Natalie arrived home from dinner that night feeling great- for the first time in months she felt like her old self again. She was happy and had a great group of friends who had really rallied around her in her darkest hour, and for them she was grateful.
She quickly changed for bed, washed her face and laid out her scrubs for the next days work- usually she would soak in a warm bubble bath and read but since she had stayed out at dinner longer than expected she hurried to get through her night time routine.
2:30 am
Natalie is awoken abruptly by the feeling of warmth between her legs- she hadn't experienced any contractions and it was 4 weeks before her due date so labor was the last thing she expected- "Great, I've now successfully lost complete control of my bladder and wet the damn bed" she thought to herself. She sluggishly got up to make her way to the restroom when it hit her- a sudden sharp crippling pain in her pelvis, excruciating tightness throughout her abdomen that made her drop to her knees, "oh god, this can't be happening, not right now" she said quietly as she tried to regain the air that seemed to escape her lungs..."breathe Natalie....deep...breaths....in...out" she repeated to herself as she kneeled on the floor next to her bed...she knew she needed to get to the hospital and fast, she took one more deep breath and slowly made her way back to her feet, the pain eased enough for her to get her hospital bag and cell phone from the bedroom and make her way into the living room of her townhome. "Oh god not again" she said as the pain hit 10x stronger than before and she dropped abruptly to her knees, "Fuck, there's no way I can drive right now" she thought to herself.
Will is awoken by the very familiar sound of Natalie's ringtone on his cell- he looked at the time 2:37am and knew something must be wrong for her to be calling at this hour.
"Hello?? Natalie?? Is everything ok?"
"Uhm...*breathing heavily* Will my water broke a little while ago and the labor seems to be progressing quickly...I'm sorry to wake you, I was going to drive myself but *ahh..deep breaths*"
"Nat, stay on the line I'll be there in 3 minutes"
"Thank you Will"
"Just breathe, everything is going to be ok, I'll be there soon"
Will arrived to Natalie's in record time and found her lying in the floor of her living room grasping at her belly and taking long deep breaths, he could tell she was trying to put on a brave face for him.
"Thank god" Nat said when she saw him enter
"You can call me Will" he responded, a sly grin across his face
Natalie smiled and rolled her eyes as he made his way across the room to her.
"You ready to go?" Will asked her as he scooped up her bag and helped her to her feet
"Ready as I'll ever be I suppose" she grinned back at him
Will helped her into his car and the two set off to Chicago med. Even though she had not a drop of makeup on, soaking wet leggings from her water breaking and an oversized T-shirt on, Will still caught himself staring at her in the passenger seat of his car and thinking to himself that he had never seen a more beautiful woman.
