Chapter Text
“Oh Shit”
“Dad, Ryan i can explain” Nancy starts
“You’re pregnant?” Carson speaks up but Ryan stays quiet processing what he just walked in on.
“Yes, I am but before you start bombarding me with questions and assuming things just please read this. It’ll explain everything I promise” she hands them the book with the passage about the Nyxeth.
“So this thing, the Nyxeth i-it impregnated you. In your dreams?” Ryan questions.
“Yeah but you know the baby is probably going to die as soon as it is born anyway so no big deal right” Nancy sits collapses in a chair and put her head in her hands trying her best not to cry “i have to spend 9 months carrying this baby” one of her hands moves to her stomach “growing it, lo-loving it. Only to lose it when it's born, because even if it survives the Nyxeth the whole world will be destroyed. God, I can't deal with this right now. We have to stop the Nyxeth.”
“Okay,” Carson nods “where do we start”
“Uhm. well uh we defeated the wraith by learning how it was created right so we need to find out as much information as we can about the Nyxeth does it say anything about it in the book, anything about sightings, victims. We need to learn about any unexplainable pregnancies or sudden deaths of infants at birth of any child that could have been a result of the nyxeth. Why hasn't it been successful yet?” Nancy regains her composure and treats this as any other case. The more she learns about the nyxeth the higher the chance she has of stopping it. “Ace can you hack into hospital records, records from the morgue look for any unexplainable deaths in infants and any unexplainable pregnancies”
“Got it," Ace responded, his fingers already dancing across the keyboard with practiced ease. "I'll dig into those records and see what I can find."
“Thanks Ace'' Nancy smiles “uhm everyone else, just continue to look for anything about the Nyxeth even the smallest mention could help” they all nod and continue to look through books and research online.
“And i -” Nancy begins to get light headed reminding her that she is still in fact pregnant. “I'm going to make an appointment with an OB because a magical pregnancy is still a pregnancy apparently” she sits down and pulls out her phone. She hesitates, still trying to accept the fact that she is pregnant and that she is going to be a mom at 19.
Nancy steadied her breath, the weight of her situation pressing down on her. She dialed the number for the OB, her fingers trembling slightly. “Hi, this is Nancy Drew. I need to schedule an appointment,” she said, her voice a mix of determination and underlying fear.
As she waited for a response, her mind raced with the implications of her condition. The Nyxeth, a creature of dreams and nightmares, had chosen her, and now she carried a life that could either mean destruction for the world. It was a heavy burden for a 19-year-old, but Nancy knew she wasn’t alone. Her friends and her Dads were with her.
The receptionist’s voice brought her back to the present. “We can fit you in at 8:30 Monday morning, Nancy. I’ll just need confirm a few details”
“Thank you,” she replied and the receptionist asked her a few questions such as her date of birth and how far along she was and the appointment was made. a small sense of relief washed over her. Monday would be the start of a journey unlike any other.
After hanging up, she turned to her friends, who were scouring through ancient texts and digital archives. “Appointment’s set. Now, let’s focus on what we can do today. We need to find a weakness, a pattern, anything that can give us an edge against the Nyxeth. We have approximately 9 months to stop this thing and i'd rather it not be on the day i give birth”
Ace looked up from his screen, “I’ve found some anomalies in hospital records. There are a few cases that don’t add up—unexplained pregnancies and infant deaths that match the timeline of Nyxeth sightings.”
“Good work, Ace. Let’s compile everything and look for connections,” Nancy said, her resolve hardening. “We’re not just fighting for my baby; we’re fighting for the future.”
The group huddled around the table, piecing together every scrap of information they had. They were a team, united by a common goal, and they wouldn’t stop until they had answers. As the night deepened, their determination did not wane; it only grew stronger with each passing hour.
As the hours went by it started to get late “we're not going find anything tonight, and we still need sleep so we should all go home and take a break” nancy says exhausted.
The room fell silent as the team acknowledged Nancy’s words. They had been running on adrenaline and determination, but the physical toll was evident on their faces. One by one, they started to pack up their things, the rustling of papers and the clicking of laptop lids punctuating the quiet.
“Let’s meet back here first thing in the morning,” Carson suggested, his voice steady and supportive. “We’ll come back fresh and ready to tackle this.”
Nancy nodded, grateful for the understanding and the respite. “Thank you, everyone. I know this is a lot to take in, and I appreciate all your help,” she said, her voice laced with fatigue.
Ryan lingered by the door, watching Nancy with a complex expression. “Nancy, if you need anything—”
She cut him off with a small, weary smile. “I know, Ryan. Thank you.”
The group dispersed, leaving Nancy alone in the quiet room. She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a moment. The silence was a stark contrast to the chaos of her thoughts. She knew that sleep would be elusive, but she also knew that she needed to rest—for herself and for the life growing inside her.
As she finally stood to leave, she placed a hand on her stomach, a silent promise to the unborn child. “We’ll figure this out,” she whispered.
Nancy locked up the room and walked out into the cool night air. The stars above were a reminder of the vastness of the universe and the mysteries it held. The Nyxeth was one of those mysteries, but Nancy was determined to unravel it.
She would face the OB appointment on Monday, but for now, she would rest, gather her strength, and prepare for the fight ahead. The battle against the Nyxeth was more than just a case; it was a fight for the future, and Nancy was ready to lead the charge. Tomorrow was another day, and it would bring them one step closer to the answers they sought.
Nancy heads home behind her dads and when she arrives home she finds them sitting in the living room waiting to speak to her about her pregnancy. “Nancy sit” Carson is the first to speak.
“Okay” she sets her bag down and sits down in front of the two of them. “How are you really feeling about this Nance” Ryan asks and Nancy's eyes fill with tears.
“scared , like terrified out of my mind. Not only am I pregnant at 19 but I have no choice but to have this baby, and I'm scared that I'm going to fall in love with this baby only for it to be taken away by the Nyxeth. God, for once I would just like to have a normal life. Even if we defeat the Nyxeth and the baby survives, how do i explain to this kid that it has no father.” tears are falling from her eyes “I’m terrified”
Carson reached out, taking Nancy’s hands in his own, offering a silent strength. “Nancy, you’re not alone in this. We’re here for you, every step of the way.”
Ryan nodded, his voice soft but firm. “We’ll face this together. The Nyxeth, the pregnancy, everything. You’re stronger than you know, and we’ll support you.”
Nancy looked up, her tears subsiding as she felt the reassurance from her dads. “I know I can always count on you both. It’s just… overwhelming.”
“We understand, sweetheart,” Carson said. “But remember, we’ve faced the impossible before. We’ll do it again. And as for explaining to the child… we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, let’s focus on the present and on keeping both you and the baby safe.”
Nancy took a deep breath, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “You’re right. We’ve got a mystery to solve, and I’m not about to let the Nyxeth win.”
“But first were all going to get some sleep so let's get to bed shall we” carson speaks and they all head to bed
For the first time since the start of all this nancy didn't see the Nyxeth in her dreams and instead she dreamt of her child, healthy and alive.