A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, but thanks for sticking around. The next chapter is already in the works, it should be up shortly. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I didn't forget you guys and I appreciate you taking the time to read my work and leave your feedback. Thank you to Angelanharvey3 for being the best beta ever.
Shane's POV
I looked at the police officers incredulously. How could they be here to arrest me? How could I be going to jail for assault and battery after what that sick fuck did to Claire? Beside, how do they even know it was me?
"You're fucking kidding, right?" I asked in a very pissed off tone as I stepped outside.
"No, I'm not kidding. So turn your ass around so that I can put these handcuffs on you and read you your rights," the officer said impatiently, then reached out and grabbed my arm.
"No!" I yelled, then yanked my arm out of his grasp. "How the hell do you even know that I did what you are accusing me of?"
"Because your wallet with your drivers license in it was found at the scene and a very badly beaten Lee Wilcox identified you as the man who did it," he answered matter-of-factly.
Fuck, how could you not realize that your wallet was missing, dumbass!
I ran my hand through my hair and laughed humorlessly, then asked, "After what that asshole did to my girlfriend, my pregnant girlfriend, YOU are seriously going to arrest ME?"
"I don't know what he did to your girlfriend, all I know is what he said you did to him and that he was badly beaten when we found him, so yes I'm going to arrest you. Now turn around," he instructed, reaching for my arm again.
"Get your hands off me, man! I'm not going anywhere with you!" I yelled at the cop. "Would you like to know what he did? Huh? That sick fuck tried to rape her, and yeah, I got a little angry."
"We have no witnesses to that, Mr. Collins. Mr. Wilcox says he did nothing to you. He admitted to making a move on your girlfriend and nothing more, but he's says that later, after the fact, you found him in the hallway, dragged him into the lady's bathroom, and proceeded to beat him up while saying, 'I'll teach you to hit on my girlfriend'," the officer stated.
This guy has got to be kidding. No one can be this fucking stupid.
"And you believe that? Do you hear yourself? Do you hear how fucking stupid that sounds?" I asked incredulously.
"It doesn't really matter what I believe," the officer said.
"Listen, Officer BUTT MUNCH," Eve yelled, stepping forward, "I am a witness that he did, in fact, do something. I walked in on him trying to rape my best friend. Oh, and he beat the crap out of her too, and she has the bruises and that fat lip to prove it. So why don't pull your head out of your ass and quit wasting your fucking time on my damn doorstep and go arrest the motherfucker and charge him with assault and attempted rape while you are at it!"
"Look I get that you're angry and if that's what happened, fine, we'll get to the bottom of it, but we were sent here to arrest him and bring him to the station. That is our job and that it what we're going to do, one way or another. So, I suggest that you turn around, Mr. Collins, and let me put these handcuffs on you, or you will be charged with resisting arrest," the officer informed us.
"This is bullshit!" I shouted, but turned around and let him cuff me anyway.
No sense in making this worse than it already was.
They had begun to read me my rights when Claire ran out onto the porch crying, and threw her arms around my neck.
"No! You can't! You can't take him!" she sobbed.
My heart sank. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and tell her it was all just another nightmare and that I wasn't going anywhere. But I was handcuffed, and though it may have been a nightmare, it wasn't a dream. It was real. It was our reality. But I would be damned if I'd let that guy get away with what he'd done to her.
"It will be okay. I love you," I whispered in her ear.
"I love you too," she said, leaning back and looking into my eyes. "But it's not right, Shane. It's not fair."
"I know it's not, but it's just another bump in the road. We'll get through this," I told her, trying not to upset further, even though I was seething on the inside.
"Is there anything we can do to stop this?" she asked, turning to the police officers. "Because what they said is true; that guy, Lee Wilcox, or whatever his name is, tried to rape me, and he would have succeeded if Eve, my cousin, and her friend hadn't walked in and stopped him."
"The four of you can come into the station and give your statements. If I were you, I'd get on the phone with a lawyer and bail bonds man pretty quickly. Since it's the weekend though, I doubt you'll get a bail hearing until Monday. But that's pretty much it, and I'm sorry, but I really do have to take him in now. There is nothing that can be done about that," the officer informed her.
She turned backed to me and hugged me tightly. I stood there and once again wished I could return the hug, but couldn't, because of course, I was handcuffed.
"You're freezing," she said, breaking the hug. She felt my arms and chest as if to see how cold I was, then looked over at the officer. "Can you wait to take him, for just a second? I'll be right back."
"Okay, but only for a second, then we have to go," the officer said, granting Claire's request.
His tone had changed a lot. I guess after seeing Claire and the bruises on her face for himself, he realized that we may have actually been telling the truth, and maybe, just maybe, he felt a little bit sorry for us.
