This chapter is long page wise since it's 11 pages, but it's only like 7.5K words.

Regardless, I decided to merge together the Cat and Tori chapters since there are similar themes here. So I had no set chapter count when I decided to rewrite this, and up until last Friday, I thought I would hit thirteen. Instead, I decided to merge the last four chapters into two chapters, so the next chapter will be the last one. I'm so ready to be done with this story so I can work on the sequel, but that doesn't mean I'm going to (purposefully) slack up on this one.

All of this chapter was new material, so it was really fun to write. I really hope you all enjoy it!

Also, I just did a quick search on Australian slang, so if actual Australians don't say what I made Blake say, then I'm sorry!

Leave a review telling me what you think!

Until next time,

Sky


"Chapter 10 – American Dream"

"We don't want two kids and a wife. I don't want a job, I just want a life. This world is spinning too fast for you and me, so tell me whatever happened to the American Dream." - MTKO

Five weeks ago.

Robbie lay quietly on his bed, staring sadly up at the ceiling with his hands on his stomach. His head lulled to the side, and he sighed at the empty spot beside him.

Cat had come home earlier that day, but it was only to drop off Cassie; she'd come and gone long before he'd gotten back from school. He missed her, and he was beginning to despise himself for it.

When he'd gotten home from school after Beck picked him up that Monday, Jade had told them both that she didn't think Cat deserved to live with them if she wanted to cavort with a filthy lesbian. (She'd used stronger words, but he shared Cat's sentiments on bad words and refused to repeat them, even in his head.) Beck had almost started an argument with her about it, but she quickly shot him down. And Robbie wanted to say something, but Jade seemed snappier and scarier than usual.

The past two nights were the hardest he'd ever had since he'd come out of his coma and had to stay with his parents for a few months.

She'd been spending nights away from home over the past few weeks, but he just assumed she was staying with her home to help her finalize the renovations of her condo in Verona Beach. But now that he (somewhat) knew about Natalie, he wasn't sure what to think about his girlfriend anymore.

How long had she known this girl? How long had they been involved? When she said she was staying with her mom, was she really with Natalie? There wasn't a question about whether or not he should stay; the love of his life was cheating on him, and now she was living with her mistress.

Everything inside him said he should move back in with his parents—since he felt he didn't belong in a home with his friend's family—but the biggest question of all remained: Could he actually leave?

He'd been in love with Cat from the very first moment he met her. All he wanted now was to win her back, to hold her in his arms until the world ended.

But she wanted Natalie.

Cassie began to cry in the nursery and Robbie climbed out of bed. Beck and Jade were busy with the twins, so he felt it was his duty to tend to the poor girl. She'd been asleep since her mother dropped her off, and he wondered how Cat could just leave her daughter, but he had no one to ask.

Upon entering the nursery, he saw the Valentine toddler standing in her crib, tears streaming down her face as she let out small whimpers. "Want Mommy!" she whined loudly.

"I know," Robbie acknowledged sadly as he picked her up. She clung to him, crying against his shirt. "I miss her, too." He kissed her atop her tight black ringlets and bounced her gently to soothe her. "I'll get her back, baby girlie; don't you worry…"


This right here is the twisted paradise.


The present Sunday.

Cat was beginning to love sex.

(If anything, she liked it with Natalie, but she loved it with Robbie.)

Robbie loved it just as much as she did. Granted, she'd had more partners than he did, but he didn't want to be with anyone else; he wanted her to be his first and last.

He was bigger than Daniel, at least where Jade said it counted. She loved his lanky hands awkwardly fumbling about her covers, because she knew every touch was filled with love. Comparing his touch to Natalie's, she realized that Jade was right; Natalie didn't love her and had only ever wanted sex.

Neither Jade nor Beck had been home the following week that she'd been allowed to come back, so she and Robbie took this to their sexual advantages, and they would continue to do so for the following month. While they were out of the house (which somewhat worried Cat and made her think they were moving out), the happy couple took each other on the couch, the kitchen floor, several kitchen counters, and even the shower—to name a few places. They began to try different positions, and she would always tell him what to do to get her off since he made sure to ask.

