I know I should be working on Amnesia, but I've hit a block. I decided to find this random fanfic plot generator and write out a few shorts to try and push myself past it. I made it into a kind of challenge for myself: write one a day, with different prompts from the generator.
Today's was "A major protagonist's partner is carrying the other's child". I decided to go with Mark and Courtney because honestly, after all they've gone through? I ship them.
Courtney stared down at the small, unassuming, piece of plastic, and felt her world crumble. That tiny little plus sign, so innocent-looking. It meant something far greater than what it showed, and to Courtney Chetwynde, it meant the end of her life.
A positive pregnancy test.
She shuddered, and the shock began to set in. She crumpled up the wrapper and finished her business, before wandering numbly into her room. Her phone sat on the dresser, and she grabbed it as she plopped down on a beanbag chair. She stared at it, knowing what she had to do, but dreading it all the same. She had to call the father.
Courtney honestly hadn't expected something this big from that night with Mark. They'd been at Mark's house a few weeks ago, talking about Bobby's newest journal, and Courtney got emotional. She missed him so terribly, and poured out her heart and feelings to him. He had comforted her, and in turn shared his worries about their friend. The two had grown so close these past couple years, and Courtney found herself wanting to spend more and more time with Mark, outside of the quest to save Halla. In a moment of weakness that night, she kissed him. She felt horribly guilty, like she was cheating on Bobby, but she justified it with his growing feelings for Loor. If he was allowed to fall in love with someone else, so was she. Besides, it's not like they were actively dating, his 'saving the universe' and all that.
She kissed Mark, and he kissed back. The stress from the new journal and all the shit they'd been through was enough for them to look for a release of some sort. They found it in each other. The next morning Courtney left without a word, Mark's parents used to her spending the night already, and hid out in her room. Mark didn't try and contact her, having to sort through his own feelings. A week later, they resumed their friendship without talking about it. Courtney discovered her confidence only went so far, and confronting her best friend about an accidental one-night stand wasn't covered. They pretended it never happened, and everything went along fine.
Courtney had woken up this morning sick, and rushed to the toilet to empty her stomach. She told her parents not to worry, that it was probably just something bad she ate the night before. They let it go, but she had her doubts. Later that afternoon, when she finally got a moment alone, Courtney snuck into her parents' bathroom and stole one of her mom's blank pregnancy tests. She had hoped against hope that she was wrong in her fears, but her prayers were ignored.
She was pregnant.
She was scared.
Courtney lifted her phone and stared at the screen. 4:15 pm, it read. Her hand was shaking. She flipped it open. How would she tell him? Hey Mark, great news! I'm pregnant with your child at sixteen! How about that! Want to help plan the baby shower? His poor little heart would give out, and she'd be alone. Hell, she'll probably be alone no matter how she tells him; Mark doesn't know how to care for a baby! Now that she thinks about it, neither does she.
What was she going to do? She couldn't care for a child while still in high school. She'd have to drop out. Or put the kid up for adoption. Courtney didn't think she could bear through the pains of carrying a child to term, and- god, the birth! Was abortion an option? No, no matter what she did, Courtney didn't think she could do that.
She took a deep breath, and made a decision. She'd call Mark, and they'd figure this out together. And if he bailed on her, she'd find him and wrestle him into helping fix this mess they made. Courtney pressed the speed dial, and waited.
He answered tentatively after four rings. "H-hello?" He probably wasn't used to people actually calling him.
"Hey," Courtney's voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. "Hey, nerd."
"Courtney!" he exclaimed. "How are you?"
Her heart raced at what she was about to say. She had to get it out though. He had to know.
"I, uh, have something I need to tell you," she began. "I-" Her throat closed up. She felt her eyes sting as what happened finally caught up to her.
"Courtney? You okay?" Mark asked.
She took another deep breath to try and calm herself and the tears starting to drip down her face. "I-I'm fine. I just, I just need to tell you something."
"Okay," he said. Worry had crept slightly into his voice. "Shoot."
Courtney couldn't do this. Not over the phone. "I need to tell you in person. Could you come over?" She managed to keep her voice at least partially steady.
"Um, yeah. Sure. Be over in a few." Mark hung up.
"I'm sorry," Courtney whispered into the dead receiver. "I'm so sorry."
Ehehe have a little angst.
These are gonna be a myriad of different pairings, just fyi. Whichever fits best. Or if none fit best, there will be none. Depends on the prompt.
See ya tomorrow!