"Is it selfish or wrong of me to wish this wasn't happening now?" I say to Jake whilst staring at the television. I don't feel old enough to deal with such a permanent life-altering change. We're sitting on the floor in the living area. Jake's back is up against the couch and I'm sitting between his legs with his arms around me. His chin rests on my shoulder and we both stare aimlessly at the television. It's late afternoon on Christmas Day, and we've decided to give up on trying to force the Christmas cheer.

"No, you're allowed to feel however you want to feel. An unexpected pregnancy is difficult for anyone to process."

"Do you think Pops is right? Are we going to ruin this child because we're so young?"

"Your Grandad was emotional and taken by surprise. He'll come round to the idea. You shouldn't listen to a word he says. For what it's worth, I think you'd make an excellent Mom," Jake's words are spoken softly down my ear. My posture relaxes and I turn to look at him with a smile on my face.

"Really? Even though I come from a broken family?"

"Just because we both came from a dysfunctional family doesn't mean we have to carry it on to our child. We're allowed to break the cycle here."

I marvel at how wise and calm he appears to be approaching the situation. It's a far cry from the Jake Melvin I initially met. Where has this level of calm come from, and how do I experience it for myself? I feel like I've been trapped inside a maze since seeing the positive plus sign on the pregnancy test.

"Aren't you worried about getting it wrong?" I ask him. He blows out a deep breath before looking at me with a subtle hint of fear in his eyes.

"If you want me to be honest with you, I'm terrified. I don't know what kind of parent I'm going to be, but I'll do whatever I can to be a good one."

I bite down on my bottom lip as I imagine Jake Melvin being a father. It wasn't that long ago he was out causing mayhem in town due to his deranged boss, Amil. Since Amil's death, Jake has embraced the quiet and drama-free life. I wasn't expecting him to be so composed.

"How are you so accepting of this? I feel like we both should be freaking out. We're going to have a baby," I say quietly. Jake's eyes connect with mine and he gives me a laid back shrug. A knowing look crosses his eyes but he doesn't share exactly what he's thinking.

"I don't know... Something tells me we're going to be okay. Maybe I'm having a delayed reaction?"

"Yeah, maybe. Are you going to freak out, abandon me and your unborn child when you do finally accept the news?" I question him with a hint of amusement in my voice. Jake laughs and his blue eyes light up with a twinkle.

"You'd make a great single Mom, Wentworth." He winks back at me.

I have no idea if we're going to be okay despite Jake's reassurance. I've always been an overthinker which doesn't bode well with an unexpected pregnancy. I haven't graduated from college yet. How am I going to support a baby? Where will we live? Will I ever build myself a career or will I be known as a teenage Mom for the rest of my life? Will my child grow to hate me like I hate my Mom? My brain begins to spiral into a sea of never ending questions. I release a groan before clutching at the tension building in the forefront of my head. Jake gently wraps his hands around my wrists before lowering my hands. He searches my face and it feels like he's searching through my thoughts to understand me.

"You're really struggling with this, aren't you?" He questions me quietly and there's a distant look in his eyes. I nod my head in response. Jake continues to stare at me for several seconds before he gestures for me to follow him.

"Come with me, Emily. There's someone I want you to meet."

*

We've been driving for over an hour. I watch out the passenger window as the world passes me by in a blur. The streets and roads are deserted due to it being Christmas Day.

"The last person you took me to meet was Amil," I comment quietly. The meeting was a total disaster and I remember feeling so lost and alone afterwards. I feel Jake visibly tense beside me as I mention his former boss. He reaches over to place a hand on my thigh.

"You trust me, don't you?" Jake asks me quietly.

"Yes," I respond to him instantly without hesitation. If going through hell and back has taught me anything, it's that Jake would do anything to keep me safe. I trust him wholeheartedly. When I didn't trust a single soul on the planet, Jake Melvin came along and changed that for me. Jake continues driving before turning off into a town I don't recognise. The houses are derelict, the lawn is scattered with rubbish and most buildings appear abandoned.

"Are you planning on abandoning me here so I can embark on my journey of being a single Mom?" He snorts with laughter beside me.

"Oh, please. You wouldn't last a day out on the streets."

"I'm actually pretty resourceful. Being kidnapped and held hostage by my biological father taught me that. It's the one good thing Jones ever gave me," I hit back at him.

He winces at the mention of Jones and the dark time in our lives. I grimace before squeezing his hand with reassurance.

"Sorry. Too soon?"

"I don't think there'll ever be a time I can joke about Jones without feeling sick to my stomach," Jake tells me quietly. He stares straight ahead as he navigates through the roads.

"Dark humor is a coping mechanism for people to handle traumatic events. I bet you didn't know that." I say with a smart mouth. Jake raises a brow at me before responding in the same tone.

