Note: I haven't forgotten this story. School started again, so I don't have as much time on my hands. I'll still update, but unfortunately it definitely won't be as frequent. Thanks for the reviews! :)

Baze waited nervously in the hallway. Cate and Lux would be there any minute. Cate and he had decided to tell his parents they wanted to live together next year together. Mainly because Baze had been concerned that his parents wouldn't approve, and he kept putting off telling them. Finally Cate had insisted on getting it done together.

Cate didn't understand why he was so nervous. How could she? Laverne didn't seem too worried about what Cate was doing. Baze's parents had always been very involved in his life. Cate had pointed out that it wasn't like his parents didn't know they were sleeping together. Lux was proof positive that they were. Still, Baze's parents were conservative and he didn't know if they'd be OK with him moving in with his girlfriend at eighteen. Unlike Cate, he actually needed his parents' approval because they would be footing the bill.

Baze opened the door before Cate knocked. He kissed her before taking Lux from her arms. "There's my girl! Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, she slept through the night last night and her fever's been gone for twenty-four hours," Cate reported.

Baze smirked. "Let me guess. You're still taking her temperature every hour on the hour?"

Cate glared at him. "I don't want her to have a relapse!"

Baze laughed as he once again wondered how Cate's parenting style could be so drastically different from her own mother's. Laverne was hands-off, whereas Cate was almost as bad as his own parents. She would definitely be overprotective when Lux was in high school. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

Baze smiled at his daughter. He knew he was a little biased, but he thought she was the most beautiful baby in the world. How could she not be? Cate was beautiful and Baze knew he was no slouch in the looks department either. Lux would be a heartbreaker. If Cate continued to be an overprotective mom, maybe she'd be able to keep the boys at bay.

John and Ellen heard voices and appeared in the foyer. John nodded at Cate. "It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you," Cate said. She meant it. She'd missed Baze's dad. He'd been so kind to her back when Lux was in the hospital. She hugged him.

Baze watched, slightly amused. His dad wasn't really a "hugger." John looked taken aback. After a moment, he hugged Cate back.

Cate hugged Ellen before they all proceeded back to the dining room. Cate offered to help Ellen in the kitchen, leaving John, Baze and Lux alone in the dining room.

John smiled as he watched his son with his granddaughter. Baze had grown up a lot in the last year. John was proud of the man he'd become. Baze obviously loved his daughter. It was hard not to love the baby.

Baze noticed his dad staring and looked up. He smiled slightly. "You, uh, wanna hold her?"

John nodded and took Lux. He beamed as he held her. Baze grinned as he watched his dad. He knew Lux was his dad's little angel. His dad absolutely adored the little girl.

"She's pretty amazing, huh?" Baze said.

John nodded as he met Baze's gaze. "She may not have come into this world under the best circumstances, but she's a good kid and she's made you a better man."

Baze had been prepared to argue before John finished his sentence, but found himself surprised that what had initially sounded like an insult turned into a compliment. He knew his dad was right. Lux had changed him. "Yeah. She's a good kid. I want to be a good dad, you know?"

"I know," John said, holding his son's gaze. "And you are. I'm proud of you."

Baze blushed slightly. "Thanks, Dad."

"Dinner's ready," Ellen announced from the doorway. She took Lux from her husband, so the boys could serve themselves.

"You don't have to take her," Cate said quickly, reaching for her daughter.

"I know I don't have to," Ellen replied. "I want to."

Ellen prepared a plate for herself once everyone else had returned to the table. Lux sat happily in her high chair as everyone else ate.

They made small talk, but Baze had yet to bring up moving in together. Cate had brought up college, hoping it would give Baze an opening, but he hadn't taken it. Finally, she kicked him under the table and shot him a meaningful look. Baze glared at her in return.

Baze glanced around the table nervously. He cleared his throat. Both of his parents stared at him expectantly. "Uh, yeah, so you know how Cate and I have decided to go to college in Portland?"

John and Ellen nodded and exchanged a glance.

"We were, um, talking about our living situation for next year. We can't live in the dorms with a baby, so that's out. So, we got to thinking that it would be great, you know, if we could both be there for Lux all the time." Baze paused, taking in his parents' expressions. He met his dad's gaze. "I want to be there for my kid. I just, I don't want to miss anything. Cate and I, we, uh, we want to live together next year."

Ellen frowned. She shot Cate a disapproving look. "You're only seventeen."

