Alex went to the makeup area to clean up after a long day of filming, just like he did every day. Today was Friday, the last day of a long week. He’d never really thought about how much work went into an hour of television before, not until he got into this job. All he wanted to do was get Maya, go home, play some dumb baby games with her, and go to sleep.

When he saw Woodham standing by his chair in makeup, he knew he wasn’t going to get that chance. Maybe the day was about to get worse. Maybe it was about to get better. Either way, there was no way it was about to get more restful.

“Have we been cancelled already?” He tried to keep his voice light and chipper, but it didn’t work as well as he wanted it to.

“No.” Woodham tugged at his collar and looked down. “The good news is, I think it’s going to take an act of God to get us cancelled. The bad news is, he knows.”

Alex dropped the cold cream wipes. “Tell me you don’t mean who I think you mean.”

“Wish I could. But no, Delaney knows. And given that he found out because his ex mother-in-law decided to go rummaging through your dumpster one fine November morning, he’s in a fine mood about it.”

Alex couldn’t get enough air into his lungs. There just wasn’t enough in the room. “This is bad,” he gasped. “This is the worst thing in the history of bad.”

“Worse than losing your mother?” Buddy popped over, makeup half on and half off.

“I lost my mom almost twenty years ago. This is—he’s going to cancel the show. Because I was stupid enough to get pregnant. Oh, my god. This is awful.” He clutched at his head. “I’m just—I was okay with having the baby by now, when it was just me. Now that I have to go and face Sol, I just can’t do it.”

Alex jumped to his feet. “I’ll call Jimmy Senior. He can get me to someplace weird, like, I don’t know.” He turned to Buddy. “Rockaway, maybe?”

Woodham scowled, but then he laughed. “You honestly can’t think of any place further to run than Rockaway?”

“Well, no. I don’t speak Delaware or whatever. I don’t speak Boston. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I went any further.” Alex blinked at him. “I hate to leave you in a lurch here, but you have to understand, I can’t stay. This is a matter of safety.”

Buddy frowned and grabbed Alex’s arm. “You feel unsafe with Sol?”

“Well I didn’t, until I got pregnant.” Alex waved his hands. “You know what guys are like. Have you ever known one that didn’t turn into a mess of a man as soon as kids got involved? Look at my dad. He got my mom to marry him somehow, but after I was born he started using her as a punching bag. Look at Jimmy Junior. The kids come along and suddenly it’s Fight Night every night at their house. Look at all those families I work with. It’s not the kids’ faults, it’s the abusers’, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s going to go to town on me as soon as he sees me.”

Woodham sighed and caught Alex up in a hug. “I’m so sorry you’ve had so many bad experiences. I could wish you hadn’t. I don’t think Sol’s going to be like that, Alex. But I can tell you the cops are already involved.”

Alex jumped so high he almost passed the top of the mirror. “He called the cops?”

“He called the cops on Lena, when she violated her restraining order.” Woodham guided Alex back to his chair and gestured to Buddy, who helped to wipe the makeup off of Alex’s face. I’ll tell you what. Do you want this baby?”

Alex swallowed hard. “I do. I know it screws things up from the production schedule standpoint, but—”

Woodham laid a finger over Alex’s lips. “I didn’t ask about the production schedule. I asked you if you want this baby. And you said yes. You’re scared, and considering your history you have a right to be. So, I’ll go to Sol’s place with you. Buddy, do you want to come too?”

“Well, I’m not sending Alex to face the guy who broke his heart once already by himself.” Buddy looked up at Woodham with his jaw set.

“Ah, fun times. Old grudges and resentment should make this so much easier.” Woodham clapped his hands once. “Let’s get a car to go over there. The last thing we need is more drama.”

Woodham called a car service, and the three of them rode over to Sol’s place in silence. Alex, for his part, couldn’t speak. What if Sol had a gun? Alex hadn’t ever known Sol to have guns, or to have an interest in guns, but he wasn’t feeling all that rational right now. What if he was so mad he went after Alex, and then Buddy? What if he took it out on Carsten?

