Pure and Simple || Sansa Stark & LizzieBRose

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[fieldbox=|| Khaleela Hassan ||, royalblue, solid, 0, georgia]
Leela was waiting for the look of confusion on Evangeline's face when she saw the non-black relative of the very black Terry Lewis. And she'd gotten it. Khaleela almost laughed aloud when she watched the thought processes swirl in Eva's head, trying to grasp the relationship between the two unlikely relatives. It was a complicated story, if truth be told. But perhaps that should be left for a better time.

"Unfortunately I can't do much for the emotions," she said with a small frown. "That's just a part of being pregnant, like you said. But the nausea I can do something about. I can write you a prescription for an anti-nausea pill that should completely get rid of your morning sickness and any vomiting throughout the day, if you'd like it. There is a small warning of potential autism risks in the child, however--a very small risk--but as always, the choice is up to you."

Khaleela sighed and flipped through some of the papers, finding some more questions to ask. When she got her information and came up with nothing else that needed to be asked, she gave a small nod. "So, I think I'll go ahead and examine you now. I'm just going to check your heartbeat, feel your lower abdomen and take a look down there just to make sure everything's alright. Check for any lumps or anything that could cause concern. It'll be quick, nothing to worry about." She grabbed a pair of gloves from a drawer and pulled them on, taking her stethoscope from around her neck and putting it in her ears. She stood from the chair and gently pressed the metal of the tool against Evie's back, instructing her to breathe in and out at an even level.

But it didn't feel like a typical doctor/patient relationship should. It was different, despite how hard Khaleela wished it wasn't. The baby Evangeline carried was her niece or nephew. Terry's flesh and blood, a part of the family. She chewed on the inside of her cheek and contemplated what to say, all while listening to the beat of Evie's heart.

"...so, just because I'm your doctor, doesn't mean you can't come to me with your concerns and questions. As always I keep things professional, but if you have any questions about me, about--about the father, I'm an open book."[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=Evangeline Pike, plum, solid, 0, TIMES NEW ROMAN]
Evie was tempted by the offer of the miracle medication, but she wasn't entirely certain how she felt about the risk. "I'll take the prescription, but I feel like I should ask Terrance what he thinks before I take it." For whatever strange reason, she could not help but feel like the baby was more his than hers. Perhaps it because he was certain, whilst she went back and forth between keeping the child and trying to return to what her life had been. Sometimes she felt a bit like a surrogate, a holding tank for Terry's 'last chance' baby. But Dr. Hassan was very pleasant, and she was not as uncomfortable as she had feared when the woman stood up to examine her.

True, she was far from thrilled with the idea of anyone seeing her naked. Less than two weeks prior her body had been hers, and hers alone. But she would be content with the idea that this woman would be the last doctor she had to deal with, and if she was going to deliver the baby Evie had no real room to care. She was convinced that the experience was going to rob her of her modesty, and not in any way she might have enjoyed. The stethoscope was cool against her back as she took a few deep breaths, though her body grew very still with Dr. Hassan made her offer.

Did she need to be careful not to offend her? After all, she was the one who had made the offer. Was there something this woman wanted to warn her about? Or rather, was she simply trying to form a friendly relationship? This woman would end up as an aunt to her child, no matter how she decided to be involved. Taking a slow breath, Evie hesitated as a nagging question came to mind. "This is probably going to sound awful...but he talked about getting into trouble a lot when he was younger. I only ask because I know my parents are going to give him a thorough background check when I tell them he's keeping the baby, and I want to make sure I'm prepared for whatever they find." When the stethoscope was removed she lay back against the table so Dr. Hassan could feel her abdomen, running her hands over her stomach once to smooth the gown. [/fieldbox]
 
[fieldbox=|| Khaleela Hassan ||, royalblue, solid, 0, georgia]
Khaleela froze in an instant. Not because she feared Evie would react badly to Terry's past or that he had anything massive to be ashamed of, but because her parents would conduct a background check? Terry mentioned that the Pikes lived out in White Oaks. Perhaps they wouldn't be open to a child of color coming from their snow white daughter. Khaleela made a face of disgust behind Evie's back at the thought, but quickly corrected her behavior.

