"I'm going to look for another job soon."

"I told you that I can get one babe" Stevie said

"I don't want you to."

"I'm quite capable, it won't hurt me" she told him

"Fine, but I want you to quit when you are around five months."

"Linds, I can still work at five months you know"

"I don't want you to exhaust yourself. I'm just looking out for you, that's all."

"I know baby, but I'll be alright"

"I just won't forgive myself if something happens"

"Neither will I," Stevie kissed his nose

"Soooo, does that mean you won't work?" He smiled

"No, baby. I won't work," she shook her head

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously."

"Oh my god" Thank you so much!" He crushed her to him and kissed her. Stevie kissed him back and giggled

"Well I can't have you worrying yourself to death now can I?"

"Nope," he chuckled

"Your so cute!" She rubbed her nose against his

"I know!"

Lindsey went to have a shower, and Stevie made her way to the kitchen, seeing a note under the front door. She picked it up and unfolded it.

'Two more days...till your with me once more'

she turned the paper over and read a second note

'Oh and my daughter looked like she had a good time at her friends'

Stevie ran out of the apartment only dressed in Lindsey's tshirt and sprinted to Evie's friend's apartment. She banged on the door, yelling for Evie

"Stevie?" The friends mother questioned

"Is my daughter here?"

"Evie? Yeah, she's in Abigail's room playing. Is everything alright?" Noticing Stevie trembling

"Umm...Yeah...I just felt something was wrong that's all"

"Want me to get her?"

"No, your alright, let her have fun, sorry to disturb you"

"It's no problem, have a nice day."

Stevie walked back into her appartnment and heard the shower was still running, she closed the door and found a note pinned to it

'Next time, you'll have cause to worry'
Stevie took the note and threw it in the trash. Jimmy was playing games, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't absolutely terrified.

Lindsey stood in the doorway, drying his curls with a towel, "You okay?"

"What?" She almost jumped out of her skin

"Are you alright?" He repeated

"Umm...Yeah I'm fine..."

"You don't seem fine."

"Lindsey leave it please!" She began to cry

He walked up to her and took her face into his hands, "Steph?"

She grabbed him round the neck and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, shaking with sobs. "Stevie, what's wrong?" He rubbed her back. "I...I can't tell you..." she said hiccuping

"Why not? What can't you tell me?" Lindsey pulled her back slightly and held her face in his hands

"Because I can't...!"

"You're scaring me, Stephanie."

"I'm fine, sorry" she pulled back and wiped her face. "You obviously aren't."

"Leave it!" She shouted. Lindsey was about to protest until they heard David's cries from the other room. Stevie quickly ran away from Lindsey to go tend to David. He was obviously hungry, pitifully writhing around.

"Oh is mommy's baby boy hungry?" She lifted him from his sleeping place and began to feed him

"That's right, I have you," Stevie cooed to him as she carefully sat down onto the bed

Lindsey came up behind her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders from the back

"Tell me what's wrong..."

"Not right now," she said quietly

"Why?" He nudged her head

"I don't want to do this in front of David."

"Okay" he got up and left her on the bed. Stevie sighed and stared down at the baby, "Daddy just loves us, that's all." David could sense that his mother was distressed so he snuggled himself closer to her. "Sweet boy," she smiled softly

It wasn't long before he had finished eating, Stevie putting him on her shoulder to burp him. "Be a good boy," Stevie kissed his head. He gurgled at her and smiled as she placed him back down

"I'll come back when I finish talking to Daddy," Stevie rubbed his belly. Stevie left the bedroom and found Lindsey on the couch chugging a beer

"Slow down," she pulled it back from his lips

"Why?" He asked tugging it back a little. "I don't want you to get sick." She copied his words that he told Evie earlier

That's when she noticed there was already an empty bottle on the table

"Linds...!"

"What?"

"You know what happened the last time you did this!"

"Yea, I know."

"Don't Yeah, I know, me" she watched as he took another sip, eyeballing her

"Are you seriously mad because I won't tell you?"

"Yes! Your my wife...shit, sorry slip of the tounge..."

"I won't be your wife if you keep acting like this."

Lindsey covered his eyes with his hands and grunted

"I'm not going you tell you if you act like this."

"Will you just shut up and tell me?" He said sharply

"Calm the hell down."

"Okay fine! Geeze!"

"Jimmy has been leaving me notes....."

"Notes?"

"Letters."

"Saying what?" He asked

"Counting down the days until he comes to get me."

"He can fucking think again!" Lindsey said angrily

"Lindsey this is why I didn't want to tell you."

"How did you think that this wouldn't affect me?"

"I didn't want to see you angry?"

"I'm fucking fuming!"

"I know!"

"When were you planning on telling me? Half way out the door?" He asked grabbing another beer

"I don't know."

"You seem to not know an awful lot Stephanie!"

"Calm down!"

