The Things That You Do

Rubbing her arms gently, Alexa rested her head back, her blue eyes peeking tiredly up at the dark ceiling which sat above her head. It was late, after she and Lionel had gotten home, they’d been quick to settle down for the night, but a bout of nausea had disturbed her, something which had led to her stumbling into the bathroom almost an hour previous, spilling the contents of her stomach down the toilet. It wasn’t uncommon, when she had been pregnant with Zachary, she had often found that she felt nauseous in the early months of her pregnancy, and she was looking forwards to the sensation passing, even if she was sure that she had a while to wait. She was hopeful that the early part of her pregnancy would pass quickly.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she allowed her head to settle softly against the wall before the overhead light flicked on, causing her to flinch slightly before she picked her head up, her blue eyes settling on Lionel who stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes sleepily. “Alexa?” he murmured sleepily “Are you alright? It’s pretty late” he added, padding a little further into the room.

Alexa quirked a small smile at his concern before she nodded her head, her hands still gently rubbing her arms. “I’m alright” she mused “I mean, it is almost three in the morning and I have spent the last hour throwing up, but other than that...” she trailed off playfully.

Lionel, who’d moved to perch on the edge of the bathtub, smiled a little at her joke before he spotted the movement of her hands, something which caused him to tilt his head slightly. “Are you cold?” he posed gently.

“A little” Alexa replied, yawning softly into her hand.

Lionel watched her for a couple of seconds before he gently stood up, offering his hand out towards her. “You should come back to bed” he mused “I’ll grab you a warmer shirt” he added, wiggling his fingers slightly.

Alexa glanced at his hand for a moment, feeling her stomach turn a little, before she gently placed hers into it, allowing him to carefully pull her up to her feet. Offering her hand a soft squeeze, he gently led her through to their bedroom before he guided her towards their bed, allowing her to sit down at the foot of it. “I’ll grab you that shirt” he murmured “You need anything else?” he added as he stepped across the room, pulling open a drawer.

Alexa shook her head. “I’m OK” she mused.

Lionel offered her a dubious look over his shoulder, something which made Alexa giggle softly before she shook her head. “I’m honestly fine” she quipped “I think the need to throw up has passed for a little while and that means we should be able to get back to sleep pretty quickly. I don’t think your coach is going to appreciate you showing up half asleep at training” she quipped, taking a hold of the shirt he held out towards her.

Lionel shrugged. “I’m sure he’d get over it” he replied “Besides, I’d rather make sure that you’re OK” he added, offering her a soft smile.

Alexa’s cheeks warmed a little at his words, something which made Lionel laugh softly before he took a pace forwards, pressing a tender kiss against her forehead. “How are you doing?” he murmured softly, breaking the comfortable silence which had settled over them “I mean, aside from the vomiting. We didn’t get much of a chance to talk earlier” he added, gently pushing her hair behind her ear.

They hadn’t really talked, after Alexa had revealed to him that she thought she was expecting, their moment alone had been quickly interrupted by Isabel who was carrying a tearful Zachary, but Lionel knew that they needed to talk, even if his reaction to her news had told her all she needed to know. He wanted to know what it was that was going on in her head.

Alexa, who’d leant into his hand slightly, shrugged. “I don’t really know” she admitted “I mean, when Isabel suggested taking another test, I was pretty confident that it was going to come back negative, so I was pretty surprised when it came back positive” she added, a feeble smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

“I was pretty surprised when you told me” Lionel admitted, sitting down next to her.

“I know you were” Alexa quipped “I’ve gotten pretty good at reading your expressions” she added, grinning up at him gently.

Lionel nudged her side playfully before he shook his head, his hand moving to take a hold of hers which fiddled with the shirt she held in her grasp. “I know you think it is soon” he mused quietly.

“It is soon” Alexa corrected, messing with his fingers softly.

Lionel watched their hands for a moment, admiring the fit of their fingers together, before he lifted them up, allowing him to press a gentle kiss to the back of hers. “It is” he agreed “But I don’t care. I’m excited, Alexa, really excited, and you should be too. We’re going to have another baby, nena, and that’s amazing news to me” he enthused as he shifted his other hand, lightly brushing it against her stomach.

Alexa closed her eyes at the feel of his hand against her stomach before she shook her head, covering his hand with hers. “We’re supposed to be getting married in three months” she pointed out.

Lionel nodded, skimming his thumb over the back of her hand. “We’ll figure it out” he mused confidently.

Alexa smiled a little at the confidence in his voice before she gently shook her head. “Leo...”

“I want you to be happy, Alexa” Lionel interrupted softly “And I will do whatever it takes to make sure that that happens. We can keep the date, we can bring it forwards, we can put it off for five years...whatever it is you want to do, we will do it. Just tell me what it is you want and we can figure it out from there” he insisted, squeezing her hand gently.

Alexa spared a look towards their hands before she quirked a soft smile, her blue eyes peeking up into his darker ones. “You’re pretty good at this boyfriend thing, aren’t you?” she joked softly.

“I try to be” Lionel replied with a small bashful laugh.

Alexa let out a small laugh of her own before she leant a little closer to him, gently nudging her nose against his. “I am excited” she admitted gently “I mean, it might not have come across, but I am pretty excited that I am pregnant again” she mumbled.

Lionel gently brushed his lips over hers before he leant back slightly, offering her a gentle smile. “I know” he mused “Much like you’ve gotten good at reading me, I’ve gotten pretty good at reading you” he added.

Alexa smiled timidly, her nose still brushing against his, before she let out a soft yawn, something which caused Lionel to lean up, kissing her forehead. “We should probably get to sleep” he mumbled.

Alexa nodded. “You’re not wrong” she mused “Let me just go and freshen up and I will be right with you” she added before she pressed a brisk kiss against his lips, padding away towards the bathroom. Lionel watched her pad across the bedroom before he gently laid back, wordlessly hoping that he had reassured Alexa that things were going to be fine for them. He knew why she was worried, with Zachary still being young, the prospect of welcoming a second baby seemed daunting, but he had confidence in them. They were good together, even when they’d been friends, they’d been good for one another, and he wanted her to know that it wasn’t going to change, he wasn’t going to let it.