Claire turned and ran into the house, then Officer Bentley – I'd finally read his name tag -finished reading me my rights.
It wasn't long before Claire came running back onto the porch with one of my t-shirts in hand. She quickly walked over to me and placed the t-shirt over my head and around my neck, then gave me another quick hug. I had to smile, because after everything that she'd been through, and everything that happened this morning, she was still worried about whether or not I was warm.
"I'll get you out. I promise," she said as she stepped back and wiped away the fresh tears that had fallen from her eyes. "I love you."
"I know you will, and I love you too," I told her.
"We'll be down there in a little while to give our statements, okay?"
"Okay."
"We have to go now," Officer Bentley announced.
"Bye, Shane."
I could tell that she was on the verge of tears again. "Bye baby," I replied, then kissed her forehead. I looked at Michael and Eve then. "Bye."
"It's not bye, man. You won't be in there long, we'll see to it that the right person is behind bars," Michael said, sounding as serious as a heart attack.
"Thanks man, and take care of her while I'm gone, okay?"
"You got it."
I turned to Officer Bentley and told him I was ready, then let him lead me away from the only family I had, and put me in the back of his squad car.
He and the other officer got into the car and I looked back in time to see Michael and Eve lead Claire into the house as I was driven away.
Claire's POV
I allowed myself to be lead back into the house by Michael and Eve. I sat on the couch and put my head in my hands. Eve sat down next to me and began rubbing my back in a comforting, circular motion.
"It will be okay, Claire Bear; we'll get Shane out…there's no way those charges will stick after we tell them the real story," she assured me.
"I hope you're right." I looked over at her, then ran a shaky hand through my hair and leaned back on the couch. "Because I don't think I could take it if Shane had to be in jail right now for any amount of time. I know that he may have to stay until Monday, but if he had to stay for months or years, I don't know what I'd do…because I love him and I need him right now, you know?"
"Yeah, I know."
"I guess I'd better go get dressed and make some phone calls," I said, then stood and looked down at Eve. "Will you do me a favor?"
"Yeah, sure Claire, what is it?" she asked, then stood also.
"Can you please call Randi and Nikki and tell them what's going on and that we'll pick them up on the way to the station?"I asked.
"Sure, I'm on it," she assured me.
"Thank you, Eve," I said, then hugged her tightly, and looked over her shoulder at Michael. "Thank you too, Michael."
"What did I do?" Michael asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"It's not what you did, it's what you said," I told him, then let go of Eve and stepped over to him. "Thanks for saying what you did to Shane outside before he left."
"I meant every word. He's my best friend and I'd do anything for him," he said, then stepped forward and hugged me. "I'm going to start by making sure he gets out of jail and that that bastard who hurt you gets put behind bars."
"Well, we won't get anything done by standing here," I said, then broke the hug. "So I guess I should go up stairs and get started on those phone calls."
"Wait, before you call the bail bonds man, do we even know how we're going to pay Shane's bail, if it comes to that, I mean?" Eve asked. "I have a little money saved up. I don't know if it's enough, but you can have it."
"No, that's okay, Eve. Don't use that. I'll ask my mom."
"Do you think she'll say yes?" Eve asked.
"I don't know, but I hope so," I said with a shrug, then turned and walked towards the stairs. "I'll be back down in a little while."
"Claire," I heard Michael call from behind me.
I turned back around to face him. "Yes?"
"Let me worry about calling the bail bonds man, okay?" Michael suggested.
"But -"
"No buts," Michael interrupted, "You've been through a lot and now this. You shouldn't have to take on everything all by yourself. Eve's calling your cousin. Let me do this and you just worry about getting dressed and talking to your mom."
"Okay. Thank you, Michael," I said, agreeing to let him make the call.
"You're welcome, now get upstairs," he said with a smile.
I knew that he just wanted to feel like he was helping Shane in some way, and who was I to take that from him, plus I really was starting to feel like all of the weight was on my shoulders and I could use the relief.
I turned and walked up the stairs and down the hall to my room. I paused for a second in the doorway and looked over at the unmade bed where Shane and I had been only minutes earlier and felt a little choked up.
I walked over and sat down on the bed, then picked up the picture I had framed of me and Shane last Christmas from the night stand and traced a finger over his smiling face.
"You should be here with me in bed, asleep, not in some police station, being booked, finger printed and having your mug shot taken. Why didn't I turn that guy in when I had the chance? Then none of this would be happening. It's all my fault. I'm sorry," I whispered, then placed the picture back on the nightstand.
I wiped a tear from my cheek then reached back down to pick up my cell phone from the night stand and dialed my mother's number. It wasn't long before I heard her voice on the other end of the line.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Mom," I said with a sniffle.
"Hi Claire, is everything okay?" she asked sounding worried, then added, "I haven't heard from you in a while."