In truth, Leela didn't know how to answer the question brought before her. The Aries in her ached to call this young woman out. Was she afraid to ask Terry in person about his past? Was it because he's a big scary black man with a potential criminal history? The slow-toiling anger was burning in the back of her mind, but Leela tried her best to tame it. Evangeline wanted partial custody of the baby, which said a great deal about what she was and wasn't. Not racist--at least, not consciously. Perhaps Leela merely wasn't giving Evie enough credit. If she truly disapproved of Terrance she would have had an abortion, no doubt at her parents' behest.

Calm down, Leela. Not everyone is out for Terry's hide.

The doctor pushed out a long sigh, dropping her hands to her side for a moment. Professional. Keep it professional. "I'm sorry, Miss Pike, but perhaps that is something you'd be better off asking him. That is his story to share, not mine." The words came off a bit more curt than she would have liked, but it would taste a lie to say she wasn't the slightest bit offended. Terrance deserved to be asked about his history to his face, despite how intimidating he might be, and Leela was very protective of her younger brother. He'd suffered enough embarrassment on behalf of his appearance. It was something Khaleela was only able to understand to a certain degree, based on her own experience.

"However, if you're wondering whether he was a drug criminal or something, no. He's got a clean record. He couldn't have been a teacher if he had a felony. He almost became a cop until the sheriff told him not to apply. But, that's another story for another time." Khaleela, a tad frustrated that she'd remember the incident with the police, smiled over her irritation and crossed the room to grab a small tube of lubricant. "Now, if you could please lay down for me? I promise this'll take two seconds, I just need to feel for anything out of the ordinary. You'll forget I was ever there."[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=Evangeline Pike, plum, solid, 0, TIMES NEW ROMAN]And, rejected.

It was the emotional equivalent to texting a boy for months, only to see him take someone else to the dance. Ask anything, she said, and so Evie had. She had attempted to bare all, literally, and her genuine concern was met with a curt sort of rejection. It made her heart sink, though she was relieved that he didn't have a felony. The fact was something she should have been able to guess herself, but she had been a mess of nervous turmoil since their meeting. Mouth turned downward into a frown, she leaned back against the crinkling paper, trying to ignore the woman lubing up her fingers to invade her.

"I just can't stand the idea of offending him. He's already been so open, and we've already talked once. I basically forced him into telling me he had cancer, which wasn't my intention at all. But he's just so...hopeful." She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to find a way to put her feet in the stirrups that didn't expose her entirely. Seeing as this was the entire point of the stirrups, she had no real way around the problem at hand. Or rather, between her knees. "I mean, I couldn't have asked for anything better. He wants the baby, whether I do or not, and I intend for him to have it. That's a miracle if I've ever seen one, and I can't stand the idea of my parents trying to keep it from him. They can't, legally, but I don't want...I don't know. I went to meet him, and I was completely sure he was going to ask me to get an abortion. And instead he was just...warm. He was warm, and funny, and sure about wanting the baby. And he referred me to you, and just...he's a miracle. Don't tell him I said that, he'll think I'm insane."

Evie shifted her hips uncomfortably, wishing for the moment to be over. It was her third time spread wide for a stranger, and she could only hope that this would not be as disastrous as the last two. "Could you try to be careful? I know you know what you're doing, but I'm kind of a virgin. At least, as much of a virgin you can be after being inseminated." [/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=|| Khaleela Hassan ||, royalblue, solid, 0, georgia]
Now she felt like a bitch. Khaleela let out a small sigh and inwardly cursed herself for her defense of Terry. As always, she'd come into the conversation with her fists up, prepared to verbally smack this poor girl if she spoke a word of wrong against her brother. Perhaps that's what she'd done. Evangeline was no doubt suffering the most confusing torrent of emotions that Khaleela couldn't comprehend. She frowned, looking back to where the young virgin girl lay with her feet awkwardly in the stirrups.

