Fast update. Wow. :))) Had time to spare I guess.
Anyway hope you guys like this chapter! Dum dum dum dum. Hopefully.
Please review if you have time! I like reading your reviews :).
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-Maxon's POV-
"Good morning." America smiled, her eyes still drowsy.
"Morning, sweetheart." I replied sweetly. Even though a month has already passed since we got married, I still find everything surreal. Sometimes I fear that everything was just a dream or an illusion I made up ever since the day she left, but then when I feel her; when I touch her and she touches me, I know everything is real.
It hasn't been an easy road for us, most especially after the marriage. Even though many of the people adore America it still wasn't enough to explain the turn of events. It took me sleepless nights and a lot of stress to reach out, explain and make them understand the whys and hows without revealing anything confidential. America tried helping out, which I also tried to stop but then, well, she's America. She takes no for an answer.
"hmm…" She hummed, stretching her body. I couldn't help but look at her stomach. It has grown so much in the course of a month. It amazes me how a woman's body could change so drastically. Just 4 months and a week ago, her stomach was flat but now, it's bulging out.
I placed my right hand on her stomach and caressed it. "Good morning to you too, little one. Are you hungry? Daddy will make it himself for you if you want." I said, a smile creeping out in between my words. I then looked back to America who in exchange was smiling back at me.
"I'm afraid you're more excited for this baby than I am." She teased. "And no. You better stay out of the kitchen! Remember just a week ago, you almost put the kitchen on fire!" She exclaimed, and then laughed heartily.
I rolled my eyes and gave out a faint grumble. "It was an accident AND you are exaggerating it. I didn't 'almost put the kitchen on fire.'"
"Oh Maxon, you certainly did." She chuckled. She then sat up and moved to the edge of the bed. I decided to crawl towards her and pull her closer to me.
"Hey, I'm not yet done with you." I said, acting like a kid. I heard her chuckle and afterwards she turned her head to face me.
"Oh baby Maxon." She said, cupping my face with her hands. "Mommy will be late for Dr. Matthew's check-up if we don't get up now."
"Ok! Ok! You win." I laughed. "But seriously you have to stop using that voice on me. It's driving me crazy!" I added, waving my hands for emphasis.
She jokingly punched me on my arm. "Stop acting like you hate it. I know you like it when I use that voice."
"No, I don't" I quickly defended, which in reply she looked at me in disbelief, her eyebrows raised more than the usual. I gave out a shrug before finally admitting in defeat. "Well, ok. Maybe a little bit." And then gave her the 'happy now?' look.
She rolled her eyes at me and then stood up, brushed her hair and tied it in a ponytail. "Come on, we're really going to be late for the check-up."
"Alright, getting up as fast as I can." I replied nonchalantly. In reality, I was nervous. I was always nervous whenever we had to go to Dr. Matthew every week for her check-up. I remember the night after the wedding, it was the first time we told him about America's pregnancy. He quickly talked about abortion procedures we might want. America looked at him and me in horror. I cut him through explaining that we wouldn't want any abortions. At first he looked at me in disapproval and disappointment but we eventually convinced him to help us out. After some talk, Dr. Matthew and I then decided to have a small fully equipped medical room built inside the palace so that if anything happens, we can immediately get America her medical needs. Even amidst all the preparations I recall him telling me that he still cannot assure that America and the baby will survive and that the statistics he gave to her still stands true.
"Earth to, Maxon." America said, breaking me from my chain of thoughts.
"Oh, hey." I chuckled, trying to mask my nervousness.
"Sometimes, I think you're more moody than the pregnant me." She joked.
"I am not." I laughed, finally standing up from bed.
After a few minutes of preparing we headed out of our bed chamber and into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Afterwards, we walked slowly towards the clinic-slash-medical-room.
-America's POV-
'Here we go again.' I thought to myself. I didn't want to show Maxon that I was nervous which was why I kept on joking around as we went towards the clinic. As I could recall our visits with Dr. Matthew, he always started with "Are you really sure you want to push this through?" and then Maxon would be the one to reply "Certainly."
I wish Dr. Matthew would just get fed up asking that question. 'Doesn't he realize I'll never agree to abort my baby?' I thought angrily.
"Hey, sweetheart, we're already here." Maxon said, looking into my eyes as if trying to decipher my emotions. "You ready?"
I simply nodded and then looked ahead. I could feel him further tighten his right hand's grip to my left which in reply, I squeezed back. I heard him say "It's going to be ok." Before finally leading us in.
The room was sickeningly bright. It smelled like disinfectants which made my stomach churn. Dr. Matthew was sitting on his desk, writing something. Maxon decided to clear his throat, catching Dr. Matthew's attention. He looked at the both of us and signalled us to sit down at the chairs in front of him.
"Are you sure you want to push this through?" he asked once again. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes on him.
"Certainly." Maxon replied, his smile evidently forced.
Dr. Matthew then took his spectacles off before continuing any further. "Well, based on our findings, America is doing well for her condition. Meaning, normally I wouldn't consider these findings..." Showing us some papers with numbers and graphs, which in all honesty, I don't understand. "OK but considering her conditions." He said, pointing his pen at me. "It's the most 'ok' findings we can have."
"So is that good?" I asked stupidly. 'Why do you have to ask, America.' I screamed to myself.
He gave out a sigh before replying. "As I said, based on your condition. It's the best result we could have."
"When can we know the gender of the baby?" Maxon asked, looking at me and then to Dr. Matthew.
"In 3 weeks we'll know." He replied.
"In 3 weeks." I whispered. It didn't show but deep inside I was very ecstatic.
