Michelle woke up to see Chris laying in bed next to her. She had a tremendous headache. She sat up, only to feel nauseous. She ran to the bathroom and vomited in the toilet. Finishing, she washed her face off in the sink. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and almost screamed. What happened to her, she wondered? Her fingers ran through her hair, and tried to untangle the knots. She would have to cover those bruises, she thought, as one hand ran along her cheek bone.
She sat in a chair and watched Chris as he slept. She looked around, and noticed she was in his room. Where is Sarah, she wondered? None of her things were there, maybe they had separate rooms. She hoped he would wake soon, maybe then he would tell her why she was here and how she got her bruises.
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Chris stirred in his bed, and opened his eyes. He always found it hard to sleep when he felt someone watching him. He put his arm out to feel if Michelle was still next to him, feeling the bed, he turned his head to see her sitting in a chair. The bruise on her cheek was a dark yellow. He was suprised she was even awake.
"What happened to me last night?" Michelle asks, as she breaks the silence in the room.
"Some bastard tried to have his way with you." Chris said, as he sat up. "Why do you always tend to pick such losers?" he asks.
"Losers?" Michelle asks.
"Yeah, you have a string of losers behind you. Shawn, Kurt..." He starts, but Michelle cuts him off.
"Now Kurt wasn't a loser, he was just confused." Michelle says, sticking up for Kurt.
"Aren't we all?" Chris says, wondering if she still had feelings for Kurt.
Chris stands and pulls another chair in front of her, and turns it backwards before sitting in it. "Can we talk without arguing?" He asks her.
"Where is Sarah?" Michelle asks.
Chris looks around the room. "I guess she went home?" he replies.
"You mean you don't know?" Michelle asks.
"I don't hold her on a leash. Where is Kurt? Why wasn't he with you to save you from the shit that hurt you?" Chris asks, as he tilts the chair towards her.
"Why would I be with Kurt? He's with his wife." Michelle says, pushing his chair back.
"I thought you were still seeing him."Chris says, as he tilts the chair forward again.
"No. He went back to his wife. I am not second choice to anyone. Aren't you seeing Sarah?" Michelle asks.
"No." He replies with a chuckle. "She was nice, but no."
"Oh." She replies and pushes his tilting chair back. She stands to look out at the new day.
"Michelle, you said you loved me last night." Chris says to her.
"I did?" Michelle says, as her eyes snap over to his.
"Yes." He says, shaking his head yes.
"I was drunk. People say anything when they are drunk." Michelle says, and looks back out the window.
"Sometimes people tell the truth when they are drunk." Chris says and stands next to her in the window.
"Look, what are you trying to get at. If it's wanting me back. My answer is no. We haven't even been friends for the past few months." Michelle says, as she sits back in the chair she had been sitting in.
"I was stupid when I broke it off with you. I realized that a long time ago. I just thought you were still with Kurt." Chris said, as he leaned against the wall.
"I think you realized your stupidness when you saw me with Kurt. It hurt didn't." Michelle said, watching Chris' reaction.
He smiled, and shook his head yes. "If I can't have you back, I'll always take your friendship. I miss you Michelle. I miss talking to you." He says to her.
Michelle sighs, she couldn't deny that she hadn't missed him as well. "Can we just start over?" She laughs.
Maybe that was a good idea Chris thought. "HI, my name is Chris, what's yours?"
Michelle started to laugh and then straightened up. "Mine is Michelle, nice to meet you."
"Who gave you that bruise?" Chris asks.
"This wimp of a man. You should see the shiner he has." Michelle replies with a smile.
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Adam answers the hotel room door, and Amy walks into his and Rachel's room and sits on the bed.
"Who is in Matt's room?" She asks.
Adam and Rachel both shrug at her.
"It's not Lily, I saw her running out of the building earlier." Amy says, and lays on the bed.
"I really don't know." Rachel says, as she thinks of a few words Teresita had told her before.
"Where is Jay?" Adam asks Amy.
"Hell, I don't know. Giving me space, I guess. Men suck." Amy says, as she pulls a pillow over her head.
"When did you and Jay start up a relationship? Rachel asks her.
