Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year guys! Thank you so much for the great feedback too! This work was finished a good 4 years ago now and my writing style has changed so much since then, so it's always nice to hear it still be appreciated! Much love x

Chapter 39

I stood, frozen to the spot. I pulled the door towards me again, allowing myself to be hidden. Tom looked up, glancing at me. I raised my finger to my lips and he simply winked. My hearts racing like I don't know what. My hands are clammy, my cheeks are hot and I'm pretty sure they're of a pinkish glow right now. And the smile etched in to my face. Well, we can all guess how huge that is.

"I would never hurt her, Harry." Dougie continued. "I'll protect her no matter what."
"I'm meant to protect her." Dad mumbled. "And I haven't done it. I'm her Dad, her father, and not once have I helped her when she needed it. It was always you. She turns to you all of the time."
"She's nineteen years old! She's hardly a child!" Dougie protested.
"Exactly. I missed all of that part of her life. I wasn't there. I didn't even know she existed! And then when she walks in to my life, she prefers your company. She doesn't need me anymore." Dad stated.

Oh my.

"You prat!" I exclaimed. "You utter prat!"
Both men turned to face me, Dougie still stood against the wall looking a little uncomfortable, Dad inches from him. I walked out from the partially open doorway, pulling the hospital gown further around me. These corridors were a tad chilly now I come to think of it.
"Of course I need you! You're my freaking dad!" I could have smacked him. In fact, that doesn't sound a bad idea. "Were you not awake when I went against everyone and came to find you? I go behind your back so as not to disappoint you. Well, that went to pot. I didn't mean to disappoint you Daddy, I mean Dad."

I did not just call him Daddy.
I did not.

"I didn't want you to find out like that." I mumbled. "I'm not sure how I was going to tell you actually. I thought you wouldn't want me."
"I'm the prat?!" Dad exclaimed.
I watched as Tom seemed to back away out of the scene, his chair sliding across the floor behind him. Dougie couldn't really move. He was pretty much still pushed up against the wall.
"You have this perfect life. The perfect family. And then there's me. People see you, and then when they look at me, I'm seen as 'Oh, that's the daughter from before.' I don't fit in with your family anymore. You just don't realise how much that hurts."
"Brenna, I-" I silenced dad before he could continue again.
"I know you love me Dad and you want to protect me. But you've done that. So many time's you don't realise. I'm ready to step out and do my own thing. I'm still going to need my dad around." Oh lord, I'm actually choking my self up. Jeez

"But did you really have to do your own thing with Dougie?" I'm not sure what to make of that. Was that a joke, or is he serious? I can't tell. is it possible my dad is making a joke out of the situation. "He has really bad feet."
By Jove, I think he understands.
Good golly gosh.
We're getting somewhere.

I watch as Dougie slumps against the wall, his hands that were balled in to fists relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief. Dad stepped towards him again.
"I'm still warning you, Doug. One move in the wrong direction you'll have nothing more to do with her. I'll make sure of that." Dad hissed in to Dougie's ear. He nodded quickly, gulping.

Oh dear.
Here it comes.
All looked at me as I snorted.
Laughter erupts.
It's contagious I swear.

I watch as Tom starts to giggle. Wow. He really does sound quite feminine when he gets going. Sort of high pitched and like a horse. Neighing. Oh god. That's making it worse.

"What's so funny?" Dad frowned. He's still not happy. I can tell. It's really not going to stop me laughing. Nor Tom by the looks of it.
"You two." I mumbled in between giggles.
"What about us?" Dougie asks. Bless. He wouldn't get it anyway.

Actually...
Why am I laughing at them?
Here begs another question?
Is Tom laughing at what I am, even though I don't know what that is in the slightest?
Or is Tom laughing at me laughing at nothing?

I pause.
"I don't know.." I muse feeling a little too light headed for my own good. "Can I go lie down again?"

I smile discreetly as Dougie ushers me back in to the private ward, his palm on my lower back, slipping through the gap in the material of my gown. He closed the door behind us. I noticed dad watching us through the window. I smiled and pulled the blinds down.

What?
I'm not doing any harm.

"He might not want us to be hidden from him for too long." Dougie mumbled, nuzzling his face in to my neck, his lips caressing so as to give me goose pimples. Wonderful sensation, I must admit.
"But would he really want to see us together yet?" I asked.
"Touché." He nodded in agreement. "You think he'll be able to speak to me without ramming me up a wall from now on?"
"I don't know. Maybe he enjoys it." I grinned, turning round to face him. "Maybe he's jealous."
"I am known to attract male attention too." Dougie smiled down at me.
"Okay, let's just hope your child doesn't have your ego." I laughed, looking down at my stomach. Amazing.

There's something growing in side of me.
You'd never know just by looking at me.
I think that moment reality really did hit.
And the thing is…

"I'm scared." I whispered, not daring to look up. "I don't have a clue what I'm doing, Doug. W…What if my dad's right?"
"Right about what?" Dougie placed both hands on my shoulders, causing me to look at him.
"What if this is too soon?" I felt my voice waver.

Good grief!
Stop crying woman!

"Come here you fool." He smiled, pulling me in for a hug when I began to cry again.
Really must try and control that in the future.
I swear it's these damn hormones.

"Umm… Brenna?" I broke apart from Dougie and turned, seeing dad stood in the doorway, looking a little more than awkward as he looked everywhere but in front of him. "Becky's outside. She's a little irate."

Ahh.
The manager.

"She knows." Dad continued.
"How?" I asked.
"Danny told me everything!" Becky scorned pushing past dad in to the room. "A little note for future reference. At least let me know you're in hospital before telling me you're pregnant. It's not good for me to find out through the Daily Mail. What were you thinking?"
"I was asleep." I shrugged. "Don't shoot the unconscious one."
"And I suppose you're going to want me to sort out this rubbish about you." She stated.
"What rubbish?" I swear people expect me to know what they're thinking. I may be Harry Judd's daughter, but I've not got special abilities because of it.

Prats.

"There's all sorts of rumours. There's even odds on who's fathering the baby." Becky sighed. "I mean, how tedious. Who in their right mind would put their money on Cruz Beckham? You've met him once!"
"He was quite fit though." I mumbled under my breathe. I heard Dougie let out a small grumble of discontent and I smirked. Jealousy. Amusing. "Who's winning?"
"This isn't some joke Brenna!" Becky almost shrieked, waving a newspaper in her hand frantically. "Why does it matter what the press think?"
"It doesn't, I'm just curious." I smiled, reaching out for the paper. She sighed, handing it over.
"There's a whole page about it." I groaned inwardly, my eyes trailing over the page, taking in what I could.
"Yes, and twelve possible fathers apparently." Becky frowned. She's really looking a little on the furious side. I'm hoping her reaction isn't as bad as dad's. I doubt it's possible, but I've seen her smack. She smacks hard.

"Twelve!?" I exclaimed.
Good grief.
What kind of girl do they think I am?
"Orlando Bloom? He's Like Fifty!" I raised my voice. "Who's top?" I murmured, my finger trailing towards the bottom of the list where the most likely names were situated.

"Well?" Dougie tried to peer at the paper in my hand.
"Awesome." I grinned to myself, looking up at him as he too read the name with the highest odds. "They're not so bad at this guessing game."
"I still don't understand how Danny is right underneath my name though." Dougie wrapped his arms around me again from behind.

"Are you telling me…." Becky's jaw dropped.