Chapter Text
Alice sat on the toilet taking deep breaths as she looked at the little stick in her hand. She heard the front door open and close and could hear her mother yelling at Jacob; since his second disappearing act, which Kat was able to settle fast, the two had been arguing about Jacob being impulsive. They had been lucky to get the Goodwins to drop the charges for arson, and Alice had been thankful Max didn't hold Jacob craziness against her.
Alice got up and went to the door.
"Mom?" Alice called interrupting the argument. "Can you come here please?"
"Sure, sweetie," Kat said, glaring at her brother and turning from him, and going up the stairs with Alice following Alice into the bathroom. "How are you feeling? Is your stomach better?" Alice had spent the last few days home from school due to waking up and throwing up every morning. They thought she'd had a bug or virus or something.
Alice sighed and held out what she was holding to her mother. Kat took it, confused until she saw it was a pregnancy test and the test said pregnant on it.
"You're… not a virgin?" Kat asked and Alice shook her head. Her mom blinked. She had assumed Alice would come to her when she lost her virginity. The pair's relationship was stronger than ever with all the time traveling and Alice confided in her about boys usually. "Okay, um… it could be a false positive. We should get another one to…" Kat stopped when Alice handed her two more pregnancy tests, Kat seeing Alice had bought three different brands and all of them said the same thing: pregnant.
Kat took a deep breath as she put the tests down.
"Okay, there are other reasons these tests could come up as positive. Like um… cancer," Kat said.
"You'd rather I have cancer than be pregnant?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Obviously not," Kat sighed. "It was just one very bad example of why we should get you to a doctor," Kat was already going to take out her cellphone but paused for a moment. "Where did you buy these tests…?"
"Online," Alice said. "Wasn't letting the rumor mill get at this before, I was sure."
"Smart girl," Kat said, relieved Alice had thought about this before going back to her cell. She wanted to get Alice an appointment today.
-The Way Home-
Alice sat in the doctor's examining room leaning against the back of the table which was tilted up so she was in a sitting position. Kat sat on the chair next to her. The doctor had taken some blood to do a blood test and now she came back in.
"Results are in," the doctor said, moving a chair with wheels and taking a machine Alice knew was an ultrasound. "Lean back and lift your shirt."
Alice did as instruct and felt a cold liquid put on her and then the touch of a machine, it took a few silent moments before the doctor spoke again. "Ah hah, and there we are," the doctor said and Alice heard a noise coming from the machine.
"Is that…?" Alice turned looking at the ultrasound.
"Heartbeat," the doctor said. "You ignored this for quite a while! See that over there? That's your baby…" the doctor pointed out images on the screen, seeing white and black, and Alice wasn't sure what she was seeing, but she was listening to the heartbeat.
"How far along is she?" Kat asked, looking at the ultrasound image.
"About 12 weeks," the doctor said.
"That puts conception at the end of the summer," Kat said doing the math quickly in her head and Alice gave a small nod.
"Only time possible," Alice said and Kat was relieved to know that. "It was only once. I swear mom."
"That's all it takes," Kat said, taking her daughter's hand, noticing Alice couldn't take her eyes off the ultrasound.
The doctor took the device away from Alice's stomach and Kat saw Alice frown as a towel was used to clean off Alice's stomach. "Now if we want to talk about termination–" the doctor began.
"No," Alice interrupted instantly. "No, mom, no. I can't… please."
"Alice, deep breath. No one is going to make you," Kat said going to calm her daughter down a bit. "It's your body. Your decision…"
"Well, then if we are talking about carrying to term," the doctor said, going into a draw. "Some prenatal vitamins. And you can talk to the receptionist about follow up appointments."
"Thank you," Kat said, taking the vitamins from the doctor. "Come on Alice. Let's go home."
-The Way Home-
The drive back to the farm had been quiet. Kat looked over at Alice occasionally, noticed her resting her hand on her stomach. Once at the farm, Kat stopped in her normal parking spot but didn't turn off the car. It was cold outside and the heat was needed as she put a hand on Alice's shoulder, telling her daughter to stop as she moved to get out of the car.
