A/N: Hey, everyone! Thanks for the support. Since it's the first chapter and my first Wildfire fic, I'm gonna be totally annoying and respond to everyone here. :3
wannabejockey101 - Thanks for being my first review! I know, Kris is only twenty years old and about to have her first child. TT So sad.
GreenEyedBabe09 - Thanks. I went through each character and wrote down how I'd think they'd react. I thought Jean would miss having a girl around. :-)
mowrocks - If it makes you feel any better, I hate Kris and Kerry together, too. Have fun with this chapter (and the next one will be your favorite!)…that's all I'm going to say. (wink)
Petra - Hey, there:3 Glad you liked it. It's weird not writing Instant Star. But could you see this storyline working with IS? (I am a HUGE freak when it comes to keeping everyone EXACTLY in character, and I think it would have been tough.) Anyway, glad you liked it. And…yeah, I guess I do like people popping up out of nowhere. lol.
xox junior xox- First of all, gotta give you props on the name. I'm loving it! (squeal) Anyway…Aww, shucks! (blush) You're too kind. Here's more!
WiiLDFIRE87 - I have done SOOO much research to write this. That's why it's taken me so long to post it. (I've wanted to write this for a week now!) So, yeah, I think "waddles" is a good word. Thanks, and I'm glad you liked it.
clois4life - Shortest review on this story goes to…..clois4life! j/k. I loved it. Anyway, thanks for the support and I hope you like this update!
Fortunetellers Melody- I love being called JQ, lol! Awww, you called me fabulous! (blushes) That's too kind. I write for people like you! Consider it continued! God Bless you too, JQ.
SPECIAL THANKS TO…Fortunetellers Melody, GreenEyedBabe09, and wannabejockey101who all added this story to their favorites!
Last, but not least, this chapter goes out to a big fan (probably my biggest!)…PETRA! She's stuck with me for all of my Instant Star fic and now has come to support me here!
(From now on, favorite review gets the dedication…and dedication gets a sneak preview of the new chapter before it gets posted!)
Without any further ado…Here's chapter two! (heh, I rhymed!)
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Chapter Two--Some Secrets Were Meant to Be Told
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Kris turned around slowly. "Kris?" Junior repeated. He was standing in the door to the Davis mansion, a perplexed look on his face.
"Hi," she said weakly, not meeting his eyes.
Junior's eyes widened as he looked at her. She was still as beautiful as she was when she had left him---maybe even more so, if that was possible. But her swollen belly was what had caught him off guard.
"I'm pregnant," she announced, as if reading his mind. "Can I come in?"
Junior opened the door without a word, holding it open for her as she waddled into his house. He ushered her over to his couch, sitting across from her. She laid her coat next to her, fiddling with the zipper. He waited for her to start talking, not quite sure if he knew what to say to her.
"Before you ask, it's Kerry's. It happened right after we got to France." Tears were already beginning to burn in her eyes. This isn't good. "He's still there. In Europe, I mean. He's working with a new jockey...Caitlin."
Junior was silent, a hurt look etched into his face. It killed Kris to look at him and tell him this story, but she knew she had to. He deserved to know. Tears flowed freely down her face, but she didn't let it stop her.
"Let me start from the beginning." And so she did. She told him everything from when she left to when she got back, never leaving anything out. And Junior just sat there and watched her cry, a wounded look on his face the entire time.
"And I just...I don't think I can do this, Junior. I can't raise a kid on my own! Kerry doesn't even care about me! He said he loved me, and now he's leaving me to raise our child alone. I'm twenty years old. How can I raise a kid on my own?"
Junior sighed and moved next to her on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and rocked her gently, stroking her hair. "Shhh, Kris. You won't have to. You have Matt, you have Jean and Pablo. And you have me." She looked up into his eyes, tears dripping slowly.
"Do you mean that?" she whimpered.
"Of course." He smiled at her, glad to have her back in his arms. I just wish it wasn't under these circumstances. "This is not what you need right now. What you need is to get some rest and calm down."
She nodded, "You're the best, Junior. I missed you the most when I was gone." He smirked.
