A/N: I am sorry about the delay in updating this! I had it written, I meant to upload it, I just got mega busy and totally forgot to do it! I do appreciate all the reviews you lovely peops send to me, and hope you're still here with me after the delay in updateage!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 11

It could have gone better, but then to be fair it could also have been much worse. Mac thought she had come up with every possible reaction her parents could have to finding out she was pregnant, but nothing had quite prepared her for reality. They were mad at her to start off with, that was pretty much a given. It was disappointment that fuelled a lot of their anger, Mac knew, and she was willing to admit she was kind of disappointed in herself anyway. A drunken fumble with Dick was hardly her finest hour, and getting pregnant as a result of it was hardly her idea of a good plan, but it had happened and now they, and everyone around them, had to face the consequences.

It was dumb really, but Mac could almost feel jealous of Dick. After all, his parents didn't seem to expect much of him so it was likely they would be unsurprised and unmoved by the news he was going to be a father in a little over six months. From what she knew, his Mom was miles away in Europe with her new family, and with Mr Casablancas in jail and Cassidy gone, Dick really had no family at all, except Logan to play pseudo-brother.

"He'll have a family soon enough" said Mac to herself as she put a hand to her stomach that was just now starting to show signs of its expansion.

Whether she liked it or not, and right now she couldn't be sure which way the scale wanted to tilt, her baby was Dick's baby too. That didn't mean they had to be close, not like boyfriend/girlfriend or anything, but they were going to have to see each other a lot, going to have to be friends somehow.

If someone had told Mac just a few months ago that she had to be friends with Dick Casablancas, she would've laughed in their face and told them there was no chance at all of that happening. Now, everything as so different; he was so different. Maybe this pending baby was what Dick really needed to make a man out of him, Mac considered, though it was strange to realise anything could perform such a feat on a guy like him.

It occurred to her then as she sat at her desk, staring unseeing at her Twitter feed, that she really ought to let Dick know what had happened with her parents. Last night it just got too late and then this morning it was necessary to start up talks again. Nothing really got achieved the night before, not least because both Mac's Mom and Dad were so shocked and overwhelmed by the news that their baby girl was having a baby of her own. By this morning, everyone was just a little more calm and reasonable. A rational conversation began and ended with just a few things decided upon. There was no way Mac was getting thrown out of her home, for that she was grateful, and her parents were not about to force her into abortion or adoption, not that she would have let them do it but she'd sooner them not even try.

Last night, Dick had been great. It was strange but his presence really had helped to begin with. Yes, eventually, Mac had asked him to leave because there were things she needed to discuss with her parents that she felt the need to do alone. Still, when he was there, letting her hold onto his hand, standing up to her parents alongside her when she really needed him, Mac could've cried she was so happy. Lately a lot of things made her cry, things that never would have before she got pregnant, so she didn't dwell too much on this effect Dick seemed to be having on her. He had made her laugh and cry last night, both in very good ways...

Shaking her head free of such dreamy thoughts and very deliberately knocking the silly grin off her own face, Mac reached for her cell and switched it on. She needed to call Dick and let him know everything was okay, that was all. She was not going to start getting all silly and girlish about how he made her feel last night, when he looked as if he was going to kiss her and all. No, Mac was not going to focus on any of that, because it would lead to no good, absolutely no good!

As her cell phone came alive, Mac wasn't surprised to see she had a new voice-mail, and yet strangely a little disappointed to realise it wasn't from Dick. She frowned some as she hit the button and listened to Veronica's words from the night before.

"Hey, Mac. I know it's late, so you're probably asleep already. I just called to talk, check in, see how you and Baby Bump are doing. If you want to call me back tomorrow, I'm around most of the day. Hope to hear from you soon. Bye!"

Mac smiled at the message and immediately dialled back. She could use a friend to talk to right now, and none gave better advice and support than Veronica Mars.

"Hey, I take it you got my message" the blonde greeted her friend with an evident smile.

"Hi, Veronica" Mac smiled just the same at the sound of her voice, "I did, and I so would've called you back sooner but... last night was kind of a big deal" she admitted, "My parents found out about the baby"

"Ooh, I'll bet that was fun times" replied Veronica with obvious sarcasm, "You okay?"

