The Amity Affliction (Ahren Stringer) *COMPLETED*

Chapter Twelve

9 MONTHS LATER

NINA

'Congratulations here are your beautiful twins; you must be happy having a girl and a boy. Are you sure we can't call anyone?'

The nurse hands me two blanket bundles; the pink blanket held my daughter while the blue held my son. I'd given birth to twins alone in some hospital in Australia since I'd decided after that day in the hotel the only person I could trust was myself so I'd raise my children on my own.

'No thank you, no one would care,' I reply calmly, overjoyed to have two bundles of joy in my life.

The nurse sighs and leaves my hospital room.

3 MONTHS LATER

Having two three-month-old babies was challenging for a single mum, but I coped as well as I could. I'd come back to Australia and moved my things out of Dan's and found a modest two-bedroom apartment I could afford while I tried to sell some of my art to pay the bills. Now I'd established myself as a freelance artist under a different name so none of The Amity Affliction could track me down and I wasn't having any issues.

That didn't mean I didn't wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and cry when I saw the empty spot next to me in bed and wished Ahren was there. It would also be nice to have someone else get up when the babies started crying. But then I had to remember he cheated on me and I didn't want him to ruin mine or the kid's lives.

Today I was taking a walk through a park with the babies in the pram when I accidentally bump the pram into someone because I wasn't looking where I was going.

'Oh god I'm so sorry, are you okay?'

The guy laughs, and I tense up recognising that laugh anywhere, and when our eyes lock, he stops laughing and we stare at each other like we'd seen a ghost. Ryan of all people stood in front of me.

'Nina is that you?' he asks, shocked.

I wanted to lie and run away, but I'd hidden for too long, 'yes, it's me Ryan.'

Next thing I know he cracks a smile and pulls me into a bear hug squeezing me tightly to reassure himself that I was real. God, I missed him so much.

'You just left us, all we got was an ominous letter. We thought something bad had happened to you. Are you looking after someone's kids?'

Ryan pulls back and stares down at the pram.

'These are my kids, Ryan, say hello to Sarah and Mike.'

He crouches down in front of the pram and waves, and the twin's wave back and smile with toothy grins, 'hello Sarah and Mike I'm your Uncle Ryan. Who's your daddy?'

I sigh, 'err Ahren's the father, Ryan. When I was feeling ill Heather took me to the hospital and the doctors ran a blood test and when we were in Madrid, I got the results saying I was pregnant. It looks like Ahren didn't wear a condom like he told me he did.'

Ryan stands up, and I instantly see he was starting to rage, 'I'm going to kill that bastard. Does he know?'

I scuff my shoes, 'I went to tell him in the hotel, but he'd invited Amy to the hotel and they were having sex. God, I'm an idiot, I should have listened to you guys in the first place.'

Sitting down on a nearby bench, I slump down defeated. Ryan sits down next to me and puts an arm around my shoulder, 'that explains why Amy came back into the frame, as soon as you left he said he was back with her because you'd ended things. Here's the kicker Nina, Amy was pregnant.'

I stare at Ryan, stunned at what I was hearing, so Amy was pregnant, and she was back with Ahren. If my heart was slowly starting to heal again because of Ahren, it had just broken again hearing he'd moved on quickly and had a kid with Amy of all people.

'I see, how are the guys? Do they hate me?'

Ryan shakes his head, 'we all hated you to start with but then hate turned into distress and then emptiness. They'd love to see you again if you're up to it Nina, we're actually at the studio.'

Now I felt awful for just upping and leaving, I probably could have stuck it out, but I was scared. I wanted to see the guys again, everyone but Ahren.

'I'll come to the studio with you as long as I can bring the kids.'

I couldn't hide forever, and maybe meeting Ryan was the kick in the ass I needed to get some of my old life back.

~Studio~

DAN

Ryan was taking his time getting us food. Ahren had left ten minutes ago having to go home because Amy needed help with the baby. Once he was gone Joel let out his frustration on his guitar breaking it and calling Ahren an idiot for thinking the baby was even his, Amy slept around and the numbers didn't quite add up, but he refused to get a DNA test.

We still weren't over his betrayal to Nina, it was pretty convenient she leaves just as he agrees to take Amy back, I'd never stopped stressing about my best friend, especially when we returned from tour and all her stuff had been moved out of the apartment. I hoped she was okay wherever she was, I wanted to see again and tell her whatever happened between her and Ahren she could tell me and I wouldn't be mad.

Ryan pushes open the studio and walks in wearing a large smile, 'I got us something better than food. Say hello to an old friend and some new faces.'

He steps aside and in walks Nina pushing a pram with two small babies strapped in.

'Hi guys, long time no see guys.'

Heather who'd come along because she was bored jumps up and all but runs towards Nina, and crouches in front of the pram, 'I knew you were pregnant Nina but damn twins."

Joel clears his throat, 'did you know about this?'

Nina chews her lip and steps forwards, 'don't get mad at her Joel I had her keep my pregnancy secret. And if you're wondering who the dad is Ahren's the father.'

If my jaw could hit the floor, it would have. Ahren had gone and gotten Nina pregnant. Nina meets my eyes and tears start to forms in both our eyes.

'Come here, Nina.'

'I've missed you so much, Dan.'

We meet halfway in the studio and hug like hugging was going out of fashion. She hadn't changed much in a year, well minus the kids. We pull back after a few minutes.

'Are you going to introduce me to my niece and nephew?'

Nina laughs, "Dan, Joel and Heather say hello to Sarah and Mike."

The rest of the guys swarm the pram, the kids not at all scared but instead loving all the attention. It was clear Sarah took after her mum while Mike was the spitting image of Ahren.

'What happened Nina?' I ask.

She pulls out of my embrace and slumps onto the sofa, 'the only time Ahren and I slept together was the night of the last Australian show. I got ill in Europe and got pregnancy results in Madrid. When I went to tell Ahren I saw Amy walk into his hotel room and they were having sex, I was mad and scared, so I ran away instead of facing my problems.'

'Poor baby, come here and let Dan hug your problems away.'

She giggles and snuggles into me. Joel was fussing over Mike, while Heather and Ryan fussed over Sarah.'

'It feels good to have my family back, Dan; I'm sorry for leaving you.'

I lean down and kiss the top of her head, 'family looks out for each other through thick and thin.'

Nina yawns, and for the first time, I catch a glimpse of the bags under her eyes and how tired she looked. How she'd looked after herself and two small kids I'd never know, she was the strongest person I knew, but everyone needs help.