Title: The One
Author: Dancing Star
Pairing: Doyle / Donner
Rating: I don´t know! Those who should not read it- read it anyway! :-) (But I think NC-12 is ok...)
Spoiler: none
Summaries: Connor asked Lindsay to accompany him to his sister´s wedding where they had to act like a couple for his cancer-stricken mother. Consequences included...!
Comments: The characters are not mine, but I would appreciate your feedback! Also thanks to Diana Krall for her inspiring music! When I wrote that special scene I had your song in my ear. Thank you!

The One

"Lindsay, you don´t need to do that," Connor said to her, as he parked his car on this Thursday morning in front of a wealthy country estate.
"It is too late," she smiled at him over the car roof, "I would have to walk home, and that's pretty far."
His sister got married this weekend and she had invited the whole family to the stud farm of their parents. Connor´s mother had invited him and told him just by chance she had cancer. She took it in stride, considering she had not long to live perhaps. But Erica Doyle did not want anyone to mourn her. She wanted to see her family one last time and know they all were fine and happy. "Connor," she had said on the phone to him, "When will you introduce us your girlfriend?"
"I ... um, that's not so easy." His mother had always assumed he had already found the one. But that was not true. Connor had to take care of all the work so he had no time to run for his private life.
"Tell her, she should take few days time off and invite her to Melanie´s Wedding!"
Connor had the conversation with her in the mobile lab and it was his fate that Lindsay entered at this moment the meeting room and scarred him a little, "Lindsay, I´m still talking on the phone!"
His mother then interpreted it totally wrong: "Lindsay, so that's her name? Well, ask her if she can come along. We look forward to seeing you. Bye, Connor." And then Erica hung up. That's how Connor and Lindsay were slipped into this situation.
He had told her his mother suffered from cancer and wouldn´t live until Christmas probably. Lindsay thought it was no good idea to lie to his mother and finally he nodded in agreement. But then she admitted she was interested, where his parents lived and when he told her it was an old stud farm, she wanted to see it. Lindsay loved horses and she still had some remaining vacation days. So she agreed to come with him. On the way to the stud farm she asked amused how they met and Connor said this had happened at work. At least this was not a lie.
They reached now the stud farm on which his parents lived. It was more beautiful than Connor had described it and Lindsay felt at home immediately. An older woman came out of the big house. "Connor," she cried with joy and hugged him.
"Mom, Hello."
Erica now discovered the pretty blonde woman who had come with him. "You are Lindsay!", She said and hugged her, "Come in!" Erica showed Lindsay thrilled her house then she showed her the garden where Connors sister, her future husband and his dad were waiting. A small child came up to him excitedly and Connor teased the little girl. "This is Allie, my little niece," said Connor then he introduced Lindsay to the rest of his family: "This is my father, my sister Melanie." Connor met Melanie's future husband for the first time. He had never met Thomas before.
"This is Lindsay!", said Erica, "She is Connors girlfriend!"
She was welcomed very friendly by the rest of the family and his mother opened the lunch. Connor and his dad met at the buffet table while Lindsay met one of Melanie's college friends.
"Connor, you have a pretty girlfriend," his father said to him, "Tell me, why it took so long until we got to know her?"
"I had no time, Dad."
"Work, eh? ... Boy, I tell you what: You have to be careful with such a pretty woman. If she gives you the run Pass, you won´t get her back again. You should make sure no one else gets her and you should take care of such relationships like a flower, you know? Now go and tell your girlfriend how beautiful she is, before I do it."
Connor rolled his eyes and went back to the table. Sometimes his father could be very annoying, but he was right: Lindsay looked really great.
She was wearing a beige pant and a blouse with printed flowers. Her blonde hair shone. Even the packing of her suitcases had become a gauntlet for Lindsay. She wanted to carry weight on Connors parents but they should not think she was a Babbitt. So she chose a few dresses and some nice clothes for riding.
"You look very pretty," Connor told her in passing and bent over to kiss her on the cheek. For a second, the world stopped spinning and Lindsay looked at him with wide eyes. Then she realized again it was just for show. A game they played only that his mother believes he was lucky, so she could leave this world.
"Thanks," she said slightly confused and sat down with the others at the table.
During the meal, they talked about various things. Lindsay sat between Connor and Melanie. His sister was very friendly and after they were a bit come into the conversation, she told Lindsay that Thomas was not Allies' father. She was the result of a long-standing relationship and when Allie was two years old, her father left Melanie. This story looked very familiar for Lindsay! But Melanie did not care. Finally, she found in Thomas the love of her life.
Somehow they had come to their school time and Connors father asked: "Melanie, can you still remember how you've refused to dissect this cow eyes in school?"
"I was kept in for that!"
"Serves you right!", said Connor and now his sister was furious. "This model student was only kept in one time after school," she told Lindsay, "He had to write a 100 times My mother is not dating Jimmy Hendrix on the blackboard."
Lindsay laughed.
It was a very nice lunch and then Melanie, Thomas, Allie and Connor wanted to show her the barn and some horses. Melanie noticed that Connor held Lindsay hand as they made the tour. Should her brother probably have found the one?
Allie showed them the pony, which had received on her last birthday and Lindsay stroked the small spotted horse. "Do you like horses?", Allie wanted to know and Lindsay nodded.
It was a pretty big stud farm and they were all back until evening. Connor explained to her she had not seen everything of the farm and Lindsay was amazed.
"I hope you like it here," Melanie said to her, while they were saying goodbye in front of their doors, "If you need a dress for my bachelor party let me know."
"Thanks, I have everything with me. See you tomorrow, Melanie." Lindsay closed the door leading to the room where she and Connor attended over the weekend. As Erica thought they were a couple, they shared a room, but Connor was sleeping on the couch. Tired she went to bed that night ...

