The Real Deal 21


As Harley's eyes slowly fluttered open she began to panic because she had no idea where she was. Looking around she realized that she was in a hospital room, but could not remember what had happened to put her there. She tried to sit up and realized that there was something stopping her from moving her arms. She looked down and noticed that there was a tube inserted in her right arm that was attached to some kind of machine and that there was a hand gripping her left hand tightly. She followed the hand up to the face that was connected to it and her eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be, but there with his head resting on the bed as he slept was Mark…Her Mark! Harley tried to speak but her mouth felt like it was full of cotton and no words would come out no matter how many times she tried to get them to. She tried to get her hand free from Mark's but his grip only tightened on her. Harley laid her head back down and sighed, "What the hell is going on?" Harley thought before sitting up again and staring down at her almost flat belly. Panic set in once again as Harley realized that there was no baby in her belly anymore. She pulled with all her might, which wasn't a whole lot considering that she felt tired and weak, but she was able to get her hand free and she placed in on her stomach as a sob escaped her lips. Where the hell was her baby? And why was she in a fucking hospital bed? Did she lose her child? The thought alone made Harley sob harder.

Mark sat up quickly as he felt Harley's hand leave his. At seeing a distraught Harley crying he instantly pulled Harley to him and hugged her fiercely. "Shhhs Darlin' its okay, I'm here," Mark said trying to calm her down.

Harley let Mark hold her for a while and tried to get her sobbing under control. After what felt like a lifetime her sobs turned into small hiccups. She pulled away from Mark and tried to speak, but the shock of seeing him and knowing that she had lost their child, a child he didn't even know about had her sobbing even harder. "I'm so sor-sorry Mark!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry for what Darlin?" Mark asked looking at Harley with a confused expression on his face.

"I should have told you, and now it's too late," Harley said as she cried harder.

"Harley, I think you might be in some kind of shock, I'm gonna go get the doctor, okay?" Mark was concerned that Harley's head trauma might have been the reason for her not making much sense right now. As he stood to leave Harley quickly grabbed his arm and wouldn't let go.

"No, Mark let me finish, please." Harley pleaded.

"Alright, Darlin', go on," Mark said as he sat back down in his chair.

"Could you get me some water first?"

"Sure thing," Mark said standing and walking over to the water pitcher that sat on the tray at the end of Harley's bag, "Here you go, take your time I'm not going anywhere," Mark reassured her as he noticed how nervous Harley looked. Harley took a few sips of her water and tried to calm her nerves before sitting the cup down and taking a deep breath before she began to speak.

"There is something I have to tell you and if you hate me after I say it then I will understand," Harley started but Mark cut her off.

"I could never hate," Mark started to say but Harley placed a finger over his lips.

"Please let me say this before I lose my nerve," Harley said looking Mark in the eyes, "the day I left I had come by your shop to tell you something, but then I saw you with her, and it all came flooding back to me, how Kendal treated me and how he never loved me and I couldn't take it. I ran, I ran because even though I knew going into this that it was just an arrangement that you only agreed to in order to help me get my mother off your back, I had fallen in love with you Mark Calaway and seeing you with that blonde bombshell made me realize that a man like you could never love a woman like me, but I should have told you that day like I had planned and maybe things could have been different. I was pregnant with your baby, Mark, and even though I can't remember what happened to get me here, I lost him. Maybe it was my punishment for not telling you I'm not really sure, but our baby is gone because of me and my stupidity and I'm so very sorry Mark," Harley couldn't hold the tears back any longer and once again the damn broke and tears streamed down her face.

"You love me?" Mark had heard every word of Harley's little rant, but the part that was on constant repeat in his head was Harley admitting to loving him. He was so happy that he thought his heart would burst, but then something else clicked in his head, "You think you lost the baby?" Mark asked.

"I don't think it, Mark! It's obvious!" Harley said as she once again rubbed her not quite flat belly. "THERE IS NO BABY HERE! I LOST HIM!" Harley all but screamed.

"Her," Mark said simply.

"It was a girl? We had a baby girl?" Harley wanted to die, how could this happen? How could she have lost her precious baby girl and never got to meet her.

