A/N: Hey! Thanks again for the reviews!! Like Veronica, you guys so ROCK! Well, I'll be gone for the weekend—enjoying the last few days of my spring break before hitting the books again. =/ Boo hoo! Anyways, ENJOY READING AND DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW! The answer to the events that happened to Tori while she was away will come up on my next update, so look for that. Okay enough of my blah! Have fun! =]
"Hard To Say"
Later that day, they took the gray van of Storm Chargers and rolled off in a rush. The guys immediately drove Tori to Ninja Ops for Cam to scan a few tests on her before relying on the hospital for help. During the waiting process for what seems to be already 30 gruesome minutes, Hunter paced back and forth nervously, anxious to hear the results. Momentarily, Kapri and Marah marched in the room after receiving a surprise call from Dustin. Their scuffling entrance made the guys look up.
"Oh my God! Is she here?!" Marah shifts her eyes in all sorts of directions, breathing heavily from exhaustion. "Well is she?!"
"Shhh...Yes, she's here." Dustin smiles as he rubs her shoulders for comfort.
Marah jumps up and down in joy. "Oh my God! Well, where is she?!" Dustin turns the brunette around and wraps his arms around her waist to stay relaxed.
"She's in the other room with Cam and Sensei." Blake replies soothingly. "She fainted awhile ago."
"What?! Whoa, is she alright?!" The girls freaked out.
"Yes, she'll be fine. They're running a few tests on her to make sure."
They nodded. "Whew..." Kapri wipes her nervous sweat in relief as she stood next to Shane. "All these months and Tori is finally here."
He smiles. "Yeah. It feels like a dream, doesn't it?"
She bobs her head. "Weird though..." Dustin thought quizzically. "She just came out of nowhere."
"You know, maybe all the transferring brought her back here." The pinkhead suggested. "Who knows right?"
"Maybe. But that doesn't matter anymore." Blake says with a smile. "Tori is back where she belongs, alive and with a new son. Isn't that right, bro?" He pats him on the back.
Marah and Kapri's eyes widened. "A baby?!" They yelp.
The guys nodded.
"Oh my God!" They glance over at Hunter. "Congratulations!"
He smiles. "Thanks you guys. It's truly a blessing."
"Do you have a name for it yet?" Marah asks excitedly.
"Whoa, sweetie. Let's not talk about that now." Dustin tells her with a chuckle.
She turns to him and pouts. "Why not?"
"Well—I don't know. Can't that wait?"
He laughs. "Nah. It's cool, dude." Hunter smiles as he stuff his hands into his pockets. "Everything is happening all at once and I haven't really thought of a name, so no."
"Well here's one! Mario!" She giggles.
"What?" Kapri plasters a disgusting look. "Ew! Sounds like Marah."
"Duh, that's the point!"
"Oh brother." The goofball rolls his eyes. "Here we go with the baby names. "
"I think Kevin sounds a lot better, don't you think?" Kapri looks up at Hunter.
He nods. "Could be."
"I know one." Dustin grins as he rubs his hands together. "Dusty!"
Hunter stops and slowly turns to him. "No freakin' way am I ever gonna give my son that name!"
The airhead gasps defensively. "Little Hunter Jr. sucks even more."
"Hey! I actually like the sound of that!"
Blake joins in the conversation. "Nah. I think Brian sounds better."
"UGH! No way."
"GUYS!" Shane yells out while covering his ears. They quiet down and look up at him. "It's all about the name Shawn." He grins.
******************************************************
After moments of sharing and debating on baby names, Cam and Sensei suddenly appeared as they close the door behind them. Hunter looks up and was the first to ask the question that's wandering in everyone's minds. "How's Tori?"
His wise Sensei looks up and places a hand on his shoulder. "Tori is fine, son. She's a bit shaken up and shocked, but other than that, our Tori will be alright. She just needs to rest."
The dirty blonde sighs in relief. "Thank God."
He smiles. "Well, Hunter. I heard about the baby. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Sensei."
Cam nods happily. "Yup. Ever thought of naming it...oh I don't know. Cameron?" He smirks.
Hunter rolls his eyes. "Dream on, dude."
"Oh come on. It's better than the lame ones they came up with. Mario, Brian, Kevin, Shawn...oh and let's not forget the worst one of all, Dusty."
"HEY!" Dustin beams evilly at the computer wiz. "Were you listening?"
"Uh yeah. This place isn't exactly sound proof."
"Ah, dude..."
