Why would you ever want me?

Early December, c. 12th 2026

Distinctly, Melissa Adriana Hayes could recall a time when her best friend had not been there to hold her hand. It had been cited at the time as irreconcilable differences and they’d divorced themselves from their friendship for well over a year. In that time, things had changed and like good boomerangs they returned to each other. They were a little different than before. They were somewhat taller, a little fairer and bitterly changed into different people, aged irrevocably by heartache. Yet, some small measure of happiness had weaved itself back into their lives and the rings clasped around their fingers were proof of this. Whilst reservations were still deeply held and very much of what they’d done was done on a self-preservative spur, they were beginning to find their happiness with their partners: Millie with Kieran and Gis with Della. They were whole again.

That morning, a watery sunshine had peeked through the curtains and the aforementioned couple woke, curling sleepily into each other as both realised that the world beyond their cocoon of bed and each other’s arms existed and called for them. Thursday was an unavoidable fate for them and while her husband had to go forth and educate, Melissa’s lazy timetable - which catered to her whims when it came to the institution of learnedness she was in - allowed her to sleep in for a few hours more. However, when she woke again she knew it was not to classes she would spring. She had led Kieran quite calmly to believe that she would be in Diagon Alley for the day - Christmas shopping with Gisele. While this wasn’t strictly a lie it wasn’t quite truth either. No doubt they’d go into the al fresco shopping centre but certainly not to do any shopping.

The girls had breakfast in Hogsmeade, Della having dropped off her wife to Millie’s care for the day, and after swaying on both sides of acting or not acting on her nausea, Millie elected that they press on: so it was off to St. Mungo’s they went - hats, coats, scarves and all.

Upon arriving, something in Millie’s stomach dropped through to her gut and she felt her fight or flight program begin to boot up within her. It was then that she grasped at Gisele’s hand, curling her fingers around her friends’ and casting a glance at her before continuing on, ever the fighter. She needed Gisele, though. She daren’t press Kieran. Happy though they were, her concern wasn’t something she wanted to burden him with. It wasn’t her place - married or not. They should have been more careful, more consistent. She should have known better, never mind him and his sense of moral correctness which was badly rushed askew by her prodding. Both parties stood at fault if it turned out her ‘woman’s intuition’ was not unfounded and unrealistic. But of course, she knew. She’d been down a similar slippery road before. Only that time--

“Gis, I can’t do this,” Millie exhaled out her words in a rush as the elevator doors opened, revealing the third floor to them which was a rush of pregnant, non-pregnant and child-laden women. Colour, stickiness and sweets were wild abound everywhere she looked and it was nigh impossible to avoid. Even the walls were scraped with offensive hues of the primary colours. In the end though, they had to go along to the appropriate place, in the line where Millie signed in and then they could take their seats. Even once settled, Millie couldn’t quell her nervousness.

There were so many, unrecognised fears in her and the only one she could voice as she looked at Gisele was this: “What if he doesn’t want me?”

After everything, surely that would clinch it and spiral them to failure. They’d been getting along far too well for anything in the way of sense to take hold. The rush to try and build something that looked vaguely like marriage had resulted in something very much like marriage and the by-products that had a tendency of coming of it: children. But just like the marriage, what if they weren’t wanted? What if it brought out a deeply held disdain that he’d quietly been coveting for her? What if he was contented by the children but not the wife that was the vessel? What if he wanted neither? What if it would be his cue to desert their marriage? The requisites were over and done with. Marriage? Check. Offspring? Double check.

Why would he want to stay?

One of the most surprising and welcome changes since Gisele's return to England had been the rekindling of her friendship with Millie. She wasn't sure why or how they had suddenly returned to each other's confidences but neither had examined their situation too closely. Since the horrible confusion that had been fifth year both of their worlds had turned upside down and inside out, spitting them out a thousand miles from where they had started. Had it really been so recent that the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor had sat in the back of the Divination classroom in a haze of smoke or scrambling for their clothes in the Greenhouses when they heard someone coming?

The year that the girls had willingly separated themselves had been acknowledged, apologized for (on both sides), and they had continued as if nothing had ever gone wrong for them. They were Gisele and Melissa. Misele. Gelissa. Two halfs of the same coin, as they had been since that first Defense class together in first year.

Since their parting their lives had followed somewhat similar patterns. Both had run away to someplace under the sun, gotten married, and were now expecting a family. For her part, Gisele hadn't been brave enough to take a pregnancy test yet. Della talked as if they were already sure she was pregnant on their first try with the potions and her wife was scared senseless that she would only bring disappointment in that department. It had been hard enough to get the chance at a child, so what problems would arise if Gisele was the problematic part of their experiment.

Millie, while also clearly terrified, had the opposite problem. While Della was overly enthusiastic, Keiran didn't even suspect the trip that was being made today. And while her own fears and hopes swirled around her stomach she made no whisper of them - Melissa's situation was far more urgent and possibly problematic. The brunette clung to her friend's hand and listened to her hurried words. They were seated quickly but by the looks of the crowded room they might have to wait for awhile before being taken in by a doctor.

Gisele's thumb ran across the side of Millie's hand, the soft strokes some attempt at providing comfort for her friend. "I don't know Keiran that well but even I can tell he does care about you. Besides, unlike most men, he's got morals. He's going to love any and all children you have, no matter when you have them. Gisele leaned over to rest her head on the blonde's shoulder. Almost to herself she mumbled "Besides, you can do anything. I've seen it."

