Chaos, everything was chaos. It was 8:00 on a Saturday morning and most of the residents of Beechwood Drive were still asleep. But not the residents of 1334 Beechwood. Today was moving day and things had gotten off to a bad start. It had been Davy's turn to cook breakfast and he took it as a personal insult when Ellen took one look at the scrambled eggs and ran for the bathroom. When she returned she tried to explain that it wasn't the food, it was morning sickness. That morning had been particularly bad, she explained, telling them all she was nervous about moving in.

"It's just temporary," Mike said. "I hope," he added softly to himself.

"I hope it's just temporary," Davy said and instantly regretted it when he noticed Mike glaring at him. He knew that look very well, jaw tight, warm eyes turned cold, the barely contained rage threatening to erupt at any moment. Mike had looked at him like that right before their fight. He didn't want to fight with Mike again. "S-sorry, I just meant that this isn't exactly a great place to raise a baby. It's falling apart and-"

"That's not what you meant at all," Mike almost shouted. "You've been against this from the very beginning. Just say what you mean." Why did he let Davy's comments bother him so much? They had been friends long enough to know what made each other mad and his quick temper was legendary. There was a patched hole in the wall of the bedroom upstairs that testified to that fact. Still Davy insisted on pushing him.

"Come on, guys, don't fight," Peter pleaded. "Not today."

"Yeah, not today," Micky mumbled around a mouthful of eggs.

Mike ignored them. He was mad as hell and he wasn't going to back down. Then he felt Ellen's hand on his arm. "Please Mike, it's not worth it. Let it go, he didn't mean anything by it."

Peter, Micky, and Davy watched in amazement as Mike visibly relaxed. His eyes lost their hard glare, his body relaxed, he smiled. Ellen touched his cheek, gently caressing. "It's okay," she whispered. Then Mike did something that surprised everybody. He leaned toward Ellen and gently kissed her. Mike had never done anything like that in front of his friends. He wasn't much for public displays of affection.

Sensing he was out of danger, Davy realized he had been holding his breath and was the verge of passing out. He quickly began to breathe and went back to eating his breakfast.

Micky and Peter had different reactions. "Wow," they both said at the same time.

Mike pulled away from Ellen and smiled at his friends. "Exactly," he said.

Ellen blushed and suddenly became very interested in her breakfast. It was certainly going to be an adventure living there.

Things continued for several minutes with no immediate crisis. Then the phone rang. "I'll get it," Mike said. "It's probably the moving company." He got up from the table and walked over to the phone. "Hello?... yeah, that's today...1334 Beechwood...it's important......no, she can't do it herself....well, it's none of your business, but she's pregnant. She can't lift stuff...because the doctor said so.....fine, but I want my money back....I signed an agreement with you and you didn't do what you were supposed to so I want my money back....I'll be by later or I'll send someone....all of it, it's only fair...fine, I'll send somebody there...bye." He slammed the phone down. "What the hell else is gonna go wrong today?" he asked no one in particular.

"Who was that, Mike?" Ellen asked.

"That was the moving company," he said, sitting back down at the table. "They called to cancel, said they have three guys out sick and the other two guys are on a job."

"Are you going to get your money back?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't help any. It's too late to hire somebody else. She has to be out today. What are we going to do?"

"What about Larry?" Micky asked. "He just lives down the street and if we help him we can get everything in here real quick. She doesn't have that much stuff that has to be here. Aren't you putting most of it in storage?"

"Yes," Ellen answered, "and that's already been done. Who's Larry?"

"Millie's husband," Peter said as if it were obvious who Larry and Millie were.

"Who's Millie?" Ellen asked, still very confused.

"They live just down the street," Mike explained. "They're an older couple. Babbitt got mad at us and let Millie move in with us. Larry was the moving man. He loved her cheesecake, she was lonely, and we wanted the place back to ourselves so we set them up. They got married and moved down the block."

"How romantic," Ellen sighed.

"We just wanted her out of the house," Mike said.

"You sure know how to kill the mood," Ellen said, pretending to be mad by pushing her chair away from Mike.

He smiled at her and said, "Just wait until tonight. I'll show you romantic." He moved his chair closer to hers and took her hand in his. He moved in to kiss her. "That's a promise, babe," he whispered and was just about to kiss her when they were interrupted by Micky's laughter.

"I think you two are forgetting something very important here," he said as he tried to control his laughter.

"What's that?" Mike asked.

"You have an audience. Save it for tonight when you're alone."

