✯ North Star ✯

23 - Time Isnt On Our Side

Later, I decided it was time to talk to John B. I walked into the room where he was reading a book, my heart already hammering with everything I still had to say.

"Hey," I said, closing the door behind me.

"Holy shit. Hey come check this out. So there is actual historical basis on this Murad guy, the one who made the map," he said, wide eyed.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"I mean, he was actual like an actual historical figure. We're closer than we think," he continued.

"Which is awesome but—" I started, but he cuts me off.

"JJ's gonna have to leave. JJ's in a whole bunch of shit so like this map actually leads to Morocco, if we go with JJ. Morocco's not a bad option—" he started.

"John B I need to talk to you," I said, louder this time. He finally turned to look at me, something in my tone finally cutting through his excitement.

"And I told you it can't wait. So...can we please. Just talk?" I say, trying to keep my voice steady even as my chest tightened.

"Uh...yeah yeah," he nodded, setting the book aside slowly, his eyes already searching my face for whatever this was about.

I took a deep breath and went to sit down.
"Come sit," I said, and he did, squaring up in front of me, close enough that our knees touched.

"Hey," I said, holding out my hands. He grabbed them, his fingers warm and steady around mine.

"Hey," he whispered back, eyes soft.

"Hey," I said again, unsure where to start, the words suddenly feeling much heavier now that the moment had actually arrived.

I tried to steady myself.
"Okay, uh— John B this is going to be a lot. And I just need you to listen okay?" I said

"Okay," he nodded, his thumb brushing gently over the back of my hand.

"Um— okay, so, after I got shot. Something didn't feel right inside me. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I could feel....something was off. After we got back from our adventure, I went to a family friend who's a doctor. Thankfully, she helped me for free. She told me the shot messed up my ability to get pregnant."

John B's eyes softened, unsure of where this was going, but I could see him already bracing himself for whatever came next.

"And...she said if I ever, you know, did it, and wasn't pregnant in the next few weeks after, I'd have a very slim window to try before I might not be able to at all."

I swallowed hard. John B's eyes stayed on me, listening, his whole body gone very still.
"I know it sounds impossible, but something about where the bullet hit and how it was removed...it just...affected me. My time is short. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier— I got caught up in everything with the gold and the treasure, and I just... forgot. But I started noticing the symptoms she warned me about, and I realized... it's real."

A few tears slipped down my cheeks, the fear I'd been carrying alone for weeks finally breaking loose.

"Star. Star...look at me," he said, gently lifting my chin, his voice low and impossibly steady.

"You'll be okay. We'll be okay. We'll figure this out." He said

"I mean... the timing though. I just— do you even want to try and have kids?" I asked, stumbling over the words, my voice small and uncertain.

"Stella.... I understand the timing isn't the greatest. But look at me, I do. I want to have kids. With you. Even if it has to happen sooner, we'll make it work." He said

I let more tears fall, a mix of relief and fear so tangled together I couldn't separate them.
"Okay," I whispered, finally letting a small smile break through.

"Yeah?" he asked, something hopeful flickering across his face.

"Yeah," I nodded.

I pulled him into a tight hug, breathing in the familiar warmth of him, letting it settle some of the fear still sitting heavy in my chest.

"So we're planning on having a baby. We're planning on getting pregnant," he said, a happy, nervous laugh in his voice.

"Yeah...I guess we are," I said, still letting it sink in, the reality of it strange and enormous and, somewhere underneath the fear, quietly wonderful.

"I'm gonna be a dad," he said, almost in disbelief.

"Yeah.... And I'm gonna be a mom," I said, shaking my head in wonder.

After a few quiet moments, I looked up at him, the fear creeping back in despite everything he'd just said.
"I'm really scared. What if I can't? What if it doesn't work? We have to wait until all this treasure stuff is over, and I just...." I trailed off.

"You will. It'll be okay, Star. Trust me. We'll get through this together. Did she tell you anything to do to help?"

"She said treat it like I'm already pregnant— take care of myself, eat right, listen to my body." I said

"Okay. Then that's what we'll do. We'll make it work, together. I'll make sure it's okay," he said, holding me close, his arms tightening around me like he could physically shield me from whatever came next.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too," he replied, kissing me and wrapping me in a hug, the two of us just holding on for a long, quiet moment.

"Does anyone else know?" he asked after a moment.

"Just Kie. She found out when she saw the test." I said

"Okay. Do you want to tell the rest?"

"Maybe let's wait on that. Until it all calms down," I suggested.

"Okay...we'll wait," he said, giving me a reassuring smile, the kind that made me believe, at least for the moment, that we actually could.

"Oh, also, there's one other thing," I said as we stand up, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess them.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"JJ is my half brother," I said, watching the news land across his face in real time.

"What?!" he yelled.