"It IS a girl, she's fine Harley. A little on the small side but beautiful all the same. She's up in the NICU, Laurel is up there with her now, which is kind of against the rules, but we worked it out with all the nurses," Mark said smiling at Harley.

"Sh-she's alive? I didn't lose her?" Harley croaked out.

"We didn't lose her." Mark confirmed.

"Tell me what happened, the last thing I remember is having lunch at a little café and reading baby books. How did I end up here and how did you find me?"

"Do you remember the last conversation you had with Laurel on the phone?" When Harley nodded her head Mark continued, "Right before you hung up Laurel heard the pizza delivery man at your door," When Mark noticed the blank look on Harley's face he smiled before saying, "yeah that's the same reaction I had when Laurel mentioned the pizza guy, but apparently Hungry Howie's is a small chain here in Texas so I called my PI and had him look into it and surprise, surprise there is a Hungry Howie's in Canyon Lake. When we realized you never left here Laurel was fit to be tied and was threatening to throttle you," Mark said with a small smile, "When we finally got an address we drove right down. I got a call from Sam once we got to your apartment, the news wasn't good. Sam's guy, Savv, had been following you but stopped to grab a coffee and by the time he caught up with you it was too late, some guy had come up behind you and hit you across the head in an attempted mugging, Savv ran the guy off but like I said you had already been hit in the head and to make things worse you hit the cement pretty hard. You were in a coma when they got you here but you had already began having contractions. Dr. Xavier gave you meds to stop them but they only worked for a little while and three days ago you went into labor and gave birth to our little girl," Mark said as he took Harley's hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"I was mugged? I gave birth while in a coma?"

"Well almost mugged and yes, you were in a coma for almost two weeks," Mark informed her.

"I want to see her," Harley said trying to get up from the bed.

"Alright, but first I am getting the doc to check you out first," Mark said standing.

"Mark, I'm fine!" Harley protested.

"Let the doc tell me that, now don't move," Mark said before heading out of the room to get the doctor.

Harley's head was spinning. Mark was here and they had a child together, a daughter. A daughter that she had given birth to while in a coma, "Wow", Harley said aloud just as the room door opened and Mark stepped in with a man she could only assume was Dr. Xavier.

"Well look who finally decided to join in on all the fun," the man joked causing Harley to laugh a little.

"Yeah, I hear I've missed quite a circus around here," Harley replied.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Cooper?"

"Very confused until just a few minutes ago when Mark explained everything that's been going on since I decided to emulate 'Sleeping Beauty.'"

"Is there any pain anywhere?"

"My head hurts a little but that's about it," Harley said with a shrug.

"I'll have the nurse bring you in something for that," Doctor Xavier said as she wrote something down on the pad he was holding.

"Can I see my daughter now?"

"Mark can wheel you up as soon as I do a full exam on you, just to be sure you're okay," Dr. Xavier said before asking Mark to step out of the room.

"No, let him stay, please?" Harley asked looking up at Mark.

"I'm not going anywhere darling," Mark said walking over to Harley and taking her hand in his.

After getting a clean bill of health from the doctor Harley received some pain pills from the nurse who also bought in a wheel chair for Mark to escort Harley up to the NICU.

"That little girl of yours is absolutely precious! I'm glad you're finally going to get to meet her," The nurse said to Harley, but she noticed that her eyes never left Mark. She was young, maybe mid - 20's and extremely beautiful with long brown hair and baby blue eyes and if Harley was measuring correctly a solid D cup. Harley couldn't help the bubble of jealousy that rose up in her but then quickly squashed it, it was jealousy that got her in this mess to begin with. Harley smiled and thanked the nurse for her kind words and was happy that she didn't follow her and Mark into the elevator.

"She seems nice," Harley said to break the silence between them.

"She's annoying as hell," Mark said with a chuckle.

"Been hanging around a lot huh?" Harley assumed.

"Well your regular nurse is Ann-Marie, she's really nice and professional but when she's not on shift then Melissa comes on shift," Mark answered.

"Let me guess, she's a flirty one?" Harley joked.

"Like I said, annoying as hell," Mark laughed again.

"So you don't like her attention?"

