Who: Ralph Frobisher & Miranda Parry
What: Miranda has some important news!
Where: LCU dorms!
When: Now!


Miranda bit the nail of her thumb, eyes darting up and down the hallway of the dormitory as the students walked back and forth. She was on the floor, leaning against the door of Ralph's room, looking like she'd just seen a ghost. Well--seeing a ghost, to a witch, really wasn't that much of a fright, but...that was the saying. She looked like she'd seen someone rise from the dead was more like it.

Pregnant. She. Was. Pregnant. How had this happened? Sure, she and Ralph had a lot of sex, maybe sometimes unprotected and in a variety of places, but for the most part they were careful! They'd been careful for---for more than three years. She and Ralph had been together for three years and had managed to...to not be this stupid!

And they were pretty stupid!

"Oh, fuck," she let out, pushing her hands into her face to catch her breath. This wasn't happening, this wasn't happening. Miranda dropped her hands to her lap and stretched her legs out across the hall. She had to try to not have a heart attack before she could tell Ralph the news.

"What're you doing on the floor?" Ralph spoke before he got to her, shifting his bookbag from one shoulder to the other while he quickened his pace down the corridor. Classes had started again, making his days long and tiring with more work than he desired to do at the end of every night. But-- there were good things happening too, of course. Miranda, Miranda's play, the fact that the both of them hadn't flunked out yet, the-- order, Ralph supposed, and of course new Eric. Ralph didn't think he would be so excited about Eliza and Dedalus' child finally being born, but to his surprise he found himself very excited and proud for the both of them.

It was strange, if you took it out of context, because... it wasn't like he wanted children now or anything like that. And really, by the standards he had grown up on, it was far to earlier to be thinking about things like that. Not to mention his parents would flip. He would flip! Marriage? Babies? Far too fast for him, thank you very much.

He stuck out his right hand for Miranda automatically, a sloppy grin on his face. Ralph's light smile fell, however, once he noticed his girlfriend's state. That wasn't right. "What's wrong?" The last time Miranda had looked this visibly upset... he couldn't even remember when. Oh no. His thoughts automatically went to death, or metaphorical death (as in, acting was suddenly not going well). Neither were good options.

She stared at his hand for a second before lifting her gaze to his face. How could she tell him this? How could--this was going to ruin both of their lives. Yeah, fine, she had friends that had already gotten through it or whatever, but...Miranda honestly felt like her life would be permanently over, the second she informed Ralph of her current state. The second she told him she was pregnant, they would have to accept the fact that everything in their life from this moment on was going to have to be about the baby. Their baby.

Miranda didn't think she couldn't be that giving, or...unselfish. Was that the word? Yes, because...because she wanted to be selfish about things right now! Not about little, stupid things, but! She was acting, she was going to school, she was going to earn a degree! That was...amazing, to her! That was so amazing, and a baby was going to ruin all of that, for both of them! They couldn't afford a baby, neither of them had a job, or skills that could help them find a place, it was too much for right now.

"I was at---Eliza's, to see--the baby," she started, unable to move from her spot on the floor. Miranda shot a nervous glance down the hallway, hoping that they were alone. She ran both hands through her hair, "And I got--sick, so..." She'd thought it was that nasty lunch she'd had! Just that! "And...and she joked that maybe I was---"

She couldn't say it. Her hand gestured for Ralph to finish her thought, hoping that he'd figure it out, because she sure as hell couldn't say it.

Oh. The fact that this was very serious washed over Ralph quickly, and for a few moments he simply stood awkwardly in front of her, unsure what to do next. Should they... go inside? Or-- it didn't look like Miranda was going to move anytime soon, and she was sitting literally on the door, so opening it wasn't really an option. So-- so--- unable to focus on more than one thing at a time, Ralph went into a mini, self-contained panic attack.

What was he suppose to do! He didn't even know what was wrong, and she was talking to him but he was barely hearing what she was saying, let alone understand. Was this going to be like when her father died all over again? Ralph wasn't sure if they could handle going through something like that again... let alone her, but him. It had been especially difficult, leaving him feel just as listless and miserable as she had. And---

Miranda had stopped talking. Ralph looked at her, eyes wide as his brain scrambled to put something together. He had no idea what she had just said. His mind, his brain was shot, it was the end of a day of classes, the worst time to focus! Period. Taking a deep breath, Ralph continued to stand bent over awkwardly. Getting nothing from her face, he improvised.

"I---- what?"

He was going to make her say! Miranda gawked up at Ralph, and then dropped her gaze again as she shook her head. Nope. No, she wasn't going to admit it out loud, nope. But---her mouth shut and twisted into a miserable frown and the first tears she allowed herself to cry fell out of her eyes.

"I'm pregnant, Ralph," she spat in misery. "I'm---pregnant, and---" Miranda's hands went up, looking and feeling completely hopeless. What else could she do? Her mother was going to kill her, her brothers were going to kill her, Ralph probably would want to, "We're both--fucked, we're...we're---"

She couldn't do it anymore. She had tried to be calm and not burst into the hysterics her body was begging to go into, but she could not handle it anymore. Miranda had managed the hour or so that she had known that her life was over, God or whoever the hell was playing this mean trick on them, could deal. She pulled her knees into her chest and began to cry, not quite suddenly caring what Ralph said or did, because nothing could fix this or make it go away.

What-- how--- well he understood how but--- he didn't--- they--- pregnant? Ralph openly stared at Miranda for a good amount of time, his eyes wide as this new information sunk in. Miranda was pregnant. Because--- that was what happened when you had sex. And sex made children. Ralph's stomach fell lower and lower with every realization, and he tried very hard not to show his true feelings about all this. Though it proved to be difficult, and the rising fear taking over him began to crack through.