"I know mom, and yeah, I'm okay. Listen, I need to talk to you and I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I stopped by later."
"Of course I don't mind, Claire. Anytime you need to talk, I'm here. Sounds kind of important though, are you sure you don't want to talk about it now?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Well, If you're sure… I was thinking maybe we could talk about your birthday while you're here. I know you probably want to celebrate with your friends and Shane, but I thought maybe you could work in a little bit of time for your dear old Mom."
"Yeah Mom, sure, I gotta go. I'll see you in a few hours, okay? Bye," I said, and hung up before she had a chance to reply.
I had actually forgotten about my birthday, and with my dad gone and Shane in jail, it just didn't seem all that important right now. I wasn't sure that I even wanted to celebrate it at all this year.
I was about to sit my phone back on the nightstand when it started to play, "Good Morning Beautiful," by Steve Holy. I looked down and saw that it was my alarm going off and a picture of Shane and I had popped up on the screen. I knew that I hadn't set it to do that and realized that Shane must have done it the night before while I was sleeping.
I thought about Shane laying there next to me, wanting to touch me, wanting to hold me and comfort me, but knowing that he couldn't, because I had told him not to. That I didn't want him to. He must have felt so horrible, so sad, unwanted and helpless, almost exactly what I was feeling at that moment. To know that I was the one that made him feel that way brought tears to my eyes, and to know that he had done something so sweet, because he knew it would make me happy made cry even harder.
If I had known what was going to, I would have let him hold me. I would have done so much more.
At some point I had finally been able drag myself off the bed and get dressed, wash my face, and brush my teeth. I had just gotten back from the bathroom and was sitting on the bed putting my shoes on when someone knocked on my bedroom door.
"Come in!" I shouted.
Michael opened the door, poked his head in, and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Yes, almost. I'm just putting my shoes on."
"Do you mind if I talk to you while you do that," he asked.
"No, I don't mind. Come in, sit down," I instructed, patting the bed beside me.
Michael walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. "I talked to the Bail Bondsman."
"And?"
"He said that he's going to call the jail and get Shane's information, then call us back," Michael said, then wearily added, " He also said that Shane would probably have to stay in there until Monday, that he charges 10% down, and that he'll know more after he contacts the jail. But he said with an assault and battery charge, Shane could get anywhere from a $2,000 to 10,000 fine and/or 6 months to 10 years in jail."
"So that's it? You are telling me that Shane could, and most likely will, go to jail?" I asked, holding back tears.
"No, not at all. I told him about Lee Wilcox and what he did to you, and that we have witnesses, and he said that if we get an attorney, and he can prove that Lee Wilcox is guilty, then it's possible that the charges could be dropped, or that at least the sentencing could be reduced. But the best thing would be if Lee Wilcox dropped the charges, then there is a good possibility that the state would too, under the circumstances."
"Oh God, Michael, I don't know…I just don't know. I'm so scared, and so tired, and all of this stress can't be good for the baby. I mean, it's already taking a toll on me. I don't know how much more I can take without completely falling apart," I told him.
"I know you've been through a lot Claire, and Shane would kill me if I let anything happen to you or the baby, so if you think it's too much, and that you need to stay here and rest, then we can figure out how to do this a different way," he suggested.
"There is no other way. Let's just go, I can rest later," I said, then finished tying my shoes, stood up, and walked over to the door.
When I turned around, Michael was still sitting on the bed staring at me with a worried look on his face.
"What?"
"Claire, you just sat here and basically told me that you're exhausted and stressed out, which probably means that you're not feeling well and you told me that you're worried about how all of this is affecting the baby. I think for the sake of your health and the sake of the baby, you should just stay here and rest, and let us take care of this, and later on, we'll take you down to the station to give your statement."
"No Michael," I refused. "I WILL NOT stay here and do nothing while Shane just sits in some jail cell. So let's just go down there and get this over with so that I CAN come home and rest."
"I don't know, Claire," Michael hesitated.
"I'll be fine, and if it makes you feel any better, I promise that I will come back here and get straight into bed after we get done at the station, AND I go and talk to my mom."
"Okay fine, let's go, but maybe you should put off talking to your mom until tomorrow," he suggested as he walked over to where I stood in the doorway.
"Maybe."
I motioned him through the doorway then turned off the light before walking out and closing the door behind myself. We met Eve in the front hallway, and of course, she was all gothed out and looked like she was ready to kick anyone's ass who looked at her funny. I had to smile when I saw her.
"What?" she asked, puzzled.
"Nothing…you're just so… you," I told her with a giggle and continued pass her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked as she followed us out the door.
"Nothing really…it's just that through everything, I can count on you to always be you and I like that. It's comforting."
