Hey, hey, my Lovelies!

I hope my non-reviewers have been enjoying the story so far! Would love to hear from you! My regular reviewers, thank you! You guys keep me motivated and always two chapters or more ahead! Love ya!

Beta: None at the moment.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I only play.

Without further ado ... Enjoy!

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

Chapter Thirty-Six

Decisions

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

September 21st

2026

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

Being married to Jacob Black wasn't all that different to being his fiance, nor his boyfriend before that. They were as tied up in each other and their boys more than ever, and there was a stronger connection between them now, but they were just as happy as before, just as content. Everything seemed to be flowing like the breeze.

Honestly, it made Seth angsty.

'All good things come to an end.' Isn't that how the saying goes? Not a particularly optimistic view to have on life, but Seth couldn't help it at that moment in time. He felt uneasy, like there was a storm coming. He had no idea which direction it was coming from, nor where it was going, but he knew it was coming. It was only a matter of when.

He supposed the first time the niggling feeling had made itself known was back in early August.

Bella had taken off back to Washington like a bat out of hell, dragging Paul with her. She hadn't called or come home since and they were all extremely worried about her. Charlie reassured them that she was fine, but there was something underlining his voice, as he had deflected the question.

Bella was alright ... but that didn't mean everything was alright. Something was going on, and none of the Swan family seemed to want to comment about it. Not that it was anybody else's business.

Knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything about it until if and when he was told about the situation, Seth carried on with his life in the short-term, tending to his husband and his boys religiously. He loved being married, he loved his family. Being with them allowed him to almost forget his anxiety for his best friend.

Eric couldn't get a hold of her either, nor their other friends. Paul had left the club in Jeff's care and after asking Bella's boss, it had come to light that she'd actually taken a sabbatical. It was all very worrisome.

One good thing ... well, amazing thing to come out of the last few months was another engagement. Andrew had finally popped the question after four years. Eric had been entirely unsuspecting, which was the way it was supposed to be, and had called Seth very, very early the next morning to share his news.

Wedding planning had begun immediately and their home was torture to be in right a result, Andrew has been spending much more time at the Black residence, eager to get away from flowers and cakes and napkins. Also, his fiance's shameless pleading for a bubblegum pink theme.

Seth could not imagine Andrew in a bubblegum pink suit. It just wasn't happening.

They had finally come to a compromise after three weeks of butting heads. Eric could have his pink as long as Andrew had his blue. They settled on pastel colours. The flamboyant male was positively giddy for getting his way, somewhat, and their home resembled a scene from one of Katy Perry's music videos. It looked like a huge vat of cottoncandy had explode in the middle of their living room.

Both Jacob and Seth pitied the poor man, it was the least they could do but to open their home to him for refuge and a little bit of peace.

It seemed Seth's mind had begun to instinctively take the next step in his life, in regards to his family life at least. He'd just gotten married and now, all he could see whilst out in public were babies. Babies here. Babies there. Babies everywhere.

It was making him into a brooding bastard, worse than ever before.

He cooed at women's babies at the boys' schools, at the park, even at the store. He just couldn't help himself. He itched to feel a baby in his arms, but was too scared to bring it up to Jacob. He didn't know why. Jacob wanted another baby, he'd told him so himself. It just scared Seth that maybe, just maybe he'd only said that to appease him, playing along to buy himself time.

Yes, he wanted another baby, but that didn't necessarily he wanted one now. Seth didn't think he could handle being denied, but not trying to talk to Jacob about it was almost worse. There was a chance that Jacob would want one now, and that, Seth decided, was worth taking the chance of bringing it up at the next possible convenience.

That nearest convenience was, as it happened, that very night as they laid in bed together. It was one of the very rare nights that they hadn't jumped each other's bones as soon as both boys were tucked up in their beds.

Jacob could sense that there was something big on Seth's mind. The youth was consistently spacing out, missing things the older man said to him and redoing things that didn't need to be done.

When the youth had gotten into bed to read, he didn't read at all. Instead, he stared at one single page for the longest time, lost in his own head. Jacob only realised when he noticed the pages weren't turning. He was stretched out next to the youth, reading his own book. When he noticed Seth's preoccupation, he closed it and placed it on the nightstand.