The least she could do was offer kindness.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt. It'll just be cold and then, done." The doctor placed a gentle hand on Evie's knee. In a quick but harmless motion, she slid her fingers delicately into the subject of her care. When all felt right and well, she pulled them back out and tossed away her rubber gloves. "See? Already done. You seem to be in good health, Miss Pike. You can put your clothes back on now."

Khaleela sat back in her computer chair, taking note of her findings (or lack of them) before she set the clipboard down. She folded her hands over her knee and looked up to Evangeline when she rose to dress.

"I'm sorry if I came off a little harsh a second ago. You're right, I'm sure this must be a difficult situation for you and I'm glad that you've decided to sue, but Terry hasn't been...lucky in life, to put it mildly. I'm very protective of him and have been since he came to the family. It's a big part of why we're so close. I agree that he's a miracle, though, and I'm glad he's been so good to you. Not that I'd expect any less. Terry's a good guy."

Khaleela took her clipboard again and pulled up a calendar, clicking her pen into action. "Okay, do you want to schedule another appointment? I completely understand if you're uncomfortable seeing me. I'd hate to put any unnecessary stress on you right now. I'm sure it's been hard."[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=Evangeline Pike, plum, solid, 0, TIMES NEW ROMAN]It was uncomfortable, cold, but not painful. Dr. Hassan was quick and efficient, and Evie was incredibly grateful as she pushed herself into a sitting position on the table. She had not expected the apology, but it mattered little who had said what. The important part was that they seemed to be on the same page, and it was good to see someone else who agreed with her character assessment. Her nerves had been frayed for the better of two weeks, and it was a great relief to find that this Doctor thought to highly of him, even if she was his sister. Grabbing her dress from the chair nearby, she toyed with the strings at the neck of her gown.

On one hand, it would have been better to find an objective doctor. But she did not want a new doctor, and she found herself comforted by the woman's presence. She was blunt, but she was a comfort, and she had the same easy way of talking as Terrance. Even if they were not related in blood, she could see how they might be siblings. Evie smiled a little as she shook her head, shrugging off the woman's offer to find someone new.

"I'd rather come back and see you, if that's alright. You're bound to take good care of your niece or nephew."

But in the back of her head she made a mental note to be very careful about what she said about Terry.

As the weekend passed she wondered if she would have much to say about him at all, as she stared at her phone waiting to see if he might text her. He had no reason to, and she made no move to talk to him, but the strange anxiety remained. It felt like dating without any of the romance, and by Sunday night she was ready to call and tell him how the appointment had gone. There was a small bottle of pills in her purse that promised to make her nausea go away, but she could not take them in good conscience without a conversation. If Terry risked raising the child alone, he should have a say in the risks. It was with this, and a very upset stomach, that she rose Monday morning. Evie was sure to be early so that she could beat the students to his class room, smoothing her outfit nervously as she made her way through the halls.

Her outfit had been chosen carefully, an early attempt to hide the bloat that would turn into a bump. The red sweater drew attention away from her stomach, long legs covered in thick tights to shield her from the cold. As she made her way through the empty halls she glanced over her shoulder several times, nervous that he would be unhappy to see her in their professional setting. But it seemed like a conversation to have in person, and she knocked tentatively on the door before stepping into the classroom.

"Terr-, uh, Mr. Lewis?"[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=|| Terrance Lewis ||, tan, solid, 0, courier new]
It was torture not to text her. Over the weekend, Terry had pulled out his phone and stared at the white screen in contemplation, wondering whether or not it was acceptable for him to ask his "surrogate" how she was doing. That's what his mother had called her, anyway; a surrogate woman who was going to give him a baby and fade from his life forever. It was clear that she disdained Evie's actions. Terry had unwillingly admitted he was interested in Evangeline Pike, had wanted to get to know her beyond the unfortunate circumstance in which they'd found themselves, but Sarah Dowager was not a mother who forgave those who potentially hurt her son.

Terry didn't feel hurt. In all honesty, he didn't have a right to be. But perhaps it was best that he kept his heart out of the equation and continued to see her for what she was, per his mother's suggestion--a surrogate who would give him a precious gift, and cut off all ties.

In the pit of his heart, he hoped to God that wouldn't be true.

