A/N: I'm about to like put a bunch of word vomit down below, I swear lol. Enjoy xx GhostWhispererFangirl

Mackenzie had been officially put on bed rest until further notice, and she didn't like it.

She didn't like lying bed, even if it was great to just stay snuggled up in bed all day. It only sucked when there was nothing on tv or when she finished reading that book for the third time, but didn't have the energy to get up and grab a new one or call for someone to get her one.

The only good part about being in bed right now was avoiding the trail and it's inevitable ruling.

She knew nothing good would come out of this, even if she hoped and dreamed that Preston Jennings would get what he deserved, and dreaming sounded like a good idea right now because in her dreams she could be with him.

Nothing stood in her way of being with Scott, not her broken heart or logic and reason. Nothing stood in their way.

She could kiss him and he would kiss her back, telling her how he'd waited for her to just let him in and was so glad she finally did. But that was just a dream. She didn't know how to tell Scott about what she felt every time she saw him or how her knees would go weak when he looked at her.

It crossed her mind as she tossed the remote into the comforter and she looked at her phone.

It was half past six. He should be done working by now.

She reached for her cell phone and pulled up his number, her finger looming over the call and text icon.

Should she just text him? Would a call make her seem more desperate?

Her gut lurched and she pressed the call icon and put the phone to her ear. All she had to do now was not mess this up.

Scott sat in the driver's seat of squad car with Ned to his right, both intently watching someone inside a diner eat a burger and fries.

"How are you and Katie?" Scott asked as he picked at the onion rings and popped one in his mouth.

"We're good," Ned resituated himself in his seat as he bit into his egg salad sandwich. "Better than good. We're great."

"That's good," Scott answered. "She looked stressed when I saw her yesterday."

"She's just upset that she's not getting pregnant," Ned admitted. "And is going a bit stir crazy and has me on this supplement to make my... my sperm higher and I'm on some red meat and fast food cleanse."

"So that's why you have bag lunches and dinners and I'm the one stuffing my face with onion rings," he laughed.

"Yeah," Ned replied and reached for his travel mug.

"Can I have a sip of that? My throat is dry," he said as he put the car into drive as the guy left the diner, and followed him with safe distance.

"You don't want what's in here," Ned replied quickly. "It's some sort of veggie juice that's supposed to make me have more energy for when I'm home."

"For your husbandly duties, got it." He laughed. "She's got you wrapped around her finger dude."

"I love her," Ned said and finished off his sandwich. "And getting to make my wife scream her lungs out every day is the least of my worries. I'm just worried that this could really be on me this time."

"What do you mean?" He asked, taking a back road to keep this guy from knowing he's being watched by the cops.

"Most people think it's the girl's fault for why she isn't getting pregnant, but what if it's me? Fuck, what if our problems right now are all my fault?" Ned itched his head. "What if my boys are giving out on me?"

"I think you're just fine. You two are putting too much pressure on yourselves," he said shutting the headlights off as the guy ran inside a house. "The minute you two focus on something that isn't making a baby, it'll happen."

"What are you saying?" Ned asked as he parked.

"What I'm trying to say is that you should distract her," he explained, relaxing for a moment. "Take her mind off having a baby, even if it's only for an hour or two... just take her mind off all the stress and then have sex in the spur of the moment and maybe that will work."

"Maybe," Ned itched his jaw. "That's a good idea and I think I know what will do the trick."

"Oh yeah?" He asked.

"Definitely," Ned smiled. "Thanks man."

"Is it time for you to solve my problems now?" He laughed, tossing the last onion ring in his mouth.

"With Mackenzie?" Ned laughed. "That's on you man. You have to figure out if you're gonna have the patience to wait."

"Wait for what?" He sighed.

"Everything," Ned replied. "She's the tricky one and you just have to give her time."

"I'm sick of waiting," he muttered.

"Then do something about it," Ned answered as Scott's cell phone buzzed in the cup holder.

He reached for the phone and Mackenzie's name lit up the little bar on the top of his flip phone. He hadn't seen the need to get the newest phone like everybody else.

"It's her," he said.

"Maybe it's fate or some shit that Katie would say," Ned chuckled as it rang again. "Answer it."

He opened the phone and pressed it to his ear.

"Hey Mack," he grinned.

"Scott, you answered. After the third ring, I assumed you wouldn't answer." Mackenzie laughed uneasily. "If you're busy-"

"I'm not," he cut her off. "I'm not busy."

"Oh," Mackenzie replied. "Well then you wouldn't mind me asking for you to come over, would you?"

"Come over?" He asked. "I guess I could. I'd have to ask if I can cut out early."

