its like this

Naturally, Eric offered Ian a beer, but he wouldn't take it.

"No, I'm fine." Ian left it at that. He knew for a fact he could do reckless things even without drinking alcohol. He held on to his diet soda as they watched the fire, ready to grill.

"So, this is new." Eric grinned as he drank on his long neck beer.

"Oh, Josie?" Ian winced. "No, I've known her, for awhile."

"Don't tell me..she's just a friend." Eric acted as if he'd let him down now.

"Well, yeah..sure...she's my friend." Ian couldn't deny that. "But, we..we worked for Oliver, while Jules and Willow were away."

"Yeah, I remember, Mom saying something about that." Eric winced.

"It was fun. It was good to work with Josie." Ian sighed. He couldn't help but smile. Ian did enjoy Josie's company.

"But...it kind of seems more than that." Eric squinted.

Ian nodded, not sure what he wanted to say.  He pressed his lips tight. Took another sip of his canned drink.

"Can I ask you something?" Ian wasn't sure he could.

"Shoot." Eric put his lips to the beer bottle as if maybe he could finish the bottle, completely.

"Did you ever have sex with Syd when she was pregnant?" Ian asked.

Eric spew beer on the lawn. He cleared his throat.

"Did you get her pregnant?" Eric glared.

"No. No, it wasn't me. It was Derrick," Ian said. "Its just, well..it, sex, kind of happened before I really had time to think about it. Other night..with Josie. I mean, she's OK. The doctor said it was OK. Still, it kind of freaks me out when I think about it, but when I'm with her, its like I forget about being freaked." Ian couldn't help but smile. "Seriously, I want to do the right thing, but I don't want to hurt her, either. Especially, the baby." Ian sighed. "God, I'd hate to think what Derrick might think. I mean, he'd think this was all about him. Really, I don't think about him, at all. I really don't. Unless, you know, I'm wondering..later...how he's going to be about all this. Then, it starts to worry me." Ian gritted then as if he knew he shouldn't have brought this up. Especially, with that odd look on Eric's face.