Chapter 20

Charlie and I hadn't even got out of bed yet when there was a knock at our front door. We were also both still nude from the night before. The person knocked again. I searched the room for my robe and put it on. When I reached the door I looked through the viewfinder once more. It was Dad. Quickly, I unlocked the door and let him in.

"Daddy, it's four o'clock in the morning what are you doing here?"

He just hugged me.

"Dad?"

He didn't answer me he just continued to hug me.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

He touched my face.

"I had a horrible nightmare about you sweetie...I had to come and see if you were alright...it just felt so real to me."

"Of course I'm alright...it was just a nightmare..."

"I know but I...Harmione I thought about that day with Ghostfreak a lot...and-"

"Dad...it's over...what happened then was a fluke...we all let Ghostfreak get to us...but everything's fine now...things are just starting to get back to normal around here."

"I know, I know, and I know you have powers, you have me and your mother and Charlie...I know you can take care of yourself...I just...I love you Harmione."

"I love you too Daddy...also...I...I didn't know when would be a good time to tell you..so I guess I'll tell you now..."

"Tell me what?"

"Well I've been meaning to tell you that if it makes you feel any better...I have decided to not pursue hero work anymore.

"What...Harmione...your whole life you wanted to be a hero...fight side by side with me and your mom."

I nodded with tears in my eyes.

"Hero Time is your thing Daddy...it always has been...it always will be..."

"But you're a Plumber."

"And I'll always do what I can to protect our Earth...just in different ways...not all bad guys have four eyes and slimy skin..."

"Sweetheart..."

He touched the side of my face and my tears ran down my cheeks. I touched his hand.

"You're my hero Daddy...you'll always be my hero...and mom will always be my inspiration...but...to keep Charlie safe...to keep my family safe...I can never do what you, Mom, Gwen, and Kevin do. I see now that I know the kind of hero I was meant to be...Charlie's been sick all his life...You were Mom's hero...let me be Charlie's and leave at that...so don't worry about me anymore Dad...I'm going to be fine."

"Harmione..."

Dad hugged me again. It felt like the longest hug I ever received from Dad. He kissed my forehead.

"You're the kind of hero I wish everyone could be." He whispered. I understand..."I'll talk to you later, sorry I woke you...take care Har."

"Always."

I locked the door as Dad left and rested my back up against it. The tears contiued to roll down my face. Though I was actually happy. Charlie and I were going to be just fine. I got back in bed next to him. He began to spoon me.

"Charlie?"

"Hm." He responded tiredly with his face in his pillow.

"I'm giving up hero work."

"Okay..."

Suddenly he sat up and looked at me.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm giving up hero work."

"Har...no...no I can't let you do that!"

"Charlie don't get excited...look at me."

I grabbed his face.

"If I wanted to do something that would make me happy, you'd let me right?"

"Of course...I want you to be happy but-"

"It would make me happy to just be able to live a normal life with you Charlie...I see now where my heart truly lies...it's what I want."

"But giving up your dream for me...Har no..."

"I found a better dream Charlie."

He had tears in his eyes. I kissed him and he put his head down on my chest. I stroked his hair.

"I found you."

Charlie sniffled and tried to hide the fact that he was crying. I just held onto him. A few weeks later I was sitting in our dinning room studying for one of my summer courses. Charlie went over to Josh's place for a while. I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and really hit the books. I was hoping to get all of my work done before Charlie got back.

As I sat there, I began to feel light headed. I got me some water to make me feel better. It didn't help. I actually had to stop doing my homework because I felt so dizzy. I even had a slight temperature. I wasn't sure what was wrong. I went to lie down for a bit, then I called Deanna.

"Hey...Dee, I know you're pregnant, and you've been trying to stay off your feet but can you come over for a few minutes I think I'm coming down with something."

Deanna went into nursing out of high school. She would know what to do. She came over a few minutes after I called her.

