PREGNANT. My entire world is flipped upside down by a plastic white stick with a pregnancy result on it. How am I supposed to take the news of a pregnancy when I'm still learning how to take care of myself? I can't be responsible for another living being. It's completely absurd. I'm seventeen years old... I'm not old enough to purchase a pair of scissors without needing ID. If I can't be trusted with a pair of scissors, how can I be trusted to take care of a child? My child. I feel the nausea returning to the back of my throat. My cheeks pale in color and I don't realize I'm being spoken to until I hear Jake's voice snap me out of my shock induced daze.

"Emily?" He gently places a hand on my shoulder.

I jump in surprise before tilting my head back to look up at him. We're standing in the pharmacy aisle searching for a pregnancy test with a date feature. I don't know if they stock them here but it's the only place we could find open so late on Christmas Eve. I haven't had a period in a long time which only deepens the nausea swirling around in my stomach. How long have I been unknowingly pregnant? Facing the unknown only worsens the sickness consuming me. Jake's ocean blue eyes are filled with concern as he drinks in my pale face. He slips a hand through mine before giving it a gentle squeeze. The small action slows down the ferocious thumping of my heart and I find myself leaning into his chest for support. He weaves a hand through the back of my hair before pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

"I'm right here, Wentworth."

I breathe in his comforting scent that I've always found soothing. It's one of the reasons I was so drawn to him a year ago when we first met. A mere twelve months... It's such a short space of time for so much to have happened.

"I can't do this right now," I whisper to him.

My legs weaken underneath me and Jake nods in acceptance. He doesn't question my change of mind or argue against it. He gently tugs my hand in the direction of the exit and I gratefully allow him to take the lead. Once we're back inside his car, I stare straight ahead before breaking down into tears. Jake reaches over to release my seatbelt before he pulls me into his lap with ease. Within a split second, I'm wrapped up inside his strong arms. All I wanted was one perfect Christmas. I've looked forward to this Christmas since I left my abusive home and found a home with Jake and his family. I'd already planned the day. I bought presents two months early, wrapped them and eagerly waited to decorate the tree so I could place them underneath. I haven't had a fun-filled Christmas since my father died when I was a child. This Christmas was supposed to make up for all of the miserable years.

"I'm sorry, I ruined Christmas." I whisper with disappointment. Jake stiffens underneath me and I feel him intake a sharp breath.

"You didn't ruin anything, Wentworth. You have nothing to be sorry for."

I can't help feeling responsible. The baby is growing inside me. I should have known I was pregnant. How can I be growing a human inside me and not be aware of it? My hand gathers a fistful of his shirt and I cling onto him with desperation. I have no idea how he feels about the pregnancy. When I first told him, he threw up with surprise. That can't be a good reaction. His Mom, Aunt Myra and his cousins began to question us both. I didn't know how to answer any of their questions so Jake grabbed my hand and we both fled from the chaos surrounding us. Whenever I've needed to run away from a situation, Jake has always been right by my side.

"What are we going to do, Jake? I can't be a parent. I don't know the first thing about parenting."

Jake pulls back before wrapping his fingers around my chin. He tilts my head up so I'm looking directly at him. The blue in his eyes reminds me of the ocean and I feel a level of calm wash over me. His eyes skip over every little feature on my face before he gives me a small smile of reassurance. His smile will always cause my heart to skip a beat.

"We've sailed through every storm together until we reached the sunshine. What makes you think we can't do this?"

It's all I need to hear for the tears to dry up. We might not have all the answers right now, but we'll figure it out. Jake is right... We've been through hell and back. We can do this.

*

I wake to the room engulfed in darkness. It's the middle of the night and Jake isn't in bed. I remove the covers to climb out when I catch sight of my stomach. That's when I remember the news of the pregnancy and it feels like I'm being strangled with an overwhelming fear. I tear my eyes off my stomach and push the thought to the back of my head. The house is eerily silent. It's Christmas morning in a few hours, but the Christmas joy is nowhere to be found.

I head downstairs for a glass of water. When I push open the kitchen door, I find Tobias sitting at the bar with a drink in his hand. I marvel at how similar he looks to Jake. They're genetically cousins but I'd swear they could pass as brothers. They share the same build and the same sharp handsome features. Upon hearing the door open, he lifts his head and shoots a small smile in my direction.

"Can't sleep?" Tobias asks me. I shake my head and fold my arms over my chest.

"No. Do you know where Jake is?" I ask quietly. Tobias lifts his glass before looking directly at me. His chocolate brown eyes burn through mine as he finishes off the rest of his drink. His throat rolls and he places the glass down on the bar with a soft clink.

"He left a while ago. I don't know where he is," Tobias tells me. A wave of worry ripples through me. Is Jake losing his mind over the news as much as I am? Tobias' dark eyes fall to my stomach and I watch as emotion brews inside his gaze.

