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 Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:05 am
Grace Memorial made it their personal philosophy to make any child, who was forced to spend the Christmas season in the hospital, very happy. It began shortly after Thanksgiving with decorations in the rooms where the patient wasn't under strict surveilance or some other grievous reason. The hallways had the warm feeling of a home rather than a sterile hospital and everywhere bright reds, golds, silvers, and blues delighted a patient with the winking and blinking of Christmas lights. As the season progressed and Christmas crept ever closer, candy stripers became far more common and children's stockings hung on the edges of their beds, doors, and walls were soon bulging with the treats they could consume with a doctor's say-so.
But the greatest event of all, the one every doctor, every nurse, and every patient looked forward to more than anything else was the hospital-wide Christmas paegant. Every year it became bigger and more spectacular and Sam feared one of these years the Chief would shut it down. So far they'd been lucky. Each of the children were given the opportunity to participate in anyway they possibly could. Some were snowflakes, some santas, some presents twirling in wheelchairs and dancing about on the makeshift stage in the cafeteria. It was a practiced event but it had never gone off without a hitch and Sam loved it every year more than ever before. This year she was in charge of the choir and it was two days before the big show. The kids were singing and Sam was once again exhausted. She glanced around and saw the manger that they were planning on using for baby Jesus. Leaning on it, she relaxed for just a moment.
CRAACKKK! The next thing she knew she was on the floor amidst hay and the sparkling tinsel the children had used to decorate the manger. Not the wisest move, she thought ruefully as she attempted to stand up. Resting a hand on her stomach, she felt another wave of pain cycle through and mentally counted. It was about time. Her water hadn't broken yet, but she knew she still had time. Pulling out her cell phone, she waved off the screaming children, laughing but concerned nurses and the director of the whole paegant who was looking rather horrified. "Xe, would you meet at the hospital with the bag I set on the rocking chair in the nursery, please? Drive carefully through the traffic, and don't worry, we've still got about an hour or so."
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:22 pm
He was in the middle of a lecture on the sympathic nervous system for one of his introductory classes, and in that lecture way that had them laughing and entertained at the same time as well as learning. Analogies were a great things. But for the first time that night their faces couldn't of lit up any brighter at the sound of his cell phone going off with what they knew was the ringtone that was for his wife.
"And I do believe that my fight or flight response just kicked in." Said with a chuckle as he pulled his phone from his poket, "Excuse me." Flipping it open amid their light chatter, "Ciao Cielo?" Listening he gave a nod. "Be there in twenty. Love you." Hanging up and putting it in his pocket once more he looked to his students. "Good news for all of you who were hoping, class dismissed. Forget your homework for tonight, go out, have some fun and I'm going to go have a baby. Night guys." A few words of congradulations from his students among other things and then he was off as well.
Exactly seventeen minutes later, he had been by the house and now had parked his car, walking inside the hospital with her duffle bag slung over his shoulder. She had been already put in a room and everything in that short amount of time and since he had clearance in this hospital (he still did come clinical practice from time to time) he didn't need to stop and get a visitor's pass, but went straight to where the nurses told him.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:07 pm
Sitting in bed, yes. Quiet? No. She was delivering orders as if she wasn't the one who was soon to give birth. Directing the choir of children who had followed her to the room, she nodded as they finished their own rendition of "Rudolph" and nodded. "Very good, very good. You will all do wonderfully, tomorrow. Wonderfully."
Jamie Lee, an adorable blonde four-year-old with big blue eyes and half of her face severely scarred from third degree burns tilted her head and climbed up onto Sam's bed. "Dr. Mac? you'll be der too, 'on't you?"
Reaching out, she lightly rumped the thin wisps of what had once been boucing golden curls. "No, sweetheart. I'm gonna have a baby. But if I can see it, I'll try, alright?"
Not good enough for Jamie and she immediately burst into tears. "But 'oo's gonna sing?"