"Seth, Love, is something on your mind?" he asked, penetrating the silence and seth's trance.

The youth's gaze quickly swiveled to his husband's, which was bright and inquisitive. He coughed awkwardly, looking down at his open book again before shaking his head. Jacob chuckled, reaching over for the book before placing it on top of his own on the night stand.

"I think there is. Remember when we said we'd talk about everything ..." he trailed off suggestively, causing Seth to deflate.

They had promised each other that. Jacob had trapped him, and he knew it. Seth sent him a glare, but there was no heat behind it. Perhaps he did need that push to bring it up. He wouldn't have normally.

Jacob wrapped his arms around the youth's waist before hoisting him over into his lap, his legs straddling him. Seth braced himself on his hands against his husband's broad chest, peering down at him innocently. He couldn't resist peck his pouty mouth briefly, making the older man smile.

"Stop trying to distract me," he rumbled with a knowingly smile, making Seth blush. "Talk to me. WHat's on your mind? School?"

Seth had started his final year ever at NYU to achieve his master's degree in family law. It was going well.

"We haven't talked about it for a while ... I don't know whether it's something you still want or ... what, but ..." he trailed off, not knowing how to proceed. Did he just blurt it out?

"Ready for what, Love?"

Seth took a deep breath before replying, "I want a baby," in one gustful breath. Once he'd started, he couldn't stop as he continued, "I want one so bad. They're all I see. Everywhere I go. Mothers with babies. Fathers with babies. Little kids with their baby siblings. I want one. So bad. I want to be a Papa again, to hold a little bundle and know it mine, ours. Please ... tell me you want the same."

"Seth ..."

The man in question held his breath.

"...You know I do."

He released it in one big relieved whoosh. Jacob chuckled.

"Is that why you've been so pensive? You thought I didn't?" he asked, shaking his head. "Seth, we've talked about this a lot. Yeah, maybe not recently, but things haven't changed for me. I'd love nothing more than to have another baby with you."

Seth felt his eyes swell with tears as a bright, relieved smile spread across his face. "Yeah? Me too."

"How long have you been thinking about this properly?" Jacob asked curiously.

Seth blushed. "A couple weeks. I just didn't know how to bring it up. I mean, i know you want another baby, but it might not have been now, you know? I guess I was frightened you'd say 'not yet.'"

"Don't be under any illusion, Seth. It's not going to happen just like that," Jacob warned with a snap of his fingers. "Adoption can take a long time to go through, assuming we'd even get accepted. Then there's finding an appropriate match, depending on the type of adoption we choose. There are a lot of things to consider, like if you wanted to just go into an orphanage or find a mom-to-be who is planning to give her baby up for adoption."

"I know. I know it might take a while, but it's worth the wait, right?"

"Of course it is."

"What do you wanna do?"

"Well ... it would be nice to have a baby around. I miss caring for Demetri that way."

"I've always pictured a baby whenever I think of adopting."

"We'll look into it. Together. Things might have change since I adopted Demetri. We'd have to ask Emmett."

"Oh, I know the process. Mostly. Hello, Family Lawyer in training here," the youth quipped, pointing to himself and making Jacob laugh. "Knowing it was hopefully part of our future, I've looked well into it all several times so that I'm prepared for when the time comes."

"I'll talk to Emmett, since he's my personal lawyer. He oversaw the boys' adoptions as well. I'll contact the agency I'm registered with as well, arrange an appointment for you to be introduced to them."

"There won't be a problem, will there? Since ... well, I'm not Bra-"

"No, you're better. There'll be no problem, Love. We already have two adopted children; we can obviously take care of them. The home study, where they come to check out our home environment, will be no problem either."

"We're really doing this, aren't we?" Seth whispered in wonder, cupping his husband's face.

Jacob smiled lovingly up at the youth. "Yeah ... We're gonna adopt a baby, however long it takes. Finances aren't going to be a problem, you know that. We're more than ready for this, Seth. We're really doing this, Love."

Seth choked on a sob as he fell into Jacob's chest, tears falling from his eyes and splashing the russet skin of the older man's neck as he buried his face into his neck. Jacob's arms circled his Love, holding him tightly as his own excitement and happiness coursed through him.

