Title: Shiver
Rating: M (To be safe—you never know!)
Summary: "Always expect the unexpected." A one night stand leaves Jack with some extra baggage.
Pairing(s): Jack/OC
Author's Note: I made this chapter longer due to the fact that someone suggested it (you know who you are). Oh, yes, and to all you Garrett fans if you haven't yet go and watch the Death Sentence trailer!
Anonymous Review Replies:
bleMart7- I'm going to assume that the "ble" isn't supposed to be there---but I'm going to put it there anyway because that's what you used to review :). I hope you'll be happy when you see Jack's ass in trouble when the you-know-what hits the fan.
Fluffy18- (throws confetti) I did indeed update after quite a wait! Thanks for your continuing patronage! Oh, and before I forget—it's quite funny how you always start your reviews with "omg", haha it never fails to make a laugh a little.
Christinadizzle- You're a generous reviewer! Yes, I know, Jack was a tad OOC. But he had to for a while, just to show that he's not a typical "Knight in Shining Armor".
Thanks to all those who reviewed: Christinadizzle, Sliver of Melody, Silenced22, Heartbreaker23, Spikeyhairgood, Mart7 (no ble this time) and Fluffy18.
Disclaimer: I still own that DVD—but nothing else, sadly.
Chapter Five
Spin
"and the world keeps spinning round
my world's upside down
and I wouldn't change a thing
I've got nothing else to lose
I lost it all when I found you
and I wouldn't change a thing
no, you and I wouldn't change a thing"
--Lifehouse "Spin"
Tap, Tap, Tap…
Audrey placed two fingers to each of her temples and rubbed them in a circular motion.
Tap, Tap, Tap…
Her eyes darted towards the culprit who, when meeting her gaze, just smiled politely back as if nothing was wrong.
Tap, Tap, Tap…
"Do you mind?" Audrey huffed as Jack slightly jumped at the sudden outburst and ceased to do his nervous habit of incessant tapping.
"Sorry…" He muttered as he indulged in a sudden interest of his finger nails.
She let out a long, deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "Look," She began as she closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her blonde mane. "I understand that you're scared and maybe—possibly anxious. I'm scared too…" She said as Jack nodded his head. "But next time, please refrain from that relentless tapping," She added sharply.
Jack shrugged and shifted in his seat, "Well, how am I supposed to react?"
"I don't know! Try something less annoying next time," Audrey snapped as Jack cocked his eyebrow.
"Next time?" He repeated.
She rolled her eyes as she fanned the air with her hand. "You know what I mean!" Audrey said as she bit down on her lip.
"Don't do that," Jack said as Audrey furrowed her eyebrows. "Please stop doing that nervous habit in front of me. It's pretty annoying truth be told."
Audrey faked laughter, "Well aren't we a little sassy today!" She retorted as Jack laughed.
"I've been thinking," Jack said, a smile still on his face, after the laughter subsided.
Audrey rolled her eyes and threw her head back dramatically, "Oh, lord…."
"Hey," Jack grabbed her arm and pulled her into a, vertical position. "I've been thinking," He began again, ignoring the semi dramatic groan coming from Audrey. "We should do this," He motioned to the two of them. "Properly."
Audrey's head shot up. "You aren't asking me to marry you, are you?" She squeaked as Jack released her arm and shook his head sadistically.
"No! No!" Jack cast his eyes on the floor. "Oh God no," He emphasized as Audrey let out a sigh of relief.
She placed a hand on her chest. "Oh good! Because we're—you and me---us, it wouldn't work."
Jack nodded in agreement adding, "We're two, totally different people with nothing in common!"
"We're opposites!" Audrey included.
"Right of course! We're not right for each other by any means!"
"Great, I'm glad we agree on that!"
"What I meant was that, maybe we should try and establish a---friendship, or something," He said quickly when he saw Audrey grimaced slightly. "I want this child to know that we're both…"
"Amicable?"
"Right, amicable towards each other. So…I think that maybe we should, you know, get to know each other on an emotional level as opposed to the physical level…"
Audrey's lips curled into a smile, "Right, because we already know each other fairly well on that level…"
"Right," Jack said as he blushed slightly.
