When he walked back into the bedroom he stood for a minute and gazed at the woman he loved, a small smile on his face. Nikki looked up and smiled at him. Walking over to the bed, he placed the tray carefully on the duvet next to her and placed her glass of orange juice on the bedside table. He then sat on the edge of the bed and picked up his own orange juice, he had not been drinking coffee at home as the smell made Nikki sick. Nikki had moaned at him when she realized what he was doing, she didn't want Harry giving up things just because she couldn't have them but he insisted.
"What are we going to name the baby?" Nikki asked after her first bite of the dry toast.
"I haven't thought about it yet" Harry admitted as he stole a slice of her toast and ignoring the look she gave him "I like Lilly for a girl's name"
"and for boys?" Nikki asked as she finished off her own slice of toast.
"Grayson or Raymond" he replied after a while "What about you?"
"I've never really thought about it before" Nikki shrugged "I never thought I would have children so I didn't bother thinking up names"
"Well we still have time" Harry shrugged as he pressed a kiss onto Nikki's temple "And there are books we can use"
"Are you nervous?" Nikki asked quietly after a while "About being a daddy?"
"Yes I am" Harry nodded "I don't know how to be one"
"I'm not sure anyone knows how to be a parent until parenthood is thrust upon them" Nikki sighed as she buried her face in her lover's neck "Books are only so much help"
"We will be fine" Harry told her "Now I am taking you out for dinner tonight so do you still have that red dress you had at the last conference we went on?"
----
The next day, once again, Nikki was in the bathroom vomiting up what was left of last night's dinner, which was a expensive meal in a fancy restaurant to celebrate their good news.
"I blame you Harry" she seethed as she sat with her head in her hands at the kitchen table as Harry pulled a carton of orange juice out of the fridge "You got me pregnant and you took me to that restaurant, if you hadn't done both of those things I wouldn't be in the bathroom every few minutes throwing up"
Harry placed a glass of orange juice tentatively in front of her and sat down in the seat opposite.
"I'm going to agree with you because pregnant women get hormonal when they are disagreed with and…" Harry trailed off at the end of the sentence as Nikki looked up at him, seeing the look on Nikki's face, he gulped audibly.
"Hormonal?" she asked and leant forward over the table "I haven't even hit hormonal yet" she hissed and stormed out of the room.
"Could have fooled me" Harry muttered into his drink deciding to give her time to cool down and winced as he heard the bathroom door slam shut. Glancing at the clock he realised Leo would not yet be working but would be at the lab, so he picked up the phone and dialed the number for Leo's desk. After the fifth ring it was picked up by the older man.
"Dalton"
"Hey Leo" Harry greeted his friend
"Hello Harry, is everything okay?" Leo asked
"Yes" Harry replied quietly "It's just.."
"What is it?" Leo enquired, concerned as he heard the tone of Harry's voice
"It's just…as this is our first child we…well I…I have no idea what to expect" Harry spluttered out as if embarrassed at asking Leo for help.
"I understand Harry but you're calling me why?"
"Well you have experience in this thing don't you?" Harry replied hesitantly and glanced at the kitchen door before changing the subject as quickly as possible "but she shouted at me" he whispered like a small child and Leo chuckled
"Just wait till the hormones really start, there will be more than just shouting I can tell you that now"
Harry groaned loudly and ran one hand through his hair
"Thanks Leo, you're really helping" he said dryly
Leo was still laughing down the phone
"Sorry, just try not to anger her at this stage and don't disagree with her. One thing you never do is disagree with a pregnant woman, well never disagree with any woman at anytime" Leo mumbled the last bit
"Wonderful" Harry replied sarcastically and Leo chuckled again
"You are both going to be great parents" he told the younger man
"You think so?" Harry asked as he rubbed his face with his free hand and sighed loudly
"I know so, now I think you better go and apologize for whatever you did do annoy Nikki"
"Yeah you're right" Harry nodded and glanced towards the door "I'll see you when I see you"
"Bye" Leo said before hanging up and leaving Harry with the dial tone in his ear
-----
Some weeks after being released from hospital Nikki was once again allowed back to work.
"Hi Leo" Nikki greeted her friend as he perched himself on the edge of her desk, Nikki stopped typing and turned her full attention on the older man.
"How are you really feeling?" he asked her and she shrugged as she leant back in her chair, her hand absentmindedly going to her now obviously pregnant stomach.
"Sick and hormonal" she replied and Leo chuckled
"Everything's fine then" he told her good naturedly and Nikki nodded, not looking up at him as she fiddled with a piece of stray paper in front of her
"Something's wrong" Leo stated, ready for another helpful pregnancy talk and Nikki nodded, safe with the fact that Harry was at a scene and wouldn't walk in on them.
"I'm scared" she told him, still not looking up and Leo sighed before reaching over and gripping one of Nikki's hands in his and giving it a comforting squeeze.
"About what?" he asked softly
"Everything" Nikki's voice broke and she choked back tears as she took a deep breath 'bloody hormones' she thought "Sorry"
"Don't be" Leo told her and she looked up at him "and there's nothing to be scared of"
"Yes there is" Nikki nodded vigorously and "Something could go wrong, I'm scared I won't bond with the baby, I'm scared that….."
"Nikki, listen carefully to me" Leo interrupted "If you talk like that, something will happen, okay? You'll get stressed and that won't do you any favors"
Nikki nodded and wiped her eyes and cheeks free of tears and gave him a watery smile before placing her hand on her stomach again.
"You and Harry will be great parents" Leo smiled and Nikki chuckled and nodded
"Thank you Leo"
"Anytime Nikki" the older man replied and they both looked around when the lab door opened, expecting to see Harry. Nikki tensed when she saw who had walked through the door and glanced at Leo who was looking guilty all of a sudden.
"Hello Niks" the man greeted
"Don't call me that" Nikki hissed and stood up uneasily.
Sorry I haven't updated in ages! (again) I've been ill and school has been a bitch :(
xxx