Ashley Ellenore Darcy (ashleysully) wrote in spinningcompass, @ 2018-09-26 00:55:00 |
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Ashley never really made it a habit to keep track of her period. It was pretty regular for the most part so it didn't matter. Especially since prior to meeting Mr Darcy, she'd never had unprotected sex. And it wasn't until after her bout with the flu that she realized it had been absent. She looked over a calendar while she thought back when the last time she had her period was and realized that the absence coincided with the beginning of her sex life. She was rather excited about the prospect of being pregnant and planned to go to the doctor to confirm it. That was until she woke up with cramps. And of course, there it was. She thought it wouldn't be that big of a deal but she was having a hard time keeping her emotions in check. She was practically on the verge of tears as she went through her morning routine. ——- Darcy had been up a little earlier than Ashley and he had headed out to see to Annie. He’d been a little delayed on returning, because while there he’d happened upon Rob Duncan. That farmer could certainly talk when you got him started on the right subject, and in this case the right subject was ‘horses’. It was funny, since arriving on the station he’d had much more opportunity to talk to different sorts of people, and he was pleased to find that they were actually mostly pleasant. Eventually, he had got away, leaving with promises that he would see him up at the biodome again very soon. Unconsciously, he was humming one of Rob’s little songs to himself as he headed back into the apartment. He went into the kitchen and started boiling water before returning to remove his riding boots and jacket. Not seeing Ashley, he peeked into the bedroom and found her. “I’m making tea, would you like-“ he stopped short as he caught her expression. “Are you quite well, my dear?” ———- Ashley tried very hard to put a smile on her face but even someone that didn't know her would be able to see it was forced. She tried anyway. “Tea would be wonderful.” Her voice shook just a little as she tried to keep it together. It was a little ridiculous. ------ Darcy frowned a little and then stepped into the room properly to look at her. Whatever it was, it seemed like she didn’t want to tell him, and that just made it all the more worrying. “What is it? Has something happened?” he tried rephrasing his question for her. Some bad news, perhaps. Another letter from her mother, even. ——— Ashley wiped at her eyes and sniffled. “Not bad in the grand scheme of things, no.” She shook her head, then walked over to him, resting her hands on his hips. “I'm being completely ridiculous.” Why did she want to just break down sobbing? ------ Darcy was apparently incapable of wiping the concerned frown from his face now that it was there, and he found his mind was just listing and listing all of the possible things that she could be upset about. Which was entirely unhelpful. “But enough to upset you, clearly…” he said softly. “I’m sure I shall forgive a little silliness, if it even is so.” ----- “You really are wonderful.” She smiled a little. She looked up and put a hand on his cheek. “And I promise it is complete silliness.” She took a deep breath, trying to keep from crying. “I realized recently that I hadn't had my time of the month since before you proposed. And I got my hopes up a bit. I was planning to go see Henry to confirm my suspicions but…” She cleared her throat. “It started today. And now I'm doing everything I can to keep from being a complete mess all because I'm not pregnant.” ------- As soon as she started to explain the situation, it only took Darcy a couple of sentences to understand her meaning. He was surprised to find that he did feel a little sinking feeling just for a second or two as it clicked. “Oh. Oh, Ashley, no - you’re not being ridiculous, don’t even think it,” he told her, wrapping his arms around her properly and giving her a hug. Somewhere in the distance, the kettle was screeching at him. “I understand why you would feel disappointed.” ------- When he hugged her all her resolve slipped away. She wasn't outright sobbing but the tears did flow freely. She hugged him tight and closed her eyes. “I didn't realize how much I really wanted it. I know we talked about it, but it just...didn't really hit me until now.” She shifted so that she could wipe her eyes and looked up at him. “You should take care of that before it gets ruined.” referring to the kettle. ------ “I know, it’s okay…” he said softly, just letting her have her moment without whacking her over the head with logic right away. He gave her a little nod, and pressed a quick kiss to her damp cheek. “Go and sit down, and I will bring you tea and we can talk properly,” he told her. He gave her one more cheek kiss, and then headed to fix the kettle. -------- Ashley smiled a little when he kissed her cheek. He was so good to her. She just watched him go for a moment before heading into the living room. She had to rearrange the sofa cushions a few times in order to get comfortable. The cramps were a little worse than usual and she figured that probably had to do with the delay. She did manage to stop crying mostly before he was done with the tea. ------- Darcy didn’t take too long in preparing the tea, and eventually he reappeared, placing the tray down on a table. “I didn’t even ask if you’d had breakfast, do