-Shay's POV-
That scare taught us both a lesson and as if it was a blessing in disguise, we didn't have any other major fights weeks and months after. Ashley was more patient of me and a little more protective. Sometimes I really feel bad when I get so moody and just snap at her for nothing but she assures me that she understands me. I still ask myself each day why I got so lucky.
I have just entered my last trimester and I became more self conscious now. I feel so bloated, so big and something on my mind kept saying that Ashley would leave me for a hotter girl or guy. She had to run to her dance studio to check up on something and I was left alone on our bedroom. Even if Sasha had found a new place we convinced her to stay with us until I gave birth and she without doubts agreed but she was also out today for her shoot. I stood up and looked at my figure at the mirror. On what used to be my flat belly is now a bulging bump. Although I do not regret deciding to carry the baby I really felt insecure of myself. I took one magazine that I covered before I went back to bed and browsed it. I examined my old body and the more I looked at it the worse I felt. I put away the magazine and buried my face on the pillow with tears.
"Hey baby what's wrong?" I didn't hear Ashley coming in due to my crying moment. I ignored her and went on sobbing. "ButtahB why are you crying? Come here" She held my shoulder and forced me to face her. I turned around and snuggled to her.
"I look so ugly now. You're going to have me replaced" I said in between tears.
"Who told you that? Listen to me Shannon you're not ugly, never was, not and never will be. You're the most beautiful person in this world, inside and out. And even if you were really ugly you're still irreplaceable" I look at her and she changed her position so she was cuddling with me. Looking at her sent rushing urge to kiss her and so I did. I might have slightly taken her by surprise but she responded passionately. "Wow. .hot!" she said when our kissing stopped. Our foreheads were leaning against each other.
"I need you" I said in a raspy voice. I don't know how or why but I was turned on all of a sudden. The cravings had stopped but an all new craving had started in me, Ashley.
My urges had been insatiable lately. Being afraid to hurt me or the baby Ashley went slow and it felt good. You know this thing where you could really count it as making love rather than just sex? Unlike those times that we could go for rounds and rounds on our ''sexy-in-the-sheets' moments, we or I rather, could only go for 2 max. Well, try to be in my place and be a 7 month-pregnant woman. The best part was the post-euphoria cuddle. We just stay there, bodies pressed to each to other, enjoying the aftermath of our shenanigan. Sometimes we just relax to the comfortable silence and sometimes we talk about stuffs.
"So what do you want our baby to be Shan?" guess we're up for the talk tonight. Ashley and I wanted the gender to be a surprise until my last trimester. We were going to the doctor's clinic within the week.
"I don't know. I just want baby benz to be healthy and to grow up to be a good person. I'd love our baby no matter what gender it is. How bout you Ash?" She thought about it for a while before answering.
"Just the same as you. I'd love our baby no matter what he is" from how it sounded she does have a gender of preference
"Looks like you know what you want" I teased her
"Any gender would be fine with me but I'm more on wanting a boy. My family has too many girls on the line. Take for example me and my sister and I also have a niece with her. It would be nice to have something new. I'm sure my dad would love to have someone who he could teach basketball. And we both know I have a guy side of me. Besides if we're going to have a girl there'll be two of you that would need protection and there's just one of me. I'd still love champ the same if it's going to be a girl" I listened close to her explanation and it seems to make sense
"The same thing goes for you too babe. You're not the only one who's going to protect us, I too would protect you. I grew up with a baby brother and I always wondered how it felt to grow up with a sister but all my what ifs were answered when we were working with PLL. Gawd sisters are crazy!" We both laughed at my frolics.
"You see this house needs a man. He could be my little soldier that would watch over his mommy and sisters" I furrowed my brows at her
"Sisters?" We haven't even met our first child and now she's talking about another
"Yeah. I have it all planned or dreamed or something like that. So we'd have a son first then a daughter so you'd have someone to teach all your girly stuffs then another daughter so they could be playmates then lastly another son so our first son would have someone to play with. As I've said our first son would man up the house and scare his little sisters' suitors because hell their not allowed to have boyfriends til their 30! And our other son would be…the little guy of the family" It was quite amazing to hear it from her, how she had dreamed of our life together.