Alex knew, on some level, he was being completely irrational. He hadn’t been afraid of Sol until he got pregnant. Sol had never given him reason for fear before. Alex was lumping him in with all of the bad men he’d known before. He didn’t trust Sol, but he didn’t trust him for other reasons, not because he was violent.

Not because he’s shown himself to be violent, his brain supplied. There is a difference.

They got to the Vesuvius and headed up to Sol’s penthouse in a group. Sol was waiting for them when they got out. Someone had tipped him off, probably the doorman. Maybe Woodham, who knew? Woodham had been right when he’d warned Alex, though. Sol stood at the elevator door with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl as deep as the Nile on his handsome face. “You had to bring other people into it?” he spat. “You couldn’t even bring yourself to admit to it in private?”

Alex drew himself up to his full height as his fear melted away. His anger built up enough heat to destroy it. Let Sol get violent. Let him explode in rage. He had no cause to treat Alex like that, in front of other people no less. “Seeing as how you seem to think being pregnant—with your child—is something I have to admit to instead of something I can just tell you, yeah. Yeah, I felt I needed to come in here with some support. Where’s my daughter?”

“She’s with Inge and Carsten at the cupcake shop next door. I didn’t think it was a good idea for them to see us arguing. Detective Staley is with them, for the record.” He narrowed his eyes at Woodham and Buddy. “The two of you are welcome to join them anytime.”

Woodham took a step back. Buddy stepped in. “Now, you listen here. I’m not going to be pushed off because you think you get to dictate where his daughter goes and for how long.” He poked Sol in the shoulder. “Maybe instead of getting all holier than thou about him telling you or admitting about the pregnancy you should sit back and wonder why it is he didn’t come straight to you and announce his good news with all the joy and celebration it deserves. Have you thought about that?”

“I did consider that, actually, Buddy.” Sol’s eyes were cold. “Of course, it occurred to me that there’s not a lot of celebration to be had in a case like this. Have you given the slightest thought to what an unwed pregnancy will do to your career? To the show you haven’t even gone to air with? You’re not the only one with something to lose from this. Every member of that crew passed up on other jobs to work on this show, and you’re pissing all over it with this baby of yours.”

“Ours.” Alex met Sol’s eyes. “I know you want to put the blame on me, but you know something? The condom was on you when it broke, and you’re the one who failed to notice it. Considering the position and all, it’s a little more on you than on me. If we’re laying blame here, let’s be honest about where it belongs.”

“Yeah, I’m the one who has to suffer the consequences. And you know what, you arrogant son of a bitch? I’m okay with it. There’s a way to arrange the production schedule so no one has to be inconvenienced. I will be able to do this, and I’ll be able to do this as a single father. I’m not asking for a goddamn thing from you.”

“You don’t want another kid? Fine. You don’t want another kid by me? That’s not a shocker either. I wasn’t good enough to marry even after you put a ring on my finger and promised me. I wasn’t good enough to date in public, I don’t expect for you to acknowledge me or my child in any way. Why the hell do you think I told you we were only going to be together for one night?”

“Alex, I am the child’s father, and I think I do have some say in its fate. You can’t keep it. You’ve got dangerous people who want to kill you.” Sol reached out a hand toward Alex, but he pulled it back. “I’m not saying you’re not good enough. I’m not saying I don’t want more than a one time roll in the hay, Alex. I want you to be safe. This pregnancy isn’t going to make you safe.”

“It’s not going to make me less safe than I already am.” Alex shook his head. He couldn’t trust the rest of the words he’d just heard from Sol. There wasn’t any way he actually wanted Alex as anything but a bed warmer. “And I deserve to have a family. I deserve to have people who will notice when I’m gone, and who will make sure the body’s taken care of. I deserve to have people to love and care for as I get older. You, you’ve got plenty of people around you. Your ex may be a freak, but he cares enough for you that he’s willing to kill people for you. Your father is willing to do anything in his power to make sure you stay in his orbit. You have colleagues, friends, Carsten.”

