Andrew pushed back the curtain around Davon's bed just as the doctor was leaving. Davon was still in his jersey and full pads fiddling with the controls to his bed, a rather bored expression plastered across his face. Andrew shut the curtain behind himself cutting off the view of the rest of the ER, though the noise was still irritating. Davon glanced up grinning widely at Andrew "The Doctor says I'm free to leave, so can we go now?" he asked sitting up eagerly and throwing his legs over the side of the bed.

"Lemme see it." Andrew demanded holding out his hand expectantly as he sat beside the lineman at the edge of the bed. Davon sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Its fine Mamma." He laughed but held out his hand anyway. His middle, ring, and pinky fingers of his right hand were held securely in a metal splint, and though they were still incredibly swollen and his already dark skin was bruised deep purple, they no longer pointed in about four different, very unnatural angels. Andrew let the large boy have his hand back with a soft sigh.

"Alright fine, let's go then." He slipped off the bed pushing back the curtain again. "I called your mom." Davon paused behind Andrew and groaned

"Dude!" Andrew rolled his eyes not bothering to pause "It's like one in the morning!"

"I know, and I Slydialed so I wouldn't wake her up." He didn't even have to turn to know Davon was grinning again. The larger boy trotted up next to him wrapping his good arm around Andrews shoulder to pull him to his side in a tight half hug.

"You're the best Lovely." Davon relaxed his grip slightly but allowed his arm to stay draped over Andrew's shoulder as they left the emergency room, receiving several slightly curious looks from other patients. The many nurses and doctors recognized Andrew from his frequent Friday night trips to the ER with various members of the local high schools football team. They all clung to him like a life-sized security blanket. When the injury was serious and the rest of the team showed up he was treated like a blend of mother and collective wife, the nicknames and cuddling almost ridiculous. Andrew rolled his eyes at the other boys' exuberance, waving to a nurse standing at the bus stop as they crossed the parking lot. "She's hot." Davon observed, sending her a wolfish grin and a wink as they reached the car. Andrew snorted shaking his head as he moved to the driver's side.

"Thank you for your insightful opinion." He grinned as Davon climbed into the passenger seat.

"You're very welcome." He smiled and picked up the iPod from the cup holder between them, scrolling through songs as they pulled out of the lot "What'd you want to listen to?" he asked.

"The Script." Davon glanced at him from the corner of his eye smirking heavily but said nothing as he started the album. They drove in silence from then on arriving back at Davon's at around one thirty. "See you tomorrow?" the Lineman grinned again with a nod.

"Yeah, I'll probably show up at your place sometime." He said pushing the door open "Thanks for the ride Andy." he slipped out of the car, grabbed his stuff from the back, and disappeared into his house. Andrew made sure he got in before pulling away and heading back to his own house. Davon only lived about fifteen minutes from The Clark's and the trip was made quicker at this hour. Still by the time Andrew pulled into his driveway, he was having wistful thoughts about his pillows. He fumbled with the key to the front door for a moment, nearly dropping them in the pitch black of their front porch before finally pushing into the entry. He locked the dead bolt then slipped off his shoes hoping not to wake anyone as he headed toward the stairs.

"Lovely?" only the person calling him said it more Luv-uh-lee. Andrew turned to face Benny standing in the now open door to the kitchen with a small smile.

"What are you doing up?" Andrew asked as Benny beckoned for him to join him in the kitchen. The TV in the conjoined living room was on; a commercial for Girls Gone Wild was playing, filling the room with a pale blue glow and the sound of the pervy voice over.

"You back And?" Andrew frowned walking into living room to find James, Tony and Scott as well, though Tony had passed out in one of the armchairs.

"Yeah, what the hell are you guys doing up?" His brother grinned at him as Benny passed him to collapse on the couch; they all looked about forty seconds from going comatose.

"We were waiting up for you." James explained while Scott held out his arms and made grabbing motions, he was one of the more touchy feely of the boys. "It's not fair that you had to stay up." Andrew laughed, making sure to stay out Scotts range, as much as he enjoyed how ridiculously warm and comfortable Scotts lap was he was also ridiculously strong, about to fall asleep, and Andrew needed to pee. If he gave in now he'd be holding it until morning.

"But I didn't just play a two and a half hour game. Go to sleep guys," Benny was already out "I'll see you in the morning." Scott let his arms drop, holding them up was to much work and Andrew was obviously not going to come sit with him. Andrew turned off the TV and left the room taking the stairs up two at a time.

He peed then brushed his teeth quickly before finally making it to his room where he found Riley fast asleep on a nomad, a small grimace marring his face. Andrew changed from his jeans to a pair of sweats leaving on his black out t-shirt, not worrying about waking Riley. A bulldozer could start blowing holes in the house on a Friday night and of the fifteen people inside only his dad, his little sister, and he would wake up. Well if April started crying Nick might notice, but only if April cried, he had a sixth sense for that.

Andrew stepped carefully over Riley's sprawled legs and climbed into bed, burrowing under his comforter with a sigh. He tossed himself around trying to find a comfortable position. He briefly considering going back downstairs to curl up on top of Scott, but decided that involved to much work before he fell asleep.

---

Andrew rolled over and stretched, groaning as he realized that April's soft crying had woken him up. He pulled himself out of bed, stepped over a still sleeping Riley and hurried down to Aprils room, hoping to get to her before his dad woke up. By the time he got there she had quieted but he peaked in anyway just to make sure she had fallen back to sleep. Instead he found Nick bouncing her slightly in his arms, she had her thumb in her mouth and her blanket pressed to her cheek, her big brown eyes watching Nick intensely, the boy grinned at both her and Andrew.

