Ciara was almost 7 months pregnant now and to say that her hormones were running wild was an understatement. She was less understanding than normal about how much time Ben spent at DiMera and he pissed her off without even trying. Ben knew that it was all part of the pregnancy and it would all be worth it when they held their baby in their arms for the first time. Tonight was going to be different though. Tonight Ben was going to make sure was absolutely perfect. Tonight was the night Ben was going to ask Ciara to be his wife.

Ciara walked into the loft and cradled her belly with one hand and pushed hair behind her ear with the other. "Ben?" Ciara looked down at her belly, "What is Daddy up to?" Ben came out of their bedroom.

Ben let out a breath and smiled. Any nerves that Ben had faded once he saw Ciara. He loved her, it just felt right. Ciara was meant to be his wife. He was meant to be her husband.

Ben walked up to Ciara and held her face in his hands and kissed her. Ben pulled away after a moment and Ciara thinned her lips to a line, "Mmm. What was that for?" Ben moved one hand to Ciara's belly, "THAT was for making all of my dreams come true."

Ciara smiled at Ben and let out a breath as Ben got down on one knee. Ciara's eyes widened, "Ben, wha-what are you doing?" Ben took one of Ciara's hands in his, "Ciara, will you marry me?" Ciara's eyes widen further as she tried to pull Ben up, "Ben, wh-why are you doing this?"

Ben stood up and looked at Ciara in confusion, "I-" Ciara cut Ben off as she started pacing, "A-are you just doing this because I'm pregnant and it's the 'right' or 'honorable' thing to do?" "Ciara, I-"

Ciara cut Ben off again, "Because I don't need your pity or charity, Ben. An-and if you are only with me because you got me pregnant, DON'T! Okay, it is 2020 and a woman is PERFECTLY capable of having a baby and taking care of it on her own." Ben's confusion grew, "Ciara…" Ciara began pacing again, "So if you are only staying because you're trying to 'take responsibility' or whatever, DON'T. I will be FINE! The BABY will be fine! S-so you know what Ben, jus-just leave."

Ciara sighed angrily and pinched her temple, "Take what is yours and just go." Ben swallowed hard and nodded slightly, "O-okay."

This was so not the way Ben had planned on the night going. He figured he and Ciara would have been on their way to the bedroom right about now to celebrate their new status as an engaged couple.

Ciara crossed her arms and sighed angrily. Ciara turned away from Ben and Ben picked Ciara up and started walking for the door. Ciara kicked slightly, "What-what are you doing Ben?!"

Ben put Ciara down when they were outside the door. Ciara crossed her arms angrily at Ben, "You wanna tell me what the hell that was about?!" Ben thinned his lips to a line, "You said to take what was mine and go." Ciara widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows at Ben. Ben continued, "Ciara, I love you and me proposing has nothing to do with the fact that you carrying my child."

Ben chuckled slightly but could see there wasn't a trace of humor or amusement on Ciara's face, "I am perfectly aware that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself. I've known that since the moment I met and fell in love with you. But I want you to know that you are not alone. Ciara, you will NEVER be alone again. I am your partner in this. And while you navigate this new and unknown path of parenthood, know that I will be right by your side, always. Just like you've always stood by me. I want to marry you because I love you and-" Ben gently rubbed the side of Ciara's belly, "-I love our baby. I wanted us to be a family, officially."

Ciara sighed heavily absorbing everything that Ben had just said. Ciara ran her hands through her locks and placed her hand on her forehead. Ciara chuckled, "Ben, I'm sorry. Once again, I totally flipped out on you." Ciara rubbed her belly, "My emotions have been all over the place and you have to be the most understanding man I know. I love you too, and yes I DO want to marry you one day, but not like this. Not just because I am pregnant. I don't want to be a whale of a bride." Ciara gestured to how wide she'd become.

Ciara sighed heavily, "We-we're going through enough changes right now. I-is it bad if I want to keep just ONE thing just the way it is, right now?" Ben swallowed hard, "Ciara I love you, and I am going to be there for you and the baby whether we are married or not. I-I just thought…." Ciara rested her hand on Ben's chest, "I'm not saying 'no' exactly; I'm just saying 'not right now'.

Ben licked his lips and thinned them to a line. Ben sighed heavily, "O-okay, fair enough. Just answer me this Ciara: do you not want to get married now or do you just not want to marry ME?"

Ciara's eyes bugged out at Ben's question. "Are you serious Ben? I LOVE you and yes, I want to be your wife one day, but just not right now. I-it's just not the right time for us."

Ben's head dipped slightly and Ciara put her finger under Ben's chin and forced him to looked at her, "If I WAS going to marry someone, it would be you Ben. I love you Oliver Benjamin Weston." Ben wrapped his arms around Ciara's waist and rested his forehead on Ciara's shoulder, "And I love you, Ciara Alice Brady."

Ciara sighed contently as she rested her hands on Ben's shoulders.

Ben woke up and didn't see Ciara next to him. Ben walked out of their bedroom and found Ciara in the kitchen turned away from him with the last person he would have ever expected: Chad DiMera. Chad was resting his hands on Ciara's belly and smiling at her.

