This is the start of season three that has Lane and Sweet Pea staying together. This starts about a month after where I ended season 2, so it's at the very start of summer. I went a little overboard with all the sweetness, I guess I deprived myself of Lane and Sweet Pea being happy that it got away from me. But, it does establish character relationships, and what Lane does over the summer because as you see at the end I still skip those three months.

XII. There Goes My Life - Part One

Standing in her office at the shop Lane looked up from the reports she was reviewing as she paced to see Sweet Pea leaning in the doorway watching her. "Hey gorgeous," he said when she finally noticed him there. "You ready to go?"

She still had work to do but she was tired of being cooped up in that office with endless paperwork she was trying to get somewhat up to date before she and Sweet Pea went away for the next two weeks. She wanted to go home and finish packing but she knew what today was, it's why she was wearing the mint green sundress with her hair pulled back, having even put on a little makeup.

He came around her side of the car and held the door open, a hand around her back helping ease her down into the seat. "I'm not big enough to need you for this yet," she told him stubbornly. She was two days away from her third trimester now, she wasn't quite waddling yet.

"But you can't get out of the car without him anymore."

That wasn't entirely true, if she got enough leverage she could drag herself up. But she frowned turning to where Fangs sat behind her. "Yeah and how's your gunshot wound?"

"That was uncalled for," he grumbled only half offended as Sweet Pea climbed behind the wheel and drove off.

He sat with one hand on the wheel and other wrapped over the top of her leg enjoying how soft her dress was under his calloused palm. They pulled up to a red light and she pulled his hand up to the side of her round belly and he turned to her with a grin feeling a little kick.

"Light's green," Fangs said interrupting their warm look.

Sweet Pea glanced ahead of them to see it wasn't and he turned to Fangs. "You really wanna walk today, don't you?"

"We're not gonna make him walk," Lane said smacking his chest lightly, and behind her Fangs smirked victoriously. "You can just stick his ass in the trunk."

Fangs' face fell to an unhappy frown as Sweet Pea barked a laugh pulling forward, the light now actually green. "So what do you think we're gonna get?" Sweet Pea asked, his hand returning once more to her leg.

"Dude," Fangs exclaimed from the back, "it's supposed to be a surprise."

Lane turned to him incredulous. "Really? Between the dress and him wearing the only pair of jeans he owns without holes in them you really thought I didn't know?" He shrugged and she turned back around and answered Sweet Pea. "I gave Cheryl a list to give everyone she invited, that plus the only people who really know it's a girl are in this car hopefully we won't just get clothes." She really wanted a stroller but it was a lot to ask, she also wanted a diaper genie, but frankly she was fine settling with diapers and bottles and burp clothes. Practical things.

Beside her Sweet Pea bit back a grin because he and Cheryl went down her list and assigned different people the price appropriate gifts, while Cheryl worked her manipulative magic on the more expensive things Lane didn't add – he knew exactly what she was getting.

He pulled up to Cheryl's house and he turned to Lane as she opened her door and swung her legs out. "Need help?" he asked.

"I don't need you," she told him as she got her arms on either side of the car and heaved. He closed his door and came around to her side of the car and she looked up at him miserably. "I need you."

Doing a poor job hiding his smile he got an arm around her back and easily pulled her to her feet, seeing the hand she immediately brought to her low back. "We'll take a bath later, I'll rub it for you," he told her bending to kiss the top of her head. She was looking at him with such soft adoration and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her against him before continuing, "if you play your cards right maybe you'll get lucky."

With a loud huff she rolled her eyes walking away, hearing him laughing as he followed behind her. Cheryl greeted her at the door with a wide smile and took her hand as she led her inside the pink and blue decorated house, the downstairs filled with various baby-inspired things such as pacifier balloons, several clotheslines with paper cutouts of baby clothes, and the foyer was closed off as there were gender related activities behind the door. While Lane's back was turned Toni got Fangs and Sweet Pea's thumbprints by the door before shooing them after the two girls, as she less than happily dealt with their last guest.

"It's not big I promise," Cheryl told her, knowing Lane wasn't one for crowds. She brought Lane into the living room where everyone was waiting, and Lane was quieted at the familiar faces, at realizing what each of them meant to her. She had the Serpents: Mac, Jughead, FP, Toni, Fangs. And the Northsiders: Cheryl, Veronica, Archie and his parents, Betty and her mother, and Josie and Mrs McCoy.

