The truck ride over to the auto shop was silent. Allison had a lot on her mind though. How she'd finally broken out of her 17-year prison. She felt so liberated, so free. It was almost like she could go dancing on the moon now. Nothing could stop her. She was living on her own. She was free of her parent's rule forever.

Oh yeah, she was still in school. Oh well, 2/3 wasn't bad.

Something else was on Allison's mind. As Bender got her into the truck (getting harder and harder to do stuff now that she was carrying a 10-pound load in front of her), he had told her that he was proud of her for what she'd done. But it wasn't his voice that spoke…it was his eyes. Something about the way his eyes gleamed at her that struck Allison and gave her chills. She'd seen Bender look that way when he and Claire were over the summer. It was easily mistakable for a mischievous glimmer, but Allison knew those eye-tricks. They were Andy's eye-tricks too. Andy could easily make his glimmer eyes look like intensive, pensive eyes. It almost made Allison's heart jump…but she thought better of it. It must have been the baby kicking. She'd been feeling it little by little lately…but whenever she wanted to feel it, the little crapper was asleep. Allison could tell this kid was going to resemble her in spirit…it was already defying orders and doing its own thing.

Anyways, Allison chose to address the eyes, but not now. She wanted to confront Bender alone…and not on the road. She had been meaning too for awhile, after he kissed her that little while back. But Allison had also set that little tidbit aside for later settling. The kiss wasn't bad. He actually had a nice, gentle kiss, which was very surprising. Allison would've thought Bender would be the aggressive-kisser, like Andy was. When Andy used to kiss Allison, Allison felt her legs turn to jello…like he was casting a spell on her that she couldn't escape from. Bender's kiss was passive, it was nice, and not to constrictive. Like an innocent first kiss. Allison noted that Claire and Bender NEVER kissed in public. That was a bit confusing. Bender didn't seem to have a problem laying one on her in front of the fast-food joint. Allison hadn't forgotten it. She just needed to wait for the place and time to talk to Bender about what the kiss meant…or didn't mean.

Then again, kisses weren't the #1 thing on Allison's agenda. Allison hadn't planned to formally leave her apartment for the downtown Shermer area for another week. Tad, Rudy, Ernie, and all the other volunteer mechanics weren't ready for Allison's surprise arrival. She had the feeling she'd have to live military-style (i.e. cots and candles) or mooch to the max until next weekend. But she was more than willing to put up with it. She and Bender pulled up in front of the garage with Allison's packages by 5 that afternoon. Ernie was closing up shop early.

"Ern! WAIT UP!" Bender dove out of the truck before it stopped all the way. Allison had to reach over and slam on the breaks.

"Johnny boy! What the hell? You could have broken your ass off!" Ernie yelled.

"Ern, open up. Allison had to leave early!" Bender said. Ernie raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why?"

"My parents drove me over the edge," Allison answered for herself. Truth be told, if she'd stayed back at the apartment the whole extra week, Danny would have probably sent her away to "take care of her sick aunt" for four more months. Allison had the feeling she'd gotten out just in the nick of time.

"I get it," Ernie nodded. "Come on in! Good thing ya caught me before I left!"

"You usually don't shut down for another hour, dumbass!" Bender said, taking a box from out of the back of the truck.

"I know, but there's been this chick, cute as a button, but as annoying as an infomercial! Comes around all dolled up and pisses everyone off. She's actually been looking for you, she says," Ernie said.

"Oh for the love of Jesus on a stick!" Bender moaned.

"Liz Lembo," Allison nodded. "She hates me. I know you're not partial to hitting girls, Ern, but you have my permission to slug her if she comes around again."

Ernie shook her head. "She most often comes around in the last hour, so that's why were' closing up now," he said. Bender nodded and looked at Allison.

"Don't let her get to any of you," Allison said. Ernie and Bender nodded as Ernie opened up the door for Allison.

The upstairs apartment that was to become Allison's new home was a mess. Apparently, Tad and Rudy's latest, but not greatest, project was adding a wall between what was designed to be the baby's room and the kitchen. Fragments of wasted drywall and various nails and tools were littered on the floor. Otherwise, the room was fairly decently done. Allison had her own small room separate from the baby, everything in it placed except for the carpet (Alden was bringing that on Friday). Allison was given a nice big bed (Queen size? Man, how could ANY of those guys swing THAT?) Then, on the other side of the bedroom wall was a small TV/living room. Yes, there was a TV all set up, even cable. The kitchen has a stove, a sink, a fridge, and even a freezer and a microwave! Allison nearly cried. What seemed like a huge vacant storage space was now a beautifully-redone apartment (nicer than her old room by far) with furnishing Allison neither essentially needed, nor asked for (a sofa AND a loveseat? Geez!). The floor-to-ceiling windows Allison loved were all still untouched, but there were light purple curtains to be closed and opened at will. Except for the nursery and the kitchen wall, everything was set to go!

Allison dropped the box she was carrying and cried. She hadn't expected all this to be done!

"Al, what's wrong? Is the color too pale or something?" asked Ernie.

"It's so much!" Allison whined. "I…I can't believe you idiots!"

Bender laughed.

"Why did you bother so much with me? How can I POSSIBLY pay you back?" Allison tried wiping tears away with the sleeve of her fleece sweater. No good.

"We didn't BOTHER at all," Ernie confessed. "You're worth it! PLUS…Jerry's girlfriends' dad owns a second-hand electrics store, so a few handy strings were pulled, of course!"

