Love and Mistakes Ch. 04-05

"She means rough sex," Cory said, walking up the hall. He looked at Netalia and gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry Neta," he murmured. Before anyone could say anything else, Billy walked out of Shella's room with a goofy grin.

"What?" Dex asked.

"She didn't lose the baby. It was just some breakthrough bleeding. We're going to watch her for another week, maybe two and keep an eye on the baby, but for right now, the baby has a strong and healthy heart beat," Billy said. Dex and Netalia breathed identical sighs of relief and Cory slipped his hand into Netalia's. She glanced back at him and carefully pulled her hand away from his. Billy looked from Cory to Netalia to Dex and sighed. "NO STRESS! She doesn't need it. I don't care how pissed you are, you act like the loving couple you were when she came in," Billy said. Netalia nodded.

CHAPTER FIVE

"Have you spoken with Netalia?" Cory's brother Devin asked.

"No. I know she's in Tria with her parents, helping her dad with her brothers and sister. She sends weekly letters to keep me updated on what's happening with the pregnancy, but ..." Cory stopped talking and stared at the shape in the doorway. "Netalia," he breathed, standing up from his chair. He crossed the length of the room in four large steps but made no attempt to touch her; the last time he had tried, she had started screaming and clawing at him. "Are you okay?" Cory asked. Devin slipped out of the office through the library and Cory could hear his brother telling the staff that unless told other wise, that Prince Cory was off limits for awhile.

"We're fine," Netalia murmured. Cory smiled as she pulled his hand towards her abdomen. "Only a few more days," she added. Cory smiled again. "We should talk before the baby comes," she murmured. He nodded and closed the door. "Why did you react the way you did?" Netalia wanted to know. Cory sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"This is why," Cory answered, handing her a wrinkled piece of paper.

"You believed this?" Netalia asked.

"Part of me did." Netalia sighed, crumpled the piece of paper and tossed it into the garbage can. "Devon's ex-girlfriend tried to trap him into marrying her. He was going to break up with her because she had started stealing things from the palace. And father and found a bride for him."

"Amiee," Netalia murmured.

"Yes, God bless her. Devon's ex, Eden didn't like that she was being passed over and told Devon that she was pregnant and that it was his." Netalia looked up sharply.

"Are you saying that you're not ..."

"No, I know I'm the father of our baby, now let me finish," Cory said. Netalia sat back in her chair. "Naturally, Devon told Aimee he couldn't marry her, not when someone else was carrying his child. He felt obligated to marry Eden. The day before the wedding, Eden went into labor. The baby was born three hours before the wedding ceremony." Cory pulled out an old picture of Eden; Netalia thought Eden was beautiful with shining blond hair and green eyes. "The baby was black," he said.

Netalia's eyes widened and met Cory's who nodded. "She'd been sleeping with an old boyfriend, one she dated right before Devon, and while he was abusive, and crude and not a nice man at all, apparently, he was very good in bed and very large so they, once a week, would meet and have sex," Cory added.

"So someone sent you a note saying I was being unfaithful and you believed it?" Netalia asked.

Cory sighed again. "I never dated anyone because I was afraid that the same thing that happened to Devon would happen to me. When your dad brought to Tria and had the ball to celebrate you and your mother and siblings being brought to the area, I fell in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you. I know I hurt you and I'd rather die than hurt you again. I'm so sorry Neta," Cory murmured.

"I know. I've had time to think, and I'm not mad anymore," Netalia told him. He smiled and reached for her. She allowed herself to be pulled into a hug.

"Netalia?" Devon poked his head into the office.

"C'mon man, we could have been naked in here," Cory complained. Netalia giggled.

"Sorry bro, this is important. Your dad just called, there's something wrong with your mom," Devon told Netalia. Her face paled and she turned back to Cory.

"We need to get to Tria, now," she said.

"You can't fly Netalia, or at least you shouldn't be," Devon said, walking over to them.

"This is my mother Devon! I need to be there, she needs me!" Netalia exclaimed.

"Your mother needs to know you're taken care of. She knows you're getting close to delivering," Devon said softly. "Your dad said for you to stay put. He'll call in an hour and update you," he added, kissing his sister in law on the cheek before walking out of the office. Cory hugged Netalia gently.

"Come on, let's take a nap," Cory murmured.

"I don't think I could sleep Cory," Netalia told him.

"Who said anything about sleep?" Cory asked with a grin. Netalia laughed and allowed him to lead her to their bedroom. "Are we still okay to do this?" Cory wanted to know.

"As long as you're gentle," she told him, reaching behind her to unzip her dress. Cory moaned in appreciation as the dress fell to the floor.

"You look so beautiful. I can't believe how big these have gotten," Cory breathed, cupping a breast with his hand. He flicked his finger over an already hard nipple and grinned when she moaned.

"Cory, you don't need to tease me, I've been missing us for weeks now," Netalia whined as he lowered his lips and suckled gently sending jolts of pleasure through her. She gasped and Cory chuckled before switching to the other breast. "Cory," she said weakly. He looked at her in concern and grinned when he saw the look of frustration on her face.

"Are you okay?" Cory asked. She nodded and he eased her down to the bed. He had his pants off before she could even say anything and he sat on the bed at her feet and eased her legs apart before sliding a finger deep inside her. Netalia let out a shaky moan and pleaded with her eyes to stop teasing. Cory pushed Netalia onto her side and moved behind her. She moaned happily when he pushed his way inside her. Cory kept a finger near her clit so that everything her body was jostled by his thrusts, her clit would brush right by his finger. He savored the sounds of her moans of pleasure and grinned when she screamed as her climax hit. He thrust once more before he reached his climax and held as still as he could as his seed burst from his body and into hers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dad, is mom okay?" Netalia asked, grabbing the phone from Cory.

