Chapter Text
Staci Pratt was, without a doubt, the biggest jerk on this side of the valley. Audry watched from the bar as he pulled the Blonde With Too Much Makeup by her belt loops into his lap. She immediately averted her eyes as they kissed.
Sure, her and Staci had come to a mutual agreement that it would be better for them to break up. But he didn’t have to flaunt it in her face. Prove that she was right, that the last year and a half meant absolutely nothing to him. With a sigh she downed her last shot of tequila, Mary May shooting her a concerned look as she stumbled off the chair.
“Need a ride, darlin?” Audry shook her head, offering a smile that fooled no one. Without a word she walked outside, reveling in the cool night air.
A walk home would do her good. She exhaled slowly, trying to shake off the image of Staci taking body shots off the girl.
She realized, half an hour later, that she might have drank more than she originally thought. Turning in a slow circle and looking at the expanse of trees around her, she had to come to the conclusion that she was thoroughly lost. She couldn’t remember which way she had come from, the whole walk a blur in her mind.
When she spotted headlights in the distance she could have cried with relief. She waved her arms, hoping to flag them down. Luck seemed to be in her favor, as the sleek black car pulled off to the side of the road.
She was rendered speechless when she spotted the face of the driver. He was handsome. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, hanging in his eyes. His lips were pulled up, an easy smile resting there. His voice held a hint of amusement as he asked, “May I help you?”
Audry had to swallow the lump in her throat. She looked away to clear her racing thoughts. “Yeah, I, uh- I seem to have gotten myself lost. Could you point me in the direction of the Pumpkin Farm?” She pulled her bottom lip in, risking another glance at the gorgeous stranger.
He had his hand on his beard, running his tattooed fingers over the hair thoughtfully. “The Farm, huh? I hate to tell you this, but you’re heading in the wrong direction if that’s what you were aiming for.”
Audry blew out her breath, looking to the tops of the trees. She had definitely drank too much. “Ah, well. I’ve had a lot on my mind. I must not have been paying attention.” He laughed, the sound musical, well-practiced. She brought her gaze back to his.
“Seems so.” His voice was light, his eyes glimmering. “Tell you what, why don’t I give you a lift? I’m actually heading in that direction.”
She bit into her lip again, shuffling in place as she thought about it. What would the harm be? It would beat walking, and he seemed friendly enough. With a nod she walked to the passenger side, slipping in beside him. “Thanks, I appreciate it, ah-“
“John,” he answered easily, pulling back onto the road.
“John,” she repeated quietly, loving the way it felt on her tongue. “I’m Audry.”
He looked over at her and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. “Audry, I’m charmed.” Audry was sure her heart stopped beating. Her other hand flew to her chest, her breath catching embarrassingly audibly.
She took her hand back, her face incredibly hot. “A gentleman and a knight in shining armor? Where have you been all my life?” The alcohol was not helping. Her thoughts were going places they should not be about a stranger she met on the side of the road.
His laugh was full of dark promises. “Oh sweetheart, I’ve been around.”
She needed to change the subject, before her lowered inhibitions brought her over the chair and into his lap. “What brings you out this late at night?”
“Business.” It was a short reply, obviously a subject he didn’t want to broach. “Although, I believe I should be asking you that question.” He glanced at her momentarily before turning his gaze back to the road in front.
She laughed, the sound more a scoff than anything. “I was at the Spread Eagle.” She should have let it end there. “My ex-boyfriend decided he would stick his tongue down the throat of anyone who’d let him so I decided to take a walk, I guess.”
“In the wrong direction.” The words were not a question. Was he laughing at her?
“I told you, I was distracted.”
“Clearly.” He was definitely laughing at her.
“You can get down off of your high horse there, mister,” she huffed, no venom behind the words. She mock pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Oh, come now. I’m just having a bit of fun.” His hand came to rest on her thigh. She inhaled suddenly, feeling like a touch starved puppy. “After all, it’s not every day I get to rescue a damsel in distress.” She felt his eyes on her, searching her. “A pretty one, at that.”
Her voice came out a breathless whisper. “It’s a left up here.” Her thoughts were not her own. He made a turn and pulled up to her house at her instruction. He turned to face her once the car was parked, hand placed on her headrest.
“I guess that’s the end of the line.” His eyes spoke volumes, and he was smirking at her like he was privy to joke she had just missed.
“Guess so.” Her voice was light. Her eyes kept glancing to his lips, oh those lips. “Thank you for the ride.” She made no move to get out.
