Thanks for you review EC Brenway!
I shall be taking away your violin and stop it playing a sad little tune to RIP your Chelly hopes and dreams! There's much more of this story to come!
The Chemistry In Darkness
Chapter Sixty
Tuesday 17th December 2024
Elly took a sharp breath at Chloe's pregnancy announcement.
Chloe saw the confliction in Elly's eyes as she continued, "I've been avoiding dealing with knowing that I'm pregnant to Pierce again."
"Are you sure you are?" Elly asked, pleading for it not to be true.
Chloe nodded, "I haven't taken any pregnancy tests or gone to my doctor but yeah…I know the signs. I missed this months' period a few weeks ago. I know my body. I know I'm not far along but I've had all the pregnancy signs. I'm pretty sure I fell pregnant…a few days before you arrived back. I figured it out a few weeks ago…it's like I knew as soon as I fell pregnant…I knew it had happened…I just felt different after Pierce and I…I just knew I was pregnant, then I missed my period and…I just knew. I should've told you but then that would mean…it's happening and I'm tied to Pierce forever."
"Chlo, you were in hospital with concussion after your car accident. How did they not pick it up then? And…just a few nights ago you were drinking at the engagement party…I mean drinking whilst pregnant isn't the worst thing," Elly tried to make sense of Chloe's announcement.
Chloe sighed, "I told the doctor I couldn't be pregnant and they didn't run any blood tests on me. The drinking was wrong, I knew it was but I was so messed up…I've been pretty messed up accepting that I must be pregnant. Part of the reason why I went for a breather that night…was to throw up as much of the alcohol as I could…I know drinking early in my pregnancy…during my pregnancy at all isn't right but I just…needed a release that night…I still probably haven't come to acceptance about this."
"Because it's Pierce's baby and being tied to Pierce forever…isn't what you want," Elly prayed she was right because she wasn't ready to give up all hope for her and Chloe.
Chloe struggled for a moment, "It's not that I don't want this baby…but I know what Pierce will be like. He's been waiting for this for years, we tried for years…or well I…might not have tried as Pierce thought I was…I've been on birth control pills the entire time since I last miscarried. Pierce doesn't know. David knows…he's the only one who does…he steals the pills for me from the hospital pharmacy every time I run out so it's not on my medical or pharmaceutical records. David's never even told Aaron or questioned why I hide this from Pierce. David risks his career every time he does this for me. It's no excuse and I know I can't explain why I do this but…if Pierce ever found out that I've been stopping us from having a baby together…doesn't matter now, does it?"
"You want this baby but Pierce being the Dad and having a tie to him forever is too much for you?" Elly asked, not wanting to make Chloe over-explain herself for deciding to keep using birth control pills without Pierce's knowledge.
Elly was just glad that Chloe showed all the signs of not wanting a family with Pierce. And yet here she was, pregnant with his child anyway.
Where does this leave Chloe and I now? The mate theory never accounted for this…
"I've been so scared the past month that this baby could have the Huntington's gene, that I could pass that onto a child. That's why I took the birth control pills," Chloe elaborated, "Pierce and I…we spoke about doing IVF to ensure the baby wouldn't carry the gene. In the end…Pierce wanted us to try for a baby the old-fashioned way."
"And what…force you into a decision on if to terminate if a baby conceived had the Huntington's gene? He's controlling you, Chlo, don't you see how bad it is that he does that for you. You can't want that for your baby," Elly pleaded.
"I can't take this baby from Pierce and raise him or her without him. I might not like some of the things Pierce does…but the child deserves to be raised with their father in their life. I need to do this for my child. And I need you to keep this a secret. I want to wait until the baby is 10 weeks and I can have the baby genetically tested to find out if she or he has Huntington's…then I'll tell Pierce he's a Dad," Chloe decided.
"And what will you do over the next 6 weeks? Waste away in agony not knowing if you want to have this baby with Pierce? Knowing deep down that if this baby is healthy…Pierce's controlling ways won't stop at you. This baby deserves to be in a loving family," Elly acknowledged.
