Paths Led
AU. Lux has lived her whole life believing that The Petersons are her family but when they move to Portland. She discovers that she finds easy to connect with his basketball coach as if they were family
A/N: Completely alternative story. Baze still owns the bar, but works at head coach as Westmonte High School. He and Cate haven't seen each other in 16 years, but as Lux he listens to her on the radio every morning
Chapter 5: Baby on board
Flashback … 16 years earlier
Nate Bazile was the average teenage rich kid. He was an only child so his parents gave him whatever he wanted; he had an image to maintain since he was quarterback
"Nate" Cate Cassidy was waiting for him by his car "can we talk?"
"What about?" he said dryly. He and Cate had slept together at the winter formal after they had both lost their dates, influenced by Zima and Spin Doctors. That had been 6 weeks earlier
"About what happened between us" Cate said. Nate ignored her. His friends were watching and he couldn't afford to be seeing with a geeky girl who wore brazes
"Whatever happened, I've already forgotten about it" Baze said "you should do the same Cate, it's for the best"
"The thing is, I really can't, there is this thing" Cate said hastily "I really need to talk to you"
"Fine, but not here, I'll go to your house around 6 if you want" he said "okay?"
Cate waited by the porch, Baze arrived around 6:15 but for Cate had been the longest 15 minutes of her young life
"Hey" she said. Baze seemed really uncomfortable about being there. He could see Cate's sister watching from the bedroom's window
"So what is it?" He asked indifferently "what do you want?"
"I'm pregnant" she finally said it. She had been fighting with a hundred feelings in the last couple of days. It was like a huge weight was off her shoulders. Baze's face was white.
"Are you sure?" he asked. Cate nodded awkwardly "I bought like three pregnancy tests"
"Is it mine?" Baze asked again "are you sure?"
"Yes Baze, I think I remember every guy I had sex with lately. It is yours" she said dryly. Baze ran his fingers through his face
"How could this happen?" he muttered nervously
"Please don't make me explain it to you, it will be really hurtful for both of us" Cate said
"What are we going to do?" he asked. Walking closer to her. But Cate pulled back instantly "what are you going to do?"
"I don't know, I haven't even told my mom about it" Cate told him "not that she would mind"
"What do you mean?" he asked confused. His parents would surely kick him out
"My mom isn't really mother material, she isn't around much" Cate admitted sadly
"I hope my parents were like that, I'm dead, done" Baze said shaking
"yeah, well I'm sure your friends will think I'm like virgin Mary or something, since you told everyone that we hadn't done it" Cate said bluntly
"I don't know what you are talking about" he said awkwardly
"Don't play dumb, I heard you. As a matter of fact, I was behind you, but I guess you didn't even noticed" Cate said coldly
As weeks passed things became more evident for the kids at school about the girl that had been knocked up. Baze and Cate spent a lot of time together. They talked about their options and what this meant for them
"Have you told your parents yet?" Cate asked him while they rested under the stars one night
"I don't think I can" Baze said. His eyes sparkling "I mean, it's not like asking them if I can get a dog you know?"
"You are comparing our baby to a dog?" Cate asked "it can hear you, you know?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't have it as easy as you do" Baze said "you don't know the pressure I have to deal with"
"And I don't?" Cate asked hysterically "I'm the one carrying it"
"That was more like a joint effort, you can't blame it all on me" Baze told her "your mom didn't kick you out, I'm sure my dad will"
The hardest they tried to deal with the situation the more complicated it got, they finally decided that each one would go their separate ways and Cate would do what she considered best. Baze had too much to lose and so had Cate. But as he had put it she had it easy. She didn't have her parents clutched in her throat. They both had plans and they were too young to miss them
So nine months went by without a blink. Cate had decided to give the baby up for adoption after she had beem told she would be placed in no time. She and Baze avoided each other at all costs and he hadn't even known what she had done. He really didn't care. He was too busy thinking about his future to think about the thing that would have ruined his whole life. He never even told his parents about Cate being pregnant. And he intended to keep it that way
Just a flashback chapter to prepare the sixteen year reunion of Baze and Cate. This is kind of how I imaged it would have been.. I hope it's okay
What did you think?