TWICE // D.S.

THIRTY-FIVE

with one sore night in a hospital bed and aubrielle sympathized the people who had to sleep more than one night, tests going well and making sure she kept watch on a balanced diet; something nicolette and daniel told the doctor they would keep watch on, she had eventually left the hospital and sat in the passengers seat of a car.

her weight leaned to the right and her head rested on the window. until daniel went over a speed bump and her head hit the window, "ow," aubrielle whispered, removing her head from the window, and placing a hand on it instead.

"daniel, drive safer. we're not trying to give her a concussion," nicolette quietly scolded, her left hand rested on aubrielle's left shoulder to comfort her.

"i am driving safe, no matter how slow i went her head would've hit the window because she was resting on it," daniel quietly defended, going even slower on the next speed bump.

"what would have you done if i wasn't here," nicolette mumbled, leaning back in her seat to pay more attention to james.

"not this, i probably wouldn't even have known that she was in the hospital," daniel said, "since you were the one who told hailey to call me," he added for a brief explanation.

"yeah, and i'm the one who convinced elle to go to your house and announce the pregnancy. yeah hailey was help, but she was harsh and my way worked," nicolette added, brushing james cheek with her left hand, "sometimes i can't get over the fact that you're father to two kids and yet you may not even had the chance to meet them," nicolette said

"technically we still ha-"

"she already went, in the midst of your fight she had an appointment and went," nicolette said, knowing that daniel was going to say something about them not testing between daniel and the fetus.

"but how? last time they had to stick a swab up my nose," daniel asked, scrunching his own nose at the memory and how uncomfortable it was.

"i'm assuming they kept your information saved," nicolette said and watched how daniel's eyes widened.

"isn't that illegal?" he asked

"maybe, that's why i made it up. when she got the dna test back for james, a comparison came with it. it doesn't take much for elle to go to a doctor get the test for her baby and compare it with the help of a doctor" nicolette explained, this time getting it mostly correct.

"...do you really think she wouldn't have told me without you?" daniel asked

"im not too sure. if i asked her now she would say yes because she's happy, but she wouldn't know that then" nicolette explained. it was true, if aubrielle had her own choice without any pressure he probably wouldn't have gone when nicolette and hailey told her to. but there may have been a chance she went on her own, it just wasn't likely.

"then thank you," daniel whispered, "thank you for convincing her to come talk to me. i know how stubborn she can get sometimes," daniel said. even if aubrielle was in the car right next to him as he spoke. she wasn't paying attention at all, groans left her lips every now and then and the other two knew she was going in and out of sleep. there was no way she was actually listening. no way.

"yeah, anytime i guess," nicolette replied. she didn't want to say you're welcome because she wanted it to make it seem like it was a given and that she'd do it in any situation. but in all honestly, if this was someone else she wouldn't have tried so hard. maybe it was the fact nicolette found her basically at the outside of a hospital and went through the trouble of her pregnancy with her.