There was a round of surprise as everyone beamed, a much needed distraction from everything that'd been going on between Archie's arrest and the aftermath of the war with the Ghoulies. Even Lane smiled, and it was a rare sight to see such joy on her usually unhappy face.

"So the plan is to mingle a little bit before we do the cake and presents, then the guys will take everything back to your house and the girls will get to do the activities my wonderful beau was kind enough to set up," Cheryl said this to Lane but she was looking to where Toni now stood on her other side. "Thanks babe."

"Yes, because in this case the gender reveal is for the best friend."

Cheryl turned to Lane and very seriously told her, "yes, it is." She then gently nudged Lane further into the room. "Go mingle."

Giving her a look over her shoulder Lane made her way towards Mac and FP, but FP turned her around, "don't even think about it," he said and pushed her in the direction of Betty and Veronica.

With a sigh Lane shuffled over to them, Betty smiled knowing Lane didn't really like being touched but Veronica was quick to hug her. "This is really nice," Veronica said, what she meant was that it was nice to be occupied with something other than Archie's future but she blinked back the constant threat of tears that never seemed to go away.

Seeing this Lane held a hand out to Veronica who took a breath before letting Lane take her hand and place it on her stomach. Her face lit up at feeling the baby kick, and behind her Archie smiled gently though it quickly fell. She noticed Betty watching them quietly and Lane nodded seeing Betty smile before placing her hand near where Veronica's had been, Lane shifted it a little to the left so she could feel.

There was a dark shadow in her peripheral and Lane turned expecting Sweet Pea but she stilled at the sight of Reggie in the doorway. Without a word to either girl Lane left them and walked to where he stood. "Hey," she said as he kept his eyes downcast with his hands stuffed in his pockets. It looked like he'd done his hair, picked out a nice shirt, made an effort today.

"Hey," he said in kind scuffing his shoe before he peeked at her. He thought she'd be mad, tell him to leave, or worse she wouldn't care enough about him to do anything. But her face was open and her eyes as vulnerable as he felt, and he opened his mouth and the words just fell out. "I'm so sorry, Lanie."

She knew he was, it was easy to read that in his ashamed expression. A lot of bad blood built up in a short time, it was gonna take a little more than that to erase it all. "If I wasn't pregnant I'd still be mad at you," she told him, but she was so hormonal she barely recognized herself. She was this soft mushy thing most of the time and she hated it.

He nodded knowing he had a lot to make up for, and he planned to make up for all of it. "I deserve that," he said, his eyes unable to meet hers again. "I can go if you want."

"Go talk to Josie," she told him, meeting his surprised hopeful stare and she nodded to let him know she wanted him to stay. He raised his arms as though to hug her but stopped himself, and then he reached a hand toward her like he was going in for a handshake, and he sighed not sure what to do so Lane clapped him on the back as she shoved him toward Josie.
She then turned to the pink haired girl on her right and gave a sincere, "thank you," and a quick hug before she pulled back and asked, "why does everyone have a green finger?"

"Why do you have to notice everything?" Toni asked instead.

Lane's simple reply was, "because I have eyes."

On the other side of the room Fangs sulked looking darkly at Reggie. "Who the hell invited him?"

Beside him Sweet Pea stood sipping the fruity drink Cheryl had given him watching Reggie just as untrusting. But there were eyes hot on his face and he turned seeing Cheryl still there, her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Knowingly. He shrugged saying offhanded, "I knew she'd want him here."

But still Cheryl stared, he'd put his own loathing for Reggie aside because whether Lane realized it or not she wanted her friend back. "She could've done worse," Cheryl mused more to herself than to him. And it left Sweet Pea with a brow cocked as she walked away to play the part of host. "Okay everyone," she called motioning to the magnets in the two bowls on the coffee table, "grab a mustache if you think it's a boy and a bow if you think it's a girl and follow me."

Cheryl started it off by grabbing a little blue mustache and everyone, that wasn't the four who already knew, grabbed one and they all went into the large kitchen where the cake was sitting on the island beside a board with a line down the middle. There were three pink bows to 9 blue mustaches, one bow was Jughead's and he'd snuck it on with a sly smirk because Lane let it slip to him last month.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Cheryl asked turning to Lane holding the knife to cut the cake.

