Rayanne woke up with Nick’s hand in her face.

“Ugh, Nick.” she said removing his hand from her cheek.

She lifted her head to see if he was awake, but instead saw his mouth hanging open and a small line of drool trickling out of the corner onto her pillow.

“Nice.” she laughed quietly to herself.

She pulled her legs out from between his and got out of bed. She grabbed a tank top and Nick’s boxers and threw them on before heading to the kitchen. She started making coffee, going to wash her face and brush her teeth while she waited.

“Morning.” Mandy called from the shower.

“Jesus Mand. I didn’t know you were in there.”

“Sorry.” she laughed.

“Why didn’t you shut the door like normal people do?”

“Too hot.”

“Good enough reason I suppose. We’re gonna go to the mall later, wanna come?”

“Not sure. Ask me again when it’s time to go.”

“I’m turning the water on whether you like it or not, I have to brush these pearly whites.”

“Go for it, I’m done anyway.”

Rayanne turned the water on and brushed her teeth as Mandy climbed out of the shower in a towel.

“Did you have fun last night?” she smiled.

“Why?” Rayanne asked through a mouthful of toothpaste.

“Cause you sounded like you were having lots of fun.”

“Oh. Sorry about that.”

“It’s OK. We went in my room right after the movie anyway.”

“Good.” she said, spitting the rest of the toothpaste in the sink.

She washed her face and left Mandy to get dressed as she went to check on the coffee. She reached up to get a mug and poured herself a cup even though it wasn’t done. She sat in front of the TV watching ‘Smurfs’ by herself until Mandy joined her a few minutes later.

“So you gonna spill about last night or not?”

“What’s to spill miss nosy?”

“You’re not gonna tell me what you did?”

“Sure. I had sex.”

“And?”

“And nothing. Period.” she smiled sweetly.

“I see how ya are!”

“Yeah, that’s how I am.”

The show came back on and they watched intently. After it was over and her coffee was gone, Rayanne decided to wake Nick up, or at least get back in bed with him. She opened the door and crept in quietly, getting back in bed. She snuggled up close and closed her eyes.

“Ray take the clothes off, it’s too hot.”

“Oh, so you are awake.”

“Yes. And I’d rather cuddle without clothes.” He flashed her a crooked grin.

“If you say so.” she laughed, pulling his underwear off her and kicking them out from under the sheet.

“OK, one down, one to go.”

“Going, going.” She pulled her tanktop over her head and dropped it on the floor as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead.

“Are you going back to sleep?” she asked.

“No. I want to lay here though.”

“No complaints from me.” she giggled.

“Good.”

They lay in complete silence for awhile before Nick rolled over on top of her.

“Ugh! You’re heavy this morning.”

“I know. Can’t handle it?”

“I can handle you Mr. Carter. I just can’t breath while I do it.” she said her face turning red.

He laughed and rolled off her, standing up and pulling her with him.

“I want to shop.” he said.

“What are ya gonna buy me?”

“Nothing. I’m buying myself lots of new toys.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes.” he looked at her with a straight face.

“Fine. I’m gonna buy myself some nice new stuff from Victoria’s Secret and not let you see it.”

“No fair.” he smiled.

“I know. Mandy’s awake so you need to put clothes on.”

“Alright. Can I wear my underwear this time?”

“I suppose.” She picked up his boxers and tossed them to him.

He put them on as she slipped into a pair of underwear and put her tank top back on. They walked out of the bedroom and to the bathroom to take a shower.

After their shower Nick got dressed and watched as she stood in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear.

“Ray, it’s not a big deal. We’re going to the mall.”

“I know, I’m not worried about what I look like, I’m worried about being comfortable.”

“Oh. Put on some ratty old clothes, we’re less likely to get mobbed if we look like shit.” he laughed.

“Don’t tempt me. I have some pretty nasty clothes. OK, this looks comfy.” she said grabbing a Roxy shirt and a pair of jean shorts off her shelf.

“Hurry, let’s go.”

“I am hurrying.”

She finished buttoning her shorts and put on a pair of socks and her Nike sneakers, brushed her hair and was ready to go.

“Come on, hurry, let’s go.” she mocked him as he put on his sneakers.

10 minutes later they were in the car heading down Elmwood.

“Which one is closer?” he asked.

“Galleria by far.”

“That place is gonna be packed on a Saturday. What about the Boulevard Mall?”

“That one’s even nicer. More packed.”

“True. Galleria it is.”

They arrived at the mall a little after 11. After driving around looking for a parking spot for what seemed like an eternity they entered near Kahunaville.

“Ooh...I love shopping. Where first?”

