Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock or Wizards of Waverly Place.
Okay, so Alex and Mitchie couple name votes/suggestions are in. Of mine, you liked Mitchex best. However, Jacqurin suggested Alie or Alexie. Personally, I like Alexie best. I think this is the next best after Malex (which we can't have because that's Mason/Alex, which is a "real" couple, and I guess "real" couples reign over us). So vote on those 3. Let's try to start a new couple name!
"Stop fidgeting," Connie scolded Mitchie, who sat in on the examination table, shifting every few moments and causing the thin paper on the table to make an irritating crinkling sound.
Mitchie sighed and slouched, hanging her shoulders, but stopped moving. "Was making me put this on really necessary?" she asked, pulling at the examination gown they'd made her change into. "In all the movies I've seen the women don't have to change into these stupid gowns. They just lift their shirts, get the goo squirted on their stomach, and it's done."
"That's the movies, Mitchie. This is the real world," her mother said, flipping a page in the magazine she'd brought to entertain herself while waiting.
Today was the big day. It was time for Mitchie's first ultrasound. It was also her first doctor's appointment since the confirmation of her pregnancy, so she wasn't sure what to expect. She was currently praying to God she wasn't having twins, a scary thought she hadn't been able to get out of her head since Alex had placed it there.
"Why do movies have to lie to me?" she muttered, looking down at her gown in distaste.
"I bet they didn't tell you you're supposed to come with a full bladder either, huh?" Connie asked a little amusedly, closing her magazine and putting it on her purse.
"Thanks for reminding me I have to pee, Mom." Mitchie frowned and crossed her legs. "They should have done the ultrasound first instead the tests so I could go to the bathroom," she said bitterly.
"That's not how they do things, Sweetie," Connie said.
"Well they should! And then, they make me wait forever and a day!" she complained. "I could be working right now, making money."
"I'm sure he has other patients."
Mitchie shook her head, as if she didn't believe her mother, and checked the clock on the wall. "We've been in here for nearly fifteen minutes. It's not just me they're keeping from work, it's you too. You work in a restaurant too."
"I told them the day after I made this appointment that I'd need the afternoon off until dinner time," Connie said. "The kitchen staff can handle the food until then. And I'm sure the Russos are alright without you. Justin's covering your shift since he isn't tutoring you and Alex until later today, right?"
"Yes, but still!" Mitchie sighed agitatedly. She was so anxious about the baby. She knew she was projecting her feelings onto the situation and worrying about things that really didn't need to be worried about, but she couldn't help herself. What if something was wrong? What if she waited too long to come to the doctor and there was something wrong with her baby that could have been taken care of earlier had she just been responsible and come in sooner? If something was wrong with her baby, she'd never forgive herself.
"How are you and Alex doing?" Connie asked carefully, knowing how easy it was to upset her daughter nowadays. She'd been wanting to talk about this, but hadn't known how to approach the subject, and talking about the Russos seemed to be as good of a chance as any.
Mitchie blushed slightly. "We're good. Great, in fact." Better than great even. Ever since that night Alex stayed over, just holding Mitchie (not the time after the movies, but the other one), they'd been nearly inseparable. Alex came over every night now, their parents oblivious to this, however. It's not like they (their parents) had anything to worry about, though. If anything, they only shared a few kisses. They'd never even made out at their sleepovers, knowing they'd both probably feel guilty about it because they were breaking one of Mitchie's parents' rules already.
"Just curious, but what do the two of you plan to do, exactly, when the baby comes?" Connie asked, knowing her daughter had most likely given this a lot of thought.
"We're not looking that far into the future," Mitchie admitted. "I wish she could have come today…"
"Do you really think she could have handled this, Mitchie? Honestly." Mrs. Torres shook her head at her daughter. This wasn't the answer she'd been looking for. She'd wanted to hear that Mitchie had a plan, that she was being responsible and prepared. Instead, she was leaving it all up to chance? That wasn't like Mitchie at all.