Lane shrugged taking the knife feeling Sweet Pea at her back. It was a tall cake and the frosting was both blue and pink like marble with it occasionally mixing to make a lovely shade of purple. And along the side were frosted dahlias that crept up the cake and decorated the top. It was beautiful. She was almost sad to cut into it, but she pulled the slice out and set it on the plate Cheryl held out to her.

There were three layers, the top and bottom were both yellow but the middle had been dyed pink. Cheryl drew in a sharp breath and a wide smile spread over her face as she threw her arms around Lane while the others awed or cheered, FP clapped a grinning Sweet Pea on the shoulder, and Betty elbowed Jughead because she knew his funny little grin meant he'd already known.

Lane finished passing out cake, accepting everyone's congratulations with a polite thank you and a genuine smile. Now that Lane had talked to a few other people she was allowed to stand away from the groups with Mac, and with a piece of cake she was mostly just scraping off the frosting to lick off her fork. "You're staying right?" she asked looking up at his pretty face.

Mac shook his head having known she'd ask. "You know I don't identify as a girl," he reminded her.

"Yeah that's nice," Lane stated bluntly before asking again, "you're staying right?"

Looking at her out of the corner of her eye he took a bite. "Why, cause I have a vagina and you're gonna push a baby out of yours in three months?"

"Yes," was Lane's immediate answer. And she looked up at him seeing his dark brows raise and she understood that was his answer. "Oh thank god," she muttered letting her head fall to his wrapped chest relieved. "I didn't think I could handle being left on my own with them," she said feeling his shoulders shake as he laughed.

He didn't mind staying because he liked Lane, and he also knew she was really just asking for a friend. "You really are the worst at socializing," he mused feeling her nod. "Speaking of which," he nudged her in the direction of Mrs Cooper, "go socialize."

Alice smiled when she reached Lane, who really was the spitting image of her mother. "Congratulations," she told her, "daughters can be the best thing."

"Yeah, if she's anything like me," Lane licked frosting off her finger, "we're not gonna get along."

Beside herself Alice laughed and nodded. "I know the feeling," she agreed. Sometimes Betty was too much like how she used to be, and Betty used that against her. "You know," a soft smile shivered on her mouth, "I was your age when I got pregnant with my first. And I remember feeling this," she paused as she tried to find the words, "absolute terror, for nine months. And the only thing that finally calmed it was holding him, for that brief moment."

Lane nodded because she knew that fear, she felt it everyday, and sometimes feeling her move was enough. But she also knew from Betty that her mother gave her son up for adoption, and from the way Mrs Cooper swallowed this was more bitter than sweet. "That's a beautiful shawl," Lane said looking at the blue airy fabric covered in a delicate floral pattern.

Alice smiled faintly, appreciative that Lane had the wherewithal to change the subject. "Thank you, a woman at The Farm makes them."

"The Farm, is that a clothing store?" Lane asked unfamiliar with the name.

"No," Alice said with a queer laugh shaking her head, "it's a place, it's really helped me with everything."

As she told Lane about it Reggie made his way across the room where Sweet Pea was standing with Fangs. He'd opened his mouth with the intention to apologize, which wasn't enough, but Sweet Pea turned dark eyes on him and he lost the words. "This was for her," Sweet Pea told him firmly. "That's it."

Reggie took that stride having expected nothing else, he'd been floored when Toni told him Sweet Pea was the one who suggested inviting him. He had a long way to go but he was trying. "You know I don't think she's been this happy."

"Since her dad died," Sweet Pea said filling in the rest, as it always was because something in her had broken seeing him die.

"Nah man," Reggie said shaking his head, "ever."

Sweet Pea watched him walk back to Archie, who was unusually quiet and withdrawn since being released on bail and awaiting trial. And then his eyes moved to Lane who now stood by Mrs McCoy seeing a lightness to her that hadn't existed when he first met her, a light that was able to shine through now that they'd broken down her walls. Fangs nudged him with his shoulder. "The same could be said of you,"

He'd never really thought of the future, of what he wanted or what he could want, he never really thought he'd have much of one. His world was the kind of small that was claustrophobic, something he'd never escape or rise above and he'd convinced himself he was okay with that. But then Lane came around and somewhere along the way their futures merged and when he thought of what he wanted he saw her. And now it was this, her and a baby, happy and in love. She made him want forever.