"You got her covered?" Andrew asked Nick nodded

"Yeah, how's 'Vons hand?" Andrew shrugged

"He's got to wear a splint for the next three weeks but it should be fine." Nick shifted April in his arms.

"That's good. Do you know if anyone else is up yet?" Andrew shrugged.

"No, I just woke up. I think I'm gunna start breakfast though. How do pancakes sound?"

"Awesome, Im fu-" he glanced down at April "starving." He finished. April let her head fall against his shoulder. Andrew laughed turning.

"Well they'll be ready soon."

---

Boys filtered into the kitchen as the smell of food woke them one by one; they loitered around waiting for Andrew to shovel out stacks of pancakes onto their plates before pilling into the living room to watch South Park. When it seemed as though everyone was satisfied Andrew filled his own plate and went to join the boys in front of the TV. Every soft surface in the room was covered in half-awake football player; scarfing down their food and laughing in a groggy sort of way. Andrew was about to take a seat on the floor when Scott caught him around the waist pulling him to sit on his lap.

"For running away last night." He explained before taking a big gulp of his orange juice. Andrew rolled his eyes relaxing against Scott's broad chest as Nick came in with April on his hip. Greyson shifted uneasily beside them, he had only just moved to town last spring and was still rather uncomfortable with the way everyone treated Andrew. He called him mamma from time to time but had yet to relax enough to try out Lovely, Babe or Sunshine. It hurt Andrew a little, which was silly because it was a lot better than what he had expected would happen when he had come out in Freshman year. In fact it wasn't even like he was grossed out or anything it was really just that look some people use for any sort of public display of affection. Still, Andrew was used to the entire team treating him like the love of their lives.

"You were going to trap me here and I had to pee." He explained starting in on his food. Scott shrugged but chose not to reply.

"April!" Andrew glanced up to see his father walk in grinning excitedly at the little girl. She squealed in excitement as he crouched beside her high chair, where Nick was feeding her pieces of pancake and banana.

"Dade!" she squealed giddily showing him a handful of now squished banana.

"That looks delicious." He commented with a laugh "Morning boys, how'd the game go?" he asked the room.

"Pretty good Mr. C." Benny answered turning in his seat to look at him.

"Davon broke something like three fingers but Mum says its going to be fine." Nick put in as he handed April another piece of pancake, which she ate without any sort of mess. Joshua nodded glancing back at his daughter with a small although slightly sad smile. April's mother had been with them for all of six months when she got pregnant, two weeks after the baby's birth she decided that family life wasn't for her and walked out, after sighing over sole custody of the girl to Joshua she disappeared completely. Joshua had the worst of luck when it came to women. Andrew thought it was because of the fact that he had been walked out on twice that he both worked so hard and didn't seem to mind the constant hoard of people in his house. It kept him busy and gave him some company.

"Has anyone changed her diaper yet?" he asked, Nick nodded

"Just before we came down." He answered with a smile. Joshua grinned at him patting him on the shoulder.

"Good, I'm going into the office; I assume I will see most of you tonight." The boys nodded as he left, grabbing one of the last pancakes off the extras plate as he went.

By the time Andrew had finished eating most of the boys had cleared their plates and scattered around the house. Scott and Benny were still on the couch and Riley was leaning against the island in the kitchen staring at a spot on the floor. Andrew stepped around him as he put his own plate into the dishwasher and washed out the bowl he had made the batter in before turning to stand expectantly in front of Riley.

"You think we could talk?" Riley asked with a heavy sigh after several seconds of silence. Andrew raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristically grim, contemplative look set across his features.

"Sure." He agreed beginning to lead him out of the kitchen, Riley's somber tone obviously asking to speak alone. They paused somewhat awkwardly in Andrews room as Riley seemed to be searching for words. He opened and closed his mouth several times, ran a hand over his red orange buzz cut, shifted his weight about six times and avoided eye contact completely.

"What is it?" Andrew demanded after several minutes of silence. Riley looked down at him taking a large breath.

"Melissa's pregnant." Andrew blinked mouth opening slightly in shock. "I don' know what I'm gunna do. How am I gunna-What are we gunna-"

"She's keeping it?" Riley swallowed and nodded then collapsed into Andrew's desk chair running his hand over his face with a groan.

"I mean she's definitely havin it." He sighed "I mean I jus found out last night, we haven't really talked about it all yet. But we can't do the parent thing we're eighteen we can hardly take care of us. What if she wants to keep it, keep it? I love her I do, but there's no way we can…" Andrew bit his lip uncertainly.

"It might not be so bad-my dad knocked up Stephanie when he was like fifteen. James and I turned out fine…" Riley looked up at him with a groan.

"Yeah but he had an inheritance and a trust fund and shit. Only thing I'm inheritin is my dads feather collection." Andrew sighed, Riley was right, not only were they teenagers but neither he nor Melissa had the sort of family or life that could support a child. Andrew didn't know Malissa's parents very well but he did know that they weren't as well off as they could be and though Riley's dad was incredibly sweet he was also slightly simple. His mother worked double shifts already to make sure they stayed afloat; there was really no room for a baby. "What am I spossed to do Mamma?" Andrew shrugged.

"I donno, but I think you need to talk to Melissa." Riley buried his face in his hands again.

"Fuck, what am I supposed to say? 'Please don't have our baby?' That sounds fuckin great!"

-----

So what do you think? I actually know where I'm going with this so I'm hoping to get a chapter out each week. It would be really awesome if people could review even if it's just like 'Hi…' its nice to hear from people. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

~Z