7 Months Pregnant


After their last weekend together, Amelia and Owen had been talking daily. Quick texts between patients, phone calls in the evenings or early mornings when they had finished their shifts. The pair had become to rely on each other's input and opinions, actively seeking each other out.

When Owen mentioned he had another weekend free, Amelia was delighted to have his company. So, as soon as he finished his 48-hour shift on Friday afternoon, he headed straight to the airport.

As Owen's taxi pulled up at the now familiar beachside home, he went to the door, knocking before opening it, surprised to find it unlocked, and called out to Amelia.

"I'm in the living room, come in!" she yelled back.

"You really should lock that door when you're home alone Amelia." Owen leant forward to hug her as she sat on the sofa, her legs stretched out to rest her feet on the coffee table, a bowl of crisps resting on her belly.

Rolling her eyes, Amelia embraced Owen and sniggered "Don't be dramatic. I knew you were coming and would keep me safe, Major Hunt!"

Sitting beside her on the sofa Owen looked to Amelia, grabbing some crisps from her bowl. "it's weird, you know, we speak every single day but being here with you now, I feel like I've been missing you!" Owen chuckled to himself.

"You think I'm fun now? You should've met me during my partying stage" Amelia joked. "by the way, I was too hungry to wait for you for dinner, so there's a bowl in the fridge for you to heat up."

"it's only 7pm!" Owen looked at her incredulously.

"yeah, well…" Amelia gestured to her belly.

As Owen heated his dinner, the pair spoke about their days. What patients they'd seen, their interns and their co-workers. The continued to talk late into the night until they were both yawning. Collectively deciding to go to bed, when Owen went into his room he groaned loudly, realising his full litre water bottle had spilled all through the bedding.

Amelia, who was close behind him heard the groan and went into check what had happened.

"Oh, Owen. Just come sleep in my bed, you can't sleep on a wet mattress."

As he followed her into her bedroom his senses were overtaken by her familiar scent. Breathing it in, Owen listened vaguely as Amelia rambled with her back to him while getting herself changed. He quickly changed into some boxer shorts before admitting "I didn't expect to be sleeping in the same bed as you… So Uhh… I don't have a shirt…"

Amelia laughed, her eyes twinkling as she looked at him "I'll try and resist the urge to feel you up, don't worry."

After the pair climbed into bed together and switched off the lights, Amelia tossed and turned for a while before Owen's voice broke through the darkness "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just hard to get comfortable these days… pass me that other pillow, will you?"

Turning to face Owen, placing the pillow between her legs and hands clasped in front of her body, Amelia confessed "I'm still having nightmares, so I'm sorry for if I wake you in the middle of the night…"

Owen turned his body to face her, making out the outline of her body in the darkness "Have you tried talking to anyone about the nightmares?"

"No…" Amelia whispered.

"Well….?"

"I can't…"

"Why not? Amelia, you know I'll listen."

"It's just… personal…"

"Okay… Amelia, I would love to be able to support you. You know, an incredibly wise woman told me once that opening up and sharing your pain is so healing. And at the time it may feel like it's more painful to discuss things over and over again, but at the end of the day, if you share your story and yourself with others it helps to lighten your load. I know this is weighing so heavily on you, you're always telling me about being awake half of the night."

"This is different Owen."

"How?"

Amelia sighed loudly, exasperated. "it just is okay. You wouldn't understand."

"that's a bit of a cop out don't you think?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Try me. You might be surprised."

"I wont."

Owen scoffed "You are the MOST frustrating human."

"No one is forcing you to be friends with me."

"Don't try and push me away Amelia."

"I'm not."

Owen reached forward and placed his hand on her upper arm "Amelia, I don't want to have an argument with you. You don't have to tell me… but know that I really care about you, okay? I will listen and I won't judge you."

Amelia breathed out deeply and whispered "thank you."

After what felt like he had only just fallen asleep, Owen was again woken to Amelia moaning in her sleep.

"I'm sorry, Okay?!" she mumbled "Please, don't. Please! I just… you can't…." getting more desperate as she pleaded in her sleep.

Owen gently stroked Amelia's arm, shaking her lightly "Amelia, you're okay. It's Owen. Come on, wake up…."

Eventually opening her eyes, Amelia gasped in horror. Her tears falling freely. Struggling to catch her breath, Amelia reached her hands forward trying to cling to Owen. "O… Ow… I cant… I…."

Taking her in his strong arms, her cheek against his chest, Owen stroked her long hair "Shhh… Shhh… Mia, you're okay. Just take slow deep breaths. I'm here… You're okay. Shhh…"

As he felt her breaths start to slow down, as he continued to speak in a calm, gentle voice.

Amelia let out a sigh and wiped her cheeks "I'm sorry…."

"Please don't ever apologise for something like that again."

Smiling to herself she angled her head up to face him "Mia?"

Owen blushed "That uh… just came out. Sorry Amelia." He chuckled.

"I kind of like it…"

They lay there in silence, Owen's strong arms around Amelia's body. He continued to gently stroke her hair. A comfortable silence between them.

Eventually Amelia cleared her throat. "Owen, there's something I want to share with you. No one else knows this about me… not my Mom or Derek or any of my sisters." She paused, trying to muster up the courage to continue. A secret that she had harboured for so many years. "you know how when I was younger I had a stint in rehab?"

"Yes…"

"Well, I was pretty out of control before that. I uhh… I crashed Derek's car, high. I died. For 3 minutes. I was dead while he tried to resuscitate me."

Owen sucked in an audible breath. Struggling to comprehend how Amelia, this intelligent, bright and beautiful woman had so little regard for her life. "Oh, Mia."