"Yes, I think she could!" Mitchie defended, even though in the back of her head she wasn't so confident. She wasn't even sure she could handle the ultrasound, and she was the mature one in the relationship. "Let's just not talk about Alex anymore. Ever again, okay? Because all that's going to happen is you're going to say something to put her down and then I'm just going to get mad at you."
"I'm not trying to put her down, Mitchie," Connie said, a little stunned at her daughter's tone. She wasn't used to Mitchie being this defensive of anyone, not even herself.
"Sure seems like it," Mitchie muttered. "I know you don't want me to be with her."
"Who said I don't want you to be with her?" Connie asked, standing from her chair and putting her hands on her hips.
"You did!" Mitchie exclaimed, pointing at her mother. This caused the back of her dress to open, though, so she quickly grabbed at it to close it again. "You were so against me being with her when I told you two weeks ago."
"I was in shock, Mitchie," Connie said gently. "It's hard to wrap your head around the fact that your pregnant daughter now likes girls. But I'm trying. I'm allowing you to date her, aren't I?"
"But you still would rather me not be dating her," Mitchie said quietly, looking away. Once again, she was feeling dejected. Something Mitchie had always had a problem with was acceptance, which is why she'd kept her sexuality so hidden, even to herself sometimes. And the fact that her own mother wouldn't accept her took a toll on the sixteen-year-old's ego.
Connie stepped forward and took her daughter's face in her hands, making Mitchie look at her with her now tear-filled eyes.
"Now you listen to me, Mitchie Catherine," she said. "I love you, always and no matter what. You're my only child, and I just want what's best for you. Nothing is more important to me than you and your happiness. So if Alex makes you happy, then by all means, date her. I'll admit I'm not crazy about the idea, but I'll get used to it, and so will your father. He wants you to be happy too. It's so easy to see that Alex is, oddly enough, very good for you. She brings the smile back to your face, and that's all I want. I don't hate her. How could I hate someone that makes you smile after everything you've been through these past few months?" She paused, feeling her own tears welling in her eyes. "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I know I haven't been too understanding recently, but I'm going to try to be better. I want nothing more than you to just wake up happy in the morning, and if Alex does that, then I will support your relationship with her."
Mitchie was speechless for a few moments, not really sure what to say. She'd never felt more appreciative in her life. This was all anyone in her position could ask for from their mother. She'd never been a lucky girl, always tripping and having terrible things happen to her. But as of late, she was getting everything she wanted: a great girlfriend and a mother that backed her one hundred percent. It felt too good to be true, but it was.
"Thank you," Mitchie said quietly when she was able to find her voice again.
"You're welcome," Connie said, removing her hands from her daughter's face. "I love you, Mitchie."
Mitchie reached out and took her mother's hand in her own. "I love you, too, Mom."
As the mother and daughter shared a soft, heart-felt smile, the door to the examination room swung open and a middle-aged, dark-skinned doctor walked in, followed by a woman in scrubs.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said as both Torres women tried hastily to dry their tears. "I had an emergency call at the hospital this morning, so all of my appointments got backed up." He walked over to the exam table, clipboard in hand. "Mitchie Torres?" he asked. Mitchie nodded. "Hi, Mitchie. I'm Dr. Ramirez. I'm going to be your doctor for the rest of your pregnancy. This is Dr. Chase." He motioned toward the blond woman standing behind him. "She's an ultrasound technician, and she'll be doing your ultrasound today. I'm just here to introduce myself and give you the results of the tests you took earlier today."
Mitchie just nodded, a bit intimidated by the doctor. She felt her mother squeeze her hand for support.
"Do you have any questions for me before I begin giving you the results?" Dr. Ramirez asked, his dark eyes flicking back and forth between Mitchie and her mother as Dr. Chase worked in the background, getting the ultrasound equipment ready. They each shook their heads. "Okay." He flipped a page on his clipboard, looking down at it. "So, Mitchie, you're sixteen, correct?"