Thanksgiving I think." Amy says, as she pulls away the pillow from her face. "Denise had already cheated on him by then. That was why they were fussing. Denying anything about a relationship causes trouble."
"Do you still want Matt?" Rachel asks.
"I don't know. Jay is nice." Amy responds.
"I'm hungry." Adam says to the ladies.
They took the elevator down the few floors to one of the restraunts in the hotel. Jay entered a few minutes later, and sat with them. The door opens again, and Matt and Teresita enter. Teresita smiles and waves as they sit at another table.
"That answers my question." Amy says laughing.
Jay looks at Amy, and takes her hand in his. He squeezes her hand and pulls her closer to himself.
Food arrives at their table, as the door opens again. Michelle and Chris enter the room. They make their way over to Rachel and Adam's table.
"How are you guys?" Rachel asks, wondering if they had rekindled their relationship.
"Fine." Michelle says, as they sit at a table next to Rachel's.
"Yeah. Were talking." Chris says with a smile. "Where is Jeff?" He asks Rachel.
"Steph told me he was going to look for Beth." Amy replied.
"Oh, Rach, I have something to tell you about Beth." Michelle says to Rachel through a huge smile.
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Jeff stared up at Beth's apartment window, afraid to go up the stairs and knock on the door. What if she had found someone else? What if she hated him so much she would call the police on him. What if, he thought. This was so unlike him to be thinking of What ifs.
"Are you going to just stand there all day?" Trendi says, walking up next to him. "Take my groceries and follow me. You're neck must be sore from standing there looking up all day." She says laughing.
"Geez!! Don't do that! How long have you been standing behind me??" Jeff says, as he puts a hand to his heart.
Trendi laughs.
"Is she home?" Jeff asks.
"I don't know. We can find out though." She says, as he follows her up to the apartment.
"How is Beth? Is she seeing anyone new?" He asks, hoping her answer is no to the second question. He couldn't bear to think of her with another person.
Trendi looks at him, and can see tears in the corner of his eyes. " You never cheated on her, and she knows it. I think it's pride that keeps her away. No one else has even entered the picture. As far as her health, that is up to her to tell you." Trendi says as they start to put away the groceries.
"I don't want the New Year to start without her." Jeff says, as he opens up a fruit drink.
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Beth sat in her car as she watched Jeff and Trendi enter the apartment. She had sat for almost thirty minutes watching Jeff stare up at her apartment. She wondered how long he had been standing there before she got there. Her heart had skipped a beat, and she almost jumped out of her car to go tackle him. But then her mind clicked into pride mode, and made her stubborn.
She rubbed her eyes, and tried to make all thoughts go away. She drove away, not quite ready to let him in on her little secret.
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Michelle was the happiest she had been in a long time. Her and Chris were on speaking terms again, and Sarah and Kurt were totally out of the picture. The phone rang, making her jump.
"Mich?" Beth's voice says.
"Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" Michelle asks.
"Oh, a little confused. I've been dodging Jeff for the past few days. I need to tell him, but I can't get up the nerve. Why is it so hard?" Beth asks, as she starts to pace.
"Life is hard sometimes." Michelle replies. "I told Rachel about the baby."
"Why? Michelle, well, I guess everyone will know soon anyway." Beth says, as she answers the knock at her door.
She opens the door to see Jeff standing in front of her with roses.
"Hi." He says shyly, hoping she doesn't slam the door in his face.
"Beth, are you there?" Michelle asks.
"Yeah. I'll call back. Jeff is here." Beth says, and hangs up the phone.
"We need to talk." Jeff says as he walks into the apartment.
She sighs, and clothes the door. She watches as he puts the flowers in water, and sits them on the bar. He was always a thoughtful person. She walks into the kitchen and pulls out the crackers. She starts to nibble on one as he watches her.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" He asks, as he puts a hand on her shoulder. "Can we sit and talk? Please Beth."
"I'd rather stand thanks." Beth says, as she puts down her crackers.
He looks at her with sad eyes. His hands shoved in pockets, he rocks back on his heels and sighs. " I love you Beth. I never cheated on you. I'll do anything to get you back, even walk down the street naked if I have to. I would never hurt you in a million years." He says to her.
