In the middle of the night, Stevie felt herself becoming more understanding to what Lindsey was going through, having thought about it through out the night. She hadn't heard a peep from him and felt it was her time to once again go to him, possibly being able to help him just as much as he had helped her, heading for the guest room but finding nothing but a single note:
Stevie -
When I think about how much I love you, I can't put it in to words, only show you, it pains me to see us drifting so far apart.
I feel as if I should find help for myself because it's unhealthy for you and the baby, giving me the only option but to seek help back in California.
You know that I am just a call away but please seek refuge with your mother until I can make myself well again, I can be no use if I keep hiding liquor like a struggling alcoholic.
You're everything that I need, want, and desire but I won't hurt our love any longer. Give me some time, baby, and I will come back to you.
I love you, Steph -
Linds.
Her tears made it hard to see, crimpling the note to her chest as she bent over and screamed in to the pillows, smelling him then crying even harder as she cuddled against the scent he left behind. She never thought that a pregnancy would do this to them, make them both so unwilling to understand the other, not believing once that he would leave her.
Lindsey entered his home back in California, the familiarity of it all comforting as he tossed his keys on to the kitchen table, opening the fridge to spoiled food. How stupid could he have been to keep these products in his fridge? Having to call for carryout as all he had was sodas, not wanting to drive with the lack of sleep he'd gotten, having had a few drinks on the plane back home, thinking about Stevie and their baby. Would she come back to him? Would she allow him to come back to their family? He couldn't stop thinking about the fact he may have made things worse but this was a mission to save himself before the addiction got worse, laying back on the couch as he finally got his eyes to rest.
***
A few days passed by and though the house was quiet, peaceful to sleep, Stevie was incapable of doing that, seeing how having Lindsey there really was a blessing. Her body would ache and he would be there. Cold or hot, Lindsey would fix it. Hungry? He'd never let her go hungry! Missing those occasional belly rubs that he would do as a ritual greeting, her not caring at all now that he had been drinking. She needed him and once again she had to be the peacemaker.
Having set up an appointment to see a counselor, Lindsey fought with his conscience with the bottle of whiskey he'd just purchased, walking to the kitchen then turning on his heel - only to come back to stare at the bottle, feeling like an utter fool! He should have never allowed himself the first sip of liquor that week of their fight over a silly gardener! All these years and he was still the jealous, possessive boyfriend she despised!
"You fvcking idiot!" picking up the bottle and smashing it in to the floor, pieces of shattered glass everywhere. Now what was he going to do?! It helped his anger but not the urge he was fighting hard to break.
Hearing the doorbell, it only made him angrier, wondering who it could be since no one knew he was back in town!
Racing towards the continuous persistent guest, he didn't even think to look through the peep hole, the door flying open as he was just about to scream in their face.
"Stevie?"
"How could you leave me?! How could you just pack your things and go?!" slamming her tiny fists in to his chest as she sobbed, Lindsey pulling her inside as he kicked the door shut, pinning her back to his chest as he held her tight. "How could you?! Answer me!"
![HEAT [sabrina x billie fanfiction] by sheeshwhatshappening](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/389472203-80-k22781.jpg)
"Shhhh...Shhhh...Calm down, Stephanie, please, it's not good for you or the baby," hands on her belly while making those familiar circles with his palms that had her melting.
"You left me..." shaking in his arms. "You left me alone and pregnant."
"No, baby, no - I went to fix myself."
"You just ran away...just ran away..."
"Please, don't, don't think of it that way," turning her around to take her face, tucking the hair behind her ears. "I love you so much."
"Then why did you go?"
"I didn't think it was fair to put you through anymore pain than I had. I don't feel like I deserve you right now and the only way I can fix that is to get myself the help that I obviously need. If I'm going to get you through the rest of this pregnancy, become a father, I have got to man up before we really fall apart."
Gasping, Stevie took a few steps backwards, looking down at her stomach as a shrill streak of pain went through her. She collapsed to the floor as Lindsey got down on his knees to rub her face, trying to wake her but being unsuccessful, snatching his keys and lifting her up in to his arms as he took her outside to his car. He laid her down in the backseat and began to speed off towards the hospital, cursing at people on the road to get out of his way, swerving a few times to avoid a collision as he safely got her to the ER.
"Help! Please, my girlfriend has collapsed and she's pregnant!" screaming at the top of his lungs as he cried, holding Stevie in his arms as she was taken back through the doors immediately.
"Sir, what is her name?" asked the nurse as she got a pen ready to write down her info.
Lindsey was crying in to a wall, slamming his fist in to it.
"Sir, I need you to help me so I can help her. What is her name?"
"Stephanie...Stephanie Nicks."
"And who are you?"
Closing his eyes for a moment, he realized that with the familiarity of their names, her pregnancy may get out in to the public.
"Sir, really, I need all of this information in order to admit her."
"Lindsey Buckingham."
Luckily the nurse hadn't put two and two together, just writing down everything as he then was finally allowed through the doors, seeing doctors and nurses already at her side, the baby she was carrying being a top priority. He was told to stand back as they did an ultrasound, the tiny being showing up on the screen as he stifled a sob, hearing the heart beat while trying to understand the medical garble.
"Are they okay...?" needing an answer, needing to know that his baby was going to be alright.
"She is fine," answered the doctor as Lindsey's eyes got wide.
"She...?"
"The baby, sir."
"A girl...? I'm having a girl...?"
"It appears so," the doctor answering again quickly as everything on the screen was monitored, moving on to Stevie as the nurses had already been taking her vitals, blood, etc.
Many hours later after Stevie had gone through excessive testing then given a room, Lindsey entered after a long draining day, leaning over her as he gave the corner of her mouth a kiss. He pulled up a chair and took her hand, laying his head down on to the side of the bed as he fell asleep, waking from the feel of Stevie's fingers in his hair.