"Were you able to talk to your boss?" Sierra asked Lane, offering her the frosting she'd found too rich.

Which Lane happily took and licked her fork before answering. "I talked to Spyder today, we're a little understaffed," since half their guys had either left town or joined the Ghoulies after the fight, "but he's okay if I do half days Tuesdays and Thursdays when Sweet Pea and I get back."

Sierra nodded pleased enough with that. "An internship would look very good on your college application to Harvard," she mused feigning innocence. "Your work this summer and your help with Mr Fogarty's case, I'd be happy to write a recommendation."

"Well," Lane chuckled with an almost shy smile, "I graduate before Sweet Pea so I'll have another year before I think about applying." Lane didn't have much of an opinion regarding Josie, but she liked Mrs McCoy.

"A whole year interning at my office, that'll look even better."

"Yes it will," Mary said having come to ask Lane the same thing Sierra had regarding whether she was helping them with Archie's case. "I worked closely with your father, he was the best of the best." She'd known Larry Vivian very well, they considered dating before Lane's mother snatched him up and left him dangling from her careless finger for years.

Lane nodded remembering how often Mary had come over or her dad had gone to the Andrews' when they were working a case together, she'd made sure both Lane and her dad were fed after her mom left them. She'd been the one to introduce her dad to Rebecca.

The three talked a little more, Betty joining them also asking if Lane was helping on Archie's case, then the women talked and Lane and Betty talked about splitting the workload and maybe going to the library together to look into a few things.

Cheryl declared it was time for gifts and she opened the foyer only Toni had been allowed in and gushed over how pretty and pink everything was. Lane looked at Toni with a knowing grin. "You did this for her."

Toni shrugged though she traced Cheryl's smile, storing it to memory. "It's a little for you too," she said even though she'd picked this all out with Cheryl in mind. There was a gentleness in the way Lane was looking at her and Toni teased, "does this mean you finally think I'm good enough for her?"

"I do love Cheryl," Lane said looking at her as she dictated where everyone would sit and arranged the gifts according to which was going to be opened first, "but that was always the other way around."

It took her a moment before she understood what Lane meant, that Lane was waiting for Cheryl to prove good enough for her, and Toni's face all but fell apart as she looked away trying to get herself together. And when she did she looked back to Lane who was grinning like a little shit. "How is it you're the worst person I know, but you're also the sweetest?" she asked thinking Lane was like a damn sourpatch kid.

"It's her thing," Sweet Pea said coming up behind her wrapping his hands around the bottom of her stomach as though cupping it. He ducked his head and quietly reminded her, "and you said you didn't want a baby shower."

Lane turned her head looking up at him sternly. "No, I said I didn't care if I had one," she corrected before turning back to the unfolding scene before her. People were still filing in, grabbing snacks before they sat where Cheryl told them to. "And I was wrong, this is nice," she admitted softly, as though not even she wanted to hear it.

He knew she'd like it, and that later she'd cross things off the list of what they needed to buy with a little smile as she wrote everyone a thank you note. Bending to kiss her cheek he pushed her forward. "Go open your presents."

She turned to him with her brows drawn together frowning, finally realizing he'd had a hand in everything. "I'm gonna cry aren't I?" she asked unhappily.

"There are tissues on standby."

While he smirked she sighed making her way to Cheryl who directed her to the chair set at the head of the circle, and she pointed a sharp finger to the seat next to her where Sweet Pea sat.

Lane got her diapers and her burp clothes, and also a pack of three blankets, pacifiers that were attached to little plush critters, bottles and a baby monitor. These were split between the Coopers, McCoys and Andrews, who Lane thanked emphatically.

Cheryl then handed Lane Reggie's sloppily wrapped gift. "I asked my mom what to get so it's more from her," Reggie told her.

Pulling off the paper Lane saw it was a very nice diaper bag, and it had pockets all around the sides and inside had compartments so it could be organized. "Kiss your mother for me, I didn't even think of this," Lane said showing Sweet Pea all the pockets. And he nodded pretending to be impressed.

