Am I the only one who gets happy for other ships just bc I know how giddy I’d be if it were mine? Like for One Piece my main ship is Zosan, but then I see a moment in the anime or opla where I’m like “aww sanami shippers are gonna love that” or “zolu fans just got a shit ton of fic material good for them” or “that was a great sanuso moment” and it makes me smile
Synopsis~ Your call, somehow, connects to the chief of staff — Sabo.
✧ Masterlist ✧ Prev ✧ Dividers from @pixopix
Yesterday was a disaster and there was no other way to describe it. You would have lost it if it wasn't for Sabo helping you. You would have spent the entire night outside. You are glad that he was there.
At the moment, you are laying on your bed scrolling through your phone when you get an incoming call— sabo's.
“Sabo!”, you chime happily.
“I'm sorry.. hic.. hm..”, his speech slurred. He sounded too light headed, not like himself, words barely coherent— he sounded drunk..
“Coukdn't prote- you-uw”, he mumbles in a low slurring tone.
“Sabo?”
“Hic.. yeah?”
“Are you drunk?”, you ask with a grin. You didn't know he could get so drunk. You thought he was an uptight person who rarely drinks.
“N-not dru-vnk-hkd”, he replied. Like hell, he wasn't. He is clearly drunk and doesn't even know what he is saying, probably.
“Yeah whatever! Like I'll belie—”
“Sowwyy, couldn't help you.. jst like Ace..”
Your heart drops at his words, why is he saying that? You feel your heart squeeze at the mere thoughts of him thinking like this.
Did he always felt so conscious of everything?
Every time he wasn't here, with you?
Did he always think that he failed?
Everytime?
“Sabo.. it's not like that. You helped me quite a lot yesterday remember?”, you reply with a heavy heart trying to sound convincing but it wasn't easy when you are both divided by universes.
You have always found it heartbreaking that Sabo had to go through all those feelings of loss and gain at the same time in the series, but hearing him associate those with you was more heart shattering.
“Did-en't.. wa-usn't there.. w-vith you”
“It's fine! You can't be here. That's how it is!”, you bite down on your lower lip. That wasn't a good reply now, was it? That sounds like he can't be with you even if he tries. No, he shouldn't try. You shake your head in an attempt to get away with all those useless thoughts.
“W-vll.. I ne-vver see you? Just like A-sce?”, he asks, not in that soft tone he always wears but in the shaky vulnerable tone he, maybe, never allowed anyone to witness.
“I-”, you didn't had an answer to it. What are you supposed to tell him? Running a hand through your hair, you let out a soft sigh.
What can I possibly say to make him feel better? There's really no way he can see me.
“You-u don't know-w right?”
“Huh-h? Uh— mhm”
“Swworryy, can't protec-, can't be thewe.. justtt like Ase..”
“Stop, Sabo. That's not how it is”, you know he is drunk and speaking gibberish but it has to be on his mind for him to be speaking like this.
“Cant reachw, suchh a loser. Alvwus loosinghh. Alvahs”
Now, your heart is burning with the desire to hold him, to soothe him, to comfort him, to never let go.
Did he also felt the same last night? You wonder.
“Sabo!”
“Will yov alzo dispvear like hibm?”
“I won't”, you reply almost involuntarily. It left your mouth before you could even realize.
You didn't know why you ended up saying to never leave when you aren't even together in any way. Where could you even possibly go?
“vut you see me as character.. noh a persn..”
“Huh?”, your heart thumping loudly in your chest. Too heavy, too loud.
“Wfat I don't habve a persn doesh?”
“I b-bleed like a persn”
“I geh hurf like a persn”
“I cr-y like a persn”
“Hov am I- diffrn frm a persn?”
The words hit you like a punch, he is right. He is a human, not a character of your favourite series, not anymore. Like this, when you can converse, he is a person— a human.
Maybe it's time I stopped treating him like a character.
“I know! You're human, Sabo! I don't see you as a character anymore”
“Rehhlh?”
“Really!”
“m glaf..”
You hear him mumble that and snore on the other side after that.
Did he fall asleep already?
“Sabo?”, no response. He has fallen asleep, definitely.
You hang up the call but his words still linger in your head like a plague. Is that how he thinks of it all? Regarding the situation in same way as Ace? That can't be good.
You run a hand through your hair, in frustration, clenching at the ends of the locks, “it's like I'm making him suffer..”
You don't know what took over you, you decided to search up for similar situations on the internet. You needed to know. You came across a certain thread talking about this. You scroll through various threads and articles, trying to decipher how you can communicate with someone from a different universe— a character, No, a person.
After spending several hours on this, you realized one thing, it wasn't just you. Many people had this encounter, but they mostly dismissed it or didn't care about it. It happened with people who had bought the same model as your phone's.
“It has to do something with this model”, you mumble to yourself.
You come across an article which talks about the company experimenting to create a communicating device that can help to connect with other universes as well. However, they completely refuse to have done such experiments on their recent technologies.
Letting out a soft sigh, you turn off your phone, “What the hell am I even doing..?”
~♡♡~
Sabo woke up with a ringing pain in his head, he hated it. He drank too much, though he was the one who wanted to drink. He was so preoccupied in thinking about her and how to get to her that he ended up drinking away his thoughts.
All those thoughts had swarmed his head and he couldn't seem to relax at all so, he decided to drink it all away. It took a lot of time for him drunk due to his tolerance that he built up for missions.
He thought it would help, make him feel better. But he felt worse. And he can't remember what exactly he did after getting drunk.
Nevertheless, he got ready for work. Dressed in a clean slick coat, hair styled perfectly to his left side of face.
He runs into koala on the hallway, “Gosh! You drank too much yesterday and rambled some incoherent bullshit, Sabo!”, she said with a grumpy tone.
“Sorry about that. Didn't mean to cause trouble though..”
“Hmph”, she pouted with her arms crossed.