Mac paused a moment before answering.

"Surprisingly, yes" she told her friend then, "I mean, this is all kinds of a mess still, and Mom and Dad were in no way happy that I made a baby, especially with some random dude that I wasn't even dating..."

"Wasn't even?" Veronica echoed, interrupting her friends flow, "Hold on a second, that past tense implies you are dating now" she said suspiciously.

It seemed odd to think that Mac and Dick ever even did the deed, but they were drunk and as Veronica knew only too well, the demon drink could make a person do all kinds of wacky things. Still, the idea of these two actually getting along, going out on dates, being a real couple, that was all five fruity flavours of crazy!

"We're not" said Mac quickly, "There is no dating... well, there was one kind of date" she admitted then, not sure how to take the audible gasp in her ear, "I mean, it wasn't supposed to be a date, at all" she explained, "Dick just wanted to cheer me up so he took me to the movies and..."

"And?" Veronica prompted when Mac was quiet too long.

"And we had a really good time" she admitted at length, "Y'know when he's not being a complete ass, Dick can be genuinely... sweet"

The silence on the other end of the line was to be expected, Mac thought. She knew that she herself was shocked to realise how nice her dead ex's brother could actually be, so she could completely understand Veronica's shock. After all, she hadn't been around for the past few weeks to see how Dick had started to change.

"I'm speechless" said Veronica eventually, "but I am glad, Mac, really. You need support and Dick has a responsibility here" she reminded her, "He owes it to you to be a decent person"

"He's doing that, Veronica, I promise" she assured her, "Anyway, how're things at the FBI? You must be having such a great time" she said, a little more comfortable with changing the subject right now.

"I can't deny its a great experience, and I've met a ton of people" Veronica explained with a smile evident in her voice, at least at first, "but it's not home, y'know?" she added, with a touch of sadness in her tone that made Mac feel bad for her.

"Well, it's just another two weeks and you'll be back in Neptune" she reminded her friend, "You should be just in time for my twelve week scan" she smiled widely, glad to know she would have that extra piece of support as her pregnancy hit the second trimester.

"Like you need me for that" Veronica rolled her eyes almost audibly, "You have the wonderful Mr Casablancas to hold your hand, right?"

"Don't make jokes" Mac admonished her, albeit playfully since she knew her friend meant no real harm, "He really is trying. In fact, I'm gonna have to go soon, I should really let him know how things turned out with my parents last night" she said, checking her watch and realising her plans had gone a little awry from getting Veronica's message and calling her back.

Of course there was always time for a chat with her best friend, but she would have to make sure she made time and effort to go see Dick like she had planned. He really was being a good guy lately, that was no lie, and he deserved to be treated as such. She only hoped it lasted, because she was liking it so far.

Mac felt way less odd stood here at the door to the best suite in the Neptune Grand than she had before. To think she was so nervous about facing Dick Casablancas that day a few weeks okay when she had to tell him the shocking news that she was carrying his child. These days they were not strangers or enemies or even a couple that got together for a one night stand and nothing more. They were parents-to-be of the same child, and it some convoluted way they were friends.

Of course, most people didn't have babies with a friend, and those that did were usually friends first and would-be parents after, not this other way around that Mac and Dick had managed, but that was okay. If there was one thing that they had both learnt living in Neptune, it was that nobody's life here really ran smooth or in any sensible order. You had to go with the flow for the most part and hope it turned out okay. So far it wasn't so bad, Mac realised, as she raised her fist to knock on the door and waited for Dick or maybe Logan to answer.

"Dude! You are so going... down"

What had started out as threatening but humorous yelling at his room-mate fell flat just a soon as Dick opened the door and found Mac on the other side. She wasn't exactly the last person he expected to see but she certainly wasn't the first either.

"Hey" she smiled as she glanced up at him, suddenly feeling awkward as a memory spun through her mind from the night before, her and Dick by her front door, him leaning in closer, "Um... Can I come in?" she asked when she found her bearings, shaking her head free from the thoughts that were causing her to want to blush and run in tandem.

"Oh, yeah" said Dick, seemingly just now realising he was supposed to have some kind of manners where Mac was concerned.