And he thought the man in his arms couldn't make him any happier than he already was. For once in his life, he loved being proved wrong.

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

12:10 pm

September 22nd

2026

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

Bella sat in the recliner, her withered Wuthering Heights novel resting opened and unread in her lap. Instead of the book, her attention was riveted on the young girl laying catatonically on the sofa, her eyes blank and misty as she stared into space.

Bella had been watching her all morning. Right after breakfast, the tween girl moseyed on over to the couch, where she has been laid since; not moving, not seeing, simply ... being.

The older woman didn't know what else to do. Her Uncle Jack had called her two months ago, panicked and downright sobbing into her ear as he explained the last twenty-four hours he'd had to endure, what his daughter had to endure. She was horrified to learn that her cousin, her Penny, had been raped and discarded in some alley by vile, homeless scum.

Her heart was broken for the little girl. She was only fourteen ... Bella couldn't even begin to imagine ... being in her shoes ... She didn't want to. It made her heart quake in fear at the mere thought.

Having to go through such trauma had affected Penny to her very soul. She was broken, despondent ... listless. She didn't speak or move, only to go to the bathroom to relieve herself. She barely ate or slept. When she did sleep, she woke in screams and pleas for mercy. Every time, without fail, she purged her stomach of all sustenance from the day before, disgusted by herself and what had happened to her.

Therapy wasn't working. She wouldn't speak to anyone, especially in regards to what happened. The police hadn't even gotten anything out of her, though there was one person who was working on that with her.

Uncle Jack was completely lost. He didn't know how to handle a teenage girl in normal circumstances as it was, let alone this. That's why he called Bells in. He had no other choice. He had lost his wife years ago, six to be exact, and Bells was the only female figure in Penny's life.

No one could get through to her like Quinn Beaford could though. Bella had watched the young man interact with her cousin. It was plainly obvious that he cared deeply for her, despite knowing only what he's been told about her from other people, including Bella herself. She hasn't spoken to him, but the only reason why she's even eaten at all over the last two months was because of his gentle coercion or force feeding.

He had stuck by her, just as he vowed that day in the hospital. He even moved to Port Angeles to be nearer to her, relocating his job to his company's smaller craft store in the port town. He was devoted to helping her, to being her crutch.

Bella's respect for the young man was constantly skyrocketing.

Paul was as lost as Jack. Mostly, he was there for Bella's support. Of course, he cared deeply for the young girl also, but he just didn't know what to do or how to act, so he stayed in the background.

He had gotten to know Quinn though. The guy was something else, only eighteen years of age and in his final year at high school. The guy wanted to open his own art gallery and fill it only with his own pieces to showcase it to the world. He was pretty handing with a pencil and paintbrush too, which obviously helped him in his endeavour.

Still, his own personal ambitions seemed to be on a back burner right now as he fought to bring Penny back to herself. Like Paul said, the guy was something else.

Bella was jolted from her intense observation of her cousin as another body obstructed her view. She couldn't help but smile softly as Quinn crouched down in front of Penny, brushing the back of his knuckles across her pronounced cheekbone.

"Hey you," he murmured. "You gonna eat something for me?"

No response.

"You know you'll be eating something, Honey, whether you like it or not, so why don't you make it easier on the both of us and come with me?" he suggested, slipping his hand in hers before pulling it up to her mouth.

Penny's gaze shifted, almost glaring up at the man crouched over her. Why couldn't he just leave her the hell alone?!

"Come on. Now. You need something to eat before you wither away. Besides, you have your doctors appointment at two. I'm taking you. Your dad's coming too. Do you want Bells to come?" Quinn asked, jerking his head back in Bella's general direction.

Penny didn't respond. Quinn shrugged.

"Okay. I'll just take that as a yes," he quipped before cocking an eyebrow. "Getting up or should I carry you?"

Penny didn't move. Quinn shrugged.

"Carry you it is then," he sighed before slipping his arms under her.

Penny's arms wrapped around the young man's neck instinctually as she was carried off towards the kitchen. Somewhere right in the very depths of her mind, she noted how warm he was against her, how soft and tender his touch was, and how he seemed to cradle her protectively. But that was way in the back of her mind. She discarded it.