Puru pu—
His hands immediately fling to his den den mushi picking up the receiver so fast that it left koala wide-eyed.
Is he even capable of picking up a call, let alone so quick?
Sabo had started carrying his den den mushi with him, particularly because he didn't want to miss any calls that came from her. And it was hers.
“Good morning, y/n”, he chirped like his head isn't throbbing from hangover leaving koala surprised at his soft tone.
“fuck good morning, don't you have a hangover? You drunkard”, she yells at him from the other side. He can't help but smile softly at her concern and words.
Koala just eyes him as he even forgets that she is standing next to him. A smile tugging on his lips, not the polite kind but the raw and genuine kind.
“How did you know?”, he asks with a soft smile playing on his lips.
Koala has rarely seen him smile like that. That pretty smile like he is enjoying himself, like he wants to be there, like he is letting himself loose. He rarely allowed it— she knows it more than anyone. She has been with him since they were kids, of course, she knew his habits.
“You called me last night. And you were drunk, idiot. Rambling on and on”
“Oh? And what did I speak of?”, he asks in that playful and teasing tone with smirk. Koala couldn't help but let out a sigh from relief. He seemed to be enjoying, but wait, who is this woman on the other side?
“You don't remember?”, she asks with a surprised gasp.
“Nope”, he replied rather nonchalantly.
Silence followed from her side. Koala watched his expression change instantly from playful to serious.
As the silence stretches on, his breath gets caught in his lungs. Wait, what did he spoke? What did he say in drunk state? To her?
Did I say something about the research?
Something about trying to get to her?
Something about—?
Fuck it, why can't I remember anything?
I hate these gaps in my memory!
“What did I speak of? Did I say someth—”
She cuts him off almost immediately, “You made such bad jokes that I felt like I would pass out from hearing them”
“Is that all?”, he is clutching at the receiver like the reply mattered a lot.
His heart thumped loudly in his chest. What if he really had spoken of trying to find something to make it to her?
What if he had spoken of him researching and trying to find a way? She would be livid but she doesn't seem so, so maybe he didn't.
“Huh? Uh, yeah”, she replied.
“Really?”
“Really”
“Good to know”, a sigh of relief leaves him as she confirms.
Thank god, I didn't spew any nonsense.
“Alright, I just wanted to check up on you. Make sure you get something for your hangover, you probably have it”, she hangs up with that.
A soft smile tugging at his lips as he turns and is met with Koala's playful gaze, “So, who is she? You like her, don't you?”
“Huh? What-?! I don't—”, he stammered.
Wait, did he?
He never even considered the possibility to begin with.
Did he really like her?
Just from hearing her voice?
“Oh? Come on, who is she?~”, Koala persists.
“No one you need to know”, he replies before starting to walk away. He can't tell her, not yet. It isn't the right time for it. Not now.
Koala pouts at his words, “Fine, go ahead keep your secrets. I'll find it out anyways”, she replies.
~After a week~
You turn the handle of your front door, entering the place with a sigh from relief. The tiredness seems to wear off as soon as the air of your room hits you, removing your footwear and keeping them aside.
Walking inside, you step closer to your bed. Dipping your phone on the plush of your bed, screen up. Your fingers softly start unbuttoning your shirt.
Your ears pique up at the sound of your phone's incoming tune. Your gaze falls on the name flashing across the screen 'Sabo' but that's not what surprises you.
"Incoming video call" flashing over the name is what makes your heart drop for a second, eyes wide, lips parted as you instantly pick up your phone from its respective spot.
You squint your eyes to confirm whether what you're reading is correct or not.
“What the hell? A video call?”
~♡♡~
A/n~ I was confused whether to keep the video call part here or not, then I settled on this cliffhanger. Sorry~ (not sorry lol)
Summary: One reckless night leads to the biggest and most unexpected change in your life. How will this affect your current life and how you and the charming stranger you met only once will manage to handle the bringing of a new life to this world together is a challenge yet to be discovered. Will you be able to make the right choices while battling your own demons? Who knows, all you must be worried about now is that your period is late...
Description: Modern AU | Firefighter Baby Daddy!Ace
WARNINGS: english is not my first language, explicit language, NSFW, 18+ only, contains explicit sexual themes and content, use of alcohol, slow burn, conflicted feelings, conflicted relationship, emotional distress, jealousy, suggestive themes, previous toxic relationships, mention of depression, mention/description of pregnancy, strangers to co-parents to lovers, mentions of a lot of anxiety, mentions of cheating, mentions of mental trauma, social anxiety (+ more warnings will be added if needed to)
Additional tags: Reader is super awkward and has social anxiety and low-self esteem but this changes (I don't want to spoil), Ace is emotional invalid when it comes to love, but this also changes (no spoilers)
WORD COUNT: 8,3K
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NOTE: Thank you all for your patience. Thank you also for all the love you showed when I put out chapter one.
I know that this chapter is short, but it’s mainly focused of Reader, but next one will be longer.
Thank you for reading my stories and being patient with me, more yapping in the end note - enjoy ♡
It has been two days since you found out that you are pregnant and you haven’t told anybody yet. Not even your best friend Boa. You have tried everything in your power in the past two days to ignore everyone and everything in desperate attempts to collect and make up your mind.
You know what the best solution for this “little” accident is, but you aren’t a hundred percent sure that you want to do this. At least not alone.
Walking back and forth around your apartment you try to calm yourself down. In an hour you are going for a brunch with Boa and Marguerite, and you are planning to tell them about the little problem you have.
On top of this mess, you are also in an internal battle with yourself. Should you find your baby daddy? If you are going to abort it, should you let him know? He has the right to know, but… what if he turns out to be pro-lifer? Not like he will stop you from aborting it if you decide to go with this option, but what happens if you find him, tell him and he wants you to keep it? Or worse – what if you decide to keep it and he doesn’t want it? Are you ready for the single mom life? Will you manage as a single mother?
