AN: *sigh* Fake dating can get so awkward, can't it?

Chapter 5

"Merry Christmas, Jethro," Abbey greeted as he came out of the guest room when she walked by.

"And Merry Christmas to you, doctor," he replied, choosing, in honor of the holiday, to ignore that stupid nickname he hated so much. She did love to tease him.

"I think we'll be opening presents and then going to church," she informed him as they walked down the stairs together.

Jed nodded. "Sounds good to me. But…can I please not sit beside your grandmother on the pew? It's hard for me to pray when she looks at me like that."

"To be fair, she looks at Father O'Malley like that too."

They laughed as they made their way to the living room for Christmas morning. The awkwardness from their almost-kiss the evening before had been ignored if not forgotten. They were back to their usual comfortable banter.

Another moment presented itself, however, when they opened gifts. Jed got a lovely Leonard Bernstein record from the Barringtons, but Abbey had gotten him a gift of her own. He unwrapped the box and opened it. Inside was a very old book. He picked it up carefully to inspect it. His blue eyes were intently focused and a small smile played on his lips.

"It's a directory for the Boston parishes from 1814. The first Catholic directory following the War of 1812," Abbey explained.

Jed gaped at her. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it in an old antique shop when I was in Boston over Thanksgiving. I saw it and knew it was perfect for you. Do you like it?" she asked, somewhat nervously.

"Abbey, this is incredible!" he exclaimed. "Thank you so much. I love it." He wanted to say more but he just wasn't sure how yet. He would be more eloquent with her later, away from her family.

It was then Abbey's turn to open her present from Jed. It was a similarly sized box.

"I'm afraid we kinda had the same idea on gifts," he said with a sheepish grin.

Upon opening the box, Abbey found another very old book. She saw the title and gasped. "Is this a…?"

"Yeah, it's a first edition," he said, answering her half-formed question. "And before you get all upset about how much money I spent, you should know that it was in my grandfather's library and I asked if I could give it to you."

She couldn't take her eyes off the old ancient tome in front of her. "A first edition of Gray's Anatomy. I can't believe this."

Dr. Barrington perked up and came over to look at the book. "Wow, Jed, this is extremely generous."

Jed smiled. "Well, Abbey is an extremely special girl."

Abbey just stared at him. She wasn't sure what to do with that statement. It was a good line to use when pretending to be her boyfriend, but this gift went so far beyond that.

Kate watched the two of them closely and deduced that there was certainly more to their relationship than they were letting on. It was time for her to play detective once more.

After church that afternoon, Kate put her carefully formed plan into place. She wouldn't be sloppy like she had been with the mistletoe. That was miscalculated, clearly. When they got home from church, Kate and Abbey went up to the room they were sharing for the holidays. Gram was in Kate's room and Jed was given the guest room, so the sisters had to share Abbey's room. Once they were alone, Kate flopped onto Abbey's bed while Abbey changed out of her church clothes.

"So tell me more about Jed. You haven't said much. Usually you don't shut up about your boyfriends," Kate said.

Abbey scoffed. "What boyfriends?"

"Oh come on. When you were in high school, you'd tell me about the guys you went out with. Which ones were good kissers. Which ones had small…"

"Kate! I did not tell you that!"

The younger Barrington rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm older now. You can tell me stuff. Tell me about Jed! Is he good in bed?"

Abbey deliberately turned her back to her sister so she wouldn't have to face her as she quickly tried to figure out what to say. She couldn't tell Kate that she and Jed hadn't even kissed, let alone slept together. That would ruin her deception. And Kate never could keep a secret. But Abbey was very uncomfortable lying about intimate things with Jed. Telling her sister that she and Jed had been to bed together just felt so disrespectful to him, even if he would never know. Despite the internal conflict she was having, it didn't take Abbey more than a split second to respond, "I'm not telling you about our sex life. Jed isn't like those other guys. He's special and our private life is going to stay private." Abbey realized that she had perhaps overcompensated with an angry tone.

"Okay, jeez! Don't get all bent out of shape," Kate replied defensively. "What's up with you, anyway? You didn't want to bring him here and then he gets here and you're all on edge all the time."

Abbey turned around again to hide her face, not saying a word.

"Oh my god, are you pregnant!?" Kate asked, sitting up on the bed.

"What!?" Abbey whipped her head around in surprise.

"That's it, isn't it? That's why you're freaking out and walking on eggshells and acting all awkward with Jed!" Kate felt very proud of herself for cracking the mystery.

"I am absolutely NOT pregnant," Abbey insisted. "And keep your voice down! What if someone else hears you? That's the last thing I want anyone in this family to think."

Kate wanted to protest, but Abbey had finished changing her clothes and quickly escaped the room. Alone with her thoughts, Kate reflected on the conversation she had just had with her sister. There was still something there that Abbey was hiding, and even if it weren't pregnancy, it was something. She knew there was something. And she wouldn't rest until she knew what it was!