* awfully long chapter ahead;
this is NOT a continuation of
the previous one !!!!

" 𝕴'm home and I come bearing takeout!".

Harry shuts the door loudly shuffling through the hallway of his Los Angeles mansion, quickly taking off his coat and marching into the living room which blares with the sound of the television.

A smile inches up his lips as his eyes fall on the girl on the couch, her lower half covered in a blanket with her eyes fixed blankly on the tv.

"I said takeout. Did you hear me say takeout? Because you usually start your jumping by now", he moves closer.

His eyebrows furrow when her tired gaze meet his, the tip of her nose is faintly red and her hair is bunched up behind her head in a haphazard braid a large hoodie drowning her slender frame in its fabric clutches.

"I'm not", she coughs srunching up her face, "in the mood for takeout".

He drops to his knees in a flash, his fingers gently pressing against her temple to gauge her body temperature.

"Oh my god, you're burning up", he declares, his tone dripping in concern.

"Yeah, no shit", she grumbles pushing her face into the pillow behind her head.

"Did you take meds?".

"Just some painkillers because I am aching all over, this is killing me", Darlene groans tucking her feet further under the cover of the blanket.

Harry shakes his head as he gets back on his feet, "We need to get you checked. This could be anything and in today's time, we're better safe than sorry. C'mon", he offers her a hand which regards with scorn.

"I can't leave the house looking like this. I look like trash".

He laughs out in disbelief, "Darlene, you're sick. You don't need to dress up to see the doctor and besides, you still look gorgeous as ever so shut up and get up. This is serious".

The emphasis on her real name indicates just how seriously he's taking this matter and though she huffs sitting up, inside her heart feels like mush.

So so tender and soft, all for him.

"Don't tell me to shut up. You shut up", she stands up gratefully accepting his arm for support.

He smiles quietly guiding her out the door and into the car.

Two hours later, the couple sits in the hospital hallway — Darlene's feet pulled up on the chair as she rests her pounding head on Harry's shoulder and Harry sitting slumped, his feet anxiously tapping on the linoleum floor.

It's a good thing Harry only had to work for a few hours in the morning today otherwise it might have been a longer time till Darlene had been pulled into the hospital.

And yet, with everything in the news and all the madness of the world around them, he still feels sick to his stomach with worry.

What if she's been infected somehow? What if her symptoms get worse? What if he's the reason she's contracted the horrible disease and for some weird scientific reason, he's been spared?

What if this is one of the few last moments he'll ever have with her?

Shut up, Harry. Don't let the intrusive thoughts win.

Just . . . shut the hell up.

"Miss Winslet?", the receptionist calls out — the same one who asked them to wait there until their test results reached the doctor they're seeing.

Darlene pulls her head, "Hmm? Yeah, that's me".

"Dr. Michaels will see you now", she nods at the door of the office to their right.

Darlene nods standing up on her feet with Harry's support and the two of them enter the office watching the doctor quietly catalog them over her horn rimmed glasses.

She smiles — or at least that's what it looks like behind her mask what with her the sides of her eyes crinkling slightly — and gestures for them to take a seat as she quickly sifts through the file in front of her.

"Okay, so let me just clarify one thing. You're not Covid positive", she directs this to Darlene who visibly relaxes in her seat — Harry resists the urge to jump out of joy — "But you do have a viral infection that'll take around four to seven days to get over. So I'll give you some medications with a proper dosage chart and then you can go".

"Alright", Darlene shrugs.

The doctor takes a closer look at the open file on her desk, sorting through the boxes of tablets positioned nearby.

"Obviously, we can't treat you with the usual medicines but thankfully we're in stock of the designated ones that are best suited for your situation . . . ."

Both Darlene and Harry exchange a confused glance.

The blonde exhales turning to the doctor, "Uhm, I'm sorry what do you mean by my 'situation'? Isn't it a standard viral infection?".

Dr. Michaels' eyes snap up, her glance carefully flickering between the couple staring at her in confusion.

"I mean, your . . . pregnancy. You do know you're pregnant, right?".

Heart drop. Heart attack. Seizure. Silent panic. Disbelief. Chaos?

Is this what they mean by overreacting?

No. This is valid, a very valid reaction.

But wait a damn second—

"Pregnant?", Harry's voice echoes through the silence of the room.

The doctor's gaze fixates on the duo staring at her as if she's grown two heads — possibly a million, actually — and she seems to consider what she says next.

Inhaling deeply, she slides the open file across the desk.

Harry leans in to read throwing a casual yet not so nonchalant side glance at Darlene who stays frozen in her seat, eyes firm on the doctor's face.

"Ten weeks. That's how far along you are", Dr. Michaels speaks addressing the blonde who's giving her a blank stare.

The words on the paper in front of him seem to blur as reality sets in. Harry quietly sits back, his fist curled in his lap and the confirmation of the lab test echoing through his head, garnering a swath of panic and shock and just the tiniest hint of . . . . joy?

He can't say anything though, not while Darlene sits mum in the chair beside him.

Shock upon shock passes behind his irises, the silence in the room growing deafening by every passing moment.

It's not possible, they've been careful.

He knows they've been careful.

And just . . . how is this happening?

No, this can't be real.

Is he scared? Is he happy? Is Darlene silently plotting his murder?

Or is she just as appalled as him?

No, this is . . . .

"We'll take the medicines, thank you", Darlene clears her throat.

The doctor looks at her in surprise but eventually relents and gathers up the various tablets writing down the dosage instructions and passing it over to them.