All these questions have been stuck to your mind on repeat in the past two days and if you don’t speak with someone soon you are going to lose it. That is why you need to share the “exciting” news with your friends and hear their opinion on the matter. They should think more clearly than you are therefore they might give you the answers you are looking for.
And if they don’t, tomorrow you have your weekly session with your therapist Nico Robin, she must provide the best advice you will need. You hope.
Dressed up in a pair of dark flare jeans with tight button up white shirt, you put on some jewelleries before taking one last look at yourself before heading to leave your place. Putting on a pair of red kitten high-heels and reaching out for the matching red handbag you lock your place and make your way to the brunch spot Boa has reserved.
To ease up your very calm nerves, the universe, of course it is on your side, decides to stick you up in the traffic jam. Reaching for your phone you send a quick message to your group chat that you would be late a few minutes and that they should go in without you and you will meet them there.
Thankfully the parking spots next to the restaurant are free and at least for this your nerves are speared.
Taking a deep breath in, you stop the car and look yourself up in the rare mirror. “Why?” The question comes out with a sigh, and it is towards yourself and the universe. Why you ended up pregnant after the only night you let yourself be wild and spontaneous in years? This must be some very sick joke life is throwing at you.
Grabbing your bag, you leave the car and lock it, making your way inside.
You have been to this place before. It is a well know brunch spot for the upper-class people around the city. The type of place where you pay ridiculous price for an avocado toast and poached eggs, but neither you nor your friends complain about it. After all, you all work hard and make quite a lot of money to effort nice things in life.
Walking in further into the restaurant where the indoor garden is, you see your friends sitting and chitchatting around one of the nicely put round tables. The place is very cozy and nice, with big windows walls surrounding it, the sun shining outside lighting up the place. This beautiful, picturesque place is surrounded by different types of flowers and marble statues in between the corners, giving it nicer touch.
Your kitten heels clicking on the marble floor catches your friends' attention as you get close to them, and Marguerite squeaks with excitement once she sees you. She has been oversea for two months now and she has missed you and Boa a lot. Pushing her chair, she gets up on her feet and welcomes you in a strong hug. “I’ve missed you so much.” Her voice comes up muffled as she is rocking you from side to side in her strong grip.
Marguerite is probably your second-best friend after Boa. She knows about you as much as Boa does, but still Boa has been the one who has been there for you since day one. Marguerite has come around your college years. Her bright uplifting personality has made you and Boa getting her into your inner circle and since then you three have become inseparable.
Dressed in a leopard halterneck top and long white tailored pants with a black belt around her waist, Maggie, as you two call her for short, is a beautiful tall slender woman with a lighter skin, brown eyes and short cut on bob style blond hair.
“I’ve missed you, too Maggie.” You tell her pulling away. Before taking your seat around the table, you hug Boa for hello. “I’m sorry, girls. The traffic was awful.” Finally sitting down, you grab the menu in front of you and scanned it with your eyes. Even though you are familiar with it, nothing seems appealing to your stomach.
The morning sickness has kicked in a week ago, which has been the wakeup call of you finally noticing that you have been late and you have missed your period. The past month you have been so busy with work that when you finally noticed that you are late, you blamed it on stress, and oh boy… how wrong have you been.
“Don’t worry we waited for you, but we ordered drinks, so you better don’t mind enjoying some nice and cold margaritas.” Maggie shakes her body in a little dance move as a big smile spreads across her face.
You wish you could enjoy one, but you can’t. Not while being pregnant, but your friends don’t know this… yet. “Oh, I would love to girls, but I’m driving so I won’t be able to.” Technically you are not lying, you are in fact driving after the brunch is done.
“What? You’re with your car? I thought you took an uber?” Boa raises one of her eyebrows at you. “Why did you come with the car?”
You need to think fast, because you can’t tell them the real reason of why you have taken your car instead of an uber. It isn’t because you are a fan of driving in your big city and traffic jams, but because after the brunch you have made an appointment with an obstetrician to check on the fetus and exactly how far along are you. But you can’t tell them that, yet.
Thankfully the waiter comes to serves your drinks, which saves you a bit more time to think of an excuse of why you are with your own car. “Have you ladies decided what would you like to eat?” The waiter politely smiles at you.
Both Boa and Marguerite tells him their orders and hand back the menus and now it is only you left to order. Scanning the menu one more time you choose the thing that seems the least likely to cause any nauseous or at least if it does you hope it will be just the feeling of it, and you wouldn’t need to run to the toilet to puke.
“Also, could you please take this away?” You hand him one of the glasses filled up with the alcohol cocktail. “My friends didn’t know that I’m driving, so I must give it back to you. I’ll take water instead.” He just nods with a polite smile and walks away.
“So… where are you going afterwards?” Boa doesn’t waste any second to shoot her question at you.
Shrugging with one shoulder, trying to hide your internal panic you clear your voice before answering her. “I have a doctor appointment.”
“What? Are you okay?” Placing her hand gently on top of yours, Marguerite’s big brown eyes shoot you a worried look.
“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Placing your other hand on top of hers, you give her a gentle squeeze. “It’s just a regular check-up.”
Again, you are not lying. You are just saving some details, is what you are saying to yourself, easing your guilt a bit. You don’t like lying to your friends and you hope they won’t ask any more questions related to this.
“Oh, okay. Regular check-ups are important. I just got scared that it’s something serious.” Taking her hand away she puts it on her chest where her heart is and relax, hearing that you are fine and nothing is wrong with you.
The conversation starts to flow naturally again, with mostly Boa and Marguerite talking about their recent trips and gossips in your life. Your food has come as well, but you barely touch it. Too nervous of what it is coming next, your stomach is on a tight knot.
