Day Drinking

Mia stood there a moment unsure of what to say before walking out of the room picking up Sage from where he was on the sofa and taking him into his room. Mia picked out clothes for him and then started the shower. She helped him get the blood out of his hair and kept an eye on him while he finished his shower on his own. After he was clean, Mia helped her son get dried off and dressed in clean clothes.

Mia asked her son if he was hungry, and he said he was quietly. Mia took Sage to the kitchen and fixed him a half of a sandwich and a piece of fruit. She stood there while Sage worked on his food. Tim was standing in the doorway watching her carefully.

"Why did Uncle Nick hurt you, momma?" Sage asked without looking up from his meal.

Mia sighed and shifted against the counter. "I don't know baby; I think I said something that made him angry, and he lost control of his temper for a minute. Sometimes grown-ups have complicated relationships."

Mia stepped away from the counter, "I wasn't actually aware that Nick was capable of anger or any strong emotion for that matter." Mia mumbled as she opened a bottle of wine and poured a glass before taking a sip.

"Day drinking Mia?" Tim asked.

"I think I've earned it, Timothy." Mia answered. Timothy nodded his ascent to that statement.

Sage told his mother that he was done, and Mia sent him to play on his computer in his room. Mia cleaned up her son's dish. She went to turn around, but Tim's arms had snaked around her and were trapping her against him. Tim kissed Mia's neck.

"Baby, can I get a straight answer from you now?" Tim said quietly.

Mia sighed. "Come with me." Mia led Timothy into the bedroom and told him to wait as she went into the closet and grabbed the pregnancy test from her bag.

Mia came out of the closet and handed the pregnancy test to Tim. "Read your pamphlet and figure out what it says. I'm day drinking." Tim frowned after Mia as she left the room and returned to the kitchen.

Tim read the instructions, but he wasn't sure. Reading this thing was a doctor's job. Tim growled low and headed to the office. Caleb was working on the Aide Castle collaboration when Tim walked in. He was worried about the situation with Mia, but Tim was here and handling it.

Timothy stormed into the office and plopped the test and instructions in front of Caleb.

"I need your help." Tim said frustrated.

"Are we going to kill the doctor? I think the Lanes are in favor. When do we go?" Caleb asked seriously.

"Worry about that later right now I need your help to determine what that plastic stick says because Mia won't tell me." Tim replied annoyance clear in his voice.

Caleb looked down at the plastic stick then at the instructions and he started reading while picking up the test and looking at it from every angle.

"This is a pregnancy test? I thought only doctors could give those." Caleb questioned continuing to read.

"Yes, that is supposed to be true, but Mia did see a doctor today and I still don't know what happened there. It might have had something to do with this." Tim replied running his hands through his hair.

"Gross," Caleb said holding the stick gingerly, "the end is dipped in urine."

"Really?" Tim asked exasperation in his tone.

"Alright, this says that a plus sign is positive or pregnant and a minus sign is negative or not pregnant." Caleb looked at the test for a minute before a slow smile spread over his face but then checked himself.

"Tim would you be happy if the test was positive?" Caleb asked cautiously.

"Of course, I would and for many reasons. Besides the joy of having another child that I actually get to be there for, a baby means no annulment and being able to stop hiding our marriage when the Heir Documents go through." Tim explained.

"Well congratulations are in order because you are going to be a father again." Caleb said with a smile.

Tim was in shock. "Mia is drinking." Tim started to head out to stop her, but Caleb stopped him instead.

"Mia has had a hell of a day. A couple glasses of wine today will help her and not hurt the baby. Let her be." Caleb recommended to his friend.

"Are you sure she's pregnant?" Tim asked.

"The plus means yes." Caleb explained pointing at the plus sign.

"Do you think this is what she fought with the doctor about?" Tim asked, he was extremely angry. "That man hit my pregnant wife. It would be more than fair if I killed him."

"You should go talk to your wife. I am certain she is stressed with the baby now in her thoughts too." Caleb looked once again at his work while Timothy headed out of the room.

Timothy went in search of his wife. He checked in the kitchen first, but she wasn't there. Next, he went to the master bedroom where he found Mia curled up in the large chair. She had a glass of wine in her hand and stared pensively out the window at the sky.

"Where did you get the pregnancy test, Mia?" Tim asked curiously.

Mia laughed lightly not moving. "I stole it from a supply room at the Research Center when I went to talk to Nicholas's sister. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

Timothy went and sat on the ottoman in front of her and tried to think of what the right thing to say was. Mia beat him to speaking.

"Sage isn't all better. His numbers are gradually dropping. The bone marrow transplant is treating him, but it hasn't stabilized. I thought he was cured but I found out today that that is not true. The baby I carry could be our son's last chance at life if his numbers don't stabilize soon. I need Nicholas to treat him. Nick developed an experimental treatment using the genetically rich cord blood of a newborn direct sibling. I thought the bone marrow would be enough and maybe it will be, but I still need Nicholas to bank the cord blood in case it isn't. He is the only one that can do this." Mia ran out of steam and went silent.