"There's something else in there," Reggie told her.

Lane looked through all the little compartments and found tucked in one an old picture. "No way," she said bringing a hand to her mouth as she laughed.

Looking over her shoulder Sweet Pea saw it was a picture of her and Reggie, she couldn't have been more than five, and they both wore the biggest smiles as they stood with their arms around each other. "Look at that hair." She used to have the curliest hair, it'd been almost as big as her head.

She mouthed thank you to Reggie as Sweet Pea took the picture to show Fangs, who showed Toni, and eventually it was just passed around. For the next present Veronica stood at Cheryl's nod and the two girls grabbed a very large basket wrapped in plastic. "This is from me and my mother, who was very sad she couldn't be here," Veronica said as they set it in front of Lane.

"Oh my god," she breathed seeing it was a nursing basket complete with a nursing pillow, breast pads, lotion, bottles, a hands free breast pump and milk bags. She stared at the basket for several moments holding her breath until the tears passed.

Before any could fall Veronica told her, "although, now that I know it's a girl I will be ordering clothes from the cutest boutique in New York. You will love it," before she could finish Lane stood throwing her arms around her. By this point they'd shared several hugs but this was the first one Lane initiated and Veronica soaked that in as long as Lane let her, which wasn't very long.

Lane pulled back dabbing at the corners of her eyes which had dampened a little. She sat back down and looked to Cheryl, who motioned to FP and Jughead. "So our present's coming later," FP told her, seeing her eyes harden as she caught on quickly, "the Serpents all contributed to get you guys something."

"I said no gifts," Lane said, because what was left of the Serpents currently lived in tents. She'd told them getting her through last year was enough.

But FP shook his head. "You knew we weren't gonna listen."

That included Mac, Toni, and Fangs. However Fangs reached around Sweet Pea holding out an envelope to Lane. "I still got you something though," he told her.

Lane glanced up at Sweet Pea but he shook his head not knowing what it was. He looked over her shoulder as she opened the envelope and pulled out five pieces of paper that read, one free night of babysitting. Sweet Pea laughed clapping Fangs' arm appreciatively, and Lane leaned around him to kiss Fangs' smiling cheek.

"I will start charging after five though," he told her only half serious.

She shook her head at him sitting back, finding herself so happy she wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. It was like an itch she couldn't scratch. She then looked to Cheryl hoping they were done, she didn't know if she had anymore smiles in her, her face was starting to hurt.

Cheryl bit her lip as she reached a hand to Lane to pull her up. "You probably noticed we covered everything you actually put on your list," she said and Lane nodded. "I got you the one thing you wanted that you couldn't put on there." She watched Lane first blink confused before a slow understanding laced with desperate hope filled her eyes. "And you know how I love a good entrance so yes I planned for her to get here just in time to be your present."

Lane turned to the door seeing Toni waving someone in and tears flooded her eyes at the sight of Rebecca coming. Her shoulders shook with crying laughter as she rushed forward hugging her tight, hearing Rebecca call her monkey in hindi as she always had.

"You told me you weren't pregnant," she reminded Lane as she pulled back wiping her wet cheeks.

"I didn't know I was lying," was Lane's defense. She looked so beautiful, and Lane couldn't believe she was here. "You're planning for the wedding." It was less than a week away, her and Sweet Pea were flying out in two days.

But Rebecca waved that away as she fixed her hijab elegantly. "And miss the shower of my first grandchild," she said gently shaking Lane's chin. The two turned and Rebecca spread her arms to envelope Sweet Pea in a warm hug.

Cheryl turned to Fangs and proudly told him, "and that's why I'm the best friend."

"I don't remember her saving your life," was his comeback, and he shrugged like he'd just won the argument.

But Cheryl's face didn't change. "You're really gonna go there?" she asked rhetorically. "Because coming back for you almost got her killed, three times."

"Play nice," Toni told them, as she was starting to have to always tell them. The only thing that shut them up was Lane, who was quick to inform them her best friend was Sweet Pea.

The boys loaded up Lane's car with everything, most of them were riding in the bed of FP's truck, and Mac happily took his chance to leave now that Lane was distracted with Rebecca being there. "Cheryl and Toni are bringing you to the camp," Sweet Pea told her as they stood in the doorway. "I will not come get you if you fall suddenly ill," her shoulders fell with her sigh at him knowing her too well, "and remember to be nice." With a hand under her chin turning her face to him he bent down kissing her frowning mouth. "Your pouty kisses are the best."

