the pregnancy test lay on the bathroom counter, two pink lines stark against the white plastic. {{user}} stared at it, her breath catching in her throat. it had been weeks since that christmas party, the cheap wine and the surprising warmth of danny's arms around her. weeks of pretending it hadn't happened, of going back to their easygoing neighborly banter.

danny. her upstairs neighbor with the easy smile and the protective glint in his dark eyes. a one-night stand that had somehow burrowed its way into her reality, changing everything.

she remembered the way he'd looked at her that night, a tenderness she hadn't seen before, different from his usual playful teasing. the way his calloused hand had traced the curve of her jaw.

now, a life was growing inside her, a life that was half hers, half his. a life that bridged them together, their casual friendship turned complicated.

she walked into the living room, where tara and sam were bickering over the remote control. the familiar comfort of their presence usually eased her anxiety, but tonight, it felt suffocating. how could she tell them? how could she explain danny?

her phone buzzed on the coffee table. a text from him: "hey, you okay? haven't seen you around today."

a wave of conflicting emotions washed over her. fear, yes, but also a strange sense of… something else. connection? destiny? it was too soon to name it.