In this chapter: Kate thinks she's sick, but Dally is pretty sure it's something else that involves Darry.

After emptying my stomach for the fifth time that morning, I flushed the toilet and leaned my back against the bathtub, the coolness feeling great on my back. I brought my knees to my chest and rested my forehead on them. Yet another morning that breakfast is out of the question.

"Who's tosisn' cookies in here?" a familiar, rough voice shouted in the house.

I had been throwing up violently for at least ten minutes, so I didn't know that anyone else was around. Darry and Soda went to work before I got up, and thankfully, Pony was already at school by the time my stomach started turning. After I threw up the first time, I called out sick from work, and moments after I hung up the phone, I ran into the bathroom, and I hadn't left since.

I picked my head up so he could hear me. "It's me," I said, my raspy voice burning my throat.

A few seconds later, Dally appeared in the doorway. As soon as he spotted me, his eyebrows shot up. "What's wrong with you?"

I shrugged. "Just decided to get sick I guess."

His eyes narrowed a little, and he looked a little more concerned than before. "Does Darry know you ain't feelin' good?"

I shook my head. "No reason to worry him. I'll be fine in a couple hours."

It was true. Darry already had to worry about his brothers, the state, bills, and taking care of himself, so I didn't want to add to the list. And I knew I'd be fine later because that was how it had been for the previous few days; I'd wake up feeling awful, threw up a few times, and after lunch, I'd feel fine.

"I think it's something I ate," I added, hoping Dally would quit looking at me like something he was trying to analyze. "Probably just food poisoning."

Still, Dally looked at me with a strange expression. "Want me to get something from the store?"

I was about to decline his offer, but if someone was willing to help me feel better, I thought it'd be stupid to not accept the help. "Maybe some ginger ale? Just to calm my stomach down."

Dally nodded, but instead of leaving, he approached me, crouched down, and felt my forehead with the back of his hand. It was strange to see him acting kind and caring, and it had me worried.

"What are you doing?" I asked, although I didn't do much to move away from him.

"Trying to see if you're really sick," he muttered harshly. Then he stood up and crossed him arms across his chest. "You sure there's nothing else goin' on?"

It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. "Like what?"

"Well, you ain't a nun, are you?" Dally asked with a hint of a smirk on his lips.

Dally's going crazy.

"What?" I asked, completely confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, assuming you're not a nun, and Darry ain't shooting blanks-"

"Dallas!" I shouted, interrupting him. I was used to the guys teasing me and Darry, and it was one thing to talk about my own personal and intimate details, but I wasn't about to begin a conversation about my boyfriend. Especially when he wasn't there and able to speak for himself.

I hadn't even thought about that. I mean, it's not like Darry and I are celibate, but we're careful. There's no way I could be pregnant.

Dally put his hands up in surrender. "I'm just sayin' you might not be sick. I've seen it before."

"Yeah? You get a lot of girls pregnant?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood, even though my heart was racing.

"Hell no," Dally said, looking almost offended. "I'm not sayin' there aren't plenty of girls lookin' to get a piece of Dallas Winston, but I know how to keep girls from gettin' in trouble."

In trouble. That's what we say when girls get pregnant without meaning to. Could I really be the next one to get in trouble?

"Just… please get me some ginger ale," I said, my voice suddenly getting quiet and watery. "Please Dallas."

He relaxed his posture and expression. "Yeah, sure. I'll be right back."

With Dally gone and myself already positioned safely on the floor, I felt myself start breathing heavy, and the tiled floor started spinning. I had to put my hands firmly on the floor to keep myself from falling sideways.

What if Dally's right? What will I do? What will Darry say? There's no way he can handle another mouth to feed. He'll break up with me for sure, and I don't blame him. A baby would ruin everything for him and his family.

I didn't know how long my mind was spiraling out of control, but before I knew it, a bag was placed on the floor next to me. Without looking up at Dally, I went through the contents. Ginger ale. Anti-nausea medicine. Two pregnancy tests.

I guess we'll see if Dally's right.

"Thanks Dal," I all but whispered.

"Don't mention it," Dally said in a surprisingly soft voice. "You want me to call Superman?"

I shook my head. "He doesn't even know I've been feeling lousy, I don't want to worry him if it's nothing. He shouldn't leave work just because of me."

Dally let out an irritated sigh, which told me he didn't agree with my decision, but nevertheless, he didn't argue. "Alright. I'll be in the living room if you need me."

I nodded, but still didn't look at him. "Thanks."

Before I even thought about taking the tests, I opened the ginger ale, drank some, then took some of the medicine to calm my stomach. After that, I forced myself to stand up, shut the door, and read the directions for the tests. I took several steadying breaths, then decided there was no time like the present. Once I finished following the directions perfectly, I put the tests on the sink and waited.

Ten minutes. I had to wait ten minutes to see if my life had changed forever.

When I figured enough time had passed, I took the tests in my hand, took one more breath, then looked down.

Two lines. Both of them had two pink lines.

No. No no no.

