~Three Months Later~

I kicked the door open and attempted to catch my breath. I sat down my bags of a few groceries I had had to run to pick up before Theo got home for his dinner and pulled the key from the lock so I could close the door.

Our beautiful apartment was full of life now, with everything decorated just the way we liked. I took my full bags back into the kitchen, unloading all the things onto the counter and putting them in separate piles for different cabinets. At the last bag, I felt knots kink in my stomach.

I pulled out the bag of flour, the tube of toothpaste and finally the thing I had run into town for in the first place. The item that made me feel even sicker to my stomach.

A pregnancy test.

I had been having waves of nausea roll through me the last couple of weeks, and though I didn't believe I was pregnant, I just wanted to make sure so that I could convince myself. Theo and I had both agreed that if we ever did decide to have a kid, it would be when we were closer to forty and certainly after Damian was not a problem.

I pushed the flour into the pantry and took the toothpaste and test into the bathroom to set down until I was ready to face it. I knew I had time, because Theo was on one of his leisure days. He took that time to drive or visit the bridge or whatever he liked to do. He had adopted the days as a way to relax from the demands of his job, and perhaps a little of being a husband.

No one told you how life changed once you got married, or how to prepare for it. It was difficult constantly thinking about your significant other and changing things you had been used to before. But, as we had discussed before, we hadn't regretted it.

My life with him would be worth every obstacle we had to climb over.

After I finished sipping a little juice to help calm the waves of sickness in my belly, I sighed and pushed myself off of the couch. That test wasn't going to take itself, and the longer I waited, the worse I would feel. Once it popped up negative, I would feel better and perhaps get motivated to dust the living room.

I walked up the stairs to our second story and, silly as it was, locked the door behind me. After taking the test, I washed my hands and left the bathroom to straighten up the kitchen while I waited.

Anxiously, I sat down on the couch and watched an episode of my favorite show, but decided ten minutes into it that I couldn't stand waiting around any longer, and began the walk back upstairs.

The test sat by itself on the sink counter, and I picked up the box to read what I should look for. I glanced back down to the test, but didn't get the chance to look back at the box.

Two...pink...lines.

There couldn't be two! One meant negative, two meant positive!

Panicked, I traced back to when it possibly could have happened. Theo and I had kept a clean record, all except for...

That one single night.

No, no, no! I wasn't ready to be a mom! Theo wasn't ready to be a dad! Damian was still in the picture. What if this baby was supernatural like Theo?

A million things spun my head around in circles, and I felt lightheaded. I sat down on the closed toilet lid with the test, staring at it like it would change the results. I couldn't have a baby...I just couldn't.

But I couldn't have an abortion either.

Perhaps it was defective. I wouldn't even have to mention it to Theo, maybe I could just take the second test in the box, get a negative result and take the matter to Melissa.

A while later, I took the second test, but I watched in horror as both lines came up again. No doubt about it.

Pregnant.

How could I have allowed us to be so stupid. I had been unsure if that one night would make a difference, but he had insisted. I should have just said that we should wait until I could run down to the store.

I wrapped the second test and box up in the grocery bag and stuffed it deep into the garbage can in the kitchen and saved the first. Theo would have to know eventually.

How in the world were we going to do this? We hadn't been married for long, just three months, and our home was far from baby proof. Would we have the money to have this baby?

...What if it turned out like my brother?

The thought sickened me. The child I carried within my body shared genes with this monster maniac. Would it one day also rise up to slaughter me?

I was on the verge of a panic attack when frantic knocking on my door startled me out of my thoughts. I rushed over and unlocked it.

Cora flew by me, slamming the door back and locking it again.

"Cora, what the hell-" I began, but she interrupted me, pulling me to the couch. "Cassia, you need to pack up a few things and you and Theo need to go to the sheriff station, right now." "What on earth are you talking about?" I asked, covertly pushing the test into my pocket to hide.