They couldn't have a baby! He couldn't be a father! He barely-- what would--- Ralph began to take deep breaths. Okay. Okay. He could not act this way right now in front of Miranda. She was upset and--- and he had to let her know that-- that he was not freaking out as much as he actually was.

"Are you---" Of course she was sure, why was he asking? That wasn't something you said to your girlfriend, let alone your pregnant girlfriend and--- holy shit it felt like he was going to pass out any second. Taking more deep breaths, Ralph reattempted to collect himself. "I mean---" He jerkily got down on the floor in front of her, his hands moving to grasp her arms.

"No--- it's--- it's going to be fine, everything is going to be fine." As he spoke, Ralph inched closer to her, attempting to get her to look at him. "Don't--- don't be upset."

Don't be upset! Their lives were over! Eliza and Dedalus---they were like old souls, it made sense for them to have a family! And Ingrid---Ingrid was a sex fiend of course she'd get pregnant, and Gilly was married so that was fine and---no, no, no, it was not going to be fine! They were going to ruin their lives by having this baby! Miranda couldn't even find it in herself to feel awful about hating the little thing inside of her, but she did right now. She hated it and she hated herself for putting herself and Ralph into this situation.

Ralph's kind words spurred more tears to fall and Miranda lurched forward and threw her arms around him. At least he was able to keep some composure where as she was a complete disaster. At least they weren't on a break or something, oh God.

She hoped he didn't think they would have to get married, now. As sure as Miranda was about spending the rest of her life with Ralph, the last thing she wanted right now was to think of anything even more adult than having a kid. Oh, fuck. Fuck. Miranda tightened her grip around Ralph as she managed to somewhat relax her breathing and put a stop to her tears. All she wanted to do was sleep, now, but that seemed very unlikely.

Ugh. Her brothers were going to kill them. Ralph first, then her.

Seeing Miranda so visibly upset made Ralph almost lose the tight grip he had on controlling the anxious waves threatening to break through his less-than-anxious demeanor. He didn't think--- she was so distraught, there must be something he was missing because--- yes, while this new realization was terrifying (so terrifying) it--- was--- a child? Their child? He would feel bad knowing that he had acted this way when looking back later in life. With this child living. So--- but it was difficult to force himself to feel one way when that--- that was not how he felt! And if Miranda was thinking these horrible, life-ending things, then shouldn't he? He was missing something, he had to be missing something. Was there some pureblood thing that involved wizard children you had to do after birth? Or because he was muggleborn it--- complicated things? Or-- that had to be it. Or-- he wouldn't know, he was born a muggle and---

All the air sucked out of Ralph as Miranda flew into his arms. He didn't--- what--- the fact that all of Miranda's brothers were going to bloody murder him hadn't even reached his main focus yet. Impending death he knew he could... somewhat avoid. But--- no--- that wasn't---

What was he supposed to do! He--- no, no, he had to let her know that this was not her fault, this was his fault and he wasn't angry and--- but as Ralph tried to find the reassuring words he was so easily able to spew out earlier, he found he was speechless. There was nothing--- he could say without--- he didn't want a child! But didn't not want a child either! He didn't want to upset Miranda any further, but he also didn't understand her deep-set unnerve! There was nothing--- all double sided and he--- couldn't--- breathe.

"Miranda," Ralph croaked, his hands letting go of her to open wide. "I don't---" they would have to get married "--- know--" and he would have to drop out of the Order "--- if---" and leave school? You couldn't have a baby in the dorm "---what---" but all those things were not-- he could technically live without them?

"--- talktome!"

"What's there to say, Ralph!" Miranda wailed, pulling back, "We're finally---doing something and now---we can't! Anymore! No more! I don't---"

Her mouth shut, as she had been about to exclaim that she didn't want this baby. As much as that was true in this very moment, Miranda knew she would regret saying it out loud. She blinked at Ralph, forcing some tears away, and stared at him to try and figure out why he seemed so calm compared to herself. What was he thinking? How was he able to be so seemingly rational? Maybe he was looking at it differently than she was.

They'd made a baby. She and Ralph had made a baby. Against all of her other feelings her heart swelled at the thought, and Miranda wondered if that was what Ralph's mind had gone to first. Oh, God, she was a horrible person for being so angry at this baby and for wanting to be selfish about the things in her life! Why was her mind going so back and forth about this? Was this because of hormones? Was she hormonal? Miranda couldn't take being hormonal for the next nine months! She couldn't even take it for next five minutes!

She took a deep, shuddering breath and slumped against the door again. She had to trust in herself and Ralph, didn't she? "Just---tell me we're going to be okay," she finally felt like she was submitting to this entire ordeal.

Ralph floundered, the words on the tips of his tongue. Of--- course technically they were going to be okay. No one was dying or injured or anything like that. And mentally... well everyone was screwed up at this point, they had the war to thank for that so. So--- yes everything was going to be fine, he would say that in spite of the anxious feeling taking over his body. Everything was going to be fine. This was just--- very life changing news, that was all. He could at least rationalize until Miranda was out of sight.

"It's---" he started, but again fumbled. This was important. Ralph's hands fell to Miranda's, and he held onto them tightly (worrying about being corny or clique was far from at this point) as he took many deep breaths. His head cocked to the side slightly, face twitching as he looked at Miranda. What emotion he was portraying he would never know, seeing as thirty of them felt to be coursing through him at once, so--- Miranda was just going to have to pick them out.

"Everything is going to be fine," Ralph slurred finally, dropping Miranda's hands to once again wrap his arms around her. It was--- a baby! Babies were good things. Right? Right. "It's--- we're going to be fine." Holy shit, he was really going to have to talk to Dedalus now; he was the only person able to ever make Ralph look at things logically, and man could he use some fog-clearing logic right about now.