The Lines

Chapter 6- Family?

The lights above me flickered as I continued pacing.
3,492. The amount of bricks surrounding me. I began counting hours ago, when my wait first began.

"He's okay."

Chris' voice broke me from my thoughts. I shook my head and continued pacing. Chris and I had been discussing names when my baby began coughing. At first I thought nothing of it but as it progresses, the coughing turned to wheezing.

I began panicking as nurses flooded the room. I couldn't even blink before they were rushing him out of the room. I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts of what could be wrong. Only the worst of the possibilities flashing though my mind.

I was suddenly pulled into Chris' broad chest as sobs wrecked my body. I hadn't even noticed I was crying until the fabric of his shirt dampened against my cheek. The situation only got worse as the last person I wanted to see, spoke.

"What happened."

Instead of answering I looked up at Chris, hoping for answers as to why he was here.

"The doctors called him before I could stop them. They thought the father would have wanted to know what had happened." He spat the word father out as if it was poison. An action that would usually make me laugh but because of the situation, laughing wasn't something I could even fathom.

"They didn't know the situation with him."

This time I did let a small smile emerge from Chris' mood against him but it was short lived as the silence was soon ruined.

"I have every right to know what happens to our child." He spoke the last part specifically in my direction.

"And I do have a name." He added angrily.

"Just go Liam." I said tired, not able to deal with him at the moment. Liam's anger seemed to disappear when I spoke his name. He was about to speak when the door beside me opened, revealing the nurse who had carried my baby to this dreadful part of the hospital.

She motioned for me to follow her into the room which I hurriedly complied. Along with Chris and Liam but before Chris could stand beside me the nurse stopped him.

"I apologize but only the parents are allowed in."

I was about to protest by Chris stopped me. He gave me a reassuring smile and said,

"It's alright Kat. Besides, you two need to talk." He looked between Liam and I ask he spoke.

I wanted to be angry at him for leaving me for wanting to leave me alone with Liam but I knew he was right. With a small smile, Chris walked back out with the nurse who closed the door behind her.

I refused to look at Liam as I made my way to the blindingly white crib that held my world. I feathered my hands across my baby boys chest as he slept peacefully. I held myself back from picking him up- too afraid it would wake him up after what he had just been through hours ago.

"He's right; we do need to talk." I sighed, knowing Liam was right.

"There is nothing to talk about. You made it very clear you wanted nothing to do with me. Why would you want me now."

As much as I hated Liam, I couldn't help the ache in my heart as I though back to that night. What I had believed was the best night of my life that soon became a nightmare.

"I was scared. I wasn't used to how you treated me." He looked down as he continued, "You showed me the light in your smile. I know it sounds like cheesy bullshit but please just listen."

I kept quiet as he continued.

"I saw the kindness in your eyes that I had never seen before. I just couldn't ruin you.
I couldn't let my darkness smother your light."
I was about to yell, curse at him for telling me such lies.

But I couldn't. I saw tears in his eyes and a look of pure fear and regret plastered on his face. My anger disappeared as I fell into his eyes; the same eyes I fell for so long ago.
His next words took me out of my trance.

"I'm not asking for you to forgive me; What I did can never be forgotten. But I do ask to please don't take him away from me." He looked at the crib with such longing as he spoke. "Give me a chance to be the dad your baby deserves."

Liam calling him only my baby didn't go unnoticed.
I took a deep breath before saying the word I hoped I would not regret.

"Our."

His face showed confusion but I continued.

"I will give you a chance at being a father to our baby."

His grin made him look like the Cheshire Cat at my words.

"You will not regret it, thank you."

"I hope not."

He continued smiling as he stood beside me at the crib, lightly laying his hand next to my smaller on on our child's chest. Our fingers just barely touching yet I didn't pull away. And neither did he.

"We're going to be a family."
He whispered softly.

Those words took my breath away.
A family?

Slowly my lips turned up into a smile that matched Liam's.

I finally had a family.

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A/N:
Now you can kinda see why I continued calling Liam 'him' and 'he'.

What do you think?

Should Kaitlin have made Liam fight harder?

Should she have thrown him out of the picture entirely?