HAPPY WOKE UP TO unusual noises coming from the bathroom next to his bedroom, the only bathroom in the small house with thin walls. With tiredness still in his bones, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the rounds of his palms and slipped out of bed before dragging himself into the hallway.

The noises became clearer and with a tired groan Happy leaned against the doorframe, knocking on the bathroom door to make sure everything was okay. "You okay in there?"

Another gush of vomit answered his question. After another knock, he entered, the door thankfully unlocked, and immediately felt a little sorry for the woman when he saw Nola hugging the toilet, clinging to it like her life depended on it while emptying her stomach.

"Get out..please..", she muttered, followed by a soft whine as she managed to lift her head a little. "This is so embarrassing. I'm sorry."

"It's not", Happy grunted as he gathered her hair together and held it in his hand at the back of her neck. "I'm taking you to the hospital. Tara told you to find a doctor if you throw up."

Nola, only halfway able to answer, swayed slightly to the side and just waved if off. "I know, but it's just morning sickness, I swear. I haven't had anything all night. And this isn't my first morning over the toilet."

"Still, we're goin' to the hospital", he pressed, leaving no room for further discussion. When she looked up desperately, her lips already parted to speak, he did first. "You're safe here. Even if the fucker finds you, he'll have to get past me first."

Even though he barely knew Nola, he wouldn't let anyone put their hands on a woman, especially not one who was pregnant.

"You don't know Alden, he...heᅳ" Nola struggled finding the right words, her glassy eyes resting on him. "He's..unpredictable."

"So am I", Happy replied dryly, watching Nola's eyes widen slightly, her lips still parted as she stared at him. "Not like your husband", he reassured her, his voice gruff and still tinged with tiredness. "I'd never lay a hand on a woman, you're safe here."

Just as Nola was about to answer, her features softening a little, she reached for the toilet again and managed to turn her head just in time before she had to throw up again, her hair still held back by Happy's hand.

Happy ran a hand over his face, grunting as the tiredness slowly subsided. He definitely needed a cup of coffee when they got to the hospitalᅳ but her condition and that of the child was more important for now.

"Come on, get dressed", Happy told her as he helped her back to her feet, holding her for a moment as her petite body swayed against his. She seemed concerning weak, which wasn't exactly the best sign. "You need help?"

"No, I can do it alone", she assured him, each word exhausting as she did everything she could to suppress the nausea. "Thank you anyway."

"Call if you need anything, I'll get dressed", he told her firmly as he led her back to the guest room and waited until she was at least sitting down on the bed. "I'll be back in five minutes."

"Take your time", Nola called after him before she let her face fall into her hands with a deep sigh. Before she reached for a black top from the already open duffle bag, she ran her fingers through her blonde strands.

It took a moment to get dressed, but after a few minutes she finally stood in front of the simple mirror on the wall in a pair of leggings, a top and her sneakers and gathered her hair into a low bun before heading back to the bathroom. Luckily, she found a toothbrush that was still in its packaging, which she used to quickly brush her teeth and wash her face.

As much as she loved being pregnant and couldn't wait to become a mother, she was definitely ready to put the morning sickness behind her so she could actually enjoy the pregnancy.

ᅳ

WHEN THEY ARRIVED at St. Thomas fifteen minutes later, she followed Happy inside, the first thing the man headed for was a coffee machine after Nola had registered at the reception. "Want something, too?"

"No thanks", Nola smiled politely, actually finding it quite sweet that he had asked. Alden had never really cared much about her well-being. "You don't have to stay here with me, really."

"No offense, but I don't really trust that you'll actually stay here once I leave", he said with a shrug as he sank into one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs, sipping his coffee. "Besides, you still look pretty weak, it's probably safer if someone stays with you just in case."

Nola arched an eyebrow, almost amused about the fact that he didn't trust her. "You don't trust me, great. I wouldn't run away, my name is in their system now anyway."

"Like I said, I won't let him get to you if he really does find you", Happy assured her again, just wanting her to know that she was safe. "But you need to see a doctor."

"I know", Nola murmured with a sigh as she lowered her head, her hands folded on the small black bag in her lap that contained all her most important things like her ID and maternity record. "Don't you have to be somewhere? Working or something? I don't wanna keep you from doing anything and get you in trouble."

But secretly, the Greene woman enjoyed not being alone, having someone by her side who made her feel strangely safe. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Happy, studying the patches on his Kutte.

While she knew that the leather Kutte with the reaper in the back meant that he was part of a motorcycle club, she didn't really know much about such things. But even she knew that he could be a criminal according to the news and rumors other people spread.

But Nola didn't care, it didn't bother or scare her. Happy seemed nice and right now any place was better than having to stay with Alden. If she were to judge a person every time based on their appearance, there would probably be something wrong with lots of people. But so far, the man next to her had only shown his caring side and promised her safetyᅳ everything she had wanted for the last few years.

"No, I took the day off, wasn't sure if I could leave you alone", he explained honestly. Why lie? "But I'm on call. So if I'm needed, you just have to come with me."

