Change.

A certain thing people feared or sought for. Change wasn't something new to me. I had experienced so many variations in my life I think I beat the average person. But after years of looking at change as a hopeful thing... It suddenly twisted into a scary thought.

Pregnant.

The thought brought an uneasy feeling to coil in my stomach. For once I had a plan: to get my nursing degree, get a nursing job, work together with Declan than a baby. Everything seemed to be on track. I worked my butt off this semester to make up for my suffering grades. Declan wholeheartedly supported my path, and I felt more confident showing off my smarts.

But this child threw a wrench into our arrangements. Declan's well-off, but I don't want to mooch off his parent's money to support this baby. With our part-time jobs, we could barely meet the marks to purchase an apartment in the city. Yet, the irrational part of myself got excited at a mini Novak growing inside me.

Declan never half-hearted anything. If he was doing it, then he would go full force. Our baby would be extremely loved and appreciated by both of us. If he or she wanted to be good at school, then Declan would handle the region. If they preferred to take the easy route in their life, then I'll be there to support and love them.

"We are here," Declan announced, pulling my gaze from the vacant streets I've been staring at.

My stomach was in knots, bringing memories of the several times I'd been rushed to the hospital. It wasn't bad as those times; my mother's death, Declan's father's heart attack. Today it could be a positive outcome something a lot of people don't experience when arriving here.

The woman working the front desk was busy, the telephone rang but she was busy typing something on the computer in front of her. Desks lined up behind her but the one we stood at must've been for emergencies.

"Can we get a pregnancy test?" Declan asked, causing the pool of heat to form on my cheeks.

She looked up from the screen, without a smile or any sign of friendliness. "Alright. Please fill out this questionnaire." She handed a clipboard and pen over to Declan. "And I'll need a urine sample."

Declan wrapped his hand over the cup and handed it over to me. "Here. Go ahead." He tilted his head over to the bathroom.

I skeptically stared at the plain clear cup. This bathroom trip would alter our lives in ways we could never imagine. No matter the results, I've been affected by the baby flu. All of my fear washed away with an image of Declan and I holding our baby. Smiling and celebrating our little bundle of joy.

Peeing was harder than I thought. But I had managed to hand over the cup back to the experts and sat patiently in the waiting room. Declan looked so handsome with his arms leaning on his long legs and his sophistic gaze. I felt out of place compared to the pregnant mother's around us and I started shaking my leg because of it.

"Aren't you embarrassed to be in a place like this?" I asked, rubbing my hands on my knees.

"No. I'm going to be a doctor. The smell of hospital is rather calming," Declan responded his tone unwavering any sign of emotion.

Unlike myself, Declan wasn't the type to wear his heart on his sleeve. Figuring out the thoughts running through his head was like taking a course in coding. At the beach, it almost seemed like he was angry about the situation. But during the car ride, neither of us uttered a word and stayed lodged in our heads instead.

"Hey, Declan," I said, causing his head to turn in my direction. "What did you think when you first heard about the baby?"

His beautiful plump lips parted, and his gaze lowered down to the floor. "Uhh..."

"Lana Novak?" A nurse announced in her adorable white uniform with a pleasant grin.

"Yes!" I accidentally squealed as I jumped from my seat from pure excitement. Then realization sunk in and the anxiety settled in my stomach. "I-I'm going."

Declan sent a reassuring smile.

The walk to the room felt like centuries. A million scenarios played through my mind before I even approached the door. For a split second, I imagined myself strolling around the hospital in my adorable nursing uniform spreading joy to others.

When our gaze connected, I instantly dropped my head. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Declan."

Declan released a sigh of relief. "So... you're not pregnant after all."

My face scrunched up in anguish. "No, I'm not. I'm sorry! I made a big...big... mistake." I played with my fingers as the sense of embarrassment grew. "The doctor said it was just indigestion, and my period should start soon."

"God." Declan rubbed his chin. "You should've checked with the doctor first. I don't blame you. I'm sure my mom blew things out of proportion."

Guilt ate at my heart. "But I made her so hopeful..."

Declan draped his arm over my shoulders, pushing me against his chest. "Don't stress yourself out. If you're not pregnant, you're not pregnant. What else can we say?"

I blinked, glancing down my empty belly. "But... I can't believe it wasn't a baby."

He pecked my head before standing up from his seat and reaching his large hand out to me. "Come on, let's go get some ice cream."

The pure black of the night was my comfort, the blanket of generous velvet kept me safe. It was the pure black that made the moon so beautiful, that made a stage for her to stand upon. The stars shined above the passing clouds of ink just like night five years ago when I wished to tell Declan how I felt.

My rainbow-favored ice cream only made the enjoyment of staring at the stars better.

"What's wrong?" Declan asked, shoving a spoonful of coffee-favored ice cream in his mouth. "Are you depressed? Want to borrow my sweater? It's pretty cold and you're eating ice cream."