Jack was plating up some vegetable soup as Quinn sat her at the table. He glanced over his shoulder worriedly and sighed as he saw his daughter's usually despondency. He took a deep breath and schooled his expression as he placed the bowl in front of his little girl. She didn't move to pick up the spoon, choosing to simply stare into the swirling liquid.

Quinn and Jack's eyes met above her head. The older man recognised that look. He nodded once and left the room. The first time he saw the young man force feed his daughter, he almost pummelled the fucker into the ground. Nobody forced his little girl to anything. He soon realised however that if Quinn didn't do it, Penny would waste away into nothing.

Now, Jack just chose to look the other way, to leave them to it. He couldn't bear to watch.

Penny didn't struggle, but she wasn't cooperative either. Quinn had to tip her head back slightly every time to spoon the soup into her mouth. She choked a couple of times as the warm liquid poured down the wrong pipe, so soon began to swallow to prevent further harm to her throat.

Quinn sighed as he placed the spoon and bowl into the sink before sitting back next to Penny. He rubbed her back. Unconsciously, she shifted towards him, towards his warmth. It made him smile sadly.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? Smelled pretty yummy to me," he murmured, kissing the side of her head. He didn't expect an answer, nor did he receive one. "Time for a shower. This is where my expertise end. I'll leave you in Bella's capable hands now."

Hearing her cue, Bella walked into the kitchen and without a word, lifted Penny from her chair. The younger girl's feet dragged as she was led into the downstairs bathroom, undressed and washed down by her cousin. It didn't bother her. Not much did these days.

The one exception, she reluctantly admitted, was when Quinn stayed away for too long. She couldn't help but feel connected to him; he had been her saviour after all. He had saved her life; she would have died from blood loss and pneumonia if he hadn't saved her from that alleyway.

She felt a light blanket of safety cover her whenever he was around.

Bella dressed Penny silently before sitting her down in front of her vanity to brush her long, chestnut hair. The action reminded the younger girl so much of when her mother used to do exactly the same thing in front of exactly the same mirror. It didn't pain her as much as it had before to think about her mother. No, the pain that was currently battling for its spot in the forefront of her consciousness was much more agonising than that.

She wouldn't let it win though. She refused. Numbness will prevail for as long as she can manage it. She didn't want to remember. She wanted to forget. Only, she didn't know how that would be possible.

For now, she would just ... not think.

Paul stayed behind to watch the house and the dog, waving off the other four as they climbed into Jack's car to head to Penny's appointment. An entourage wasn't strictly necessary; it was only a routine check-up, though they were getting some lab results back from a precautionary test they'd done a week ago.

Both of her guardians just couldn't handle letting her go by herself, not even with Jack.

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

13:55/01:55 pm

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

Jack and Quinn stayed outside in the waiting room, leaving Bella to head into the doctor's office by themselves.

Doctor Martin entered not two minutes behind them, looking over a sheet in his hand. Probably Penny's results. He looked up and smiled at the pair, though his eyes were sharp as they glanced over the younger girl's disposition. He sat in front of his computer and logged on before turning back to the two ladies.

"Hello, Bella. Penny. As I'm sure you can remember, I'm Doctor Martin." At Bella's nod, he continued, "I do have your results with me today, penny. I'll tell you them in a short while. WHy don't we go ahead and start the regular check-up? Make sure you're healthy."

Without a word, Penny stood and moved over to the weighing scales without prompt. Dr. Martin however, took it as his and walked over, doing his thing while Penny started at the wall and Bella gazed at the pair anxiously.

Just a regular check-up, Bella. She's perfectly healthy. She's just come out of the hospital for goodness sake! Bella berated herself for her outward anxiety.

It couldn't have been helping Penny, despite her not outwardly showing it. Bella forced herself to calm down, letting a blank mask smother her face as the doctor began to test her cousins' reflexes and whathaveyou.

When he was satisfied, he smiled and nodded, reaching over to get something as he said, "Alright, Miss Swan, why don't you go ahead and change into this for me and sit up here on the cot?"

Penny nodded, surprisingly, and took the proffered hospital gown before slinking towards the screen. Bella followed but wasn't needed as Penny changed herself. Robotically, yes, but still by herself. Bella tried to not see it for more than it was, especially as the same blank look resided in Penny's eyes as she moved to the cot and sat up on it.