"Headache, dizzy, fever, fatigue...any other symptoms Har?"

"Yeah I've been going to the bathroom a lot more and I've felt sick to my stomach, do you think it's a bug?"

"Well I'm not in the field yet, it sounds like you may have caught something...you usually don't get sick though so it's probably nothing serious...But I'd still go to the doctor if I was you."

"Dee..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you still have your pregnancy tests?"

Deanna gasped.

"You think you could be?!"

"One way to find out."

Deanna left me two of her tests. She explained to me how to take them, and then left to pick up Rodney from work and take him to lunch. She wanted me to call her immediately after I found out something.

It was just me, myself, and I in the bathroom with this test. I did as Deanna instructed and placed the test on the sink. Deanna was right I don't get sick very often. Charlie and I have been trying for a baby; and I haven't had my period yet. It just made sense to me. I didn't want to screw this up. I've let one baby down already. This test would show a plus sign if you were expecting and a minus sign if you weren't. I anxiously awaited the results.

There was not a doubt in my mind though. I was ready to see the plus sign. After about 10 minutes or so I came back to the bathroom to see what the test said. Let me say this, no matter how prepared I was, no matter how right I felt I was, I just cried when I picked up that test.

There on the digital screen of the stick was a huge plus sign.

"I'm pregnant..." I said to myself. I covered my mouth and cried into my hand. I couldn't stop staring at the test. I laughed in spite of myself, but contiued to cry. I tried to think of a creative way to tell Charlie. I knew I wouldn't be able to wait to tell him so it had to be now. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Even though I didn't feel 100 percent well, I took a shower and put on make-up anyway. I didn't wear anything fancy. I put on a pair of jeans and one of Charlie's shirts. I put my hair up in a messy ponytail and cooked a light lunch. I had to pace myself because I still had a headache. Charlie came home a little after 12:30.

"Babe?!" He called.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I called back.

He entered the kitchen and wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek.

"How was Josh?"

"Fine, he's Josh you know."

"Yeah..."

"What are you making?"

"Grilled chicken taco salad."

"Ooo...well it smells good."

"Did you eat with Josh?"

"No...I told him I'd go home for lunch."

He kissed my cheek and opened the fridge.

"Were you okay here by yourself?" He asked and took out a carton of orange juice.

"Oh sure, nothing really happened."

He poured himself a glass of juice. I grew nervous. I desperately wanted to tell him. I didn't have a whole lot of time but I wanted to capture his reaction.

"Charlie?"

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd take a picture with me so I can send it to my dad."

"To your Dad?"

"Yeah, I want to show him how happy I am not doing hero work..."

"Okay."

I took my phone out, Charlie wiped his mouth off and put his arms around me; he then put his chin on my shoulder. I turned my phone around to get a better angle. I began to record a video instead.

"Ready, on the count of three say One...two...three...I'm pregnant."

Charlie's smile faded. I didn't even snap the picture, but I did stop the video. We exchanged glances. I laughed slightly, Charlie didn't move.

"Are you joking with me right now?" He asked.

"No..."

"You're serious?"

I nodded and smiled wider.

"We're going to have baby?"

"We're going to have a baby, and you're going to be a Daddy."

Charlie just stared at me for a moment. He then hid his face in his hands. He began to sob behind them.

"Oh Charlie...

I hugged him. He held on to me and cried into my shoulder. I teared up again myself and began to cry with him.

"You really are?" He sniffled.

"Yes babe...I took the test this morning?"

I stroked the hair on the back of his head as he cried more.

"What was your reaction?"

"The same as yours, baby."

He kissed me, then kissed my neck down to my stomach. He got on his knee and hugged me around the waist. He kissed my stomach as I petted his head. He sniffled again. I helped him back to his feet and got us both some tissues. He hugged me again after wiping his tears away with them. He clenched his fist and crinkled up the tissue in his hand as he held me. We were going to be parents.