A smile teased on my lips. "Hey, you offered to buy me some! Anyway, I'm fine. My stomach is weak, but my body is strong but I'm stupid."

"You're right."

My lips pursed in dismay. "You're supposed to disagree!"

A snort escaped from his lips. "How can I disagree?"

I narrowed my eyes into murderous slits at his comment until I forgot what he had said. The sky took over my mind again and I laid my head on his shoulder. The warmth coming off his body was enough to keep me toasted.

"I like looking at the stars with you. I hope we'll always look at things together," I expressed looking dreamily into Declan's gaze.

To my surprise, Declan placed a small peck on my cheek causing them to turn fifty shades of red. "Yeah, me too."

Even after three years of being married, I wasn't used to his affectionate side. Declan isn't into the PDA but if he wanted to kiss me in public, he would. I adored being surprised and taken into another world when he smooched me. Our love languages were slowly meshing together and helped make sure neither of us felt neglected.

"At the hospital, you asked me what I thought when you told me you were pregnant," Declan began, smoothing his ice cream with the spoon.

With the reveal of false pregnancy, I had forgotten all about that question. "Oh, yeah."

"And when you first told me you were pregnant at the beach, to be honest..." Declan rolled a scoop on his spoon and hovered it over my mouth. "My mind went totally blank."

My lips parted giving the perfect opportunity for him to thrust the ice cream in my mouth. "Huh?"

"But at the hospital, I was thinking while you were with the doctor for a checkup. I did have a suspension that you weren't... but if... you really were. In those few, short minutes... I felt like a parent." A small smile sneaked on his lips.

A teasing smile grew on my face as I nudged my elbow in his belly. "So how did it feel to be a dad?"  

His grin grew wider. "I liked it."

My heart swelled with so much love. I wasn't the only one who was engulfed in the wonderful things being a parent entailed. All my anxiety diminished into floating bubbles as relief plagued my body. Declan loved being a 'parent' just as much as I did.

I licked my spoon. "Me too!"

Chills ran down my spine as his fingers glided over my chin, lifting it to face his handsome one. "Do you want to know what I'm thinking right now?"

My eyes brightened in curiosity. "Yes!"

Declan wrapped his arms tighter around me, snuggled his nose in my hair, and inhaled deeply. "Are you wearing the shampoo I brought you?"

"Stop trying to change the conversation and tell me what you're thinking!"

"Hmm-mm." Declan's chest vibrated as he hummed. "Aren't you the most patient girl in the world?"

Declan tucked my hair behind my ears and gazed lovingly into my eyes. In slow sensual motion, he glided his finger over my bottom lip while his tongue moistened his lips.

"I kind of want a baby now." With his hand on the back of my head, he pushed our face together colliding our lips at last.

His hands traveled to my waist, I ran my fingers through the strands of his hair and deepened the kiss. Almost as if instinctively, Declan took control of the kiss and his hands traveled south until his fingers brushed over my bare thighs. He slipped his tongue into my mouth and a sweet kiss quickened into one of passion and need.

Declan lightly bit onto my bottom lip before he broke the kiss and pulled away. I breathless stared into his dilated pupils and gnawed on my lip while he sported the brightest grin on his face.

"Should we make one?"

A bright crimson crept up to my cheeks and I was at a loss for words at the moment. "I-I would love to...But not in the middle of a park."

Declan gripped my chin and placed a firm yet loving kiss over my lips. "Why not? Isn't good for a relationship to keep our sex life alive? Doesn't that mean trying new places?"

"Why don't we just do some role-playing? You always like it when I play a nurse." I smirked with a mischievous gaze.

He kissed my forehead and stared at me with a tiny grin. "Why don't we get to baby-making then?" Declan stood from the bench and reached his hand out for me.

"Okay, but can we maybe stop for some sushi? I'm hungry," I stated, feeling the butterflies swarm in my belly when our hands connected.

Declan shook his head with a cheeky smile. "I can't believe you're still hungry after eating four hamburgers."

I giggled. "That was only my starter round. And this ice cream." I bit the ending of the cone. "Was only a snack."

"Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky," he said, stealing a bit from my ice cream cone.

I smirked. "Me too!"

For the few short moments of thinking I was pregnant with Declan's child, I was the happiest girl in the world. I felt complete. It was a blessing in disguise. We could bulldozer through our degrees and form a better future so one day we could bring a little one into this world.

So one day, I hope I'll see you again...

Our baby!

Hehe a little Lana chapter for you guys!! Sorry no Dana baby yet ;)!! But maybe soon who knows!! Sorry for making you guys wait to see what happens after the big blow out ;)!!

Hope you guys are eager!! Thank you for every comment and vote! truly means the world to me! Love you❤️❤️