Bella moved to stand beside her as the doctor returned, pulling on some gloves. He took her heart rate, checked out her lungs, eyes and teeth before asking her lie back. Through her grown, he began to feel around her breasts for any irregularities, noting down anything he thought was significant. Penny was clearly uncomfortable, but it was less embarrassed and more ... pained?

Bella didn't like the thought of that.

It seemed the doctor took extra care around her abdomen, as if searching for something that confirmed some sort of suspicion. Bella wasn't sure whether he found what he was looking for.

"Okay, Penny, lift your feet into the stirrups for me, Sweetheart," he murmured softly, helping her along without any fuss from her.

Bella stepped closer and took the tween's hand, knowing that even for herself, this next part was beyond uncomfortable and mortifying. Even as the doctor did his thing though, Penny showed no outward reaction. Even on the sidelines, it made Bella fidget.

Once he was done, he pulled back and gently lifted Penny's legs down before slipping off his gloves. "Alright, I'm done with the physical now. I'm going to take another tube of blood, just for another test to make sure everything's alright. Then after, I'd like to speak to Penny alone."

Bella balked, instantly shaking her head. "No. No way. She's a minor and clearly not in the state of mind to take in anything you say."

"Are you certain she's not in the state of mind? She may be despondent on the outside, but her mind isn't impaired, Mrs Lahote. I just want a quick word with her by herself, as the situation is delicate and I can't have her influenced by others. I will ask her father for his permission, of course."

"I don't think-"

"It's okay."

Bella froze. The words were quiet, barely audible and somewhat strangled, but she definitely heard them. She turned to look at Penny, whose eyes, while still vacant, were trained directly at her.

Doctor Martin nodded. "I'll ask your father still, if it's all the same to you. Excuse me a moment."

He left the room and Bella took a seat beside her cousin.

"Are you sure? I'll stay if you need me to."

Penny shook her head minutely. "I'm fine. Wait with Dad," she whispered, eyes on the ground.

Bella was itching to argue until her throat was hoarse, but it's what Penny wanted. This was the first time she'd spoken since the incident happened and Bella wasn't about to of anything that may cause her to lapse back into silence. She reluctantly sighed and nodded just as the door opened and Doctor Martin returned with Jack on his tail.

"Penny, Baby, is this what you want? To talk to the doctor by yourself?" he asked anxiously, stroking her hair softly. He was more than surprised when she nodded and even had tears in his eyes as he returned it, before heading back to the door. "Bella, come on."

And with that, Penny was left alone with her doctor.

Deep down, she suspected what he was going to say. She'd had sex-ed in school, read a lot of books as well; she knew some of the changes that would happen to her body if and when she got pregnant. Whilst in the cot, during her breast exam, it hurt. She was tender. Even in her despondent state, she noticed how she was also bigger. Sometimes, she ached both in her breasts and her abdomen, and though she hadn't been sick yet, she was constantly nauseous.

So yeah, she suspected what he was going to tell her. She should have been scared but instead, was just ... numb.

What was that saying she'd heard a few months ago at school?

'What will be, will be.'

If her body had fought off the effects of the emergency contraception, then who was she to argue with fate?

"Penny, do you know why I might want to speak with you by yourself?"

She was a smart young woman. Her answer didn't surprise Doctor Martin in the slightest.

"I'm pregnant, aren't I? I suspect you wanted to talk to me alone so that you can explain everything without my family freaking out, or them forcing options down my throat. Am I right?"

"To answer your first question ... Yes, you are pregnant. It's a precarious situation, what with you being so young, but I've known even younger girls than yourself give birth to healthy babies ... But I'm getting ahead of myself. You are indeed pregnant ... Do you have any questions about that?"

She shook her head. She was pretty sure how it all worked, getting pregnant.

"Okay ... Well, can you tell me when your last menstrual cycle was? Can you remember?"

She thought about it for a second. "Um ... A few days before ... you know ... so about July 28."

The doctor nodded. "Well, that would put you at round about eight to nine weeks along. Your due date is approximately May time. Around 4th or 5th."

She just nodded.

"Now, I'm going to give you your options. I'm sure you know what they are."

"Have the baby or abort it. If I have it, I could keep it or give it up."

