Catherine locked her fingers and bowed her head. "I'm late, Steve." She said. "And I'm really scared."
Watching the rain pour down outside the windshield of his father's Marquis, Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing. It certainly wasn't what he expected to hear, after asking Catherine along on a scenic ride to the North Shore that day. He had planned on asking her what she thought about moving in with him, but ultimately chickened out because of how big a step it would've been for both of them. Their relationship never really had any kind of boundaries, or rules before. So the idea of the two of them tying roots down together was scary for Steve. 'Scared' and Steve rarely went together in the same sentence, but relationships was a whole other ball game for the former SEAL. Snd he highly suspected it would be for Catherine too. As scary as it was, it didn't change how much he had grown to love her over the last few years. Did it mean they had a serious future? He didn't know. But he did know that lately, the thoughts of having Cath around all the time were entering his mind more and more often.
And now here he was, hearing that she may be pregnant. Talk about the future, and then some. A person made up of the two of them. Something, no someone that would forever bind them. Not just their future, but forever.
Seeing the glossed over look in Steve's eyes, Catherine decided to just keep plowing through everything she had wanted to say to him during their entire drive that afternoon. The sooner it was all over with, the better off they both would be, she thought.
"I know you didn't ask for this anymore than I did, Steve. So, if you decide to go, I'll understand." She knew that was probably going to be the most difficult part of her speech, aside from telling him that there was a chance she was pregnant in the first place. Going over what she was going to say next, Catherine realized that it was going to be just as difficult. "But I hope you stay," she placed her hand on his; she felt the tears start to well up in her eyes. "I'm going to keep it, either way."
Still not looking at her, Steve laid his head on the steering wheel. "I know, I know." Catherine said, unable to keep the tears in any longer. He still hadn't moved, or given any indication that he had in fact heard what she'd said. "Don't hate me, for loving you." She said, before her emotions took over and she could no longer speak.
She scanned his eyes for a sign. Something, anything that would mean everything was going to be alright. After a minute of silence, Steve was able to fully grasp what all this mean. He moved his other hand to hold Catherine's. At that exact moment, he couldn't reassure her. He knew he could barely string three words together, but he was there. And he always would be. He knew they would have plans, and that they could raise this child with as much love as it deserved. Thinking about his childhood and the events that led him to be who he is today, Steve definitely knew one thing. Any fool can make a baby, but it takes a man to raise a child. And like his father, he was going to be nothing short of that man. For Catherine, and for their child. Their future, their forever.