Navigate Me Through Your Body

Harlow laid in the hard, unfamiliar bed. Her body aching. She held tightly to her non-existent baby bump, stroking softly at the spot with her thumbs. She was just thankful they had both scathed through this unharmed.

"Do you need anything?" Chloe asked from the chair beside Harlow's bed. Harlow just shook her head.

"No, but thanks. I'm just glad the baby's okay..." she said softly, not once taking her eyes off her stomach.

Originally she had asked to only see family, and Chloe. She had been told by her doctor that her friends were there, but she didn't feel up to facing them and their judgments at the moment. She wanted to take this time to rest, and to simply be thankful that her baby had made it through this ordeal...

But she had insisted her parents go get something to eat, since she had interrupted their dinner. Chloe had happily agreed to stay with Harlow.

"After we break you out of this place," Chloe said smiling, "can we please start baby shopping?" Harlow laughed, nodding.

"Yes please..." Chloe smiled excitedly, "just promise me one thing..." she said seriously staring at Chloe who intently nodded.

"Anything Har," she said simply.

"I hate hospital food...bring me an Oriental Chicken Salad from Tuna Town, please?" Chloe smiled glancing at her watch.

"They don't close for another hour, I'll call it in now if you feel like eating?" Harlow nodded as Chloe pulled her phone from her purse. "You want the mandarin oranges on the side?" Harlow just nodded. But suddenly a knock came from the other side of the door.

Chloe stared at it for a moment before moving to crack it open, staring back at her was Zack.

"She doesn't want to-"

"Let me in Chloe, I need to talk to Harlow," Chloe let out a deep sigh looking at Harlow shrugging reluctantly. She stepped out closing the door behind her. She grabbed the collar of Zack's Vengeance University t-shirt pulling him in close as his eyes went wide.

"You stress her out,I'll kill you. You hear me?" he nodded rolling his eyes as she shoved him letting him go. "I'll be back, I'm watching you Baker!" she called over her shoulder as she walked towards the elevators.

Zack fixed his shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles as he took a deep breath pushing the door open. Had it not been for the heart monitors constant beeping it would have been silent. He stopped, staring deep into her bright blue eyes. But he stepped in closing the door. He approached the bed, sitting in the chair right beside the bed Chloe had previously occupied.

Neither of them spoke, instead they just stared at each other.

He couldn't believe how frail she looked. She had deep, dark circles under her eyes. Her face was liquid paper white. Her eyes were blood shot, and in general she just looked exhausted.

"So I guess you know?" Harlow asked, finally breaking the silence. Zack bit at his lip as he hesitated to answer.

"Pregnant..." he said simply shaking his head. He took her hand in his own, but she resumed staring at her stomach. "look at me Harlow, I have a serious question..." his voice, and his hands were shaking. She just shook her head, refusing. "Harlow!" he scolded. She finally glanced up, her eyes cutting into his.

"What Zack?"

"Harlow, what are the chances that this baby is-" but she cut him off pulling her hand away, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Its not Zack." she spat, he wasn't sure how to feel. A baby would have given Harlow a reason to fall into his arms, but the thought that it could be someone else's killed him.

But Harlow bit at her lip trying not to cry. How could she have lied to Zack like that? I mean after all, this was his child...

He took a deep breath brushing off the rejection.

"Harlow, you don't know that, you and I both know I didn't use a condom that night!" he scolded.

"Yes, I do Zack!" she insisted. "I remember very clearly. But I also know when this baby was conceived. There is absolutely no chance this baby is yours."

Zack was angry. Angry with Harlow and Aaron for being irresponsible. Angry with his self, for him-hauling around all these years and not making Harlow his.

But most of all he was hurt. Because it was finally real that Harlow would never be his.

But as he sat staring at his best friend, his head was swimming with questions. And how Harlow would answer this next one was going to determine his very own future.

"Are you going to marry Aaron?" he asked hesitantly. But she bit at her lip shrugging.

"We're not rushing anything, but I don't see why its any of your business..." she answered bluntly.

But it was in that moment he made up his mind.

Not only was he leaving Gena, but he was going to get Harlow.

He would love this baby and treat is as his own, even if Aaron was the father.

He had to make things right...no matter what the cost.