Taylor had somehow managed to catch a few hours of sleep and even a day off, where she volunteered at a local foster home for children.

Yet, no matter what she was doing, she found herself thinking and even worrying about Christian.  The more she thought about his expression and reaction at her car before she left, the more she knew something was wrong.

But he hadn't called.

It was Friday now and she knew that he was scheduled to work at the hospital, so had decided to show up a little early to swing by his office.

"Hey Dana." She greeted Christian's secretary before moving around the receptionist desk to knock on his door.

The woman was on the phone so just ended up waving at her before getting back to the conversation she was having.

"Christian?"

"Come in." Christian replied as he worked on the reports from the meeting earlier that day.  He had been in a foul mood ever since he found out the "news" and it showed in his voice.

Taylor came in and closed the door quietly behind her, before heading toward his desk.  Now there was no mistaking that something was wrong and concern showed in her gaze.

Christian looked up and managed a half smile at Taylor.

"You'll be getting your heating system," he told her.  "The work will start as soon as I can get the contractor out here."  He was happy to see her.

She sat, the news bringing a smile to her face, but she wasn't letting it distract her from why she had come in the first place, even as she admitted "I knew you could get them to see reason."

"I changed my mind about Saturday," she started, adding with a grin "I want you to bring a side dish, your choice."

"All right," Christian agreed, though he thought he might need to back out of that, "I will if I make there."

Taylor tried to hide the disappointment she felt at the hint of him backing out of going "If you make it? Did something come up?"

Christian looked down at his hands.

"Yes." He said rather bitterly.

She looked at him for a long moment, before asking quietly "What's wrong, Christian? And please don't lie and say it's nothing."

Christian didn't take his eyes off his knuckles, which were slowly turning white.  "That woman you saw in here the other day is pregnant...with my child."

Taylor felt as if she had just been kicked, hard, and her features paled.  But somehow, from somewhere deep inside of herself, she managed to speak, her tone even sounding somewhat steady even if it was one word

"W - what?"

"She is having my child," Christian repeated "and I had to marry her."

It was obvious from his tone that he hadn't wanted to do this.

"Had to..." Taylor whispered, feeling like she was going to be physically ill.

She swallowed and stood, feeling a little light headed "What do you mean you had to?"

Pregnant?  Married...?  Oh God....

"I had to," Christian said "there was no other choice."

He couldn't tell her why, that would endanger her life.  And he knew he shouldn't be getting so attached to her anyway.  For after the child was born, he would have to leave.  He had to protect his child and arrangements were already under way for the pair of them to go into hiding.

Arrangements were being made with his own kind, in secret, through secure channels.  Money was already being moved carefully and slowly into accounts with other names.  He was even looking into ways to hide Gwen, though she would not be coming with him or his child.

She wasn't even aware that she had been backing away from him, until she bumped into the edge of a chair and flinched.

He must have thought she was a fool, she thought, inviting him and....

She closed her eyes and tried to regain some kind of control over her emotions, because she could hear the word she had deliberately not finished in thought still hanging there in an attempt to mock herself.

Caring.

She opened her eyes and made herself look at him.  Her initial reaction was shock and hurt - and she was still feeling that - but now, albeit slowly, other things were making her question this.

Thing was..... did she have a right to?

"Do you love her?" she asked, feeling like the question itself had been torn from her before it could be verbalized.

Christian couldn't look at her, so he continued to stare down at his desk.  He hated lying to her, keeping things from her.  It was horrible.  He couldn't recall the last time he had felt so torn.  After a long silence he spoke in a soft voice his anger over the entire situation barely controlled.

"No." He replied honestly.  He didn't and he never would.  Since she had moved in, he had made every effort to avoid contact with her.  He spent most of his time at home in his room, even taking his meals there.  And he also made an effort not to be at home as often as he could.

It still didn't make sense.  Taylor knew that he had been keeping something from her for the longest of times.  It was the sense of him closing himself off that had kept her from asking about it, so she hadn't.  She just couldn't see him having an affair - especially one he couldn't remember considering he had had no idea who the woman was when she first showed up. And if it were for the child, there were ways of getting legal custody without having to marry.....

"I'm sorry." She said, feeling the need to apologize, even if she wasn't sure why she was apologizing.

Or maybe she did.

