Extinguished

~16~ Friends

Taylor's POV

I've been feeling like an idiot ever since I touched Ellie's forehead. How could I have been so stupid?

She looked horrible. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes. She even had sweat on her forehead. I thought for sure she had a fever. Before I know it, I'm touching her. When she flinched away from my touch, it hurt.

We all thought it was strange that the two decided to gas up the rig during dinner. She must've been so upset with what I'd done, that she needed to get out for a bit.

I go into my office to escape.

"She's never going to take you back, you know. She literally recoiled from your touch." Jessica sneers, standing in my doorway.

I spring from my chair and am in her face in an instant.

"I don't know where you got the idea that you could speak to a Lieutenant like that, but this is your final warning. I will not tell you again. This disrespect happens one more time, and I will make sure your ass is demoted to pencil pusher. Got me?"

She jumps back a little as she turns around and leaves silently. I hate her.

I sit at my desk, still seething, when Megan comes knocking on my door.

"Preston, I'm telling you this because you're my friend. I'm still mad at you, but you will always be my friend."

I just stare at her. What is going on with her?

"You need to go to Ellie, right now."

I'm out of my seat in a second.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I leave the office.

"She's in the bathroom. Just go. Now."

I run to the bathroom at a dead sprint. For all I know she could be dying. As soon as I get in the door, though, I freeze.

She's sitting on the ground with her knees up to her chest and her head is between her knees. Sobbing. I can't understand what the problem is, and why Megan thinks I need to be here.

That's when I see it.

The blood drains from my face—I feel like I'm about to leave my body. I walk over there slowly, and look at the test in her hands.

I don't know what it means; I've never seen a pregnancy test before. However, there are two pink lines. The way she's crying, holding the test, it doesn't take an idiot to figure out that the test is positive.

Holy crap.

Before I can think of what I'm doing, I'm suddenly sitting on the ground with her, with my arms around her. This can't be real life.

She cries for a few minutes longer. I'm silently grateful for that. I'm still having trouble getting my thoughts together.

She stops sobbing as she straightens out her back and leans against the wall, resting her head on the wall and closing her eyes. Tears are still silently falling down.

I just stare at her; I don't know what to say.

"I forgot I was on that antibiotic for my UTI."

I remember her having that, but I don't know what that has to do with anything.

"Antibiotics can make birth control ineffective."

She still hasn't opened her eyes. Tears are still silently falling.

Understanding washes over me. I've been trying to figure out how this had happened. Ellie is the spokesperson for safe sex. Half the time she still made me wear a condom.

I take my hand in hers, hoping she knows I'm here. She will never be alone for any of this.

She finally opens her eyes and looks at me. "I did it again. I messed up another man's life. I'm so sorry, Taylor. There isn't any pressure at all. The door is open if you want it, but you don't have to take it."

She's trying to give me an out? Has she lost her mind? I would do anything to have Liam as my son. She really thinks I would turn my back on my own child?

"I'm not going anywhere." I say quietly. Confidently.

She looks at me again and smiles a watery smile.

"What are we going to do?" She asks me, all the energy drained out of her.

"We will figure it out, Ellie Jane," I say kissing the top of her head softly.

This time she doesn't recoil from my touch. She actually leans into me and lets me hold her a moment longer.

Even if I can't have a romantic relationship with her, maybe she and I can at least have what she and Alex have. Maybe I don't have to lose her completely.

Excitement washes through me as I think about the baby. My baby. I'm going to be a dad. Ellie is going to be the mom.

I decide then that I hope it's a girl. A little girl with Ellie's huge chocolate brown eyes. I smile at that thought as I rest my cheek on her hair.

I'm going to be a dad!