Shopping For Our Baby (Candy)

Vincent was elated. He was going on a shopping trip for things that he had been starting to think he would never be buying. He and Candy were going to be shopping for their coming baby. It was something that they had been trying to achieve for six years, and had finally succeeded. He was finally going to be a father, and Candy, a mother. His reaction when he'd learned they were expecting had been to tell everyone in the restaurant they'd been in.

He was now looking at a cradle. It was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. He could almost picture a baby that looked like Candy in it. He checked the price and flinched just a little. It cost that much? Well, maybe they could find another cradle that he liked more, that didn't cost so much. A little reluctantly, he turned away from the miniature bed, looking for his wife. He'd let her loose in this shop, wanting her to go and start pricing for things they would need in less than a year.

He didn't mind if she wanted to buy some of the items now. Such as the crib, a changing table, a little dresser. Well that made him want to fill it with baby clothes. He had to find Candy. They were going to go into hock if they weren't together.

He found her browsing at the back of the shop and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from the back.

"I'm guessing you want everything?"

Candy didn't know where to start. She had a picture in her hand for what the nursery would look like, and because of magic they already knew the gender of the baby without it being fully developed, of course that was subject to change, but at the present moment Candy just had this gut feeling that they were going to have a girl. So while she had been in the hospital on break she had taken the time to look up designs for baby rooms and she had found several that she just adored. They ranged from price and items, as well as color. So far she was leaning towards the most expensive one. She knew that they could afford it, what with her having her own savings account full of money from work.

She smiled as she felt his arms wrap around her, and moved his hands so that they were on her belly. She was just so excited to be a mother and if she could she would buy up the whole store just so her baby would never have to go without.

"Yes," she grinned. "I want everything...but I've pinpointed three rooms that I have been thinking about. Designs anyway, and I brought the pictures so that we can go off of them."

She showed him the three pictures she had in mind and smiled. They were so girly, and she knew that Vincent would probably laugh at her...but she loved them! Her husband was just all male, but she knew that he would become tender as putty when their baby was born.

Room 1

Room 2

Room 3

Vincent looked over Candy's shoulder at the pictures. The rooms were pretty, but he had something even more adorable in mind. He was picturing pale pink and teddy bears. In fact he'd even passed a few things that had put the idea in his head. He was slightly surprised that she'd not thought of of them herself.

"Those are all adorable, baby," he said, kissing her cheek lightly. He knew that he was getting looks from other customers in the store, but didn't care. The men were rolling their eyes, and the women were either checking him out, or staring wistfully at him. He was used to getting looks from women, but his eyes were for one woman, and that was the one his arms were around. The mother of his child-to-be.

"Why don't we keep looking? You might find something around here that you like even more? I found a cradle up front that is seriously expensive, but I would love it to be in the baby's room." He moved his arms to tug gently on her hands. He led her to the front of the shop to show it to her.

"If you don't like it, I'm sure that we can find one that we can agree on?" He pulled her to him and put both hands on her stomach as he kissed her softly.

Candice looked at the little crib that Vincent chose for their little one. It was adorable, and with its pale pink interior she felt her heart melting. She loved it, with all of its teddy bears and everything. But she didn't have a picture to match it, and unless she had a picture to go off of she did not want to buy anything. Candice had a system when it came to shopping for baby supplies. She knew that it annoyed the Hell out of her beloved, but she just could not help it.

"I like it baby," she said gently. "But it's not in a set...I really want to follow one of the sets from the pictures I chose."

Even though she knew how much they all cost. She just supposed that when it came to matters of price range she was a bit of a moron. But her husband still loved her regardless...despite the fact that she had maxed out his credit card more than once.

"I want to stick with one of the pictures love...it helps us remain focus and make sure everything matches."

Vincent smiled and led her over to something that he'd found while he was looking for her. It was a computer that brought up pictures of what possible combinations of materials come to look like from customer ideas. He sat her down and typed in the words - Teddy Bears.

About half a million results came up. Vincent realized he needed to narrow the search. He added a word and hit 'Search' again. Still quite a few results. He backed up and typed in a more direct request. Pink Nursery- Teddy Bears. This time, only about one hundred hits came up, and they were mostly the same things. There were all sorts of items, of course, but multiples in some cases.