"He does have a valid point," Ellen told Mike. She playfully pushed him away. "And if you don't find a moving man, we won't have a bed tonight. That ought to be incentive enough to go find Larry."

"Yes, ma'am," Mike saluted. "Can I have a kiss before I go?"

Ellen sighed in defeat. "Oh, I guess so, but not in front of these clowns. I'll walk you out."

Mike smiled his best smile at her before turning to Micky. "I'm gonna walk to Larry's since it's just down the block. You take the car and see if you can get the money back from that moving company. And make sure they give you the full amount."

"No problem," Micky answered. "Where are the keys?"

"You can't expect me to know everything," Mike said, pushing his chair away from the table. He stood up. "I shouldn't be gone very long. The sooner we get started with this, the sooner we'll be finished." He held his hand out to Ellen. She accepted it and they walked outside.

"It's really going to be a big adjustment for all of us with me moving in, isn't it?" Ellen said. She didn't mean to sound so worried, but she was.

Mike put his arms around her and held her close. "It's for the best," he whispered. "Maybe it won't be for long. Maybe we can get our own place soon."

"I hope so," Ellen said, slipping her arms around his neck. "I'm just sorry about what happened with Davy."

"Don't worry about that. At least you stopped me before I made a complete ass of myself again. How do you put up with me?"

"When you love someone, it helps you overlook their imperfections. Nobody's perfect no matter how much we wish to be. Realizing you have your faults makes me love you more."

He laughed. "There you go again, talking too much. There's only one way to stop it." He leaned down and softly touched his lips to hers. He had meant it to be a quick kiss, but one taste of her sweet lips and he wanted more. He quickly deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue between her parted lips. He felt her tremble slightly and heard her sigh as she did the same to him. He had kissed many girls over the years, but she was by far the best, always had been. They were lost in the kiss, knowing that chances were since it was still early on a Saturday morning, no one would be out on the street. That illusion was shattered by the sound of a door slamming in the distance. They quickly pulled apart from each other, flustered and hoping that no one had seen them. "I guess I best get going," Mike said. "I shouldn't be gone too long. Tonight, I promise." Then he kissed her softly on the cheek and walked off down the street.

She watched him for a bit and then went back in the house. It was chilly for early December and she wasn't wearing a jacket. At least the baby would be born in the summer.

"We were beginning to wonder about you," Micky told her when she came back inside. "Me and Pete are going to go get the money back from the moving company. We won't be gone long. You gonna be okay here with Davy?"

"Sure, I'll be fine," she assured Micky. "I can take care of myself and I have no problem with Davy."

"Okay," Micky said. "We'll be back soon." He and Peter left.

She was left alone with Davy. He was clearing the breakfast dishes. "Feel up to helping me?" he asked. When she hesitated, he added, "I really need to talk to you alone."

She joined Davy at the table and picked up a few dishes. She knew Micky and Peter wouldn't leave her alone if they didn't feel she would be safe. Davy started to reach for the dishes she was holding, but she stopped him. "I'm okay, Davy. Carrying a few dishes to the sink won't hurt me." That was the one thing that bothered her, all of them treating her as if she were helpless. She wasn't helpless, she could still do plenty.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Ellen," Davy said.

"I know, I just want you to know I can take care of myself." She took the plates and put them in the sink. "Are you going to wash them now or later?"

"I guess we'll wash them now while we have the chance," Davy answered, joining her at the sink. "Will you help me?"

"Of course," she replied. She turned on the water, tested the temperature, and begin putting the dishes in the sink. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Mike doesn't trust me around you anymore. Does he hate me?"

"He doesn't hate you, Davy. You hurt him very much and it will take him a long time to get over that. You really should talk to him about this, not me," she said. She was tired of the whole thing and the incident at breakfast had not helped matters any.

"I didn't mean to do what I did. I wasn't thinking clearly. I was jealous and I let that affect me. I'm sorry for what I did to you and Mike."

"I know you are, Davy. You just have to talk to Mike about this."

"He won't listen to me."

"Just give him a chance. He's very stubborn. Just be honest with him and it will work out."

"I never had a chance with you, did I?" he asked suddenly.

She was surprised at the question, but didn't hesitate to answer. "No, you wouldn't have had a chance. I've loved Mike for a long time, forever it seems like. Nothing's torn us apart yet Maybe nothing can." She grew silent as she gazed out the window to the beach, suddenly lost in the memories. In a few weeks it would be four years since they had first met. A lot can change in four years, but their love for each other had only grown stronger.