"How can I calm down? Please tell me because I'd love to know!"

"He's not going to take me. You won't let him."

"How can I stop him Stevie?"

"Let's run away."

"Run away? To where? We have no money Stevie!"

"Please, Linds. We could finally be free!"

Lindsey thought for a moment

"I have an idea...but you aren't going to like it" he said

"What....." Stevie stepped back

"I'm going to give you some money, and I want you to go back home..."

"Home?" She asked confused

"To phoenix..."

"I'm not going to leave you!"'

"You have no choice, there's no jobs for me there, I need money, I need to provide for my son...it's your home Steph, your mom and dad are there, you'll be safer than here"

"Lindsey, I can't!" She sobbed

"Yes, you can baby..." he took her by the face

"I need you safe..." he added wiping her tears with his thumb

"Let me take David! You can join us later! Mom and Dad will take care of us!" She cried

"I need my boy Steph" he shook his head

"Lindsey he won't be able to eat."

"I'll find a way...I promise you!" He stroked her hair

"Lindsey...." she broke down, falling into his arms

"I've got you" he held her to him as he brought them down to the floor

"Lindsey I can't leave you! What if I never see you again?!"

"You'll know that out of everybody you ever knew, I was the one person that loved you the most" he kissed her head

"Lindsey, please," she whimpered, "what about our baby?"

"Which one?" He asked

"The one we are trying for."

"That didn't have the desired effect I wanted it too"

"We haven't given it time! Lindsey, we can find another way to be together!"

"No I mean, I agreed to this baby because I thought it would keep you away from him, and it hasn't"

".....that's the only reason....?" She pulled away from him

"Steph, don't be like that..."

"Be like what? How do you expect me to act?"

"I don't understand what's wrong" he said

"You only wanted a baby with me to keep me with you! I wanted a baby out of love! I wanted your baby!"

"Stevie I wanted a baby to keep you from him! We spoke about this! The fact it's mine is the best bonus!"

"You bastard..." she gritted, walking past him

"Stephanie, come back here!" He grabbed her hand to bring her back

"Let go of me!"

"No, don't be like this!"

"How did you think I was going to act?!"

"Baby, we spoke about this" he tried to touch her but she hit his hand away

"I thought that you wanted a baby out of love...."

"It is love, I love you!" He tried to tell her

"I'm going to her Evie and we're going to go."

"Don't leave like this!" He began to get emotional

Stevie ignored him and began to walk toward the door

"Stevie please..." he begged

"Go to hell," she grabbed her purse and walked out

Lindsey walked out into the hallway

"Where are you going?" He asked

"To get Evie."

"Then where? Are you coming back here?"

"I don't think so," she shook her head

"Let me say goodbye to her!"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Then at least say goodbye to your son!" He cried

"It'd make it too hard."

"Steph...you can't just leave him wondering, you told him you'd come back for him..."

"You told me that he couldn't come with me."

"But it doesn't mean you can't tell him goodbye, your his mommy..." he wiped his tears away

"Only for a moment," she turned around

"Thank you!" They walked back into the apartment and into the bedroom to where David was now awake

"Hello David," Stevie scooped him up and held him against her chest, "Mommy has some news," kissing his head.

He looked up at her a gurgled, wrapping his hand in her hair, then giggling

"I have to go away for a while, I don't know when I'll see you again."

David frowned, he was only a matter of weeks but it was like he knew what was happening, he clutched onto her tighter

"Let Mommy feed you once more so you'll be a good boy for Daddy," Her voice shook

Lindsey sat down on his knees in the doorway, tears streaming down his face

Stevie sat down on the bed and pulled her shirt down, "Here you go, baby boy."

Unlike all the other times, David didn't take his eyes off her once

"You know what's happening don't you my darling" she cried

David placed his hand on her chest, opening and closing his palm. Stevie took her free hand and held his tiny hand.

"I love you, so very much!" She leaned down to kiss it, Lindsey was in pieces

"Linds, come here."

Lindsey crawled over to her

He sat on the floor by her legs and rested his head on her knee

Stevie could feel her leg becoming wet from his tears

"I love both of you."

"We love you to"

David had finished feeding

Stevie kissed his head and rested him on her shoulder to burp

"You be good for Daddy, okay?" She whispered to him

"Mommy loves you." She kissed him, letting her lips linger

Finally getting up she placed him back over his bassinet trying to lower him down but struggling with him gripping to her shirt tight

"Here, go to Daddy," she tried to give him to Lindsey

David wailed and held on like his life depended on it

"Baby, I have to leave."

She finally managed to prise him off her and he stayed quiet as she placed him back down

"Good bye, sweet boy." She walked to the front door

"Steph..." Lindsey called and walked over to her

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry that I always fuck everything up"

"It's the both of us."

"It's not, it's never you, it's been me each time..." he told her

"Come with me. We can still run away."