Her heart fluttered slightly and a smile crept onto her lips as he looked over at her and his chocolate brown eyes met hers, something warm in his stoic expression. Why did her body react like that? Was she really so desperate for some affection? Was she so messed up by now that any little bit of attention could make her heart flutter?

"I still don't understand why", she said softly, holding his gaze. "What do you get out of helping me?"

"Peace of mind?" Happy shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip of his coffee. "I don't know, I just can't risk leaving a young, pregnant woman and with a guy who has too big an ego and can't take on people in his league."

"Well, I'm grateful for the help," she said sincerely, a gentle glint in her sad blue eyes. There were still nice men out there apparently, men who don't hurt women. "If I can ever return the favor, let me know."

"It's fine", he grunted. "Just focus on you and your kid for now."

"Mrs. Greene?" A young nurse entered the waiting room with a friendly smile, catching Happy's and Nola's attention as they both turned their heads. "An appointment was canceled at short notice, so Dr. Andrews can see you now."

"Oh, okay, that's perfect." Nola was on her feet immediately, maybe a little too quickly as a wave of dizziness overcame her. Maybe she actually had a concussion. "Are you waiting here?", she asked Happy with a clear of her throat.

"Yeah", he nodded curtly, looking at her sternly. "Just tell him everything, got it? That's the only way he can help you."

"I will, don't worry." Nola sent a small smile in his direction before following the nurse through the depressing, pale hallways of St. Thomas.

ᅳ

AFTER NOLA HAD TOLD the doctor everything he needed to know, as Happy had told her to do, she stood behind a booth and slipped out of her black leggings. It was always an embarrassing moment to walk half naked through the room until she finally got to the chair, the doctor already waiting.

"Okay, let's check on the baby, that's important after all the impact on your body", he said sympathetically, pointing his hand towards the chair. "Lie down."

Since Nola had already told the woman behind the reception counter that she was pregnant, she was assigned to the gynecological department, but her doctor had previously been a general practitioner and had been able to determine that she did indeed have a slight concussionᅳ luckily nothing too serious.

With her hands folded on her stomach, the blonde took a deep breath, grimacing as the doctor began with the vaginal ultrasound. But the unpleasant feeling was immediately forgotten when her gaze landed on the screen and she could see her baby.

"Oh my God, it's grown so fast", she murmured excitedly, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. That was her baby. "Is the baby okay? Is there a heartbeat?", she asked immediately.

"Let's see", the doctor murmured intently, his concentrated gaze also fixed on the screen. "Do you know that you're already twelve weeks along?"

Nola frowned, furrowing her brows in surprise. "Really? I thought I was only about nine weeks pregnant."

"No, definitely the twelfth", the doctor confirmed, giving her an encouraging smile. "And there's also a strong heartbeat, which means I can officially say that the risky three months are over. Seems like the pregnancy is proceeding normally."

"That's..amazing." Nola swallowed with emotion, giving her small bump a gentle squeeze, rubbing her thumb over the fabric of her top. "So my husband's outbursts didn't damage anything?"

"No, luckily not. It could've ended much worseᅳ for you and the baby", the doctor said seriously, gently pulling the ultrasound stick out of her. While he quickly cleaned it, the printer printing out the ultrasound pictures hummed in the back. "Have you thought about talking to the police? That would be important."

"I know, and I know I should've left sooner", the blonde murmured knowingly. Without Happy, she would probably still be with Alden. "I've thought about it, yes. But they won't do shit anyway."

In fact, this morning she had thought about reporting Alden. If there was actually a chance that he would have to do some time or wouldn't be allowed to come near her again, it was worth the extra trouble. After all, she couldn't stay with Happy forever, he was still a stranger, and her child's safety was her top priority.

"They'll do something, believe me." The doctor stood up, indicating to Nola that she could get dressed again. "I'll write you something that you can submit. Protect yourself and your child, Mrs. Greene."

Nola gulped, nodding slightly as she stood up and folded her hands in front of her private parts. "I should. So yeah, it would be nice if you could give me a medical reportᅳ without that I have no chance."

"Good. Get dressed, then we'll discuss the rest", he smiled, finally giving the woman some privacy as he walked back to his desk.

His eyes inadvertently spotted something that he didn't like. His patient's bag was open with a clear view of the things inside. When Nola came over a moment later, fully dressed again, he pointed to the box with the painkillers.

"Can I take a closer look at these? I didn't mean to pry, but the bag was open",:he explained calmly.

"Uh, yeah, sure", Nola answered a little hesitantly, simply because she didn't know if the pills were legal or not, if they could get Tara in troubleᅳ but she didn't have to mention any names. "Is there something wrong with them?", she asked cautiously as she sat down in her previous seat.

"How many of them have you taken and since when?", the doctor asked, concern evident in his tone as he sat down in his chair, studying the box closely. "These are some really strong painkillers that only cancer patients get. Okay, you can also take them for acute pain, but you're more likely to resort to other medications."

"I took two of them, one last night and one earlier", she admitted, the lump in her throat and the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach growing. "Can they harm my baby?"

