FicWad

I feel my stomach drop out and a frown contort on my face, "What do you mean it's not Frank's?"

Gee shifts nervously on the bed, running a shaky hand through his sweat-matted hair, "Before Frank got really... bad... he and I would go out drinking with his friends almost every weekend. One Saturday, we were at some guy James' house, and I got really shit faced and ended up sleeping with him. Frank found out, and thought that I didn't love him anymore, so he forced himself on me. Guess he felt it was the only way he could say I was his..."

I sigh deeply and turn away. I feel so... dirty, like I'm dating a slut. Which sounds terrible, I don't want to think of the man I'm living with as a common whore. Gee ruffles the sheets softly, his face turning blotchy, "I-I dunno why I did it. I was so drunk, and so sick of the way Frank had been treating me. James... James promised he would fix all that for me. But after that night I never saw him again."

He swallows thickly and looks up at me, his eyes melting with shame and regret, "We didn't use protection. And I n-never thought anything bad would happen..."

I blink slowly, trying to process everything as Gee rolls over, his back now facing me, "I'm so sorry, Bert."

My heart wrenches violently and I stand up off the cold stool, tucking my hands into my pockets, "I need to take a walk." I mutter, heading for the door.

He jerks up a little, staring me down as I turn the tarnished handle, "I dunno when I'll be back..." I whisper, not daring to turn and look him in the eyes.

Gee sniffles loudly, "Y-You are coming back, right?" he asks hurriedly, and I can hear the bed groan as he struggles to sit up.

I cast my gaze to the stark white floor, "I really don't know, Gee."

I slip out the door, trying to control my breathing and forcing myself to ignore Gee's fitful shouts. I feel so... used. Lied to almost. This changes everything... at least, it feels like that. I feel like I stole Frank's kid from him, even if it is Frank's kid.

Oh god, what have I done?

I just simply walked away when Frank started crying in the court room, and now that I know the kid probably even isn't his, I feel like a thief or something. Like I destroyed the one thing he wanted in his life, a loving family. I took away his daughter, and the man he loved. I didn't mean to, right? I mean, he brought it upon himself. And Gee came to me... didn't he? God, this is giving me a headache.

I stumble down the hallway, grumbling under my breath and scuffling along the shimmering tiles. This wasn't supposed to end this way. Hell, it wasn't even supposed to start! I amble over to the nurses station, smiling internally when I can hear Kitty's giggles coming from behind a large, metal filing cabinet. I lean over the paper-strewn desk, "Kiiiiiitty Kat!" I shout, trying desperately to mask the sadness in my voice.

Her head perks up, and she runs over, her pigtails bobbing with each step, "Berty!"

I grimace softly as she envelopes me in a deep hug, settling her head on my chest, "Why aren't you in the room with your friend?"

I gulp in a deep breath, focusing on some random point in the distance, "He's, uhhh, asleep. Didn't wanna bother him."

Kitty pulls off and looks up at me, studying my face intently. I laugh nervously and shift back, "What? Is there something on my face?"

She huffs in annoyance, "Why aren't you with him?"

My features drop and I bury my face into my hands, "The kid isn't even mine. I took her from her rightful father!" I shout into my palms.

She bites down on her lip, some of he fuscia lipstick rubbing off onto her pearled teeth, "Bert, that doesn't matter right now. He needs someone with him," she burbles softly, running a pale hand along her stomach, "Being alone with a child is the worst feeling in the world."

I cock my eyebrow, but she just glances towards the ceiling and smiles, "I know it's scary, and it's probably even scarier for someone in your situation. But you have to stick by him."

I slump over the desk, nearly knocking over a chipped mug filled with pens, "This sucks, Kitty."

She just laughs and ruffles my hair, "No shit, welcome to parenthood."

I look over her shoulder at a collection of small frames, each filled with a picture of Kitty and a little boy attached to her hips and hair and hands. I study a small one of him covered in green paint, a proud grin plastered on his small face. Kitty just laughs in the background, "His name is Zach. He'll be 4 next Tuesday."

My heart stops in my chest, "4? H-He's not..."

She shakes her head, carefully sitting down on a wore office chair, "He's not yours, Bert. Remember that Max guy? We started dating about a month after you and I broke up."