"I need to stay here, otherwise he will know we've ran, and if he goes to the police he'll know where we are"

"And my parents house isn't an obvious place to look?" She asked sarcastically

"He doesn't already know where your parents live!"

"This is pointless."

"I need you safe"

"Come with me."

Lindsey shook his head

"I need to be here to make sure he stays put"

Stevie sighed, walking up to him and wrapping her arms around him, "I love you, Lindsey. Goodbye."

"I love you so much" sinking his face into her neck

"I have something to tell you before you go" he told her

"What?"

"Remember the first time you left me, when you were pregnant with Evie? Because you told me to go out and sleep with someone, so I did, then came back and bragged about her?"

"Yes," she nodded

"I crashed at my friend's house that night...I didn't sleep with anybody..."

"Why did you tell me that you did?"

"You hurt me and I just wanted to make you mad...I would never lay a finger on another woman when I had you at home..." he looked down

"I can't believe you..." she backed away from him

"Please don't..."

"I'll send Evie your love," she turned away from him and walked out

Lindsey wanted to tell her because he didn't want her to think anymore bad of him, but it had the completely opposite effect. Stevie picked up Evie from her friend's apartment, realizing that Lindsey had never given her any money

"Shit! Can you look after her for a second longer? I just need to grab something?"

"Of course!"

Stevie jogged back to Lindsey's apartment and knocked on the door. Lindsey flung the door open and found Stevie standing there

"I need money.... but if you don't want to, that's fine."

Lindsey left the door open and went to the bedroom, collecting his last two months wadges and placing it in an envelope. Stevie saw the state of the living room, he had obviously gone crazy on it, broken glass everywhere

"Thank you," Stevie slowly took the envelope, "I'll call when we've made it to Phoenix."

Stevie looked at his hand when he put it on the door knob

"Lindsey, your bleeding..."

"Yeah... I'm fine."

"Linds, let me look at it"

"I can do it."

"Linds..."

"Please, just go." Stevie looked at him one last time, before turning and walking back to Evie

Evie came out of her friends place happy and excited

"We're going to meet your grandma and grandpa!"

"Really?" Evie asked

"Yes!"

"Okay mommy! But first I need to show daddy what I learned today!" She said excitedly and started towards the apartment

"Daddy is sleeping right now, he doesn't feel well but he said he loves you so much and go have fun!"

"No, I need to show daddy! I've been practising and I know he'll be proud"

"Come on," Stevie sighed, Evie took Stevie's hand and followed her

Stevie once again found herself knocking on Lindsey's door.

"Why are you knocking?" Evie reached up and turned the handle pushing it open

"Daddy?" She called out

"Daddy? Where are you?"

"Lindsey?" Stevie called out

Still he didn't answer

"Stay here Evie," Stevie said as she walked into the bedroom

She saw David sleeping soundly

Stevie stepped into the bathroom and looked around

That's when she finally found where he was

"Lindsey?!"

He moved his eyes to hers from where he was slumped on the tiles

"Evie has something to show you," She said quietly

Lindsey said nothing as he got up and stumbled slightly to the lounge

"Daddy!" Evie smiled

"My baby!" He lifted her in his arms and held her as close as he could

"I have something to show you!" She smiled

"And what would that be?"

She wiggled from his grasp and stood on the floor, bending over she pushed herself into a perfect forward roll

"Good job!" Lindsey clapped

"I'm so proud of you baby!" He told her

"Okay Evie, tell Daddy bye," Stevie announced

"Bye?" She asked turning to her mother

"We are going to see grandma and grandpa, remember?"

"Yeah, but daddy is coming right?"

"No baby."

"Then I'm not going!"

"You have to Evie."

"No! I want to stay with daddy" she ran over and hugged his leg

"Evie! Let's. Go."

"Daddy, don't make me go!" She started crying

"Evie. Now." Stevie was done playing

"Stevie, don't shout at her!" Lindsey said

"We have to go!" Evie was crying and continued to shout no

"I can't do this!"

"What?"

"I can't take anymore. I just need to get away." Lindsey crouched down in front of Evie

"Baby, it's time to go with mommy now..."

"Will I see you soon?" She asked fearfully, Lindsey nodded tearfully.

"What if I never see you again daddy?" Her trembling lip was killing him

"You will! I promise!"

"Don't forget me daddy..."

"I will never forget you! Do you hear me?"

Evie nodded and flung her arms around Lindsey's neck

Stevie was standing there silently

"I love you sweetheart, never, ever, forget that" he told his little girl, then looked at Stevie after he spoke

"Goodbye, Linds."

"Do I not even get a hug?" He asked

Stevie gave him a side hug

Lindsey pulled her back and wrapped both his arms around her tight

"I need to go."

He held her tighter before he slipped his hand between them to place it on her middle

"If there's anything in here, you call me immediately okay?"

"Like you'd care," she spat and left with Evie.