"You're such a weirdo," she said to me as we followed Michael across the lawn after he'd locked up the house. "If you weren't pregnant, and well…you, I'd swear you were drunk."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that I can always count on you to be you, and I like that," Eve mocked.
"Shut up, Eve." I thumped her on the back of the head, opened the car door, and ducked into the backseat, closing the door before she could get me back.
"Bitch," Eve joked as she got in the car and closed her door as well.
Michael got in too, chuckling under his breath, and started the engine, then pulled the car away from the curb. We were on our way to the police station to give statements to the police that could affect our lives forever.
We didn't make it to the station until about an hour and a half after they had initially arrested Shane, and we had to wait for what seemed like forever for them to finally take our statements. When they did, they took us one by one into the office and asked us questions about Lee Wilcox and about the night before. When it was my turn, I was nervous and a little scared, but I knew what I had to do; I had to tell them everything. Every little painful detail of what that pervert Lee Wilcox had done and had tried to do to me. When it was over and we were ready to be taken to see Shane, I was exhausted, but the thought of seeing him, even though it had only been a couple of hours since I'd seen him last, made me feel like jumping up and down.
After the guard had told us about the no-touching rule for the millionth time, he opened the door and let us in. Shane was sitting in the center of the small, dimly lit room with his head down, staring at the table, and his hands folded out in front of him.
"Shane?"
He looked up at me and smiled as I said his name.
"Hey," he said. "You look…"
"Exhausted? Horribly ugly and disfigured? It's alright, you can say it," I said, interrupting whatever lie he was about to tell. I walked over and sat down across from him, while Eve and Michael sat down on either side of me, and Randi and Nikki stood behind us.
I knew I looked awful, with my fat lip, black eye, and bruised cheek, but he was probably about to say I looked beautiful, which would have been sweet, but a complete lie - because who are we kidding - I looked like crap.
"I know better… Those are your words, not mine."
"So, how are they treating you?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Like a criminal," he said. "But it's not like it's the first time. I'd rather talk about you, though. How do you feel?"
"Really, really, tired."
"Speaking of that, would you please tell Claire that since she's tired and not feeling well, not to mention the fact that she's pregnant, she needs to go home tonight and sleep, and wait until tomorrow to go talk to her mom about bailing you out," Eve Interjected. "She wouldn't listen to Michael or me, so I figure that since your boyfriend and her baby-daddy, maybe she'll listen to you."
"What?" Shane asked pointedly.
"Thanks, Eve," I said sarcastically, then turned my attention back to Shane. "Look, I feel fine. Really. There's no need to worry."
"What does she mean, you're not feeling well? And why the hell did she just say you're getting ready to go talk to your Mom about bailing me out?"
"Shane," I pleaded. "Please, don't be mad."
"Guys, could you leave for a second?" Shane asked our company without taking his gaze from mine. "I'd like to talk to Claire alone."
"Yeah sure," Michael said as he stood up from the table.
"Sorry," Eve said, putting her hand on my shoulder as she stood.
They all walked over to the door and the guard let them out.
"Claire, I don't want your mom involved in this."
"I know, but I want you home with me…with us, and none of us have the money to pay your bail if it comes to that. My mom does. I don't know what else to do, Shane," I said pitifully.
"Your mom was just starting to come around. The minute she finds out I'm in jail, that's over."
"When I tell her what happened and why you're here, she'll understand and she'll get you out."
"Do you really believe that?" he asked.
"Yes, I do. She has too. She knows how much I love you."
"Yeah, she and your dad both knew that before, and they still threatened to put me in jail."
"I know, but things are different now...you said it yourself; she was starting to come around. Besides, this is my fault. If I had just turned him in, then none of this would be happening. You wouldn't be in here," I said, my voice cracking.
I felt the tears coming on, and soon they were rolling down my cheeks. I wiped them away and put my hands on the table, looking down, but the tears wouldn't stop. Shane reached across the table and put his hand on mine. The guard cleared his throat, but Shane didn't move, instead he lifted my chin, looked into my eyes, and brushed his fingers gently across my cheek.
"No touching, Mr. Collins. If you can't keep your hands to yourself, you are going back to your cell. This is your one and only warning," the guard warned.
"Fine, sorry, whatever," he snapped, then slid his hands back to his side of the table, never once taking his attention away from me. "Claire, I never want to hear you say that again. If you want to blame someone, blame that fucker for what he did to you, or blame me because I still would have kicked his ass even if you had turned him in. That's just who I am; he hurt you and I couldn't just walk away, but don't ever blame yourself because none of this is your fault. You did nothing wrong."
"But-"
"No buts," Shane interrupted me. "You know I'm right."
"Okay," I agreed. "But you have to let me do this for you. You have to let me ask my mom for help."
He looked down at the table and took a deep breath, then looked back up into my eyes.