Sex had become their key to happiness, and they intended to stay happy for a very long time.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


"We can't keep living like this, Danny!" Tori shouted as she paced about the kitchen. She ripped open several cabinets before yanking open the door to the fridge. She threw it open so hard that it slammed against the counter, causing a commotion that probably woke her son up upstairs. "We're running out of food, cleaning supplies, diapers for Tony, and we have bills to pay! You need to hurry up and find a job; we've been living together for a month now and you still haven't found one. You know I hate asking for your parents for money!"

"Then ask yours!" he screamed back at her. "I'm trying my best to find a damn job, but not many people want to hire a college student, Tori."

"So then drop out," his wife spat in a slightly softer voice, throwing her hands up and slapping them against her thighs in defeat.

Her husband scoffed. "Or how about you get a job?" he fired. "You've got all the time in the world to look for one since you're taking classes online."

"And I guess our son is just gonna watch himself then," she hissed. "My parents made it clear that they were not our baby's parents; he's our responsibility. And if you think I'm going to ask your mother, who just had a heart attack if you forgot, to come down from Azusa and babysit, then you're out of your mind!"

"I can't talk to you when you're like this!" he shouted before storming out of the house and slamming the front door loudly.

Exasperated, Tori slammed the fridge shut and put her back to it, holding her head and sliding to the floor as tears burned her eyes.

After Andre had blown her secret, Mrs. Vega thought it best that her daughter live with her new son-in-law. Mr. Vega, however, didn't take kind to the news of his baby girl eloping, and told her that Danny wasn't welcome in his home. With no other option, Tori moved into Danny's family home with their son.

This had been their second argument over money, and it was doing nothing but stressing her out. Danny had no problem asking his mom for money, despite the fact that that she needed to pay for cholesterol and blood pressure prescriptions, as well as a cardiac rehabilitation program that her insurance wouldn't cover. His father didn't want to speak to him after finding out about Antonio—mainly because he disapproved of Tori and her family—so it was pointless to shake that tree.

If Tori hadn't sucked it up and borrowed money from her sister, they wouldn't have lights or water. She thought about getting a job, but she couldn't pass her son off to her parents every day. To be honest, she was—for the most part—a traditionalist; she believed it was the husband's job to work and put food on the table, and the wife's job to take care of the home. She wanted nothing more to be a stay at home mom like her own mother.

But this house she shared with her husband barely felt like a home.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


Monday, 9 AM.

"I'm willing to forgive you, you know," Natalie announced as she picked up Cat's bag from the seat beside the redhead.

"Will you just leave me alone, please?" she asked meekly. "I love my boyfriend and we're working things out."

"Why even bother with him?" she questioned seductively. She leaned up to the tiny girl's ear and gently flicked the lobe with her tongue. "Don't tell me you forgot what I can do to you."

Taking in a deep breath, Cat snatched her bag from the table and darted for the door. She'd almost made it out when Dr. Beasom stopped her.

"Where are you going, Miss Valentine?" he asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "Class is about to start."

"I don't think I can stay," she mumbled, keeping her eyes on the floor. Without realizing it, she gave a sidelong glance to the black-haired girl in the spot by her usual seat.

"Is someone bothering you?" he questioned in a low voice. "You know you don't have to talk to them or even acknowledge them if they're in this class."

Keeping her head low, Cat let out small sobs. She covered her mouth when she realized she was making sounds. Acting quickly, her professor placed his hand on her back and led her out of the classroom. He closed the door so none of the students would hear them.

"I can't stay in this class with her," the tiny girl cried. "I love my boyfriend, but she won't leave me alone!"

"Who won't leave you alone?" the professor asked calmly.

"Natalie Redford," she sobbed with her head down. "She made me do bad things that I should only do with my boyfriend and she wants me to keep doing them but I just want her to leave me alone!"

Dr. Beasom frowned deeply as the tiny girl in front of him cried loudly, thinking of possible options. "I…can see if I can have her switched to a different class if she's bothering you this badly," he said.

Instantly, Cat stopped crying. Her head shot up to him and she gave him a weak smile. "Really?!"

Her professor returned the smile. "Don't tell anyone," he began quietly, holding his hand by his mouth to perpetuate the secret, "But you're one of my favorite students. I'd hate to have you leave my class because of someone harassing you, so I'll see what I can do."

And after that, Cat would never have another class with Natalie Redford again.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


10 AM.

Tori found it difficult to even get out of bed.