"Hey, you okay?" Davy asked, bringing her mind back the present.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just thinking," she answered. "We better finish the dishes before everybody gets back."

They continued to wash the dishes, and now that they were comfortable around each other again, they begin to talk of other things. Davy was telling her about time they had tried to audition for a TV show and neither of them heard the door open until it was suddenly slammed shut. They turned to see Mike, eyes blazing with fury. "What the hell is going on here?" he roared at them.

Mike instantly regretted the outburst when he saw the fear in Davy's eyes. Had he really been so caught up with his own life that he didn't realize what he was doing to his friend? So much had happened in the past few weeks with Ellen that he hadn't even thought about Davy. Now he was about to make things worse. Maybe he was overreacting, maybe nothing had happened why he was gone.

Davy felt frozen in place as Mike glared at him. Sure, Mike had a good reason for being upset, but this was taking things too far. He understood that Mike was stressed lately. He was having to deal with some very serious stuff, lots of stuff besides just Ellen being pregnant. He just didn't want Mike to take out his frustrations on him. Should he stay and fight, should he run, or should he try to reason with Mike? Would Mike even listen to him?

"Don't fight," Ellen said, fighting the tears. She was tired of them fighting or at least being cold to each other. It wasn't right. "Nothing happened here. We were just talking, that's it. If you two are going to fight, then I'm leaving. I will not raise my child around people who fight constantly over something stupid." That said, she rushed up the steps, headed for the bedroom.

The first pain hit halfway up the stairs. She paused until it passed and then continued up the stairs. By the time she made it to the bedroom, she couldn't ignore the pain. She lay down on Mike's bed, more afraid than she thought possible. The pain lessened, but she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. _Please not again,_ she thought over and over. She heard footsteps on the stairs then the door opened and Mike entered the room. She didn't move, afraid that would make things worse.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for her hand. "I'm sorry about earlier," he said. "I overreacted. Are you okay?"

"No." It was all she could say. She winced as another wave of pain hit her.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

She nodded. "I don't want to lose our baby, Mike. Not again."

He wanted to hold her, to assure her everything would be okay, but he was afraid that holding her would make things worse. "It's going to be okay," he told her. He didn't want her to realize how afraid he was. "I'll get you to the doctor. Can you walk?"

"I don't want to try."

"Okay, I'll carry you." He stood up and gently lifted her out of the bed. She slipped her arms around her neck and held tight to him. He knew she was afraid, but he had to be brave for her. Maybe if he could get her to the doctor in time the baby would be okay. "It's going to be okay, sweetheart," he whispered to her. "The baby is going to be just fine. I know he will."

Davy spotted them as they came down the stairs. "What happened?" he asked.

"She needs to go to the hospital. Get the car now," Mike answered.

"Micky and Peter have the car."

"Then find a car. Now!" Mike ordered. "Call Babbitt. Tell him it's an emergency."

Davy called Mr. Babbitt and explained the situation as best he could. "He said he'll be right here," Davy said when he got off the phone.

"It's going to be okay," Mike told Ellen. "We'll get you there in a few minutes. Just hang on." He noticed she was pale and this worried him. They needed each other, they needed this baby. _Please just let them both be okay._

After what seemed an eternity, Mr. Babbitt arrived with the car. "Be careful with it," he said, handing the keys to Davy.

"No time for lectures now, Mr. Babbitt," Davy said. "I'll bring it back later."

Mike gently put Ellen into the car and sat down beside her. Davy got into the driver seat and started to adjust the seat and mirrors. "No time for that now, Davy. Just drive. I don't think we have much time," Mike said.

Davy finished adjustments and started the car. He headed for the hospital hoping he didn't get stopped for speeding.

~*~

Micky and Peter arrived back at the pad surprised to see that no one was home. "Maybe they left a note," Micky said.

"I don't see one. Maybe they went to the beach." Peter said.

"Why would they go to the beach?" Micky asked.

"I don't know, it's just a suggestion."

Just then there was a knock at the door. "Maybe that's somebody that knows where they are," Micky said. He opened the door. "Oh hi, Mr. Babbitt. Have you seen Mike, Davy and Ellen? They were gone when we got back."

"They told me to tell you that they had to take Ellen to the hospital. Apparently something happened to her or the baby. They said they would call when they knew something."

"Thanks Mr. Babbitt," Micky said and closed the door. "Come on, Pete, we're going to the hospital."

