EXPECTATIONS

JVL
Not today Justin

if i look back, i am lost
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"

Product Placement
hello vonnie
Monterey Bay Aquarium
RMH

Discoholic đȘ©

#extradirty

pixel skylines
will byers stan first human second
untitled

No title available

blake kathryn
Sade Olutola
đ
wallacepolsom
Misplaced Lens Cap
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany

seen from United Kingdom
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from Spain
seen from Spain
seen from Ukraine

seen from United States

seen from Malaysia

seen from Sweden

seen from TĂŒrkiye
seen from Ukraine
seen from Iraq

seen from Canada
seen from Germany

seen from Australia

seen from Malaysia

seen from Belgium
@thefallsofbecca
(Sarah) A Girl's Best Friend (May 17)
Sarah was sitting on the biggest sofa in Jennyâs cosy living room, with a contented dog called Chunk sprawled over her thighs resting his head against her hand. Whenever she stopped scratching at this little spot behind his ears he would nudge her hand with the side of his head, which would always make Sarah giggle before she carried on scratching him. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Jenny walk into the room with two coffees in hand.
Jenny carefully walked towards Sarah trying not to spill any of the hot liquid on her skin or any of the dogs currently lounging on her floor. She smiled at her friend before handing off Sarahâs mug.
Like a Sunday morning
Mary tilted her head back as Will slotted in behind her, stretching her neck gracefully as though to allow Will more expanse of ivory skin to place his kisses upon. She let out a soft, content sound, her hands moving to encircle his own over her bump as she leaned backwards into him, letting the majority of her weight rest there.
âHer.â Mary insisted, her voice a little louder now as he confidence grew. âWhen you get to hold her.â
"What d'ya say we take this back upstairs? We can take that bath and then get back into bed? I'm sure our little guy wants to sleep some more," Will smirked, in between kissing her neck anxious to get her out of this toxic room.
They'd woken up happy so maybe they could recapture that morning happiness they had and Will knew he was starting to reek so the sooner he got clean, the better.
Like a Sunday morning
Mary wiped at his knuckles attentively, clearing away the last of the blood and pulling Willâs hand up to her mouth so that she could kiss the sore skin. She gave him a soft smile back, although it didnât quite reach her eyes. Instead, she moved across the room to throw the cloth away, not quite having the heart or the stomach to rinse it out.Â
âI wanna believe that.â she said, still quiet. Her back was turned to Will, and she reached up to press her fingers against her closed eyelids, watching as patterns formed behind them. âYou really think itâll fade?â
Will licked his lips before pushing himself off the counter. He walked over to Mary and wrapped his arms around her from behind, link his hands at the center of her growing bump. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her neck hoping to calm her down a little.
"I do, I love this kid already. I like when he kicks and I like how he always makes you drink apple juice when it's cold outside," Will spoke softly hoping to continue to ease her mind, "Maybe that's why I get more upset 'cause I love him so much that I want him to be all mine, but I think that'll go away when I get to hold him." They hadn't found out the sex yet, but Will had a feeling it was a little boy. Someone he could teach football to and all the other little things he found himself getting excited about.Â
Like a Sunday morning
âGetting past things.â she murmured quietly, giving a soft, resolute nod. Of course she knew what he meant by that, but Mary had never been sure how to approach it. In her eyes, this baby was hers as much as he or she was Willâs. But she wasnât sure Will saw it entirely that way, and that caused a dull ache in her chest to take root. âYou mean about my pregnancy.â
She furrowed her brow then, telling herself she wouldnât cry. She moved over to him, taking his hand and running her fingertips over the area where the blood had caked, wincing. She nudged him aside gently, going into the drawer behind him to remove a cloth, and wetting it in the nearby sink. She then returned her attention to his knuckles, lightly dabbing at the blood splattered area.
âOur perfect little girl or boy,â she started, not making eye contact with him. âWill spend every day of their life knowing you as Daddy. Isnât that enough?â
Will watched her as she took care of his injured knuckles. He felt guilty again because she didn't believe him. He had hoped when he found she was pregnant that this feeling of inadequacy would go away, but it apparently was going to stick around and mess up his life a little more.
"Of course it's enough, it's more than enough," Will mumbled in response. He looked away from Mary and licked his lips, letting out a nervous laugh.
"I talked to my dad last week about this and you know what he told me? Told me to suck it up. I was gonna be a dad in a few months and I wouldn't have time to worry about whether my guys sank or swam," Will retold turning his attention back to Mary with a small smile, "We're gonna be too tired for the first few months then too busy wrapped in being parents that I think this'll fade babe, I think once I see and hold my kid it'll disappear."
