Baby, We're Invincible

Madeline Richards stared worriedly at her best friend's bulging stomach, swollen and stretched unmercilessly by the seven month old fetus she carried inside.

It was Kennedy's fault Amanda was like this, no doubt, and that sickened Madeline. Okay, sure, part of it was of Amanda's own fault as well, but at least she was brave enough and not so full of herself to admit that she had done wrong. Kennedy on the other hand, not so much. He ran away knowingly from the dilema, to proud and cowardly to man up and face the unexpected situation he had helped to arouse. Kennedy denied that the one night stand had even occured, according to Amanda, who had called his mother in hopes of contacting her child's father. She had no such luck.

But that was back then.

Today, Madeline planned on teaching the arrogant guitarist, Kennedy Brock, what it meant to be a man. Scratch that, a human.
Amanda's baby deserved that much, right?

Justin would be out all day catching up with old friends, so it was safe to invite Kennedy over to her home. She located his number on the Caller ID list on her cell phone and hit the send button.

"What do you want?"

Madeline's lips curled into a disapproving frown as she heard Kennedy's unconventional greeting. Did this boy have any manners?

"Yeah, nice way to answer the phone. If I knew you were going to answer like that, I wouldn't even have bothered to waste my time and call you."

Madeline heard loud shuffling and coughing at the other end of the line; her unexpected call had probably caught him off guard, if that was even possible.

"Oh, hey Maddie!" he exclaimed cooly, an airy chuckle escaping his lips," Sorry babe, I thought it was Garrett calling to bug me again."

Madeline grimaced at the mention of her long-time friend, she wasn't in the mood to hear Kennedy talk smack about Garrett.

"Well, why would you answer him like that anyway? He's a cool kid, Kennedy, and much more of a gentleman than you'll ever be."

"Brutal. Well, I can be more gentleman than him any day!" he scoffed, sounding like Madeline had punched a dent into his pride," Besides, why're you sticking up for that lame kid anyhow?"

Madeline scowled, scolding him sharply," Because he's my friend, okay? Now you better shut that smart mouth of yours before I decide against inviting you to my house."

Kennedy beamed despite her threat and a wife, lopsided grin stretched across his face," Fuck, yeah! Justin's not there, huh? Can I come over now??"

Madeline rolled her eyes at his childish enthusiasm and replied," Yeah, he's not here. Be here in a few, okay?"

"Will do, I'm on my way!"

Madeline just rolled her eyes again and disconnected, turning back to face Amanda.

"He'll be here soon... Are you okay?"

Amanda nodded lightly in reassurance, though the tired lines under her eyes betrayed her as the worried-sick person she really was now. Amanda looked down at her abnormally round belly, rubbing circles with her thumb around her belly button with a worried expression clouding her brown eyes.

"I just hope he can change."

--------------------------//

To say Kennedy was nervous to meet up with Madeline was a huge understatement.
He was a nervous wreck.

As he stood rigidly in front of the Richard's heavy wooden door, Kennedy just couldn't seem to calm the unnerving feelings of butterflies in his gut. He just wasn't used to feeling this way about someone. Usually it was just lust for the girl, but now... Now it was different and Kennedy hadn't the slightest clue what to do about it. Madeline gave Kennedy emotions that even he couldn't decipher, experianced as he was. It was ridiculous.

Kennedy brought a shaking fist to the door and rapped twice. He was just about to knock again, when the the sound of light footsteps echoed behind the door, causing Kennedy's shoulders to shoot up and stay firm, all the while the butterflies continued to thrash around wildly in his abdonomen.

The door creaked open and Kennedy couldn't help but to stare at Madeline. She was dressed in light denim shorts and a white, gold-studded tunic. The sight of her icy blue eyes never failed to astound him and leave him breathless.

She stood aside, ignoring his lingering stare, and bode him entrance with a quick flick of her wrist," You can come in."

Kennedy abided eagarly and followed her silently as she led him to what seemed like the living room. It was a cozy family room. The wooden ceiling seem to soar high above him and board games littered the floor hopelessly, along with video game disks. It was welcoming.

"You have a beautiful house; it's cozy," Kennedy said honestly, smiling.

Madeline grinned broadly, her perfect rows of teeth gleaning as bright as the approval in her eyes," That's so nice of you, Kennedy, thanks! This is a great start to you changing!"

Kennedy frowned at her; he had forgotten all about his promise to change for the better. In fact, he had purposely blocked the agreement out of his mind because he knew he wouldn't be able to fufill his role in the "change".

Kennedy smiled nervously at her and pursed his lips," Oh yeah, of course. Can't wait to, uh, become a different person."

Madeline smiled big in return, ignoring the hesitant and confused look in Kennedy's eyes. Surely he hadn't forgotten about their agreement already...?

"Great! So, I've actually thought of way to make your 'change' sort of fun, just so you won't be bored and you'll have some motivation, y'know?"

Kennedy's ears perked up and he smiled slyly," I'm listening."

She continued, twirling strands of her blonde hair into a thick curl; Kennedy had seen her do this before often enough and he wondered if it was a nervous habit.

"Well, I was thinking," she started," that for every good step foward you take in becoming a better person, I'll answer any question of your choice honestly and truthfully, so long as it's appropiate.

Kennedy grinned, sudden mischeif glittering in his eyes excitably," What exactly is your defintion of appropiate?"

Madeline arched her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest," I'm not going to answer that, Kennedy. You should know the meaning of that word and if you honestly don't, I'll have to dropkick you back into kindergarten."

He shrugged and smiled goofily," Nah, it's okay. I heard they got 'em cooties."

He just smiled as Madeline chuckled and rolled her eyes.
"So, Maddie, what's on the agenda today?"

The bright smile instantly vanished from her lips and the rosy colouring on her cheeks was replaced by a stark white.

Madeline nodded, almost to herself, and proceeded," Today I'm giving you a chance to redeem part of yourself, Kennedy, okay? It's up to you whether you decide to own up to your mistake or not..."

Before Kennedy could so much as part his lips to form a question regarding her statement, Madeline called out loudly, her voice projecting throughout the house.

"You two cam come out now!"

Kennedy's lips tightened into a taut line as he waited for the two people to step out, a crisp, nervous air settling around him like a blanket.

Madeline turned her attention away from the hallway through which Amanda would be entering to Kennedy; she studied him attentively to gauge his reaction.

She could tell he was nervous by the way his knee bounced repetively and by the way his thick broad hung low by his eyelashes in a worried line.

Then, when his eyes widened and his knee froze in mid-bounce, Madeline knew that Amanda had entered the room. Recognition was evident in Kennedy's shocked eyes, signaling that he indeed knew who she was. And he didn't look the least bit overjoyed.

Kennedy Brock's heart almost froze in his chest as one person entered the room. He had expected the see two people, but instead, there stood one. And that one was Amanda.

That dreaded night suddenly flashed back into his mind like fireworks in the sky: the alcohol, the dancing, the touching, the whispers, the lies, the foolish leap... And the mistake.

Kennedy's eyes shifted cautiously down to Amanda's abdonomen, the inevitable result of that one night stand painfully obvious.

There, in Amanda's stomach, was the second person Kennedy expected to enter the room.

He couldn't escape now.