How do you tell your friends that you are knocked up? ‘Hey, girls. Sorry for interrupting. By the way, I’m pregnant and also, I have no idea where or how to find the guy who knocked me up, but hey Boa please tell me again about the mind-blowing sex you had with this rich old money boy you met in Paris?’ Yes, this is definitely not how you bring this up.
This doesn’t go unnoticed by your friends at all. Yes, in the past few years you have gotten quieter than what you used to be, but today something is really bothering you. You barely indulge in the conversations; your food is untouched and all you do is drinking water and looking like you are about to throw up any second now.
“Okay, missy.” Boa has had enough. Clicking with her fingers in front of your face to get your attention you turn to her. “Speak up.”
“What?” You look at her with a bit of fear and surprise. “What’s wrong?”
“Something with you obviously.” Boa chuckles, crossing her arms across her chest, leaning on the back of the chair, her eyes pierced on you.
Seeing how stiff you get, Marguerite steps in. “Boa.” She shushes her with a deadly glance. “She is obviously not feeling good today.” Looking now at you she gives you a sympathetic smile. “What’s wrong (Y/N)?”
Your eyes are shifting from side to side between your friends. How do you tell them?
Taking a deep shaky breath in, you bite the insides of your cheeks before slowly gaining the courage to speak up. “Um… you remember the guy I told you I slept with like a month ago?”
“The firefighter with the magic dick?” Boa chuckles mocking, referring to the time when you described him and his dick as the most magical thing that has happened to you in years.
Marguerite hushes Boa one more time, as your best friend has no shame about what comes from her mouth nor where she is when it comes.
“Yes, that one.” You close your eyes and your whole face squeezes from embarrassment when the memories of what you have done starts playing in the back of your mind.
“What about him? Did he find you? Oh my, are you two seeing each other?” Maggie excitedly throws questions at you as her whole face lights up.
“No, nothing like this.” You shake your head, looking down at the plate in front of you to avoid your friends' curious gazes, but the sight of the food is making you nauseous.
“If she was seeing him, she would have been excited, don’t you think Maggie?” Rolling her eyes at the blonde, Boa then looks back at you. “What about him?”
The cold harsh tone in her voice is not helping, but you need to get this out of your chest and with your friend’s patience being far away from a big one, you need to do it now. “Well… you girls remember how I told you that recently I’m not feeling good right? It has something to do with that night I spent with him…”
A loud gasp comes from Marguerite as she covers her mouth with her hands. “No way! Did he give you some disease? Chlamydia? Or worse HIV? Are you going to be okay?” Her eyes are full of terror.
“I’m honestly not surprised. I’ve told you that he didn’t give me the look of a decent man.” Boa comments with a knowing and a bit judging click of her tongue.
“You never said that.” Turning your head at her, you give your friend an angry look, the tone of your voice sharp and harsh, matching hers. “And he was very decent, Boa. Even for only a one-night stand, he has treated me way better than most of the men in my life ever did.” This is enough of a painful realisation for you and last thing you need is your best friend judging you.
Silence takes over your table. None of you saying anything before you finally spilled it out. “I’m pregnant.” The words come out so quietly that none of your friends manage to hear it nor processed it.
“Say that again?” Boa leans closer and so does Maggie.
“I said that I’m pregnant…” You say once again with trembling voice.
Both of your friends are in shock and frozen on their seats. This is the last things they have been expecting to hear from you. You don’t dare to look at any of them. You are fully aware of the judgment they might have written all over their face or worse – they are pitying you, and you want none of it.
Marguerite is the first one to break the silence this time. “Do you plan to keep it?” Her voice is gentle, zero judgment can be heard in it, but there is quite lot of empathy in it.
Before you can even take a breath to answer, Boa jumps in quickly. “Of course, not. She must be mad crazy if she decides to keep the little parasite.”
Boa has never been a fan of children. She has made the choice that she wants to be child free from a very young age and made sure this would never happen to her. Your friend view kids as nothing more but little demons who are running and destroying the peace of the adults around. You will never catch her in a place where children are allowed. This is how much she cannot stand them.
“Boa, I didn’t ask you and don’t call it a parasite, because it’s not.” Marguerite scolds her across the table. She has always been a gentle soul and a big empath, and having her here right now is one of the biggest blessings in life you can get.
Reaching out with her arm, she places it on your shoulder, which gives you a bit of a strength to speak up. “I’m… I’m not entirely sure.”
“The fuck you mean you’re not entirely sure?” Boa raises her sharp dark brows up as she places her hands loudly enough on the table, causing the people sitting at the tables close to you throwing some glances at your direction. “What you want to keep some random man sperm and grow it? You want to be a single mother? Is this what you’re not entirely sure about?”
“Boa, watch your tone and language.” Maggie hisses at her with anger.
“I’m not watching shit.” Boa spats back. “If she is actually crazy enough and not go for an abortion, I’ll not stand by and watch her waste her life and potential away.” She says, finger pointing at you.
“How is being a mother a waste of life, when in fact they are the ones bringing one?” The blonde sitting opposite of her argues. “And for God’s sake, let her speak.” Maggie then turns her attention to you. “Don’t listen to her. Tell us what you plan to do and we-” She gives Boa one more deadly look. “We will listen and be there for you, no matter what your decision is.”
A makeshift of a laughter comes from Boa, but she decides to not say anything as she needs to calm down and hear you first. Maybe you may come back to your senses.
“Thank you, Maggie.” You nod and give her a small tight-lipped smile. “I’m not sure if I want to keep it or not, but I know that the most logical thing to do in this situation is to abort it, so I’m planning to go with it.” Glancing at Boa, you can still feel the judgement written on her face. “That is why I have an appointment with an obstetrician today. She will run some test, see how far along I am, and if my calculations are correct, I must be around five weeks pregnant. From there I must decide what to do next, which I think I’ve already had my mind set on.”
“Look whatever you’ll decide, we got your back.” Maggie takes your hand in hers and gives it a squeeze.
