Tale as Old as Time

Chapter 28

You know what absolutely sucks? Being pregnant in Atlanta in Summer. I swear, any time I stepped outside I burst into flames. I spent a lot of time just in the hotel in the pool by myself. Or in my room working. Talking with Gaby and Jullien while we worked through data and wrote papers to be submitted to journals.

I visited the doctor regularly. My doctors had decided it was better for my stress if I had regular reassurance that things were going fine. It did help and things did go okay. But I did still have that nagging bit of anxiety every appointment that this time was the time things weren't going to be alright. It meant my blood pressure was going slightly haywire. It was high at the start of appointments and normal at the end.

I wasn't constantly alone though. Not by a long shot. Civil War was basically this closed community of people who thought of themselves as family. The hotel, which was really more lavish serviced apartments owned by the studio was where everyone lived. So there were many wives and children of the cast around all the time. The Downey's moved their whole house over and had dogs and cats and kids.

It was an interesting experience but everyone was so nice and so accepting. We just became this big extended family. They just dragged me in as one of them and were determined to look after me. I think Scarlett and Robert both knew the troubles Chris and I had had in the past and were determined to make me take it easy. Romain and Susan would invite me to things or drop in with the kids quite a lot. I got quite used to working surrounded by noise and children. And there were so many kids around. It was a little crazy but I loved it.

It was in those moments; surrounded by children and people talking and mess and sound, while I could still work, I felt really at peace. This is what I had to look forward to. Mess, noise and chaos. It felt great. I loved that I was still able to get my work done even with all that happening around me. I could keep up with the kids and the talk and still do my work. I can't even tell you how great that felt.

Chris injured himself on set a few weeks in. He did something to his upper arm doing some helicopter stunt. He freaked out so much.

"What if I can't hold our baby?" He asked as I rubbed his arm.

"You're going to be able to hold the baby," I assured him.

He groaned. "I've seriously hurt it though, Em. Fuck. I'm such a fuckin' idiot. Why did I do that?"

I kissed him softly. "You're a perfectionist."

"Stupid fuck, more like it." He grumbled.

"You're not going to not be able to hold your baby. For starters look you have a perfectly good arm here." I said squeezing his other bicep. "And secondly, by the time they're here, you'll be fine."

He kissed me and sighed. I don't think he was quite convinced.

"I hope it was worth it." I teased when he pulled apart.

Chris nodded. "Looks really fuckin' good. I think people are gonna like it."

I raised my eyebrows. "Will I like it?"

He chuckled and flexed his bicep. "I dunno. Do you like this?"

I pulled a disgusted face. "I mean... It doesn't suck I supposed."

Chris laughed and pulled me into a headlock, ruffling my hair.

When I reached 20 weeks we had the whole abnormalities check up I was losing my fucking mind. Chris was trying to be calm for me. I know he was a little scared too. He was also super excited because I was showing now and we could find out the sex. It was very, very difficult for him to just be calm.