As she'd been doing for the past week, she woke up to an empty bed. Danny usually left at the crack of dawn to go on job hunts—or so he said—but she wasn't awake when he came home last night, and she wasn't entirely sure that he even did.

She hated that they were arguing so much; she and Andre never fought this much. If anything, the fight where she kicked him out and the fight where he told her he never wanted to see her again were the only times they'd ever argued.

There was no doubt she loved Danny, but she missed Andre. She missed Beck. She missed Cat. She even missed Robbie. She felt so isolated, especially now that she and her husband had their own home. She wished that she and Jade would have been better friends in high school; then, maybe she would have been asked to live with the other two couples.

But even if that were the case, she would still feel like she didn't belong there.

Cat and Jade had been through a lot together, especially during their pregnancies. Cat had witnessed firsthand how bad of a person Jade's brother was, and had stuck with her through it all. Beck and Jade stuck by Cat when her mom kicked her out. Beck and Robbie had been the dutiful boyfriends, staying with them as much as they could through the pregnancies.

She and Andre never would have belonged in their home.

Because of her marriage, she didn't belong in her childhood home anymore. She had her own family to think about now. Her parents were adamant about that, and they were okay with her and Andre raising their family under the Vega roof for the time being, but now she was married and needed to live like a traditional married woman. Her dad was strict on his traditional values, so there would be no say otherwise.

Her sister had been there for her during her Andre drama, but that didn't mean she could put all of her burdens on Trina. She had her own wedding to plan for, and she had her own things to deal with. Tori didn't even know Blake that well, so she didn't feel like she belonged in their dinky little studio apartment—even if they could find the room for her.

She felt miserable in her marriage, and she needed help. She wasn't sure who to turn to, so she'd scheduled an appointment at her school to see a counselor. She did some research on CSUN's policies, and even students going for an online degree were allowed to visit the counseling center on campus; she practically rejoiced when she found out it was free for students.

Mechanically, she went about her daily routines.

She felt numb beneath the beating water of her shower, robotic as she dressed herself once dry. She decided—if she felt better—she would go see her sister and thank her in person once more for the money to pay the bills.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


Noon.

While the twins had been pulled from daycare, Cat still took advantage of the childcare system and let her daughter stay; the baby Valentine had even made a few friends.

But on her way, she grew dizzy.

The scenery started to spin around her and she needed to stop and grab a tree just to keep from falling over. Her stomach began to churn, and she could feel her breakfast trying to come back up. And before she could stop herself, she hurled the eggs and bacon that Robbie made for her into the nearest bush.

"No, no, no," she muttered, wiping her mouth gingerly.

Her hand shot to her stomach out of fear. She and Robbie used protection! She couldn't get pregnant this quickly, could she? Natalie said that she couldn't get her pregnant, she made Robbie use a condom, and she'd made sure to take her birth control regularly!

Hands shaking, she pulled her phone from her bra and called Jade. She'd know what to do!

Worry crept further up her spine as the phone rung on and on. She wasn't sure if her friend would pick up…

And suddenly, she felt just like she did two years ago after her mother kicked out when she reluctantly announced her first pregnancy.

"Cat!" Jade called from the parking lot. She stormed up to her friend, phone raised high for emphasis, as her blonde bun flopped ridiculously behind her head. "Why are you calling me? Did you forget I'm picking you up?"

"I'm scared," the redhead whimpered, clinging to herself.

Her friend's face softened slightly and she lowered her arm. "What happened?" She scrunched her nose as the wind rustled around them. "What the hell is that smell?"

Instantly, the tiny girl before her shattered into terrified sobs. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Jade rushed up to her and enveloped her in one of her rare hugs.

"I threw up!" she wailed. She pulled away and looked at the taller mother. "I got dizzy and then I did it and I'm scared!"

"Did you eat something bad today?" Jade questioned, slightly scowling. Cat smelled like vomit, and she didn't want the smell on her clothes. "Wait, tell me after you pick up your kid; I got places to be."

"O-okay," Cat stammered, slightly confused.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


Jade acted weird on the ride home.

She asked Cat some questions about why she'd thrown up, and she looked like she didn't care when the redhead kept insisting she was pregnant; she didn't try to disprove it, she didn't confirm it, and it was if she hardly acknowledged it.

