Fate || BENNIFER

Calm

Jennifer's P.O.V

The sky was painted with the first hues of purples and pinks as the sun slowly rose on cue for us to step out of the front door. Ben held me tightly as we made our way to the car in the driveway, carrying the hospital bag, swinging it over his shoulder as we walked.

He went to the back of the car and placed the bag inside, making sure nothing was forgotten. As he closed the trunk, he walked around to the passenger side of the car to open the door.

"Hold on, let me help you." He said with a gentle smile.

I nodded, leaning on him as he guided me into the car. He reached across my body and helped me with my seatbelt, making sure it was securely fastened. He then walked around to the driver's side, opened the door, sat down, and started the car.

As Ben drove down the driveway, we grew tense as we started to spot flashes of camera lights coming from outside the gate. We knew the paparazzi were always waiting for us, but we didn't expect to see such a swarm of them. It was like they sensed that something was about to happen.

"Please, give us some space." Ben rolled down the window to address the photographers.

I reclined in my seat and took a deep breath as the paparazzi ignored his request. The urgency of the situation was not lost on any of us. But we were no strangers to paparazzi, so we tried to remain calm.

He tried to inch forward, but they kept jostling each other so that they could get closer to the vehicle. We knew it was only the beginning of the media circus that was for sure to follow once we left the gates. He inched the car forward once more, but they continued to block our way.

"Please, have some respect. We're trying to get to the hospital." He implored the crowd.

The mood outside started to shift, and a few of the paparazzi stepped back, giving the vehicle some breathing space.

Finally, Ben was able to pull the car forward, breaking through the throng of paparazzi and getting on the road.

He looked over at me, his hand landed on my thigh and my muscle tensed under his touch. The pressure of the seatbelt was starting to feel like a suffocating blanket.

"I need to take this off." I said struggling to catch my breath.

"No, no, no..." He replied quickly. "We're almost there. Just a few more minutes."

"Ben." I gasped out. "I can't breathe."

"Okay, try to adjust it. Loosen it a little." He said. "Not completely, just make sure it's not too tight."

As we approached the parking lot of the hospital, we were relieved not to see any paparazzi in the area. Ben parked and helped me out of the passenger seat. He grabbed the bag from the trunk as I leaned on the car for support.

"Do you want to take the elevator?" He asked, and I immediately refused.

"I don't want to get stuck with a chance of giving birth in an elevator." I replied.

He chuckled at my response, reassuring me that there was no way we could get stuck in the elevator.

"I thought elevators were our thing." He said, and I frowned at his playful response.

"Let's find the stairs." I said looking at him with a half-smile.

"I guess the stairs can be our new thing." He joked.

We made our way to the seventh floor, taking our time on each landing as my contractions were increasing in frequency. It was a crazy choice, but I wasn't going to take that risk. When we arrived at the maternity ward, a group of nurses greeted us with warm smiles. My doctor took the lead, guiding us through the hallways towards the birthing suite that had been prepared for us. I couldn't feel more comfortable with the team. They had prepared everything for the delivery, working in sync with my doctor to ensure the best possible outcome.