ᴛʜɪʀᴅ ᴘᴏᴠ

𝘜𝘴

♛♛♛

White walls seemed to enclose around the young woman. Her hazel eyes widened with fear, stumbling feet running back into the wall and hands dropping to her gasping mouth.

The pregnancy test sat below her feet, two very clear red lines making it the only thing her gaze sees.

"Hazel, dear? Are you alright in there?"

She jumps at the sudden soft voice of her coworker, Anthony Weller was a very sweet middle-aged woman who had helped her in the process of starting her nursing career at their local hospital.

Right now, Hazel wasn't in any state to reply with much confidence, yet she tried either way.

"Yes, I'm alright. Thank you, Tony!" Her voice was shaky, extremely shaky. Although the older woman seemed to let it go, telling Hazel to call out to her if she needed a hand.

Hazel hears her footsteps fade and then she returns to her current situation.

Exactly nine minutes ago Hazel had to run out of her workplace due to the powering force of nausea occurring to her.

For the past few days she had been having these episodes daily, whether it be vomiting or extreme fatigue issues or stomach congestion. She felt so much and thought it had only been a bug, her period had been due last week.

Curiosity took over her and she had bought a test after work last night, and coincidentally she still had it in her bag.

Hazel threw up and it continued for a few minutes until her stomach settled down. She had gone to the toilet and hastily took the test, not knowing that her life would immediately change after that moment of knowing.

Hazel had her hands buried beneath her hands, her cheeks rosy warm and tears nearly ushering down her cheeks.

She didn't know what to feel, she felt shocked, surely. But she felt something as close to happiness, but her mind just ran to her husband every time the thought of a little human was residing in her right now.

What would he think? What would he say?

It wasn't that he didn't want a child with Hazel, they've talked about it many times to count. The promises he made to her, letting her know that he wanted as many children as she wanted with him, he was happy with anything.

But Hazel hadn't expected it to be this soon.

Slowly, Hazel's shock turns into panic as her phone buzzes on the ledge of the bathroom sink. Hastily, she sits up onto her knees and picks up the vibrating phone, seeing the caller ID as 'Juls❤️'

Heaving panic clogs her throat, restricting the sob that wanted to escape.

She had to answer it. She had to tell him.

If there was anyone she needed to speak to about this it would be him. After all, he was always the one she went to.

Answering the call, her face broke into a broken smile when her husband's face appeared on the screen.

Julius had been away for a few days for work. He was somewhere just outside of their town, he refused to be away any longer than three days and made an oath to her that if he was required out of America that she would be coming with him.

And when he was away for those few days, he called her every chance he could get. Hazel answered his calls every time, resting aside everything she was doing to talk to him. So, if she hadn't answered this call, she knew either way he'd be worried.

Telling by the immediate concern his normally cold features held, she knew he could tell that something was going on with her.

"Baby? What's wrong?" The deep rumble of his voice caused havoc of peace to wash upon her. Settling the mess in her mind, the bubble in her throat that continued to rise now pushed down.

"J-Juls," She breathed out a huffed breath, her head falling back against the wall with her arms encircled around her legs, the phone resting in one shaky hand.

"You're shaking, Hazel," His grey eyes turned icy, the evening darkening around his dark-clothed figure, embracing the wrath of concern and anger his body began to shake with.

"What happened? Has someone hurt you?" His questions kept coming, demandingly angry but quietly soft for her.

"I'm not hurt," She mentions softly, her voice slowly becoming less fragile. "Can you come home soon? I rather tell you in person."

She hadn't wanted to be selfish. She hated to ask him to leave work for her, she knew that he would in a heartbeat and she took that to her advantage.

Julius begins to shake his head, fewer strands of his tussled dark hair falling from its mess.

Stepping into a darkly lit car that began moving almost immediately when his passenger door closed.

The red, orange and white lights that passed through the window reflected onto his golden skin, making out his features for her.