Glancing at Boa once again, all she does is a slight nod. Hearing that you plan to get rid of it, gives her some hope that you are not crazy enough to actually keep it.
A small smile appears on your face. “Thank you.” You quietly tell them.
Taking her hand away from yours, Marguerite uncomfortably shifts her body on the chair, not knowing what the best way is to word her next question, but she must ask. Saying your name softly to get your attention she sighs. “What about the guy?”
You know what Maggie means by that. You have been asking yourself the same question.
“What about him? He doesn’t need to know shit nor if he does, he has any saying in what she will do. Her body her choice.” Boa jumps in again.
“Of course, Boa. I agree with you that it’s her body and her choice, but he has the right to know.” Maggie tries to explain, aware that Boa will not agree with her.
“Well, none of this would have happened if he knew how to pull out in the first place.” Boa chuckles with a roll of her eyes.
As much as Marguerite doesn’t like how Boa words her comment, she does say something that catches her attention. “Ignoring how bitchy Boa is today-” This remark makes Boa gasps, but your friend ignores her. “Didn’t you say, you two used a condom? I know that they are not a hundred percent safe, but still. Do you think he has also realised that it broke mid act or…?”
Shaking your head, you shrug. “I’m not sure nor will I know.”
“I understand.” Marguerite gives you a small understanding smile. “But still, do you plan to find and tell him?”
“I thought about it, and I know I should, but I’m also afraid.” Reaching with your hand you grab the glass of water in front of you and take a sip of it. “I’m also not sure how to find him. I have a vague memory his name, but if I do see him, I will immediately recognise him, but that is all.”
“Boa, do you know by any chance in which fire station these guys worked at?” Marguerite doubts that Boa will remember but it is worth the shot.
Shaking her head, Boa sighs. “I didn’t even bother to ask because I would have never guessed that we would need it.”
“What if you go around and ask for him? He will be working in one of them.” Maggie awkwardly shrugs.
“Even if I do this, they will not give me a personal information like this one so easily if the reason is not good enough.” Leaning on the back of the chair you lift your hands in the air as frustration towards yourself and the guy starts to build. “On top of it, do you know that there are a hundred and six fire stations in the city? Hundred and six! When I looked it up, I thought to myself – ‘Well, they shouldn’t be more than what thirty?’. But no, of course not, there must be hundred and six.”
None of your friends say anything as they can see how stressful this whole situation is for you.
“Maggie, do you have any friends that work as firefighters or know some who does?” Boa, for a first time since she has heard the news, asks calmly.
“No, I don’t think so.” The blonde woman responds. “I’m trying to think of someone, but no one comes up in my mind.”
With a nod, Boa turns to you and takes your hand in hers. “Hey.” She says more encouraging. “We’ll find him, even if we must go to all hundred and six fire stations, he won’t be impossible to find.”
Looking at her, a smile is placed across her beautiful face. A smile that says – ‘Don’t worry we got your back.’, which makes you relax, because despite what the mess is you are into, your friends always got your back.
Keeping your head low as you walk in into the clinic makes you even more nauseous, but thankfully you still haven’t had the need to throw up. Making your way to the information desk, you wait on the queue as there are two people in front of you.
You have turned down Boa and Maggie’s suggestion to come with you. This is something you want to do by yourself. Something about this first visit feels extremely personal for you, and you want to keep it that way – you, the doctor and … your baby.
Your baby – it sounds so strange. Since you have found out about its existence, you even avoid thinking of it as a baby let alone call it one. You are not one of those who believes that this is a human yet, but now standing here in front of the clinic reception the reality of it is slowly settling in you.
Something has started to grow in you. Something you have always wanted, but not under these circumstances. Despite how wild you used to be, how career oriented you are, you have always wanted to have your own family, but you wanted to do it the right way; you meet the love of your life, you then become a couple for a few years, get engaged, get married, have your honeymoon and then you make the baby. Not make the baby and then the other things to follow, or worse - they never following.
Lost in your thoughts you haven’t released that you are standing in the middle of the information desk with eyes fixed on the floor and head hanged low, until the woman behind the desk calls for your attention. “Miss, is everything okay?”
Snapping out of your thoughts, you shake your head to come to your senses and take a step closer to the desk. “Yes, I’m sorry.” You murmured, your voice trembling from all the stress. “Hello, I have an appointment with Doctor Belladonna.”
With a short nod of her head, the woman at the desk asks for your name and personal number and you quickly pull out your id card, not wanting to speak up as you can’t find your voice. She takes the id card from you and types in all the information she needs. Giving it back to you she tells you where to go and wait for the nurse there to call you.
Walking to the elevator you press the button to the third floor. The doors close and after just a few seconds open again. Stepping out of the elevator you take a left turn and start walking down the hallway. The walls are painted in a light green colour; chairs are placed next to each door of every doctor's room and there are a few people sitting around and waiting for their appointments.
You find where Doctor Belladonna room is, and you take a seat in one of the empty chairs. There is one woman before you with a small but prominent pregnancy belly showing and a little boy, who seems no older than four years old, who she tries to make stay still, so it must be her son. The little boy obviously doesn’t want to sit around and wait for his mother, but he has no choice.
Your leg is bouncing on the ground as your stress level is starting to grow with every passing seconds. Maybe you should have let Boa and Maggie come with you.
A little pocking on your hand makes you look to the side, and you see the little boy looking at you with curiosity. “Why is your leg shaking so much?” Kids. They have no sense of privacy therefore being honest and straightforward is one of their many charms.
His mother gasps and apologise to you as she scolds the boy, but he protests. “But mommy, her leg is super shaky. Maybe she is cold.” This melts your heart. Kids are so pure, they have no idea what stress or worry are, so of course this boy pure little heart thinks that you are just cold.
The mother looks at you with apologetic look. “I’m so sorry.” She tells you, but you give her a small smile and wave with your hand.
