𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 ~ 𝗞𝗹𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀

~ Chapter One Hundred Five ~

"So...?" the couple questioned, carefully eyeing Dusk as she finally looked down at the small stick. "Positive," She whispered. She couldn't back the tears anymore, and the moment that sob escaped her lips, Five and Victoria immediately went to hug her. "I just can't believe it!" Dusk sniffed. "I never thought... They said it couldn't happen again," Victoria and Five peered at each other over Dusk's shoulders, both surprised by her words, but given her already fragile state of mind, they decided not to pressure Dusk into explaining, already having a sneaking suspicion. She may have been close to the two of them, but of course, everyone kept a few secrets stashed away in the closet.

The doctor's words echoed within Dusk's mind, words that had haunted her at the mere thought or the glance at a child. Even taking care of James would sometimes trigger her trauma. "You will never be able to conceive again," they taunted her. Slowly, she pulled away from the group hug, walking over to the mirror. It all felt like a distant dream, a dream that she never thought would come true, especially with how chaotic and busy her and Klaus's lives were. The oh-too-familiar sense of fear and dread attempted to take over her mind, but as her hand unconsciously went underneath her shirt, she pushed it all to the side.

Holy shit... this is really happening!  A slight smile crossed her lips, and for a moment, she could feel a sense of peace. She wasn't sure how far along she was, maybe a month or two at the most, but already she could feel the return of her bump, a small but gentle reminder of her and Klaus's future. Klaus... How was she going to tell him? Surely, he'd be confused as to how it all happened! Granted, he never even brought up the topic of kids, so who knew what his thoughts were? And how would she even tell him, knowing his germaphobia was at its peak around this time of the year?

The continued questions swirled around in Dusk's mind, and she was snapped out of her trance, she looked back to Five and Victoria, who could see the panic in her eyes. "Well, this is gonna be a Christmas to remember," Dusk chuckled softly. "So, you're okay with this?" Victoria questioned, hearing that nagging voice in her head telling her otherwise. "Yeah, I am. Like I said, it's still very shocking," the brown blonde nodded. "We should go. We need to keep looking for Jennifer,"

Dusk pulled her shirt back over her stomach, her mind still reeling and trying to come up with a way to tell Klaus. He may overreact or go on another rant about germs, but she had to tell him eventually. They walked out of the shop, Victoria still clutching onto her lukewarm cocoa as they walked back to the town square, back towards the Christmas fair. Deck the Halls filled the air as the carolers continued their singing and the cold afternoon air began to nip at their noses. "Popcorn! Come get your fresh batch of popcorn right here, folks!" One man shouted as they walked through the snow-covered sidewalk. "Fresh apple cider! New Grumpson's pride and joy!" One woman shouted in the next tent over.

"It's a nice setup for such a small town," Five glanced around, looking towards the carousel full of little children. Dusk caught a glimpse of the amusement ride and looked up from the small rack of scarves and hats. They all looked so happy, so content with their lives as they awaited the night for Santa to drop off their presents. I wish our Christmases could've been like this... Dusk sighed, remembering how they'd have to wake up at 5 am for training, and only after six hours of endless exercise, would they be allowed to open the three presents they received every year without fail. One from Pogo, one from Grace, and one from Reggie.

As they continued walking, taking in the fun while keeping an eye out, Dusk's mind continued to be plagued with flashbacks and fears. Her heart began pounding inside her chest, but no matter how hard she tried to calm down for the sake of the baby, she could feel the past beginning to control her. Unbeknownst to her, Five could feel the energy radiating off her, his twinly instinct screaming that something was not right. "Hey, I'll catch up with you in a bit. I'm gonna look around," Five grabbed Victoria's hand. "Alright, just be careful," Victoria nodded. "Always am," Five smiled reassuringly before pecking her lips.