"I'm already on my way. I'll be three hours, max."

A weak smile travels to her lips.

"Do you want me to stay on the call with you?" He opens the window beside him, sticking a cigarette between his lips.

He was stressed. No doubt about her.

"Julius." She calls his name, his full name speaking through her parted lips, his silver, piercing gaze snapping down at her immediately.

"Relax," She whispers, a hand secretly going to her belly to calm down her nerves. "I'm okay, and I'll see you soon."

"Are you sure?" He clenched his jaw, exhaling the smoke through the small opening of the window—all the while never taking his gaze off of her, virtually as if he were to leave his gaze that she'd disappear.

"I promise you." She blows him a kiss through the phone, blushing when she sees his lips curl into a faint smirk. The cigarette hangs from his lips, reminding her of the first time she'd laid eyes on him.

"Call me for anything, Angel. Promise me."

His demand raises the beating of her heart.

"I promise, Juls."

He gives her a nod, tossing his half-finished cigarette out the window and adjusting himself in the car seat.

"I love you, I'll see you at home."

She smiled at him softly, her eyes fluttering over to the test that still lay on the ground beside her.

"I love you more."

With that, her thumb hits the bright red end button, officially ending the call.

Shakily, Hazel stands on her feet. Her head spins but she manages to get control of herself quickly.

Splashing some water onto her face, she places a few mints into her mouth and shoved the pregnancy test into her tote bag.

Slinging it over her shoulder, Hazel exits the bathroom and makes her way to the manager's office.

♛♛♛

After arriving home, telling her boss that she was filling ill, Hazel instantly headed towards her shower inside her king suite with Julius.

The shower felt like the longest she'd ever taken. It was fulfilled with memories passing through her mind of her and Julius, especially the many times he had done things with her there.

But she also recalled the memories of each special moment—which was all moments. She loved him with everything she had in her, the little human inside of her was something she hoped he would love too.

Hazel wanted this. She wanted him or her. She wants to be a mother, to have a family of her own. She was ready, unprepared, but ready.

All she hoped was that Julius would be okay. That he'd be just okay as she was.

It hadn't felt real the moment she stepped into the kitchen, her bottom residing on a stool and staring at the pregnancy test in both of her palms.

Two hours and thirty minutes it had been since the call with Julius.

Her heart pounds. Her eyes reside on the wedding ring on her left ring finger. She twirls it around her finger, a new habit she'd picked up on lately.

Standing to her feet, she walks around the kitchen island and thinks, and thinks.

And thinks again.

She ties her hair up into a messy bun, her curtain bangs annoyingly falling to the sides of her face which makes her release the bun and lets her shoulder-length hair fall.

The front door opened and her steps halted. Automatically, her hands fall to her belly, rubbing it soothingly. It was unknown to her why this had suddenly become something she did when her nerves arose, it had only been less than three hours that she had known of the baby.

"Hazel?" His deep voice boomed through the house and she immediately scooted her feet to the threshold between the kitchen and the hall leading to the living room and entrance.

"Yeah?" She calls out softly, internally slapping her forehead at the ridiculous reply.

Yeah? Like you hadn't just had a mini panic attack over the phone with him.

In front of her, a dark shadow looms through the dimly lit hall. Julius steps into it.

Powerful strides toward her body made her step back into the kitchen, preparing herself for the heat of Julius.

He comes in front of her, his black trench coat draped over him, covering his black-suited body. His gloved hands reach for her cheeks, the dark streaks of his hair draped over his forehead tickling her own when he leans down for a small peck on her lips.

"Are you okay, Angel?"

Hazel relaxes in his arms, slowly draping her own arms around his neck and pulling her body against his tall, muscular one.

"I'm okay now," She replied with a soft sigh, nestling her head in the crook of his neck.

Julius bent his body down further, allowing her to have more access to him. He kisses the top of her head three times—she counted. Before he murmurs how much he missed her, how boring his time without her had been, how much he wishes to have been with her when she panicked.

