A.N: My xmas gift to Kristen, an update! LOL. Merry Xmas, galpal!

As the weather got warmer, Leslie got even bigger and even more helpless. Because no apartment was to be found, and Leslie wanted to move as little as possible (her back was hurting too much), she took Alec up on his "my door is always open" offer. Alec saw this as an advantage, as now his phone bill wouldn't be so high. Poor Leslie was so exhausted after just going to the bathroom and going to the table to eat, Alec and Kevin owed to her to let her relax. But Leslie kept both men constantly on their feet. But none of them got irate; they knew she wasn't pregnant on purpose. But pretty soon Kevin and Alec were feeling the burn themselves…

"Alec, can I have a foot massage?"

"Kevin, may I have a water bottle?"

"Alec, can you run out and get this month's Modern Mother for me?"

"Kevin, my head hurts; could you get me an ice pack?"

Leslie kept Alec and Kevin on their feet from 8 AM when she woke up to 10 PM when she went to bed. Of course, she didn't lounge around all day. Leslie tried to keep active as she could. She and Kevin took walks around the block a few times a week, and Alec accompanied Leslie to Lamaze classes (Alec found all that breathing stuff bullshit, but it seemed to comfort Leslie, so Alec put up with it) and would always treat her to ice cream after class.

With April came a random heat wave…and Leslie's third trimester. The baby grew faster within Leslie, and she began to feel like her gut was ready to explode with babies flying everywhere. One afternoon, a rainstorm attempted to break the heat wave, but the pouring rain was warm and only added humidity to the heat. For once, Leslie was out of bed, helping Kevin chop vegetables for a stir fry.

"God, I wish it were winter again!" Leslie moaned as she wiped her forehead for the umpteenth time. "I swear to God I'm going to melt by June." Kevin smiled and tossed a bottle of water at her, which she dropped.

"Oh crap!" Leslie cussed, wondering how she could pick it off the floor. Kevin stooped to get it for her and placed it firmly on the counter. "I feel like a cripple!" she whined.

"Calm down, Les. Only three more months," said Kevin.

"I can't stand this for three more days!" she cried. Kevin nodded.

"I can only imagine what you're going through," he commented.

"No, you can't EVEN imagine!" Leslie said. Kevin laughed.

Kevin looked down at his small pile of chopped chicken bits ready to go into the wok when it got hot enough. Leslie finished the vegetables quicklyand set the knife down.

"I get so tired so quickly, I feel like a defected robot!" she said. Leslie stepped away from the counter and rubbed her stomach. She felt her daughter give her a big kick hello in response. "Oomph! Amazing, I still can't get used to it. I'll wake up at three in the morning and feel this one doing her morning aerobics routine!" Kevin smiled and reached out to feel the baby, but pulled his hand back.

"Go ahead, you've felt it before!" Leslie allowed. Kevin shook his head.

"I can't."

"Why not? Afraid she'll bruise you?" asked Leslie.

"No, it's just..."

"What?"

"Alec wouldn't like it," said Kevin.

"Why would it matter what Alec thinks?" asked Leslie, massaging the side of her belly.

"Because you know he wants you back," said Kevin. Leslie sighed woefully and gritted her teeth underneath her lips.

"Kevin, you know I promised both of you I wouldn't get romantically involved with either of you!" Leslie said.

"You can't control love, Leslie. I'd have thought you learned that by now," Kevin said.

"Kevin, please. I have more concerns on my mind than falling in love," said Leslie. "You know no matter what happens you'll both be my best friends!"

Kevin nodded. "We're all friends…JUST friends?" he assured.

"Just friends," Leslie vowed. The door opened and Alec came in loaded down with bags from various stores. So THAT was where he'd been all afternoon!

"A little help, Kev?" Alec pleaded. Leslie ran (although it WAS more of a waddle) to Alec's side and grabbed two bags. Alec saw it was Leslie who'd helped him. "Jesus! You scared me! I thought you'd be on the sofa taking your mid-afternoon pre-dinner post-carbo-loaded snack nap!"

"Very funny," said Leslie. "I feel like I'm a burden on you two!" she moped. Alec rolled his eyes and took Leslie in his arms.

"No way in hell are you a burden!" Alec assured. "I've heard stories from those fathers at Lamaze classes, and some of those birds are having moods swings and other crazy-mom things…"

Leslie suddenly got whiny and sad in the voice. "What does that mean?"

"Oh shit!" Alec thought he'd triggered Leslie's first mood swing of the pregnancy. Leslie suddenly got a grin on her face.

"I'm KIDDING!" Leslie said, putting the bags down on the counter. "What did you go out for in this rain anyways?"

"A few baby things," Alec said, digging into a bag. "A few bibs…" Alec pulled out a few pink-and-white striped bibs. "…and I found this doll on the sale rack." Alec pulled out a curly redheaded doll with pretty blue eyes. Leslie fondled her hair with admiration.

"I never thought I'd see the day Alec Newbury went to the store and bought bibs and baby dolls!" Kevin remarked, tossing a tiny pearl of onion into the steaming wok.

"Don't get used to it," Alec said. "I was getting dirty looks at the department store all day."

Leslie reached into a bag and pulled out a small box and went to open it, when suddenly Alec reached out and grabbed.

"Don't open that!" he suddenly snapped. Leslie looked hurt. "It's for someone else."

"Who?" asked Leslie, suspiciously.