"But Mr. Babbitt said they would call."

"I know what, but I'll feel better if we go to the hospital."

~*~

The waiting was the hardest part. It had been almost an hour and there was still no news on Ellen. Micky and Peter had arrived at the hospital just as Ellen was being taken away. One of the nurses had suggested she take off her ring so it wouldn't get lost. She had protested, but finally the nurse had gotten the ring off and handed it to Mike. Looking at it, he remembered the morning he bought it.

It was their last full day in San Francisco. They would play the dance that night and then they would leave in the morning. She was still sleeping when he woke up. Most mornings he loved to watch her sleep, to watch her awaken slowly like a butterfly emerging from it's cocoon. But this particular morning he had something else he wanted to do. He had asked Mr. Richards for his money the night before and Mr. Richards had agreed no questions asked. He remembered passing by a jewelry store one afternoon and Ellen had stopped to look in the window. She hadn't said anything, but he saw the way her eyes lit up when she saw the engagement rings. They hadn't talked about it, but the look on her face had told him all he needed to know about what she thought of their future.

The ring had cost him almost all the money he had, but he knew it would be worth it when gave it to her. He had planned to propose that night after the dance. Then everything happened with Davy and Cyndie and he put the ring away. He had almost asked her again before she left for Arizona, but for some reason he didn't. Then when she came back and she told him she was pregnant, he knew it was right. But now he might lose her and the baby. It was his greatest fear coming true and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up, surprised to see Millie. "Are you okay?" she asked.

_Stupid question. Am I supposed to be okay when I don't know what's going on with her?_ "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Micky called us and told us what happened," Millie answered, sitting down next to Mike. "I couldn't leave my boys when they need somebody. Any word yet?"

"No, nothing. We've been here an hour. Why don't they tell me anything?" He hit his fist against the arm of his chair, ignoring the pain.

Millie reached for his hand. "Hurting yourself is not going to help her any. How far along is she?"

"About ten weeks. I don't want to lose her."

"I know you don't," Millie said. "It's going to be okay, she'll be fine. You're still young, you can have more children. My Herman and I, we never had children. Now with Larry, I'm too old. You boys were the children I never had. It's going to be okay."

He wanted to believe Millie, he wanted to believe that Ellen would be okay and that the baby was safe, but the fear was too strong. He had lost her before and that had been bad enough. This time he might lose her forever. He didn't want to live without her.

He heard footsteps approaching but ignored them until he heard someone call his name. He immediately recognized Dr. Diehl. He had met him once before just a few weeks ago at Ellen's first visit to him. "How is she?" Mike asked.

Dr. Diehl's expression was neutral, something that scared Mike more than he thought possible. A smile, a frown, sad eyes, anything would have been better than the doctor's blank expression. _Just tell me now,_ Mike thought. _Then I can figure out a way to pick up the pieces and move on without her._ "Please, doctor, tell me if she's okay," Mike said, surprised at how shaky his voice sounded.

"I'd like to speak with you in private," the doctor said.

He followed the doctor to an empty conference room and waited for the doctor to say the words that would shatter his world.

Dr. Diehl had been in practice only a few years but he had seen many nervous expectant first time parents in those few years. They always seemed to panic at the first hint of trouble, sometimes unnecessarily. This one had been a close call. "Ellen is just fine," he said. "I would like her to stay overnight for observation. She needs a relaxed environment. I think it was brought on stress. She didn't give me any details, she just said things are tense at home right now. If she gets plenty of rest and a major reduction in stress then there should be no further problems with the pregnancy."

"The baby's okay?" Mike asked.

"Yes, the baby is just fine. You got her here in time. If she had been alone and had not gotten here as quick as she did, she most likely would have lost the baby."

Mike digested the information, finally able to believe that everything was okay, he still had Ellen, they still had their baby to look forward to. "When can I see her?"

"In a few minutes," the doctor answered. "She's being moved into a room now. I'll let you know when you can see her. And I need to make you a list of things she won't be able to do for at least six weeks. She has to be very careful or she might not be so lucky next time."

The doctor left and Mike went to tell everybody that Ellen was okay. He knew now that he had to work things out with Davy for Ellen's sake. Things had gone on long enough, it was time to end them.

"How is she," Micky asked when he returned.

"She's just fine," Mike answered. "The baby's okay, too. We got her here in time. She has to stay overnight."

"But what about getting her stuff?" Peter asked.