"Oh, really? I'd rather not relive the moment I almost lost you, Wentworth." His sentence fades off and he sounds broken by the end of it.

I fall silent in the passenger seat. Being held hostage by Jones didn't just leave me with lasting damage. It affected everyone around me. My best friend, Trish, can't go three days without hearing from me to know I'm safe and sound. I sometimes catch Tobias staring at me with a distant look in his eyes. I know he's re-living the moment he walked in and found me held hostage by Jones with a gun to my head. Jake doesn't ever sleep without keeping his arms securely wrapped around me. I figure it's the only way his subconscious knows I'm safe enough for him to relax.

"We're here," Jake tells me quietly as he pulls into a make-shift driveway in front of a run down bungalow.

His sleek black sports car appears out of place in the environment. The yard in front of the building is scattered with broken toys and rubbish bags. It looks like raccoons have torn the bags apart to scatter rubbish all over the sidewalk.

"Where are we, Jake?" I question him as he turns off the engine.

There's a distant look in his eyes and I figure it's not just the mention of Jones that's making him tense. It feels like he's mentally elsewhere... Not a good place either.

"I-I can't talk about it. It's easier for me to show you," Jake tells me before stepping out of the car.

I unfasten my seatbelt before following behind him. I watch as he opens the car trunk and emerges with a plastic shopping bag. He locks his car before walking over to me and slipping his free hand through mine. His eyes search my face and he gives me a reassuring look.

"It's safe, I promise. There's no monster like Amil waiting behind this door," Jake tells me.

I breathe out a sigh of relief before heading up the broken stone steps toward the front door. The forest green paint is peeling and the door doesn't appear to be shut properly. Jake curses under his breath before knocking on the door and waiting patiently. My heart begins to pick up pace with nerves. Who could we possibly be meeting so far away from home? I've never heard Jake talk about anyone who lives in this town. I hear a scuffle coming from behind the door before it swings open. My eyes connect with an older woman wearing a floor length skirt and a knitted oversized rainbow jumper. Her wild gray hair with white streaks is tied up in a messy bun and the sight of her is followed by an immense stench of cigarette smoke. I blink in surprise and bewilderment. Who is this woman? The woman takes one look at Jake before breaking out in a wide smile.

"Jake! Honey. I expected to see you again seeing as it's Christmas time. Come in, come in. It's absolutely freezing out here. Get inside before the raccoons get to you," the older woman laughs heartily before stepping aside.

Jake releases a laugh to be pleasant but I can feel the sadness radiating from him.

"Hello, Peggy. It's always nice to see you," Jake says politely.

I take a mental note of the older woman's name. Have I ever heard him mention Peggy before? I don't think so. I plaster a smile on my face before extending my hand.

"Hello, Peggy. I'm Emily," I introduce myself as I step inside her home.

The cigarette smoke grows intense and I resist the urge to breathe more than necessary. Peggy takes one look at me before smiling warmly. She doesn't take my hand but does usher me inside before shutting the door to block out the cold. I quickly scan over her bungalow. It's dark and there's no Christmas decorations lining the walls. There's no Christmas tree in the living room or Christmas dinner cooking in the kitchen. The bungalow lacks all the Christmas spirit.

"Let me fix you up with a nice cup of tea," Peggy says before ushering toward the open tiny kitchen. Jake clears his throat before removing his jacket and draping it over the arm of the couch. It's brown leather and the material is faded and peeling. He takes a seat before placing the plastic bag beside his feet. I slowly take a seat beside him, filled with a million and one questions.

"Welcome to Peggy's humble abode," Jake mumbles.

As Peggy busies herself in the kitchen, I hear the living room door creak open. Jake's head snaps up at the noise and he sucks in a sharp breath. I follow his line of vision until I notice the little girl standing in the doorway. Jake gives her a warm smile and a half-hearted wave.

"Hi, Jasmine. It's nice to see you again," Jake says quietly. Again? Who are these people to Jake?

The little girl's eyes dart toward me and I soften my features to give her a small smile. She cautiously walks inside the room before taking a seat on the leather arm chair. Her eyes remain fixed on me with curiosity and I take the chance to study her features. Her large innocent blue eyes and thick dark lashes feel familiar. Her jet-black hair is tied up into a slicked back ponytail. I lean forward on my arms to close the distance between us.

"Hello, Jasmine. I love your dress."

Jasmine glances down at her dress before looking up at me from under her lashes with a shy smile. The interaction causes her to withdraw into her shell and she suddenly runs out of the room. The expression on her face before she darted away causes me to gasp in surprise because I finally understand why her features look so familiar...

I snap my head toward Jake with wide eyes and shock written across my face.

"Is she..." My question trails off with uncertainty.

Jake breathes in deeply before nodding at me with sadness consuming his eyes.

"Yeah, Wentworth. She's my little sister."