Like a Sunday morning
Mary smiled brightly at his words, leaning into his touch like an affectionate kitten as he swept her hair back. Will had wanted children so much, and even though things hadnât gone exactly as planned Mary had wanted to start a family with Will too. And thatâs what they were doing, and she just desperately wanted the man before her to be as happy as she was. She tugged on his arm a little, forcing him to meet her line of sight.
âYou just donât seem happy.â she breathed, her face screwing up a little. His random outbursts were getting to her a lot more than sheâd expected them to. âWe canât go back now, Will. This is happening. And⊠you donât seem happy.â
Will sighed, letting go of Mary completely. He backed up and leaned against the kitchen counter shrugging his shoulders. He didn't want to tell Mary the truth, but he also didn't want to lie to her. She was dealing with heightened emotions right now and he didn't want to put any more stress on her.
"I don't wanna go back Mare...I want this baby, I want our baby. I wish I was better at getting past things, but this is me. Just 'cause I get upset doesn't mean I don't want this, it just means I'm stubborn," Will explained hoping that would satisfy her. He felt like if she didn't believe him that he'd be always trying to prove that he really was happy despite his doubts and he didn't want that for the new few months.
Like a Sunday morning
Maryâs jaw fell slightly slack as Will came in, apologies spilling from his lips. She opened her mouth to halt him but he didnât give her time to speak. Instead, he moved toward her, taking her hand in a way that still made her slightly dizzy. The merest touch from Will seemed to have that effect on her. She looked up at him, her eyes watering and tears threatening to spill over as he mumbled quiet declarations of love. But it wasnât her she was overjoyed for, it was for their little boy or girl.
âI love you too.â she breathed back, throwing her arms around his waist the best she could, her head against his chest. He was sweaty, but if she realised this or minded she gave no acknowledgment of it. Her fingers interlocked behind his back, pulling him as close as she could with her oversized stomach.
âI love you, Will. I do. And all I want is for you to be happy.â she sniffed, pulling back suddenly to look him in the eyes. âOur baby is going to make us so happy. You know that, right?â
Will's arms automatically wrapped around her as she came closer to him. He kissed the top of her head gently enjoying how even though she was a little wider than usual, she was still his Mini in size.Â
He met her gaze and moved a hand so he could brush the hair out of her face. Internally he wasn't sure about the whole happy thing, his gut told him that this kid wouldn't love him, but he chose to ignore those bad thoughts.
"I'm already happy, but you're right our little guy is gonna be the best thing for us. I'm sorry I lost it back there, but don't think I'm not happy about all this 'cause I am. I haven't stopped being happy since I stole you from that asshole blind date," Will continued, laughing a little.
Like a Sunday morning
Mary had busied herself in the half an hour Will had been gone, trying not to listen to the way his feet seemed to pound angrily against the treadmill and resinated through the ceiling. Sheâd heard his fist drive itâs way through the wall, too, and had flinched, brushing back the tear that fell down her face and placing a hand over her baby bump. If there was one thing Mary knew, however, it was that Will wasnât the violent type. The few fights theyâd gotten into sheâd never cowered away from him or shrank back, having full confidence in his inability to hurt her. Sheâd even believed at one point that Will wasnât capable of hurting anyone. He was loving and gentle and good.
She was clearing away the knives and forks when she heard him call out to her. The cutlery gave a mangled clash as she dropped it in the sink, and she absently hoped nothing was broken. Mary had often turned to housework to calm her nerves, but her belly prohibited her from reaching the sink any longer. Tentatively, she raised her voice to call back to her husband.
âWill?â she called, hating the way her voice seemed to betray her almost instantly, as it wavered. She frowned, working her face into a smile before he walked into the kitchen and found her upset. âIâm in here.â
Will paused hearing Mary's voice. She was upset. Obviously. He'd upset a pregnant woman who'd done nothing wrong. He was dirt. He was lower than dirt. He knew logically that it didn't matter who had his baby's DNA, it was still his baby's, but his ego was fighting that little boost that the kid wouldn't actually be his.
He took a deep breath before he walked into the kitchen finding his suspicions correct, she was upset. He gave her a half-hearted smile forgetting that was he covered in sweat and still shirtless. "I'm sorry...I'm so fucking sorry Marina. I'm an ass and I'm sorry," he apologized before walking towards her, taking her hands into his.
"I love you and I love our baby...babe I'm just sorry," he apologized again, quietly then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Hold My Hand
Isaac moved to sit in the chair beside her, interlocking his fingers and trying to recall the order in which heâd contacted Kayleeâs family, as well as his own.Â