“I’m building a family of my own. And god damn it, Sol, you don’t get to take it from me. I didn’t seek this baby out, but I’m happy it’s on the way, and you don’t get to take it!”

Sol caught Alex’s hands. “I don’t want to take it. I don’t want to take anything from you. I want you to be safe. I want you to wait until a time when you can carry the baby to term and give birth safely, without having these lunatics stalking your every move. Alex, you deserve better than that. I’m pissed you didn’t tell me. I’m pissed as hell, actually.”

Alex stopped struggling and looked into Sol’s eyes. He couldn’t see the rage he expected. He only saw hurt and disappointment. “I didn’t want you to have to deal with pregnancy on top of all the crap with the Fletchers, and your dad. I figured I’d let that resolve itself before trying to throw something new at you.” He pulled back.

“And?” Woodham prompted, stepping back a little. He patted Buddy’s arm, by way of a hint.

“And,” Alex admitted, “I was scared. Most guys I know turn into violent jerks once kids come into the picture. It wasn’t rational, but it was still something I’d seen an awful lot of. So I might have been willing to take the situation with the Fletchers as an excuse.”

Sol looked away for a second. “I can’t be mad about that.” He looked back at Alex. “I want to. But I also know some of what you’ve seen. And I haven’t given you much reason to trust me. You want this baby?”

Alex put a hand over his flat stomach. “Yeah. I do. If I can have the baby without putting a bunch of good people out of work, then yeah. I want it.”

“All right then.” He dropped to one knee. “I’m not asking you this because of the baby. I’m asking you because at first I wasn’t sure how I felt, and then I was sure but I wasn’t sure how you felt. And now I mostly just want you to understand how I feel.”

“I want to be your husband. I still want to be your husband, I should say. I never did stop loving you. You’re obviously a great father, and you’ll be a fantastic husband. Yes, I’ll bring you to the office holiday party. And not as the caterer, either. Yes, you’ll be able to pick Carsten up at the school. No, I don’t care if you stand out a little. You’ll stand out because you’ll be ten times the father any of them are.”

“I want our child to grow up with both parents, in a stable home, with their brother and sister living with them and teaching them how to drive us both wild and annoy the downstairs neighbors. I want to be the one taking care of you when you get old. Or rather, I want to be those gross old people tottering down the paths in Central Park, leaning on each other and resting on the benches every time we pass one. Together. I’m not financially dependent on my father anymore, so he can’t interfere. In fact, he’s not allowed in my house anymore. Do you think you might be willing to try being engaged to me again? And maybe getting married to me this time?”

Alex stopped breathing for the second time that night. Buddy pounded on his back. “Dude. Inhale. There you go.”

“Sol. I—” Alex stopped himself. Did he really want to risk losing Sol again? “Do you want this baby?”

Sol winced. “I’m worried about what it means for you. But I will love this baby just as much as I love Carsten. Just as much as I’m getting to love Maya—who, I want to point out, has an obsession with that old adding machine in my office. Yes. I want this baby.”

“Then, yes.” Alex closed his eyes. “Yes. We’ll get married.”

Sol got up and wrapped Alex up in a huge bear hug. The adrenaline that had been driving Alex left him then, and he sagged. “Wow, that was a rough ride. How about if we don’t ever, ever do it again? Only happy stuff from now on,” Alex told him.

Buddy patted him on the back again. “Well you’ve got my vote, for what it’s worth.”

Sol kissed him then. “What do you say we all go downstairs and tell Carsten and Maya they’re getting a younger sibling?”

Alex didn’t think Maya would understand at all, but he grinned. “Carsten’s going to be over the moon. He already loves Maya. He’ll be thrilled about the new baby.”

“Good. You get to explain how it got into your belly.”

Everyone laughed at Sol as they headed back down the elevator.

* * *

Sol knew he was happy, rather than feeling happy. He was thrilled, of course, that Alex had said yes. It wasn’t like last time, which he remembered more as softly lit snapshots in Central Park than as anything else. This time felt solid. This time felt real. His only problem was all of the other drama and anxiety surrounding them and their lives. Once that resolved itself, he’d be able to feel the joy he knew was now his.

