Title: At Long Last - A Wedding Bells Alternate
Category: Who's the Boss
Summary: What happens when you mix too much wine and a secret love?
Rating:NC-17, NSFW, M
Spoilers: Wedding Bells
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

This story contains content for mature audiences only - please be warned. If people want, I can try to mark the sections so you can skip those parts if you prefer not to read them but still want the rest of the story. If enough people ask I can try!

This story is complete (I think) but it has multiple chapters. I'll upload them as fast as I can. I kept them to 1200-1500 words for the most part because I think that's manageable to read without having to binge the whole thing!

I wrote most of these a long time ago. I apologize for any mistakes, but I will try to edit as I go!

I'm moving my Who's the Boss fics from various other sites to here. Feedback welcome - good or bad - and appreciated :) Enjoy.

16.

After dinner, Tony and Angela do the dishes together, as they usually do. Tony's only had one significant relationship with a woman in his life, but he's no idiot. Despite her reassurances on their walk, he knows something is wrong with Angela, and the way she's behaving, he's pretty sure it's not good. He's not one to worry, but he's feeling very uneasy and he doesn't like it.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Tony asks.

"Are we ready for our talk?"

"Yeah, sure. Shoot."

"No. Not here. In my office?"

"Yeah, okay."

Tony feels his hands get sweaty. They've done what they promised they would never do for the sake of their friendship. He's worried that they made the wrong call, that they've lost the good thing they had, and this has ruined the best thing that's happened to him in a long time.

He shuts the door behind them and braces himself.

"Tony," she starts, but then stops.

"Yeah?" he says, expectantly. "Hey, look, come on, Angela, whatever's going on between us, we're still best friends, right? We've got no secrets. We just want the best for each other. So whatever you gotta say, just say it. We'll work it out together, okay? Even if you think it's gonna hurt me, just say it. I'd rather know than keep wondering."

She looks at him and he waits.

"I'm pregnant."

Tony is sure he heard wrong. She said it quickly and suddenly and surely she didn't say what he thinks she said.

"Sorry, Angela, I don't think I heard you."

"Yes. You did. I'm pregnant."

He must have looked as shocked as he felt, because she starts to cry.

"I'm sorry, Tony. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, and I don't know what we're going to do. I wasn't going to tell you yet but… you said it yourself, we don't have secrets between us. I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say."

He looks at her. He's still not certain he's heard correctly. He steps closer to her and holds her arms and looks her right in the eye.

"You're pregnant?" he asks. He needs to be sure.

"Yes," she says, weepily.

A thousand emotions rush through Tony at once. He's overjoyed, he's scared, he's relieved, he's excited, he's worried….

"And you're okay? The baby's okay?"

"I think so," she shrugs. "I have a doctor's appointment in the new year to check."

"Is this… is this why you've been acting so strange?"

"I didn't mean to, but I didn't know how you would react. I didn't plan this, I hope you believe that. And, Tony, I want you to know that I don't intend for you to do anything you're not ready to do. I know this is very unexpected but I've thought about it and I've always wanted another child and this may be my only chance, and I'm willing to take on this responsibility completely, you'll have no obligation - "

"Angela… you're pregnant. You've got a baby in there?" He points to her stomach. "You've got *my* baby in there?"

Angela nods.

"Oh, Angela." He pulls her into a tight hug.

"Oh, sorry. Sorry, Angela, are you okay? I didn't mean to squeeze you like that. How are you feeling? Here, sit down. Sit, sit." He guides her to the couch and sits next to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," she tells him.

"Good, good. And the baby?"

"I think the baby's okay."

"God… Angela… how did this happen?" He realizes how stupid that sounds. "I mean, when did this happen? I thought… I guess I thought that you… well… that you were using protection or something."

"The first time we did it it was so unexpected, and the second time was a bit of a surprise as well… I got on the pill right after that. I'm not taking it anymore, obviously."

Tony is amazed. He doesn't know what to say or do but he knows he's not upset about this news. He's stunned, but he's not upset. He is cautiously optimistic, though also very nervous and slightly unsure on what this means but… a baby. He's having a baby. *They* are having a baby. He's happy, he's really happy.

