A/N: Big thankyou to the following for reviewing - bettyboo, Ms Fi, leslienicolespeaks and Dani. That being said - on with the update..

"This can't be happening." Ruby rubbed her face tiredly as she waited for her cab to take her back to work. "This cannot be happening." She repeated to herself slowly.

"Congratulations, Miss Garrison – you're going to have a baby."

She wanted to scream, maybe cry – hell possibly even do both at the same time, but nothing came. No matter how hard she tried the tears wouldn't fall, the scream wouldn't move any further than her throat. All she felt was a sick, nauseated feeling in the pit of her stomach. Well, that and a great deal of fear. She wasn't sure that she could keep it to herself if the same thing happened this time as it did last time. She had a creeping suspicion that if she lost this baby, she would just blurt everything out to Leon and possibly lose him from her life forever. That thought scared her as well.

He and Cade had come to mean so much to her over the past six months and despite his faults – the many of which he had – she had found herself falling for Leon Michael Orello and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop herself. Desperately as she tried, there was nothing she could do to sway it. It had been earlier that month, almost three weeks ago when she'd realised just how strong her feelings for the green eyed artist were. He'd been in the kitchen with Cade making cookies and both had been covered in flour and rainbow sprinkles, his tongue poking out the side of his mouth as he bent over a cookie and smeared icing across the top. His hair had been falling in his eyes and he was topless as Cade had come in to wake him for the specific purpose of baking him some cookies. Despite the fact that it was almost three in the morning, Leon had gotten up with little argument and had indeed made his son some of the sugary treats.

The smile on his face when he'd seen her leaning in the doorway watching them had been blinding and wordlessly his arms had outstretched, cuddling her as soon as she was close enough. He'd fed her one of the still warm biscuits and then, after Cade had finished his own, they'd all gone back to bed for a few more hours.

It was then – cuddling up to him in the early hours of the morning with the smell of freshly baked cookies in the air and his arms around her that she realised she was in love with this man. He'd dug himself a little hole inside her heart and settled happily. She knew she'd never have his own heart – Letty would always hold that – but she was quite willing to take whatever he felt he could give her.

He really wasn't going to be happy about the baby.

She was terrified of telling him. Completely and utterly petrified. There was no way he was going to be excited nor happy about it at all and she feared that it would drive him away completely. She couldn't tell him. She couldn't. He couldn't know about this baby but there was no way she was getting rid of it. She'd been wanting a family her entire life and now that she was having a child of her own… She wasn't going to jeopardise that for anyone. The only thing she could do was stay quiet for now and hope to god she didn't get very big. She'd work out the rest later.

It was a little over a week since she'd found out she was pregnant again and she wasn't sure she'd ever felt so disgusting. Not only was she lying to Leon by not telling him about the baby, but she had a constant bad taste in her mouth and she felt nauseated for a good two thirds of the day. The only time she felt like her normal bouncy self was between ten p.m. and three a.m. oddly enough.

Leon hadn't noticed, or if he had he hadn't said anything, but she was pretty sure he was none the wiser as she was doing everything she could to keep him in the dark about it. Every time his hands slid across her stomach or her breasts she almost tensed, almost. She fought her instincts like mad and forced herself to stay relaxed and when they had sex… How was she supposed to tell him that she'd gotten pregnant when she was on the pill?

After she'd had her miscarriage the doctor had put her on it as a precaution and she'd taken them religiously… except for the one day. That was all it took. That one day back in early December when he'd taken her ice skating, their first time together since…

Ruby blinked rapidly, thankful for the darkness of the bedroom as her tears slid to the pillow unnoticed. Leon was sleeping beside her on his stomach, his thick arm slung over her back, fingers curled over her hip holding her firmly to his side. There was no chance of her moving without him knowing and normally she wouldn't mind, but that thick feeling in the back of her throat telling her she needed a good howl was making her wish he wasn't there. No, scratch that – it was making her wish she had the guts to come out and tell him she was having his, no – their baby, and if she did, that he would be happy, or at least supportive. The reality was something else though. She knew, just knew that if she told him he was more likely to react negatively. Thus she had no motivation whatsoever to let him in on her little secret. Her secret that he would find out about in seven months time regardless of whether she wanted him to know or not.

