"I'm pregnant."

Morgan forces out a laugh. "Good one." He sees her face and teary eyes and his smile drops. "Are you?"

"Yeah."

He exhales heavily and rubs his now sweaty palms on his knees. He doesn't know what to say.

Morgan stands and runs a hand through his hair. "How- how long- when did-?"

"Ten weeks." She responds. "Probably happened when I got back from tour."

"You mean that- the- the- the hot, uh, sex we had when you got back?"

"Probably."

"But you- you're on the pill and I- I y'know, used a condom."

"It's a perfect storm." She sighs back. "I'm sorry, I know you ain't really been wantin' to be a daddy just yet but-"

"Stop."

Her mouth shuts and tears form in her eyes. "Is this it? Are you breakin' up with me?"

His face drops and he kneels next to her by the couch. "Kaitlyn," He whispers, running a hand over her hair. "I'm not goin' anywhere, okay?"

She looks down at her lap as tears roll down her flushed cheeks.

"Hey." He hooks a finger under her chin and locks eyes with her. "I love you, okay?" She nods and throws her arms around his shoulders, her damp face buried in his neck.

She chokes out a few sobs that are strangled with a laugh. "I'm sorry." She uses her sweatshirt sleeve to wipe her face.

"Don't be." He whispers back, kissing her forehead. "Have you eaten yet? C'mon, lemme make you somethin to eat."

+++

"Y'know what we should do today?" Kate asks, her legs crossed as she sits on the kitchen chair across from Morgan.

He looks up from the newspaper in front of him like the old man he is. "What's that?"

"Get married."

"What?"

"What?"

"You wanna get married today?"

"You don't?"

Morgan laughs. "Well shit, let's get dressed."

Kate and Morgan practically race each other up to the bedroom.

+++

"Where to, Mrs. Wallen?"

Kate laughs as she hops into the shotgun seat of his truck. Morgan leans over and kisses her hotly, his hand holding her jaw. She laughs again as she pulls back.

"We should go home."

"Sure."

"No, Sneedville, home."

"You wanna go back home?"

"Mhm. Before this baby is born. I just haven't seen my dad in a while."

"Alright." Morgan nods. "Yeah, let's go home."

+++

"Kate!" Aaron says when he sees his baby girl on his front porch. "Oh my, look at you."

"Hey daddy." She responds, wrapping him in a tight hug.

"Morgan Wallen?" He asks when his old eyes land on the brunette behind his daughter. "The hell're you doin' back here?" He chuckles, pulling the boy in for a tight hug.

"Missed it. All that big city livin' just made me miss home."

"Come in!" He says, waving them in. "S-sorry it's kind of a mess, I wasn't expectin' company."

Kate takes in the usually clean house. She's met with stacks and stacks of newspapers, boxes stacked up in a corner with huge trash bags tied up around them. There are huge tubs and coolers stacked up behind the couch and the pile seeps into the kitchen.

Kate looks at Morgan, her heart and face dropping.

Her father is usually more collected and organized but something has obviously changed.

"I'll put our things in you room." Morgan says, stepping over some stray boxes and bags on the floor.

Kate follows him, tears in her eyes. "Morgan, what the hell happened to him?" Her voice is airy and shaky. "He's- he's- he's not the same."

He holds her close, running his hand over the back of her head. Her emotions are running through her so hard that she can't stay calm.

She shoves him away and starts pacing, panting with tears in her eyes.

"Hey." Morgan says softly. "Talk to me. What ever is on your mind, let it out."

"I can't do this here. We gotta- I gotta- we need to go somewhere."

Morgan nods and takes her hand, walking with her out to her car.

+++

"We ain't ready to be parents, Morgan." Kate whispers, her head on Morgan's chest as they lay in the middle of a field. "My dad is losing his mind. You're busy with your music, I'm up to my ass in work and Riley's off being his asshole self."

Morgan just listens, letting her say whatever is on her mind.

"This is nice. Reminds me of high school." She says quietly, looking up at the stars. "I miss high school. It was so much easier then."

"What was?"

"Life. Us. What do you think life would be like if I never left?"

"Maybe- We'd probably be married by now, maybe a kid or two." He responds softly. "A house with a lotta land a few roads off the highway."

"It'd be hard to leave Nashville after everything we've worked for." She whispers. "I have to stay in Nashville, that's where my work is and- and that's where your work is."

"I know, Katie." His hand is still rubbing up and down her back and it's starting to lull her to sleep. "I'd leave Nashville if I could. We could start fresh here and... Katie?" He looks down and sees her asleep, her hand in a loose fist under her chin with her lips parted slightly.

Morgan smiles, holding her closer.

This girl is his entire future.

Whatever she wants, he'll make happen. Anything she wants, he'll bend over backwards for her.

He's wrapped around her little finger, that's for damn sure.