A/N - Uh oh, Nina's getting some unexpected news...

It took a decent backhand bribe to convince one of the less ethical doctors from Saint Thomas to tell Tara she had had some sort of heart palpitation. Juice happened to know a pretty little nurse he had hooked up with once before who pulled the right strings, and Tara, begrudgingly, accepted the instruction to stay put in Charming for now.

Nina took it upon herself to go over to the house a week later. She smiled at Tara as she arrived, holding a casserole in her hands. Tara raised an eyebrow, she was used to the crow eaters showing little gestures but Nina was a new face at her door.

"You didn't have to do that," she murmured as she pulled the door open. Nina didn't mind, she liked being able to help in her own little way. She still felt guilty for falling for Gemma's encouragement, she would have to find her own ways to make it up.

"It's okay, Chibs was out and I was at a loose end." She rustled in her handbag and pulled out a wrapped-up batch of brownies. "I made these for the boys, they're healthy ones. Almond flour, orange oil and dark chocolate. Just don't tell them."

Tara laughed at that, Nina's nervous little explanation of her nutrition-conscious dessert. "That's very kind, they'll love them." She put everything away and motioned for Nina to sit down. "Do you want a coffee?"

Nina rubbed her torso and shook her head. "Just water, please. I've had this weird indigestion for a couple of weeks. Like heartburn, but lower."

Tara's eyebrows twitched a little, that sure didn't sound like heartburn. She didn't say anything but handed a glass of cold water across. She watched as Nina drank most of it down quickly.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, wiping her lips with the corner of her sleeve. Tara nodded.

"Better, I think." She smiled. "Jax has been around more now Chibs has the patch, it's making a big difference."

"Are you mending things?" Nina blushed a little, realising the question was a little abrupt. "I don't mean to be nosy, I, just, you know. I bet it's hard, with the kids. On your own."

Tara nodded, slowly at first but then a little faster. "I think we're getting there," she said. Jax had spent the night for the first time in a week the night before, maybe they were slowly healing. They had done nothing but lie together, but it did feel like it had made a big difference to their relationship. "Are you throwing up?"

Nina shrugged. "A couple of times, I think I ate too much the last couple of nights. Either that or beer just isn't agreeing with me at the moment. I'll have a little beer belly at the rate Chibs goes through it."

She smiled as she pushed her stomach out jokingly. Tara's lips twitched as she leaned across and felt Nina's forehead and then rested her hand on her. "Any headaches? Other nausea?"

Nina nodded. "I've had a lot of late nights," she murmured by way of explanation. "Why?"

Tara laughed, for as bright as Nina could be, she was oblivious. "I think you might be pregnant."

Nina snorted with laughter at that, almost spitting out the last of her water. The thought was so far from her head, the mere suggestion made her giggle before she suddenly stopped and panic descended upon her expression. "I can't be. Chibs and me, we haven't, you know." She turned red. "Since I got back from that place."

Tara flipped open the lid of her laptop and connected to the hospital network quickly. Nina peeked at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for your report," she said, focused. "From when they did the rape kit on you." Her eyes were focused on the screen, she couldn't see the fear on Nina's face.

"They said they used contraceptives. In the shots." She was sure her head was feeling fuzzy just talking about it. "I remember Danny briefing Pig about it when I got there, telling him to give me the same ones as everyone else."

Tara frowned. "It just takes missing one shot for a margin of error," she explained without looking up. "When you came in... your oestrogen level was up but not as high as someone who had been given a liquid dosage that day."

Nina could feel butterflies fluttering through her whole body. She shook her head, disbelieving. "What does that mean?"

"That we should do a test," Tara said. "That we should check and get you to a clinic if you are. That last day you were there, did you have sex?" Nina nodded, mortified, and clamped a hand to her mouth as she realised who with. She felt tears creeping into her eyes as she thought about it.

Tara led her to the bathroom and dug through the drawer for a pregnancy kit. She waited patiently and got her answer within a couple of moments when Nina suddenly sobbed loudly. Tara knocked once and pushed the door open to find Nina weeping on the floor.

"Oh jeez." Tara leaned down and Nina clasped her legs, crying hysterically as she gasped for breath to try and steady herself. Tara felt sorry for her, nobody wanted to deal with something like that. "It's okay, we can get you an appointment, I know a place where it'll be totally anonymous, nobody needs to know."

Nina was shaking her head already. "It's not that easy," she whimpered softly, her wet eyes looking up at Tara. "I can't just get rid of it."

"Of course you can," Tara said. "If that's what you want, if this was forced on you? You don't have to have a baby, Nina, there are so many options now."

Nina stammered to find her voice but her tongue felt thick in her mouth, she couldn't even say it. When Tara stroked her hair supportively, she swallowed.

"It was Tig," she whispered. "I slept with Tig, on the last day."

Tara felt her heart sink down, heavy like lead. "Oh Jesus." That was the last thing she expected to hear, no wonder Nina was in such a state. "Does Chibs know?" Nina's sudden and wild wail assured Tara that he didn't. She felt the younger girl clinging to her, broken on her knees as she cried. Tara tried to support her gently. "He doesn't have to, Nina. None of them do. We can keep this between us, just make an appointment and make this all go away. It'll be our secret, I promise."

"I don't want to be a baby killer," she muttered breathlessly. Tara sighed.

"It's not like that. Right now, it's just a clump of cells. Still forming." She had been through this whole thing herself when she had found out she was pregnant with Thomas, the torture of wanting to abort a baby was one that would tear at the mind. "It's not a baby yet, Nina. It's just... matter."

Nina pressed her palm to her stomach. Suddenly, the inexplicable pull to Tig she had been struggling with made so much more sense. "He would be so upset."

Tara shook her head. "It's not about him, it's about you. What you need. If you're not ready..." She didn't even have to finish, it was clear Nina wasn't ready for anything right now. "I'll make an appointment for the end of the week, give you a bit of time. You just, you need to get your head around it."

Nina nodded, trying to wipe her tears away but they just kept streaming down her cheeks. She reached for Tara's hand and held it tightly. "Promise me, you won't tell him. Either of them. Anyone," she begged. "Please, Tara."

Tara leaned down and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "Of course," she assured her. "It's between us, you just take your time. Come into Saint Thomas tomorrow on lunch, I can just do an overall check up." Nina nodded as Tara helped her stand. "I'll help you however I can."