There was nothing like the winter holidays that kept you busy this time of year, Sophia couldn't believe how stupid people were now days, it was just ridiculous how many patients she had due to skiing or doing something more stupid.  Why couldn't it be something more funner? she was tired of doing cases on people who break there body on a pair of sticks!  

Heading back towards her office, Hannah ran towards her with a new file in her hand. Groaning Sophia rolled her eyes in defeat. "Hannah please tell me it isn't another skiing accident or something that has to do with all this bad weather?"Sophia asked her as Hannah shook her head.  "No ma'am,  your going to like this one trust me!"said Hannah as he handed her the file.  "God I sure hope so."Sophia muttered to herself.  Opening the file she seen a girl named Melissa Hayes who was apparently pregnant by the signs she was having.   "Thankyou for giving this to me Hannah, this made my day go alot better!"said Sophia smiling.

Heading towards the third floor the ObGyn department Sophia pushed the button on the elevator as it went up. After a few seconds Sophia was in the department walking towards the waiting room.  "Melissa Hayes?"Sophia called out softly but loud enough for people in the waiting room could hear her.  Looking around she seen no replying to her but as she seen two girls huddled in a corner Sophia took it as her cue. Although she really didn't know why, but there was something telling her the blond was Melissa was the brown hair girl was her friend.  Looking at them both she gave them a comforting smile. "Melissa, would you and your friend like to come with me?"Sophia asked them softly.

Sophia knew how it was, there were girls that came in everyday crying their eyes out afraid there boyfriends, finance or even husband wouldn't want them.  Sophia always told them differently, although it wasn't part of her job, she simply told them that for she knew what it was like to be scared and nervous.  She was the same way when she found out she was pregnant with Andrian's child when she was a young teen, she was scared Andrian was going to leave her but he didn't, he was shocked yes but he didn't leave.  It was the same way with Maura a couple of months ago,  she was scared Ryo would leave her but they were in here a couple of days ago just to find out they were having a girl! Girls were nervous sometimes for no reason, it was clear the mate loved them but they were just scared which Sophia understood perfectly.

The scent of the wards was as reassuring as it was sickening. Truly, her fear was in a small measure of what set itself ahead before her. That itself was a final, petrifying terror – and, certainly, one she could no longer extricate herself from. There was no turning her back on what she had done which, arguably, was just a matter of course. Differently, however, this was brazenly real. The warped sense of the world around her was streaming watery sunlight through murky windows specked with excrement courtesy of the charming seagulls that spent their time roosting in amongst what could only be described as the ‘battlements’ which lolloped around the top of the building. It was all frightfully accurate and no more apt than anything else that had ever happened to her. She deserved it, she supposed. She deserved it all.

There wasn’t much to be done or to be said, really. A nod would do the job adequately enough and then her worst fears would be entirely realised. She could barely take care of herself. Another life being added into the equation wasn’t something that Millie had been banking on and she certainly had no idea of how to proceed if such damning news brought out latent characteristics in her husband and he sent her away. She supposed she’d move in with Cordella and Gisele or something of the like. Elliot would pick her up off of her feet and Trent’s grandparents would be dismayingly helpful. She wasn’t really alone, no matter what the outcome was, but at the same time she really, truly, was.

The treatment room wasn’t unlike any other before it and Millie had certainly seen her fair share of them. The only differences were in the choices of colour – telling pinks and blues – and the heavy emphasis on pro-procreation. They certainly weren’t into abortion at St. Mungo’s it seemed. Not that, of course, she was considering it but Millie wasn’t exactly feeling particularly excited or encouraged at the sight of all of the leaflets and posters that explained exactly what ‘normal’ was during pregnancy. She couldn’t think of anything worse.

“Maybe I’ve got flu!” Millie exclaimed hopefully, unzipping her jacket regardless, knowing deep within her that while she could hope on: she didn’t have flu.

Smudging her lips together Millie sat down on the treatment table and looked steadily at the midwife or Healer or whoever the woman before her was.

“I don’t know what I’m hoping for,” Millie admitted after a moment. “But Gis here is all babied up and I don’t need that … I can’t …” Millie took a steady, hesitant breath. “But I am, aren’t I?”

Sophia looked at Millie and nodded. "I'm afraid you are Melissa, your description point to all sings of pregnancy."said Sophia softly. "If you wish to do a test to prove that you are, we can."said Sophia looking from her to Gisele.

Sophia looked into Millie's eyes and seen that there was fear and worry in her blue eyes. Sophia felt bad for the poor girl, here she was married and from it looked like a seventh year at Hogwarts baring a child. She looked so young and innocent, just like Maura did but here she was baring a baby girl that are and Ryo created. It was hard to believe that people were making babies at such a young age, but then again she was young when she gotten pregnant so she had no room to talk. Besides, Sophia thought it was a beautiful thing, even if they were young.

"Melissa, I know your scared and you have every right to be, but this isn't the flu you have even when you wish that it is!"said Sophia softly. "Besides, you have your husband and your friends behind you, it's going to be alright I promise."said Sophia. "Come lets do some tests on you and see how far along you are!"said Sophia. "Ugh... I hate the colors of these walls, I asked Khaat to change these multiple times!"Sophia muttered to herself shaking her head.