Sabotage

Chapter 2

"I need to talk to you," Shayne's eyes scan over Courtney's text as he leans back against the break room couch, brow furrowing and mind immediately filling with worry. Ian had told them she was off sick for the day, but it was unlike her to be so vague and serious in a request for his help.

"Is everything okay Court??" he texts back, quickly.

"Not exactly. Come over after work." her responding text makes him worry even more, and he quickly invents an excuse that he uses to leave as soon as they finish their last shoot for the day.

"Courtney?" He prompts, gently, when she answers her door and he catches a glimpse of her stressed, tear-stained face before she looks down at the floor. Her arms are crossed defensively over her chest, and she radiates pure nervous tension as she ambles further into the apartment, knowing he will follow her in.

"You're gonna hate me for this, don't get too comfortable," she mutters, still standing with arms crossed and refusing to look at him as he sits down on her sofa, and she remains standing beside it.

"It'd take something extreme to make me even consider hating you, Court. Please tell me what's going on?" He requests, gently. She angles her body away from him.

"I'm pregnant. And you're the only person I've slept with in a year," she says, almost forcefully. He's blindsided, eyes widening in shock, although as he watches her hide her face and curl in on herself he feels something much stronger guide his reaction. He stands from the couch, hearing her start to make a comment about him leaving until he steps towards her and places a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Okay, Court. It's going to be okay. I'm not going to hate you over this. It's... I absolutely take my share of responsibility for this happening, yeah? And it might not be ideal, but it's real, and I'm going to support you through it in any way I can, no matter what you decide to do," he reassures her, tone deep with sincerity. She flinches away from his hand, turning sharply and meeting his eyes with an angry stare.

"And what if I fucking keep it, because all this stupid fucking Mormon guilt is hitting me even considering terminating it and I know my Mom is going to disown me either way and I'll lose my family and have to quit Smosh because getting fucking pregnant from effectively a one night stand isn't Smosh audience friendly and just be a fucking useless single Mom forever because I've ruined my life-" she rants, tone climbing closer and closer to hysterical until Shayne steps forward and pulls her into a tight hug, slowly shifting her to sit down onto the couch with him as she collapses into gasping sobs against his chest.

"Let it out, Court. If you need to cry, let it out," he tells her, gently, rubbing a comforting hand across her upper back until her sobs settle into calmer, although still constant, crying. "You're not going to have to quit Smosh if you don't want to, and I'm going to support you no matter what you do, okay? Please believe me, Courtney. I really mean it. If you're truly more comfortable to keep it, then I'll be there for you through the whole pregnancy and after. I mean, I- I don't really know what's involved in all this, but I'll split medical costs with you, I'll help you out any way you need..."

He hopes his reassurance helps her, somehow, but instead she lurches away from him and out of his arms.

"You don't have to. I don't want to ruin your life too. I told Kari it's yours because I got her to come over when I realised this morning but I can pretend it was just some random guy and never tell anyone else it was you," she tells him, tone insistent and harsh as she avoids his eyes yet again.

"Court..." he says her name, softly, feeling his heart twinge with worry as he realises what she's doing. "You don't need to try and self-destruct your life over this to protect anyone else, especially not me. Please, Courtney? Let it be okay. Let me care about you. Let other people care about you."