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Chapter 4 - Promises

"Ross… Hi.."

"I um.. I was wondering if we could talk.. about.. you know.." He stuttered out.

"Sure… come in." She opened the door wider for him to enter. At first he was cautious about entering, maybe it was because he saw a rather displeased Sterling sitting there with his arms folded. Finally he put both feet in and she closed the door behind him. "So.." She said trying to break the unbearable tension the room. Both boys were staring at each other with looks she could not quite describe. "I was sort of hoping we could do this alone." Ross said, a slight growl forming on his mouth. "Why you gotta be alone with her?" Sterling asked. Here we go. "Gonna try take advantage of her again?" He asked.

"Sterling." Laura said in a warning tone.

"Advantage of her? Excuse me? It's not like I ever done anything against her will." Ross stated.

"Whatever." Sterling said slumping back in the chair.

"Can you leave?" Ross asked, his tone was a little rude.

"Whatever you have to say to her can be said in front of me." Sterling shrugged. Ross looked towards Laura for some help, but she didn't give him any. She didn't really want to be left alone with him. "Just forget he's here." Laura suggested sitting down on the two seater couch. Ross sighed before sitting down beside her. "So.. I guess you are keeping it for sure then?" He asked, to which Laura nodded. "Alright.. I um.. first of all, I'm sorry that this happened. It was never my intention for it to even go that far, but I just couldn't stop myself. I'm not saying that I regret what happened.. but we were stupid to let this happen. With all that being said I can't just ignore you. It's taken me weeks and several long talks with my family but I just can't not be a part of this. I thought I could, I did. I thought you'd just be some girl that I slept with and that would be the end of it, but I guess it's not that simple now." He briefly pointed at her stomach. "I just want to support you.. this is our own fault and I need to be involved as much as you.. Laura you might think I'm the biggest asshole in the world right now, and I don't blame you… but maybe this could be a good thing?"

The last part was presented as a question. Would it be a good thing? They were going to be relatively young parents, who weren't together. It wasn't going to be easy. However it didn't stop her heart from melting. She knew that there was nothing romantic between them, but it was sweet as heck, and certainly something she didn't expect to happen. A small smile formed on her face and she looked over at her co-star. There was nothing smiley about him at all. "I don't buy it." Sterling said.

"Sterling…" Laura sighed.

"Well I don't. Who put you up to this?" He asked Ross.

"No one!" He paused slightly. "Well maybe my entire family but it's not like they forced me to be here. I came by myself." He said.

"And you expect her to just forgive you?" Sterling asked.

"Look Rydel said if I came here and talked to you I could make it right. And that's what I'm doing. I'm making it right." Ross said.

"Who are you making it right for though? Are you doing it just because your family told you to?"

"Look dude, I don't even know who you are but as far as I'm concerned this is none of your business, so stay out of it." Ross warned him.

"She's one of my best friends. It is my business." Sterling stood up and Ross joined him.

"What the fucks your problem?" Ross asked.

"What's my problem? What's yours? You pretend for months that it never happened and you leave her to face it herself and now all of a sudden you are interested in being a part of her life?"

"I'm trying to do the right thing!" The two boys were getting closer and closer to each other.

"So you won't mind mind if the press find out? You wont mind if you can't keep playing shows cause you have to take care of a kid?" Sterling was right. If Ross wanted to be a part of this then that was fantastic, but he had to be willing to give things up. Laura looked back at Ross in anticipation for his answer. "Well.."

"Exactly my point." Sterling said before Ross could really answer.

"Fuck you." Ross replied. And that was all it needed before Sterling threw a punch square on Ross's face. "Sterling!" Laura stood up as the two boys locked on to each other like children in a school yard. "Stop it!" She looked between them. "I said stop it!" They weren't listening. She hoped that they would just stop and realize how immature they were being, but they didn't. In fact it just got worse. Ross ended up on the floor with Sterling on top getting all the hits.

"STOP IT!" She pulled Sterling off Ross. "What are you both doing you are acting like children!" She stood in between them as Ross stood up holding his face. "Sterling." She sighed. "What on earth was that?" She asked.