"I have an idea!" Audrey said as she scooted towards the end of her chair, which was located in front of Jack's. "You can come to my doctor's appointment."
"Great! When is it?" He questioned, inquisitively.
"Uh, I don't know yet," Audrey said. "I haven't scheduled it yet," She added due to the curious look on Jack's face.
"Well, just tell me when and where, when you know."
When and where came about far too quickly for both Jack and Audrey, and in a matter of a week they found themselves located in an exam room in a local hospital.
"So, what exactly are they going to do?" Jack asked as he looked at the various posters on the wall. "Look," He began as he pointed to one that showed the growing process that occurs in the female body. "You're gonna be that big!"
"Oh great!" Audrey said unenthusiastically. "Just stay behind me!" She commanded as she moved her foot located in to stirrup style foot rest.
"It's not like I haven't se—"
"Good morning! I'm Doctor Martin," The doctor greeted, cutting off the last of Jack's statements. The Dr. Martin was a middle aged, balding man with no neck and pudgy fingers. He sat in the small stool in front of Audrey, and flashed a smile towards her. "I suppose congratulations are in order!" He exclaimed as he turned and began to work with his computer.
Audrey looked up at Jack before responding with a small, "Thanks."
"Okay!" He said, elongating the word as he turned on his stool. "We'll start with the pelvic examine. Just lay back and relax."
Audrey did as she was told as Jack found something to else to distract him from the task at hand.
"Any mood swings, fatigue, morning sickness?"
Audrey shifted slightly at the discomfort. "Uh, just a little," She answered.
A few seconds later, Dr. Martin emerged. "Okay, so you are twenty-two years old, height is five foot six, and your weight is one hundred and eighteen pounds," He read as he skimmed through the report from Audrey's physical exam done by a nurse. "You've had no prior pregnancies, your family has a history of heart disease, and your blood pressure is just a little high."
"Hmm, I wonder why…" Jack mumbled as Audrey hit his arm.
"Okay, well it seems that you are very early in this pregnancy. Only a few weeks in. Well, hopefully everything goes well—"
"Hopefully?" Audrey asked alarmed as she sat up on propped elbows.
"Well, the chance of a miscarriage is very high at this stage in the pregnancy. But, don't worry about that!" He said, awfully cheerful, as Audrey and Jack exchanged nervous looks.
"So, you're due in---" The doctor looked over the paper work, and then the information on the computer. "September. Around the twenty-first," Dr. Martin concluded.
"Uh, great…" Jack said as the doctor handed Audrey a bottle of prenatal vitamins.
"Start taking these, and be sure to schedule your next appointment," Doctor Martin instructed as he stood to leave. "Oh, I almost forgot, do you have any questions for me?"
Audrey hesitated, "Uh, no. I'm all set for now, thanks."
"Are you hungry? Maybe we could catch lunch…" Jack wondered as he and Audrey walked back to their cars, located in the hospital parking lot.
"I'd love to, but I have to be at a meeting in a half an hour," Audrey answered as she unlocked the driver's side door. "Maybe some other time…"
Jack nodded. "We'll do it sometime next week, when I come back."
Audrey cocked an eyebrow. "Get back?"
"I'm going to The Big Apple for a while to meet with some music executives. We might just get signed," He said, elatedly.
"Jack, that's great! Good luck…" Audrey waved goodbye to him as she drove away.
"Thanks," He replied bashfully as he watched Audrey's car disappear into the horizon. He laughed silently as he followed suit and took the short drive back to his mother's house.
Although he and Audrey never discussed how, and when, they we're going to share the news with their families, Jack felt it was best to wait a while. Call it old fashioned but he didn't want to jinx anything.
During that short drive, all Jack could think about was the baby. He was going to be a father…wow. He couldn't describe the combination of excitement, bliss, and fear he was feeling. But all that went away when he remembered one important detail.
"I'm having a baby with a woman I barely know." He thought out loud as he parked the car in front of his Ma's house.
That huge factor in this situation, a situation that was supposed to bring joy into someone's life, instantly sucked everything good out of it. He couldn't have a baby with a woman he scarcely knows…
Or could he?
Author's Note: Hmm…what's Jack up to now? Feedback is always appreciated!