Disclaimer: I only own the story/plot.
A/N: I'm not sure how I feel about this story. All my one-shots are depressing and sad, but oh well. This was partly inspired by the song "Small Bump" by Ed Sheeran. You should look it up if you've never heard it.(:
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Five months ago Gabriella Montez missed her period. She didn't think anything of it. Her periods had never been regular anyway. Then, she threw up a few times. Once again, it was nothing. She was a teacher. She worked around kids. It was probably just a stomach bug. It was only when the stomach bug was persistent and didn't go away, that she began to worry.
Five months ago Gabriella went to the drug store, bought seven pregnancy tests, ranging three different brands and got home as fast as she could.
Four months ago she found herself sitting on the bathtub ledge in the bathroom, of the apartment that she shared with her husband of ten months, Troy. She was staring at the line-up of pregnancy tests that had been ready for well over two minutes, afraid of what she might see. Were they even ready for a baby, if she was pregnant? Did they have the means to provide and support another living thing? Were they mature enough to be parents? I mean, they were only 23 and 24 years old.
Four months ago, she looked at the tests and saw that she was in fact pregnant.
Four months ago, she and Troy had gone to the doctor and found out she was around five weeks along. The initial shock and nervousness had worn off, the excitement set in.
Three months had passed since Gabriella really started to feel pregnant. She was gaining weight and feeling closer and closer to the small body inside of her every day. Gabriella had changed her diet and traded in her frequent partying for sitting at home and reading about the changes going on in her body and what was going to be taking place for the next six months.
Three months had passed since Gabriella truly thought of herself as someone's mother, who they would depend on, who they'd come to when they had a problem, someone who'd need her was inside of her right now.
Two months ago Gabriella and Troy could officially celebrate. The first trimester was known as the most dangerous time in a pregnancy. The couple started discussing names and color themes for the nursery. Gabriella started showing and the two couldn't have been more proud. As they lay in bed one night, Troy's hand slowly rubbed circles on her stomach, they felt the baby kick for the first time.
Two months ago, the two shared a sweet, slow kiss and vowed that they would do everything in their power to give the small being in Gabriella's stomach everything they could and that from that moment on, that baby would always come first.
It was last month that they'd visited the doctor and found out the sex of their baby. That same day the two went to the paint store and picked up two cans of paint to start on the nursery. The next day they went out and bought sheets, outfits and a teddy bear, all in blue. They made out the calls and let everyone know that they were having a boy.
It was a month ago that Troy and Gabriella decided that they would name their baby Dex Andrew Bolton.
Last month, Troy and Gabriella found the true meaning of irrevocable love in the little boy that had captured the couple's heart in less about five months.
It had been seventeen days since she'd realized the movement stopped.
Sixteen since she'd really started worrying and told Troy.
Fifteen since he'd driven her to the hospital at 9:45 at night and the grim look on the doctor's face confirmed their fear of the worst.
Exactly two weeks ago, the doctor discussed the procedure he'd have to perform.
Thirteen days ago, her whole world shattered as the surgery was performed.
Twelve days ago, they'd told their parents and friends. The looks of pity hadn't stopped since.
Eleven days ago, they walked into the pale square room and saw, for the first time, the small pale baby that should still be safely inside its mother's womb.
Ten days since they'd made arrangements for the small body to be cremated.
Nine days since they'd allowed the closest people in their lives to say hello and goodbye, for the only time, to the couple's son.
Eight days ago, they'd worn black to pick up the small amount of ashes which had been divided between a heart shaped locket for Gabriella and cross for Troy.
A week, seven full days, had gone by since they'd walked into the nursery that had been well under way, in preparation for their little boy.
Six days had passed since they'd closed and locked that door, realizing that they just weren't strong enough yet.
Five days had gone by since Troy shut everyone besides Gabriella out and since Gabriella had eaten a proper meal.
Four days had gone by since the couple had gone to their first therapy session to help 'ease the pain'.
Three days ago, Gabriella for the first time in her life, questioned why she was here. It had all been so clear to her before the whole incident. She'd be a teacher, marry Troy, and have a bunch of babies…but now, what was the point? If this was the unavoidable sadness and grief that would only come more rapidly as she got older, why wait around for it to come.
