Disclaimer: I do not own West Side Story or any of the characters contained therein. Raquel, however, is mine, so please don't steal her!

Author's Notes: Thanks to those of you who have read and reviewed! It makes me happy! lol. This fic is too much fun... I'm not sure how long it will last, but I'm pretty sure it will be really long. lol.

Chapter 11: Raquel Goes Home

Once out of the building, Raquel turned to Baby John. "We need to go to my apartment building." she said. "I must see my friends. I cannot let them believe I am dead."

Baby John nodded. "OK. Let's go."

He hailed a cab. Raquel told the driver where to go, and they were on their way. Baby John took Raquel's hand, and neither of them missed the strange look from the driver.

"Well, John," Raquel said, enjoying the chance to shock the cab driver even more. "Now that you've met my family, I suppose I should meet yours."

Baby John was trying not to laugh as he leaned close to kiss her. The two of them almost burst into laughter at the driver's face. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Raquel smiled. She leaned her head over on Baby John's shoulder.

The cab driver kept trying to hide his shock, but he was failing miserably.

But Raquel and Baby John were enjoying themselves. Baby John smiled at Raquel when the driver stopped to let them out. "Well..." he said. "Here goes nothin'."

The two of them were inside the building, still holding hands as they climbed the steps to the floor that Anita and several others lived on. She went to Maria's apartment first, but noone was there. And when she went to Anita's, she knew why. It seemed that all the girls were there. When the door opened, Anita screamed excitedly in Spanish, "Ay! Raquel! Raquel está aquí!"

Maria and the other girls jumped up and ran over. Baby John, who was a little on the nervous side, stood back, alone. Maria embraced her friend. "Oh, I am so happy to see you alive!"

The other girls echoed the sentiment. When Teresita came over, she gave Raquel a huge hug and said, "Antonio will be so happy to see you."

It was then that the girl noticed Baby John standing behind Raquel. Her eyes showed confusion. "Raquel, ¿quién es?"

"Es un amigo nuevo," Raquel said, knowing that Teresita was worried about her brother's standing with Raquel.

Baby John didn't like the look Teresita was giving him.

Raquel looked at Teresita apologetically. "What is it, Raquel?" she asked.

Raquel shook her head. "Podemos hablar más tarde."

Teresita looked angry, which bothered Raquel because they had been friends for a long time.

"Come in! Come in!" Anita exclaimed, hoping to break the tension.

Raquel and Baby John walked in and sat down where Anita told them to. As they sat talking, Teresita never took her angry glare off of the couple.

"Where have you been, querida?" Maria asked kindly.

"I've been many places," Raquel replied. "I've been into Jet territory. I've been to see Chino."

"So... You know?" Rosalia asked, sympathetically.

"Sí," Raquel said. "Sí, yo sé."

Poor Baby John was getting more and more confused as he tried to make heads or tails of the Spanish. Raquel smiled at Baby John's confusion.

It wasn't long before Baby John recognized Anita. And all of a sudden, he remembered what the Jets had done to her the night of the rumble.

When Anita finally took a good look at Baby John, Raquel saw shock on her face. A shock that recalled the night the Jets had been so cruel to her. And when she had told the lie that had cost Tony his life.

Baby John didn't know what to do. He was beginning to feel very awkward. He wasn't angry at Anita about the lie she told. In fact, he was angry at himself and the other Jets for hurting her so much that it had made her tell such a horrible lie.

Maria saw Anita's shock as well, not to mention Teresita's angry glance. So she, always the peace-keeper, said, "Anita. Teresita. We should get these two something to eat."

"Let me help you," Raquel said.

"No," Maria said with a smile. "You should help your friend get to know everyone."

Raquel nodded. "Sí."

Baby John smiled. He could see why Tony had loved Maria. She was a sweetheart. He knew why she had called Anita and Teresita away, and he appreciated it, too.

Baby John looked around the room as Raquel pointed out several girls. "This is Rosalia, and Roberta, and Consuela, and Catalina."

He smiled politely and said "hello" to each girl.

"And this is Fransisca, and Estella, and Margarita... And Anita, Teresita, and Maria just went into the kitchen."

"Oh... I see," Baby John said, though he knew that already.

"Where are the boys?" Raquel asked.

"Looking for you!" Roberta said.

"Del Campo!" Rosalia exclaimed. "He..."

"He thinks you're dead!" Consuela said. "He hasn't spoken since..."

At this point, Catalina grabbed Raquel's arm and ran out of the room toward Del Campo's apartment. Baby John stood up, but Fransisca smiled a little. "It's all right, Juan. She will be back soon."

Baby John sighed and sat back down. He really didn't like that they had taken her away, leaving him with people he didn't know. And girls at that.