She snuggled down into the pillow and sighed. It wouldn't do much good to dwell on what was already done and what she couldn't prevent. The doctor had tentatively mentioned the option of abortion when she'd seen Ruby's crestfallen reaction to the news of her pregnancy and even Ruby herself had been stunned at the fierce feelings of anger she felt at the mere suggestion. There was no way in hell she was aborting this baby. If and when Leon found out, regardless of his reaction, getting rid of the baby wasn't an option. There was no chance at all. This was her baby and anyone who tried to tell her otherwise was sorely mistaken.

So wrapped up in her thoughts she was that she didn't noticed the little visitor by the bedside until he touched her, his tiny hand palming at her fringe, mimicking what she often did to him or his father.

"Miss Ruby crying?" he asked in a soft whisper. A small nearly broken smile crept across her face and despite the fact that she could wake Leon, she rolled onto her side and lifted the blankets, nodding for him to climb into bed. Little legs scrambled against the bed side as he climbed into the circle of her arms and snuggled against her chest.

Big brown eyes looked up at her in the dark and Cade's small hand wiped carefully across the swell of her cheek, smearing the dampness away.

"Why crying?" he asked, his own eyes filling with tears at the thought of his beloved Miss Ruby being in pain or something similar.

She soothed him, stroking his hair and dotting kisses across his cheeks.

"It's just a little headache, baby." She lied quietly, praying he wouldn't realise. Cade had some innate way of being able to tell if he was being lied to. He somehow always realised.

He studied her face for a short while, then snuggled closer and nuzzled against the hollow of her throat, his little arms wrapping around her neck as he got comfy. She smiled to herself as she felt him kiss her before snuggling again.

"Better?" he asked innocently, his voice muffled. Tears sprang into her eyes again but she nodded slightly.

"Yeah, sweetheart – all better."

Leon's arm had slid away from her in the process of her moving about and she felt Cade moving again to look over her shoulder. She thought he was just getting comfortable until she heard him speak.

"Miss Ruby have a headache." He said solemnly in her ear. She was wondering why he was telling her that when she already 'knew', then she felt the hand against her head. He wasn't telling her, he was telling Leon. Warmth filled her as she felt his big body press against her back and his fingers running through her hair, gently stroking at her scalp with each pass. His lips pressed to her temple as he leant up over her slightly and she couldn't help the little smile that found her lips.

Settling behind her, Leon threw his leg over hers and pressed even closer, his hand still in her hair.

"You alright, Gemstone?" he asked, his voice husky from sleep. His breath puffed across her cheek and his callused fingertips massaged her temple, lulling her closer to sleep.

She moaned slightly, content and nestled down into the pillows. If she'd known he'd do this when she had a headache then she would have them all the time. Now she knew why he'd fallen asleep the few times she'd given him a massage. She herself had never had one, but if this was even a tiny fraction of how nice it felt then she didn't blame him for liking it. Not that she could do it for him at the moment – she'd had to change positions at the Spa as some of the oils used in massages could hurt the baby. Not that she'd told them that was the reason – they just thought she wanted to expand on her knowledge of manicures.

"Ruby?"

She blinked, startled when she realised she'd dozed off under his gentle ministrations and looked back over her shoulder at him. He looked rumpled from sleep and his hair, which she'd reluctantly trimmed for him, hung across one eye. With Cade against her chest her right arm was occupied, but with her left she reached back and stroked his smooth jaw. She'd been stunned when she'd returned home earlier that day and had found him in the bathroom shaving, Cade watching rapt from his spot on the bench. He'd never seen his father clean shaven and it was a novelty for him. It made him look younger she decided. His reasoning had been that he just felt like a change, but she had the feeling there was more to it, but didn't press the matter.

"I'm alright, Le. Go back to sleep, precious."

He looked at her with the same studious look Cade had given her before he leant over and kissed her softly, stroking her cheek with his thumb lightly as he did so.

"If you're sure." He murmured once he'd pulled away, brushing his nose over hers lightly. Ruby smiled against his cheek and for a moment she forgot about her problems, forgot about the secrets she was keeping from him and just let herself be.

"I'm sure, Leon. Go back to sleep. I'm fine."

He studied her for a moment longer before nodding slightly and laying back down, his arm curled up around her beneath her arm and over Cade as well, palm laying flat on Cade's little shoulder. His lips pressed to the back of her neck and she felt him exhale, then a few moments later his breathing evened out and he was asleep again.