*~*Two weeks Later in California*~*

Natalie couldn't believe the catastrophe she had made her life. She'd been feeling queasy for some time now but chalked it up to the stress of the trial and the temporary move to California. Between getting herself and her mother settled, there wasn't much time to dwell on any single issue.

That was until Richie's assistant, Denise, gently suggested that she take a pregnancy test when her period was a no show.

She'd shrugged that off for as long as she could until earlier that morning when she caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror. Her belly was protruding slightly, noticeable due to her already tiny frame.

Natalie had taken to wearing yoga pants and Richie's t-shirts from sheer exhaustion and depression so she hadn't noticed any ill-fitting clothes.

With Richie in his studio with Bob Rock for his new album, she jumped in the car that Richie had loaned her alone and headed to the local pharmacy to buy a selection of pregnancy tests. She peed into a clean cup and took the first, then the second, third and fourth; all of them showing the same result - Positive.

"Fuck," she muttered to herself.

Did she want to become a mother? Fuck, yes! Would she be a good mother? She was going to try to be the best damn mother she could possibly be. The bigger question though was who fathered the child. David was the immediate and most obvious choice...but she had slept on a few occasions with Richie as well.

"What the fuck have I done?" she cried.

Unable to do much other than cry, she shed her clothing and turned on the shower. As the hot water engulfed her body, Natalie emotionally fell apart and cried out. Several minutes that felt like an eternity passed as her mind tried to grapple with the reality of her becoming a mother.

Her anger erupted and she threw bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash at the shower wall. "Fuck you, asshole! Fuck you and the day I ever fucking met you!! Why didn't you just fucking kill me?!" She slid down the wall and into the tub, hugging her belly and sobbing.

*~*

"Nat?!" Richie yelled from downstairs, "Where are you, darlin'?"

He threw his keys on the kitchen counter as he walked through, dumping his leather carry-all on the floor near the doorway. He listened for an answer but only heard the shower running upstairs. With a shrug and humming a new tune he wanted to share with Natalie, he headed up the stairs.

He knocked on her bedroom door and was surprised when it opened under his knuckles. Even though they lived together, they afforded each other privacy when it was needed.

"Nat, can I come in?" he asked, "Got a bitchin' new song I wanna share with you..."

Richie faltered when he heard sobbing in the bathroom. Quietly he turned the knob and pushed the bathroom door open, eyes widening at the opened pregnancy tests and boxes scattered over the marble countertop.

He picked up one of the tests and scrambled to find the matching box to see what the result was. Something flip-flopped in his gut as the reality of it hit him upon seeing the positive markings. He looked over to the shower, foggy with steam, and reached for the handle.

"Nat? Darlin', are you okay?" he asked, hesitating before opening the door. What he saw broke his heart. The dark-haired woman was curled up on the floor of the shower stall, curled in on herself, not moving apart from the shudder as another sob broke through. He didn't hesitate as he climbed in and took her into his arms.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."Natalie cried as her body shook, grasping onto Richie's arm. "Please...please fucking kill me...I can't do this! I can't!"

"What are you sorry about, sweetheart?" Richie held her close, "Shhh, darlin', everything will be okay. I promise you." He reached for the taps and turned them off. He didn't know how long she'd been in there, but the water had turned icy. He helped her to stand and out of the shower.

"J-Jon w-was r-right," she stammered, teeth chattering from the cold. "I c-can't f-fuck up your l-life t-too."

He reached for a towel and dried her down roughly to try and get some warmth back to her then wrapped her in another dry one and sat her on the closed toilet before doing the same for himself.

"What do you mean, sweetheart?" Richie asked, kneeling on the floor in front of her, "Tell me what this is all about? What did Jon say to you?"

Natalie sniffled. "Jon said I shouldn't be 'fucking with you' and that..."

"That what?" Richie frowned. He made a mental note to talk to Jonny later but right now Natalie needed him.

"That you were his. I don't even know whether this," she pointed at her belly, "was you or David. What kind of woman am I to do this? And if it's David's...oh god!"

"Shh, Nat...," Richie soothed, "It's not good for the baby to be too upset." He paused as he ran the whole thing over his mind. "Let's deal with one thing at a time, okay? Firstly, you don't have to worry about anything. You can stay here for as long as you want to. I love you, Nat. Together, we can work this out." He stood and held out his hand to her, "C'mon, let's get you dressed and warmed up."

