"Did you have a good time last night, Susie Q?" Nathan was in the kitchen cooking dinner for himself and his daughter.

"Yeah, it was cool. Charlie got a hold of a copy of that new Mark Wahlburg movie and screened it for everyone…it kinda sucked, but in a 'so bad it's good' kind of way." She looked up from her trigonometry book. "And your night?"

Nathan told her about the horrid woman known as Abbi and his impromptu performance, though not exactly what he performed. He was even honest about spending the night at Sydney's – a few details left out, of course. "Pancakes this morning after clean up and here we are."

"Abbi aside, and please don't ever see her again she sounds awful, it sounds like your night was pretty good."

"It was," he replied, his voice almost distant.

"And you…spent the night at my English teacher's house. The same person I've been begging you to ask out for…"

Nathan's back was to his daughter, which was a good thing considering he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "I just might," he said innocently. "No promises when, but…I will take it into consideration, okay?"

Susan's eyes brightened, but she cocked her head in confusion. "If I were going to guess that Valentine's Day had something to do with this would I be right?"

Nathan's answer was simple. "You wouldn't be wrong."

Sydney was at home, lounging on the couch despite what should have been getting done. She had spent the afternoon cleaning after she dropped Nathan off at home, but put off a few of the more daunting tasks that awaited upstairs. She was watching HGTV (it was a slight obsession), but not paying it much attention. Her thoughts were completely dedicated to Nathan. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Brynn and Jess entered the room.

"So, pancakes were good this morning," Brynn said, smiling. She was currently unbothered by Eric's disappearing act due to a "pleasant afternoon" with Jess. "Did Naaaaaathan help you make the batter this morning?"

Sydney rolled her eyes and forced away a smile. "As a matter of fact, he did, but last time I checked he didn't have so many vowels in his name."

She shrugged, then plopped down beside Sydney. "We've all been really well behaved for a while, like you asked, but getting to just hang out with him last night, after his amazing little on stage ditty, I think he's…"

"He's pretty great," Jess said, sitting on the other side of Sydney. "Had a bit of a chat with him today, he's a good listener."

Sydney blushed, but not enough to be very noticeable. "Yeah, he is." She cleared her throat. "I've seen him with a few of the kids at school and he's just a natural at it." She looked at Jess. "Everything okay?"

"No," he answered honestly, "but it's a little better. It was nice having a…" He didn't finish and Sydney completely understood why. Jess never held Arlen's preferences against him, but he never had a true father figure either. While she didn't press the issue to find out what they spoke about, Sydney's heart leapt knowing that Nathan had helped to ease Jess' mind about something.

The following morning, Sydney's house was…silent. Jess had finally decided that he should be with Arlen to finalize his mother's things, as well as spread her ashes. Sydney walked into the house's fourth bedroom and leaned against the doorframe. This was to be the nursery. She felt a pang of joy as well as pain, but would never show the latter once the baby girl arrived. The room was completely empty, save for the paint cans in the corner. It was early, eight-thirty at the latest, but as she stared at her cell phone, she dialed him.

"Morning, sunshine," he answered, and she heard the smile in his voice.

"I didn't wake you?" she asked.

"Who can sleep? Everything okay?"

She tried to sound as innocent and helpless as she could. "Uh…how are you at painting?" An hour later, Sydney was kissing him just inside her front door. "Thank you," she whispered.

He caressed her face, his touch tender. "You could have just told me you had an empty house today."

Sydney smiled widely. "Paint wasn't a euphemism." She took his hand and led him upstairs to the empty room.

"There really are paint cans."

She laughed. "And a crib to put together."

A couple of hours later, the walls were the perfect shade of a pale, girly pink…Sydney was a little better at taping and accidentally stepping on the paint tray – three times – but Nathan didn't mind doing a bulk of the work. They spent the time talking about the new step in their relationship, as well as the mentoring program they had yet to work on.

They found themselves in the middle of the floor, on their backs, their fingers laced together when Nathan made a small confession. "I told Susan I was thinking about asking you out."

"Oh?" Sydney rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow.

Nathan remained on his back, smiling widely. "She's been sort of adamant about it for a little while."

Now Sydney was smiling. "Really?"

"Why would that be hard to believe?"

"Well, I'm her teacher…"

"Hate to break it to you, Syd, but so am I." He rolled to face her now. "I love you," he said, the words making his body warm.

"Not exactly what we were…I love you too." She took a deep breath, wanting so much at that moment. "Crib…"

"Yes, ma'am." They went into Arlen's room and grabbed the boxes containing the unassembled crib. The picture showed it to be rather elaborate – very much styled for a princess. Upon bringing the boxes into the nursery, Nathan immediately found the instructions, gave them a quick once over and put them aside.

"That's…it?" Sydney asked, wondering if he had given up already.

He smiled. "You don't know everything about me yet now do you? What fun would that be?" And like that, Nathan turned into a "crib-putting-together machine." Sydney helped as best she could, handing him appropriate parts or holding things together. She never thought of him as being such a, well, handyman – though to be fair, she never would have pegged him for a martial artist either – it was a trait that had always turned her on…which led her onto her next question…

"We're more than sex, right?" Sydney blurted, unable to stop herself.

