Quick update! LOL I finally have this whole thing sorted out in my brain.

Enjoy and review!

I don't own N2N

Natalie woke up the next morning in Henry's arms. She didn't remember him coming to bed, so he must have done it when she was asleep. She figured he wasn't totally mad at her since his head was leaning on her shoulder, his arms holding her body tightly. For a split second, the rest of the world melted away. There with Henry for just a moment her life was perfect. She felt safe and loved. But then she remembered the child she was carrying. She supposed they could make it work. After all, Henry was the sweetest guy she knew. She was actually very curious to see how he would be as a dad.

No, Natalie told herself. Don't do this to yourself. Get out of bed and get back to your life.

She forced herself to break free from Henry and start getting dressed. Henry woke up immediately.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Out," she answered simply.

"Where? I'm coming with you." He threw back the covers and started to get dressed as well.

"Henry, no," Natalie said, going over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stop. I'm just going on a little drive. You don't have to come with me."

"But where to? Where are you going? Don't lie to me, Natalie."

"I'm just going to go to the store. I need to clear my head."

Henry grabbed her hands and pulled her very close to him. His eyes searched her face for any signs of a bluff. "Natalie, listen to me," he said. "Look me in the eyes and honestly tell me where you're going."

Natalie felt terrible for lying to him, but she put on a smile and said, "The store."

Henry sighed and let her hands drop. "Then let me come with you."

"Trust me. You don't want to come."

"If it's just the store, then why can't I-"

"Dammit, Henry!" Natalie shouted. "Can't you take a hint? I just want to be alone." He stared at her in shock. Natalie took a deep breath and counted backwards from ten before speaking again. "I'll be back soon, okay?" When he didn't reply, she tried to go to him, hoping maybe for a hug or kiss. Just a sign, anything telling her he wasn't upset.

Henry pulled away from her. "Just go," he said, his voice quiet and broken.

"Fine," she said, grabbing the rest of her clothes and changing in the bathroom before she left the house.

The doctors office Natalie was sent to was hideously decorated with pictures of happy people. She didn't understand why in the world they would hang pictures like those in that sort of place. Every one around her seemed to be pretty upset. And she was too, she supposed. But also, everyone around her was with someone. A boyfriend, a husband, a mother at least. But Natalie was alone. After giving her name, she sat, watching as couples went in crying and came out...still crying.

She waited.

Henry had been texting Natalie ever since she had left. He knew she was lying. He could just feel it. And he also had a horrible feeling that she was off doing something she would regret. He thought calling her directly would be better. No answer. He swore under his breath after about the seven hundreth time it went to voicemail.

Natalie ignored the hundredth text message from Henry.

whats going on? y wont you respond? r u okay? where are u?

After a little while, finally someone else entered the waiting room completely alone. The woman looked about her mom's age. You couldn't tell she was having a baby, but she obviously was. The woman seemed to notice what Natalie had noticed and took a seat very close to her. Once she was settled, she turned to Natalie and smiled.

"Father not in the picture?" she asked.

"Oh, um," Natalie stammered, caught off guard by the lady's question. "Um, he is actually. Just...he's not...He isn't here."

"Oh. Scared?"

"Him? Or me?"

"Both I guess."

"Uh, yeah," Natalie found herself admitting.

"Well, I guess your troubles will soon be over then." The woman sighed. "Well, this isn't my first baby. I have a nineteen year old son and a twelve year old daughter. My husband died a year ago. I cannot let my children know that I was flinging around to get over their father. That's why I'm doing...this."

"Oh."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but, um, why are you? If the kid's father's around, what's the problem?"

Natalie felt really awkward explaining it all to a total stranger, but she needed to talk to someone. "We're just not ready," she said. "We're still in college. There's still so much I need to do. A baby is...can't possibly be in the picture."

"Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't believe in what we're about to do. Back when I was your age, I was disgusted by it. But if I didn't already know this baby would tear my family apart, I wouldn't go through with it. I've lived well into my lifetime, as I'm sure you noticed. I won't have fifty years to sit back and regret what I'm doing. But you do. I can't stop you, obviously, but I can tell you that getting an abortion isn't going to solve anything. You'll always remember. You and your boyfriend, and then your husband, you'll always fight about it. You'll always hate yourself."

"Um..." Natalie said, not sure what she could say.

"I'm sorry," the woman said, realizing all she had told Natalie. "I shouldn't have...It's none of my business, really."

"Oh, well, um, thanks for expressing your opinion. I guess I didn't think about everything yet." Natalie sat back in her chair and wondered what she was doing.

Henry couldn't take it any more. Natalie had been gone for hours and still wasn't calling or texting him back. For some reason he was just so sure that Natalie was going behind his back and against his wish and getting her abortion. He really hoped he was wrong. He borrowed Diana's car and headed down to the clinic to figure out where she could have gone. On the way he left her another message.

