Chapter 7:

Freddie picked up the phone. He tried to dial the number, but his fingers kept shaking. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this nervous calling Daphne, not since middle school when he first asked her to the "Snow Ball," a Christmas dance, as "friends."

An eon had passed since then. Back then his only fear was the reaction when people found out he might "like" a girl. Now he was twenty-one. An adult. And the old fear seemed cute, maybe even comical. Would this fear ever seem that way?

Velma answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, Velma... is Daphne there?" Freddie didn't even need to say who he was. The gang had recognized each other's voices perfectly since they were thirteen.

"Actually, Freddie, she just set off for your place, maybe five minutes ago... she said she wanted to talk to you."

"So she leaves and when I call she's not there."

"Basically." Velma giggled. "But actually, it's better this way. See, I'm going to need the phone a lot this evening, regarding my student loans and whatnot."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I guess I'll just straighten up the place for when she gets here. Thanks."

"See ya."

Freddie hung up the phone and turned around.

The place was a wreck.

He started with the half-eaten chip bags-- those were the most obvious abomination-- and the Superman comics he'd sworn he gave up his freshman year of high school. He worked his way down from there, so by the time Daphne arrived he was about to dig out the vacuum cleaner. Well, now that she was here, what could he do?

"Hey, Daphne," he said, opening the door, pretending he hadn't received a tip-off from Velma that his girlfriend was coming over. "What a surprise."

"I know, I know. But I had to talk with you in person... I don't know why. Nothing makes sense, lately." She followed him into the living room and plopped down next to him on the couch.

"I think I know what you mean..." Freddie told her, and watched her bright eyes close as she sighed. She was beautiful...

Freddie had often imagined her, back when all they were doing was dating (and occasionally kissing), years in the future, someday when maybe they were married. He had imagined the scene where she would tell him she was pregnant, and they would both be enthralled at the prospect of being new parents. Or maybe she wouldn't have to tell him. Maybe he would have been sitting right next to her at the doctor's office, both anticipating the results...

But all that was gone now. Yes, this was their first child, but they weren't married, not even engaged, and this baby had been an accident. Sure, a lot of things could change... he could ask her to marry him. Sheesh, he could even do so right now. He didn't have a ring, and he hadn't asked Mr. Blake, and they weren't in a very romantic setting... but still, he could ask...

He snapped out of it. This was stupid. Yes, he and Daphne were in love, and Freddie had often dreamed of marrying Daphne, but they had never talked about it... not really. Maybe Daphne had never even thought about marrying him... maybe to her he was just another boyfriend. Sure, they had been going out off-and-on since (excluding that one dance in middle school) tenth grade, but they had never actually stayed together more than a year... until now, anyway. Up until the start of their junior year of college, they had broken up periodically, Daphne would start dating someone else, she would get tired of him, she and Fred would get back together, and the whole thing would start over again.

But maybe this time was different. Maybe this time was serious. They hadn't broken up yet... but was that because they were older, more mature, and more committed, or just because it was hard to get tired of someone who lived at a completely different school and only saw you a few times a year?

What if Daphne didn't feel about him the way he felt about her? What if he really was "just another boyfriend," and just happened to be the one who left her stuck with it? What if she was even mad at Freddie, now that, whether they would get married or not, they would have to somehow find a way of raising this kid together?

What if?

Freddie had been so lost in thought that the sound of snoring almost scared him. Daphne had fallen asleep against his arm. She looked so peaceful, like she trusted him completely and wasn't at all mad at him for getting her pregnant. She didn't look like she was worried about anything at all...

Freddie crossed his fingers and hoped that sleep wouldn't lie...

A/N: I know, I know... some people would say that line about Fred not having asked Daphne's father is completely sexist... forgive me and go along with it, okay?