On the Ropes
(Charlie X Bailey)
This a one shot that begged to be written and though it'll be done a hundred times over I still couldn't resist the chance to make Hugh Jackman do my bidding! Hope you all enjoy!
After the Real Steel match against Zeus the world flipped upside down in a positive way for Bailey Tallet, even if it was a slow rolling start.
The gym began to see some business, if mainly it was only a tourist attraction to see the old and humble beginnings of the people's champion Atom and his main fighting managers Charlie and Max. Max's Aunt could hardly keep the boy away from the gym and soon, after they repaired Atom and went back to the ring, Max talked Bailey and Charlie into a buying a few new bots to tinker with. Turned out the kid was a damn good manager and had a taste for potential new adventures.
With Bailey and Max's brains combined, they fixed up two old bots that were rusted heaps at the start and turned them into a fit fighting force with a few inputs from the fighting instructions of Charlie. They were an unstoppable force who were named instantly Hydro and Megaton.
Then slowly, fight after fight, dollar by dollar, money flowed in and brought life back fully to Tallet's gym; particularly after a mysterious envelope showed up on the doorstep one morning containing 50,000 dollars and a note that only read, "Good Fight. –Z-."
Charlie paid off his debts one at a time until he was free, something Bailey had never thought possible when her father, the man who had cared for them both, had died. Max made a few deals, and with Charlie at his side they won one championship after another. They even landed a WRB league contract for Megaton.
Charlie and Max took to the road often, checking in every two weeks to satisfy Max's Aunt's constant worrying, while Bailey accepted work fixing boxing robots for underdog competitors who thought they too might get the upper hand with her handy work. When the summer came to an end, Max went back to school but there was no doubt who was still in charge with the boy calling every evening and demanding details on upcoming fights and new rivalry, a conversation that usually continued for a few hours.
Life, after spiraling out of control, had finally leveled out and was peaceful again.
Until one day out of the blue it seemed everything might fall apart all over again.
Charlie had been gone for three weeks and was due home again after a brief tour down the coast with Atom and Megaton.
Bailey had been having the worst three weeks of her life, meanwhile.
She had been sick to her stomach with stress trying to run the gym and manage all her bot repairs. She had hardly been able to sleep at night, often waking up from vivid dreams she could hardly remember and crying about things that had never upset her before. It was beyond her. Was she really so stressed, she had lost such control? She saw a doctor the morning Charlie left and got her answer the following Monday.
She was pregnant.
Life had her on the ropes again.
Since then she had been losing her mind trying to figure out what to do with the news she had.
Fear was everywhere in her mind and choking her heart with heavy chains.
What was she going to tell Charlie?
Was she even going to tell Charlie?
She had to shake that one away. It's not like she could hide this from him. People tend to notice when you blow up like a puffer fish around the belly within a few months.
Then she thought on an even harder thought.
Did she want this baby? And though she felt nervous, her answer came from the heart, yes. She would keep this baby, no matter to what end.
But what about Charlie?
Would he run?
Again?
She hated herself for thinking that, especially after all that Charlie had done in the past few months for her but still…
And so she had continued thinking this way for two incredibly long weeks, the same thoughts circling her brain like killer sharks.
She would only know when he finally came home.
Charlie made it back to Tallet's gym a quarter to five in the morning. 24 hours earlier than expected. He walked in and to his surprise Bailey was awake, sitting on the ring side, laid back against the ropes with a mug in hand.
"Good morning." He said quietly, hoping not to startle her.
She gazed over in his direction almost blankly and remembered just exactly who walked in the door.
"Welcome home." She tried to make her voice bright but it sounded lame even to her ears.
He set his duffel bag down and, casting a quick glance around, took her into his arms with a warm hug.
"Everything okay?" he looked her up and down carefully, taking in the blank look on her face.
She nodded, feeling a tightness in her throat as she said, "Of course. Great. More than great." But the last words seemed hollow.
Charlie decided it must be the early hour that made her sound so quiet and put an arm around her shoulder to lead her upstairs.
"well how about some shut eye?"
When she nodded and her eyes wouldn't meet his, suspicion curled in his stomach.
He pulled them immediately to a stop just at the bottom of the staircase and grabbed her by the shoulders, making her look up with surprise.
"alright, spill." He ordered, he wasn't going to accept no for an answer.
"what?"
"What happened while I was away? You don't act like this for no reason at all. In fact, I haven't seen you look like that since your old man…" he paused and his face fell and took on a look of fear, "Oh god did something happen to Max? Is he ok?"
"Max? oh Max is fine… he called the other day." She looked away and rubbed her forehead, an ache forming just above her hairline.
"Okay…. Then what gives? Why do you look like you just got the worst news imaginable?"
"Charlie its…' she took a breath and then sighed hopelessly as she pulled out of his arms, "nothing."
