Niall's POV
"How are you feeling?" I ask Shay when she emerges from the bedroom the next morning. Underneath of her eyes is swollen from crying and I feel even worse about it than I did last night.
She scowls at me, sitting down in the armchair across from the couch I'm on. I watch as she struggles to lift her legs up, positioning them in front of her chest and resting her arms on her knees.
"I'm not a child, do not patronize me." She snaps, angrily looking away from my eyes. I sigh, setting my coffee cup down on the coffee table.
"I'm not meaning to patronize you Shay, I just want to know how you are."
"How do you think I am?" Her words are so heavily laced with venom that my eyes widen. I knew she was upset, and I would be too, but I hadn't expected this.
"I know that you're hurt but-"
"You have no idea!" She cuts me off, clenching her small fists and looking straight into my eyes with deadly force.
"I'm going back to Kentucky." She whispers, and my stomach drops. I feel my throat closing in, my body going numb. I had expected her to say many things to me but this wasn't one of them.
"What? No. No you can't." I breathe, getting to my feet after she does. She glares at me, bracing her hands on her hips.
"You don't get to control what I do," she seethes through clenched teeth. "Clearly I can't control what you do, I mean really Niall, do I smell marijuana?"
I freeze.
Fuck.
"You're unbelievable." She spits, yanking her purse off the floor and walking towards the door. It seems to kick in in my mind then that she's leaving, and panic takes over.
I rush over to the door, pushing my body in front of it so she can't go. I know this is only going to piss her off more but I need to say some things, do anything to make her stay in New York.
"You can't just go, we're having a baby-"
"I'm having a baby, not you."
"I was part of the process so don't give me that shit." My temper is quickly flaring. I'm trying my best to control it but I can't stop the fury this stubborn woman causes me.
"I don't care." She childishly remarks, trying to reach for the door handle. I move my body over to stop her and take her wrist into my hand.
"Let me go, I'm going home. To my real home, Niall."
"You're not leaving!" I yell, feeling all of my options begin to slip away.
"I...I'll take you to court. That's exactly what I'll do. You can't just leave this state with my baby and expect me to do nothing about it."
Her mouth drops open, eyes filling with tears. I didn't want to have to say that but I needed her to stay, I was desperate to keep her here.
"You're threatening to take my baby away from me and he isn't even born yet?" She whispers, her voice cracking and tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.
"No, Shay, that's not what I'm saying. I just want you to compromise with me."
"I can't!" She sobs, wrenching her arm from my grasp. "Don't you get it?! I have no one here! My mom isn't here, and she is who I need! I'm driving myself sick here, being with you. I'm physically sick, Niall. Do you want something to happen to this baby?! Because I don't. I'm trying to protect our son by getting away from you and all of this stress, you're just too selfish to see it."
"I am not selfish!" I scream, my face heating up in anger. Maybe I am selfish, but I didn't want to hear it.
"Let me go."
I hold my tongue and bump passed her, walking down the hall and into the bathroom. I slam the door behind me, trying to control the urge I have to punch something. I didn't need to hurt myself anymore than I already was.
She was just so fucking infuriating.
But I loved her. Damn it, I loved her more than anything. It happened so quickly that I didn't even know it was happening. I didn't find myself falling in love with her slowly, it just happened suddenly. One day I just opened my eyes, and it's like a ray of light shone down on me that made me realize I was in love with Shay Stuart, the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen; that was also carrying my baby. And she was about to just up and leave, walk away and take our tiny family with her. I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't stand to watch her go.
Shay's POV
I sobbed relentlessly all the way to work, fingers clutching to the leather of my steering wheel. My heart was pumping wildly in my chest, breaths trembling faster than a freight train.
Would Niall really take our baby away?
I had a feeling he wouldn't. He was just upset that I needed to go home for at least a little while, but it wasn't his decision to make. I needed to be far away from him for now before something happened to the baby. I couldn't live with myself if I ever put him in danger, I couldn't stand the thought of the tiny bundle of life growing inside of me to ever be hurt. He didn't deserve it.
Pulling into my regular parking spot, a feeling of familiarity washes over me. Being back at work would help me.
The nursing home smelled like old spice deodorant, apple cinnamon candles, and bleach; an odd trio. But it always smelt this way. A perfect combination that made you think of, well, home.
Arabella grins at me as I come around the corner, her head tilting to the side as she glanced at my huge tummy. I changed in one of the vacant rooms quickly into scrub pants that fit and a loose shirt.
Getting errands pushed at me immediately, I happily took my orders and rushed around. Cleaning trays for dinner, wiping down the tables, filling up prescription cases. They gave me the easy stuff, allowing me some rest for my swollen ankles and cramped up back.
I was in the middle of filling yet another prescription case with the proper pills when a high pitched scream sounded from down a hall. Instincts kicking in, I dropped the pills and rushed out of the room.
The screaming got louder as I rushed forward. Arabella's voice was begging someone to calm down desperately, other voices mixing with hers. Just as I was about to turn the corner Niall burst in from the front door, panting and looking distressed until his eyes met mine.
"Shay, thank god-"
I shook my head and rushed by him into the room where the screams were still coming from.
"I can't talk now Niall, there's an emergency."
I could feel him hot on my heels, rushing after me as I pressed forward. When I finally made it into the room the sight I saw was horrendous. One of the patients had torn the small library apart, books strewn around the room and scattered on the floor. Arabella was trying to calm a man that was crying hysterically, pointing at the mess and mumbling things I couldn't understand.
Niall's hand caught my arm when I walked in further, but I yanked away. One of the patients that was a known nuance sat quietly in her electric wheel chair by the far wall, a seldom look on her wrinkled face. She was quiet, too quiet, and it immediately led me to believe that she was the culprit.
Fed up with the outbursts, I marched forward and grabbed the sides of the chair. Her nearly black eyes slowly rose up until they bored into mine, firm lips turning into a snarl.
"Get away from me, evil evil devil woman"
"What did you do Sally? Did you make this mess?" I demanded, glaring at her and keeping my hands on the chair.
"Evil! Evil bitch woman!"
The sharp pain scorched my stomach and then my torso. My knees crippled beneath my weight, the woman's foot stomping into my stomach until I cried out in pain.
"Shay!"
My body swayed, arms barely catching me by my back before I hit the floor.
"Help, I need help!"
Another cry of pain left my lips, the centre of my stomach feeling like it was being ripped open and twisted apart. Voices carried by in a rush, a strong arm scooping up the back of my thighs. My body was cradled against his chest, tears soaking his shirt, pain ricocheting down my spine, all the way to my toes.
"Please" I begged, desperate for the ache to stop, though unsure what I was begging for.
"Hang on Shay, we'll get you help, please hang on"
My eyes fluttered, Niall's voice desperate to try to keep me awake.
I couldn't keep them open any longer though, every breath I took stabbing a pain in my chest. It was time to let go, whether I wanted to or not.
A/N:
Sorry for the wait. I've been caught up in some things, including writer's block. I hope you guys are still with me and I hope you's like this chapter! Let me know what you think xo