Over the next few days Annie started noticing a difference in Lexi's behavior. She was more polite and civil and she was even quiet when she studied in her room. True, a great deal of it had to do with not having anything to make noise with, but generally she was behaving much better.

In spite of these improvements though, the two women didn't grow any closer. They were both civil, but there was a distance between them. They didn't talk to one another and generally kept to themselves. They behaved more like roommates who weren't really friends.

Maybe this is just how it's going to be, Annie thought with a feeling of melancholy. While she had hoped that she'd eventually have some sort of relationship with her almost step daughter, maybe this was the best she could expect.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm going crazy," Lexi said dramatically. "It's only been a week and I'm bored out of my mind."

"Well, it's a week down. Seven more to go," Cassidy said hopefully.

"Seven more of this? Seven more weeks of no phone, no drawing, no seeing anyone outside of school. I'm going nuts. It's like I'm in prison. I actually look forward to going to school now."

The two of them were walking to Lexi's locker when Lexi spotted an orange flyer on the wall.

One night only

Brad Bird, Director of The Iron Giant and The Incredibles

Will be at Denver University for an indebt lecture on animation and drawing

Monday, April 6th at 8pm, lecture hall A.

"Oh my god, that's tonight!" Lexi shrieked. "I completely forgot."

"Maybe you can still go?" Cassidy said hopefully.

"How? Like sneak out?"

"No, that's not what I meant. Maybe you can talk your dad and Annie into letting you go. Maybe say you'll add a couple more days to your punishment if they let you go to this."

Lexi gulped, hating the idea of willingly adding more time to her punishment. But this was a fantastic opportunity to learn animation tidbits from one of the living greats. As much as she'd hate being punished for longer, it might be worth it.

"Can I borrow your phone Cass?"

"Sure." Cassidy dug it out of her pocket and gave it to her friend. She watched as Lexi dialed her dad.

"Hello?"

"Dad, it's me."

"Lexi? Where are you calling me from?"

"School. I borrowed Cassidy's phone."

"Okay. I'm swamped at work, so I don't have long to talk. What's up?"

She fidgeted, trying to think of the best way to go about this. "There's this lecture at Denver University tonight with Brad Bird who directed The Incredibles and other animated films. And I'd really like to go. Can you please lift my punishment just for tonight so I can go to the lecture?"

"I don't know." She waited as she heard shuffling and people calling Jeff on the other end. "I really don't have time to decide anything right now. I'm going to be working late so I won't see you tonight. Ask Annie when she gets home."

"Annie?" she said in surprise.

"Yes. Whatever she decides will go."

"Dad, come on. She's going to say no if I ask her. Why can't you decide?"

"Because she's also your guardian, and makes decisions too."

"But dad-."

"No! Either ask Annie if you can go, or I'll give you my answer right now, and it won't be the one you want to hear, okay?"

"Okay," she said through gritted teeth. "Bye." She hung up the phone, a look of deep frustration on her face.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

All throughout detention Lexi thought of every way to get a yes out of Annie. Once detention was finished and Lexi arrived home, she quickly straightened and then vacuumed and dusted the apartment. After that she spread out her homework on the kitchen table and sat facing the front door, making sure she was clearly seen when Annie got home. She tried to work, but instead just kept looking at the clock.

Finally, she heard the front door knob turn, followed by Annie walking into the apartment. "Hi Annie."

"Hey. Jeff said he's working late, so it'll just be us for dinner tonight." She paused as she noticed the state of the apartment. "Did you clean up in here?"

"Yeah. I just started picking some stuff up and then figured I might as well clean," she said as nonchalantly as possible.

"Well thank you for doing this. Since it's just going to be us how about we order something in? Or maybe we can go out somewhere?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something." Lexi got up, beginning her carefully thought out speech. "There's a lecture tonight at Denver University by Brad Bird, who's directed The Incredibles and is really famous in animation. I asked my dad, and he said it was your decision if I can go tonight."

Annie sighed, rubbing the back of her neck in frustration. "Lexi, you know you're grounded."

"Yeah, I know. But this is really important and I really want to go. If you let me I'll add a few more days to my punishment."

"Lexi, I'm sorry, but you can't pick and choose how you're punished. You're grounded for two months and that's going to stick, regardless of what comes up during that time."

"But Annie-."

"Lexi, no."

Lexi huffed in frustration, staring daggers at Annie. "You just can't be cool for once, can you?"

"If by cool you mean a pushover, then no, I won't be that."

With that Lexi stomped to her room and slammed the door, the sound vibrating all throughout the apartment. She paced back and forth in her room, ready to tear her hair out. She just could not catch a break with that woman. She tried being nice and reasoning with her and still she was shot down. It was infuriating.

Lexi glanced at the window, contemplating just sneaking out anyway. But she knew if she got caught she'd be in real trouble this time. She couldn't handle being punished any longer. With a defeated groan she walked out of her room and sat back at the table, coldly ignoring Annie as she continued with her studies.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks a lot for last night Jeff," Annie said the next morning.

"What now?" Jeff asked as he got out of bed.

"You left me to tell Lexi she couldn't go to that lecture and made me out to be the bad guy."