“It’s fine. He doesn’t bother me at all.” Looking at the boy you smile at him.
“Are you cold?” He asks once again.
Shaking your head you give him a bigger smile. “No, I’m not. But thank you for checking on me.”
“Then why is your leg shaking?” His voice full of curiosity as he points with his little finger at your bouncy leg.
“I’m just nervous.” You tell him.
“Why?” You can’t help but giggle at his adorable face. Kids are always full of questions.
“Because I’ve never been to such doctor before and I’m a little afraid, that’s why my leg is bouncing so much.” You explain to him, and his face immediately lights up.
“Oh, I understand now.” He claps with his hands. “It’s like when I go to the bad doctor, the one with the big needles and every time before mommy and daddy drive me there my tummy hurts, and I want to poop.” Seeing him and the way he shakes his little head and grabbing his stomach from the memory of the ‘bad’ doctor a soft light laughter escapes your lips. “Are you also having a baby in your tummy like my mommy?” His big Bambi-like eyes fill with excitement as he gently places his hand on your stomach, making your heart skips a beat.
Seeing what her child has done and where his little hand is placed, his mother pulls him away. “Michael, what have I told you about touching people without permission?”
“That it’s bad and I should always ask.” The little boy voice fills with guilt. “I’m sorry for touching your belly without permission.” He tells you; a sad pout placed on his adorable little face.
“It’s alright, Michael. That is your name, right?” The small boy nods eagerly. Giving him your hand for a shake, he takes it, and you tell him yours.
He repeats your name and shoots another question. “Do you have more babies?”
You shake your head. “No, just this one.” With a smile you run your hand gently over the bottom of your stomach but freezes the moment you realise what you are doing. Since you have found out that you are pregnant you never smile at the thought of it, nor run your hands over your stomach so lovingly.
“I was my mommy’s first baby, and now we are going to have a second baby. I hope he is a boy because I want a brother. What is your baby?” The little boy next to you eagerly asks, his face blooming with excitement.
Still shocked by what you have done, you swallow hard before answering the little kid next to you. “I don’t know.” You really don’t know. Does it even matter? Boy or a girl, you will probably never know. This pregnancy won’t be it anyway. As your best friend has said – you must be mad crazy if you decide to keep it.
The door of Doctor Belladonna’s room opens and a young short woman step from it, dressed in a light blue nurse uniform. She tells the woman sitting next to you that she will be let in in about two minutes and then she turns to you. “(Y/N), right?” You just nod to her question. “Perfect. I need you to come with me to run some blood test that should be done by the time you meet with Doctor Belladonna, so please may you follow me so we can get them done.”
Getting up from the chair you follow behind her, but not before telling the little boy and his mother goodbye, as you are not sure if they will be here once you come back.
The nurse is very gentle with you. You don’t feel any pain or discomfort as she runs the test. She also takes your measurements and weight as she needs to fill quite lot of information about you and your medical record to make Doctor Belladonna works faster and easier.
“Okay, we are done here. You can go back and when your time comes, I’ll call for you.” She smiles at you and then disappears, leaving you alone.
Making your way back you bump into someone you wish you would have. Kalifa. An old classmate of you and Boa, which you two could not stand. She has always been a mean girl, especially towards you. Why of all places you happen to meet her here?
“Wow, (Y/N). What a strange coincidence. What are you doing here?” She runs her eyes up and down your body, scanning it for any flaws.
“Kalifa.” You fake a smile. “Yes, what a coincidence. What are yo-” Finally looking her up and down, your eyes land on the ultrasound pics she is holding in her hands. Well, guess you aren’t the only one knocked up. By the looks of it she is still quite early, as the belly is not visible at all and her body is still toned up and nice. “Congratulations.” You nod at her, now more politely.
“Thank you.” She says with a cocky smile as she tosses her long blond hair to the side. “It’s so hard being in the fifth month you know.”
Your eyes widen and you blink in disbelief. Fifth month? And she is as skinny and toned as she has always been? God does have favourite after all.
“What about you?” She raises one of her thin eyebrows up. Next thing she does is mentioning your ex’s name and your blood runs cold. “Didn’t know you two are still together, I swear I heard you two broke up. Guess, babies do fix some relationships.”
“We’re not together.” You harshly reply. “Nor am I pregnant. I’m here with a friend of mine. She should be out soon.” Kalifa is one if the last people you will let making fun of you, especially after all the things you have been through.
“Whatever. My husband is waiting for me.” Raising her hand up, she shows you a big diamond rock placed on her index finger with a beautiful weeding band under it. “What can I say, some of us are lucky, aren’t we?” She gives you one last mocking smile, and walks pass you, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Frozen in the middle of the hallway the doctor’s door open and the nurse from earlier calls out your name. “You can come in.” She says and gets back inside.
Swallowing hard you just nod. Seeing Kalifa might be for good. A reminder that you don’t want this. A reminder that things should be happening a certain way. In a way that you have always wanted it.
Stepping into the doctor’s room, she meets you with a warm smile. Doctor Belladonna is said to be one of the best obstetricians in the city, known for taken an exceptional care of her patients and aways deliver healthy babies. You won’t be needing her for that long, but you still want to be taken care of in the best way possible.
She stands up to meet and greet you, as she stretches her hand for you in a handshake. She is a bit taller than you, dark haired and with quite sharp and prominent cheekbones. Big round and pink glasses are placed on top of her head.
“Please take a seat.” She says and gestures with her hand towards the bed attached to ultrasound machine. You nod and take a seat at the edge of it.
Looking around the room while she looks at your test results, your anxiety is starting to peek up. There are many posters of pregnant women or mothers with big smiles holding their babies, which only makes the situation for you worse.
Your leg starts once again to bounce, and you grab a strand of your hair in attempt to distract yourself.
Taking a seat on the small chair with wheels attached on the bottom of it, Doctor Belladonna moves closer to you as she crosses one leg over the other and looks at you with a smile still placed on her face. Her eyes shift between you and then the papers with the results in her hands she finally speaks up.
