Maybe he shouldn’t take advantage of Gavin’s kindness like that, but he really, really did not want to have a conversation that could potentially lead to him losing the only constant in his life at the moment.
He still pretty much lived in Gavin’s apartment and curled up in Gavin’s arms to sleep, but other than that they didn’t really talk, or at least they didn’t talk about anything important.
Half of him, and that half tended to speak in his brothers voice, told Connor that he was being stupid. There was no way that Gavin would have stuck around this long, and throughout the ups and downs of Connor’s pregnancy, if Gavin hadn’t felt the same way. At the same time there was the continual nagging feeling, right or wrong, that Gavin didn’t know what he was actually getting into and that he wouldn’t want to be around Connor once the baby was actually born.
It was stressing Connor out, and he knew that he needed to get himself together and actually talk to Gavin. It wouldn’t even take much effort on Connor’s end, all he had to do was stop dodging Gavin’s attempts to bring it up in conversation.
The stress was bad enough that it was starting to get to Connor. He knew that he had done this to himself out of his own stubbornness, but that didn’t make having to go home early from work because he was dizzy and nauseous any better.
Connor had even had to walk back because he didn’t trust himself to drive.
When he was half way back to Gavin’s apartment, Connor’s phone pinged and he looked at the screen to see ‘We need to talk when I get home.’ blinking up at him on the screen.
Connor’s stomach sank as he read the words. Had Gavin finally gotten sick of Connor and his lack of communication? That’s what it sure felt like.
Connor didn’t know what to do with himself. ‘We need to talk’ was never a good sign, and Gavin was working a late shift that night. He wouldn’t be home before dark, which just left Connor more time to stew in his own stress.
He knew that he could just call Gavin, but he wanted to do this, whatever this was, in person.
The dizziness stopped but the nausea just got worse. It didn’t help that Connor’s stomach was cramping.
Sitting around just made Connor focus on how upset and uncomfortable he was, and he began to stress clean the kitchen. At least he could bring some amount of order back into his life. He had just begun to put all of the dishes away when the door opened up.
Connor’s head automatically snapped in that direction and he saw Gavin come through the door.
The alpha had a light dusting of flour in his hair that normally Connor would have found endearing, but right now he was just irritated. Connor felt sick, he was in pain, and Gavin wanted to talk, but he couldn’t even bring himself to look halfway decent.
Gavin took a step towards Connor and Connor scowled. If Gavin was going to break up with him he needed to just go ahead and get it over with.
Connor wasn’t quite sure when his mind had decided to settle on that for what exactly must be happening, but in the moment it made sense.
Everything had been too good to be true, Connor hadn’t thought that he would get a second chance at love after Theo and he had been right. Gavin was going to break up with him and Connor was going to be alone, far away from his family, with a baby.
Maybe it was time for him to leave D.C. and go back to Denver, maybe…
Connor’s thoughts just kept racing. In the back of his mind he knew that he was over reacting and being unreasonable, but he just couldn’t stop.
Gavin must have seen something in Connor’s expression because he took a step back, and a frown flashed across his face.
“Connor, I…” Gavin looked concerned and his voice was filled with worry. That wasn’t exactly the face of someone who was about to dump Connor, but suddenly that was the last thing on Connor’s mind.
A wave of pain washed over Connor and he gripped tightly onto the chair next to him in order to stay upright.
“You should sit down.” Gavin rushed over to Connor and made as if he was going to help Connor into the chair.
Connor reached out a hand to stop Gavin, he didn’t want to be touched right now, but he stumbled and only Gavin’s quick reflexes kept him upright.
Connor began to say something, but a wave of pain washed through him and he doubled over. Something wet poured out of him and he looked up at Gavin in horror.
It was far too early, his due date wasn’t for another three weeks, but apparently the baby had other plans.
“I’m going into labor.” Connor managed to whisper.
CHAPTER 13 - GAVIN
GAVIN HAD BEEN expecting to feel a lot of emotions. Disappointment if Connor didn’t view their relationship the same way, shame at not communicating well enough to put them in this position in the first place, excitement if Connor wanted to officially take their relationship in an even more serious and permanent direction.
What he was not expecting in the slightest was the absolute terror that washed through him when Connor looked up at him with tears in the corner of his eyes and said those four words.
“I’m going into labor.”
He had known that it was getting close to Connor’s due date, but knowing that Connor was going to give birth soon and the actual reality of it were two entirely different things.
In the moment, Gavin hadn’t taken a moment to think. He had grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch, wrapped Connor up in it, and scooped the omega up.
Connor had wrapped his arms around Gavin’s neck almost on instinct and buried his face in Gavin’s shoulder. Gavin just wrapped his arms tighter around Connor. He couldn’t drop him, not now.
“I’m taking you to the hospital.” Gavin said, probably unnecessarily. It was a struggle to keep his voice calm and his head clear, but he had to be strong for Connor. The omega was obviously freaking out and Gavin didn’t want to make it any worse.