"Yes," Mitchie said quietly with a blush. "But I'm turning seventeen in January."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Dr. Ramirez said kindly with a smile when he saw her blush. "I specialize in teen pregnancies, didn't your mother tell you?"
"No, she didn't," Mitchie said, looking at her mother. Now that she thought about it, though, there had been a few girls that looked to be around her age or even a bit younger in the waiting room.
"I didn't?" Connie said, clearly having forgotten that she hadn't mentioned this before. "Oh, well, he does."
Dr. Ramirez gave a slight chuckle and turned his attention back to his clipboard. "As of right now, you are eighteen weeks along, so you're in your fourth month of pregnancy. That means you've entered your second trimester. We estimate your delivery date to be April twenty-fifth."
Mitchie took a breath. That seemed so far away, yet she knew it really wasn't. It was practically right around the corner. It might as well have been tomorrow.
"Any questions yet?" Dr. Ramirez asked when he saw the worried look on Mitchie's face.
"Uh…" She racked her brain, trying to come up with something, anything. "When do they usually start kicking? Because I haven't felt any of that yet. Actually, what does kicking feel like?"
"Well, babies in the womb start moving around seven to eight weeks, but movements become more noticeable around sixteen to twenty weeks. You're right in the middle of that time period," he explained. "So don't be surprised if it starts any day now. And if it takes a little longer, don't be alarmed. Some babies take longer. But if you start feeling movement and it suddenly stops one day, you might want to come in for an appointment. As for what it feels like, it's been described as popcorn popping inside the womb, a goldfish swimming around, or butterflies in the stomach."
Great, Mitchie thought, how am I going to know if he or she is kicking when Alex gives me butterflies all the time?
"Movements are most easily felt when resting or sitting quietly," the doctor continued. "Sometimes they feel like hunger pains as well."
"Is there anything abnormal we should be looking for?" Connie asked.
"There can be, but Mitchie hasn't reported anything out of the ordinary," Dr. Ramirez said. "Tiredness, irritability, and mood swings are all normal, as are cravings."
"I haven't really had many of those," Mitchie said.
"Some people never get them." Dr. Ramirez nodded. "The major things to look out for are vaginal bleeding or any severe cramping. As long as there's none of that, you should be fine. From your test results, as far as we can tell, both you and the baby are very healthy."
"I'm ready to begin, Dr. Ramirez," Dr. Chase said, stepping forward.
"Alright, Dr. Chase. I'll get out of your hair." He smiled quickly at her before turning back to the soon-to-be teen mother and her mother. "Any final questions?"
Mitchie shook her head.
"Well, I'll be off, then," he said, starting to head towards the door. "Mitchie, I want you to come back in for another ultrasound somewhere between twenty-five and twenty-seven weeks of your pregnancy, when you'll be entering into your third trimester, okay?"
"Okay." Mitchie nodded.
"Thank you, Dr. Ramirez," Connie called as he walked out the door.
"Are you ready, Mitchie?" Dr. Chase asked quietly, giving a soft smile.
"Okay…" Mitchie said, her nerves showing clearly on her face.
"There's nothing to be scared of," Dr. Chase assured her. "It doesn't hurt at all. I promise. Just lie back and relax."
Mitchie nodded, trusting the blond woman. She lay back as instructed, putting her head at the top of the exam bed.
"Lift your gown, please," Dr. Chase said, switching on the monitor that would show the image of the baby.
Cheeks turning pink, Mitchie lifted the gown. She hated people being able to see her underwear and she felt extremely uncomfortable. Sensing her daughter's stress, Connie grabbed her hand again, showing she was there for Mitchie. Mitchie gave her an appreciative smile.
"This is going to be a little cold," Dr. Chase warned as she squirted the ultrasound gel onto Mitchie's stomach.
When the chilly goo came into contact with her skin, Mitchie gave a sharp intake of breath.
"Told you." Dr. Chase chuckled a little before pressing the transducer probe into the gel.
As the transducer started to glide across her skin, dark images began to appear on the screen. Mitchie could hear her heart beating in her ears, anxious to get that first look, to see him or her for the first time. Her heartbeat was so loud, she almost didn't hear a muffled, steady beat.
