Like almost every morning, Sam woke up before his alarm. After he showered and dressed, he took his phone off the charger and checked it for messages. The only one was from San-Li trying yet again to explain things. Sam hit delete and just texted her a good morning and asked if she needed anything. There was no response so he assumed that she was still asleep.

The thought brought a smile to his face. Pregnant or not pregnant, San-Li was always a late sleeper. He could practically see her now, sleeping soundly on her side cradling her stomach, unconsciously protective of their child already.

Sam went downstairs and his smile vanished when he saw his mom sitting at the kitchen table. She was sipping her coffee like every morning, but he could feel her irritation rolling off her in waves.

"Good morning, mom." He greeted her with a smile.

"Morning Mr. Kikin."

"Mom..." Sam sighed reaching for some oatmeal. "I thought we already talked about this."

"Well I just figured since you're a man now, you might want to be addressed as such." She shrugged. "You know, since you made such a manly decision in getting that tramp pregnant."

Sam took a deep breath. "San-Li isn't a tramp. She's the girl I'm in love with and going to marry someday."

"Well I couldn't you have gotten her pregnant someday." His mom sighed and left the table. "I thought I raised you to make smart decisions not impulsive ones driven by lust."

Sam groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. "This is exactly why I haven't told San-Li that you know about her being pregnant. You'd probably stress her out until she miscarried."

His mom went silent and Sam instantly regretted his words. "I'm sorry, mom. It's just... I hate that you talk about San-Li like that. Not only is she the girl I love, she's carrying your grandchild."

"Sam, I just wish you had thought about your future." His mom turned to him with a sad expression. "You have no idea how hard it is to raise a child and fulfill your dreams. When you father left-"

"Are you telling me that I stopped you from fulfilling your dreams mom?" Sam asked quietly.

His mom's eyes widened. "N-no of course not! Sam, I just-"

"I have to get going." Sam quickly gathered up his things and left.

"Good job, Samuel." The teacher dropped his graded AP Physics essay on his desk. "Very well done."

But when Sam looked at the grade on the top, his smile faded a little. B-plus. Not the A he was expecting and worked so hard for. Sure it was early in the term, but Sam had been studying physics books practically all summer... except for of course when he was with San-Li. Or when he was reading parenting books. No way that he would get a scholarship to MIT this way.

The bell rang and when Sam reached his locker, he found Fred waiting for him. His mouth twitched and he felt anger building inside of him, but he forced himself to let it go.

"Hey Fred." He smiled. "How was class?"

"Um... alright I guess." Fred smiled cautiously. "So... we're cool right?"

"Of course." He shrugged and changed out his books. "Why wouldn't we be?"

Fred sighed in relief. "Good. Because I swear San-Li and I are totally just friends. I would never mess around with your girl, dude."

"I know." Sam forced himself to smile. "We're best friends. We've been best friends forever."

Joe walked up to them and cracked a huge yawn. "Hey guys. What's going on?"

"Dude you look tired." Fred smirked. "Late night with Joleena?"

"Maybe." Joe grinned. "But my girlfriend could kill me if I revealed all our dirty little secrets."

"Well just make sure you use condoms." Sam mumbled before he could stop himself.

Joe and Fred both pressed their lips together in a failed attempt to hold in their laughter and Sam mentally kicked himself. They burst out laughing and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Ha ha, yes, it's hilarious that it's coming from me." He said. "Sam the smart one didn't use condoms and get his girlfriend pregnant. Very ironic."

"I'm sorry, but it really is, Sam." Joe chuckled.

"I mean, it sucks for you and everything, but you have to admit that it's hilarious." Fred laughed.

Sam mumbled something not so polite, but it was covered by the sound of the bell ringing. He went to his next class and went through the rest of the day lost in a cloud of irritation. He loved San-Li, but he was beginning to feel frustrated with... everything.

It was his senior year and he was supposed to be focusing on college and his career, not on taking care of a baby. But he could even deal with that if people weren't constantly throwing the fact that he made a mistake in his face. And if there was one thing Sam hated was making mistakes.

"San-Li isn't a mistake." He mumbled shaking his head. "She's the woman you love."

He resisted the urge to go to the library and instead headed to her place. Sam even brought over a container of fresh fruit from the local grocery store in case she wanted a snack. Just before he knocked on the door though, Fina came out pulling along a struggling and growling Alex.

"Um hey?" Sam blinked at them. "What's going on?"

"Taking little Alex to the zoo." Fina smiled tightly. "I think he'll really like it. Fred's going to meet us and we're going to have so much fun. Right Alex?"

Alex snarled at her and tried to break out of her grip and go back inside the apartment.

"Alex!" San-Li yelled from inside. "Get your butt to the zoo now! Be educated!"

Alex went limp with a scowl and became more docile. Fina breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Sam with a more genuine smile.

"So how are you Sam?" She asked. "Fred told me that you were a little... upset yesterday."

"I'm fine." Sam smiled and side stepped her into the apartment. "Have fun guys."

Alex waved to him weakly and Sam closed to the door. San-Li was sitting on the couch and gave him a broad smile when she saw him. He felt his heart beat a little faster for her. Sam loved the way she looked, completely casual and relaxed wearing one of his old shirts and her hair loose falling well past her shoulders.

"Hey, San-Li." He smiled going over to her. "How are you today?"

"I'm okay. I miss you though." San-Li leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "We haven't been spending a lot of time together lately."

Sam shrugged. "I've been kinda busy with school, you know that. Trying to get that scholarship to MIT remember?"

