Here comes Papa Rollins' reaction!

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The silence was already deafening and it had reached a point where it had become unbearable for Catherine to be in the same room with him. His face was unreadable as usual, and Catherine already started to worry about telling him. She thought it wasn't her best idea to tell him about her pregnancy without Steve by her side.

But the worst thing for her was that once again she had lost the ability to speak. She wanted to ask him what he thinks, but she already knew that the second she would open her mouth there would be no words coming out. So she just looked at him with her big, brown all telling eyes, full of hope and faith that he would approve it. Steve had always said her eyes told the story of how she was feeling, so maybe Daddy would see her fear, emotion, and damage done by that psychopath. Surely mom would have told him how badly she was injured, emotionally as well as physically. She somehow started to feel like a little girl, the same little girl that he always intimidated and scared to death, she used to be for him years ago. She remembered giving him that look when her Father was on his leaves and she was asking him to go to the fair.

"Are you sure about that?" Robert Rollins pointed at the heart in Catherine's hand. Catherine just nodded as she still had that faithful look on her face.

"Do you know what that means for you and that SEAL guy? I don't have to mention your career; do you know what you are giving up for a baby?" Oh, great! At least he managed to stay calm for a couple of minutes, Catherine rolled her eyes. "Your so called boyfriend already quit the service and now you are doing the same?"

"Shut up!" Catherine raised her voice and the second she had realized that she had done it, she covered her mouth with her hands. She didn't know where the strength to yell out loud had come from, but to her amazement her father did what she had told him. "First of all Steve is still in reserves and just because I am pregnant with his child doesn't mean that I will quit my job! Have you ever heard of maternity leave? Plus I can request a transfer to the Pearl." Catherine stopped to take a deep breath and then there was silence again. I didn't know that talking would be so damn tiring!

"Catherine, I'm sorry for what I just said, but you know that I only want the best for you. You're my only daughter and I don't want you to get hurt by that SEAL guy." Robert said and Catherine once again rolled her eyes.

"His name is Steve, Father and he will never hurt me. Do you know what he did the past few days for me?" Catherine asked looking her father directly into his eyes. "Of course you didn't know because you weren't there. He slept in that chair." She said pointing at the chair next to her bed. "He holds me in his arms, he rocks me and tells me how much he loves me, and how great the three of will be and what a wonder life he will provide, and he stayed with me even when I wasn't talking and last night he slept in the bed with me, because I…." Catherine stopped she couldn't tell him about last night. What would he think of me, if I tell him I had a panic attack? Quickly she looked down to her left hand with the pendant and she closed her fingers around it, holding it tightly as if she had to protect it. If she would be able to use her other hand she would.

"What happened last night?" Robert asked her carefully. Oh, is he back to the loving Dad mood again? Catherine asked herself. For the next couple of seconds she thought about how to say it, but in her opinion there was no right way to tell him what happened. One way or the other her Father would think she'll lose it completely just because a situation she was trained for…

"I panicked…" she whispered with all the strength she managed to bring up.

"You did what? Honey, you have to speak louder."

"There was a noise…. I don't know…. I panicked….it brought me back to that cabin where I was beaten, tortured, and almost raped and killed," She whispered a bit louder. Robert Rollins thought about it for a couple of seconds. In his eyes it was a weakness that shouldn't be there since she got trained for it. Although he knew that for once he needed to put the NAVY aside and be the father she needed right now. Do I even know how anymore? Caroline always told me I don't know how to hear Catherine when she tries to talk to me, well, Robert, time to sink or swim so to speak. Oh funny naval joke now. This woman is just a scared traumatized victim, remember that.

Catherine was still staring at her hand when she heard him taking a deep breath and then she felt the mattress shifting under his weight. Hold on, did he…? Is he…holding my hand?

"Catherine, honey, look at me." She heard him, but she couldn't find the courage to do what he had asked her for. "Sweetheart, please look at me." It almost sounded like he was begging her to look at him as he gently runs his other hand through her hair putting her bangs behind her ear just like when she was little.

It took her a couple of seconds until she felt able to look at her father again. In slow-motion Catherine lifted her head up and met her father's eyes. "Catherine, there is no reason to be ashamed after what you've been through... or how you are responding to the pain and trauma. Especially knowing that you're pregnant. I know, that this sounds weird coming from me, but I can understand what you are going through. And I know you will make it through this and become a good Mother. You don't have to be worry; I know you will make it with the help of the therapists and the SEAL guy, IF he is like you said."

"Steve." Catherine whispered. "His name is Steve!" She started to sob quietly then this was by far the nicest thing her Father had said to her in years.

Catherine's father stayed for a couple of hours and then he left to visit friends at the base of Pearl.

She was already feeling exhausted when her Father finally left and the only thing she wanted to do was sleep. She almost drifted into her peaceful dream world when her psychiatrist woke her up for her session. The fighter that was still left in her fought the way through the 60 minute therapy and in the end Catherine felt even more tired and confused. After she was back in her room, her dinner was already waiting for her, but she felt too weak to eat. So she just carried the tray over to the table by the window before she let herself sink onto the hard mattress and pulled her blanket up to her nose. She closed her eyes, but didn't fall asleep. They were so many things going on in her head, therapy, her father, Steve, their unborn child...

Every now and then she opened her eyes to check her watch, it was already an hour after dinner and there was still no sign of Steve. I hope nothing has happened to him, Catherine thought to herself after she had closed her eyes once again.

About 1, 5 hours later Steve had left the team and had arrived at the hospital. He already had a bad feeling for being late, so he once again took the stairs and quickly made his way up to Catherine's floor. When he had reached her floor Steve didn't waste a second to talk to the nurses. I'll do that later, first I have to check on my little family… he thought to himself when he reached Catherine's room. He carefully knocked on the door before he opened it.

"Catherine?"

TBC

Uh-oh, another mean Cliffhanger! What do you think had happened with her?