St. Mungos ~August 29, 2025~

"His Daddy is just so darn stubborn sometimes that I can't help it." There was a slight glimmer in her eyes as if she as alluding to someone other than Nicolas Casillas.

"Just put your hand over here, where my hand is." Diana said. Her hand was on top of her belly and she could feel Darius kicking.

Darien frowned more at the slight implication...But it was nothing...Wasn't it?...

Cautiously he placed his hand on top of hers, and felt the baby kicking. It felt weird...almost as though...almost as though he knew the child...

But he didn't.

Did he?

Confused, he glanced at Diana without moving his hand.

Diana smiled at him encouragingly. It felt so good to feel his hand holding hers, holding their baby. Diana closed her eyes contently.

She could tell him now. It would prove that she really didn't mean to hurt him in marrying Nicolas but that she was only trying to protect their son. Besides, he had a right to know...

But she promised Nicolas that she wouldn't tell him or anyone the truth. It would ruin their cover.

But he had the right to know.

But Nicolas...

Isn't the father.

Telling him might jeopardize Darius.

Her internal conflict made her want to scream. She opened her eyes and looked at Darien.

"Do you hate me?"

Darien shook his head. "I just hate the way things turned out. But the purgers are to blame for that...not you." For some reason, the kicking child made him feel oddly peaceful and affectionate.

Or maybe his drink had been spiked.

"Do you hate me?"

A wave of relief seemed to wash over Diana when she heard he did not hate her. She feared that he had. Especially in marrying Nicolas. She wanted to desperately explain to him the circumstances but of course, she could not contact him. She could only imagine what he thought. Then of course, the news of her pregnancy... well that probably didn't sit well with him either. And yet, after all of these things, he still didn't hate her made her heart swell and - well she just wanted to go up to him and kiss him senseless.

"I know what I said earlier at the ball," Diana looked at him with guilt. "But I... I didn't mean it." She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. "I could never hate you."

Darien smiled, a genuine smile.

"I'm glad."

Diana beamed at him.

She suddenly and the urge to tell him. Why shouldn't she? He had a right to know didn't he?

"Darien... " She wondered how to tell him this. "I... I need to..." She trailed off.

Darien looked at her quizzically. "You need to..what?"

"There's something you should know about... Nick and I..." Diana said looking at him pleadingly.

"...What?" Darien was intrigued.

"I..." Diana sighed and tried to organise her thoughts. "I don't know... I'm so confused right now, you don't even know...."

Darien frowned. "What...don't I know...?"

Then he realised he didn't really want to know the answer. Or did he?

He took his hand away from the baby and sighed. "Ugh, this is so confusing. I...I shouldn't even be here! I'm ruining everything!"

"No Darien wait, please stay." Diana begged softly. "I don't want you to leave..."

"...I don't-I can't...I can'r deal with this!" Darien rubbed a hand across his face.

"It's too confusing! I don't know where we stand anymore, I don't know what I've done anymore! I barely-I just...Ugh! I can't deal with this! You're with Nick now, he's the one who should be here, not me!"

"Why do you give me up so easily?" Diana asked her meter raising again. "Why don't you fight for me?"

"I have fought for you!" Darien briefly felt anger at the hurt her question had caused. "I fought Nick, I fought your grandfather for you!"

His voice lowered as the anger faded. "But I will not fight for you if it means putting you in danger. Don't ask me to do that. I won't. And I won't f*** up your new family either."

"Stop calling it that!" Diana said irritably. She didn't like angry Darien, it was slightly unsettling.

"That's what it is! What else should I call it?" Darien grew defensive.

"I don't know!" Diana said. "Merlin this is so screwed up." She said lower, rubbing her temples. "I don't know... I don't knoww anything anymore."

"...neither do I."

Darien paused. "I...I should go."

"No please..." Diana sighed in designation. "Can I see you again?"

"...I don't know."

Darien sighed. "I just...don't know."

"The baby... he's not... I'd like you to be around when he's born." Diana said finally.

Darien frowned again. "Why? Nick'll be there he's the-..."

Then it hit him.

"But...he...what...I...I can't deal with this!" He buried his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, I just can't! Please, just give me a straight answer! Is he Nick's...or not?!"

Diana sucked in air sharply. She bit her lip in worry. "I'm sorry Darien... I can't... I promised... I promised I wouldn't say..."