Always

34

6 months later...

Shawn POV

I woke up in the middle of the night and looked over at the clock on the bed side table. It was currently three in the morning and Bey was asleep. That was good because I'm sure it took her hours to get to sleep last night, she just couldn't get comfortable. At 8 moths pregnant every position felt like her insides were being crushed or her back was just hurting. She would keep rolling and rolling until she found a position reasonably decent, even then she'd only be able to lay there for maybe ten minutes before the baby would move and force her to find a new position again. I didn't want to wake her because I knew all hell would break loose if I did but I had to go and check on Grace to see if she was home yet. 

Last night I had caught her sneaking out of the house and of course I didn't stop her. No, that would be too easy. So I let her go and made sure not to tell Bey because at this stage in her pregnancy being around her was like treading around egg shells. Everything pissed her off and Grace's sneaking out would be the cherry on top. Somehow I would get the blame and end up sleeping on the couch which is just not something I particularly feel up for. 

I looked over at Bey who was still asleep before climbing out of the bed and walking down the hall to Grace's room. I heard a little bit of rustling and walked into her room to see her hands come up on the windowsill as she pulled herself up. I walked over and reached out the window taking her hands and pulling her in the room, she went to thank me before she paused and her eyes widened. 

"Heeeeeeeeeeey" She said innocently, "What are you doing in here?" She asked with a chuckle as she punched my arm awkwardly and smiled. 

"Sit" I told her with a stern face, she sloughed and let her smile drop before throwing herself on her bed and I pulled up a chair placing it across from her. "So tell me what you were doing out" I crossed my arms and she spoke, 

"Well, firstly I would like to start by saying that I was wrongfully put on punishment so really I had no reason to be grounded in the first place. If I wasn't then I wouldn't have been sneaking out and this conversation would not be happening" She claimed in her defence, I shook my head  not agreeing with her, 

"You broke the TV and blamed your sister" I looked at her with a blank face, 

"Babies do all sorts" She claimed, 

"She's not even born yet"  I kept my straight face but Grace began laughing before she regained her composure and then nodded, 

"That is true but who are we to question God, anything can happen. You ever heard of a miracle?" She took off her jacket then pulled her hair out of it's pony tail and I sat back in my seat a little more. 

"Grace, cut the bull. What were you doing?" I asked her, 

"Well..." She began, "I was enjoying quality time with my fellow man. People are so consumed by technology these days we don't even talk face to face anymore " I was getting real tired of this girls smart ass comments and I'm sure she could tell so she finally broke and told me the truth. "I was with Tyler, he had the house free and asked me to come by. I didn't do drugs, I didn't drink, I didn't do anything wrong so don't jump to any conclusions. You know I'm not into that stuff, I was just spending the night with my boyfriend. That's all" I gulped a little and looked at her. 

"Ummm, we're you-?" I didn't quite know how to go about with the question or if I was even supposed to be asking the question. "Did you two..." I trailed off. She didn't know what I was talking about until I said, "I'm assuming you've had the conversation with your mom right because I don't think I'm eligible. I mean, the birds and the bees and all that" She gasped and shook her head fast, 

"We do not need to have this conversation" She continued to shake her head "I know about the birds and the bees. I'm fine" She laughed uncomfortably then I added, 

"I care about you like you're my own and so..." I trailed off again, "Did you use protection?" I asked her but I didn't look her in the face, instead I stared down at my hands twiddling my fingers around. 

"Oh my god!" She yelled, "Dad, please. Stop! I'm a virgin! I've not had sex, I'm not having sex, I don't plan on having sex right now. Okay?" She looked up at me and I smiled to myself with a wide grin, "Why are you so happy?" She asked confused, 

"You called me dad" I pointed out, she rolled her eyes with a smile and shrugged, 

"So?" She asked as if it didn't mean anything. "You're the best thing I got" She said casually as she looked away from me. I nodded and we sat in silence for a little bit until she added, "I'm really tired and I'd like to go sleep now" I nodded my head and stood up placing the chair back where I got it and then smiled at her once again, 

"You're not having sex until all your teeth fall out" I told her, she nodded her head with a laugh and I added "I won't tell your mom about this" I told her, she thanked me as she walked into her bathroom to grab her tooth brush but before she brushed her teeth she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek quickly. 

"Good night, dad" She smiled as she disappeared into the bathroom. 

"Good Night, Grace" I walked out of her room closing the door behind me then walked back down the hall to Bey and I's room where I saw she was still asleep on her side with a small smile on her face. She was so beautiful. I climbed in bed and kissed her cheek causing her to roll around a little bit. Afraid I had woken her I closed my eyes pretending to be asleep, 

"Shawn?" She mumbled but I didn't reply. "Shawn" She said a little louder, "Shawn!" She yelled,  I popped my head up and looked at her sleepily, "Oh" She said squinting at me, 

"What?" I asked her, 

"I was just checking you were there, I couldn't feel you or see you"She closed her eyes again and so I wrapped my arms around her causing her body to melt into mine softly. "I was scared you left me" She smiled and I shook my head, 

"It's okay, I'm here." She nodded her head before falling asleep in my arms again. I sure do feel like one lucky man.