"All right. You want to stick with what you have seen in pictures? Have focus and make sure everything matches? Well, here you are." He picked a few items and started putting them into a little box set up to make a room when he was ready for it. He chose a crib, changing table, all sorts of teddy bear accesories.

He hit the button next to the box, labled- SHOW ROOM, and waited a few seconds. When it appeared, he smiled and moved aside to let Candy see it.

"How about this, Sexy Candy?"

Candy saw the teddy bears and immediately fell in love. It was so perfect for their future princess. They were going to make it all pretty and pale pink. Their baby was going to grow happy and in a tranquil room. She could not wait! She was so excited to start decorating. Moving past him to the machine she pressed a button that said print and took the picture with her. Taking his hand she began dragging him around the store, telling all the staff members that she wanted this and that for her baby. Some things were out of stock, but they had them on back order. So all day they went from aisle to aisle, swiping debit card after debit card. She had a few gift cards several patients had given her at the hospital as thank yous for her help.

"Okay," she said calculating their costs. "We aren't that deep in a whole as we thought we would be. As a matter of fact we are doing pretty good...so we have the changing table, the crib, the rocking chair, the pillows, several bottles, four binkies, we need to get her clothes next...oh and I want our baby to have a a large teddy bear. Something big enough that she can lay on it like a chair."

Candy was very particular. She had certain things she wanted her child to have and certain things she didn't. Candy wanted her daughter to have all the toys her heart desired, she wanted her to have a beautiful room and beautiful clothes. She did not want her to have asthma, she did not want her to want, she did not want her to cry because of how bad of a mother she was.

"Hmm...I'm hungry," she hummed. "Mind if we stop for a bite? Our little one probably wants lunch too."

Vincent chuckled to himself. His little one was hungry? He could believe that. He was getting hungry as well, and since Candy had bought just about everything that she could think of that they could get right now, except for the teddy bear (but Vincent had one in mind), and the clothes, it was indeed time to eat.

He took her hand and led her out of the store. He knew of a restaurant nearby where they could have lunch, and a children's clothing store was almost right next door to that, so they could continue their shopping when they'd finished eating. He asked for a secluded table, away from the main flow of traffic, so that he could talk with Candy about what else they were going to get for their baby. She was thinking that they were going to be in the hole? Vincent still hadn't had the chance to tell her about the money from his childhood account that his parents had forgotten all about. He wanted their child to have everything that he or she (Although he was secretly wishing for a little girl) could ever need. And given the amount of twenty-six years of interest on that bank account, that would be no problem.

"Candy, my love, we are only just started on our shopping today. You are going to need clothes as well, and I don't want to hear a word against it, the bill will be taken care of."

Candy smiled and took her husband's hand. She was going to need maternity clothes for when she started showing, Merlin...this was all so exciting! They were going to have a baby, and she was going to be a mother! Candice had always wanted to be a mother. She loved children and she liked to think that they loved her as well. Her being a mother would be as natural as the rising sun.

"Okay honey," she smiled. "I think you are right."

Picking out maternity clothes would be fun. When Candy saw other pregnant woman she always thought they looked so radiant; words could not describe how excited she was that she would now be one of those women. Gently she placed a hand to her stomach and looked at her husband. Soon she would have the bump and the whole world would know she was pregnant without her having to tell anyone!

"Have we thought of any names yet?" she asked gently. "I love the name Grace... Grace Bauer...isn't that adorable?"

Reaching out Candice took Vincent's hand and squeezed it.

"Can we go clothes shopping now? Please?"

Grace. The perfect word to describe Candy, and the most beautiful name that Vincent could think of. He now prayed that she was carrying a little girl that would bear that name, as it was the only one that he would ever consider for their baby. Hell, if it turned out that they were having a boy, he'd find a way to work the name in. He chuckled to himself quietly about that thought.

"Can we go clothes shopping right now? Sexy Candy, I would say yes, but there is something more important that we need to do now, and that's to feed our baby. She is only going to become more insistant as the day goes on, and I want you to have a full tummy so you can concentrate on what you are picking out for yourself, and for our little princess." He rested his hand on her stomach and kissed her.