Connor didn’t reply, but Gavin could feel him nod.
The drive to the hospital only took a few minutes in reality, but to Gavin it felt like it took hours. It must have felt even longer for Connor.
It had been a normal pregnancy and everything had gone well so far, but the entire way, Gavin could not get his mind off of what could go wrong.
They could lose the baby, he could lose Connor.
The thought terrified him.
Gavin burst through the hospital doors with Connor in his arms. A nurse immediately rushed to him.
“What’s wrong, is he hurt?” She said, worry evident in her voice.
“He’s going into labor.” Gavin grit out, knowing that this wouldn’t be the first time they were held up, “It’s premature.”
The nurse immodestly said something that Gavin couldn’t catch, and within moments another nurse rushed out with a rolling bed.
“Put him here.” The nurse instructed calmly.
The moment that Gavin put Connor down they began to whisk him away. Gavin made to follow but the nurse stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm.
“Are you the father? Or a relative?” She asked. Her voice was firm but her eyes were kind. Gavin knew that she was just following protocol, not intentionally trying to keep him away.
“I’m the father.” Gavin said, without a moment’s hesitation.
The baby wasn’t his by blood, but he or she would be his in every way that mattered.
That was, if Connor still wanted Gavin in his life. That was still up in limbo.
With the way that Connor had been avoiding him, and the way that Connor had looked at him earlier, Gavin wasn’t sure.
All he knew for now was that he could do his best to be there for Connor and the baby, he and Connor could unravel the tangled mess that was their relationship after Connor and the baby were in the clear.
The nurse smiled and said something that Gavin couldn’t actually hear over the pounding of blood in his ears, but she motioned for him to come with her and Gavin followed her through a set of double doors and down a hallway.
/>
They walked until they reached a door that looked just like any of the others, but the nurse stopped and turned to Gavin. “Wait here.” She said, and gestured to a group of chairs that lined the wall across from the door.
She slipped into the room and left Gavin outside alone.
For the first time since Gavin walked through the door of his apartment nearly an hour ago, Gavin took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. Everything way okay, everything was going to be okay.
A stray thought ran through his head, and Gavin jolted upright.
Shit, he should probably call Connor’s family. They weren’t supposed to come down for another week.
Gavin pulled out his phone, but immediately realized that he didn’t have anyone’s number.
Wait.
He had grabbed Connor’s phone off the table before they had left Gavin’s apartment. He could use Connor’s phone to call, he had to have their numbers stored in there somewhere.
Connor had told him at one point but he wasn’t sure if he remembered.
5534, no, that wasn’t it.
5634, no, still not it.
5684, the phone vibrated angrily in his hand.
Gavin grit his teeth. Come on…
Connor would want his family here but there was no way that Gavin was going to ask Connor to call while he was in labor unless he absolutely had to.
Gavin had to either figure out the combination soon or wait until Connor was done giving birth.
5654.
The phone opened up and Gavin breathed a sigh of relief.
He went straight to the phone application, and one recent notification caught his eye immediately. There was a missed call from Leon, that was Connor’s brother.
Gavin frantically hit the redial, and grit his teeth while the phone rang.
Come on, come on.
Pick up, pick up.
Gavin was about to give up and try someone else when there was a crackle on the other end of the line that meant that someone had answered.
“Did you tell him?” A vaguely familiar voice said. Gavin had briefly met Leon at the disastrous wedding and that must be him. “How did it…”
“It’s Gavin. Connor went into labor.” Gavin cut right to the chase, there was no time to mess around.
There was dead silence on the other line for a moment before there was a string of very explicit swearing.
“Fuck.” Gavin heard, and the phone sounded like it was being put down. He could hear a louder “FUCK.” In the background, and a “Hey, Jase, I need to go, like, now.”
It took a moment before Leon was back.
“Sorry about that.” He said. “I’m booking a flight now. Have you told my parents yet?”
Gavin shook his head before remembering that Leon couldn’t see him. “No.” He said, trying to keep his voice calm. “You’re the first person I called, we just got to the hospital.”
“I’ll tell them.” Leon said firmly. “As soon as I hang up I’m booking a flight down there. Thank you for calling.”
“No problem, I…” Gavin didn’t know what else to say, how to put into words what Connor meant to him and what he would do to make Connor happy. “Here’s my number if you need to keep in touch.” He said instead, and rattled off the digets.
The was a pause and Leon said again, his voice softer this time, “Thank you, I mean it. You’re good for him.”
Gavin sighed and turned off the phone. He didn’t want to try to process when Leon meant at the moment. He just needed to see Connor and the baby safe, everything else could come after.
Moments later, the same nurse that had brought Connor back stuck her head out the door. “Gavin?” She said questioningly.
Gavin said up a bit straighter. “That’s me.” He said, trying not to sound too eager.
Was there any news? Had Connor had the baby?
“Connor asked if you could come back here with him.”
Gavin followed the nurse into the back.
When he caught sight of Connor he winced. Connor’s face was scrunched up in pain but it softened slightly when he caught sight of Gavin.