"I have something to tell you." Beth says, as she picks up a cracker and starts to nibble again.
"See, I can prove how much I love you." He says, as he takes off his shirt.
"Jeff, stop." Beth says starting to laugh as he takes off his pants. "JEFF!!"
Jeff takes off his boxers and stands in front of her in just socks.
"Hello!" Trendi says as she walks into the kitchen and right back out.
Beth could control her laughter no longer. She still loved him, and he didn't need to prove a thing. She wanted him to be in the babies life, and in hers. "Jeff, I'm pregnant."
"What?" He asks, as he quits gibbering about proving himself to her.
"You heard me." She says, as his eyes grow wide.
Tears that had been in his eyes before, now flowed silently down his face. He fell to his knees and put his head to Beth's still flat stomach.
"I love you Jeff." Beth said, as Jeff held her tight.
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Amy and Albert cornered Rachel questioning her about the sex of the baby. Albert was betting on a boy, and Amy a girl. Rachel started to laugh, as the two started to argue. The new ultrasound pictures proved absolutely nothing, the baby had not cooperated, and the butt was in full view. But that was just the picture she showed everyone.
"You need to quit teasing us." Amy said to Rachel.
"Maybe if I show you what I bought, you could guess." Rachel says, as she holds up a green outfit.
Albert starts to laugh. Neutral colors, he thought. How clever of her. "It's a boy, he's going to be a wrestler like his dad." He says, looking at Amy.
"Girls can be wrestlers too dumb ass." Amy says laughing.
"Adam, should I show them the other ultrasound picture?" Rachel asks Adam, as she watches him post at the Fozzy Forum.
The phone rings, and Adam answers the phone.
"Rach, dad wants to talk to you." Adam says, and hands her the phone. Rachel sticks her tongue out at Amy and Albert, she was saved by the phone. She walks into the kitchen, leaving Amy and Albert to bother Adam with the question.
"So, what's she having?" Amy asks, as she watches Adam post at the Forum.
"Not telling." He replies laughing.
They hear the door open, and Matt walk in. "You're just the person I need to talk to." Matt says to Amy.
"I thought you went back to Cameron." Amy says, as Matt takes her hand and pulls her out on the porch.
"Sit." He says, and pushes her onto one of the steps. "OK, first I want to apologize."
She looks up at him confused. "Apologize?" She asks.
"Yes, for treating you like I have. I do love you, but I value our friendship. I don't want that to change. And if we ever cross that line again, I am afraid we will never have the friendship again." He tells her, hoping he wasn't hurting her feelings.
"You've found someone then." She says.
"Yes, You saw her the other day." Matt replies.
"Teresita." She says looking at him.
"Please be happy for me. I haven't been this happy since I was with you the first time." Matt says with a sigh.
"I like Teresita." She says, as she holds his hand. " Just treat her right Matt, that's all I ask."
He puts an arm around her, and squeezes her. "Thank you Amy for not hating me." He says, as Adam walks out on the porch.
"Matt, phone." Adam says, and walks back in the house.
"Are you going to be OK?" Matt asks Amy, as he steps into the house.
"I'll be fine." Amy says with a smile.
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Christmas was ten days away, and Chris still had a lot of shopping to do. The gifts he had bought for Sarah he would take back. Now he had to buy for Michelle, since they were friends again. He wondered what he should buy her?? Something for a friend, and nothing else. No jewelry or nighties. Maybe Rachel or Adam could help him, he thought.
He got out of bed and went into the kitchen. The light flashed on his answering machine, and he realized Jess had called him the night before. He wondered if it was too early to call her. He dialed her number, and reached her machine. He hung up without leaving a message. He sighed, redialed and left a message. He hated answering machines.
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Jess lay in bed and listened as Chris left his message. She should have answered it, she thought. He sounded so happy. He and Michelle were talking again, he had said. She was so happy they had both finally come to their senses. In time they would get back together, she thought. One day Michelle and Chris would finally get tired of the friends crap and say yes to being lovers again. Those two were made for each other.