One week later...

Tia sat awkwardly beside Bug who held onto Lady who laid in his arms in a red onesie. They were at Lady's pediatrician which was in the city. Tia didn't know exactly why she was spending her Saturday here with him, but ever since the night she came to bring Bug the bag of groceries he dropped at the market, and heard his story of what really happened that night with Lucy. She knew with his track record, it was truly his word against a dead girl's. Still, something about the way Bug told the story, she knew it was true. She was still on the fence on whether she felt Bug was a good guy, but she had watched him with Lady, and saw that despite the twisted backstory of how she came to be, he was actually a good father, and despite how badly he was struggling, he was trying his best. That night, he helped her frost all of Miles' cupcakes, and helped her wrap them up. Twice during that night as he talked with her, Lady had woken up cranky. Tia had helped him change her again, and give her another bottle. The third time she got up, Bug paced around his little bungalow with her, trying to sooth her, before he looked at the clock, and saw Tia pulling her coat on to get ready to leave.

"Why don't I drive you?"

Tia turned, raising an eyebrow. Bug smirked and motioned to Lady.

"She's cranky. Sometimes putting her in the car and taking a drive gets her to relax. Besides, you have all those trays of cupcakes."

Tia sighed, nervously chewing on her lip.

"Um, are you sure?"

Bug actually smiled a little while rubbing Lady's back.

"Let me get her changed into warmer clothing, hold on."

With that, they loaded up the trays of cupcakes, and baby. She sat content in her carseat, looking around with wide eyes, wearing a knit cap. Tia noticed Bug put his own hat on as he drove them, and ended up parking a few houses down. Taking a deep breath, he looked at her.

"I have a feeling if your mom sees me dropping you off she might have a fit."

Tia laughed.

"Yeah you're probably right."

"Do you need help carrying those?"

Tia shook her head, leaning down gathering the cupcakes.

"No, I'm good. Thanks though."

As she reached down, Bug nervously drummed his hands on the steering wheel, eyeing Lady in the rearview mirror who was now fast asleep, before he let out a deep breath.

"Hey Tia? Do you have any plans next Saturday morning?"

Tia sat up, holding the trays in her lap. She looked at him.

"Um, no...I don't think so. Why?"

Bug stared straight ahead, before nervously laughing and shaking his head.

"Well, Lady has a doctor's appointment. She needs to get a bunch of shots and I'm usually a nervous wreck. The last appointment I think I had a panic attack and..."

"You want me to go with you?"

Bug glanced at her, before he shut his eyes for a moment and shook his head.

"Ugh...no this is stupid I shouldn't..."

"I'll go. What time?"

Bug looked shocked. They exchanged times, and Tia told him she would be there an hour early so they could beat the traffic. Bug seemed beyond relieved, and kept thanking her. Tia said no problem, before she climbed out of the car, before glancing in the backseat at Lady sleeping soundly. Instantly she smirked.

"Night Lady."

She said softly, before carefully closing the door. Bug waved at her, before she walked down the sidewalk and into the house. Lucky for her nobody was home yet, and she placed the cupcakes down on the kitchen counter. Later that night as she laid on her bed, flipping through magazines, her mother came home and couldn't stop thanking her for making them for her.

"The kitchen looks spotless! How did you do it?"

Tia shrugged and smiled.

"Just had the time, no problem mom."

She wished her goodnight, and Tia wanted so badly to tell her mother everything. Instead, she kept her mouth shut, and simply continued listening to her music, and looking through her magazines, all the meanwhile thinking about what Bug told her tonight. Now a week later she found herself sitting beside Bug at the doctor's. Bug was dressed in jeans, a turtleneck, and brown jacket. Yet again, he had his hat on that she had given him while they were dating. Tia wore her black heavy sweater, a purple skirt, and tights. She had dressed warmly for the weather, and the ride in had been pleasant. When she arrived at Bug's after walking there, she glanced at Bug's parent's cars parked in the driveway. Walking around, she went to the guest house, and lightly knocked in the front door instead of going to the back sliding door. After a minute or so, Bug opened it up, looking a little overwhelmed, His eyes lit up seeing her.

"Tia! Hey, we're just about to go. I'm just trying to pack her diaper bag...give me a few..."