"Micky has the keys. Her apartment key is with them," Mike said. "Get her stuff moved it today. It's still light outside. I'll even help."

"Sounds like a good idea," Larry said. "And I won't even charge you for use of the truck."

"You better not," Millie told him. "I wouldn't make them pay you anyway."

Davy was silent the whole time, standing away from everybody else, as if afraid to approach Mike. Mike noticed this and knew he had to patch things up with Davy and maybe now was the time to start. He slowly walked up to Davy, noticing how he tensed at his approach. Mike placed one hand on Davy's shoulder. "I just wanted to thank you for driving us here. I wouldn't have been able to do it. You saved her life and the baby's. I've been a real jerk lately and I'm sorry. I was wrong to do what I did to you and it took almost losing Ellen to realize that. Please forgive me."

Davy didn't know what to say to Mike. Was he being sincere or as soon as things calmed down would they go back to like they were before? He didn't want to have to be careful around Mike forever. They had their differences, they fought, he did something wrong. Neither of them were totally guilty or innocent in the matter. Davy had started it, but Mike had carried it farther than it should have been. Above all else, they were friends.

"I was wrong, too, about what I did in San Francisco. I was jealous, I overreacted. I should be the one asking you to forgive me," Davy said.

"Only if I get the same in return," Mike said.

Davy didn't hesitate to answer. "It's a deal," he answered with a smile. They shook hands as if finalizing a deal. Both noticed that they suddenly felt more relaxed. Things certainly had changed between them.

The nurse told them that Ellen was in her room and ready for visitors. Everybody expected Mike to go in first, but he told them he had something he wanted to do first. By now his friends had learned not to question him.

He was gone for ten minutes and when he returned everybody was gathered in Ellen's room. Micky was telling her a joke about a traveling salesman, Millie was talking to the nurse about a neighbor of her's who had swollen feet, and Peter, Davy, and Larry were standing in one corner talking amongst themselves. Ellen looked up when he walked in and smiled at him. He returned the smile and walked beside the bed. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the forehead. "Hey, Sweetheart, glad you're okay. I got this for you." He handed her a single red rose.

"Oh, Mike, it's beautiful, but I don't have anything to put it in," she said, taking the rose from him.

"I thought of that, too," he answered. "I got a vase." He set it down on the table and poured some water in it. He put the rose in the vase. "So, everything is okay now? The pain is gone?"

"The pain stopped and I'm just fine," she answered. "Did you talk to Davy?"

"Yeah, I talked to him. Everything's okay. And we're going to get all your stuff moved in today."

"I'm sorry, but you all have to leave now," the nurse said. "The patient needs her rest. You can come back in a few hours."

Everybody said their goodbyes and prepared to leave. Mike kissed Ellen goodbye. "I'll be back later," he told her. "Stay out of trouble."

They went back to the pad. Davy returned Mr. Babbitt's car and told him that Ellen was okay. Then they went to Ellen's apartment and moved her stuff into the pad. By then it was visiting hours at the hospital. Mike offered to take everybody with him, but they all insisted that he should go alone.

Ellen was expecting him. "Hey, where is everybody else?" she asked.

"They told me to come by myself," he told her. "Guess they decided we needed some time alone."

"That's how I got in this condition," she said with a laugh. She suddenly became serious. "Mike, I'm so glad everything's okay. I was afraid I was going to lose the baby."

"But you didn't lose the baby. He's okay and you're okay. I was afraid I was going to lose you both. I guess we're meant to be parents."

"I talked to the nurse earlier," Ellen said. "She said you can sleep in the extra bed tonight. That is if you want to."

"Just try and stop me. I won't leave you alone, not now," he said. He gently brushed a lock of hair off her forehead. "You're stuck with me forever."

"That's just the way I want it. I love you, Mike."

"I love you, too," he said and kissed her.

"Be careful," came a voice from the doorway. They turned to see a nurse. "These beds are too small for that kind of stuff," she said and left.

"Why don't we see what's on TV instead," Mike said. He turned on the TV and begin flipping through the channels until he found a movie. "Hey, I haven't seen this since New York. Want to watch this?"

On the TV screen the opening credits for It Happened One Night began. Mike sat down in the chair next to Ellen's bed and reached for her hand. "You kept your promise. You said you would show me romantic. Under the circumstances, this will do," Ellen said as the movie began. Life goes on. Sometimes it takes almost losing everything to realize what we really have. Love may not conquer all, but it makes things go easier.