A/N: Lots of love for the MaDi and for my story - thanx for all the reviewage! Here is the confrontation you've been waiting for...

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 3

This was a stupid idea, so Mac told herself as she rode the elevator up to the suite in the Neptune Grand where Dick and Logan lived. Of course, this particular stupid idea wouldn't ever have entered her head if not for a previous event that was even farther from her finest hour. They said if you made your bed you had to lie in it. For Mac, missing the bed entirely and sleeping with Dick now meant she had to deal with the consequences as best she could, the main one being that she now had to tell the blond surfer jerk that he was going to be a father.

It thrilled Mac not at all to be here, either in the building or facing this particular set of circumstances, but now wasn't the time to bolt and cry like a child. She was a grown woman, and she had to start behaving like one if she was going to be a mother. She hadn't exactly got used to the idea yet, though she was trying her best. Veronica had been a great support but at the end of the day, it was Mac herself that had to face the truth, as well as face Dick.

A million scenarios had run through her head since she realised she really must tell the father of her child about his new role in life. Maybe he wouldn't even believe her. Maybe he would but would be mad about it. He might offer her cash for an abortion, which of course she would never take. Then there was the 'no chance' list that almost made Mac laugh. The idea that Dick would behave like a decent human being and offer to support her in this, marry her even. Yeah, those were just too way out there for words.

Now stood outside the door to the suite, Mac felt every ounce of humour drain from her body, every trace of a smile fall clean off her face. This couldn't go well, for either of them, it just couldn't. She and Dick had been indifferent to each other for the longest time, bickered some when she was dating Cassidy, and grieved entirely separately when he was gone. Dick had said some vile things to her in his grief, though she never really blamed him for those. It was easier to project your guilt onto others than deal with it yourself in times of crisis, she knew that, and in the end he had realised what he'd done wrong and sincerely apologised to her... even if he had tried to make a move on her right after.

'We certainly made some moves after that' Mac thought to herself, even now a blush rising in her cheeks just from the hazy memories, as she raised a fist to the door and knocked.

Seconds later, Dick appeared in front of her, apparently startled by her presence. Mac couldn't blame him for that. After actively avoiding each other these past two months, she was probably the last person he expected to find on his doorstep.

"Hi" she said awkwardly when he didn't speak, just stared at her like maybe she was an alien from another planet.

"Hey" he replied, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze and yet trying to look cool and calm like he didn't care she was here or didn't remember what went before.

"Er, is Logan here?" asked Mac, trying to peer into the room but Dick had already started closing the door on her apparently.

"Nope, sorry" he said, almost getting the door completely shut, but Mac had seen the manoeuvre coming and shoved her foot in the way.

Since Dick wasn't smart enough to actually shut the door, just swing it to a close and turn to walk away, he got a surprise when it came open again and Mac took her chance to barge in.

"I was just checking we were alone" she explained why she was asking about Logan in the first place as she walked by him and further into the room.

"Why?" the blond looked suitably puzzled as he so often did, looking to the door (which required a further push to close it properly) and then over at Mac who was hovering around between the seating area and his bedroom door like she wasn't sure which way to go, "Oh, hey, babe, if you're looking for an encore" he grinned, thinking maybe now he understood, "that was a one time only deal..."

"One time was all it took" she snapped, a little disgusted that he was actually suggesting what he was suggesting, but also just desperate to get this over with before her nerve went.

"Huh?" the look on Dick's face said it all he stared at her a moment, before a grin spread over his face that Mac really hadn't been expecting at all, "Oh, seriously, like if you're in love with me or whatever, I get it" he told her, what sounded like a sympathy in his tone as he put his hands to her shoulder, "I know I probably rocked your world or whatever, but..."

"I'm pregnant" blurted out Mac, almost unable to believe where he was going with this and certainly not wanting to hear it.

This was it, the words had been said, the truth told. Unfortunately, Dick looked no further forward than he had been when Mac walked in, his face as blank as ever.

"What?" he said, apparently startled as he swiftly removed his hands from her shoulders like he was being burnt.

There was no possible way he hadn't heard what she said or was really so dumb he didn't understand what the words meant. Still, apparently it hadn't sunk in yet.

"I'm pregnant" she repeated, "Y'know 'like, totally having a baby, dude!'" she said in words he might use himself as he turned away from her.

It was a lot to take in and Mac could at least sympathise with the shock he must be feeling. This was the last thing either of them had expected to happen, right up there on that same list as the two of them sleeping together. Of course, her sympathy for him only stretched so far, and evaporated entirely when he turned back to her with a firm look and spoke at last.

"It's not mine" he told her, at which her eyes went appropriately wide.

"Dick, if you've learned nothing else about me these past couple of years, you do know I don't just sleep with random guys..." she reminded him, not at all impressed by his attitude right now.

