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#the dirt and distress SO lovingly rendered!
theetwinkleboy · 2 months
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midnxghtsunwrites · 4 years
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“ IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT ”
PAIRING —
andy barber x black! pregnant! reader
SUMMARY —
y/n knew something was wrong the moment she woke up with blood soaked sheets and a tightness in her chest.
WARNINGS —
this imagine will contain possibly extremely triggering content such as mentions of infertility, pregnancy irregularities, loss of pregnancy ( stillborn pregnancy ) , explicit language, sadness, and possible anxiety & depression under the cut
proceed with caution, viewer discretion is advised.
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IT wasn't the cool draft of breeze flowing from the vent or the soft hum of the AC that woke you up from your sleep. It wasn't Andy shifting on his side of the bed or the loftiness of your two pillows or the fact that your bonnet slid off during the night.
What made you stir was the long forgotten sensation of something running down your inner thigh — the sinking feeling in your belly. Of course, you've felt it before when you were far from pregnant and set to start your period. Usually, however, you would have a gut feeling the night before which often prompted you to wear a pad to bed.
Tonight was different.
You stuck to just panties as pajamas since pregnancy made you hot when you're supposed to be cold and cold when you're supposed to be hot.
When you switch on the lamp on your side of the bed, Andy is spurred awake by the snap of the switch and the sudden influx of light. Since he was laying flat on his back, he just turns his head to look at you with squinted eyes, still adjusting to the brightness.
He furrows his eyebrows as he takes in the look of worry on your face. He knows you well enough to see that you're freaking out internally.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He begins to sit up, "Is it the baby?"
You don't want to look. You don't want to give yourself less faith than you already have. You can't look.
You've already endured years and years of being told that you would never have a child — and the one moment of happiness you got when you found out you were pregnant with your husband's baby is being stripped away. Just like that.
"I think I'm bleeding." Your voice shakes as you speak.
Andy was always the level-headed one in the relationship. Five years of being together and three years of marriage taught you that. You've seen him through his highest highs and lowest lows — lost cases and cases that kept him up at nights. But you have never seen him so panicked at something you said.
Even though his body language screams alarm, his voice is level and calm. "Okay, let's go to the hospital. I'll call ahead."
You nod, squeezing your eyes shut in frustration, "Okay." You whisper.
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THE gel is cold against your stomach, shocking you into reality. You listen for the sound of your baby's heartbeat — the one that will let you know that everything is okay.
Everyone seems to be frozen as your gynecologist shifts the wand along your smooth bump. When the room is deathly silent, the only sound to be heard is your heavy exhale, Andy shakes his head, distress on his face.
"What does this..." He can't even finish his sentence. You squeeze your eyes shut. "Why can't we hear a heartbeat?"
Dr. Moore gives her patients sympathetic glances — this is the last thing she would ever wish on any woman. "I'm sorry, Andy, Y/N. It seems... Your baby doesn't have a heartbeat."
It felt like you were struck by an entire planet. Your thought maybe you didn't hear her properly. "What?"
The doctor bows her head in shame, "I am very sorry. Your baby died in utero a couple of hours ago."
Her words seem to be blocked out as you shake you head profusely. You can't breathe, you can't see, you can't even function. You felt it.
"This cannot be happening." You mumble under your breath. This doesn't feel real. Your cheeks are stained with tears at the news.
Andy is by your side, running a hand over your hair that you barely managed to pull back before you entered the hospital. He's holding back tears, but watching you break was enough for him to allow a tear to roll down his red face.
"I'm going to give you guys some time. A nurse will be in soon to discuss your options with you. I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Barber." Dr. Moore reiterates one final time before leaving you to grieve.
When she closes the door behind her, you take no time to grab on to Andy's hand and curl into him. He rests his hand on the back of your head as you sob into his shoulder.
"I know, baby. I know. I'm right here."
