Previously on Stairway To No-Mans Land
- Steffy is placed on bed rest
- Liam has a high fever and is visited by Aspen
- Steffy goes to the bathroom and discovers she is bleeding
"Hey Liam, LIAM, LIAMMMM!" Steffy yells the panic and fear evident in her voice. Liam rushes into the bathroom seeing Steffy turn deathly pale.
"Steffy, what, what is it?"
"Liam something's wrong, I'm, I'm bleeding!"
"What do you mean your bleeding?"
"I mean there is blood in my undies and there shouldn't be!"
"Like it is gushing out of you bleeding or just a little bit?"
"Liam it doesn't really matter how much blood there is, it shouldn't be there. Oh, god I can't do this again! I cannot lose my babies, Liam I can't, I won't survive that! Liam something is wrong with our babies! Oh god, owww!"
"Steffy, baby we need to get you into the car so we can go to the hospital. I am just going to chuck on some sweatpants and a shirt and then I can carry you to the car. Baby everything is going to be alright!"
"Liam you don't know that, how can you know that!"
"I may not know it but Aspen does! Okay, she, she told me that they would be coming soon and that even though they were going to be early, everything was going to be okay. So trust in that baby! Have faith that our little girl is keeping watch over you all!" Liam reassures Steffy on their way to the car.
"What if this is it, what if they come tonight. It is too early for them to come Liam, they aren't ready yet!"
"Baby, try and stay calm for me, I am going to call Dr Caspery while we drive so she can meet us as the hospital. Now take some deep breaths for me!"
"Hello, Dr Caspery, It is Liam Spencer here. I am sorry to call at this hour but Steffy is having some bleeding, we are on our way to the Hospital at the moment."
"Steffy, I need to ask you some questions. Have you felt the babies move much lately, have they been very active?"
"They have been pretty quiet, oh god something's wrong isn't it?"
"Steffy stay calm for me, them being still doesn't tell me much, remember there are two of them in there and space is limited. Steffy have you had any cramping or lower back pain, the cramps can range is severity and might even feel similar to period pain?"
"My back has been sore for a long time, but the pain changed a little this morning, as for cramps, I am having little niggly pains at the moment, I wouldn't call them cramps more so pulses."
"Okay that's good; those pains are generally a sign that your body is just preparing itself for labour soon. However, I still want to check everything out at the hospital. Now can you tell me, was there lots of blood? What colour was it?"
"It was bright red, and it was almost like the beginning of a light period, but different, I, I don't know!"
"Hey Doctor Caspery we are about 3 minutes away, do we go to Emergency or the Maternity ward where your office is?" Liam promptly asks.
"Come straight up to my office, I have just finished up with a patient in emergency and am on my way up. Steffy everything is going to be okay."
Liam and Steffy arrive at the hospital and quickly make their way up to the Doctors office.
"Steffy I am going to hook you up to some monitors, so we can keep an eye on the twins and their heart rates, we want to make sure they aren't stressing out in there, just because Mummy is. Nurse please attach two foetal monitors to Mrs Spencer."
"Steffy I am going to examine you to make sure your cervix is still in tacked. Nurse can you establish an IV and administer Antenatal corticosteriods, magnesium sulphate, Terbutaline and a bag of fluids. You will also need to advise the ward that they have a HPHD case coming their way."
"Right away, Doctor."
"HPHD? Antenatal sulphate? Doctor what's going on with my wife and babies and what are all the drugs for?"
"Liam, Steffy, you are in labour. HPHD stands for High Profile High Dependency it is nothing for you to worry about. The antenatal corticosteriods are going to help the twins to develop their lungs, the magnesium sulphate is a preventative measure for problems that could affect the babies brains like cerebral palsy and the Terbutaline is to stop labour. Steffy, we are going to have to admit you to the ward. Our aim right now is to put off labour for the next 48 hours. We need the steroids to have time to work. So what I need you to do is to relax, take some deep breaths and stay calm for me. We are going to keep you and the twins on the monitors just as a safety measure. However, it seems that they are quite content in there based on their heart rates. Now Liam, did you by any chance bring Steffy's hospital bag with you when you raced out of the house?"
"I was more focused on getting her here that I totally forgot about the bag!"
"Don't worry about it, we will get her settled in her room, maybe Taylor could bring it in. You are going to be here for at least a few days! Liam you may also want to arrange the next few days off work, your wife is going to need you by her side."
