Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 21

Pairing: Robert & Holly

Rating: PG

Robert had called and spoken with Dr. Meadows, who instructed him to time Holly's contractions and explained to him again that the first baby usually took longer and that Holly would more than likely be in labor for several hours. He did his very best to make Holly as comfortable as he could. He sat down on the cocktail table in front of the sofa. "How's the pain?" he asked.

"Not so bad." she replied.

"Aren't the contractions suppose to get stronger as labor progresses?"

"That's not comforting, Robert."

"Sorry."

"Incase I don't get a chance to tell you this later when we're in the delivery room when I'm screaming that I hate you and that I'm never going to let you touch me ever again, I want you to remember something."

"What's that?" he asked, somewhat horrified.

"I love you."

He leaned forward and softly kissed her lips. "I love you."

Holly pushed him away. "I'm having another contraction." she said as she winced in pain.

Robert hit the button on his watch to time the contraction. "Remember to breathe." he instructed. "Nice deep breaths."

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Okay." she agreed as she continued to repeat the process over and over until the contraction subsided. "It's over."

"Forty one seconds." he told her. "Eleven minutes apart."

"Did you put my bag in the car?" she asked. "What about the baby's car seat?"

"I've taken care of everything." he assured her. "Just relax."

"That's a little hard to do when a person is going to be coming out of me very shortly." she snapped. "I'm sorry." she immediately apologized.

"It's okay."

"I need to walk." she told him, pushing herself up off the sofa. "I think a change of position would help."

Robert helped her to stand. "I think we're handling this pretty well." he commented as he walked with her. "For it being the first time and everything."

"I suppose it could be worse."

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?" he asked. "Dr. Meadows said you needed to keep your bladder empty."

"I just went." she snapped.

"Okay." he said slowly as the continued to walk around the livingroom.

"I wanna sit now."

Robert lead her back over to the sofa.

"In the chair." she told him.

After helping her into the chair he took a seat on the sofa. "Let's focus on something positive." he suggested.

Holly glared at him. "Like what?"

"Like baby names." he replied. "We've picked out Robert Xavier for a boy and Holiday Elizabeth for a girl, right?"

"Robert, we've been through this, I don't like the name Holiday."

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid." she snapped.

"Fine." he said calmly. "What do you suggest?"

"I don't know." she replied. "Suggest something else."

"Abigail."

Holly shook her head. "No."

"Ella." Robert suggested.

"No!"

"Julianna."

Holly's mind rushed to Anna. "Hell, no!" she snapped.

There was a long period of silence between the two of them. Holly closed her eyes as she struggled to get a handle on her emotions whilst Robert watched her intently. He wondered what she was thinking about. "Robert?" she finally said. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so bitchy it's just the this labor thing is very trying."

Robert moved over to sit on the cocktail table in front of her. "I know." he said softly. "And I understand."

She slowly opened her eyes and focused them on him. "Robert, there's something we need to talk about." she told him. "Something that we should have discussed a long time ago but time snuck up on us and I know this isn't the best time to do it but you have to know what I want incase something happens."

"Incase something happens?" he asked, confused.

"Yes." she replied. "If, God forbid, there are complications with the baby's delivery I don't want you to have to make the decision between me and our baby."

"Oh, Holly, everything is going to be alright." he assured her. "We really don't have to discuss this."

"Yes we do." she replied.

Robert leaned forward and brushed a fallen lock of her hair back. "I love our baby, but I don't think I could live without you."

"You would learn." she replied as a single tear fell down her cheek. "You've done it before and you could do it again."

He felt his eyes welled up with tears. "You can't ask me..."

"Robert." Holly interjected. "I love you, so much and I need you to hear me out. I want you to honor my wishes just incase something does go wrong. The moment I found out I was pregnant I made a promise that I would do whatever it took to ensure the safety and the health of our baby and that meant putting the baby first, putting him above everything else. As my pregnancy progressed I realized more and more that I'd give anything for him including my own life. I need to know that if it does come down to his life or mine that you'd save the life that we created, the one I have carried and nurtured for the past nine months. I couldn't go on knowing that my child died so I could live."

He took her hands in his. "Everything's going to be fine."

Tears began to stream down Holly's face. "Please, Robert, please, you have to promise me." she begged. "Promise me."

Robert could see the fear in her eyes and he knew how important this was to her. He would die a thousand deaths for his children and he knew that Holly would do the same thing as well. He gently wiped away her tears. "I promise." he breathed out.

Holly leaned forward into his arms and rested her head on his shoulder. For some reason she couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling deep down that something wasn't right.

tbc...