*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much*
Anastasia's Point of View:
Friday morning my dad and I are walking out of the house to head to the place that is going to do my abortion. I haven't talked to Dean since I told him my plans to end the pregnancy. My dad keeps saying this is the best thing for me to do so that I can live my life but somewhere deep down I feel wrong for making this choice. I could always put the baby up for adoption or I could just keep the baby. I do have a lot of opportunity in front of me. I have my spot in the Joffrey; the spot I have waited to get my whole life. This could take me to my dreams of being a ballerina. If I go with adoption then I lose my spot and if I keep the baby I lose my spot. The abortion looks more reasonable the more I think about it. I just feel like maybe I should have waited to have sex. My dad is right. I'm not ready to be a mother. I don't know the first thing on how to be a mother. I don't know anything about babies or how to take care of them. I don't even know how I would support a baby. My dad is right. Abortion is the best move for me it's the best choice for my life. As we get closer to the car I see Dean standing by our car. I smile when I see him standing there in his famous black t-shirt, black leather jacket and his blue jeans. His hair has been cut and he looks very nice. "What are you doing here?" asks my dad.
"I wanted to talk to Ana," he says as he smiles at me when he sees me. I smile back at him.
"I think you've done enough damage to my daughter. She doesn't need someone with the likes of you trying to distract her from being successful. You want to mess up your own life fine don't mess up my daughter's you have no business being here."
"I believe that baby she is pregnant with is my business," he says.
"That baby is a mistake," says my dad. "She wouldn't be pregnant if it wasn't for you filling her head with these ridiculous ideas. You're a street rat. She doesn't need someone like you to ruin her life. She was doing just fine until you came along."
"Dad," I say.
"Ana, we have to go," he says.
"Wait," says Dean, "I want to talk to Ana. I want to talk to her about OUR baby," he says making me smile.
"You have nothing to talk about," says my dad. "Just stay away from her."
"Dad," I say. "Let me talk to him."
"Anastasia," he says, "that's not a good idea. You don't need to associate with him."
"Dad," I say, "he is the baby's father. I think I owe him the opportunity to talk. "
"Don't you see what's going on here, Anastasia? He is trying to manipulate you into changing your mind. You don't need a baby. You're not ready for a baby. You have dreams to live you can't do that with a baby."
"Dad," I say, "Just let me talk to him okay?"
"Fine," he says, "Make this quick and then we're off to take care of this little problem."
"All right, Dad," I say before he walks away. Dean and I watch my dad as he walks into the house before I turn my attention to Dean. "What's going on?"
"First," he says as we lean up against my car. "I owe you an apology. I was an ass. I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for the fact I chose to get drunk and high instead of going to the doctor with you. I should have been there and I wasn't. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I kicked you out and told you that you deserve better. Anastasia, I may not be the guy for you. I'm poor and you're rich. You're experienced in life and I'm just a screw up on the streets but I love you and not being with you the last couple days have been hard. You make me want to be that better person and you make me want to try. When I'm with you, Ana it's like I see life a completely different way. Before you came into my life I only knew the streets, that is all I wanted to know but then you came along and I see there is more than just the streets. There's more than drugs and alcohol. There is a whole other world beyond the streets and you make me see that. That's the world I want but I don't want it unless you're in it, Ana. I know I screwed up but I want to try to make it work with us."
"Dean, it's okay. I love you too. Everyone makes mistakes. I understand. I was just overwhelmed the other night I may have been a little over dramatic. I had a lot of emotions going through me I found out I am pregnant. I was scared, worried and upset. It was a rough night and I think between you being drunk and me being an emotional mess really made it transpire into something neither of us wanted. I love you, Dean and I know you're destined to be in this world outside of the streets. You have so much potential. You're a great guy. You just have to see it in yourself. I see it in you and I love you for it. I just want you to know you're bigger and better than what you think your life is. That's what I want. I want to make us work, Dean. I don't want to be without you. It's funny because out of all my friends and even my family you are the only one that understands me. I have never connected with anyone the way I have connected with you. You get me and I get you. It's like you and I are meant to be together. It's going to take a lot of work but I think you and me can make this relationship work. I want to. The last couple nights without you have been rough, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I wanted to go to your house, I wanted to talk to you and see you. I wanted to hug you and kiss you. I just wanted to cuddle with you and cry on your shoulder. The last couple days you're the only person I wanted to see. I love you, Dean. I love you a lot."