Chloe tried to shrug nonchalantly, "Pretty much what I've been doing on my own for the past month. I know you won't believe me but Pierce won't be like this with a child, he's longed to be a father again for so long. To be there and raise the child this time. You have no idea how much Pierce wants this."
Feeling like she was losing her chance at being with Chloe, Elly threw out without even thinking about what it would mean for the pair of them, "Come with me anyway. Pierce doesn't need to know about this baby, I'll raise this baby with you and make sure that he or she has a loving family with us and Aster."
Chloe was completely surprised by Elly's proposal, unsure how she could possibly respond.
"You and this baby need love, I can give that to both of you, Aster will too. She adores you. What happened between us yesterday…it was perfect, Chlo, our entire world together in that moment was perfect," Elly confessed before pleading, "Let us have that entire world together for as long as we possibly can…the four of us."
Chloe eventually placed her forehead against Elly's again, "Elly, this baby needs to be raised by his or her parents."
"She or he will be by you and we can build a family together," Elly promised.
"Pierce may not be the world's best guy…or father to Hendrix and Alana…but he missed most of the kid's lives growing up because Lisa didn't want to share custody of her kids, Pierce respected that. He's been wanting another chance to raise a child and be there for them every day they need us. I don't think I can take my child away from their parent…just because…there's someone else I could be with," Chloe said quietly.
"Then we find a way to make this work for all of us. As much as I can't stand Pierce, if he needs to be in this child's life than…we'll do what we have to. I'm not going away overly far from here…I know right now I'm scared of myself being around humans but I'll get confident again. I just need a bit of time away. I know I said I'd be gone for good but…I will not be gone for long…I will return. That will give you time to learn if the baby is healthy and…when I get back…we can see where things stand between you and Pierce," Elly offered, changing her plans on a whim, before smiling shyly, "You want to be with me, Chlo, you said it. You don't need to be with Pierce for the sake of this baby."
"You don't know Pierce…he will never let me go…" Chloe cleared her throat awkwardly adding, "Raise this baby with you…be with you. I don't even know if this baby is healthy…until I do, I can't make any decisions…like leaving my husband," Chloe decided.
Does Chloe really think Pierce will never let her go…maybe I should tell her about the mate theory…? But then that'll put too much pressure on Chloe, won't it? She'll know she has to leave Pierce; she'll know she has to act on that…I want Chloe to be with me because she chooses me…accepts her love for me…
"We could be great together, Chlo, better than great, perfect. I love you, Chloe...and I know you love me too," Elly pleaded for a chance for them, "We can make a way to make our family work…even the craziness that is me being a werewolf…and Aster maybe growing up to be one…"
"It's not about the complications of us being a family or you being a werewolf…okay I might still be trying to wrap my head around that part…and the idea that Aster could grow up to be one too. We could be perfect together…but right now…I need to do what's best for this baby and that's trying to make my marriage work with his or her father…right now is not our time…if it'll ever…be our time," Chloe concluded sadly.
Elly listened to Chloe's words carefully, feeling her own heart breaking at every word. Knowing she and Chloe were meant to be and that was inevitable helped Elly know that no matter what, the pair would find the right time to be together. But not knowing when and fearing that Chloe could end up deciding to stay with Pierce because of the baby for future years on end, left Elly heartbroken it could be a long time until they could be together.
"I'm sorry," Chloe whispered when Elly looked away from her.
Elly breathed deeply before looking back at Chloe, lifting her hand to cup Chloe's cheek, "Don't be. I have all the faith in the world that somehow, someway, the two of us will be together and we'll be a family."
"How can you be so sure? I don't know where my life is heading right now," Chloe admitted.
Elly's lips curled into a small smile, trying her best to remain as positive as she could be to Chloe without revealing how she knew, "Because I love you and I know deep down you love me…and one day that'll be more than enough for you to see what I do…and know that we need to be together… There is nothing in the world that can stop it…one day it'll be our time."
