This story was something I wrote in response to a challenge my friend and I were doing. We gave the other person characters and had to write a songfic based on who we were given, and she asked me to write a story about Pierre and Natalie. At first, I had no idea what to write, because Pierre is admittedly not my favorite bachelor. But he and Natalie are cute together, and when I heard "More Than It Seems" by Kutless, I finally came up with a good enough idea. The story is more about Pierre, though, but I think it turned out okay.
This was originally a songfic, but I removed the lyrics because of the site's rule about lyrics in the story (I used some of the lyrics for the summary though....heh.....). If anyone's interested in the original draft though (with the lyrics in), let me know.
Enjoy!
More Than It Seems
Pierre sighed and paced the floor in agitation, his hands clenched behind his back as he glared at the light reflecting off the tiles. Two seasons of preparation for this moment, and he was still forced to wait all these agonizing hours until it was all over. It was the waiting that killed him. How did people stand it?
Closing his eyes, he breathed a soft prayer to the Harvest Goddess that his wife would be all right, and that the baby would be delivered safely.
He froze in his tracks when the situation finally hit him full force. Natalie was giving birth to a baby…their baby. They were going to be parents.
He…was going to be a father…
He collapsed into a nearby chair as the weight of the circumstances finally caught up to him, leaving him slightly winded. He couldn't believe it was really happening. He and Natalie haven't even been married for a year and they were already having a child? He didn't even know the first thing about taking care of a kid! All he knew how to do was cook! Was he really ready to be a father?
We'll just do our best. That's all we really can do.
He bit his bottom lip as he stared at the ground. 'My best…' he thought. He folded his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair and turning his eyes to the ceiling. He wanted to be a good father…but he couldn't help wondering if his best would be good enough.
He exhaled slowly; recalling how Natalie told him that the day Dr. Trent came to Sunny Island and took them to Mineral Town. He remembered how excited she'd been, knowing they were that much closer to having their child. Yet she'd spoken the words so softly, so unlike her usual self, as she placed her hands on her rounded stomach and just smiled.
And he remembered how nervous he became as they were leaving the island. It was the first time the seeds of doubt were planted in his mind, and he realized that perhaps he wasn't quite ready for all this.
He wished he could return to the days before, back to the days following the announcement of Natalie's pregnancy. Then, he was just as excited as she was, and did what he could for her. As a cook, it was easy for him to make sure she ate well, providing food that would nourish her and the child. But he also did what he could to cater to his wife's…bizarre cravings (the turnip ice cream had been…interesting, but he had to admit it turned out better than he'd imagined it would).
He'd done everything he could to help her, to take care of her and make sure she and the baby would be healthy. And Dr. Trent even said that everything looked fine.
Maybe…just maybe…he could do this?
With another sigh, he removed his top hat and ran shaky fingers through his blond hair. Then, opening his eyes that he didn't realize had closed, he looked down at the hat in his hand and stared.
His hat – the symbol of the Gourmets.
It was the first time he'd ever taken his hat off in public.
Things seemed so much simpler those days, back when he'd first left home to establish himself as a Gourmet. Back then, when he'd left to complete his testing…to prove himself to his family that he was capable of making it on his own. To show them all that "little Pierre" actually had what it takes to become a Gourmet.
For as long as he could remember, he'd always been very small for his age, and his short stature made it difficult for him to play sports with all the other boys. When he finally grew tired of their constant teasing of him on the field, he grew an interest in cooking and decided to become a Gourmet. Many others in his family, after all, were Gourmets, and he wanted to continue the tradition.
He should have known that his family wouldn't take him very seriously, the day he announced his decision to begin Gourmet training. They rarely ever did, and he blamed his youthful appearance. But he vowed he would prove himself worthy of the title, and he immersed himself in the culinary training to pass his tests. He learned so much, much more than his family ever expected him to, and he prided himself on his growing knowledge of food and cooking. When he was told to move to Sunny Island to discover any new flavors that await, he was more than eager to do so if it meant being that much closer to his goal…his dream.
But even on the island – a place where he should've started anew, a place where no one knew him – he could not hide his diminutive size and his childish face, and he fell into a similar predicament as when he was back home.
Women would gather and whisper of how "adorable" he was, and how "cute" it was that he wanted to be a cook; men would treat him like a kid and forget that he was old enough to hang out with them; even Charlie and Eliza expected him to play with them, and pretend to be their child no less!
He knew it all too well…and he hated it. How could he ever become a Gourmet if no one would take him seriously?
And then…there was Natalie. He couldn't help but smile a little; she'd been the ingredient missing from the recipe of his life long before he knew how much he needed her. When he'd first met her, he admired her ability to speak her mind, though he had to admit he was a little intimidated by her. He wasn't used to people speaking to him as bluntly as she did, and initially he was unsure of how to deal with it.
However, he relaxed when he learned that she was like that with everyone, and they soon became quite comfortable with each other. Sometimes she would accompany him on his search for new ingredients, or she'd just show up at his house with some she'd found on her trip to the mountain (never mushrooms, though; he still had to make a mushroom dish good enough that she'd eat it).
He would never forget the day when she came to his house with some ingredients he had ordered, and he asked her to place it on a shelf in his kitchen. The day she found the shelf full of ingredients, all spoiled because he had ordered too much and never got around to using them. The day she yelled at him for wasting so much food, and told him how disrespectful it was. The day he upset her, as he could clearly see when she stormed out of his house.
No one had ever spoken to him like that before. He was so used to being treated like a child, so used to people talking so sweetly to him or just ignoring him all together…So used to people wanting to spare his feelings because they thought he couldn't take it. He was used to people telling him when he wasn't right. No one ever told him he was wrong.
That day, he realized that, for all he knew about food, there was still so much more he needed to learn before he became a Gourmet. For as good as he was, he could still be so much better.