“I don’t care. Wherever, I just want to spend money.”

“Let’s start down near Old Navy and walk down.”

“Geez...how long are you gonna be in there?” he teased.

“Hey! You like their stuff too, buy yourself some new clothes.”

They stayed in Old Navy for over an hour, until Nick got antsy and sick of talking to people.

“Let’s go.” he whispered in her ear.

“OK. Sorry.”

“It’s OK, there’s just these three girls in here and I feel bad but I don’t want to talk to them anymore.”

“OK, I just have to pay for this stuff, you just stay right here by me.” she laughed.

He followed her to the front to the registers, carrying his own arm load of stuff.

“I’m starving.” she said after 2 hours of spending money, most of it Nick’s.

“Me too. Watching you spend my money makes me hungry.” he joked.

“I told you I would-”

“I know. I was teasing.” he said taking her free hand in his.

They found seats near Taco Bell and sat for a minute before eating.

“God these bags are heavy. Shopping sucks.”

“That’s not what you said when we got here!” he laughed.

“I know. Once I get some energy in me I’ll be good to go.”

“OK, so where do you want this energy from? You watch our stuff I’ll go get it.”

“Hmm...” She contemplated. “I think maybe Taco Bell.”

“OK, what?”

She gave Nick her order and watched as he got up to her their food. He returned quickly and they ate their food while Nick told her about his Grandpa Douglas.

“He sounds like a lot of fun.”

“He is.”

“You’re gonna call them tonight?”

“Yeah, when we get home probably.”

“Good. Are you done?”

“Yeah.”

“OK, before I forget I want to go to Hollywood Galleries and look for a poster for Tyler.”

“Alright.” he said as he began to clean up their papers.

They threw away all their garbage and lugged their bags toward the winding staircase in the middle of the mall that would lead them to Hollywood Galleries. Just as they got to the middle landing of the stairs Nick heard someone call his name.

“Yippee.”

“Just talk to them Nick.”

“I’m going to. I always do.”

They turned around and were faced with seven girls.

“Hi.” Nick said politely.

“Hi!” they squealed excitedly.

Rayanne backed out of the way a bit, hanging her foot off the top stair, gripping the railing and waited for him to sign autographs for them.

He handed the last of the girls her paper and pen and said goodbye. As he turned around one of them shyly asked if they could have a hug before he left.

“Sure.” he agreed.

He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight.

“Hey...group hug!” one of the others shouted, and the rest of the girls dove at Nick, arms flailing everywhere.

Rayanne had turned to look at something while she waited for Nick to finish. As she turned her head back around to face him, an arm swung and hit her hard in the side of the face. She lost her balance as her other foot slipped off the landing. She fell backwards, tumbling down the rest of the stairs, hitting her head and landed on her back at the bottom.

“Ray!” Nick shouted running down the stairs.

He fell to his knees and turned her head up to face him.

“Ray! Ray!” he shook her lightly.

She slowly opened her eyes to look at him.

“Nick?”

“Oh my God, hun, are you OK?”

She closed her eyes before she spoke. “My head...”

“Shit. Quit standing there!” he shouted at the crowd that was forming. “Damn it! Somebody call an ambulance instead of staring at her!”

“What happened sir?” A security officer made his way through the mass of people.

“She fell down the stairs.”

“I’ve got a white female; teens, early twenties; possible head injuries. By ATM on bottom floor.” he said into his radio.

“Ray...open your eyes please.”

“Uh uh.” she refused.

“God.”

“I am so sorry.”

Nick turned to see one of the girls standing next to him crying.

“She’ll be OK.” he said quietly, more to reassure himself than the crying girl.

The security officer cleared the crowd and made room for the EMT’s to get to Rayanne. Nick knelt on the floor next to her until they got there almost ten minutes later.

“What happened?” the first EMT asked as he knelt down beside her.

Nick explained the situation as the EMT took her blood pressure and checked her pulse. He reached his hand up and pulled up her eyelid.

“What are you doing?”

“Checking the dilation in her pupils." he said, not taking his eyes off Rayanne.

“Why can’t she open her eyes herself? She did before.”

He didn’t receive an answer right away as the guy tried to talk to Rayanne.

“OK, get her on this thing Brad!” he yelled.

“Is she gonna be OK?”

“I don’t know.”

“Can I ride with her?” he asked getting to his feet.

“Are you with her?”

“Yes I am.”

“OK, just stay out of the med’s way.”

Nick climbed in the back of the ambulance after Rayanne had been lifted in on a stretcher.

He sat near the doors, belted in, and watched as the two attendants checked her vitals.

“How is she?” he asked quietly.