When he pulled back, he took her hand and led her to the table.

"As soon as you are done, we can go. But I don't want you picking something that isn't going to fill you. Order whatever you want, baby. Today is for you and our little one."

He didn't pay any attention to the approving looks he was again getting from women patrons of the restaurant, or the comments that they were relating to each other about what a wonderful husband he was and why couldn't theirs be like him?

Candy pouted a bit because she really wasn't in the mood to eat, but nodded regardless. Then she heard them, the woman talking about her husband. Glaring she looked at them and made sure none of them were trying anything funny around her man. Candice was one of those girls that got jealous easily. She did not like sharing her husband with anyone, and when people tried to take him she practically exploded...something Vincent did not approve of at all.

Taking a seat with him she opened her menu almost instant and began scanning the selection. Everything looked good to her, just not in the present combination. Ever since she had gotten pregnant she had been having the weirdest cravings. One of them almost caused Vincent to throw up on the kitchen floor. Pickles, cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter chips. And if she even mentioned it to him it turned his stomach.

"Hey baby," she grinned, slyly. "They don't have my favorite...you know the pickles and what not."

She winked, knowing that he would immediately understand what she meant.

Vincent wrinkled his nose. He had gotten sick when Candy had eaten that the first time, and he didn't care for a repeat. When she mentioned it now, it made his stomach turn uncomfortably, but he knew what she was up to.

"Candy, we are going to eat first, and then go shopping. I know that the baby is giving you cravings, and if you want, you can mix it up to whatever you want." His stomach gave a rather unpleasant lurch. "But you are going to eat something. Just, please, don't make me look at whatever you mix up?"

He raised his menu back in front of his face, trying not to think of the combinations that his beautiful wife would come up with. When it came to strange foods, Vincent could eat just about anything, but mixing up regular ones with things they usually weren't paired with? Instant disgust. He felt his face begin to turn slightly geen.

Their waiter appeared at his shoulder as he took a few breaths to calm his stomach.

"I'll have a Chef salad with blue cheese dressing, a club sandwich and an iced tea, and the lady is going to have a rather interesting order, I am sure."

But it will be even more interesting if I can keep my lunch down!

Candy ordered several things that she was craving at the current moment. She ordered a small plate of sushi, along with a small bowl of ice cream, and of course she requested that the waiter bring her a tiny cup of peanut butter. For whatever reason Candice just could not get enough of peanut butter. It did not take long for the waiter to bring her her order as well as Vincent's. Taking her spoon from the ice cream she set a spoonful on the one tuna wrap, as well as a small dollop of peanut butter. Merlin, she was sick, but this was going to taste so good. Taking one of her sushi pieces she popped it into her mouth and smiled. It was just as good as she had hoped. She glanced over to see what Vincent made of her food selection. Her baby was pretty adventurous when it came to foods, but he didn't like when certain foods mixed.

"Mmm..." she hummed. "So yummy...Vincent, do you want a bite?"

She winked, hoping that he knew she was just teasing him. Taking another piece of sushi she popped it into her mouth and chewed it slowly. The ginger from the dish collided with the creaminess of the ice cream, and the peanut butter just gave it that thickness she loved from peanut butter.

"Mmm...." she smiled. "Baby...don't you think you should eat?"

Oh, Merlin! He was going to be sick, he was sure of it! The ice cream and peanut butter weren't so bad, but added to sushi? He was sure that his face was bright green now. He called the waiter over and asked for a to-go box, since he knew that he wasn't going to be able to eat now.

He sipped gingerly at his iced tea, hoping that it wouldn't induce him to throw up, he didn't know if he could handle that right now. It would ruin their day as he would have to go home. That wouldn't be fair to Candy. She so had her heart on shopping today.

"Candy, please," he moaned weakly. "I can't handle that." He brought his hand up to his mouth, hoping that it would prevent any embarrassing situation from arising anytime soon.

He dropped his eyes to the table, taking a few deep breaths to calm his stomach. He didn't dare look up, knowing that he'd be sprinting to the Mens' in a heart beat if he did.