I immediately dropped to the floor and started bawling.

I'm pregnant. How could I be pregnant? We're always careful!

I thought I could hear knocking on the door, but I ignored it as I continued to cry. I knew Dally wouldn't barge in on me crying; he doesn't know how to comfort people most of the time, so he wouldn't willingly put himself in that position.

Darry's going to be so upset. He doesn't want a baby right now, and it could jeopardize things with his custody of his brothers. He's going to leave me, and the baby and I will be all alone. How do I even raise a kid?

"Kate?!"

I froze. Why's Darry here? It took me a second to realize Dally must've called him. Oh God, I don't even know how I'm going to tell him!

There were three loud knocks on the bathroom door, followed by my boyfriend's voice. "Kate? What's going on, honey?" He sounded terrified. "Can I come in?"

I opened my mouth to answer, to tell him everything was fine and to go back to work, but as soon as I tried to form words, I just started sobbing again.

Darry didn't wait any longer. He opened the door and instantly joined me on the floor. He put his hands on my shoulders and tried to turn me to face him, but I resisted. "What's wrong, Kate? Dally called my boss and said you needed me here. What's going on? Are you sick?"

I shook my head and tried to hide my face in my arms, but Darry moved his hands on my arms and prevented me from hiding. He was trying to meet my eyes, but I kept mine shut while my head was turned away from him.

"You're really starting to scare me, Kate. Please just tell me what's going-" one of his hands moved away from my arm, and I just knew that he spotted one of the pregnancy tests that I dropped when I sank to the floor.

With one arm free, I buried my face in my free hand. "I'm… I'm pregnant Darry," I mumbled.

Even though I wasn't looking at him, I could feel the atmosphere in the room had changed, and he had frozen next to me.

"I'm s- sorry Darry. I'm so sorry," I continued, wanting to fill the room with my apologies rather than him yelling or freaking out. "We've been careful, but I- I guess it didn't work. I know you want to break up. I- I get it… You don't need to worry a- about us. You have enough to worry about."

For a while the only sound in the room was me crying into my hand, but eventually, I felt Darry's calloused hands grab onto my wrists gently. He pulled my hand away from my face and kept my hands on my lap. "Kate, honey… can you look at me?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I don't want to see the look on his face. Will he be mad, shocked, or disappointed? I don't even know which would be worse.

"Catherine, baby… please look at me," he said softly.

The use of my full name got me to look at him. To my surprise, he didn't look upset at all. With the tears in his eyes and upturned eyebrows, he looked worried. "Why on Earth would you think I'd want to break up with you?"

I felt my eyebrows furrow. "Because… because you don't want this. This wasn't supposed to happen. You already got so many things to worry about-"

"Hey, you let me worry about that, alright?" Darry said with a small smile on his face while he wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. "Just because we weren't expecting this, doesn't mean I want to break up with you. I love you, and this doesn't change that."

I choked out a sob. I must be dreaming. This can't really be happening. "But-"

He cupped my face with both of his hands and interrupted me again. "Kate, I'm telling you… I'm. Not. Leaving."

I stared into his eyes, and I knew the passion and intensity in those eyes also contained the truth. He's not leaving me. "Really?"

He smiled, then put his lips to mine, making at least half of my worries drift away. When he pulled away from me, he kept his eyes trained on mine. "I won't say that I was expecting this, because I definitely wasn't, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy about it."

"You're… happy about it?" I asked. I thought he'd be upset and immediately break up with me. Never would I think he'd be happy about it.

"I love you, Kate. And assuming I didn't do anything stupid enough to make you leave me, I was already planning on spending my life with you. I sort of figured kids would happen eventually… this is just a bit sooner than I expected," Darry said simply, like he had known it forever while I hadn't had the faintest idea.

I grinned and tried to blink my tears away. "You thought about all that?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. I didn't think it would be for years but sometimes things happen. I would certainly never leave you because of it. Glory Kate, I can't imagine my life without you. How could I just leave you to have a baby all by yourself?"

And just like that, I felt like an idiot. How could I think Darry would leave me the moment he found out? He's a true gentleman and we love each other… he's going to be there every step of the way. But how are we going to handle this?

"How are we going to do this? We already have Soda and Pony to take care of, and now there's going to be another mouth to feed," I said, suddenly needing to figure out all of the details. "I need to get another job."

"Hey, don't worry about that right now," Darry said calmly. He put his hands on my shoulders, grounding me. "We'll figure it out, trust me."

I looked at him, allowing him to steady me. "I do. I trust you."

He smiled, then pulled me into a hug. When I wrapped my arms around him, I felt his body start to shake a little. Then I heard him start to cry, but it was the happy kind of crying. "Glory, I'm going to be a dad."

"You're going to be the best dad," I said, knowing that I was going to be right. Nobody would love, care for, and protect the baby more than Darry. Well, except for myself.

I wrote this on a whim because the idea just popped into my head. I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but it can end here and be read as a one-shot, or it can tie into the next one for a two-shot. Up to you!