It was as if the world had stopped, as though Phoenix had woken up in his own personal hell. The perfect woman for him, the woman he believed to be his soulmate, the only person with whom he could truly be himself, had almost married another man under the influence of a spell. And now, she was possibly carrying that man's child. The situation had spiraled so far out of control that he didn't know what to say or do. What could he say? They had only shared a short time together before his accident, but in that time, Phoenix had felt something real—the most real thing he had ever experienced. Now, it felt like their future was being shattered to pieces. His mind was a cluttered mess, and he was sure Catherine's was too. He was at a loss, so he just stared at her, unable to process what she had just told him.

Phoenix's thoughts raced, a tumult of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. Joy at being reunited with Catherine warred with the fear and uncertainty of her possible pregnancy. How could they navigate this? He had just woken up from a coma, their relationship was still new, and now this? The weight of it all pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe.

"Phoenix?" Catherine sniffled, her voice trembling. "Can you please say something?"

She watched him, her own heart pounding. She had imagined this moment so many times during their separation, but never like this. The fear of rejection, of Phoenix walking away now that he knew, was almost paralyzing.

"What?" was all Phoenix could manage to say.

"At least, I think I'm pregnant," Catherine clarified, her hands shaking as she spoke. "I'm late for my period, my emotions are all over the place, and my nipples hurt."

Phoenix's mind latched onto this last detail, so mundane yet so intimate. It made the situation real in a way that threatened to overwhelm him. He found himself wondering about morning sickness, doctor's appointments, and tiny clothes. The future he had imagined with Catherine was rapidly transforming into something he had never considered.

"Your nipples?" Phoenix repeated, his gaze instinctively dropping to her chest before quickly snapping back to her eyes. The shock was overwhelming, and this was so much worse than the idea of her getting married—so, so much worse. "Okay, uh. Wow. Okay. Well, if you are… we can figure this out together," he stammered, trying to sound supportive despite his inner turmoil.

Inside, Phoenix was panicking. He had never imagined being a father, especially not to a child that wasn't biologically his. Could he do this? Would he be any good at it? The thought of disappointing Catherine, of failing this child before it was even born, terrified him.

Catherine's eyes widened, a mix of relief and uncertainty in her gaze. "You'd seriously do that? You'd help… But how? I mean, what are we supposed to do?"

She couldn't believe Phoenix was even considering staying with her. Part of her had expected him to run, to decide this was too much too soon. But here he was, offering support. Yet doubt lingered. Could they really make this work?

Phoenix took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts. "I don't know exactly, but I know I want to be with you. Whatever happens, whatever you decide, I'm here."

As he said the words, Phoenix realized he meant them. The thought of walking away from Catherine was more painful than facing this uncertain future together. Still, fear gnawed at him. What if he wasn't enough? What if the child grew up resenting him?

Tears welled up in Catherine's eyes. "But Phoenix, this child... if I am pregnant... it wouldn't be yours."

The words hung heavy in the air. Catherine watched Phoenix's face, searching for any sign of hesitation or regret. She loved him, but could she ask him to take on this responsibility? Was it fair to him, to the child?

The reality of the situation hit Phoenix like a punch to the gut. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to steady himself. When he opened them, he met Catherine's gaze with determination. "It doesn't matter. I love you, Catherine. If this child is a part of you, then I'll love it too."

Even as he spoke, Phoenix felt a mix of emotions. Love for Catherine, yes, but also fear of the unknown, a twinge of jealousy towards Jasper, and overwhelming doubt about his ability to be a father figure. Yet beneath it all was a stubborn determination. He had fought so hard to be with Catherine; he wasn't about to let this scare him away.

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Catherine broke down, her sobs shaking her entire body. Phoenix pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as she cried. "I'm so sorry," she whispered between sobs. "I didn't know... I thought you had abandoned me. The spell... it made everything so confusing."

