Chapter 44- Complications
Celes stared stupidly at Asuka, her hands dropping from her temples to her lap.
"What?" Celes whispered. She had not heard Asuka correctly. Asuka did not just tell her that she was pregnant....
"You're going to have a baby!" Asuka exclaimed again, and hugged Celes tightly. Celes just sat there, her heart stopped, her eyes widened. She didn't quite know how to react. All she could think about was the fact that...well, she was pregnant. Asuka looked back at her father and asked if they could be left alone. He nodded, congratuated Celes, and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
"How could this have happened?" Celes asked.
"Don't be silly." Asuka said. "You KNOW how it could have happened! And it did! Isn't that fantastic? Oh, babies are soooo wonderful!!" Asuka had gotten a dreamy look in her eyes. Celes looked down at her lap and suddenly put on a soft smile. She remembered telling Terra how she didn't really want kids, but all of a sudden, her mind was changed. She couldn't wait to tell Locke now!
"Asuka!" Dr. Owens called. "I have to be getting home now! You need to return to the counter!"
"Right!" Asuka exclaimed, and grinned at Celes once more. "You lucky dog! Congrats!!!" With that, she bolted out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Celes took a deep breath and leaned back against the pillows on the bed. She gently placed her hands over her flat stomach, but she didn't feel anything, as she figured. She guessed that she had been pregnant for a month and a half, being that she was only with Locke the first two weeks of their marriage. She had been too tired and too sick to even go near him while they were in Narshe.
She wondered what Locke would say when she told him. She definately wouldn't keep it from him, because she knew being pregnant would be able to explain why she had been so horrible to him ever since they got to Narshe.
"Oh well, no use thinking about it now, since he isn't here!" Celes exclaimed, and decided right then she was very hungry. She made a dive for their food bag, which was nearly empty. Celes decided that if she felt well enough tomorrow, she would take some of the money Locke got and go food shopping. Maybe Asuka would even come with her.
That evening, before Locke went back to the inn, he stopped at a floral shop near by the mines. He parked Alex out front, and Alex proceeded to dig his head in the snow. Locke went inside, and purchased a single red rose with a blue ribbon tied around it.
Maybe this will cheer up poor Celes. He thought as he made his way back outside. It had started to snow, and he shivered, tucking the rose in his inside coat pocket. She hasn't been in a good mood lately, and I think it's my fault. I promised her I would spend time with her every night, but that hasn't been happening. I can't help that she is being so angry though, so maybe this will help things.
When Locke made it back to the inn, he took out the rose and placed it behind his back. He almost expected to open the room door though and find Celes fast asleep, which put a little disappointment in his mind. Slowly, he opened the door, and smiled at what he saw.
Celes was sitting at the table in the room, writing what looked like a letter. She looked up at Locke and smiled brightly, much to his relief.
"Locke!" She exclaimed and jumped up from her chair.
"Hi Celes!" He said happily, and pulled out the rose. "For you, my dear."
"Oh Locke!" Celes smiled, and took it, inhaling its sweet scent. "Thank you. You know roses are my favorite!"
"Anything for you." Locke said, and kissed her softly. "And, I have good news to go with it."
"Oh?" Celes asked, kissing back.
"Yeah...how do you feel about heading back home tomorrow?" Locke asked, and Celes' face lit up.
"Are you serious Locke? We get to go home?!"
"Yeah! Everything that needs to be done here is done." Locke said, and Celes hugged him tightly. "We'll be set for a long time now."
"That's good." Celes said, and pulled away, setting the rose down on the table. "Becasue now I have news for you."
"Alright." Locke said, and gently held her hips.
"Locke..." Celes began, looking right into his eyes. "...I got really sick this morning...worse then usual." Locke blinked and leaned in closer.
"Celes, are you ok now?" He cried, his tone laced with panic.
"Yes, I'm fine now." Celes said. "But I had to see a doctor while you were gone. I thought I had the virus that was going around here...but actually, I found out I'm pregnant! Locke, we're going to have a baby!!!" Locke blinked and suddenly broke out into a wide grin.
"A baby!? Celes, this is fantastic!"
"I know!!" Celes cried, and he embraced her tightly, kissing her hair.
"I'm so happy right now...." Locke trailed off and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I can't describe it in words."