"It's Damian," she said, out of breath, "an officer in the first town over the border reported seeing him cross into California this morning. He's in Beacon Hills."

No...

First the pregnancy, and now this! Terror ripped through me. I knew we should have moved on from here, at least for a little while. But now, it was too late. Trying to leave now would focus his attention on me, and it would be fatal.

"Cora?" I asked shakily, "I need to call Theo, can you please stay here until I reach him?" "Yeah, but make it quick, we're trying to find a temporary safe house for you two, and I can't dawdle. After I leave, you must stay inside until someone comes for you and lock the doors, okay?" She said, and I nodded, taking my cell from my pocket.

It bumped against the test, making me feel even sicker, and with trembling fingers, I dialed Theo's number. It rang five times before going to voice mail. Panicking, I dialed again. Same result.

My panic gave way to anger. Damian could be here at any second and he wasn't answering!

Frustrated I flung the phone into the wall, shattering it on impact.

I stood there, shocked. Even at my angriest, I'd never used that much force before. It had to be the pregnancy. I had noticed lately that with my nausea had come emotional swings, but I had blamed in on menstration.

Great. This was going to be the family reunion of the century. My murdering brother, my new husband, myself and this kid. One big happy family.

Shuddering, I made sure the test was deep in my pocket once more and went out to Cora. "He's not answering. I hope nothing is wrong." I fretted. "He's fine, trust me. Theo is a smart son of a bitch. Anyway, you stay here, and you keep the doors locked tight. Don't answer anyone. I will call your house phone when we have some arrangements." She answered, nodding toward the kitchen where my cell lay in pieces.

I nodded, then locked the door behind her as she left.

Where was Theo? I had to hope he came home quickly.

I decided that since I probably wasn't going to sleep much for the next few months, I might try to take a nap to relax. Stress wasn't good...for me or the baby.

I crawled into our bed and covered my entire body with the comforter, like that would somehow shield me from the danger on my doorstep. I cleared my mind and relaxed my body one part at a time.

I must have crashed at some point, because I awoke to insane banging on my front door. My heart leapt into my throat. Damian.

Tears sprung to my eyes, but I dashed them away with my hand and crept downstairs. I took a carving knife from a drawer in the kitchen and slipped quietly into the living room. There was no way to see outside the window, and I didn't have a peephole. All I could do was hope he didn't get in.

Blows landed hard on the door, splintering a piece from the inside and my stomach filled with dread. I had to brave this, and let whoever it was in before they came in anyway.

Holding the knife in front of me, I opened the latch. The door flung open with a great whoosh of wind and I gripped the knife tighter and aimed toward the intruder.

"Whoa! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Theo's angry voice snarled.

"Theo!" I cried, dropping the knife and falling into his arms, tears streaking down my face. "Uh...?" He asked, about to wrap his arms around me as well when I remembered how hard it had been to get ahold of him and how bad he had just scared me.

"Where the hell have you been?!" I screamed, "I called you twice and you didn't answer!" I punched him in the chest and away from me.

"I was out, you know, like I told you this morning?" He shot back, "And my phone was on silent. Why the hell did you have the door locked?"

Terror went through me again and I trembled.

"We need to go to the police station." I said, "A patrol officer alerted authorities here this morning. Damian is in Beacon Hills."

Theo's eyes widened and he reached out to hold me. I was too tired to resist, even if I was mad.

"Shit," he said, "this day seriously cannot get worse."

I had been opening my mouth to tell him about the baby, because I figured it would be better to have it out now, but my lips sowed shut with his words.

For now, the baby had to remain a secret.

**Well, that's all folks! For THIS story anyway :P I hope you all enjoyed, and are semi-excited about Theo and Cassia's baby! Was it the last thing you expected? How about Damian's appearance? I look forward to Fanfic #2, and hope you all do as well! However, I'm going on a small hiatus to pan some things out, but I will be back! For now, see ya and thanks for everything! Later!**