"Am I correct in assuming you were surprised by this news?" he asked delicately.

She nodded. "I suspected. Even apart from the obvious, I've not felt right. Myself. Physically, I mean. Technically, by now, I should be back to perfectly normal in a physical sense ... but I'm not. I ache sometimes, and tender. I've not been particularly hungry, but I guess ever since the thought came up, I haven't been as uncooperative when it comes to eating something ... since the baby would need it and all."

"You have a very sensible head on your shoulders, Penny. You must have put a lot of thought in this."

She shrugged. "It's not the baby's fault ... what happened. He or she is a victim of this as well. I won't punish it."

"So ..." the doctor prompted.

"I'll have the baby. Like you said, I'm not the first young girl to have one. I mean, younger girls than me have had babies throughout world history. It's not that big of a deal as people make it out to be."

"Well, assuming you'll stick by your decision, I'm going to prescribe you some prenatal vitamins and some folic acid pills. I would like to perform an ultrasound for you today, just to check everything is normal. WOuld that be okay?"

Penny nodded before she sighed. "I suppose me being all zombie won't help the baby either, right?" she guessed, already knowing the answer.

Doctor Martin sighed and leaned forward in his chair. "Penny, Sweetheart ... you've been through a massive trauma so your behaviour isn't out of the norm. In some cases, it is very necessary as the body and mind need to find its equilibrium again. You have a right to angry, to grieve for what has happened to you and what you have lost ..."

"But it still won't help the baby, right?" she repeated.

"In my opinion, no. Your baby will grow and develop as best as it can with what it's provided with. If you don't eat, or eat enough, or sleep, or exercise, the baby will have very poor development. You need to take care of yourself, as best as you're able. Let others take care of you. Accept help where you need it."

She remained silent.

"I'm not saying you should have a complete one-eighty and suddenly become a bouncy, bubbly, happy young woman because that is unreasonable to ask of you and quite frankly, won't be what's best for you emotionally or mentally.

"Grieving will not hinder your baby's development. Not grieving will hinder your emotional and mental healing. Pregnancy can make you emotional anyway, so don't bottle things up. It helps to talk about what happened to you. Maybe not to your father, or Mrs Lahote, or even me ... just talk to someone who you trusts first and foremost, and someone you know will not judge you.

"It might not be now, and it might not be a lot. Start with how you're feeling in that particular moment or an errant thought you had. A small detail that you recall from the incident, however insignificant it might be. Theoretically, the more you talk, the easier it will be. Start small, work your way up to it."

Penny nodded, taking in all the doctor was telling her. "Thank you ... I'll try ... for the baby. I don't think ... I'm so young and ... I don't know the first thing about ... I think I'm gonna give the baby up, after."

"I'm not going to tell you what's right for you. It's what you feel is best, not anybody else. If that's your choice, we'll look into it. We have leaflets and information packs to give you and it's all covered."

"Okay ... Well, I guess we should bring my Dad and Bella in ..."

"Your father at least, yes. You are a minor. I cannot keep this to myself, though it'll be obvious sooner rather than later."

Penny nodded and remained silent and seated as the doctor got up and opened the door to his office. He quietly called Jack into the room, who dragged Bella along. As an afterthought, Bella pulled Quinn to his feet. She had a bad feeling. He might be needed.

Quinn made a beeline for Penny, sitting in the chair closest beside her. Jack stood behind his daughter, his hands resting on her thin shoulders, while Bella occupied the other seat. The two sat down took one of the girl's hands in each of theirs.

"Now before I begin, let me warn you that there will be no violence or intimidating behaviour in this office. I don't want to hear any of you get onto Penny in anyway. We have spoken. She's come to a tentative decision. She has much more to think through. It would be wise to support her, not fight against her."

The three adults nodded, though thoroughly confused. Jack's hands tightened on Penny's shoulders. Bella's bad feeling worsened. Quinn just stared at the doctor, holding Penny's hand gently between his own.

"Just tell us, doc."

The doctor nodded once at the older man standing behind his daughter, eyeing his hands on her shoulders before he began to speak, "The results of Penny's blood labs have come back. As you can probably guess, I've already shared these results with her. As she is still a minor, I couldn't keep to doctor-patient confidentiality in this case, hence why I've called you in here. First off, Penny, do you want Bella and this young man in here?"