If she hadn't made Jade take her to a gas station to get a test, the preoccupied mother probably would have just dropped her off in front of the house.

She wondered what was making Jade act this way, but she was more worried about her possible pregnancy.

As Jade sped away as soon as Cat reached the front door, the worry slunk back to her. What if she was pregnant? Beck and Jade had two kids, and they were arguing more than normal. She hardly got to see the twins because they were usually out with him. But then again, she hardly saw Jade either…

Would she even be able to handle two kids? Having twins was one thing, but Cassie might be three by the time the baby came and they would both need a lot of attention. She couldn't pass her daughter off to Robbie while she took care of the baby…

Before she even realized it, she stood in the bathroom with her back pressed to the door. She looked down at the box in her hand and took a deep breath.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


2 PM.

Tori decided she would take her son to her therapy session, regardless of if they allowed children or not. It provided her a small smirk when she thought of it as taking a page from Jade's book. The small joking happiness quickly vanished when she realized she still wasn't speaking to Jade, that they hadn't made up after the bitch monster slapped her.

"Good morning," the counselor greeted from the doorway, tearing the young mother from her thoughts. He wasn't exceptionally tall, maybe her height, and he looked barely older than her. He wore large framed glasses and his hair seemed to be an off color (maybe pastel) blue. He had a California beach than and laugh lines around his mouth and eyes. He seemed friendly enough.

"Hi," she returned with a small smile, holding out her free hand to take his and shake it.

"I'm Jared Copperfield," he told her, shaking her hand firmly, "But you can call me Jared." He looked at her son and his smile grew. "And who have we got here?"

Tori smiled proudly and ran her hand over the back of her son's head. "This is my son, Tony," she stated.

"Hi, Tony," Jared gushed in a baby voice. "Are you joining your mommy and me for therapy?"

Still shy around people, the toddler turned away and buried his face into his mother's hair, using some of it to shield him. She laughed and kissed him atop the head.

"He's still working on his shyness," she explained.

"That's quite alright," Jared chuckled. He held his hand out again, this time to usher them inside. "Please have a seat, and we'll get started."

With a quick nod, she entered the room. There was a couch like she expected, but it was just a regular sofa with arms on both sides that could hold three people. At least it was brown leather. There was a matching leather recliner across from the couch, presumably where Jared would sit. In the corner sat a desk that held his desktop, corded-telephone, and stacks of papers. It was small and a little dark—the only light coming through the blinds—but it made her feel comfortable. She felt a little more relieved as she took a seat on the couch. Antonio climbed out of her lap and onto a different cushion before lying down on his side and closing his eyes. She gently ran her hand over his shoulder with a small smile. She'd taken over his morning nap time, and he intended to take it back.

"So what's on your mind?" Jared asked as he took a seat in the recliner. "You checked true to a number of concerning things on the survey we had you fill out online yesterday."

She took in a deep breath and sighed loudly. "I think I might be depressed," she confessed, looking him straight in the eye. "I've had a lot of stressful things going on this past month and a half. I did a really bad thing and made my boyfriend believe that my son was his; I…was ashamed, especially since his father got my best friend pregnant, and my boyfriend really loved me and promised to do whatever he could to help me raise my baby. But then he found out and we got into this big argument and I kicked him out. I didn't know what else to do, so I called my ex-boyfriend and asked him to come over. I explained that he was my son's father, and it seemed like a good time since my best friend has a new boyfriend and doesn't want anything to do with him. Then we got married because he said I only loved him when it was convenient and a few days later I found out my ex-boyfriend was put in the hospital because they thought he tried to kill himself. He told me he didn't want to talk to me for a while, but then he showed up at my house a month later to get his things and found out that I was married. He blew up and got into a fight with my husband and my mom almost called the police on him. And now I'm living with my husband because my parents practically threw me out, but we're having problems because he won't get a job and I don't want to work while I'm taking classes, so I don't know what to do."

"Wow," Jared breathed, his elbows propped on the arms of the recliner and his fingertips pressed together in front of his face. "That definitely sounds like a lot. So how long would you say the depression has been going on?"

"Since I started living with my husband two weeks ago," the Latina answered.

"Do you think he might be the cause?"