"Thank you doctor, for everything!" Liam states as he kisses Steffy on the head and takes her hand in his, stroking her fingers.
"A nurse will be with you soon to take you to your room. Mr Spencer can I have a quick word with you?"
"Ah sure, and please call me Liam, baby I will be right back okay, I love you."
"Liam, I didn't want to worry Steffy more than necessary but you were very lucky today. Steffy was in the early stages of labour, now the drugs we have given her will slow it right down if not stop it completely, which is what we are hoping for. Once she is settled in her room I am going to come and examine her again, we need to make sure she is not losing too much amniotic fluid. Liam I want you and Steffy to be prepared for and emergency caesarean, I am hoping that it won't come to that but if this labour doesn't stop or anyone of the three of them go into distress then that will be the safest outcome for all involved. I know you are worried and that this is all a lot to process but you need to be the strong one right now, for your wife and your babies."
"Thank you doctor! Do you know what room she will be placed into?"
"Because you are classed as High Profile patients we have a specific room that is behind the nurses' station. Any guests will need to be given access to her room via that desk, so you and Steffy might want to write a list for the staff. We also have a code lock on that door to prevent unwanted visitors, nurses have full access though. I am hoping Steffy is going to be staying a while; the longer she stays the better it is for the babies. She won't be going home between now and the birth so we will aim to make it as comfortable as possible for you all."
"We will get straight onto that list and thank you for thinking about our safety and the twins safety regarding people trying to get in or get the scoop. I hate to ask, but your staff all know they are going to have to sign a confidentiality agreement don't they."
"The hospital already has a general one in place, but if you and Steffy feel you need something more specific to you, the staff will understand and only those who have signed will work with your wife and children. Now Liam I have given you a lot to process and your wife should be settled in her room by now, please feel at home in that space. We know you aren't going to leave her side so maybe someone can bring in some creature comforts from home... I will be by in a little while to check on you all."
At that moment Doctor Caspery left Liam standing in the hall attempting to process everything that had happened in the past 24 hours. As LA began to truly wake-up Steffy and Liam continued to settle into what would become Steffy's home until the twins arrived.
"Baby, you need to ring the office...tell them you aren't going to be in today."
"I will call your father in a little bit, I don't want him to freak Caroline out if I call them too early!"
"You also need to call my mum, we need her to go by the house and pick up my bag... Gosh I hope everything is in it!"
"Whatever you need that is missing I know your mum will pop to the shops to buy for you. Now is there anything else you want from home? Blankets? Pillow? Anything from upstairs? Dr Caspery said you could be here a while so we should make it like home!"
"Oh the blanket off the lounge... I love that blanket, mmm my pillow, oh and maybe mum can get Aspens bear from the shelf in the nursery... I want something of hers here with us! Oh and don't forget a phone charger and my iPad."
"Sure thing my love, do you want to call your mum or shall I?"
"I will call her, she should hear it from me, you do need to call your dad and get him to organise that confidentiality agreement though."
Liam walks across the room and sits on the small couch to call his father and let him know what is happening. Meanwhile Steffy calls Taylor.
"Hey Mum, I'm sorry, did I wake you, I know it is early."
"Don't be sorry, I was awake, in fact I was just thinking about you. I thought that I might pick up some of those éclairs you like from that bakery and bring them over for breakfast."
"That sounds great Mum, but I am not at home."
"What do you mean you are not at home, where the hell are you if you're not at home Steffy?"
"Mum don't freak out, but I went into labour this morning, I am in the hospital... everything is okay for now, the Doctors used some drugs to stop it but I am going to be staying here for a while, until after the twins are born by the sounds of it."
"Oh baby girl! Everything is going to be fine! What do you need me to do?"
"Can you go to our house and get my hospital bag, we were in such a rush to get here that it didn't even cross our minds."
"What about anything else, your robe and that cream you have for your belly?"
"Oh yeah those too and my charger and iPad. Hey Ma can you also grab the blanket from the back of the lounge and my pillow. Oh and Aspens bear from upstairs... we want her here too."
"Okay sweetie, I will see you soon!"
"Oh Ma you will have to sign in at the nurses desk on the maternity ward, it is a security measure."
"Okay baby, do you still want me to bring some of those éclairs?"
