Andy got up from the bed and gathered her things. It didn't take her long, since she didn't have much with her.

"As long as you remember that you have to wait for my invitation if you want to sleep with me again," she said. She figured he knew that already, but she wasn't going to just assume. Picking up her things, she put her bag over her shoulder and dug out her keys. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Uhmm... Yeah. I know." He said and blew her a kiss. "Tomorrow." He said and then moved to roll over. "I'll see you then." He knew he needed an invitation, and he'd given her his. And that's what mattered to him. "I want you to know... that in 9 months, you and that child will be all the family I lay claims to. That matters to me more than anything. So don't brush me off as just a pervert, I really don't want to lose you. I'm not insane." He sighed. "Goodnight. Enjoy the drive home."

--- (my pathetic attempt at a scene change)

Andy didn't go directly back to her dorm after her last class. She'd already sent a message to Nathaniel letting him know she was making a quick stop first, and she hesitantly went into the medical building on campus.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked. Andy bit her lip a little, then steeled herself.

"Yeah," she said. She blushed a little. "I... I need a pregnancy test." The receptionist nodded knowingly and went to a cabinet. She pulled out a little box and handed it to Andy.

"That's all you need," she said. "Just follow the instructions on the box."

"Thanks," Andy said, taking the box. "Um... is there...?"

"The restroom is just down the hall, first door on the right."

"Thanks."

Five minutes later, Andy took a picture of the result on her phone and sent it to Nathaniel in a text.

It's positive.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes and read the text again. He finally sent back: I don't know why you had to buy a piece of plastic to tell you that. You're dating a seer. Or a hearer... See you when you get back. He threw his phone on the carpet floors and groaned. Nothing had progressed between them, no kisses, no last moment catch of the eye movements, no cuddling. He got off bedrest that morning and went to class, freaking some students out and worrying some teachers.

He needed his girlfriend to act like a girlfriend and maybe this would do it. Maybe the realization put into scientific facts would dfinally pull her onto his side. He sat in the bed, finishing up on homework he'd missed over the week. Technically, tonight was supposed to be their eat out at sushi place night but he had a feeling that that wasn't going to be happening tonight. "Come home soon, Andy. I want to see you and hold you and kiss you... Just give me the stupid invitation to do so." He muttered, moving to pick up his phone and walk into the living room where he'd left the stupid 'what to expect when expecting for fathers' book and flipped to his saved page. He continued reading, his back throbbing in pain but he didn't care. He just wanted to see Andy at this point.

You said you wanted proof, Andy replied as she made her way back to the dorm. Besides, it was free anyways. The medical building wasn't far from the dorm, and the weather was nasty out that day, so she hurried back. The bottom of her jeans were soaked from the rain, and all she wanted to do was change into something comfortable and snuggle in for the day.

She kicked off her shoes by the door as soon as she got back, so she didn't track water and mud through the suite, and she left her umbrella by the door as well.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she walked by where he was sprawled on the couch.

"Well, I feel like I've been ran over a car." He said and looked up at her. Proof, yeah. Like a picture so he could feel I was real, so he could SEE it. The piece plastic gave him a + sign, not an image of whatever the hell he planted inside her. "I feel like it ran over me twice. Just to make sure it did the job." He flipped the page and pulled his knees to his chest, yawning. "Well you're welcome, I've given you a nine month break from your period." He said sarcastically and rubbed his temples with one hand.

[[Gosh he's pissy when he doesn't get attention.]]

"No need to snap at me, geeze," Andy said indignantly. "All I did was ask how you were. I thought I was supposed to be the bitch, not you. Maybe I should just stay in my room tonight if you're going to be like that." She'd been looking forward to cuddling with him for a while, too... Well, she still needed to change first, but still.

"What are you talking about? Not snapping and you havent... Its been a week. I just figured you... The whole invitation thing, and youu dont start anything... If it feels right to touch you I initiate it. But I thought... Since that day you've been distant and..." He shook his head, shut the book and set it down. "I need to know it's not just me in this... Im sorry if I sound insane."

"Well forgive me for wanting to take things a little slower than before," Andy said. "I've never been... close to anyone. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm trying to learn as I go." She shifted her weight back and forth. "I should go and change, my jeans are all wet from the rain." She bit her lip a little, hesitant to ask. "When I get back... maybe we could snuggle... for a little bit?"

"I guess... I guess Im not used to girls who dont know how they want to do the whole romance thing... I wont deny cuddling with you on any occasion." He poked the couch absbentmindedly and looked at her quietly. "Go get changed. I'll put in a movie and we can do couple-y stuff. As slow as you want to go." He rose an eyebrow and grabbed the remote to browse through netflix. He put on a comedy and pressed pause to wait for her.

