Out of the Darkness - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 28

Doctor Brookes was taken aback. Min was still gripping onto Kath's shoulder, her nails were digging into Kath's skin, drawing blood through the thin material of the hospital gown.

"Well, it is possible for us to continue with the surgery if the pregnancy was terminated, yes, but-" The doctor started, but Teddy cut him off.

"Then get a midwife down here with something to get that thing out of my daughter, she's getting this damn surgery!" Teddy exclaimed, but the doctor spoke before either Kath or DJ could protest.

"I'm afraid any termination will have to be under your daughter's consent. She's twenty-two years old, an adult." The doctor said, before turning to Kath. "Would you like me to contact someone in regards to a termination?" He asked seriously and Kath let out a sob, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No... no, I don't want to abort my baby." Kath choked out, relieved when she felt DJ kiss her temple and she could feel his tears too. "Don't leave me." She whispered, barely audible at all.

"Never," DJ vowed, kissing her temple again and it was then that he noticed Min's grip, hearing Kath's quiet whimpers. "Get off of her," DJ growled, pulling Min's hand off of Kath, holding her tighter when he noticed the small patches of blood on her shoulder.

"Are you out of your mind?" Teddy exclaimed. "We've waited years for this-"

"We?! Dad, it's my disability! I'm not killing my child just to get this done sooner!" Kath urged, but it was like she could feel her parents' anger radiating towards her. "Mom, please... say something..." Kath begged, her voice desperate. DJ noticed that Min could barely look at her own child, tears of anger running down her face.

"You make me sick." Min choked out. "All that we've done for you and you throw it all away for a... wild night that never should have happened - a mistake." Min growled.

"Now, let's calm things down-" Doctor Brookes warned, but Min ignored him entirely.

"I don't care whether you're twenty-two or not, I'm not letting you throw this opportunity away," Min said lowly.

"Don't act all of a sudden as you care... you kept me locked up at home, hid me from everything... you weren't protective of me, you were ashamed." Kath accused, Doctor Brookes and DJ instantly lurching forward when Kath cried out in pain - Teddy had punched her in the face. Not a slap or a hit, but a closed-fist punch to her face.

"That's it! Get out! Before I call security!" Doctor Brookes exclaimed.

"Don't even touch her," DJ growled, seeing Min going to touch Kath's hair. He was shaking due to his rage, holding his pregnant girlfriend close to him as she sobbed into his chest, shaking herself from shock and fear - she'd never felt so overwhelmed.

"You'll regret throwing all of this away for that thing," Teddy growled.

"This 'thing' is your grandchild, you insensitive shit." DJ finally snapped and it was obvious that Teddy was getting impossibly angrier, but Kath broke down into hysterics as she heard her parents leave and she felt Doctor Brookes's hand delicately touch her arm on the opposite side of the bed to where DJ was.

"Miss Bernardo, I apologize for what happened... you didn't deserve that. I'll have one of my nurses have a look at your shoulder and the bruise on your face, alright? Then we can discuss the surgery... it can still be done, you know." Doctor Brookes said softly and Kath sniffled, choking on her own sobs as DJ did his best to calm her down even though he was raging himself. Her own father had punched her in the face - his pregnant daughter.

"I-It can?" She choked out.

"Yes. Not during your first trimester of pregnancy, because it might cause birth defects - but we can perform the operation once you're firmly in your second trimester of pregnancy, that's when you and Baby are the safest... or we can wait until after the baby is born, but it'll have to be after you've fully recovered from that-"

"No, no... I want to meet my baby like DJ will... can w-we book it for when I'm in my second trimester?" Kath asked and Doctor Brookes gave her arm a gentle squeeze, trying to comfort her.

"You'll have to see a midwife first, get your dates all sorted and we'll make sure the little one is doing well... I'll keep in contact with your midwife and we'll book you in as soon as we know the dates." He said and Kath mumbled an agreement, but she was too hysterical in DJ's chest to speak much and Doctor Brookes sighed, rubbing her back. "I'm going to get a nurse to check you over." He said, before walking away, closing the curtain of the cubicle.

"Kath, you're coming home with me." DJ urged.

"I can't stay in your dorm-"

"Not in my dorm, with my parents," DJ said, desperate and his voice was shaky with emotion. "I can't watch you go back there."

"I don't wanna go back... d-do you think they'll have me?"

"Baby, of course, they will." DJ locked his arms around her, letting her sob and scream into his chest.