Eleven

Chapter Nine: Poking the Bear

A/N: As a reward for being ahead of my anticipated word count for NaNoWriMo, I allowed myself to take a break and write a chapter for Eleven. :)

It was such a fun break, I had to stop myself from starting Chapter Ten.

This one is dedicated to @BLTS2004 in honor of her birthday today!! I don't follow many WIP stories on WattPad because I have issues waiting between updates, but I adore her story "What a Girl Can Do." It's a fun/sweet/thoroughly-enjoyable take on Sang and her boys that I would strongly recommend everyone moseying on over to read. Seriously, go. Read it.

Chapter Nine

There was a watercolor painting of a sailboat hanging on the wall across from me. It was done in pastels, and I had to admit it was quite soothing. Not nearly as soothing as Victor's hand grasping mine, though.

I tore my gaze from the happy boat and turned to the handsome boy beside me, whose eyes were already steadily trained on me. The attention had me shifting slightly in the plastic chair, not sure if I was anxious to get out of the hospital's hallway or to get this appointment over with.

"There's no need to be worried, Princess," Victor assured me with his gaze set to a soft simmer, his smile warm. "Dr. White has been in the field for over twenty years now, and he's been head of the Academy's delivery wing for nine of those years. He's delivered more babies than you've probably seen in your life, and his rate of complications is below 4%."

Victor's words were both comforting and alarming at the same time.

"How do you know all of this?" I asked in confusion, surprised Victor already knew so much about our new doctor despite just finding out about the change last night. I mentally hit myself for not being prepared, until it dawned on me what Victor had done and my voice dropped to a heated whisper. "You ran a background check on our baby's doctor, didn't you? An Academy doctor?"

"He probably expected it," Victor shrugged, not looking the least bit embarrassed. I'd gotten used to my own lack of privacy amongst the boys, but it still amazed me how easily they invaded people's lives. "Honestly, I'd be worried if he didn't expect it."

"Victor," I chided softly, trying to frown but it was too difficult when his expression was that earnest.

"Relax, I only did a quick search to get some general facts that are open to the public anyways," Victor defended quietly before glancing down at the phone in his other hand. "But I'm still waiting to hear back from Corey for the more detailed report."

"Oh my gosh," I groaned, tilting my head back against the stark white wall behind us.

"Careful, Pookie," Sean warned lowly from my other side. "If you start looking distressed, North might haul you out of here over his shoulder."

My eyes flickered to stoic man sitting motionless across from me, directly underneath the sailboat painting. The sailboat's vibe and my North's could not be more opposite as I took in his tense posture. North's eyes were already trained on me like a hawk, his lips pursed.

When Sean suggested that we limit the number of boys who came to each appointment because it could be overwhelming and cramped in the examination room, North had insisted on being one of the three at this visit.

I had a feeling he was going to insist on being at all of them.

"You look upset," North said with a frown. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm not upset," I answered patiently. "I feel great, North. I don't know why, but somehow it still surprises me that a background check was done on Dr. White."