C5 Chapter 5: Lost in Silence

I feel like I'm suffocating. I already have my belongings in the car, so I just drive. Drive far away and I will never see Killian Haswell again. I don't know what to do with a baby. I'm almost twenty-three and pregnant. I think my best bet is to leave New York and go back to Minnesota. Mom and dad's old friends are still there. We've kept in touch a little bit over the time since I left in college. They might be able to help until I have a plan and get back on my feet. I only have two thousand dollars saved. That's enough to get home and help until I get a job. I could get my old job back at the nursing home. They offer in work daycare for employees. I can do this. I don't know the first thing about being a mother, having a baby, or anything like it. But we are all each other have now. We will learn how to take on this world together.

Abby drove through the night and into the next day. Eight-teen hours until she arrived in her hometown. She drove to her parents' best friends house and got out of the car and walked up to the door. She hesitated for a moment and began to knock. Stacy her moms best friend opened the door and Abby instantly broke down in tears.

"Honey, come in. Come in." Stacy quickly said as she pulled Abby inside and hugged her protectively.

"David!" Stacy called out to her husband and dad's best friend while he was alive.

"Abby?" David said in concern as he walked into the foyer and saw her crying in the arms of his wife.

"Honey, what's happened?" Stacy asked caringly as she continued to embrace Abby.

"I don't know what to do." Abby cried out.

"We can figure things out. What's going on?" David asked lightly.

"I'm pregnant, I have no one. I don't know anything about kids. I just know I'll be doing this alone." She cried out.

"Oh, sweetie. It's okay." Stacy and David said simultaneously in reassuring voices.

The couple hugged Abby until her tears subsided.

"Let's get you cleaned up and something to eat." David said trying to brighten the mood.

"Okay." Abby sniffed out.

"Did you bring anything with you, honey?" Stacy asked softly.

"Yeah, it's in my car." Abby said lightly.

"Okay, Uncle David will bring your stuff in and put it in the guest room you'd stay in as a kid." Stacy said kindly.

"Thank you, Auntie." Abby said softly. She walked upstairs into the bathroom and showered quickly. She was exhausted from being up for over twenty-four hours on no sleep.

After she was out she snuck into the guest room that she stayed in as a kid avoiding getting seen in her towel. She quickly dressed and went downstairs.

"We called Tony to meet us at your favorite restaurant." Stacy said softly. Abby and Tony were close as kids but Abby shut him out and everyone when her parents passed away.

"That'll be nice!" Abby said softly. It will be nice to see a friendly face she thought to herself.

They loaded into David's car and headed off to Abby's favorite Chinese restaurant.

"Sweetie, Tony is so excited to see you. We did fill him in on what's going on. Please don't be upset." Stacy said softly.

"That's okay. I won't be able to hide my pregnancy forever." Abby said sadly.

"Honey. Does the father know about the baby?" David asked curiously.

"Probably. I left the positive test at his house when I left." Abby said sadly.

"Can we ask why you left?" Stacy asked nervously.

"I was waiting at his house and he came home, another woman in his arms, they were kissing, I just hurried and left." Abby muttered out as tears escaped her eyes.

"Oh, I am so sorry, sweetie. Well, just know we will do anything to help you, Tony too." David said kindly.

"Thank you, auntie and uncle." Abby sniffled out.

Stacy and David aren't her real aunt and uncle, but she's known them her whole life. Tony their son and her were best friends growing up. They were each-others first kiss at eleven. Tony is just a few months older than Abby and were in the same grade together in school. Their parents always joked that the kids would end up married. Shortly they pulled up to the restaurant and Tony was standing outside waiting and when he saw them pull into the parking lot her walked over and embraced Abby in a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern as he pulled away and looked into her eyes.

"I will be." Abby said softly with a forced smile.

"Let's go in, I called ahead and reserved a table." Tony said sweetly as he wrapped his arm around Abby and guided them into the restaurant.

The four talked and laughed as they enjoyed their meal. Briefly, everything was okay in her world. When they were done eating they walked out to the parking lot.

"Honey, Uncle David and I need to run some errands. Can Tony give you a ride home?" Stacy asked sweetly.

"Yeah, that's fine." Abby said softly as she offered a smile. She walked over to Tony's car with him and got in the passenger side.

"How are you doing?" he asked nervously.

"I don't know." she said sadly.

"Do you know what you're going to do about the baby?" Tony asked lightly as they drove off.

"I'm going to keep it." she said lightly.

"We all are here for you, anything you need, Abs." tony said kindly.

"Thank you." she said softly trying not to cry.

"I know we haven't seen each-other for a long time. But I will be here for you and your baby in any way I can. I'll go to appointments with you so you're not alone. I'll do anything you need me to." he said seriously as he glanced to her quickly.

"That would be nice, Tony." she said quietly.

"Have you thought of any baby names?" he asked sweetly.

"Not really, but I think Killian James for a boy and probably Isobella Katherine for a girl. KJ for short for the boy." she said softly.

"Those are beautiful names." he offered kindly.

"James and Isobella to honor your parents?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah." she replied lightly.

"What about Killian? That's somewhat of an unusual name." he said honestly.

"I just love the name." she offered in a whisper.

They remained silent for the rest of the drive. They pulled into the driveway and Tony got out to walk her inside.

"Abby, would you like to do something tomorrow?" he asked nervously.

"Sure. Can we go by the nursing home? I need to find a job." she said lightly.