"There's a spare bedroom down the hall on the left, if you want to get some rest," he offered.
"I can't. Matt's waiting for me outside."
"He is?" Junior asked and Kris nodded. "Tell him he can go home, then. You need to relax. He can tell everyone to come visit you here."
Kris looked nervous, thinking about spending more time with Junior. He sensed her apprehension.
"Just for now, okay? You don't need to be moving around so much. Take it easy, at least until you have that baby." She nodded and stood slowly.
"Thanks, Junior." She made her way carefully down the hall and disappeared into a doorway a little ways down. Once he heard the door close softly, Junior collapsed into the couch.
God, what has he done to her? She used to be so carefree and fun loving. Now she's paranoid and hurt all the time. She's scared out of her mind and she has no idea what to do. How could anyone leave her to care for herself and that baby alone? Who in their right mind could leave that girl in the first place?
Junior stood and walked outside, making his way to Matt's car. His best friend eyed him suspiciously. "Where's Kris?" he asked, looking at the front door.
"She's inside, sleeping. She...she told me everything. With Kerry and the baby. She's pretty exhausted, not to mention hurt...really bad."
"Kerry really messed her up, big time," Matt commented.
"She's gonna stay here for a bit, just to rest up. You can tell everyone to come visit her here, if they want."
Matt nodded, frowning at his friend. "Are you okay, man?"
Junior sighed, "Not really. I knew Kerry was bad news from the beginning. It kills me to see her so hurt and alone."
"You still love her, don't you?" Matt asked. Junior looked away, not answering. "I'll tell everyone to stop by here if they want to see her, okay?" Junior nodded and Matt started the car up, pulling away.
Junior went back inside, heading to his kitchen for a bite to eat, when he heard a soft ringing noise coming from the living room. He walked over to the couch and eyed Kris' coat. The sound was definitely coming from in there.
Junior reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, checking the caller ID.
Kerry.
The ringing stopped and the phone buzzed, signaling a new voicemail. Curiosity was too much. He pressed '1' and listened to her message.
"Kris, it's Kerry. Sorry I haven't been in touch lately. Caitlin's been keeping me busy here in Europe. Anyway, I'm making a quick stop back in the States tomorrow, just for one day. So, I thought I'd check up on you and Baby Connolly." Kerry's laughed filled the phone before he went on, "I'm sure you're back at Raintree since you're due soon. So, unless I hear otherwise, I'll stop by there tomorrow. Bye."
Junior hung up the phone, fury filling him.
How dare he call her! How dare he visit her!
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Matt stepped inside his house, closing the door behind him. Gillian was still in her pajamas, sipping coffee at the table.
"How is she?" she asked.
"She's exhausted...and worried, sad. She's staying at Davis Farms for now. She was too tired to come home." Matt collapsed at the table across from his fiancée, sighing. "You know, Kerry really did a number on her. She's going to have this baby and she'll be all alone. All because he can't be honest with her. She's hanging on to this hope that he's coming back. If she could just let him go, someone could be there to take his spot as the baby's father."
Gillian set her coffee down. "Kerry's not coming back?"
"I don't think so. He has a new jockey in Europe and he's staying there. But he keeps letting Kris think there's a change he's coming back to be with her and the baby. She can't let go of him. All because he can't own up to what he's done and tell her the truth." Matt leaned forward on the table, eyes blazing. "Y'know, I hate that more than anything. People who aren't honest."
Gillian felt tears coming to her eyes. "Matt."
"What's wrong, Gill?" he asked, voice tender.
"Matt, I have to tell you something. You're probably not going to like me after I tell you, but you and Kris deserve to know."
"Gillian, you're scaring me. What is it?" Matt sounded a bit worried.
"Do you remember when I got Kris a spot in the Breeder's?" she began.
"Yes..."
"Well, I did that because...Kerry came to me. He said that I was being childish not letting Kris in because of our history." Tears were trickling from her eyes. "One thing led to another, and..."
"Gillian, you...?"
"Matt, it didn't mean anything, I promise!" she insisted. Matt stood up, chair flying back behind him.