"Shut up," she grumbled even as she got her hands around the back of his head pulling him in for another. As he started to give in she pulled away, and it was his turn to pout. "Sure you don't want me to come home early?" she half teased, still looking for an out.

He hummed pulling away not letting her have it. "No, your last present's not ready yet," he said watching a crease etch between her brows. Grinning he gave her another quick kiss before he headed out so they could drop off everything at home, so the rest of the Serpents could head to camp to help out; minus Sweet Pea because he wasn't allowed to know what was going on either.

…

A couple hours later the girls pulled up to where the Serpents had set up camp, Cheryl and Toni were holding hands while Lane and Betty made their way to their respective partners. Everyone that was left was there and they'd even straightened up. "We didn't think you'd care much for decorations," Hog Eye said, and Lane shook her head because she really didn't, "but we've got food and company. And a little something else," he added.

"You guys didn't have to do anything," she told them again, thinking they'd done enough by taking her in.

"Honey you've been juggling school and work while making sure every single one of us is fed everyday for the last month," Birdie told her, and behind her several voiced their agreement. "We were getting you something."

Feeling Sweet Pea's arm wrap around her shoulders she looked up at him and he shook his head because he didn't know what this was either. FP and Jughead came back carrying something between them, but it was turned in such a way Lane couldn't see it. "We didn't have wrapping paper," FP said as he and Jughead brought it around to show them.

It was a car seat and stroller, the high end one Lane really wanted but knew they couldn't afford. "No way," Sweet Pea said, his face unusually open and soft. But they looked at Lane who blinked silently with a blank expression, and they watched her raise a hand to her mouth as though to hide the way her chin quivered.

FP stepped to her wrapping her in his arms and the others followed surrounding Lane and Sweet Pea with more love than Lane had ever felt. It took her several minutes of sniffing, of each of them either hugging her or squeezing her arm, before she finally pulled herself together. And then she was whisked away from Sweet Pea and offered food as they demanded to know what she was having.

Toni moved to his side and told him, "Cheryl and I are stealing her tomorrow morning, Rebecca's gonna bring the things by because she said she needed to talk to you. And no," she said before he asked, "she didn't say about what."

With his brows drawn deeply, and worriedly, together, Sweet Pea nodded. Though he learned soon enough the next day when Rebecca came after Lane had gone to spend her last morning with Cheryl and Toni. They all met up for lunch at a bistro Cheryl recommended, which was in the next town over within walking distance of a kid's clothing store Cheryl was dying to go to now that she knew it was a girl.

Cheryl, Lane, and Rebecca chittered away like old friends falling back into it effortlessly as Cheryl and Rebecca held up various newborn outfits and gushing, and Lane finding it all unbearably cute as she stood with a hand on her stomach. A little ways behind Sweet Pea and Toni stood together wearing similar warm expressions as they looked at their partners.

"You look like you could cry," Toni said meaning it to be a joke. But Sweet Pea's eyes grew wet and her mouth dropped open as she suddenly understood what Rebecca talked to him about. "Oh my god, are you gonna do it? No you can't," she immediately decided. But Sweet Pea shrugged unable to answer, to say anything. He'd barely been able to get through lunch.

They stayed out long enough to get dinner and they went back to Lane and Sweet Pea's, Rebecca went back to the hotel so she could get ready to fly out with them tomorrow, but Cheryl and Lane stood holding each other like the next three months were going to be an eternity. Lane and Sweet Pea would only be gone two weeks but Cheryl and Toni were going on their cross country trip, and Lane and Cheryl had planned it so they were leaving the same day. Toni finally got Cheryl to leave, Lane promising she'd call if she went into labor early.

But Sweet Pea closed and locked the door and turned finding he was so glad to just be alone with her. Lane carelessly kicked off her shoes and made her way to the bedroom with the intention to change into a nightgown because frankly she was tired of wearing pants. But before she made it to the doorway Sweet Pea covered her eyes. "What did you do?" she asked, having been insanely curious what he'd gotten her.