Hazel could only hold onto him tighter, hoping that when she revealed what was bothering her that he wouldn't leave her.

She had seen movies like this or TV shows where the male lead would leave the woman when they suddenly become pregnant. It always ended badly for them, and she hadn't wanted to compare that to her situation but she couldn't help but think if that were the case.

Julius loves her though. She knows he does, he never managed a day without telling her.

Slowly, she lessens her grip and pulls away. Julius' features break her own into a frown. He was always so handsome, always. His dark lashes coated the clear grey, his pupils always dilating when he sees her.

Dark strands of his hair fall below his forehead and some along his brow touching the faded scar she had kissed many times before.

His straight nose accumulates his high cheekbones, always prominently strong. His cheeks would hollow naturally, all the more addressing his upper and bottom plump lips.

Cherry red, if kissing her for a while they'd be an identified shade of a darker cherry. He always smelt like mangos and cologne. Mint always on his tongue.

This man with a deep rumbling voice, sharp features and beautiful golden skin, she loved so, so deeply.

"I need to speak to you about something." She finally blurts to him, holding his face in her palms.

Julius twirls a strand of her naturally red hair, soft and silky as always. His eyebrows furrowed and she wanted to crease out the creases between his perfect, dark brows.

"Anything." He replied, staring intently.

Hazel slowly placed her hands away from his soft cheeks and grasped his wrists. She focuses on the green veins, the scars hiding beneath his tatted skin.

Turning around, one hand holds his as she leads them further into the kitchen and perched herself behind the counter.

One hand secretly grasps the pregnancy test behind her on the kitchen island. She holds both hands behind her back, her chest heaved with anxiety and all she could do was look straight at his clothed, covered chest.

Julius became worried, his frown increased and his grey eyes shone with something unfamiliar.

"Hazel—"

He reaches for her but she steps back, her back hitting the counter as she breathed deeply again, remembering his voice in her head to calm her.

Reopening her locked gaze, she finally looks up at him and slowly, brings her hands forward.

From that moment on, she watches every slight motion from him.

When he noticed her hands moving forward, his worried gaze snapped down to her shaking hands thinking she'd been hurt there. Only it took him a second, it took him a long second to realise what was in her hands.

And then he realised.

His eyes widened an inch, she noticed the widening of his eyes even if it were hardly noticeable. She watches the moment he reaches his hands forward, removing her shaking fingers off of the two red lines—confirming his thought.

Julius pauses for a moment, staring at the test with something unpredictable. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, her heart was about to explode out of her chest. She needed something.

Anything.

Julius finally released her hands, now looking directly up at her again.

"You're pregnant?"

Hazel's head moves accordingly in response, her bottom lip wobbles as a sob was ready to break through. Julius recovers from his shock, realising immediately how upset she was. Pulling his arms around her shaking body, he comforts her in his hold.

"Darling," He coos his deep voice soothingly over her hair, caressing her cheek with his thumb, wiping every escaped tear. "My beautiful, beautiful wife." He shakes his head at her slowly, as if not happy that she was leaking with tears.

"I-I want to keep it," She released a breath of air, his palms cupping her flushed, wet cheeks. Julius brings his head down to hers, connecting their foreheads together.

Hazel's breaths become less haste but more shallow, slowly calming down.

"We're having a baby, Hazel," His deep voice flutters to her heart, making her eyes go wide with his genuine words. "I want this with you. I want everything with you, Hazel. We will go through every stage together. I promise."

A joyful sob leaves her, not minding at the moment how unattractive her crying was, she leaned into his arms and wrapped her whole body around him.

"Goodness, I love you Juls," She mumbled into his neck, hugging him so tightly that she never wanted to let go.

He was perfect. So, so perfect.

"Never doubt that I wouldn't be okay with this, never think that I would respond differently or not in any way support your decision," He murmurs back, rubbing his big hands up and down her back. "Things happen, Hazel. Through everything, I'll support you. Us."

