TWO MONTHS LATER. . .
Kay lay on her bed, feeling horrible. Her morning sickness had hit her hard today. Every time she moved she felt like throwing up. Miguel didn't care. He simply glared at her and sat on the couch with Charity. All Grace did was glare too. She had spent thirty minutes screaming through the bathroom door at Kay for destroying Charity's happiness, until Kay screamed back that she didn't choose to have morning sickness right now, before throwing up the entire contents of her stomach. Which wasn't much. Finally Sam had come up and made Grace stop, then came in a rubbed Kay's back and held back her hair as she huddled miserably over the toilet, humming softly to her. But then he had to go to work and so Kay was in here, a wet wash cloth over her eyes, feeling miserable. And she had been so excited about today too. . .
FLASHBACK
"Kay! Phone!" Sam yelled up the stairs. Kay bounded down the stairs, ignoring the glares from Miguel, Charity, Jessica and Grace as she took the phone from Sam.
"Thanks Daddy. Hello?"
"Hey there brunette."
"Akura!" Kay said happily. She had been dating Akura for a little more than a month now, but she hadn't told anyone, not even her dad, wanting to keep it a secret. He hadn't even been to her house yet. "What's up?"
"Not much. Just hanging out at home, bored out of my skull." Akura had a small house, minutes away from the campus. Kay hadn't said anything yet, but she was seriously starting to consider moving in with him as the situation at home got worse by the day. "Listen, can I come over and see you tomorrow, maybe take you out to lunch?"
"I'd love to! That would be so great. I'll see you then." Kay had hung up the phone and practically danced back upstairs, humming to herself.
END FLASHBACK
She had been so excited to hear Akura's voice, and about seeing him, but now with this stupid morning sickness. . .
"Kay." Miguel's voice came through her door, flat and dead. "Door."
"Thanks." Kay swung her legs off the bed, then waited for the room to stop spinning before standing up. Carefully she made her way out of her room and down the stairs. There she saw a very angry looking Grace refusing to let a very annoyed looking Akura in the house.
"Grace." Kay said coldly. "Move and let him in." Grace moved and Akura stepped into the house.
"Hey Akura." Kay said coming down the stairs.
"Hey you. Ready for lunch?" He asked, the grin fading when he saw how white Kay looked. "Oh no. Morning sickness really bad?" Kay simply nodded, while Grace went red with fury.
"Kay! You told a total stranger about your 'condition'?"
"Stuff it mom." Kay replied as Akura bounded up the stairs to meet her. "Akura's not a total stranger, I've been dating him for more than a month now." He wrapped an arm around her waist, both of them ignoring Grace's startled gasp.
"How about some ice cream? When my sisters morning sickness got bad, they always wanted ice cream."
"You read my mind." Kay said with a small laugh, her first all day.
"I told you, I have seven sisters. I'm used to pregnant ladies. Come on."
Akura gave Kay his warm leather jacket, then they walked to the nearest ice cream shop. After awhile, Kay's stomach had settled and she was laughing and talking with Akura. They even walked down to the beach for a little while. They simply sat there, Akura leaning against a tree with Kay between his knees, one bent for her to rest her arm on, one of his hands gently rubbing the very slight bulge of her stomach.
"Your so sweet to me Akura." Kay mumbled, snuggling into him. "I don't deserve you." He smiled and nuzzled her neck.
"Everyone deserves to be happy and to love Kay." He whispered. "Especially you."
"Hmm." Kay said sleepily, her head drooping a little.
"You want me to take you home?" Akura asked gently, still rubbing her stomach.
"No." Kay said firmly.
"You want to come to my place?" Akura asked softly. Kay nodded, then yawned. Akura scooped her up in his arms and carried her. Kay protested weakly, then simply wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his chest, closing her eyes and sleeping within minutes. Akura smiled and carried her to his home.
He was there in just a few minutes and managed to unlock and open the door without waking her up. He lay her on his bed, then kicked off his shoes and lay next to her, pulling her up against him, resting his hand on her stomach. Then he fell asleep too.
When Kay woke up a half hour later, she found Akura laying on the bed next to her, rubbing her stomach gently.
"Hey." He whispered, leaning down and kissing her gently. Kay smiled against his lips, and then pulled away after awhile.
