Slipping Through The Cracks
Part 4: Decisions and Heartbreak
See Part 1 for disclaimers
Jessica had ridden in the ambulance with Natalie, who was now in the examination room with her obstetrician who said she had known about her pregnancy for a little over a month but had kept it quiet because she was terrified everyone would look down on her for it. Jessica paced the hospital floor as she periodically tried to get a hold of Viki or Antonio. Finally giving up about an hour of arriving, she swallowed her pride and called the number Michael had given her weeks before with the strict instructions that if anything happened to Natalie or she wanted to speak to John, to call it.
The phone rang and she had almost lost her nerve and hung up when John answered the phone. "Hello?" he said, speech slurred. Jessica's heart sank with disappointment. "Damn it John, of all the times for you to be drunk—" "Is it Natalie?" he asked, instantly alert. "Yes. There's some really bad things happening down here John, and I can't get a hold of anybody else. You need to call a cab and get down here now." John was already headed to the door. "I'm on my way." He hung up and Jessica sighed.
"God Natalie, what else have you been hiding?" she murmured, glancing at the door to the examination room with worry. Suddenly strong arms encircled her waist. "Hey, gorgeous." Jessica turned to see Nash standing behind her. "Hey!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "God Nash it was horrible… I'm so glad you got my messages!" Jessica played the part well, parting her lips in a soft pout and widening her eyes dramatically as she tried to gain Nash's attention and sympathy.
Half an hour later, inside the examination room, Natalie stirred as the doctor was putting everything away. "Dr. Stein? What are you doing here?" she asked weakly. The doctor smiled gently at her as she walked over. "You had a pain in your stomach at Llanfair and collapsed. Jessica brought you here directly afterwards. I'm afraid she knows your condition now—Not by my admission," she hurried to add, seeing the glower on Natalie's face. "Then how?" "Before collapsing you groaned something about your baby and she overheard."
"My baby?" Natalie placed a hand on her stomach as she waited for her answer, but before it could come the door opened and John rushed in. He sat in the chair beside the bed and Natalie's face momentarily showed her shock and happiness at seeing him, but she quickly rearranged her features so that they showed only a cool mask of indifference. "Natalie, I have to—" She cut him off with an impatient wave of her hand and focused on Dr. Stein again. "Is he all right?" John looked confused but kept his mouth shut.
Dr. Stein shook her head. "He's alive, but he may have some brain damage or another serious condition that would require either surgery or…" She shook her head sadly, intentionally leaving the sentence unfinished. "I'll leave you two alone, I'm sure you have some things to discuss." She walked out of the room as Natalie looked at John. "You look confused as hell," she whispered. "I guess it's because I am." Natalie took a deep breath that was interrupted by a tiny foot kicking her. She laughed hysterically with relief and tears began pouring as she pressed both hands to her belly, thankful beyond thankful that her precious baby had survived.
Seeing John looking frightened, she smiled and took his hand, placing it right on the spot where their child was kicking the crap out of her. He jerked backward, looking terrified. "Is that—Are you--?" She smiled and ducked her head down shyly as she continued laughing. "Yes, we are pregnant." John couldn't speak as a sense of wonder and deep regret came over him. "Natalie, I'm—I'm sorry for what I did to you." She shook her head. "I'm not ready for that talk yet… Before we have any kind of talk I want to go see a counselor. Mom and I decided it's the best course of action for me. Right now, all I want to do is celebrate the fact that our child is still alive and that you are finally back where you belong—with me."
Smiling, she put his hand on her stomach again, and he pressed his face into her belly as he began to cry softly. Natalie stroked his hair as tears streamed down her face. "I know we have a lot of work to do before we can be together again," she whispered. He looked up at her, not daring to hope. "You mean… You would take me back?" She took his free hand and kissed the palm. "I love you John McBain. Always have, always will. But we have got to learn to trust one another or this is never going to work. Like I said, we have a lot of work to do but we'll get through it together."
TO BE CONTINUED
This story has gone in such a different direction than it began in... But I kind of like the direction it's going in because it's starting to wrap itself up :)
And I couldn't help myself HAD to have the whole Messica cheating thing hope you enjoyed that! Teehee no it was NOT a typo she was trying to call Antonio. ;)