Chapter Sixty two- Misconceptions
 
 

          **12:10 AM**

Outside the Chancellor estate, the air was cold and the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow.
The wind was harsh and merciless as it hit Nikki… she wasn’t wearing anything over the short, off shoulder dress.
But it was better than the stiff, over-heated mansion and it was way better than dealing with the kids and Victor…

"Ouch" She grimaced as she nearly lost her balance, the heel of the shoe got stuck in the snow and snapped.
"This is what I get for paying too much for a pair of shoes" She thought, and broke the heel of the other one, so the shoes would be even.

She was getting really cold, and wanted a warmer place to be in, but a place that wasn’t filled with people…. Like Catherine’s stables…

She hurried there as fast as she could … and fought the heavy wooden door as she entered.
It was warmer inside, and smelled of hay and horses… familiar, calming scent.
She sat down on a big pile of hay and took of her wet shoes and folded her legs under her body… she beat herself up for not grabbing her purse on her way down, her car keys were there, and she could have gone home…
She threw herself back onto the hay closed her eyes in pain "Oh god, what have I done?" She thought.
This whole night have been a nightmare, and she hasn’t done a single thing right, and now the children know almost everything, and this wasn’t how she wanted them to know, it’s not how she wanted to tell them.
She could just imagine how confused they must be, and she dreaded thinking how Victor was handling them, he could be making them all sort of promises she didn’t know if they could keep, not if her baby is Brad’s.

Putting two hands on her stomach, thinking of the baby, trying to picture him or her…
She opened her eyes instantly, and removed her hands, she shouldn’t do it, she can’t… she would get too attached way too soon, and if the baby is Brad’s…
She didn’t know what she would do then.

"Victor seemed so excited about it" Nikki thought miserably, "I can’t tell him, oh god… I just can’t tell him I don’t know who the father is" She whispered, as if to herself.

Seeing his reaction, she was really beginning to wonder about his conversation with Hope, what was really going on there? Did Victor really still have feelings for her, or did she just interpret it this way, because she was upset when she got there?
She didn’t know, and she was tired of thinking of it, she was so tired, and drained…

She wondered what was going on with her children, and hoped to god Victor wasn’t telling them anymore than he had to…. Things were bad enough already.
 

          **12:10 AM**

Outside, Victor was looking for Nikki everywhere, he was relived to find her car was still there, he didn't like the thought of her driving on the slippery roads at this time of night... not in the mood she was in.

She was definitely somewhere on the grounds, but where? The lands around Catherine's estate spread around a large territory, but it was all covered with a thick layered of snow, he was sure she didn't go far.
Victor remembered what Nikki wore as she left the house and he shivered from the mere thought, nothing but a dress, no scarf, no gloves and no coat…
He became very worried when he thought of what might happen to Nikki if she stays too much outside in that weather, what was it that made her walk away? It had to do with him... or the baby, that he was sure of.

As he walked on the snow covered lanes…calling out Nikki’s name, he thought back of the last few hours, this morning when she was as happy and as excited as he has ever seen her.
And then she disappeared for hours, acting distant and distraught at the party, fainting, and the emotional outburst in which she told him she was pregnant. 
He thought it was just worrying about his reaction, evidently, he was mistaken... otherwise she wouldn't have ran out like that.
She seemed relieved and happy when he told her that her pregnancy was something he wanted... but there was something in the look in her eyes, did she not believe him?

He didn’t say it just to reassure her, he meant every word. He couldn’t explain it, after all, He was looking toward spending time with Nikki…just the two of them…
A new baby would change all that for certain, but it just felt very right for some reason, and he decided not to try and understand that… sometimes you just have to go with what you feel.

But Nikki, instead of being happy that he felt this way, just turned more upset, more emotional, more…
For a moment he considered the possibility that maybe Nikki didn’t want the baby, that maybe she was the one didn’t want to be burdened with another child right now, that she thought about all the things they wouldn't be able to do together...
But he dismissed the thought quickly. It just wasn’t like her.
He always thought Nikki would have loved it if she had more than two children, even though she never told him that directly... he couldn’t imagine a situation that she wouldn’t want to have their child, even if the timing was bad.

He had a very strong feeling he was missing something, something that was right there in front of his eyes…His trail of thought was cut off when his leg bumped into something in the snow…it was dark outside and so he leaned down to have a better look.

It was a heel, a heel of a shoe… Victor, holding the heel in his hand straightened, he was sure it was the heel of Nikki’s shoe he was holding… he looked around and then saw the faint trace of steps in the soft snow, leading toward the stables.
 

