Hot Number (Hot Zone 2)

For a brief second, Damian almost felt sorry for her but then he remembered the hell he'd been living with ever since her announcement and her deliberate omission of Carter's part in her life.

Rick placed an arm around her shoulder and, though she stiffened, she didn't pull away. "Babe, you need to face the truth. It's a crapshoot.Fifty-fifty. Doc?" he asked, turning to the older man.

Dr. Kernan glanced at the folder in his hand. "As I explained the day we did the test, I extracted the fetal cells from the mother's blood sample and compared blood types to both possible fathers."

"As I said-" Carole began, but Carter cut her off.

"What do the results show?" he asked.

Damian held his breath.

The doctor met Damian's gaze, "I can guarantee you one hundred percent, you are not nor can you possibly be the baby's father."

Damian blinked, certain he'd heard incorrectly.

"That's not possible," Carole said, her voice trembling with pure fear.

Her reaction assured Damian he hadn't misunderstood. "Not mine?" he asked.

The doctor who'd delivered all of his sisters' children walked over and put a hand on Damian's shoulder. "Not yours" he said, loud and clear.

Damian forced air into his lungs. It wasn't easy and he realized he was dizzy. He rubbed his forehead.

"What are you saying?" Carole asked.

Damian glanced at Carter whose face was flushed red. The other man hadn't asked if he was the father. Carole might claim that she'd only been with both men, but Damian couldn't help questioning that. Carter wanted this baby and a life with Carole, for better or for worse, Damian thought wryly. Would the rookie be disappointed in life yet again? At least he couldn't blame Damian this time.

He drew a deep breath and rose before the doctor could announce the next set of results. "I think this is where I take my leave." Damian turned to his teammate. "Good luck," he said and, avoiding Carole's gaze, he headed for the door.

He didn't want to be around to witness either Carter's triumph or his humiliation.

It wasn't his business. Not anymore.

Carole's hands shook as Damian walked out the door without sparing her a glance. He disappeared along with her hopes and dreams for a solid future for herself and her baby. It wasn’t that she couldn't support herself. She could. She always had. And it wasn't that she was in love with the man. If love were the sole criterion for security, she'd lasso Carter and marry him today.

The doctor stood before them, that damning folder in his hand.

"So it's a done deal?" Carter asked. "It's mine?”

A wave of dizziness swept over her and she lowered herself into the nearest chair. The doctor came up behind her and eased her head down slowly until it rested between her legs.

"Easy" Dr. Kernan said. "Just stay in this position for a bit."

"Are you okay?" Rick leaned down beside her. "I already told you we'll get through this together and that was before Damian was out of the picture. We're gonna be fine, babe " he said in a reassuring voice.

A lump rose in her throat. Carter's words only made her feel that much worse. The poor man had too much faith in her, Carole thought. She didn't deserve for him to love her. She didn't deserve for him

to care.

It didn't matter that she'd learned her lesson about chasing fantasy instead of reality. It didn't matter that she'd learned the hard, way she should have valued herself and her body enough to hold out for a man who truly cared instead of settling for scraps from the big stars.

She'd sacrificed her self-respect long ago. After watching Damian walk out of the room, she now promised herself to start fresh. She'd make a life for herself and her baby and it'd be a better one than her mother had been able to give her. There'd be no men wandering through at all hours and there'd be nourishing meals on the table. She'd see to it.

Though her heart pounded in her chest, she was starting to regain her composure. Carole slowly lifted her head. "Let's do this," she said, wanting the official announcement over with.

Dr. Kernan flipped his folder closed. "Congratulations " he said, his gaze meeting Carter's. "You're the proud father-to-be."

"Woo hoo!" Carter pumped his fist in the air and the doctor laughed. "So is it a boy or girl?" Carter asked.