"Hello," with these words Allie rushed into the room and she hopped on the couch.
"Uncle Connor" she began, "Can you tell me what flirting means? Mommy and Grandma are making breakfast in the kitchen and have a conversation about the fact that you and Lindsay were flirting with each other yesterday, but they don´t want to explain what it means."
"Allie ..."
"Where's Lindsay? Where is she?"
"She takes a shower ..." Connor tried to talk to her, but the little girl continues hopping blithely on the couch.
"Is flirting something bad?", Now she saw the pillow and the blanket what lay on the couch, "Are you sleeping on the couch? Why are you sleeping on the couch? Thomas sometimes has to sleep on the couch when Mommy is angry with him ... Is Lindsay angry with you, Uncle Connor? Why won´t you tell me?"
"It is enough, now, Allie!"
The little girl looked at him shocked and jumped off the furniture. She apologized.
"No, Allie. It's just...", he thought for a moment. He couldn´t tell Allie the truth. She was the chatterbox of the family. If she knew it, Melanie would know it, too, and she told it to his mother. No, he could not tell her.
"It's just because I´m snoring a bit too loud, you know," he asked her and she looked at him.
"I don´t believe you," came from her and for a moment Connor was cold. He thought she had his number.
Allie grinned. She was still convinced the two had disputes. "I think she likes you very much," said Allie, "But you have to show it to her, Uncle Connor."
Connor did not believe it: This four-year dwarf would give him tips.
"You have to tell her how pretty she is and you have to buy her a horse."
"Allie, please. I know all these things, "said Connor. He hoped, Lindsay hadn´t heard what Allie said.
"All right!... Grandma says, in half an hour we´ll have breakfast! "

They met half an hour later in the garden and ate breakfast. Connor planned to talk to his father in detail after the meal. He wanted to know how he dealt with the cancer of his wife and if there were chances of a cure.
After meal, they split up the group. Lindsay did not know how she was spending the day. Finally, Melanie had a brilliant idea: "Lindsay, you want to ride out with me? I will show you our mares and their foals in the pasture", Melanie said and Lindsay wanted to come along very much. She said goodbye to Connor and Allie and saw Melanie had a beautiful brown horse for her. Melanie was already sitting on a beautiful black thoroughbred.
Allie watched as her mother and Lindsay rode to the mares and when she could not see then anymore she turned to her uncle. "Let's start, Uncle Connor."
"Allie, I have to talk to your grandfather..."
"You can even tomorrow. Come on!"