Andy nodded, blushing a little, and went into her room to change into something comfortable. Pulling out her favorite pair of lounge pants and camisole that looked like it matched well enough, she changed into them and took her hair out of the bun she had it in. Once she was comfortable, she went back out to the couch and sat down with him. She leaned against him and made herself comfy next to him.

"What movie is it?" she asked. "I can put some popcorn in, if you want. I can see the kitchen from here, it won't be hard."

"I'm sure the popcorn will be a better show than the movie, so..." He rested his cheek against her hair, moving his arm tighter around her. "Do it." He was so glad he was finally touching her, after a week of distance, the headaches were gone and he could kiss her just for that. (He'd kiss her anyway, all she had to do was ask.) "Go ahead and work your magic." He said and then heard a knock on the door. "What the hell?" Nathaniel started before he heard her voice.

"Aniel, let me in you hobknocker!"

"Carrigan!?"

"Duh. Who else. Now are you going to let me in?" Aniel sighed, pressed a kiss to the top of Andy's head and smiled. "Don't forget the popcorn." He said as he limped his way to the door. He opened it and Carrigan burst in, wrapping her arms around him. He groaned and she pulled back. "Holy hell! You look like crap!"

"Thanks, Carrie." He muttered and she looked around.

"No prob, your rents gave me this address when I asked around for ya'. They're stayin up in Missouri, you know that?" Her british accent was thick. "They told me you had got yourself a girl all preggers. Are you her?" She asked Andy and peered around Nathaniel. "You know he's usin' you, right? He always uses people. It's like he knows the future or somethin' an' uses ya until he gets what he wants!"

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "She knows Carrie, stop giving... subtle hints. What are you here for?"

"Well, I was headin' down this way anyway and when I heard that... you were gonna have a little one I thought I'd come say congrats. I know it's late but I just got here. I'm gonna go check into a hotel, I just wanted to see ya'." She hugged Aniel once more. "You. Me. Her. Lunch, tomorrow?" He glanced back at Andy and then at Carrigan. "I'll try and make it." He said and looked at the girl. "It's good to see you, the cheapest hotel is just North of here." She smiled, kissed his cheek and waved at Andy.

"I hope to see you tomorrow. Congratulations!" She poked Nathaniel in the chest. "Be on the lawn at noon tomorrow. The one out front? I'll see you then, and it's good to see you. You'll have to tell me exactly what happened to make you so hideous, tomorrow... Night!" Nathaniel rolled his eyes and shut the door behind her.

"Before you say anything, you don't have to go. She's an old... friend. A very hyper old friend." He muttered before going back to the couch and sitting down, pulling her close again.

Andy watched the exchange coolly. Just as she was finally getting comfortable around Nathaniel, and suddenly this other girl shows up. Somehow, that just didn't sit well with her.

"So do I even want to know who she is?" she asked as he sat back down. Waving a hand towards the kitchen, the microwave opened and a pack of popcorn flew into it. Another wave of her hand started the microwave. She knew it wasn't a good idea for her to stand in front of the microwave when it was on, so she was glad she could technically do it remotely. "Why the seemingly sudden interest in your developing family?"

He bit his lip and touched her cheek. "When... keep in mind this was a long time ago." He sighed and kissed her hair again as he watched the movements in the kitchen. "When we were 16, or she was 15 and I was 16, I had a vision of a little girl named Maridy. Maridy was the entire reason I lost my virginity. I told Carrie that I thought we were going to have a baby girl whose name was Meridian Lee. We assumed this meant we were meant to have a child, and by no means was I right on that account, I was stupid and didn't get enough information. My best friend had the same last name as I did, and he got a girl pregnant that year. he couldn't make it to the birth but me and Carrie did. So they thought I was the father, the mother was passed out but I knew it was the right name... you know? So I told them Meridian Lee, gave them my best friends name as the father and explained later on everything. Me and Carrie broke up about 3 months after the child was born, having babysat the child and having totally different viewpoints about life. We're friends, and she's two months pregnant and engaged to be married in 6 months. When she's all round and such... We spoke a lot before I came here. Just because we broke up didn't mean our friendship had to." He smiled, kissing the girls forehead. "I knew Annabelle and Riley and the other child were ours because I hear a lot more now, and with you I can choose which parts to hear, enhance it. I know for a fact we have three kids. I knew you were pregnant. I'm getting better with time."

