Chapter 8:
"How's little one feeling this morning?" Nick rolls over, his face brushing against mine before he kisses my cheek and rests a hand on my tummy.
"Mm... Little one is good, just a bit hungry." I bite my lip as Nick continues to place kisses onto my neck.
"Oh right, and what might he or she want then?" He laughs into my skin and I relax at the feeling of him so close to me, so loving.
"I think they might want a bacon butty." I smile, as his eyes meet mine.
"Hmm, not you though?" He checks and I shake my head playfully.
"No, I've got to eat it for the baby's sake." I giggle, as he traces his fingers around my belly button.
"You know, you've got to be so careful." Nick whispers, seriousness laced in his tone now. "This is our miracle baby, we've got to look after them."
"Oh right." I nod. "So I'll be kept in the manner to which I'm accustomed ey?"
"Enjoy it." He uses his other hand to massage my scalp gently. "I'll be waiting on you hand and foot from now on."
"Ah, I could get used to that." I sigh, meeting his gaze for a few seconds. "However, my bacon butty doesn't seem to be in preparation mode so I may have to sack you if you're not careful."
"Damn now I'd hate to be your employees." He kisses me once more before getting up. "I'll go and do it now."
"You can't keep your hands off me today, can you?" I smile as I feel Nick's arms slip round my waist.
"Can you blame me?" He kisses my neck affectionately. "You're so beautiful."
"Mm, nothing to do with the fact that I'm also carrying your baby then?" I grin.
"We should call the clinic, let them know." Nick suggests. "We were supposed to be contacting them with a decision by now."
"...Are you sure?" I swallow, my hands closing around where his were resting on my tummy. "...Nick, let's talk."
"About what?" He frowns as I lead him over to the sofa, taking his hand back in mine.
"...This isn't me being pessimistic, ok? This is me being perfectly honest about the situation." I sigh and the look of confusion in his expression hurts me slightly. "But... They said, didn't they, that it might be hard to carry a baby to full term. Especially if we conceive naturally... I just... I don't want you getting your hopes up too high, it's early days yet."
"...Carla." He is forcing back tears, and I can tell, because once again it seemed like I was doubting myself. But I wasn't, I was doubting the sudden miraculous conception that had fallen upon us.
"Don't Nick." I raise a finger to his lips. "It's just such a shock to the both of us... Despite the fact were trying for months. I don't want all this pressure on me, I can't deal with it... If I... If I lost it now-"
"Please don't say that." He shakes his head and the pain in his eyes express everything.
"No I need to say it." I persist. "Listen, I love this baby and I love you. But... Come on I can't be more than four weeks. A lot of women who are fully fertile and in their mid-twenties can miscarry at this point. Never mind women like me. We need to be prepared for any downfall we might face. I'm not saying it will, I'm just trying to warn you, Nick. Just in case, and please, don't argue with that, or tell me everything is going to be alright because once you've said something I tend to believe it, that's the effect you have on me."
"...Ok." He nods, pulling me towards him so my head can rest on his shoulder. "But I love you, no matter what. Yes? You believe that now?"
"I already did." I whisper, as he strokes my hair softly.
"I still don't understand it." Nick tells me, pulling another handful of popcorn out of the bag I was holding.
"So they're all from different districts, and two teenagers from each are selected to compete in the Hunger Games." I explain, through a mouthful of popcorn. "Basically they all kill one another."
"So why are they getting fed all these fancy meals and sleeping in posh beds then?" Nick questions.
"Because... Well it's like... Kind of their reward isn't it?" I frown, confused myself as to what was going on. "They're rewarded beforehand I guess... Because they can't be afterwards, can they?"
"You have no clue either do you?" He grins.
"I have a better clue than you." I sass him and he nods patronisingly which causes him to receive a light slap off me, before I click the TV off.
"Hey! I was watching that." He whines and I giggle at this, wrapping my arms around his neck and curling myself into his body. He was so warm, so safe, so secure. "You ok?"
"Mm." I nod, contently, breathing in his comforting scent. "I just want cuddles."
"You're becoming so maternal." He chuckles, folding his arms around me.
"At least I have an excuse." I mumble into him, closing my eyes and breathing in sync with his steady heart beat.
"Wakey wakey." Nick smiles as I begin to stir, rubbing my eyes as they adjust to my surroundings.
"Mm..." I croak. "I fell asleep? How long for?"
"Two hours." He shrugs.
"You didn't have to stay." I mumble, moving my head so that it was resting in the arch of his neck. "Haven't you got a dead leg?"
"I've got a dead body." He laughs and I smile at this. "But I didn't want to move you so."
"So you just sat there?" I mutter.
"I watched the rest of that film." He tells me. "It was actually pretty good."
"What happens?" My eyes widen. "Did she win?"
"I'm not telling you that." He taps my nose lightly before kissing me. "Because you can't know the ending without living the story."
"How very inspirational Nicholas." I smile, kissing him again before curling back into him.
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