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Nov 10, 2008 20:15:50 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 20:15:50 GMT -5
The last time she'd needed medical attention was because of Iker. She'd rather be burned again than have to face the monumental fact of potential parenthood. She sat in the back of one of the simpler carriages, breathing shallowly. Her chest felt constricted and for once, Zizzy felt short of breath. She was clutching Armand's hand like it was the one thing keeping her anchored during a tornado.
When they pulled up in front of the Hospital there was a sense of fatality in the slight jerk the stop caused. "I don't know if I can go in."
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Nov 10, 2008 22:32:33 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 22:32:33 GMT -5
Armand was nervous too, but it was a miniscule, inconsequential unease compared to the concern over Zizzy's well-being. He squeezed her hand.
"Yes, you can. And if you are really physically uncapable, I'll drag you in regardless." He kissed the corner of her mouth quickly. "You'll be fine."
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Nov 10, 2008 22:46:20 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 22:46:20 GMT -5
The deep breath she took was a short gasp for most people. She felt like her ribs where trying to fuse together. Zizzy did not know about being fine or able, but she knew at the very least it wasn't going to go away if she sat here long enough. Nodding, she opened the door and slipped out. The building, although not paticularly like that on any other day, seemed austere and forboding, and the bright Dreamland day mocking.
As soon as it was available, she had Armand's hand again and tried again for a deep breath and failed. Inside, it wasn't too busy, which she was grateful for. Zizzy didn't think the waiting room was something she'd be able to handle. They went up to the front desk and the nurse there looked up at them with a horrendously bright smile that made her wish she'd brought sunglasses.
"Welcome to the Good Hope! What's your malady?"
In such a perky tone, the question was a little disturbing. "I uhhh...." Zizzy wasn't too sure how to phrase it. Did this count as a malady? "....think I might be pregnant?"
"Oh how darling!" The nurse cooed, clapping her hands together happily. Zizzy winced. "If you'll just wait a moment, I'm sure the doctor will be right with you. A baby! How exciting..."
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Nov 10, 2008 22:58:46 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 22:58:46 GMT -5
Armand's lips curved just slightly. "Very darling," he said, amused. He placed a hand on the back of Zizzy's elbow and lead her to a chair.
"Hopefully Camilla is working today..."
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Nov 10, 2008 23:09:54 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 23:09:54 GMT -5
It was easy to tell when one of Jack's sons was nearby. Alexander was almost exactly like his father, so by some glitch she picked up on his location as well as Jack's, and she'd treated Armand quite extensively. So she wrapped up with her current patient and decided against poofing out into the waiting room. It was sometimes hard to get glitter off wounds. But she did hurry. It was never something like, 'oh, I have a fractured wrist' with this family, it was 'oh, I happen to be on my deathbed. Help, maybe?'.
When she got out into the waiting room she was surprised to see him with a girl, who had waves of need rolling off her, but she didn't look grievously injured, nor did he. She approached the couple and smiled in greeting.
"Prince?"
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Nov 10, 2008 23:15:25 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 23:15:25 GMT -5
"Armand," he corrected with a small smile. He looked at Zizzy. "I believe you met, once, but it was under... unusual circumstance, so you might not remember. Camilla, Zizzy. Zizzy, Camilla."
He looked at his father's fairy godmother (and, if truth be told, sort of the family fairy godmother) and his smile became slightly strained.
"We might be expecting."
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Nov 10, 2008 23:22:16 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 23:22:16 GMT -5
Camilla barely stopped herself from raising an eyebrow at the couple. She managed, however, and instead smiled at Zizzy. "Oh right." Well, at least they seemed to have known each other for a while, and well if she'd been there that night.
"Well, come on. Only one way to find out."
Zizzy stood, still clutching Armand's hand. She'd probably have to let go for the examination, but for now she wanted him close. Camilla led them into a small office and handed Zizzy a soft cloth hospital gown. There was a curtain on tracts that closed off the examination tablet, and Camilla pulled that around so the girl could get changed in privacy.
Camilla turned to Armand. "I imagine this wasn't planned. Do your parents know?"