But more than anything, he realized that Natalie really did treat him like she treated everyone else. She loved food and cooking just as much as he did (perhaps even more), and she wouldn't accept wasting food as he had. She spoke exactly how she felt, not worrying about hurting his feelings or anything like that. She was completely honest with what she thought of him and his actions.
And he loved her for that.
After that, he worked harder than ever to improve his skills as a Gourmet. He knew – he learned – that he really had a long way to go before becoming worthy of that title. But he wanted it, more than ever…to show Natalie that he did earned it, and to redeem himself in her eyes. And he wanted to become the best cook, to create a meal that deserved to be eaten…a meal that was excellent enough to give her.
One of the most important things he learned from her, after all, was that the food he made was useless without someone to share it with.
The happiest day of his life was not the day he finally became a great Gourmet…but the day that he and Natalie were married.
Relaxed now, Pierre smiled and replaced his hat on his head. Perhaps being a parent wouldn't be so bad, as long as he was with Natalie. He still wasn't sure what to do, but he felt better knowing that Natalie would always be around to tell him if he does something right or wrong. He could count on her to honestly tell him what kind of father he was turning out to be.
Perhaps when the child grew older, he/she would ask him to teach him/her how to cook, just as Natalie had asked of him that one evening. Perhaps then the child would learn to love cooking and food, just as much as he loved it. Maybe even someday, the child would grow up wishing to be a Gourmet, just as he had.
But even if his kid never wanted to be a Gourmet, or even if he/she never liked to cook, Pierre didn't really care. Being a Gourmet wasn't as important to him anymore, and he wanted to support and care for his child no matter what he/she decided.
The door suddenly opened, and Pierre looked up to see Dr. Trent's nurse and wife, Elli, step out. Immediately he jumped to his feet and all but ran up to her.
"How's Natalie?" he asked, once again feeling very anxious. "Is she okay? How's the baby? Is everything all right?"
Elli smiled patiently as she nodded. "The birth went very well, and both Natalie and the baby are just fine," she replied, her cheerful tone very soothing.
Pierre released a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and a smile spread across his face. "That's good," he sighed, suddenly feeling very light and happy.
"Would you like to come see your daughter?" the nurse said, gesturing inside the room.
His eyes widened, and his heart began pounding in his chest. "I…a daughter…?" he faltered. She nodded again, and he swallowed hard.
This was it. This was real.
Elli understood, with years of experience in her profession, that the new father needed just a little more time. "Whenever you're ready," she said, giving him another smile before heading back into the room.
He stared at the door for a moment, inhaling deeply to calm himself. His wife, his daughter…they were just on the other side. And as nervous as he was, he didn't want to keep them waiting.
With one last sigh, he grabbed the handle and slowly pushed the door open.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw Natalie lying in bed. Her face was flushed, and sweat made her bangs stick to her forehead, but the tired smile on her lips just made her seem to glow…especially as she stared down at the bundle of white held carefully in her arms.
She whispered softly, so sweetly, to the tiny being in her arms, and Pierre suddenly learned to breathe again when he saw a tiny hand reach up for her.
Dr. Trent smiled as Pierre slowly approached the bed, his wide eyes fixed on his daughter. "Congratulations," he said as he finished cleaning up.
"Thanks," the Gourmet murmured.
The doctor shook his head in slight amusement, understanding well how first-time parents could be. Turning to Natalie, he said, "Everything looks all right. The baby's healthy, and you should be fine after getting some rest. If you need anything, let Elli or I know."
The cherry-haired girl nodded. "Thanks, doc."
Returning the nod, Trent then glanced at his smiling wife. Without another word, the two of them headed out, giving some privacy to the new family.
Natalie looked up at him with a smile as he carefully sat beside her on the bed. Then they both looked at the child in her arms; the baby's unfocused green eyes glanced around, trying to take in everything at once but not really seeing anything.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Natalie said, her voice wavering just a bit.
Pierre nodded slightly, the lump in his throat preventing him from saying anything. Slowly he reached over and gently brushed down the downy-soft gold hair on the baby's head, smiling as the child's eyes slid closed.
"We need a name for her," he finally managed as he drew back his hand.
Natalie thought for a moment, fixing the blanket wrapped around the baby. Then she turned to him and said, "I kind of like the name 'Jean'."
"Jean…" he repeated softly. He liked the way the name felt as it rolled off his tongue. With a smile, he nodded. "I like it. Jean it is…"
As though realizing she was being spoken of, Baby Jean opened her eyes again and looked towards her parents.
"You wanna hold her?" Natalie asked suddenly.
Pierre turned to her sharply, his eyes wide once again. "You…think I should?" he wondered.
"Why not?"
He fidgeted slightly, hiding his eyes under the brim of his hat. "I dunno…I don't…I don't think I can."
Rolling her eyes, she carefully adjusted her hold on the baby. "Here," she said, taking her husband's hand. He didn't have time to protest as she gently placed the baby in his arms, repositioning his hands so he would properly support the child.
He tensed as Baby Jean squirmed slightly, not very pleased with being moved. But after a moment she calmed, and with a yawn settled more comfortably in her father's arms.
Natalie smiled. "See?" she said. "She likes you."
Pierre couldn't help but smile as well.
Soon, Natalie drifted off to sleep, and Pierre remained sitting beside her on the bed as he held their daughter. Slowly he leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on the child's head.
"I love you," he whispered.
Baby Jean looked up at him with curious emerald eyes, and he smiled as he gently rocked her in his arms.
He never realized how rich and sweet life could be. But now he wanted to know more of it, to savor every moment. And he wanted to share it all with Natalie and Jean, to season their lives as they had his.
He wanted to give them the best he had to offer. After everything that's happened, they deserved it.
The End