"Just let me know when you are ready to go, Baby," he said a moment later when he was able to speak again.

Candy chuckled and continued eating her meal. She knew that her husband had a weak stomach when it came to things such as this. Just as Vincent knew she had a weak stomach when it came to things like bugs. Candy hated every and all insect. Spiders being the big one. It didn't matter if it was fake or real, if she saw one she threw up. Not from disgust, but overall fear. Candice was terrified of anything that had more than two legs, excluding dogs or furry animals of course. Finishing her last piece of sushi she, secretly, took out her wand and charmed her breath to return to its normal mint essence. Smiling up at Vincent she took his hand.

"Okay baby," she cooed. "It's all gone, you okay? Or do you need to run to the loo?"

Candy knew that sometimes Vincent's mind was what made him sick. He could probably get past her weird cravings if he didn't think so much what was in them. But she loved that she had something tease her husband with, it was so adorable. Kissing his cheek gently she stood and gently tugged his hand.

"Come on baby," she said gently. "Let's go clothes shopping, that should help get your mind off things."

Vincent chanced it and looked up carefully. He gave an inward sigh of relief and sat up in his chair, deciding to chance eating some of his salad before they left. He could only manage two bites before he had to give up and put the salad and his sandwich into the box he'd requested.

He stood up and held out his hand to Candy. He knew why it was, that even though he was able to eat some of the strangest foods on the planet, he couldn't handle her craving concoctions.

Bertie Bott Beans. He'd been dared in his third year to eat a handfull of the beans without seperating them into flavors. He'd ended up eating about twelve of the most revolting flavors he'd ever combined in his life. Vomit, earwax, sardine, varnish, tripe, pepper, rotten egg, shampoo, sulphur, liver, baking soda and hot sauce.

Ever since then, he'd not been able to handle strange combinations of normal foods being mixed together. It reminded his stomach of the Bertie Bott Beans and it reacted the way it had then. Each and every time. He knew that she couldn't control the cravings that she had, it was part of her pregnancy. He wouldn't dream of asking her to choose something else. That wouldn't be fair to her.

"I'm ready to go, baby," he said as he lay the money for the bill and tip on the table.

Candy and Vincent had been shopping all day. She had several bags of clothing, but now she was starting to feel extremely tired and her stomach wasn't reacting very well to her last meal. Sighing a bit she sat down on a park bench and closed her eyes briefly. She hoped Vincent was ready to go home soon, she was just so exhausted that words could not even describe it. Gently she took his hand and looked weakly up at him.

"Baby?" she whispered. "I'm starting to not feel so good...are you ready to go home?"

She didn't know why her morning sickness affected her so severely, nor did she know why it hit at such random times. The point was that she knew when she got hit she got hit hard. Candice always thought that it might be because she was just not used to being pregnant, but the part of her that was a St. Mungo's Healer told her that she needed to have a physical done in the maternity ward. Candice just didn't want to worry her husband, or herself. Surely it couldn't be that serious, she was sure she wasn't running any temperature of any kind. It was probably all in her head.

"Baby...let's go home?" she whispered, weakly.

Vincent only had one more thing that he wanted to buy for their little one that day, and that was the enormous teddy bear that he'd seen in the shop where they had done all the rest of the furniture shopping. He wanted it to be a surprise for Candy when the nursery was decorated, but he took one look at her face and knew that her morning sickness was rearing its head. He nodded and wrapped his arms around her.

"All right, Sweetheart. I had one more thing to do, but it can wait until later. Right now, you are the important one, and you need to get home and off your feet."

He made a mental note to remind her to make an appointment to see someone in maternity at St. Mungo's. She needed to have a full exam and ultrasound soon. Vincent wanted to make sure that his wife was healthy during her pregnancy. He didn't want any risk to her or the baby, if it could be avoided. Maybe with Merideth Spencer? He knew that she was the Senior Healer for the maternity ward. He'd met her and liked her very much.

"Candy, when you're feeling better, will you let me make a Floo call to set up an appointment with someone at St. Mungo's? It's time you started having regular appointments."

