After our emotional morning Marisa made it her mission to hunt down a doctor so that I could see how the baby was doing, if I was still pregnant. So she had wrangled up something from her closet that I could fit and the three of us made our way to the doctor's office.

So that's how I ended up here, stretched out on a able with the doctor rubbing that wand thing around my slightly swollen belly, it looked more like I had just eaten a really big meal instead of being pregnant.

"Okay Miss Hills, everything is looking good, would you like to hear the heartbeat?"

I nodded, slightly afraid because I knew that this would make it real, there would be no denying that I'm pregnant.

The doctor moved the little wand back and forth for a few seconds, and then I heard it. A loud whooshing sound filled the room.

"Is that it, is that the heartbeat?"

Tears filled my eyes as the doctor nodded, a smile on her face.

"Would you like a picture?"

I was speechless and just nodded my head and she printed off a set of pictures from the ultrasound.

"Okay Miss Hills, you can make your next appointment at the front desk, see you in a few weeks."

I followed the doctor out of the room, still in a state of shock and met Marisa and Cameron in the waiting room. Marisa rushed at me.

"So what happened!"

I looked up at her with teary eyed.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I-I heard the heartbeat, I heard my baby's heartbeat."

"That's so exciting! Do you know what you're having?"

"No, but I have a feeling it's a boy, I've always wanted a son."

Cameron decided to but in.

"Well I think you're going to have a girl, I've always wanted a niece."

"Shut up, I think you're going to have twins, two boys. You know what, it doesn't matter I'm going to be the best aunt ever! We should go celebrate!"

"No, I think we should just stay in tonight, I'm pooped."

"No! We're going to celebrate, just dinner, I promise."

"Fine, but just dinner Marisa, nothing else, promise?"

"Promise!"

We ended up going to this fancy new restaurant. Marisa let me borrow a dress from her closet so that we would all be dressed for the occasion.

"Cameron, how did you get reservations here, I heard that it was impossible to even get a reservation without being on a waitlist."

"Oh my naïve little Ana, when you're the Vice President of a fortune five hundred company, everyone wants me to eat at their restaurant."

"Way to be modest."

"Any time."

Before I could come back with a response the hostess told us to follow her to our table.

We got one of the best tables in the crowded restaurant. The hostess handed us our menus and told us that our waiter would be here shortly. I looked over the menu and my eyes almost popped out of my head.

"Holy shit, this is expensive, we should've chosen a cheaper restaurant."

Cameron laughed.

"Ana, I can afford it, it's fine order whatever you want, you have my niece to think about."

"Cameron, I told you she's having twin boys so she's feeding our nephews."

I laughed at their banter, I missed having my best friends around me again.

The waiter showed up to take our drink order. Cameron and Marisa ordered wine, while I just stuck to water.

"Look at us, the three musketeers, back together again. It's just like high school, me, the most attractive and sought after guy in school, and my gorgeous girlfriend and my beautiful best friend. Hey look who it is!"

Marisa and I turned to where Cameron was pointing and was greeted with a lovely sight. He was pointing to a man who was standing a few feet away, talking to the woman on his arm. To say he was attractive was an understatement. He was tall, about 6'5 with wavy dark hair and cerulean blue eyes. He had kissable, full lips surrounded by a beard the same color as his hair. He was dressed in a form fitting black suit and a black shirt with the first two buttons undone. He was gorgeous. And he was walking this way. !

I quickly turned back to the table and could see that unlike Cameron's friendly expression, Marisa had a look of disgust on her face.

"Don't call him over here."

"I don't understand why you hate him so much."

"He's fucking rude, that's why!"

He rolled his eyes at her but stood to greet the man who had reached our table at this point.

The two men shook hands and then they turned to us.

"You already know Marisa." The man only nodded at her, while she just glared at him.

"And this is our best friend Anastasia."

He barely spared a glance in my direction before he began quietly discussing something with Cameron. I turned to the woman he was with and smiled politely at her, and was given an eye roll in return. Well damn.

After a few minutes of awkward silence amongst us women, Marisa excused us to the bathroom. Once we were in, Marisa let loose.

"Can you believe that asshole didn't even acknowledge you, I hate that man so much! And can you believe that bitch, you tried to be nice to her and she was rude as hell."

"Please calm down it's not a big deal, I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't have to be."

I chuckled softly. Reality wasn't that easy.

"I'm fine, now calm down, I'm starving. Remember I have to feed your nephew."

"Nephews, plural!"

"Whatever you say."

We made our way back to the table where Cameron was now sitting alone.

"Guys, why did you leave, that was rude."

"Because your friend and his bitch of the week were being fucking rude."

Cameron knew better than to argue with her so he switched the conversation something less upsetting.

As we ate and then as we were leaving out of the restaurant, I couldn't shake the feeling of someone watching me.

Relax, you're safe now.

**

I felt the rough rope rubbing my wrists raw and the familiar uncomfortable mattress underneath me. Even though the room was pitch black I knew exactly where I was. My assumptions were confirmed when the lights suddenly flashed on and there in the doorway stood my tormenter holding his favorite weapon, his knife. I was stretched out on the bed, my hands and feet bound to the bed by rope. He walked toward me with a sick grin on his face as he twirled the knife around in his hands, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Do you know what happens to adulterers, Anastasia?"

I stared at him, unable to form an answer to his unexpected question, unsure of what he was going to do to me.

"Why so silent Annie? Don't you want to know what happens to little whores like you?"

Again I stayed silent.

"Aw Annie, today must be your lucky day, I'm not really in a talking mood today so I'll just show you."

He advanced toward me and climbed up on the bed, straddling my knees. He placed the tip of the knife on my collar bone and dug the tip into my skin just enough to break the skin and dragged it down my body, stopping at my protruding belly. He stopped at my navel and looked at me, head cocked to the side as if he was confused about something, but the look soon turned into the sinister one that I was all too used to seeing.

"Annie, this is what happens to adulterers, I forgive you, but I won't raise another man's child Annie."

What he says finally clicks in my head and I start thrashing around as much as I can with his weight on me and being tied to the bed, it proved to be pointless but I knew I couldn't give up.

"Keep still bitch!"

He continued yelling at me to keep still but I continued thrashing around as best I could. I knew I was stuck when I heard him mumble a 'fine' and he raised the knife over his head. I stopped fighting and stilled.

"Please John, please don't do this, I'm begging you!"

"Whores don't deserve forgiveness."

At this he swung the knife down and plunged it into my stomach. I let out a blood curdling scream as I watched him yank the knife out of my stomach and calmly climb off me and walk away as I bled out. My own life wasn't even what I was concerned about right now, I was more concerned with my baby's life, one that it didn't seem like it was going to be able to live.

I shot up in bed, heart racing and sweaty, I placed a hand over the swell of my stomach, making sure it really was just a dream.

Just a nightmare.

I fell back into the sheets, my breathing heavy.

Calm down, you're safe here.