"Do you hear that?" Dr. Chase asked Mitchie and Mrs. Torres. "That's the baby's heart. And that…That's the baby."
Mitchie nearly stopped breathing as a human-like form came onto the screen. She could make out a head, a small body, and what was that? That was a hand. That was his or her little hand, moving ever so slightly.
There he or she was, just a blurry image on the screen, but real. He or she had a heartbeat, was alive. This was a person, a life Mitchie had created completely by accident. Months ago, she only saw this baby as an obstacle to overcome, something bad she did that she was getting punished for. She didn't want this, but seeing her baby on that screen, she couldn't imagine a future without him or her in it.
"Oh my God," Connie gasped after a few seconds of watching her grandchild, tears starting in her eyes again. She was feeling exactly what Mitchie was, and it was overwhelming.
"Would you like to know the sex?" Dr. Ramirez asked.
Mitchie couldn't speak, too transfixed, watching her baby shift inside her stomach.
"Mitchie, do you want to know what you're having?" her mother asked her quietly.
"No," Mitchie said, barely audible to the others in the room, but they'd heard her.
"Are you sure?" her mom asked. "It'd be best if we'd know so we can start buying clothes and such."
"No," Mitchie said again, a hint of finality in her voice. And that was the end of that.
Connie sighed, a little disappointed. She'd really wanted to know whether she was having a grandson or granddaughter, but she knew it was Mitchie's choice, and she needed to respect that.
"Can we have pictures?" Connie asked the doctor as she started picking up the equipment.
"Of course," Dr. Chase said.
Mitchie tuned them out. An image of her baby was frozen on the monitor, and she couldn't stop staring at it in awe.
"Alex! Alex, Alex, Alex!" Mitchie exclaimed, rushing into the sub shop that afternoon, backpack slung over one shoulder.
"Mitchie! Mitchie, Mitchie, Mitchie!" Alex stopped clearing away the plates from the table she was cleaning and mimicked the excited girl. "What?" she asked with a laugh.
"Look!" Mitchie said, thrusting a small, blurry, black and white photo in Alex's face.
"What am I looking at?" Alex asked, raising her eyebrows at the gray blob in front of her face.
"My baby!" Mitchie said, smacking her girlfriend on the shoulder. "Don't you see?"
Alex squinted, trying to find the human in the different curves of the photograph. Tilting her head to the side, she was just able to make out a head, a tiny nose protruding slightly.
"Oh I see it!" Alex said, getting excited too. "Oh my gosh! This is so cool! Did you find out what it is?"
Mitchie shook her head, looking over Alex's shoulder to look at the picture as well. "I don't want to know. I want to be surprised."
"That's no fun," Alex said, pouting slightly while she handed the photo back to Mitchie. "How am I supposed to know what to buy it?"
"What you're supposed to buy it?" Mitchie raised her eyebrows at her girlfriend.
"Duh!" Alex said, picking up the dishes from the table and starting to walk away, Mitchie following. "I'm gonna spoil that kid rotten."
"Alex, that's really not necessary," Mitchie said, leaning her elbows on the counter.
"What's all the excitement about?" Theresa asked, coming from the kitchen where she'd been washing dishes to stand behind the register again. "I heard yelling a little while ago."
"I had my first ultrasound today," Mitchie said, smiling a little.
"Oh! Do you have a picture?" Theresa asked, to which Mitchie nodded. "Do you have it with you? Can I see? Please let me see!"
"I think the woman wants to see, Mitchie," Alex said with a smirk.
"Oh hush, you," Theresa scolded Alex as Mitchie handed her the photograph. When she'd been looking at Alex, she'd been wearing an annoyed look, but as soon as she saw the ultrasound picture, her face softened. "Awe. It's so tiny! What is it?"
"She doesn't want to know," Alex said, shaking her head at Mitchie. "She's being difficult."
"I have a right not to know," she pointed out.