"Now that I think about it. Waldo sounds so much better than Dustin." Shane blurts out.
The goofball points a finger at him. "Don't even go there, man."
Hunter chuckles. "You know what guys? I really appreciate you all helping me with names, but I think I'll let Tori decide on this one."
They nodded as the sound of a closed door clicked in their ears.
"Actually, I won't be able to do that."
Hunter quickly turns around at the familiar voice and smiles. "Tori?"
"Tori, what are you doing up? You should be getting some rest." Cam says urgently.
"Cam, I'm fine. Really." She forced a smile.
"But—"
"Trust me, Cam."
He stares at her for a moment and nods.
"Thank you."
All eyes were on her as Marah and Kapri pushes Hunter out of the way to embrace the blonde. "TORI!" They squealed. "Girl, you have no idea how glad we are to see you!!!"
Tori's eyes slowly began to swell up in tears as they shared hugs and kisses. She pulled away and smiles at them. "I missed you guys so much!"
The guys watched on in awed.
"There's so much to tell!" The pinkhead states excitedly. "But you gotta tell us, how are you feeling?!"
"Better." She nods. "I umm...actually came from the hospital."
"But what are you doing out so soon?!" Marah cries worriedly. "You just gave birth; a mother shouldn't be roaming around the streets like that!"
Tori looks down and sighs deeply. "It's not what you guys think."
"Well who cares about that?" Kapri giggles. "Let's celebrate!"
Dustin nods in agreement. "I'm so down with that."
"Guys, please." Tori begs of them for their full attention as they quiet down to listen. "You see...I was afraid of this. I didn't want you all to get too excited for me."
"Are you kidding?!" Blake splutters out excitedly. "Tori, you and my brother just have your first child together. How can we not be excited for you guys?!"
"Yeah." They agreed as Hunter's gaze remained focused on Tori. His gut was suddenly pulling him into a whirl hole of confusion as his mind begins to quiver in fear. He knew at that very moment, there was more to it than just a baby. Both of their lives will be changing drastically and Hunter wasn't about to lose Tori over it.
She presses her lips together and sighs. "It's not that easy."
"Listen to me, Tor." The dirty blonde moves in closer and slowly slips his hands into hers. She looks down and smiles at his warm touch. "Let's start over and forget the past, what do you say huh? We can raise this child together if that's what you're worried about. Start a family--"
"I can't." She interrupts with a nervous tremble.
Hunter wrinkles his forehead. "Tori, what are you talking about? What do you mean you can't?"
She gradually looks up at him. "He's not mine." The blonde lets go of his grip and turns away.
He arches his brow in confusion. "Tori, you're not even making sense." He gently pulls her arm towards him to meet his gaze. "You just sent me a card about our newborn son."
"Hunter, the baby—" Tori felt defeated as she drops to her knees and begins crying uncontrollably. Hunter kneels down beside her for comfort without a slightest clue at what was really going on. He slowly caresses her face and tilts her chin up. "Tori..." Hunter whispers calmly while stroking her hair. "Please...help me understand."
She pursed her lips and shuts her eyes. "I umm..." Tori starts off with a sudden weep. "I had a miscarriage with our baby just a few weeks ago."
"Holy sh—"
Shocking expressions plastered in everyone's faces. Oh no, they thought, as their eyes showed devastating lost.
"No…" Marah whispers as she places a hand over her mouth. "Are you sure?"
Tori nods in tears, "I'm so sorry you had to hear that, Hunter."
He looks away in disbelief. "This can't be happening..."
There was a moment of still grief as all eyes turn to Tori and Hunter.
"Well then, if you just had a miscarriage…" Dustin trails off, thinking, "then what's up with this other boy because dude, I am so confused."
"Yeah, Tori." Hunter looks up at her. "Hope is still in our side, right? We still have this baby boy."
She shuts her eyes. "Hunter, you're a father now and I want you to love this child."
He nods. "Of course I will! This baby means everything to me as much as it means to you; to both of us."
Tori brushes her hair back and sighs. "Hunter, I don't know how to say this-" She trails off, biting her button lip.
The dirty blonde wrinkles his forehead. "What?" He wonders fretfully. "What is it? Just say it."
She stares deep into his sadden, and puzzled eyes as the others watched on in great suspense. Although it will hurt her deeply to tell him, she knew it was for the best; for his sake and the baby's.
"You're the father…" She stops dead in her tracks.
He nods, waiting for her to finish. "Okay...I get that."
Tori takes one deep breath. "Of Natalie's baby."