Disclaimer: I own none of the original cast
***************************************************************************************************************************okay, I am SO sorry! I know it's been like a month and I left you in a HORRIBLE spot. I'll try to keep up next time, but no promises!
In Your Darkest Hour
Ch. 20
"The time is
always right to do what is right."
Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.
There was a silence on the phone
"Just meet me at Carini's in a half an hour." She said and hung up. He hung the phone up too and decided to dress right this time.
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This time at the restaurant was different because they seated him immediately and there was no waiting because Shelby was already sitting at one of the small booths against the wall. He sat down across from her and smiled subtly.
"Scott we need to talk." She said.
"We did. On the phone. So, I thought that we were okay with each other now....yah know...because I love you. I told you I did."
"Scott, I can't be with you anymore." She said quietly. He sat up straight and looked at her.
"What......"
"I can't be with you. Seeing how you walked out shows me that I cant depend on you to be there for Chelsea no matter what. Plus I just don't think I could forgive you for it."
"For what?!"
"Scott.....I forgive you for walking out on me and Chelsea when we needed you most. I forgive you for leaving before you even knew I was pregnant. I forgive you for everything you've ever done to me that hurt."
"There's a but, isn't there." Scott said.
" I've always known you would be a good dad. And I always knew you'd be my child's father, but the fact that you had to take time to that out for yourself, and that you had to take time to decide whether you wanted to be in her life or not...I don't forgive you for that, Scott."
"No! You told me to! You said I could pick!" he yelled and stood up at the booth. He was making a scene. She stood up, too.
"And you listened." She said and walked out quickly, not looking back, because if she did she wouldn't be able to go through with it. If she looked back and saw his eyes full of sadness and questions, she would turn right around.
Scott watched her not knowing what to do. He felt like he had just been slapped in the face. Then something dawned on him as he watched the door she had just walked through onto the street. He realized he had just let the most important thing in his life walk right through that door. As soon as it registered in his mind he bolted towards the same door. He had to catch her. Once out on the sidewalk he looked forward and to both sides. No sign of Shelby. She had gone. Just as panic was about to set in, a voice from behind him said
"What took you so long?" Scott turned around and saw Shelby leaning up against a wall smoking a cigarette.
"It took me around 2 seconds after you left to realize that I didn't ever want to lose you again." He said. She smiled. "You tricked me."
"I had to test you." She said taking another drag.
"Did I pass?"
"With flying colors. I knew you would. I just had to see if you knew you would." She said. He smiled. He walked closer to her and pulled the cigarette from her mouth and threw on the ground, grinding in with his foot.
"Smoking's bad for you, yah know. It can kill you."
"3 years at Horizon and you were infected by the goody two shoes squad. Great." She said standing up straight.
"No...." he said "I just don't want to raise our daughter by myself because you died of lung cancer or emphysema."
"You really mean that? About us raising Chelsea together?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way." He said and hugged her. Then he offered her his hand, which she accepted for the first time since the first part of the trial and they walked down the sidewalk of the city.
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Okay, sorry so short. Next chapter you get the verdict of the trial and I think it'll also be the finale. Don't worry though, I'm gonna do a sequel and I think I'm gonna call it "The Absence of Fear" so look for it in a couple weeks.