"Well would you take a look at that, Ashley Benson being the planner. Wow!" She lightly pinched my nose and I smacked her hand. We both wanted a big family since we only had a sibling growing up. We want to have a noisy house filled with love and laughter, just like our PLL family. "I think we could do this Ash, a big happy family. We know we're financially capable but I'm talking about other stuffs such as things that can't be bought my money"
"I know Shannon. Oh…and don't worry I will be at your side holding your hand as you crush mine in all of the times you'd be in labor" My jaw drop in awe. It's just me who's going to undergo all the pain of childbirth? Not fair.
"Hey! Why do I have to do all the hard work?" I whine at her
"Don't worry I do have other ways of working hard" she said as she kissed my neck. If this is going to be her way of hard work then I might take up the offer.
It was one of my routines to check out the nursery everyday making sure it's perfect for our angel. I look around and see the white walls. The white paint seems so dull. Maybe some cloud paintings or wallpaper could add some touch. Everything around the room was white because it's like a neutral color and we don't know what the gender is yet.
"I thought you'd be here" Ashley wrapped her arms on my waist and kissed my cheek.
"I was just checking baby benz's room" she rested her chin on my shoulder.
"You always do that every day babe" she moved away from me and looked around too. "Is this just me or is it too white? It's making me crazy!"
"You want to add up some color mommy?" I asked her
"I sure do. I'll decorations and colored paint after your ultrasound. I can't wait! Ugh! Why did we even decide to wait this long?!" I laughed at her and kissed her temples.
"May I remind you that this was your idea. Anyways, our baby needs a name don't you think?" I say placing my hand on my belly. With all the necessary preparations we lost focus on the baby name.
"Yeah about that, so I did some research last night and I was thinking we could use Paul as his middle name and Nathan as his first name if we're having a boy. If we're having a girl we're choosing from Hanna or Emily then the middle name would be one of girls' names" This planner side of Ashley was really new to me
"Care to explain to me the story behind those names? And if we're going to use the girls' names don't you think it'd be too long? I mean there are four of them." It feels like we've switched places
"Okay. Paul is from Paul Walker as simple as that, we both have a crush on him so yeah. Nathan means God's gift, and don't look at me like that because I saw that online. Hanna and Emily are names that mean a lot to us. Those were our character names as our love developed. If we haven't got those roles we would be where we are. We're just picking out one from them four, we're not going to use all I'm not that crazy" I thought about what Ashley said and I seem to like the idea, all of it.
"You…you amaze me babe." I hug her tightly before pulling her in for a kiss.
…At the doctor's clinic…
I was lying on the bed with a cold gel placed on my stomach. The doctor said that everything's going fine with me and the baby. I was excited and freaking out at the same time anticipating to know our baby's gender.
"So mommies are you ready to know the gender?" The doctor asked and Ashley and I both nodded. "Okay…Oh here you are. Congratulations it's a…"
"Wait!" I said loudly before the doctor could say something
"Shannon!" Ashley called out. I could see how eager she was to learn the gender.
"Can you like just print it out for us and then we could just look at it later?" I asked the doctor
"I can do that. No problem" Ashley looked at me questioningly. I sent her my best puppy eyes and she rolled her eyes on me in return
"Later I promise." I told Ashley but she countered my puppy eyes with her pouty face. Ugh! This girl! "Fine you can check it first" Her face lit up with joy. She whispered something to the doctor and the doctor nodded her head. Ashley couldn't contain her wide smile. It makes me happy to see her that happy.
"I can't wait to meet you" Ashley said touching the monitor that showed our baby. Her eyes were moistened from the tears of joy falling in her eyes. I smile at the sight I see. If there's anything that Ashley is, she's the perfect one.
