Lindsey wrapped his arm around Stevie, mingling with various groups of friends, some they hadn't seen in a while.

"David, you made it!" Lindsey said, shaking his friend's hand. Stevie had remembered him from the night she had tried to take Evelyn's advice. He was still just as rude, with something to prove as he constantly critiqued their home.

"I sure did. Wouldn't miss it."

"You remember, Stevie."

"How could I forget? She's losing her figure, Linds. You should put this one on a diet." he said, nudging him and Lindsey laughed uncomfortably.

"I think she's perfect the way she is. She's due in less than a week." Lindsey grit his teeth, squeezing Stevie's hand as she laced her fingers with his.

"I was just joking. Congratulations"

"Thank you. Hey, we gotta catch up sometime. Mix a little, Dave, have a drink, loosen up." Lindsey clapped his shoulder a little too hard and went to find someone a little kinder to speak with. "He didn't upset you, did he?"

"I'm fine" Stevie said, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Honey" He lifted her chin and she was forced to make eye contract. Just as he thought, there were tears in her eyes. He wiped them away gently. "Don't let that asshole make you feel like shit about yourself. You look amazing. He's just pissed off because his wife is a dog."

"That's not fair to say, Lindsey."

"You know he tries to best me and he saw you as an easy target. He's always had the hots for you and he's acting like a petty jerk. Our little girl is just more evidence that he can't have you." He smoothed her bump. "I love you, Steph."

"I love you too, Linds."

"Do you need a minute, or do you wanna go talk to someone else?"

"We can still hang out. I'll be okay."

"Alright, sweetheart." He spoke to her as if she were a small child, knowing she could be oddly fragile lately. "You let me know if you want to take a step back."

"I will."

"Have you talked to your mom and dad this week? Are they still coming in for the birth?"

"They will try. Daddy is apparently busy with some kind of deal. I don't know, I couldn't really focus. I feel guilty that I wasn't really listening."

"Don't, I'm sure they understand. You have a lot on your mind. We both do." She nodded, leaning into Lindsey for comfort. "Ah, here we go, Christine is waving us over."

"Thank God. I can feel David shooting daggers at us."

"Let's get a move on then." He held her hand, making the crowd part for her. Christine was standing with some of the production guys that worked on their last record and a few Warner Execs.

"Lindsey, Stevie, great to see you." one of the men in suits said, shaking their hands. "I got to listen to a couple tracks and they sound great. Only question is, when is this going to be done? I haven't heard anything finished yet. We have a deadline."

"Well, as you can see, she really isn't up to recording or touring." Lindsey told the group.

"Congratulations, you look beautiful Stevie."

"Thank you." she said.

"How much longer?"

"Just under a week" Stevie said and Lindsey kissed her, feeling immensely proud.

"You look happy."

"We are" Lindsey confirmed. "But back to the record, we are gonna need at least another year."

"A year? Lindsey, please, be reasonable."

"I am, I could have said two. A year is a rush on its own. We're gonna have a brand new baby and Stevie will be recovering and nursing...we won't want to go all over the world with a newborn. This is my family we're talking about."

"I leave my kids with their mother" Mick said, both slightly drunk and high on pot by that point in the party.

"Well, the mother of my child is also a valuable member of this band." Lindsey said. "Give us at the very least, six months. Stevie is working on a record too and that has to be done as well. She's very busy." Lindsey tried to reason with him, knowing he pretty much made the rules.

"Fine, you can have the year." Lindsey breathed a sigh of relief. "They're breathing down my neck up there already. What can I tell them to get them off my back? What do you want me to say?"

"You can say that if you want to keep she and I in this band, we need the year to spend with our baby. Happy artists are successful, money-making artists."

"Okay" he said, holding his hands up defensively. "I don't want this to break up the band."

"Then make them understand." The man nodded and left the group with his partner.

"Whoa-ho, Buck!" John praised, patting him on the back. "Family man!"

"I'm getting to be that way, definitely. Stevie and this baby mean more to me than anything and they are my top priority."

"Good on you, Lindsey" Mick said. "I know I was saying I left my kids at home but it's shit to come home and feel like they've grown a foot while you were gone. I love being on the road, don't get me wrong, but being with my kids is important too. I'm proud of you for standing up for your family."

"Thank you, Mick. That means a lot." Christine had been nursing a new glass of wine she had grabbed from a passing silver tray and Stevie had been oddly silent as well. "Are you doing alright, mama?"

"Yeah, just tired." she answered softly.

"Are we calling it a night?"

"No, no don't do that. I'm fine to stay. I'd like to sit down though."

"Anything to drink?"

"Something strong."

"No such luck, princess. No alcohol of any kind until our little one comes." She shifts her weight, rubbing her hip. "By the looks of it, it's not much longer."

"Am I that transparent?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I felt fine before, I think I just need rest. I'm getting too old to stay until 4am partying." She forced a smile then chuckled.

"I don't think you're too old at all. After our daughter arrives, you will be back to your usual self in no time." He kissed her, replacing her hand on her hip with his. "Does that feel any better?"

"A little. Thank you, babe."

"I tell you what, I'm going to inform catering that we are winding down. We can do maybe an hour more then afterward, we can go to bed."

"Perfect, that sounds perfect" He led her to the sofa, people getting up to accommodate her and Christine came to keep her occupied with girl chat. Lindsey pushed through the crowd to round everyone up, never taking his eye off his wife for too long. Something was going on with her and he couldn't put his finger on what. All he knew is he couldn't wait until the party was over so he could talk to her alone.

A/N: part one of a potential mass update.