"Pregnant, huh?" Tobias questions me. The moisture strips from my throat and I tear my eyes off him. He releases a light laugh of amusement.

"I'm glad you're finding amusement in it," I mutter before heading for the fridge. I pull it open with more force than necessary before grabbing a water bottle. Before I can close the fridge door, Tobias slams it shut from behind me. I stiffen against him as I feel his tall presence lingering behind me. His earthy scent smacks me in the face and I inhale a deep breath.

"I don't think it's funny, Emily."

"You could have fooled me."

I don't have the patience to deal with Tobias' comments right now. I whirl around to find him standing dangerously close. He places one hand above me on the fridge door before leaning down to stare directly into my eyes.

"You know this baby is going to change your life forever, right?" There's a hard clipped edge to his voice.

My brows immediately scrunch together with frustration. Why is he asking me this? I'm not an idiot. I know how permanent a child is. I know the severity and importance of being a good parent. My Mom and step-father ruined the idea of parents for me. I've vowed never to be like them, but how do I know what type of parent I'll end up being?

This isn't any of Tobias' business. I know he's brutally honest but right now, I don't need his honesty. I open my mouth to argue against him when I catch a whiff of the scotch emitting from him. Uneasiness pools in the pit of my stomach. It reminds me of living with Trevor, my step father. It's going to take a long time not to associate the smell of alcohol with him. Undoing years of abuse is a long journey filled with obstacles. My chest tightens due to Tobias' close proximity. I know he won't hurt me, but the familiar feeling of panic begins to settle in. I close my eyes for a brief second to compose myself.

"Can you take a step back? You stink of alcohol," I tell him. Tobias' dark eyes brew with realization and he immediately steps away from me. It automatically becomes easier to breathe.

"I'm not talking to you about the..." I find it hard to say the word out loud. Tobias lifts a brow at me before gesturing at my stomach.

"Baby?" He finishes off my sentence and it feels like a punch to the gut.

I shakily unscrew the lid of the water bottle before guzzling half of it. Tobias keeps his eyes on me the entire time.

"I have to talk to Jake first," I mutter before leaning back against the kitchen counter.

I rub the space between my brows as I feel a major headache beginning to form. Tobias hums in approval but I can sense he's filled with more questions. I don't blame him. Jake's entire family is probably filled with questions. I don't know how to answer any of them right now. I don't know what I want and I don't know what Jake wants. I wish he didn't leave so I had a chance to ask him.

"You know you don't have to go through with it." Tobias' words cause my head to snap over in his direction. My eyes narrow and I can't decide whether he's being helpful or his usual controversial self.

"What are you talking about?" I question him with a deep frown on my face.

"Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you have to have a baby. You're young, you have options."

"Options?" I'm surprised to find I'm listening to him. When I first met him, I never thought I'd be listening to Tobias Melvin's advice. He was rude to me, spiteful and filled with darkness. My relationship with Tobias has come a long way since then.

"You've had a traumatic year, Emily. You've had a traumatic life. Nobody will blame you if you decide to put yourself first and —" I raise my hand to stop him from going any further. I don't know how I'll react to hearing him say the words out loud. I don't know how my heart will handle it.

"Stop talking, Tobias."

His dark eyes burn with curiosity. I'm surprised to find myself placing a protective hand over my stomach when minutes ago, I could barely stand to look at myself.

"That's not an option. Regardless of what you think or how traumatic my life has been, I won't get rid of this baby." I whisper the end of the sentence and say the word out loud for the first time. My throat constricts and I feel my heart skip with uneasiness. Tobias' dark eyes brew with emotion but he doesn't try to argue against me. He nods once to let me know he understands before brushing past me. I watch as he reaches for the bottle of scotch and his empty glass. He silently walks toward the kitchen door with his head hung low. A cold chill fills the kitchen and I wrap my arms around my shivering frame.

"Where are you going?" I question him. He pauses at the door before turning his head halfway. His gaze lingers on the floor.

"To my room to be alone," Tobias says quietly. I bite down on my bottom lip before turning away from him. Once he's gone, I bury my face in my hands and take several deep breaths. I feel so out of my depth right now... I have no idea what I'm doing. I thought I was over all the storms in my life, but I've landed right back in the thick of it. 

Authors Note: Hey everyone! Welcome to the second story in the 'His' Series. If you thought the previous book was crazy, it's about to get a whole lot crazier!(; 

50% of this story has been published for free here on Wattpad. If you'd like to read the completed version, you can head over to Amazon to either purchase the E-Book or purchase the paperback for a physical copy! They are available globally and I have priced my novels as low as possible to make them accessible for everyone! Thank you so much for all of your support. Every like, read, comment, follow and purchase supports me on my journey to becoming a full time author. 

I hope you guys love Jake & Emily's pregnancy story. It's a wild one.

All my love, Sakz