"I love you too, Ana," he says with a smile. "So are we okay as far as the relationship goes?"
"Yeah," I say with a smile as I look into his blue eyes. "We're okay."
"Good," he says taking my hand into his. "Now can we talk about the baby?"
"We probably should before I go and do something I could regret the rest of my life. Let's talk about it."
"Yeah," he says. "Look, Ana, I don't know anything about a kid or how to take care of one. Hell, I'm lucky if I know how to take care of myself. I was scared when you told me you were pregnant. I didn't know what to say or what to do so my first thought was to get rid of it. How do you feel about it all?"
"I'm scared," I say. "I'm really scared. I always heard this could happen and this was one of my biggest fears but I'm facing it. I don't know how to take care of a kid either. I don't know anything about babies and I have this spot at the Joffrey but I'm pregnant. My dad keeps telling me that getting rid of it and taking care of it now is the best thing for me but I don't know. I just feel like I will grow to regret this decision and resent myself for it. I want to go to the Joffrey and I want to do my ballet thing but Dean, I feel wrong for doing this. What do you think we should do?"
"Honestly," he says stroking my hand with his thumb, "I'm scared shitless about this whole baby thing. I don't know anything about being a father or how to be a father but I have been thinking about it I want to do this. I want to have the baby. I want to be a father. I mean we did create it right?"
"Yeah," I say, "we did create it. You want to keep it?"
"Only if you want to, Ana, look I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do. Whatever decision you choose I will support you no matter what. If you want to end the pregnancy I will go with you and be there for you during and after. If you want to put the baby up for adoption I will support that decision too. If you want to keep the baby I will do my best to be a father and do as much as I can to give the baby a good life. I want to keep the baby but what I want doesn't matter it's up to you. You have to make this decision. Whatever you choose to do, Ana, I am going to be right here. I'm always going to be right here."
I take in a deep breath and feel the tears forming in my eyes. I feel my body start to shake and my lip quiver. "Dean," I say. "I don't want to do this. I don't want to end this pregnancy."
"If you don't want to you don't have to, Baby," he says as he stands in front of me, cupping my face in his hands as he wipes away a falling tear. "We'll do whatever you want just tell me what you want to do."
"I want to try to be a mom. I want to try to keep it, Dean. I want to be a mom. I know it's not going to be easy and I have to give up my dream of ballet but we did this. We created this baby and I want to give it a chance at life. I want to keep the baby," I say.
"Anastasia," he says with a smile. "I really want to try too. I'll do whatever I have to do to be a father. I want this baby."
"Me too," I say as I cry. "I really do, Dean, but if we do this you can't do the drug thing anymore or drink. Our baby needs its father. I don't' want it to lose you to drugs or the streets. Promise me, Dean that if we do this you won't do drugs, sell drugs or drink anymore please," I beg.
"Ana," he says wiping away my tears. "I will do whatever it takes to be a father. All that shit doesn't matter anymore. What matters to me is you and this," he says placing one hand on my stomach. "You two are what matters most to me. I'll get a job. I'll do whatever. I just want to make you happy and make our baby happy," he says. "I promise."
"That's all I ask," I say with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," he says before he kisses my lips softly.
"But if it gets too tough and we can't do this I want adoption to be there. If we can't do this can we put it up for adoption?"
"If it is too hard and we can't handle it," he says, "Adoption will always be there."
"Okay," I say. "Do you want to see a picture?"
"You have a picture of it?" he asks.
"Yeah," I say with a smile. "I had an ultrasound the other day."
"I want to see," he says with a smile.
"Okay," I say as I get into my purse to pull out the sonogram picture. I pull it out and show it to him. "That's our little creature," I say with a smile.
"Creature?" he asks with a smile as he looks at it.
"Yes a creature you and I created," I say with a smile.
