Hope

I was in a complete daze when I walked back into my apartment.

My heart broke and it felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I didn't want to believe that Killian was gone. I didn't want to believe that he had left me again. Maybe it was all a dream, maybe if I closed my eyes or if I pinched myself hard enough he'd—

"Great, you're back," Scott's voice pulled me out of my tailspin. He stepped out of my kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand and looked at me like nothing had happened; like he hadn't just sold his pride and driven the love of my life out of the door. "Now that you're here, we can talk about your flight schedule."

My fist clenched by my side. When I said nothing but glared at him with all the hate and anger and fury I could muster, he released a long breath.

"Come on, why are you looking at me like that." He walked toward me and stretched out his cup. "Drink this, you'll feel better."

I slapped his hand along with the cup out of my face and watched as it shattered to pieces on the floor. Just like my heart.

He looked down at the mess I made and grimaced. "Why in the world would you do that?"

"Because I don't want your stupid coffee." I spat. "Because the mere sight of you is sickening and I want you to leave."

He narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "Quit being silly, we have important matters to discuss."

I reached for my stomach and clutched it. The pain I felt was so immersed it took all my strength to hold it inside. "Have my feelings ever mattered to you?"

He groaned. "Now's not the time for this, we need to focus on—"

"You don't care. You don't care about me, do you?" I cut him, searching his eyes.

He sighed and pushed his hair out of his face. "I never said I didn't."

"Your actions show it. Everything you've done today shows you don't care about me, you don't care about my happiness. I'm sick of the way you treat me and I won't let you control my life anymore. Get out. I don't want to see you."

He sighed in exaggeration and brushed the air out of his face. "Look, I know you are angry with me, but I want you to see that I'm only doing what's best for you."

"What's best for me? How is any of this best for me?!" I bit, my chest heaving as I breathed hard. "I am currently pregnant and going through a lot of stress but you didn't care about that when you barged into my house and beat up Killian!"

"None of this would have happened if you didn't let him in here in the first place!" He bit back, glaring at me.

"We were working things out!" Tears blurred my eyes, angry, viscous tears. "But you just had to ruin everything because that's what you do, that's what you've always done!"

His eyes darkened. "All I've ever done is take you out of harm's way!"

"Well look where that got me!" I gestured to my belly. "Look where it got us! You know what, just leave. I never want to see you again!"

"Are you going to push me away because of that Asshole?!" He looked affronted. Oh, how I wanted to slap that stupid look off his face. "I cannot believe you would disrespect me like this. He doesn't deserve you. How can you not see that this is wrong? He got you pregnant but that doesn't mean he deserves or loves you!"

"And what do you possibly know about love?" I laughed without humor. "You know, you're one to talk. It's sickening."

He took a step forward and spoke through gritted teeth. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"When you married Maria, you didn't love her. She told me everything. She told me how you were reckless, she told me how you got drunk, had sex with her in the back of your car, and got her pregnant. She told me how you were scared of disappointing mum and setting a bad example for me. You didn't love her. So, don't jump down my throat with the who deserves who talk."

Hurt was written all over his face as he clenched his fist. "Yes, Maria might have gotten pregnant and I might have married her because of it but I've grown to love her, and at least I don't have a history of whoring around with women that aren't mine!" He sighed. "All I ever wanted for you was to see that this delusional relationship with Killian is going to ruin you. There's nothing good in him."

"If you think so then you've not been looking closely enough. I love Killian and he loves me back."

"You're delusional." He bit.

"And you're blind-sighted." I retorted.

"Hope!" He barked at me with fury. "How could you say this to me after everything I've done for you!"

"When the hell do you plan to stop treating me like I'm ten years old! Why won't you let me make my own mistakes and learn from them! Why! why! why!" Emotions inside my chest were screaming to get out. I closed my eyes tightly for a moment, trying to compose myself. "I'm tired of you refusing to respect the decisions and choices I make, and pretending you actually care. You're not my father, stop trying to be him, stop trying to control my life!"