"I know." Celes agreed, and closed her eyes as he kissed down her cheek to her lips. Very slowly, Locke backed her up to the bed, and very gently pushed her down with his own body, kissing down her neck. Celes arched her back slightly as Locke began to un-button her shirt, but suddenly grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Don't worry, I promise we won't go too far." Locke assured her. Celes let out a breath of relief and leaned her head back on her pillow as he finished with her shirt and began to kiss her chest with light, quick kisses. When he reached her stomach, he stopped and gently laid his head upon it, resting his hands right below her breasts. Celes reached out and gently ran a hand through his hair, keeping it there.
"Locke...?" She asked. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm trying to immagine how beautiful our baby is going to be." Locke replied, and Celes smiled. "But it's hard to even try...especially when it's mother is the angel she is." Celes blushed a little as he gently kissed her stomach and moved his hands to the bed, pushing himself up and above her once again. He bent his head down and graced her lips lightly with a kiss.
"You look tired." He whispered.
"I am...and we have a big day tomorrow." Celes whispered back. Locke reached over and grabbed a blanket he had knocked on the floor from when he pushed Celes on the bed. He pulled it up and over them as he gently laid his head down on her chest and pressed his whole body over hers. Celes tugged the blanket up right to Locke's shoulders, and gently stroked his hair until he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Yawning herself, she rested her hands on Locke's back, and soon sunk into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Locke and Celes departed to go back home. Celes said her good-byes to Asuka, and promised to write to her when the baby arrived. Asuka told them to visit her again anytime, and with her waving to them from the inn window, Locke saddled up Alex, and they left. The trip back home seemed to definately go faster then the trip to Narshe, mainly because Locke and Celes were so excited about getting home to write to their friends. Celes had already started a letter for Terra, and had it tucked in her coat pocket.
The end of the beautiful but hot summer passed, and faded into a bright fall. At home, Locke and Celes wrote out all of the baby announcements they could, and even a few friends visited, which included Terra, Edgar, Sabin, and Setzer. Setzer, of course, just had to start collecting bets on whether the baby would be a girl or a boy. Locke said a girl, but Celes argued that it would be a boy.
That December, Locke and Celes celebrated their first Christmas together.
"Oh Locke..." Celes trailed off as she opened the last of many gifts he had given her that day. In a small box was a golden chain, with a small glass charm set on it. Inside the glass though, was a microscoptic velvet, red rosebud. Celes held it up to the light in the living room and looked it over.
"Locke, how did this get in here?" She asked with the curiosity of a child. Locke shrugged and laughed.
"Beats me, all I know is that it is some secret that jewlers everywhere seem to know about." He replied, and laughed Celes dove on him and hugged him tightly.
"It's beautiful, and I'll wear it everyday!" Celes exclaimed. Locke gently took the necklace from her and fastened it on.
"It's even more beautiful with someone like you wearing it." Locke said, and Celes blushed. These compliments meant a lot to her more then ever before, because she did not find herself so beautiful these days. She had definately gained weight all over, but had the most was on her stomach. She still got sick, and sometimes, she couldn't even get out of bed at all, but both Locke and Celes figured this was normal. She had barely managed to get out of bed for Christmas morning. Celes snuggled down in Locke's lap, and he held onto her tightly.
Suddenly, Celes' face tightened up into a painful look, and her eyes clenched shut tightly. A small cry escaped from her lips, and Locke gasped.
"Celes?" He asked. "Celes, what's wrong?"
"Uhh..." Celes moaned, and clutched her stomach. "Locke, I can't get up. Something inside of me...it feels like a razor...cutting through my insides!" Suddenly, Celes let out another cry and began to sob hard. Locke took a deep breath, and struggled to get off the floor with Celes in his arms, but it was too difficult because she was so heavy. So, slowly, he managed to get her out of his lap and lying down flat on the floor, but when he stood up, he nearly screamed himself.
His lap was covered in blood.
He turned back to Celes, whose hands were covered protectively over her stomach, even though she was still sobbing. He could clearly see now that there was blood down her leg under the pajamas she was wearing. He decided that he had to get a doctor right away.
"Celes, listen, I'll be right back." He said calmly.
"Don't LEAVE me, Locke!" Celes cried.
"I have to get the doctor." Locke said, his voice quickly turning frantic. "I can't take you with me."
"......Oh, God, just hurry..." Celes moaned, and closed her eyes again. "Please...." Locke ran out the door, slamming it behind him, and Celes tried to push herself up, with no luck.
What's wrong with my body?! Celes screamed inside her mind. Why is this happening to me???
Suddenly, Celes just couldn't take it anymore. The pain had gotten to overwhelming. She tried to keep her eyes open, but they felt like ten-ton weights. She heaved another sob, and felt her world go numb and black.