“Well, (Y/N), one thing I can confirm is that you are pregnant.”
This much you know. After all, three pregnancy tests with two lines could mean nothing else but a baby, right? A small part of you wished it wasn’t the case, that they were all wrong, but they weren’t. Everything is correct. You are pregnant.
“By the looks of the blood test, you are healthy, but we still going to check you up with the ultrasound to see if everything with the little one is as well.” She gets up from the chair and turns around to prepare whatever she needs from the machine. “If you may unbutton your pants and lay down.”
Letting go of your hair, with shaking hands you unbutton the top of your pants and slightly roll them down.
With her peripheral vision, doctor Belladonna notices your nervousness. She turns around and comes closer to you as she holds a bottle in her hand. “Are you comfortable?” All you do is nod. “Okay. Now relax. Ultrasound is harmless, neither you nor the embryo will fill anything.” She explains as she puts on some gloves and takes the bottle she has been holding and opening it. Squeezing it gently a transparent liquid comes from it. “You might feel a little bit of a chill from the gel, but it will pass in a few seconds.”
She applies the gel on the bottom of your belly and gently spread it around before turning on the ultrasound and runs it where the gel is. As much as you want to avoid looking at it, you can’t help it, and your eyes are glued to the screen.
A contented hum comes from the doctor, and she points with her finger at the screen. “You see, there is the embryo.” She looks back at you and smile.
It is barely visible. It is just a tiny little dot on the dark screen, barely the size of a lentil, but you spot it.
Doctor Belladonna is talking to you, but you are not really listening. You are lost in your thoughts and not present at all in the room.
This whole thing terrifies you. The more the doctor next to you talks the more the reality of it all hits you. Your heart is beating fast, and your mouth runs dry. A bit of cold sweat runs down your forehead.
Eyes still fixed on the screen in front of your face; you can’t move your eyes from the screen and the little dot on it.
“I can hear a bit of a cardiac pulse.” Doctor Belladonna announces. “Do you hear it as well?”
Slowly moving your eyes from the screen, you look at the doctor for just a second and then back. Swallowing hard you ask her. “Wait, it has a heart already?”
A light laughter comes from the woman next to you. “No, it’s a bit too early for the embryo to have a heart, but it’s developing. If you focus and listen you will hear a slight cardiac pulse, which means you’re already six weeks pregnant.” She calmly explains. “Now listen.”
It is a strange feeling to explain what you felt the moment you hear the sound of the pulse coming from the little dot on the screen. Part of you can listen to it for hours, another part screams at you to come to your senses. This isn’t right. You are not supposed to love or fall for this.
Pulling the ultrasound away, Doctor Belladonna gives you a few napkins to wipe out the gel from your belly. Once you get all of it away, you button up your jeans and sit up on the bed.
“There you go.” Doctor Belladonna says as he hands you a picture of the ultrasound. With trembling fingers, you take it and look at it.
The little dot is there. Barely visible, but the doctor has marked it so you can spot it easier. In the corner of the ultrasound picture is written the date of today, how big the dot is and which week it is.
Doctor Belladonna can’t ignore your shaken presence anymore and she calls out your name until she gets your attention. “I can’t pretend that I don’t see how shaken and stressed you are.” Her dark brown eyes are full of sympathy. “As a doctor and part of your first exam, I must ask you if you are with an abusive partner or one who might cause you trouble during the pregnancy?”
Shaking your head you inhale deeply. “No, nothing like this.” It is worse than this, but how you tell someone you just have met that you got knocked up by a stranger whom you have no idea if you will be able to find. “I’m just not sure if I want to keep it. That’s all.”
Doctor Belladonna nods understandingly. “It’s entirely your choice. If we proceed with abortion, I just advise you to do it as soon as possible due the fact that you’re six weeks pregnant, for your safety I recommend you doing it by latest week nine.”
Looking at her, you bite the insides of your cheeks. “Do you perform the procedure yourself?”
“Yes, I do.” She softly smiles.
Hearing that you are considering ending your pregnancy, Doctor Belladonna explains to you how the procedure goes and why she has advised you to do it by week nine so it can be medically done and not by a surgery. She informs you about the aftermath of the procedure and how long it will take for you to recover.
Despite all this she proscribes you some pills and vitamins you should take until you make up your mind, in case you want to keep it. You two also agree to speak a week, when you will have a clear answer about what decision you have taken.
By the time your appointment with her is done, you feel a bit calmer. It is nice to know that it is all up to you whenever or not you will keep the Dot or not. You have made your mind that for now on you will be calling it – the Dot. Calling it a baby feels too scary and calling it an embryo just doesn’t sits right with you. Giving it its small size Dot feels like the perfect name to refer to it.
Your therapist is quite surprised by the news she hears. Of all the things she has expected to hear today from you, given your tired face, eyes filled with worry and body language screaming anxiety, the last thing she has thought of is the news that you are pregnant.
“When did you find out?” Nico Robin asks.
“Three or four days ago. Something like this.” You shrug, wrapping your arms around you, trying to protect yourself from the world around you.
“Have you checked with a doctor?”
You nod. “I’m six weeks pregnant.”
“I assume it’s from the guy you slept with not long ago?” You nod again to her question. “Do you plan to keep it?”
That is when you cannot hold it anymore and the tears you have been holding for so long starts pouring down your face like a waterfall. “I don’t know.” You say in between sobs. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I should get rid of it, because-” Chocking on a sob you press the palms of your hands to your forehead, the tips of your fingers pulling the roots of your hair. “I-I know t-that this is the r-right choice and thing to do-” Another sob tears apart from your chest. “B-but… I-I’m not sure I-I want this.”