Tia waved her hand and walked past him.

"I'll help, hold on."

Bug seemed relieved, since she saw he kept walking in circles, forgetting the same things. Twice he looked for his keys, then her pacifier, before forgetting where he put her receiving blanket. Tia stepped in, staying calm, and helped him. Nervously laughing, a little embarrassed, he thanked her, before getting Lady ready. He dressed her warm, before carrying her out and loading her into the carseat. Once they were driving, Bug put on the radio and made small talk with Tia, mostly about school. They still had a few classes together, and Tia had noticed that past week in school Bug had only said hi to her while in the hallways, or smiled at her whenever she entered class. He was still treated as an outsider, and people still glared at him, while Tia wondered why Bug wasn't fighting harder to let everyone know the truth? She laughed a little, relaxing, remembering the actual good times she had with Bug before everything went sour. He had been the first one to truly be nice and talk to her. They still had a few inside jokes, mostly about teachers, and Tia remembered when he first asked her out, less than a week after she started school...

Before...

Bug had tugged on Tia's arm, before they entered the teacher's lounge. Instantly Tia's eyes widened as she harshly whispered into his ear.

"Bug! We're not supposed to be in here!?"

Bug grinned, before he led her over to the staff fridge. He waved his hand, trying to make her relax.

"Everyone is at the assembly for the prep rally, relax."

Tia sighed, nervously looking around before Bug opened the fridge and started looking through it. He then stood up holding two cokes.

"Shall we?"

Tia's eyes widened.

"Bug! You can't take those!"

Bug laughed, tucking them under one arm, before he took her hand and led her to the back stairwell.

"Nobody uses these besides the janitors, come on."

He sat down on the steps before popping open both cans of coke. He held one up smiling.

"Cheers?"

Tia rolled her eyes before she took the soda and sat down beside him. Bug then grinned and reached into his pocket, before he took out a nip of rum. Yet again, Tia's face said it all. She looked around nervously.

"Bug?!"

"Relax, besides it's tradition to have a rum and coke for the first prep rally of the year."

He poured half into hers, and half into his, before pocketing the empty bottle. Tia stared down at her coke, before she smiled and shook her head.

"Something tells me you're going to be trouble Bug."

Bug grinned, before he held up his soda.

"You wanna toast or what?"

Tia laughed before holding the can up and clinking it against his.

"What are we toasting to?"

"I guess you saying yes to going to the movies with me Friday night."

Tia laughed.

"Oh really?"

Bug smiled again.

"Yeah, you totally said yes. It was great."

Tia laughed before taking a sip of her spiked soda.

"Well I guess I should be pretty excited huh?"

Bug laughed, staring at her before taking a sip of his own drink.

"Oh yeah. Absolutely. It's only going to take one date for you to fall madly in love with me."

Tia laughed again, sitting next to Bug as they sipped their spiked sodas, all the meanwhile thinking deep down inside that she was in fact already falling for him.

Present

Tia kept thinking back on memories like that, when Bug and her first started dating, long before the pressures of going all the way ruined what they had.

Now sitting in the doctor's office, she watched as Bug gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, as the doctor, a friendly middle aged man explained what Lady would be getting today, and wheeled over a tray of syringes. Bug introduced Tia as a friend, and the doctor warmly shook her hand, before mentioning that it was very nice of her to come and help support Bug, since the last time they gave Lady her first shots, Bug nearly fainted. Bug looked embarrassed, but Tia laughed it off. Bug had been gently bouncing Lady on his lap, before the doctor came over, and got the shots ready. The doctor lifted the first syringe.

"Okay just five and we'll be done."

Bug's eyes widened.

"Five?!"

The doctor sighed as he wheeled his stool over closer to Lady.

"We went over this earlier, Burton. Trust me, if you hold onto her she'll do better. She'll cry for a while, but it's just a quick pinch. Better do these now before she gets older."

Tia saw how scared Bug looked, before he nodded, and slowly undid the back buttons to Lady's onesie, he lowered it, rolling it off her chubby little arms. The baby stared up at Bug in wonder, before Bug took a deep breath and leaned down kissing the top of the baby's head.

"Okay honey, just hold on."