They went downstairs to the little cupcake shop a few doors down. Buddy and Detective Staley took off with hearty congratulations to the happy couple, and Sol and Alex were left to break the news to the others by themselves. They walked into the store hand in hand, for the first time in a decade.

Inge smiled when she saw them. Her blue eyes sparkled as she greeted them. “This looks like a happy occasion,” she said. Maya made grabby hands at Alex, so she passed the child off to him.

“It is.” Sol sat down across from his son, while Alex sat beside him. “We have some exciting news for the whole family.”

Alex looked over at Inge with a shy little smile. “That includes you, Inge. You’ll probably have a lot to say about it, in fact.”

Sol laughed quietly. He would definitely have to give Inge a raise. “Well, the first part of our news is that Alex and I have decided to get married. I’m not sure when we’re going to get married, but it will be soon, and we’re all going to be a family together.”

Carsten squealed with delight. He jumped up and squeezed Alex. “Does this mean you’ll be my dad?”

Alex blushed so nicely. “Well, ah, I’ll be one of them, I guess. Both of your dads, even Stuart, will always be your dad too. But I’m going to be part of the picture, officially. And I’m going to love every minute of it, Carsten. You’re the kind of kid it’s easy to be proud of. And I think you know that.” He ruffled Carsten’s hair.

Carsten leaned into Alex’s touch. Sol sighed to see it. What would life be like now, if he’d just done the right thing ten years ago? Carsten would really be Alex’s kid, and their lives wouldn’t have this unpleasant complication of Stuart trying to kill them. Then again, Carsten wouldn’t be Carsten.

Carsten clapped his hands and bounced up and down. “Awesome! I’m so happy. And Maya will be my sister?”

“That’s a little more complicated, but yeah. She’ll pretty much be your sister. Do you see the way she just lights up when you come into a room? She loves you already, Carsten. She’s already used to having a big brother, so she already knows how to be a little sister.” Alex wrapped his arm around Sol’s son. His grin could have lit up the whole room.

Sol cleared his throat. “You’re both going to have to teach the new baby all of these things, though. It’s not going to know.”

Carsten’s eyes bulged. They were a mirror of Inge’s. “New baby?” Inge murmured.

“Er, yeah.” Sol ducked his head. “That was a bit of a surprise for both of us, but you know what? It’s something we can deal with. Carsten’s such a good big brother to Maya we figure it will be a piece of cake to him.”

“I like cake.” Carsten shrugged. “And babies.” He held out a finger, and Maya took his hand. “The first thing you have to know about being a big sister, Maya, is that the little sister doesn’t know anything yet. So you can’t get mad at her, okay? Even when she cries, because she doesn’t know how to ask for things like hugs and food yet.”

Sol looked up at Alex, who met his eyes with a smile. He’d been almost in tears earlier, but now he was all light and smiles. Everything was really going to be all right.

They let Carsten and Inge finish their cupcakes, and then they brought everyone back upstairs. Dinner was delayed so Alex could grumble about serving animal proteins to vegetarians and whip up some kind of chickpea thing that smelled divine, and then they put Carsten to bed. Alex made a noise about heading home, but Sol stopped him.

“We just got engaged, Alex. Tell me you don’t have to leave.”

Inge coughed delicately. “Maya’s playpen can double as a crib, you know. It does for nap time.”

Alex bit down on his lip. “I don’t have any clothes here, and neither does Maya.”

“It’s Friday. You don’t have to go anywhere in the morning.”

“You mean besides dropping her off with her grandpa?” Alex snorted.

“Good point. How about if you go home, get some clothes for the two of you, come back, and we can spend the night together all nice and cozy.” Sol put his hands on Alex’s hips, just to make sure Alex understood his meaning.

Alex fled.

