A/N: Man, I thought I'd NEVER get out of the slump I was in with this story! I was prepared to write about 500 one-shots to get me back on my feet…but then out of nowhere…pop! The next chapter! Hope you all likie!!! Sadie's (hopefulyl) back and better than ever!

By the time March came, Allison had put that night outside Club Jupiter behind her along with Andy, and she assumed he'd gone back to Kenosha with his answer. He was an 18 year old boy. Saying 'no' was what any teen boy who'd knocked up a girl wanted to hear. Yet Allison had this eerie notion that Andy had not given up so easily, and that he was still around town.

But for the most part, Allison relished her new independent life. The baby inside her was still growing, healthy as ever for a 6-month old fetus. Allison found out by late February that her premonition about the sex was true. Allison was having a son. She had spent a lot of useless time thinking of names for her baby boy, and nothing really came to mind. Allison briefly toyed with surprising Bender by NAMING it Bender. But Allison quickly put that thought out of her head. Among her other favorites were Ozzy, Dylan, Ian, Paolo, and Rupert. Not very normal names, but for Allison, one of those would be just right.

Even more interesting was how surprisingly good Allison felt for a woman in her condition. Dr. Wilson said that for a teenage girl carrying a baby, especially one who was fairly underweight at the beginning of her term, Allison was pulling along wonderfully. Allison, with Bender's help, of course, was in great condition.

With Bender working just downstairs, Allison was never really alone. Because she was getting much more pregnant by the day, school was getting more and more unbearable. Allison desperately wanted to finish out her senior year, but her grades weren't so great anyways, and as far as a just being there, Allison was nothing but "the pregnant one." So Allison resolved to sign up for the next GED test, which took place in April. Allison knew she could pass easily. She was an outcast, but that didn't mean she was stupid. So Allison forgot about graduating and spent her weekdays in her apartment studying for her impending GED, set officially for April 10th.

Her days become pretty much monotone. She'd study and hang around all day, and when Bender came upstairs at night, her world became alive. Bender always had funny stories from the guys downstairs, or some new idea for the baby someone gave him. But even if he was pissed off or depressed, Bender just lightened up the room when he came back upstairs. He spent nearly every night with her, only going home on Saturdays to pack himself up and to assure Jack and Roxanne that he was still there. Bender was slowly leaving his house. It was best that way. Jack was such a drunk and Roxanne was such a bitch that neither of them would notice nor care. Besides, Bender was 18 now. It wasn't like he'd be considered a runaway.

So, the first Saturday in March, after Bender went home, Allison was alone in her apartment, watching TV in her bedroom (now complete, along with the rest of her apartment). She had a small bowl of grapes on the bed stand beside her and was picking at those while watching MTV. Ernie was still down below in the office going over some records, so it never occurred to her that someone could get into her apartment.

But someone had.

Allison had nearly dozed off when he stepped in her doorway. So she was startled when she saw Andy had gotten in and was standing over her. Allison shuffled to her feet when she got her senses back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked after about 5 minutes. Andy shook his head.

"You can't cut me off from our child's life," Andy says. "It isn't fair to me and you know it."

"I thought we covered this already," Allison said coldly.

"I thought you were more than this. I KNOW I hurt you. I'm sorry. I don't expect you to take me back with open arms. But Allison, this is my baby just as much as it is yours, and I want to be a part of his life."

"Andy, I freed you. Why are you trying to come back?"

"I want to be responsible. I'm not like my father. My father would tell me to ditch you. I need a chance!" Andy said. Allison shook her head.

"I'm getting alone perfectly without you, Andy," Allison said back. "Leave me alone." Allison left the bedroom and wandered into the living room for a second.

Andy stood still for a moment, thinking. "My god, what's happened to us? We used to be so—" he muttered before abruptly stopping. Allison refused to look at him in the eye. Andy took a look around the apartment. It was very nicely done. Allison was doing pretty well for herself…even if Bender was living part-time with her. The baby WOULD be well cared for. But still, Andy knew he was trying to do the right thing for once in his life. Of course, part of it WAS that Andy didn't want to face the fact that he'd slipped up and he'd been replaced. But regardless, Andy had to try, even if he got nothing but weekends. Allison had Bender to help her raise the baby in this comfy and lovely little apartment…

…then, suddenly, it hit Andy. Allison was finally enjoying the family and home life she'd never had. And Andy coming back was threatening to destroy it all!

Allison reappeared in the doorway holding a picture frame. "Do you remember last summer, Andy?"

Andy turned around. He smiled. "How could I forget? It was the best summer of my life."