"Fine…but you have to promise me that you'll wait until tomorrow, okay?"
"What…why?" I asked, ready to argue with him. "If this is about what Eve said, don't worry about me, I'm fine."
"Claire, I agree with Eve, and I happen to know that you got about two hours of sleep last night, and that's not nearly enough for someone in your condition, especially with everything else that you've been through lately."
"Condition? Condition?" I asked defensively, jumping up from the table, "Seriously, Shane? You make it sound as if I have some sort of disease. I'm pregnant. I know I'm pregnant and I would never do anything to put either of us in danger!"
"I'm not saying that you would. But you need to get some rest, and it won't hurt anything to put it off until tomorrow. I can't get out of here until Monday anyway," he said, trying to reason with me.
"I know that, but I think it's better if I talk to her today. That way if she does say no, I have time to figure out another way to get you out of here."
"Didn't you just tell me that you knew that she would agree to pay my bail?"
"Yes, but-"
"Well if you know she's going to say yes, then it can wait until tomorrow, can't it?" he asked with a grin on his face that told me he knew he knew had just won this argument.
"Whatever. Even though I feel completely fine, I will go home and rest tonight, but I'm going over there to talk to her first thing in the…morning," I said, then grabbed a hold of the table to steady myself.
I suddenly felt like the room was spinning and black spots began to creep into my vision.
So much for feeling completely fine.
"Hey, are you okay?" Shane asked, concerned.
"Yeah, but maybe I'm not as fine as I thought I was…"
"Well, sit down," he instructed, "and drink this."
He handed me a glass of water that he had poured from the pitcher on the table, and I sat down slowly, closed my eyes, then took a couple deep breaths and a few sips of water from the glass. I could feel Shane's eyes on me, and I knew that he must have been worried.
I was right because when I opened my eyes, Shane was staring at me and his face was tight with worry.
"Are you better now?" he asked.
"Yes. I didn't mean to scare you, I just got a little dizzy..."
"Do you want me to have Michael and Eve come back in here and tell them to take you to the hospital?"
"No, I'm okay. Like I said, I just got a little dizzy. I'm fine now...really," I assured him.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. I feel better," I assured him again.
He didn't look convinced, but let it drop, and I was glad because I really didn't want to go to the hospital tonight. What I really wanted was to go talk to my mom so that I could know for sure that we would have the money to get Shane out on Monday, if the judge granted him bail. But it looked like tonight, the only thing I would be doing was going home and going bed, whether I wanted to or not. I had to admit though, I was starting to feel pretty cruddy and could really use the rest.
"Well, did you call the bail bonds man?" he asked, changing the subject.
"No, Michael did."
"Well, what did he say…or should I ask Michael?"
"I think you should talk to Michael. He made the call, he should be the one to fill you in," I informed him.
Shane looked at me as if he was seriously considering what I had just said, then turned to the guard.
"Would you let them back in?" he asked loud enough for the guard to hear him.
The guard turned and opened the door, then motioned for Michael and Eve to come in. A few seconds later, they walked through the door and over to the table, then sat down next to me, facing Shane.
"You're not too mad at me, are you?" Eve asked, directing the question at me.
"No, Eve. I'm not mad. You can sleep with both eyes closed tonight," I said, patting her on the back.
"That's good to know."
"Not to change the subject, but Michael, Claire told me you were the one to talk to the bail bonds man; what did he say?" Shane asked, jumping right in.
Michael took a deep breath, then told Shane everything that the bail bonds man had told him, from the fact that he would have to stay in jail until Monday, which Shane already knew, to the more depressing details, like he could have to do some jail time or pay a serious fine.
I thought it wouldn't be as hard when Michael told Shane because I had heard it before, but hearing it the second time around made it even more real and so much worse. The expression on Shane's face told me he wasn't feeling any better about the situation than I was. Though he did look a little more relieved when Michael told him that they were going to arrest Lee Wilcox, go down to the club, and see if they can find any more evidence. If they do have enough to convict Lee Wilcox, then Shane could get his sentence knocked down, or thrown out all together.
"Thanks for doing that for me, man," Shane said.
"It was nothing," Michael shrugged. "I just called the guy and asked some questions."
"But seriously Mike, it means a lot."
"No problem."
"So, would you do me another favor and take Claire home and make sure she gets some rest?" Shane asked, talking to Michael but looking straight at me.
"Yeah, sure," Michael assured him.
"I am sitting right here, you know," I said, annoyed.
"I know. But you are my girlfriend and that is our child you're carrying. As far as I know, the two of you are okay right now, and I just want to make sure it stays that way, okay?" Shane said.
"Okay," I relented.