Gathering the small child closer, Sam soothed her. "Sing? You and Jimmy and Tommy and Susie and all the others. You'll sing for me, right? Nice and loud so I can hear you all the way up here? If I can't make it of course." She added hastily as she saw the child's eyes tear up again.
"Jimmy said you was da fat ladeee. She's gotta sing, Dr. Mac. She's just gotta."
So now she was the fat lady, hmm? Well...joy to the world indeed. She was about to answer the child when another pain assailed her and she felt wetness pool on the sheets. And that was her water and where was Xe?! "I umm...."
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:18 pm
"Well Jamie Lee, how about this? You can tuck a pillow under your costume so you'll be the fat lady and you can sing for Dr. Mac because she can't, how's that sound kiddo?" He knew all these kids. Sam either talked about them or he had met them personally...Sam more or less lived at the hospital most times, and the long term patients as well as staff were part of the family in a manner. Setting her bag on a counter in the room, he walked over, wading through the gaggle of children and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "How you doing Cielo?"
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:31 pm
The little girl considered his idea and then nodded with a giggle. "I gets to be the fat ladeee!" Thus, standing on the bed, she leaped into his arms since she knew he'd catch her and pressed a kiss to his cheek before scrambling to get down and telling all the other kids that she was now the fat lady and they all had to let her sing or else they'd just be going on and on forever and ever.
Sam chuckled as she left and reached out, squeezing Xe's hand. "Twenty minutes apart, Casanova. They'll be sending me to delivery soon. Are you ready?" Turning back to the kids and making shooing motion with her fingers. "Go on. Be good for Dr. Nora now." Waving to them all.
Sure enough the contractions moved to ten minutes and then five minutes and then Sam was on her way to delivery, breathing in the recognized pattern and clenching his fist when the labor pains began to really hurt. She'd been checked out completely by her doctor and was settled once again then the real work began. Taking a deep breath, she rode through a contraction, gritting her teeth and barely holding back the scream.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:47 pm
He did indeed catch her and merely chuckled as he had solved the problem. Letting her down amid her scrambling, "See now you have the most important part or everyone just has to keep singing." His attention turned back to his wife as the kids wandered out of the room in someone else's care now. Covering her hand with his other he brought it up,pressing a kiss to the back of her hand with a grin to her. "I'm ready...well...I suppose soon as they make me dress stupid I'll be ready." He figured his part in this was going to be the morale booster and he had always been able to make her laugh.
When your wife was an OBGYN you learned how things worked in these situations and how it goes...that and she's briefed him on 'the plan' as she had called it. Which was an amusing moment in time but it was actually going quite according to it all. So there he was, dressed in scrubs and other needed stupid pieces but not caring as he stood by his wife, holding her hand and letting her try to break his fingers...she was being a real tropper he had to say, after all she had to do this two times.
While she had one hand, he brought his free one up to lovingly brush across her cheek, brushing her hair back away from her face as well in the process. The hard part was that they couldn't really be vampires in this place...freak people out...and some blood would probably help her out right now. Not to mention their newborns were going to need some...an issue they could work out later. Right now was about Sam getting through something he wasn't even going to pretend to comprehend. He'd heard a kidney stone felt like if not worse pain than labor, but he'd never had one of those either.
"You'll do just fine, you know that. And what's a few broken fingers on my part right? Those will heal and I probably deserve them for not being puffy with life. Just remember your plan in your head." her plan...three push sessions to each and she'd be done. Total of six. He'd figured if she took comfort in her almost ritualistic planning, it would help her state of mind. Psychologist, he knew these things.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:01 pm
She'd often wondered what it truly felt like to be in the position of all those women and she'd generally been horrified at some of the things they said to their husbands and significant others at this time. Now, she understood them all. Breathing deeply as her mind calculated timing synchronized with the waving lines on the screen to her right. "Oh..." Whimpering as another huge contraction assailed her and the doctor informed her of what she already knew: it was time to start pushing.
