Taking Chances
Title: Taking Chances (11/?)
Author:
appassionata1
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 2,030
Pairings: Noah/Reid
Warnings: Mpreg, Strong Language, Graphic Sex
Summary: A handsome, middle aged doctor named Reid Oliver and a hot, young culinary student named Noah Mayer meet by chance at a Chicago bakery on a frigid January morning. As their attraction for one another grows, will they be bold enough to take a chance at falling in love?
Disclaimer: Noah and Reid are characters which are property of CBS and Telenext Media. No copyright infringement is intended.
Noah and Reid awoke lying in each other’s arms for the first time at Reid’s condo. Neither of them minded that Reid’s ridiculously loud alarm clock was the reason they had been shocked out of their peaceful slumber. Reid untangled himself from Noah’s tight grasp and shut off the offending contraption, then rolled back over to face his young lover. Noah had moved in with him the day before and had spent most of it putting away his belongings. By evening when he was nearly finished he was elated that he was moving from a furnished apartment and into another one so he didn’t have to worry with moving any furniture. Every room of Reid’s condo was filled with expensive furnishings and state of the art electronics and appliances, except his kitchen. That’s because he hardly ever used it. Its numerous cabinets were practically empty and Noah’s vast array of kitchenware would easily fit inside them.
Noah sat up and yawned and stretched, then smiled and tilted his head to make eye contact with his noticeably drowsy boyfriend. “Morning babe,” he said with a smile.
Reid squinted and replied, “Morning yourself.”
“You know what?” Noah grasped his hand and intertwined their fingers.
“What?” Reid asked with a yawn.
“You really look beautiful first thing in the morning.”
With an incredulous expression Reid wisecracked, “And you’re a really good liar first thing in the morning.”
Noah chuckled, “No Reid, I’m serious. Your hair’s a mess, your gorgeous eyes are all squinty, and your face is so pink. You know what you remind me of?”
“What?” He asked, sitting up.
“A newborn baby,” Noah grinned.
Reid frowned and paused for a moment, then roared with laughter. “I guess that’s supposed to be a compliment?”
“Of course it is,” Noah laughed. “You look adorable.”
Reid rolled his eyes and shook his head. Seconds later a pained expression crossed his face as it turned ghostly pale. “Oh God in about five seconds I’m gonna look hideous because…” He threw back the covers and scrambled out of bed, rushing to the en suite bathroom with his hand over his mouth.
Noah followed closely behind him, inquiring, “Morning sickness?”
Reid nodded and before he could answer he was down on his knees in front of the commode involuntarily emptying his stomach. Noah felt awful that the man he loved had to endure such torture. He crouched down beside him and rubbed his back until it was over. Afterwards Reid felt dreadful, he was light headed and exhausted. He sat on the floor, too weak to move. He closed his eyes and panted. Noah stood up, grabbed a towel from the towel rack, and wet it with cool water. He dabbed Reid’s perspiring forehead and wiped his mouth.
Reid opened his eyes, angrily pushed Noah’s hand away, and rasped, “This fucking morning sickness sucks Noah! Why the hell did I ever let you climb on top of me?!”
Noah tried hard to stifle a laugh. If he recalled correctly the time Reid got pregnant was probably the time he climbed on top of him. He just smirked and responded, “I guess because I’m sooo damn irresistible?”
Reid tried to get up with great difficulty and Noah helped him to his feet. He hissed, “Don’t you dare touch me you smug little shit!”
Noah ignored him and helped him back to bed. After he lay back down and closed his eyes he heard Noah sarcastically comment, “You’re very welcome sweetheart. What do you want for breakfast?”
Reid’s eyes flew wide open and he sat up. “What the fuck do I want for breakfast?! Let’s see, I want bacon, eggs, hash browns and an onion bagel with cream cheese, with orange juice and coffee! But what can I possibly manage to keep down?! Fucking unsalted crackers and water!”
Noah was seconds away from saying, “You’re so cute when you’re angry,” but he knew if he wanted to keep breathing he’d better just get his furious boyfriend something to eat without delay. Instead he answered, “Coming right up,” and swiftly walked towards the door, but before he could cross the threshold he felt a pillow smack him on the back of his head.
Noah spun around to face his scowling partner. “I need to take a shower first and give me some time for my stomach to settle you insufferable twit!” Reid struggled to get out of bed, still feeling dizzy and nauseous, “A little help here?!”
Noah forced on a smile and hurried over to the bed. He helped Reid walk into the bathroom and helped him get undressed and into the shower.
“Mind if I join you?” Noah teased with a seductive grin.
Reid turned on the water and snapped, “I think I’ll pass. That’s how I got into this predicament in the first damn place!” Then he forcefully slid the shower curtain shut.
Noah turned and left the room. He was determined not to let Reid’s behavior get to him. He couldn’t fully understand what Reid was going through, but he knew it must be frustrating. Reid was sick every morning and he couldn’t control it. His once strong, trim body was now weak and soft and expanding every day. He had taken a leave for no telling how long from his practice because he didn’t have enough energy to run it and also teach at the university. Reid’s entire life had changed drastically and Noah felt like he was to blame.
