Lucky felt like a student again. She was sitting in one of the chairs in the main office. Bickerton had said he needed to speak with her.

The secretary looked up from the computer. "He's ready to see you now Ms. Dalton."

She rose, slowly and awkwardly. In the last month she had doubled the size she was. It was now starting to get more difficult to do things. At 5 months, she felt like she should have a "wide load" sticker pasted to her ass.

She came in and sat down in front of him. He smiled briefly.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Now that Exams are over with, I see that all your students have passed."

"Yes, I'm very pleased with their progress. The Holiday show performances were very well done."

"Yes, we all enjoyed it." He opened a file. "I know I'm supposed to wait until the end of the school year, but I have already seen more than enough. I would like to offer you a permanent position."

"that's wonderful…..but you know I won't be able to return in September…"

"Oh, yes, that's perfectly fine. We can supply until you can come back."

"Well Ideally I'd like to take a whole year, but I'm going to have pay for my own place and baby needs so I'll probably start back around this time next year."

Bickerton frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that you and Walker are separated."

"Well seems that we jumped into things a little too quickly."

"If you ever need someone to talk to, My door is always open."

"Thanks."

"Well, that was all I had for you."

"Alright…" she stood and left the office and nearly bumped into Walker.

"Sorry…are you okay?" he asked. Concern and worry flashed in his grey eyes.

"I'm fine, thanks." She turned to leave and Walker caught her arm.

"Are you still mad at me? You have barely spoken to me in months."

"Well usually when people separate that's what happens."

"We didn't separate Lucky, you separated."

"You've never been really attached."

"I've been more attached then you know."

"Really?"

The bell rang signaling the start of the next class. "I have to get to class." She pulled her arm free and almost ran out of sight.

She had managed to only have 3 classes this semester. All fairly new faces, but it wasn't like in the fall. She could have gone home right after 3rd period but had stayed in her room, watching the light slowly fade from the sky.

"Are you still here Miss?"

Lucky looked up and saw that Toby had come in. He was wearing his black toque and winter jacket.

"Are you checking up on me?" she smiled.

"Just thought I'd pop by to say hi and thanks."

"For what?"

"Well, for helping me pass."

"You did that all on your own Toby."

"No teacher has been able to make it so easy to learn, until you."

Lucky flashed back to September when Walker had said that if she had been his teacher, he would have done better in school.

"I'm glad."

"I have History this semester; no chance of you switching subjects is there?"

Lucky laughed. "I wasn't that great in History."

He smiled. "Well, I have to get home. My mom is going out and I have to watch my brother. How's your little one doing?"

"Everything is moving along as it's supposed to."

"That's good. Well see ya." He disappeared through the door.

Lucky missed Toby in her class. She decided that she had better go home and she looked out the window. Her classroom this semester had a window that faced the parking lot. When she looked out, she saw her new Red station wagon was covered in snow. It had snowed more in the last few weeks then it had all winter. She also noticed that Walker's truck was still there as well.

She sighed, pulled on her winter jacket and went down the back steps. She made it out the door and almost to her car before she saw Walker leaning against the back of it.

"Walker…"

"You're not wearing your rings."

"Well for one, they're too small right now and secondly, we're separated. What are you afraid of that some country farmhand is going to sweep this pregnant woman off her feet?"

"Maybe."

"I doubt that very much."

"Can we at least talk, about what's happened?"

"What's to discuss Walker? You don't love me. It's there in the open."

"But you're giving up before you even find out if there is more."

"Unrequited love is something I teach, not practice."

He couldn't help but smile. "That was pretty good."

"I know, it was wasn't it?" they laughed a little before Lucky remembered the seriousness of the conversation.

"See, we have something. I can make you smile."

"No offence but so can a good book."

"So you're just going to give up?"

"I'm not giving up Walker; I'm just doing now what will inevitably happen in what? 2 years, 5 years, 25 years? I'm not willing to stay in a relationship that isn't going to change."

"You don't know that, I don't know that."

"I'm not going to waste good years of our life pretending that we're in love."

"What if we are?"

"You wouldn't be so hesitate to just tell me how you feel." She put her key in the trunk and Walker moved aside. She pulled out a snowbrush.

"Let me do that." He tried to take the brush from her hands.

"No, Walker stop avoiding."

"I told you how I feel."

"You told me that you liked me, that you're attracted to me, that you think you loved me and that you had a 10 year old itch to scratch."

"And I'm still here after we scratched it."

"Only because you live in the same town as I do." She started to brush the snow off the car and it came off in a gush of powdery white mist.

"It's more than that Lucky."

