Everything She Ever Needed Ch.16 - Nine Months In The Making (Part 1)
Chapter 16 - Nine Months In The Making
“Oh my God, Blair, come here and sit down!” Serena commanded, taking her girlfriend’s hand and rapidly guiding her to one of the decorative chairs that sat just outside the elevator, in the foyer.
“S, it’s okay…” The quiet statement went unnoticed as the blonde was already rummaging through her purse, which happened to be sitting on a small table nearby, for her cell phone. Blair wasn’t quite sure if she had been trying to reassure herself or Serena, who was in a sudden tizzy with her phone clutched to her ear.
“Yes, I need you to come back right this second and don’t you dare tell me you’re already stuck in traffic!” The blonde gave authoritative orders over the phone, complete with over-the-top hand gestures. “Alright, see you a minute.”
Serena jumbled the remainder of her words together, and then let the cell phone in her hand fall to her side while pressing the END button. After taking a deep breath through her nose, she slowly released it as she walked to Blair’s side; she felt like she was going to be sick with nerves.
“The driver is coming back, just hold on.”
The brunette reached for Serena’s hand as she knelt down beside the chair, giving them both a sense of comfort in this unexpected situation. They both knew that thousands of women had babies every day, but given past events, they each had their own fears about this day.
“Your hand is shaking, Serena.” Blair said with a small, lopsided smile.
She smiled too, looking down while shaking her head lightly and then bringing it up again. “I’m freaking out…”
“Yes, you are…but so am I.” The brunette agreed, before placing her other hand underneath her belly, a strained expression coming over her face.
“Are you alright?” asked Serena, worry dripping from her every word and her eyes scrutinizing for any sign of pain. Blair was not quite sure how Serena was going to handle the entire delivery when she was already jumping with concern, but then again, she was not quite sure how she herself was going to handle it either.
Blair just nodded; silently telling her girlfriend it was okay, before actually answering. “It just feels…uncomfortable, nothing too painful yet.”
“Baby girl is ahead of schedule…” Serena marveled out loud, causing Blair to release a nervous giggle while trying to patiently wait for the driver to get back. Blue eyes connected with brown eyes, and an apprehensive yet ecstatic gaze passed between them. “Are you ready?”
This caused another small laugh, and Blair gave Serena’s hand a squeeze. “S, we don’t have a choice!”
*****
Forty-five minutes had passed and Blair was already propped up against overly crisp white pillows with Serena standing at her side, after the breaking of her water had been officially confirmed. The two had thought that ordeal was ridiculous because it had most definitely broken - all over the elevator floor - but the hospital staff had insisted that it was standard procedure to check.
“You’re mom is on her way, she’s leaving the store now. It should only be a few minutes.” Serena gently explained while she smoothed Blair’s hand between her own.
The brunette took the news as a welcome distraction, as she was trying to ignore the sickeningly strong smell of alcohol wafting through the air. The nurse standing at her other side let the cool sanitizing liquid evaporate from her skin before beginning to fish for a usable vein. It took just seconds for the woman to start the IV, and then she disappeared from the room just as quietly as she had come.
“Okay…” The reply was somewhat distant, even Blair could tell it sounded off. But she was trying to swallow down the nausea rising in her throat from the needle stinging the back of her hand. Which in all actuality, was nothing compared to the increasingly painful contractions. “She didn’t have to come so soon…I’m pretty sure that this is not going to be quick.” Blair continued, deciding it was better to talk to her girlfriend than focus on her discomfort.
“Everything is going to be fine, okay? She wants to be here for you and make sure you’re alright.” Blair just nodded, wanting to quickly acknowledge the statement so she could prepare herself for the ripples of pain coiling in her muscles. Serena could feel the slight increase of pressure in her girlfriend’s grip and she held tight to her hand.
Just as promised, Eleanor was swiftly walking into the hospital suite a few moments later. More unexpectedly was Lily following right on her expensive heels.
Serena had to laugh. “Of course, you call one mother and two show up!”
Eleanor had her Blackberry in her hand and was waving it in the air as an explanation, while Lily moved to take Serena into a hug. Blair was wrapped up in her mother’s embrace in no time as well.
“Word travels fast in Manhattan…you know that, Serena.” Lily smiled brightly at her daughter, before kissing her cheek lightly and then turning her attention towards Blair.