"I told her it was your decision. You could have told her she could go."

"Oh, so it's my fault she's pissed at me?"

"I never said-." He stopped suddenly, trying to keep himself from yelling. "I want her to know that you make parental decisions too, and I figured that was a good chance for her to get it. I didn't mean for you to be put on the spot, that wasn't my intention," he finished with forced patience.

Annie started to speak when she let out an extremely loud yawn. "Did you sleep last night?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah. I've just been getting extra tired lately." She shrugged, not wanting Jeff to worry. "It's probably just stress or something."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Good thing tomorrow's Friday, Annie thought as she sat on the couch and went through place cards for the wedding. After this week she needed the weekend to try and relax. She glanced up as Lexi came out of her room, the girl coolly ignoring her as she got a glass of water and then stomped back. Ever since Annie had told her she couldn't go to the lecture Lexi had gone back to being openly hostile.

Annie shook her head when she suddenly placed a hand on her stomach, a bout of nausea coming over her. She debated whether or not she should go to the bathroom when it slowly went away. Over the last few days she'd been having spells where she'd feel nauseous unexpectedly. She almost threw up yesterday at work.

Maybe I'm getting my period, she thought. Sometimes she got nauseous just before she had her period, particularly if the previous month was light.

Annie suddenly stiffened at the realization that she couldn't remember if last month had been light or heavy. In fact, she couldn't even remember when exactly she had her period last month.

That doesn't mean anything, she thought. I probably just missed it because of stress. It's not like it means…

With that Annie almost started hyperventilating before she forced herself to calm down. Heading straight to the bathroom, she dug out an old pregnancy test she had purchased eight months ago when she had been two days late. She remembered going to the pharmacy to get it, and then literally getting her period on the way home.

I bet it was that marathon sexathon we had the night Lexi went out drinking, she thought as she sat on the toilet and used the test. Once she was done she paced the length of the bathroom, nervously checking her watch every few seconds. When a minute was finally up she looked at the plastic strip, seeing two red lines. She grabbed a hold of the box and read the instructions again, her face paling instantly.

"It's a mistake," she said in a small scared voice. "It was a really old test and it made a mistake. I'll go get a fresh one and I'll get an accurate answer."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Forty minutes later Annie sat on her bed staring at the plastic tests surrounding her. She saw a plus sign, a smiley face, a picture of a baby, the actual word 'pregnant' on one of them. One positive test could be explained away, but not five. There was no denying it. Annie Edison was pregnant.

If this had happened two months ago, Annie would have been happy beyond belief. But as she thought about the last two months, and all the crap she had put up with regarding Jeff's daughter, all she felt was dread. Her head filled with visions of doing it all over again on a much larger scale. Of going years with raising a child who'd resent her and treat her terribly. Of having no idea how to raise another life. Of experiencing everything she's felt already a thousand times over.

And just like that, it all became too much. The stress of the wedding, Lexi, the uncertainty of motherhood. It all came gushing out of her as Annie completely broke down. She lied down on the bed and clutched at a pillow as she sobbed, tears flowing down her face.

Across the hall Lexi opened her bedroom door and stuck her head out, trying to figure out what that noise was. She tiptoed over to the other bedroom, her eyes widening when she realized that Annie was in there crying.

Lexi tried to tell herself that the woman deserved it and it didn't matter if Annie was upset. But instead Lexi felt genuinely bad that Annie was so distraught, and a little guilty at maybe being the cause for her crying. She placed her fingers on the doorknob, wondering if she should go in there and try to comfort her. But Lexi had no idea of what to say. Instead she crept back to her room, feeling shameful that she couldn't do anything to help.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later she heard the front door open and close, followed by a knock on her door. "Lexi, its dad. Can I come in?"

"Yeah." She looked at Jeff as he walked in, seeing a look of deep frustration on his face. "What's wrong? Did you speak to Annie?"

"What? No, I just came home." He sighed as he sat next to her on the bed. "Listen, you know the merger at my office?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, the other firm finally decided they want to meet with us to get this thing settled one way or another. I'm leaving for Boston tonight."

"Oh." She shook her head, not expecting to hear this right now. "How long will you be gone for?"

"I don't know. Definitely until Monday, though I might be gone for longer." He sighed, hating that he had to go. "Listen, I know how things have been going between you and Annie, but while I'm gone I really want you two to get along. I don't want you two killing each other or anything, okay. Just keep to yourself and don't push her buttons, please."

"Alright. I won't do anything to make her upset."

Jeff looked at Lexi, surprised at how easily she'd agreed. "Good, thank you. My flight's in two hours, so I have to go pack. I'll say goodbye before I leave."

"Dad," Lexi said as her dad got up from the bed. She wanted to tell him about Annie crying and how guilty she felt. But instead she said, "Don't yell at Annie or anything."

"Why would I yell at Annie?"

"I don't know. She just had a rough day. Be gentle when you tell her you're going."

"Okay," he said uncertainly. He went to his room and lightly knocked on the door. "Annie? You in there?"

"Yeah." He opened the door, seeing her sitting on the bed. She took a breath as she got up, having thought of a million ways to tell him her news. "Jeff-."

"Annie, there's something I have to tell you."