"What?" he asked, tightening a screw.

"If we didn't have such an amazing, um, physical connection…we'd still be…" She didn't finish because she realized how silly she sounded.

Nathan's voice was lighthearted. "You think I just go around spouting 'I love yous' to every woman who works across the hall from me?" He continued putting the rail together.

Sydney giggled. "Of course not."

"If you want to stop sleeping together for your own peace of mind…I need the flathead, please."

"I didn't say that," Sydney quickly retorted, handing him the alternate screwdriver. "I think I'm just being…" She rolled her eyes at herself. "…overly cautious? More then likely overdramatic, actually."

"I'm not either of them, remember? I love you and we compliment each other well in a myriad of ways…"

"Ooh, good word, mister history teacher…"

"Why thank you." He stopped the conversation, and the work at hand, by kissing her. It wasn't a kiss that could be easily classified, however. It was comforting and sexy at the same time and, Sydney couldn't help but notice, made her feel truly secure.

"Nathan…" Sydney whispered, her voice dreamy against her will.

He smiled, happy. "So, now that we know we're just fine, what happened that led me here today?" Sydney went back to holding the two pieces of crib together and told him about Jess finally deciding to go and meet Arlen; that he pushed his anger aside a little for him. "You're worried about him." It was a statement of fact.

Sydney nodded. "He's had such a screwed up life…Arlen's fantastic, but it's not the same as having a father and I've sort of filled in as motherish…" She cocked her head. "What?"

Nathan stood and wrung his hands. "Jess sort of, I can't tell you exactly what we talked about, but…"

"I know, the other morning," Sydney interrupted, her eyes bright.

He nodded, trying not to grin too much. "Yeah, when we were cleaning up, he initiated things." The crib was completed – it had only taken an hour, Sydney thought it had to be a record.

"He went to you? Talked to you about…guy stuff? He…" And then she put the pieces together. "He knows."

"He knows," Nathan agreed. "He saw us together in Arlen's office." He cleared his throat. "He hasn't said a word…"

"He wouldn't," Sydney said, her voice motherly.

"…and, Syd, he's happy about it. Protective too." Sydney nodded, pleased. "He made sure I was straight, which was funny until I realized why he needed to ask – Arlen and David are…" Sydney put up her hand, understanding. "Right, well I let him know that I'd be there for him if he needed someone and that I can listen and…" He couldn't finish. Why? Sydney had wrapped her arms around him, and began to kiss him.

"You are amazing," she breathed, moving to his neck. "You are such a good man…and, just so you know, guys that can 'do stuff' around the house…huge turn on." She ran her hands along his backside.

"You're turned on right now?"

"Oh God, yes…"

"From me…listening to Jess and building something?"

She tugged at his earlobe. "Building something…being there for him. You have no idea how much both of those things mean to me – in very different ways, of course."

"Oh, I'm getting an ide…a." She was gently stroking at his length through his pants. "I thought you were worried about us being too sex orientated."

"Worries gone, I was being a stupid girl, I'm over it…there's a Jacuzzi tub up here. You used the other bathroom on Friday, mine's the good one."

"Isn't there any more work to be done?"

Sydney backed away from him and began to strip. "Mmmm…yes, there is." She swayed in front of him for a moment. "Well, we've gotta keep you straight, right?"

"Oh, baby, there's no worries there." He stood as well and took off his t-shirt and Sydney blushed. Nathan then laughed as he chased Sydney down the hall. By the time they made it to the bathroom they were both fully undressed.

Sydney turned the water on, letting the large tub fill, then grinned at her love in the most sinful of ways. She kissed him, then sank to her knees. She took Nathan into her mouth in one continuous, but torturously slow motion. She had the knowledge that this particular act was something he hadn't experienced very much in his adult life…and it simply had to be remedied. She varied technique and pacing now and then, causing Nathan to grip at the towels hanging on the wall. "Fuck!" he yelled, instantly self-conscious as he did so. She didn't stop pleasuring him until he began to shake and gently pushed her away. His chest heaved as he helped Sydney up off of the floor. "Part of me really wants to know where you picked up that skill, the other…"

Sydney smiled, putting her finger to his lips. "I'm sure if you ever really think about it, you'll figure it out, but let's not spoil the mood, hm?" She eyed his impressive length. "I'm sure there's something better we could be doing, no?"

Nathan didn't, couldn't think before he grabbed her and muttered, "May as well be dirty before we bathe…and I know someone is quite fond of being taken against the wall." He picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as soon as he slid inside of her, and put her back to the wall. His pace was rapid, he couldn't help it, but Sydney didn't mind, in fact, she was encouraging him. This man made her absolutely burn for contact with him. She yelled out, her nails trailing down his back as she came and he followed her, biting at her shoulder while he released. He held her in place for a moment, kissing her, his tongue quite literally caressing hers. When he pulled away and let her feet hit the floor, he smiled. "Tub's full."