Broken Submission

Decisions

"Pregnant?"

Derek froze in the doorway. Amelia hunched over her phone, leaning against the toilet, face hidden behind her phone.

Holy fuck, she was pregnant.

The blood seemed to rush to his head. Amelia was pregnant. 

Was it his?

Immediately, he forced the thought out of his head. It was hers, and that's what mattered. He hesitated, unsure of whether he should go to her or give her space to process. The decision was made for him when some instinct lifted her head.

Her dark eyes opened wide with shock, the phone forgotten in her hand. She blinked a few times, and Derek wasn't even sure if she saw him standing in front of her. But her eyes refocused gradually.

"Derek?" she whispered.

His legs brought him to her side, and he sank to his knees. "I'm right here, sweetheart. What do you need?"

Her fingertips brushed her belly in an unconscious movement. "I--I'm--" She seemed to choke on her words.

"I heard," he murmured. 

A tear slipped down her cheek. "What am I going to do?" she said, voice strained. 

He shook his head. "There's plenty of time to think about that. Think about yourself  right now--what do you need?"

"I don't know, Derek!" She yanked back from his hands. "I don't fucking know what I need! I need it all to--stop. Just--I just need a break, you know? I just need it to all go away."

"Okay," he soothed. "Let's make it all go away. We can order a movie or go to restaurant--"

"I want to go to the Club."

Derek pulled back, instantly rejecting the idea. "That's--"

"You asked what I needed." Amelia's eyes burned into his, filled with more certainty than ever before. "I need this, Derek. I need to lose myself--forget--just for a little while."

Derek had a hard time not immediately rejecting the idea. Amelia was not in a healthy mindset. But... if he kept an eye on the situation, and it had the possibility of helping her...

He sighed, and her teeth flashed as she recognized the sign of his acquiescence.

"Fine," he said. "But we leave the second I think it's too much for you, understood?"

Her head bobbed. "Yes sir, absolutely."

He sighed again. This was a terrible idea.

***

Amelia threw herself into preparations, ignoring the sudden realization of life growing within her. 

Soon, this corset wouldn't fit. Was it bad for the baby to wear it-- 

Well, trying to ignore it.

Amelia stole a black silk dress shirt from Derek's closet, wrapping her corset on around it. To this, she added panties and stockings with a seam running up the back. Going to the bathroom, she topped it off with an armor of makeup, thick winged eyeliner making her doe eyes more threatening and damaged. To match her insides.

She stood at the door within ten minutes. Derek emerged, mumbling under his breath about how this would be the first time she didn't make them late. His worried eyes took in her appearance, and, while they seemed appreciative, her new edgy look clearly did not calm his fears.

"Amelie, are you sure--"

"I'm sure." She slipped on her coat.

His eyes closed in thought or prayer before he pulled on his own coat and followed her out the door.