Natalie welcomed his embrace and the warmth, allowing him to lead her into the master bedroom. Instead of sitting on the big plush bed, she kneeled at the foot of it and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry I disappointed you, Sir," she whimpered.

Richie had been in his wardrobe looking for clothes when Natalie spoke. He stopped as anger at his ex-bandmate lodged in his throat and turned to see her submitting herself to him. "Fuck you, Lema!" he yelled to the ceiling in moot outrage. He immediately strode to her and knelt down, taking her hands in his. "Never again, Nat...never again do I want to see you like this," Richie breathed through his anger, "I want to see you standing tall and proud, show the fucking world the strength I know you possess. Understand me?"

"I...I...don't know how," Natalie whispered.

Oh god. What the hell did he do to her? Richie thought to himself.

"Yes...yes you do, darlin'. You just need to remember how to," Richie smiled, "Here...one step at a time...stand with me. Then you stand with your head held high and give the world a big 'Fuck you'."

Richie placed his finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. He held her gaze for a long moment, then leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips before standing with her.

Natalie took Richie's hands and slowly stood, her towel falling into a fabric pool at her feet. She was painfully aware of each movement and how she could almost feel her center of gravity shifting already.

"It's...It's a bit strange...you know? To have a man that doesn't demand...obedience. Have you ever had someone break your will?"

"Not like you're talking about," Richie kissed the top of her head. He drew her into his arms, holding her tight and willing his body not to react.

He held her like that for what seemed like forever until he felt her curling her fingers into his back as she used to in the heat of the moment. His resolve melted with each touch.

"He said he enjoyed domination and I wanted to please him," Natalie confessed, "Is that bad?"

"Pleasing your lover should be a mutual thing, darlin'," Richie replied, "Not control or abuse of power over the other." He smoothed his palm slowly down her back, unintentionally dropping lower over the swell of her ass with each sweep.

Natalie swallowed thickly and nodded, "Mutual...right...mutual...mutual..." She repeated it like a mantra, growing quieter each time.

"Nat-," Richie started to speak but was startled by the ringing of his phone from the bed where he'd thrown it earlier on his search for Natalie. Richie reached for it and seeing Jon's name on the display, swiped it open. "Jon? What's up?"

Natalie twisted her lips and reached out for Richie's jeans, unfastening the wet denim and sliding them down his legs. Richie never wore any underwear and she held back a giggle.

"No, Jon, I can't just fly East tonight," Richie frowned, "What the hell is so damned urgent that it can't wait till next week? I got a situation happening here at the moment. I can't leave just yet, okay?"

Natalie peered up and silently prompted Richie to step out of the jeans. He did and kicked them away. She smiled and picked up her towel, running it up and down his legs to dry him, paying special attention around his balls and cock.

He made it twitch playfully at her. She leaned in and kissed it, her tongue sweeping out over the head and down the shaft.

"Nah, brother, the press can wait," Richie's voice was clipped and short, holding back a moan, "Yes! This is more important, okay?"

Natalie nodded with puppy eyes, sliding his cock between her lips and humming. She cupped his balls and rolled them in her palm, winking when he glanced down and raised an eyebrow.

"Mutual," she mouthed and took him into her throat, relaxing her reflex just like David had taught her.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you the details just yet," Richie sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, all his Will Power focused on not moaning. "Listen, Jonny...can I call you in a little bit? We'll discuss this further then."

Natalie pulled off his cock and lifted it, dipping lower to suckle each lovely orb and tease it with her tongue. Richie's fingers curled into her soft locks as Natalie's hand moved up to stroke his shaft. Even now he didn't smell like sweat, but clean with a natural male musk she loved.

"I dunno? An hour or so?" Richie was starting to get irritated at Jon's need to know everything, right here and now. Natalie's hand and tongue worked in tandem, making it harder for him to keep quiet. "I...I gotta go."

He watched the dark-haired beauty lick up his cock and bob her head up and down, her hand following with a firm grasp. She was working him quickly to release and his body tensed up.

"Yeah..." he breathed after hearing Jon's declaration of his love, the phone falling silent in his hand as he stared down to the beauty at his feet, "I love you, baby."

Natalie freed her lips for a moment to murmur, "I love you too," and sped up her ministrations. Richie's balls tightened and his cock pulsated, white hot cum spilling into her greedy mouth.