Mark couldn't wait for this elevator ride to end it was slowly becoming uncomfortable and this wasn't the time or the place to have a conversation that didn't involve him and Harley talking about their future together. Luckily the elevator dinging stopped the interrogation from Harley as the stepped on the NICU floor. Mark pressed the buzzer and recited the password and the doors swung open. He wheeled Harley down to the third door on the left and pushed her inside. Before Harley knew what was happening Laurel had launched herself at her.

"Harley you're awake!" Laurel whisper screamed so not to disturb the babies.

"I hear you want to throttle me," Harley said as she returned Laurel's intense hug.

"Yes, but after what you've been through a good lecture will suffice, but first come on over and meet your daughter," Laurel said as she wheeled Harley the rest of the way to the incubator that held the baby.

"Oh my God!" Harley sobbed, "Look at what we created, Mark," Harley said taking Mark's hand in hers, "she needs a name, she's three days old already, we have to think of a name for her," Harley said looking up at Mark and then back to the baby.

"Well Laurel kind of already took care of that…" Mark started.

"But if you don't like it then you can come up with something better I was just looking things up and I found. The first name is Hebrew and means "gift from God" and the second name is Native-American and means "first born daughter" I just thought it was perfect but like I said you can definitely go with something better…" Laurel rambled until Harley stopped her.

"Laurel, just tell me what you came up with. I'm sure I'll love it," Harley assured her.

"Hanan Wenona Calaway. Mark and the guys were a little iffy about it until I explained the meanings behind it, so what do you think?" Laurel asked nervously.

"You just had to go with another "H" name didn't you?" Harley asked with a huge smile. "I love it Laurel, thank you for naming her, I mean as her godmother you are gonna have much bigger responsibilities I'm sure," Harley said winking at Laurel.

"You want me to be the godmother?" Laurel said as a wave of fresh tears escaped her tear ducts.

"Well, duh!" Harley said causing both Laurel and Mark to laugh.

"How much did she weigh when she was born?" Harley said wheeling the chair close enough to the incubator so that she could place her hand in the small opening that allowed her to touch her daughter.

"She was three pounds, seven ounces," Mark answered.

"She's so tiny and so beautiful," Harley said as she herself began to cry.

"I'm gonna go call Shawn and Glen and let them know Harley is awake. We'll wait in her room for you guys to come back down," Laurel said before hugging Harley and turning to leave.

"Who's Glen?" Harley asked without taking her eyes off of Hanan.

"My best friend, he's a wrestler, but I met him years before that. He's like a brother to me," Mark said with his hand on Harley's shoulder.

"So who are we making godfather? You know Shawn is gonna assume it's him since Laurel is the godmother," Harley said laughing.

"Maybe we can let them split it 50/50? Because there is no way I'm even gonna try and pick one over the other. I mean Glen is like a brother, but without Shawn I never would have met you and had that little Angel," Mark said seriously.

"Sounds like a great idea to me," Harley said smiling up at Mark. Then her face turned serious, "hey Mark, did anyone call my mother and tell her what had happened?"

"Yeah, Laurel did, she didn't tell her that you were pregnant so she still doesn't know about Hanan, but she knows that you were attacked and in a coma," Mark answered.

"And she didn't come?"

Mark could see the pain in Harley's eyes and it pissed him off. Havilland was a horrible mother to Harley and yet she still loved her.

"She told Laurel that "if" you woke up to call her," Mark said not able to look at Harley. He already knew there would be nothing but hurt and sadness in her beautiful eyes.

"That's my mother for you. I'm glad she doesn't know about the baby, I wouldn't want her here just to act like she cared when she so obviously doesn't. I don't want our little girl to have to deal with her."

"Your niece, Haylee, called to check on you. I'm sure Laurel has called her to let her know what's going on, but she promised not to tell anyone."

"Good, I know she won't. We've been communicating quite a lot over the last few months."

"I'm glad you had someone to talk you," Mark said squeezing Harley's shoulder.

"She wants to move here, I told her she could live with me, but that was before…when I was planning on getting my own place. Now that you know about the baby and don't hate me I can only assume you want me to come back to your place," Harley said unsurely.

"Of course I want you to come back to our place. Harley, I love you! That day when you left I had come home and was going to ask you to be my wife for real, no more pretending."

"But I saw you with that woman Mark! She was gorgeous and you were kissing her!"

