whirlwind

Three - Understanding

"Stop."

The voice repeated, this time calmer. Slowly, she turned over her shoulder, only to see Nicolas Callaghan standing a few feet away, her letter crumpled in his left hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked him, a bit of snap in her voice.

"Me?" Nicolas rebounded, stepping towards her. "What are you doing?"

"You know exactly what I'm doing," she said, realizing this was the longest conversation she ever had with him.

"A false pre-"

"It's not false. I took four tests at the hospital. They're all positive."

His face turned at that, into one of shock.

"I can't do this. You don't understand. My father would kill me, my mother- I'm too young to be pregnant. And I know you know who I am - who my father is."

His eyes watched the girl, partially in shock of her knowledge, partially in seeing if she was bluffing or not.

Before he could get another word in, a bolt of lightning cracked and rain poured down on them.

"I understand I was nothing more than a one-night-stand, but did you single me out? Was it a power move? Sleep with the daughter of Hugh Williams, your biggest rival?"

Cara's vision hazed, and she wasn't sure whether it was the rain from the clouds or the rain coming from her eyes. Now or never.

So she took a step back, and braced herself for impact. Hopefully she wouldn't break too many bones.

Instead, she looked up into the same pair of eyes that she had looked into the night that all of this started.

His hand had wrapped around her wrist and pulled her onto solid land, safe.

"I'm afraid that your decision shouldn't be made so rashly, love." Nicolas spoke in a surprisingly soft tone. "You need to think."

The journey was hazy as Nicolas pulled her into his sleek vehicle and drove her to his house. It took her a minute to adjust, once they were there, only to realize that he had walked her inside his house.

Sighing as she shivered, he had her cradled in his arms as he walked over to the couch, setting her down on it.

Cara frowned, looking up at him through her wet hair. He was only gone for a second before he returned, a blanket in hand.

He tossed it to her.

"We wouldn't want you to catch hypothermia, now would we, Cara?"

She huffed and covered herself quickly with the blanket, mostly to cover her shock that he remembered her name.

"Nicolas!"

"Brother!"

Two distinct voices yelled out, causing Cara to flinch, and meet Nicolas' amused expression.

He turned to face the people who had called for him, a blonde man, dressed formally, just as he did, and a woman with short, golden hair and casual looking clothes.

She called him brother — so maybe this was a sister?

Their eyes found Cara in an instant and she immediately shifted under the intense gaze.

It was when the man's mouth flew open in shock that she knew she had really gotten herself in trouble.

"Is it true?" He asked and turned to Nicolas. Perhaps he had seen the note.

Nicolas, however, only nodded.

"Cara, love, I'd like you to meet my brother, Alexander and my sister, Elizabeth."

Cara nodded, unable to speak at the sound of her teeth chattering and her body shivering.

She was quite cold, after all.

"She's freezing," Elizabeth complained, walking over to the younger girl and helping her up, guiding her out of the main room, where the men's eyes were still on her. "Come with me."

She led Cara to the kitchen where she began to make what one could only imagine to be tea, before turning to the soaking wet blonde, a pleasant, warm smile on her face.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen," Cara whispered, eyes downcast.

"Oh, you poor thing," Elizabeth murmured, her eyes searching.

Cara sighed, a humorless laugh coming from her throat. "It's really that bad, isn't it?"

She tilted her head. "Look, the last thing I want to do is come off as insensitive, but are you sure it's his?"

Understanding where she came from, Cara nodded. "I've never been with anyone else," she confessed quietly.

"Look," Elizabeth spoke softly. "When it comes to Nicolas, girls come and go. None stay — but none have ever been pregnant."

A door opening captured Cara's attention, and she turned, seeing the man, Alexander, enter with Nicolas following behind.

Elijah walked over to her, extending his hand. She shook it, giving him a soft smile as he returned the gesture.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Cara."

"You as well," she added. She was raised to be polite, even when those didn't appear much older than her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Elizabeth hand her the tea, which she gladly took and began to sip as Nicolas started talking.

"Listen, as long as you cooporate we will, too."

Cara was extremely off-put, and Alexander let out a chuckle at his brother's words. "What Nicolas means to say, is that the choice here is yours. And whatever you decide, know that all three of us will be here to help you through the the way, whether you need something - anything at all, feel free to contact us."

"And, I expect you to stop by once every single day," Nicolas piped in.

Cara smiled softly, nodding her thanks, and laughing softly at Nicolas' standards.

It was going to be difficult, and school and her parents would be a whole other story, but right now, she could picture herself raising a child, and knowing that he or she would be safe within this family.

And Cara found herself growing attached to the idea that this child would be the only person in her life who would love her unconditionally. The thought was comforting.

"Alright," she spoke softly. "I want to keep the baby," she murmured, placing her hand on her stomach as Elizabeth embraced her in a side hug.

"Then, come on, little dove, let's get you home," Nicolas spoke, holding his hand out for her.

This was the beginning of her new life, she decided.