The Pain I've Grown to Know

Lea woke up as she felt a gentle touch on her skin. Her eyes fluttered open and she focused in on Matt, who was sitting by her side. She moved her face to the side and he looked up from the hand he was still rubbing his thumb over, meeting her gaze.

"Where's Zion?"

Was the first thing she muttered, immediately after clearing her throat, as her voice was broken due to her dry throat. Matt moved in closer and kissed her lips over and over, not answering her straight away. She could feel his relief pour through him with his little gestures of love. As he sat back into his chair, she stared into his face, tears obviously dwelling in his hazel eyes.

"He's with Zacky's parents, unless he picked him up by now. Don't worry he's taken care of. How are you feeling babe?"

He kissed the back of her hand again, eager to hear her reply. The doctor had talked to him about 2 hours ago, stating that some scar tissue in the uterus had caused the bleeding, but that neither the placenta nor the uterus wall itself had been damaged, and that the baby was OK. He also revealed, that she was already in her 12th to 14th week and had been surprised when Matt had mouthed that neither him nor Lea had any idea that she was pregnant, but on second thought the doctor had reasoned, that the morning sickness may have been delayed due to this being her 2nd pregnancy, and the body would deal differently to the raised hormone levels than the first time around.

"I am OK, just a little tired. I was just...scared I guess."

He patted her forehead lightly, wiping away the few sweat droplets. Looking down at her fragile body made him tear up again. Her usually tanned skin had lost most of it's vibrancy and seemed almost pale. Her deep brown eyes were hazy, almost as if a curtain had been drawn over them. But he could still see many questions in her eyes, that she didn't know how to ask.

"The baby is fine, Lea. The bleeding was uncalled for and it didn't affect it at the slightest. We're 12 to 14 weeks along...and I am as excited as can be! I am sorry I didn't say that the other day, I was just...surprised I guess. You know I love you, and Zion. Having a kid of our own will be amazing! The doctor said I can take you home later today if you feel up for it. Can I just ask one thing?"

He moved forward again, sliding one of his hands under her cheek, which was bedded against the the white sheets of the pillow. His previous statement had lifted some of the trouble that had been playing in her eyes, and she was waiting for his question.

"Why did you call Zack, and not me?"

She moved, sitting herself up against the pillows, looking Matt straight into the face.

"I am not sure. I didn't know where you were and I knew for a fact that he'd be around the corner with his parents. And...he had a feeling about me being pregnant, weird, isn't it? I didn't do it on purpose Matt, but he was the closest to our place."

He smiled down at her and kissed her again. Somewhat relieved that she had called Zack as she thought it more practical, and not because she didn't want Matt close to her, he just wanted to get her out of the hospital, tuck her into their own bed and take care of her.
The news of the baby did excite him, and now more than ever, he wanted to make their little family an official one. Lea being his wife. He already treated Zion as a son, although he knew that Zack was jealous of what Matt had. With a baby of his own on the way, he wanted to make things right, welcome his kid into a real family.

"So, do you want to go home? You think you'll be fine under bed- arrest at home, me watching over you like a hawk? hell, we can lay in bed, think of names, color schemes for a nursery, wedding date...-"

"Wow...hold your breath! Wedding dates? We're not even engaged Sanders! I am in hospital and you are thinking of a wedding? Slow your horses, please! Who said I want to get married to you anyhow!"

He furrowed his eyebrows as he looked into her eyes, shocked by what she had just said, but all he saw was a big smile on her face, reaching her eyes, that- once more- gave the brilliant brown sparkle that he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

"You always knew how to keep me on my toes, no? OK, I will drop this issue for now...but I'll get back to it...believe me!"

He kissed her again and could feel her smile against his lips.

---------------------------------------

Zack had called his parents, asking them to mind Zion for the night, and they had been ecstatic.
He needed drinks, there was no way around it. Still hearing Lea's desperate voice of the phone call in his mind, the pictures of her bloody hands, dress, legs and floor had been something he had seen in movies, but actually witnessing it...! The way she had looked up at him when he had rushed to the bathroom, tears in her eyes, confusion and fear mirrored on her face.
No one should have to see the women he loved in a condition like this.
He had acted swiftly and rational though, having grasped the dark comforter of the bed and wrapping it around her as he had pulled her up, carrying her to his car and driving straight to the hospital at top speed. After she had been taken away he had been asked many questions by nurses, and he hadn't been able to answer most of them.
Yes, she might be pregnant. Yes, she has my son, he's almost 2 years old. No, I am not her husband or partner. No, I have no idea what blood type she is. No, I don't know when she started bleeding.
He had felt utterly useless, and he hated it. The one time she needed him, and had asked him for help and not Matt or anybody else, he wasn't able to do one thing for her, apart from driving her to the hospital. She hadn't even asked for Matt all the way to the hospital. Although, thinking about Lea being pregnant...he counted on his fingers...there was no possible way he was the father of the baby she was carrying, 4 months was too long a time not to have noticed that she was pregnant, she would have shown at this stage. Her expecting Matt's child would change things completely.

"What happened with Lea? Brian called me and was all concerned."

Jimmy and Johnny were slouching down next to Zack in the usual table in Johnny's, bringing some more beers. He downed the rest of his beer and grabbed the closest full bottle, starting to drink it.

"Sure, I bet Haner is very concerned, having drugged and raped her back then."

He sighed, knowing that there was no reason to still be mad at Brian. He had gotten friendly again with Lea, and even she didn't mention the Vegas incident anymore. Zack turned to the other guys and told them what had happened earlier today in a nutshell.

"So...Lea finds out she'd pregnant by bleeding all over the place, and she calls you and not Matt? Wow! Are the two of them OK? I didn't notice any problems between the two recently, and she didn't mention anything to Leana either...and they tell each other everything!"

Jimmy mused, scratching the back of his neck. Johnny sat uncomfortably in his spot. He liked Lea, even though they were not as close as she was with some of the others in this group. Her having complications did hit him hard, as it did the others.

"I don't know, I think when she told him she might be pregnant he didn't really...respond the way she thought he might...in fact, I don't think he said anything at all. He did look rather worried when he got to the hospital. And seen that the baby will be fine, he'll get his act together, we all know how crazy he is about my son, he'll be even more loving with his own kid."