After what felt like a very long, torturing and agonising wait (with the pain keeping coming and going with my crying out in pain) I couldn't help but sigh when I heard my phone ring and I saw that Evie was ringing me.

"Mal" she said as I answered the phone.

"Evie" I panted as I was just coming down from a pain build up.

"Mal what is wrong?" she questioned in concern.

"You'll see" I muttered. There was no way I could tell her like this; she was so close to finding out anyway and I think it would be better if she found out when she saw me. "I'll come and see you" I advised as I slowly stood up and I grimaced in pain.

"Mal tell me where you are" she begged. "I will come to you" she urged as I slowly made my way out of my bedroom and into to the living room.

"No" I panted. "I'll come-" I started before I cried out in pain again.

"Mal please?" she pleaded as I slowly walked through the living room and opened the front door.

"I'm nearly there" I advised as the pain started to subside again. I then quickly walked through the rose garden at the cottage and I grunted as I rested on the white fence.

"Mal are you still there?" I heard Evie say.

"Yes" I answered. "I'm on my way" I said as I made my way to the barrier around the cottage. I looked over to the rose garden and I smiled meekly as I saw Evie in the distance. "I can see you" I advised.

"Can you?" she questioned as she quickly looked around to try and see me.

"Climb over the fence" I answered and I watched as she quickly did this before she started to walk towards the forest that was around the rose gardens.

"Right, what next?" she asked.

"Walk forward" I advised before I cried out in pain as I watched as she started to make her way to me.

"MAL!" she shouted.

"Evie!" I called back in irritation; the last thing I needed was for someone to overhear her and to follow her. I was taking a great risk in ringing Evie but I have been able to keep my baby safe up until this point – I couldn't bear it if anything happened to them now. "Don't shout!" I panted. "Someone will hear" I reminded her.

"Where are you?" she asked as she stood in front of the invisible magic barrier.

"I'm in front of you" I confessed.

"You're not" she dismissed in confusion.

"Step forward" I replied; and I watched as she stepped forward and through the barrier. I then saw her eyes land on me and when they did they dropped to my stomach and gasped.

"Mal!" she said as we both hung up before we quickly put our phones into our pockets. "I guess this is why you've been hiding" she added as she stepped forward and wrapped her right arm around my shoulders to support me.

"Yes" I muttered as I rested my head against hers. "I don't want Uma to hurt them!" I said in a panic.

"She can't do that" Evie stated in confusion as we slowly started to walk back into the cottage.

"How?" I advised as I quickly looked up at her and threw her another very confused look. I watched as she took a couple of deep breaths to steady herself; I could tell that there was a slither of confusion in her eyes but I quickly dismissed - this for now.

"Mal the baby was never Ben's" she advised. "Ben and Uma haven't even slept together" she added as we made our way into the cottage.

"What?" I asked in shock. I couldn't believe what she was telling me; I didn't need to leave Ben the way I did. But then a dark voice then entered my head telling me that I was right to leave – as Uma would have definitely tried to hurt me or my baby. I just hoped that Ben could forgive me in time; for the baby's sake more than anything else.

"It was a plan to put Uma on the throne" she advised.

"Who was the baby's father?" I muttered as I started to stare off into space.

"Harry" I heard her say.

"Oh no!" I exclaimed as I started to cry as Evie slowly and carefully helped me down onto the couch. "I bet Ben probably doesn't even want anything to do me" I said sadly as tears started to flow down my cheeks as I started to feel the pain build up again.

"He does Mal" she urged as she sat down on my right hand side. "He's frantic with worry" she added and my mind started to show me Ben like this. I honestly wouldn't blame him if he hated me – I had completely abandoned him and kept my pregnancy from him. This might be too much for him; and if it was – then I only had myself to blame. "We all have been" she stressed; and I then started to be filled with further guilt.

"Sorry" I apologised.

"It's ok" she replied. "Ben will understand" she offered. "Just give him time" she advised. "And talk to him" she stated sternly; and I knew exactly what she was talking about – she meant the fact that a new addition would be arriving very shortly. I felt my baby wiggle at this and I couldn't help but meekly smile at this; they could get me through anything. And I knew that me and Ben could form some form of relationship to be civil for the baby – if that is what he wanted.

"That's if he wants to" I muttered as I wiped my face and eyes of tears. I watched as Evie opened her mouth to say something; however she was cut off by a voice that instantly dropped me into a panic.

"Of course I do"

When I looked up at the doorway I saw that Ben was stood in the doorway; and unfortunately for me I couldn't read the blank look on his face. I saw his eyes quickly drop down onto my stomach for a few seconds before he looked back at my face and as we continued to share a blank stare I still didn't know where I currently stood with Ben.