"I'm sorry, Tony," she says, mistaking his silence for anger. "I know I should have been more careful-"

"No, come on, Angela. I could have been careful, too, and I wasn't. This isn't your fault, hey, I was there too." She smiles at him. "Um, how far along…."

"The nurse said it's probably nine or ten weeks."

"Nine or ten weeks… so the second time. After the Whitner's party."

"Yeah."

"That was a good night," he grins, and she laughs. He's happy to hear it. "How did you not know?" he asks. "Don't women… know these things?"

"I guess I've been distracted. I didn't notice I missed a cycle. And with Jonathan I was sick all the time. That's what I thought being pregnant was. This time I haven't been sick. I haven't been hungry, but I haven't been sick."

"You've been sleeping a lot."

"Yes, that's true," she smiles.

"Are you happy?" he asks, tentatively. He's scared that she isn't.

Angela takes a deep breath. "I'm not unhappy. Actually, I'm glad to be having this baby, now that I've gotten over the shock. I don't know where we - I mean our relationship - is going…."

"I love you, Angela," Tony blurts out, suddenly. "You need to know that. I mean, I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for so long. I can imagine spending the rest of my life with you. This baby, this baby was made in love, you've gotta know that. I think this was meant to be, maybe this is what makes our family complete."

Angela starts to cry. "I was so worried you would be upset."

"I was surprised, I mean, I was pretty shocked. But not upset. Never upset."

Angela reaches out to hug him and he holds her close. He kisses her face, and then kisses her lips. "We're going to be parents together," he says.

"Yeah."

"And I want to marry you, as soon as possible, I just… Angela, I don't know how this is gonna work. I think I need to get a job somewhere else." He stands up. "I gotta think about how to take care of you and support a baby."

"We don't have to think about that right now," Angela says, standing to go to him.

"Angela, a kid comes in nine months. You're already like two months in. When am I gonna think about this?"

"Can we be happy about this for a little while? Before we start to worry about other things."

Tony stops pacing and looks at her. He can't believe he hasn't given her and the baby the attention they deserve. He should be showering her with love right now. Maybe he's still in shock.

"Of course we can be happy." He puts his hand on her belly. "What do you think? Boy or girl?"

She smiles. "Um, girl."

"I say boy. Tony Junior," he grins. She shakes her head. "I can't even feel a bump. Are you sure there's a baby in there?"

"I hope so, or we've gone through all of this for nothing. Look, feel. My stomach is bigger."

He feels but her stomach is just as flat as it normally is, at least to him. He rubs it anyway. His baby is in there. He never thought he'd have another after his wife died. If Angela didn't want one, he figured it would never happen.

"What do we tell the kids," he says, still touching her stomach.

"I don't know. How do you think they'll take it?"

"They're gonna love it. Are you kidding? A little baby around the house?"

"I'm not so sure, Tony. They fight with each other, they both want our attention…."

"Well, they're gonna have to like it," he says, continuing to rub her belly. "You sure there's a baby in there? I really can't feel anything…."

"Tony, feel here. Don't you feel that swell? It's hard there. Feel it?"

Tony shrugs. "I wasn't there for Marie when she was first pregnant, I was out playing ball. I didn't get back until she was showing."

"Michael wasn't here when I first found out I was pregnant either."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He was in Mongolia."

"Oh. Right. Well, I'm gonna be here for the whole thing. Anything you need, anything this baby needs. I'm gonna do this one right. I'm going to be the best dad for this kid."

"Oh, Tony. You're a fabulous father."

"We're going to be fabulous parents." Tony is getting excited. He doesn't care about anything else right now, just Angela and the baby they made.

"So," he says, wrapping his arms around her. "What do you think about getting married?"

"Now?"

"Definitely before the baby comes."

"Tony, I don't want you to feel obligated…."

"You think I need some sort of excuse to marry you, Angela? I would marry you in a heartbeat. In fact… in fact when Paul and Isabelle were getting married… I kinda thought… well, you know… I thought it might be nice if it were you and me."

"Really? Really, Tony?" He nods. "Because I was thinking the same thing!"

"Yeah? Why didn't you say something?"

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Well… anyway, it doesn't matter. I don't have a ring on me, but I'll get one. So… will you marry me, Angela?"

A part of him is still very seriously concerned that she'll reject him.

"Yes, I will," she says softly and sweetly and every tension leaves his body. She said yes.