Terry sat at his desk and rubbed his face, stressed beyond belief. It was only when Evangeline walked into the room that he was able to leave those negative feelings behind and try, try hard, to replace them with something better.

"Oh, hey." He stood from his seat and yawned, pushing his hands into his pockets rather awkwardly. "You don't have to call me Mr. Lewis, you know. I think we're beyond that bit, yeah?"

Terry glanced at the clock. 7:54. Six minutes 'till class. He looked back to Evie and the word "surrogate" came to mind again, but he wished that it hadn't. He hoped his affliction couldn't be seen on his face.

"So, uh...what did you need?"[/fieldbox]
 
[fieldbox=Evangeline Pike, plum, solid, 0, TIMES NEW ROMAN]Immediately, she felt stupid for not calling him. She felt stupid for not making use of his number, and waiting all weekend to talk to him in the one place they shouldn't have been talking. But years of gender roles had taught her that it was brazen to call a man and ask him out for coffee, even if you were carrying his child. Her nervous expression did not fall away, but she did smile as he stood, stepping into the room and letting the door click shut behind her. Every time she saw him she was impressed by his sheer height, even though the heels on her boots were probably higher than they should have been.

[BCOLOR=#000000]"Yeah, I guess we are."[/BCOLOR]

In truth she had been worried about students, and that was why she had used the formal name. But he was Terry, and he was not as intimidating as she had once found him. But his words came, asking what she 'needed', and some of the warmth fled from her body. What did she need, a phrase that said she should state her business and leave. He did not want to talk to her, or he did not want to talk to her here. For the first time she noticed he wasn't smiling, and her own nervous smile fell from her face as her eyes roamed over his expression. Was he mad? Stressed? Wondering why she had come to bother him again so soon? Evie's gaze turned towards her shoes, mouth suddenly dry.

"I needed to talk to you about some-,"

Not dry, bitter. Her mouth was bitter, and her hands were sweating, and her face felt hot.

"Some medication your sister prescribed for-,"

Bitter, so bitter, she wanted to gag. Sucking in a careful breath, she put a hand against the wall to steady herself, highly aware of the fact that she needed to be in the restroom twenty seconds ago.

"We can talk later."

To say she ran from the room would not have been incorrect, and she pushed through the growing crowd of students to disappear into the staff bathroom down the hall. Everything she hadn't had for breakfast came right back up, and her hands shook as she pressed damp paper towels to her face and neck. She had a few grapes from her bag, tempted to take one of the pills, uncertain if the risk was worth it. Besides, trying new medication on the job was not a good idea. By the time she made it back to the library she was considered 'late', and she escaped the shrill scolding of her co worker by retreating to the back of the stacks. There she allowed herself to arrange until the alphabet was content, re arranging the history section while her mind was filled with troubled thoughts about Terry. Had his sister said something? Had he planned to ignore her until the second trimester? Was there relationship soully based on her asking for things so he could ask for the baby?

The weak dizziness had been with her all morning, but the world left rather suddenly. She was making her way along the rows, scanning the names of the authors, when a loud rush filled her ears. The world was suddenly at the end of a tunnel, and while she felt herself falling backwards, she was too far gone to hope to catch herself. [/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=|| Terrance Lewis ||, tan, solid, 0, courier new]
The halls of St. Anthony's were as colorful and decorated as they always were, signature to a happy school. Smothering the corkboards were posters for football events, a talent show, Homecoming dance and countless promotions for clubs and after-school activities that his students particularly enjoyed. He walked with his 6th period class close in tow, pointing out various functions along the wall of notices to his students. "Hey Phil, you gonna ask Carly out to the dance next week?" he teased to a student, causing a rise of laughter from the fellow sophomores. They passed through the hall towards the main library in the center of the building, where Terry held open the door for his class.

Perhaps the tease about Homecoming came out of nervousness. Terry knew who worked in the library, who might seem him enter and try to avoid him under the eye of his teenagers, but it couldn't be helped. Terry had reserved this spot for his 6th period since the beginning of last week, and wouldn't sacrifice his lesson plan on the whim of his unborn child's mother.