"Oh Mum you are too good to us, maybe a decent cup of coffee for Liam too, it's been a long night!"
"You got it! If you think of anything else, just give me a call."
"See you soon Mum, we love you!"
Meanwhile Liam is talking to Bill about the current state of events.
"Hey Dad!"
"Liam what's wrong, you sound stressed... you know stress isn't..."
"Dad we're at the hospital!"
"Oh god is Steffy alright, are the babies alright?"
"She started to go into labour... Dr Caspery managed to get the contractions to stop with drugs, now we just have to wait and see. They also gave her the steroids to help with the babies lungs!"
"But for now they are all okay?"
"Yeah dad they are. Look I really need you to do something for me... Doctor Caspery seems to think we may be here for a little while and I am a little worried about how tight the hospitals confidentiality contracts are. Do you think you can get Justin to draw up some papers for us...?"
"Liam don't even worry about it, I will handle everything. Now are you alright, you sound like you are still stressed!"
"Dad, I was so worried, when she called out from the bathroom that she was bleeding I thought I was about to lose them all. That everything I wanted and needed in my life was about to be ripped away from me. But we are okay, Steffy is going to be fine, the twins are going to be fine! We are hoping that the drugs will keep labour at bay for the next 48 hours so the steroids can do their job and every hour after that is a blessing."
"Okay son, you hang in there, I will get Justin onto this right away and then Katie and I will bring it to you at the hospital."
"Thanks dad. Oh you will have to check in with the nurses' station to gain access to Steffy's room; your name is on the list. We will see you soon."
Liam returns to Steffy's side noticing she is no longer on the phone to her mother.
"Mum said she would call Dad and Thomas for us... tell them what is going on and that you wouldn't be in today, she said that we didn't need to worry about that right now!"
"Work is the last thing on my mind right now! Your safety and the little ones are my only priority right now! Everything else can just wait, nothing is more important than my wife and children!"
"You are so good to us! I have been so caught up in everything that has happened with me that I haven't even checked to see how you are feeling! You had a really high fever last night, you had me worried!"
"I feel okay, I am really tired and a little achy, but I feel almost normal. The strangest thing happened though."
"Aspen came to you didn't she."
"How did you know? God she is so beautiful, just like her mother!"
"You were talking all kinds of crazy and I couldn't really put it all together, you kept saying she was just here, where did she go? You were so distressed that I thought it was just the fever talking... but you got to see her and hold her didn't you! Then in the car you said she told you everything was going to be okay."
"Gosh she is like you, I never thought I could love someone as much as I love you, but our little girl, even though we never got to hold her in our arms, never got to bring her home, I love her just as much. You know she told me last night, she told me 'they would be here soon' and that it would scare the hell out of Mummy, but that everything would be okay, everyone would be okay. She was right though, you were scared beyond believe, knowing you, you probably still are you are just acting fearless, but she was also right in saying that everyone would be okay. We are here, you are all safe and I can't ask for much more than that, except for maybe coffee, I could really use some coffee!"
"Knock, Knock, did I just hear someone say they could use some coffee?"
"Oh my Mother in Law is a goddess!"
"Haha, this was entirely your wife's idea, I am just the delivery lady! Now let me bring a few things in, Hmm let's see, one pillow that my daughter can't live without, one blanket that has been with the pair of you through it all, a hospital bag full of everything you need including both your iPads and chargers and Aspens bear! Did I miss anything? Oh wait and one big hug for my daughter!"
"Oh Mum you are the best!"
"How are you feeling? Have the contractions stopped? Is Doctor Caspery happy with how it is going?"
"Yeah Ma, the contractions have stopped, she thinks I was in labour since yesterday morning, not enough to alarm or alert me but just the early stages. We were lucky that my waters didn't break, she said something about the mucus membrane starting to come away, which was why I was bleeding and that I must now stay in bed because it is now weak and that I could lose too much amniotic fluid if I am not careful, which would start labour again. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that we can get through the next 48 hours without labour starting up again, every hour after that is going to be a blessing; we just need these steroids to have a chance to work!"
"Well that all seems like good news! I called your father, he, Caroline and Spencer send their love and Liam he said that if you even think of showing your face at the office for the rest of the week he is going to really ticked off! Steffy needs you to be here with her right now! It might be worth getting Pam to organise some of your more pressing work and I can pick it up and bring it here for you. That way you will be right here just in case something happens."
