Kate's alarm went of at 6am. Burning Up was playing in the CD player. She turned it off as quickly as possible.
"Nice." Nick said, his voice gravelly with sleep.
"Go back to sleep," Kate whispered.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Potty."
Nick rolled over going back to sleep. Kate slipped into her jeans and headed downstairs. She booted up her laptop and fed the animals. She sat at her computer and emailed her boss.

"Having some family emergency issues and need to go out of town for the week. My optechs have switched to the schedule they will use during my maternity leave. Hoping to be back in a week."

Ok, so it wasn't exactly an emergency, but she didn't think he'd buy the whole "my boyfriend showed up and wants to take me on a cruise with him" story.
She send a text to Julie to let her know she'd meet her at the mall after her appointment, before heading upstairs to get in the shower.

Nick woke up hearing Kate singing in the shower. She was singing a Capella and he was impressed. He got up, walking quietly into the bathroom. He rose up on his toes peeking over the shower door. Kate jumped when she saw him.
"Nickolus Gene Carter! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
He laughed.
"I like you wet and naked," he teased before stepping away from the shower.
She finished rinsing off and turned off the water. He held a towel out for her and she stepped into it and his warm embrace. He held her for a minute before she began to shiver.
"Ok, I have to get dressed now." Kate pointed out.

Nick took his shower and they were soon on their way to the doctor. Kate drove her Ford f 150 into town.
"This is a nice truck!" Nick commented.
"Thanks."
"Do you drive this all the time?"
"No. I have a corolla too. It gets better gas mileage."
"So... Why are we taking this?"
"I thought your long legs would fit better." She smirked.
"Ah, babe you're so sweet." he sid is a smartass voice.
She laughed.

When they arrived at the doctor's office, Nick started getting nervous. Kate led the way in and signed in. She took a seat in the waiting room and patted the one next to her for him to join her. It wasn't long till her name was called and Nick followed her back to the exam room. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans while Kate sat on the table.
"You alright?" Kate asked.
"Nervous." He replied.
"Why?"
"I don't know. I've never liked doctor's offices. I guess cause when you're a kid every time you go you get a shot."
Kate laughed, "Well don't worry. I won't let them shoot you."
This made him smile.
There was a knock on the door and the Doctor entered. She was in her late 30's with curly red hair. She was wearing a white lab coat.
"Well Kate, I see you brought someone with you today." The doctor smiled at Nick.
"Dr. Clark I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Nick. Nick this is my doctor Laura Clark."
Nick shook her hand.
"Dr. Clark is a big BSB fan." Kate explained.
The doctor blushed.
"I always had a thing for Kevin." She admited before turning to Kate, "So how are you feeling?"
"Good. Starting to tired more easily now. But no morning sickness anymore so that's good."
"Good."
She checked Kate over before pulling up the ultrasound machine. Kate laid back on the table, pulling up her shirt. She gasped as the cold gel was applied to her belly.
Nick watched from his seat in the corner, fascinated. When he heard the whoosing sound of the baby's heart he stood up, moving closer to Kate. She took his hand as they watched the monitor. The doctor pointed out the various parts of the baby.
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" He asked.
"It's a little early to tell. Probably we'll know next month."
"But it's healthy?" He asked.
"Yes everything looks normal. Kate is in good health so everything is right on track."

She printed the picture before putting away the ultrasound machine.
"Well, I guess we'll see you next month unless you have any problems?" Dr Clark said.
"Oh is it ok for her to fly?" Nick asked.
"Well I don't recommend a long flight but if it's in the states she should be fine till her third trimester. So where are you taking her?"
"On the BSB cruise."
"Oh well in that case, I recommend she travels with her doctor in case she has any questions."She laughed.
"If I could find an extra room I'd do it."
"I'm just teasing," Dr Clark said, "She'll be fine."
"Thanks Doc" Nick said as the doctor walked out.
"I like her." He told Kate.
"Yeah she's funny."
"Did you tell her I was the father?"
"Not for a long time. I don't think she believed me till now. Oh what time is it?" She said, remembering that she is suppose to meet Julie.
"10:15."
"Crap we gotta go!"