"It's so small," he says. "It's like a little guppy."
"It does," I say with a smile. "Our little guppy," I say as I place my hand on my stomach as Dean places his hand over mine.
"Our little guppy," he says with a smile. "I can't believe I put this in there," he says with a smile. "I love you so much, Ana we're going to figure this out."
"I love you too," I say with a smile. "We'll figure it out."
My breath catches in my throat as Dean drops to his knees in front of me. I look down at him as he looks up at me with his beautiful blue eyes and his boyish look on his face as he smiles at me. I smile back at him as he lifts my shirt a little exposing my stomach. "You're starting to show," he says with a smile as he takes his hand over my stomach. I don't disagree with him. It's still unnoticeable but I am starting to get a small stomach from the pregnancy. I know I won't be able to hide it too much longer. "Hey there little Guppy," he says to my stomach. "I'm your daddy and right now I don't know how to be a dad but what I do know how to do is love and I am going to love you more than anything in this world. I promise you that your mommy and I are going to do the best we can with you. We are going to give you so much love and we are going to make sure your dreams come true. I love you," he says before he kisses my stomach. "And," he says as he stands up. "I love you."
"I love you too," I say before we share a deep kiss. He picks me up off the ground and I wrap my legs around his waist. I run my fingers through his dirty blonde hair as our kiss deepens.
We are interrupted by my dad clearing his throat. Dean puts me down and we face my dad. I don't know how he is going to react to us keeping the baby. "We need to go," he says. "You've talked to her long enough, Dean. It's time for you to go now."
"He's not leaving, Dad," I say taking Dean's hand into mine, "and we aren't going anywhere."
"What do you mean we aren't going anywhere?" he asks tapping his foot.
"Dean and I are keeping the baby," I say.
"Do you know how stupid of a decision that is, Anastasia. You're going to screw up your whole life plan."
"You mean I'm going to screw up YOUR life plan for me," I say, "Dad, I'm not ending the pregnancy."
"Such a stupid girl," he says. "I give you the world. I give you opportunities but here you are throwing your life away. Pissing on every opportunity I ever gave you. Getting involved with this idiot was the first stupid thing you've done. The second stupid thing you've done was getting pregnant and the last stupid thing you are doing is keeping this baby. What kind of life do you possibly think this baby is going to have with both of you as parents? You're kids you know nothing about raising babies or how to take care of yourselves. I gave you the world, Anastasia and you screw it up by being stupid. What are you going to do now? Drop out of school?"
"No, Dad," I say. "I'm going to stay in school. I can still do this and be a mother. Hell, maybe I might have to drop out but I'm going to try both. I know you gave me the world but I am not stupid. I have never been stupid. I did something and I am taking responsibility for it. That's not stupid, Dad. We may not know about babies or how to raise one but we'll figure it out."
"Anastasia, this is NOT the life you want. I am telling you. The life you want is one without Dean and a baby. You're too young."
"Dad," I say. "You can say this is not the life I want but if I didn't want it I wouldn't have chosen it. This baby deserves a chance at life. It deserves to take its first breath. It deserves a life, Dad and if Dean and I can't do this we can put it up for adoption but we are going to try and there's nothing you can do about it."
"You're about as strong willed and stubborn as your mother. Look where she is right now," he says.
"I wouldn't know where my mother was because you chased her away by trying to control her and make her life something that she didn't want. You're doing the same to me. You can't control people's lives, Dad. I'm glad I am as strong-willed and stubborn as my mother because I'm not letting YOU push me to do something I don't' want to do anymore. This is my life. This is OUR baby and we have the right to make the decisions we want with it. I'm sure it's going to be hard and I'm sure I'm going to cry and want to tear out my hair but I am doing this. The baby deserves that much. It didn't ask to be created but it was and it was created for a reason. You can't tell me what to do anymore, Dad."
"You are 17 years old. Legally I can tell you what to do and I can tell you to get rid of that baby."
"I'm not getting rid of it, Dad. I'm keeping it. You can't tell me not to be a mother. You can't tell me to do something with my body that I don't want to do."
"It's a stupid decision," he says, "And where do you think you're going to stay? Where are you going to live? You are not bringing a baby into this house."