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Nov 10, 2008 23:26:23 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 23:26:23 GMT -5
Armand sighed, looking a little too old for a moment. "No, it wasn't planned. And no, they don't know." He glanced at her and attempted a dry smile. "I thought it best to not scare them until there was proof."
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Nov 10, 2008 23:33:23 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 23:33:23 GMT -5
Zizzy's heart hurt when she heard that sigh, and she cursed herself for ever getting them into this mess. Camilla felt the unabashed wish to not be pregnant from the girl, and was slightly surprised. She couldn't grant a wish like that, and even if she could, she wouldn't, but the girl had only started wishing that when that world-weary sigh had left Armand's lips.
"If you are, if she is, there are always alternatives. Dreamland has many good orphanages---" "No!" Zizzy burst through the curtains in the hospital gown, a garment that would make even a dragon seem meek. "No." She repeated, a little calmer. "If I am, I'll keep it, I want it to have a family."
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Nov 10, 2008 23:46:31 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 23:46:31 GMT -5
"We'll keep it," Armand said.
He shifted his jaw in slightly tense atmosphere, waiting for Camilla to proceed with the exam. He didn't like seeing Zizzy in hospital attire, even if it was only for an exam to see if she carried his child or not.
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Nov 10, 2008 23:54:57 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 10, 2008 23:54:57 GMT -5
Zizzy just disappeared behind the curtains again and Camilla followed after her. She hoped for both their sakes she wasn't. She checked the vitals first, and tried to get Zizzy to calm down a bit. "Your heart-rate is too high." She said, it was like the girl was in the process of running while sitting on the examination slab.
Camilla wouldn't proceed with the examination until Zizzy could slow her breathing down. But even when she got it under control, it was fast compared to her usual pace. When they were done, Camilla emerged first, giving nothing away by her expression. "I'll give you two some privacy." She murmured, and stepped outside the small, warmly pink office.
From behind the curtains came Zizzy's voice, "Armand?"
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Nov 10, 2008 23:57:51 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 10, 2008 23:57:51 GMT -5
Armand watched her go. Her face had been completely neutral, a likely well-practiced expression, and he wasn't sure what to make of it.
He moved the curtains aside and found Zizzy's hand, rubbing his thumb against her palm. "Well?"
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Nov 11, 2008 0:04:22 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 11, 2008 0:04:22 GMT -5
"Armand, if you want to leave I will understand, the last thing I wanted was for this to make you feel trapped or chained to me and I know you weren't planning on being with anyone else, and neither was I, but you didn't bargain for this and I'll take the brunt. I'll say it was someone else's, that I cheated on you and that way you'll be in the right and everyone will understand and I can raise it on my own, because I want this child, I know it's too soon, and we're ill-prepared and the timing is awful and it's like none of that matters, I have a baby inside me. But I know this was not what you wanted, and you've had enough hard times lately, I can say it's someone else's...."
The only reason Zizzy stopped talking was because she was out of air.
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Nov 11, 2008 0:16:31 GMT -5
Post by Miss Jack on Nov 11, 2008 0:16:31 GMT -5
It took him a moment to decipher her sudden burst of explanation, and realize that she was in fact pregnant. His breath hitched, but he didn't have time to react in his own way, for his own thoughts. His eyes grew a little frostier with each word she spoke, and by the time she finished, they were nearly ice.
"Yes," he said sarcastically. "Please leave me and tell everyone you're pregnant with someone else's baby. Then at last I'd be happy."
He inhaled shakily and forced some calm into his voice. "Zizzy, how long are you going to keep second-guessing me?"
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Nov 11, 2008 0:26:20 GMT -5
Post by Jules on Nov 11, 2008 0:26:20 GMT -5
"I'm not!" She protested, weakening under the icy gaze until her cheeks blushed blue. "I just don't want you to be burdened with more heart-ache." That it caused him heart-ache hurt, because despite everything, when Camilla had confirmed the pregnancy, she'd become excited, happy, her glow had gotten stronger. Even now she was fighting to hold back a smile, since she was certain that was not what Armand was in the mood for at the moment.
"I just hate the idea of forcing you to be a father." But she couldn't help it any longer, and the small smile came out as she said, with an excited tone, "Camilla says I'm almost done my first trimester, and that in eight weeks, I'll be able to feel it moving..."
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