Ahhh, how I love reviews. They're such, such an ego boost – what is this, a needle before me? No, no, I promise I'll be humble, never allow my head to fill! – thank you all who have reviewed for doing so.

Chapter Five

Her cell rang three times.

Samantha lay in a ball on her bed, feeling tears trickle down the side of her face and onto her pillow.

Why had she told him? Why had she gone to the hospital to tell him she was pregnant but possibly not too him? Why hadn't she just waited, got a paternity test first before she broke the news.

Oh yes, that was right, because then she would have to tell Danny as well, and that was one conversation she had absolutely no intention of having.

Somehow they were managing to maintain a civil relationship, only conversing when something to do with the case at hand came up, but no longer were they sharing the little quips that had previously filled the silences between them.

She heard her cell's ring-tone start for the fourth time, and like the previous three, she had no intention of answering. If Jack or someone stopped by to check she was alive she would just say she left her phone in the kitchen when she went to bed. It's a simple lie and she didn't care if she got found out.

But immediately her thoughts returned to Martin's face. What had she done? It no longer mattered if this baby turned out to be his because he would still know that she had cheated on him, despite the fact that the other person she had been with was after they broke up.

Why the hell did I have to sleep with Danny the night Martin ended it? She thought to herself angrily. And why the hell did I have to sleep with Danny, at all!

Everything was a mess, just the way Samantha Spade used to like it. Martin had changed her, damn him for that – no, don't damn him for that – no do, aargh! I don't know what I want anymore she thought, before scrunching up her eyes and crying again.

And just when Samantha really wanted to be alone, she heard the repeated knocking at her door. Initially, she remained in the ball on her bed, unmoving. But she hated her apartment, how someone knocking at the front door always echoed around, and whoever was at her door seemed to know this, or knew she was inside and wasn't letting up.

After ignoring the pounding at her door, Sam finally moved, wiping the tears from her eyes, stumbling to her front door, before peeking through the small hole.

Damn it! Why does it have to be him

She didn't want to open the door now; she didn't want him to be in the place where they had enacted the ultimate betrayal.

"Sam, let me in!" His voice demanded, evidently he'd been looking at the crack between the door and the floorboards and seen her shadow.

Why did I leave the lights on?

"What do you want?" She asked, finally opening the door, but not moving to allow him in.

Danny sighed in front of her, seeing how red and puffy her eyes were, knowing she'd been crying. "You didn't answer your cell, and we have a case." He responded.

"I'm not feeling well," which was the truth. "I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to call Jack with that news, now you've saved me a phone call. I'll see you tomorrow." She tried to shut the door on him, but he struck out his hand, not allowing Sam to shut him out.

"I also happened to visit Martin this morning." Immediately Sam went cold, feeling her body freeze and stiffen. "And I happened to learn some unfortunate news." He had stepped close to her, lowering his voice.

Sam held up her head, staring him down. So he knew she was pregnant, so what? She had no intention of letting him into her apartment when all she currently wanted to do was cry out her heart before finding some way of earning Martin's forgiveness.

"Is it true?" He whispered, his face millimeters from hers.

Sam refused to break, but she felt the pain of guilt return. "So what if it is? I don't need your sympathy."

Danny backed away from her, stunned. "My sympathy?" He gasped, before returning to his previous menacing position, and this time, managing to get Sam to back away, allowing him entrance to her apartment, and a chance to allow this conversation to pass privately. "You're pregnant, and there is every possibility that it's mine. And no matter what you do, if that turns out to be true, I want to be a part of its life!"

Sam stared at him, before turning away, wanting to escape, wanting, more than anything to have a drink, get drunk and not have to worry about the consequences. Hold it, Samantha. Last time you were drunk in Danny's presence, things happened that right now you wish hadn't.

"What if I don't want it?" Sam retorted, managing to enter the kitchen and pull a bottle of water from her fridge.

"If you didn't want this kid, Sam, you wouldn't have told Martin. You would have immediately booked a time for an abortion." Sam stared at him horrified.

"Is that what you think I would do? Is that truly who you think I am?" She barked at him, placing the bottle on the bench and stepping towards him.

Danny sighed, hanging his head, remembering a time, many years ago, when she had told him she could only have an abortion if she was raped, otherwise she'd give the kid up for adoption unless she was desperately in love with the father and knew he loved her; but that was unlikely as she'd had her heart broken too many times to allow it to love someone again.

"No." He responded quietly.

"Then why did you think it!" She exclaimed, stepping close to him and jabbing a finger into his chest.

"Damn it, Sam, I was angry!" He responded.

Sam nodded, unconvinced but not feeling in the mood to keep up the argument. Her mind wandered to another issue, that being the one Danny had first spoken of. "What did you tell Martin?" She asked him.

Danny looked up at her. "About us?" Sam looked at him, earning a scoff. "You think I would honestly tell him that I'm the other guy?" He countered.

"What else could I think?" She asked him moving away, wanting more water.

"I'm sorry, Sam. But that conversation is one you're going to have to have with him." He said quietly, taking a seat in one of her sofas.

Sam stopped in the doorway, turning and looking at him. Danny was watching her, and saw the expression on her face, and knew their arguing was over. Now was the time for advice to be given.

"How am I supposed to tell him?" She asked him quietly. "You're his best friend. That's the ultimate betrayal. I was his girlfriend. It may hurt you to hear this, but I love him."

"I know you do." Danny interrupted. "And I know it's reciprocated. Letting the part about me slip by, tell him it was an accident after you broke up. Tell him it was a few weeks after."

"A few weeks after would be now." Sam interrupted quietly.

Danny hung his head, walking up to her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "It's either that or you tell him the whole truth, and everyone gets hurt."

Sam sighed knowing he was right. Go Samantha! Tell him! Just, re-gain your courage first. Sam thought, before immediately remembering why she hated her conscience.

--§--

Remember to Review!