When her phone dinged twice, indicating she got a text, she was expecting it to be Dylan. They had been talking for the past few days. He'd ask how she was doing, if she needed anything. Her answers were always the same: okay. I need Gunner.

She'd expected it to be another concerned text, telling her to eat, rest, stay out of trouble. How much more trouble can you get in when you're already a seventeen year old girl who can barely breathe on her own impregnated by a marijuana trimmer?

But her heart stopped when she saw who's name was at the top of the message. Gunner. She scrambled to pick up her phone and see what he finally replied to her with.

Where are you? Are you okay?

Her hands shook as she tried to type out a response to him. She barely worried if it made sense or not, she was just glad to be talking to him again.

I'm in White Pine Bay. I'm okay but we need to talk. When can you come see me? Are you okay?

She held her breath, waiting for his response. She had been doing some homework but that was completely forgotten now.

I have a broken arm and leg. I can't really work so I'll see if I can find my way up there. What's wrong?

Oh boy.

Emma fiddled with her phone for a minute, struggling to decide what to do. She nearly jumped when it began ringing in her hands. Gunner's name lit up the screen.

Shaking, she accepted the call and put it to her ear. "Gunner?"

"You were taking so long to answer. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I just... I have something I have to tell you." Her heart was stuck in her throat, making it difficult to speak.

It was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "Well, what is it?"

"Gunner, I'm... I... I'm pregnant," she finally rushed it all out, closing her eyes and praying that she wouldn't have to say it again.

She couldn't even hear him breathing anymore. There was some rustling on the line and then his breaths came quickly over the line. "What?" he whispered in disbelief.

"Apparently I'm only like six weeks along, which when you think about it is about the first time we, you know, and I promise I haven't been with anyone else, this is one hundred percent your baby-"

"I know, I know," he cut her off. "I'm not doubting that. It's just... What?"

She didn't know how to answer that so she just bit her lip, waiting for him to say something else.

"Have you thought of... what you wanted to do?" he asked almost timidly.

She furrowed her eyebrows. She hadn't, not really. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I mean, I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to have a baby again, if we get rid of this." She gulped, not able to imagine willingly killing the child growing within her. "But I'm not sure if I'm even healthy enough to have a baby. If I'll be there when he, or she, grows up."

"I will," Gunner said quickly. "If you want me to, that is."

"Of course I want you to. But what about your business?"

"What about it?"

"It's not exactly the safest job around. I don't want to be gone and then something happens to you too and our kid will have to grow up without parents."

"Wow, our kid..." Gunner said in awe, completely missing the point.

"Gunner, I'm being serious. How are we supposed to raise a kid? We're practically kids ourselves. And out of the two of us, you're the only one actually making money and it's in a dangerous way."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Emma. If you want to raise our kid, we have to have money. I can't guarantee my safety all the time but I will guarantee that I'll be there for you whenever I can. In fact, I'm gonna start looking at places to stay up there, okay?"

"You're really going to move up here?" she asked, her stomach fluttering. This is all she had wanted since practically the first time she had seen him.

"Definitely. I mean I was looking before but now I kind of have to. I need to be there with you."

"Is this just because I'm pregnant?" she asked doubtfully. She didn't want any pity. She just wanted his love.

"It's my baby too. I want to be there for every appointment you have, to see him at our first ultrasound. Plus, being close to you isn't exactly a downside," he chuckled a little.

"When do you think you can come up here?"

"As soon as I find a place, unless I just stay at the motel for a bit. I should probably talk to Dylan too. I'm gonna need some money fast if we're going to live together."

"Live together?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, you, me and the baby. Is there something wrong with that?"

"It's just... I'm a junior in high school. I don't think my dad is going to want me to move out to live with my boyfriend."

"I don't think he's going to be happy that you're pregnant either but it's happening either way... Unless you really don't want to." He sounded unsure at the end.

"I do, it's just kinda weird, you know? A few months ago, I didn't think I'd ever have a boyfriend, let alone a baby. But then I met you," she smiled and turned to get in a more comfortable position. However, the sight of her dad standing in the doorway to her room with the most scandalized look on his face made her freeze. "I have to go," she told Gunner quickly before hanging up the phone. "Dad..." she said as she bit her lip, fear and shame washing over her.

His face looked sad, tired and worried. "You're pregnant?"

Author's Note: I know this chapter has been long overdue but I've pretty much lost inspiration for this story. I'm going to try to actually finish it though because I've gotten a few reviews over the past month encouraging me to update and I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thank you so much for every review.

Bates Motel season 3 is making me sad. Gunner and Emma have interacted once and Emma acted like she never wanted to see Gunner again. It doesn't exactly inspire me to write but maybe I can just pretend this story is actually what's happening and not the real show ;)