"Alice, is the plan here to have and keep the baby?" Kat had to ask. In her mind, if Alice had actually been pregnant, Alice would either terminate or put the baby up for adoption, but the more she looked at her daughter, the more that thought was going away.
"Yes," Alice said. "I know I'm young. I know it's my last year of High School, but people have and keep babies my age all the time," Kat took a breath, but before she could talk Alice continued. "I know you will say this will ruin my future, change things, but the minute I heard that heartbeat I just fell in love mom. I can't let this baby go. I already love the baby so much. I don't know if you could understand."
"I do," Kat admitted when Alice was done talking. The way Alice talked was very familiar to Kat. "I was in a hospital bed once and told the baby was fine when I didn't even know I was pregnant. In that moment there was fear. I knew going to London was out, but I fell in love with you in a matter of seconds. My Alice," Kat put a hand on Alice's cheek.
"I remember. I was there," Alice smirked, and Kat laughed.
"So, I guess it's time to call me grandma," Kat said, sighing. She wasn't ready for the idea of being a grandma, but if this was Alice's choice, she would accept it. "I'll help you get through your final year and figure out what your future looks like with a baby."
"Thank you, mom," Alice said, leaning over to hug Kat, and Kat held her daughter for a moment.
"Now we need to go inside and tell mom and Jacob in about 6ish month we will have a baby in the house," Kat said and Alice nodded. "And I need to call your dad and let him know…" Alice groaned. "Sorry, Ali, but you are still a minor – at least until July– and it is shared custody. I can't hide it from him."
"I know, but if he says something about ruining the five-year-plan can you yell at him," Alice said and Kat laughed.
"Deal," Kat said, finally turning off the car and the pair got out, going through the snow on the ground into the house. Jacob was setting the table while Del was bringing food out.
"Good timing," Jacob said.
"How are you, Alice? Is it a virus?" Del asked; Kat had told them she had gotten Alice a doctor's appointment, just not with what type of doctor or any details. "I made chicken. Easier on the stomach."
"Thank you," Alice said, and turned to Kat. Kat could tell by the look in her eyes she wanted Kat to tell the two.
"Mom, Jacob," Kat said putting an arm around Alice. "Alice is pregnant and planning on keeping the baby," Kat could see how stunned her mother and brother were, but they seemed to get out of their shock fast.
"Well, um… take an extra portion. You are eating for two now," Del said, setting up a plate for Alice, who took her seat and took the offered food.
"You know… Elijah is a good name for a boy," Jacob stated, taking his seat and noticing the looks. "Well, it is!" Kat laughed as she took her seat and noticed Alice smiling.
"I'll put it on a list," Alice said before starting to eat.
-The Way Home-
Kat went up to Alice's room where her daughter was sitting in her pajamas on her bed. She looked a little lost as she contemplated her future as a mom but looked up when her own mom knocked on the door.
"I just finished talking to your father," Kat said and Alice sighed.
"Am I disowned?" Alice asked and Kat gave a laugh.
"He was upset – even more upset when I told him the plan was to keep the baby. He wanted to talk to you but I convinced him to yell at me over calling you. Told him the stress would not be good for you or the baby," Kat said, sitting on the bed. "He actually blamed me for not watching you well enough."
"It's not your fault, mom," Alice said.
"I know it isn't," Kat said. "You are 17 – nearly an adult. I can't watch you like you are 5, anymore."
"So, how did you end things with dad?" Alice asked.
"He was talking about setting up a trust fund for the baby," Kat mused. "So, I think you are good," Kat kissed the top of Alice's head as Alice's cellphone binged.
"Ugh, Noah," Alice said. "I cannot deal with this triangle between me, him, and Max right now…" she had told Noah she was starting to get feelings for Max, and both boys had been trying to get her to choose; both saying they would respect her choice.