"You'll see," he said leading her into the room and turning her so she was facing the wall where the dresser used to be.

She blinked when he removed his hands from over eyes and she found herself looking at an old wooden crib he'd painted white with little flowers trailing over the bars. Without a single word she looked up at him so incredibly in love with him.

"FP helped make sure it was stable," he told her. It'd taken a while to get it fixed up, painting it had been the easiest part. He then nudged her to one end of it, and he watched her face fall to one of surprise as she saw what he'd done on the side panel. He'd painted a tree with a doe a buck and a little fawn on the bottom and a few birds on the branches, but there were green fingerprints filling in as leaves. "What are you thinking?" he asked softly, wrapping his arms around her.

There were a lot of thoughts but they were all of him. He'd made the worst year of her life the very best, he'd actually given her a life, a future to want. Like she'd been stuck until she met him and something in her finally woke up and she'd come alive again. He made her so happy, and loved, and frustrated. Lane wasn't a happy person, but there wasn't anyone else she'd rather be unhappy with. "Ask me," she said looking up at him desperately.

He stared down at her for a shocked moment before he released a breath of a laugh and asked, "will you marry me?"

Lane nodded with tears filling her eyes. "Yes," she barely said before he was kissing her. And her arms came around his shoulders pulling him closer. "I mean, obviously not until you graduate," she said between kisses. He hummed against her mouth not even bothering trying to speak. "And it's not official until you get a ring."

Pulling out the small box he'd had in his pocket all day he held it open between them and cheekily asked, "you mean like this one?" He watched her face slacken as she recognized it, the ring her father had given Rebecca, that Rebecca had been holding onto and had now given Sweet Pea.

Lane knew that ring very well, a pear shaped diamond set across the band with smaller stones framing it, she'd thought it the most beautiful thing. It was simple, refined, which was Rebecca's taste and in turn was Lane's. They might've done this completely out of order and way too soon, but this was everything she'd never known she wanted. "I'm not wearing that yet," she told him.

The corners of his mouth curled. "I'm not sure it'd fit til after you have her," he said, and laughed when she smacked him. But a breath passed between them and suddenly it didn't feel so heavy, and it just felt right. "Tell you what," he closed the box and put it back in his pocket, "this stays between me and you, and I'll ask you again like I planned and we'll make it official then."

"Like you planned?"

"Yeah, when we found out I thought of marrying you then, you know, do the right thing," he said with a shrug. "But I'd already thought of how I wanted to do it." He remembered the exact day he knew how he was gonna propose to her.

And her brow rose in question. "How long have you thought about marrying me?"

A small, almost shy, smile spread on his mouth. "Before I knocked you up," he admitted. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise at hearing that and he shrugged again. "What about you?" he asked, knowing it'd taken her longer. Til about a few weeks ago.

"Honestly I don't think much of marriage," she told him, "and if there wasn't a baby I wouldn't be thinking about it at all." He nodded knowing that, but it still hurt a little. She knew it did and she took his hand in hers before telling him, "but I've known for a while I wanted to hang out with you forever." She waited for his smile. "And if I have to sign a paper and wear a ring to do that, then I guess I can live with it."

"Just think, if anyone looks at you I can yell, 'that's my wife,' before I hit them," Sweet Pea told her, as he'd been dying to tell her since he thought of it.

Lane looked up at him a moment before her palm hit the center of his chest, which didn't move him so much as surprise him, and said, "that's my husband you bitch." She considered that before nodding looking pleased. "Okay, that's kind of awesome," she said with a quiet laugh.

"Right?" he agreed.

Stomping in from the hallway where he'd been eavesdropping Fangs exclaimed outraged, "are you guys kidding me?" Sweet Pea and Lane shared a look before they started laughing in full.

.^.

Three months later

Lane half sat and half laid on the couch with her legs stretched out on the chaise, and with Sweet Pea's head propped up on her belly watching every so often the sharp point of the baby's elbow drag across Lane's stomach. Occasionally she kicked his head but he didn't mind.

At Lane's small gasp he quickly looked up thinking she was going into labor, the immediate conclusion he'd been jumping to for the last month. But Lane was smiling as she looked at her phone. "They're back," she told him, not bothering to comment on his disappointment. "Cheryl wants me over so push me up."