"So does that mean you got me pregnant on a whim?" Andy asked. She was trying her best not to get upset, but she was slowly losing the fight. She had always been insecure, and she didn't like being told to her face that she was just being used. "Because you think it's what's supposed to happen? Is that all I am to you, just a means to an end?"

"What?! No! I want you, Andy. I... What I had with Carrie was NOTHING compared to what I WANT with you. I want a real relationship that our future doesn't determine. I want things to go as they will and I don't want to be bound by something that hasn't happened yet. I'm not using you! I'm not!" He sighed and touched her hand and closed his eyes, wishing she could hear it. Hear their kids laughing while they played outside. Giggling. He bit his lip, eyes clenched. "You have to hear it, you have to understand I can't, wont and don't want to let you go. You have to hear it." He murmured.

"Then why did she say those things?" Andy asked. She didn't like the idea that she might just be another conquest or something like that. She was never able to get close to anyone before, and already their fragile relationship was being threatened. "How do I know you're not just going to leave once I have the baby?"

"There's a lot of reasons why I am not going to leave you, but which one are you going to believe?" He asked and then moved to touch her arms more softly. "I wish you could hear how good our future is going to be. How fun and loving our kids are. If I was just going to leave after you had the kid, would I pay for your schooling, and every financial burden you have? Would I tell you my secrets, wait--" He stopped and moved to kneel in front of her on the floor. "You are believing an exgirlfriend of mine..." He said and squeezed her hand. "Even that sounds like a stupid idea, she's a friend, and as a friend would she really tell you not to trust me? What kind of friend would do that? Don't you understand she was just teasing, still a little upset I couldn't give her her child when she wanted it? She's jealous of you, of what we have... I love you Andy. Not now, but I do... then. In the future. I can hear it in my voice, I love you. I don't ever want to lose that before I've even gained it..."

"Why would she be jealous of me?" Andy asked. She was still upset, but she wasn't on the verge of locking herself in her room anymore. "You and I have only known each other for two weeks, and as far as anyone outside of the family knows, I'm about as average as it gets." Obviously, her self-esteem wasn't all that high, but for her that was typical. She was so used to holding herself back that she never even thought about actually being good at something.

"Gods I wish you could hear it... It's beautiful and hey. You are so beyond average. You're amazing, perfectly imperfect. Which is perfect.... I want you, don't you understand that? I want you to be with me for as long as you will. She's jealous because you're living out her preteen dream. It's nothing against you in particular..." He sighed and touched her cheek. "You can reach out with your power right?Well... maybe I can. I want to try something too. Close your eyes." He said and tilted her chin up a little.

"My power is mental, not temporal," Andy pointed out. She relaxed a bit more when he touched her gently. It gave her some hope that maybe she could salvage things. Quietly, she did as he said.

"Good girl." He whispered and kissed her as soon as her eyes shut. He ended up moving back onto the couch, his hands in her hair, his fingers on her temples as he brought the memory up, trying to see if she could hear it. He was touchign her, which is where their powers connected, and they were both focusing. He wasn't sure there was any other better way to do it.

"RILEY! Stop it tickles! RILEY!" A girl laughed and then the boy laughed.

"Never Anna Banana! Never in a million years." Both giggled and the girl squealed.

"Don't-" She giggled again and you could hear older people chuckling in the background. "No Riley! Stooooop!" Every word was a giggle, pure kid torture from tickling.

"Fine fine, as long as you give me a goodbye hug!"

"NEVER!" The girl spoke and then started squealing again. "Okay okay! I'll hug you, you loser!"

He pulled away and looked at Andy. "Did you hear anything at all?"

Andy sat there quietly with her eyes closed, amazed at what she was hearing. It was faint, and a bit unfocused, but there were two distinct voices, and laughter.

"I think so..." she murmured. She opened her eyes. "How is this possible?" she aked. "I've never heard of sharing powers before..."

"But you have. You've been sharing your powers with me since we touched and you made the noise go away. It's what gave me the idea that it was possible. I have a feeling you have to be like us... special... but... I can't believe it worked. Holy crap." He said and grinned. "But you see now right? You see what we could have, that laughter. That's our kids if you just stick it out with me. I want to be with you for you, and I want this to work for them. It's a win-win situation. Well, if you want it to be."

"I'm sorry I got so upset," Andy murmured as she snuggled closer to him. "I've never been what anyone would call secure..." Gently, she took his hand. "But this gives me an idea." She gestured to the kitchen. "The popcorn was finished a while ago. Focus on it, try to get it out of the microwave from here." After all, if she was able to hear what he could, maybe he would be able to do what she was. If it didn't work, then it was no big loss, but still.