He came back an hour later, with a duffel bag stuffed with clothes for both him and Maya. The bag even had some of Maya’s toys in it. “I didn’t want to presume,” he said, “but I figure she’ll want some of this stuff. Mornings are a nightmare if she doesn’t have that elephant to throw around.”

Sol laughed and took the duffel. “You don’t have to apologize for bringing your things to what’s going to be your home, Alex. Honestly, you don’t.”

Alex stiffened. Sol didn’t have to ask him why, so he didn’t. The idea of leaving the Bronx was a hard one to swallow. He’d get used to it eventually. He’d been willing to come into Manhattan once. He’d get there again.

Instead of pushing the issue, Sol stepped forward and took Alex into his arms. He touched Alex’s lips with his own, softly at first and then with more passion. They’d made it. They were putting history right. They were a couple again. They could do this right this time. They could win.

He led Alex to the bedroom, because Inge didn’t need to see this. All of Alex’s residual stiffness went away as he followed down the short corridor. Sol was proud of his house, proud of the bedroom. There weren’t a lot of things to get in the way in here, just what Sol needed and no more.

He put Alex’s duffel down in a corner and kissed him again. He tasted like celery leaves, cilantro, tomatoes, and pepper. Had that been what he’d made for Inge? It had smelled amazing, and now it tasted even better as Sol licked it from his breath. He sucked on Alex’s lower lip as Alex tugged at his shirt. “Come on, off,” Alex told him. “If we’re going to do this, let’s do this.”

Sol laughed and did as he was told. He got rid of his suit and tossed it over the closet door. Alex, for his part, put his clothes into a heap by the side of the bed. He looked amazing still, all those compact muscles and tattoos.

Sol traced the lines of Alex’s abs with his finger. Those abs would go away soon, stretched by Sol’s baby and hidden by all of the weight a baby needed to grow. “These are nice,” he told Alex, looking into his hazel eyes, “but I can’t wait to see you get all big with my baby.”

Alex chuckled. “Really? You’ve got a pregnancy fetish?”

“No.” Sol escorted Alex to the bed and climbed in beside him, toward the foot of the bed. “Not really. It’s fine in other people, I guess. But in you, with my baby? It’s something special. It’s proof.”

“Proof.” Alex raised his head to look at Sol, and then hissed when Sol playfully nipped his inner thigh.

“Proof that we’re together. Proof that we haven’t screwed everything up beyond all repair. Proof that we love each other, and that we can build a life and a family together.” Sol took Alex’s balls into his mouth then, sucking on them in a way he knew drove Alex crazy.

It worked this time, too. Alex groaned, spreading his legs even wider to accommodate Sol. Sol loved this, loved the scent of him down here. He loved that he could feel Alex’s need growing while he worked, and he loved the little sounds Alex made. If he died right now, he’d die happy.

Alex certainly sounded happy, and his cock was thickening and growing so he seemed pretty happy too. After a few moments of the happiest sounds Sol had heard in his life, he tapped Sol on the shoulder. “I want to do something.”

Sol eased Alex out of his mouth with reluctance. “What?”

“Trust me. Just come up here.”

Sol obeyed, even though he couldn’t think for the life of him of what Alex might have in mind. Then Alex moved. His feet were by the pillows, his cock still accessible to Sol, but his mouth closed around Sol’s hard cock with a hunger that rivaled Sol’s own.

This was almost too much for him to handle.

He moaned as he took Alex back into his mouth. Alex felt incredible like this, all wet heat and suction and the hint of his throat at the tip. Sol couldn’t help but thrust, just a little. He wasn’t a small guy, but his girth didn’t seem to trouble Alex at all. He just moaned around him, which felt even better.

Sol usually prided himself on his staying power, but once Alex started moaning in his own pleasure Sol couldn’t hold back for long. The vibrations from Alex’s vocal cords moved too strongly through his cock. He shot long and hard down Alex’s throat, which only seemed to make Alex moan harder.

Sol needed Alex to feel this. He needed Alex to feel as good as he did right now, as amazing and as alive. He needed Alex to understand the perfection of this moment. He doubled his efforts until he felt Alex come, hot liquid hitting the back of his throat with force.