"Hey yourself." She said happily, stretching. She turned to face Akura and snuggled into his chest, breathing in his warm, calming scent. Akura wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head before resting his chin there. They lay like that for a long time, not talking of moving, simply snuggling and enjoying being with each other.
"Kay?" Akura asked softly a few minutes later.
"Hmm?" She asked, pulling back to look at him. Akura smiled down at her and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears.
"Would you consider moving in with me, here? There's two bedrooms, and you wouldn't have to put up with your situation at home." Akura's eyes were open and honest with Kay. Kay was thrilled, but a little hesitant.
"But Akura, what about when the baby comes?"
"Kay, when that baby comes, I will love her as much as I love you. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
"Her?" Kay asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Her." Akura said firmly. "A rebellious, hard headed, stubborn, independent little brunette, just like her mom."
"I just don't know if I'm ready for that."
"Just think about it for a while, okay?" Akura asked, kissing her forehead.
"I will." She promised.
Akura got his answer a week later.
"Hello." Akura said lazily, holding the phone to his ear as he flipped channels.
"Akura?" A soft voice asked. Akura sat straight up on his couch.
"Kay? Baby, what's wrong?" Her voice was soft and scared, and sounded like she'd been crying.
"I think I will move in with you. Can you come get me? Now? I can't stand being here any longer, and my doctor said that too much stress isn't good for the baby."
"I'll be right there." Akura promised.
"Hurry." Kay begged, before choking off a sob and hanging up. Akura also hung up, pulled on his shoes and coat and grabbed his car keys.
He was there in under five minutes and bounding up the stairs toward the Bennett house. He opened the door without knocking and was shocked to see Kay sitting on the couch, her face streaked with tears and almost white, while Grace, Jessica, Simone and Charity stood around her and glared. Miguel stood in front of her, and Akura was just in time to hear him say words that made Akura's heart stop.
"You're a horrible person Kay, and I don't trust you to be a responsible mother to our child. I'm letting you know that the moment you give birth, I will take that baby away from you and you will never see it again. I won't let you ruin another innocent life. Charity and I will be married, and Charity will make a much better mother then you could ever hope to make. You disgust me Kay! I'll never let you keep that baby!"
Kay howled in misery and clutched her belly, and though to protect it from Miguel's words. The sight of her in pain unfroze Akura and he was across the room in two seconds, throwing a punch at Miguel that knocked him halfway across the room and into the coffee table.
"You stay away from her you bastard." Akura hissed. Then he turned to Kay and held out his arms. With a sob, she flung herself into his arms and clutched him tightly, burying her face in the side of his neck.
"Don't let him take her!" She begged frantically. "Please don't let him take my daughter!"
"Shhh, sweetie. I'll protect you." Akura whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "Both of you." He added with a glare at Miguel.
Kay slowly began to calm down, and let Akura pull away to look at her.
"Got your stuff ready?" He asked quietly. Kay nodded, and motioned to the two duffel bags and a suitcase at the top of the stairs. Akura left her side for only a moment to retrieve her stuff, then he was back and they were walking out the door.
"You stay away from her. I mean it." Akura said, throwing one last glare at Miguel before following Kay out to his car.
He tossed her stuff in the trunk, then climbed into the drivers seat and drove her to his place. On the way, Kay told him about how Jessica had found her dairy and promptly ran to her mother. Kay's dairy held all the facts about everything she had ever done to separate Miguel and Charity. Now everyone hated her and Miguel was going to try and take her baby away! Kay broke down in sobs again at the thought of Miguel's words. Akura pulled into his driveway just then and pulled her into his arm and lap, and rocked her softly back and forth and he whispered into her hair and made soothing noises.
Kay's sobs faded away, and Akura pulled back to look her in the eye.
"Kay, I swear I will not let Miguel or anyone take your baby away. I don't care if we have to go back to my hometown, but we will do what we have too to protect you. My family will help us."
"Where does your family live right now?" Kay asked through her sniffling.
"San Diego."
"That sounds nice." Kay said with a laugh. "But I want to finish the semester."
"All right." Akura said. "San Diego is a last resort. We'll only go there is we absolutely have to."
"Right." Kay said. She wiped at her eyes, and beamed at Akura. "Lets go home, shall we?"