"That's not all…" Amelia continued. "When I was released from hospital, my Mom wanted to put me in rehab. But apparently that wasn't rock bottom enough for me" she scoffed. "my partying continued. I was 17 years old and hanging out with a group of people who were going nowhere. They helped me to run away from home and I uhhh…." Starting to cry, Amelia paused, pulling back from Owen and sitting up against the head of the bed. "I cant have you touching me when I tell you this."

Owen's heart sunk as he sat up on the bed, facing her. "Mia… please…"

"I found out I was pregnant." She looked down at her growing bump and scoffed sardonically "I clearly didn't learn the early signs, for this little boy either."

Owen's heart clenched in his chest.

"I didn't realise until I was almost 5 months and finally starting to show. I was using daily, Owen. I… I can't really say I was proud of 17-year-old me." She looked up, her eyes locking with his that were bright with unshed tears. Gently caressing her bump Amelia found the strength to continue. "I went to a homeless women's shelter where they cared for me. There were so many troubled women there, Owen. Looking back now I realise how devastating that place was. I gave birth in secret and I went to a fire station. I knew of other girls who left their babies in unimaginable places, but I just couldn't do that. It wasn't her fault that I was an absolute train wreck. Why should she have to suffer for my actions."

Tears now streaming down both of their cheeks, Owen placed his hand on Amelia's thigh, grasping it gently. "Oh Amelia… I had no idea."

She smiled sombrely "how were you to know?"

"What happened after you gave birth?" Owen prompted.

"I went to a fire station, I sat out the front with her for hours. Cuddling her in the darkness. Telling her how loved she was and how special she was. I told her that even though I loved her so much, I couldn't be there for her. That I wasn't strong enough or ready for a baby. That my life being in the shambles that It was, wasn't good enough for her." Amelia wiped her eyes with the back of her fingers. "A fireman came out and saw me. He sat beside me for a while. He was so kind to me. I guess he could see how distressed I was. Anyway, I handed my daughter to him… she started to cry. I guess she knew it was goodbye? I don't know. That's what I told myself anyway… The Fireman, his name was David, he told me about himself and that he and his wife Sally had been trying for many years to fall pregnant. He said they were the ones that were designated by the station to look after the babies initially and that they would take good care of her."

Owen reached forward and wiped a tear from Amelia's cheek. She placed her hand on his forearm as it lingered there a moment.

"That's what my nightmares are about. It's the same thing every night. There is this dark creature that tells me the reason my unicorn baby is being taken is because I gave away Charlotte. That's what I named her."

Moving to sit alongside Amelia, Owen placed his arm around her shoulder. Instinctively she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You Mia are so brave. You've been through more than any other person I know and you get up each day and live. You are like magic."

Tears falling freely again Amelia shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"That's where you're wrong. I look at you and I am completely in awe of you. You made a mistake, but Amelia your reaction to the situation was so mature and thought out."

"I still gave up a baby, I guess this is the universes way of punishing me. I gave away a baby, now that I am actually ready and my life is back on track, they're taking one from me."

"Oh Mia, you know that's not how it works. This? This is a cruel misfortune. It's of no result of anything you have done, recently or otherwise. Both of your babies felt and feel the immense love you have for them, I know it. You radiate love Amelia. You radiate light."

"Please, Owen. You don't need to say those things to make me feel better."

"Why can't you see it Amelia. I'm not just saying it to make you feel better. You are an incredible woman, I am enamoured by you."

Amelia turned her head to look at Owen, her hand moved to gently touch his cheek. Leaning into her hand, Owen closed his eyes. She moved her hand to gently run her fingertips along his hairline. "Owen…?"

"Amelia…"

"I think I'm falling in love with you. I can't be falling in love with you. You've become my best friend."

Owen bent his head down, his lips millimetres from hers "Mia, I know I'm falling in love with you."

Gently moving her hand to the back of his head, Amelia pulled Owen closer to gently press his lips against hers, lingering a moment before pulling back. Her eyes gazing into his.

"We shouldn't do this… you don't want to get involved with all of this." Her hand gesturing her body.

"I'm already involved with all of that." Owen grinned bashfully before kissing her lips again.

Amelia placed her hands on his chest "Owen… I'm serious! I can't do that to you."

"I'm doing it to myself. Can't you see, Mia? I'm choosing you." Owen gently caressed the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip as Amelia looked up at him through her dark lashes. "I thought I understood what love was, but I was so wrong. I see it so clearly now, with you. Its like nothing I've ever felt before."

"I come with a lot of baggage Owen. In two months' time I'm giving birth to a little boy who I won't get to bring home. You don't have to do this now…"

"I want to. I've felt him kick, I've seen his photos… I love your little boy and I will love him for every single minute you get to hold him and then I will love him from when we have to say goodbye until forever. I know I'm not his daddy, but I really love his mommy and that's enough for me."

Amelia wrapped her arms around Owen's torso and sobbed. She had never felt so loved or so wanted in her entire lifetime.

They lay like that for hours until finally falling asleep in each other's arms.

When Owen awoke hours later, he grinned. Amelia was standing at the end of the bed clad in a pair of yoga sweats and a bra. "Wow, what a view to wake up to" Owen joked.

Turning around, Amelia laughed loudly. "I can't believe the first time you see me in a bra, it's a maternity one!"

Standing up, Owen walked to stand before her, his hands reaching to hold her forearms "it wouldn't matter what you were wearing, you'll always be beautiful to me."

Blushing, Amelia grinned and stood up on her tip toes placing a quick kiss on his lips "Owen Hunt, I wish this weekend never had to end."