Penny nodded and shrugged once at the same time. "It's fine," she whispered. "They're going to find out either way."

The doctor nodded once. "Well, Mr. Swan, I can tell that your daughter is pregnant."

Bella closed her eyes in despair, burying her face in her hands as the tears collected and fell down her alabaster cheeks. She mourned for her cousin, her childhood and innocence lost. She'd be forced to grow up way too fast, to become somebody well beyond her years. She was to be a mother. Bella herself wasn't even a mother yet and she was nearly twice Penny's age.

Quinn sat wide-eyed, staring at the girl beside him. The girl who was slowly worming her way into his heart. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. He couldn't believe it and it pained him to remember who else's baby she was carrying. That scum.

Was she keeping it? To become another statistic? Was she going to get rid of it? To live a lifetime with that regret?

Jack ... Jack exploded.

"No she fucking isn't!" he shouted, pulling away. "NO, she fucking can't be! I thought you sorted that shit out!"

"Mr. Swan, calm down," the doctor warned, watching as Penny flinched minutely. "Yes, I did give her the emergency contraceptive. Yes, it is very effective. But not 100%. There is always a slight chance that the drug won't work. This is one of those times."

"Well fuck! I'm going to fucking sue your incompetent asses! There is no way my baby girl is having a baby! No way!" Jack screamed. "I forbid it!"

"Jack-"

"No. Penny, baby, we're gonna get this sorted out, okay? I'll make all the rearrangements for all this to go away."

"Mr. Swan! Stop it, right now. Yes, you are her father, but this is Penny's decision as it is her body. Why don't you ask Penny what she has decided, rather than steamrolling all over her with your demands?"

"Well of course, she doesn't want a baby! She's much too young!"

"I've known younger young ladies to have healthy children. It is a factor to keep an eye on, but not to worry about."

"She's not even in fucking high school yet! Her whole life, gone!"

"Why don't you ask your daughter what she wants?" Doctor Martin repeated, glancing over Penny's blank face.

He watched as Jack quickly moved around the chair and knelt before his daughter, ripping her hands from Quinn and Bella's as he took them in his own and brought them to his lips. He waited until her eyes met his before he spoke.

"Penny, Baby Girl, think about this properly. you have your whole life ahead of you. Don't be silly."

"Dad ... Please ... I want to have this baby-"

"Jesus Christ, Penny! Don't be a fucking idiot!"

"Let me finish!" she cut him off, her voice louder than it had been since the incident. It caught her father off guard. "I'm having the baby ... but I'll put him or her up for adoption."

This made Jack pause, Bella look up in surprise and Quinn wrap his arm around her shoulders. She gave him a small fleeting smile, which he returned. She knew, deep down, that she could count on him.

"I know I'm young, not too young to actually have a baby, but much too young to care for one as good as he or she deserves. I'm still in school, and even though I'm quite mature, I'm not enough. I don't know the first thing about caring a baby."

"No, you don't," Jack agreed with a sigh. "are you sure this is what you want? It's not going to be easy."

"No, it's not, I know, but ... I just think about how much happiness my baby would give another couple and that's worth it."

"Won't you regret it though, in years to come?" Quinn asked quietly.

Penny paused, thinking about it before she reluctantly nodded. "Probably, but I would if I aborted as well. Or if I raise the baby myself, I'll probably come to regret having to grow up too fast. Either way, I'll have some sort of regret."

"There's always open adoption," Bella whispered, speaking for the first time. Her eyes met Penny's and she smiled softly. "You could ask the couple to keep in contact with you, so even if you're raising the baby, you can still be apart of his or her life."

Penny liked that idea. She didn't think she could let go completely. "I think I'd do that."

She turned back to her father. "If I was older, even eighteen, I'd have kept this baby for myself ... but I'm not. I'm too young. I'm not ready to be a parent, but there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of people who are but can't be. I want do this. For the baby."

It was at this point that Jack broke down in tears, pulling his daughter out of her chair and into his lap. He couldn't have been more proud of her. Bella and Quinn followed suit and wrapped their arms around the pair.

The doctor smiled, glancing over the embracing foursome.