John leaned in closer, the air around them growing increasingly heavy. “The pleasure was all mine, Audry.” Her name in his mouth was a purr. She felt her eyes flutter shut, her body lean forward.
His mouth was on hers, soft and warm and oh so right. She was falling, falling, falling into his kiss. Her hands fisted into his shirt, her heart pounded loudly, her chest rising and falling when he pulled away. She knew it was the alcohol that made her brave enough to ask, “Would you like to come inside?”
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A week passed since that night, and she had not seen John since. She decided it was time to mend things with Staci.
2 weeks and the marshal arrived. She walked into the church and should have turned back around. There he was, standing behind the man she had to arrest.
3 weeks was when Dutch sent her out to fix what she had broken.
4 weeks had passed when she had finally liberated Fall’s End. It was there, in Mary May’s bar, that she threw up for the first time. She chalked it down to nerves. The after-effects of the fight. It was about the sixth time she threw up that she decided she needed to take a test.
5 weeks since that one night with John Seed was when Audry Rook looked down at the positive pregnancy test and thought that luck was certainly not in her favor.
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Nick walked into his, very unfortunate, empty garage and could hear the distinct sound of someone crying softly. Walking as slowly and quietly as he could, he approached the person making the noise. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Audry sat in the corner, her brown hair falling over her hands, which were currently covering her eyes.
His heart went out to the girl. He had watched her grow up. She was too soft to be the face of the resistance everyone expected her to be. She would never back down though, her need to be helpful, to be loved, too great.
“Ah, shoot, Audry. Ya near gave me a heart attack. What’re ya doin’ hiding in my garage?” He asked, stepping closer and leaning down to eye level. She jumped, quickly wiping at her eyes.
“Nick, I’m so sorry. I- I didn’t know where to go. I just- I needed to-,” she inhaled, unable to meet his eyes. “Can I talk to Kim, please?”
He gave her a small smile, offering his hand. “Shoot, yer always welcome around here. Come in, Kim’s upstairs.” She took his hand, giving him a weak smile in return.
Once inside, Kim immediately shooed her husband from the room, closing and locking the door behind him. Her steely gaze settled on Audry. “Spill.”
Audry looked away from the woman, wringing her hands together. “It’s nothing really,” she mumbled, fidgeting in place. “I shouldn’t be bothering you.” Her eyes came to rest on Kim’s swollen stomach.
“Nonsense. You came here for a reason, now, spill.” Her voice left no room for arguments.
Audry’s eyes immediately filled with tears, threatening to cascade down her cheeks at any moment. “It’s so stupid,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. And like a floodgate had opened she cried. “It was just one night! One stupid night where I had too much to drink and was emotional because Staci was flirting with some bimbo and it wasn’t supposed to end up like this.”
Her hands flew up, the tears freely flowing now. Kim moved closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Audry, you’re not making any sense. What happened?”
Audry bit her bottom lip, not wanting to say the words out loud, to make it true. Closing her eyes, she forced out. “I’m pregnant.”
Kim gasped, hand flying to her mouth. Audry finally looked at her, expression broken. Asking for her help. “Well, that certainly makes things…. Difficult.” She crossed her arms across her chest with a sigh. “Who’s the father?”
Audry grimaced, turning away. “He’s… Not important.” She always was a terrible liar. “What am I supposed to do Kim? I shouldn’t keep fighting, not knowing this. But they need me. I have to fix this mess I caused.” Her hands ran threw her hair.
“It’s not your responsibility. We’ll tell Pastor Jerome, he and Mary May can-,“
“No!” Audry cried, eyes frantic. The thought of disappointing him making her chest ache. “Please, we can’t tell him. He’s already got so much going on. I just, I have to figure out how to fight without… Dying,” she finished lamely, shoulders slumping.
Kim’s look was so sympathetic it hurt Audry physically. With a sigh Kim stated, “I guess we can ask Nick if you could borrow some gear. But mind you Audry.” She brought her finger up, wagging it in the younger girl’s face. “It won’t help. Your body is not your own anymore. Your stomach is going to grow, very quickly at that. The peggies are shooting to kill you. You think they’re going to care if you’re pregnant?”
“I have no choice Kim.” Her voice was small, mind made up. After all, Kim didn’t know the whole truth. Couldn’t know the whole truth.
“Just… Take it easy, won’t you?” Kim pulled Audry into a tight hug. “Be careful out there.”