"Say yes," Ned replied softly. "I don't care if we still have an hour left of this surveillance. I'll call LeTrai and he'll let us go early and then I can get my plan on the way too."

"Oh you don't have to do that for me," Mackenzie answered. "I just thought you'd be out of there by now."

He paused, looking ahead.

"I'm just surveilling a new suspect in a case," he explained. "I mean I could cutout early. I know Ned wouldn't mind getting home early."

"I shouldn't have called," she muttered. "I should've known you'd still be working. I'm sorry."

"Scott," Ned whispered. "You want to, just say yes already."

He looked at his partner and shrugged.

He did want too, but did she? Did she call because she wanted to hang out with him or because she was bored and no one else had answered?

"Scott?" She called out.

"How does a movie sound?" He suggested. "I could swing by the store and grab some treats too."

"That would be great," Mackenzie chirped. "That was too eager, wasn't it?"

"That was just the right amount of eagerness for me to get even more excited to see you," he replied. "I'll see you soon then?"

"Yes, see you." She replied. "Thanks Scott, I really appreciate you doing this."

"Always," he answered and went to turn the headlights on and pull away. "I shouldn't be too long."

"Okay," she sighed.

"Any new cravings I should know about?" He asked.

"No," she laughed. "Still the same old ones from before."

"Okay. Good to know," he laughed. "See you soon."

He held the phone to his ear for another second with a smiled and then put it down after she had hung up.

Ned had pulled out the CB and talked to LeTrai. He was too excited (or was it nervous?) to concentrate on the words that were said and he just drove to the station as quickly as he could.

"You have a good time with Kenz," Ned said as he pulled his truck keys off and walked toward the back lot for their cars.

"And you with Katie," he said as he locked the squad car and ran to his own car.

"I always do," Ned laughed. "I'll tell you tomorrow on patrol."

"Yeah, I know." He replied and slid inside his car.

Maybe he should get a truck, something more manly than his Sedan. He didn't have the money for that, he reminded himself and then pulled out of the lot, driving off toward his apartment.

He ran inside, not even bothering to shut his car off because there was no chance of it getting stolen with the two seconds he'd be inside grabbing a movie and quickly changing. He threw on a pair of jeans and tugged his uniform over his head, pulling on some band tee and crouching down to look at his movie selection below his tv.

There wasn't much, but he chose something that he hadn't watched in a while and ran back out the door and hopping in his car.

He couldn't wait to get there.

Maybe it was because it had been two weeks since she'd been around, or because he'd heard she was on bed rest until further notice because of the baby.

Freya, her daughter.

There had been talk about the trial putting too much stress on Mackenzie and then the baby, and Jim had reassured that he make sure everything would be okay, like he always did. She'd stopped coming around and word traveled from Katie that she'd be home bound until she got enough rest. She'd most likely not even be at the trial in person for the most part, too much stress.

The official word right now was that she'd only be there for her testimony, but that could change. Anything could.

And right now the next thing on his mind was to get snacks and he was quick about that, grabbing the green tea he knew she liked and a water for himself, along some chocolates and cheetos.

She loved cheetos.

Should he just walk in? Or should he knock?

Scott parked and grabbed the bag of stuff, making sure the turn his headlights off and lock his car before crossing the street.

Jim's truck was in the driveway behind Melinda's jeep and there was another car too, something a bit more suiting for a new teen driver, but not something that would be Lana's because she'd have something a bit newer.

Or at least Scott assumed she would, if she even drove her own car by now. Did she?

Scott knocked and the door flew open and there was Melinda.

"Oh, hi Scott." Melinda smiled. "Are you here for Mackenzie?"

"Yeah, she called." Scott muttered, itching the back of his neck uneasily. "Something about wanting company and I brought some snacks and a movie."

"Come in," Melinda ushered him inside and looked back at Jim for a second. "She's upstairs. You know which room."

"I do," Scott smiled. "Thanks."

Scott kicked off his boots and went to the stairs as Jim made it to his wife as they watched him disappear around the landing.

"Do you think it's a date?" Melinda asked. "I hope it's a date."

"Maybe," Jim admitted. "I think it's something more than what she'd admit."

"I hope so," she sighed. "She deserves it.

"They both do," he replied.

"Yeah, come on. Let's finish the dishes," Melinda kissed his shoulder hand and pulled him with her .

"Oh fine," he muttered. "But only to take my mind off what Lana is probably doing upstairs."

"Don't you mean who she's doing upstairs?" Melinda laughed. "I recall hearing a playful giggled as she pulled him upstairs."

"Should I worry?" He asked, letting his hands sink into the sudsy water.