Candice nodded, she did not mind her husband setting up a doctor appointment for her at all. If anything Candice encouraged him to do it. She was just so forgetful that it would never get done without his help. Closing her eyes as a small bout of nausea took over she took a deep breath and rested a hand on her stomach. She felt like she was going to throw up, but she knew that it was only a feeling. It probably wouldn't happen until she got home, thankfully her and Vincent had taken the bite. Candice was sure she could not handle apparation with how she felt, and it was also very dangerous towards her asthma.

Gently Candice closed her eyes and leaned her head back so that it was resting on his shoulder. Her husband was so gentle with her, so sweet and tender. And it was that behavior and love that just made her love him more and more. He was so perfect and Candy would never understand what she had done to deserve him. The day they had met and fell in love was one of the most important days of their lives. Her beloved had saved her then, and to this day he saved her from herself. She was so in love.

Taking her love's hands she placed them over her belly and moaned a bit. His cool hands felt nice against her skin and closing her eyes she whimpered. She was going to be sick soon...they needed to find the bike and get home.

"Honey?" she asked weakly. "We need to go now...before I throw up."

Vincent gathered Candy into his arms. Her pregnancy was being a bit hard on her, he knew that. The morning sickness had started to kick in, and it hardly ever came in the morning. It usually came when it would be least expected. He thought that would make them ready for it to hit her at any time, but unfortunately, that hadn't happened. They were never ready for it.

He lifted her onto the bike, and after looking around for a few seconds to be sure that they weren't being watched, he shrank down the packages that they had been carrying, stowing them under the back part of the seat. He climbed onto the bike behind her, started it, and headed in the direction of their house.

When they arrived home, he wasted no time in carrying her into the house, and comfortable on the couch before hurrying around looking for the things she would need if she did become sick. The rubbish bin, tissues, something for her to drink so that she didn't become dehydrated. Carrying the tray and bin back to her, he set it on the coffee table.

"I don't want you moving until the nausea has passed, baby." He stroked her flame-colored hair back from her eyes, and smiled reasuringly.

Candy cringed as her stomach churned and churned within her. She just did not want to throw up. Being pregnant had her throwing up so much more than normal...and it was so annoying and unlike most pregnant women afterwards she did not feel good...she actually felt worse. Closing her eyes against Vincent's cool palm she sighed and rested her own hands on her tummy. She hoped that there was nothing wrong with the baby...that she wasn't getting sick because the baby was sick.

Squeezing her arms around her tummy a bit she swallowed hard as bile began to rose in her throat. Merlin, she couldn't keep anything down. Turning over on her side a bit she opened her mouth and closed her eyes as the food began moving out o her system. Coughing a bit she clutched her throat as the bile and stomach acid burned her esophagus on the way out.

"Oh God..." she wheezed. "V-Vincent...something's wrong...something's wrong..."

She knew that this couldn't be normal morning sickness. There was just no way that normal morning sickness was supposed to be this torturous. She needed a Healer and she needed one straight away.

Vincent crouched down next to her, stroking her hair back from her face. He was just as worried as she was about the health of their baby. He had never seen a woman throw up like his Candy was doing. It was time that they went to a Healer, she was right about that. Only a Healer would know for sure whether it was normal for her to have to vomit like this whenever she did, or if there was something wrong with the baby. He got up and hurried to the Floo, making sure that they had enough powder to get to St. Mungo's. There was, and after checking that he had her inhaler, and that it was full, he picked up Candy and took her to the fireplace.

"Candy, I'm sorry that I have to do this, but we're going to have to Floo to Mungo's. I don't want to waste the time that it would take to get there by the bike; it might be the difference between us having the baby, or losing it."

He didn't wait for an answer, but put the powder into the fireplace and after stating their destination, stepped into the emerald flames. When the spinning stopped, Vincent moved his wife to the nearest trash bin and handed her the inhaler so that she wouldn't have to get sick on herself or be unable to breathe due to the ash from the fireplace.

As usual the waiting room was busy with patients with every conceivable illness or affliction. He sat next his love after taking a number, and hoped that someone would help them before it was too late.

"Candy, Baby, are you all right?"