When Lindsay came back from the trip that night she saw how reams of small candles lined the short hallway of the small, dark room. She wondered what had happened and walked cautiously to the living area. Again, it was dark, but many candles bathed the room in warm light. Connor was standing in front of the window and looked out.
"Connor, what's going on?" She was confused.
He smiled softly and could not even believe that he actually listened to Allie. "The truth is: I don´t know. Allie has persuaded me to this. She only left after I promised faithfully to leave the room like that."
"She has persuaded you to what?"
"She thought we both have a problem with each other. Apparently we were not convincing enough."
"That's why you work flat out? I feel flattered, "she smiled and took his hand. Connor was surprised that she did this and looked at her.
"If you want, the candles ..."
"No, no," her voice was so quiet, "It is incredibly beautiful." She already melted away.
Connor had really tried and she heard the stereo softly playing this song, which she liked. It was a perfect moment ... Lindsay did not know exactly what she had said, that he pulled her into his arms and her whole body tingled as he began to dance slowly with her. She got dizzy as she felt his hands on her waist and dhe would not resist him longer and she laid her head against his cheek so she don´t need to look into his beautiful grey eyes any longer. Lindsay closed her eyes for a moment and she was breathing.
"Is everything all right?", He asked, looking at her.
Lindsay nodded and wasn´t able to speak. She feared that her voice sounded unusually nervous when she said something now. She was still dizzy as he approached her came closer. Her heart beat up to the neck when he finally kissed her. She hardly dared to breathe and reached gently for his wrist when his kisses were more passionate. They should not do it: she remembered it was not serious and that they did it only for Connor´s mother.
Lindsay tried to push him away, but her heart cried out for this incredible feeling that he caused in her. Finally, she managed to end the kiss. "Connor, the boundaries between reality and lie are subordinating completely new," she whispered, "I am not ready yet."
"I understand," he sounded a little disappointed. Connor had risked it, had gone the whole hog when he had kissed her and surprised her with the candles.
"Give me a little time," she whispered and kissed him one more time. Then she left to the bathroom to get ready for bed. But first she had a cold splash of water to wipe the emerging fever off her face.

You've got the
Look of love, it's on your face
A look that time can't erase
Be mine tonight, let this be just the start of so many nights like this
Let's take a lover's vow and then seal it with a kiss (Diana Krall)

The next morning she went upstairs without Connor. She let him sleep.
"Good morning," Erica met Lindsay on the stairs and they hugged briefly. Then she looked at her with wide eyes. "Is something wrong?", Lindsay asked confused.
"You're pregnant!", Erica cried enthusiastically.
"What?", Lindsay sounded horrified, "I am not ... So, at least I should know about it."
"Maybe you haven´t noticed any signs," she waved her off, "But I have the eye for it. Congratulations. Does Connor already know?"
"No ... Yes ... No ... I mean, will you tell him?" Lindsay was not sure, but she did not manage to contradict Connors mother.
"No! I'll give him a piece of my mind and ask him, why he hadn´t told me that on the phone... See you later, Lindsay! ", Erica waved and walked back down. Lindsay heard her say, she was going to tell Connors father the good news and for a moment Lindsay didn´t know what to do. Then she knew: She ran up the stairs again, hoping Connor had not started to the tennis match with Thomas. She opened the door and rushed into the room.
"Good morning," Connor said to her, and looked for his tennis racket.
"Hi. We have a problem: Your mother thinks I'm pregnant."
"What?", He sounded shocked and wanted to know how it came about. Lindsay reported the meeting on the stairs and Erica had pulled that assertion practically out of a hat. "The worst thing is," Lindsay graduated from her story, "She is already on her way to tell the good news to your father."
In the same time, they sat on the sofa on which Connor had slept last night.
"How will we get out of this?", he asked slightly shocked. He had not intended to implicate Lindsay in this thing and now they both were the middle of it. Thanks to his mother, it would also develop a certain momentum. He saw it coming now that all his relatives congratulated to the non-existent child.
"We simply do nothing and say in a few months that we split ..."
"This will not work," said Connor, "She will insist she can see her grandchild anyway."
"And when we tell her in a couple of weeks I´ve lost the baby?"
"Then she will want a funeral. My mother is a strict Catholic."
"Your mother makes it very hard," Lindsay thought, "I will think about it." They heard a knock at the door and it was Thomas, who wanted to pick up Connor for the tennis match. "See you this evening," they said goodbye to each other and Connor left.