Allison wanted to cry more. Did Ernie just say she was WORTH it?

"I'll let you get settled. Johnny, ya got a lot of those boxes?"

"Only three or four more," Bender answered. Ernie nodded and closed the door. Allison moaned softly to herself and went to her bed. She lied down on it. Secondhand my ass! Allison thought. It feels like a bed in a 5-star hotel! Not that Allison had ever BEEN in one…but it was sooo cozy!

"Oh god…I'll never stand up again!" Allison giggled, rubbing her stomach as Bender entered the room. He looked at the walls…bare, of course.

"We'll need some wallpaper in here, of course, maybe if we could find a—"

Allison suddenly felt the baby kick. She let out a little yelp. Bender stopped mid-sentence. "What?"

"He kicked," Allison smiled. Bender thought a moment.

"He? You know?" asked Bender. "And you didn't tell me?"

Allison shook her head. "It's just a notion I had. I'm carrying high, right? Besides, I had a dream last night that it's going to be a boy," Allison said.

"You really believe in all that dream shit?" asked Bender.

"Yes, I do!" Allison said with a smirk on her face.

"Why am I not surprised?" Bender licked the corner of his lip as he sat beside Allison on the bed. "My back's killing me…"

"…no need to ask," Allison said quickly. Bender sighed and laid down next to Allison, looking up at the ceiling.

"That dipshit forgot to seal that crack," Bender sighed to himself. "You'll be able to sleep and shower at the same time. Tad's such a wuss-ass!"

Allison, smirking, made a grab for Bender's hand. Bender turned his head quickly in her direction, but Allison already laid his hand on her swollen gut. Bender didn't really move, but he seemed a little awkward. Allison secretly prayed to whoever was inside her to kick just once when she asked.

Allison suddenly felt like she was being punched from the inside. Within her mind, she thanked the baby as she saw the blood rush to Bender's face.

"He likes you already," Allison whispered. She decided to work it a little more.

Allison had planned for this to happen. She wanted Bender to sweat a bit before she even asked about the kiss or the glimmer in his eye. She knew it would make things a little more interesting…

"Yeah…" Bender muttered.

Allison moved his hand a bit lower. Bender bit his bottom lip.

"That's where his heart is," Allison muttered.

Bender suddenly shot up. "I need to get home."

Damn.

Allison tried to shoot up, but instead she had to shuffle to the edge of the bed and slowly ease to her feet.

"JOHN! WAIT!" Allison shouted. John reached for the door that led downstairs. Allison, wittingly, had locked the door and had the only copy of the key. "What's the hurry?" Allison asked, pouting her lips. She moved closer to him.

"Let me out, this is stupid!"

"I need to get—"

"—home so your dad can smack you up again?" Allison snapped back, suddenly angry. "You've got problems!"

"Look, you're all set! Ernie's going to haul up your goddamn boxes, so call me tomorrow, alright?"

"Why are you in such a hurry?!"

"Because I FUCKING HAVE TO GET HOME!" Bender shouted. Allison could see where he was in denial…but this sudden outburst of rage was too much for even her to handle. She forgot his incredibly short fuse, and maybe she DID move his hand a little too low. Allison didn't want to cry in front of him, so she whipped out her key and unlocked the door.

"Good night!" She spat at John, grabbing the back of his shirt and literally shoving the man out the door and down the stairs, slamming the door behind him. Allison whipped around and went to one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, pressing her forehead against the glass. She suddenly felt a lot of small punches in her stomach. Had it heard their fight? Was it having a fit. Allison rubbed her stomach.

"There, there, junior," Allison muttered. "He's not your REAL daddy."

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder whip her around. Before she could process what was going on, she felt a pair of lips against hers. Immediately recognizing them, she let herself close her eyes and melt into his kiss. Her spine and neck tingled.

When Bender let go of her, his eyebrows knitted, but his eyes full of that familiar glimmer.

"You're a mind-reading witch! You know that?" Bender said, his voice obviously raspy from the yelling, but as soft and kind as it could go. "Did you know it?"

Allison gave an odd look. "What?"

"You knew and were trying to get me to admit it?"

"Admit what?"

"I don't wanna say the word."

"Why not?" Allison took his hand in hers tenderly.

"Because it'll be Claire all over again."

Allison rolled her eyes and moaned. "John, that is probably THE stupidest thing I've EVER heard come out of your mouth!"

Allison sat Bender down on the huge bed again before continuing. "Claire left you because of Dickface, am I right?"

"Yeah," Bender said, brushing a lock of hair out of his face. Outside, a soft snow began falling as the sky grew dark.

"And seriously…I know no one else who I'd leave you for."

"Jockstrap," Bender said quickly.

"John Bender, don't be such a dumbass. Do you REALLY think I'm dumb enough to take him back if he ever came around after what he did to me?"

"Nawh," Bender smiled.

"Then do it again!" Allison squeaked excitedly. She grabbed Bender's hair and brought his head level with hers to kiss him again. When she let go, Bender's lip remained pouted, as if to say "please, don't stop!"

"So…are we going to be stupid anymore?" Allison asked.

"Oh shut up!" Bender said, kissing Allison again. Boy, did that feel good!

"Move in with me?" Allison asked between breaths.

"Damn straight," Bender said.

Allison couldn't remember what happened the rest of the night…she was spun up in such a whirl of romance and Bender. All she remembered was she felt something she'd felt only once before in her life.

Only this time…it was right.