As he held her, Phoenix felt his own eyes welling up. The past months had been a nightmare for both of them, and now this. It was too much, too fast. Yet here they were, clinging to each other like survivors of a shipwreck.

"Shh, it's okay," Phoenix murmured, stroking her hair. "It wasn't your fault. That spell... it messed with both of us. But we're here now, together."

He whispered reassurances, as much for himself as for Catherine. They were together now, yes, but what did that mean? How would they navigate this new reality? Phoenix pushed the questions aside for now, focusing on the woman in his arms.

As Catherine's sobs subsided, she looked up at Phoenix, her eyes red and puffy but filled with love. "What do we do now?"

Phoenix cupped her face gently. "First, we need to confirm if you're actually pregnant. Then, we'll take it one step at a time. Together."

The word 'together' felt like a promise and a challenge. There was so much they needed to discuss, so many decisions to make. But for now, this was enough. They had found each other again, against all odds. Whatever came next, they would face it as a team.

Catherine nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. "Together," she repeated.

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their situation settling over them. Then, without warning, Catherine's lips found Phoenix's. The kiss was soft yet needy, filled with all the longing and love they'd been unable to express for months.

As they kissed, Phoenix felt a surge of protectiveness. Whatever happened, he would be there for Catherine, for this child if there was one. The future was uncertain, terrifying even, but in this moment, he knew they could face it. Together.

Phoenix moaned against her mouth, kissing her deeper—his lips bound with hers just as his heart was. But then he remembered the complexity of their situation and pulled away. "But what about—"

"I don't want to think about anything but you right now," Catherine whispered, and she started kissing him again, deeper this time. "I want to think about us. I want to focus on you."

And that was good enough for Phoenix. The spell might have been broken, but the magic between them was stronger than ever. He didn't want to think about the challenges ahead or the uncertainties they faced. Right now, all that mattered was that they were together.

"I missed you," Phoenix found himself admitting. "Though for me, it's only been days since I woke up. A weird few days, considering everything that's happened, but—"

"Please shut up," Catherine murmured, pushing him back into a nearby chair.

Now she had his full attention as she climbed on top of him and started kissing down his neck. "You really didn't touch anyone else? Even in your dreams?"

"Not even in my dreams," Phoenix told her, his voice husky with emotion. "For me, it's only you. I only see you. I only want you."

Those words seemed to ignite something between them. Her lips became hungrier on his, and Phoenix's hands explored her body—something he had missed, even as it pressed closely against his.

"Shouldn't we," Phoenix mumbled breathily into her hot kiss, "go somewhere else? You know, in case someone comes looking for you?"

"It's fine," Catherine assured him, still kissing him heavily. "No one knows we're here. Just keep kissing me and stop talking, please. I missed you so much."

Phoenix knew it wasn't logical, but apparently, when it came to Catherine, logic didn't apply. It didn't matter that they had a mountain of issues to sort through or that their future was uncertain. Right now, all that mattered was this moment, this connection.

"I love you," Phoenix said, not wanting to think or focus on anything else aside from her lips.

"I love you too, Phoenix," Catherine murmured. "My god, I love you—and I want you, I want you so bad. I know we have stuff to think about," she kissed him for a moment, "I know we need to talk and deal with some things, but right now, I just need to kiss you. You are everything to me."

"You're everything to me too," Phoenix replied, his voice heavy with emotion.

It made no sense, but despite all the alarm bells ringing in his mind, Phoenix found himself drawn to her. He found his body, lips, and tongue reacting to hers—yearning for her in a way that defied logic and reason. The spell might have been broken, but the magic between them was stronger than ever. And in that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of them, reunited against all odds, facing an uncertain future but facing it together.

As they lost themselves in each other's arms, Phoenix silently vowed to fight whatever forces had tried to keep them apart. Whether it was supernatural spells or real-world complications, he knew that their love was worth fighting for. And as Catherine's lips met his once more, he knew she felt the same way. Whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, their bond stronger than any spell could ever be.