The Darkest Hour

Chapter 12: The Confession

The apartment was dim and quiet, shadows stretching across the walls as Damon and I sat side by side on the worn leather couch. The exhaustion of the last few days weighed on both of us, but neither of us could relax. My mind was racing, every nerve on high alert. Between Kane's network still lurking and the constant danger that followed us, peace felt like a distant dream.

Damon's hand found mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure this out, Olivia," he murmured, his voice calm, steady. It was the same thing he'd been telling me every day, but tonight, his words had a different weight.

I took a deep breath, wanting to believe him, wanting to believe that our future—our little secret—could survive this mess.

The sharp knock at the door shattered the silence. Damon's grip tightened briefly, then he stood, already tense. Through the peephole, he spotted Captain Morris standing there, looking as serious as ever.

Damon opened the door, stepping aside to let him in. "Captain."

Morris nodded in greeting, his gaze flicking to me as he stepped inside. He held his hands behind his back, his usual stance when he had something important on his mind. "Agent Hale. Agent Owens. I thought we needed a little face-to-face after everything you both found out. This Kane business... it's bigger than we anticipated."

Damon shut the door and joined me on the couch, his posture guarded. "What do you need from us, Captain?"

Morris scanned the room, as though trying to read between the lines, to uncover any detail we might be hiding. He finally settled his attention on us. "I need to know if there's anything—anything at all—that I don't know about this case, especially now that Kane's network is clearly targeting both of you. Are you holding back on anything... anything I should be aware of?"

Damon and I exchanged a look. His jaw tightened just a fraction, and his eyes flicked toward me, questioning. For a moment, I considered saying nothing, keeping the secret between us for just a little longer. But as I met Damon's gaze, I felt a surge of certainty. This wasn't just our secret anymore—it was part of the whole equation, part of the risk, and Morris had a right to know.

Taking a deep breath, I looked back at the captain, my voice steady. "There is something."

Morris's expression remained unreadable, but I could see the curiosity, the slight tightening of his gaze as he waited.

I took Damon's hand, his fingers lacing with mine, his grip solid. "I'm pregnant," I said softly, the words feeling both terrifying and freeing as they left my lips.

For a moment, Morris said nothing. His gaze flickered between Damon and me, his mouth opening slightly before he closed it, obviously caught off guard. I'd never seen him look so uncertain, so completely at a loss for words.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "Pregnant," he repeated, as though testing the weight of the word.

I nodded, feeling Damon's hand tighten around mine. "Yes. And we've kept it quiet because we didn't want it to interfere with the mission or the case. But now... now that we're dealing with Kane and his network, it felt like the right time to tell you."

Morris exhaled slowly, rubbing his hand over his face. "Well, that certainly complicates things," he muttered, his gaze shifting to Damon, who was watching him with a steady, unblinking stare.

"Sir," Damon said, his voice calm but firm, "this doesn't change our commitment to the case. Olivia and I both agreed that we wouldn't let this interfere with what we have to do."

Morris held up a hand, his expression shifting from shock to something closer to resolve. "Damon, Olivia, I know you're both professionals. And I respect that you've taken this decision seriously. But a pregnancy—especially in this line of work, especially with Kane's network still actively hunting you both—isn't something you can ignore."

I swallowed, nodding. "We know. But we've weighed the risks. We both agreed that we would see this through together."

Morris watched us, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Then here's what we're going to do. I'll keep this between us, but I'm pulling you out of direct fieldwork for the next few weeks. You're still on the case, but from a safe distance. I'll station you at HQ, and you'll have access to everything we're gathering on Kane's movements."

I felt a pang of frustration rise up, but Damon's hand was still firmly in mine, a silent reminder to keep my cool.

"Sir, with all due respect," I said, forcing calm into my voice, "we can handle this. The case is moving quickly, and if we're benched now, we might lose our only lead on Kane."

Morris shook his head. "My decision stands. I need you both to focus, to think beyond the heat of the moment here. This case is personal, I get that. But you're also thinking for three now, Olivia."

The reality of it settled between us, heavy and undeniable. Morris gave me a nod, his expression softening just a fraction. "Look, I understand the stakes. And I know that stepping back might feel like you're abandoning the mission. But this case needs to be solved—by the right team, at the right time. You'll be back in the field when we're sure we can control the situation."

Damon nodded, the muscle in his jaw clenching slightly, but he didn't argue. He turned to me, his eyes meeting mine. "We'll keep working on this, Olivia. Whatever it takes."

I squeezed his hand, feeling the bond between us strengthen even as my frustration simmered. This wasn't how I'd planned things, but I knew Morris was right—we couldn't take reckless chances, not now. But it didn't make the reality of it any easier.

"Alright, sir," I said finally, my voice firm. "We'll follow your orders. But don't expect us to sit on the sidelines for long."

A faint smile played at the corner of Morris's mouth. "I wouldn't dream of it."

After Morris left, Damon and I sat in silence, the weight of everything we'd just confessed settling over us like a storm cloud.

"Well," I said, finally breaking the silence, "that was... intense."

Damon's gaze softened as he looked at me, his hand still in mine. "I know this isn't what we wanted. But I'm not going anywhere, Olivia. And we're going to see this through."

I nodded, a sense of calm washing over me. Despite the risks, despite the complications, I felt a strange, steadying sense of peace. Damon was here, by my side, and together, we'd face whatever came our way.

And for the first time, I felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, we'd make it through this together—stronger than ever.