"If you can look me in the eyes right now and tell me you love me, the same way that I love you, I'll come home." She faced him, looking directly into the depths of his stormy eyes.

"You know I can't just say it."

"Then your both honorable and a coward."

"That's an oxymoron."

"Well, your honorable for not saying it to try and get me to come home, but you're a coward for not admitting how you really feel."

"Lord help me understand why I want you in my life." He growled out.

"If you need to pray to find out I suggest you go to church and leave me alone." She tried to open the car door and found it was stuck. She grunted and tried to the passenger door.

She started to go around to climb in through the hatch back and Walker grabbed her shoulder.

"You may not want to be my wife anymore, but you are still a pregnant woman, with my child no less. I'm not going to let you hurt yourself."

"So call me a cab."

"You still don't have a cell phone?"

"I don't need it."

He huffed in frustration. "I'll take you home."

"No."

"Damn it, get in my truck."

"No."

With a growl, he picked her up in a fireman carry. Lucky pounded on his back.

"Let me down."

"No."

He came around the driver's side of his truck, which was already warmed up. The snow was cleared from the windshield and roof. He opened the door, pushed her inside and quickly pulled it into gear before she got the leverage to open the passenger door.

"Are you trying to kill me?"

"No." He slammed his door while still in motion.

"That was dangerous. Telling me you want to look out for our welfare…"

"I'm taking you home."

"Good at least I only have to be in the same space with you for a few minutes."

"No, I said I was taking you home Lucky, our home."

"Not this again."

Walker checked to make sure no other cars were coming before running the red light.

"Walker!"

"I can't risk you jumping out."

"Just take me to my mother's house, please."

"We need you Lucky."

Finally a red light came about that Walker had to stop at and Lucky pushed the door open and ran. She wasn't far from her mother's house when he pulled up slowly beside her.

"Lucky…it's cold and you don't have a hat or mitts."

"My house is not far from here, I'll be fine."

"Be reasonable, get in the truck."

"No. I'm not trusting you again Walker."

"Technically, you didn't trust me to begin with."

She huffed impatiently. He kept slowly riding beside her, trying to convince her to get back in the truck. She ignored him until she got to her mother's house. He drove off angrily when she walked up the front porch.

Her mom drove her back to the school later that evening to retrieve her car. Once her mom was sure the car started, she left the parking lot. Lucky laid her head on the steering wheel and sobbed.

Lucky successfully avoided Walker for the rest of the week. She started leaving right when her third period was over and it made it easier to not bump into Walker. It was on a Friday about Mid April, she had her 6 month ultra sound. She was going to find out whether it was a boy or a girl. Not that she cared either way, as long as it was healthy. The baby had certainly stood the test and after everything was still going strong.

She arrived at the doctor's office and 10 minutes later, Walker came in through the door, huffing.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"You have an appointment right?"

"Yes."

"Well I came to see the ultrasound too."

"How did you even find out?"

"I asked around." He looked at the secretary behind the counter. "Thanks for phoning to remind me Stacy." He winked.

Lucky crossed her arms.

"It's a boy."

"Are you sure?" Walker asked.

"I'm pretty sure." The doctor said. He moved the device around a little. "I still could be wrong, but if you see that there" he pointed to the screen. "That would be the tell tale sign."

"Wow."

"Walker!" Lucky said.

"He's going to be a big baby, about 8 or 9 lbs." the doctor turned off the machine and started to wipe the goop from her stomach.

"I was a big baby." Walker said.

"Makes me think twice about a second one." Lucky said.

"You can have an elective C-section if you want." The doctor commented.

"No. I don't like the idea of being cut open."

"Well I'll print off a copy of this for you two."

"Two copies please." Walker said.

The doctor nodded and left the room.

"Thank you." Walker said.

"For what? You forced yourself into this appointment."

"No, for giving me a son Lucky."

"What if I was having a girl?"

"I'd be thanking you for another daughter."

"Well I didn't really have much choice."

"You did and you chose to keep the baby."

Lucky put the towel on the chair and pulled down her shirt.

"Well, I don't really believe in abortion."

She didn't look at him, only left the room to go into the foyer.

"Mrs. Coulson, here are the copies." The nurse handed them to her.

"Thanks." She turned and handed Walker.

"You didn't correct her."

"I changed my name."

"When?"

"Right before Christmas, before we were kidnapped."

"So you were considering staying?"

"Yes, until you told me that we were going to separate. Then I realized that you were right."

"I was stupid."

"That's an understatement." She took her coat from a hook and started out the door. Walker had to run to catch her.

"Lucky…"

"I'm not listening anymore Walker."