Nathalie Sancoeur's secret past

We're going to have a....

Time passed quickly, especially for Nathalie, who couldn't decide, if she wanted to know her baby's gender or not. Of course she was curious and she needed to pick a colour for the nursery eventually, but there were still those moments, when she thought back to her first pregnancy, not even having had any examination at all during those nine months, had given birth in an ER to then leave the hospital only a couple of hours later, her tiny, pretty baby girl in her arms, her heart filled with more love than she had ever felt before, yet also full of sorrow, knowing, she had to soon leave her daughter behind.

She had never done anything, that made her fell worse, than she did the very moment, she placed the basket with 'Joelene', as she had called her, because it meant pretty girl, in front of Wu's door and kissed her tiny head, to then tell her, she would never stop loving her and would always think about her and whenever they'd meet again, she would immediately recognize her little, pretty girl.

Then she had stroked with her fingers along the baby's cheek for the last time and run off. Back to the friend, she had been staying with for the last months of her pregnancy.

When she had arrived back in Paris three days later, she had begun to do, what she would be almost famous for, when she was working for Gabriel Agreste. She had started to shut off all emotions and feelings, had not even stopped to show them, but mostly even to allow herself to feel them. Only at night, when she was in her bed, they came back, but with the years, she learned to control them then too.

Until Emilie went into that state, she was kept in for years, and she had to take over parts of her role for Adrien. That was, when she started to feel first a strong affection and then a motherly love again. The feelings for Gabriel came after that. It was her relationship with the boy, she by now loved like her own son, which made her start to feel again and she would always be grateful for that.

Today she was having another appointment at her doctor's and as she had told him at the last ultrasound, that she hadn't decided, if she wanted to know her baby's gender already, she was going to tell him today. Gabriel would as usually accompany her there and he would, like he did before, agree to her decision. But this time, she wouldn't let him back out.

"Well, Mr and Mrs Agreste", the young physician greeted them, then he addressed Nathalie alone, "how are you feeling? You're, let me see, thirty weeks along now, did you experience any contractions? Or something else, that's bothering you or doesn't feel right?"

The pregnant woman shook her head.

"Nothing, not even a light contraction, though I have been reading, that I should be experiencing some already. But I also read, that not every woman really feels them, so...."

"That's right. How's the baby? Moving a lot?"

The couple giggled. To the doctor's questioning look, Gabriel explained:

"Well, whenever somebody wants to feel the little peacock kick, nothing. But as soon, as Nathalie tries to get some rest or if we try to get intimate....."

"...it's like I was carrying a little rodeo pony around with me!", the woman finished his sentence with a groan.

The gynaecologist laughed with them now.

"Well, as unpleasant and sometimes even annoying, as it is for you, as pleased am I to hear, the little 'peacock' is very agile. Why did you say peacock?"

This time Nathalie replied:

"Because that's my favourite animal, a female congo peacock!"

"Oh, I see! What about the gender? As we are doing another ultrasound today, would you like to know?"

Now the young woman grinned and told him:

"I have made a decision for that issue. On the one hand, I want to know urgently and on the other, I don't, so I figured, if Gabriel wants to know, you'll tell us and if he doesn't, then we'll wait. Okay, honey?"

Looking at her husband, she waited for his answer.

Gabriel seemed surprised, but agreed.

"That sounds great my love. I'll tell you, once you can see, alright?"

"Oh", the young man interjected, "I already know. I could see the last time and the one time before that already. But to make it a little more exciting, I'll tell you, once I can see the gender this time, alright?"

He smirked as he said that and Gabriel, who felt a little offended, wanted to say something, but a look at his even more mischievously grinning wife, stopped him.

"So you're trying to ridicule me? And you even like it? Nice!", he cooed and pecked Nathalie's lips, "let's see, if the lad can find the genitals again today!"

The doctor laughed along.

"I know, that I look very young, but believe me, I have been to university and made it through all my years at the hospital before I could even consider to work here. And, I may not look like it, but I am married and have a five year old son, who was born, after I finished at the university, so...", he told them with a smile.

"Oh, I was just paying you back for making fun of me, acting like a child and don't want you to ruin the surprise before. I am very glad, that you are young, as you most likely aren't stuck in your routines and patterns so very much, as an older doctor would be. I know, it's a prejudice, but I've seen my share!", the designer tried to justify his words.

The physician nodded.

"I agree with you. There are too many doctors, who still do things the way, they learned them thirty years ago! Sadly. But there are others too. The one who owns this practice here is one of the good ones, who likes new suggestions and methods, yet he still has a lot of things, he can rely on. So, you are in very good hands here, Mrs Agreste. And now, let's get over to the stretcher and I start the machine, while you can open your pants and lift your shirt a little, you know the procedure, right?"

"Yes, I know it. And I can't wait to have another look at the little one!", Nathalie exclaimed enthusiastically.

A couple of minutes later, the gynaecologist looked at Gabriel and asked:

"Well, do we want to know if it's a girl or a boy now?"

The father to be looked at his wife for a moment, then said:

"We certainly do want to know!"

"Well, congratulations to your little...."

Adrien and Marinette had been in his room and were waiting for Fei to get home, as she had been visiting her great grandfather for a couple of days. She got along very well with the old man and he had loads of questions, mainly about the city, they were both born in. And as Fei had left there less than six months ago, she had a lot to tell him.

Now Adrien's phone chimed and he looked at it, then smiled.

"What is it?", Marinette asked, then gasped, and cheered happily, after he showed her Nathalie's message. It read:

'We're going to have a little GIRL!'