"I know that." San-Li reached over and grabbed his hand. "So I thought it'd nice to relax together alone for a bit. Watch a movie and cuddle and stuff."

Sam's smile grew and moved closer to her. "That sounds nice."

San-Li qued up several of his favorite movies on her tv and even ate the fruit he bought her without complaint. They watched the movie in contented silence and he didn't even allow himself to think about the school work he could or should be doing. The credits on the first movie began to roll and Sam leaned over to kiss her temple.

"Do I make you happy, Sam?" She asked suddenly.

"What?" Sam blinked at her in surprise. "Um, yeah I guess. Why?"

"Because I could practically feel your stress when you walked in." San-Li sat up with a groan. "Do you want to tell me about it while I give you a back massage?"

Sam smiled and touched her huge stomach. "Wouldn't you be uncomfortable?"

"Don't worry about me." San-Li chuckled and stood up. "Come on, lets go to the bedroom."

She pulled him to his feet, but he hesitated. "San-Li...um, I have some homework to do..."

"Do it later." San-Li smiled. "Or better yet do it here. You brought your back pack."

Sam was still unsure but still let himself be dragged to the bedroom. She slid the door shut behind her and smiled at him.

"Okay now, take off your shirt."

"San-Li..."

"Sam, just do it please?" San-Li smirked at him. "Don't worry, I'm not going to violate you Sammy boy."

Before he could stop himself, Sam burst out laughing. San-Li still had the ability to make him laugh with an outrageous comment. He pealed off his shirt and she took a sharp intake of breath making him smile harder.

"What?" He asked quietly.

"Sam," San-Li chuckled and shook her head. "You have no idea how sexy you look shirtless. If I wasn't already pregnant-"

"I'd probably get you pregnant all over again." Sam chuckled with a small blush.

San-Li giggled and he laid stomach side down on the bed. With some effort San-Li climbed up on the bed and straddled the small of of his back. Sam was starting to have second thoughts until he felt her hands knead muscles in his back and shoulders he didn't even know were strained.

"Oh my gosh, San-Li," he moaned loudly. "I can't believe I forgot how amazing you are with your hands."

"And I forgot how tense you can get." San-Li chuckled quietly. "Now tell me what's on your mind."

Sam moaned again and told her everything. The stress with school, stress with his mom, and even the stress he felt from her and Fred being so close all the time. San-Li was briefly annoyed that he told his mom about the pregnancy, but she listened to everything. And then laughed.

"Sam for someone so smart you are really stupid." She chuckled.

Sam frowned and turned his head to look at her. "Want to say that again?"

"Don't give me that look." San-Li laughed and pushed his head back down. "But I'm telling you, that you're an idiot for stressing out so much. Didn't I tell you that I have raising baby down? The only thing that you have to do is worry about MIT and your inventions, which you shouldn't even worry about because you're already brilliant and amazing."

"But San-Li..."

"No buts." San-Li pinched his side and climbed off of him. "Besides, I have a surprise for you that will make you feel better."

She left the room and came back with two envelopes in her hands. She handed it to him and practically bounced up and down in excitement while he opened the first one. He unfolded what looked like a letter and started to read it.

"Dear Mr. Kikin, my name is Dan E. Arvizu!? I received your blue prints and designs on your self sustainable, energy efficient...and I look forward to working with you during this summer refining it..."

Sam's jaw dropped and he stared at San-Li in astonishment. "You sent my blue prints to the National Science Board?"

"Yeah and they loved it!" San-Li bit her lip in excitement. "I have a bit of a connection with one of the board members and they were looking for a new project. But keep reading!"

Sam looked back at the letter and continued reading. " For your ideas, enclosed is a check to the amount of...TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!?"

His heart beat tripled and he nearly fainted. San-Li laughed and grabbed grabbed his shoulders to steady him.

"T-ten th-thousand dollars?" Sam whispered faintly. "Th-that could help me pay for college!"

San-Li chuckled again and leaned close to his ear. "Open the second envelope."

Sam stared at her mutely and opened it slowly. "Dear Samuel Kikin, we are pleased to offer you a-a- a..."

"Fully paid, four year fellowship at MIT." San-Li finished with a chuckle. "Followed by a fully paid fellowship at the American Society for Engineering Education, if you so choose to pursue your education further."

Sam's knees buckled and San-Li had to help him sit down, so he wouldn't fall. She rubbed his back gently as he struggled to process the information. He waited for his alarm to go off, or to wake up from sleeping in class, but as he sat there trying to regain his vision and breathing he realized that he wasn't dreaming.

San-Li smiled at him lovingly and kissed his temple. "See? I told you that you were smart."

"H-how?" Sam whispered faintly. "How did you even-"

"I didn't do anything." San-Li shrugged. "I just sent in the application and some of your blue prints. I mean, yeah I kinda hacked into your computer and took the entrance essay you've been working on for the past two years, but I didn't change a thing. This is all you Sam."

"I can't believe it!" Sam grinned and threw his arms around her. "This is incredible! I love you so, so much San-Li!"

But as Sam held her close, he could feel her stomach pressing into him and he remembered that his child would be born in only two short months.

"But San-Li," he drew back and laid a hand on her stomach. "What about-"

"Shh," San-Li laid a finger on his lips to shush him. "I told you not to worry. Everything will be just fine."

Sam felt his smile widen until his face hurt and he held her close again. He knew that no matter what happened in his life, as long as he had San-Li, everything would be better than fine.