Chapter 28: Vitals

Freddie's POV

Emptiness. I felt helpless and guilty and the feelings were immobilizing and to top it all of it was raining. I sat on the side of the bed in my hotel suite. I'd decided that this whole situation was too close; I planned to stay in Washington until the babies were born. If I lost this contract so be it. Life is about the choices you make and I choose to be a father … to be the best father I could be. I would fight Samantha Puckett tooth and nail for that opportunity. After everything Maddie had done to rip Sam and me apart I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make her see reason and come back to me. I wasn't sure I was going to have a justifiable reason for not calling her regardless of the damage done. I was a little pathetic on my part but I was glad that our children would keep us connected even though it was never my intention to "trap" it's comforting to know that she will be in my life forever. All of the drama caused my head to pound. I was debating whether I wanted to lie back down. I had no plans for the day since I couldn't show my face at the hospital for fear of causing Sam to stress and harm the babies. I decided falling back asleep, escapism, was the best course of action. I fell back on the bed and buried my face in my pillow. After a few minutes my phone began to ring. Maxine was called me. Something was wrong; I quickly answered the phone, praying it wasn't the worst case scenario.

"What's wrong? Is she okay? Are they okay? TELL ME!" I hopped off the bed and started searching for some clothes.

"Damn, if you'd let me talk! Everybody's fine and still stable Freddie. Sam, she uh, actually wants to see you." I could help but feel elated; Sam was giving me a chance to make it right. There was a time when she would've tried to ignore me all together. I could hear the hesitation in Maxine's voice.

"Really?" I hitched on my jeans, and hurriedly button and zipped.

"Yeah, but Freddie … make sure you keep her calm okay? I just, I know you don't man her any harm, but you weren't here to see how depressed she'd become not hearing from you. She slowly became drier, bitter, and downright mean. Then when she saw you on the video chat with Maddie, well two days later she was in the hospital." I felt my jaw tighten I was so glad that I had fired that woman. How could she not know the damage she would cause to my life by creating such a frontage?

"I was never with Maddie! The only woman I want is in the hospital carrying my children!" I snapped. "I fired that … that woman, for attempting to ruin my life! I just want … I just want Sam."

"Well, I guess you better get over her and tell her that!" Maxine hung up and I took a deep breath to calm my own nerves. I quickly threw on a shirt, grabbed my keys from the nightstand and ran out of the door.

I knocked lightly on Sam's hospital room door. The nurse was taking her vitals. She was a plump older lady with grey hair and green eyes she glanced at me and then back at the monitor. "Are you the father?" I nodded and I couldn't help but smile proudly, Sam said nothing. "I figured, her heart literally skipped a beat. See … and her pulse is racing and you haven't even kissed her yet." Sam frowned and grumbled something under her breath. "Well, I'll give you two some private time." The nurse winked at Sam and then left the room

"Should I sit?" I asked.

"If you want to," she answered the sheets over her belly." I had the intense longing to touch her and feel connected to our children.

"You've grown so much since I've seen you." I observed and I literally sat on my hands. I wouldn't touch her not without her permission. She looked down and a small grin painted her face.

"You've been gone a long time." She wouldn't look at me but I saw a tear roll down her cheek. "I've been doing some reading. Do you know they can hear voices now, mine especially, but they probably don't even know you? Not at all." Her pain was the same as mine, I wanted to know them. I wanted to be here I never wanted to leave in the first place.

"I'm so sorry Sammy, baby I'm so sorry!" She held up her hand for me to stop. She calmed herself so that her tears would no longer flow. I immediately shut up and watched the monitors while she calmed herself.

"You only did one thing wrong Freddie … we both are guilty of not communicating. I was sitting here waiting to hear from you and you never called, but I could've called you. I could have and should have pulled you away from whatever it was that you were doing and told you … that you know, that I missed you and that I uh, love you. But I didn't. I just wish you would've called, texted, or something." She mumbled.

"I know Sammy; I was an idiot I should've made time for you. That's why I'm not going anywhere, not until you drop the load. I will be by your side the whole time I promise." I tentatively placed my hand on the hand she had resting on her stomach.

"I don't want you to jeopardize your work Benson, we just need to communicate. I suck at it too; we'll both work on it." I nodded and smirked I was impressed that Sam admitted fault, back in the day that would've never happened.

"Agreed, but I'm still not going back until the babies are born and if I go anywhere you'll be traveling with me." Sam smirked and she finally made eye contact with me. God, I'd missed her beautiful blue eyes.

"What about your movie and the bitchy author?" She said as she arched her eyebrow.

"We can push the movie release date and if he doesn't want to wait he can find another director." I knew I would personally be relieved not to have to deal with that guy anymore. Plus I had new business to attend to, I had to find a new assistant, without an assistant my job was pretty impossible. "Hell, I'd even recommend some directors that sort of have a style like mine to finish what I've started, but honestly you are so much more important than some movie Sammy." I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed it. She chuckled, and shook her head, and let out another breath.

"The lines you feed Benson." She laughed.

"Only to you. I do have question Sam?"

"Yesss?" Her spirits seemed to have lifted.

"It's been a long time since I've kissed your pretty little lips …" I stated and she frowned at me.

"That's not a question." She said matter of factly; she watched as I left my chair and sat beside her on her hospital bed.

"You're right it's not." I bend down and kissed Sam and she reciprocated after a moment I felt the moisture from her cheeks wet my face. I pulled away from her and used my thumbs to whip her tears. I kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes and sighed.

"I'm glad you're staying Freddie," She whispered.

"Me too."

Author's Note: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter! Please do check out my Seddie Statement on my blog! Just go pick up the url on my ffn profile page. As always please read, review, and flames!