He searches his eyes for answers, but they refuse to reveal anything. He scrutinizes her face, searching for some clue as to why she's done this to him. She sits on the end of the bed in her bra, and panties, looking up at him. He can't help but shift his glance to her stomach. He shakes his head in disbelief.

"This is why you've been pushing me away? You didn't want me to find out that you were pregnant?"

"Yes," she whispers.

"Mac, I honestly don't know what to say," his face begins turning red as his anger increases.

She doesn't say anything in response.

"This is why you jumped at the chance to come here?"

"Yes," she nods.

"Were you actually planning on coming home?"

She breaks eye contact. Her hand comes to rest on her stomach. With a look of guilt she stares at her stomach. She swallows hard.

"I seriously considered staying here," she admits.

"So that I would never find out?"

She nods.

"Am I that bad?" He questions.

She swallows hard, choking back tears. She looks up to meet his glance. "No."

"Then why wouldn't you want to tell me?"

"I didn't expect for this to happen," she begins.

"Neither of us did."

"I was completely caught off guard. I always knew that at some point I wanted a child, but I didn't anticipate that it would happen now, like this."

"With me?"

"For the first time in my life my career seems trivial. I find myself thinking about leaving the marine corp more and more each day. I just want a normal life."

"So you would prefer to be a single mom, than raise a child with me?"

"I didn't say that," she insists.

"Your actions certainly did."

"I have never wanted anything more than I want her. I guess I thought that it would be easier to stay here, because no one really knows me here. I would have a fresh start without all of the baggage."

"How seriously were you consider staying here?"

"I have already written my resignation," she answers.

"So your plan was to resign from JAG?"

"Yes."

"And from the Marines?"

"Yes," she confirms.

"And stay here in North Carolina, and raise her on your own?"

"Yes."

"What were you planning on telling me?"

"Nothing."

"What if your plan had succeeded? What if you had her without me finding out? What if I found out five, or ten years down the road?"

She shrugs, "It's complicated."

"Simplify it for me," he replies in a firm tone.

"I didn't think that you needed to be involved."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"I didn't think that you would want this."

"Why wouldn't I want to be part of my child's life?"

"I didn't, I don't think that you're ready," she admits.

"What are you saying?"

"How many times have you just gone off on a whim, and left town? How do I know that you are going to be around when she needs you? How can I be certain that if an opportunity to fly an F-14 comes up that you won't leave? I don't want you in her life if you can't be there for her consistently. I don't want her to spend her entire childhood waiting for someone who is only going to disappoint her. I don't want to have to pick up the pieces when she realizes that you aren't coming home," a lump begins to form in her throat.

"Is that what you really think is going to happen?"

"How am I supposed to know what is really going to happen? You have always been impulsive. You always put flying above everything else."

"You truly believe that I am going to abandon my child?"

"If duty calls?" She arches an eyebrow, "Yes."

"And you are really willing to give all of it up? You are really ready to ignore the call of duty?"

"It's a different call of duty now," she explains.

"What are you really afraid of?"

"I am afraid that despite our best efforts our child will end up…" she trails off.

"Like what?"

"Us," she answers.

"What is so wrong with us?"

"We're broken. I don't want her to feel so damn conflicted all of the time. I want her to be able to have normal, healthy relationships with other people."

"That's not going to happen."

"You don't know that," she argues.

"You're afraid that I will turn into my father? You're afraid that I will leave one day, and never come back?"

"I don't think that my fear is baseless."

"And you're afraid that you will abandon her like your mother abandoned you?"

She shakes her head as the tears in her eyes begin to spill onto her cheeks, "No."

"No?"

"I'm not afraid of that."

"Why not?"

"Because there isn't a reason good enough for me to leave her. Not now, not ever."

"I am not going to leave her either."

"You're going to have to prove that to me," she insists.

"Why do I have to prove myself to you? Why don't you have to prove yourself to me?"

"I am not going to justify myself to you."

"That is unfair. Why should I have to justify myself to you?"

"You don't have to carry her."

"What is your point?"

"You don't have to give birth to her. You don't have to stay. You are free to walk through that door at any time. I can't stop you. I can't make you want this. I can't force you to want her."

"Sarah, what would ever make you think that I wouldn't want her? In what universe do you think I would ever walk away from my child?"

"How do I know that you won't?"

"I guess that you're just going to have to trust me," he answers.

"I don't know if I can do that."

"You're going to have to try."

She stares into his eyes, and nods in agreement.