“Stable, but she’s not conscious.”

“She’s not? What does that mean? Is she in a coma?”

“No. She’ll come out of it soon it looks.”

“God.” he mumbled resting his head in his hands.

When they got to the hospital she was rushed to see the Doctor. Nick went to the payphone and called Mandy to have her come. He filled out as much paper work as he could while he waited. When he was done with the paper he went to the front desk to give them to the lady.

“Can I see her now?”

“As soon as the Doctor is through he’ll come get you.”

“How long is it gonna be?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Nick!”

“Mandy...thank God you’re here.”

“Is she OK?”

“I don’t know. She’s with the Doctor.”

“What happened?”

“We were at the mall and these girls tried to all hug me at once and one of them knocked her down the stairs.”

“Oh God. What did she hurt?”

“She said her head...she wouldn’t open her eyes at-”

“Mr. Carter?” The Doctor called as walked through the swinging doors with a clipboard in his hands.

“I want to see her.” he said standing up.

“In a moment. I haven’t spoken with her yet, she insisted you be there with her.”

“Good.” he smiled. “Is it good news? She’s OK right?”

“Come with me.”

The Doctor led him through the doors to the room Rayanne was in. She was sitting with the bed in an upright position, leaning back.

“Hey baby...how ya feeling?” he asked walking to her.

“My head is killing me and my back is very sore. But I’m OK.” she smiled as he took her hand in his.

“So what’s wrong with me Doc?” she joked.

The Doctor smiled at them and told Nick he could have a seat on her bed, which he accepted.

“Good news and bad news.” he started. “Which do you want first?”

Rayanne turned her head to look at Nick, wincing in pain.

“Hun...it’s up to you.”

She slowly turned her head back to look at the Doctor.

“Bad I guess.”

“You have a somewhat severe concussion. Headaches are going to become your worst enemy in the next few days. You’re going to want to sleep, but you have to stay awake. As much as you don’t want to. The headaches are going to come and go, and there’s nothing you can do about them.”

“Yay. So that’s the bad news?”

“Yes.”

“OK...good news?” Rayanne asked almost like she didn’t believe there was any.

“The baby is OK.”

Rayanne looked at him for a minute, then turned to Nick.

“Baby?” Nick asked.

“Yeah...baby?”

“Yes, Miss Winters you’re pregnant...you didn’t know?”

“No, I didn’t.” she said and turned her head to look at Nick.

“Oh my...” he said softly.

“Um...do you know...how far...”

The Doctor looked at his clipboard.

“Almost 4 weeks.”

“So when...”

He looked at his clipboard again before speaking.

“July 14th. You’re due on April 6.”

“Oh my God Nick.” she said closing her eyes.

“Make an appointment with Dr. Witter before you go. He’s our pre-natal specialist.”

“Sweetie? Are you OK?” Nick asked squeezing her hand.

“I’ll leave you two alone. Miss Winters, I’ll be coming to check your vitals in about 45 minutes.”

He turned and walked out the door as Nick lay down on the bed and pulled her close.

“Oh my God.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I can’t believe I’m pregnant.”

“Do you not want this?”

“It’s just a lot to think about.”

“I know.” he kissed her cheek softly. “You just worry about getting yourself better.”

“But Nick, we have to talk about this.”

“What’s there to talk about? We’re having a baby.”

She slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him.

“Ray?” he said after as she looked him in the eye.

“Yeah?”

“You don’t want this do you?”

“Oh Nick! Please don’t say that. I do want this. I do.”

He smiled and kissed her lips softly.

“I’m just letting it sink in. And I’m in a lot of pain.”

“I know. I’m going to take such good care of you.”

“Sweetie, you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“No I’m not.”

“Nick...” she started.

“You’re hurt, I want to take care of you. You and our baby.”

She smiled at him and closed her eyes to ease the throbbing pain in her head.

“I love you so much Nick.”

“I love you too. And I love our baby.”

“So we can really do this?”

“Yes we can.”

“You’re sure...with touring and recording and everything?”

“Rayanne, we created a life. We will make it work.”

“Yes we will.” she said as he pulled her closer.

“I said it was us Rayanne...and it still is, just now it’s the three of us.”

“I love you so much. You are going to be the best father this baby could ever have.”

“I hope so. I just hope it’s not another me!” he laughed.

“Another you wouldn’t be so...well, yeah. I’ll have to talk to your mom about that one.”

“Speaking of mom, who are we gonna tell first?”

“Let’s not worry about that until we get home...it’s our own little secret for right now.” she whispered snuggling even closer, resting her head against his chest.

“Our own little secret.” he repeated. “Just the three of us.”