Before Raquel the others returned, Baby John heard a baby crying. He looked around the room, searching for someone to get the baby, when Anita burst out of the kitchen. "Ay!" she exclaimed. "You are just like your papa! You want what you want right now!"

Baby John watched Anita hurry into a bedroom and come out with a tiny baby boy. Baby John couldn't believe how tiny the baby was.

"Hey," he said softly. "Can..." He almost didn't want to ask his question, because it scared him. "Can I hold him?"

Anita eyed him suspiciously, but she let him hold the baby. "Now... You have to keep his head up..." she said as she passed the baby to him.

Baby John almost gave the baby right back to Anita. But he didn't. Instead, he looked down at the baby in his arms, and asked. "What's his name?"

"Devante," she said.

"That's a nice name," Baby John said. "How old is he?"

"Almost 5 months," Anita replied, looking lovingly at her son.

"He... he looks alot like you," Baby John said.

"Maybe a little. He looks more like 'Nardo to me."

"He looks like him, too," Baby John said with a smile.

Anita's eyes were sad. "He is a very good baby... He..." she said no more for fear the tears would come. This baby was everything to her, now.

She looked at Baby John. Perhaps this boy was not so bad. In fact, as she recalled, he had not had any part in taunting her until he had been literally dragged into it.

Baby John was smiling at the baby, saying, "Hey, Devante."

Anita smiled at the boy's hearty attempt at pronouncing the Spanish name. "That is very good," she said to him, touching the baby's cheek.

"Really?" Baby John replied.

"Sí. Especially for your first time."

Baby John smiled, very happy that he'd done a semi good job with the name.

Anita, too, smiled. The baby took an immediate liking to Baby John. The boy loved the baby, too. It was plain to be seen.

Anita stood up when Raquel, Catalina and Consuela entered the room with a smiling Del Campo.

The smile on his face, however, was short lived, disappearing when he saw Baby John holding Devante. "¿Quién es?" he asked, staring at him suspiciously.

"Es un amigo de Raquel," Anita said. "Se llama Juan."

Baby John hated it when they spoke Spanish. Because it made him feel that they were trying to keep him out.

"¿Y Chino? Del Campo asked. "No le gusta¿sí?"

Anita looked at Raquel, who said, in English, "Chino is happy with my choice."

Baby John sighed, holding the baby closer.

OoOoOoO

A/N:

Tonyboy- I'm afraid I can't do the Windows Messenger thing, because my parents want me to keep my e-mail on the d/l, as well. So it's either LJ, or we're out of luck. Sorry. I wish I could, though. That would be really fun, but I can't. Yeah. It's a little odd that I dreamed I was Anita, because I really would want Maria's part most. With my luck, I'd end up gettin' Anybodys or Graziella. lol. But if William came to see me, I don't think I'd mind. Aw... Yeah, you told me about her. I'm sorry she never felt the same. I don't know why, though. You're a really great guy, you seem really sweet and sensitive. I have a friend named Miranda, but most people call her Randa... But not Randi, because she doesn't like that... I'm sorry about what happened with her, and I hope that maybe someday, she'll come around. I know what you mean. There's this one girl, who I really don't like anyway, but she talks all the time, really loud, but she won't open her mouth to sing! I'm like,"GOSH!" Thankfully, our chorus teacher tells her to open her mouth. lol. I know you'll do fine with voice lessons, because, as long as you open your mouth, it ought to be good. lol. I really hope you get Tony... What's your second choice? Just wondered. Good luck on getting a job soon. No, I've never seen Friends. I may give it a try some time, if the parents don't mind. I'm happy you'll see Joel soon! See ya!

Ash- It's OK. Yeah... Raquel's losing her evilness. lol. I love Chino, so I had to make people feel sorry for him. lol. Yeah, I hated to be mean to A-Rab, but I just love Baby John alot! Poor A-Rab. lol. I will definately look after the Jets. They have Ice, so why would I abuse them? lol. Ah... More Ice in your ficcy. Is this girl happy or what? I love both of your fics! They are uber awesome. lol. Do not reveal the plot... lemme find out on my own. lol. Can there be a chappy where Ice falls in love with me and we get married and have 10 kids? lol. Jk. Not that I wouldn't like that, but it's all good. lol. Hey, I saw your review to "Nobody was Supposed to Die" and I wondered, how come A-Rab, and Action, and Baby John never review me? lol.

Translations:

Raquel esta aquí!- Raquel is here!

Podemos hablar más tarde.- We can talk later.

Querida- Dear

Yo sé- I know

Quién es?- Who is it?

Es un amigo de Raquel- He's a friend of Raquel

Se llama Juan- His name is John

Y Chino? No le gusta¿sí?- And Chino? He doesn't like it, right?