Silence prevailed between us. His jaw clenched and unclenched. "No, I'm not your father. I can't be him. He left you and mum, he didn't care. No one did. But I was there, I took care of you both!" He jabbed his chest. "Me Hope! I worked my butt off and I did everything humanly possible so you passed both high school and college without stress! I sacrificed my time to attend all your functions just to show you I was going to be there when you needed me! I fucking got arrested for beating up a minor just because he bullied you. I even fucking gave those reporters info about your fake marriage thinking they'd stop all this shit! I did all that for you! Everything I've done has been for you and to protect you!"

My heart froze. "That was you?" I took a step back, feeling all the energy dripping from me. "The scandal? You did that to me?"

His eyes flashed like he'd suddenly realized what he said. "Hope, you —"

"Why would you do such a thing to me, Scott?" My eyes burned with unshed tears. I couldn't believe this. "Are you that cruel?"

"Fuck no I'm not but someone had to stop this bullshit from happening. When I found the prenuptial papers and other documents in your house, I was furious that you would do such a thing to yourself so I leaked it thinking I could save you, I was looking out for you Hope, I've always looked out for you because you're—"

"Leave." I cut him.

"Hope." He reached out to me, raw pain on his face. "You don't —"

"I said leave, Scott." I cut him again,  looking away from his eyes because It hurt too much to look at him. "I know you did all that for me and I'm thankful but I'm not the broken girl who cried because she was called a bastard anymore. I don't need you, Scott. You're heartless, you're so heartless, so please just leave."

"All I wanted to do was protect you from getting hurt again. If that makes me a bad guy then I couldn't care less because I'm your big brother and I'll be damned if I let anyone destroy your happiness."

"You don't know what makes me happy!" I spat, no longer holding the tears. "You don't know what I like!"

"Yes, I do!"

"You don't! Killian makes me feel things no one has ever made me feel. Yes I know his shortcomings and we didn't get off on the right foot but he really loves me, I can feel it. He loves me! He loves this baby! And I love him too! I love him so much that a day without him makes my heart hurt! But you won't understand it because you don't know anything about me, you just want to cage me like I'm so helpless I might break. Well, I'm not! I'm not helpless!"

"Hope." He softened. "I—"

"I said leave!" I cut him. "Don't try to make me the bad guy here by kicking you out of this apartment! You've got what you wanted. My husband has left me and I'm all alone again, so leave! Just please le—" my words sunk back into my throat as a semblance of a tidal wave hit my abdomen with so much pain that I staggered back a few steps.

What the—

I grasped the arm of the couch for support as I took in heavy breaths.

Scott's brows furrowed. "Hope, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I breathed deep, clutching my aching stomach. "Just go."

He was moving close to me. "You don't look good. Let me help—"

"I said leave!" I snapped. "What part of I don't want to see you don't you under—ahh!" The sharp tightening pain in my stomach returned.

What the hell is going on?!

"Let me help you." He held my arm and for some reason, it felt like my skin was on fire.

"Don't touch me! Back the hell off!" I cursed, slapping his hand away. "I'm fine! Stop acting as if you care!"

"I care for heaven's sake and I also know you don't look good right now."

He was right. I didn't look good. I didn't feel good either.

"Scott." I rasped, clutching his arm and taking in deep breaths as the constricting pain continued to eat me up. "I think there's something wrong with my baby. It hurts."

"What?" He was panicking. "Where does it hurt?"

"I don't know. I don't—ahh!" I clutched his shirt so hard my nails sunk through and pierced his skin. "It hurts! It really hurts!" I howled through the intense pain, clutching his hand until my knuckles turned white.

"It's okay, it's okay. I'm sorry, just hang in there. I'll take you to the hospital now." he placed my arm over his shoulder and tried to move me but I couldn't move, for some reason, my legs felt paralyzed and wet and when I looked down at my drenched dress and the clear liquid flowing down my legs, I gasped sharply.

No, no, no!

It's still too early!

"I think my water just broke." I cried as another contraction hit me.

His eyes widened. "But—but it's not your due date yet."

I shut my eyes, the contractions came in spurts, turning my lower belly into a ball of pain.

Killian.

I needed him right now. I couldn't do this without him. I needed him to— shit! "My baby's coming, I can feel it!"

Oh no no no!