Kate checked out, paying her copay and headed out to the truck. The doctor's office wasn't far from the mall so they arrive in no time.

Julie was already in the dressing room when they arrive. Kate rushed in to catch up on assembling her wardrobe.

Nick took a chair next to AJ, who was sitting outside the dressing room.
"Was starting to wonder if you were coming." Alex said.
"Yeah it just took longer than she thought." Nick replied.
"Dude don't you know what a quickie is?" Alex laughed.
Nick smacked his chest. He then reached in his jacket pocket pulling out the pictures from the ultrasound.
"Check this out."
AJ looked over the pictures.
"That's awesome, bro. I'm so happy for you."
"Well I have you to thank for it." Nick said honestly.
"Oh no! I had nothing to do with that!" AJ said pointing at the picture.
Nick looked at him seriously, "If you hadn't call me, I may have totally missed this."
"Oh there would have been other doctor appointments." AJ said shrugging it off.
"No dude, not just the doctor's appointment. If I hadn't come back, Kate wouldn't have told me."
"What do you mean she wouldn't have told you? You mean ever?"
"Ever. I almost missed out on being a dad because I was too busy to pay attention to her. Do you know why I didn't call as much? Because when I'd call she let me go on and on about my life and hardly talk about what was going in with her. After awhile she quit asking when I was coming to see her and I never even noticed."
"Well now that you know you can make it up to her."
"I plan on it. Thanks for calling me though. I'm glad I got a big brother to kick my ass when I need it."
"And don't you forget it!"

Julie already had her formal gown picked out by the time Kate had arrived. She was fighting with her inner self over the latest outfits she was trying on.

“So,” Julie started, trying to get her mind off the frustration she was feeling. “How did the appointment go? Did Nick get to see the baby?”
“Yeah. I wish you could have seen the look on his face when she did the ultrasound. It was so precious. Dr. Clark printed out a picture for him. We still have to wait another month until we find out what sex the baby is.”

Both girls stepped out then, to show each other what they had one.
“Do you want to know what it is?” Julie inquired.
“Well, it would make shopping easier. And it would be helpful when picking out names.”
Julie could see her point, but if it was her, she would want to be surprised,  not know until day the baby came. She looked at Kate. She had on a beautiful dress that was white and very much like a toga.
“Is that for Prom night, or TRL night?” Julie asked.
“TRL, I think. Maybe both if I can’t find something else.”
“No. You can’t wear the same dress twice. I am sure we will find you another one. So, what about this one? Alex is insisting that I need an outfit for each day, not including theme clothing or dinner wear. He is killing me here.”

Kate laughed at Julie. She knew Julie loved to go shopping. It wasn’t the outfits making her frustrated. It was the cost. Julie couldn’t justify spending the amount of money they were about to drop, on a few outfits she wouldn’t get to wear again for over five months, since it was cold and snowy where she lived, unlike Miami, the port the cruise left from.

“That one looks fine. I am sure AJ will love it. Are you going to show him?” Kate asked.
“I wasn’t going to, but, I could use a reassuring kiss.” They both laughed as she walked towards the door out.

AJ and Nick sat at two chairs just to the left side of the door. AJ was closest to the doorway. Julie looked over at him, but he was texting on his phone. She could see the screen was on the Twitter main page. She leaned down close to him, catching him off guard.

“Have you been spotted again?” she whispered into his ear. She saw the goose bumps erupt over his skin. He turned to look at her, their lips so close.
“No, but I want to be. So I just posted to confirm I was out shopping for the cruise.” He leaned in the short distance to kiss her lightly. She stood back up, and put her hands on her hips.
“So, yes or no?” she asked, inquiring about her outfit. He smiled at her, indicating his approval.
“When are we heading to the lingerie department?” he teased.
“Um, we’re not. I am not walking around the boat in my naughties. I already told you I am wearing my Mickey jammies.” She turned and walked back into the dressing room.