"I thought... I..." She tried to explain something, anything, but only ended up in backing away again and bumping into another chair.  When the back of her leg hit it, she flinched, pale.  She felt like that night when he had been brought into emergency and she had first found out how serious his injuries had been - problem was, she was having a harder time in covering it up now.

Why wouldn't he look at her? Had she embarrassed herself, and in effect him, that badly?

Probably, she thought as she raised a hand to cover her mouth and to swallow whatever verbal reaction she was about to have to all of this.  She closed her eyes and swiped at a tear when it escaped, not wanting him to see it.

Christian did look up when he heard her strike something rather hard.  He felt sick when he saw the look on her face.

"So am I." He said softly "If there were any other way...."

He stopped.

"Any other way for what?" She asked hoarsely, needing to understand.

Christian didn't really know what to say.

"It's the only way to..make sure my child is all right." He said finally.

And that was true, if not the whole true.

"I wish to God it didn't have to be this way and that I could tell your more, but I can't."

Maybe he was afraid the woman would do something to the child.  Taylor could understand that and it was at least something to grab on to, to try and understand.  But...

"You were going to go..... weren't you?" She asked, referring to the cookout she had invited him to.

She stood there, gripping her hands into tight fists but trying to hide them in her lab coat sleeves as she shook slightly, as she waited for his answer. She couldn't have imagined that...... something that had been growing between them..... could she?

"Yes." Christian replied.

"I was looking forward to it." He added.

"Why?"

"Why?" Christian repeated, not completely understanding the question "Because...I enjoy your company."

Taylor closed her eyes and crossed her arms about herself before turning halfway to the door and hanging her head.

So it was there..... and had been, she thought, still confused and even moreso now than before.

She rubbed her arms, feeling a cold that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.

"Taylor, I'm sorry." Christian said, feeling completely inadequate.

"Don't be." She said.  After all it was her own delusions that had her thinking he cared more than the obvious friendship level he must have surely meant.

Which meant she had to get her head on straight and realize it.

"I," She continued, swallowing slightly as she tried to straighten her shoulders "I'll just say... congratulations on your baby.  It must be good news at least - after the accident and all...."

Christian grimaced slightly thinking about that.  If it weren't for that damned accident, none of this would have happened.

"Thank you." He replied a bit flatly.

Then he cleared his throat "I do....care for the child.  I never thought I would have any..."

But this was not how he wanted it to happen, if a miracle did occur.

She nodded a little "Understandable, and you really should see and... and be happy, at least about the baby."

She looked at him, unable to hide all of the pain from her gaze "Please be happy about that at least."

Even if you don't love the woman, she thought, still confused and even shaking her head with that confusion when she thought of Christian actually being with someone in the first place that he obviously didn't like.

"I..I am." Christian said.  "I'm just not happy about the circumstances."

He ran a hand through his hair almost violently.

Taylor looked at him for a long moment, seeing the tired lines about his eyes.  She slowly lowered her hands and, despite the pain still shadowed in her gaze, she went over to him, squatting next to his chair and meeting his gaze "Then get out of them."

"I can't." Christian told her flatly.

"Why not, Christian?" She asked, putting her hand on the one nearest her to get his full attention "What is it you're not telling me?"

Christian shook his head.  "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I can't.  If I could have told anyone it would be you."

"No one's here except us." Taylor reminded him, fear starting to creep into her gaze "What can be so bad... what's kept you from opening up?"

She didn't know why but she had a feeling that whatever it was that had kept him from becoming too familiar with anyone - even her to a point - was also a part of this now.

"I know this sounds insane," Christian told her, "but we might not be alone. I would tell you if I could, I swear I would."

Taylor squeezed his hand, not only confused but worried.  He was talking as if he were being spied on.  If that were the case - if he was being watched or listened to - then surely he knew of a place he could take her....

Please, her gaze begged him, please make me understand.
 
 
 
 

On the Pediatrics Ward.....

Gwen walked around, getting familiar with the floor.

"May I help you?" Ross asked from behind her, having noticed the woman passing Morgan's office a couple of times in particular.

She turned and smiled pleasantly enough "I'm just getting the feel of the place.  I... well I'm looking for a doctor to help me along until the baby's born."

Ross looked down and saw the woman's hand on her stomach, thinking she must be a newly pregnant woman what with the slim shape she was in.  Then he looked back up at her and extended his hand "Glenn Ross.  I'm one of the doctors here.  Were you referred by any chance?"

