**I'm still needing TITLE IDEAS for this story... so pop one or two... or three into the reviews... please**

PART TWO

Elizabeth leaned back and looked up into Nikolas' earnest expression. "What did you just say?"

He cleared his throat and let out a sigh. "I should have found an easier way to get into it and-"

"No.. no.." Elizabeth held up her hands to stop him short. "The best way to say anything between us is to come out and say it." She let out a breath too. "But marry you? That's um… that's really out of nowhere."

"I know, believe me," Nikolas stepped back and indicated the couch with a gesture, "I wanted to ease into it by explaining why I asked you."

With a curious look, Elizabeth moved past him, dropped her purse on the floor, and sat down with her feet tucked beneath her on the cushion. "Then explain. I know there's more to this than-"

"It's the baby." Again, Nikolas stopped short when he saw the shock on her face. "I'm no good at this."

She gave him a nervous smile. "I don't think anyone our age would be… good at it." She gave the seat beside her a pat and waited while he sat down, bracing his elbows on his knees. "What about the baby… is everything okay?"

"Assuming.." he began, "assuming that the paternity test says that I 'am' the baby's father, I want to make sure that I'm a part of the baby's life."

"Of course," she smiled at him, encouraging him to continue, "if it is your baby, you'll want to be there for him… or her."

"I met with Katherine earlier today. She wanted to 'explain' some things to me." Clasping his hands together he gathered his thoughts. "She told me that if I wanted anything to do with the baby… that i was going to have to change my.. priorities."

Elizabeth saw the white around his knuckles and she covered his hands with her own, drawing his attention to their joined hands. "Nikolas, what's wrong?"

"Katherine says if I want anything to do with child. I need to…" He couldn't even say the words. All he could do is grasp her hands tighter and try to breathe.

Katherine looked up from her paper and smiled at the woman that had just entered Kelly's. "Hello, Laura."

The frost of mistrust colored Laura's normally sweet face. "Katherine."

A languid grin pulled back her lips to show her pearly teeth. "It's been too long, Laura… why don't you share my table."

Laura looked around and saw that the tables were all taken at the moment. "I should just go somewhere else to eat with this rush-"

"No… no… don't do that. I have room at my table and we really should get to know each other better."

Laura eyed the other woman suspiciously. "I think I know all I need to know about you."

Katherine shrugged and leaned back in her chair. "Oh, I think you'd be surprised if you gave me a chance."

Following her instincts, Laura shook her head and turned on her heel, heading for the door as quickly as she could. If there was one thing she was sure of… it was that Katherine Bell was up to no good.

"Laura, wait!" Katherine was on her feet, drawing attention to herself in the crowded restaurant.

Laura turned back and stared at her, shocked by Katherine's behavior. "What?"

"Nikolas and I have some news."

Elizabeth swallowed, hoping it would wet her dry mouth and throat. "Marry her?" She barely squeaked out the words.

Nikolas nodded. "I told her I would want the baby to have my last name, but she wants it as well."

"Marry her?" Elizabeth's volume rose as she repeated the phrase, squeezing her hands tighter around Nikolas'. "But you broke up with her!"

"She considers it one of the examples of… how did she put it… my bad decisions lately." Nikolas adjusted his hands, gently rearranging them to cradle her hands in his. "I went straight to Alexis… explained what was happening."

Elizabeth nodded, Listening for the rest of the story.

"She told me that the only way to fight this… the only way to make sure I had a fair chance and custody of the child… so that Katherine couldn't use him… or her to blackmail me into marriage-"

"Is to get married." She watched him nod… slowly. "But… but why me?"

He lifted her hands and brushed a kiss over her knuckles, a chaste affair and brought tears to her eyes. "Because, you're the only one that I can trust to help me… to help my child."

Elizabeth worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she read the dark thoughts in his eyes. "I don't know, Nikolas," she sighed, "I just don't know."

Laura stepped back up to the table and glared at the other blonde. "What news could my son have that YOU have to tell me?"

Katherine's grin only served to anger Laura more. She hated that she felt so left out of Nikolas' life… and that this woman would be close enough to hold a secret from her.

"Tell me, Katherine!"

Leaning her weight on one leg, her hand resting against her hip, Katherine smoothed her hand over her nearly flat belly, molding the dress to her tell-tale bump. "Congratulations, Laura… you're going to be a grandmother."