Tim stared unsure of what to say. Mia was telling him that what Nicholas had done didn't matter because they needed him. He watched Mia finish her glass of wine and set the glass down on the side table.

"Mia, I can have a team of doctors along with Connor replicate Nicholas's work." Tim offered.

"Would you bet our son's life on them being able to recreate the treatment of a renowned genetic engineering specialist?" Mia scoffed. "No, I will take care of this."

"How?" Tim asked, hating that he knew what the answer would look like.

"For starters I need your word that you won't retaliate." Mia said calmly.

"Mia, I..." Timothy started.

Mia snapped her eyes to Tim's they were icy, "Your word, Tim?"

Timothy sighed, "I give you my word not to retaliate against Nicholas."

"Good, I will go and have a chat with Dr. Merches and tell him that I am sorry for instigating the fight by pushing him and that I understand it was an accident. I will have him confirm my pregnancy and let him know that I will bank the cord blood for future use. That will be the end of it." Mia told her husband her voice was like steel.

Tim sighed. There wasn't any part of this that he liked but he felt out of his element and unsure what to do to make any of this better. Finally, he reached out and pulled Mia to the edge of her seat wrapping his arms around her. At first, she was as rigid as a statue but then by increments she began to relax against him. It took him a moment to notice that she was softly crying in his arms but when he did, he began rubbing her back soothingly.

After a couple minutes he picked her up and carried her to the bed where he lay down holding her against him. It took a while, but her sobs eventually stopped, and her breathing became even with sleep. Tim pulled a blanket over Mia's sleeping form. She looked so broken and fragile that his chest hurt. He left the room to check on his children who were in Ginger's room with Angela.

Angela told Tim that Sage had told a very scary story to Ginger and asked if it were true repeating what Sage had said. Tim confirmed with a nod and Angela tried to hide the look of shock from the children.Tim let Angela know that Mia was sleeping and asked her to please keep the twins playing quietly.

Tim went to the office and updated Caleb and then updated Nathan and Jason as well. He was not sure if he should tell them about Mia's pregnancy but since Jason was a lawyer and it could help, he was inclined to share. Finally, he called the two brothers.

"So, you mean we can't retaliate in any way?" Jason asked.

Tim scoffed. "I promised, you didn't, but I would be very careful if you do."

Nathan huffed "This isn't right, why would she protect him after what he has done?"

Timothy heaved a heavy sigh, "it has to do with a treatment for Sage that only Dr. Merches is capable of carrying out. It is frustrating as hell for me. That man hit my pregnant wife and she is forced to protect him because she fears for our child."

"What did you say?" Nathan asked sharply.

Timothy was confused. "What? That I'm frustrated?"

"No, that Mia is pregnant?" Jason questioned sternly.

"Don't freak out on me I literally found out less than two hours ago." Tim sighed.

Nathan cursed. "Where was it confirmed? Is that why he hurt her?"

Tim started to pace. "It hasn't been confirmed by a doctor. Mia stole a pregnancy test from the Research Center and took the test here at the hotel. She hid it from me but missed a piece of paper that gave her away. The tests are very straightforward and easy to administer. They are also easy to read. It definitely says that she is pregnant." Tim finished speaking.

"Maybe we should have her see Connor?" Jason offered. "I am sure he would take care of her. He isn't speaking to Dominic. The whole family is split apart but there are vitamins that Mia needs if she is pregnant, or the child could be born sick."

Tim stopped pacing. "Mia needs folic acid and prenatal vitamins. I remember checking on them when she was pregnant before. Do those have to be prescribed by a doctor?"

Timothy sighed heavily telling the brothers that Mia intended to go back to Nicholas and have him run the test to show that they were still friends. Nathan started to curse, and Jason ground out a few expletives of his own.

"Are you telling me that with all the money and power of both the Lane and Barrett names backing her, Mia has to kneel before the feet of a man that hit her and traumatized her child?" Jason ground out between his teeth. "I won't stand for it, no, damn it, I say no."

Jason had a point, and it was killing Timothy to even consider allowing it.

"Please man, let us get Connor and come to you. He can confirm Mia's pregnancy and treat her wounds. He can bring her the vitamins that she needs. We won't tell Dominic where you are. I swear." Nathan urged.

"I don't trust Connor." Tim replied but still she needed a doctor.

"After he sees what Dominic made happen, he won't say a word. I am certain of it." Jason argued as well.

"Fine because Mia really needs a doctor, and I can't take her to the hospital looking like I beat her. That is the last thing we need to hit the papers." Timothy relented before giving the brothers their location and specifics.

"We will be there with Connor as soon as we can." Nathan said seriously.

Timothy really hoped he had made the right call. He looked to Caleb who told him he thought Tim had made the right decision.