"You slept with me" he shrugged, sticking to his guns apparently, "That was pretty random"

He knew he'd got Mac there, she couldn't argue with what he'd said. Of course, Dick wasn't as dumb as he seemed and he also knew it was entirely likely that she was telling the truth. He knew a lot of girls, a lot of really nice but really slutty chicks who wouldn't be able to pick their baby daddy out of a line-up. Mac was different, and he did believe her when she said she was having his kid. Unfortunately, he hadn't the good sense to realise it would be easier just to admit to what they'd done and face the consequences. He'd learnt long ago to try and worm his way out of just about anything he could. Of course, he'd never thrown down in this kind of fight with a girl like Mac before.

"That was different" she reminded him, shifting awkwardly as he did the same, neither really wanting to look at each other right now, "and it was the only time I ever did anything like that" she said, trying to meet his eyes now in some of proof that she was telling him the truth, but he just turned away again, "Come on, Dick, you know I'm not lying" she implored him, but he just pulled out one hand from his pockets where he'd shove them and pointed an accusatory finger her way.

"Don't you have like a geeky boyfriend guy or something?" he challenged her to argue the point, and that was exactly what she did.

"Max and I broke up, a couple of weeks before..." she trailed off when she realised actually mentioning their night together could only lead to no good here, so she cleared her throat and started over, "Not that it's any of your business but you're the only person I was with without… protection" she stumbled a little on the end of her sentence but at least when her gaze caught Dick's own then she did feel like he had been listening and even maybe believing what she was telling him.

Unfortunately, his reaction when he was taking in what she was saying was no less pleasant than when he refused to believe her.

"So, now you want money?" he guessed, not really understanding why Mac was staring at him like she was as dumb as he himself was usually accused of being, "For the operation, procedure, whatever" he waved his hand in a random gesture.

Mac just continued to gape at him, making Dick wonder what was wrong. Surely she had to understand what he was saying here, it wasn't complicated, and he had to think it was exactly what she was here for.

"You want me to pay to make this go away?" he tried again in the simplest possible terms he could find in his head, but apparently that was wrong too.

"Nobody is getting rid of this baby!" Mac snapped at him, so suddenly and with such force that Dick visibly flinched, backing up a step in surprise.

Honestly, Mac had stunned herself with the force with which she'd spoken, but she meant every word. It disgusted her that Dick could be so callous about their child, about any child. Of course it should have occurred to her that he was in shock right now as much as she had been the day she discovered she was pregnant, but it didn't. In this moment, all she knew was frustration and anger at this idiot who had played a major part in screwing up her future. Tears welled in her eyes, making Mac as angry at herself as at Dick for letting him get to her. She couldn't take anymore right now.

"Y'know, if you don't want to believe it's your baby, that's fine" she said at last, needing to get out before she lost control, "Be an idiot Dick, it's what you're good at, but I know this is my child and I'm going to do my best for him or her" she said firmly, pushing past Dick to get to the door.

He was stunned by her attitude; Cindy Mackenzie had never so much as raised her voice in front of him before. To hear her yell like that, to be so mad at him, it was weird. This coupled with what she had told him, that she was having a baby and that he was the father, it was all to much to take in.

"Mac?" he said so suddenly, it made her jump a little, her shaking hands stopping just short of the latch on the door as she turned back just enough to see his awkwardly sad expression, "I'm sorry?" he offered words he thought she hoped to hear.

"It's a little late for that" was all the response she could give him as she let herself out of the suite at last, the door closing behind her with a thud.

Out in the hallway alone, Mac leaned her back against the door and let the tears that had been welling in her eyes finally fall. She hated that her emotions were so screwed up right now, but apparently that was what pregnancy did for a person. Usually she didn't yell or cry or anything like her behaviour so far today. She got angry and upset at times, of course she did, but she kept her feelings and emotions in check so much better when she wasn't carrying a child inside her.

Mac's hand went to her stomach that as yet showed no sign of growth. Six weeks wasn't long enough to make a difference to her figure yet, but she felt different. Even without a test or doctor to confirm it, she'd known before that she was pregnant. Now Dick knew too, and though she'd hardly expected a positive reaction, he had still manage to shock her with his words.

Inside the hotel room, the blond in question was much closer than Mac might have imagined. Dick had been in two minds whether to follow her when she stormed out, and now stood on the other side of the door, leaning with his hand near the latch and yet not moving.

This wasn't the first time he got a girl pregnant. He'd had a couple of scares before, once with Madison and another time with a girl who's name was hazy in his mind. The only time there was ever an actual pregnant woman before was with Bonnie Capistrano, and then there was only a fifty-fifty chance, maybe less, that he was the Dad. It had been a relief, however bad that sounded, when the baby was lost.

Now here was Mac, telling him he was going to be a father for real this time. He believed he was the only guy she'd been with, and that she would keep this kid and raise it any way she could. How he was going to deal, Dick had no clue, but right now he had an idea involving a lot of booze and loud music in an attempt to drown all this crap out of his head. It probably wouldn't help, but it was all he could think to do in the circumstances.

To Be Continued...