A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter or has read this story so far...please enjoy!

2.

Tracy slowly walked back up the stairs. She opened the door. Edna greeted her but she said nothing as she just walked to her bedroom and collapsed into a heap of sobs on her bed. Jim followed her. He was unhappy at her not greeting him but sensed that she was not herself. He jumped up besides her and laid his head on her. She thought about the last couple months and tried to figure out what she had done or not done that caused Link to leave. She barely felt her bed move as Edna sat on its edge.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

Tracy moved so she was looking at her mom. Her eyes were red. "Link broke up with me!" she managed to stammer.

"What! Why would he do such a thing? You two have been so happy."

Tracy shrugged and sniffed. Edna had a handkerchief in her pocket. She took it out and handed it to Tracy.

"I'm sure Link will come to his senses and be at that door asking for forgiveness any day now."

"You have to say that because you're my mom."

Edna grinned slightly. "I know that he loves you."

Tracy sighed. She didn't want to tell her mom that she doubted his feelings for her at that moment. Over the next several days Tracy ate little and when she wasn't at work stayed mainly in her bedroom with the door closed. Edna and Wilbur were concerned since they had never seen Tracy act this way. One day Edna called Penny over to see if she could help Tracy.

Penny furtively knocked on the door. "Tracy it's me."

"I'm so tired Penny, come back later."

Penny opened the door. "Too bad I'm coming in."

Tracy was atop her bed. All of the photos of Link had been taken down. There was a shoebox in the corner of the room bursting with those pictures. Penny sat on the edge of the bed.

"I know what Link did and I'm sure there's an explanation."

Tracy looked at Penny. "He didn't give me one and I don't really feel like talking to him right now."

Penny smile a little. "I know he loves you."

"That's what ma said, but Penny I'm not so sure anymore."

Tracy leaned on her pillow. "Actually before he broke up with me we did have a fight."

"You did?"

Tracy nodded. "He wanted to move to California and try to make it there but I'm happy here. I mean my parents, you, Seaweed, Inez, Maybelle and the rest of my friends are here. Plus Corny gave me a really nice job."

"What did Link say?"

"He understood about everyone being in Baltimore but asked me if I wanted an adventure and I told him maybe in a couple of years I'd think about it."

"Want to get out of here and see a movie or something?" Penny asked.

"This place does hold lots of memories. I wish there was some way to forget them all."

Penny had a thought. "I'm sure you don't want to forget them. But I may be able to help you with the pain of this place."

Tracy looked at her curiously.

"As you know Amber and I are getting a place together. We have extra room. Why don't you move in with us?"

"What about my parents?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine. Anyways the house isn't too far away but wouldn't it be nice to have some fresh surroundings?"

Tracy nodded.

Penny smiled. "Then it's settled."

"Don't you have to talk to Amber first?"

Penny shook her head. "I'm sure she'll be fine with it."

Amber was fine with it. She had changed a lot since the pageant and Tracy considered hr a good friend. Edna and Wilbur were saddened to hear that Tracy wanted to move but they understood that she needed it.

"Tracy hun are you sure you want to do this? Edna asked as she was helping Tracy pack.

"Yes ma, it'll be fun living with Penny and Amber. Besides it's not like I'm moving halfway around the world or anything."

Edna nodded.

Wilbur smiled at Tracy then looked at Edna. "Don't worry Edna hun our Tracy has a good head on her shoulders and she'll be fine."

Tracy hugged him. "Thanks dad."

Penny, Amber and Seaweed came to help bring her stuff over on moving day a couple weeks later.

Seaweed wiped his forehead after putting another box in the car. "Did you always have this much stuff Trace?"

Penny kissed his cheek. "Sweetie you know that us girls always have a lot of stuff."

"It's not that bad is it Seaweed?' Amber asked as she came out of the building with Tracy. Both girls had stuff in their hands.

Tracy shrugged. "I've always been kind of a pack rat."

Seaweed sighed looking at all the boxes. "You know all of this has to go into the house too."

"We know Seaweed." Amber replied.

Despite Seaweeds grumbling they got all of Tracy's clothes and stuff into the house with relative ease. Tracy brought Jim with her. Penny and Amber had agreed to give her the master bedroom. They had moved in the weekend before. Later that day after Seaweed left, Penny and Amber helped Tracy unpack. Jim jumped in a few of the boxes. In one box Amber found a picture of Link and Tracy on their one year anniversary.

She held it up to Tracy. "What should I do with this?"

"Throw it away."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Amber tucked it away in her pant pocket. She knew that one day Tracy would regret it if the picture was thrown away.