She shrugged. "He's been on a constant job search, so I haven't seen him at home much lately. But when he is home, we argue about money. I don't feel comfortable asking his mom since she has hospital bills to pay, and I know my parents would say no if I asked. I had to borrow money from my sister and her fiancé just to make sure we had lights and running water."

"Do you think anything else could be causing your depression? That's a lot to stress about."

She sighed again, this time softer. She lowered her head to her hands in her lap. "I feel really lonely," she admitted. "I really want to be a stay-at-home mom like my own mom, but I live so far from my friends now, and they have their own stuff going on. I hardly see them anymore, and I'm not even sure they likely after what happened with my ex-boyfriend."

"Have you tried talking to them?"

She looked up and nodded. "I tried talking to my best friend," she began hesitantly, "But she's been really busy lately and she won't tell me with what. My best guy friend has twins with this girl I don't like, and he found out that his son has hearing loss, so I can't really bother him too often."

"Well, do you spend time with your sister?" the counselor questioned.

She shook her head. "She's been planning her wedding with my mom," she answered. "I barely got in touch with her just to borrow money."

Jared nodded, pursing his lips in thought. "How old is your son?" he asked randomly.

"He just turned two in April," she said.

He nodded again. "I see," he mumbled. He sat up straight and placed his hands on the arms of the recliner. "Statistically, close to 25 percent of teen mothers have a second child within two years of the first birth. Are you and your husband sexually active?"

Tori nodded.

"Have you been using contraceptives?"

She waved her hand in a so-so motion. "After my ex-boyfriend was kicked out," she began, "My parents stopped buying me the pill and I ran out. My husband and I use condoms, but I know they aren't very effective all the time."

"Do you think you might be pregnant?"

Her breath hitched. She hadn't even thought of that as an option. What if she was? Another baby was just what she needed right now. Could she even be pregnant? She just had her period…didn't she? Come to think of it, she didn't remember when the last one was…

"You look like you're unsure," Jared commented. "After our session, why not make an appointment or grab a home test and find out. I know that would be another stressor, but it's something to look out for. And if you're not pregnant, I'd suggest you consider switching from an online degree to a standard one. I've had several students come to me because of depression and loneliness, but after a few weeks of being in a classroom with other students their age, they start to feel better. A lot of people don't think Northridge is a decent neighborhood, but our university has one of the finest daycare centers in the area; I'm sure your son would love seeing new babies."

Tori smiled softly. "I'll take it into consideration."


This right here is the twisted paradise.


If anything, she didn't think she'd get pregnant again until Antonio started school. For some reason, she just felt in her gut that she wouldn't give him a sibling until then.

She felt awkward walking around the convenience store with her son on her hip, but it was against the law to leave your child unattended in a car, so she had to suck it up. The cashier gave her a less-than-pleased look as she asked for a pregnancy test, and she could have sworn she blushed during.

On the way home, all she could think about the test.

What if it was positive? When would she tell Danny? Would she even keep it? She would rather die than have an abortion, but it was definitely looking to be one of her options considering her current financial situation. She and her family didn't believe in adoption (let alone abortion) and she doubted she would ever be able to give her baby up after carrying it for nine months and delivering it.

How would Danny react? He couldn't just up and leave like he did with Cat…or at least she hoped he couldn't. She married him as a symbol of her commitment to him and their relationship, and she hoped he would do the same. He had to realize that they might have more children down the line, right? Would he be more upset if they were unplanned pregnancies? Would he get mad at her?

She hated all the worrying.

After putting Antonio in his playpen downstairs, she went to the guest bathroom to take the test. Like last time, she grabbed a disposable plastic cup and peed in that—she hated the idea of possibly getting pee on her hand or messing the stick up. As she paced about the bathroom waiting for the result, she held her arms and bit her nails, remembering exactly how she felt just a little over three years ago.

Her phone buzzed on the kitchen sink and she practically lunged for the test. With shaking hands, she held it up to her face to read the screen. Her face fell and her breathing shortened.

Positive.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


2:30 PM.

She wasn't sure what happened after she read the results, but by the time Robbie got home, Cat was wiping away tears. She now stood with her arms behind her back, trying her hardest not to cry.