On the same evening was Melanie's bachelor party and Erica had already told all the guests Connor would soon be a father. He and Lindsay received all the congratulations and they couldn´t contradict one single time. Erica would be deeply disappointed when she found out she would get no other grandchild and when she found out Connor and Lindsay were not a couple at all. Before the party started she had let them know she was very happy that Connor had found the one before Erica lost her fight against cancer.
They all had fun at the party and Melanie´s college friends had the idea to kidnap the bride and her future husband had to find them. So they drove off. Thomas had ten minutes to give and then he started the search for his future wife.
Peace returned, as the couple and their friends had left the stud farm for the game and Connor sat down next to Lindsay. "How long will they be on the road now?"
"That depends on how quickly Thomas finds her," said Connor, "Come, let's go for a walk.." He took her hand and together they walked through the garden behind the main house. Numerous solar lights lit up their way and led them to a small group of trees and then to a water.
The stud farm adjacent to a lake and Lindsay discovered the little boat house.
"What's in there?" She asked as she boldly up to the wooden house.
"The yacht and a pair of my father's boats, which he has built," he watched as she whirled the key in the lock and she entered. Through the open door the moon shone and lit up the interior. She could see the small sailing yacht, which Connor had had spoken of. Slowly she walked toward the small boat. It rocked gently in the water.
"Seems as if your father thought not of locking up the boat house," she said as she walked along the jetty.
"Well, the lake is private property," he replied, "It does not make sense to steal the ship."
"You can steal the ship also...", suddenly she cried softly and disappeared out of his view. Connor ran across the dock and at the end he saw she had fallen and landed in a small rowboat. "My goodness, Lindsay ... Are you hurt?"
"No," she said, reaching for his hand, which he reached out to her. He also lost the balance: the wooden board, on which he stood, was not fastened properly. Connor almost landed on her and she laughed softly. Then she paused again for breath, as she realized how close they were and she was caught by his eyes again. She opened her mouth to say something, when he laid his hands on her cheeks and looked at her.
"Is this..."
"You want to know if this is a place where we can be alone?", asked Connor and couldn´t stop looking at her. She nodded wordlessly.
"At this daytime, yes," he replied and started to kiss her in the same way as he did it last night in their room, unless more intimate. His hands were on tour and Lindsay's skin burned in the places where he touched her. Almost gently, he pushed one of the straps of her black dress from her shoulder.
Together they sank back into the little boat and followed their feelings that night…

