Don came through the door of the apartment and knew right away that something was wrong. He could hear sobbing coming from the bedroom. Oh shit, what's she cryin' like that for!? He went into the bedroom and saw Angie lying on the bed, curled up in a fetal position.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She sat up and threw her arms around him. He caught her and held her.

"Angie, sweetie, why're you cryin'?"

"Oh my god, Don. I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry? For what? Hey, calm down and tell me what's wrong."

She couldn't seem to stop crying. Jesus, is she gonna pass out on me again? Oh god, please, no... The memory of how terrified he was the night she'd had the panic attack came back in a rush that hit him in the gut. He held her close and tried to stay calm.

After awhile she started to calm down, or maybe she's just worn herself out... she wasn't crying as hard, which at this point was a relief, although he still had no idea why she was so distraught. He rocked her gently on his lap, caressing her back and running his fingers through her hair. She clung to him, her arms around his waist. He felt her take a deep breath. He kept rocking her, kept caressing her, kept praying that she'd calm down and tell him what she was so upset about. Finally she stopped sobbing, and all he could hear was little hiccupping sounds.

"Ok. Can you please tell me what is wrong?"

"I messed up so bad. You're gonna hate me..."

"Angie, I could never hate you. Why are you even sayin' that?"

"Oh fuck..." she seemed to be going out of control again, but this time it was like she was scared.

"Come on baby, please calm down. Please don't have a panic attack on me. I don't think I can handle that again..." He looked at her. She was gulping for air. Oh god, no, not again! "Angie! Get a grip! Just tell me what's goin' on! Please!"

"I'm pregnant Don!"

What did she just say? She's pregnant? Of all the things he'd imagined she'd say, this was not on the list.

"You're pregnant? Did I hear you right?"

"Yes, oh god, I am so sorry..."

"Wait, I don't get it. You're on the pill..."

"I forgot to take two of them. I didn't think it would matter. Oh my god!"

"Hey! Hey, hey, calm down." He pulled her close to him and tried to get his head around this news. She's pregnant. We're gonna have a baby. I'm gonna be a father. Oh fuck... For a moment he was really scared. This was not something they'd even talked about. They weren't even married yet. It wasn't that he didn't want to be a parent; in fact, he was looking forward to it. But not now... not this soon...

Then he came to a realization. If she's pregnant, then it's meant to be. Somethin' like this... it's no accident. It's divine intervention.

"It's ok baby. It's ok."

"It's not ok. I screwed up. I screwed up! I ruined everything!"

"No, no you didn't! Stop that!" She started to sob again. Jesus Christ! I can't deal with this! He could only think of one thing to do.

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"Angie, honey, stop this. Calm down now," Marilyn said. She'd sent Don to make tea, and made him go find the bottle of Rescue Remedy. Her heart had ached for him when he'd answered the door. He looked so scared, so upset, but when he told her why he'd asked for her help she could see beneath the fear and helplessness, to the spark of joy and wonder at what was happening.

"Why are you so upset? You should be happy."

"Happy! Marilyn, I ruined everything. Oh god..."

"Angie Watson you stop this right now!" Marilyn's stern voice seemed to do the trick. Angie stopped crying and looked at her.

"Why do feel like you ruined anything?"

"Because we're not even married yet! I wasn't supposed to get pregnant. Not now!"

Don came back into the room with the tea and rescue remedy. "Here baby, take some of this." She looked at the bottle, then looked at him, and started to cry again. Marilyn watched Don's face, watched him finally lose control of his emotions. His eyes welled up and tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned his back to them. Poor boy, he's overwhelmed... she took the bottle from him and measured out a dose.

"Open your mouth Angie, take this." The distraught younger woman did as she was told. Marilyn closed the bottle and looked up at Don. He was still standing with his back to them, and she could see by the way he was shaking that he'd lost his composure. Or at least, what little of it he had left when I got here... he loves her so much, but she is a strain on his heart, poor thing.

"Don, sit down honey." She reached out and touched his hand. He looked around and then sat down on the other side of Angie. Marilyn got up and pulled the chair over so she could sit facing them. She winced inwardly as she looked at Don's beautiful blue eyes swimming in tears. She looked around until she spotted a box of tissues on the nightstand. She handed it to Don.

He plucked a tissue from the box and wiped his eyes. "Sorry," he said, and offered the tissues to Angie.

"For crying? Don't be sorry, Don. You have more than enough cause to cry right now."

"Yeah, because I just ruined his life..." Angie said.

"Would you fuckin' stop that? Stop saying you ruined everything! I don't wanna hear that again!!!"

"Don, calm down. Don't add fuel to the fire. You know she doesn't mean that."

"Well then why does she keep sayin' it?"

"Because she's scared. Don't you understand? She feels like she screwed up because she wasn't paying attention. Now let's all just stop for a minute. Let's just slow down. Both of you, get a grip. Breathe. Now."

