Disclaimer: I don't own anything here (except for Al) and am just doing this for fun and to pass the long months until Season 4.

Author's Note: OK, so this isn't really a chapter. I just wanted to take a minute and let y'all know that I think I'm going to have to step back and do some serious thinking about this story because I'm having trouble committing to where it should go.

I started with two key plot ideas – Tim becoming a father, but then also, I was interested in the idea of what would happen if he also had to take responsibilty for Billy's kids. (Especially what would happen if one of those kids acted the way he had when Billy was responsible for him – sort of like how my mom always told me that one day I'd have a kid just like me, like it was some sort of a curse or threat. :)) I also wanted to do this in such a way that Tim could find a way to blame himself, since that seems like a Tim thing to do.

But, the trouble, of course, is that would mean killing Billy and Mindy and I'm just not sure I can do it - because of the investment in the characters but also I'm not sure there's a way to do it that's realistic and could have real conflict and angst without sliding into unreasonable melodrama. (Plus, I love writing Billy and Tim chapters – they are just so much fun together.) Also, I am more of a plodder than a plotter and I tend to get bogged down in practical details until I can't see the forest for the trees.

So I'm pondering my options, which I think are

A.)'Growing a set' and going with my original direction,

B.) Having Mindy die and then Tim has to help Billy through that

C.) Finding some way to let everyone live but still introduce some element of conflict that forces Tim to fully become a grown-up.

D.) Scrapping the story (or most of it) and starting over with the original idea (Tim being responsible for Billy's kids) but a different mechanism and maybe even a different kind of story-telling (like flashbacks as opposed to a chronological narrative).

Anyway, that's the state of things and I don't want to continue until I've worked this out in my mind. (Otherwise, it'll just limp along and everyone will be miserable.) Also, I wanted to ask for any thoughts, opinions, or advice that you might be kind enough to pass along. You can leave a review or go to my profile to send me a message or get my email address.

Thanks for your patience and for taking the time to read my story. :)