"I think you should talk to Noah. Don't you?" Kat asked.
"About?" Alice asked.
"Ali, the baby," Kat said.
"Oh right, I guess I need to tell them," Alice said, sending Noah a text message to meet her for lunch the next day.
"Get some sleep," Kat said.
"Are you staying…?" Alice asked as she put her head on the pillow and got under the covers.
"I think you could use the bed to yourself," Kat said.
"Mom, please, stay, tonight," Alice said and Kat gave a smile as she got into the bed next to Alice, the way they had so many times before.
-The Way Home-
The next day, after her morning sickness, and back at school, Alice put her coat on as she walked outside to the car park where Noah was sitting by his car. A box of food in his hands.
"Fries and mustard," Noah said, handing Alice the lunch.
"Thanks," Alice mumbled, opening the box and taking the food.
"Alice, I know you said you are developing feelings for Max, but we were so good together," Noah said. "I never understood why you broke it off and I still think we can be something."
"Noah," Alice said. "It was complicated and, well… there are more complications now."
"Look, Max is a great guy but…" Noah said.
"It's not Max," Alice said. "Noah… I'm pregnant."
Noah stared at Alice for a moment. "But we never…?" Noah said.
"I know," Alice said.
The two stared at each other for a moment and then Noah jumped off the car, the action caused the food Alice had been balancing on her lap to fall off and onto the floor.
"Noah!" Alice called, stunned as Noah ran into the school building – which he wasn't meant to do as a graduate.
Alice jumped up, going after him to finally find him holding Max against a locker.
"I thought you were my friend!" Noah said, and punched Max in the face – hard enough Alice could see blood.
"Whoa, I am," Max said, unable to fight back in his position; besides, Max seemed to be trying to talk Noah down instead of punching back.
"You said nothing, but a kiss happened with Alice," Noah said, going to punch Max again, but Elliot had suddenly appeared, emerging from the growing student crowd and went to grab Noah, who tried to push Elliot off.
"Noah!" Alice yelled after being too stunned to talk. "Noah, calm down! Noah..." Alice groaned. "Noah, Max isn't the father!"
The call caused the entire struggle to stop; Noah, Max, and Elliot eyes turned to her and Alice could feel all the on lookers as well.
"You're pregnant?" Elliot and Max said together, Alice realizing at that moment no one had told Elliot about the baby yet.
"Yes," Alice said. "And Max is not the father."
"Wait, if Max is not the father and I am not the father…" Noah said turning to Alice. "You have a third guy?"
Alice stared at him and shook her head. "You know what, it's none of your business since, as established, neither of you are the father – and even if you still wanted to be something, I wouldn't allow my child to be around someone who overreacted without all the facts and acted like a complete neanderthal," Alice turned to go but then stopped, turning back to the man. "Oh and Noah, thank you so very much for making my personal business, which I told you in confidence, public knowledge."
Alice paused and put a hand on Max's shoulder.
"Sorry you got mixed up in this," Alice said to him.
"Not your fault," Max said and Alice gave him a small smile before marching off, ignoring the eyes on her.
"You know, I am kind of impressed," Elliot said. "I didn't think she knew what a neanderthal was. Let alone how to use it in an insult."
"Can you let me go Mr. Augustine?" Noah said.
"Noah, I think you need to talk to the cops," Elliot said, seeing a couple of officers entered and knew someone must have called the police. Noah wasn't a student anymore, after all – this was an adult attacking a student, so it was going to be messier than if two students had ended up in a fight.
-The Way Home-
It was later that day, and Elliot had come to the Landry Farm. He was sitting at the kitchen table with Kat and Jacob as Del brought in drinks as Elliot recounted the day's event.
"He seriously punched Max?" Kat asked. "Poor kid. I bet Lewis wasn't too happy."
"He wasn't, but thankfully for Noah, Max turned 18 recently. Max agreed not to press charges in exchange for free lunches for a month," Elliot said to a laugh. "I don't think Noah and Alice are going to be anything from now on."