I nod slowly, now seeing a faint resemblance, especially along his jaw. "Do you still talk to him?" I question quietly, propping my head up on my hands.

She shrugs, "He stopped paying child support about 3 months ago. No one's been able to contact him since."

There's a soft cry of pain down the corridor, and I perk up towards the sound, "Gee?"

Kitty's face darkens with concern as she scrambles up from the chair, slipping from out behind the desk. I follow behind her, trying not to stumble over her heels as we jog down the hall towards Gee's room. Kitty opens the door in flash, and lets out a soft gasp.

Gee is bent double in the corner, blood smeared between his legs and look of sheer agony on his face. His hands are wrapped tightly around his stomach, and he just stares at us, lost for words.

"H-Help me..." he manages, sliding further down the wall.

I rush over and help him to his feet, gathering him into my arms, "What happened?" I press worriedly, half carrying to the bed.

He crawls onto the stuffy mattress, groaning as he puts pressure against his lower back, "I dunno. It started to hurt, so I got up because I read walking around a little helps the contractions... but then I saw the blood..."

Kitty comes over to the bed, her face flushed and hair slung across her forehead, "Are you in pain now?"

He shifts, curling his legs up a little and flopping to his side, "Kinda... the contractions hurt so bad it's hard to tell when one ends and another starts."

She nods to herself and runs a comforting hand along his bare thigh, "Don't worry too much about the blood, it's pretty normal, and there's going to be a whole lot more soon enough."

Gee whines and rolls into a ball, his fingers gripping the sheets into large wads. I run my hand along his back, my fingers snaking along his quivering spine, "Shhhh, just breathe Gee. Like we practiced."

Kitty looks between us, then reaches for a greying phone tacked up against the wall, "Lemme call the anesthesiologist and order the epidural."

Gee lets out a frightened gasp, because he knows from this point it's only going to get worse for him. One of his hands reaches back and clasps onto mine, and I thread our fingers together, "It's gonna be okay, Gee. I'm gonna be here the whole time."

He lets out a long breath, and turns to face me, cuddling up to my hand, "You promise?"

I glance over at Kitty, who's busy trying to stuff her rebellious locks back into pigtails. I just laugh and hang my head, scooting closer to the bed in the process, "I promise."

A few minutes pass in silence, only broken by Gee's pained whimpers and Kitty shouting as yet another rubber band snaps in her fingers. An entire team of doctors burst in at once, holding their heads up in a shallow triumph. I just scoff and roll my eyes, bringing Gee's body a bit closer to me by tugging on the blankets. But it's then I notice a team of photographers and reporters just outside the room, yelling questions and snapping pictures at the "medical oddity" on the bed.

I look over at Kitty desperately, who just shrugs and closes the large, dirty blinds. The doctor from earlier, the short-tempered bitch, comes over with a small blue tray, "Roll over and pull your knees into you chest, if you can," she instructs, splashing iodine onto a tuft of gauze.

He does, tensing visibly and his grip on my hand becoming like a vice, "I hate needles," he mutters quickly, screwing his eyes shut as the doctor begins to disinfect his back.

I kiss his knuckles softly, "It's not so bad. Just a little pinch then you start to go numb."

But that doesn't seem to help, and he looks pale and nauseous when they stick him with the first needle. I bite my lip and lean over him, whispering quietly in his ear, "Just think about your new little baby girl. Think about how beautiful and amazing she's going to be."

He seems to relax a little, and I just nuzzle his cheek, "It'll be over in just a second."

The doctor lifts her head, smiling tautly and pulling the syringe away from his spine, "All done."

Gee groans in relief, lifting up his free hand and wiping the sweat from his face, "I really, really hate needles, Bert."

I just laugh and place a quick kiss to his nose, grinning as he scrunches it up in distaste. I pout playfully and rake my hands through his shaggy mane, "So, have you picked out a name?"

He nods, looking down at his finger, "Abigail Quinn. It's my two favorite names for a girl."

I coo and hug him softly, "It's beautiful. Perfect."

He looks into my eyes, his irises glittering in the harsh lighting. He lean forward and press my lips to his, not evening caring as the sound of a dozen camera shutters breaks through the silence.