Shane gave me a look I couldn't quite decipher before turning back to Michael. I knew what had happened earlier probably scared the bejeesus out of him and that he was just trying to look out for me, and I really couldn't fault him for that.
"So, I guess I'll see you guys Monday," Shane asked, and it was more of a statement than a question.
"Yeah, and this time you'll be walking out of here, and you won't be coming back," Michael assured.
There was a promise behind those words and somehow that gave me hope because whatever Michael said, he meant, and he always found a way to make it happen.
We all stood up and walked towards the door with Shane following close behind. I turned to Shane and smiled. He smiled back sadly, and I wanted so badly to touch him, to kiss him and wrap him in my arms, but I knew that because of the jail's stupid no-touching rule, I couldn't. So I settled with an 'I love you' and turned to follow Michael, Eve, Randi, and Nikki out the door.
After we left the jail, we dropped Randi and Nikki back at their place and went straight home. When we walked in the front door and I looked over to the couch, I saw Shane's game controller in the vacant spot where he usually sat to play his video games, and an emptiness swept over me. Even though I knew he would be home soon, and Michael and Eve were standing beside me, I couldn't help but feel alone.
"I'm starving. I think I'll make some sandwiches. Anyone else hungry?" Eve asked thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I'll take one," Michael answered as he sat down on the couch.
"Claire, do you want one?" Eve asked me directly, and I knew then that the original question had been for me too, not everyone as she had implied.
"Do I have a choice?" I asked unenthusiastically, already knowing the answer.
"Not really, because if you say no, I'll hold you down and force feed it to you anyway," she said and I knew she was dead serious.
"Fine...I'll take one," I said, partially to appease her, and partially because I was pregnant and I hadn't eaten since yesterday.
"Good...you can go upstairs and rest if you want, and I'll bring it up to you."
"Okay, thank you," I said before turning and walking towards the stairs.
I couldn't wait to curl up in bed and sleep the rest of the day away. This whole thing; what had happened last night, and worrying about Shane being in jail, had taken a lot out of me. I hoped that I wouldn't have another nightmare like the one from this morning, that it was a post-traumatic, one time thing, and that I could just sleep in peace without that sicko, Lee Wilcox, slipping into my dreams, but I knew I wouldn't rest well again until Shane was home.
I was lying on my bed in one of Shane's t-shirts, watching some pointless comedy on TV, when Eve walked in with my dinner and what looked like a gift bag.
"Hope you're hungry, 'cause if you're not, you're gonna eat it anyway," she said, walking over to the bed and handing me a glass of milk and a plate with some sort of green tortilla thing on it.
"What's that?" I asked, eyeing the contents of the plate suspiciously.
"It's a turkey cheese spinach wrap. Quit looking at it like that and just eat it. You'll love it, trust me," she said impatiently.
I sat the glass of milk down on the nightstand and picked up the wrap, then took a bite. To my surprise, it was delicious.
"It's yummy, Eve. Thank you," I told her with a smile.
"See, what did I say? I knew you'd love it, and you better eat it all and drink that milk, too," she said, pointing to the glass of milk.
"I will, MOTHER," I said, annoyed.
"Scoot over," she commanded.
"No," I shot back a little too quickly, startling Eve.
"Why?"
I shrugged a little, trying to think of a way to explain my feelings. "Because...because this is Shane's side of the bed, and this is as close as I can be to him right now," I admitted in a quiet voice.
"This isn't the first time Shane's been in jail, you know...and you got through that okay. Plus, he'll be out in a couple days," Eve offered.
"Yeah I know, but I wasn't pregnant then, and I wasn't almost raped by a guy in the bathroom, and Shane wasn't in jail because he beat that guy up, so forgive me if I'm being a little irrational right now."
Eve gave me a look of understanding, and without saying another word, she walked around to the other side of the bed and crawled in beside me.
"So, I know your birthday is not until Monday, but I got you something and I thought you should open it now," she said, sitting the gift bag down on the bed in front of me.
I put the plate and the glass of milk down on the nightstand, then picked up the bag. I looked over at Eve and smiled. "Do I even want to know what's in here?"
"It's nothing crazy. It's something every expectant mother should have, now open it," she told me, practically vibrating with anticipation.
I took the packing tissue out of the bag and peered inside. It was a book. I reached into the bag, pulled it out, and turned it over so that I could see the front cover.
"What to Expect When You're Expecting...Thanks Eve," I said.
"You've told me how scared you are about being pregnant, so I figured maybe this could help both you and Shane. Sort of give you a heads up on what to expect during the pregnancy, and maybe you won't be so freaked out if something out of the ordinary happens."
"Like what?" I asked, a little afraid of the answer.
"Like...I don't know, read the book," she said finally.
"Okay I will, but not right now. I just want to lay here, watch TV, and hopefully fall asleep and not think about anything. You can stay if you want, but no serious talk is allowed, okay?"