  **12:21 AM**

Catherine Chancellor was annoyed, tired, her most expensive chandelier was broken 10 minutes ago downstairs, and most of all she was worried about Nikki.
And to add to her annoyance over the feeling a lot going on here she didn’t know, her best source of information, paced around the room excitedly for three minutes, mumbling "Oh my god, oh my god… oh my god"

Nicholas was getting irritated with her,  "Vicky, come on! You’re driving me crazy! You didn’t say anything else ever since dad left! What are you thinking about?"
Victoria turned to her younger brother sharply and explained "What am I thinking about? Did you see them? Ugh, I can not believe dad just left us hanging like that"
Nicholas nodded slowly, smiling "Yea, there was definitely a lot going on there"
Victoria, ignoring Catherine and Jack grabbed her brother’s hands "A lot going on! Nicholas! Did you see the way our parents were looking at each other? The way they reacted to each other? The way dad reacted when mom told him she was *pregnant*???"

Catherine choked "What? Your mother is pregnant?!!"
She couldn’t believe Nikki would be pregnant and keep it as a secret from her.

Victoria looked at her, grinned, and said  "She just blurted it out, And Dad, he had the most unbelievable reaction, you should have been here, Catherine"
Nicholas continued, still unsure and filled with doubts "Vicki, he was shocked"
Victoria empathized the word "He was *happy*! Did you see the way he reacted? Asking mom if she thought he would be upset over this?  And then hugging her and everything? Do you realize what that means? That baby is Dad’s and that baby had to get there somehow!"
She sighed, but grinned to him all at the same time "You know how women get pregnant, right? What, you need me to draw you a detailed picture?" She asked., her voice filled with laugher and tears of excitement  "Don’t you see what is going on here?!"

Catherine, still trying to make sense to it all, asked Victoria shakily "You want to tell me, that your parents, have…gotten back together, and now your mother is pregnant?"
Victoria said excitedly "I am almost certain of it, even if dad didn’t spell it out for us"
Catherine sat down "Oh, dear god" She smiled to herself "Well, that explains it"
Victoria looked at her "Explain what?"
Catherine said, "Just the way your mother behaved lately… Even though she was so worried about your brother, there was something about her when I saw her…a spark… I couldn’t figure it out at the time what it was all about"
Victoria grinned widely "Well, we know now…I can’t believe I’ve been so blind!"

Jack, standing at the sidelines, grimaced, he wasn’t sure what was going on with Nikki, but he was positive it wasn’t just fear that the Black knight wouldn’t like the fact she’s pregnant.
He asked her a few times what was going on with her, and she didn’t tell him… she would have told him if it was something like Victor’s reaction that caused her to worry – but she didn’t.
So that means it was something bigger, something more serious, and he had the sinking feeling he knew what that something was. But there was no way he could calm down Victoria without explain to her why he didn’t think she should get so excited prematurely, and there was no way he was going to do that,
He wanted to stay clear of the whole situation, but the surest way to draw attention to himself is to leave now…

Victoria, oblivious to Jack’s discomfort, was getting annoyed at Nicholas’s none-reaction, she could see he was happy, but he wouldn’t let himself get excited about it, and Victoria knew that no matter what he said in the past, it was as important to him as it was to her.

She looked at her brother and said, exasperated "Nicholas say something! Aren’t you happy? I don’t understand you"
Nicholas, looked at his sister for a minute and then a big smile spread on his lips…he said to Victoria "Wow… I guess it’s really happening…mom and dad are getting back together" He said, grinning "This is turning into one hell of a welcome home party, cool"
Victoria, mimicking his voice good naturally, replied with a smile "Yea, it’s very ‘cool’…So, can you muster up some enthusiasm for me?"
For response, Nicholas scooped her in his arm for a big brotherly hug, and then started spinning his sister around the room, Victoria laughed unstoppably "Nicholas, stop it, you’re making me dizzy…"
Nicholas protested, smirking "You said I didn’t look happy enough"
Victoria hit him on the chest "You won’t be, if I end up throwing up all over you, put me down"
Nicholas put his sister down and then apologized to her, "I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time about mom and dad before, Vic. I didn’t want you to get your hopes up about them, you always get hurt at the end, I just wanted to protect you from getting disappointed"
Victoria smiled tearfully at him and nodded "I know, but you can’t control the way I feel, plus…" She grinned "I was right, wasn’t I?"
Nicholas groaned "You are unbelievable, I try to apologize and you’re telling me ‘I told you so’"
Victoria grinned, ignoring him "So what have we learned today, little brother?"
Nicholas suggested "That I should shut up from now on?"
Victoria smirked and replied "No, that big sisters are always right…now go and get us a bottle of Champaign, I feel like partying!"
 

 **12:17 AM**

He opened the big wooden door and breathe a sigh of relief, Nikki was there, sitting on a big pile of hash, her hands wrapped around herself to keep warm.