He'd reached the top of the stairs as she exited the bathroom and gave her a loving peck on the cheek. "I missed you," he breathed, wrapping his arms around her. His hand grazed the plastic in her hand and he gently took it from her, holding it out to look at it. Upon realizing what it was, he dropped it with a slightly terrified noise. His face reddened and he cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

"D-did you take th-that?" he stammered.

Slowly and solemnly, she nodded.

His breathing caught in his throat and he looked down to the test. It had fallen on its back, exposing the display screen that held two little grey bars. As he continued to stare at it, he could hardly believe it. His mouth stretched from its shocked disfiguration to a broad, excited grin. He turned to her, laughing with joyous disbelief.

"You're pregnant?!"

Slightly confused, she held her hand to her lips and nodded. She squeaked when he rushed her into his arms and kissed her deeply, squeezing her arm between them. When he broke the kiss, he placed his chin on her shoulder and gave a shuddering, proud sigh.

"I'm gonna be a dad," he breathed.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


3 PM.

As quickly as her depressed mood had disappeared, the quicker it had returned. This was definitely not the time for another baby. And she was undoubtedly sure that this would be the final straw for Danny, that he'd leave her.

Unsure of who else to talk to, she drove to her sister's studio apartment in Santa Ana. Why Trina chose to live with a guy that lived so far away from her family, Tori would never know.

She held her son tightly as she made her way up the stairs to the third floor.

"Tori sad," Antonio mumbled as he played absently with his mother's hair.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and gently ran her hand over the back of his head to smooth down his hair. "Tori okay," she breathed, trying to put on a happy face. "Let's go see Auntie Trina, okay?"

Her baby laughed and waved his free arm excitedly.

Taking in a deep breath when she reached the last apartment on the third floor, she knocked loudly. The sound of loud rustling behind the wood didn't settle her.

"Who's that?!" Trina groaned obnoxiously, reminding her sister of the Trina from high school. "It's too early for visitors!"

"Babe, it's three," Blake slurred. His voice was softer, and Tori could hardly hear him.

"Three in the morning?" Trina exclaimed. "That's even worse!"

There was a loud sigh before he opened the door with a small smile to his visitor. "Little Rellie!" he exclaimed warmly, his voice booming with his thick accent. His deep black locks were disheveled and he stood in only his boxers. He still had a bit of a glazed look in his eyes as he took her and her soon into a strong, welcoming hug. "How are ya, Jillaroo?"

"I still don't know what any of those words mean," she strained in the hug. "Blake…can't breathe." She took in a sharp gasp when he released her. She looked past him to see Trina strewn about the mattress on the floor in the middle of the room. She wore—presumably—one of his button downs over green boy shorts, her hair flying in every direction as it shielded her sleeping face.

Taking in the sight of the apartment, she marveled at the black and white photos hanging in strips along the ceiling. Colored photos sat in a large glass casing at the far corner of the apartment. There was a door to what she assumed was the bathroom, and a large walled-off area stood beside it. She assumed, by the black curtain in front, that it was his developing station. She stood by the tiny kitchen with a stove, fridge, sink, and four cabinets and counters at most.

"Trina, your sister's here!" he shouted loudly after ushering Tori and her son inside and closing the door. He jogged over to the mattress and shoved it roughly with his foot, almost causing his fiancée to fall off.

"I'm up!" she exclaimed as she shot up, propping herself up on her hands. She turned over and fell back onto the bed, holding her head with a loud groan. Pointing in her sister's general direction, she groaned. "Never get into a drinking competition with an Australian."

Blake chuckled and playfully punched Tori in the shoulder. "I think you could take me," he quipped. "You look as fit as a Mallee bull, not a lightweight like your sister."

"Still don't know what that means," the younger girl laughed off nervously.

Trina sat up on the bed and threw a pillow at her unsuspecting fiancé, hitting him in the stomach and startling her sister while her nephew looked on in wonder, even as his mother shielded him from harm. "What did you need, Tori?" she grumbled, rubbing lazily at her eye.

After finding a good spot, she set her son down and jumped onto the mattress, her hair flying wildly around her. "So I have a problem," she said.

"Well, duh," Trina spat impatiently. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't. This is the first time you've ever stopped by our apartment. So what is it?"

Tori sighed tiredly and lowered her head. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.