Hazel pulls back, facing him.

His light grey eyes were enlightening. They held so much emotion, so much love and hope. She didn't doubt for a second that her own expression resembled that too.

"I won't," She released a small smile, wiping her nose on the back of her sleeve and then shamefully kissing his lips.

Julius kissed her back right away, deepening the kiss with his lips. He grips her chin, releasing them from the short but passionate kiss. His lips graze the edge of her plump lips and he pecks her there, before moving his eyes back around to her.

"I've never been happier."

Hazel smiles, and all of her doubts and many, many worries fade into a glooming shadow behind her.

"Me too, Juls. Me too."

♛♛♛

This morning Hazel woke up with tired eyes but with a full mind, incredibly ready to start her day.

That was if Julius was going to let his arms untangle from her body.

"Julssss," She groans and tries to wriggle herself away from him, but his massive tattooed arms just wouldn't let go.

A deep chuckle could be heard from beneath her. Vibrating from her stomach where his head lay and arms wrapped around.

"We have the appointment, remember?"

With that, Julius slowly raised his sleepy head and rests his chin on her stomach. She heard him awake all night, typing fast on his laptop or stepping outside their room to talk to another person over the phone.

Considerably only getting an hour's sleep. And Hazel hated that. Even though this was exactly how he lived.

"Maybe you can rest while I get ready? It only takes you less than thirty minutes for yourself..." She mumbled the last part, jealous that he hadn't needed much time to become prettier than he was already.

He shakes his head, dropping his droopy eyes to her stomach, spreading his whole hand over it and drawing patterns with his thumb.

"No," His sleepy voice always made her belly rumble with butterflies, even if it was only seven in the morning. "I can't sleep without you in my arms."

A blush rose to her cheeks, one hand going to his that laid on her stomach. "Okay," She smiles down at him, running another hand through his hair, allowing his eyes to fall closed and his shoulders to relax.

"We'll go get ready together then." She leans down and kisses his forehead, not noticing the faint of pink on his cheeks.

Reluctantly, Julius lets her go and falls back on his back, watching her stumbling body find its way to the bathroom.

Biting down on his bottom lip, he holds back his smile and immediately rises from the bed, running a hand through his hair and striding in his all-big and tall form towards her.

Hazel was busy brushing her teeth when he entered, she watched him lean down and kiss her neck through the glass opposite her. He travelled his lips to her jaw and stared at her right through the mirror.

"Shower with me?" He raises a brow, smirking faintly when she paused her motions. "You know we'll miss our appointment then," She pouts, leaning down and washing out her mouth.

When the tap turns off, he spins her around, trapping her between the counter and him. Gripping her hips gently, he causes another residing blush to form upon her.

"Well," He brushes his lips against the nape of her neck, running his hands up and over her hips—his favourite place to touch.

"You know that I'll make it quick."

Impossibly, her cheeks turn even redder.

"Juls," She rushes out when his hands began to strip off her clothes, his prying gaze eyeing her entire exposed body fulfilled with admiration.

"You couldn't get any more beautiful," He pushes his palm against the lower part of her back, pulling her flush against him.

She smiled giddily and she lifts her chin, gesturing for him to kiss her. Julius kisses her lips softly, holding onto the back of her neck.

"I love you so much."

Her legs would turn to jello if she heard his voice say such things so quietly again.

Her hands began to strip him of everything—which only consisted of his sweats and boxers as Hazel loves to remind him that his chest was rather cuddly and warm when she wanted to sleep, so now he sleeps shirtless every night.

"But I love you more," Her words fall into a whisper, tracing her fingers along the deep V muscle beneath her palms.

Julius shakes his head, refusing what she had said. He picks her up, wrapping her thighs around his waist and beginning to take them to the shower.

As steam begins to fill around them, Julius pins her against the wall and smirks against her parted lips.

"Impossible."

♛♛♛

"Baby names?"