Ben looked at Ciara confused, "Ci-Ciara? What's going on?" Ciara turned around and smirked, "Oh, Ben. I didn't hear you." Ben's confused face stayed, "Ciara, why is Chad here?"

Ciara held her hand on Chad's shoulder as she walked toward Ben. "Ben, I was just talking to my baby daddy." Ben furrowed his eyebrows at Ciara, "'Baby daddy'? Wha-what are you talking about Ciara? I'M the father of your baby."

Ciara glanced back at Chad and Chad chuckled, "Really Benny? You fell for that? AGAIN?" Chad sucked in a breath, "I thought you would have learned your lesson after the last time." Ben looked back and forth between Ciara and Chad.

Ciara took two steps toward Ben, "Did you really think I would have a baby with a serial killer?" Ben let out a shocked breath, "Ciara, you-you said you loved me. Y-you said there was no one else you would rather be the father to your baby." Ciara put her finger to her chin and cocked her head to the side slightly, "Oh Ben, for someone who should have so much street smarts you really are an idiot. You believed what you wanted to believe and you saw what you wanted to see. I would NEVER have a baby with someone who murdered four people and tortured my family!"

Ciara reached an arm back toward Chad and Chad took hold of Ciara's hand. Ciara continued, "Chad is a good and decent man. He's everything you're not and that's why I'm marrying him."

Ciara held up her hand and Ben saw a huge diamond on her ring finger. Ben shook his head, "N-no, this can't be right. Th-there has to be some mistake."

Chad let go of Ciara's hand and folded his arms, "Oh there's no mistake. You lost, AGAIN." Chad turned toward Ciara and leaned in to kiss her. Ciara giggled, "Oh Chad."

"NO!" Ben shouted as he shot up in bed. Ben let out a shaky breath as he looked around. Ben put his head in his hands.

Ciara woke up when she heard Ben's shout. Ciara sat up alarmed and wrapped her arm around Ben's shoulder, "Hey, it's okay." Ben shrugged himself out of Ciara's grasp and stood up. Ben coolly said "Don't touch me." Ciara looked at Ben in confusion, "Ben?"

Ciara leaned across the bed toward Ben, "Ben, it was just a bad dream." Ben began pacing, "Stay away from me."

Ciara got out of bed and walked over to Ben, "Ben, what's wrong?" Ben sneered at Ciara, "Don't, don't do that. Don't pretend like you give a damn about me." Ciara grasped Ben's hands, "Ben, what are you talking about? I LOVE you. Of course I give a damn about you."

Ben ripped his hands from Ciara's, "The-then why did you lie to me and say I was the father of your baby? W-was this all some sick game to you?! Playing with me? Toying with me?! Letting me fall in love with this child and then ripping it away? And now you tell me that not only is Chad DiMera the father, but you're MARRYING him?!"

Tears began to well in Ciara's eyes as she struggled to get through to Ben, "Ben, you just had a bad dream. I know it felt real, but it wasn't. You are the father of this baby." Ciara took Ben's hand and placed it over her belly trying to get through to him, "Ben, this baby is half you and half me. We made this baby together in our love for each other. No other man is even a remote possibility to be the father. If there was even a one percent chance that someone else could be the father, which there ISN'T, I would NEVER have let you go all of these months believing that and falling in love with this baby."

Ben shook his head slightly, "I-I don't know what to believe." Ben wanted to believe Ciara, but it felt so real. Ciara being so cruel and saying how Chad was the father. Talk about déjà vu.

Ciara sighed emotionally, "Ben, do you need a paternity test to prove that this is your baby? I know EXACTLY what the results will say." Tears began to well in Ciara's eyes, "It will say Ben Weston is the father." Ben closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, "I-I don't know what to think."

Ben sat down on the edge of the bed and Ciara sat next to him. Ciara turned toward Ben and Ben said, "I'm sorry Ciara. I-it was just so vivid. You saying that Chad was the father and you would never have a baby with a serial killer like me."

Tears began to well in Ben's eyes and Ciara grasped Ben's hand, "Ben, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are the father." Ben swallowed hard, "I know Ciara. I-it's just…" Ben sighed heavily, "It's like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." Ciara looked at Ben in confusion. "Th-the last time I thought I was going to be a dad, I got SO excited. I totally fell in love with the baby and the idea of being a dad… and then it got ripped away from me. I know that you aren't Abigail, but…"

Ciara nodded slightly, getting what Ben was saying. "You're afraid that history is going to repeat itself." Ben nodded slightly, "I trust you Ciara, more than anyone but i-it just seemed so real. It was like I was watching a movie of my life, of my dream being ripped away from me again. But this time, I was losing the woman that knew every part of me but I thought loved me completely anyway."

Ciara licked her lips and caressed Ben's cheek, "Listen to me Ben Weston. I love you, I love you with all of my heart and soul. We made this baby together. You and I, no one else. The other shoe is never going to drop, I can promise you that."

Ben rested his head in the crook of Ciara's neck and held her hand, "I love you Ciara." Ciara smiled as she caressed Ben's cheek, "I love you too."

TBC