Not Alone Any More {Chase Elliott || Sequel to Only the Lonely} ✔️

bonus.

"you're almost done," chase squeezed kathryn claire's hand. "you're doing amazing. just a few more pushes."

kathryn claire couldn't help but shoot a glare at her husband. it was easy for him to give her encouragement when he didn't have to endure any of this. logically, she knew her long and hard labor wasn't his fault and neither was her failed epidural. but she was so not in the mood for chase's encouragement.

"on this contraction, we're going to push again. remember, it's three sets for ten seconds each. i can see her head. looks like she's got a head full of dark hair." the nurse smiled at her. "you can do this."

kathryn claire nodded slowly, steadying her breathing and waiting for the next contraction to start. the familiar wave of pain started and kathryn claire pushed, engaging every muscle that she had, trying to will this baby out of her. all she wanted was to hold her precious daughter, the one that she had been dreaming of holding for so long.

when chase and kathryn claire decided that they were ready to expand their family, it was exciting. it was fun. but as the months dragged on, the negative pregnancy tests piled up, the fun was replaced with anxiety and terror that the family they had dreamed of would never be.

then came the doctor's appointments, the tests to try and see if the doctors could pinpoint why they hadn't been able to conceive. those tests had been inconclusive so next, they tried different fertility drugs, hoping that they'd get something to stick.

after countless negative pregnancy tests, they were finally rewarded with two pink lines only to have that ripped away from them a few days later. that hurt kathryn claire the most because as she kept getting negative pregnancy tests, she couldn't help but wonder -- obsess really about where she would've been in that pregnancy.

they finally got the go-ahead to start ivf. more tests, daily injections, the constant worry. this was supposed to be a happy and fun time and instead, it was stressful. on the outside, chase and kathryn claire looked like they had it all -- chase's career had really taken off and he had won two more championships and kathryn claire had been steadily working her way up the ranks for team penske on the number twelve team. when she had graduated, hendrick motorsports didn't have a spot for her but penske did. as much as she hated to be on an opposing team, chase had given his blessing -- telling her that she needed to chase her dream too. while nobody had ever explicitly said it, kathryn claire knew she was in line to be ryan's crew chief.

people with good intentions would ask when they were going to start a family and every time, they'd hide their pain and give a generic answer. this was their private struggle -- chase has always been private and he had asked kathryn claire if they could keep this private too. she had understood, thankful for the support of the select few that she had been able to confide in.

but by some miracle, the ivf had worked on their first try.

some people who do ivf choose what sex they want but chase and kathryn claire had decided to not know ahead of time so they could experience as much of normal pregnancy as possible.

luckily, once kathryn claire managed to get pregnant, everything had been smooth sailing. morning sickness had been minimal and while she had to take a nap every day after work, kathryn claire felt good. their dreams for a family were coming true and there was no better feeling than that.

at their twenty week ultrasound, they found out they were having a baby girl. kathryn claire had been nervous that chase would be disappointed but the instant wide grin on chase's face told her otherwise.

her name hadn't been much of a discussion either, an unspoken agreement that their daughter would share her name with the grandmother that she would never get to meet.

cynthia grace.

as the weeks ticked on, the anticipation grew, both of them practically giddy as they watched kathryn claire's belly grow, their daughter's kicks growing stronger every day.

the nursery had been decorated, kathryn claire's bags had been packed so all they had to do was wait. with every twinge of pain, her hopes soared that it was time. her due date came and passed to no avail.

strong, shooting, unmistakeable pain woke kathryn claire up that was quickly followed by a gush of wet. thus began the mad scramble to the hospital.

but once they got there, her labor had stalled. it had turned into the most painful waiting game. but finally, it had been time to push.

tiny cries pierced the sterile air as their daughter was placed on her chest.

chase leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "you did it, baby. she is perfect."

kathryn claire nodded, studying the tiny creature as the nurses swirled around her. but none of that mattered, all that mattered was that her daughter was here and they were both safe. "she has your looks, that's for sure." kathryn claire told her husband, chuckling a little bit. "she's the luckiest little girl."

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a soft knock sounded through the room, followed by ryan with a big bouquet of pink daisies. "i can't believe she's finally here." ryan set the flowers down on the window sill. "do you mind if i hold her."

kathryn claire nodded, handing the swaddled baby to ryan who carefully set down in the rocking chair next to the bed. kathryn claire turned her attention towards the tentative figure in the doorway. "emery, come in here and see her too."

emery's face lit up as she walked through the hospital room. "i didn't want to impose." she and ryan had only been dating for a few months but she had quickly become one of kathryn claire's best friends. she was the sweetest person, the perfect half to complete ryan. chase and ryan's friendship had fully recovered and their bond was stronger than ever. through all their hours at the shop together, kathryn claire had grown close to ryan too,  and now she thought of ryan more like a part of their family than chase's friend or ever her coworker.

"you're a part of our family now." kathryn claire reassured her.

"she is beautiful," emery leaned over ryan's shoulder. "i am so happy for you." she looked up at kathryn claire, knowing all of the heartache that it had taken to get to this moment.

"cynthia grace," ryan cooed as the tiny baby opened her eyes a little. "it's me, your favorite person in the whole wide world."

"we'll see about that," chase scoffed as he stepped back into the room, handing kathryn claire a bag of food from panera. "she's a total daddy's girl already."

ryan chuckled a little, "we'll see about that the first time you tell her no and uncle ryan is there to save the day."

kathryn claire listened and laughed at the two men bickering back and forth, her daughter nestled in ryan's arms, emery looking over his shoulder at her. every time she thought it couldn't get better, that she couldn't be happier — she was always proven wrong.

kathryn claire's heart swelled as a thought rang through her mind like a bell:

this was it, her family was complete.