Who Can It Be Now Chapter 4, a 7th heaven fanfic

Mary called Wilson during her lunch break that day. He sounded relieved to hear from her.

"I was just about to call you," Wilson said, slightly flustered.

She caught the tone in his voice. "Everything OK?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. It's just that I have to work late tonight, we have some project that I'm working on and I can't leave, and I have no one to watch Billy. I just called my mom and asked her, and she can watch him until about 6:45, but then she has to go to some banquet with my dad for the hospital."

"I'll watch him for you."

"You will? Thank you so much." Wilson smiled.

"Oh, it's no problem. I love spending time with Billy."

"I'll be back by 9:00 the latest. If you could just make something for dinner for Billy, I'll bring us something to eat."

"Sure." Mary smiled on the other end. She'd always jump to do something for Wilson, because she knew he was committed to her. He'd always be there to take care of her; he always had in the past.

Mary showed up at Wilson's parents' house around 6:00. She got off of work at five o'clock, ran home to change and get clothes to wear for the next day, and then went straight there to pick up Billy.

"Hi Mrs. West," Mary said with a smile after the front door opened. "How are you?"

Mrs. West motioned Mary inside. "I'm good. How are things with you and Wilson?"

"Amazing actually." Billy ran up from the back of the house and hugged Mary. "Hey sweetheart."

"Hi Mary." Billy smiled. "Are we leaving now?"

"Yeah. Your grandparents have to go out."

Billy nodded. "I know. Dad called me. He said to say thank you and to behave."

Mary patted Billy on the head with a laugh. "OK. Let's go sport."

Billy and Mary pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. Billy went in before Mary, and she stayed outside and surveyed the land. She saw a car sitting in the middle of the street on the side opposite of the other house. She thought that was odd, but didn't want to freak Billy out, so she didn't do or say anything. Mary just walked into the house and kept her fears at bay.

Mary sat with Billy and paid him more attention than he had had in weeks. She helped him with his homework, cooked him some macaroni and cheese for dinner, and just spent time with him.

"So," she said as she sat with him and he ate, "what's on your mind Billy?"

He laughed at her. "Nothing. …Why aren't you eating?"

"Your dad is bringing something home for me and him to eat when he's done working."

"Like a date?"

"Kind of, yeah."

Billy smiled. "Are you and Dad going to get married?"

Mary had a feeling he was going to ask her something of that sort. Billy always talked about those sorts of things. His mind was so simple and he always said exactly what he was thinking. "I don't know. Maybe." Since she knew that Billy was eager to talk to her, this would be a great time to get some information out of him. "Do you like that I'm dating your dad?"

He took a bite of his macaroni and swallowed. "Yeah. It's almost like having a mom." Mary tensed, but didn't say anything. Billy continued. "I know you would never be my real mom, but you're like a mom to me." Mary didn't know how to respond to that. In true Billy fashion, he just kept going and going until someone stopped him. "I think my dad should have married Corey. I didn't really like her that much, but then I would have had a mom and Bernadette would have had a dad."

"I know you really want a mom," Mary finally said, "but you can't force things. If your dad marries someone that he doesn't love, you won't be happy."

Billy grinned, "That's why I want Dad to marry you."

"Do you think he loves me?"

He giggled. "Yeah. Duh."

Five minutes before Wilson came home, Billy seemed to be tuckered out for the night. He and Mary ran around the house for hours playing, and by 9:00 he was falling asleep on the other end of the couch. Just as Mary was about to suggest that maybe he should head up to bed, Wilson walked through the door. Billy shot up much faster than Mary could and ran over to greet his father at the front door. Billy actually jumped up and down as he recounted his past few hours with Mary as Wilson took his coat off.

Wilson just nodded at Billy, almost too tired to respond, and smiled meekly at Mary when she finally came in.

"What type of pizza did you bring?" Billy opened the box that Wilson had set down on the ledge in the foyer.

"Half pepperoni, half broccoli."

"Gross!" Billy said, picking off the white plastic device that was used to keep the cheese from sticking to the box. "Who eats broccoli?"

"I do," Mary said.

"Oh." He paused. "Then it's OK." Billy yawned and looked from his father to Mary. "I'm going to bed now, since you have gross pizza. Good night dad," he turned and hugged Mary, "good night, Mary."

"Good night."

Billy ran up the stairs, and Wilson just rolled his eyes at his son. "Sometimes I think he likes you more than he does me."

She stepped closer to Wilson. "That's because it's true." Mary pulled Wilson in for a tight hug. "Don't worry about him. He's got a heart of gold. But he's an attention hog. His favorite person of the moment is whoever he's going to get to pay attention to him."

"I know." He sighed on her shoulder. "I hope he didn't make you run around too much."

"We had fun." Wilson pulled away and looked at Mary, not convinced. "We did."

"OK. …And, and thanks again. I really owe you."

"I know."

Wilson laughed and finally let go of Mary. "Pizza?"

Mary took the pizza and linked arms with Wilson for their walk into the kitchen. "Gladly."

Mary snuggled into Wilson on the couch. After eating for thirty minutes and kissing for an hour, plus a full day of work, they were both exhausted. "So, are we sleeping on the couch tonight?"

He laughed at her audacity. "Don't you have to get back home for work tomorrow?"

"Nope. I have a change of clothes in my car. I can leave for work right from here."

"Won't your parents get worried if you just don't come home?"

"Maybe, but-"

"Won't they get suspicious?" He knew there was no way that Mary's parents would be OK with Mary spending the night at Wilson's house, and even less OK with them having a physical relationship like they were. She'd stayed out on the weekends before, but he thought a weeknight would be way too obvious. It didn't matter that she was an adult who had already been married and known Wilson since she was fourteen. A sin is still a sin.

She kissed his neck. "Don't make me leave. Please Wilson," she rubbed his stomach. "Please."

"All right, all right." He smiled and closed his eyes. "But I'm going right to sleep. Today was really stressful and I'm beat."

"Fine by me. I just want to be with you."

He rubbed his hand over her cheek. "You're really great, you know that Mare?"

She grinned as she sat up, pulling Wilson with her. "I try." Mary went to go upstairs, but Wilson pulled her back. "What?"

"I love you, Mary."

She sucked in her breath. "You do?"

"Yeah, I do." He smiled. "Now-now if you don't want to say it back to me right now or if you don't…I mean, you don't have to-"

Mary grabbed Wilson and kissed him passionately. "I love you, too." She kissed him again. "Now let's go to bed." When Mary walked up the stairs that night, she made a mental note. Listen to Billy more.

A/N: This chapter is fine I guess. But this is where it starts to go downhill I think. I never should have had them really fall in love. But I guess that is required for the story to work. Gah, who knows at this point? The only thing that I am thinking about at this point is the next chapter and how I just don't want to post it. It's so…ridiculous. If you have caught on to what I am leading up to, well that's what's coming up next. Hence the apprehension.

Oh, and some of you seem to be confused. I don't really know what there is to explain, especially at this point, but what's happening is Mary and Wilson are both coming off long-term, important relationships and they fell back into the comfort they had with each other. Now they just said they love each other. That's basically it as of yet.

Review to calm my next-chapter fears.