She raised her head slowly when she realized he entered the room, and didn’t say a word.
Now that he could see she was alright, he wanted to strangle her for worrying him like that, he approached her and stood in front of her, as she looked away from him again, her expression blank.

He asked her angrily, "What the hell is the matter with you?! Are you trying to get me worried on purpose or what?! The weather is a nightmare out there, you could have frozen to death"

Nikki answered quietly "I’m fine…It was just too hot in the house, I couldn’t breath in there"
Victor felt unable to get mad anymore, she wasn’t responsive, she wasn’t telling him the truth and it wasn’t the way to reach her.
He sat on the hash next to her and said in deep concern "No, you’re not fine, you’re pale like a ghost and your lips are blue"
He touched her cheek, she felt like ice, and her feet were bare and very cold.
He removed his coat and put it around her, helping her getting her hands inside the sleeves and buttoned it all the way up.
Her energy level was so low she barely had the power to help him. She protested weekly "Now you’ll be cold"
Victor ignored her as he scooped her legs up and putting them in his lap, rubbing her frozen feet up and down with his hands to warm them up "Did you lose your shoes in the snow?" He asked her, feeling how cold her feet were.
Nikki’s eyes closed, and started shaking uncontrollably, the jolt of his warm touch made her feel how cold it was for the first time.
She shook her head no, her teeth tapping "No, I took them off here, but the heel of my shoe…"
Victor moved to rub her arms, in attempt to warm her up.
He completed the sentence for her "Broke. I know, I found it, that’s how I found you…"
He stopped rubbing her shoulders and touched her cheek, placing both hands on each side of her face…
"And I thank god that I did, I don’t know if you have survived until the morning here in this weather…your legs are near frozen, and it’s no wonder, you’re not wearing anything but that little dress"
Nikki nodded "I know…" She opened her eyes and looked at him and whispered "I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you"
Victor looked at her intently and said "I don’t know why you would want put you and this baby in so much danger, I know you know better"
Nikki looked at him, overcome with guilt "That’s not what I wanted to do…god…I just needed to get away…I…I really blew it, with the children" Her voice choked up.
Victor sighed from the bottom of his soul "I am partly to blame for this…I pushed you to tell me what was wrong. Telling them like that was not what either of us wanted"
Nikki asked worriedly, moving her legs away from his hold "What did you tell them?"
Victor paused for a minute and told her "Nothing, I didn’t know what to say, I told them I needed to go and find you, first. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t drawing their own conclusions"
Nikki breathe out a sigh of relief…Victor hasn't told them anything definite, good.

Victor looked at her and then it dawned to him "You’re not just upset because the way Nicholas and Victoria heard we’re getting back together, you wish they hadn’t found out at all, do you?"
Nikki’s lowered her head, not looking at him.
Victor was more confused now than ever, he held her hands "We were going to tell them today, that was the decision we’ve made, Nicholas is out of prison, nothing stands in our way now… remember all that? We’ve talked about it this very morning"
Nikki whispered "I know, I know we did"

Victor let go of her hand, and stood up…
He walked around the stable for a minute, and then stopped in front of her, looked at her for a moment and then asked her out of deep pain and anger "I don’t know… Maybe… maybe you’ve lost interest in me and now you’re stuck with a baby you don’t want? Or maybe you found out you want Brad Carlton after all, is that it?"
Nikki looked up at him, despair in her eyes and cried out "No, god no… it’s not that at all, how can you think that?? I love you!"
Victor said angrily "You sure as hell not acting like it!"
Nikki got up to him and begged "Believe it! Oh please, please… doubt everything else if you have to, but don’t ever stop believing that I love you" She cried, her tears flowing freely on her face.
Victor stood in front of her, the conflict he felt evident on his face, and then grabbed her and pulled her to him in a strong embrace, she sobbed in his arms.
Victor lowered his head and told her quietly "You have to tell me what is wrong, we’re not leaving here until you tell me…it can take all night, I don’t care"
Nikki froze in his arms, not looking up to him.
Victor wasn’t about to let her say nothing.
He pushed her away from him so he would be able to look her in the eyes and asked her "It is not my possible negative reaction to your pregnancy that made you disappear tonight, is it?"
Nikki, blankly, unable to speak, shook her head no.
Victor sent a hand and removed the straw from her tousled hair, and the gesture made Nikki’s heart ache so much…she looked up at him, her look pleads with him to ask no further.
Victor was beginning to truly be worried about what she was holding out on him… he didn’t want to keep guessing, he wanted to hear the truth from her "I don’t want to guess, I want you to tell me"
Nikki, unable to take it anymore, nodded yes.
Her eyes welling up with tears, she looked up in a plea for strength and then whispered "Oh god, please help me…" She looked right at Victor "I’m not sure the baby’s yours"