"Nat, it's me. Listen, I know what you're about to do. Just please, please stop. Don't go through with it. I'm begging you. I'm driving down to the clinic and then I'm going to find out where you are and I'm taking you home. And Natalie? When I said I'd leave you, I was bluffing. I would never leave you. Please, just, don't do anything stupid. Don't do this to me, please." He took a deep breath. "I love you. I love you so much. Don't ruin the beautiful thing we have here. I'm on my way."

"Natalie Goodman?" the nurse called.

"Good luck," the woman next to her muttered.

Natalie stood slowly and began walking to the nurse. She gave her a "we don't have time for this" look, but it didn't make Natalie's legs go any faster. She had just listened to Henry's voicemail. The desperation in his voice had almost made her cry. She didn't want to hurt him. She didn't want to do this. But she had to. She had to get on with her life. She didn't want to let Henry down, but she also didn't want to let herself down.

The nurse led her to a room where she made her change into a hospital gown. Then they went into another room that looked like a typical doctor's office.

"Have a seat," the nurse said. "The doctor will be with you soon."

Natalie fiddled with the hem of her dress until the doctor arrived. Once she saw him with agreement contract she knew she really was about to go through with it. And there was no turning back.

"Natalie!" a voice shouted. Henry burst into the room. "Oh god, I'm so glad I found you!" he said breathlessly.

"Who are you?" the doctor asked.

"I'm her boyfriend. Can we have a minute alone, please?"

"Yes, of course, but please try to make it quick. We have many other patients today." And they were alone.

"Natalie, I'm-"

Natalie immediately burst into tears. She was horrified that she had actually almost gone through with the abortion. If Henry hadn't stormed in, she would have done it. She would have made the biggest mistake of her life, just like the woman in the waiting room told her. She jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Henry's neck, hugging him so tightly, letting her tears roll down the back of his sweatshirt.

"I'm so sorry, Henry," she sobbed. "You were right. I should never have even thought of doing this. I almost ruined our whole relationship. I'm so, so sorry. I love you so much, I never meant to hurt you. I only-"

"Nat, ssh," Henry whispered, rubbing her back. "It doesn't matter. You were just trying to think of the future. You have every right to want to make these sort of decisions. I'm just happy you made the right choice." He kissed her gently. "I love you more than anything. I always will." He kissed her again.

"Can we please go home?"

"I thought you'd never ask." With one more kiss, they were in the car and back at Diana's place.

"Is everything okay?" she asked them the moment they walked through the door.

"Don't worry," Natalie said. "I didn't do anything stupid. I'm still having a baby." She managed a smile. "And I don't feel so crummy any more."

"Oh, good," Diana said, letting out one huge relieved sigh. "Oh, and Nat, your father called. He wants you to go over to the house to talk. Alone."

"No Henry?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Hey, it's okay," Henry said, giving Natalie a peck on the cheek. "I'll hang here with your mom and we can get started on a really special dinner for you."

"Yes, what a great idea!" Diana agreed.

"Alright," Natalie said with a shrug. "I guess I'll be back later."

Natalie and her father sat in silence at the kitchen table. Dan cleared his throat. Natalie tucked her hair behind her ears. It was so incredibly awkward. Finally, Dan spoke.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fine," she responded.

Another ten minutes of silence. "Is your mom's place nice? I haven't seen it yet," Dan said.

"Oh, yeah. It's...nice, I guess. Very her." She looked around the room. "So, is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Uh, no, I guess not." Dan took a deep breath and leaned across the table to look his daughter right in the eyes. Natalie recognized this move. That was always how he used to lecture her at dinner time. But once Henry moved in, her father didn't discipline her in front of her boyfriend. "Well, Natalie, I'm sorry we didn't get off on the best foot when you came home from school. But you have to understand that this is very hard for me. My little girl's having a baby?"

"I'm not that little, Dad," she reminded him. "I'm eighteen. I'm technically-I'm legally an adult."

"I know that, but you're still my daughter. Now, obviously the baby is Henry's?"

"Yeah."

"That's what I wanted to talk about." Dan took another breath and said, "Ever since Henry started staying with us, you sort of starting going down the wrong path. You cut school more often, you blew your Yale audition, you went to UCLA, and you got pregnant. I don't think Henry is a good influence on you."

"Do we have to go through this again?" Natalie shouted, standing up from the table. "Henry is the best influence I could have. He's real. Not like you, not like Mom."

"Natalie, please. This isn't about me or your mother. This is about you. Obviously, raising a child will be very difficult. This has taken a lot of thought on my part, but I've finally reached a decision. I will support you and your child with everything I have. I won't take away your car or anything like that. You won't even get into any trouble for getting pregnant. But I have one condition."