Kay lay on her bed, feeling horrible. Her morning sickness had hit her hard today. Every time she moved she felt like throwing up. Miguel didn't care. He simply glared at her and sat on the couch with Charity. All Grace did was glare too. She had spent thirty minutes screaming through the bathroom door at Kay for destroying Charity's happiness, until Kay screamed back that she didn't choose to have morning sickness right now, before throwing up the entire contents of her stomach. Which wasn't much. Finally Sam had come up and made Grace stop, then came in a rubbed Kay's back and held back her hair as she huddled miserably over the toilet, humming softly to her. But then he had to go to work and so Kay was in here, a wet wash cloth over her eyes, feeling miserable. And she had been so excited about today too. . .
FLASHBACK
"Kay! Phone!" Sam yelled up the stairs. Kay bounded down the stairs, ignoring the glares from Miguel, Charity, Jessica and Grace as she took the phone from Sam.
"Thanks Daddy. Hello?"
"Hey there brunette."
"Akura!" Kay said happily. She had been dating Akura for a little more than a month now, but she hadn't told anyone, not even her dad, wanting to keep it a secret. He hadn't even been to her house yet. "What's up?"
"Not much. Just hanging out at home, bored out of my skull." Akura had a small house, minutes away from the campus. Kay hadn't said anything yet, but she was seriously starting to consider moving in with him as the situation at home got worse by the day. "Listen, can I come over and see you tomorrow, maybe take you out to lunch?"
"I'd love to! That would be so great. I'll see you then." Kay had hung up the phone and practically danced back upstairs, humming to herself.
END FLASHBACK
She had been so excited to hear Akura's voice, and about seeing him, but now with this stupid morning sickness. . .
"Kay." Miguel's voice came through her door, flat and dead. "Door."
"Thanks." Kay swung her legs off the bed, then waited for the room to stop spinning before standing up. Carefully she made her way out of her room and down the stairs. There she saw a very angry looking Grace refusing to let a very annoyed looking Akura in the house.
"Grace." Kay said coldly. "Move and let him in." Grace moved and Akura stepped into the house.
"Hey Akura." Kay said coming down the stairs.
"Hey you. Ready for lunch?" He asked, the grin fading when he saw how white Kay looked. "Oh no. Morning sickness really bad?" Kay simply nodded, while Grace went red with fury.
"Kay! You told a total stranger about your 'condition'?"
"Stuff it mom." Kay replied as Akura bounded up the stairs to meet her. "Akura's not a total stranger, I've been dating him for more than a month now." He wrapped an arm around her waist, both of them ignoring Grace's startled gasp.
"How about some ice cream? When my sisters morning sickness got bad, they always wanted ice cream."
"You read my mind." Kay said with a small laugh, her first all day.
"I told you, I have seven sisters. I'm used to pregnant ladies. Come on."
Akura gave Kay his warm leather jacket, then they walked to the nearest ice cream shop. After awhile, Kay's stomach had settled and she was laughing and talking with Akura. They even walked down to the beach for a little while. They simply sat there, Akura leaning against a tree with Kay between his knees, one bent for her to rest her arm on, one of his hands gently rubbing the very slight bulge of her stomach.
"Your so sweet to me Akura." Kay mumbled, snuggling into him. "I don't deserve you." He smiled and nuzzled her neck.
"Everyone deserves to be happy and to love Kay." He whispered. "Especially you."
"Hmm." Kay said sleepily, her head drooping a little.
"You want me to take you home?" Akura asked gently, still rubbing her stomach.
"No." Kay said firmly.
"You want to come to my place?" Akura asked softly. Kay nodded, then yawned. Akura scooped her up in his arms and carried her. Kay protested weakly, then simply wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his chest, closing her eyes and sleeping within minutes. Akura smiled and carried her to his home.
He was there in just a few minutes and managed to unlock and open the door without waking her up. He lay her on his bed, then kicked off his shoes and lay next to her, pulling her up against him, resting his hand on her stomach. Then he fell asleep too.
When Kay woke up a half hour later, she found Akura laying on the bed next to her, rubbing her stomach gently.
"Hey." He whispered, leaning down and kissing her gently. Kay smiled against his lips, and then pulled away after awhile.