"In a way." She replied "My husband works here."

And the Organization had ordered her to find a doctor there, so here she was.

"Who would that be?" Ross asked, conversationally.

"DeWitt.  Christian DeWitt."

Ross looked at her as if she had just spouted two heads, completely floored.
 
 
 

Christian saw the pleading in her eyes.  He couldn't stand to see her worry like this.  It broke his heart.

Carefully, he picked up one of his business cards and hurriedly jotted down a phone number on the back.  Beside the number he wrote 10:00.  It was the number of another of his kind.  Someone he trusted and someone he felt pretty certain the Organization was not aware of.

In fact, he was completely certain.

He folded the small card and pressed it into her hand.

Taylor looked at it and was about to say something, but a knock at the door interrupted them.  She barely had enough time to stand and face the doorway as Ross came in.

"Hey, Tay, mind giving me a minute alone with DeWitt here? Thanks." He said, dropping his metallic folder onto Christian's desk and glaring at the man "I want to congratulate him on his nuptials - "

Christian was standing by this point and just stared at Ross.

"Ross, don't." Taylor said, tucking the card into her jacket.

"Why not?" He asked, just as Gwen came into the office as well "It's not every day the guy goes off, get someone pregnant and then gets married - and then strings my best friend along -!"

Christian's jaw tightened and his hand tightened into fists.  He was seriously thinking about punching the guy and releasing some of the pent up anger he'd been feeling.

"Ross!" Taylor snapped, but not before Gwen made a sound of pain and leaned against the door frame

Without thinking, Taylor was around the desk and heading to the woman, calling out to the secretary to get a wheelchair, her doctor instincts kicking into high gear.

"Get over here." She looked back at Ross as a wheelchair was brought, tugging him the rest of the way when he approached and stuck him at 'pushing' duty for the chair "Get her checked out and I'll consult."

Ross glared back at Christian, who returned the look just as heatedly as he followed the doctor to the wheelchair and out, Ross taking the handles as per ordered and heading out, Gwen now in the seat.

Christian swallowed the anger, looking at Taylor with worry.  He suddenly had a knot in the pit of his stomach, worry for the child, his child.

"Is this normal?" He asked Taylor.

"Could be, if she's under the same stress you are." Taylor replied frankly "Ross will give her a full examination and I'll consult."

"I... I can't take the case." She added, being too close to the situation as it was "But I'll make sure everything is taken care of, I promise."

With that she started to leave, taking her stethoscope out of another pocket and putting it around her neck and signaling for the others that had gathered around because of the emergency to go back to what they were doing as she went.

"Thank you." Christian said, doing the same but following.  He couldn't go back to work until he knew.  Even if it meant waiting in the waiting room overnight, he'd do it.

"Make sure he takes care of my baby.......please."

He hadn't said 'ours', because he in no way considered the child Gwen's.

They were near the waiting room so she turned and reached out to squeeze his hand "He will.  We both will."

Then she turned and went into the 'medical staff only' area to catch up to Ross.
 
 
 
 

"... so far it just looks like a matter of stress." Ross said, rubbing the back of his neck as he handed Taylor the files "The fetus is a little big but it could be genetic."

"Will she be spending the night?"

Ross looked at her, earlier anger back in his gaze "Does she need to?  It's being at his place that -"

Taylor looked at him, the look in her eyes enough to stop him in mid-sentence before she went back to reading the files "Christian will do whatever he needs to, to make sure the baby's okay.  Is there any medical reason why she needs to stay over night?"

"No."

He sat down next to her, sighing deeply before asking "You okay?"

Taylor stood, it being the end of her shift "I'm going to read over the files tonight but my shift's over and I'm going to go talk with Christian about what needs to be done for his.... for Gwen."

"So you're not going to tell me."

"Nope.  You still have another hour in this joint, don't you?"

"Yeah.... and what would be your guess if he knew about your all night watch at his bed side?"

Taylor looked at him, blue gaze serious "He won't think anything because you are not going to tell him.  Stay off his back, Ross, I mean it."

With that and Gwen's folder in hand, she left the doctor's break room and headed toward the waiting room she knew Christian would still be in.

Christian was on his feet as soon as he saw her.  "Is the baby all right?"

"The baby is fine." Taylor assured him before getting into the test results and what exactly it all meant.