you want me to make you something?” he asked her as he poured out the tea, making it up how he knew she liked it. ----- Ashley shook her head and picked up the tea, just holding it in her hands for a minute. “I'm never really hungry when it first starts. And later I'll be starving.” She chuckled before sipping her tea and relaxing a bit. “You'll be having to deal with this a lot over our marriage.” She smiled at him. ------- “Then we shall have a ridiculously lavish dinner of your choosing” he insisted. So, he would go and get whatever she wanted from the food court rather than destroy their kitchen, but it was the thought that counted after all. “This? Oh, it’s nothing. You know, our parents had only recently gone when Georgiana first started. I never considered she could be old enough, and no one had ever said anything to her,” he explained, hoping that his sister wouldn’t mind him sharing such a personal story. “She said she was sick, and tried to hide it at first, and then she became quite convinced that she was dying because it hadn’t stopped and… oh, do you know I ended up having to get our dear housekeeper to come and talk to her and help her. She did, she was wonderful, and… I just wondered if I was cut out for any of it.” ---- Ashley tried to hide her giggles behind her tea cup. It really was quite adorable. “Things have progressed quite a bit since then.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You're quite cut out for it. You knew to get someone that could actually help. That takes a lot.” She smiled. ------ “Well, hasn’t everything?” he sighed slightly, although the little kiss did make him smile happily. She always seemed to find him adorable, even when he really didn’t feel it at all. “Yes, I suppose. She has known Georgiana since she was born, so she…” he trailed off, realising he was talking a lot in the present tense, when that wasn’t quite their life anymore. He had also been thinking that she had often felt like family, like perhaps a dear aunt. After their mother had passed, she had seemed to take Darcy a little under her wing in a motherly way. And yet, he knew that she had a family of her own to be worrying about. “Well. Anyway, yes, it all worked out, I suppose.” ------- Ashley put her cup down and moved a little closer, resting her head on his shoulder. “Georgiana adores you so you had to have been at least okay at it.” She chuckled a little. “I had the advantage of a father that grew up with 11 sisters.” She nodded, though her voice was a little thick. She really did miss her dad. ----- When she moved closer, Darcy automatically put an arm around her shoulders to let her rest against him properly. “Of course. Goodness, it does sound odd every time you say it. Eleven sisters,” he smiled. He supposed it was natural that Ashley would end up wanting a family of her own. He turned and pressed a little kiss to her forehead. “Are you okay?” he asked. It felt like for so much of their relationship, she had been unhappy. ----- “And he was very protective of every one of them. Even the older ones.” She smiled. Ashley slid her arm around him as she closed her eyes and sighed softly. “Still a bit disappointed but I'm okay.” She nodded. “Should have known you'd make things better.” He always seemed to make her feel better no matter the situation. ------- “Of course. You’ve got to look out for your sisters, no matter how old they are,” he smiled. He’d always want what was best for Georgie, and he was sure he’d be feeling protective of her even when she was forty. “Good. There is no rush, it will happen eventually for us,” he assured her, not doubting it for a second. There was no reason to doubt it. “It would be better to marry first, you know,” he added, not meaning anything negative by it. He was bending the rules a lot already, and he rather did hope that at least might happen in the ‘correct’ order. ------ “TK was the same way.” Ashley nodded. She sniffled a little but didn't start crying. “I'm really glad he liked you.” She lifted her head and smiled at him. “Yes, getting married first would be good.” She laughed softly. “But if it happens before then….” She shrugged. She certainly didn't plan on stopping the sex unless necessary. And then she sighed again. “This does mean our forced celibacy is going to last a bit longer.” She made a face. -----’ “I am very glad that we were able to meet,” he smiled. Of course he was also disappointed that he hadn’t had a chance to meet her father, but he didn’t mention that. She had to be the more disappointed of the two of them, so there was no good in bringing it up now. “If it happens, then you do realise I’ll probably force you down the aisle and pretend I do not have a grasp of basic arithmetic when the child arrives early,” he told her - there was a great deal of humour in his tone even though it wasn’t entirely false. “Our forced celibacy?” he was confused for the briefest of moments, as it felt as though they were anything but celibate. Then he remembered what Dr Morgan had said. “Oh, well that’s alright. We’ll survive somehow,” he smiled. “Imagine that I had been stubborn enough to have you waiting still.” ---- She laughed again and kissed him softly. “Obviously it would just be a premature child. They happen often.” She nodded, highly amused. She groaned again. “I think the station would be out of cold water by now if you made me wait.” She chuckled. “I am quite attracted to you, if you hadn't noticed.” She winked at him. |