Disclaimer: If I owned the sons of Ipswich, I wouldn't be writing. J

R&R my story. Flames Welcome. Tell me what I do wrong and/or what you want to see in the story and I will try to incorporate your thoughts into the text.

Thanks to MagykGurl for the reviews.

- -

The next day…

Alona met me at Tempest Halls after her classes. "So, Beth?"

I nodded and moved us away from any prying ears. "Beth."

"Why? Does her mom know?"

I shook my head. "She had a kid. She found me at the cemetery yesterday."

Alona was surprised. 'Beth' was Lisebeth Jennings. She had been a friend of mine until high school when she transferred to Hastings. Her mother had tried to seduce my dad time and time again. It was pretty pathetic at one point. Beth had confronted her mom and was shipped off to Hastings.

The last time we had seen her, her mother was yelling, I was crying and hugging, and Alona was giggling. The two fought over everything. It was actually pretty hilarious to watch the both of them get so exasperated over little details.

"She had a kid?"

"Some rich dude at Hastings. He took off before she could even tell him."

Alona glanced around suspiciously. "How is she doing with that."

I smiled sadly. "Cancer."

"Her?"

"Yes." I answered moving away and putting the conversation on hold. Freddy waved me over not trusting to approach the two of us. That's what I loved about him. He gave you respect.

Alona was leaning against the wall lazily when I returned. "What's she goanna do?"

I paused momentarily. "She asked me to take him."

"She wants you to raise her kid?" Alona asked laughing despite the situation, weird, sad, and retarded as it was.

"I'm not talking to you anymore."

Alona shrugged still half smiling. "What'd you say?"

"Told her, I'd think about it."

A train of people carrying flowers and cloths busted from the side door and made their way to a designated room with Freddy leading the way. "Have you decided?"

I almost didn't hear the question. "I feel like I should, but I don't know. I don't trust her mother to raise the kid, and she doesn't either."

"Does mommie dearest even know?" my sister asked smiling again. I shook my head and we leaned against the wall silently watching the chaos of wedding planning.

- -

I stopped off at the dorm room while Caleb was at the hospital. Sarah looked like she was getting ready to leave when I came in. "Hey." I muttered tiredly as I past her in the bathroom, making my way to the bedroom.

"Hey." she muttered absently. She came out of the bathroom and followed me. "That was nice." she said.

I turned and looked at her after setting my bag on my bed. "What?"

She smiled weakly. "Letting Caleb crash."

"Why wouldn't I let him stay?"

I tossed my clothes from my bag into my hamper, while Sarah shrugged. "Where'd you stay?"

Sighing, I pulled out a new set of clothes from my dresser. "My mother's place. How long does he need to stay?"

Sarah shrugged. "He didn't say anything last night."

Which is why you're talking to me. I thought, putting things together. I nodded. "Let me know once you do." I said in my business voice. I zipped my bag up.

"I know you don't like me." I looked up. Huh? "Caleb doesn't trust you. That's why I went through your things. I'm sorry."

Nodding, I smiled. "Just don't do it again and we're cool." Sarah smiled and I left. Stupid conversation, but it may have done something.

- -

Pogue and Tyler sat in silence in the apartment. Pogue ran his hand through hair nervously having finished his rant. Tyler frowned. Reid better wake up and fix this. He thought. Damn.

- -

Alona and I could hear Will Smith's voice flowing inside the hotel room. I tried the door, it was open. We walked in to see Beth holding a little guy just shy of two. She was rapping with the music and he was giggling happily. We waited smirking until she noticed our presence.

"Izzy!" She jumped, or was it skipped, happily over to us. "How'd you get in?" she asked semi-serious.

I laughed as she pulled me into a hug. "You didn't shut your door all the way."

She pulled back and smiled. "Hey Lonnie." she shot. Alona mock frowned and I laughed. Beth put her son onto the floor where he began dancing to the Whitney Houston track that came on. "What did you decide?"

"Wow. You just get right down to business, don't ya." I joked weakly.

"Is that a no?" she sighed.

Alona looked at me with a questioning look as I spoke. "I'll do it."

The look on Beth's face was indescribable relief. "Thanks, Izz." She turned to introduce me to the boy in front of us. I felt Alona watching me as I met him, Colin Jennings.

- -

My mother waited outside the hospital until she saw Caleb and Sarah leave. The pair had taken separate cars to the hospital, so they got caught in an awkward goodbye before turning to go in their respective directions. She waited until they were definitely gone to get out of her car, really it was mine. She had borrowed with out asking.

Glancing around for any sign of Reid's friends, she hurried into the building. No one paid attention to her. That was probably due to the fact that she wasn't dressed in her normal prissy rich girl drab. She had borrowed some of my clothes, again, without asking.

She stopped short of his room. Probably thinking over what she was about to do. She found the wall and leaned against it while her mind went over the pros and cons list one more time.

- -

We said good bye to Beth a few hours later. Beth and I set up a meeting with my lawyer to draw up the papers. By the time we left, Alona and I were both in love with the short little man in the middle of a sad story.