Celes stared stupidly at Asuka, her hands dropping from her temples to her lap.
"What?" Celes whispered. She had not heard Asuka correctly. Asuka did not just tell her that she was pregnant....
"You're going to have a baby!" Asuka exclaimed again, and hugged Celes tightly. Celes just sat there, her heart stopped, her eyes widened. She didn't quite know how to react. All she could think about was the fact that...well, she was pregnant. Asuka looked back at her father and asked if they could be left alone. He nodded, congratuated Celes, and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
"How could this have happened?" Celes asked.
"Don't be silly." Asuka said. "You KNOW how it could have happened! And it did! Isn't that fantastic? Oh, babies are soooo wonderful!!" Asuka had gotten a dreamy look in her eyes. Celes looked down at her lap and suddenly put on a soft smile. She remembered telling Terra how she didn't really want kids, but all of a sudden, her mind was changed. She couldn't wait to tell Locke now!
"Asuka!" Dr. Owens called. "I have to be getting home now! You need to return to the counter!"
"Right!" Asuka exclaimed, and grinned at Celes once more. "You lucky dog! Congrats!!!" With that, she bolted out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Celes took a deep breath and leaned back against the pillows on the bed. She gently placed her hands over her flat stomach, but she didn't feel anything, as she figured. She guessed that she had been pregnant for a month and a half, being that she was only with Locke the first two weeks of their marriage. She had been too tired and too sick to even go near him while they were in Narshe.
She wondered what Locke would say when she told him. She definately wouldn't keep it from him, because she knew being pregnant would be able to explain why she had been so horrible to him ever since they got to Narshe.
"Oh well, no use thinking about it now, since he isn't here!" Celes exclaimed, and decided right then she was very hungry. She made a dive for their food bag, which was nearly empty. Celes decided that if she felt well enough tomorrow, she would take some of the money Locke got and go food shopping. Maybe Asuka would even come with her.
That evening, before Locke went back to the inn, he stopped at a floral shop near by the mines. He parked Alex out front, and Alex proceeded to dig his head in the snow. Locke went inside, and purchased a single red rose with a blue ribbon tied around it.
Maybe this will cheer up poor Celes. He thought as he made his way back outside. It had started to snow, and he shivered, tucking the rose in his inside coat pocket. She hasn't been in a good mood lately, and I think it's my fault. I promised her I would spend time with her every night, but that hasn't been happening. I can't help that she is being so angry though, so maybe this will help things.
When Locke made it back to the inn, he took out the rose and placed it behind his back. He almost expected to open the room door though and find Celes fast asleep, which put a little disappointment in his mind. Slowly, he opened the door, and smiled at what he saw.
Celes was sitting at the table in the room, writing what looked like a letter. She looked up at Locke and smiled brightly, much to his relief.
"Locke!" She exclaimed and jumped up from her chair.
"Hi Celes!" He said happily, and pulled out the rose. "For you, my dear."
"Oh Locke!" Celes smiled, and took it, inhaling its sweet scent. "Thank you. You know roses are my favorite!"
"Anything for you." Locke said, and kissed her softly. "And, I have good news to go with it."
"Oh?" Celes asked, kissing back.
"Yeah...how do you feel about heading back home tomorrow?" Locke asked, and Celes' face lit up.
"Are you serious Locke? We get to go home?!"
"Yeah! Everything that needs to be done here is done." Locke said, and Celes hugged him tightly. "We'll be set for a long time now."
"That's good." Celes said, and pulled away, setting the rose down on the table. "Becasue now I have news for you."
"Alright." Locke said, and gently held her hips.
"Locke..." Celes began, looking right into his eyes. "...I got really sick this morning...worse then usual." Locke blinked and leaned in closer.
"Celes, are you ok now?" He cried, his tone laced with panic.
"Yes, I'm fine now." Celes said. "But I had to see a doctor while you were gone. I thought I had the virus that was going around here...but actually, I found out I'm pregnant! Locke, we're going to have a baby!!!" Locke blinked and suddenly broke out into a wide grin.
"A baby!? Celes, this is fantastic!"
"I know!!" Celes cried, and he embraced her tightly, kissing her hair.
"I'm so happy right now...." Locke trailed off and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I can't describe it in words."
