You're only thirty-three. I'm thirty-six and has three. Hell, Abby has two as she's twenty-six." Padrick said, "You're doing fine and you will continue to do fine."

"Can I come here whenever I want to steals some beers?" He asked. Padrick smiled.
"You're always welcomed here little bro." He said. "I'll give you a key all right?"

"Do the others have a key?" Derek asked. Padrick shook his head.

"They're not first time parents. you are." He said, "Don't let Kev in here though."

"I won't." Derek smiled, "Thanks, Pad." Padrick smacked his brother's back.

"Don't worry. It's my job." He said. "Just be honest with Alex. Tell her you're scared. I'm sure she's scared." Derek shook his head.

"She's not scared. She has everything ready." He said.
"Ask her. you'll be surprised." Padrick smiled.

* * *

Derek walked into the house to smell sweet potatoes cooking.

"What are you making?" He asked. Alex smiled when he came in.

"I had a craving for sweet potatoes." She said, "You have a good time at Paddy's?"

"Yeah. We had a few beers and played a few games of darts." he said.

"That sounds good. "Alex smiled.

"I need to tell you something and ask you something." Derek said. Alex nodded.

"Okay." She smiled, "What?"

"I'm terrified." Derek said, "I'm not sure if I can do this fatherhood thing. I know I will make a mistake."

"We both will make mistakes but that's what parents do. They learn from their mistakes." Alex said.

"Are you scared?" Derek asked. Alex looked at him for a long moment and then nodded.

"I'm terrified." She admitted. Derek stared at her. he couldn't believe that she was terrified. She had been playing it so cool. For some odd reason, it made him feel better knowing Alex was just as scared as he was.

* * *

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