“WHAT!?!” A voice cried, upon hearing the news. The man just could not believe what he’d been told. “There is no way it’s mine! Just no possible way!”

“Well, it’s yours,” Howie told him.

“YOU LIE!” He yelled at the girl, sitting upon his couch. “GET OUT!”

Nickolina began to cry. “I TOLD YOU!” She screamed desperately at Howie as she ran out of the room, and out the front door of the house. She’d dropped Sammy yet again, which now seemed to be habit whenever she ran from something or someone.

Brian shook his head, picking up the bear and followed the girl out of the house. It was only a matter of moments before Nick joined him.

“Here. You dropped this - again,” Nickolina heard a sweet southern voice say softly. She turned to see Brian holding Sammy, and gratefully took her beloved stuffed friend from him.

Brian smiled warmly at her, as he reached over to wipe her tears away with his hands. “Hey, don’t cry now. Whether he believes you or not, the rest of us will help you out. That’s a promise, Kiddo.”

“Yeah,” Nick piped up. “He’s just being a stubborn, hard-headed idiot – like always.”

Nickolina gave them a small smile at Nick’s explanation. She found she could believe what he had just told her.

“See? All will be fine,” Brian stated, ruffling her hair playfully.

Nickolina ducked away from him, as he was messing up her newly cut and washed dark brown hair.

Brian still smiled as he pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back softly.

“Group hug!” Nick cried, throwing his arms about both of them in an affectionate hug.

The three of them laughed, as Howie signaled for them to come back inside, as it was safe to do so now. They returned indoors, sitting on the couch together, like the three stooges or three musketeers.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” the one who’d been told he was the father started. “First, we get a blood test done to have this proven, provided my wife hasn’t killed me first after telling her. Second, should it actually be mine, you’ll come and live with my wife and I – should she agree – and you’ll have the child, but her and I will raise it as our own. Got it?”

Nickolina frowned slightly. “What’s going to happen to me after I have the baby?” She wondered silently. That was what scared her more than anything at the moment.

“Got it?” He repeated, his eyes boring into Nickolina’s.

Nickolina nodded slightly, hiding her face into Brian’s shoulder. She was feeling horrible right then.

“And what about her?” Brian demanded. “What happens to Nickolina after she has the baby – should it be yours?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens, won’t we?”

The other four Boys glared at the one who’d received the shocking news. They couldn’t believe what a complete asshole he was being – though, they themselves, were quite relieved that they hadn’t been told, they were the father of a minor’s baby.