Squeezing Xe's hand tightly, she let the nurse lift her knees and expose her, though at this point in time it just didn't matter anymore. Pushing with all her might, she gritted her teeth and let out a scream. One down, two more to go. Yes, the plan was alive and well in her mind. It was the only thing keeping her from telling Xearus to go to hell and other unmentionable places. Ignoring the doctor who was telling her to keep pushing completely, she counted off in her head and gave silent mental encouragement to the little fetus attempting to make it's way through the birth canal. Squeezing, gritted teeth and screaming through them and another push was down.
Dimly, she heard the doctor announce the head was visible and Sam embraced the thought of getting the baby's shoulders out and letting the rest just slide right out like jelly. She could do this, dammit. She knew she looked like hell, her hair plastered to her skin, face all red with exertion. Taking another deep breath, she clenched Xe's fingers even tighter and gave a mighty push, feeling the child literally slip out of her loins before she collapsed back against the pillows, not quite ready to do it again just yet.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:15 pm
He had been witness to a birth before. His own twin sister's second actually...her husband had been out of town and the baby had come earlier and he was readily avaliable and the closest by family member. He had been the victim of her verbal abuse about his sister's husband as well as, and he quoted 'the entire male gender of every species of every planet in every galaxy, except for the seahorse'. It had been amusing till she clocked him arbitratily in the jaw. Thus he was a tad surprised that Sam's focus was keeping her from doing such things...probably the best since later when she was herself again she would probably feel horrible about saying such things to him.
But then there was that crying of a newborn baby in the room that entered his thoughts and as every young man (vampire in this occassion) he was on that auto piolet when they wanted him to do things, lost in his own little dreamy world before the baby was taken off for Apgar scoring. He vaguely recalled the word 'girl' but his focus was his wife seeing as she wasn't done. "One down, one to go...dare say I'm impressed thus far, Cielo." Pressing a kiss to her temple and soothing her as best he could...men were in such an awkward place if they weren't the doctor delivering....like standing outside the women's restroom because your niece had to go and you were watching her and thus you looked like a pervert....yeah.
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:23 pm
Sam pulled herself together long enough to shout out instructions to the nurses who were handling the Apgar. If it was under five she wanted to know immediately. That lusty cry she'd thought she heard told her it likely was on the higher end of the scale and she glanced at her husband for a moment. "I always...try to impress, Cas-anova..."
And then she was back at it again, pushing once and screaming for real this time despite her attempts not to grit her teeth. Whoever told her the second one came out so much easier had lied. Another push and she was ready to kill someone. "Oh God...I can't do it..." Flopping back against hte pillows and breathing heavily. How had Serafina done this? How did any woman do this? And she couldn't even imagine triplets or any higher. Hearing her daughter's Apgar score was a high nine gave her renewed motivation and she fought through the last two (it ended up taking four) pushes as if she was in a haze. Another cry, this one a little weaker, and she collapsed, tears rolling down her face. "Never...again, Xe..."
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:43 pm
Again a repeat for him, save word changed from 'girl' to 'boy' and his attention was right back on Sam. Framing her face with his hands, he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks to brush away tears and giving her a smile. "If you never want to do it again, you never have to. How about that?" Pressing a kiss to her forhead and running a hand through her slightly damp hair. "And guess what, we'll just say the second one too three instead okay? You had to pause for breath is all. If anything...you can be happy with the fact that it's over and we're both going to have stupid looking hair."
But with all things, that next hour was a blue. Apgar scores and getting babies cleaned up, getting Sam cleaned up before they were put back in that little cozy private room so she could get some rest for a bit as the hospital took its time recording things on their newborns. Walking over to the door, he made her it was closed all the way...needed a moment for just the two of them...and he walked over to the bed and his wife. Pushing up his sleeve on one arm, he brought it up to his mouth and a quick drag of fangs opened his skin and the veins in his wrist just enough for blood to rise and he offered his wrist up to his wife. "Here, while you have a moment."
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Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:55 pm
Their son's score was a little lower than their daughter's but that was relatively normal with multiple baby births. He was still a healthy little boy and Sam was quite pleased to know she had fraternal twins. She and Xe had both decided that they didn't want to know until the time they babies were born. She turned to Xearus and buried her fingers in his hair trying to get her emotions under control and then she couldn't help it, she just had to kiss him.
