I see why people get so addicted to writing this stuff. I only had to see that twenty people read my story for me to automatically put up a second chapter and start this one. Keep the reviews coming and make suggestions! And this story ignores the eclare make up

"I can't ask you to do that. You don't know how hard this could get; I haven't even told my mom yet, and you know how she is!" Clare's mind was reeling from the way her day was starting. She found out she was pregnant, was dumped, and now had an offer of help from the last person she would have suspected.

Eli's lips twisted into the smirk he was so infamous for, and she knew he wasn't backing down. "Well as long as you're begging, Edwards, how could I say no?", he asked with a sarcastic tone.

She smiled against her will and thanked God that Eli was still with her. She searched his face for any hint of doubt but only found compassion and determination. "How could I say no to help with my mom in all this." They laughed together before Clare sobered at her thoughts of how that conversation would go.

Eli saw the change in her demeanor and could follow her train of thought easily. "Have you thought about what you want to do yet?" He didn't want to push her too far yet, but decisions had to be made soon.

"I think I might want to keep it, because this is my baby. I want to raise my little girl or boy and introduce him or her to grandma and hold his or her hand on the first day of school, you know?" Clare thought she must sound insane. No normal teenager would find herself pregnant and start thinking about taking her kid to the first day of school.

Eli knew Clare very well and had expected her to be attached to her baby already, but he was worried about everything she wasn't mentioning. "I think it's great that you're thinking about all the good things, but there are negatives too. You'll have to juggle school work and taking care of a baby, and how are you going to go to college with a two year old to look after? Babies cost a lot of time and money too! I'm not trying to change your mind, but there's good and bad to any option in this situation."

Clare saw that Eli had her best interest at heart, but this was what she wanted. "I know it won't be easy, but I want my baby."

Eli was being honest when he told her that he would support whatever decision she chose. "Okay. So, is your mom working today?" He was always one to get straight to the point, and this was no exception.

Clare swallowed nervously before answering. "Y- you want to tell her n- now? Maybe we should wait and think about how we're going to tell her." As she finished her sentence a thought suddenly struck her. "You're coming with me, right?" Her voice rose a pitch when she voiced her fears aloud. Clare had assumed Eli was going, but she had never asked him.

Eli chuckled lightly and said, "Course I am. I can't let you have all thee fun, and we should tell her now before you get yourself worked up. Since you avoided the question, I'm assuming she's not working today. We can take Morty, since he's all fixed up now."

There was no room for argument, but Clare didn't want to stall any longer. She nodded in defeat and watched the floor. Eli stood and held out his hand to help her up. She took his hand, and he gently pulled her to her feet and toward the door. Clare was annoyed with herself for being disappointed when his hand fell away from hers while they were walking. They walked in silence to Eli's hearse, and Clare felt like she was being jolted into a past life. Urban adventures, meaningful glances, and sweet kisses assaulted her memory. Eli opened the passenger side door for her, as always, and walked to the driver's side to get in. "Eli, I really don't want to do this, and how am I supposed to explain us?"

It was Eli's turn to sigh in defeat, because he had been avoiding those same questions. "As for not wanting to tell her now, there's no point in putting off what will show itself soon. About us, just don't tell her I'm the father, because she might think that's worse than you being pregnant." He tried to laugh like it was a joke, but they both felt the weight of the impending conversation looming over them. Morty came to a halt in front of the Martin-Edwards home, and the two teenagers stepped out.

Clare took a deep breath and pushed the door open. "Who's there?", her mother called cautiously from the kitchen.

A reassuring nod from Eli helped Clare call back. "It's me, mom. I need to talk to you. I know I'm supposed to be in school, but it can't wait." Clare was beginning to ramble but cut off as soon as her mom entered the den. Helen's worried expression made Clare's guilt hit her hard. She gestured to the couch, and her mom sat. "Why is Eli here?" Helen hadn't forgiven Eli for the way he and Clare's relationship had ended, and it showed.

"He's helping me with this." Clare and Eli stood in front of her mother as Clare began down a long road. "I'm pregnant." Clare was almost proud of herself for keeping her voice steady, although she couldn't say the same for her erratic heart beat.

Helen sat in shock much like Parker had as she processed what her daughter had told her. She looked between Clare and Eli and made a few quick connections to his presence here. She stood in a furious rage and pointed an accusing finger at Eli. "You! How could you do this to my daughter? Clare was such a good girl before she met you, and now she's pregnant!" Helen's words hit Eli like a punch to the gut, because he had often thought the same things of himself. Then Helen rounded on Clare. "And you! I can't believe you let this- this boy talk you into this!" She said the word "boy" as if it were some foul poison. "I didn't raise you to be like this, and he's the one who changed you!"

"It's not Eli's!"