"No," she replied. "Lana is more than capable of taking care of herself. Plus the kid looked like he'd never been outside a library."

"Derek, she said his name was Derek. Something about him being an honor student." He cleared his throat as he grabbed the rag and then passed her a plate to rinse.

"Let go," she said giving a soft tug on the plate. "Before you break the plate."

"Sorry," he said and began cleaning the next one.

"Take a breath," she laughed. "She's fine." Footsteps followed Melinda's calm words and Lana appeared, looking rather pleased with herself and a wild ponytail. "Having fun up there with… what's his name again Jim?"

"Derek," he answered as if on cue as he passed a plate.

"Yes, are you having fun with Derek?" She asked, rising and drying the plate as she faced their teenage daughter.

"I am," Lana smiled, slipping past her parents to open the fridge and grab a water bottle.

"Too much information," he muttered.

"That's not enough information for me," she replied, shushing Jim and rinsing another plate. "We'll talk later once Derek leaves."

"Okay," Lana replied and untwisted the cap, taking a sip before closing it. "This has been fun, but… I have to finish something." She reopened the fridge, quickly grabbing the bottle of whipped cream and dashing up the stairs before Jim could stop her. "Talk later!"

Jim just stared at his wife with an open mouth and she just shook her head and laughed, her own ponytail waving from side to side as she grabbed the next plate from him and rinsed it.

Scott laid besides Mackenzie as the movie credits rolled and he watched her finish off the last cheeto with an orange smile.

"What?" She covered her mouth as she chewed and looked at him.

"You're just-" He breathed, feeling the pull to her grow as he inched close to her cheese dust coated lips.

His eyes zoned on the freckle below her bottom lip as she licked the dust from her lips.

"I'm what?" She asked, pulling his attention back her eyes that searched his for the answer.

"Nothing," he muttered and looked back at the tv. "The movie is over."

"It is," she said. "We could watch another… there is a big selection downstairs."

"Are you sure?" He asked. "It is getting kind of late."

"It's only eight twenty three," she replied. "Do you have plans?"

"No," he whispered.

"Good," she breathed.

She smiled, gently, so that her teeth barely show, softly. He would drop to his knees at that sight, her name etched inside of his eyes. For she was all he saw.

"I'll go get that movie then," he said suddenly, breaking the silence as he rolled off the bed.

"Okay," she replied.

He left the room quickly, leaving the door ajar as he disappeared down the stairs.

She laid her head back on the pillow and clutched her stomach.

"I know," she whispered to herself. "Mommy is an idiot." Her daughter kicked again and he opened her eyes. "I should just tell him. I know he feels the same, I can feel it in the way he looks at me. It's just so hard…"

"What's hard?" He asked as he entered the room again, closing the door behind him.

"Oh nothing," she laughed uneasily as she pulled herself back into a better position to see him. "I was just talking to Freya. She's kicking."

"That's cute," he grinned and held up two cases. "I couldn't choose, so I brought both."

"The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty." She read the titles. "My vote is for the Little Mermaid. It was favorite as a kid."

"The Little Mermaid it is," he said.

"First we watch Toy Story and now this? I like your style O'Neill." She laughed. "Even if some would say it's childish."

He grinned back at her as she switched the DVDs and then slid back under the blanket with her

"I'm an animated film kind of guy," he admitted.

"I can see that," she laughed. "I like it."

He blushed and laid his hand on her stomach just as Freya kicked again.

"She does too?" He asked.

"Yeah, she does." She replied. "She likes your voice."

"You're just saying that," he muttered, rubbing her belly softly as the little girl kicked again.

"I think she begs to differ," she laughed. "She's always active when you're around, which I think has to do with how much I adore your company, but that's only a hunch."

"Well I hoped you enjoyed me at least a little," he admitted. "But I'd always hoped we'd be more one day."

Did he just say that out loud?

He cursed himself as he tried to remain calm externally.

"I hope for that too," she whispered. "But it's complicated Scott. I don't want to start something and have the trial ruin it. Or a newborn baby change things, which it would."

"Nothing I can't handle," he replied.

"Well maybe we can go on another date when my dad lets me leave the house next week?" She suggested. "But only if you're up for it."

His grin widened and he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his for something simple. A way to calm her down and reassure her that he had always felt for her as much as he had in the beginning.

"That's reassuring, but I think we'll have to put that date on hold for a bit… I know I was the one who suggested," she whispered, touching his face and then pulling away. "But can you go get my parents?"

"Why?" He asked, licking the cherry chapstick from his lips and smiling.

"I think my water just broke," she muttered and touched her stomach.