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Chapter 17

~*~*~*~Two weeks later*~*~*

Stephanie sighed as Nick pulled up to their house. This was where they were going to be rasing their first child. She knew that there were going to be more, Nick was never going to leave her. He loved her as much as she loved him and that would help them get through tough times, she knew that it would.

"Here we are," Nick said simling. He got out of the and went to the back to get Hope out. Stephanie got out of the car and watched as Nick struggled with the belt.

"Need help?" She asked suddenly feeling extremely good.

"No thats ok," he said seeing the playfulness in her eyes.

"Ok," she said walking to the front door.

"There we go," Nick said after a moment more of playing with the belt.

"Took you long enough."

"Oh shut up," he said smiling at her.

"Make me."

"Maybe I will," he said opening the door and setting Hope down in the car seat on the couch.

"How do you plan on doing that huh Carter?"

"By doing this," he said and leaned in and kissed her. After Hope was born, things went back to the way they were before they found out that Stephanie was pregnant. They were happy and in love.

"I love you," Stephanie said pulling away from Nick.

"I love you too sweetheart." Stephanie smiled.

"I'm going to put Hope in her room, I'll be right back," Stephanie said.

"Ok," Nick said and kissed her cheek. Nick watched as Stephanie walked to the stairs, then at the moment, thats when he knew that he was going to spend the rest of his life with her. He loved that, he loved knowing that Stephanie was the person that he was going to spend the rest of his life with, but at the sametime it scared him. Scared him because he was so young. He was only 21, and already his life seemed to be filled with decisions that he would live with for the rest of his life.

Not knowing what any of this meant to him, Nick sat on the couch to think. His head hit the back of the couch and let out a confussed sigh. This was a lot for him to deal with, but with Stephanie by his side, he knew that he would get through this, he just knew. Stephanie came down and looked at Nick.

"What cha thinkin about??" Stephanie asked playfully.

"You," Nick said.

"Oh really now?" Stephanie said getting on to the couch next to Nick.

"Yep," he said putting his arm around Stephanie. She smiled at the familiar feeling of Nicks arm around her. She loved this, when they were like that, she thought that nothing could ever come between them.

~*~*~*~6 months later*~*~*~*

Stephanie looked at Hope as she slept, just as Stephanie had feared, Nick went to be with the group and left her home alone to care for their daughter. She knew that it was going to happen sooner or later, but she dreaded the moment that it would come. Nick had left about a month ago, but Stephanie still remembered everything about that day.

She remembered how Nick had held Hope when he said that he was going to miss her. That threw her totally off guard, he didn't even talk to her about it. That was the worst part of it, he didn't give her any time to prepare, he left two days later. A rage had formed inside of Stephanie she was pissed at him, but she still loved him.

Just as Stephanie began to drift to sleep on the rocking chair that was in Hopes room, a thunderstorm rolled in and startled her. She went to see if it had startled Hope, it didn't. She was still sound asleep, thankfully. Stephanie thought that if Hope cried one more time, she just might cry along with her. The stress of taking care of her alone was getting to her. She needed Nick probably even more then she realized.

As Stephanie continued to look down on Hopes angelic face, the phone rang. She hoped that it was Nick, she wanted to yell at him, but she also wanted to beg him to come home, she was a mess. Stephanie walked down stairs and picked the phone up off the cradle.

"Hello?" She said, tire evident in her voice.

"Hey baby girl! How are you and my little baby girl doing?" Nick asked.

"I'm tired. Hopes sleeping, and Nick, I don't know how much more of this I can take. I can't do this alone. I need you, and I need you now! This is hard, especially since I'm alone!"

"Look baby girl, I'll be home soon..."

"Nick not soon enough!" she interupted, and then began crying.

"Don't cry," Nick said, all of this was breaking his heart, "I'll be there in a month or so."

"God Nick, you just don't get it. I can't deal with this alone, I need you," she said getting angry at Nick for not understanding.

"Stephanie, look I know this is hard for you, why don't you get Ashley to stay with you? At least you'll some one there for you?"

"Because you know what Nick, she has a life!!!! She has a lot going for her and I'm not going to be the one that holds her back!! That and shes not you!! Shes not Hopes father, YOU ARE!" she yelled and slammed down the phone and started crying. A minute later the phone was ringing, she didn't want to hear it. Nick wasn't helping and she didn't want to get all pissed off again.

She dropped on to the couch as the phone kept ringing, she wanted Nick to just give up, he knew just as well as she did that she wouldn't answer the phone.

*~*~*~*New York~*~*~*~*

"Pick up the phone," Nick said hoping that Stephanie would give in and answer. He was beginning to become impatient and decided to hang up the phone.

"What happened?" Brian asked.

"She got mad at me. Now, shes not talking to me, she won't answer the phone. I want to apologise, but I don't think I did anything wrong."

"Why did she get mad at you?"

"Because I came back out with you guys and...."

"Say no more," he interupted, "she has every right to be mad. She's bad in Florida taking care of a baby all alone. Thats really hard for her, Nick, you gotta understand that. Give her a little while to calm down and call back, she'll talk to you then."

"This isn't all my fault!! She was the one that told me to go back out, she was the one that said she felt like she was holding me back," Nick yelled.

"Nick look, she said that, but I don't think that she fully realized how hard this was going to be for her. Shes young and alone, that would be hard for anyone. You don't have to get all mad at me, because you know what, I'm only trying to help, and if this is how your gonna thank me, maybe I shouldn't help any more."

"Maybe you shouldn't," Nick said seriously, and calmly.

"Fine then, I won't," he said and left Nick alone. Nick went over to the bed and layed down. His world was falling apart. Stephanie was mad at him and how so was his best friend. 'What else could possibly go wrong?' he thought to himself.