She watched as this amazing couple both closed their eyes and started breathing slowly, deliberately, and almost in unison. She watched Don find Angie's hand, and watched her fingers close around his. She saw a reconnection between the two of them, and saw both of them relax, shoulders dropping, faces become more serene. Ok, now we're getting somewhere. She let them continue to relax, to regain their composures, and then she spoke softly.

"Ok, let's talk. Don? What are you feeling? And Angie, you keep quiet and let the man speak."

Don took a deep breath. "I'm... surprised. Scared. Happy. Hell, elated. But I'm confused, because I don't get why she's so upset. She keeps sayin' she ruined everything, and I almost feel like she doesn't want this. I mean, ok, it wasn't planned, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

"Angie? Why do you think you ruined everything? Don, let her say what she needs to say."

Angie just sat there. She bit her lip. Marilyn waited for her to speak.

"I wasn't supposed to get pregnant. Not now. That was supposed to happen later, after we got married. Assuming we were going to..."

Marilyn held up a hand when she saw Don's mouth open. "Let her talk, Don." He nodded.

"I didn't do this on purpose. I really didn't. I just got busy and sidetracked and I forgot to take two pills. That's all, I swear!"

"Why do you say that, sweetie? I mean, you surely don't need to manipulate Don into being with you, now do you? I've never seen a man love a woman so much. And you wouldn't do anything to ruin his life. Of course not. You love him way too much to do that."

"But this isn't what we planned. I'm not even sure it's what he wants. I don't want him to marry me because he feels obligated 'cause I'm pregnant. Because he has to do the right thing. I want it to be because he loves me and wants to spend his life with me. I just feel like I'm forcing the issue, and that's not fair to him. That's why I feel like I ruined everything."

Marilyn could see that Don was about to burst with the need to speak. She nodded at him.

"Angie, please listen to me." Marilyn motioned for them to face each other, look at each other. They did.

"Baby, you haven't ruined anything. I love you. You're pregnant with our child. How could that be a bad thing?"

Angie still wasn't convinced. She didn't say anything; she just stared at the floor. Marilyn knew what to do to finally bring her around. She took Don's hand and placed it on Angie's still flat belly. Then she laid Angie's hand over Don's.

"Angie. Deep inside you, a baby is sleeping, warm and quiet, surrounded with love. A baby that you two created out of your love for each other. That's a gift from the Goddess. It can't be a bad thing. Just imagine what a wonderful life this child will have, growing up part of a love as strong as you two share. You'll love him or her the way you love each other, because he or she is a product of that love. Honey, you have to calm down and let your love shine through to the life you've created. Let it grow and form in the warmth and strength of your love. Do you understand me?"

Angie nodded, and then looked at Don. Musta been a good speech... Don's eyes were swimming again. Angie climbed into Don's lap and he enfolded her in his arms. Marilyn decided that this would be a good time to go, and let the two of them finish up on their own.

"Just one more little tidbit of wisdom from this old crone..."

They both looked up at her.

"It's perfectly ok to make love while you're pregnant. I'll see you two later."

"Thank you Marilyn," they said in unison.

"My pleasure."

Don held Angie close, tenderly, as if gently holding and protecting the new life inside her. He knew he didn't need to do that, but he wanted to. She'd stopped crying and was sitting still with her arms around him, and he hoped she'd really come to terms with this and was no longer feeling like she'd ruined things.

"I'm gonna get stretch marks," she said, and he almost laughed at the absurdity of the statement in the enormity of what they'd just gone through.

"Put olive oil on your belly. Supposedly that helps prevent them."

"How would you know that?"

"I have a mother and a sister. I heard them talkin' about it."

"I'm gonna get fat."

"You're not gonna get fat. You'll gain some weight, but you'll lose it. You're gonna be a beautiful pregnant woman. Don't worry about it."

"I'm gonna get morning sickness."

"Ok now I can't help you with that one. But you'll get through it. All women do."

"Will you be with me when I give birth?"

"What? Of course I will. I'd carry the baby and have it for you if I could. I'll be with you every step of the way. Count on it."

"Are we gonna get married?"

"Well, I think we should, don't you?"

"You want to, right?"

He took her shoulders and pushed her back so he could look her in the eyes. "I have always wanted to marry you. I've just been waitin' for the right time."

"Well this isn't really it..."

"Yes it is. This is the right time."

She looked away from him. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. "Against all odds, cop and ex-con, you gettin' shot, me havin' to kill a guy so he couldn't kill me, every fuckin' thing we've been through. There's no way we aren't meant to be together. I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. I wanna be with you forever. You're the love of my life. So yeah, this is the right time."

Her eyes welled up, but this time they were tears of happiness, and they didn't scare him.

The End