Trina squealed loudly, wincing shortly afterward as she took her sister into a tight hug. Blake also covered his ears as he staggered over to the bed, taking the spot beside his fiancée. "That's great!" she exclaimed when she pulled away. Then her face fell with the realization. "Oh…"

"Yeah," Tori acknowledged glumly.

"Well," her sister began, slapping her hands on her knees after crossing her legs. "If it makes you feel better, there's a chance I might be pregnant."

"And you drank with me?" Blake exclaimed, turning his full body to her.

"Your mother drank with you," the Vega girl snapped. "I haven't taken a test or anything, so I don't know for sure yet."

"And what if you are?" he challenged.

"Then I won't drink anymore," she stated matter-of-factly, "And neither will you." She gently shoved him with a playful smile, but he groaned, knowing she was serious.

Tori exhaled loudly and fell back on the mattress, her head hanging over the edge. "That definitely does not make me feel better," she stated. "Now I'll feel even worse asking you for money. What am I gonna do, Trine?"

"All I can say is tell Danny immediately," her sister advised. "That'll push him to get a job quicker."

"Yeah," her soon-to-be Australian brother-in-law added, "You already have one kid and he married you. Two won't send him running."

Trina back-handed him in the chest, the sound resonating throughout the tiny apartment. "That doesn't have anything to do with anything," she hissed. She turned to her sister and grabbed her hand, rubbing her thumb over the back of it. "Don't feel bad about asking us for money; I'm your sister, and I'm supposed to help you even if you did get married before me. It's not even a problem."

Tori huffed, blowing hair off her face. She winced as her son tapped on her forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Nap!" he exclaimed.

She roared playfully and scooped him up, smiling brightly as he giggled loudly. She turned to her sister and leaned forward to give her half of a hug. "Thank you so much," she breathed. "I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Anything to help my baby sis!" Trina cooed, pinching Tori's cheek. She spit out her tongue at Antonio. "And I'll see you later, little man."

The little boy giggled again and waved goodbye.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


8 PM.

She waited for hours for him to get home, drumming her fingers on the table nervously. She'd put Antonio to bed as soon as she'd gotten back from lunch with Trina and Blake; they'd been kind enough to treat her to lobster, and Tony even tried some.

She continuously grew nervous as the minutes dripped away, her stomach knotting.

She gasped when she heard the door open and stood up a little too fast, having to balance herself on the chair to keep from falling back. "Danny," she called loudly. "Can you come in here, please?"

Keys clanked on the end table in the hall and he appeared in the archway separating the kitchen from the dining room. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held her hand up to interrupt him.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted out.

His mouth fell open, eyes dropping to the floor, and he stepped backward, reaching out for the threshold for support. "Are…are you sure?" he mumbled.

"I took three tests," she assured him. She walked over to him and grabbed his hands. "Danny, you need to find a job. We need money and I can't ask Trina to help us right now; she's pregnant, too, and I don't feel right about it."

With an absent gaze at the linoleum, he nodded. "I'll try a little harder," he stated. "I-I'll go out of town to look, d-do research on the internet. There's a place in Anaheim that my friend's cousin is starting up, so I'll see if he'll hire me. It more than likely won't be much, but at least it'll be something." He looked up at her with tired brown eyes. "Maybe you should reconsider doing the on-campus thing. You'll get a lot of financial aid and we can use that to hold us over until we get on our feet." He broke from her grasp and gently grabbed her face, kissing her sweetly. Once the kiss broke, he spun her around and pressed his chest to her back, covering her stomach with his hand as he planted small kisses on her neck. "I swear we're gonna make this work."

She hoped he was right, that he'd find a job to support them so she wouldn't have to ask for money anymore. Although, she could honestly say she didn't expect him to take the news so well. What did that say about her, that she would automatically think the worst about her husband? Did that mean she wasn't as happy in her relationship as she should be?

She desperately wished everything would get better after she had this baby.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


The next morning.

"You promise you'll hold my hand?" Cat begged as Robbie pulled up to the hospital. She'd scheduled an appointment with Dr. Nordstrom because she trusted him after dealing with her last pregnancy, and he'd borrowed his mom's car to take her. They'd dropped Cassie off with her grandmother for the time being, considering they spent very little time together.

