Once Upon a Dream 15b/?
Title: Once Upon a Dream 15b/?
Author: Kelinswriter
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating: NC-17 (for lots of things)
Summary: Starts with the infamous scene with the OPT Pregnancy Test. Spins off from there into its own little universe.
Disclaimer: CBS, P&G, Telenext et. al. owns these characters; I'm just taking them off the shelf and playing with them for a while.
Author's note: All medical errors are my own.
1-11
12
13
14a
14b
15a
The hours ticked by. One a.m. passed, then two, and soon it was nearing three. Periodically, Natalia would open her eyes - sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for several minutes. Olivia talked her through each bout of semi-lucid wakefulness, holding her hands and whispering to her until Natalia's eyes drifted closed again. It was beginning to be a struggle for Olivia to stay awake - her eyes felt like they were coated in sand, and twice she nodded off, coming awake after a moment or two with a jerk - but most of the time she simply watched Natalia, stroking her hair and soothing her while she slept the anesthesia off. Every hour or so, Natalia's nurse, a dark-eyed, copper-skinned beauty named Elena, would stop in to check Natalia's condition. "Her sats are coming up," Elena said on her two a.m. check in. "I think you're good for her."
"We're good for each other," Olivia said, her gaze never leaving Natalia's face. Natalia's eyelids fluttered open, her fingers squeezing Olivia's. "Right, baby?"
Natalia's cheek twitched, the faintest hint of a dimple appearing before her eyes slid shut again. A shiver went through her body.
"That's been happening on and off since she started waking up," Olivia said to the nurse. "Is it because of the anesthetic?"
"Her body's been through a lot," Elena replied as she tapped information into the computerized data pad in her hand. She swapped a fresh bag of saline onto the IV stand. "I'll grab an extra blanket, see if that helps warm her up a bit."
"Thank you," Olivia said as the nurse departed. After she was gone, she traced a fingertip along Natalia's cheek. "Just like at the farmhouse. Always cold, even with those eight extra pounds."
Natalia made a soft noise, one that Olivia was quickly beginning to interpret as the equivalent of Breezy is not what I want to call you right now.
Olivia gave a soft laugh as she stroked a stray tendril of hair back from Natalia's face. "In some ways, this isn't working out so bad for me," she said in a teasing tone. "I can say whatever I want, and you can't argue. That might be a first for the entire time we've known each other."
Natalia simply rolled her eyes upward, as if pleading with Heaven for patience. After a moment, she turned her gaze back on Olivia, her eyes eloquent with regret.
"I wish you could answer me back," Olivia whispered, her voice choking with emotion. "I wish we were curled up in our bed and I was holding you the way I want to hold you."
Natalia blinked, a tear trembling on her lashes before spilling down toward her ear. Olivia leaned forward, stopping it with a kiss, the tang of salt bathing her lips.
"We'll get there," Olivia murmured. "We can be patient just a little longer, right?"
Natalia closed her eyes and squeezed Olivia's hand, a gesture that Olivia had begun interpreting as the equivalent of a nod. She stroked Natalia's knuckles with her thumb, keeping up the soothing gesture until Natalia faded into another interlude of half-sleep. Elena returned with the blanket, and Olivia thanked the nurse, waiting for her to leave before she carefully spread the soft knit cotton over Natalia's form. Natalia cracked her eyes open, and Olivia settled back into the chair, slipping her hands underneath the second blanket to cradle Natalia's hand between her own. "Better?"
Natalia blinked slowly and squeezed Olivia's fingers again. She looked over at the heart monitor for a moment, then turned her gaze back on Olivia. She made a soft, two syllable noise, one that took Olivia a moment to interpret. Then it clicked.
"Emma?"
Natalia squeezed her hand.
"Emma's just fine, sweetheart," Olivia said, love so strong she felt like her chest was about to burst swelling in her at the thought of how deep Natalia's devotion to their daughter ran. "She's staying with her daddy tonight. She wants you to know how much she loves you, and that she can't wait until we can bring you home and take care of you while you get better."