Allison nodded and handed the photo to Andy. It was of him, Allison, Claire, and Brian (Bender must have been the photographer) sitting on the roof of a gazebo in the park, waving. Andy had his arm around Allison, and Brian was sticking his tongue out playfully.

"That summer, that short time you were in the hospital, and I couldn't see you, it felt like forever," Allison said. She paused to take a breath. "I thought after that week that I couldn't live without you."

"But you seem to be getting along fine here," Andy muttered, looking around. Allison nodded and took the picture back from Andy, but after a second, Andy took it back again.

"I am. I'm starting my own life now. And when you came back…" Allison didn't finish her sentence. How could she without hurting Andy's feelings. But she did feel kind of shitty right about now.

"That's it," Andy nodded. "I came here and ruined your perfect life!" Andy felt the anger building up inside him. "You can get alone perfectly fine without me!"

"Andy—"

"—I'm sorry for trying to offer my help for when our baby comes. Because whether you like it or not, Bender's not your child's father! I am you child's father! Denial isn't going to change that!"

Every word cut through Allison's heart like a knife. Denial?

"You think I'm in denial?" Allison muttered. Andy didn't hear her.

"What's going to happen when our son or daughter—"

"—son," corrected Allison. Andy was caught off guard for only a moment.

"What's gonna happen when he grows up and he starts asking why he doesn't look like Bender! What are you going to tell him?! And here I am pouring my heart out to you and you can't even give me a second look?!"

"Well what about after we had sex and before you moved away? You avoided me like the plague! THAT was certainly a heroic thing to do!" Allison shot back.

"Water under the bridge! You don't want me in your perfect family? Then fine, I WON'T be! I'm sorry I ever tried to check up on you. I guess it was just a waste of time and gas money!" Andy forcefully put the picture frame on the table in the living room and stormed out the door. Allison bit her lip, trying to hold back tears.

"ANDY!" she called, running to the door. But Andy was long gone.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, in some aspects, Andy was right. She should have given Andy a chance to explain himself. Allison sure felt like a bitch.

Allison wished Bender could be there right now to hold her. But instead she felt onto the bed and let the tears silently come. It was true. She was being just as bad now as Andy had been 6 months ago. She knew what Bender would tell her to do. He'd tell her to forget him.

But she couldn't. He was right. He was the father of her son. It wasn't fair to shut him out.

"What a frickin' sweetheart, huh?"

Allison shot up. Liz stood in the doorway to the bedroom. Shit. Bender really needed to get that lock for the door installed.

"What do you want?"

Liz looked almost hurt. She stared blankly at Allison, then picked up a pillow she'd brought in from the couch in the living room and chucked it at Allison. It sideswiped Allison's arm.

"What the hell's your problem?!" Allison shrieked.

"You are such a dumbass!" Liz shouted. "You're doing it again!!"

"What do you mean?" Allison muttered behind gritted teeth.

"You got a great guy, and another great guy who wanted to step forward and be a gentleman, and you take them BOTH for granted!" Liz said defiantly.

"How can you possibly say that? And why are you in MY apartment anyways?!" Allison asked back.

"Do you KNOW how many night's I've been thinking about this? I was ready to give in and admit yet another defeat to you because I'm running on empty, and here you go, doing it again! You wanna know something?" asked Liz.

"No."

"I hate you not just because you win, but because you win and you don't care! You didn't care that you won a title that 30 other little girls would die for. You didn't care you had the hottest jock in school! You don't CARE that despite putting him through this, he still wants to be a man, suck it up, and sacrifice his wrestling and college all for you! I really need to know your secret, Allison. How do you do so much that you can take it all for granted?"

"I don't!" Allison said, getting off the bed again (this was getting tiring).

"I was going to give up. What's the use, anyways? I can't just stand by and watch you screw this up for yourself anymore. God, TWO GREAT GUYS, Allison. Jesus, you really take the cake!"

"Go away," Allison said coldly.

Liz gave Allison a hurt look. "You know what?" she said, beginning to feel tears at the corners of her eyes. "Screw me. Fuck what I say. I hate you, Allison. It's your fault that I'm such a bitch. I never get anything I want! You think you're the only who's daddy hates you because you aren't who he wanted you to be?" Liz challenged. Allison looked at Liz. It occurred to her that she never knew anything about Liz's home life either. But what did it matter anyways?

Liz saw that Allison was giving her the cold shoulder. "Look at me. I'm more of a loser than you! For once, I'd like to cry for a justified reason instead of it just feeling sorry for myself! For once, I'd like my father to think trying is just as good as achieving. For once, I'd just like to be worth fighting for, like you are!" Liz couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"If you don't talk to Andy…then who's the loser?" Liz said. She then turned and stormed out of the apartment much like Andy had done a just a little while ago.