Homeward Bound//Sam Kiszka x OC!Layla

And Baby Makes Three

    Sam sat next to Layla in the doctor's office, using his thumbs to drum on his thighs. He was nervous, he had flown home early to go with her to her twelve week appointment. This was the appointment they were going to finally hear the babies' heartbeats together, this was what was going to make it real. He placed his hand on her barely there bump, rubbing circles with his thumb. "They're still in there, goofy. They aren't going anywhere. I heard both heartbeats last week, my doctor said they're measuring fine, except baby b was measuring small." "I know, I know. But I have to go back on tour tomorrow and I'm gonna miss you guys." The nurse came out and called Layla's name. Sam stood first, extending his hand to his girlfriend, helping her up. She leaned in and kissed him, "Let's go see our babies, yeah?"

    Something in the air just didn't feel right for Sam, he didn't know if it was his nerves, or the buzzing of the fluorescent lights shining above was just extra loud. Layla held onto his hand, playing on the phone with the other, "The boys just got in. Said management gave you guys a week." "Which means I'm staying at your apartment with you. I don't want to share any more rooms with them if I don't have to." "Fine, goofy. We have to start looking at cribs." "I think my mom still has Josh and Jake's." "That would save us money."

    The doctor came in with an odd look on his face. Layla had peed in a cup before coming into the room, so maybe she had some sort of infection. He greeted them both, "Are you dad?" "Yes. I finally made it back into town. Ready to hear the heartbeats." Sam squeezed Layla's hand as the doctor started up the ultrasound. The swooshing noise started almost immediately, he thought it sounded like it was under water. "Can I record this?" The doctor was focused on something and only nodded at Sam, who recorded a snippet of the heartbeat. Layla waited on bated breath for the echo of the second heartbeat that she had heard just the week prior, had gushed about to Sam over the phone. But it never came. Tears began to sting her eyes as Sam's confused look landed on her. "Baby?" "Layla, Sam. I'm so sorry. There's only one heartbeat. Sometimes this happens, most of the time it's before anyone is even aware there are two babies. We don't know what causes it. It's nothing that you have done and there's nothing you did to cause this, it's just a mystery. There's nothing that needs to be done at this point, nothing invasive, your body will know what to do at this point. I know this is terrible news and not what you guys wanted to hear today. But baby A is strong. They have a strong heartbeat, they are measuring correctly and they are healthy. Keep doing what you are doing, I'm gonna have you guys come back in a week to make sure everything is going good, okay?"

    Layla was silent as the doctor cleaned her up. Sam couldn't breathe or move, he didn't know whether to reach out and comfort her, or let her have her space. She had done everything right, changed her eating habits, started to be a hostess instead of a waitress so that she could sit more, had taken all of her vitamins, bought all of the pillows, and started sleeping in positions that though, uncomfortable, knew she wouldn't roll on her stomach. They had done everything right, Sam had even started calling her more. They were working on their relationship. He had sent food every day to make sure she was eating. Her gray eyes were dark and full of tears as she looked at him, then suddenly past him. He knew that look, she felt guilty. Guilty for something that was completely out of her control.

    "I wanna go home, Sammy." She whispered shakily. Tears sprang in his eyes as he watched her, he reached out, threading his hands in her hair, pressing their foreheads together. "We're gonna go. I'm gonna get you in the car. And I'll come back in to set up your new appointment, and I'll cancel the rest of the tour." "This is all my fault." "No, baby, no. These things happen. I researched it. There's nothing you could've done to change it." She pulled away from him harshly, sneering at him, "There's a million things I could've done and we would still have our baby." No, no, no. He couldn't lose her now. "Baby, please." "Sammy, take me home. I wanna go to bed." "I'll do anything for you." The car ride was deafening. Sam had done his research on it, it was a common thing to happen, Vanishing Twin Syndrome.