He worked Alex until he was soft before letting him fall gently from his mouth. Then he helped Alex flip up toward the right side of the bed. “That was amazing,” he whispered to his fiancé. “I think my brain might have leaked out my dick, but it was amazing.”

Alex chuckled and rolled over, resting a hand on Sol’s chest. “It was pretty incredible, wasn’t it?”

“Fortunately we’ve got the rest of our lives to top it. I think it’s going to take a while.” Sol wrapped Alex in his arms and held him close. “Thank you for agreeing to marry me.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Alex’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Sol. “I’m still having trouble believing it. But I’ll get there.”

“We’ll get there.” He kissed Alex. He could taste himself there. It was a good feeling, something he could take pride in. “We’ll get there together.”

The next morning they got up and showered together. Sol hadn’t necessarily designed the shower as a place for couples, but there was a bench, and it was big enough for two or more people to wash up comfortably. When Alex got down on his knees for another taste, Sol had to congratulate himself on his foresight—at least, as long as he was able to congratulate himself on anything at all.

They headed up to Buddy’s. Somehow Alex’s best friend, who still seemed to think Sol was lower than dirt, had managed to arrange an engagement party for him and Alex. There was food—all local food, provided by local restaurants—and a bar so full Sol expected the fire marshal to step in.

Some of his discomfort must have shown on his face, because Jimmy Senior approached with his granddaughter on his hip. “What’s with the poop face, Delaney? This should be a happy occasion.” He gave Sol a hard look. “Given everything going on right now, Alex needs a happy occasion.”

Sol sighed and mustered up a grin for Senior. “Sir, I love Alex. I do. And there’s a part of me that wants to take full page ads in Variety and the Journal just to announce my engagement, because Alex is the kind of guy you celebrate. Right?”

“Damn straight.” Senior set his jaw. “So why aren’t you celebrating?”

“I’m scared.” Sol spread his hands wide. “I’m happy, and I want Alex to be happy. I’m just worried that my crazy ex and his crazy mother are going to hear about it, what with all the publicity and all, and do something stupid. They already know he’s pregnant.”

“They do?” Senior straightened up. “That’s a whole different story.”

“Right?” Sol rubbed at his face.

“It doesn’t change the fact that Alex deserves to be celebrated. But I can see why you’re nervous. I’ll beef up security on Alex. And I’ll have a word with Detective Staley. I like Alex. He’s a good kid, with a good head on his shoulders. I don’t want any harm coming to him.”

“Detective Staley is one of yours?” Sol didn’t know why that disappointed him, but it did.

“Not yet.” Jimmy Senior grinned, showing teeth. “The trick is in knowing what people really want, Sol. Once you have that, you’ve got them. The rest is gravy.”

Sol had said something similar not too long ago. He stared at Senior for a second. Senior just winked at him and walked off to find Staley.

Sol stood up a little straighter himself. His anxiety over Alex’s safety was his. He didn’t want to be the moping guy at the party. As Alex’s fiancé, he knew it would be seen as a sign of disrespect.

He went to find Alex and found him holding court with a handful of old men from the neighborhood. Sol couldn’t understand a word of what was being said, because it was all being said in Spanish, but the men were nodding carefully. Jenny Sloan finally approached him to translate. “They had questions about the union. Alex was a union rep when he was with BSNY. He’s not with the company anymore, and I’m not sure if there is a union for what he’s doing now, but he’s good for explaining what they need.”

“He’s always looking to help people.” Sol smiled at his fiancé. “I didn’t know he spoke Spanish.”

“The Bronx is mostly Puerto Rican and Dominican now. He would have picked it up in school or in foster care. I’m not sure which. It’s come in handy a time or two.” She smiled at him. “Congratulations, by the way. I’m glad to see Alex happy. He deserves that.”

“He does.” Sol smiled at Alex over the sea of nodding old men. Alex flashed him a quick grin back.

Life was good. Life was only going to get better from here on out.