Dr. Andrews sighed, rubbing his forehead between his index and thumb as he put the box aside. "It could've actually caused harm, yes, but it doesn't seem to have it. Nevertheless, I want to do another ultrasound in a few days."

"So does that mean something could still happen to my baby?" Nola panicked, her breath hitching in her lungs as she expected the worst. "Iᅳ I didn't want to harm my baby, I'd never. Because I was skeptical myself, I asked a doctor and she assured me that these were safe for pregnant women."

"That's gross negligence! Whoever this doctor is should be held accountable for this", the doctor huffed out, shaking his head in disbelief. "Please don't take any more of these pills. I'll give you some that are really safe for pregnant womenᅳ but please only take them if the pain gets unbearable."

The man, probably in his mid-fifties, ran his hand through his gray hair and adjusted his glasses. To calm the woman down, frightened and clearly feeling guilty, his features softened a little. "I don't think anything's going to happen with the babyᅳ everything looked fine. I just want to be sure."

Nola nodded slightly, her lips trembling as she tried everything not to burst into tears. "Thank you, Dr. Andrews. I promise that I won't take any more of these painkillers."

"Good, then there shouldn't be any more problems in the future", he smiled weakly, handing her the ultrasound pictures along with her maternity record. "And Mrs. Greene, do me a favor and go to the police, I'll make sure my letter is ready to get picked up by tomorrowᅳ oh, and don't ever trust the doctor who told you that the pills were okay for pregnant women ever again."

"I won't, I promise", she said, determined to confront Tara about this later. "And I'm thinking about filing for a restraining order against my husband. Thank you for your help."

But first, before she'd go to the cops tomorrow, she wanted to know what Tara's damn problem with her was. She had trusted her, putting aside her bad feeling about the doctor because she had hoped that she might find a friend in her if she really stayed in Charming. But apparently Tara hadn't wanted to accept her decision against an abortion. The former Munson woman still didn't want to believe that Tara was really that cold-hearted and had hoped that something would happen to the baby.

On the other hand, she knew manipulative, narcissistic people, after all she was married to one.

However, her anger faded for a moment when she left the room and smiled down at the ultrasound pictures as she headed back to the waiting room. With a smile that reached her eyes and stretched from ear to ear, she practically shoved the pictures in Happy's face after he came towards her and had closed the huge gap between them.

"Do you see how big my baby already is?", she asked, all sadness in her blue eyes gone for the moment. "Isn't he or she just perfect? I mean, you can finally see something!"

"Yeah..totally", Happy grumbled. To be honest, he didn't recognize anything in the pictures, maybe a bit, but when he saw Nola's wide smile growing even more, he couldn't bring himself to ruin the joyful moment for her. "So does that mean the baby is okay? You too?"

"Yes, the baby is okay and so am I. Apparently I'm further along than I thought and out of the risk zone", she said excitedly, genuinely happy about the news. Sharing all this with Happy was perhaps a little intrusive or even annoying him, but who else should she share the news with?

"Sorry if I'm just ambushing you here..I'm just so excited", she said, her tone apologetic before she bit down on her lip. "Hey, uh, do you know where I can find Tara?"

Happy just shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn't bother me, I'm glad you're happy", he was just the quiet type who probably couldn't show the emotions she might want to see. At her question, he put the other topic aside. "Not sure where she is right now, but we can check at the club. Why do you need her?"

"To confront the bitch", she said with a scoff.

"What happened?" Happy asked once they were back outside and handed her his helmet after they had reached his bike.

"The pills she gave me could've killed my baby. I asked her if they were safe", the blonde muttered angrily, not normally as confident as she was now. "Don't worry, I didn't mention her name. But I want to know why she did it."

"She did what?!", Happy barked, wiping around after he had put on his second helmet, always having another one for emergencies. Something unusual crept into his bones, a weird feeling he didn't really knowᅳ guilt. After all, he had wanted to call Tara last night. "Why the hell did she do that?"

"I don't know", the blonde replied with a sigh, tilting her chin upwards so that she could close the clasp of the helmet without pinching her skin. "After she heard my story, she thought an abortion would be better. I said I didn't want that. Maybe she wanted to.."

When Nola just shook her head and stopped talking mid-sentence, Happy gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You saying she did it on purpose so you'd lose the kid?"

At the sudden touch, Nola flinched, expecting a direct slap across the face. The trauma was a real. Of course, the expected slap never came. Also, Happy's grip wasn't painful, just firm enough to keep her head in place.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Happy's apology sounded sincere, his expression softer than it had been a moment ago as he slowly let go of Nola's chin. "We'll sort this out, now."

After swinging his leg over his bike, he waited until Nola sat behind him, using his shoulders as a support as she mounted the bike. Her arms slipped around his torso, holding on tightlyᅳ and somehow enjoyed that feeling.

"You didn't, I was just startled for a second", she finally murmured, her cheek resting against the cool leather of his kutte.

The fact that Happy actually wanted to help her clarify what Tara's plan had been meant a lot to her, after all, this meant she wasn't alone. Nola had a certain respect for people she didn't know and couldn't judge, and normally she would never voluntarily seek out a conflictᅳ but this was about her baby.

word count; 3308