"Hey yourself." She said happily, stretching. She turned to face Akura and snuggled into his chest, breathing in his warm, calming scent. Akura wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head before resting his chin there. They lay like that for a long time, not talking of moving, simply snuggling and enjoying being with each other.
"Kay?" Akura asked softly a few minutes later.
"Hmm?" She asked, pulling back to look at him. Akura smiled down at her and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears.
"Would you consider moving in with me, here? There's two bedrooms, and you wouldn't have to put up with your situation at home." Akura's eyes were open and honest with Kay. Kay was thrilled, but a little hesitant.
"But Akura, what about when the baby comes?"
"Kay, when that baby comes, I will love her as much as I love you. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
"Her?" Kay asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Her." Akura said firmly. "A rebellious, hard headed, stubborn, independent little brunette, just like her mom."
"I just don't know if I'm ready for that."
"Just think about it for a while, okay?" Akura asked, kissing her forehead.
"I will." She promised.
Akura got his answer a week later.
"Hello." Akura said lazily, holding the phone to his ear as he flipped channels.
"Akura?" A soft voice asked. Akura sat straight up on his couch.
"Kay? Baby, what's wrong?" Her voice was soft and scared, and sounded like she'd been crying.
"I think I will move in with you. Can you come get me? Now? I can't stand being here any longer, and my doctor said that too much stress isn't good for the baby."
"I'll be right there." Akura promised.
"Hurry." Kay begged, before choking off a sob and hanging up. Akura also hung up, pulled on his shoes and coat and grabbed his car keys.
He was there in under five minutes and bounding up the stairs toward the Bennett house. He opened the door without knocking and was shocked to see Kay sitting on the couch, her face streaked with tears and almost white, while Grace, Jessica, Simone and Charity stood around her and glared. Miguel stood in front of her, and Akura was just in time to hear him say words that made Akura's heart stop.
"You're a horrible person Kay, and I don't trust you to be a responsible mother to our child. I'm letting you know that the moment you give birth, I will take that baby away from you and you will never see it again. I won't let you ruin another innocent life. Charity and I will be married, and Charity will make a much better mother then you could ever hope to make. You disgust me Kay! I'll never let you keep that baby!"
Kay howled in misery and clutched her belly, and though to protect it from Miguel's words. The sight of her in pain unfroze Akura and he was across the room in two seconds, throwing a punch at Miguel that knocked him halfway across the room and into the coffee table.
"You stay away from her you bastard." Akura hissed. Then he turned to Kay and held out his arms. With a sob, she flung herself into his arms and clutched him tightly, burying her face in the side of his neck.
"Don't let him take her!" She begged frantically. "Please don't let him take my daughter!"
"Shhh, sweetie. I'll protect you." Akura whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "Both of you." He added with a glare at Miguel.
Kay slowly began to calm down, and let Akura pull away to look at her.
"Got your stuff ready?" He asked quietly. Kay nodded, and motioned to the two duffel bags and a suitcase at the top of the stairs. Akura left her side for only a moment to retrieve her stuff, then he was back and they were walking out the door.
"You stay away from her. I mean it." Akura said, throwing one last glare at Miguel before following Kay out to his car.
He tossed her stuff in the trunk, then climbed into the drivers seat and drove her to his place. On the way, Kay told him about how Jessica had found her dairy and promptly ran to her mother. Kay's dairy held all the facts about everything she had ever done to separate Miguel and Charity. Now everyone hated her and Miguel was going to try and take her baby away! Kay broke down in sobs again at the thought of Miguel's words. Akura pulled into his driveway just then and pulled her into his arm and lap, and rocked her softly back and forth and he whispered into her hair and made soothing noises.
Kay's sobs faded away, and Akura pulled back to look her in the eye.
"Kay, I swear I will not let Miguel or anyone take your baby away. I don't care if we have to go back to my hometown, but we will do what we have too to protect you. My family will help us."
"Where does your family live right now?" Kay asked through her sniffling.
"San Diego."
"That sounds nice." Kay said with a laugh. "But I want to finish the semester."
"All right." Akura said. "San Diego is a last resort. We'll only go there is we absolutely have to."
"Right." Kay said. She wiped at her eyes, and beamed at Akura. "Lets go home, shall we?"