"We can do anything you'd like." he said kindly. He turned and hugged Abby and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"It will be okay." he said lightly as he turned and walked out.

Abby's POV

I am grateful to be with familiar faces. Unsure of the kiss and hug from Tony. I'll set things clear tomorrow that we will only be friends. I don't want to be involved with another man. I just want to focus on starting over and this tiny life growing inside of me. My heart aches right now. I wish Killian hadn't been with another woman. I don't know what I expected when I was about to tell him. I wasn't him to walk in with his tongue down another woman's throat. After everything he said about wanting me. It was all just lies. I don't know if my heart will ever heal. Maybe Daniel was right about guys like them. Women are only good for a quick lay. I'll just make sure I will raise and protect our baby right, so they are never subjected to pain like this. I will do everything I can for him or her.

"Goodnight, little baby." Abby said sadly as she rubbed her stomach and laid down to go to bed.

Killian's POV

It's been twenty-four hours and no pings of Abby's name flagging. My hackers have almost tracked her phone. I need her back. I made a foolish mistake bringing that whore home from the party. I was just pissed that she left. She did intend on leaving. But she came back when she learned she was pregnant. I broke her heart. I practically ripped her heart out and crushed it. I need her back here though, we need to get married so our baby is the legitimate heir. It's the only way for me to protect her and our child.

"Boss." Justin said as he knocked on Killian's office door.

"Any news?" Killian asked grimly.

"Her phone has been disconnected. We can't get the trace on it." Justin said nervously.

"Fuck!" Killian yelled as he slammed his fists into the desk.

"Is there anything else you know that might help?" Justin asked.

"Her school should have her past records." Killian said with hope.

"I'll get on it, boss." Justin said respectfully as he left.

"Come on, Abby where are you?" Killian asked himself with worry.

Abby woke up feeling refreshed. She got dressed and walked downstairs. Tony was already here waiting for her.

"Good morning, honey. How are you feeling?" Stacy asked softly as she poured a coffee for Abby.

"I slept good." Abby said positively. Stacy passed the coffee and cream to Abby.

"I don't think it's safe to drink coffee while pregnant." she said nervously as she looked at the cup.

"It's decaf, sweetie. We stopped at the store last night to get some things for you and I remembered that you like coffee in the mornings. So, I grabbed some decaf." Stacy said kindly. Abby just let a soft smile loose.

"Here's your prenatal vitamins." Stacy said as she passed the bottle of vitamins to Abby.

"We will also need to get you in with an OBGYN. Tony told us you're keeping the baby and the beautiful names you have picked for either gender." Stacy said happily.

"It will be so nice having a baby around." David said with excitement. Abby felt like crying having such caring people around right now.

"Thank you, for everything." She sniffed out trying to hold her tears back.

"We are all here for you, Abs." Tony said reassuringly as he grabbed her hand and squeezed softly.

The four ate a quick breakfast and then Abby and Tony were off to see the town and stop by a few places. Getting in the car Abby felt the need to clear up Tony's affections last night.

"Tony." she said awkwardly.

"Yes?" he said sweetly.

"I don't want to assume things, but your kiss to my cheek last night. That can't happen." she said nervously.

"Abby, when you left, I was devasted. When my parents called last night saying you came back home was the happiest, I've been in a long time. I was feeling uneasy about you carrying another man's baby. Especially after hearing you're keeping the baby. But I am prepared to be anything you and the baby need. I'd like it to be more than a friendship, I will work every day to show you that I am serious." he said honestly.

"Tony, I don't want to lead you into false hope." she said softly.

"Let's just focus on our friendship for now and we'll see where that takes us. Okay?" he asked nervously.

"Okay." she sighed out.

They went to the nursing home first and Abby was able to get her old position back. Then the drove around and went to a few stores, Abby got a new phone and a couple things to get her by before her first check. She didn't want to feel like she was living off of Stacy and David. They went to a rental company before going back to the house so Abby could apply for an apartment so she and the baby could have their own space. Unfortunately, she was inform that there is a four month waitlist and will be contacted should that change. It was evening when they returned to the house. Exhausted Abby went upstairs to transfer things from her old phone over to her new phone. She decided tomorrow she'd find a doctor to see for her pregnancy. She was scrolling between the phones making sure everything was transferred when she stopped at Killian's contact. She star sixty-seven then entered his number and hit call. She sat patiently waiting for an answer. Finally, he answered.

"Hello?" his deep voice echoed on the line.

"Killian?" Abby choked out trying not to cry.

"Abby, where are you? I've been looking everywhere for you. You need to come back." he said with concern.

"I can't. I don't want to." she muttered out.

"Abby, please I am sorry. I thought you left me but you need to come back so I can protect you and the baby." he said grievingly.

"I can't." she cried out quietly.

"Please, baby. I can't keep you and the baby safe if you're not here." he said lowly.

"Safe from what? And you broke my heart, I did leave but I came back as soon as I saw the lines of a positive pregnancy test, because I didn't want to do this alone." she said softly.

"I know, baby, I fucked up." he said softly.

"I just wanted to tell you, our baby will be okay, but you'll never see me again, and you won't ever get the chance to hurt our child like you've hurt me." She choked out as she hung up.

"Did you get the trace?" Killian asked Justin.

"Yeah, couldn't make out an exact location but it's a town in Minnesota." Justin replied.

"The same one that shows on her records from the college?" Killian asked curiously.

"Yes." Justin said.

"Pack up some men. We need to find her." Killian growled.