Trish knocked while simultaneously opening the front door of her friend's apartment. Ally currently stood by the dining room table, reading what looked to be a notecard.

"You ready to go, Ally?" she asked.

The brunette's gaze jerked up to look at Trish, momentarily startled. She frowned slightly as if trying to remember what it was she should be ready for. It only took a second for the realization to set in but it was enough to stir Trish's curiosity.

Ally smiled and nodded, slipping the note between the pages of her book.

"What's that?"
"What's what?"
"That note you were reading. Who's it from?"

Ally glanced at the card peeking from the edges of her well-worn book. She bit her lip before laughing it off.

"What? This little thing?" she said, gesturing towards the note. "It's just a note. From a friend."

"What friend?"
"A...faraway friend."

Trish pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes on Ally. Her interest had suddenly sky-rocketed with the brunette's reaction.

"I see," Trish said, pausing as if in thought.

A few moments ticked by before she casually folded her arms over her chest and looked about the apartment.

"So, what's the latest drama between those Amazonian monkeys?"

"They're sloths. And they move too slow for there to be any drama," Ally said, pulling the note from it's place again. "Though she does say their numbers are taking a hit because of the..."

Her speech tapered off as the realization hit. Staring at the table, Ally pursed her lips in consternation and then turned her gaze to meet Trish's sly smile. Pleased with herself, the Latino lifted an eyebrow in challenge, daring her friend to attempt to cover up the slip of information.

"So, it is her. I thought as much."

Ally sighed and looked back at the note. Her mother's familiar scrawl was heartwarming but she couldn't forget the things she'd said that afternoon. It had been one thing to lecture Ally but...to go after everyone else? Completely uncalled for.

"You haven't answered her, have you?"

Ally remained quiet, staring at the cut of paper.

"How many has she sent?" Trish asked warily.
"This would only be the second," Ally responded.

"I've already tried to get her to respond," Austin said, appearing from the kitchen door with a box of cereal in hand. "I even made it easy and brought the pen and paper to her."

He reached in the box and grabbed a handful of cereal, shoving it in his mouth. Ally stared up at her boyfriend in mild disgust.

"At least show some decoru-"

Her eyes went wide at the sudden queasiness and she gripped her stomach, launching herself out of the chair and towards the bathroom.

Two sets of eyes followed her small frame until she disappeared around the corner and a loud retching could be heard.

Austin warily closed his mouth and lowered his second handful of cereal that had been frozen in mid-air. He then glanced at Trish and frowned before asking what was probably a stupid question.

"This is normal...right?"

Trish rolled her eyes and took the opportunity to sneak a glance at the card Ms. Dawson had sent. She scanned through the barely legible message and bit her lip. She had run into Ally's mom on the sidewalk that day and had immediately wanted the details from her favorite couple. In the end, after much persuasion and a few threats, they'd told her all.

"I'm still kind of upset with her for what she said but..." she said, looking back at the note.

"But nothing," Ally interrupted from the doorway. "She meant what she said. Otherwise, she wouldn't have said it."

Austin set the box of cereal down on the table and walked over to where his girlfriend stood.

He slipped his arms around her waist and slid behind her, resting his chin on her head as he just held her. He could feel her lean back against him as if she needed the physical support.

She looked and felt exhausted. More so than usual and he was beginning to worry.

For the (probably) five-hundredth time since it had all started, Austin wished that he could do more. That he could take some of that weight off her shoulders.

But he couldn't. So, he would offer support in any other way he could.

The blonde wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a gentle embrace as he pressed a kiss to her hair. Ally accepted her boyfriend's hug with a weary smile before looking up at Trish and sighing.

"Can we go on and go now? I just want to get this over with so I can come back and go to sleep."

Trish's gaze flew to Austin before she nodded and moved to put the note back. The couple pulled apart, Austin frowning in confusion.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking down at her from behind.
"Trish is taking me to the prenatal appointment," Ally told him.
"What? Why? What about me?"

Ally turned to look at him, a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"I figured you'd have better things to do with your time. This first appointment can go as long as an hour. I thought you would even—"

Austin didn't know why he was so angry.

"So, now you're calling me irresponsible, too?"
"What?" Ally said, stunned. "No! Why would I—?"
"You said yourself, Ally, that I'm just as much a part of this as you are!"
"And you are! I just didn—"
"I'm taking you to that appointment and I'm going to be a part of this baby's life. Every. Second."

Ally stared at him as he threw the front door open and violently grabbed her jacket, holding it out to help her in it.

"Well?" he angrily asked, motioning with the jacket.

Ally stepped forward, shooting a quick glance to Trish, before shrugging into the jacket with Austin's unwarranted help.

"I'll start the car," he ground out, disappearing through the door.

Ally's eyes grew wide and she looked to her friend who stood there with a smile, shaking her head.

"You'd better go. Wouldn't want to make Papa Bear even angrier," Trish said.

Ally couldn't speak, she was still in shock. She didn't know how to feel. Should she yell right back or…be happy he's taken a complete interest?

She nodded and slipped out of the apartment, leaving Trish behind to grin to herself.

I'm terribly sorry it's taken me this long to update, guys. My heart's been pulled in fifteen different directions this week. I've become obsessed with new "ships" (Frozen's Kristoff and Anna included) and then with the holidays coming up and my very bestest best friend's graduation? I'm pooped.

But don't worry! I'm continuing to the best of my ability. Hope you like this chapter. I've already started on the next!