"The blonde bombshell as I hear you call her was a woman named Macy, a woman that I hadn't seen in over a year. I don't know why she came to see me that day we were never serious in fact we only spent one night together, but you're right there was a kiss, one that I didn't return. I pushed her off me and made it very clear that I was a happily married man and sent her on her way," Mark said kneeling down beside Harley, "I love you woman! And whether you like it or not you are going to marry me and give me at least one more of these," Mark said looking into Hanan's incubator.

"I love you too, Mark and yes I'll marry you…for real," Harley said with a watery smile.

"Good, now don't ever take these off again!" Mark said pulling Harley's rings out of his pocket and putting them on her finger.

Harley was about to speak when another couple walked into the room to visit their baby. "We'll have the rest of the conversation later in private," Harley said taking Mark's hand with her free one.

Mark and Harley sat with Hanan for another hour before making their way back down to Harley's room. When they entered they found not only Laurel, Shawn and Glen, but Harley's niece Haylee was there as well.

"Well, well, well look who finally woke up. You had us worried for a minute kiddo," Shawn said giving Harley a warm hug.

"Hey, Shawn sorry but after putting up with this one for all that time I needed a break," Harley said chucking her thumb in Mark's direction.

"Hey!" Mark protested.

"The beautiful woman only speaks the truth I'm sure," Glen said punching Mark in the arm before walking over to Harley and giving her a hug of his own, "We're family so we hug. I'm Glen that big dummies best friend," Glen said causing everyone to laugh.

"Keep it up you big bastard and I'll change my mind about making you godfather," Mark said punching Glen back.

"No shit?" Glen asked with a huge grin.

"Yup! Oh get that look off yer face Michaels, you're godfather too!" Mark said and laughed as Shawn's frown turned into a shit eating grin.

"Yeah he couldn't pick just one of you so this was what he came up with, I think it's a great idea," Harley said before turning to her niece, "How did you get here?" She asked as she opened her arms for a hug.

"Laurel paid for my ticket. I had to make sure you were okay for myself," Haylee said hugging her aunt, "Is it okay for Laurel to take me up to see the baby?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure, that would be okay," Harley said hugging Haylee again, "Have you guys seen her?" Harley asked Shawn and Glen.

"Yes, she's gorgeous! It's obvious she got her looks from you," Glen said earning a scowl from Mark.

"Keep it up and Shawn will be Hanan's only godfather," Mark said trying to sound serious, but his smirk gave him away.

"Yeah, yeah," Glen replied.

"Come on Glen, let's go grabbed some lunch for everyone," Shawn suggested.

"Harley anything in particular you want?" Shawn asked.

"Something spicy, I wasn't able to handle anything while I was pregnant," Harley answered.

"Spicy it is mamacita!" Shawn said leaning down to kiss her check before he and Glen left.

"Today had been very overwhelming," Harley admitted as Mark helped her back into her bed.

"I bet wake up after being in a coma for weeks only to find out that you were mugged and that you had a baby, anyone would be overwhelmed."

"Haylee's here, I'm sure she won't want to go back especially since she will be starting school here soon," Harley sucked at subtlety Mark noticed.

"The house is plenty big enough, she can stay for as long as she wants, but with a new baby she might decide to get student housing could you handle that?" Mark asked rubbing her shoulders.

"I could, I just want her to be able to spread her wings like I did and get away from our crazy family. Moving to Texas was the second best thing to ever happen to me," Harley admitted.

"Oh yeah, so what was the first?"

"Meeting you. I think I fell in love with you that first night while I laid on your couch and you gave me the best massage of my life," Harley confessed with a sigh, "this massage isn't too bad either."

"You know when I fell in love with you?" Mark asked.

"Hmmm?"

"The second I saw you in the little black dress and those come fuck me heels," Mark said and laughed when Harley swatted at him.

"Seriously though it was when you told me your story as to why you wanted your mother to think that you were married. I realized then how good your heart was but it was just broken and I wanted to be the one who mended it," Mark said dropping a kiss to Harley's forehead.

"I think we are going to be very happy together Mark."

"I don't think it Darlin, I know it," Mark said as he looked down and realized that Harley had fallen asleep, "I'm gonna make you happy Harley Cooper Calaway, just you wait and see," Mark said with a smile as he kissed Harley one last time before sitting in his chair to watch her sleep.