Adam whimpered into the toilet bowl as he retched up the last of this bout of vomit, just before finally deciding to flush the toilet and rest his head over his folded arms for a while, while Amanda attempted to comfort him by rubbing gentle strokes across his back.

"God…"

"I know…...I know." Her tone was soft and gentle, and the small smile she wore across her face was sympathetic.

He looked over, briefly, at her and offered back a weak smile of his own.

"Sorry you had to see that…" He wiped a hand across his mouth. "...can't say I didn't warn you that might happen when I said you could come over, though."

"You hear me complaining?" She pointed out.

This got another little smile from him. "...yeah, I guess not…..thanks."

"don't mention it."

His smile faded shortly after, however, as he sunk his head back over his arms and sighed.

"God, how the fuck am I gonna do this by myself?" He muttered under his breath, unintentionally just loud enough for her to hear.

Maybe it was the fact that she was here with him now, for this incident, or maybe it was that he had only barely been able to stop worrying about the thought of it since first finding out about the pregnancy, but it was plaguing him now.

Ohh, shit, was it plaguing him now.

"Hey…" She moved her hand up to his shoulder. "...what are you talking about? I'm here, aren't I?"

Adam shook his head to himself, not especially to her question.

"I mean all of it Mandy. I- look at me." Another small whimper escaped, and she was starting to pick up on the fact that this was about more than some episodes of nausea, which were likely something he wouldn't have to deal with for too much longer, anyway. "...How am I even gonna have- " He lifted his head up more and buried his face in his hands, just before folding them so that he could place his head back over them, his elbows propped up more now on the toilet lid as he tried to collect himself a little better and looked back over to her.

"...and how am I even supposed to bring a kid into this, into this...anyway?"

"Well….I don't know about that…." She admitted gently. "...but...I do know you don't have to figure it out alone…..I am here for you for that too…...if you want."

"...Y-you mean that?" He wiped his face again, as if he were trying his best not to cry.

"Of course I do…..In fact, I'll tell you what…"

He looked curiously at her now, quietly sniffling as he waited for her to finish.

"...Why don't you come stay at my place for a while?" She offered. "...Just until you figure things out."

"...Mandy I- " He wiped a hand across his eyes. "...I don't know what to say, I couldn't ask you to do that. And, besides, you've only really known me for a couple of weeks, now."

"So? ….Besides, you didn't ask me to, I offered."

"Yeah, well call it whatever you want, I couldn't impose." He smiled back at her, just a little more. "...but, thank you."

"...and, what if I insisted?" She smiled back at him. "...if it would make you feel better about things, then I insist."

"I don't know…." He sighed. "...Can I think about it?"

"Of course you can." She gently patted his shoulder. "...take all the time you need to."

"Thank you….I do appreciate it, really, I just- I- I feel bad, you know? You didn't even sign up for this…...today." He sighed as he started to pull himself up.

"Yeah, well, as you pointed out, you did warn me." She stood up and offered her hand out to him.

"Right, fair enough." He admitted, taking her hand as he steadied himself back on his feet.

She nodded. "...You okay now?"

He sighed again. "Well...for now, anyway." He smiled back at her again. "..thanks."

"Of course."

Another couple of weeks or so had gone by when Amanda eventually got the call, at around close enough to about 3:30, one morning.

Amanda yawned as she reached, wearily for her ringing phone.

The worry that struck her when she saw that it was Adam calling her this late awakened her just a little bit more, as she flipped it open to answer it.

"Adam? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine." He chuckled, glancing down as he was sitting up in his bed.

It wasn't especially noticeable yet, but he was starting to notice the small bump that was forming and which was just noticeable enough to see it if you were looking for it

"..We're fine, you're just gonna think I'm crazy." He laughed.

"Try me." She chuckled softly, relaxing a bit from the initial scare.

"Alright, well, remember about a couple weeks ago, you offered to let me stay with you?"

"I'm familiar." She chuckled. "..Why? Come to a decision on this at.." She looked at the time. " '3:30 in the morning?"

"...well, actually, uhh..specifically, I was wondering if yooouu….byyy any chance...had some rocky road ice cream…?

"I see, and what does this have to do with what I already offered?" She was trying to stifle her laughter.

"...Thaaat I may take you up on it, if you say you do."

"For ice cream." She confirmed.

"For Rocky Road ice cream." He corrected. "...I don't know, it just sounds reeeally good right now." There was whine in his tone, at that last part, despite his best attempts to not sound too needy.

"Right." She laughed. "...I actually just might, let me check my freezer."

"Thank yooouu…..I'm sorry." The sorry was a little more quiet yet guilty sounding.

"Don't be…" She assured him. "...I'm just glad to hear you're not chucking your guts up again."

Adam smiled a little to himself, glancing down again.

"...and for the record…" She continued. "...you can still have the ice cream if I have it, with or without taking my other offer."

"Alright, Mandy, put it this way.." He laughed. "...at this point I'd probably marry you for some good Rocky Road ice cream, if that's what you were asking for for it."

"Is that a proposal, Mr. Stanheight?" She teased as she walked to her freezer.

"Maybe." He laughed. "Will you take a rain check for a ring? You've seen the kind of shithole I live in."

She just laughed as she opened the freezer and began moving things around to look for it. "Right, well as tempting as that sounds, neither is necessary in exchange for the ice cream."

"Fine, but I'm still serious about taking your offer, if it's still up."

"As promised." She assured. "...shit, I don't think I- wait, yes I do!" She corrected herself mid sentence as soon as she spotted it. "Yes, I do!" She cracked open the lid to check its contents. "There's about half a carton here, will that do?"

"You had me at wait, yes." He laughed. "Mmm….how's now?"

"It's almost 4 in the morning, Adam. I thought the urgency went without saying." She teased. "...yes, you can come over now."

"You…are a lifesaver." He chuckled, pulling the first button up he could find over his t shirt. "...seriously, thank you. I'll see you in a few."

"See ya." She chuckled as they both hung up.