Save Me

Here we go...

Lindsey was lingering in the hallway, by the bedroom door. He knew he was going to have to tell her anyway, so he better get it over with sooner rather than later. But how? He couldn't be sure how she was going to react. It wasn't necessarily something horrible, but being pregnant really did things to her. The way Lindsey saw it, he was either going to be yelled at or Stevie was going to cry. A lot.

Opening the door carefully, in case she was sleeping, Lindsey walked in, finding Stevie lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He frowned, trying to figure out if something was up with her.

"Um, Steph? Everything okay?"

"Uh-uh." She nodded, lightly tapping her fingers on her belly. "Why?" She lowered her eyes, looking at him, as Lindsey walked to the bed and climbed in next to her. 

"Nothing." He waved it off. "But I do have something to tell you."

"What's that?" She raised an eyebrow, making him feel guilty already.

"Well, you see..." He faked a cough, lying on his stomach, concentrating on rubbing his hands nervously. "Um... Mick..."

"OH, here we go."

"He thought it would be good if we released a single. Just a taste of our new music, you know..."

"I can't see why you would be so worried about telling me that." He had always been an open book to her. 

"I haven't gotten to it yet." Lindsey paused for a moment. "He also would like to go on the road."

Frowning, Stevie shot him a look. "What are you going to tour with, Rumours? This new album isn't exactly finished. There probably is only that one song Mick wants to release anyway."

"He thinks that we can't be completely out of people's sight for so long..."

"It's always what Mick wants! He's a member of a band with four... three other people." Stevie corrected herself. "I'm not sure about Chris and John, but you are about to become a Dad. I would not feel very safe without you around, Lindsey. This baby is due in two months!"

"I know, but... I can't just say no to Mick either. Because I am about to become a father, I have to think about our child, Steph. Sure we're financially secure for the moment, but what if by telling Mick no, I lose my spot in the band? What either one of us is good at besides making music? I doubt I would instantly get another gig, while Fleetwood Mac is HUGE right now and Mick could easily find a replacement for me. This is a risky thing, babe." 

"He is not going to fire you. He would never. He knows how important you are to the band, come on, Lindsey." 

"Well, you never know with that man." Lindsey shrugged, turning on his side, supporting his upper body on an elbow, while placing his free hand on her belly, making circles all over it, knowing she always calmed down when he did that. "It wouldn't be for like a year. Mick said it himself, just a few cities, no more than ten shows."

"I'm not happy about this." Stevie let him know straight up. "I can't forbid you from going, but you also have to know that I would prefer if you stayed with me. Wouldn't you hate it if you missed the birth?"

"I wouldn't. Like you said, the due date is in two months, no way are ten shows going to take two months."

"I need you around though, I need your help with things."

"Couldn't you maybe... call and ask your Mother to come here and stay for a few weeks?"

"It's our baby, Lindsey! My God... Just go on that stupid tour if you want to so badly! I'll be fine by myself." Pushing his hand away, Stevie managed to sit up and make much needed space from him, as she was pacing around the room. "Do you want to get away from me? Have you maybe realized this isn't what you want? That you're not ready for a family?"

"Steph, don't start with this." Lindsey sighed, shaking his head. "If someone's not ready, it has to be you. I proposed didn't I..."

"And I didn't say no."

"You didn't say yes either." He shrugged. "Sometimes I'm really not sure what you want from me. One minute we're broken up, hating each other's guts, the next we're expecting a baby, living together, creating a future for ourselves. But you still won't marry me."

"Don't change the subject. We're not talking about that now."

"But it's you who started it!" Lindsey immediately regretted raising his voice. "I only told you I have to leave for a couple of weeks with the band and I will be back just in time for our baby, but out of nowhere you started shouting and accusing me of not wanting you anymore."

"Because I don't understand why it is you have to leave."

"To earn money! Jesus Christ!" Now Lindsey was agitated too. "Why else do you think? I think I've proven myself. I'm yours. I've changed for you! I barely drink, I don't do drugs, I'm not out partying every damn night, I don't even think of looking at other women and I'm still not good enough for you! I'm going out on the road to work! Nothing else."

Now was the part were Stevie became emotional, silently crying, while Lindsey spoke. "Well, forgive me, Lindsey, but I am worried about all of the above. I've been a part of it, I've seen all of it. True, you have changed and I love you so much for it, but you can't guarantee, no matter how much you would want to, that something won't happen. That one night you won't feel lonely and go out with the guys and some groupie will happen to be there, waiting for you..."

He scoffed, shaking his head. "Are you that insecure when it comes to our relationship? Do you honestly believe I would throw everything we now have away for a fucking one nightstand?" 

"I hope not, but..." Shrugging her shoulders, she looked at him, seeing how disappointed he appeared to be after what she said. 

"Just tell me now if this is how it's always going to be between us? Because if so, I don't want to be a part of it."

"Linds..." 

"No, Stevie. Don't Linds me right now, because I mean what I said. If you can't find it in you to trust me, then there's no point in us being together. Despite how hard it would be to try and move on once again..."

"Don't say that! Of course I want you and I love you, but I also can't help feeling uneasy about letting you go by yourself. That's all." She approached him, sitting beside him. "You know you mean the world to me, but you can't honestly say that you can't see why I might be uncomfortable with it."

"I can ask you the same. How do I know you won't have a man over as soon as I set foot out of this house?"

Stevie started laughing as soon as he asked it. "I'm seven months pregnant."

Lindsey laughed lightly too, shrugging. "Well... Okay." Then he returned to what they'd been talking about. "You have to learn how to trust me though, also realize that you're stuck with me."

Smiling, Stevie got up to her feet and went around the bed to her nightstand, searching in it for a specific object, before she returned to Lindsey, opening her palm. "I do trust you." He looked from the ring she was holding, which he had given to her, to her face, to make sure she wasn't kidding. "Will you put it on or do I have to?"

He took the ring from her hand. "Are you sure about this? Because you won't be allowed to take it off."

"Just put the ring on already." Stevie rolled her eyes, holding her hand out. 

Lindsey finally did it, lacing his fingers through hers, standing up to pull her into his arms, as best as he could, with a quite pronounced obstacle in between them. Giving her a loving kiss on the lips, he pressed his forehead against hers, locking their eyes.

"I love you to bits, Steph. I don't want arguments like that to hurt us."

"Yeah, well... I guess we still have a lot to learn to be able to avoid them. And I love you, too." Kissing him again, she smiled as she backed off, looking down at the engagement ring. "We're getting married."

"Crazy, I know." Lindsey laughed, a warm feeling filling his heart. 

Even if they did still fight, at least they were finally finding ways to talk it through. They both believed they were, after all this time, on the right path.