"I know." Celes agreed, and closed her eyes as he kissed down her cheek to her lips. Very slowly, Locke backed her up to the bed, and very gently pushed her down with his own body, kissing down her neck. Celes arched her back slightly as Locke began to un-button her shirt, but suddenly grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Don't worry, I promise we won't go too far." Locke assured her. Celes let out a breath of relief and leaned her head back on her pillow as he finished with her shirt and began to kiss her chest with light, quick kisses. When he reached her stomach, he stopped and gently laid his head upon it, resting his hands right below her breasts. Celes reached out and gently ran a hand through his hair, keeping it there.
"Locke...?" She asked. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm trying to immagine how beautiful our baby is going to be." Locke replied, and Celes smiled. "But it's hard to even try...especially when it's mother is the angel she is." Celes blushed a little as he gently kissed her stomach and moved his hands to the bed, pushing himself up and above her once again. He bent his head down and graced her lips lightly with a kiss.
"You look tired." He whispered.
"I am...and we have a big day tomorrow." Celes whispered back. Locke reached over and grabbed a blanket he had knocked on the floor from when he pushed Celes on the bed. He pulled it up and over them as he gently laid his head down on her chest and pressed his whole body over hers. Celes tugged the blanket up right to Locke's shoulders, and gently stroked his hair until he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Yawning herself, she rested her hands on Locke's back, and soon sunk into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Locke and Celes departed to go back home. Celes said her good-byes to Asuka, and promised to write to her when the baby arrived. Asuka told them to visit her again anytime, and with her waving to them from the inn window, Locke saddled up Alex, and they left. The trip back home seemed to definately go faster then the trip to Narshe, mainly because Locke and Celes were so excited about getting home to write to their friends. Celes had already started a letter for Terra, and had it tucked in her coat pocket.
The end of the beautiful but hot summer passed, and faded into a bright fall. At home, Locke and Celes wrote out all of the baby announcements they could, and even a few friends visited, which included Terra, Edgar, Sabin, and Setzer. Setzer, of course, just had to start collecting bets on whether the baby would be a girl or a boy. Locke said a girl, but Celes argued that it would be a boy.
That December, Locke and Celes celebrated their first Christmas together.
"Oh Locke..." Celes trailed off as she opened the last of many gifts he had given her that day. In a small box was a golden chain, with a small glass charm set on it. Inside the glass though, was a microscoptic velvet, red rosebud. Celes held it up to the light in the living room and looked it over.
"Locke, how did this get in here?" She asked with the curiosity of a child. Locke shrugged and laughed.
"Beats me, all I know is that it is some secret that jewlers everywhere seem to know about." He replied, and laughed Celes dove on him and hugged him tightly.
"It's beautiful, and I'll wear it everyday!" Celes exclaimed. Locke gently took the necklace from her and fastened it on.
"It's even more beautiful with someone like you wearing it." Locke said, and Celes blushed. These compliments meant a lot to her more then ever before, because she did not find herself so beautiful these days. She had definately gained weight all over, but had the most was on her stomach. She still got sick, and sometimes, she couldn't even get out of bed at all, but both Locke and Celes figured this was normal. She had barely managed to get out of bed for Christmas morning. Celes snuggled down in Locke's lap, and he held onto her tightly.
Suddenly, Celes' face tightened up into a painful look, and her eyes clenched shut tightly. A small cry escaped from her lips, and Locke gasped.
"Celes?" He asked. "Celes, what's wrong?"
"Uhh..." Celes moaned, and clutched her stomach. "Locke, I can't get up. Something inside of me...it feels like a razor...cutting through my insides!" Suddenly, Celes let out another cry and began to sob hard. Locke took a deep breath, and struggled to get off the floor with Celes in his arms, but it was too difficult because she was so heavy. So, slowly, he managed to get her out of his lap and lying down flat on the floor, but when he stood up, he nearly screamed himself.
His lap was covered in blood.
He turned back to Celes, whose hands were covered protectively over her stomach, even though she was still sobbing. He could clearly see now that there was blood down her leg under the pajamas she was wearing. He decided that he had to get a doctor right away.
"Celes, listen, I'll be right back." He said calmly.
"Don't LEAVE me, Locke!" Celes cried.
"I have to get the doctor." Locke said, his voice quickly turning frantic. "I can't take you with me."
"......Oh, God, just hurry..." Celes moaned, and closed her eyes again. "Please...." Locke ran out the door, slamming it behind him, and Celes tried to push herself up, with no luck.
What's wrong with my body?! Celes screamed inside her mind. Why is this happening to me???
Suddenly, Celes just couldn't take it anymore. The pain had gotten to overwhelming. She tried to keep her eyes open, but they felt like ten-ton weights. She heaved another sob, and felt her world go numb and black.