Author's Note: Here you go. After this, I'll be posting another chapter to Anytime is Good, Just Not Now…then the Crarco one. My cycle keeps changing, so I have to get used to that. I'm usually very scheduled :)

Rebecca got up unwillingly, taking a second to register why she'd woken up. She looked at her watch, confused, seeing that it was only four in the morning. Just when she was considering ignoring whatever it had been that had caused her body to think it was time to get up, and instead, go back to sleep for a while, she heard it again, this time consciously.

She hated, more than anything to wake up to the sound of her father vomiting in the bathroom near her room. She wasn't insensitive, of course. It wasn't that she was annoyed about being woken up, but the sound of it had a way of making her feel like she was the one in the bathroom, puking her guts out.

She pulled the blanket off of her body, rolling tiredly out of bed, and walked into the bathroom. He never quite had the time to shut the door. When she entered, he had, fortunately, stopped for a moment, kneeling in front of the toilet, holding the wall beside him for support.

"Hey, dad," she said with a sympathetic smile, rubbing at her exhausted eyes. "You okay?"

He shrugged. "Having a great time in here." Marco seriously hoped his stomach wouldn't turn again soon. He just needed time to catch his breath. "Did I wake you?

"Yeah, but it's okay," she kneeled down beside him, putting her hand gently on his back. "You going to be all right to go in today?" she asked, taking on the concerned husband role.

"Oh, I'll be fine with a few hours," he assured her, getting up. He usually waited for about five minutes for the feeling to come back, and since it didn't, he thought it was safe to leave the room.

"Well, it's pointless for me to try to sleep now," said Rebecca, still trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes while they walked out of the bathroom together. "I mean, even if I do manage to get back to sleep, it'll be time to get ready anyway."

"Let's go talk then? We barely ever have time," suggested Marco.

Rebecca smiled, following him into the kitchen. Marco prepared himself a cup of coffee while Rebecca merely shook her head in shame. "Doctor said it's not good for the baby…"

He sighed. "Okay, okay," he said, putting it back down near the sink. "I suppose it's better if I try to cut my addiction, anyway."

Rebecca nodded. "Yeah, it is. So," she said, changing the subject, "I gave half of my Barbies away for Daniel's sister."

"You did?" asked Marco, surprised. "They're like your babies."

"Yeah, from when I was a baby. His sister needs them more than I do," she said, smiling. "Speaking of babies…"

"No," said Marco, also wearing a bright smile. "Speaking of Daniel…you like him."

"I do," she replied, blushing slightly. "But dad, it's weird. I've had little crushes before, but it's like I'm attaching myself to him or something," she rolled her eyes. "It's pathetic."

"It's not pathetic," said Marco, sighing. "It's love."

Again, Rebecca chose to roll her eyes. "You're enjoying this, I see."

Marco laughed. "How could I not? I don't feel like throwing up, so pretty much anything is enjoyable. Like eating. You hungry?"

He didn't wait for Rebecca to answer, simply started searching for what he wanted. "Dad, you were just sick…in the bathroom. Now, you're eating ice-cream?" she asked. "Isn't that going to make you sicker."

"First of all, don't be silly, Beck, It's cake, not ice-cream," he corrected her. "I bought it yesterday. Second of all, I won't throw it up. Promise."

What could she do? Deny cake when it was placed so easily in her reach? She leaned forward, cutting a piece for herself and one for her father as well.

"When are you going to tell him?" asked Marco, swallowing a bite.

Rebecca shook her head, despite the smile. "I can't."

"You? Shy? I never would have thought it," said Marco, taking another bite.

"Me neither…I've never felt this way about anyone before." She took a bite of her own cake. "Man, this is good."

"It needs something, though," he frowned down at the piece of vanilla cake on his fork. He examined it for a moment longer, then rushed back over to the refrigerator.

"Dad, please do not put any weird…pregnancy cravings on such a good cake," she begged. "Please."

"For your information, my cravings aren't weird," he said, reaching toward the top shelf on the fridge.

"You'd just better not come out with hot sauce or something…"

"I never used hot sauce!" he exclaimed, sounding appalled. "Please, I mean, I can understand ketchup or something," he still reached farther back, apparently not finding what he needed, "but not hot sauce."

Suddenly, a shrill ringing interrupted them. "My alarm," said Rebecca. "I should go get ready. You should too…"

"Uh-huh," he said, frustrated that he hadn't found what he was looking for. "Oh, peanut butter is not in the fridge…silly me."

Rebecca laughed, never tired of making fun of his cravings. "Peanut butter on cake is actually not that bad. I might try it some time. Much better than hot sauce."

"Glad you approve," said Marco. "I should get dressed too."

………………………………………………………………………………………..

"I'm sorry I had to leave so early," said Daniel.

The two had never been too courteous in Mr. Armstrong's class, despite his requests for them to be quieter.

Rebecca didn't answer for a moment, choosing instead to stare helplessly into his eyes. Why was she putting herself through such torture? She tapped her fingers on the desk, wondering if it was possible that she had a chance.

