The Miracle of Life

Ella and Seeley were lounging in bed, unwinding from the day. She was almost asleep, a soft smile on her face.

flutter She tensed, bracing for the wave of nausea that usually followed her stomach turning.

flutter Wait. This was different. Her eyes snapped open. flutter her hand went to her stomach.

“Seeley…are you awake?”

“Zzzzz-Hnuh?” A few moments to gather his bearings. “Yeah, gimme a sec.” He rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times, then he was fully awake.“

He saw her hand on her stomach. “You don't usually need a hand when you're going to be sick, so… What's up?”

She was grinning, her eyes filled with wonder as she felt her small bump. “Seeley…it's moving. Our baby. I can feel the fluttering.” She said with a radiant smile, her eyes lifting to meet his.

Seeley placed his hand on her belly, trying to feel. “It's too early for me to feel it, but…That's a good sign, isn't it?” His smile grew to match hers, although his was slightly lopsided.

Ella nodded. “It…makes it kind of more real…” She murmured, her eyes dropping down to the swell of her stomach. “Hey in there, baby Booth…I feel you. We love you so much already.” She said softly, tears in her eyes.

“I'll need to wait a bit before I can feel it.” He leaned over and placed his face on her belly, his voice muffled as he spoke. “Hey, baby Concetta, or Lance.” He looked up at her from where he was. “Keep growing up strong inside your mother!”

Ella looked at him and smiled. The name of his good friend for a boy, and her mother's name for a girl. “Lance Nathaniel, like we planned? And…what about Concetta Katherine? Or Joy?”

Seeley sat up on the bed. “Like we planned. I'll… Leave that choice to you. Both are good.” He rubbed her stomach with his hand, lightly, still not feeling anything but mentally preparing himself for raising another child.

She reached over and caught his free hand. “Are you happy?” She asked softly. Despite her not liking when he called himself old, she knew he was forty-six. And as pregnant minds are wont to do, she was over-thinking. She knew he had a son already, did he truly want a baby with her or was he indulging her out of love for her?

“Hm?” He tilted his head slightly. “Do I not look happy? Does this grin say 'unhappy' to you?” He pulled his hand off her belly and pointed to the beaming smile on his face. She should know what that means. He doesn't do it if he's not really happy. “Of course I'm happy! I'm a daddy!”

Ella laughed, nodding. “Just making sure. My mind gets weird worries sometimes.” She admitted. She returned his grin with one of her own and reached over, lightly touching his cheek.

He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand. “Are we talking Gabi worried, pregnant woman worried, or something else entirely worried?” He'd seen and dealt with the first, he was expecting the second, but the third? Who knows what would happen there.

Ella smiled. “No, no static. Just pregnant woman worried. I'm gaining weight and while I know it's exactly where I'm supposed to be…I still feel…fat. less attractive.” She said softly.

Seeley bit his tongue. Paused. Considered his possible responses. This was worse than any life or death situation he'd ever been in. “I know there's no right response to this, but. One, you're still my wife through thick and thin.” Oops, right there. “Two, I still love you.” OK, better. “Three, you're still gorgeous to me.” Maybe she wouldn't burn him at the stake.

“Four, you still find me attractive?” She asked hopefully. The first three had been good. He still wanted her to be his wife. He still loved her. Katie had gushed over her belly when they'd been dress hunting and said she was all belly, but Seeley's opinion mattered more. No offense, Katie.

“Four, I still find you attractive.” Agree with the pregnant woman. Rule number one. At least she wasn't armed! At least, not with a gun. Although he wouldn't put it past her to hide one under the pillows, or in her bedside table, or somewhere, given that she hated being off fieldwork.

It was good enough. Ella kissed his cheek and smiled, though her eyes still held worry. No gun hidden anywhere, she was a good girl. “Sorry for waking you…” She murmured as she closed her eyes. He was just agreeing with you…
Shut up.
Ella didn't even hear the slight, worried whimper she made as she drifted to sleep.

Seeley frowned. That wasn't quite the response he was expecting. Nor was the whimper as she fell asleep. It took him a while to drift off as he worried about her.

Ella didn't wake…until two hours later when she had to go to the bathroom. On her way to the bathroom door that led into their bedroom, she stopped and looked in the mirror. The issue with hyperemesis, the interrupted sleep…bleary hazel eyes stared back at her and for a moment, she stared. The woman looking back at her wasn't ugly, was actually rather beautiful by many standards. Long almost black hair curled over her shoulders, down her back. Lightly tanned skin stretched over a toned body…but Ella could only see the tiredness in her eyes, the slight pallor to her complexion from throwing up so much. And then her eyes zeroed in on something. There…on her lower abdomen…a stretch mark. She traced it with a finger, tears slipping down her cheeks.