"stop jerkin' me around!' Charlie growled and gripped her shoulders to keep her from walking away. "'nothing' doesn't make you act like this. Tell me what is going on." His face was inches from hers and his eyes were burning into her, those eyes she loved desperate for the answer she was about to give.
Then said answer gave her yet another reason for her to run. A fresh wave of morning sickness hit her so hard she didn't know if she could make it to the bathroom in time. She burst into the locker room and immediately retched into a shower drain. She heard Charlie come in right behind her, his concerned words a blur as her stomach turned and twisted against her. When it seemed the moment had passed she leaned against the wall and slid down it, exhausted.
Charlie was beside her instantly, his hand on her forehead, watching her closely as she breathed raggedly.
"how long have you been this sick, Bailey?"
"Uh…three weeks."
"That's not good, hun. Have you been to a doctor?"
"Of course…"
When she wouldn't elaborate further Charlie decided she'd probably feel more like talking after he put her to bed and she'd had some rest.
"come on, bailey." he scooped her up bridal style and started for the stairs, grabbing a towel off the rack as they went by.
By the time he had put her in the bed, brought a trashcan to be by her bedside, water for her to rinse her mouth, and had wet the towel down to drape across her neck, the nausea had passed although her anxiety was still weighing her down.
"Now, you wait here. I'm going to have a shower then I'll make you some broth ok?"
Bailey tried to smile at the tenderness he was showing but she wasn't sure if it looked like a smile or a grimace. He patted her hair like he would a child then made his way to the bathroom.
Bailey chewed on her lip as she listened to the faint hiss of the shower running.
She had to tell him.
Stop being a coward. She chided herself. I'll survive no matter what his answer is.
She felt tears well up in her eyes and the burn in her throat return, the worst scenario playing out in her mind. Swiping at her eyes she swallowed her fear. She needed to tell him before she chickened out again.
She went to the bathroom door and shed her night clothes and quietly opened the door to look inside. Charlie had his back to her, leaning his face into the water as he rinsed his hair.
Bailey took a breath and went in, pausing in front of the mirror to glance at her flat stomach. How would it feel in a few months from now to see herself swollen with a life she would be responsible for?
She could think about that later. This couldn't wait.
She opened the shower door and stepped in behind Charlie who turned on her quickly.
"Bailey, what are you doing? You're supposed to be in bed."
When she looked down, trying to guess where to start Charlie went on, thinking he had upset her.
"not that I mind a beautiful woman showering with me." He winked at her devilishly, his eyes smoldering as they took in her naked form.
She fidgeted as his hands found her shoulders and pulled her close till she was pressed against his body. She sighed contently as his calloused hands made small circles on her back. No matter what his decision was, she decided, she would always treasure the time she had with him.
"Bailey? You falling asleep on me?" he asked softly. She pushed herself back from him as she shook her head and took a deep breath.
"Charlie I have to tell you something important."
"What is it?" his face was instantly serious, his full attention focused on her.
"About what the doctor said…" she felt like a stone was sitting on her chest and like she was hyperventilating at the same time. "I'm not just sick and it'll probably get worse before it gets better."
"Okay…' he watched her face carefully, "And how long do you think this will last?"
She hesitated then answered quietly. "Pretty close to nine months."
The only sound then was the quiet hiss of the shower water, one holding their breath in anticipation while the other stopped breathing out of shock.
"Charlie?" bailey asked him quietly as his face went blank and his mouth fell open just a little bit.
He whispered so quietly she could only pick out the word 'months'. He suddenly turned from her and left the shower hastily. Bailey let the tears she had felt earlier overwhelm her. She had her answer didn't she? He wouldn't even discuss it with her he was so upset. She hung her head and let the tears mingle with the water stream.
Only to be startled as Charlie's rough hand grabbed her arm and pulled her from the shower as he turned off the water. He wrapped a towel around her and carried her bridal style back to the bedroom.
He laid her gently down on the bed and covered her carefully with his own body, his hand reaching up to wipe away the tears that fell from her wide eyes.
"You're pregnant?" he asked her outright, his voice totally bewildered. "you're going to have a baby?"
She nodded, her heart thundering in her chest to have him so close, looking into her face with such intensity. He closed his eyes breathing in slowly and when he opened his eyes they were full of glistening tears.
"Bailey…' his voice caught and as his hand stroked her face it trembled, "I'll never be a good bet for you or for a… a baby. But I'll stay here with you until you tell me to leave. I'll love you till I die Bailey and I'll do anything to make things right. I won't lose any more time because I don't know what the future is going to hold. Bailey, I swear. I'm here for you. Forever." As he said this he pressed his hand to her stomach and whispered into her ear, "God, I love you. Marry me Bailey Tallet. Keep your name, I'll take yours it doesn't matter to me. Marry me."
As she answered him with a hungry kiss, a smile warmed her heart.
He made love to her, over and again and till they could only lay in each other's arms.
The road ahead was long and uncertain but they would face it together, of that there was no question.
(A/n: okay random one shot is definitely random. Plz R&R. thanks again)