He sighed sitting up and helped her to her feet and went with her to the room grabbing a bag for her and putting in the clothes she wanted, he then got a few things from the bathroom. "You sure this is a good idea?" he asked looking at her. She was still small except for that belly, which now looked more in line with a beach ball, but it wasn't as high up. "I think your stomach dropped."

He hadn't left her alone for what felt like a second the last week, everyone talked about expecting moms nesting but they didn't say anything about the dad. "We noticed that a couple days ago," she reminded him as she headed for the door, and waited as he helped slip her shoes on.

"I'm just saying," he followed her out of the house to the car, "you're due in a week, you shouldn't be doing a lot." Is what he said, what he meant was she shouldn't doing things without him.

But Lane took the bag from him and stored it in the trunk beside her hospital bag that he packed and put in there a while ago. "I'll text you when I get there," she told him. "I'm also stopping by the store, would you like me to give a play by play how that goes too?"

His answer was to pop her on the ass before he knelt in front of her kissing lower on her stomach where they could feel her head telling her, "love you." He then looked up seeing Lane's sweet face and he stood catching her mouth on the way up. "Love you too."

He watched her drive off, waiting until he lost sight of her taillights before he headed back inside and slumped on the couch. "You are so not ready for this," Fangs said sitting on the other end, where he'd been all night.

"Not even a little," Sweet Pea agreed finding himself as he'd been the last two months needing to do more. "I just feel like I'm gonna do it wrong," he said thinking he wasn't gonna be what Lane needed when she needed him.

But Fangs wasn't letting him have it. "Do what wrong? She's gonna do all the work," he said having watched labor videos with Lane, or rather he'd been forcing her and Sweet Pea to watch them. Which is probably why Sweet Pea was so freaked out. "That's why I'm here, to keep her calm while you panic. Between the two of us we've got your girls covered." He extended a hand to Sweet Pea, and Sweet Pea let out a breath of a relieved laugh and clapped Fangs' hand holding it for a short time before letting go.

…

He and Fangs went by camp the next morning, Jughead tapped Fangs to look for the Ghoulies as they'd been looking for them all summer. And then they headed to Cheryl's for the party. It was a nice little break before school started back in only a couple days, before Lane was gonna have the baby. He had to remind himself to soak it all in while he could.

It's why he didn't notice at first. He hung out with Josie for a little bit, who he'd started talking to last year in one of the classes they had together – it surprised him how agreeable he found her. She was focusing on her music, taking a break from boys by which she meant Reggie.

But they went their separate ways and Sweet Pea found himself looking for Lane, who he realized he hadn't seen. She should've been in the pool, which they'd taken advantage of many times that summer because she liked to float with a pool noodle around her back gently kicking her legs. Instead he found Cheryl and Toni.

Cheryl stood when she saw Sweet Pea. "Where is she? I was very disappointed when she cancelled on me last night," Cheryl told him, her red painted mouth trying to pout. Lane first agreed and then ten minutes later said she wasn't feeling well and was staying home. Toni told her not to blame Lane, she was incredibly pregnant. But Cheryl watched Sweet Pea's face turn to stone as his breathing shallowed and came in loud fast pants. And her heart dropped into her stomach "No."

Someone ran up behind him and Sweet Pea turned to Fangs with his hands balled into tight fists, his body shaking with rage. "Where is she?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Fangs' eyes were wide, his breathing short from how fast he'd run. "The Ghoulies have her," he told him seeing the way his black eyes burned.

So, in writing this chapter I started to consider how season three would go if I let Lane and Sweet Pea keep the baby. Which floored me because I never intended to let them have her, ever (I don't really like teen pregnancies or teen parents). But, I was already planning a one shot where they had the baby so I thought why not just make that this story and this can just be happy all around. However there is still a tragedy that takes place between episodes 2 and 3 - it'll push Sweet Pea towards the game, and if you caught my little hint in this chapter you know where Lane's going.
So unless people really hate the idea of them having the baby, or someone makes a really good point against it - I am planning for them to have her. So if any of you noticed the title of this alternate story, There Goes My Life is a wonderful song by Kenny Chesney and it's a pretty good representation of where I think Sweet Pea's head is. Anyways, I hope ya'll enjoyed because I had a lot of fun with this one.