Lindsay was cold when she woke up next morning. She lay next to Connor and he was still asleep. A red blanket warmed their bodies and she noticed they lay still in the small rowboat, which rocked quietly on the water. Lindsay looked up and saw the thick mist which lay over the lake. It was promised to be a beautiful, warm day. In the distance she heard a duck quacking.
She remembered of what had happened last night. It was no longer a game. She had been in love with Connor for so long and to be here with him was the fulfillment of her dreams.
Delighted, she raised her hand and stroked Connors cheek. He immediately opened his eyes and looked at her. "Hey, darling," he whispered, "How long have you been awake?"
"I've just woken up. What about you?"
"I could not go to sleep. I was afraid all this is not reality and if I fall asleep, I wake up next morning alone and find out that I've only dreamed of you."
"Have you ever dreamed of me before?", she smiled.
"Yes, of course." Connor kissed her and she enjoyed it. The first rays of sunlight flitted over the lake.
"Your family is very friendly. I think it's not okay to lie to your mother", slowly Lindsay came in bad conscience.
"Well, at least in one case we´re not longer telling lies to them, right?" He looked at her and she nodded in agreement. Connor was relieved, because if she would have said no, he would have had no idea how he should fade away last night.
"But you were a good mother," he added then.
"You only say that because..."
"No, that's not true."
"We nearly fulfilled your mother´s desire last night more than one time. She already got a grandchild. Melanie's daughter ... ", as she said it, she reminded at the wedding and she cast a quick glance at her watch. "Oh my God! The Wedding! We have to get dressed". She was looking for her dress.
"Don´t move too hectic. Not that you fall into the water. That's pretty cold."
"Alls," she murmured and kissed him one last time before they got dressed and went back to the main house. The fog was even in the garden, but at the large pavilion where Melanie wedding should happen, it was already gone. Connor and Lindsay appeared for breakfast then they went to their room to prepare for the wedding.

It was a beautiful wedding and then Melanie and Thomas opened the dance. They danced a waltz and Allie was sitting on Lindsay´s lap when she watched her mother and her new father dancing. "Are you and Uncle Connor going back home?", Allie wanted to know.
"Yes. We don´t live here, Allie. Your grandmother would be thrilled for sure if we would move in here."
"Grandma said she wants to set up a room for the new baby."
Lindsay's heart sank a few floors below. Erica seemed really excited by that baby-making thing. She felt sorry that Erica would not get another grandchild, at least not by Connor.
"Hey, you two," Connor said suddenly and sat down beside her at the table. "Lindsay, can I have this dance?" Allie got up and went to her Mom, so her uncle could dance with Lindsay. She enjoyed dancing with him, snuggled up to him and said softly to him it was a wonderful weekend, but she was relieved when they were at home again. She liked Connors family too much and she hated telling lies to them. She hoped they could forgive them if this ever came to light...

Back home both weren´t able to forget this weekend. They continued spending time together and they spend the nights and their days together. Lindsay enjoyed being so close to him. It had been worth it to travel with him that weekend. He was her Prince Charming. For two months she was happy... until the day after which she woke up with nausea and she had to puke every morning. She knew what it was and that's why she bought a pregnancy test at the pharmacy. When it turned out the test was positive she was shocked and went to the pharmacy again to get three more tests. Lindsay broke into tears when all three tests were positive.
She remembered back to the weekend of Melanie´s wedding. She immediately remembered Connors reaction in the moment in which she told him that his mother thought she was pregnant. She remembered his horrified face ... And he asked desperately, as they came out of this situation. With trembling hands she reached for a plastic rod and tried not to cry. She knew that he didn´t wanted a baby, but how should she teach him that? If they...? What would he say? Would he want to know?
She threw all pregnancy tests in the trash and walked aimlessly through her apartment. Then she knew what she had to do.
She sat at her computer.

"Where's Lindsay?" Connor wanted to know irritated by his team. They wanted to leave today to a client and he was worried that no one knew where Lindsay was. So he decided to go to her apartment. Meanwhile he knew where she lived and he knew himself very well in her apartment.
"Lindsay?" He knocked impatiently at her door. When no one answered him, he stretched for the spare keys lying on the door frame. He entered and found out she was not home. The apartment was left, the plants hang the leaves at the windows. He went round the house and searched for clues why she had not come to work today. Finally he discovered a letter in her printer tray with yesterday's date. It was a letter she had not used because of a spelling error. The recipient of the letter was the OSIR headquarters and the subject of the letter was Quitting
He put the letter into his pocket and hurried out of the apartment.