Chloe stood there, wondering how Elly could be so positive in the face of rejection, "Maybe it will…but I don't know if it'll happen…just don't disappear on us for long…what'll I tell Bea…and the rest of your family?"
Elly pressed her forehead to Chloe's again, "I'll write to them tomorrow…tell them that Aster and I are safe and we're okay but some things happened and I needed to get away. I will be back…can't very well miss Bea's wedding now, can I?"
"Don't be gone that long," Chloe pleaded, knowing Bea hadn't even set a date yet for her wedding but wanted it to be late the following year.
"I won't...I want Aster to attend Erinsborough Kindy next year…so there's that to come back for too," Elly replied quietly, before lifting her head to place her lips to Chloe's forehead, kissing her softly.
Chloe felt tears welling up in her eyes but before she could say another word, Elly had turned and walked away.
Will it be our time…one day? Or has Elly walked away forever…because this baby has changed everything?
An hour later, Elly and Aster were on their way to The Pack. Elly struggled in the windy condition but persisted, knowing she needed to leave Erinsborough behind. Not forever, but for now, Elly couldn't be around humans except for her daughter. Elly knew running away again was gonna hurt her family but for now her heart was completely broken and she needed time to heal it again, if that was at all possible.
Elly had been so sure Chloe would join her and Aster.
Chloe was her mate; how could they not end up together?
But for now, at least, she needed to leave Chloe to accepting her pregnancy to Pierce and one day in the future the pair of them would reconnect once more and they'd be a family of four.
I need to believe that or else I'll never survive this heartbreak…
"Where are we going, Mama?" Aster asked, even though Elly had told her daughter numerous times.
"We're going back to The Pack to live for a while, I've told you, Aster," Elly repeated.
"But why?" Aster persisted.
"Because I'm still a danger around our family and I need to deal with that with those that understand me," Elly answered.
"But what about Bea and Yashvi? And Uncle Karl and Aunty Suze? And Chloe? We can't leave Chloe, Mama!" Aster was upset.
"They'll be okay in time, this isn't forever but I need us to be away from those I could end up hurting," Elly announced.
"But Chloe's your mate, Mama. You need to be together, why isn't Chloe coming with us?" Aster insisted.
"Chloe has her reasons for not coming with us," Elly replied politely.
"You need to be together," Aster repeated.
"We do and we will be, Aster, I swear to you. I still completely believe that Chloe and I will be together," Elly confessed, "But right now…is not our time."
"Then why are we leaving Chloe and everyone else? Why can't it be time for us to be a family with Chloe?" Aster pouted.
Elly struggled with her emotions over Chloe not being with them, "We need to keep the people we care about safe, Aster. It'll be time for Chloe and I one day, I promise but right now, it's just you and me. And The Pack. We're just about to them."
"When's one day gonna come, Mama? I miss Chloe already," Aster admitted.
"So do I," Elly concurred, "We'll be together…one day. A few months from now, years…however long it takes, I'll be waiting for Chloe. Count on it."
"I don't want it to take years, Mama," Aster complained.
"Me either," Elly whispered, then shivered once more in the cold, surprised how much the cold was affecting her, looking out at their new home as they approached it, "We're here, Aster. This place will be our home with The Pack for the time being."
Aster glanced up, looking amazed by the view ahead of her and her Mum, "This is gonna be our home…Mama? Where are we?"
Elly continued paddling the oars of their dingy through the strong winds towards land, glad to know she had managed to find the place she'd never been to without getting lost, "Aster…welcome to Pierce's Island."
"Wow!" Aster's jaw fell open as she stared at the island they were heading to.
Next time - It's Return to the Island! Or technically, Welcome to the Island because Elly hasn't been to the Island yet in this story on account of stopping Finn from getting there! When Elly meets back up with The Pack, how does she handle her emotions of Chloe's rejection?