"Your mother is fine, but she went into premature labor," Dex said with a sigh.

"But she was only four months pregnant!" Netalia exclaimed.

"I know." Netalia gave Cory a worried look as her father went silent.

"Did the baby make it?" Netalia asked softly, afraid of the answer.

"No, she didn't," Dex answered.

"What can I do?" Netalia wanted to know.

"You can stay home and safely deliver a healthy baby," Dex told his daughter, a small smile played on his lips as he listened to his daughter protest and try to convince him to let her return to Tria to help with her siblings. "Netalia Rosa, listen to me. You are too close to your due date to travel back to Tria. The doctors didn't even want you flying back to Morena," Dex told her.

"I'm fine dad," Netalia argued.

"Let me speak to your husband," Dex said. Netalia growled but handed the phone to Cory.

"Yes your highness?" Cory asked.

"Cut the formalities. If my daughter feels you're still trust worthy, then you're family. Call me Dex or dad."

"Yes sir," Cory said.

"Keep Netalia in Morena. Do not let her on a boat of any kind or at the airport. Sit on her if you have to, but she shouldn't leave Morena until after the baby is at least two months old," Dex instructed.

"I agree, and while, no, I won't sit on her, I have a few other ideas on how to keep her in one place," Cory said with a grin. Netalia rolled her eyes and Dex groaned.

"Thank you for that mental image of you fucking my daughter. Excuse me now while I drill a screw into my frontal lobe," Dex said dryly before hanging up the phone.

"What'd dad say?" Netalia asked.

"To keep you in Morena, even if I had to sit on you," Cory answered.

"And what did he say to your innuendo?" Devon wanted to know, lounging against the doorway.

"That he's going to give himself a lobotomy," Cory said with a laugh. Devon roared and looked down when he felt a tug on his pants.

"Daddy, it's story time!" Devon smiled and lifted his daughter into his arms.

"Well, Lizzie girl, I have just the story for you tonight. We're going to read the Velveteen Rabbit," Devon said, carrying his pint sized daughter down the hall.

"He's so good with her. Is that where you got your experience with kids?" Netalia asked, rubbing a spot that their unborn child had just kicked.

"That and there are three more kids in my family. My parents are a firm believer in adopting children when their mothers have died and there isn't any other family member to take them in. They're fostering an infant right now. I swear, if they don't quit adopting kids, they'll be rivaling Angelina Jolie," Cory said with a laugh.

"It's sweet," Netalia said with a small smile.

"I think so too," Cory agreed. Netalia tried to hide a yawn but Cory saw it and reached for her hand. "Come on, you should take a nap before dinner," Cory suggested.

~~~~~~~~~

"How are you feeling?" Dex asked, sitting down on the side of the bed as Shella slowly blinked and looked around. She knew right away that she was no longer pregnant and even if she hadn't, the expression on Dex's face told all.

"Empty," Shella murmured. Dex sighed and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Do you feel sick or hurt anywhere?" Dex asked. Shella shook her head. "Do you want some water?" Shella nodded and Dex reached for the cup of water on the beside table and held it for her. Shella took a sip of water and managed a small smile before looking away. "Shella," Dex murmured. She looked at him. "I love you, nothing will change that," he promised. Shella smiled again as Dex reached over and wiped away the tears that streamed down her face.

"Aunt Shella!" Shella looked up and saw Jason, Tina and their kids walking into the palace. Correction; Jason and Tina were walking, the kids were running.

"How are you doing?" Jason asked, giving his sister a tight hug.

"I'm hanging in there," Shella murmured. "The kids are in the play room," she told the hyper children. Julia and Mary made a mad dash for the play room. "Is something wrong Parker?" Shella asked the eight year old.

"I'm sorry you were sick when you visited us and I'm sorry it caused you to lose your baby," Parker said, his voice trembling. Shella knelt down in front of the boy and gave him a fierce hug.

"Listen to me Parker. It wasn't your fault or Mary's or Julia's that I got sick. Nor is it any of your guys' fault that I lost the baby," Shella said gently.

"But if we hadn't been sick ...."

"Parker Douglas, it was not your fault or your sisters' fault. I don't blame you nor am I mad at you. I love you all too much for that," Shella said gently but firmly. Parker grinned and gave Shella a tight hug. "Now, go be a kid and play," she told him. Parker didn't have to be told twice and he dashed off to play with his cousins.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Netalia, you okay?" Devon asked, walking past the library in time to see her grab the back of a chair.

"Yeah, great," Netalia groaned. Devon walked into the library.

"What's wrong?" Devon wanted to know. Netalia started to say that nothing was wrong when a gush of fluid ran down her legs. He hid his grin as she looked at him in a panic. "Relax Netalia, that just means ..."

"I know what it means! I'm the oldest of five kids," Netalia snapped.

"Relax," Devon told her. "C'mon, I'll help you to bed then call the midwife and my wayward brother," he added, leading her from the library.

"How much longer?" Netalia panted in between contractions. The midwife did a quick exam.

"Not much longer if you stop your griping and push already," the midwife snapped.

"Watch your tone, you're speaking to royalty," Cory growled. The midwife opened her mouth to make a retort when Netalia groaned loudly.

"PUSH!" she exclaimed. Before either Cory or Netalia knew it, the crying baby slid into the midwife's arms. "It's a boy!" she announced. Netalia dropped back against the pillow while Cory stared in amazement at the tiny, squalling child. The midwife's assistant cut the cord and quickly wrapped the baby in a blanket and placed him in his mother's waiting arms.

"Hello little one," Cory murmured, pulling a chair over to the bed and peering at his new son.

"Welcome to the world Sebastian Matthew," Netalia whispered.