Throughout the day Liam and Steffy had a steady stream of visitors, late in the afternoon Dr Caspery came to do a final check on Steffy before ending her shift at the hospital for the day.
"Well Steffy, so far it seems that the Terbutaline is doing its job, your contractions, are no longer registering on the monitor, your cervix hasn't dilated and the membrane is still intact and there doesn't appear to be anymore blood. Now all of this is really good news, I will have the nurses administer some more Terbutaline at around 6pm and then again 12 hours after that. Our aim is to keep those babies in long enough to get the steroids to work. Once the 48-hour period is up, we will not give you any more Terbutaline, if you naturally go into labour once this happens we will continue to monitor everyone and will only intervene if someone goes into distress. Liam, Steffy, I cannot tell you when these babies will be born, it could be the day after next, this week or your body might behave and you could be in here for 5 weeks. We are just spectators in their game; we play by their rules, well most of the time! So get comfortable and relax! I have also arranged for this room to be turned into one of our parents suits, tomorrow someone will be coming by to switch this bed out for a family bed, so Liam for tonight the nurses are going to have a cot brought in but after that you will have a queen bed in here."
"Hey I am allowed to stay, that is all I care about, I would sleep in a chair if I had too!"
"You say that now but this could go on for a week or more, one night in a hospital chair is bearable, more than that and you would be begging for a bed! Now if you will excuse me, I have a couple of other patients to see before I head off. The nurses have explicit instructions to call me if anything changes. Rest up and relax, the nurse will be in later to help you freshen up and no getting out of bed, for anything! Liam make sure she calls the nurse for everything!" Doctor Caspery states as she leaves the room. Liam and Steffy sit quietly thinking about everything that has happened today.
"Liam baby, can you come and lay with me, hold me, hold us... I, I ..." Steffy asked with tears filling her eyes.
"Hey, enough of that, you know what Aspen said, everything is going to be alright! It is scary, I know, you like to be in control and this, this you absolutely no control over what so ever, but it is all going to be alright!" They continue to lay together, Liam absentmindedly stroking her belly.
"Do you think that we will ever have a 'normal' pregnancy?"
"This one isn't even over yet Steffy and you're planning the next one!"
"It's not that I am planning the next one, I, I just don't feel like this is the last time I am ever going to be pregnant. You know, even with all the drama involved with this pregnancy, I really like being pregnant! Even if I have had to spend so much of it on bed rest. Knowing that there are these little humans inside of me, relying on me for everything, it is just magical!"
"And I thought I lost my edgy Steffy when we got engaged! Look at you now, all maternal and gooey! It's adorable!"
"Hey you just watch it! This mumma bear might be all soft and mushy right now, but heaven help the poor soul who ever tries to hurt my babies! They will get more than just your edgy Steffy!"
"Lucky I love every version of you Steffy, especially Mumma bear Steffy! In fact I find it sexy... no one would be game to get between the Stephanie Forrester Spencer and her children! Heck even I am scared of that wrath!"
"Yeah, and don't you forget it! Now quit talking and let me take a nap..." Liam goes to get off her bed "Where do you think you are going, your job is to lay here and hold me in your arms... a few smooches wouldn't go astray either Husband dearest!"
"Yes Ma'am, are you comfortable, do you need anything?"
"Everything I need is right here in this bed with me! Our twins are still in my belly, we have our little piece of Aspen with us and I have you... whatever happens next we will get through it together!"
AN: The drama of the twins continues in the next chapter... I know I have been posting roughly every 2 days but I am no longer on holidays (vacation) and only have 1 more chapter written after this one so updates are about to become less regular. I am sorry! Know this, your reviews and subscriptions are motivation for me, they push me to write these chapters faster, especially when I am having writers block! Which I currently have . It doesn't help that the current Liam/Steffy (STEAM) storyline is so crap! I have to wonder what Steffy ever did to make Bell want her to have some version of kidnapping in her life every 10 ish years.
For those who don't remember as a toddler Morgan kidnapped her, when she was a teenager her mother 'died' aka was kidnapped by King/Prince of Oman, and now diabolical Quinn has taken her fiancé prisoner so her son can try and win over his BROTHERS girl! So much for her loving Spencer men... Bill is going to kill her if/when he finds out she did this and didn't take Liam to the hospital not to mention the wrath of Steffy!