Appetite for Mars: A Steven Adler X Mick Mars Tale

Chapter 32: A Fifth Month Scare

A/N: Wherein fear takes hold....

Ok, so I'm now five months pregnant....and my stomach has gotten even bigger. I love my babies so much, but fear...fear is taking hold of me. I'm not feeling good, I haven't since we've been back on tour. EVERYONE is worried...Mick especially. I'm just not sure how much longer I can keep doing this, but then there's only a month left of the tour. But then I've been stressing about THAT too...I just want it to stop! But then, I don't want anyone...my boyfriend especially to have to put the tour on hold or postpone it , though I know better.

Which brings us, to now...me on stage pounding away on drums...fans don't seem to notice...but I am fucking struggling! My band mates toss worried looks my way, I just try to concentrate on getting this the fuck over with. I feel strange...strange...I don't know.... suddenly I wince as one of my children kick me harshly...but what comes next...makes me fall to my knees...pain slices across my stomach...and abruptly everything stops.... Vaguely I am aware of a collective panic...and am on my back...when did that happen?!

"Steven!! What's wrong?!! Someone get Mick...NOW!" Axl screams out frantically.

"Hurts.... hurts.... hurts!" I fear something is wrong...that...God no! I don't wanna lose my babies!! I don't know if these are cramps...Doctor had said they could happen...I clutch my stomach fearfully...and I hear running footsteps....and I see that familiar halo of raven hair in my vision: Mick who looks more scared than I've ever seen ANYONE look in my life.

"Stevie?!! What's wrong.... honey...I know your scared, but please try and breathe for me, try to calm down for the babies' sake." Mick has tears streaming down his face.

"I-I...think...pain, cramps...I don't know!! I'm losing the babies!!!.... oh god!" everything is starting to get hazy....and i hear screams, shouts of my name...before everything fades to black....

I wake up with a start....and am vaguely aware...of gasps...and I FREAK!

"The triplets.... i lost...god, I'm sorry!!" I scream.... before Mick's terrified voice breaks thru....

"Steven! Honey, shh.... you didn't lose them! You didn't lose any of them!" Mick despite his hands trembling terribly, takes my hands and places them...on my still very well swollen stomach, making me sob with relief...and I work on breathing in and out deeply. Mick soothing me despite being fucking terrified. I finally calm down...still crying though.

"What happened?! I'm still pregnant...thank God.... Mick I'm sorry." I mean to say more but Mick gently cuts me off, his voice quivering.

"I told them what happened, so did Axl, Slash, Izzy and Duff.... Doctors gave something for pain, wait do you feel any pain?" I nod a 'no', Mick continues, "Anyway, they did an ultra-sound...the babies are fine, were in distress but fine...they will be fine. And don't apologize, this wasn't your fault, or anyone's." Mick is cut off by the arrival of the Doctor and we all snap to attention.

"Did your partner give you the news?" The doctor asks and my hackles raise, getting nervous...suddenly I feel a series of gentle kicks as if my unborn children are with me in solidarity.

"He was able to tell me a little bit about what happened." I feel Mick squeeze my hands...and my heart then drops with what happens next....

"We determined that, you were not going into pre-term labor or miscarrying.... you were having severe cramps, due to extreme stress. From what we know from your partner and family, your body cannot handle the strain and stress you've been under from the tour. Which is why, effective immediately...you must cease touring.... your body is under strain enough as is. This does not mean you can't play drums...this means, for yours and your triplets' sakes...you can't travel around and do such a high-octane event on a constant basis. You need rest. Now, we will keep you here overnight for observation, but we recommend you go home." I feel my world crash in....as the doctor then checks me over and then leaves.

The stunned silence is broken by Mick, "Honey...oh, my god...I should have...been better to you...I mean, I should have taken better care of you."

"Mick don't blame yourself, don't...you've done everything for me, you take amazing care of me..." I protest, before taking a breath, "I don't know what to do.... there's only a month of the tour left! And I have no choice but to go home!"

"Dude, fuck the tour...don't worry about that shit." Duff declares adamantly, but his eyes are shiny with tears, "We...all of us are here for you in whatever happens, or you decide to do."

"Duff's right man." Izzy chimes in.

"Fucking management is having a fit, I told them to go fuck themselves." Axl sneers, before adding, "Oh we're getting a new manager by the way."

I turn to Mick, "Butterfly?" I whisper. "Kiss me...I need to feel you." I feel my boyfriend's lips on mine, a kiss that says, 'let me be your strength.'

"Um...I had a thought." Tommy says timidly and everyone turns to look at him, "If I know Steven well enough and I believe I do...my suggestion is I'd be willing to fill in for him for this last month of the tour. I can see it, he doesn't want to have everything put on hold...and Mick, he loves you, so much...he wants more than anything for you to do what you love." I get Tommy's true meaning and I can't help but be touched.

"Honey? What do you want to do?" Mick asks.

I sigh heavily, "I want you to go out there and melt some fucking faces off, go out there and kick ASS like you always do...make me proud. But  yet I don't want to be apart! But Mick...I feel like we have no choice though!"

"Steven Adler, you mean more to me than the tour.... i know honey you don't wanna be apart, I don't either. But it will be ok, I promise you need to go to OUR home and rest. I don't want to let you down, Steven...not anymore. I will go out there and make you and our children proud. I know you don't want this, and I don't either, but know that I am always with you now, even when not physically present. I love you and our unborn babies, so much it hurts. we will get thru this together and I'll be home soon." Mick sobs...

"Mick?" Mick looks at me with an expression filled with love, and awe, "we are always together even if we are apart or will be, it's only a month. And too I have three babies inside me that are part of you and a part of me. So literally you are always with me. I love you...and thank god tomorrow is an off day."

"It is, and I'll make sure you'll be safe.... this is for our babies; this won't be easy...it isn't.... but I feel this will make our love and relationship even stronger." Mick states softly, tears running down his face.

"I feel that too...something like this could have happened even if we weren't touring, I mean you never know...can never truly plan. I know now that you will always be with me and always come back to me. I love you Mick Mars. Stay with me tonight?" My voice husky from crying.

"You never have to ask, of course I will. And I will always come for you, come back to you. I love you." Mick kisses me softly, and then kisses my swollen stomach and our children move with in me gently, making me melt.

Both of us hated having to part, it was so fucking hard...but we got thru it and Mick was right of course...it would make our relationship and our love even stronger. And it did...it did.

A/N: Fear, but the babies are ok, they will be ok I promise. Mick and Steven will have to be apart for a month, but it will strengthen their relationship. Next chapter will see Steven getting ready to head to his and Mick's home, a leave taking. Stay tuned!