The blonde all but snatches the envelope as she abruptly stands up walking out of the room, leaving Harry to sit there in awkwardness.

"Uhm, uh . . . thank you, we'll just, uhm . . . .", he rubs the back of his neck.

Dr. Michaels sighs handing him a consultant card.

"I recommend Dr. Campbell for the checkup".

He blinks hesitantly accepting the small rectangle cardboard and takes his leave thanking the woman who just delivered the most astounding news of his life.

The fact that his girlfriend is nowhere to be found in the hallway doesn't exactly come as a surprise but it does escalate his inner panic.

Keep it together, Harry. You're okay, it's okay. She's okay. You'll both be okay.

He finds her waiting by his car in the parking lot, her arms crossed over her chest as she leans against the side of the vehicle, gaze cast down at her shoes.

"So . . . .", he reluctantly begins upon approaching her.

Her sharp glance cuts up to him, the look in her eyes being enough to make him feel small and . . . sort of insignificant.

It's alright. She's just mad.

Right?

"Can you please just unlock the car?", she mumbles straightening up.

He nods chewing on his bottom lip and unlocks the car. Darlene at once walks over to the passenger side and pulls the door open slamming it with a thud behind her.

Harry flinches slightly at the unexpected aggressiveness and follows suit igniting the engine to drive in the direction of the house.

They remain silent throughout the entire thirty minute drive with Harry's mind slowly brewing up different scenarios as to what would happen when they reach their destination.

Will she scream and shout once we get back? Will she hate me forever?

Will she want to keep it? Or will she choose to abort it and leave me?

Oh, what if she chooses to keep it and still leaves me?

No. That . . . can't be right.

Suffice to say his inner monolog continues even as he pulls into the driveway.

He waits for her to react, to do something, anything.

But she stays seated, eyes fixed on the windshield and hands fidgeting in her lap.

Sighing, he takes his seat belt off and turns to face her.

She side glances at him before mimicking his actions and turning her steely blue gaze to his nervous emerald green.

"I have a few things to clear up here", she speaks for the first time since they got inside the car.

"Go ahead", Harry nods eagerly.

"I know what I want and no matter what you say or do will change my decision. If you have a problem with it then you walk. You got that?".

He frowns, "Uh . . . okay. But you know we can take some time to think, right? You don't have to rush into anything".

She tilts her head.

"You want time to think?".

"No, I mean—I'll be okay with whatever you decide. I just want you to make sure you know what you're doing".

That seems to tick her, "You think I need time to think? Why? Is there some rule against making a big decision in a few minutes? You think I'm not capable of making the right decision without thinking too much?".

"No! I never", he clears his throat, "I never said that, I just—".

She holds up her hand, "Just let me speak, will you?".

He shuts up.

"So here it is. I am keeping this baby. I don't care if you want it or not. This is my decision and nothing you say or do will change it".

He opens his mouth but she glares at him in warning, "Now, if you're not ready. That's fine. I'll happily leave this car, go inside and get the first flight out of here so that I'm out of your hair but if you do want this then you're going to give your hundred percent".

"If you leave right now, you're never coming back. But if you stay", she raises her brows, "you're going to show up. Not just for holidays and birthday dinners. You'll be there as much as your schedule allows you to. This baby", she points at her abdomen, "will see you multiple times every single month and I will not take no for an answer".

"Dar—".

"I'm not finished", she huffs, "You are not going to be a token father. I am not going to be the one cleaning up your mess because you couldn't get your shit together and make some time for your kid. You're either all in or you're not. There's no in between".

"Even if things don't work out for us in the future", her voice wavers just a little, "you will never let our child fall victim to it. You'll show up no matter how much you hate me and you're going to keep showing up for the rest of your life".

Breathless, she sits back against the window letting him stare at her all wide eyed and just a tiny bit scared.

Also that was kind of hot.

Bad Harry, stupid Harry. Stay focused.

"Oh, you can talk now", she tips her chin.

He gulps bracing himself against the seat.

"I want this. I want to do this with you. I'll support you no matter what".

Her brows knit, "You want to be a dad?".

"I want to be a dad".

"You want to be a parent?".

"I want to be a parent".

"You're going to be there for them regardless of what happens between us?".

"I'm going to be there for them regardless of what happens between us", he confirms.

She inhales shakily as she adjusts herself in the seat.

"How do I know you're not lying?".

He quietly smiles, "I promise".

"And what if you break it?".

"Then", his hand comes up to cup her face, she leans into his touch momentarily melting into this right now right here, "you can stab me. Punch me. Gut my intestines out. Whatever you'd prefer. I'm all in, baby".

She pulls her lip between her teeth and nods, her eyelids fluttering shut with the feel of his fingers gently brushing against her cheekbones.

It feels . . . weird, in a good way. It's a lot, an incredible unspeakable lot and honestly, really really scary.

But they don't have to bear the burden alone, right?

She opens her eyes looking right into his, her face held in his hands and a tiny smile curving up her lips.

"We're going to be parents", she whispers.

He grins.

"We're going to be parents".

***
OH MY GOD IM SO SORRY FOR SUCH A SHITTY CHAPTER I PROMISE IT WONT GO DOWNHILL FROM HERE ON, THERE WILL SOOO MANY CUTE MOMENTS YOU'LL WANT TO D WORD I PROMISE PLS FORGIVE ME THIS IS SO BADLY WRITTEN I COULDNT EVEN BRING MYSELF TO WRITE A NEW VERSION