"Sounds great... What are we watching?" she asked, turning towards the TV.
"American Pie...but wouldn't you rather be with Michael?" I asked curiously.
"No, he said he was going to eat his sandwich and go out because he has some things to take care of, so I thought I'd spend some time with my bestie," she said, then sank back into the pillow behind her.
"Then I guess it's just the two of us," I said, then laid back, rolled over onto my side, and got comfortable.
In all honesty, I was glad to have Eve with me because I really didn't want be alone and there was no one else I'd rather pass the time with...well, except for maybe Shane. However, I was exhausted and it wasn't long before I was knocked out cold.
Shane's POV
I was laying on the bunk in my cell thinking about Claire, wondering how she was doing, if she was feeling any better and wishing I could be there with her. I wanted to hold her in my arms and make everything bad that's happened in the last twenty-four hours go away. I just wanted...no needed to be near her, and since I was trapped in this fucking hellhole, I knew all of that would have to wait. But I also knew I couldn't rest without hearing her voice and knowing that she was okay. I had to call her.
I got up and walked over to the steel bars surrounding my cell and peered out. There was a guard about fifty feet away sitting at a desk reading a book.
"Hey!" I yelled, trying to get his attention.
He looked up and the look he gave me said he wasn't very happy about being interrupted. But to be honest, I really didn't give a fuck. I was anxious to talk to Claire and he was just going to have to get over it, get off his ass, and come over here to let me out so that I could make a phone call.
"May I help you?" he asked, sounding annoyed.
"Yeah, you could let me out of here so that I can make a phone call."
"And why would I do that?" he asked.
Because if you don't, I'll kick your fucking teeth in.
"Because I'm asking nicely. So please... Let me out so that I can make a phone call."
"Nope...don't think I will. I think I'm going to sit here and enjoy this book. You can make a call in the morning," he said smugly.
God! This guy is a fucking prick!
"I need to make a phone call now, asshole,"I snapped.
"You don't need to do anything and I will let you make a phone call when I get ready to. So sit down and shut up."
This guy was really pissing me off and I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he was trying to do.
"Look, my girlfriend is pregnant and she wasn't feeling well earlier. I need to call her to and make sure she's okay. So will you please let me out of here so that I can do that?" I asked, trying hard to stay calm when all I really wanted to do was kick him in the throat.
"Okay, you caught me on a good day. I'll let you make the call...after I finish this chapter," he said, a little too happy with himself.
"Damn it!" I shouted angrily, grabbed the bars and shook them in frustration. "Just let me make the fucking phone call!"
I wanted to strangle this guy. He was being a dick for no reason and it was really pissing me off. If it wasn't for the fact that I would be thrown back in here and be separated from Claire for who knows how long, I'd kick his sorry ass the second I got released.
Half a second later, I'm guessing after he'd heard me yelling, another guard walked around the corner and grabbed the keys from the jackass, walked over to my cell, and unlocked the door to let me out, but not before giving the other dude a piece of his mind.
"Harley, next time the kid asks to make a phone call, you need to get off your lazy ass, quit reading those pansy assed romance novels you love so much, and open his cell. Because if I have to do your job again, you'll be reading that book through a hole in your neck...got it?"
I chuckled to myself. A romance novel...seriously? Someone needs to cut the tampon string.
"Thanks, man" I told the guard who let me out. "I appreciate it."
"Don't get too happy. You've got ten minutes."
I walked out of the cell and down the hall to the payphone. I picked up the receiver, dialed zero, and waited for the operator to patch me through. There was silence on the line and then I heard Claire's voice.
"Shane?"
"Hey baby," I said, happy to finally hear her voice. "I miss you."
"I miss you, too," she said and I could hear her sniffle quietly on the other line. "I wish you were here."
"I do too," I told her, then took a calming breath, and asked even though I already knew the answer, I asked, "Are you crying?"
"No," she lied.
I knew she was lying, but I didn't know why. If it was because she didn't want me to feel bad, it was too late for that. I felt awful. I hated that she had to go through all this and I couldn't be with her right now. If it was because she was embarrassed, she had no reason to be.
"Claire," I warned, wanting her to admit it to me.
"Fine. Yes, I'm crying...again," she said finally. "God, you probably think I'm a loser."
So it was because she was embarrassed.
"No, I think that you've been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours, that you're pregnant, and you miss me. I mean, who wouldn't cry? Have you seen me?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood. "This orange jumpsuit is very flattering."
"Be serious, Shane," she said with a giggle.
I had succeeded in making her laugh and I loved the sound of it, but I knew she was right. It was time to be serious.
