accomplice | ethan dolan

twenty three

ethan

"zack she's waking up" i whisper.

"i'll get a nurse" he runs out of the room.

"ethan?" jade turns her head to look at me, "what happened?" she tries to sit up but clutches her stomach.

"you were shot-"

"my baby" she stops me as she begins to panic, "where's my baby?" her voice cracks.

"she's okay" i assure her as i take her hand in mine, "you lost so much blood they had to perform an emergency c-section and you needed surgery too"

"she's a month early, is she healthy?" she asks concerned.

"she's perfect, just very small" i smile.

"did you call monica and louise?" she asks.

monica and louise are adopting our baby.

"actually, we need to talk about-"

"the nurse said she'll be in soon to check your vitals" zack says coming back into the room but quickly realises he's interrupting, "i'm going to get coffee" he excuses himself.

jade

"please tell me they didn't pull out" i sigh, "i can't put my daughter into foster care"

"they didn't"

"so what's the problem?"

"i don't want to give her up for adoption" he mumbles while staring at the floor.

"what changed your mind?" i ask confused.

"i held her and then she gripped on to my finger. i can't explain it jade but i can't give her away" he looks up at me with glossy eyes.

"but what about everything you said?"

"do you still want to give her up for adoption?" he retorts.

"i haven't for a while" i admit.

"so why are you trying to talk me out of it?" he asks.

"what if you regret this? you were so insistent that we couldn't keep her and now you've suddenly changed your mind" i remind him.

"i won't regret this, it's the easiest decision i've ever had to make"

"i can't believe we're doing this" i laugh nervously.

"i know, it's insane" he agrees, "wait until you meet her"

"i need to meet her now" i try to get out of bed but i can't feel my legs.

"they gave you an epidural for the c-section" ethan reminds me, "i'll ask the nurses for a wheelchair" he kisses my forehead before leaving the room.

zack walks in a few seconds later with a grin painted on his face.

"ethan just told me i'm an uncle" he smiles.

"i didn't think you'd be this happy that i'm keeping her" i tell him honestly, "ethan told me you didn't want me to keep the baby"

"i was worried at first but then i got to hold her and it just hit me you know? she's my niece, and i don't want you to give her up" he explains as ethan returns with a wheelchair.

they both help me into the wheelchair before taking me to the nursery, where we find grayson and bonnie.

"thank god you're okay" grayson sighs with relief.

"what are you doing here?" i ask, happy to see the both of them.

"the changrettas made a move on us" he states, "we've been watching the baby"

"it was the changrettas?" i ask surprised.

"noah killed two changrettas, he started a war with them" ethan scoffs.

"where did it happen? was anyone else hurt?" i ask trying to remember todays events.

"you don't remember what happened?" zack asks and they all look at me with a sad expression.

"what am i missing?"

"noah" ethan says.

"it was a drive by on our house, they shot noah too" zack tells me.

"is he okay?" i ask, suddenly feeling sick.

"he's still in surgery" bonnie tells me.

"shit" i mutter.

"it's noah. he'll be okay" zack assures me.

"look there she is" ethan whispers as a nurse walks towards us, carrying a baby.

"will you be taking her back to your room now?" she asks us and ethan nods, "perfect, i'll have her bed brought down"

"thank you" i say as she places my daughter in my arms.

"hi baby" my voice cracks as she opens her eyes, "i'm your mommy" i whisper, planting a kiss on her forehead as ethan takes us back to my room.

bonnie holds my baby as ethan helps me back into bed.

"i thought you didn't want to meet her?" grayson asks confused as i take her back in my arms.

"didn't ethan tell you?" i smile, "we're not giving her up for adoption"

"she's your niece gray, and she's not going anywhere" ethan tells his brother.

"oh shit, that's- that's great" grayson smiles.

ethan and i laugh as grayson appears to be speechless. grayson loves kids, and i know he's excited to be an uncle.

"do you have any names in mind?" zack asks.

"i can't even think straight" i mumble, "how will i pick a name? it has to be perfect"

"i think lucy is adorable" bonnie suggests.

"i like lucy" zack agrees.

"it is a very pretty name" grayson adds.

"lucy" i say looking at my daughter, "lucy rose dolan"

"i think it's perfect" ethan smiles as she wraps her hand around his finger.

"we're going to check up on noah, give you two some space" zack tells us before he leaves with grayson and bonnie.

"are you feeling okay? do you need anything?" ethan asks.

"i have everything i need" i smile.

"i love you" he kisses me, "and you" he whispers as he kisses lucys head.