"The entire time," he assured her with a sharp nod as he parked the car.

With a nervous smile, she leaned over and pecked him on the lips. Then she reached over him and opened his door. She took his hand and lightly shoved him out, climbing over the gear shift so she could get out on the driver's side without letting go of his hand. It was a good thing she'd worn shorts today.

Together, they made their way into the hospital, to the front desk, and to their assigned room for her ultrasound. Robbie thought they would just make her take another test, but oh well.

Her breathing shortened while she waited for the doctor to arrive, and she jumped in excitement when he opened the door. He had a few more age lines than the last time she saw him, but his hair was still the short coal that it had been two years ago. His hazel eyes didn't look as tired, but the seemed to hold some stress from work.

He grinned broadly upon seeing her. "Miss Valentine," he greeted. "It's always nice to see a familiar face under the right circumstances."

Robbie chuckled nervously, but she just gave a befuddled look. "Do I get to see my baby?" she asked, changing the subject.

The doctor nodded. "He or she will be very tiny, though," he said as he put on a pair of latex gloves. "Lie back for me, alright?"

She breathed in deeply through her nose, gripping her boyfriend's hand a little tighter, and nodded before slowly lowering herself backward.

"Lift your shirt for me, please," the doctor instructed, holding up a bottle of lubrication jelly in one hand and an ultrasonic wand in the other. She quickly complied and he applied the jelly.

"It's cold!" she exclaimed, scrunching her nose with a small shiver. Robbie smiled and rubbed her hand gently.

After a small chuckle, Dr. Nordstrom moved the wand about her stomach and the pictures on the small screen beside him greyed. When the wand landed about an inch above her belly button, a big black circle with a funny looking bean in the middle appeared on the screen. "There's your baby," he announced, pointing at the screen. "It looks like you're about seven weeks along, Miss Valentine."

Cat gasped happily, but Robbie's face fell. Seven weeks? They hadn't even been sleeping together that long, and he made sure to check that the condom was still intact after their first sexual rendezvous.

There was no way that her baby was his.

Again.


This right here is the twisted paradise.


Robbie hardly spoke on the drive back home, but Cat hardly paid attention to him. She was too engrossed in her stomach, thinking about the little jelly bean growing inside of her. It was different, seeing her baby on a screen instead of just a printed picture. Earlier, she'd been scared to be a mother again, but now she was nothing but excited.

Robbie, however, could hardly share her excitement.

He kept trying to think of how in the world she would have gotten pregnant by a lesbian. And why didn't this shock her? They'd probably slept together for the past four weeks, tops, so why didn't it strike her as odd that she were seven weeks pregnant? What if she slept with Danny again? What if that girl forced her to have sex with another guy? But if that were the case, why hadn't she said anything about it? Why—

"Hey, Rob!" Beck called, snapping his fingers in front of the pale boy's face, snapping him from his thoughts.

"Y-yeah?" he stuttered, shaking away his daze. He looked around and didn't even remember entering the house…

"I said 'Are you okay?'" his friend repeated. "'You don't look so good.'"

With a sigh, he looked up to the nursery where Cat's voice drifted down. "Can we talk about it outside?" he pleaded quietly.

"Yeah," the taller boy answered as they headed out the front door. He waited until he closed it to speak again. "What's up?"

"So I took Cat to the doctor because she took a pregnancy test," the nerdy boy began skeptically.

"She's pregnant?!" Beck inquired enthusiastically.

Robbie nodded solemnly. "Seven weeks," he spoke quietly.

The wide grin quickly fell from his friend's face. "Oh," he breathed. "Well…" He ran a hand through messy black hair. "I think you need to talk to Cat about it. Ask her what happened, and why she kept it from you. Then you need to decide if you want to stay with her—" He scowled slightly upon seeing his fiancée's car pull into the driveway. "—Or leave."

With that, he turned on his heels and went back inside. Confused, Robbie looked from the door back to Jade.

She sneered at him as she walked up to him. Her hair was still blonde and her roots were beginning to show. She also wore no makeup and a fancy necklace he'd never seen before around her neck. "The hell are you looking at?" she spat. She pushed past him, nearly knocking him down. "Get out of my way!"

With a loud sigh, he lowered himself to the step in front of the doorway and lowered his head, cradling it in his hands.