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ANDREW was right there when the doctors induced your labor. He was right there when you had to endure a painful delivery to your baby girl. Your beautiful baby girl. He was there when you held her for the first and last time. He was there for the next week when you'd decided to stay in the hospital, needing time to come to terms with how quickly everything happened.
With just a picture of her captivating face as a memento, you guys went home. Without your baby.
You felt frozen — stuck in your mind, thinking of what it would've been like had things gone differently. You would be walking in your house with a car seat and a sleeping or babbling baby, a wide smile on your face. Andy would've been absolutely amazed at what you two had made.
Now? You don't even know how you walked out of the hospital or into the house without breaking down and getting yourself admitted into psych.
You're fixed to the threshold of the door — you couldn't move even if you wanted to, struck by a sudden wave of melancholy. All you can think of is the talks you and Andy had about your shared excitement.
"Honey." Andy's voice draws you back to earth. He's stood behind you, going through his own tide of emotions.
He couldn't even imagine the toll this is having on you.
You close your eyes and lean forward, the palms of your hands pressing against the door jamb. "I just need a minute."
"Okay." Andy nods in understanding, resorting to rubbing your back, gingerly.
Moments pass before you finally step into the house, your breathing shallow with anticipation. Andrew is close behind you, eyeing you cautiously and lovingly. He just wants to hold you, but he knows you need some time to yourself.
That's why he simply nods when you suggest that you should go take a shower and lay down.
"I'll make you some food." He tells you.
Your footsteps seem to echo against the walls seeing as you kept your shoes on. You weren't sure you had the energy to care about tracking dirt inside.
Entering the bedroom, you're overwhelmed with a surge of anger and disappointment.
The bed hadn't been touched since the night you went to the hospital and now you can see the sheet is strewn in the center of the mattress, a pool of long-since dried blood staring at you — "Fuck," You run a hand through your matted hair.
Part of you gets to scrubbing because how else would you take the nap you told Andy about? The other part wants to scrub away the reminder of that night. The panic and pure fear in your veins — in Andy's.
On your knees, sleeves rolled up, and fatigue ramming through you like a train, you attempt to wash away the painful memory. No matter how much elbow grease you put into it, the stain doesn't budge.
Thoughts flood your mind — is this a punishment? Am I getting punished for all the harmless things I've done in my life?
You press down further, sinking the springs in the mattress. The frustration is clear in your gaze — exasperated sighs escaping you. You're so caught up in your action that you don't even realize when a loud and defeated wail renders you a sobbing mess.
You don't hear Andy run up the stairs at the sound and stand at the door, eyebrows furrowed in worry and tenderness. He watches you for a second as you hunch forward and hit your hands against the bed in anger.
"I'm so sorry," You cry to no one in particular, "I should've known something or done something — I should've taken more care of you."
Tears gather in your husband's eyes as he hears your words. He wastes no time in stepping towards you and resting a hand on your shoulder. You flinch slightly, not expecting Andy to have heard you.
You can't even look at him, so disappointed and ashamed of yourself that you can't gather the courage to look your husband in the eye.
"Y/N, come here." He gently goads you to stand, his hand warm on your shoulder. When you rise to your feet, Andy pulls you into him, not caring about the snot or tears that transfer from your face to his t-shirt. He rubs a hand down your back and another over your hair and sniffles, "Don't you dare blame yourself for what happened. It wasn't your fault."
In that moment, his words meant nothing to you. They just drowned under the grief you were experiencing. It was only during the silent night when you two were laying on the couch of the living room after dumping your mattress that you realized how much his words meant to you.
With your head resting on his chest, you crane your neck up and gaze at him, watching as he stares up at the ceiling in thought.
"Andrew?" You whisper, voice cracking after hours of weeping.
He shifts his gaze to you, giving you his full attention. "Hmm?"
You take in his blue eyes which have seemed to lose its sparkle. "I love you."
He presses a sweet kiss to your lips, layered in salty tears, "I love you too."
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