..A month after…
"Okay last Shay. Nice! That's a wrap" The photographer said as the photo shoot ended. Apparently, even if I feel like a while due to my big belly people from the magazines still ask me to cover. This was the 5th magazine I've done for my entire pregnancy. From fitness and health to pregnancy magazines. It wasn't that tiring so Ashley allows me to take the job.
"Thank you" I thanked the photographer before going back to the dressing room to change back to my clothes. Just in time Ashley called me.
"Hey babe what's up? Did I disturb you?" she asked as I answered
"No. We just finished. So are you coming to pick me up?" She was currently at her dance studio
"I still have something left to do here at the studio. Is it okay if I ask Sasha to pick you up?" I felt sad that she couldn't come but I also understood her
"That'd be fine. So I'll be seeing you later for dinner then. Love you benzo. Bye" I could hear shuffling from the other line
"Love you too missus. Bye." I ended the call and continued to change.
About 20 minutes later Sasha pulled up. I climbed in the passenger seat. I was dead tired from the work of the day.
"Hey Shay!" She greeted me with all smiles. Someone must had a good day. "Buckle up!" I did what I was told and we left the vicinity. I woke up from my nap just as Sasha was parking.
"Where are we?" I looked around and noticed that we were at Michaela's restaurant. "Why are we here?"
"What do we do at the restaurant? We eat" Sasha said joyfully. Maybe Ash told her to meet up here. I unbuckled the seatbelt and stepped out of the car excited for the food and to see my other best friend. Little did I know our family and friends were inside waiting for me. My jaw dropped in surprise with their wonderful surprise baby shower for me.
"This is awesome you guys. Thank you" I hugged the girls and Ashley and I's parents. "I'm so glad you could make it mom and dad" I said to my parents as I hugged them a little longer. I searched for the person I want to see most.
"Do you like it?" I hear someone said from behind me. I turned around to look at her.
"Thank you" that was all I said before I crashed my lips to hers. Ashley reached the back of my neck and deepened the kiss. Before we could get somewhere our friends started making coughing sounds to break us apart.
"'Oh come on you guys! You can all go home now" Ashley joked around making everyone laugh. I kissed her again but only briefly this time.
"You deserve a reward for this later" I whispered in her ear and winked at her. She smiled grimly.
The night went on with the dinner, them showing us their gifts and saying their wishes for us and the baby. After the program everyone continued drinking wine and other drinks.
"Excuse me everyone. I would like to propose a toast for Shay and Ashley and Baby Benz. May they always be a one big happy family" My brother said raising his glass. Everyone joined along but unlike them I only had water in my glass. "I also would like to take this opportunity since we are all gathered here to do something that I have been thinking for a while now." He surprised everyone in the room when he kneeled down in one knee in front of Sasha and opened a velvet box which had a beautiful ring on it. "Sasha Pieterse will you give me the honor of marrying you?" I can't believe that my baby brother is now proposing.
"Yes. I would like the sound of Sasha Pieterse Mitchell." He stood up and put in the ring on her before kissing her. My pregnancy hormones are rushing all over me and I started crying.
"You react more than how mommy Mitch reacts" Ashley teased me and I nudged her.
"I'm just happy for them" I wiped away the tears
"I guess all the Pretty Little Liars had found their happy ending" she leaned in and whispered on my ear.
"No. I told you we don't have a happy ending because our love doesn't end. I didn't find a happy ending, I found my perfect one, you." Ashley smiled at me and we sealed our night with a loving kiss.
Chapter 40! wow! I can't believe it's been forty chapters. Initially the story would have ended at the Lucian wedding but because of all your tremendous support and overwhelming reviews I altered the storyline and added the further chapters. So I would like to thank everyone who stick around and kept on reading the story. I also would like to thank all those people who take time to send in reviews. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! 3
p.s. if you could suggest to me a hannily/shayley fic that I could read I would really appreciate it. I feel like I've read all already but I could be wrong. :))))