Noah went to the kitchen and prepared a bowl of cream of wheat, dry toast, and tea with honey and lemon. He then brought Reid’s breakfast into the bedroom for him on a tray. When he spotted Reid emerging from the shower wearing only a towel, drying his hair with another one; he was stunned by the size his belly had grown to in such a short time. Noah was overcome with emotion by the sight of the man he loved dearly, carrying his child. With tear filled eyes he set the tray down on the bed and crossed the room to stand in front of him.
Reid glared at him as if to say, “What the hell do you want?!”
Noah bent down and gently placed his hands on each side of Reid’s waist and softly kissed his stomach. Reid felt like he was melting by Noah’s loving gesture. He dropped the towel he was holding and wrapped his arms around Noah, pulling him close to his body. He then managed to say despite the huge lump forming in his throat, “Baby I’m so sorry for the way I’ve been treating you. You don’t deserve this. You just moved in here yesterday and I’m sure by now you want to move right back out.”
Noah stood up and wrapped his arms around him and replied, “No, that’s the last thing I want. I know this really sucks for you and if I hadn’t seduced you…”
“No, please don’t say that. I don’t regret it for a minute…having your baby. I love this baby more than I could ever imagine loving anyone or anything. I just get so worked up because…” he pulled away from Noah and dropped the towel that hung from his hips, “Look at me Noah. My body is unrecognizable. My gut is the size of a soccer ball and my ass is the size of an aircraft carrier.”
Noah laughed at his exaggerated description of his appearance and said, “You’ve put on a little bit of weight Reid. I would guess it’s only about ten pounds.”
“That’s ten pounds in all the wrong places! None of my clothes fit anymore and all I have enough energy to do is sit around and vegetate.”
Noah said, “Well I’ve got news for you doc. You’re gonna get a lot bigger before you get any smaller.”
Reid sighed and shook his head trying to dismiss the thought of it from his mind. He grabbed his bathrobe and put it back on as if he became modest all of a sudden. He sat on the bed and Noah sat beside him draping his arm around him.
“Reid I know you well enough to know you’re not nearly that vain about your looks. Now tell me what’s really upsetting you.”
“My doctor thinks I might have hypertension. When I had my last check-up my blood pressure was dangerously high,” he somberly replied.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” Noah pulled him close and he laid his head on Noah’s shoulder and encircled Noah’s waist with his arms and held on tight.
“I didn’t want to worry you. Pregnancy can be very dangerous for someone my age. There are so many illnesses associated with it…gestational diabetes; or with hypertension I could develop pre-eclampsia which could progress into eclampsia or the baby could have Down Syndrome or a host of other birth defects.” He exhaled deeply.
“Well, none of that’s going to happen Reid. Not to you, not to our baby, not to us.”
“Noah you have no way of knowing that.”
“But I believe it!” He sprang to his feet. “And you’ve gotta believe it too. You and the baby are going to be fine.” He cupped Reid’s face in his hands. “Please believe it Reid.”
Reid despondently closed his eyes and muttered, “I’ll do my best.” He moved away from Noah, scooting back against the headboard and swinging his legs up onto the bed.
Noah set the tray up in front of him and ordered with a smile, “Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold. You’ve got to keep up your strength,” as he placed Reid’s napkin across his lap.
“Yes mother,” Reid joked as he picked up a slice of toast and took a huge bite. “What are you having for breakfast?”
“I’ll pick up something on the way to class. Are you going in to work today?”
“Yeah I need to. There are only two more weeks of class scheduled before finals and we’ve covered so much material that I need to start reviewing it right away.”
“Do you really feel up to it?” Noah asked with a furrowed brow.
“Not exactly, but I can’t let my students down. Not this late in the game.”
“To hell with your students Reid! You come first now and I don’t think you should go out at all if you’re not feeling-”
“Noah, don’t start that crap with me. I’m a doctor, remember. I think I’m quite capable of determining whether or not I’m healthy enough to stand in front of a classroom for fifty minutes and talk.”
Noah sighed and pursed his lips. “Is your entire pregnancy gonna be like this?”
“Like what?” Reid shoved a heaping spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
“You, wanting to take unnecessary risks and me, trying to talk you out of taking them!” Noah angrily folded his arms.
Reid understood how worried Noah was. He was seconds away from another name calling rant, but he saw the love and concern in his boyfriend’s eyes and relented. He grasped Noah’s hand and pulled it towards him, causing him to unfold his arms and said, “Noah I’m not going to be taking any unnecessary risks. I promise you. Hell, I won’t even drive today. I’m going to get dressed, call a taxi, get in the taxi and be driven to the university. Then I’ll carefully get out of the taxi and walk the few yards to Asbury Hall where I’ll walk a few more yards to my classroom. Then I’ll stand in front of the class and deliver my lecture and if I get too tired, I’ll sit down. Is that alright with you?”
Noah lifted Reid’s hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “Will you promise me you won’t overexert yourself?”
“Yes Noah I promise.”
“Ok then, that doesn’t sound too strenuous, but you call me the minute you get home, alright?”
“I will definitely do that,” Reid chuckled.
“I guess I’ll let you go then,” Noah teased with a smirk. Then he leaned over the breakfast tray and they shared an adoring kiss.
Chapter 12