"He started it." He shrugged. She turned to Ross. His face looked fine other than the little trickle of blood coming from his nose and the slight red mark forming on his cheek. She handed him a tissue. "Are you okay?" She asked, he answered with a grunt. Laura rubbed the temples of her head and took a deep breath. "This can't happen. You two need to get along." She said.

"Did you hear what he said when I asked if he'd like it to go public? He couldn't answer you because he doesn't want it to go public." Sterling said.

"Ross.. I respect that you have come here to try and make things right, but Sterling is right. If you can't go public with this then that's not the support I need.." She said.

"I just.. I just wanted to do the right thing.. I can do it.." He nodded. "I can do it.. I think.."

"You think?" She asked. "Listen.. we have interviews next week for the show.. it's going to become clear that I am pregnant and they are going to ask questions.. if you are totally sure that you can do this, then show up and we can tell them together, but if you aren't.. then don't show up." She suggested.

"I'll be there." He reassured her. "I promise.." Ross said.

"I would like you to leave now." She said. "And I'm sorry about your face.." She smiled a little.

"Should we like.. hug or something..?" He asked.

"A hug would be nice." She said as he awkwardly extended his arms and pulled her in. He made his way out of the apartment and didn't look back. "You, out as well." She said to Sterling.

"What about your ultrasound?" He asked.

"I'm going to call Raini." She replied.

"I'm sorry about that but I just don't trust him." Sterling shrugged.

"Neither do I, but that's not the point."

"Fine, but he'll let you down. I bet anything he wont show up."

"He promised." Laura said.

"Yeah, and I'm sure he makes a lot of promises to people. Doesn't mean he's gonna keep it."

"We will see." She said.

"Wait so they started fighting?" Raini asked.

"Yes, like 9 year olds!" Laura sighed as she sat up on the cold hospital like bed.

"I don't get why Sterling was so mad." Raini said.

"I suppose he's just being protective.. it was weird. Ross just came out of the blue and said all that. I'm not really sure what to think." Laura shook her head.

"Maybe he meant it? Do you think he'll show up next week?"

"I hope he does.. I've got my hopes up way too high I think." Laura looked down.

"Did you tell him about this ultrasound?" Raini raised an eyebrow.

"No.. He still hasn't proven himself to me."

"Why exactly don't you trust him?"

"There's just something about him. He would be the type of person who would make plans and then end up spending the night surrounded by other girls and getting drunk." Laura shrugged.

"So you like him, and you are scared you'll be jealous." Raini winked.

"What?! I don't like him. Psh." She said. "He wishes I liked him." She laughed a little.

"If you say so." Raini joined in. "So what are you going to do if he doesn't show up?"

"I honestly haven't planned that far ahead.. I'm just praying he will." Just then the door opened and the doctor walked back in.

"Miss Marano, you have a perfectly healthy baby as I said. No problems at all." He smiled and handed her a print out of the scan. "Now you can come back at anytime for a checkup, if you think there are any problems and so on then just come see us." He smiled. "

Thank you." Laura said before the two left.

"You okay?" Raini asked getting into the car.

"I feel guilty for not telling him now." Laura sighed.

"It's not exactly like he missed out on much. It was sort of boring." Raini laughed. "Look he's never gonna know. He's probably not smart enough to even know what an ultrasound is."

"He's not that stupid." Laura said.

"Defending him? I think someones in love." Raini smirked.

"I don't like him! And it will stay that way." Laura nodded.

"So how did it go?" Rocky asked as Ross threw himself through the door.

"It was alright." Ross sighed stepping into the light.

"What the hell happened to your face?" Rocky asked.

"That Sterling guy was there and just tried to cause shit." Ross threw himself on the couch beside his older brother. "She seemed alright I guess, a little shocked but she didn't seem to hate me." He shrugged. "She's given me a chance to sort of make it up to them and go public."

"And you're gonna do it right?" Rocky asked.

"Yeah… of course." Ross faked a smile. "Where is everyone else?"

"They went out to the movies or something, I didn't want to go." Rocky replied.

"They didn't even ask me." Ross folded his arms.

"You had more important things to worry about."