A/N: This is the last chapter! I will not be updating this story anymore :( I had to end it because school is starting soon and so I will not have as much time! Pleeeease review!

The doorbell rang at the Juergens' house. Ashley, Amy's fourteen year old sister, went to answer it. It was the bag boy from the grocery store—the one that gave her a lift one hot day while she was ditching school.

"Hi," Henry, the bag boy, said shyly. He had orange hair, Irish freckles, and nice blue eyes. He wore a pair of dark denim jeans with a white tee-shirt, backpack slung over his shoulder.

"Um, hi," returned Ashley, looking puzzled. She looked over her shoulder to see if her mother was watching. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Uh, well, you left something in my car from the other day." Henry pulled a box of condoms out of his backpack. He handed them to Ashley. It took a moment to process until she finally realized they were her condoms. She could feel the color rising in her cheeks. She had wondered where they had gone the past eight months.

"Oh," she said, and set the condoms down at a nearby coffee table. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Henry said. "I—um, bye." He ran down the steps and into the driveway to his car.

Ashley bolted down the steps and halfway out the driveway. "Hey, wait!" she said, but Henry had already raced off. She shook her head. "Coward."

She heard someone—or possibly something—cough behind the bushes. Ashley faltered, wondering if she was imagining this. "Hey, who's behind there?" she called. No answer. She walked slowly, like a cat on the prowl, around the bush. Suddenly, Ricky jumped out.

"Oh!" she cried, taken by alarm. She took a few moments to catch her breath. "Who are you? You look familiar."

"I'm Ricky," he said. "Remember? Your sister? Her…?" Ricky gestured to his own stomach.

"Oh, right, you're the one who got her pregnant." Ashley crossed her arms. "What are you doing here? She said she would call you when she wanted."

"She did call," Ricky retorted. "Said she wanted to talk." He walked around Ashley, and before he knocked on the door, he turned around again. "Hey," he said to Ashley, who was still standing there, confused. "You like that kid?"

Ashley didn't answer at first. "Maybe," she said. "Who cares?"

"I hear he's single." Ricky smiled a little, surprising even himself. "And I hear he likes someone." He turned back, looked at the ground, and knocked, not sure what to say next.

Amy took her time getting down the stairs, clutching her belly as she did. "Who is it?" she called, which was pretty stupid to say since she knew it was Ricky.

"It's me," he said. Amy recognized his voice and opened the door quickly.

"Hi," said Amy, and smiled, trying to calm her nerves. "Um, come in." She opened the door wider so Ricky could step in.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine outside," Ricky said, seemingly self-confident. Amy rolled her eyes and took his hand, pulling him inside. It felt warm and clammy…or maybe that was her hand.

She stopped and turned around, as she had been guiding him to the family room. "Hey—were you talking to my sister out there?"

"Yeah? So?" Ricky was in a bad mood. He always seemed annoyed lately—was he thinking about the baby too? "I can talk to whoever I want."

Amy began to rethink whether talking to Ricky would be the right thing to do. "Never mind," she snapped. They came to the dimly lighted family room, and stood in the space between the coffee table and the couch. Ricky looked down at Amy's hand, which—to Amy's embarrassment—was still interlocked with his.

"Oh, right, sorry," Amy said, quickly pulling away and wiping her hand on her jeans. Ricky gave that overbearing crooked smile of his and sat down.

"So? What do you want to 'talk' about so badly? I can't stay long. I've got a meeting with my therapist." Ricky laid back, foot set on the table comfortably. He seemed relaxed all of a sudden.

"I need to talk to you about the…baby." Amy avoided Ricky's eyes and stared at the walls, choosing her words carefully. "I—I've decided to keep him." She took her chance and glanced over at Ricky. His eyes had dropped to his shoe, which was propped up on the sturdy wooden table. It slid off absentmindedly.

"Oh." He didn't take his eyes off the flower pot on the table. Amy wished he would look at her. "I thought you were…putting it up for adoption, though."

"So did I," said Amy. She could feel the strength gaining in her voice. "But when I went to that clinic the other day…after I saw…you…I guess I just decided to keep him." Now she didn't take her eyes off him. She wanted him to look at her. "Ricky, I want my baby to have a good life, even if he's going to be raised by two teenagers." She winced as Ricky's head snapped around, eyes wide.

"Two teenagers?" Ricky sounded petrified. He wasn't sure of what she had just said. He was sure that Amy wasn't seeing anybody. And if she wasn't seeing anybody…did she mean what she just said? As soon as it made sense, he cried, "Are you on drugs?"

Amy looked taken aback. "What? No, listen to me—!"

"I'm not going to listen to you if you're going to talk crap like this!" Ricky stood up, nearly running for the door.

"Ricky, no!" Amy cried. She got up and tried to walk as fast she could. "Why are you leaving? I haven't even finished!"

"I already know what you're going to say, Juergens. You want me to help you raise the baby, huh? Want me to be a father against my own will?" Ricky made a show of covering his ears as Amy opened her mouth to protest.

"My gosh, Ricky, do you only think about the worst parts of everything?" Amy shouted. They were actually shouting, like an old married couple. "I know you care for my baby. He's your baby, too, after all! Do you ever listen to anyone?"

"I don't care about your baby, okay? Hear that? Your baby! I don't give a crap if you tell people it was Ben, either! He can take credit if he wants. For all I care, he could help you raise him!" Ricky finally turned and looked her right in her eyes. "I don't care about you! I don't need you or your kid in my life!"

Amy was desperate. Her mind was reeling; Ricky was angry now, and there was no way to convince him. "Yes, but I need you, Ricky!" she blurted. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a gentle expression take over Ricky's face.

"What?" Ricky said after a moment of dead silence. It seemed that the world had stopped turning, along with his breathing.

Amy let out a sob. "Yeah. I need you, Ricky. I thought I hated you, but I guess I've been loving you this whole time. I can't do this alone, Ricky, whether I keep him or not. I need someone who cares about my baby, someone who's willing to do anything for him." Amy paused and looked into Ricky's eyes. "Someone who's willing to do anything for me."

"W-Well, I wouldn't say I fit that criteria," said Ricky sarcastically. Amy laughed a little, not knowing whether he was serious or not. Suddenly she ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist, head pressed against his chest, not caring whether he would push her away or just leave her there. Not caring whether he would reject her or love her back or whatever else he could do.

Ricky was shocked. He had never suspected this. Especially not after the way Amy had yelled at him in the clinic. He wondered what he should do—tell her he couldn't do this or that he felt the same way. He wasn't so sure at that moment.

"I love you, Ricky," Amy whispered. After hearing this, he knew she was right—he cared about the baby. He cared about her, too. Everything he said had been a lie…he just never realized it. Eventually his arms found their way around Amy, holding her close. Amy pulled away, and leaned up towards Ricky's face. He leaned in too. They kissed, kissed for what seemed like days, and continued on into their forever.

A/N: This is the last chapter! I will not be updating this story anymore :( I had to end it because school is starting soon and so I will not have as much time! Pleeeease review!