Chapter 13

*play song at bottom before reading*

I told Dr. Marcoh that Alphonse was coming, and she agreed to wait by the entrance for him and bring him to the room we were in. She asked if he was going to be the father, and I ended up explaining to her the whole scenario in which this little evil miracle happened.

     She didn't judge. She just nodded, patted my shoulder, and left to go wait for Alphonse. 

     I kept my breathing under control the whole time I was alone. I didn't have a paper bag with me, so I had no choice. But, death did seem like a good answer to my problem.

     I kept putting my hands on my stomach. There was life in there. Life. A small human being, growing inside of me. Would it be a boy or a girl? Since I was a Homunculus, would it come out as one?

     The thought scared me, and I pushed it away, focusing on the patters the tiled floor made when you stared at it long enough.

     The door finally opened, and Alphonse walked in, trying to be calm. Dr. Marcoh wasn't with him. He closed the door and sat by me, silence at first.

     Then he said, "Dr. Marcoh told me everything."

     "So she did."

     "When you told me over the phone," Alphonse began, staring at the floor like I was. "I was....happy, at first. I thought that it was because you and Brother..." I blushed, knowing what he was getting at.

     "But, at the same time," he continued. "I was angry, thinking to myself why you didn't wait until marriage. I was going to blame Edward for the whole thing." He gave an empty laugh, and looked at me. "I never imagined it was this. When the lieutenant and I found you, you were just leaving the hotel...weren't you?" I nodded, a strangled sob lost in my throat.

     "Why would you be so stupid?" he asked. "I know some guy got you drunk, but still. Haven't you ever heard of punching something to get some stress out?"

     "Yes, Alphonse," I said, not able to meet his gaze. "Remember a few years back? I broke my hand after I punched a brick wall when I got angry that one time."

     "I remember that," Alphonse said calmly. "it was after you brought Brother and me back to Central. I was in pieces. Brother was unconscious."

     "Yeah," I said weakly. We sat there for a few more moments in silence, and then Alphonse finally asked the one question I knew he was going to: "So, how are you going to tell Brother? What are your plans?"

     "I don't know," I whispered, keeping my head down and staring at the floor tiles once again. "I really don't know."

     "Is Brother going to be the father?"

     "Well, I've been thinking hard about it, and I have no idea," I admitted. "but, I thought that I should call Evan or something and tell him."

     "You...you can't," Alphonse said.

     "Why not, Al?"

     "I had a case this morning," he said. "Some suspicious activity reported in an alley. I went back there, and he had hung himself."

     "That could be a different person," I said.

     "Black hair, tan skin," Alphonse said. "we identified him as Evan Montgomery."

     "I have no choice, then," I whispered, sinking lower into my chair. "I have to do this myself."

     "No you don't!" Alphonse shouted suddenly. "What about Brother? He can help you!"

     "I can't do that to him, Alphonse!" I shouted back, standing up. He stood up, too, as I said, "I can't force him into this! Not after the things I've just done to him...and-and how could he love a child that isn't his? How could Edward ever be the father of a child that looks nothing like him? The result of one drunk night in the city?" I turned and looked at Alphonse. "Answer me that."

     "He just has to close his eyes and pretend, ignoring it," Alphonse said.

     "That makes no sense, Alphonse."

     "It makes perfect sense," he argued. "Edward just has to suck it up and do it! I'm not letting you do this alone! I'll tell Brother that you're pregnant myself if I have to! Even if he refuses to help, I'll either force him to help, or I'll help you!"

     I stared at him, feeling the tears well up behind my eyes again. "Al," I whispered. "I can't do this. I just can't."

     Alphonse slowly walked to the door and said, "I'll tell Dr. Marcoh you want to schedule another appointment for when you get this all figured out."

     "Fine," I said softly, realizing there was no point in arguing.

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Alphonse walked me to the train station and got me my ticket, making sure I got on the train.

     I couldn't make eye contact with him.

     "Take care of yourself," he said before I boarded. "It'll do you good at this point."

     "Yeah," I said, almost tonelessly. I looked at Alphonse, thinking to myself what a good friend he had always been to me.

     "Al," I said.

     "Yeah?" I took a few steps forward and hugged him.

     "Thanks for everything, Alphonse," I whispered. "You're a great friend to have."

     "Y-Yeah," he stammered, hesitating on whether he should hug me back.

     After the hug, I was about to get on the train, when Alphonse grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back a bit.

     "What is it?" I asked.

     "Do you want me to tell the colonel? Or Lieutenant Hawkeye?" he asked in complete seriousness.

     "Not yet," I said. "let me at least get everything straightened out before my stomach starts expanding."

     "Alright," Alphonse said, releasing my shoulder.

     "I promise, I'll take care of myself," I said as I stepped onto the train. The whistle blew, and I found a seat. Out the window, I saw Alphonse's back as he walked out of the station, his ponytail billowing in the slight breeze from the bustle of people around.

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"I'm home," I said sheepishly as I walked into my house. Edward had been asleep on the couch, snoring slightly.

     "Ed," I said, poking his forehead. He slowly opened his eyes, and the first words out of his mouth were, "Afternoon, beautiful." He sat up. "Why didn't you call?"

     "Well, um, I have something to tell you," I said, sitting next to him on the couch. "I just...don't know how to say it."

     "What is it?" he asked, his expression changing from humor to worry. "You can tell me. What's wrong?" He took my hand.

     I looked at our entwined hands, and took a deep breath.

     "Dr. Marcoh," I began. "and I discovered that I am...pregnant."

     A few moments of silence and tension filled the room. Edward's grip on my hand got tighter.

     "From...that night?" he asked quietly.

     "Yes," I said. "Dr. Marcoh said I'm a little over two months."

     More silence.

     "Well, what do we do?" he asked.

     "I don't know," I said. "I've been asking myself the same thing ever since I found out."

     He squeezed my hand harder. "I'll help you."

     "I can't force you into this, Edward," I said. "That would mean you being the father, and none of this is your fault."

     "It's mostly my fault," he argued. "and it all ties back to Katsura."

     "Stop mentioning her name," I said, now squeezing Edward's hand.

     "I'm willing to do this," Edward said, his grip loosening. "I love you. I'm not leaving you over this."

     "You're too forgiving for your own good," I said, feeling tears spill onto my cheeks once again.

     "Your baby needs a father," Edward said, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer to him. "you can't do it alone. Please, let me help you with this."

     "You really want to throw everything away and become a father to a child that isn't even yours?" I asked him.

     "Hey, I'm twenty one now," he said. "I think it's time I settled down." He kissed the top of my head and put his hand on my stomach. I folded my hands over his, a sob escaping my mouth.

     "Don't cry," he whispered. "It's okay, no need to cry."

     "I love you," I whispered, leaning my head on his shoulder. "I love you, Edward."

     "I love you, too," he whispered back. "and I always will."

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Sleep didn't come easy that night. I went to bed at nine, and was woken up at ten thirty due to a nightmare, another nightmare that couldn't be remembered once I was awake.

     I had another hyperventilating attack, but there was a paper bag on my nightstand.

     Edward didn't need to help me with that one. He was doing enough for me as it was. He was too good for me.

Author's Note

Reviews

[Emunah June.]

Aww

[dachildofevil]

awwwwww
ed is just too nice!
thats true love right there

[Anonymous]

*sniffling* E-Edward is so good to her... *pulls out handkerchief*