Seeing your current state, Nico Robin puts aside her diary and gets up from her comfortable chair. She sits down next to you on the sofa and wraps her arms around your figure. “It’s fine to feel this way.” She softly says, running her hands up and down your back, trying to calm you dawn a bit. “I can’t imagine how scared you are right now, but I can promise you that your fears and reaction are valid and normal, and I’m proud of you, and how you have managed to handle all of it until now.” She pulls away from you and takes your hands in hers. “Please, focus on me right now and take deep breaths.”
Robin starts to count from one to ten and lets you know when to inhale and exhale. You are not sure how long you have been doing it, but soon your heartbeat returns to normal, and your tears start to dry.
“When you feel ready to speak, I’m here and I’m listening.” She gives you some space as she sits back on her chair and patiently waits for you.
“I don’t know how to find him.” Is all you say.
“Don’t you remember where he lives?” Robin knows all about your night spent with the nice and charming firefighter you met. She knows how you ran away in the morning and never bothered to get any of his contacts.
“I don’t.” Looking down at your hands, you grab a strand of your hair and start twisting your fingers around the edge of it. “I ran away and stopped running after four or more streets. I don’t even remember from which street I took the taxi home.”
The more you remember from that morning the more ashamed and embarrassed you feel. How could you be so stupid that you didn’t even bother to look around where you were? Given the fact how bit the city is, you will probably spend at least two weeks passing by every street for a chance to meet him.
“I was considering going to every fire station, but they are hundred and six!” You throw your hands in the air in disbelief. “Hundred and six fire stations? Can you believe it? I mean, are there that many fire accidents that happen in this city to need hundred and six fire stations?”
Running your hand through your hair, you shake your head and sigh. “To be honest, I don’t know if I should tell him.” Looking down, you place your hand on your stomach. “Especially if I decide to end the pregnancy.”
You can’t help but think of the sound of the pulse of your little Dot. Its little heart is not even developed yet but knowing that soon it will be not just a pulse, but a real heart, makes you want to cry.
“If you were me…” Your voice is a bit raw and quiet. “Would you have found and tell him?” Glancing with teary eyes at your therapist, you hope she will have the answers you are looking for.
A deep sigh escapes her chest. She doesn’t know what to tell you, because at the end you are the one who should make the choice. Morally speaking – the right thing to do is to find the guy and let him know that he might be a father, whenever you decide to keep the baby or not. If you have been a hundred percent sure that you will get rid of it, she does not see it as a very bad thing if you never find and tell him, but that is where one of the biggest problem lays in this situation - that you don’t know what you want.
“Please, Robin.” You and she have been on a first name basis for a long time now. “I beg you, answer me as yourself, not as my therapist.”
It is easier said than done what you are asking of her. Nodding, Nico Robin takes a deep breath. “I would find and tell him, if I want to keep it and if I am doubting it. I would only not tell him if I was a hundred percent sure that I don’t want the baby.”
You listen to her and think for a bit. She has a point. But telling him might be risky. “What if I tell him and he doesn’t want me to abort it? Or worse I decide to keep it, and he doesn’t want to even acknowledge it? What if I fail at being a single mother?”
All the questions and fears you have are valid. Crossing one leg over the other, Robin adjusts the frames of her tin glasses before answering some of your worries. “First of all, no one can say anything regardless your choices especially when it comes to your body and mental health.” The tone of her voice is serious, making sure you understand that no one can make you do something you don’t want to do. “Regarding your worries if he doesn’t want to acknowledge the child and leave you as a single mother, I’m confident enough to say that I think you will be an amazing mother with or without a man next to you. There are many mothers out there that have raised their children alone and they have done it perfectly, so there is no doubt that you can do it, too.”
You cannot believe that someone like your therapist, Nico Robin, see so much potential in someone like you. “You really think that if I have to raise a child of my own, I will manage it?”
A gentle smile spread across her beautiful face. “I’m positive that you will.”
Nodding slowly, you swallow hard. “I know this might sound strange, but do you have any friend working in a fire station department to help me find him?”
Taking her glasses off, Robin slightly tilts her head up a bit, thinking if she might have any friends or acquaintances working in the fire department of the city. Humming she slowly nods her head. “I think I might have a friend who might help. His name is Franky, he owns a mechanic shop, and if I remember correctly, he made some deal with some of the fire stations in the city to do monthly check-ups on their trucks.” Looking at you, she sees a bit of hope sparkling in your eyes. “Do you remember his name at least?”
Pressing the pads of your finger on your temple, you try your best to remember his name. It is short and it is not very common, but you have heard it before on other guys as well. “It was something with A…” Getting some of the memories from the night you met the charming man, you try your best to remember. Your eyes shoot open when the memory of you two playing poker pops out. “Ace. His name is Ace.”
“Are you a hundred percent sure that this is his name?” Robin raises one of her eyebrows at you.
Nodding eagerly, a big smile grows on your face. “Yes, I’m sure. Because we played poker together and every time, I had an Ace of Space I would make fun of him.”
“Okay. That is nice that at least we have his name. If you could also remember what he looks like I can tell Franky, and he can ask around for him.”
You describe the guy and Robin writes it down. She makes the phone call while you are still there and lucky you, she has remembered correctly that her friend has been involved with some of the fire stations in town. Robin is professional enough to not say why she is asking for such a favour of her friend, but he promises her that he will ask around and let her now.
Now all you must do is wait and see if you will be lucky enough to find your baby daddy this easily.
END NOTE: I hope you liked this chapter and plan to stick for more. I have so much fun writing this story and I can’t wait to put out more of it for you to read ♡
I know that this was only Reader focused, but in the next chapter you are getting quite lot of Ace so be patient ♡
Also I want to say - I’m all about women making their own choices with their bodies!!! I am a big women rights supporter and having the choice to keep the baby or not for me is entirely up to the woman carrying the baby!!!
All feedback is welcomed by me ♡ I appreciate every like, comment, reblog and message from you ♡ Thank you ♡