"I really thought he was the father," Kat mused; she had told Alice to tell Noah because, in her mind, he was the only option as the father.
"She made it very clear. Neither Noah nor Max are the father," Elliot said. "And why wasn't I informed she was pregnant? She's technically been my friend since I was 15," Elliot pointed out.
"Well, we just found out yesterday," Jacob said.
"It makes no sense," Kat said. "She talks to me about boys and there are only three boys she has ever talked about; Max who couldn't be the father. Alice didn't even know him when the baby was conceived; then of course Noah…"
"Well then, by process of eliminate if there are only three boys than the third one is the father," Del said.
Kat and Elliot turned their heads to each other; while Del knew Alice was Kat's friend from '99, they hadn't really thought to get into Alice's out of time relationship.
"No… he wouldn't," Elliot said. "There's… no… well… maybe…?"
"He's the only other one," Kat said shaking her head. "But… I…"
As if fate itself had intervened, the door opened at that moment and a familiar face appeared with his normal dorky grin, and Kat almost groaned.
"I knew when Elliot didn't come home after work he had to come here," this was Nick as he saw the people gathered in the kitchen. "Just got back to town and need a place to crash. It's cold outside..." Nick went to take off his jacket. "Hey, where's Alice? I need to talk to her."
Nick paused in front of the table as Elliot jumped out of his seat and, to Nick's surprise – and Del and Jacob's, swung and hit Nick in the face.
"She's a child!" Elliot shouted at Nick. "How could you?! It's illegal. What about Claire?"
"Whoa! What are you talking about?" Nick asked, backing up and putting a hand over his cheek as Kat stood up and took Elliot's arm, pulling him back with the help of Jacob.
"Nick, Alice is pregnant," Kat said. "And Elliot we were little talking about immature people attacking others…"
"Sorry… sorry…" Elliot muttered, shaking himself off.
"Wait, did you say Alice is pregnant?" Nick asked and then seemed to realize what Elliot meant in his attack. "Whoa! No, you don't think. No, no, no!"
"Why are you accusing Nick?" Del asked.
"Nick was Alice's first boyfriend," Kat informed Del. "Back in 1999."
"Yeah, back then," Nick said. "No, I…. no," at that moment they heard the front door opening and Alice herself walked into the kitchen.
"Hey all. Monica told me to come home early – too much gossip and people staring at me," Alice said as she came in and gave Fynn a pet, who had followed her in from the garden. "Oh, hi Nick. When did you get back?"
"Alice," Nick said going over and getting behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder and putting her between him and Elliot.
"What happened to your face?" Alice asked, seeing the mark Elliot had left.
"Tell your family and Elliot we never did anything," Nick said quickly at this.
"What? Oh. Oh! You've got to be kidding me…" Alice said, putting the pieces together and looking over at the group, seeing Elliot nursing his hand. "Seriously, Elliot? I thought you were better than a simple barbarian."
"Your insults are still impressing me," Elliot mused. "But as Del said, process of elimination: not Noah or Max, then Nick is the only other…"
"We never did anything. Not now and not in '99," Alice said. "Although he could have in '99..."
"I could have?" Nick asked, suddenly giving her his puppy-dog eyes.
"Yeah," Alice said, a little coyly. "New Years Eve party at Monica's… After you gave me this," Alice held up her arm to show she was wearing the fishhook bracelet Nick had made for her. "If you had gone for it, I would not have said no, but you just wanted to turn off the lights which was fun."
"You two did that?" Kat and Elliot said together.
"Stupid kid-me," Nick mumbled, and the noticed the looks. "But see? Not the father."
"Sorry," Elliot mumbled.
"You should be," Alice said. "I can almost understand Noah going nuts but you? And on Nick of all people? I thought you were better than that, El," Alice dropped her bag off on a chair and then stormed up the stairs. They heard her door close from downstairs.
"You dated Alice?" Del said, turning to Nick. This was her take on everything, it seemed.