Before Candy could even form a coherent response she turned her face towards Vincent and threw up. Coughing loudly she gasped as she tried to catch her breath against the hot ash from the fireplace. The Floo Network was so dangerous for an asthmatic and this was just further proof how weak Candice's lungs were. Breathing heavily she clutched Vincent's shoulder as tears welled in her eyes. She knew that he had to have her inhaler with him, Vincent was so attentive he always kept one with him in his pocket or jacket pocket. That was just how wonderful her beloved was.

Sputtering and coughing loudly she began wheezing quite heavily, the horrible sound emitting from her chest signaling just how horrible her asthma attack was going to be. Closing her eyes she began to cry silently, the tears of pain sliding down her cheeks in little droplets.

"C-C-Can't....." she gasped. "B-B-B-Breath!"

She knew that her husband would react the minute those words left her mouth. From the moment they had met, that one fateful day in December her husband knew that her condition was something completely out of her control. He knew that her lungs were the weakest part in her body, and the words "Can't Breath" were something that Vincent had a trained ear for...they could only pray that their little miracle didn't have this curse as well.

Vincent instantly took the inhaler from Candy's hand and put it into her mouth, pressing down on it. He heard the all-to-familiar hiss of the medication entering her system and pulled it back, waiting a few moments before he put it back into his pocket. Looking around to see if a Healer was going to come to help them, he pulled Candy onto his lap, cuddling her to him protectively, his hand resting on her stomach.
He didn't know how he would be able to handle it if anything happened to his wife or their so-longed-for baby. He didn't know that he could handle it.

He rubbed Candice's back slowly, trying to keep her calm. She needed someone to see her, and she needed it now! But he wasn't going to leave her for anything. What if she needed him and he wasn't there? He couldn't do that to her, it would be the end of him. He would never let her down if he could help it.

Vincent pulled her closer to him, his hand running slow little circles around her stomach. Their baby was safe, he knew it. She had to be all right. Candy would be just as heartbroken as he would if their child were to be lost. But he wasn't going to think about that. He just wanted someone to come and see his beloved.

"It's all right, baby. Someone will be here to see you soon."

Candice through up again and cringe, closing her eyes she tried to look away from the puddle of sick that had accumulated on the floor. But when she caught another glance at it her eyes widened and she began to sob. There was blood in her throw up! Looking at Vincent she sobbed loudly and buried her face in his chest. She didn't know what it meant, if it meant anything at all...but she knew that vomiting blood was not something that should happen when one was pregnant! Something was wrong with their little miracle...their little Gracey was sick!

"Oh...oh God..." she moaned turning from him and throwing up again.

Couldn't anyone see that she was in agony, that she was vomiting all over the floor...and that blood was coming up as well? Couldn't anyone see that?! Were people so damn ignorant that they were just going to leave her to suffer alone in pain, with her husband watching in fear by her side?! What the HELL kind of hospital was this?! And what was worse was the fact that the staff knew who she was and they still did nothing to help her! All they did was watch her as if she was some type of freak show!

"V-V-Vincent," she sobbed. "I...I need...h-help!"

Merideth had been running behind all day. She'd had to deliver a set of twins first thing this morning and they hadn't exactly wanted to come into the world. They had been almost fifteen minutes apart, and had been born on seperate days. The new parents had been worrying about how they were to celebrate the birthdays. Meri had just congratulated them on their new babies and gone off to her rounds, for which she was about half an hour late. Then had come her appointments, again, being late for each since she had also been called to the delivery room again for a second birth. She finally finished with her reports on the patients that she'd seen that week and was about to go home when she saw Candice Bauer and her husband in the waiting room. She knew that Candy was pregnant now and hoped that there was nothing wrong with her baby, especially since she and Vincent had had to wait so long and try so hard to start their family.

Witnessing Candy being sick on her husband and then again on the floor while no one seemed to be all that interested made Meri furious. Candy was a member of the staff! Didn't that mean that the whole of St. Mungo's new that she was expecting?! She glared at the Welcome Witch as she passed the admissions desk, reaching the Bauers' side a moment later.

"Mister Bauer, if you'll help Candy, I'd like you to come with me so that I can examine her," she said gently and strode off in the direction of the nearest available exam room, making a mental note to speak to Aiden Showers about the way the Welcome Witch had been behaving.