Aftermath

Chapter 21

"How far along are you?" Thatch persists.

"Ellis says about twelve weeks." I say without thinking.

I feel Marshall's body instantly tense up beneath my touch. His eyes dart again to the rearview mirror and connect with mine. I know he knows what I'm thinking. This isn't something we should have to worry about. He looks at me for a good long while and I know what he is thinking too. I don't care what the technicality of it is, the baby is Marshall's.

"Oh wow that far!" Thatch says excitedly. "God I am so fucking happy for the two of you!"

He continues to ramble about his excitement and how great it's going to be for him to be an uncle all over again but I don't hear a word of it. I'm too busy looking at Marshall who has now redirected his eyes back to the road for the second time tonight. Except this time I see tears lining them, and it wrenches at my heart.

***

"Oh my god I have to tell Cash!" Thatch says as we get out of the car and then he turns to me. "Well I mean I won't if you want to keep it a secret for now."

"It's okay Thatch go tell him." I smile and he jogs up the front steps to the house, pulling out his phone to call him.

I turn back around and expect to see Marshall there but he's sitting on the curb next to the car facing the street. I take in a deep sigh and slowly make my way over to him. I don't say anything, I just sit down next to him on the curb. I can't read the expression he has. I inhale another large breath and exhale slowly. He's not speaking, he doesn't even seem to be breathing. I gently rest my hand over his but he moves it away.

"I know what you're thinking." I say out loud.

"I don't want to think it." He says right back, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles.

"Ellis didn't seem sure, he could be wrong about the timeline." I tell him, thinking back.

"I mean it's impossible for it to be his." Marshall says. "You were careful about that right?"

He turns to look at me now and I just can't return the favor. I didn't even think to use protection with Maverick, for all I knew I couldn't have kids. God I really fucked this up. I look down at the asphalt and start to cry. My tears drop one by one from my eyes and then I feel Marshall's hand on my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"Right?" He tries again, only this time he already knows the answer.

I shove his hand away and stand up from the curb. I try to walk away but Marshall grabs my arm, pinning me against his car.

"I'm not done talking about this." He says calmly. "This is important."

"You're upsetting me." I say, wiping some tears away.

"I'm upsetting you?" He asks in shock. "What about me Rachel? You don't think I'm upset right now?"

"It's yours!" I yell at him, more tears flowing out of me.

"Rachel I..." He loses the rest and clamps his teeth down on his lip. "You have to talk to him."

"Marshall I don't want to talk to him, I don't need to." I say desperately, putting my hands on his chest. "It's yours."

"Please Rachel." He tells me, trying to keep his tears bottled up inside. "You need to find out if he-" He cuts himself off, unable to say the words.

"There are other ways." I say to him, rubbing my hands on his pectorals.

"I don't want a fucking paternity test Rachel!" He yells at me and then instantly brings his voice back down.

"I don't know what you want." I snarl at him. "You say you want to be sure but you don't want the proof?"

"I don't want to know because I-" He cuts himself off again and pushes himself off the car. "Fuck!"

He turns away from me in frustration and I see his knuckles turning white. He wants to hit something. I watch him breathe and calm himself down for a few moments and then my heart jumps when he turns back around.

"I don't want to know." He says, calmer this time. "Because what if it really isn't mine?"

"Marshall-"

"Don't 'Marshall' me, I'm being serious." He says, scratching the back of his head. "I want you to go and see if this is even possible."

"Marshall he is trying to get over it, I don't think digging it up again is going to do anyone any good." I explain. "Why can't we just have a doctor-"

"You will talk to him!" He demands, making me jump at the force of his voice. "I am not asking anymore, you will talk to him. Do you understand me?"

My stomach knots up, and I feel my heart start to race. He won't give up on this one, I'm just going to have to talk to him. I breathe hard trying to catch my breath from the look he's giving me. I've never seen him like this before. I mean I've seen him angry, but never like this.

"Okay." I say after a while, still trying to catch up. "I will."

He nods once, I can't help but think it's more for himself than it is for me. His eyes soften after that, his muscles relaxing making him visually less intimidating. He leans forward expecting a kiss but I turn my head just enough so he'll get my cheek. But before he presses his lips to my skin he stops, and I feel his breath as he sighs.

"I'm sorry." He says, his hands brushing against my hips.

"I should probably go inside." I tell him, looking at his chest. "It's late-"

I'm cut off by my own gasp when his fingers hook in my belt loops and yank me against his body. He nudges himself between my legs and lifts me up at the hips, setting me on the hood of his Cadillac. His fingers tilt my chin up as they've done so many times before.

"Are you alright?" He asks me. "I know you already told me, but if those guys-" He shakes his head. "It makes a difference."

"I'm fine." I answer, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I was just a little shaken up."

"I won't let them hurt you." He says with sincerity burning behind his icey blue eyes. "You can count on that."

"When is your next fight?" I ask him, only occasionally working up the courage to look at him.

"Friday." He says reluctantly. "You need to stay inside. Wait for me until I get back."

"We can talk about it tomorrow." I tell him, feeling the exhaustion now.

I get off the hood and he backs up a step so that I can get down. I straighten out my jacket and begin my walk to the front door. I get about three steps before I hear his voice again.

"Rach." He says, in a voice he hasn't used in a long time.

"Yeah." I turn back around, ready to hear whatever he has to say.

"After I'm done, with the fighting, I want us to get out of here." He says. "I have a sick feeling they won't stop, and I can't have you or the baby around here if they don't."

"Tomorrow." I say to him, walking back and pecking his cheek. "Sleep on it okay?"

"Okay baby." He says in a low voice, kissing my forehead.

I offer him a half hearted smile and try to turn away but her holds me against his body.

"One last thing Rach." He says.

"What?"

"I love you more than anything on this fucked up Earth." He tells me, holding the side of my face. "I just wanted to say that after everything we've been through, you're the reason I get up in the morning, and no paternity test is going to change that."

I stand up on my tip toes and press a long kiss to his waiting lips.

"I love you too Marshall." I tell him, and he reluctantly releases me letting me make the full trip to the front door.