About a month later Tracy stopped thinking about what went wrong with Link. She had also noticed that she had been running to the restroom more often than was usual for her. She had been slightly lightheaded lately too. As she thought about it she realized that she had missed her period as well. She made an appointment to see the doctor.

Dr. Rodgers always reminded Tracy of a big teddy bear. He was portly and had a kind demeanor.

"What symptoms have you been experiencing?" he asked her.

"Well for the past few days I've been having to go to the bathroom a lot, been lightheaded, and it's been two months since my last period."

He looked straight into her eyes. "Have you been with somebody recently?"

Tracy nodded. "Yes, a little over two months ago but I'd rather not be reminded of him."

"It seems to me that you might be pregnant."

"Pregnant!?"

"We will have to run some tests to be sure but I'm almost positive."

Tracy nodded. A nurse came in and took some blood. She was then told to come back in a couple days for the results. Tracy was nervous as she walked into the doctor's office. She was still so young and the idea of children hadn't really crossed her mind.

Dr. Rodgers smiled at her as he entered the room. "It's as I thought. You are pregnant."

Tracy felt as if she could faint. She thanked the doctor and carefully drove home. Penny and Amber were there waiting for her. Jim greeted her at the door wagging his tail. She bent down and scratched his head as he licked her hand.

"So what did the doctor say?" Penny asked.

"He says I'm pregnant!"

"Is he sure?" Amber inquired.

Tracy nodded as she put her head in her hands. "I never thought that I'd be a mother at 19! And a single mother at that."

"You have us," Penny and Amber said in unison.

"I know and I thank you guys but …"

"It's not the same as having Link," Amber said finishing the sentence.

Tracy nodded solemnly. Jim had come over and again sensing Tracy's anguish sat down besides her. She scratched his head.

The next day Tracy had lunch with her parents.

"So you are having a baby?" Edna asked.

"Yes."

Wilbur looked at her. "How are you feeling about it?"

"Scared. I'm just so young and I'm not even married yet."

Edna thought of another question. "It is Link's right?"

Tracy gasped at the question. "Yes ma. He's the only guy I ever loved."

In her fourth month of pregnancy Tracy started craving all kinds of food. She would even take a baby Ruth bar and dip it in chocolate chip ice cream before taking a bite out of it. She even craved anchovies which normally she hated. Penny and Amber would get her a small pizza with anchovies on it and Tracy would eat the whole thing by herself. She had begun to noticeably gain weight as well. One day before the Corny Collins show started she went to Corny's office.

Corny smiled at her from behind his desk. "Hi Tracy what can I do for you?"

She sat down. "Corny I have something I need to tell you."

"What? Nothing happened to Amber, your parents, Penny, Seaweed or anyone else has it?"

"No, I'm pregnant."

"Does Link know?"

Tracy shook her head. I haven't spoken to him since he broke up with me and I haven't really wanted to."

Corny nodded. He had learned of the breakup days after it happened. Yet he had hoped that Tracy and Link could reconcile because he knew how crazy they were about each other.

"Are you happy about the pregnancy?"

"Yes, I mean I've always wanted children but I never thought I'd be this young."

"If there's anything you need just let me know. And when its time for your leave you'll have a job waiting when you get back."

Tracy started crying. "Thank you Corny. You don't know how much that means to me."

Corny handed her a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes. "Sorry, I've been weepy lately."

Corny nodded. "It's probably natural."

Tracy smiled at him. "Thanks."

Tracy's weepiness was caused by hormones and as time went by they got worse. One day she was helping Penny and Amber clean out a room near the master bedroom so it could be used as the nursery. Amber forgot something downstairs and Penny had left to answer the phone, which turned out to be Seaweed. Tracy was left to carry some boxes of stuff to the basement. She saw Penny smiling happily into the phone and Amber rummaging around in the kitchen.

"FINE I GUESS I'LL DO EVERYTHING MYSELF!" she yelled.

Amber jumped a foot. "Whoa Tracy. I was coming back to help you!"

Penny came into the room. "Trace what's the matter?"

Tracy stared at her stunned friends. "I'm sorry guys. I don't know where that came from."

"I've read that when you're pregnant your hormones go nuts," Penny said.

Amber looked to Penny. "That was frightening. How long does it last?"

Penny shrugged. "Not sure."

Tracy apologized again. She then began to laugh.

"What?" Amber asked.

"The baby just kicked!"

"Can I feel?" Penny asked.

Tracy nodded and both girls went to her. They smiled as they felt the baby.

Penny looked at Tracy. "What does it feel like?'

"Like bubbles."

After the baby calmed Tracy went to her room to take a nap. Jim followed her and jumped on her bed. Penny called Edna to see what they should do about Tracy's mood swings.