"I was a teenager, too," Nick pointed.
"What did you want to talk to Alice about anyway?" Kat asked, curious, knowing if Nick hadn't said that when he walked in Elliot, might not have jumped to the punch right away.
"Oh? Oh yeah, I showed Claire some of the videos Alice posted of her singing and Claire was wondering if she would sing at our wedding," Nick said.
"That's not weird at all," Kat said sarcastically, shaking her head.
"Here, let me get you some ice," Del said, seeing Nick holding his cheek again.
"Thanks," Nick said taking a seat.
"Wait, so if Max, Noah, and Nick are not the father, then who is?" Jacob asked, and everyone in the room looked at each other, but no one had an answer.
-The Way Home-
Kat opened the door to Alice's room. She was sitting on her bed, playing the guitar. Kat smiled as Colton's song filled the room.
"…you're everything I wanted in my whole life," Alice sang the last line and then let the song finish.
"You know, a music career will be hard with a baby in tow," Kat mused, standing in the doorway.
"I know," Alice said, putting her guitar on its stand. "But the minute I heard the heartbeat, the dream changed. My baby is the dream now, not the music. Like you, with London."
"But I was still able to be a journalist. What will you do now? PR?" Kat asked, frowning at the idea of Alice taking after Brady's girlfriend, Rachel, having shadowed her in the PR business over the summer.
"It was fun for a summer, but nah," Alice said. "I want to stay here in town. I want to raise my baby here and, well, PR is not something you can do here anyway," Kat smiled at the idea of Alice choosing to stay here in Port Haven. "Maybe I could teach guitar to kids in town? Do some gigs at areas, work the farm…? I don't know. Something like that. I have time."
"It's true, you have time," Kat agreed, "it's the beginning of a plan and no rush. Your father and I will support you and the baby until you are your feet," Kat said. "And you really shouldn't skip meals. Come on. Mom's been keeping it warm for you."
Alice nodded and got off the bed, following her mother down the stairs. As she sat at the table, Del came with a plate of food and Alice put her hand over her mouth at the smell.
"What is this?" Alice asked, turning away from the food.
"Fish," Del said and noticed the look on Alice's face.
"Toss it," Kat said, getting the smell of the food was making Alice nauseous from the looks and the way Alice reacted. Del understood too and grabbed the plate, taking it away quickly.
"Okay fish is off the menu for you for a while," Del chuckled. "I think we have some left over pasta in the fridge…?" She moved over to the fridge to look for it, going to heat it up once she found it.
"Better?" Kat asked, once Del put the plate of reheated pasta down in front of Alice, and Alice didn't balk at it. With that, Kat signaled for her mom to give them some time which Del nodded to and moved back. "Okay Alice, who is the father?"
Alice moved some of the food on the plate and looked over at her mom. She didn't speak though.
"I only told you to tell Noah because I thought it was him," Kat tried, and Alice shook her head. "Yeah, I got that and the math doesn't even add up for Max. And we just discounted Nick – you said you only had sex once."
"I did," Alice said.
"So, this isn't a Mama Mia situation. You know who the father is," Kat said.
"I do," Alice said, and Kat waited. "But… I want to sit with it for a bit."
"Wait, what?" Kat asked.
"I need to get my head around it. Me, the baby, and a little music. Sit with it by myself," Alice explained. "Please understand, mom. I'll tell you when I'm ready."
"Okay," Kat said, giving a nod as Alice continued to eat. "But we should go shopping soon. You are going to need maternity clothes. In fact, looking at you, I think you have started to gain a little already."
"Hey!" Alice said but laughed as she said it.
"You're going to expand fast as the baby grows," Kat pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Shopping," Alice said, nodding as she continued to eat. "This pasta is good. Baby likes it," she winked at her mom as Kat giggled. She knew Alice wasn't going to tell her who the father was any time soon, and she respected that. But Kat knew she'd find out eventually – one way or the other.