Connor was desperately looking for her. He asked Elsinger, though he knew where Lindsay was staying, but he told him he knew not more than what was standing in her quitting letter. He tried relentlessly to reach her on her mobile phone. When he called, it rang constantly. The call was never answered and never the mailbox turned on. Even with Anton and Peter she had not spoken about her cancel. They were all very surprised by this action.
He wondered every day what could have happened. He even believed that she was kidnapped, but the dismissal proved that was not so. For some reason, Lindsay disappeared and Connor was worried: maybe something had happened to her.
Does she have any relatives? Or siblings? Where lived her parents?
Damn, he knew too less about the woman he loved. Did she left because of him? No, he could not imagine. Since this weekend at his parents´ stud farm they had a great time together. There was not the slightest indication that she was unhappy with him.

"How long will you sit there and stare into the cup?", asked Margret Donner and looked at her daughter. Margret lived alone in a small, modest cottage on the outskirts of the city and was very surprised when her only daughter was standing in front of her door. Lindsay was almost three hours on the road to her mother's house and she was relieved when she finally arrived, and her mother asked her to come in. Margret was delighted to see her again.
"Sorry," came Lindsay´s toneless voice and she shook her head.
"So, what's going on? I have not seen you a long time."
"I know I owe you an explanation and I better tell you before you find it out by yourself... I'm pregnant."
"My goodness," Margret beamed, "I'll be grandmother? That's wonderful! "She was happy, but Lindsay said that feeling does not exist.
"May I stay with you for a while?" , asked Lindsay.
"How long do you want to stay?"
"I Don´t know ... Until the baby is born, maybe ..." Lindsay stared into the cup, which her mother had set before her. She did not know what she wanted to do when the baby was born. She could not return home, because she had ditched her job. Had demolished all the bridges behind herself… Sadly, she recognized she could never return to her old life again. She would miss her friends... And Connor ...
Margret knew right now her daughter had a problem. "Would you like to talk about?"
"No ... Not now. Maybe later ... "

Two months later on a Wednesday Connor was called in the middle of the night by Melanie: he should come to the hospital quickly. His mother would not look good.
Connor arrived breathlessly at the hospital and a doctor told him that Erica lay dying. She had not told her family she already had terminal cancer and there was no hope of rescue. Melanie, Thomas, Allie and Connor's dad had already said goodbye to her. Erica was only waiting for Connor, before the pastor wanted to give her the last rites.
He entered the room where his mother lay and sat down on a chair beside her bed. "Hi, Mom."
The beeping of the heart-lung machine scarred him.
"Connor," she recognized him, "Where's Lindsay?"
"She is not here," he whispered, and his mother coughed: "I can see that!"
"Mom, I have to confess something. You shall know I'm sorry, but I do not want you ... Well, I would like to clear up this lie: Lindsay and I were not a couple. That means, we were not at least as we have shown up on Melanie's wedding," he admitted," She was also not pregnant."
"I know", came from Erica, "Connor, I'm not stupid. I know you both were not a couple, when you arrived. But Melanie's wedding ... When you danced... Connor, it's the way she looked at you. She loves you, I'm sure."
"Mom, she left. She disappeared two months ago and I cannot find her. I do not know where she is and how she is and that makes me insane."
"You have to find her."
"I was searching everywhere. She don´t answers her cell phone and I don´t even know her relatives."
"Are you scared?", asked Erica, "Gosh, there is no wonder she ran away from you ... I haven´t raised you and your sister as giving up people. If you love Lindsay, you have to fight for her. Love is a battlefield, you know? Connor, I want you to find her. How it goes on, I leave you two."
Suddenly, the heart-lung machine began to whistle at her side. It gave an equally long tone and even before Connor had jumped up from his chair, a doctor and two nurses rushed into the room. The latter sent him out.
"Connor?", Melanie sounded very worried when her brother came out of the hospital room. They had obviously seen how excited the doctor was.
They had to wait another twenty minutes, then the doctor came out of Erica's room. He expressed his condolences to them ...

