Thanks for reviewing, Elizabeth Life Stone (always first to review a new chapter), Katie Grimm (what did you figure?), Bloodylilcorpse ( :-) ) and the guest reviewer (will still be in this fic). Now, there is something going on that's just not right...

I had to admit, being disowned actually felt a little better than I'd expected. It helped that I sort of knew it was going to happen, and that I had somewhere else to stay. No criticism or annoying little sisters (although Lucy and Sophie did call me themselves and demand to know where I was, saying they didn't disown me). I could do what I liked and no one could stop me. Well, Duncan could always kick me out of the place, but I was pretty sure that he liked having me around too much. Correction: He liked having me around because I didn't demand affection, but we almost always wanted the same thing at the same time. More than once, we said "Wanna make out?" at the exact same time. Also, there was no one who could possibly walk in on us when we were screwing each other (we shared a bed and often ended up doing that a couple of times).

But that day during the challenge when I threw up into the toxic waste moat was just the start of my troubles. I started blowing chunks regularly. Like every day. Let me tell you, hanging out in a bathroom with a running nose and watery eyes while any food was being rejected and ejected is one of the worst feelings ever that isn't emotion-related.

And speaking of emotions – I was PMSing. A lot. Sometimes I was in a really bitchy mood. I actually expected Duncan to get tired of it and kick me out, but he didn't. "I dated Courtney for nearly a year." he explained. "And then Gwen for more than a year. All girls get like this. I've learned to live with it."

Worse, even though I kept losing my breakfast (and usually lunch, too), I was slowly gaining weight, and I soon became terrified of what was going on. I didn't tell anyone...not yet, anyway. But I got it tested, about three weeks after it began.

Positive. It was happening – and I didn't need to take a paternity test to check what was happening. I'd been on the pill when I was with Duncan, and I'd started taking it again ever since we moved in together, plus we always used protection...but...

I was pregnant. At seventeen. And it was Mal's kid. And worse, senior year was starting in two weeks, and there was no way I was going to go back to school while everyone noticed I'd been knocked up. The guys I hung with would never respect me again!

I calculated how long it had been since All-Stars. About one and a half months...seven and a half to go. And although I wasn't showing yet, it was only a matter of time before I started.

After I processed that information, I wasn't sure who to talk to. I didn't want to tell Duncan – not yet. And I didn't know who else to tell.

My mobile phone suddenly ended up in my hand and I was dialling a number I hadn't expected to call. Well, maybe I should have expected it. I was calling the one person who'd understand.

"Bailey?" The gentle, understanding voice of my co-star floated out from the reciever.

"Zoey?" I said. "I'm glad you picked up. I called to...to ask how Mike's progress is going."

"Oh." Zoey sounded surprised. "He committed himself to a psychiatric asylum, but he's mostly doing all right, and he can leave when he feels strong enough. I visit him, and he's more and more like the old Mike every time I see him. Apparently he's been learning techniques to be able to gain as much control over himself as possible."

"But..." I hesitated. "Is he ever Mal?"

Zoey hesitated, too. Finally, she said, "Sometimes. And when he is, he still talks about you. Last time he was Mal when he visited, he asked me why you weren't visiting. But it's getting less frequent. Why are you asking?"

"I have another bone to pick with that monster, but I don't want to tell Mike about it, because being who he is, he'll take all the guilt." I explained.

I heard Zoey gasp, and I knew that she had some idea of what I was saying. "Is it..." her voice wavered as she spoke. "Is it to do with what happened...that night..."

"I don't want to get into it with you." I said brusquely. "But I guess you could say that. I don't know what to do, though."

"What is it?" Zoey asked. "I'm not going to judge or anything if that's what you're worried about. I was there at the time, remember?" She hesitated. "It's not a disease, is it?" That thought hadn't even crossed my mind, and I surprised myself by laughing.

"What? What did I say?" Zoey asked.

"Sorry, Zoey." I said, "But I just realized how much worse it could be. Yeah, he screwed my life up, but not by giving me something that would kill me slowly." I paused. "But he did give me a mini-Mal."

Zoey didn't gasp, this time. "I thought as much, after you said about how it could be worse." Her voice was quiet and monotone. "Have you told anyone else?"

"No." I admitted. "I'll admit it...I'm scared that if I tell Duncan, he won't want me any more. But I can't bring myself to get this thing killed. And even if nothing I'm scared of happens and I have this kid, what if it turns out to be like Mal – having his traits instead of Mike's? And if that's not it, what if it turns out to have inherited his disorder?"

"Calm down, Bailey." Zoey reassured me. "You could just have it adopted out. You're seventeen, no one's going to expect you to take care of it. And if Duncan would leave you over something you had no control over...well, he wouldn't be worth it in the first place. And although I personally don't like him much, I can tell that after all that stuff with Courtney and Gwen, he's desperate not to screw up another relationship where things are actually working out. So I don't think he'd dump you over this."

I thought about it. "I think I will put it up for adoption. Thanks, Zoey. And do me a favour...don't let Mike know about it. I couldn't care less if Mal knows, but I know Mike will just get mad at himself because Mal is part of him, and that's not going to help him get better."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't tell him in any case." Zoey answered. She hesitated. "But...I do think Mal should know. Only thing is, I never know when he'll come out, so I won't be able to bring you without him-"

"Oh, no." I interrupted. "No way am I going to see him. Especially if Mal comes out."

"It's all safe." Zoey said quickly. "There's a panic button if there is a problem. Besides, Mike is getting better. Anyway, he says that the staff are trying to find out Mal's trigger. He already knows how his other personalities are triggered, and how to bring him back, but that's it. Cameron's working on it, too. Since he's already mentally years ahead of most people his age, he's been able to skip senior year and he's at college. I can never remember what courses he's taking, but one of them is a psychology paper, so he's a lot of help."

"Wait..." I frowned. "Did Cameron actually go to high school before? What happened? Wasn't he in a bubble for sixteen years?"

"He was homeschooled mostly." Zoey explained. "But he was able to do regular exam papers by distance. Anyway," she continued, "The reason I'm saying I think you should come is because if Mal does come out, telling him would be best coming from you. He's been making a lot of suggestive comments towards me, too, but I can tell that he prefers you to me."

I knew well that the only reason Mal had any interest in Zoey was because she was Mike's girlfriend. Her being pretty, innocent and hopeful was just a bonus. But I didn't say this. I knew, deep down, that Zoey wasn't going to give up on getting me to go to the asylum. She'd probably say she didn't want to force me, but I knew that in that case, she'd probably end up guilt-tripping me. Nice as she was, she was smart enough to be manipulative when she felt it was necessary. And for some reason, she thought it would be best for me to tell Mal what he'd done to me.

I gave a sigh. "Okay, I'll come with you next time you see him. I'm not going there alone. And I'm expecting you to explain to Mike why I'm there."

Zoey sounded chipper as she spoke. "I go there weekly. Tomorrow evening okay?"

"Sure." I said. "But about the baby...what do I tell Duncan? Should I tell him? And what am I supposed to do if things get awkward? I have nowhere else to go!"

"Don't worry." Zoey said, her voice reassuring. "I live in a little apartment my parents own – I still have to pay them rent. You can stay with me if it comes to that. But I've seen the way Duncan looks at you. Sure, he liked Courtney and Gwen back then, but I can tell, whatever you two have is more than that." Even over the phone, she sounded reassuring.

"Okay." I said finally. "I'll tell him."

"Don't leave it too long." Zoey warned. "It'll be harder, the longer you leave it."

"Okay, I'll do it tonight." I said. And I resolved to actually do it.

How will Duncan take it? Find out next time!