Gavin strode swiftly over to the bed and took Connor’s outstretched hand.
Connor grabbed on and held on tight. “Thank you.” He whispered. “I…”
Whatever Connor was going to say was cut off as Connor ground his teeth and it looked like another contraction wracked through him.
All Gavin could do right now was give Connor something to hold onto.
CHAPTER 14 - CONNOR
CONNOR WOKE UP to the sound of the door creaking open. The first thing he noticed was that everything, absolutely everything, was sore. His eyes adjusted to the soft light and he tried to sit up, but that sent a sharp pain shooting through his abdomen and he had to let himself lean back against the pillows.
The nurse stood in the doorway, but she was talking to someone in the hall and Connor couldn’t make out what she was saying, nor did he particularly care to try.
Being awake made Connor feel restless. He had been able to hold his little girl briefly before she was whisked away to the NICU, but he had fallen into a fitful sleep soon after, too tired from the hours of contractions to do more than protest briefly.
As Connor’s eyes adjusted to the light, he looked around the room. Next to the hospital bed, Gavin was fast asleep in the chair, one hand still resting on the hospital bed.
The sight of him made Connor’s heart flip. He had stayed with Connor through the entire birth, maybe…
No, there was time for that line of speculation later.
Connor looked up and was startled to see his brother approaching, followed by Connor’s parents. A nurse stood in the doorway, smiling at them softly.
Leon immediately bent down to hug Connor gently and Connor leaned into the embrace.
“I’m so glad you’re here. How did you know?” Connor was just able to croak out. His throat felt dry and he could barely get the words out.
Connor didn’t remember calling his parents or Leon, but the hours he had been in labor were a pain-filled blur. He could have called or directed someone else to, it’s not like he’s be able to remember.
Either way he was so happy to see his brother and his parents.
“Gavin called.” Leon said simply. “Is everything okay? Where’s the baby? Are…”
Connor immediately tensed up for a moment before he forced himself to relax.
“Let him breathe.” Connor’s mother said gently and nudged at Leon. Leon pulled back, which gave Connor space.
“She’s in the NICU.” Connor said, his voice tense. “Everything was okay when I went to sleep, they haven’t said anything so I think…” Connor let his words trail off. No news should be good news.
“You can go see her if you want.” The nurse who was still standing in the doorway perked up.
Connor’s heart gave a little flip and, ignoring the pain, he pulled himself into a sitting position. “Yes, please.”
“Let me get you a wheelchair.” The nurse’s voice was kind and she quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Connor with his family and Gavin.
Connor breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back on the bed. He knew that his daughter was safe, but it was one thing to know it, it was entirely another to see it with his own eyes.
At that moment, Gavin decided to wake up. Connor could see the moment that he regained awareness of his surroundings because he went from blinking sleepily to withdrawing his hand and sitting straight upright, looking at Connor’s parents with a mildly concerned expression.
“Is everything okay?” The alpha turned to Connor with a worried expression in his voice.
“She’s doing okay. I’m about to go see her.” Connor said softly.
“Can I go with you?” Gavin said, almost hesitantly. “Can I see her?”
Connor hesitated for a moment. He still didn’t know what Gavin had wanted to talk about back at the apartment, but at this point he was almost certain t
hat Gavin hadn’t been about to break up with him.
None of his actions in the past few hours seemed anything like it, despite Connor’s initial worry.
“Yes, of course.” Connor said softly, and he was immediately rewarded with Gavin’s face breaking into a huge grin.
“Thank you.” He reached over and squeezed Connor’s hand, and Connor felt his heart swell at the contact.
He took a moment to glance over at his parents and his brother.
Leon looked amused, while his parents almost looked concerned at the display. They didn’t know the extent of what was going on, but they knew that Connor and Gavin had been having difficulties.
Things would have to be sorted out, but that could happen later. First, he needed to see his baby.
—
“She’s perfect.” Leon breathed as Connor stared down at the little girl in his arms, with her tiny knit hat and all swaddled up in a soft, pastel, blanket.
“She is.” Connor said softly. He had never loved anything so immensely or so fully as he loved the little girl.
She was his, all his.
She looked like him too, what with her tiny, dark, crop of hair and warm brown eyes. At least for now, she had inherited nothing from Theo. There was no red hair or freckles, and for that Connor was thankful.
The circumstances of her conception and her birth were still less than ideal, but she looked like she wouldn’t carry any of the baggage of looking like her biological father.
“She needs a name.” Gavin said softly from beside Connor, and Connor sat up a bit straighter.
He had never actually picked out a name yet, he had thought that he had more time, but now…
“Emily.” Connor breathed. It was a name that Gavin had suggested one night while they were curled together on the couch.
It had been completely out of the blue, they had just been watching some random sitcom and enjoying each other’s company when Gavin had blurted out “If it’s a girl, I’ve always liked the name Emily.”
Finding His Omega (Sweet Beginnings Bakery Book 3) Page 7