"Rebecca…"

"Call me Beck or Becky," she said, coming back to reality. "And, it's fine. Your mom had to work."

"Yeah, but," he looked uncomfortable. "I pretty much always have to be at home," he said.

"Oh," said Rebecca. She didn't know what he was trying to say. They couldn't hang out? "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's just…you want to come over my house today?" he asked, smiling again.

"Do not make me ask you again, you too," said Mr. Armstrong, irritated. "I do not want to have to call your parents."

They shook their heads, agreeing with that statement. "We'll stop," said Rebecca, "and I'd love to go," she said in Daniel's direction.

She spent most of the class trying to avoid his questions and comments. She felt badly, but she knew she had to either get rid of the crush or spend time thinking of how to do something about it. She also knew that, if she were trying to do something about it, he might not take to her ignoring idea very well.

Rebecca sat down to lunch with Daniel in the table closest to the lunch line, as usual. "Lunch?" she asked.

"Forgot it," he sighed.

Rebecca pulled out her pocket book up from next to her, evidently searching through it for money.

"Here's a five. Buy something," she said, opening her own lunch. Daniel looked at her unsurely. "Really, go ahead." She couldn't care less about a five-dollar bill. (Author's Note: Okay, she's giving him a five…because, well, I wanted there to be change, but here's the deal, I don't know Canadian money, but I do know that things seem to cost more there, so I tried lol. Just letting you know.)

Daniel sighed, and Rebecca could tell, if he weren't so hungry, he would have denied her money. He got up, looking unhappy about doing so, and walked onto the lunch line. In the meantime, Rebecca got up to find Elizabeth.

She walked over to the back table by the windows, breathing deeply as she discovered she was sitting at the table Rebecca had a feeling she'd be sitting at. Though she was almost positive she'd be there, she still sort of hoped she wouldn't be.

"Hey, Elizabeth," she said quietly, in a voice just barely above a whisper.

"Look, it's Becky Donavan," said Stephen, smiling sarcastically, waving up at her.

"Leave her," said Elizabeth angrily. "Come on, let's talk over here," she said, leading her away before Anthony got off of the lunch line and sat with them.

"Listen, I just wanted—"

Rebecca grabbed her friend in a breathtaking hug, surprising her. "Oh," she said, laughing slightly, rubbing Rebecca's back.

"I've missed ya, Lizzy," she said softly, pulling away from her.

"Missed you too, Becky," said Elizabeth tearfully. "I'm sorry for everything!"

"Don't worry about it," she said, watching as Daniel sat back down at the table. "Listen, I have to go sit with my friend…you can come, but I'm not going to sit at your table. Sorry."

"I understand," said Elizabeth, nodding enthusiastically. "I want to meet him, so yeah, I'd like to go sit with you."

"Wait…just so you know," Rebecca started, "I like him. A lot."

Elizabeth smiled, squealing, causing Rebecca to roll her eyes good-naturedly. "So cute."

"Come on. Try not to scare him away…"

……………………………………………………………………………..

"Do you think I should find out? I mean, do you want to know?" asked Marco, speaking with Dylan in his office during his lunch hour. He almost never ate with any of the staff.

"It's up to you, honey," said Dylan distractedly. "I really don't have time to talk at the moment. I'll call you around five, okay?"

"Just tell me if you want to know!" said Marco, holding his head in his hand. "Don't be so indecisive right now."

"Don't be so angry," Dylan retorted, trying to keep his patience. "Okay, yes, I would like to know," he said in a calmer voice. "I'll call at five."

Marco sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Talk to you then."

"Don't hang up angry," said his husband sadly, making Marco reluctantly crack a smile.

"I hate going to the doctor…especially without you there to calm me from pushing the man into the trash can," he said, laughing.

"I love you. Good luck," said Dylan, really having no more time to talk.

"Thanks, I love you too. Bye."

He checked his watch, so unwilling to get his butt in the car. He was ready to whine and scream, even be dragged on his feet to the Doctor's office, but since Dylan wasn't home, there was no one to do it. He had to stop being a baby and get himself there himself.

……………………………………………………………………………..

"My dad is at the doctor, anyway," said Rebecca. "It doesn't matter."

Daniel was just a tiny bit overprotective, and he was always worrying about something. Rebecca didn't necessarily mind, but it sometimes became a little hard to understand.

"He won't care that you're just coming home with me without even asking permission?"

Rebecca took her seat on the bus next to her troubled friend. She put her hand on his shoulder, attempting to relax him. "He is at the doctor. He will most definitely call me when he's heading home to give me news, and then I will tell him I'm with you. He won't mind."

"You're sure?" he asked.

"Positive," Rebecca answered immediately, letting herself think about her own worries for the moment. Was her father going to be okay? She was very happy that he had gotten through three months of the pregnancy, but what if something had gone wrong? Every time he went to the doctor, she became nervous that he'd bring back bad news. Male pregnancy wasn't exactly as common as female, obviously.

Did he even go to the doctor? He had a tendency to be rather stubborn about such things, she knew.