She said she wasn't mature enough, but he didn't think that was true. Women with twice Penny's maturity wouldn't have even thought about it before accepting the other option, not wanting the reminder of what happened to them.

Penny was a very, very strong individual, and he knew that even if she'd have kept the baby herself, she'd have made it through. It would have been a struggle, yes, but she'd have soldiered on and become stronger through the experience.

Still, he couldn't deny this would be the better option. Another couple with a good support network, a sufficient financial backbone and an established home would be more suited to fulfill the baby's needs. Penny truly loved her baby already to think of all that.

"Well, alright then ..." he hedged, bringing the four back to their senses.

They scrambled to compose themselves. Quinn and Bella sat back in their chairs, wiping their eyes, while Jack retook his place behind his daughter, now a pillar of undying support to her for the year to come. He didn't even bother wiping his face. They were happy, proud tears.

Doctor Martin smiled and continued, "Like I told you earlier, Penny, I'll prescribe you some prenatal vitamins and such. Take them daily. Eat better. Sleep better. Exercise gently. Keep yourself as healthy as possible, but grieve and talk. Heal your heart as well. Remember that it won't hinder the baby."

"I'll try."

"I would like to give you an ultrasound now. Would you lie back down on the cot while I get the machine, please? I won't be a moment."

Penny did as she was told, with the others following like little lost sheep. She lifted her top up and pushed her pants down a little bit and waited. The others fidgeted, but she was calm and collected. She knew what she needed to do from now on.

For the first time since the accident, she felt something ... Determination. She would provide her baby with everything it needed whilst he or she was still in her care, and she would find the best home for them when the time came. She wouldn't settle for anyone other than the best.

Doctor Martin returned with the machine and set it up, occasionally shooting Penny a reassuring smile, which she returned with a small, timid one. He sat and opened a tube of gel, warning her that it was cold just before he applied it to her lower stomach. She jumped, causing the doctor to chuckle as he grabbed the transducer and placed it to her stomach. He turned on the machine.

Moving the 'ducer around a little, he finally found what he was looking for. Seeing the tiny little bean on the screen made it all the more real for the three watching on. Jack's tears made a comeback and Bella beamed widely.

Quinn looked between the monitor, Penny's face and her stomach, wonder and amazement on his face. He couldn't describe the feeling in his chest. This girl was carrying a baby. A legitimate, living baby, heartbeat and everything. His mind was completely blown.

"And there's your baby. Doesn't look like much at the moment, but given a few weeks, and good sustenance, it'll be a different story. A good size," he stated as he measured the blob on screen. "Everything looks perfectly fine to me."

He turned off the machine and handed Penny a wet wipe to clean off the gel on her stomach.

"I'm going to set you an appointment for a few weeks time. Around the beginning of your second trimester. The baby will most definitely look its part by then. It won't be for a t least a couple of months yet until I can tell you the sex."

"Of course," Penny whispered, still looking at the now blank monitor.

"Penny, you okay?"

Quinn noticed her trance and took her hand in his, pecking her knuckles tenderly.

Penny was awed. Genuinely awed. She had a baby inside of her. She had life inside of her. That tiny blob depended on her to keep it alive. Her determination came back ten fold. She smiled up at Quinn, her eyes glisten.

"Yeah ... Yeah, I'm good."

"I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

"Thank you."

"Alright, here's your appointment card and prescriptions. I'll see you in a few weeks," Doctor Martin announced, handing the slips of paper to Jack while Bella helped Penny off the cot.

"Okay, thank you. Come on, Baby Girl," Jack ushered, wrapping his arm around her waist gently as he led her from the building.

Everyone was quiet on the way back home, still wrapping their heads around this new development, especially when they had thought it had been eliminated from ever becoming a possibility.

They had a pregnancy to prepare for. Parents to find. There could be no delay ...

... and Bella knew just where to start on that front. She smiled at the thought.

=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=

Hmm, I wonder who she's going to be talking to? :P

No one guessed Penny. Most actually guessed Emily, even though she's the girl it couldn't have been, lol. She has no father.

To those of you who remember how old I made Penny initially, her age has changed - she's now thirteen.

Leave me some love and motivation while you're here! It's much appreciated!

Love MrsWolfPack x