Finding Grace

Andy POV

"Thank you guys!" I called with a laugh, waving at the adrenaline-pumped crowd as we finished our set.
I glanced back at the guys, seeing their tired faces; Warped really took its toll on you, having to perform almost every day.
I could only imagine how Leah did it.
I took a step back, and went to replace the mic on the stand when someone grabbed me, whirling me around.
I stared at Chris, seeing him hissing something, and it took me a moment to register what he was saying.
"Leah?" I gasped, feeling fear shoot through me, and I dropped the mic and bolted from the stage.
Leah! I thought frantically, running like a bat out of hell through people as I tried to reach her.
I heard an anguished wail, and my eyes dead centered the ambulance, Vale and Kellin standing at the doors, everyone else looking on, worried expressions on their faces.
Vale pressed her hands against her mouth.
"Leah!" I cried, sliding to a stop in the gravel and nearly falling. I scrambled hastily into the ambulance just as the paramedic slammed the door, and Leah reached for me, sobbing.
"Shh, shh," I whispered, holding her tightly in my arms, her fingers freezing against my skin, just warmed by the sun. My eyes flicked to her jeans, seeing blood staining them, though not enough where it was drenched.
My gut tightened.
She hissed, nearly bolting upright in pain, clutching her baby bump.
"Honey, breathe," the woman told her. "You gotta breathe! Take a deep breath--- good girl, now exhale as it goes away. Very good."
"What's wrong with my baby?" Leah gasped, sweat pouring down her face.
"It looks like you're having preterm labor," the guy hesitated. "But we don't know until we get you to the hospital."
"I'm only five months," she gasped. "I can't be!"
The paramedics just looked at each other, and Leah moaned, pressing her head against my chest and sobbing. I tensed, clenching my jaw as I stroked her hair, trying to soothe her.
"Shh, angel, everything is gonna be fine. The babys gonna be fine." I whispered, but I wasn't sure she even heard me, let alone believed me.
I wasn't sure I believed me.
We arrived at the hospital and they rushed her out, she refusing to let go of me and screaming at them when they tried to make her.
I ran with them down the hallways until she lost her grip on me, the nurse forcing me to stay behind as they rushed her back between swinging doors.
Leah!
I paced the emergency room, worry and fear liking to drive me crazy.
What was happening? Could they help? Why was she going into labor so early? if she thought something was wrong why didn't she say so!
"Fuck!" I ran my hands through my hair, my chest tight.
Please let the baby be okay, I prayed for the first time in years. Let Leah be okay. Please, God, let them be okay.
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the way everyone kept looking at mr as I paced the length of the ER.
God dammit what was taking so long? What was WRONG?
I strode to the nurses desk. "Can I get an update on Leah Kabinov? They brought her in almost an hour ago!"
The woman stared at me a moment, taking in my paint smeared appearance before nodding. "I'll go check, you stay right here, sir," she told me, hopping to her feet and hurrying away.
I drummed my fingers, agitated.
"Andy!"
I turned, seeing my band and Leahs rushing toward me from the door.
"Where is she?" Vale asked, her voice higher then normal with worry. "Is zhr okay? What's happening?"
"I dunno, the lady just left to get an update." I ran my hand through my hair again.
Please. Please let them be okay.
"She was bleeding so badly I thought, I thought ---." Tears rose in Vales eyes, and CC slipped his arms around her shoulders, comforting her.
"I'm sure everything is fine," Jimxx told us, trying for calm. "Probably just a minor complication. They would tell us if ---."
The swinging doors suddenly burst open, and a woman strode through, looking upset.
"Which one of you is Leah Kabinovs husband?" she demanded, and for a moment, I almost didn't want to tell her.
What if it was bad news? What if she lost the baby? What if she ----.
"Well?" the woman hissed, causing all of us to jump.
I reluctantly raised my hand.
"Thank god! If she screams at me in Russian one more time she can get a different doctor!" the woman bitched, grabbing my arm and dragging me in behind her.
"Is she okay?" I asked worriedly. "What about the baby?"
"They're going to be fine," she sighed, her painful grip loosening. "We managed to stop the contractions for the time being, but we're going to need to keep her for several days under observation. And after that she'll need to be on bedrest for the rest of her pregnancy."
"Did you tell her that?"
"That's when she started screaming in Russian," she huffed, finally stopping by a room. She knocked lightly, then opened the door.
I hesitated, seeing Leah propped up against a bunch of pillows, her gray and tear stained. Her eyes were still angry and spitting fire when she looked at the door, but they softened as they saw me.
"Andy!" she reached for me, and I strode to her side, taking her hand and automatically pressing it to my lips.
"Hey, angel." I stroked the tears off her face. "It's gonna be okay."
Leahs lips trembled.
"Now, as I was telling your husband," the doctor sounded miffed as she shut the door and strode in front of the bed.. "You're going to have to stay on bedrest. Your body became too stressed from the constant activity, and you were severely dehydrated. We're going to keep you for a couple days to ensure you don't have anymore contractions."
"So Warped is done," she sighed.
"Completely. I suggest going home immediately and getting straight to bed as soon as you're released." the doctor said sternly. "It is in you and the babys best interest, understand?"
"Da," Leah muttered.
The doctor sighed, spoke for a few more minutes, and then left the room.
Leah pressed her face into my shoulder, sniffling.
"I thought I almost lost her," she sniffled, and I sat on the bed, holding her tightly.
"You didn't, she's fine," I told her softly, stroking her hair. "We'll leave as soon as they discharge you, okay? I'll take you straight home."
"You can't leave Warped too!" she protested, shaking her head. "It only has a few weeks and ---."
"No one will even miss us," I told her. "We're not that big of a deal. And you can't be home alone, okay? Plus we have a lot of baby stuff to buy!"
I tried to perk her up.
"We still have to buy a bed, and some bed stuff, and diapers, and ---," what the hell else did it need? "That little spinny thing you hang over the crib to make it go to sleep! You'll be so busy you won't even realize you've never left the couch."
She chuckled slightly, and sighed, looking down at her stomach through the hospital gown. She slipped her hand over her bump, which honestly had started to surpass the word in size.
But if I called it anything else she would freak out about her weight again and be even more self conscious, and I was trying hard not to say anything to upset her.
"All the guys are in the waiting room," I sighed, cuddled up to her. "Vale even started to cry she was so worried."
"She always cries when she's really worried," Leah mumbled, her eyes drifting shut.
I chuckled, pressing my lips to her forehead.
I started to sing to her softly, and she nuzzled closer, soothed by my voice, and it wasn't long until she was sleeping peacefully.
I sighed, slipping my arms around her and laying my hand on her stomach.
"Hey, baby," I said softly, feeling a little foolish. "You be good to your mommy, okay? You had us both worried."
How lame was I right now?
But they said that babies could hear you in the womb at an early age, which didn't comfort me too much as much as Leah and I had fought in the beginning.
But that was done now.
I wanted to treat her like a princess, just like I would our little girl.
I'd been disappointed initially, but the squeezing fear in my chest had made me realize how much I didn't care about the gender.
This was my child, and I would protect it at all costs.

Notes

Well, maybe Andy will be stepping up his daddytobe game after this!