Chapter Text
He's never seen her so upset, so distraught. Postpartum depression's got nothing on this. The pain of losing the child before it even gets to the viable state is a whole lot worse.
He's trying. She won't let him in. Not emotionally. Not literally. She'd locked herself in the bathroom when they'd gotten home and has refused to speak to him since.
Her prolonged silences had never bothered him before, but those were always work-related. This was something that concerned the two of them and he wanted to help. He still wants to help.
The drive to the hospital had been terrifying. The wait for news, more so. He had spent three hours wondering if he would lose Stacy too.
Now, he's almost certain he has.
He knocks on the door. "Stace. Open the door, please," he says in the gentlest voice he has. "Stacy?"
Still no response. He's starting to worry, so he walks through the bedroom and pushes the pocket door open. He steps into the bathroom and kneels beside her, brushing his large hand over her disheveled hair.
"Stace," he whispers. "Talk to me?" She's usually so vibrant and alive. He doesn't know how to deal with her when she's like this. Though he does understand why she's upset, he is unfamiliar with dealing with these emotions.
Rather than respond, Stacy leans into him, curling against his chest, crying into his shirt. He slips his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he can. "I love you, Stace," he tells her softly.
She sniffles against his chest and mutters that she loves him too.
He's doing okay being the strong one, until he spies the sonogram printout laying on the floor by her knee. He picks it up and feels his own tears slide down his cheeks. He never thought he'd want children and surely never considered that he'd lose one. The reality of the situation punched him in the chest the moment he saw the sonogram on the floor.