“Has everything been taken care of? Are you comfortable?” Eleanor was quizzing Blair already, because it would always be her nature to treat all situations as if they were a business meeting.
The pregnant brunette gave a forced smile and raised her left hand as evidence of what had occurred during the short period of time prior to her mother’s arrival. “I’ve already been stuck with needles and no, I’m not comfortable. So yes, I think everything has been tended to.”
Eleanor patted Blair’s cheek and the smile on her face was one of sympathy. “Well, darling, I’m afraid that won’t be changing for a while.” The younger brunette was in just enough pain to forget about rolling her eyes all together.
Once Eleanor and her daughter had finished their short exchange, Lily leaned down and swept Blair into her arms. Lily’s Chanel perfume smelled familiar and comforting as the brunette held to her shoulders. The two would always have an emotional connection, formed years before when Blair and Serena’s friendship had just begun.
“Sweetheart, do you need anything?” Lily asked, as she pulled away. “I can go back to the penthouses and get anything you want.”
After the girls requested a few items, the oldest van der Woodsen hurried back to the black town car waiting outside on the busy, East 77th Street. Leaving Blair, Eleanor, and Serena to entertain themselves with idle chatting.
“I talked to your father on the way over. He said he could come up anytime you want him to.” Eleanor stated, while seating herself in one of the chairs occupying the room.
At this news, Blair seemed to perk up a little, but the reaction was short lived and soon her eyes were darkening. “Daddy can come, but I don’t want that French fool bumbling around me.” Serena did not even try to stifle her amused giggles and Eleanor joined in too, her lips quirking into a smile that revealed all of her own opinions of Roman.
“Why, you seemed quite pleased with him yesterday?” Eleanor jokingly pried. There were obvious reasons as to why Roman should never be allowed in a hospital, of all places.
“Mother…”
Another laugh filled the room and Serena squeezed Blair’s hand, before moving to exit the room. “I’ll leave you two to your conversation. I’m going to run down to the gift shop and pick up some magazines or something.”
Blair slyly shot Serena a look, as if to say, “You would leave me with my mother to talk about stupid Roman,” but the blonde was already disappearing through the heavy door. Huffing lightly, the brunette snuck her eyes to the left and studied Eleanor, who was fixated on her Blackberry once again. Probably sending out a mass e-mail concerning this wonderfully painful event!
Blair let her eyelids slip shut; she figured that if she pretended to sleep then she wouldn’t have to force herself to carry on a conversation when she really did not feel like talking at all. She steeled herself against another contraction and tried to turn her focus elsewhere. If she listened, the incessant ticking of her mother’s cell phone keys could be heard, along with the far off repeating bleep of a monitor; she would not be able to sleep if she wanted to anyway.
After a few minutes, Eleanor’s shoes clicked off of the immaculately clean tile floor and the younger woman in the room tried to relax her face for believability’s sake. Blair felt a hand rest over hers for a moment, before retreating, and then more clicks could be heard as they echoed out of the room.
When Serena reappeared the brunette was still faking slumber, but she was experienced enough to detect Blair’s wiles.
“I know you’re not really sleeping, B, so you can stop pretending,” announced Serena, as she flopped two magazines over her girlfriend’s legs.
Blair cracked one eye open and peered at Serena with disdain, looking much like she did when the blonde annoyingly twisted her hair around her finger and plucked at her sleep mask, until she woke up in the morning. But a shining smile was parting Serena’s lips and Blair really could not compete with that.
“Okay, move over…” Serena sweetly demanded, hopping onto the bed beside Blair and grabbing the magazines again. “So do you want to read Vogue or Cosmo?”
Snatching the Cosmo in her hand, Blair skimmed the cover and then read aloud. “Guys rate 125 sex moves…pssh, men…that only leads to trouble, and by trouble I mean this!” The largely pregnant brunette gestured to her rounded abdomen with the magazine and then both girls watched the colorful pages flutter as it was tossed to the floor.
“Give me that Vogue.” Serena handed over the other magazine, hoping that it would not suffer the same fate as the Cosmo. The next few moments were spent in silence while Blair rustled through the designer drenched pages, occasionally stopping to take a sharp breath and place her palm against her stomach.
After an obvious bout of pain, the blonde used her index finger to point out an expensive and particularly Blair-esque, Dolce & Gabbana headband. “What do you think of this one?”
“It looks awful with her hair color…it would look better on me.”Blair stated monotonously.