âI called Eli, who was with Quinn. Quinnâs told your Mom, and theyâll be down soon. And I called my brother, who told my parents.â he explained, searching her face for any traces of worry. He gave her a smile, trying to stay calm for her sake above everyone elses. âQuinn promised to keep your Mom out of the way, for all intensive purposes.â
His hand skimmed her knee in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, giving it a gentle squeeze before looking up at her.
âIs there anything else I can do?â
Kaylee held back groaning so the whole clan would be down to see her give birth, lovely. Well not actually see her but be close enough to hear if she screamed loud enough. She suddenly wished they were somewhere remote with just a doctor and a nurse and them. This felt too much. They were going to meet this being they were going to be responsible forever and she felt that she didn't want to share their baby with anyone.
"Can everyone stay out of the way?" Kaylee asked turning her head to look at Isaac. She really wanted to be somewhere more private. If they had another baby she wanted to do it away from everyone.
"After she's here, I guess they can see her, but I don't want anyone hogging her," Kaylee said, pouting slightly.
Hold My Hand
Isaac gripped Kayleeâs hand fervently with as much strength as he could muster to try and counter balance the way Kayleeâs hand was digging into his own. He hated to see her in pain, but knew this was going to be for the best. Like he kept telling her, although at this point he wasnât sure whether he was trying to convince Kaylee or himself. He nodded to the nurse as she swept out of the room, silently thanking her for doing her job.
He chuckled slightly at the sight of Kaylee running a hand over her baby bump, his hand moving to sit slightly at the nape of her neck, playing with the fine hairs there. He smiled down at her, still comprehending that soon they were both going to be parents. Well, theyâd been parents for a while, technically. Except soon they would be meeting their baby.
âDonât rush the baby.â Isaac chastised, jokingly. He leaned forward, as though he were addressing her stomach. âYou come out whenever youâre ready, kiddo.â
Kaylee rolled her eyes, but smiled at Isaac addressing their baby. She leaned back against her pillows and let out a contented sigh. She was trying not to be impatient, but she really just wanted this whole ordeal over with. She was ready to have their little girl despite her earlier hiccup and she was mostly ready to not be pregnant.
"Did you call everyone yet?" Kaylee asked, a certain tiredness to her voice not wanting the influx of visitors. She really only wanted to see Quinn, okay briefly she wanted to see Quinn. She mostly just wanted Quinn close by in case she needed her.
Hold My Hand
Isaac was stood stock still across the room from Kaylee. His initial instincts had urged him to pace back and forth, but one look at his wife had made him discard that thought into the pile of âbad ideasâ. Pacing always tended to keep the pacer calm, but was generally unsettling for others to watch. At least that was what theyâd said to Isaac at work when theyâd caught him storming up and down the office, his hand and glasses buried in his hair.Â
So instead of pacing, he was stood with his arms across his chest firmly, shifting his weight and occasionally glancing over his shoulder to check whoever was still posted at the door was still posted at the door. He cast a tentative look at Kaylee, who was looking up at him with tears in her eyes, and immediately rushed to her side.
âItâs gonna be fine.â Isaac reassured her, interlocking his fingers with hers. He brought his free hand up to smooth her hair back, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. âItâll be better in the long run for you. And baby.â
Kaylee nodded but it didn't make the lump in her throat disappear. The nurse counted off then Kaylee felt a sharp, intense pain on her back. She cried out softly, trying not to display how painful it actually was. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gripped Isaac's hands like her life depended on it.
"There, all done. Now you'll start to feel a numbness from the waist down which is exactly what's supposed to happen. You'll still feel the contractions, but if I've done my job correctly they won't hurt," the nurse said ripping off her gloves.
"I'll let your nurse know you're finished with your epidural and she'll be back to check on you shortly," the nurse continued then Kaylee watched as she exited the room.Â
"I like the sound of the no pain thing," Kaylee said attempting a smile as she wiped her eyes. She glanced down at the seemingly bigger than before baby bump and moved her free hand over it lovingly. "Anytime you're ready now baby that would be great," Kaylee said to their unborn child.
Hold My Hand
Kaylee thought this was the nicest room in the hospital. It was rather large for a hospital room, plus it wasn't the usual white color. It was a dark cream sort of color that made you a little sleepy if you looked at it too long. There was a large television up on the wall that was currently turned off then two large leather, reclining chairs that she assumed Isaac would eventually sit down in.Â
