The Way We Were

Last Night: In Daniel's Life

"I'm pregnant, Daniel!" She yelled. Chanel was at the top of the staircase and I was at the bottom looking up at her. I felt as if there was a vice grip on my heart, stopping it for a moment. I took a stepped back and leaned against the newel post and felt like I couldn't breathe.

"How did this happen?" I whispered.

"How do you think?" She sarcastically replied.

"But...but I was so careful, I always use protection."

"Well one night you were drunk and forgot to use one."

I was in shock, my heart was racing.

"So go out to the club, Daniel, that's always been number one in your life lately. Just think of this as no different than any other argument we've had. I'm leaving. And when you come back I won't be here. Let me know when you're ready to be man." She spoke, turning around and going back to the bedroom.

I said nothing, I just slid down the post and sat on the steps. She's pregnant...I'm gonna have a child. I shut my eyes tightly and clenched my fist, throwing the glass of whisky across the room. I stood up and left the townhouse out to the car that was waiting for me.

"To the club and step on it." I ordered of the driver. He did as he was told and we arrived at the club. I didn't even wait for the car to come to a omelette stop and I got out, walking into the club furiously.

As usual the club was packed with "glamorous celebrities and beautiful nobodies", but I was here for one person; Nikolas.

I walked up to the "V.I.P" lounge and to the booth that was once Audrey's but has been taken over by Nik. I threw open the curtains and pulled him out of there and punched him. Without even asking what it was for he lunged back and we were thrown to the floor in a brawl.

We've never fought like this before, but I was so angry at him I didn't care. Punches were thrown back and forth and as we grappled each other one of us missed the step on the staircase and we fell down.

"Enough! Enough! What's wrong with you?!" He yelled, pushing me away and groaning in pain.

I rubbed my shoulder. "You're killing me!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

He looked at me with a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"You're killing yourself. Nikolas, this needs to stop! I was sober for five years and then you open this stupid club and convince me that it's okay, that it's just one drink. This is ruining my marriage Nikolas! And you! Look at you! Edie's gone, she left you because you've chosen this lifestyle over her!"

He looked away, as if tears were about to fall and he didn't want me to see. He got up and began yelling, "That's it! Everyone out, I don't care who you are, I want everyone out!"

He walked to the stage and took the mic, ordering everyone to get out. People were trying to get out as fast as they could, flocking to the doors. Nikolas threw the microphone and it's stand, kicking things over, smashing pictures on the wall. He fell down and sat on the floor.

I covered my face and started to cry. For a long time we said nothing, we just sat on our own and took in everything.

Finally I got up and walked over to him. "Chanel's pregnant."

He looked at me, his eyes red from crying.

"She's pregnant and she hates me for being this way. And she's leaving me. Who knows for how long, or if she's divorcing me. Whatever it is, I have to smarten up. I have to grow up. I've been neglecting my wife and the mother of our unborn child. And I can't be the alcoholic father to this baby, it deserves more. I know how it felt to have a dad that struggled with addiction, and being that little boy seeing your own dad strung out on who knows what, being drunk and your mother screaming at him telling him to get out. I can't do this anymore, Nikolas. Fame is killing all of us. I'm gonna go to rehab and I want you to go to rehab too. Edie is an amazing woman and she needs her husband. Please Nikolas, come with me."

Nikolas looked up at me and started to cry again. "I need help, I can't stop this."

I knelt down and took his hand. "I'm right here, we'll do this together, okay?"

He nodded, "Audrey hates me. I talked her into doing drugs tonight and she was humiliated here, as everyone gossiped about her I just sat there. I turned away my own sister."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Where is she now?"

He shook his head, "I have no idea, she left here a couple hours ago."

I nodded. "We'll go to her apartment and tell her we're going to rehab, but first we're going to your place. You need to pack up your clothes 'cause we're leaving tomorrow."

"Okay." He sniffled, standing up. "I'm sorry."

I hugged him, "We're gonna get better."

Later after we left the club and had packed up a few things if Nik's, we went to Audrey's apartment and found that there was no answer. Nik had a spare key and when we went in everything was dark and she was nowhere to be found.

We went down to Jack's apartment, and though it was 3 in the morning, we knocked at his door anyway.

When he answered he looked really annoyed with us. "You know, I'm really getting annoyed with seeing you and your sister. Actually, your family is really irritating me."

"I'm sorry, but where's Audrey?" I asked.

"She left!" He replied in a sarcastic tone.

"What? Where did she go?" Nikolas asked.

"L.A, she said she couldn't take New York anymore and that even the ones she loved most had betrayed her."

"When did she leave?" I asked.

"I don't know, an hour or two ago."

I looked at Nik and sighed, "I can't believe it. She left."