Damon kept having dreams about the accident - haunting him, keeping him awake until morning, staring at the kitchen walls drinking coffee. He was trying to process the reason behind that.
It was time Riley came in and gave him the morning kiss, but she hadn't come out of the bedroom yet, which was unusual.
Damon frowned and walked over to check on her, his heart starting to beat a little faster.
As he approached the bedroom, he froze in his tracks.
Riley was lying on the floor near the bed, motionless.
Panic surged through Damon's chest. He immediately rushed to her side, his legs almost giving out beneath him as he dropped to the floor beside her. "Riley?" he whispered, shaking her gently. "Riley, wake up!"
"Riley, please, wake up," he begged, his voice cracking in fear.
The memories of the accident played on a loop in his mind, each detail sharper than the last.
Her skin felt warm, but she remained unresponsive. His heart pounded in his chest as he shook her again, this time a little more forcefully.
But she still didn't stir.
Without thinking twice, Damon grabbed his keys and ran for the door, carrying her in his arms. His car was parked just outside, and he didn't even hesitate. He needed her to be okay - he needed her to wake up.
{At the Hospital}
When Damon burst through the hospital doors, nurses immediately rushed over. They took Riley from his arms, and Damon followed them, anxiety gnawing at him. He stood by the door of the emergency room, barely able to keep still. His heart was pounding painfully in his chest, and the minutes felt like hours.
Finally, a doctor walked out, and Damon rushed to him, his voice shaky with worry. "How is she? What happened? Is she going to be, okay?"
The doctor looked at him with a reassuring smile. "She's stable, Mr. Damon. We ran some tests, and it seems that there was nothing life-threatening. However,?"
Damon held his breath, his mind still spinning with worry. "However, what?" he asked urgently.
The doctor paused, looking at him with a mix of sympathy and surprise. "She's pregnant, Mr. Damon. The fainting was due to the early stages of pregnancy. We'll keep monitoring her, but she's doing well."
Damon froze, the weight of the words hitting him like a wave. Pregnant.
He was going to be a father. A wave of unexpected emotions crashed over him - relief that Riley was okay, surprise that they were going to have a baby, and joy he hadn't even expected to feel.
{In Riley's Room}
When Riley woke up, she was lying in a hospital bed, IVs hooked up to her arm. Damon was sitting beside her, watching her with a look of relief mixed with concern.
Riley blinked a few times, groggy from the medication, and when her vision cleared, she saw Damon sitting there, his eyes full of worry. "Damon?" she whispered, her voice soft.
He immediately leaned forward, his hands gently brushing her hair away from her face. "Riley," he said softly, his voice hoarse. "You're okay. You fainted, but you're fine now. The doctors said everything's okay."
Riley took a moment to process his words, her gaze flickering between Damon and her surroundings. "What happened?" she asked, her mind still hazy.
"You passed out, but don't worry. The doctors said you're okay. They ran some tests and?" Damon trailed off for a second, gathering the courage to say the words. "Riley, you're pregnant."
Riley blinked, her eyes wide in shock. "What?"
Damon nodded, his voice soft but filled with emotion. "You're pregnant. We're having a baby!"
For a moment, Riley just stared at him, her mind struggling to catch up. Then, as the words sank in, she slowly placed her hand on her stomach, her expression a mix of awe and disbelief.
"I? I didn't know," she whispered, her eyes glistening with emotion. "I didn't know?"
Damon squeezed her hand gently, his heart swelling with affection for her. "I know. Neither did I. But we'll figure this out together. We're in this together."
Riley let out a shaky breath, her eyes starting to tear up as she looked at him. "I'm scared," she admitted quietly.
"I know you are," Damon said, his voice reassuring. "But we'll face this together. You don't have to do it alone."