"Almost eighteen," Baze said quickly.

Ellen ignored her son. "You're not married. What morals are you teaching your daughter?"

Cate nearly choked on the sip of water she'd just taken when Ellen said married. She stared at Baze wide-eyed. They hadn't been together that long. They weren't anywhere near being ready to get married! She could definitely see herself marrying him someday, but that day would be way off in the future. Cate was not going to get married young. She was not going to end up like her mother-in an endless cycle of marriage and divorce. She would wait until she was ready and her marriage would be forever.

Baze raked a hand through his hair. "I don't know. That we care about her and it's important to be there for each other." He made a face.

"It's not a bad idea," John said.

Baze looked up, surprised. His dad was usually his harshest critic. He hadn't expected his dad to support him, while his mom disapproved. He smiled slightly.

"Lux needs a family. She deserves to have both of her parents there for her. It's not ideal, but at least Nate and Cate are trying to be there for her," John continued. "They obviously love that little girl."

Cate nodded. "We do. All we are trying to do is give her everything she deserves."

John nodded. "I'm OK with it if this is what you both want."

Ellen sighed. She began clearing the table. Cate jumped up to help.

"You don't have to do that," Ellen said quickly.

Cate frowned. "No, I want to." She'd never developed the close bond with Ellen that she had with John, but they'd always been friendly with each other. Ellen's demeanor was different now. Cool.

Cate wanted Baze's mom to like her. Not only did she need Ellen's help with Lux, but she also didn't want what was quite possibly her future mother-in-law to resent her.

Cate insisted on helping Ellen with the dishes, but Ellen continued being short with her. Cate breathed a sigh of relief when Baze appeared.

"Lux is down for the count. You should take her home," Baze suggested. He knew his mom didn't approve of him moving in with Cate. He'd had a feeling she might be taking it out on Cate. From Cate's expression, he knew he'd been right.

Cate mouthed thank you. She turned to Ellen and forced herself to smile. "Thanks for having us. Dinner was delicious."

Ellen nodded, but didn't smile.

Baze balanced Lux in one hand and used his other hand to gently guide Cate toward the door. He walked her out to her car. He set Lux down gently in her car seat while Cate strapped the baby in.

"Your mom hates me," Cate muttered.

Baze frowned. "She doesn't hate you."

Cate looked unconvinced.

Baze smirked. "I mean, you're not exactly her favorite person."

"What did I do?" Cate cried out indignantly.

"You corrupted her only son," Baze replied.

Cate hit him playfully. "I think it was the other way around," she retorted. "Her son lured me into the backseat of her minivan with Zima."

"Who? Me?" Baze said, feigning innocence.

Cate glared at him.

Baze smiled slightly. "Look, my dad always thought I was a screw up. My mom, she didn't. It's harder for her to accept everything that's happened in the last year."

"My mom thought I was a good kid. It was hard for her to accept that I was pregnant at sixteen. But she got over it," Cate muttered.

"Yeah, but it's different for my mom," Baze said.

Cate stared at him. "Yeah, I noticed. My mom treats you better," she snapped. She didn't know why she felt the need to stick up for her mom. Her mom hadn't done nearly as much for her in the last year as Baze's mom. But, Laverne had always been polite to Baze.

Baze made a face. "What's that supposed to mean? My mom, she's the one who helps us with Lux. Your mom sure as hell doesn't."

"No, she doesn't," Cate admitted. "But she does know that it takes two people to have a baby! It's not like I got myself pregnant and then tricked you into moving in with me!"

"No one's saying that!" Baze cried out.

"It's just, your mom, she acts like this is all my fault," Cate said.

"It's not anyone's fault, Cate. There's no one to blame. There's no blame even. Sometimes thinks just happen, you know. Lux, she's one of those things. She came into our lives and she changed them," Baze said.

Cate smiled slightly. "That's one thing we agree on."

Baze met her gaze. "We agree on a lot more than that." He hugged Cate. "My mom, she just needs a little time to cool off."

"Do you think she'll cool off before Monday? Or should I be looking for someone else to watch Lux?" Cate said.

Baze frowned. "She'll watch Lux. My parents love her. Whatever happens with my mom and you, with my mom and me even, they'll always be there for our daughter."

"She has a lot of people that love her," Cate murmured.

"I love her and her mother," Baze said, grinning. He kissed Cate before opening the car door for her.