“Jewels,” Kate called from her dressing room. “Are you back?”
“Yeah. Alex was teasing me about lingerie again.”
“Have you checked your phone lately?”
“No, been trying on clothes,” Julie said as she stepped into her own dressing room. She picked up her phone from on top of her purse, now curious that Kate would say that.

@SKULLEEROZ: In Omaha, shopping for cruise clothes. Can’t wait for the warm cruise air, it is cold here.

“Any idea what he is doing?” Kate asked.
“I saw him tweeting. When I asked if he had been spotted again he said no, but he wanted to be. I don’t understand him. I told him he needs to be ‘single’ this weekend, since the fans think he is. It makes simple encounters with him, more special to the fans, I think. But here he is, just days from the cruise, hinting that he is not. Why?”
“Can’t help you on that one. Did you read Nick’s most recent Tweet?”
“No, I saw Alex’s and stopped there. Hold on.” Julie read Nick’s tweet.

@NICKCARTER: I have some very exciting news I cannot wait to share. But not yet. Gotta tell family first.

“Holy, shit! Excuse my French. What the hell! Is he gonna tell everyone about the baby?” Julie was mad. Having been a fan of a boy band before and getting to interact with them, she knew that the single ones always seemed to be a more personal encounter. She did not want to take that way from a boat full of girls.

“I don’t know,” Kate said quietly.
“All I can think of is what would happen if a boat load, literally, of crazy women, out in the middle of nowhere, find out that Nick’s knocked up fan girlfriend, is on board!”
“Yeah,” Kate replied, still quiet. “Maybe we shouldn’t go after all.”
“Good luck with that one. I don’t think Nick is planning out letting you out of his sight.” Julie had put her normal clothes back on. “I will be right back.”

She opened her dressing room door and went out to the guys. She went straight to Nick and leaned down, putting her hands on either side of the arm rests, looking him in the eyes. Both guys looked at her curiously.

“We need to talk. Can you take a walk with me?”
Nick looked over at AJ, hoping for an explanation. AJ just shrugged his shoulders indicating he had no clue. Julie stood back up and stepped back, giving him room to stand up. Julie turned to AJ.
“We will be back in a minute. If Kate comes out to get an opinion on an outfit, give it to her.”


Nick walked a few steps behind Julie as she headed towards the small café in the store. Not that AJ couldn’t heard what she was going to say, it would actually be good for him, but Kate would get mad if she overheard, or came out to find them all gone. So AJ would get his ear full later.

Julie turned around to look at Nick, as she didn’t feel his presence close. She smiled reassuringly at him, as he still looked confused and now concerned. She stopped to allow him to catch up. They didn’t talk until they were sitting at a small café table.

“Is everything okay? Is Kate alright?” The concern in his voice warmed her heart. She hated to rain on his parade, but he wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Kate is fine. More or less.”
“More or less, what does that mean?”

Julie placed her elbows on the small table and leaned in ever so slightly.

“I am so glad that you are happy about this situation, but I think you are jumping the gun. “

He still looked confused. He cocked his head to the side, about to say something when Julie put her hand up to stop him.

“Hear me out. If we go on this cruise...” she started, but he interrupted her.
“You guys are going.”
“Fine. While on this cruise, if the fans finds out that you’re going to be a dad and the mother of your unborn child is on the ship, they will bother every single pregnant woman on that boat trying to find her. And if they do, what then? Her trip will be miserable.”
Nick looked down at his hands as they rested on the table. He let out a deep sigh before he looked back up at Julie.

“You’re right. Once again I am not looking into what is best for her. I am being selfish.”

Julie reached out and touched one of his hands, giving him a sympathetic squeeze. She didn’t mean to upset him. But Kate was her best friend and she had to look out for her. Even if it meant over stepping some boundaries.

“Once the cruise is over, and with Kate’s consent, tell the world. Scream it from the rooftops. But wait until she is not confined on a little boat with nowhere to run. Please.”

He smiled at her, understanding her concern. She was just doing what any best friend would do. He stood up, walked over to Julie and offered her a hand to help her up. When she stood, he pulled her into his arms for a very brotherly hug.