“Shit! Shit shit shit!” Athena muttered to herself pacing her room, Chance running on his little legs following her. She glanced at her phone again. “Shit! Nine days! Shit! No this can’t be happening. Goddamn it! What am I gonna do?!” She was spiraling, barely making sense even to herself. She kept glancing at the app on her phone like she was somehow able to will the data to change. She didn’t know what to do, well she knew what she had to do, she needed to be sure. She opened her web browser and quickly found a clinic making an appoint for the next morning when she thankfully didn’t have any functions. Her head was spinning, she felt like she was going to be sick, it couldn’t be. But she knew that it could, she just knew it would make matters at least ten times worse if it were true.
Finally tiring of pacing the room she threw herself on her bed. She knew what she needed to do next, but there was no point until she knew for sure. If it wasn’t true there was absolutely no point in telling them. She laid there, her thoughts racing through her mind. What was she going to do if she was, how it would change her life. Oh it would be another scandal for the disgraced American suitor. Nothing could be done until she knew for sure, she’d go in tomorrow and know in a few days. In a few days she’d know if her life would forever be changed. She sighed, she needed to do something to get her mind off of it, it wasn’t doing her any good to dwell on something she couldn’t change.
She was pulled from her thoughts by a knock her door. She got up to see who it was, maybe they could help distract her. Chance had already raced to the door and was barking and wagging his tail excitedly, she smiled at her little excited Corgi, he loved when people came to visit, it meant he had someone else to play with.
She opened the door and saw Percy, she tried to smile, but she knew it was forced and didn’t reach her eyes. She cared about him and was happy to see him, but how could she possibly keep her potential news from him? He was always so perceptive and could read her better than anyone.
His smile fell when he took her in, she looked like she had been crying, half smile plastered on her face and not reaching her gorgeous brown eyes.
“What’s wrong doll?” he asked, stepping in the room and pulling her into his arms for a hug.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close like she was afraid he would leave. He was already worried when he saw her expression, but now he was really worried. He pulled her over to tuck her into his side and led her over to her bed sitting down next to her.
“Doll, you need to tell me what’s wrong. Did Madeline do something?” He asked, hoping that wretched woman hadn’t said anything to break her spirit. He knew what the queen in waiting did to break Athena’s spirit, and he also knew the King didn’t do anything to stop it. He wanted to say something himself but Athena pleaded with him to drop it and he did, for her. He’d do anything for her.
She shook her head no.
Well at least it wasn’t Madeline, but he wished she would speak to him. He was starting to get really worried, he’d never seen her like this before. Sure he’d seen her upset, but never so upset she wouldn’t even speak.
“Did Liam do something?” He asked, the king, always putting her second, he didn’t deserve someone as special as Athena if he couldn’t treat her the way she deserved.
Again she shook her head no. He was really getting worried now, why wouldn’t she talk to him? She knew she could come to him about anything, trust him with anything. She knew how much he cared for her and would do anything for her. What could possibly be bothering her that she wouldn’t want to talk about it. He looked at her, took in her tears, he couldn’t think of anything that would upset her this bad, unless…
“Doll, are you pregnant?” He asked, it was the only possible explanation he could think of.
He watched as her eyes widened in surprise.
“I don’t know.” She answered him barely over a whisper as tears started spilling from her eyes.
He pulled her in for a hug, softly rubbing her back in soothing circles. He just held her close, rubbing her back, placing kisses to the top of her head every so often, giving her comfort and support until she was calm and ready to talk. He felt her start to pull back against his arms and he loosened his grip on her. She raised her head up to look at him, her eyes were red from crying, her cheeks were tearstained, she didn’t look nearly as strong as the woman he knew her to be.
“I’m nine days late.” She said softly, barely looking him in the eye.
“Ok. Did you take a test.” He asked calmly.
“No. I just realized how late I was today, but I found a clinic and was able to get an appointment for tomorrow morning when I’m free, a blood test is much more accurate so I’ll just wait till tomorrow, I should know a few days after that.” She said all in one breath.
She was rambling, and he knew she was rambling because she was afraid of how he would respond. Her next words nearly ripped his heart out.
“I-I promise I was on birth control, just sometimes things happen. I’m sorry.” She stammered bursting into tears yet again.
He pulled her back into his chest, placing a kiss to the top of her head.
“Doll you have nothing to be sorry for. I know these things can happen. We can handle it, ok?” He promised as he resumed in rubbing her back.
“You know it might not be yours if I am.” She said, speaking into his chest.
“I know doll. But I promise you I’m here for you no matter what, doesn’t matter if it’s mine or not.” He replied.
“You can’t mean that.” She responded lifting her head to look at him.
Her words broke his heart in two, didn’t she know that he would do anything for her. He meant it. He would never say anything to her that he didn’t mean, let alone make a promise.
“Doll, look at me.” He said.
She tilted her head back up, gazing into his eyes.
“I promise, I am all in. I don’t care if it’s mine or not, I am here for you. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be anything you need me to be. I am one hundred precent all in doll. I love you. I know I could love your baby even if it’s not mine just because it’s yours. Don’t you ever doubt that I’m here for you, because I mean it.” He assured her.
“What-what did you just say?” She asked, her eyes were wide and surprise was evident in her voice as well as her face.
He quickly went over his words and realized what she was talking about instantly.
“I said I love you doll.” He repeated. He wanted her to say it back, oh how he wanted her to say it back, but he could wait. He hadn’t even meant to say it just then, it had slipped out, but that didn’t mean that he meant it any less.
“Oh…” She replied obviously still stunned.
“Do you want me to go with you doll?” He asked, changing the subject trying to help take her mind off of his confession. She had enough on her mind, she didn’t need to be worrying about his confession on top of everything else.
She nodded her head.
“Ok doll.” He said kissing her forehead.
********************
Percy had kept his promise and gone with her to her appointment. The time spent waiting for the results seemed to drag on. Percy had been there for her every day, just holding her and reminding her of his promise.
The only things on her mind where his words, not the promise, his confession of love. She knew she cared for him deeply but was she in love with him. She kept turning it over in her mind, and it would always go to who’s baby she wanted it to be if she was. Once she knew the answer to that question the other question was clear. She knew who she wanted to be with, who she wanted a life with, she just needed to know the results of the blood test and then she would tell them both. First she’d break a heart of a man she cared for deeply and then she could tell the other that she loved him.
When she finally got the call, she could breathe again. She knew what she wanted and she was ready to do whatever it took to get it. Hearing the words ‘you’re not pregnant’ made her feel like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, a weight she hadn’t realized she was carrying.
There was nothing to worry about, it was just stress, but she wasn’t free, not yet. Now she had to go and break a heart.
A/N: Two more chapters! Who do you think she chose? What do you think is about to happen?