He moved aside and let her in, where Mac found Logan sat on the couch in front of the TV, the display of which showed a video game at 'pause'. He got up when he spotted her, hovering as if he wasn't sure if leaving the room or staying put seemed less rude or whatever.

"You can stay, Logan" she assured him with a smile, "You know what's happening anyway, and it's not like it's a secret anymore"

When she glanced from him to Dick then, Mac felt bad when she saw him looking shame-faced. She really hadn't come here to make him feel worse about spilling their secret to her parents, in fact, she was here to tell him it was all okay now, or as okay as it was ever going to get.

"Mac, seriously, I am sooooo sorry about that" he told her truthfully, shocking Logan as much as anyone with the sound of an apology, and it showed too as he dropped back into the couch cushions as if in a dead faint.

Mac wanted to be serious given Dick's sincere apology, but Logan's antics made her want to grin.

"It's fine" she said, rolling her eyes at the young Mr Echolls before meeting Dick's eyes, "Really, it is. I mean, my Mom and Dad aren't exactly thrilled to know you 'knocked up their baby girl'" she air-quoted awkwardly, "but they're not kicking me out of the house or trying to make me get rid of this kid so... well, it could've been a lot worse" she shrugged, "Besides, you probably did me a favour. My parents had to find out sometime and bonus: I didn't actually have to tell them myself" she smiled, finding a bright side even now.

It didn't occur to Dick that she might be saying these things to make him feel better. He took what was said to him at face value, and if Mac said everything was good then that's what it was. He was scared to death that she was mad at him, it was why he hadn't called her yet this morning, why he was up playing video games with Logan on the wrong side of lunch on a Sunday. Of course, he had seemed okay when she came in, because he was good at looking cheerful on the outside, even when his heart was breaking in his chest. Booze helped but mostly he was just an awesome actor a lot of the time. It was something most people didn't know, except maybe Logan.

"So, there was no locking you in a tower or threatening to hunt Dick down like the dog he is?" asked Logan with his usual theatrics, presumably to break the awkward moment in which Dick failed to respond and Mac shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Nope, none of that" she assured them, "Everything is good... or at least no worse than before" she considered, "But right now I'm more concerned about this huge craving I'm having for a double-chocolate ice-cream sundae" she smiled suddenly, "So, what do you say, Dick? You up for hot fudge and whipped cream on something sweet?" she asked in complete misguided innocence.

Dick opened his mouth to answer but the words never came. Glancing at Logan and seeing the look on his friends face put paid to the dirty comment that had formed in his mind ever spilling from his mouth. It was clear from the shake of his head that his best bud knew it was a very bad idea and so Dick closed his mouth and nodded instead.

"Sure, ice cream is good" he said a moment later, composure once again gained, "Give me a sec to grab my jacket, babe, and then we'll blow this joint" he told her with a wink as he disappeared into his room.

Mac laughed in spite of herself at his usual crazy humour, not really noticing Logan had moved til he was stood beside her.

"It's cool, y'know" he told her, thumbs in his pockets as he stared after his friend then turned to look at the brunette beside him, "That you're letting Dick feel like he's helping and all"

"It's his baby too" she shrugged like it was no big deal, seeing the half-smirk on Logan's face and interpreting it correctly apparently, "He has to be involved because he's the father, that's all. We're not dating or anything" she said definitely, though Logan continued to smile annoyingly, perching on the arm of the couch now.

"The movies last night, ice cream today" he reminded her, "Sounds like dating to me" he told her, with a raised eyebrow.

Mac looked phased for all of a second before finding a smirk of her own.

"I talked to Veronica today" she told him smartly, knowing it was a low blow but unable to help herself in the circumstances, maybe the bitchy streak came as part of the pregnancy package, she couldn't be sure, "I think she's missing Neptune"

Logan shook his head as he got up from his place on the arm of the couch and turned away to his bedroom.

"Not as much as Neptune is missing her" he muttered as he went, leaving Mac almost wishing she had kept her mouth shut.

Before she had chance to think too much about it, Dick re-appeared wearing both jacket and shoes, waxing lyrical on the wonders of ice-creams and his various exploits of over-eating that were clearly meant to impress. Mac couldn't help but smile at his antics, and at how easily his arm crept around her shoulders as he led her to the elevator... but they weren't dating, of course not.

To Be Continued...