Kaitlin, Thanks for all the reviews, it makes me feel special. I did steal chapter 3 from another fic. I liked that part, but I scrapped the rest of the fic. I don't mean to rush. Maybe I am, I wrote about half of that within the last week. I won't be updating much until later on this month.

Not just a princess: thanks for the review. I'm liking this fic more than a few of my older ones.

Riza, thanks for the correction. I fixed it, in both chapters.

GG: thanks. I like writing the Bee and Eric interactions, although right now, I'm focusing more on the Carmen storyline right now. I hope to change that soon.

"People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way."

A.C. Benson

Lena stared down at her blank sketchpad. She had absolutely no inspiration. With her friends off on their own adventures, and Lena stuck home, there was nothing new for Lena to see. Annik had told her that she should look at the boring things in the city from a new perspective, and give them a new, untried look. Lena just couldn't do it. She had not had this bad of a block since she had broken up with Kostos in the winter after the first summer. She wondered if she would ever be able to think of something to draw. Lena decided to take a break to write Carmen.

"Carma, I've got such a bad block. I wish I could think of something to draw that was good! Nothing is striking me. How are you? Your mom told me that Win came down to see you before he took his summer job. How great is that? How is the pregnant Lydia doing? I can not believe you voluntarily went there while she was pregnant. Don't pregnant ladies get moody? Say hi to Paul for me. Can't wait to see you when you get back. Love, Lena."

They were all piled into a small doctor's office room. Lydia, Paul, Krista, Al, Carmen, even Win. Al had made Lydia wait until Carmen was present for them to learn the sex of the baby. This was a momentous occasion.

"Who are these two?" the nurse who had obviously seem Lydia through this pregnancy asked.

"This is my daughter Carmen," Al said proudly. He paused for a moment, "This is her boyfriend Win," he knew how weird that sounded, and so did everyone else, "He is visiting. We didn't want to leave him home alone."

"Oh," the nurse said in a fake cheerful tone that all nurses must possess, "Well I'm Cheryl. I have helped Lydia through all her pregnancies," she smiled, "I was right out of school when Paul was on the way."

Carmen nodded and smiled, "Its nice to meet you."

"You too," she turned to the group, "The doctor will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," replied Al.

"Lydia, why don't you assume the position," Cheryl joked. Lydia laughed, and did as she was told.

"Welcome back Lydia," the doctor smiled as he came into the room, "Lets see," he looked at his file, "This is the day you want to know the gender of the baby?"

"Yes," Lydia began, "We wanted the whole family to be here, but we want to know so we can decorate the nursery."

"Well," the doctor began scanning the stomach, "Ah yes. You have a healthy little boy in there," he smiled.

Paul's smile was the widest, "I'm going to have a baby brother!"

"A son?" Al yelled as if there was absolutely no possibility to have a son.

"Congratulations," the doctor said, "Everything is going along smoothly. Thats especially important when having a baby at your age."

Lydia and Al had their la mas class that night and Krista was over at Susie's house, so Paul, Carmen and Win were home alone equipped with twenty dollars for a pizza, a carton of ice cream with all the toppings, and permission to watch any movie they chose, even pay-per-view. Al and Lydia said that they would be going out to dinner after class and wouldn't be home until late. This was their last hoorah before the baby came. After the movie, Win went up to take a shower leaving Paul and Carmen alone to watch TV.

"Have you noticed that Krista is gaining some weight?" Paul asked with concern in his voice.

"Yeah, she does seem a little heavier. Maybe its just her body trying to figure out where to put things."

"She's been gaining weight ever since she broke up with this guy Max six months ago. Now she wears baggy clothes to hide it, but she isn't fooling anyone. I think she has gained like twenty pounds. Mom is too absorbed in the whole baby thing to be concerned enough, and I'm a guy. I can't talk to her about things like this."

"You want me to talk to her, Don't you?"

"Could you?"

"Yeah."

"I'm just so worried about her. The weight gain, and she has been stuck up in her room most of those months if she wasn't at school or at Susie's house, or another one of her friends."

"I'm sure everything will be fine."

Paul systematically took Win out of the house after he had brought Krista home from Susie's. Carmen was the only one home for the ambush. Al was at work, and Lydia was out with some friends. As Paul had predicted, Krista said hello, then went straight to her room. Carmen waited, then followed her up five minutes later. Instead of going through the bathroom as she normally did, Carmen went to the regular door.

Carmen knocked, "Krista, can I come in?" she asked nicely.

"What do you need?"

"My boyfriend and your brother deserted me!" Carmen said pathetically, "I want some company."

"Okay," Krista sounded exasperated.

Carmen entered and sat on the bed. Krista was writing something on her computer. Carmen tried not to snoop and see what it was. "Paul is worried about you," Carmen just went right out and said it. She had never had any tact.

"What?"

"He thinks you're in some heavy depression because you spend as little time with the family as possible, and you've gained some weight."

Krista laughed half-heartedly.

"Paul says that it all started when you broke up with Max."

Krista laughed again, "That isn't it at all."

"Then what is it?"

"Max moved away," Krista said simply, "We broke up so we wouldn't have to do the distance thing," she paused, "You're going to think this is so stupid," she paused again.

"What?"

"We had sex the day before he left. We thought it would be the perfect end to our relationship, like pledging our love for each other," Krista paused yet again. She was obviously hiding something.

Carmen thought she knew what Krista was saying, but she didn't want Krista to be saying that, "You mean?" she had to hear Krista say it.

"Yeah," Krista sounded scared and ashamed, "I'm having his baby."

Carmen was amazed, "And you haven't told your family?"

"I've only told those three friends you met, and you."

"Oh. I hope you've gone to a doctor."

"Yeah, I went to the free clinic."

"Good. What can I do for you?" though Carmen was only one year older than Krista, Carmen began playing a motherly role.

"Help me tell Mama?" Krista begged.

"That, I can do," Carmen said solemnly, "But you're going to have to be there too."

"Okay."

"You know, Paul is really worried about you. You should let him in on it too."

"I don't even know what he is going to say! He has been so protective of me since dad left! I am so ashamed."

"Everything is going to be okay," Carmen assured her, "I'll help any way I can."