Someone In The Crowd [Paul Wesley]

128. IRL

"Ok, I've got aspirin and water," Paul said, sitting beside Cece who was ill in bed.

"I don't want to take anything," she groaned. "It's just cramps, I'll get over it."

"Still, I'd feel better if you took them," Paul said softly, rubbing her back.

"No point, I'll just bring it back up again," she took the water from his hand and took a sip, hoping it would calm her stomach. No such luck. "I hate everything!"

Paul chuckled. "You'll be better soon."

"Yeah, 'cos I'll be dead," she joked.

"Well it's nice to see that this illness hasn't destroyed your sense of humor."

"Trust me, it's trying to," she responded as her phone rang. It was Candice.

"Hey," she said, her typical breezy, excitable self. "What time should I pick you up?"

"Pick me up?" Cece asked. "What?"

"Don't tell me you forgot about tonight!" Candice said. Cece could hear her heels clicking as she walked. "Horror movie marathon at Nina's, remember? We've been planning it for weeks!"

"Oh yeah," Cece said, vaguely remembering the invitation. "Sorry, I don't think I'm gonna make it."

"Oh no," Candice said, sounding genuinely upset. "What's wrong?"

"I'm ill," she said. "Crampy, bloated, tired."

"Maybe your period's coming?" Candice offered.

"That's what I thought," Cece said. "Until I was up all last night being sick. I think I just need to sleep it off."

"Yeah," Candice said. "Or..."

"Or what?" Cece asked.

"Look, hear me out. You're a newlywed, you just got back from your honeymoon, you're sick..."

"I'm not pregnant," Cece dismissed. Paul gave her a startled glance.

"I'm not saying you are," Candice reasoned. "But it wouldn't hurt to rule it out. I'll be over soon with some tests." She hang up the phone before Cece could protest.

"Do you think...?" Cece asked Paul. He shrugged.

"I have no idea."

"But, would you want...?" she couldn't bring herself to say the word. As Paul was about to respond, Loki burst into the room, jumping up onto the bed and snuggling into Cece.

"I would love to have a baby with you, Cee," he said. "But we can't get our hopes up. It's probably just a bug."

"Yeah," she said. "Plus it's way too early, we've been married for like 5 minutes."

"Yeah," Paul agreed. Neither of them wanted to admit to the other how exciting the prospect of a baby was.

***

Sooner than they thought, Candice was at the door. Paul let her in and she ran straight to the bedroom, shoving three tests in Cece's direction.

"I got three, just so you can know for certain," she said, a quiver to her voice. "Are you OK?"

"Fine," Cece said shortly, taking the tests into the bathroom, coming out a few minutes later.

"How long do we have to wait?" Paul asked.

"Three minutes," Candice said.

They waited anxiously.

"Out of curiosity, what do you guys want?" Candice asked.

"I- I mean, if it's negative, nothing changes, right?" Cece asked, feeling irrationally emotional.

"Are you ok?" Paul asked soothingly, giving her a hug.

"Yeah," she said, wiping her eyes. "I guess I didn't know how much I want..."

"I know what you mean," Paul agreed. "I didn't know either."

"Um, guys," Candice said, the tests in her hand. "They're positive."

They both froze.

"What?" Paul asked.

"They're positive." Her face broke out in a grin. "You're pregnant!"

"We're having a baby?" Cece asked for clarification.

Candice showed them the positive pregnancy tests.

"We're having a baby," Paul said, kissing Cece. They wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed tightly.

"I'm pregnant!" Cece shouted in delight, shocking Loki who began to bark. She kissed Paul again and Candice grinned, she couldn't be more happy for them if she tried.