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Hannah immediately hears a familiar voice calling her name as she exits the OR. She turns around to see Dean leaning on the wall.
“I brought you these since I know that pulled you away from your lunch.”
He outstretches his hands revealing a fruit cup and a chocolate bar.
She smirks. “Eating an hour later isn’t going to kill me Dean.”
“Knowing you, you’re about to head straight towards their room to make sure Mom and baby really are okay, and not drag yourself away for another few hours. Just take a minute here.”
He gestures to the chairs in the waiting area behind him, and she obliges after sanitizing her hands yet again. Her feet are killing her more than ever these days.
“Fruit and candy, just what the doctor ordered.” She jokes as she moves to sit in the chair across from him, knowing that’s been her go to snack combination for five weeks now which he undoubtedly noticed.
A moment of comfortable silence passes between them after he slides the candy bar over to her and opens the lid on the fruit cup as she opens the plastic wrapping around the fork.
A few bites of fruit later, Hannah breaks the silence, “When I placed their baby in Esme’s arms finally, it really hit me thinking of how much has happened since they first came into here just a few months ago. And how I was here for every big step of their journey to this moment.”
“It’s bittersweet for sure, but I’m glad we did everything we could to give them today at the very least. You did so good for them.”
Keeping her eyes trained on her fruit, she continues. “It kinda scared me knowing that’s going to be us soon, meeting our baby girl sooner than we can imagine.”
Dean moved into the chair directly next to her at that, bracing himself to talk her down from her many fears surrounding the birth despite her seemingly doing better about that since learning the sex.
“I don't mean it like that, I mean I’m still a little scared obviously, but it’s not crippling my every thought like before.”
“Everything’s progressing as it should, she’s healthy and so are you.”
“I know.” She smiles at him before adding, “It’s just getting more and more real you know? It’s really happening. She’ll be here before we know it.”
“Trust me, I know exactly what you mean. It scares me and excites me all at once.” He offers a shy smile, wonder in his eyes.
She pockets the candy bar and gets up to throw her fruit cup away, tossing over her shoulder, “Which reminds me, we haven’t even talked about names yet!”
“What’s meant to be will come to you, don’t worry about- Hannah?”
His brow furrows as he watches her freeze in place on the way back from the trash can, hand on her belly and her face pulled in shock.
She lets out the tiniest gasp before waving him over.
“Come here quickly!” She says in the most gentle voice she can conjure up.
He knows what’s happening then, swiftly but quietly making his way towards her.
He laughs to himself at them acting like they’re going to scare the baby away.
She reaches for his left wrist as soon as he’s in reach, sliding her hand over the top of his while she guides it to the right side of her stomach.
His palm is immediately met with the best feeling in the world, their daughter finally making her presence known.
“First time right?”
Hannah looks up at him, not worrying about concealing the tears in her eyes. “The very first.”
He returns her watery smile with one of his own.
It’s not lost on either of them that this is the closest they’ve allowed themselves to be since the impromptu movie night a couple months ago.
She keeps her hand firmly on his as they eventually move to sit back down, still connected literally and figuratively in this moment with their daughter. They opted for the couch so they could remain as close as possible.
Eventually the kicks gradually recede to flutters before stopping all together.
“Guess she’s tired herself out.” Hannah whispers.
Dean still doesn’t remove his hand or his gaze from her belly.
Noticing he seems zoned out, Hannah asks “You still here with me?”
Shaking his head in slight embarrassment, “Yeah, sorry.”
“Where’d you go just now?”
“I was just thinking… I can’t wait to meet her… and I can’t wait to see you with her. You’re going to be the best mom.”
She’s not sure who inched closer to who but all of a sudden their eyes are locked and she’s a mere inch and a half away from feeling the gentle prickle of his facial hair that she’s tried so hard to block from her mind over the past months.
She notices his eyes move downwards to her lips. Her breath hitches before hers do the same.
She can practically taste his lips when she forces herself to pull away, clearing her throat and standing up. “We should probably head back down.”
“Right, well uh….” His face is red as he adjusts his lab coat for no reason, neither of them willing to admit what almost just happened.
She grabs the candy bar out of her pocket, wanting to diffuse any awkwardness that she hopes is just in her head as she holds it up to him. “Thanks for taking care of us.”
“Always.”
-
After all three doctors visit the new family one last time before heading out for the night, Kingston pulls Dean to the side around the corner from the Lockhart’s room.
“What’s up?”
She takes a moment before answering. “Dean, I think we’re done here.”
“Yeah, just let me grab my bag. You want to try that new place you were talking about the other day?”
“No. I’m talking about us. We’re done with whatever this is.”
He does a double take, struggling to form the words, “Wh-... why? Did I do something wrong?”
Kingston immediately shakes her head.
“No. Nobody did. I just deserve someone who’s as into me as I’m into them. And I realized today, that’s not going to be you no matter how much time we give this. I saw all I needed to today, your heart’s with someone else.”
Realization dawns on his face. He doesn’t deny it. He can’t. He respects her too much to lie to her.
“There weren’t any expectations going into this, and I was warned about what the situation was. I just hope you realize we’re way too grown to not go after what we want in life.”
“Jennifer… I’m sorry-“
“No need. I wish you the best Dean.”
And with that, she was gone.
Leaving him alone with a pit in his stomach.
Back to square one, with nothing now to distract him from the ache in his heart that just won’t go away no matter how hard he tries. If anything it’s just growing more intense with every day and moment that passes.
Shit.