"A young lady, a lady who owns my heart now and forever," said Alec, with a serious face. Leslie's eyes began welling up with tears, but she quickly blinked them back. Someone else? Alec never mentioned a lover before. Leslie wanted to smash in Alec's skull, but she looked at Kevin and remembered her vow of keeping her emotions buried for his sake. Leslie nodded.

"So you'll be going out tonight?" Leslie inquired.

"I'm not going out TONIGHT," said Alec. Leslie nodded. She just couldn't believe Alec had moved on so quickly. But it was inevitable.

"We're making stir-fry," said Leslie, blinking frantically. Alec licked his lips and went quickly into the kitchen, stuffing the small box in his coat pocket. Leslie felt like her heart was broken, and her stomach ached.

And it wasn't her baby kicking.

The rain turned into thunder and rain that night. Kevin went home for the night to his apartment, Alec was in the bedroom, and Leslie sat on the sofa, which was up against the window. The window was still open, and the wind and rain was getting Leslie wet as she stared outside at the rain. The baby had settled down for the night and kicking had ceased, so Leslie's mind was on Alec and his new love interest. Who was she? How did he meet her when he was around Leslie most of the spring? Leslie felt lost. Once Alec married this girl (if he did, that box looked an awful lot like a jewelry box) would the girl force Alec away from Leslie, and what exactly was this newbie like anyways? Would she be sympathetic and let Alec stick around to be a part of her daughter's life, or would she be jealous and make sure Alec stayed clear of Leslie and the baby? Leslie let the rain fall on her head as she thought about all this. She didn't even hear Alec come up behind her.

"Les, what the hell? You'll get sick!" Alec yelled. Leslie snapped to and shut the window. She turned around to face Alec, who carried a large clothing box under his arm.

"Alec! I thought you went to bed!" she said. Alec smiled.

"Not really. Can we talk?" Alec asked. Leslie smiled and wriggled herself to her feet (she didn't know how much longer she would be able to do that), giving Alec a seat.

"What about?" she asked.

Alec messed around with the box for a minute. He then handed it to Leslie. "I know you won't be able to wear it until after the birth, but I really wanted you to have it."

Leslie opened the box, and she suddenly had a flashback as she pulled out the red lacy nightgown she'd left behind when she moved out last fall. Leslie gasped and didn't want to start crying. "Oh god! My…but why, Alec?"

"I wanted to return it to you, you know, because once she's born you won't have much money for your own nightclothes," Alec said indifferently. Leslie wanted to cry. That wasn't the real reason, it was so Alec's new girlfriend wouldn't find another girl's lingerie in his place. Leslie wished Alec would just go away.

"Alec, who is she, you're new girl?" asked Leslie. "What will happen to me when she finds out I'm possibly having your child?" Leslie paced the room. "I want to meet her! And when will you tell her about me?"

"She already knows," said Alec, smiling. Leslie wanted to die.

"What did she say?" asked Leslie.

"She found out the same time you did!" Alec said. Leslie scowled. JULES!

"How COULD you date Jules? Alec, didn't you even THINK about my feelings for you for two seconds?" Leslie blurted out.

"It's hard to suppress your feelings, isn't it? No, she isn't Jules," said Alec. "It's YOU! I just didn't want to give this to you in front of Kevin!" Alec pulled out the jewelry box and handed it to Leslie. Leslie gasped, feeling embarrassed. "It's been just as miserable for me to keep quiet about my feelings in front of Kevin," Alec confessed. Leslie nodded.

"Open the box!" Alec egged. Leslie opened the small box as Alec leaned back and edged himself over to the corner of the sofa, settling his back in the corner. Leslie gasped as she pulled out a gold necklace with five diamond-lined letters on individual charms on a golden chain. The lettered spelled M-O-M-M-Y. Leslie wanted to cry.

"Alec, it's gorgeous!" Leslie sighed.

"So are you!" said Alec. Leslie looked at him. "I can't stand keeping it a secret from Kevin. Leslie, I want to be with you, no matter who the father is! Here, let me help, I wanna see it on you!"

Leslie unclasped the necklace and sat down between Alec's widened legs and handed it to Alec. Alec put the piece of jewelry around Leslie's neck and closed the clasp. Leslie fingered it and smiled. "Thank you, Alec!"

"You're welcome," Alec replied. Leslie yawned. "Les, you shouldn't be up so late, you have a doctor's appointment in the monring AND a Lamaze class in the afternoon. You need your sleep, young loady!" Alec mock-scolded. Leslie laughed.

"I do think I need a bit of sleep," Leslie said. Instead of getting up, Leslie leaned back on Alec, who in turn wrapped his arms around Leslie. Within five minutes, Alec and Leslie were dead asleep, Alec holding Leslie in his arms.

Thinking both Leslie and Alec were asleep, Kevin used his key to get back into Alec's apartment to grab his wallet, which he'd left by the stove earlier that evening. The lights were out, so Kevin quickly snatched the wallet and headed out, but a small cooing sound stopped him dead in his tracks. Silhouetted against the window (it was still pouring rain) was the sofa, and on it were Alec and Leslie, the latter cradled in the former's arms, both out like lights. Kevin felt a pang in his heart as he studied the golden piece of jewelry around Leslie's neck. Now Kevin had been around Leslie so much that he knew every piece of jewelry she owned by heart…this was new. Alec got it for her. It read "Mommy" in diamond-studded letters.

Wanting to stab Alec in the heart, but not wanting to wake Leslie, Kevin quickly stomped out of the apartment, slamming the door loudly behind him.

Neither sleepers stirred.