A Fighting Chance (Tom Holland AU) [2]

Twenty-One

As soon as we woke up the day after our appointment, Tom and I were both running a mile a minute day in and day out. Sure, I was pregnant, but Eternally Hunted stopped for no one at this point. As it previously had been, Tom and I only saw each other briefly at night.

That's why I was so surprised to wake up with a text from Steph at one point.

Hey, they took you off the
schedule for today at
a special request. Enjoy
your day off, babe!

Who's request?

💘

I looked over to see Tom smiling gently at me. "Happy Valentine's Day, my love."

I smiled, but then my smile fell gently. "Shit." One of the symptoms of pregnancy that I was showing was a quote-unquote "pregnancy brain," where things slipped my mind easily. It made lines a little hard, but I managed. "I completely forgot today was Valentine's Day. I didn't get you anything."

"Darling, that's perfectly okay." He pressed a kiss to my forehead, and I know he could see the tears that threatened to fall. My hormones were completely out of place with the baby, so I cried way easier than I had. "No need to cry, Grace. You're the most incredible gift I could ever get."

"Still, I feel awful." He wiped a tear as it slid down my cheek, and I took a deep breath. "Knowing you, you probably have a whole extravagant day planned. Let me make breakfast today. It's the least I can do."

"Of course, my darling." He smiled as he stood up. I was at the point of needing help getting up. As Tom helped me out of bed, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You're so beautiful this morning."

"You say that every morning." I chuckled gently, and he smiled.

"Because you're always beautiful." He whispered, and I smiled as I pressed my lips to his.

"Any request for waffles, baby?"

"Cinnamon vanilla?" He grinned, and I smiled as I gently unwrapped myself from his arms.

"Coming right up."

I wasn't quite as nimble in the kitchen as I had been in the past, but soon enough there was a fresh plate of waffles in front of each of us as we sat on the kitchen island. "How the hell did you get the producers to let each of us off today?"

"The whole 'this is our last Valentine's day without a child' bit works pretty well." He chuckled, and I smiled as I took a bite. "And you were right this morning, I do have a day planned. Most of those plans include sitting on the couch with some of our favorite movies, but I do have plans." I chuckled as he smiled.

"Sounds like a wonderful Valentine's day to me."

Tom had already lined up the movies we would be watching today, so the majority of our day was spent on the couch, just like he promised. Once the last movie finished at 4 pm, he kissed my cheek gently. "We have a reservation at that Italian place in the West End in about an hour and a half, and then we have evening tickets to The Book of Mormon after. We need to get ready."

"Tom!" I smiled gently, and he smiled as he stood.

"I said most of our plans would be on the couch." He chuckled as he helped me up, and I smiled.

"You're the best. Happy Valentine's Day." I smiled as I pressed my lips to his.

Again, after Valentine's Day, Tom and I were incredibly busy and only saw each other at home. One night at the end of March, we were sitting in bed playing on our phones as rain fell outside. As I was holding my phone to his face to show him a meme I found, a loud clap of thunder filled my ears. I took a deep breath, and the next thing I knew, Tom had me pulled into his arms. "I've got you, darling." He whispered, and I took a deep breath.

"I know, baby. It just never gets any easier. I know it's an irrational fear, but still."

"Grace, I have an irrational fear of ladders. I understand." I chuckled at that, remembering fondly when Tom told me about his fear of ladders. Not heights, just ladders. "And I'm sure that when our baby girl comes, she'll understand too." He pushed some hair away from my face before pressing his lips to my forehead.

"I love you." I smiled gently.

"I love you too."

The next day, we were filming the scene where my character gave birth--they had progressed her pregnancy faster than mine.

Because they were in hiding, it was dangerous for Mary to give birth in a hospital and risk their identities being discovered, so William was helping her deliver in the woods.

"Just push! You can do this, love. I believe in you."

"It hurts, William! You know, I don't think I wanna do this now."

"We're too far in now, Mary. You have to get through this. I've got you."

As I pretended to push, I inhaled sharply. I could feel a sudden pain in my abdomen, and the next thing I knew, there was something running down my leg. "We need to stop."

Ryan looked confused for a split second because that wasn't in the script, but the director had told me to take some creative liberty with the scene, so he rolled with that. "Love, you're going to be just fine. You can do this."

"No, I can't. I'm in labor."

"Yes you are, dear, and you can get through this."

"No. My water just broke, Ryan. We need to stop." I sent him a serious look, and his eyes widened along with everyone else's in the room. "Steph!"

"Stop rolling!" The cameras were all powered off at the producer's call, and I could see Steph running toward me.

"Call Harrison and tell him what's going on, and they need to get Tom off the set. The two of them need to meet us at the hospital."

"Of course, love." Ryan was still holding my hand from the scene, and I looked back at him as she pulled out her phone.

"You're with me until I go to the hospital, right?" He nodded, rubbing my hand gently.

I could see the fear in everyone's eyes, and I knew exactly why they were scared. Hell, I was petrified too.

My due date was nine weeks away.

Thoughts?