She wasn't surprised this was the room they put her in. She was a Ryan now after all and they were basically New York City royalty which Kaylee still didn't understand. Plus there was a security guard posted outside her room which Isaac had insisted on to keep any press or unwanted people out. She appreciated that, but thought it was a little unnecessary.
"Okay Kaylee, this is going to hurt. So take a deep breath and squeeze Isaac's hand," the nurse said bringing Kaylee back into the moment. Her face squished up in fear of the epidural. She turned to look at Isaac with her eyes already watering. She didn't want this but knew overall she would love having it.
"I don't like this," Kaylee whispered to Isaac.
Our Little Blob
Brooke rubbed her arm where the nurse had seemingly stabbed her arm. Sheâd never been good with pain and it felt like this doctorâs appointment had been nothing but pain. Poked, questioned, and then sheâd peed in a cup. Now however, her and Ryan were alone in the examination room. It had been painted a soft yellow color and seemed more soothing than any other examination room Brooke had been in. If not for the tests, Brooke would have liked this room.
Grease and Beers (May 15)
âI got a baby book yesterday,â Jeremy announced as he slid out from under a â00 Mazda that was leaking steering fluid. Tuesdays were usually pretty busy at the garage. For some reason, cars broke down more on Tuesdays than any other day of the week.
âDid you?â Simon asked as he pulled on a pair of gloves so that he could give Jeremy a hand. âIs it not a little too early for that?â
Doctor's Orders.
Jax listened quietly, which was out of character for him, but he honestly couldnât muster up anything to say if heâd tried. He considered interjecting at one point to say heâd had worse sickeness being hungover, before remembering how truly miserable Natalie had looked when heâd watched her puke up, or when sheâd grown nauseous at her desk. So he snapped his mouth shut. If heâd heard the doctor call Natalie his girlfriend, it didnât register on his face. He swung back and forth on his chair, anchoring himself to the feel of Natalieâs fingers interlocked with his own, fingertips pressing down hard enough to bruise.
âWhat?â he questioned loudly, eyes scanning Natalie and then to the doctor, then back to the woman in the chair next to him. âThatâs gonna fucking hurt like hell.â
He was quietened by a single look from the doctor, but the topic wasnât one he was willing to overlook just yet. He waited until the two of them were in transit to the next room, before hissing low in here.
âWhatâs all this about âno drugsâ? Nat, you do realise itâs a baby coming out of that tiny area, right?â he questioned, gesturing below her waist.
Natalie rolled her eyes at Jax's comment. How typical. One moment they were fine the next he had to go and forget completely who she was. She shook her head not believing him. "No Jax I actually had no idea how this thing was going to leave my body. I just thought the stork appeared in the delivery room and then it'd be out of my body," Natalie snapped, moving her hands with dramatic gestures.
"And yes I don't want drugs. Like I don't eat artificial foods and I try to stay away from sugar as much as possible. God sometimes Jackson Collins it's like you don't even know me. I'm not gonna damage my body and possibly this thing's body by pumping myself full of drugs just so I don't have to feel pain," Natalie continued before hoisting herself up onto the examining table.
Doctor's Orders.
Jax listened to the Doctor, but the majority of the pregnancy information went right over his had. He adopted a method of noting all this down mentally, being sure to look it up later online. At that point though, Natalie reached over to squeeze his hand, making Jax forget any and all questions he had to ask.
When the Doctor looked at him, he opened his mouth as though to speak but instead faltered for words.
âA lemon?â he questioned, attempting to visualise how big a lemon actually was. There was a baby, or fetus, whatever, the size of a lemon in Natalieâs stomach. Subconsciously, he slid his own hand into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Roughly yes. It doesn't appear your...girlfriend is showing yet so I think that's a safe approximation of the baby's size. Don't worry about showing yet either. For new mothers it often takes a little longer before the bulge appears. Are you having any morning sickness Miss Hollinger?" he questioned.
Natalie didn't bother correcting the doctor, not that she wanted to either. Their situation was confusing enough on the inside, anyone on the outside would probably think they were nuts. "Yes. I don't typically get sick so these few weeks have been...excuse my language, but they've been hell," Natalie described, squeezing Jax's hand recalling last Wednesday when he'd held her hair back while she puked on their plane ride.
"I can assure that will end shortly. You'll get your appetite back and your energy levels will go back up. If however within a week or two, the nausea hasn't subsided, call the office and I'll prescribe you a safe prescription," the doctor continued. Natalie shook her head quickly.
"No...no drugs. No epidural...nothing," Natalie snapped, moving her free hand slightly. The doctor glanced at Jax then nodded and got to his feet.
"Well if you two want to head through that door," he said motioning to the other door in his office, "and Miss Hollinger you may have seat on the bed, the nurse will be in shortly."Â