Away from the funeral in the Doyle family, Margret Donner was up that night because she couldn´t sleep and once she walked past the guest room. She heard Lindsay sobbing and when she knocked softly on the door and asked what was going on, Lindsay said, it was not her mother´s business. Lindsay was lying alone in bed, snuggled in her blanket and imagined it would be Connor, who gave her this warmth.
She dreamed of him almost every night and about the wonderful nights they had spent together. She remembered his hands as they gently glided over her body. And she dreamed, as he kissed her tenderly and passionately at the same time. In her dream she could even smell him and his voice whispered loving words to her. She also dreamed of how they sat in their own perfect world together in front of their house and she proudly showed him the ultrasound images, while the dog, which she had bought, barked cheeky ... Mostly her dreams ended with how she held the positive pregnancy test in her hands, or how she was suddenly alone in a strange house.
She woke up sometimes in the middle of the night and tears were running down her face. Since she was pregnant she dreamed much more intense.
Her body and her soul cried painful for him. She loved him, she missed him. She wanted to go home again, to go back to Connor but what if he did not want the baby at all?
Her four-month belly was now considerable. And she felt as if she would be thicker every day. The skin on the belly itched constantly. So she could no longer hide the pregnancy...
Her mother had persuaded many times to her that she should not hide with her and when her partner don't wanted to have her and the baby he should jump in a lake! Margret thought, Lindsay hadn´t to cope with that task alone. She raised Lindsay up alone after her husband thought he need to cheat her with his secretary, they got divorced and left her. When this happened, Lindsay was eight years old and since that Lindsay had not seen her father. Margret remembered very well she needed sometimes three jobs to feed her daughter. She wanted a better life for Lindsay. Lindsay deserved it, to be happy. Even if she was not the same opinion.
She had to talk again to her daughter, because that was her grandkid, for whose welfare she had to care. Margret gave Lindsay pancakes for breakfast, but she did not eat. Lindsay actually looked very unhappy and the grief was written in her face.
"You know, Lindsay. Your father and I also had problems", Margret began.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when we were in love very much, we wanted to have a baby and tried it again and again ..."
"Mom ..."
"And finally it has worked, as you know. We had to try to become pregnant."
"I don´t understand what you want. I haven´t tried to get a baby."
"But you wished. And that night you have admitted it."
"Are you saying I wanted to become pregnant on purpose?"
"No, but ..." Margret got up, "But ... That's no solution, Lindsay. You cannot force your child growing up without a father ... Your friend is the father, right? ... Do I get at least an answer? Is it this Connor, of who you speak often?", she asked and Lindsay raised her head. This gave her mother confirmation.
"He don´t wants the baby, right?"
"He knows nothing about it. I don´t even told him where I am..." Now, Lindsay told her how they had spent a view days at his parents farm and how he had reacted when his mother put the news into the world that another grandchild was on the way. Margret listened to the whole story and nodded, as Lindsay was done.
"You know my opinion," she said to her, "No matter what you think you deserve to be happy. If your child and Connor mean something to you, you should call him and end your suffering. I can imagine he suffers the same."

But Margret found out, Lindsay had not called him. She made her lunch, but Lindsay did not have a bite of it.
Margret could stand no longer to see her daughter like this. She did not eat any more, lay on some days in bed and drew more and more. Although she tried to talk to her, but Lindsay did not want to hear it. Margret shook her head sadly. It was not good for her! And certainly not for her baby!
Margret guessed that Lindsay loved the father of the baby very much and the distance between them broke her heart. But who to ask if this was true? After all, she did not know the friends and colleagues of her daughter.
On the way into the kitchen, Margret pasted the pantry on which were Lindsay's car keys. Next to her car key was a cell phone and Margret stopped. May she ...?
She walked a few steps back, took the phone and checked the phone book. The names were in alphabetical order: Anton Hendricks, Claire Davisson, Connor, Peter Axon, Sandra Miles and some more. Margret came to the conclusion she necessarily had to call Connor. It was only the best. For Lindsay and for the baby...
Margret pressed the call button and heard two tones on the line.
"Lindsay?" The voice at the other end of the line had apparently recognized the number.
"Hi, this is Margret. Are you Connor? ", Asked Margret and she heard a disappointed breathing.
"Yes, I'm Connor. How can I help you, Margret?"
"It's about Lindsay. She is here with me. I'm her mother."
His heart skipped a beat. He had sought for so long and was about to give up. Now he received a sign from her mother. "Listen, Connor, I cannot bear how unhappy Lindsay is without you. You should come by quickly."
He asked for her address. Before their conversation was ended Margret added, "And you better bring her a great gift. She is pregnant and it is your baby."