That same day, Troy caught her in the bathroom with a handful of pills. When their eyes met, you could literally see his heartbreak reflected in his blue orbs. You could see everything that had been put on his shoulders pushing him down. What felt like the weight of the world, was just resting on Troy. What was he supposed to do when he was so close to losing everything that held meaning in life? His son died, he cried for days on end and had to be strong to help his wife. Now, his wife, the love of his life, was sitting on the floor of their bathroom. She was crying her eyes out. She was giving up hope on life. She almost took her own life, in turn taking Troy's, too.
Three days ago, Troy took the pills from his wife's hand. He held her while she cried and apologized repeatedly. He looked into her eyes, and saw the pain and hopelessness that was nestled where her joy and love of life used to radiate.
Three days ago, Troy took his wife to the hospital and promised he wouldn't leave her side. He vowed to stay with her until she got better.
Two days had passed since Troy sat by Gabriella's side holding her hand, waiting for the doctor's diagnosis. The doctor had come, clipboard in hand, to share the news. His demeanor stayed the calm and professional as he looked from the broken teary blue eyes, to the emotionless, dull, and tired eyes of the woman sitting next the owner of the other eyes.
It had been two days ago, that the doctor let the couple know that Gabriella had postpartum depression which was only made worse by her grief over her son.
Two days had passed since Troy saw how much Gabriella was going through. Two days ago, he put her needs before his and made a promise to himself that he would get her better. Things couldn't be bad forever and he couldn't bear to see her like this. He had to be strong, but he wasn't strong enough to watch her go through this for much longer.
Yesterday the doctor had given Gabriella medication in an attempt to stabilize her mood swings. She and Troy went to another grief counseling session. This time, the counselor was extra sensitive not to say anything to set Gabriella off.
One day had passed since Gabriella apologized to Troy again and he told her not to worry, that she needed to focus on getting better so she could come home again.
One day since Gabriella smiled for the first time since they lost Dex and Troy garnered a new sense of hope that he and his wife would be okay and they'd be able to repair and rebuild after what they had to endure for the past two weeks.
Yesterday was the first day since she'd told Troy that Dex had stopped moving that Gabriella didn't cry herself to sleep. She asked Troy if he'd squeeze into her hospital bed and hold her while she slept, and he gladly obliged.
One day ago, Gabriella saw that the world wasn't over and that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
Today, the doctor smiled and told Gabriella that he saw improvements. He said that she wouldn't get better overnight; that it was going to be an uphill battle from this point on.
Today, Gabriella told Troy it was okay if he wanted to leave for a little bit. She said she'd be okay if he wanted to get out for a couple hours. She reassured him that she'd call if things seemed to be going in the opposite direction.
Today, Troy went out for an hour and a half. He and Chad went to a tattoo shop where Troy got a tattoo that would make it so that Dex would be with him forever. On his right ribcage, Troy got Dex' tiny hand tattooed with 'Dex Andrew' in flowing script beneath it, a sort of memorial for his son that he would love forever.
Today, when Troy returned to Gabriella's side and showed her what he'd had done she cried. He started to worry that he might have upset her, but realized that they were tears of sadness and tears of joy. 'I love it', she whispered to him and kissed him softly.
Today, Gabriella and Troy took their first step towards closure.
Maybe tomorrow she'll be released from the hospital. Maybe tomorrow will be the day that she comes to terms with what happened. She'll see that she had no control over what happened and that it was all just fate. That God had a plan for her son and it didn't include what her plan was for him. Maybe tomorrow will be the day that she stops blaming herself for what happened to Dex and she'll realize that there was nothing she did wrong or that she could have done to prevent it.
Maybe next month she'd start to be social again. She'd go out in public with her friends and want to have a good time. Maybe she'd smile and laugh without feeling guilty for being happy while her baby hadn't even gotten the chance to live. Maybe next month she'd be able to go back to work. Maybe then she'll be able to look at a child without picturing Dex as one of the smiling faces and break down in tears at the thought that her son won't ever have a childhood.
Maybe next year she'll be willing to try again. Maybe that will be the year that she and Troy will get pregnant again. The year that they won't replace the love they have for Dex, but they'll make room for another baby. A baby that will be just as special as him, a baby that they'll be able to experience all those firsts they felt with Dex all over again.
Maybe five years from now, she and Troy will be raising multiple little Bolton's. They'll have matured and not forgotten about their past, but learned from it. They'll have taken their experience with Dex as an obstacle that they overcame. An obstacle that only made their love stronger.
Maybe none of that would happen, but right now Gabriella didn't care. All that mattered was that Troy was beside her for the long run, that they had their angel baby boy watching them, and that if they made it through this, she knew that they would be able to make it through anything.