“There’s my B, ever the fashion critic!” Serena gave an experimental laugh, to which Blair answered by retiring the magazine to Serena’s lap and letting her head slump against her shoulder.
Serena took this as a sign of them being finished with their reading and set the magazine aside. Her hand found its place over Blair’s, resting on the side of her belly.
*****
A few hours after their hospital stay had begun; another nameless nurse came to start a Pitocin drip at the request of Blair’s physician. Given the history of her pregnancy and it being considered high risk, it was for the best. But Blair could have argued otherwise.
She had already vomited twice, and was now laying on her side clutching the rail at the side of the bed while Serena stroked her hair. One of Blair’s greatest dislikes was being weak, but as she concentrated on her shallow breathing and bit her lip, she could not bring herself to care.
“Please, talk to me, B.” Serena’s concerned plea was said with half a smile, showing that she just wanted to make sure Blair was alright.
“What do you want me to say?” Blair whispered back through partially gritted teeth. The blonde by her side had expected more of her classic outbursts and snide remarks throughout this event. Maybe even something rivaling her yowling and writhing on the field when she had tackled her to the ground playing field hockey. But so far, Serena was just being unsettled by Blair staying eerily quiet.
“Just let me know you’re alright.”
“Fine, I’m alright.” Blair responded blandly.
Serena gave her a poignant glare, raising one of her brows as she did. “Blair, I know you can lie better than that.” Serena smiled then, and the corners of the brunette’s mouth turned up for a moment, before her eyes closed and she sniffled quietly.
The tall blonde immediately leaned down to Blair’s level and wrapped her up in a hug. The fabric of Serena’s shirt felt soft and familiar wrinkling beneath her fingertips, but it really could not make her feel better. Not when she was lying on stupidly cheap sheets while experiencing the worst pain ever.
“S, she doesn’t have a name!” Blair sobbed in frustration, which was only continuing to mount as her IV line pulled while she tried to grip Serena’s shoulder. “She’s hours away from being born and she doesn’t even have a name!”
Serena brushed her thumb against her girlfriend’s cheek. “Blair, I know you’re upset, but I promise we’ll figure something out. Just try to rest, please don’t worry.”
“I am trying, but I can’t!” The brunette spat back and jerked her face from the touch. Blair dramatically crossed her arms and before Serena could stop her, she had tugged her IV again. “Ow, damnit!”
The blonde almost wanted to smile or jokingly say, “Here we go!” But fortunately, the fit she had predicted was already in full swing, leaving her no time to say anything that would only fuel the fire.
Blair ripped her hand away from her chest, making the thin rubber tubing toss in the air, before she slammed it down on the railing, violently protesting her own actions by making the furniture suffer a white knuckle grip. Her breathing was heavy and Serena could practically hear the gears working in her head, just trying to decide which of her current annoyances would be voiced first.
“You know, this is ridiculous! Can’t someone give me more medication…something besides the liquid torment and whatever else they’re pumping into me, which obviously is not working!?” Blair suddenly spouted, eyeing her girlfriend with a crazed expression.
A pause filled the next few seconds; Serena wasn’t quite sure what Blair was proposing. “Well, what do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know, Serena! Call a nurse, a doctor, a drug dealer, take a walk around the block, somebody has to have someth -” The brunette’s bout of ranting was cut short by her own whimper of pain and the banging of her balled up fist against the bed rail.
“Hey, stop…” Serena was taking Blair’s tightly clenched fist into her hand, and gently opening her fingers to hold them in her own. With her other hand, she reached out to lift Blair’s bowed head. Dark brown eyes sought out blue ones, trying to find some type of solace.
Fortunately, after doing it for nearly two decades, Serena had become an expert at comforting Blair. Half of the time she could scarcely organize her own thoughts, but when it came to her best friend, it had always been easy for her.
“B, I know you feel horrible right now, but you’re not going to make it any better by freaking out. You can’t control it, so you’re just going to have to deal with it.”
Those words coming from anyone else would have only caused more distress. But coming from Serena they were said with just the right amount of understanding and an edge of assertiveness that made Blair listen, and see reason in the situation.
The brunette sighed, sadness emanating from her glum face. “But I just wish I didn’t have to.”
Now, it was Serena’s turn to sigh as she ran a hand through silky locks. She still had yet to master the technique of refusing Blair, and she doubted that she ever would.
phantom1015.livejournal.com/10594.html#cutid1 Part 2