"How about we treat her to something nice like a baby shower?" Edna suggested.

"That sounds like a great idea! We could have a Halloween themed shower," Penny said.

"That sounds wonderful Penny."

Amber liked the idea too. They called Maybelle, Inez and the other girls who had been on the council. Tracy was told that her friends were planning a small Halloween party and to wear a costume. She had trouble deciding upon a costume to make at first until Jim licked her hand wanting to be pet. As she petted him an idea formed. Penny decided that she was going to stall Tracy, keeping her upstairs while the others quickly decorated. Amber dressed up Jim in a bonnet and diaper and held him on a leash so he couldn't run upstairs and ruin the surprise. After Penny discerned that everything was ready she led Tracy downstairs. Penny had dressed as a ghost and Tracy made a costume that resembled Jim. Tracy's mouth dropped as she read a sign saying "baby".

"A baby shower for me? No wonder why you wouldn't let me help with the decorations."

She hugged Penny then Amber who was dressed as a beauty pageant winner. She even had a tiara on her head and a sash that read "Miss Baltimore." Edna was dressed as a chef. Noreen was dressed as a white cat and Doreen a black cat. Shelley was a ballerina complete with a pink tutu. Darla looked like a detective and Lou Ann was a mouse. Maybelle dressed as a witch while Inez came as a cheerleader. Becky was dressed as an angel, Jeanette was an opera singer and Tammy was a devil. Brenda dressed as a mummy.

"I'm a good mummy," she told Tracy making a play on the word "mummy" and "mommy."

Tracy smiled. "I'm sure your daughter would agree."

Amber had allowed Jim off his leash and he ran to Tracy wagging his tail.

Edna smiled. "Can I get a picture of you and Jim?"

Tracy looked at Jim. "Sure."

She sat down on the couch and motioned for Jim to sit next to her. He did and she put her arm on his back, scratching it. Edna grabbed a camera and snapped a picture of them. The "baby" sign was in the background.

Penny and Amber made chicken and steak quesadillas. Edna made a chocolate cake. Maybelle and Inez made rice with small bits of carrots and peas in it. Tammy and Becky brought fruit punch and cups. Everyone grabbed a plate and dug into the food.

"So is the nursery ready yet?" Darla asked.

"Not yet but I still have a few months."

"They will go by fast," Brenda told her.

"Have you thought of names?" Tammy asked.

Tracy smiled. "I like Robby for a boy or Margaret for a girl."

"Those are nice names," Shelley said.

"Thanks Shelley."

After cake it was time for presents.

"I got you a crib and sheets for the baby, it'll be here in a couple days," Edna told her.

"Thanks ma."

"You're welcome."

Penny and Amber put their money together and bought Tracy furniture for the nursery, including a dresser and changing table. Maybelle gave her a rocking chair that she had used with Seaweed and Inez. Brenda gave Tracy a teddy bear for the baby and pacifiers. Tammy gave her some baby clothes she found in the store. They could go for either a boy or girl. Inez bought her a baby blanket and a couple matching pillows. Both had moons and stars on them. The rest of the girls chipped in and gave a gift coupon so she could buy diapers, and anything else she needed.

"Thank you all."

The doorbell rang and Amber answered it. She smiled as she let Corny in. Jim bounced over and greeted him.

He flashed his famous smile. "Hi girls."

Tracy walked over to him. "Corny what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let my favorite assistant have a baby shower without giving her something."

Tracy saw that he had a box in his hand. IQ came in behind him with a bigger box. They put them down once they got inside. Tracy unwrapped them. Jim ran around the paper yelping happily. She found a high chair and car seat.

She smiled and hugged Corny then IQ. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Might I add that all you lovely ladies look stunning." As he said this he looked at everyone but allowed his gaze to linger on Amber.

Over the next few weeks Tracy, Edna, Penny and Amber got the nursery ready. The furniture had arrived and Seaweed and IQ had helped them put the heavier items in place. The car seat and high chair were placed in the basement for the time being. Tracy's bulging stomach put pressure on her back causing it to ache. Her feet were often swollen as well. Amber and Penny tried to help with rubbing her back and getting her pillows to rest her feet on. Her mood swings had lessened much to her friends relief.

On Tracy's last day at work before her leave she was sitting watching the couples practice a new routine for the show. As she was remembering her days on the show she felt something wet between her legs. She quickly stood and found Maybelle in her office.

"Maybelle I think I'm having the baby."

Maybelle jumped up. "I'll take you to the hospital."

She grabbed her pocketbook and keys and gently helped Tracy to the car.

TBC.....