"She will live with me, Sir," says Dean.
"And how do you think you can raise a child, Dean?"
"I will get a job and do whatever it takes to be a father," he says.
"And what about you, Anastasia?"
"I don't know," I say.
"See you don't know and minimum wage isn't going to buy diapers, Dean. It's not going to buy formula either."
"This is your grandchild, Dad," I say, "Please stop being harsh about this."
"And you're my daughter, Anastasia. I want to see you succeed in life not throw it away because you think you can be a mother."
"Dad," I say. "I'm keeping the baby and there's nothing you can do about that. And Dad, I love Dean and we are going to be together."
He lets out a deep breath, "as you wish, Anastasia. You are more like your mother every day. I hope that you know what you're getting into."
"Dad, this is what I want. Please accept it. Please accept Dean. He's not a bad guy. Please give him a chance. For me, please," I beg.
"All right," he says looking at Dean. "I'll give him a chance. I'm not happy about this decision but obviously you're going to do what you want to do and I can't stop you. Just know this isn't going to be easy."
"I know, Dad," I say with a smile. "Thank-you so much," I say as I hug him and kiss his cheek.
"You're welcome," he says, "so Dean, let's go inside and talk."
"Okay, Sir," he says as we follow my dad hand in hand toward the house.
Sitting across from my dad next to Dean I feel uncomfortable witnessing their stare down, "so," says my dad, "what kind of plans do you have after high school? Are you going to go to college?"
"I'm not sure. I have thought about it," says Dean. "I would like to maybe go to college but I also have dreams to be a wrestler."
"A wrestler huh? A wrestler like WWE, Triple H type of thing?"
"Yes," he says, "Ana is talking me into going to college and maybe I will but I know I want to at least graduate high school but if I have to drop out to get a job to take care of our baby I will do it."
"I see," he says. "So what are your intentions with Anastasia? Where do you see yourself in 10 years with her?"
"I hope to be with her in 10 years," he says making me smile, "but my intentions with her are good. I don't plan to hurt her and I am going to be the best boyfriend to her I can be as well as the best father I can be to our baby. If we don't work out I will always be there for her and the baby. She will never be alone when it comes to our child."
"I see," he says, "what do you think about Ana's education?"
"I think her education is important that's why I will be the one to drop out to get a job so she can finish school. I would like to see her go to college."
"I would like that too but having a baby I see it as unlikely. Ana is my little girl. I love her a lot. She means the world to me. I'm not happy about this relationship thing nor am I happy about this baby thing but I am going to trust you with my little girl. I'm going to let this happen and if you hurt her, Dean that will be the LAST time are we clear?"
"Yes, Sir," he says. "Thank-you. I won't hurt her. I love her, Sir."
"We'll see," says my dad. "Ana, if this is what you want I am not going to stop you. I just hope you know what you're doing and what you've gotten yourself into. You two need to take this seriously. You need to figure out a place to live, how you're going to raise a child, daycare costs, formula costs, diaper costs and all that good stuff that comes along with having a child. It won't be easy but you're choosing to do this so you will take care of it the way you need to. Ana, is this what you truly want to do?"
"It's what I truly want to do, Dad," I say.
"Okay," he says but I can tell he's not happy about it. "Very well then. Dean, take care of my daughter," he says before he gets up and walks out of the living room.
"That was easy."
"Too easy," I say, "but listen we're going to figure this out okay?"
"I know, Baby," he says, "we'll figure it out. Do you want to come back home with me or stay here?"
"I want to go back home with you," I say with a smile. "I want to stay with you."
"All right," he says before he kisses my lips softly. "We're going to do this."
"Yes we are," I say with a smile before I kiss his lips again. "I love you."
*A/N: What do you think of Ana's and Dean's decision of keeping the baby? Do you think they can do this? What are your thoughts on Ana's dad? Why do you think he backed down so quickly when it came to Ana's stubbornness and strong-willed behavior? Do you think Dean can give up his street life to be a dad? Are they going to be able to make all this work? What about Ana choosing to go back home with Dean? Please review and thank-you for reading.