Wow! I totally forgot about this story! I'll try to keep up with this one, along with other stories I've been writing over on A03.

…..

By the weekend, Syndey was experiencing other strange cravings, mostly to foods that she hated with a passion. A quick run to the grocery store almost resulted in a panic attack, when she started throwing bags of jelly beans and coming up with ideas on what spinach would go well with.

When Saturday night rolled around, Syndey was ready to crack. A planned dinner with Ben, Abigail and little Alex, was the escape she needed. She was pleased to see that spinach was not included on the table of roasted turkey, potatoes and mixed vegetables. As Ben and Riley went off to look at a few documents in the study, the girls stayed in the kitchen with Alex to finish preparing for dinner.

"Riley was telling Ben, who told me of course, that you've been acting werid this week," Abigail said, as she set a few rolls into the oven to warm up.

"Weird?" Syndey frowned, as the blonde nodded. "How so?"

Abigail closed the oven door and set the oven mitts onto the counter, "You've been muttering a lot to yourself," she started, which made Syndey snort. "Eating food that you otherwise wouldn't touch with a ten foot poll. Jellybeans and hot pockets?"

Syndey sighed, "I almost bought spinach the other night at the store," she admitted, as Abigail's eyes went wide. "I know! And this morning for breakfast, I really wanted to put ketchup all over my scrambled eggs and the thought of it made me throw up….literally."

"Syd, do you think maybe all these weird cravings might suggest that you're…" Abigail started, waving her hands in a circle.

"Pregnant?" Syndey finished for her. "Honestly? Yes. I was doing the math in my head and I haven't had a period since Riley and I took that trip upstate."

The blonde nodded, "So, two months?" she calculated in her head. "Okay, I have pregnancy tests in my bathroom under the sink…"

Syndey frowned, "What? Why do you have them under your sink? Were they on sale or something?"

"Ben and I are trying for another baby," she admitted, earning a surprised gasp. "I know it's still early after Alex's birth, but we want them close in age."

"A year really isn't that early, Abby," Sydney said, shrugging. "If you and Ben want to have another baby now, then do it."

Alex screeched from his highchair, crushing his cookies on the tray as he smacked his hands down.

"What about you?" Abigail asked, moving to clean up the mess. "Are you and Riley ready for kids?"

"We really haven't talked much about it," Syndey said quietly. "I mean, we've been married for six months."

Abigail shrugged, wiping the crumbs into a dish. "You've been together for longer than that," she said, as Alex whimpered. "You both have really good jobs and you have the townhouse, which is enough for you two and a baby."

The younger woman nodded, playing with a napkin. "What if I am pregnant and Riley freaks?" she asked. "Freaks out so bad that he leaves?"

"Riley would never leave you, Syd," Abigail said softly. "That boy loves you too much to let you go."

Sydney nodded, "How about we hand off Alex to the boys and we go take a test?" Abigail suggested. "That way you know and you can plan on when and how you'll tell Riley?"

"Okay," she nodded, as Abigail took Alex out of the highchair. "But what about the food in the oven?"

Abigail waved it off, "The heat is on low, so it'll be fine," she said, as they started out of the kitchen. "I'm going to send Ben in here anyway to set the table."

…

"From what you're telling me, it sounds like it's either the time of the month or she's pregnant," Ben shrugged, as he set a plate down on the table.

Riley dropped the napkin in his hand, "W-what?" he blinked, as Ben moved to the next spot at the table. "But we're not trying for babies!"

Ben snorted, "Abby and I weren't trying when she got pregnant with Alex," he said, as the younger man paled. "Riley, it's really no big deal if she is pregnant. You're both in a good place and it's not like you're struggling for money."

"That's not the point," Riley shook his head. "We've only been married for six months! We're still in the honeymoon phase!"

"You've been in the honeymoon phase since we left Italy," Ben stated. "Do you not want kids? Because I'm pretty sure Sydney does, because every time she's with Alex or sees a baby, she talks about wanting one."

The younger man sighed, "I do want kids," he nodded. "But I figured we'd wait until after our anniversary to start trying for them."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but sometimes you can't handle what happens," Ben shrugged, setting the last dish down. "But I'm just suggesting the possible reasons as to why your wife is stuffing her face with jellybeans. I could be wrong and it might be that time of the month. Abby gets all weird when that happens."

"Yeah?" Riley asked, as Ben nodded. "What does she eat that's so weird?"

"Taco Bell."

Riley blinked, "I mean, she hates fast food and threatens to kill me whenever I suggest a fast food run instead of cooking," Ben said. "But Taco Bell seems to be the big hit, once a month for seven days."

"Can we stop talking about periods," Riley asked. "I'm going to jump off your roof if we keep talking about this."

Ben held up his hands, "Okay, okay," he chuckled. "Just talk to Sydney when you get home tonight or tomorrow."

Riley nodded, as Ben started for the kitchen. "And Riley?" Ben stopped. "If she's pregnant or not, you're going to be a great dad. There's no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't be."

….

Sydney sat quietly on the toilet, while Abigail stood at the counter, chewing at her nails.

"Syd? How are you feeling?" Abigail asked, watching the young woman carefully.

"Like I'm going to faint. Or chew my nails down until they're nothing," she replied, her left foot shaking. "I'm pregnant."

Abigail nodded, "You are," she confirmed, glancing down at the two, positive pregnancy tests. "You still have to go to the doctor to get the official test, but I think this is legit."

Sydney sighed, covering her face with her hands. "Oh god," she moaned. "Riley is going to freak out."

"Riley will freak out just as much as you are," Abigail corrected her. "Let's just go downstairs and eat dinner. Afterwards, we'll go in the den and relax, before Alex goes to bed."

"Oh god," Syndey shook her head. "Oh god."

Abigail sighed, "Syndey, it's going to be fine!" she insisted. "Tomorrow, you'll call the doctor and you'll go with Riley. Stop freaking out! That's an order!"

The young woman nodded, "I'll tell Riley when we're at home later," she said, smoothing the front of her shirt down. "It's going to be fine. It's going to be fine."

"Come," Abigail started for the bathroom door. "Before they come up here, looking for us."

Slowly, Syndey stood up and grabbed the tests, shoving them into her pocket before following Abigail out of the bathroom and downstairs.