Maxon squeezed my hands and looked at me. "Yeah. I'm excited."
We both laughed and then remembered Dr. Matthew was still in front of us.
"Kids, these days." He said, which made both Maxon and me blush. "Well, let's proceed to the check-up. I know you want to get out of here as soon as possible; as much as I do." He added which made the three of us laugh.
After 3 weeks
-Still America's POV-
"You're here early." Dr. Matthew said, and then looked at the calendar. "Oh that's why." He grinned at us. "Excited to know the gender?"
"Very." Maxon replied, grinning widely. I couldn't help but feel all warm inside. Maxon has been supportive all throughout my pregnancy just as he promised to. Sometimes, I think he's more excited for the baby than I am, which is ridiculous. I remember catching him adding more toys in the nursery room. "You know our baby can't play with those until after a year." I teased. He then gave me that I-can't-help-it shrug, which I find really adorable.
"Well, let's go inside the check-up room then." Dr. Matthew said while leading us into the room.
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"It's a boy?" Maxon rhetorically asked out of excitement.
"Just as I said, it's a boy." Dr. Matthew chuckled. "Don't you believe the doctor?" He added.
"I do." Maxon laughed. "I'm just. I don't know. It's just really amazing." He said and then looked at me. "Well, I don't mind if our baby was a girl. I'm just so happy to know a little more about our baby."
"I understand." I smiled at him. "I actually feel the same way." I laughed. He squeezed my hand and then pulled me closer, kissing me faintly on the lips.
"Thank you." He said.
"For what?" I chuckled, placing my hands on his shoulders.
"For making me a dad." He replied, grinning widely. "For everything."
I waved my hands. "You adore me too much." I teased.
"I do." He said, while looking straight into my eyes and smiling.
We were about to kiss each other when we heard Dr. Matthew clear his throat. "I'm really happy for you two but can you do that somewhere more… uhm… appropriate?"
We both blushed crimson and distanced ourselves a bit but still held onto each other's hands.
"Thank you, Dr. Matthew." Maxon finally said after some moment of silence.
"Yeah. Thank you so much. This wouldn't be possible without you." I added.
Dr. Matthew shook his head. "Nonsense. I was against all of these in the start."
"But you still helped us out, so thank you." I reasoned.
"You're welcome, I guess?" He replied which made us all laugh.
As we were about to head out, Dr. Matthew gave us one last reminder that he always says to us. "Make sure she doesn't do anything strenuous, ok?" well, actually more to Maxon.
Maxon rolled his eyes jokingly and nodded before we finally headed out.
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For two whole days, Maxon couldn't help but boast around about the news. I thought he was already over on the third day but I was so wrong.
"Are you kidding me?" I said as I looked at the nursery room. From plain beige walls, they were now painted blue. The décor was changed, the curtain was changed, the crib was changed and even the flooring was changed. It's more like a game of spot-what-didn't-change. "This is too much, Maxon." I looked at him disapprovingly.
He scratched the back of his head and looked back at me, guiltily. "I guess, I went a little bit overboard."
"A litte bit?" I raised my eyebrows.
He gave me again that I-can't-help-it shrug. "I'm just really excited that I'm going to be a father."
I chuckled and then kissed him lightly on his cheek, "I know."
He grinned at me and pulled me in for a kiss. Even though we've kissed a lot I could never get tired of it. I was about to deepen the kiss more when I felt something kick. I immediately broke the kiss which made Maxon look at me in disappointment.
"The baby, Maxon." I explained.
"What about the baby?" He asked.
"He's moving." I said, grabbing his hands and placing it on top of my stomach.
Maxon's eyes grew in astonishment. "He is." He then knelt and placed his head on my stomach.
"What are you doing?" I laughed.
"Feeling him."
"With your head?"
"And hearing him move." He added. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew he was rolling his eyes at me. "I think he's going to be like you."
"How so?" I asked.
"He likes to kick." He chuckled.
"And your point?" I said, trying to act annoyed.
"He's going to be a fighter like you." He looked up, so that our eyes would meet. "His going to be brave, smart and amazing just like you."
I was about to reply when we heard the alarms. "The southerners." I whispered and looked at Maxon.
"We need to go to the safe rooms." He said grabbing onto my hands and leading us out of the room.
We were already half-way near the safe rooms when we came across a rebel. "Shit" I heard Maxon hiss, he looked at me. "We need to head that way, America." He whispered pointing at one of the doors leading into the gardens. "It's another way into the safe rooms but we have to be quick."
"Maxon, I can't." my voice trembling, as I shook my head.
Maxon looked down for a moment, thinking, before looking at me again. "You're right. I'll distract the rebel while you head straight to the safe rooms, just like how we previously planned. Whatever happens, don't look back and don't stop. Are we clear?"
"No. What if something bad happens to you?" I argued, tears starting to form on my eyes. "We can't separate."
"We have no other choice, America." He said sadly, cupping my face with his hands and wiping my tears away.
"We have." I said looking at him seriously. "Let's head outside just as you proposed earlier." I said pointing to the garden.
"America—"before he could say anything further I grabbed his right hand and started walking briskly towards the doors that lead into the gardens.
-Maxon's POV-
We somehow were able to get into one of the safe rooms. I breathed in and out, trying to catch my breath up from all the walking we did. I then turned on the lights and walked towards America, who was currently sitting on a chair across the room.
"Hey." I said, sitting beside her. She didn't reply, instead I heard her whimper. "Sweetheart?" I said, my voice laced with worry and panic. I immediately stood up and scanned her body for any signs of injury.
"It hurts." America cried out, holding onto her stomach.
I looked down, as my blood ran cold. "America, you're bleeding."