"She just needs to rest and we're going to set up appointments for her to come in and we'll continue to check on her.  I... I want you there for the first ultrasound."

He'd like hearing the baby's heartbeat.  Matter of fact she was sure of it.

"I'm going to be taking the files home and see about setting up a diet for Gwen to be on."

Christian nodded.

"I'll make sure they're looked after," He promised "And I'll be here for the...ultrasound.  Just let me know when."

His fear for the baby made him realize that he need to be kinder to Gwen, it wasn't her fault really.

Well not entirely.

Taylor handed him a piece of paper "I have it set up next week.  The time and room number are there."

Gwen was wheeled in just then, by Ross who - other than his gaze which he shot at DeWitt - remained quiet.

Christian glared right back at him, as he slip the paper into his jacket pocket.  He turned his eyes on Taylor.

"Thank you."

Then he moved to the wheelchair.

"I'll look after her from here." He told Ross.

"And I guess I'll look after Taylor." Ross growled at him under his breath, seeing the expression in Taylor's gaze before she could cover it at seeing Christian taking charge over Gwen's care.

He took a step back, wanting to say a whole hell of a lot more to the bastard but knowing this wasn't the time or place.

"Call if you need anything." He made sure to tell Gwen, even as Taylor turned to leave out through another door.

Christian was ready to tell the doctor to go to Hell or even punch him, and he might have, if Gwen weren't there and Taylor so close.  But instead he just started towards the elevator.

Once downstairs he parked the chair by the front door and set the brakes.

"I'll go get the car." He told her and left to do just that.

He parked out front and went back to retrieve the wheelchair, helping Gwen into the passenger seat and then returning the chair, before climbing in himself and heading for home.
 
 

"Taylor -" Ross finally caught up to her as she exited the locker room.

"I don't want to hear it, Ross." She said, her tone listless and gaze hiding what she was feeling inside.  She held the file in one hand and stuck the other in her lab coat pocket, suddenly coming in contact with the card Christian had given her in it before she let go of it and brought her hand back out to hang almost limply at her side.

She doubted she'd be calling the number.  Especially after seeing the way Christian was now acting toward Gwen.  Like it or not he had made the decision to marry the woman and now, for whatever reason, had decided he was going to care for her.

Who was she, Taylor, to step into a marriage?  She still had her principals and that included not being 'the other woman' in any marriage - even if it hurt like hell.

"I'm going to start working now." She said "Then I'm going to consider some time off.  I'll still help out with the cook out because I promised but I don't think I'll stay at it for long.  If you need me, have me paged but not a single word about anything else."

The only thing Ross could do was watch her walk away, before letting a curse or two escape him when the door closed behind her so that she wouldn't hear.

The other medical staff around him ended up giving him a wide berth for the remainder of his shift.
 
 
 

Christian took Gwen home and kept to his promise to take care of her.  He managed to maintain an air of civility with her and did all he could to keep her from feeling stress.  However, his marriage was nothing more than a sham and as far as he was concerned it never would be anything else.  He did not wear a wedding ring and when the subject came up he told Gwen that she was welcome to wear one if she liked, but she would have to make arrangement to get one herself.

Gwen continued to sleep in her room and Christian in his, something else he never planned on changing.  As the weeks past, he began to help pick out items for the baby's room and decoration began.  Christian did this without complaint, even though the baby would spend few, if any nights there.

During all of this, Christian grieved for Taylor.  It was the only way he could explain the way he felt.  She was not dead, but any chance of a real relationship with her was completely gone.  He had not initiated anything, though accepting her invitation to the picnic was getting very close and offering to tell her the truth was right there.  However, she never called his friend to arrange a meeting in a secure location.  Christian couldn't blame her for that and, in a way, was thankful.  At least this way she was still safe.  It was knowledge that put people in danger.  However, his heart ached knowing what he was forced to give up and he missed her dreadfully, even though he did see her occasionally.

As Christian made the final preparation for his disappearance, he also made arrangements for Taylor.  A trust account was set up in her name.  Upon, Christian disappearance the foster home Taylor volunteered at would receive substantial yearly donations from the trust in her name.  He wanted to do something to show her he really did care and this seemed like the best idea.

He made her the Trustee of the account and there was a clause written into it, that should she ever fall on hard times, the money could be made available to her until such time as she was back on her feet.  He was working things out the best he could for her, himself and his child.