Richie threw his phone on the bed, not noticing the call was still open, and bent to take Nat's mouth in a searing kiss, tasting himself on her tongue and sweet lips. He scooped her from the floor and placed her on the soft mattress.

"Mutual," he said firmly as he proceeded to dip between her thighs.

*~*

Richie sat back in his chair, staring out over the pool where Natalie was floating along like a glowing goddess. He barely registered the voice on the other end until a sharp "RICH!" got his attention back on track. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah, Jonny, of course I am," he replied. "I'm glad the news stories about David have settled down. Better for Natalie emotionally, the less stress on her the better."

"From the sounds of it, you've found other ways of getting rid of her stress."

Richie frowned at the snarky tone Jon's voice had adopted. "What makes you say that?"

"The moaning earlier was a dead giveaway. Now you see why I didn't approve of her moving in with you?"

"Shit...you know I didn't mean--"

"Didn't mean for me to hear it? That's all you've got to say?" Jon asked accusingly.

"Fuck, I'm trying, Jonny."

"You know she just latched onto you because you were the one who rescued her...or whatever you wanna call it."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Richie snapped. Sure he had been the one rushing to Natalie's side but he never regretted it for a second.

"If it is, then prove it. Send her back to Jersey."

"I can't...not with..." He trailed off when Natalie climbed out of the pool, showing off the tiny pooch in her bikini as well as marks and scars that wouldn't disappear anytime soon.

"With what?"

Richie bit his bottom lip and wandered to the balcony rail, his solid frame leaning against it and waving at the dark-haired beauty. "With her...condition. She can't be alone. I won't let her go through it alone."

There was a long pause on Jon's end, his breathing becoming shallow. "What...condition?"

"She's...she pregnant."

"Please tell me it's David's."

"I need to go make lunch. We'll talk later." He hung up the phone and sighed, sliding the glass open and stepping inside the cooler home. Natalie was pawing through her clothes and emerged victorious. "Have a nice swim, darling?"

She looked up and smiled, stripping off her bikini. "I did." She hung up the wet two piece and dried herself, Richie watching with soft eyes. "Everything okay? You don't normally stand and stare when I'm dressing."

"Just admiring how beautiful you are," he replied and smirked at her chosen ensemble. She had chosen a black and pink cami and shorts set that he'd bought for her birthday. They were a bit tighter now but hugged her figure nicely.

Natalie's cheeked flushed with pink. "You always know how to make me blush." She pulled on her clothes and slung her wet towel over the door to dry. "Those pants make your butt look cute," she giggled and tugged at Richie's black lounge pants.

"Oh shucks, darlin', now it's your turn to make me blush," Richie joked and swept her into his arms. He caught their reflections in the vanity mirror. "We look good together..."

It had been the first time that she had a happy blush in her cheeks, green eyes shining wide and bright. "Why does it seem like no time has passed by...like nothing changed? Yet at the same time, everything has changed."

"I hear what you're sayin'," he said, "but it feels right, doesn't it?"

Natalie pulled him in for a sweet kiss and smiled. "It does," she paused for a moment, "Are you sure about the baby? I want to be completely sure that you're not just taking pity on me."

Scooping a lock of hair behind her ear, he smiled and said, "Perfectly sure. I've always wanted more kids and I love you. I don't give a flying fuck if it's biologically David's. I'll be his or her father, one hundred percent."

"I just don't want this getting back to David or Lexi," Natalie whispered.

"It won't," Richie said, "They're dead to me now and should be to you too."

"What about touring? What are you guys gonna do with that? I don't wanna be the girl that fucked up Bon Jovi." Natalie plopped onto the bed, rubbing her temple.

"Won't happen, baby," Richie shrugged, confidently, "Jon will understand, I'm sure. If I stay on my side of the stage and that fucker stays hiding behind his keyboards, it'll be fine. I just won't do any press with him."

"You're lying," Natalie commented, "You've been a horrible liar since I've known you."

Richie clutched his heart, pretending to be wounded, "Ouch, baby! That hurts..."

Natalie chuckled. "Come on, Rockstar. Out with it."

He turned serious and sat on the bed beside her and took her hand, "You found me out. I've...I've been thinking about leaving the band." It was the first time he'd verbalized it to anyone and it felt like a kick in the guts and freeing at the same time, "The touring is soul-destroying. I need to get out while I still have one left. Ava needs me. You need me and this little rocker here," he rubbed her belly, "will need us. It's time I parted ways with them...for everyone's sanity."