Natalia closed her eyes, then opened them again, and before she could even make a sound Olivia knew what she was about to ask. Where's Rafe?
The lie she had rehearsed slid swiftly to her tongue. "When Rick said only one of us could stay with you, I sent Rafe home so he could get some sleep. He'll be back in the morning." She smoothed Natalia's hair back from her forehead and added, "He said to tell you how much he loves you."
She held her breath, watching for any telltale narrowing of the eyes that would indicate that Natalia was poking holes in the fabrication. It seemed she was still too out of it to take it at anything other than face value, however, for she merely made a soft noise, her eyes drifting shut. Her thumb curled over Olivia's knuckles, tracing increasingly slow circles over them until, finally, she fell still.
Olivia stood up and smoothed the blanket over Natalia's frame, pressing a gentle kiss to Natalia's temple when she finished. She walked to the window of the cubicle, looking out at the hallway, her thoughts swirling. Her body was screaming for sleep, her head pounding from the prolonged inactivity. I need more shitty coffee, she thought. But I'll be damned if I'm leaving to get it.
She settled back in beside Natalia, taking her hand once again. "I love you, you know," she whispered, threading their fingers together. "I can't bear imagining what it would be like to not have you. So you're just going to have to get better, okay? Besides, there's a helluva job waiting for you at The Beacon, and I'm expecting you to live up to my faith in your ability to do it."
She closed her eyes, the buzzed exhaustion of the last hours settling over her. It felt like only a few seconds had passed, but suddenly she jolted at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. "Olivia?"
She turned, rapidly blinking the sand out of her eyes, to face Lillian. The older woman was wearing lavender scrubs and a white coat, her blond hair curling gently against her shoulders. She gave Olivia a warm smile, her voice low as she said, "I thought I'd stop in and see how you and Natalia are doing."
"She's still fading in and out a lot." Olivia scrubbed one hand across her face, trying to wipe the cobwebs away. "What time is it?"
"A little before five," Lillian said. "You've been here all night?"
"I didn't get in the room until around midnight." Olivia tilted her head toward Natalia's sleeping form. "How is she doing?"
"I checked with Elena before I came in. She said Natalia's vitals are steadily improving." Lillian patted her shoulder reassuringly. "That's very positive news."
Olivia nodded, feeling relief flood through her, along with the sick, queasy feeling that always came in the last waning hours of a sleepless night. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut, and took a deep breath. "It is. Thank you."
Lillian looked down at her, concern on her face. "Olivia, you must be simply exhausted. Have you gotten any rest?"
"I nodded off here and there," Olivia said with a shrug.
"Well, Buzz said to tell you that you should head across the street to Company for breakfast. He'll even set you up in Natalia's old room in the boarding house so you can get a nap in."
"I don't think that I should -" Olivia stopped abruptly when she felt a tugging on her hand. She looked up to see Natalia pointing toward the door.
"You're throwing me out?" Olivia asked, a hint of laughter seeping into her voice. "Already?"
Natalia made one of her exasperated noises, then drew Olivia's hand up so it rested over her own heart. Her eyes swirled with unspoken emotion, keeping Olivia trapped in her gaze for what felt like an eternity.
"Okay," Olivia whispered, sipping in a shallow breath of the charged air crackling between them. It was wine-rich, potent with promise. Even here, that fierce, wild thing between us exists, she thought. I don't know if it's possible for us to be in the same place without it.
She tore her gaze away, turning to look at Lillian. "Would you be able to sit with Natalia for a while? I don't want her to be alone."
"I don't go on shift until seven," Lillian said. "I'm happy to sit with Natalia until then, if that's all right?" Her pale blue eyes flitted toward Natalia, seeking permission.
Natalia blinked, squeezing Olivia's hand.
"That's a yes," Olivia said.
"Wonderful." Lillian smiled down at Natalia. "We haven't had a chance to catch up in a while, so this will be a real treat."
Olivia noted the terrified look in Natalia's eyes as she realized that Lillian might well talk her ear off. She leaned forward, whispering, "That's what you get for tossing me out on my ass."