God, that's so weird to think about.

Terry, pretending like nothing was on his mind, entered the library and took his place at the center of the computer lab. He put on his reading glasses and cleared his throat, and after he'd brought his chatty students in to listen to the assignment, he reiterated their instructions. His sophomores were always good about listening to him. Still young, but not idiotic like the freshmen or entitled like the juniors. They were one of his favorite classes to teach, oddly enough. When he finished giving his small lecture and turned the class loose to look for reading material, he took a seat by the main computer and pulled out his phone to scroll through his messages.

Nothing from Khaleela, he thought, or from Evangeline. For a small moment, he hoped he wasn't bothering either of them by asking so many questions or checking in so often. He was, to put it simply, scared; scared of failure as a father, scared of losing his connection to the mother of his child--or worse, not being a father at all. He sighed and put his phone back in his pocket, placing his reading glasses atop the table.

In a second, his heart slipped.

"Mr. Lewis, Mr. Lewis!" he heard his student shout, a young girl with black hair and makeup. "Mr. Lewis, it's the assistant! The redhead lady, she's on the ground!"

"What?" It took him a moment to compute. "What redhead lady?"

"Miss Pike! She's--she's unconscious or something, I don't know!"

The world slipped through his fingers. It was natural for Terry to assume the worst, so he bolted from his chair and dashed to where his young student was pointing. Evangeline was on the ground as she'd said, passed out from something, or worse, as Terry's anxious mind had feared. He did the first sensible thing that came to mind. Terry gently scooped Evangeline into his arms, as tenderly as he was able, and held her close to his chest as he stood, ignoring how fulfilling the action made him feel. "Guys," he told his students, "the librarian will take over class. I need to get her to the nurse's office and call an ambulance, alright?" His voice was panicked and his face flushed, but Terry didn't have time or desire to consider the consequences of his overwhelming care for Evie Pike. He left the buzzing room in a whirl and crossed campus to his destination, heart pounding like a drum though his broad chest.[/fieldbox]
 
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[fieldbox=Evangeline Pike, plum, solid, 0, TIMES NEW ROMAN]Evie would remember some glimpse of the sirens, but nothing of what had happened around her. It did not take long for an ambulance to find the school, as it shouldn't, and before long she was loaded into the back of the ambulance. She did wake briefly as they sped off towards the hospital, reaching out to touch the nearest thing. It just so happened to be Terry's knee, and her voice was distant as she tried to convey what she needed. [BCOLOR=#000000]"[/BCOLOR]Terry Lewis needs to...he..." But there was nothing more she could get out as a paramedic pushed a mask over her nose and mouth, and her eyes slipped shut once more.

When they arrived there was a thousand questions for Terry to answer, though he would know very few of the answers. He did not know who her next of kin were, or how to reach them. He didn't know her blood type, he didn't know her allergies, and he certainly didn't know if she'd been experiencing any cramps. A quick ultra sound revealed that the baby was in perfectly good health, with a strong heartbeat that filled the room with a loud, pulsing noise. They checked her blood pressure several times and started an IV, drawing blood to run a few tests. As soon as the IV was securely in her arm she stirred, and the nurse at hand stepped forward to comfort her.

"There there, dear. It's alright, you're alright."

"The baby-,"

"The baby is fine, and you are fine. It seems like you might have been a little dehydrated."

"Again?" The word was moaned with embarrassment, and she lifted a hand to cover her eyes.


"You need to stay hydrated, it's very important."

"I know, I've talked to my doctor about it. I don't know if you can do this, but there's someone I need you to call. His name is Terry-,"

"Lewis?"

"...Yes. He's the father, he-,"

"He's right there, sweetheart."

The nurse laughed as she patted Evie's hand, gesturing to Terry at his seat in the corner. "I'm going to run this to the lab, I'll give you two a minute." Her absence left a heavy silence, but Evie didn't let it linger for long. "Where's your class?" She asked in concern, uncertain as to how he'd escaped in the middle of the school day. Was that allowed? Did everyone know now? [/fieldbox]
 
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