"Hey, Re—sorry, I mean, Becky?" said Daniel, while the bus drove out of the school lot. She turned to him in expectation. "I thought your dad was better. Just a headache…"

"Oh…he just got sick again. It's on and off." Oh, she was a much better liar than that. This wasn't fair. What was she supposed to do? Pretend her father was sick for the next…six months, or however long the pregnancy lasted?

Daniel looked suspicious. She had a feeling he wasn't thinking along the lines of pregnancy, but he knew that he wasn't just 'sick with a headache.' She knew he knew.

"Look, he's just getting it checked out. It's probably nothing," she said it mostly to convince herself that the appointment meant 'nothing', but also to try to convince Daniel that he wasn't infected with some strange disease.

Daniel smiled, leaving her alone about it. "Hey…can I ask you something?" he asked suddenly.

"Umm sure," said Rebecca insecurely, wondering what he was going to say.

"Never mind. It's stupid. So, my sister is very excited to meet you," he said.

Rebecca would have pressured him into asking whatever question it was, (because it was honestly going to bother her forever) but she knew that she wasn't telling him much either, so she let it go.

"How old is she?" asked Rebecca, truthfully, a little excited to talk about a little girl.

"Eight. I have to tell you, she wouldn't stop with those dolls last night. She was making them marry her bear…" he laughed.

Rebecca smiled guiltily. "Don't know where they get this marriage idea at such a young age," she chuckled.

"And apparently the bear followed polygamy. I mean, he had like sixteen wives, Becky," said Daniel, laughing at the memory.

Daniel looked out the window, biting his lip as the bus stopped. "This is…my stop," he said, not sounding happy about it. "Look," he started, when they stepped off the bus with a few other students, "it's not like your place," he said warningly before they walked up the block to his house.

Rebecca took his hand in her own, putting her shy feelings away. "I'm not shallow and materialistic. I just…" she laughed at her own stupidity "realized that I was rich when you told me, so relax."

"It's just an apartment…barely even one…"

"Daniel, shut-up and take me in, please. It's kind of cold out."

He smiled, trying to hide his fears. "Yes, ma'am."

Daniel and Rebecca walked upstairs into his apartment together. He unlocked the door, surprised to see his mother in the kitchen, and his sister lying on the couch.

"A.M. why aren't you at school?" he asked.

Rebecca wasn't being…judgmental, but she was just feeling sort of fortunate. Daniel was right. The small, colorless, less than homey apartment was definitely not like her house. She knew why he was trying to hide it, but she didn't want him to feel ashamed, and here she was, appraising it. It just wasn't what Rebecca was used to, that was all.

"She got sick," said his mother, bustling to get her purse, obviously ready to leave since her son was now home. "I had to leave work."

"Oh," said Daniel, shutting the door behind him as she hadn't even had time to say good-bye. "Well, wonder if she's got what your dad has."

Rebecca sincerely doubted that, but she said nothing about it. "So, your name is A.M.?" she asked the sick girl, confused.

"Short for Alexa-May," she said, smiling. "You're Rebecca?"

"Yeah, Alexa-May…that's a really pretty name," she said.

"Come on," said Daniel, "let's have something to eat."

"So, at my house, you're incapable of telling my dad you'll eat with us, but here, you're just ravenous and searching for food," she said, walking into the kitchen with him, which was only a few inches from the couch his sister was laying down on.

"Well," he said, seeing if there was something, anything, in one of his cabinets, "your dad was there. I hate talking to adults."

"My dad's not, like, an interrogator, Daniel," she said, sitting at the table, trying to stop thinking about how the chair might collapse at any moment. It was irrational.

"It's just a stupid fear I have," he said. "And I want to pay you back for borrowing your money.

Rebecca sighed. "It's not a big deal."

"It is to me," he said, once she'd barely even finished her sentence. It was obvious that he had been predicting that she would say something like that.

"What were you going to ask me on the bus?" she asked, bring up the topic she knew he didn't want to discuss.

"Nothing—just…nothing, why don't we have anything to eat?" he asked, cursing under his breath.

"Heard that," said his sister from the couch. Daniel rolled his eyes. "Mom said she'd bring us back something."

"Oh, good," he sat down across from Rebecca. "Sorry I'm being weird," he said. "I'm just kind of embarrassed about this. No food to offer you, borrowing your money, the apartment…"

"It's all okay," she said, groaning as her phone rang. They were going to have a moment soon. She could feel it. Why was it always ruined?

"Hello," she said, her voice showing irritation.

"God, I hate to disturb you, Becky, but I thought you might want to know," said Marco, "I'm healthy, happy, and having a boy."

"Oh my gosh," she said, her mood completely changing. "That's great! I'm at Daniel's. We'll talk later, okay?"

"Oookay," he said suggestively. "Have fuuun."

"Good-bye," she said, knowing he could probably see her blush through the phone.

"So, umm, what were we saying?"

Author's Note: Please review! Oh, and just in case you were wondering where Alexa-May came from:

My name is Meaghan, and my middle name is Alexa. My dad's nickname for me is May, so he has this game where he always makes a character something along the lines of May, and he made one, 'AlexaMay', and he suggested I use it as a name of a character in one of my stories. Just thought you might be interested :)