"Okay, seriously, I don't think you're loser, but I do think you are too hard on yourself. Like I said, you're pregnant and you've been through a lot. I'm surprised you're still standing. It's okay to cry, I'd be more worried if you weren't a little emotional right now," I said gently.
"It's just that I need you right now and I hate it so much that you can't be here," she said, her voice strangled by the tears she was trying to hold in.
The sound of it made me angry. Knowing that he had done this to her...to us, made me want to kill him.
"Me too, and I am thoroughly pissed that that jackhole took me away from you," I said, my tone cold and angry. "When you walked in today, I wanted to wrap you in my arms and never let you go."
"I felt the same way this morning when they took you away," she whispered, getting chocked up again.
"So, anyways," I said, changing the subject; I couldn't bear to hear her cry anymore. "How are you feeling?"
"Better than earlier...physically at least," she declared. "Actually, I've been reading this book that Eve gave me. It's called, What to Expect When You're Expecting, , but actually fainting is not. So, since I didn't actually faint, I think I'm okay."
"I want you to at least call Dr. Henton and see what she says," I told her.
Even though she hadn't actually fainted, it was better to be safe than sorry, and it would give us both some peace of mind.
"Okay, I will...I promise," she assured me.
"Good."
"Oh...guess what!" she exclaimed.
"What?" I asked, happy to hear the change in her voice.
"The baby is now about as big as a peach...at least that's what the book says, and we should be able to find out if it's a boy or girl in just a few weeks. Week 20 to be exact," she gushed, sounding excited for the first time since we got on the phone.
Here we were once again; she was waiting for my reply and I had no idea what to say. Don't get me wrong, I was happy, but I was scared as hell too. I was happy that she had found something to be happy about in all of this mess, but I was scared because in just a few short weeks, we would know whether we were having a boy or girl and that would make it even more real. There was a tiny human being growing inside of Claire, and I was going to be its father for the rest of its life. For the rest of my life. What if it doesn't want me? What if it takes one look at me and realizes what a fuckup I am and demands a refund? But let's just face it: there are no refunds when it come to who your parents are. It's just stuck with me. Who are we kidding, I screwed this kid for life. Well, at least it has one good parent.
"Shane?"
"Y-yeah, I'm here and that's great, baby. I was just surprised. I didn't know we would be able to find out so soon."
"Neither did I...but apparently so, and it apparently already has finger nails and taste buds and everything."
Oh my god. Is she trying to kill me? I think I need to sit down.
"That's great, baby," I told her.
"Do you know what you want?" She asked.
To be a good father to this baby and not totally screw up its life.
"…What?"
"You know, what do you want...a boy or a girl?"
"As long as the baby is healthy, I'll be happy with either one," I assured her.
"I feel the same way... You are going to be a wonderful father, you know that?" she gushed.
"I hope so...I'd settle for just being a good father, or at least better than mine."
"No, you'll be wonderful. I know you will." The way she said those words, I knew she meant them.
She believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself, and that was one of the many reasons why I loved her so much.
"Your call will be disconnected in two minutes. Please deposit twenty five cents if you wish to continue your call," the operator's voice interrupted us.
Shit! I wasn't ready for the call to end. She sounded so happy and I knew she would be heartbroken if I told her I had to go so soon.
"Shane? Are you there?" I heard as Claire's voice came back on the line.
"Yeah baby, I'm here..."
She had sounded so worried and I knew it was going to be hard to tell her I had to go.
"I love you."
"I love you too," she replied softly.
"I'm sorry baby, but we only have about two minutes left to talk before we get disconnected."
"This sucks," she pouted.
"I know. But will you do something for me?"
"Yes, anything," she promised.
"Take it easy tomorrow and when you go to talk to your mom, try not to get too upset if she says no, because the well-being of you and this baby is what is important right now. Even if she says no, it's not the end of the world. We'll figure something else out, okay?"
"Okay, but she'll say yes," she said, sounding sure of it for the first time.
"What makes you so sure now?" I asked.
"Because I'm going to make sure she knows that I can't live without you a day past Monday."
"You do that," I chuckled.
"I will."
"I guess we should say goodnight," I said, not really wanting to.
"Goodnight, Shane. I lo-" she started, before the operator cut her off.
"I love you too," I whispered to the empty phone line.
I stood there for second staring at the phone before hanging up and going back to my cell. Once I got there and the bars clinked shut behind me. I laid down and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about Claire, the conversation we'd just had, how happy she was about the baby, and how sad she was when I said I had to go. I knew all this was taking a toll on her, but she was trying to be strong, not just for herself, but for me and our baby. She loved us that much and I had to find a way to show her I loved her just as much. That's when I made up mind and I knew what I had to do, what I wanted to do, and what I was going to do the second I was released.
E/N: Thank you for your review in advance! :D Let me know what you thought about it. What you liked or didn't like.