Natalia rolled her eyes, and Olivia grinned and wrinkled her nose in return. Getting to her feet, she crouched over Natalia, her lips all but touching the delicate shell of Natalia's ear. "You're going to get some rest, right? Because when I get back, I'm going to take full advantage of being able to tease you when you can't talk back."
Natalia shifted her eyes to meet Olivia's, her gaze determined. She squeezed Olivia's hand, her surprisingly intense grip saying everything she couldn't. For a moment, Olivia simply stood there, feeling Natalia's heart thrumming under her palm, its strong, steady beat as soothing as any lullaby. She smiled down at Natalia, feeling the love well up between them again, soaking it in so it would sustain her in her brief absence.
"Okay," she repeated, bending over to press another long, lingering kiss against Natalia's forehead. "I love you, my angel. I want you to close your eyes, okay? Dream about banana pancakes and feeding the ducks and Emma playing with Rafe in the front yard and you and me, watching the sunset from the front porch. Because once we get through this last little patch, we'll have a lifetime of that and every other wonderful thing we can think of."
Olivia pressed her forehead to Natalia's, her hand stroking the side of Natalia's face. She felt Natalia's eyelashes flutter against her cheek, while from beneath her, Natalia made a low, quiet noise, its tones reverberating through Olivia with the intensity of a promise. I want that too. I want everything that people in love share.
"We'll have it," Olivia whispered. "Everything we've ever wanted and more. Now sleep."
She smoothed her hand over Natalia's brow one last time before she stepped away, then turned to look at Lillian, saying, "Please call me if even the slightest thing changes. I'll be back by seven."
"I will, don't worry." Lillian patted her arm. "She'll rest easier knowing you're taking care of yourself."
Olivia nodded, giving Natalia a last, lingering look. She was laying quietly, her eyes closed, her fingers curling out from the underside of the second blanket. Even the wires and the tubes and the hideous hospital gown couldn't rob her of the beauty that radiated off of her, shimmering around her like a halo.
Sleep tight, sweetheart, Olivia thought as she forced herself to walk out the door. Not even you can keep me away for more than an hour or two.
Author: Kelinswriter
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating: NC-17 (for lots of things)
Summary: Starts with the infamous scene with the OPT Pregnancy Test. Spins off from there into its own little universe.
Disclaimer: CBS, P&G, Telenext et. al. owns these characters; I'm just taking them off the shelf and playing with them for a while.
Author's note: All medical errors are my own.
1-11
12
13
14a
14b
15a
The hours ticked by. One a.m. passed, then two, and soon it was nearing three. Periodically, Natalia would open her eyes - sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for several minutes. Olivia talked her through each bout of semi-lucid wakefulness, holding her hands and whispering to her until Natalia's eyes drifted closed again. It was beginning to be a struggle for Olivia to stay awake - her eyes felt like they were coated in sand, and twice she nodded off, coming awake after a moment or two with a jerk - but most of the time she simply watched Natalia, stroking her hair and soothing her while she slept the anesthesia off. Every hour or so, Natalia's nurse, a dark-eyed, copper-skinned beauty named Elena, would stop in to check Natalia's condition. "Her sats are coming up," Elena said on her two a.m. check in. "I think you're good for her."
"We're good for each other," Olivia said, her gaze never leaving Natalia's face. Natalia's eyelids fluttered open, her fingers squeezing Olivia's. "Right, baby?"
Natalia's cheek twitched, the faintest hint of a dimple appearing before her eyes slid shut again. A shiver went through her body.
"That's been happening on and off since she started waking up," Olivia said to the nurse. "Is it because of the anesthetic?"
"Her body's been through a lot," Elena replied as she tapped information into the computerized data pad in her hand. She swapped a fresh bag of saline onto the IV stand. "I'll grab an extra blanket, see if that helps warm her up a bit."
"Thank you," Olivia said as the nurse departed. After she was gone, she traced a fingertip along Natalia's cheek. "Just like at the farmhouse. Always cold, even with those eight extra pounds."
Natalia made a soft noise, one that Olivia was quickly beginning to interpret as the equivalent of Breezy is not what I want to call you right now.