Natalie was nervous to hear what he could be plotting. "Yeah?"

"Leave Henry and don't look back."

"What?"

"He got you into this mess and he certainly won't get you out," her father told her, slowly getting up as well. "I'm sorry, but this is the only way."

"The only way to what?" Natalie shouted. "Dad, don't be crazy. I'm not breaking up with Henry just because you suddenly don't like him anymore."

"Natalie, there's more to it than that. I honestly didn't want it to come to this, but either you break up with Henry or I kick you out for good. That means you give me the car back, I stop paying for your tuition, you'd really be on your own. Is Henry really worth losing your father?"

Natalie's eyes began to water again and soon she was crying. "Dad, why are you doing this to me? Why do I have to choose? I love you both so much. Isn't there something else I can do? I just don't understand."

"I'm really sorry, honey. I didn't want to have to do this. I love you, sweetheart. I'm your father. I think I know what's best for you. I know this is right. This is what has to be done."

"You're really making me do this?" Natalie asked, wiping at her dripping nose. "Either I leave Henry or you'll really cut me out of your life?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "But one day you'll thank me. One day when your a rich, successful doctor with a beautiful family and Henry's just a low-life bum, you'll be really happy you got out while you still could. Before the baby tied you to him forever."

Natalie stood there in silence. Was she dreaming? Had her dad gone crazy? Was this really happening? Was she actually about to agree to this? Henry was her world, her everything. But if she didn't leave him, she'd have to face the consequences. No more college, no more car, no more house. She'd be a no one with nothing. Nothing but a crazy mom she thought she wouldn't have to deal with. And what about her baby? Whatever job Henry would manage to get wouldn't be enough to support a child. Without her dad's help, they could end up hungry and dirt poor. She would never be able to handle that. She needed her father's support. She stood there sobbing, hating herself, wanting to literally throw herself off a cliff, but she had to do it. If she wanted to survive, she had to.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"Just leave a note, come to the house, and then I'll arrange for you to go to a different college to finish your education. Once you're free of Henry, we'll figure it all out."

Natalie grabbed her purse, still crying hysterically, and ran out of the house.

When she returned to Diana's, both her mother and Henry could tell she had been crying.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked immediately, rushing to her and pulling her into a hug.

"Nothing," she said, the tears welling up again. This very well could be the last time she would ever hug him. She held on so tight.

"Honey, you're crying. What happened with your dad?"

"He was just really upset," Natalie lied. "I'm fine honestly. It's all a lot to deal with. It's been a crazy day." She pulled back to look Henry in his beautiful brown eyes. She planted a long, passionate kiss on his lips. "I love you."

Henry smiled. "I love you more."

They all sat down for dinner. Everything seemed so perfect. Natalie was so torn. She could easily stay with Henry. It was so perfect. But if she didn't show up at her dad's the next morning, he'd know she didn't end it with Henry and would cut her off forever. Her dad wasn't one to usually bluff, so she knew he wasn't kidding. Even though it was horrible, she had to leave Henry. She decided to wait until the next morning. Everyone went off to bed. At the crack of dawn, Natalie silently took her suitcase into the kitchen and left her note on the counter, convieniently placed underneath the one Diana had already left before work. Once everything was set, she crept back into the bedroom where Henry lay sleeping. He looked so peaceful, so beautiful. The tears started flowing as she gave Henry one last kiss. Her heart was breaking, but still she got into her car and drove to Dan's.

Henry woke up a little after ten. When Natalie wasn't at his side, he immediately freaked. He looked for her all over, shouting her name. Finally he found the notes. First, Diana's:

Nat and Henry,

I'm off at work. I picked up an extra shift. I figure I should start saving up for some baby gifts. There's French toast in the fridge. I hope you enjoy. Have a lovely day. I'll be home at about five. I love you both.

Di

Then Natalie's:

Dear Henry,

I'm sorry that I'm doing this to you. You probably won't understand, but my dad left me with no choice. He told me that if I didn't leave you, he would basically disown me. No more UCLA, no car, no house. I'd have nothing. Except for you of course, and a baby. That should be enough, I know. But this is just something I had to do. Even though it kills me, we're through. I hope you know that I love you more than anything in this whole world. I'm so sorry that I'm hurting you. I'm so sorry we couldn't talk this through. But I really hope you can one day forgive me. I love you, and all I can say is sorry. I'm so sorry.

Natalie

Henry couldn't even process the words. He called out for her some more, even running up and down the block looking for her. But she was really gone.

Don't be fooled, it's not over yet! I hope you liked this chapter. I've got some more twists and turns up my sleeve-even a little Gabe added into the story. I would have put it on the end of this one, but I thought it would be too much LOL

Please review! And stay tuned for the next chapter!