Thank you for all the kind reviews, it's always a pleasure to read you! And I'm truly sorry for making you wait so long between updates. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how hectic life can be sometimes, right? ugh... Here's a little update. I know, it's a small compensation for the long wait you had to endure. I hope you'll enjoy it though. Feel free to share your thoughts on this by letting a review! xo

"You want something to drink?" Audrey hesitantly asked as they both walked in her kitchen.

"A glass of water will do fine." He softly smiled. He was certainly in need for some liquor to boost his courage and he'd have asked for something much stronger if it wasn't that late, or should he say early? However, he resigned himself to a softer beverage.

She walked behind the counter and grabbed a glass from the cupboard above her. Neil had stayed back and was observing every of her moves from the other side of the counter. The house was plunged into an almost oppressive silence as they were both dreading the moment when one of them would finally speak first.

He hadn't been able to clear his mind the rest of the day after their argument in the room earlier. He had hated how they reacted to what should have been exciting news and he immediately felt the need to fix it. He then hadn't thought it through and drove straight to her house after he was done with his surgery, but didn't think about the fact that she might not be home and then found himself sitting on her porch waiting foolishly for her to arrive. Although he had plenty of time to think about what he was gonna say to her, nothing came out now that he was standing in front of her. He didn't know how to start the conversation, nor did he know what to say to her not to sound silly.

"Thank you." He whispered as she put the glass of water down on the counter in front of him. He lowered his eyes on the glass and wrapped his fingers around it. They were both aware of the unsaid words and the thick tension hanging between them, even though anger and bitterness were already forgotten. They had both let cooler heads prevail and after that exhausting day neither of them had the energy to keep arguing.

"You're feeling better?" He tried to initiate the conversation.

"Yeah, you know… I'm just exhausted and these past few weeks had been quite stressful. I should have been more careful about what my body was trying to tell me. But I'm fine." She paused, and a soft smile appeared on her lips. "We're both fine."

"Good." Neil smiled at his turn. Soon they found themselves in total silence again. He was relieved they were both doing fine. He had been so shaken by the news earlier in the day that he hadn't even thought to ask how she was feeling. Things had been so tensed between them in the past few weeks that he's gotten over the real main issues.

"I'm sor-" They both started to say at the same time, and stopped right away when they realized it. They cracked a nervous smile at each other as things were slightly getting awkward.

"You go first." Neil politely let her keep going.

Audrey took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm sorry. You were right. I should have told you sooner, but I was so… confused, and lost. I was afraid you would feel obligated to be committed to this baby just because we had history and because you would have felt responsible for this. And I didn't want this-" She said, moving her hand around her abdomen, "to happen this way. So, at first I convinced myself not telling you was the best decision for everyone, but actually it just made it worse and I regret it."

"You really think I would have come back to you out of pity and through spite?" He gently frowned. He wasn't mad, he was just curious to see through her eyes.

She shrugged, "I know you, Neil. You would have done it because that's who you are. You're a good man."

She wasn't totally wrong. Neil would have never let a woman lonely in this kind of situation if it had ever happened with someone else. The thing was, she wasn't someone else and it hurt him a little that she had thought he would have been able to do that with her. Though he couldn't really blame her as it must have been quite shocking for her to find out she was pregnant and really stressful to deal with the news on her own.

"It wasn't fair to you, and I'm really sorry I kept you away this long." She added.

"Obviously you had your reasons. I'm not mad and I understand. I just wish you'd have let me in, so you wouldn't have to go through this alone." He paused, before adding. "And, I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier."

"Well, I kinda deserved it." She shrugged.

"No, you didn't. I shouldn't have yelled at you the way I did. I just-" He snorted slightly, "I wasn't prepared for this."

"Yeah, I know." She broke a smile, too. "Believe me, I wasn't either."

He locked his gaze on hers and they looked into each other's eyes for a very long moment, both softly smiling. She couldn't shake off the odd feeling that was warming her insides whenever he was looking at her the way he was right now, making her almost forget why she had broken up with him in the first place.

After a while, she finally broke the moment and walked away without a warning. Neil frowned a bit, wondering what was she doing but he didn't say anything and waited. She had disappeared from his view for a brief moment, and he could hear some fumbling noises meaning she was looking for something in the other room. After a few moments, she came back in the kitchen with something in her hand. She walked towards him and handed him a small black and white photo.

"I've been keeping it preciously in the inside pocket of my leather jacket since the appointment." She paused, "I think it's the right time to show it to you."

He took it in his hand but didn't immediately understand what it was. His eyes landed on the small frame and he finally realized. His whole face lightened up in awe and he looked up at her.

"Is this..?"

She nodded, "the baby, yes."

He looked at it a few more seconds, while Audrey couldn't take her eyes off his face. She hadn't realized how much it meant for her to see him being so moved by the ultrasound.

Neil had seemed lost in his thoughts but he suddenly frowned as a growing smile appeared on the corner of his lips.

"How did this happen?" He looked up once again.

Audrey raised an eyebrow, and looked at him suspiciously.

"Do you need me to spell it out for you?" She teased him and he finally realized the silliness of his question.

"No, thanks." He chuckled, "You know what I meant. We were always careful, right?"

Audrey shrugged, "I guess not. We both know it's not always hundred percent safe."

"This is…" Neil stopped, searching for the word that would describe exactly what he was feeling at that moment. But before he could even add something, she cut him off.

"A mess?" She offered him.

He couldn't disagree with her. Their life was a total chaos right now, but he was convinced there was something much more meaningful behind all of this. Though it wasn't the best way to raise a child, he suddenly felt a wave of hope and happiness invading his chest. This was gonna be a wonderful journey.

"Yes, but it's a beautiful mess." Audrey, on the other hand was still looking awfully anxious and pensive.

"Listen," he walked around the counter to be closer. He stretched out his hand and grabbed hers. She didn't pull away this time as she looked down at their linked hands. "I know this is all complicated and tricky. I'm not gonna lie, it certainly won't be easy. But no matter where we are, no matter what the future holds for us, there's one thing I'm sure of: I want to have this baby with you."

She could feel the tears coming to the edge of her eyes and she had to fight back a sob as he kept going, "I'd love to be present for this baby and for you, if you'll let me to. Not because I feel obligated to be committed, but because I want to."

Her nerves were breaking down. She had put so much pressure on herself and she had been so afraid to tell him. She had stored up all her emotions for so long that she was now on the edge of bursting.

"I'm scared." She shrugged, shyly admitting in a trembling voice.

"Come here." He mumbled as he pulled her towards him. She didn't protest as she finally broke down in tears and let him take her in his embrace. She instinctively nestled her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm scared, too. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere. This is gonna be okay." She nodded against his shoulder. She had missed the safe feeling of being wrapped up in his arms. She closed her eyes and breathed in his cologne, savoring this moment of intimacy. Neil could feel her slightly trembling against him and she didn't know if she was just feeling cold or if her body was simply responding physically to all the draining emotions and stress she had been experiencing over the last few weeks. She found some kind of ease when she felt him tightening his arms around her frame and felt the heat radiating from his body slowly warming her. It was rare to see such a vulnerable side of the iconic Dr. Audrey Lim, and Neil was somehow relieved he was there for her in this right moment. Even though things hadn't been that easy between them he was sure they would make it work in the end, even more now than ever.

"We're gonna have a baby." He suddenly broke the comfortable silence, whispering blissfully in her ear. She couldn't help but chuckle with a sniff through the tears.

"Yes, we are."

Tbc...