Olivia gave a soft laugh as she stroked a stray tendril of hair back from Natalia's face. "In some ways, this isn't working out so bad for me," she said in a teasing tone. "I can say whatever I want, and you can't argue. That might be a first for the entire time we've known each other."
Natalia simply rolled her eyes upward, as if pleading with Heaven for patience. After a moment, she turned her gaze back on Olivia, her eyes eloquent with regret.
"I wish you could answer me back," Olivia whispered, her voice choking with emotion. "I wish we were curled up in our bed and I was holding you the way I want to hold you."
Natalia blinked, a tear trembling on her lashes before spilling down toward her ear. Olivia leaned forward, stopping it with a kiss, the tang of salt bathing her lips.
"We'll get there," Olivia murmured. "We can be patient just a little longer, right?"
Natalia closed her eyes and squeezed Olivia's hand, a gesture that Olivia had begun interpreting as the equivalent of a nod. She stroked Natalia's knuckles with her thumb, keeping up the soothing gesture until Natalia faded into another interlude of half-sleep. Elena returned with the blanket, and Olivia thanked the nurse, waiting for her to leave before she carefully spread the soft knit cotton over Natalia's form. Natalia cracked her eyes open, and Olivia settled back into the chair, slipping her hands underneath the second blanket to cradle Natalia's hand between her own. "Better?"
Natalia blinked slowly and squeezed Olivia's fingers again. She looked over at the heart monitor for a moment, then turned her gaze back on Olivia. She made a soft, two syllable noise, one that took Olivia a moment to interpret. Then it clicked.
"Emma?"
Natalia squeezed her hand.
"Emma's just fine, sweetheart," Olivia said, love so strong she felt like her chest was about to burst swelling in her at the thought of how deep Natalia's devotion to their daughter ran. "She's staying with her daddy tonight. She wants you to know how much she loves you, and that she can't wait until we can bring you home and take care of you while you get better."
Natalia closed her eyes, then opened them again, and before she could even make a sound Olivia knew what she was about to ask. Where's Rafe?
The lie she had rehearsed slid swiftly to her tongue. "When Rick said only one of us could stay with you, I sent Rafe home so he could get some sleep. He'll be back in the morning." She smoothed Natalia's hair back from her forehead and added, "He said to tell you how much he loves you."
She held her breath, watching for any telltale narrowing of the eyes that would indicate that Natalia was poking holes in the fabrication. It seemed she was still too out of it to take it at anything other than face value, however, for she merely made a soft noise, her eyes drifting shut. Her thumb curled over Olivia's knuckles, tracing increasingly slow circles over them until, finally, she fell still.
Olivia stood up and smoothed the blanket over Natalia's frame, pressing a gentle kiss to Natalia's temple when she finished. She walked to the window of the cubicle, looking out at the hallway, her thoughts swirling. Her body was screaming for sleep, her head pounding from the prolonged inactivity. I need more shitty coffee, she thought. But I'll be damned if I'm leaving to get it.
She settled back in beside Natalia, taking her hand once again. "I love you, you know," she whispered, threading their fingers together. "I can't bear imagining what it would be like to not have you. So you're just going to have to get better, okay? Besides, there's a helluva job waiting for you at The Beacon, and I'm expecting you to live up to my faith in your ability to do it."
She closed her eyes, the buzzed exhaustion of the last hours settling over her. It felt like only a few seconds had passed, but suddenly she jolted at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. "Olivia?"
She turned, rapidly blinking the sand out of her eyes, to face Lillian. The older woman was wearing lavender scrubs and a white coat, her blond hair curling gently against her shoulders. She gave Olivia a warm smile, her voice low as she said, "I thought I'd stop in and see how you and Natalia are doing."
"She's still fading in and out a lot." Olivia scrubbed one hand across her face, trying to wipe the cobwebs away. "What time is it?"
"A little before five," Lillian said. "You've been here all night?"
"I didn't get in the room until around midnight." Olivia tilted her head toward Natalia's sleeping form. "How is she doing?"