"How could you do this to me! And to Kris!" Matt glowered at her, before storming out, slamming the door behind him. He drove to Davis Farms in record time, getting out of his car and running to the front door.
He pounded fiercely on the solid oak door, an echo sounding with each punch. Within a matter of seconds, the door flung open, revealing an angry Junior.
"What the hell are you doing, man? You're gonna wake Kris!"
"Good, 'cause I need to talk to her!" Matt looked over Junior's shoulder, searching for her.
"Not now, she's---"
"What's all the noise?" Kris' soft voice floated up from behind them. Junior spun around and watched her pad over to them, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Hi, Matt."
"Kris, I need to talk to you. Now." Matt shoved his way past Junior into the house.
"Sure, come on it," Junior said sarcastically, closing the door.
"Kris, sit down. This is going to...shock you." He steered her toward the couch, sitting down across from her.
She sat down, glancing at him nervously. "Matt, you're freaking me out. What's going on?" Junior took a seat next to her.
"I...Gillian just told...Gillian and Kerry slept together," he said finally.
"Matt, I know. They dated before me." Kris yawned. "You woke me up for that?"
"No, you don't understand. That's how you got the spot in the Breeder's. Kerry went to her. And they slept together."
It took a second to register. Then Kris' eyes widened and she lost control. "He what! Then he slept with me too! What's wrong with me!" Kris burst into tears. Junior put an arm around her, glaring at Matt.
"Why would you tell her this, now of all times?"
"She had a right to know," Matt spat. "What if he comes back and wants to be a father?"
"You know what?" Kris said, tears still flooding from her eyes. "He's not coming back. I'm stuck with his baby and he's probably never coming back."
"Actually," Junior sounded very sheepish. "He is."
"What?" Kris said, shocked.
"He called your cell phone while you were asleep. I didn't answer it, but I did check your voicemail. I'm sorry, but I had to know what was going on. He's coming back to Raintree tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" she choked out in disbelief. She was too shocked, sad, and angry to care that Junior had checked her voicemail. All that mattered was finding a way to avoid Kerry.
Up until that very moment, Kris was sure she had wanted Kerry to come back. She knew she couldn't do this alone. But now that she knew what kind of man he could be, she wasn't sure she wanted him to be the father of her child.
Plus, she liked having Matt, Jean, and Pablo back in her life. Before she had met Kerry, they were the closest thing to a family she had ever had. Then she had left them behind. She was starting to realize how big of a mistake that had been.
She was also starting to remember why she had fallen in love with Junior. He was sweet and warm. And he cared about her, too. She couldn't for the life of herself remember why she had wanted to be with Kerry. And now she was regretting ever letting Junior go.
Now, she was going to give birth to a son fathered by a man she no longer loved--and wasn't sure she ever truly loved in the first place. And she wasn't sure how she was going to do it. She wanted the baby to grow up in a loving family, with a mother and a father. But she didn't want Kerry to have any part of that.
"Kris?" Junior's voice brought her back to reality.
"What am I going to do?" she asked timidly.
"Do you want to see him?" Matt questioned bluntly.
She shook her head. "I don't want him anywhere near this baby. Ever again."
"I have a plan," Junior said finally. "Stay here with me." Matt and Kris both eyed him, confused.
"And what will that do?" his best friend asked.
"Matt, you tell everyone at Raintree to tell Kerry that they haven't seen Kris since she left for Europe. He'll leave, and Kris can go back to getting ready for the baby to come--in peace."
"What do you think?" Matt asked her.
Kris looked between the two of them, not quite sure what to do.
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A/N: End chapter two:3 What do you think Kris is gonna do? Will she hide from Kerry or will she change her mind and want to see him? Find out next time!
Review, please!
Love,
JQ.
(PS: Good news first!Wildfire season finale tonight! It's gonna be so good. I think there is a Krunior kiss!
Bad news, I found out I have the flu AND strep throat, so I am super sick and home from school. However, that also brings good news, because I am home with nothing to do... so I've been writing! You might see another chapter up before the new episode tonight...But definitely one after!
MY INSTANT STAR CD'S ARE COMING IN TODAY! I AM SOOO EXCITED!)