"Well, what do you want?" Theresa asked, handing the picture back.
"I don't really care," Mitchie admitted.
"I know what it is," Alex said, giving that usual cocky smirk.
"Oh really? You're a doctor now?" Mitchie laughed a little.
"No, I just have a feeling." Alex continued to smirk.
Mitchie just shook her head amusedly. "And what do you think it is, then, Alex?"
"I'm not telling. You don't want to know, so I won't tell you what I think it is because I know I'm right."
"Yeah, okay, Miss Genius," Theresa said, rolling her eyes. "Go get your brother and tell him Mitchie is here for the lesson. He's upstairs."
"Why is he upstairs again?" Alex asked, putting her hands on her hips. "He's supposed to be covering Mitchie's shift."
"We were slow, so I let him go." Theresa sighed. "Just get him."
"Fine. JUSTIN!" she yelled, not moving from her spot, causing her mom to clap her hand over her ear that was right next to Alex's mouth.
"Alex, I could have done that!" Theresa said crossly.
"Then why didn't you?" Alex asked, genuinely confused.
"Just go to the back tables," she said, pointing towards the fake subway car.
Alex shrugged, grabbed her bag from under the counter, and walked with Mitchie to the subway car eating area. She slid into a booth, Mitchie sitting across from her.
"I still don't see what you don't want to know the sex," Alex commented, beginning to unzip her bag.
"And I don't see why you don't tell your parents we're dating," Mitchie countered, unzipping her own bag.
Alex slapped a notebook on the tabletop. "I told you, they'd flip because of the baby thing."
"And I told you, I want to be surprised in the delivery room," Mitchie countered, placing a notebook on the table as well.
Before Alex could open her mouth for a retort, Justin entered.
"Good afternoon, pupils," he said with a cheery smile. "Who's ready to learn?"
Alex rolled her eyes at her brother's dorky words. "Me," she said, placing a limp hand in the air.
After seeing Justin's smile drop at Alex's reaction, Mitchie smiled enthusiastically and put her hand high in the air. "Me!" she exclaimed.
Justin clapped his hands together, his smile returning. "That's what I'm talking about!"
As Justin pulled up a chair, Alex looked at Mitchie.
Kiss up, she told Mitchie, using the spell that connected their thoughts.
What can ya do? Mitchie asked, giving her a bashful smile.
Don't you smile at me, I'm mad at you, Alex joked, flipping open her notebook and tearing her eyes from Mitchie's adorable smile.
Come on now. We both know you can't be mad at me.
Alex was going to think up a witty retort, but her brain completely went blank when she felt something sliding up her leg. Glancing to see if Justin was looking, she checked under the table to find that Mitchie had removed her shoe and was now sliding her sock-clad foot up Alex's leg.
Still mad? Mitchie sat there casually, feigning innocence as her foot slid further up her girlfriend's leg.
My brother's right there! Alex thought frantically, darting a glance at her brother, who was completely oblivious. When she felt Mitchie's foot making its way to the inside of her thigh, she nearly jumped right out of her seat in surprise.
Justin gave her a look. "Are you okay, Alex?" he asked, watching her carefully.
"I'm fine," Alex said, her chest rising and falling as she tried to calm herself. Thankfully, she no longer had a foot sliding closer to a personal area. "Mitchie just kicked me. I was startled."
"My bad," Mitchie said, doing her best to hide her devilish grin by opening a book and putting it in front of her face.
Yes, you are bad. Alex glared at her girlfriend playfully and shook her head.
You haven't seen anything yet. Mitchie winked at Alex over the top of her book.
Oh really, Miss Torres? Alex raised her eyebrows, trying to keep her cool and cursing the heat that was flooding her cheeks.
Under the table, she placed her hand on Mitchie's knee and gave it a slight squeeze. Alex gave her a special smirk when Mitchie locked eye with her. Alex squeezed Mitchie's knee harder, thinking up a final retort before breaking the spell.
Can't wait.
Review!
You will LOVE next chapter. Just saying.