"I checked with Elena before I came in. She said Natalia's vitals are steadily improving." Lillian patted her shoulder reassuringly. "That's very positive news."
Olivia nodded, feeling relief flood through her, along with the sick, queasy feeling that always came in the last waning hours of a sleepless night. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, squeezing her eyes shut, and took a deep breath. "It is. Thank you."
Lillian looked down at her, concern on her face. "Olivia, you must be simply exhausted. Have you gotten any rest?"
"I nodded off here and there," Olivia said with a shrug.
"Well, Buzz said to tell you that you should head across the street to Company for breakfast. He'll even set you up in Natalia's old room in the boarding house so you can get a nap in."
"I don't think that I should -" Olivia stopped abruptly when she felt a tugging on her hand. She looked up to see Natalia pointing toward the door.
"You're throwing me out?" Olivia asked, a hint of laughter seeping into her voice. "Already?"
Natalia made one of her exasperated noises, then drew Olivia's hand up so it rested over her own heart. Her eyes swirled with unspoken emotion, keeping Olivia trapped in her gaze for what felt like an eternity.
"Okay," Olivia whispered, sipping in a shallow breath of the charged air crackling between them. It was wine-rich, potent with promise. Even here, that fierce, wild thing between us exists, she thought. I don't know if it's possible for us to be in the same place without it.
She tore her gaze away, turning to look at Lillian. "Would you be able to sit with Natalia for a while? I don't want her to be alone."
"I don't go on shift until seven," Lillian said. "I'm happy to sit with Natalia until then, if that's all right?" Her pale blue eyes flitted toward Natalia, seeking permission.
Natalia blinked, squeezing Olivia's hand.
"That's a yes," Olivia said.
"Wonderful." Lillian smiled down at Natalia. "We haven't had a chance to catch up in a while, so this will be a real treat."
Olivia noted the terrified look in Natalia's eyes as she realized that Lillian might well talk her ear off. She leaned forward, whispering, "That's what you get for tossing me out on my ass."
Natalia rolled her eyes, and Olivia grinned and wrinkled her nose in return. Getting to her feet, she crouched over Natalia, her lips all but touching the delicate shell of Natalia's ear. "You're going to get some rest, right? Because when I get back, I'm going to take full advantage of being able to tease you when you can't talk back."
Natalia shifted her eyes to meet Olivia's, her gaze determined. She squeezed Olivia's hand, her surprisingly intense grip saying everything she couldn't. For a moment, Olivia simply stood there, feeling Natalia's heart thrumming under her palm, its strong, steady beat as soothing as any lullaby. She smiled down at Natalia, feeling the love well up between them again, soaking it in so it would sustain her in her brief absence.
"Okay," she repeated, bending over to press another long, lingering kiss against Natalia's forehead. "I love you, my angel. I want you to close your eyes, okay? Dream about banana pancakes and feeding the ducks and Emma playing with Rafe in the front yard and you and me, watching the sunset from the front porch. Because once we get through this last little patch, we'll have a lifetime of that and every other wonderful thing we can think of."
Olivia pressed her forehead to Natalia's, her hand stroking the side of Natalia's face. She felt Natalia's eyelashes flutter against her cheek, while from beneath her, Natalia made a low, quiet noise, its tones reverberating through Olivia with the intensity of a promise. I want that too. I want everything that people in love share.
"We'll have it," Olivia whispered. "Everything we've ever wanted and more. Now sleep."
She smoothed her hand over Natalia's brow one last time before she stepped away, then turned to look at Lillian, saying, "Please call me if even the slightest thing changes. I'll be back by seven."
"I will, don't worry." Lillian patted her arm. "She'll rest easier knowing you're taking care of yourself."
Olivia nodded, giving Natalia a last, lingering look. She was laying quietly, her eyes closed, her fingers curling out from the underside of the second blanket. Even the wires and the tubes and the hideous hospital gown couldn't rob her of the beauty that radiated off of her, shimmering around her like a halo.
Sleep tight, sweetheart, Olivia thought as she forced herself to walk out the door. Not even you can keep me away for more than an hour or two.