Free Falling

Chapter 18: Baby Blues... And Pinks

"I know, Bobby. I'm never actually offended when you insist it's a girl. Just like I also won't actually mind if it doesn't turn out to be a boy. We've been wanting this for a while now. Like you said, we're just trying to enjoy it right now. So let's enjoy it, yeah?" Bob nodded gently into his wife's hand, his head leaning in closer to place a delicate kiss to her lips which quickly grew into one with more passion and need than intended. He smiled as he took in Belle's flushed appearance when they pulled away. Bob had grown accustomed to being the more shy and subtle one in the relationship, so he couldn't help but feel proud when he was able to flip the script and make Belle feel more shy and timid. 

"You want to get out of here, or stay a bit longer?" Annabelle blushed even more at the question, knowing Bob's implication. It didn't help that his hands had moved to hold Belle tightly by the waist and he had leaned his head down to her neck where Bob had started gently placing air light kisses along its base. 

"As much as I love the sound of that, truly, we should probably stay. We don't know the next time we'll have everyone together again." 

"Sure we do." Annabelle looked up at Bob with a confused expression, not understanding his meaning. "At the gender reveal." Annabelle couldn't help but laugh out loud at how nonchalantly Bob had brought the conversation back to the initial topic. She playfully shoved him away slightly before taking his hand and pulling him back outside along with her. 

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The last three months had all been a countdown to this day. Annabelle carefully tweaked one more decoration from atop her ladder before she realized she'd been caught yet again. 

"Belle! I told you, if you want something up high fixed, let me do it. You can't be straining yourself like that baby." Annabelle rolled her eyes as she felt Bob's hands on her waist guiding her back down the ladder. 

"I climbed a six foot ladder, Bob. It's not like I jumped back into my F-18." Upon reaching the ground again, Annie looked up to find Bob staring down at her with an unamused expression on his face. 

"Belle, we've talked about this."

"Yeah, I know we have Bob. But you're not the one stuck at home all day with nothing to do past noon. I'm not allowed to fly; I'm not allowed to be on a carrier. There's nothing for me to do and you know that makes me feel useless. And once today is over I'll feel even worse cause I won't even have this stupid gender reveal to obsess over." Bob had remained silent as Belle went on her rant and continued to stay silent until her was certain she was done. When he realized she was, he pulled her in as close as he could with her now slightly swollen belly and placed a kiss atop her head as Belle wrapped her arms around him. 

To say that the pregnancy was making things a little tense in Bob and Annie's relationship was an understatement. Belle had to stop flying a bit earlier than anticipated which she didn't take lightly but felt calm with the ideal overall since she knew it was to be expected anyway. But after just two weeks of leave, Annabelle had already started going stir crazy stuck in her house all day. The navy had tried to offer small office positions to keep her around for the better part of her pregnancy, but it quickly became apparent that Annabelle's place was in the sky. It didn't help when Bob, Natasha, and Hangman (who had been brought in as Belle's replacement to their unit) had been called away on a small deployment for nearly two months. By the time Bob had come home, Belle was beyond frustrated with being stuck at home all day. The two started fighting more and more, which Belle knew was mostly her fault, partially because of her hormones but also because she could feel herself growing more and more angry and depressed as the days passed. Bob did his best to be patient with her, knowing just how hard she was struggling and that the added physical stress of the pregnancy wasn't helping, but even he had lost his temper a few times over the last month. As he held Belle in his arms now, Bob couldn't help the wave of sadness that washed over him. He let out a quiet sniffle, one not meant for Belle's ears, but she heard it anyway and quickly lifted her head from his chest to look up at her husband.