After this conversation nothing held him at home. He flew on the same day to the city where her mother lived, rented a car and drove to the house. During the flight he had tried to imagine how she looked like now. If he could see that she was pregnant? At the thought of his baby his heart hopped and he was pretty nervous. He wanted a family, of course but at some point he realized he would never find a woman who was willing to endure his constant travels for the OSIR. But for Lindsay, he would even be willing to give up ... If she still wanted him… Suddenly he was thinking about things that recently seemed so unattainable. He thought he would tell her she should be reasonable and come back. Finally, they were expecting a baby! And he would ask what occurred to her at all to deny his own child to him and what she had thought of...?
Margret had told him on the phone Lindsay used to walk at noon and he arrived when she was not home.
"So, you are Connor," said Margret surprised, after he had rung her door bell, "you have come really fast." Connor seemed to be very nice and Margret thought he looked very good. She was not surprised at all her daughter had succumbed to his charm.
"Is it true that Lindsay ...?"
"Yes, it is true."
"When will she come back?"
"She started walking an hour ago, so she will be here soon. How long have you and Lindsay been a couple?"
"Before she ran away, about two months. Then she disappeared without a trace." Now, he knew, why.
"Do you think you are in the position to take care of her and the child? Don´t get me wrong, but I want to make sure Lindsay and my grandchild will not want for something."
"I promise I will take care of both."
"Will you marry her?"
"If Lindsay would like to ..."
Margret now stretched to the window and discovered her daughter already out there on the sidewalk. Connor also got up and saw her. Hastily he went outside and he hesitated for a second when he noticed her belly. It was true: She was actually pregnant, and she looked beautiful. Her hair was longer and she wore it in a ponytail.
Lindsay stopped as she saw Connor. She held her breath. She had envisioned what would be when he suddenly stood before her and what she would tell him. Now, she wasn´t able to speak a word.
Meanwhile, Connor was standing right in front of her and gently grabbed her hands. He had worked out on the plane what to say, but he had forgotten it at this moment, when he had seen her again. Never again he would let her go.
Lindsay took some courage and looked at him. "Connor, I ... I need to tell you something."
"That you are pregnant? I already know. Your mother told me. I am looking forward to have a baby."
She wanted to say more, but it did not help because Connor tenderly petted her cheek and kissed her lovingly. Margret watched the scene on her porch happily.
Connor ended the kiss and touched her stomach. "Lindsay, how are you? ... And the baby? Is everything all right?"
"Yes, we are fine."
"Why haven´t you told me…?"
"When your mother started with this whole baby- thing, you felt very uncomfortable and ... When I realized our nights are not remained without consequences, I realized you are not ready for ..."
"Honey, I'm ready," he assured her, "I'm certainly not one of those men who run away from their responsibilities. My goodness, you have no idea how much I've missed you ... Honey, what can I do to convince you I really want you and the baby?"
"Nothing," her voice trembled and she hated herself she would begin to cry in happiness every moment, "You came here because of me. I missed you, too."
Her head fell against his shoulder and she began to sob. It was almost worse when he asked in a whisper, to come back home with him because he needed her and loved her. She nodded in agreement and wiped away the tears. She laid her hand also on her stomach. She had just felt a slight movement in her belly. This was the first time the baby had moved.
Margret was still standing on the porch and watched them. She never saw her daughter so happy for a long time. So it was right to call Connor and ask him to come.
"How is your mother?", asked Lindsay and Connor looked sad for a moment.
"She's dead," his voice was very quiet, "before she died, she said I need to find you... I love you."
"I love you, too. But I must tell you something", Lindsay began and hugged him tighter, "I haven´t told anyone else."
"Whatever you want ..."
"We´ll have twins."

Fin