The doctor nodded, before leaning in. The second he injected Lady, her entire face turned bright red, before it scrunched up, and she started screaming at the top of her lungs. Tia saw Bug tense up, as he tried soothing the baby who screamed louder as the doctor got the next needle ready. He injected her again, and her screams seemed even louder. That's when Tia saw it. Bug was tearing up. She couldn't believe it.

Then it hit her. This was his baby, and the sight, and sound of her in pain killed him. On pure instant she reached forward and took hold of his hand, squeezing it tight. Bug seemed to relax slightly, as he glanced at her thankfully, before deeply sighing as the doctor prepared the next shot.

Later...

Bug and Tia both stood over Lady's crib. She was sleeping soundly now. It had been a terrible ordeal, but once they got her in the car, Tia offered to drive so Bug could sit in the backseat with Lady. The entire ride home, which was packed with traffic, Tia kept glancing in the rearview mirror at them. Lady had finally settled down, and was currently gurgling, and giggling at Bug who continued making funny faces, and kept waving his hair over her, or tickling her tummy. Tia heard him talk baby talk which seemed so odd coming from him, but couldn't help but smile. Once they got back, Tia noticed that Bug's parents weren't home. She herself had lied to her parents saying she was going over to her friend Candy's house to watch some videos. Once they got back, Bug mentioned how he wanted to give her a bath. Without even thinking, Tia asked if she could help. Bug seemed a little taken aback by this, but smiled and said sure. Here she assisted him by the kitchen sink. He ran lukewarm water, before undressing Lady, gently kissing her arm where she got the shots, before placing her in. At first she started to cry, before Bug, now with his sleeves rolled up, started making faces again and using the face cloth to gently wash her up. Tia stood beside him and softly smiled, as she handed him the baby shampoo, and even rolled her own sleeves up to playfully splash the water a little to make Lady laugh. Finally, Bug wrapped her up in a big towel, kissing her head, and whispering to her that he knew she had a big day.

Dressing her in a fresh diaper and onesie, he told Tia he needed to put her down for a nap. He wanted to try and feed her before putting her down, and Tia offered to help again. Bug heated up a pan with water to heat the bottle up, while Tia walked around the tiny living room with the baby, gently rubbing her back. While she did so she noticed something on the coffee table underneath Bug's address book. It stuck out just a little, but was enough for Tia to notice. She glanced over the counter and saw Bug's back was turned while fixing the bottle. She leaned down carefully, still holding the baby, before she slid out the slip of paper.

It said...

Lucy's grandmother.

Along with a phone number. She held the piece of paper for a second, before glancing over her shoulder back at Bug who's back was still turned heating up the bottle. Quickly, without even thinking, she slipped the piece of paper into the pocket of her skirt. With that, she walked the baby back into the tiny kitchen, and helped Bug feed her before putting her down. Now the two of them stared down at Lady sucking on her pacifier, and staring up at them. Tia smiled.

"She really has pretty eyes, she looks just like you."

Bug made a face.

"Eh, I don't think so. I think she looks more like..."

His voice drifted off, before Tia sadly looked at him

"Like Lucy?"

Bug sighed, staring forward down at the baby. Gently he reached down, stroking her tiny little face.

"Yeah I guess so..."

Tia sighed.

"You really liked her didn't you?"

Bug sighed looking sadly down at his daughter.

"Yeah I guess I did. She was a nice distraction...but she wasn't who I thought she was. Still, she didn't deserve to die..."

Tia sighed sadly, staring at him, his long hair hanging down in his face.

"Did you love her?"

Bug looked up at her.

"You want the truth?"

Tia nodded. Bug shook his head.

"No...I know that's horrible to say, but no. I liked her a lot...but I think now looking back on everything, I'm just sorry all of this happened. I liked her a lot...but no I didn't love her. I think the only thing now that I loved between us is her..."

He motioned down to the baby. Sadly he laughed softly and shook his head.

"When I first got her I hated her. I screamed whenever she wouldn't stop crying, called her every name in the book...hated Lucy...then...well I guess it just hit me. She's all I got."'

Tia stared at him before without even thinking she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Bug's eyes widened in shock, as the baby continued to keep looking up at them.