She'd been resting her eyes until the smell of fresh blood enveloped her senses and she latched to his wrist greedily. Taking the first sip, she let out a sigh of pure pleasure and drank deeply then pushed his wrist away. "That's enough." High color in her cheekbones so soon after giving birth wouldn't be suspect or anything. She wanted to see her babies and she wanted to be held and cuddled and told how beautiful she was even though she looked like hell. Patting the bed beside her, she scooted over slightly and leaned back once again. Her body was getting it's equilibrium back but it wasn't like she could jump up and dance a jig...even if she felt like it. "They need some, too. Names, Xe. Birth certificates...oh god, we're parents. I want to see them. Isn't the hospital done yet?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:11 am
He jerked the slightest bit, though he should of been prepared for the greedy behavior, it always happened after bodily trauma...you couldn't help but be a little lusty for the substance. But he let her take what she wanted, knowing even a little bit would do her good. Pulling his wrist away for a nod he made sure the wound was going to close on its own before pushing his sleeve back down and using his thumb to wipe a bit of blood from her lips.
"You did great I think. Much better than Savina." Brushing a hand through her hair to straigten it some. "Delivering two babies and still able to make my heart skip a beat when I look at you. You're damn good you know that?" With the room she made, he sat down on the bed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, nuzzling her lightly with a kiss to follow. "Shh, stop worrying. They'll get all they need Sam you know that. And yes we're parents...you're the parent this time not the doctor. Let the hospital do your job and you do the patient's job."
A knock on the door got his attention and he made sure there was no blood evidence before he wandered over and opened it to two nurses, each one carrying a baby swadled in hospital regulation blankets. One nurse holding their girl walked to Sam, handing the baby to her mother before leaving while the second nurse handed him his son...after some encouraging words becuase he apparently looked a little nervous about holding the little new life. THey both promptly left them to themselves.
She was awake, but she wasn't still. Rather squirmy and noise making, big green eyes watching her the woman she was handed to with the stuck stare of any newborn not able to vision track yet. Who was this new thing? Fisting her hands, she started to flail them a little in the confines of her blanket, about to get upset over more unfamilair things. Where was her nice watery home and where was the one she cuddled with?
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:22 am
Sam knew he was lying but was completely grateful for it anyway. Snuggling into his embrace, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. "I love you, Xe. And now I got to really show it." Settling for a moment, she let him soothe her and took the time to relax before the knock held her attention since she knew exactly what that meant.
Giving the nurse a nod and a smile, she took the warm bundle wrapped in the blanket and held the baby girl close to her chest, snuggling her. "Welcome to the world, Felicity. It's okay, sweetheart, I'm your Mama and I won't let anything happen to you. But you won't mind if I examine you, right?" Opening the blanket, she counted ten little squirmy fingers and toes, one perfect tummy and all appendages in the proper places. Rewrapping the baby, she gently ran her fingers through the fluff of black hair and looked into eyes that mirrored her own. "There. Oh, Xe. Isn't she perfect? Felicity Rosalind Calder. Our baby girl."
He was far calmer, soothed somewhat by the sound of his sister's squirming whimpers. He blinked sleepily and stared up into the man's face, fisting his tiny hand against his cheek. He wasn't horribly thrilled about the new circumstances but he was a little more go with the flow than his sister. Making a soft noise, he opened his mouth and closed it again as if anticipating something.
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:35 am
She soothed under the voice that she found so familiar and the proximity of the tudding noise near her that she had heard all her life. But again with the upset as the warm wrapped around her let in the cold and she was being poked at again. Then cold gone and more soothing feelings. Little noise then as her brother moved into her view.
"I think we did right well, not only one perfect little girl, but one perfect little boy too, our Thobias Ciro Calder." Walking back to the bed and sitting on the edge again with baby in arms. Names had been easily decided on before hand, as well as middle names for special reasons. He grinned at the sight of the perfect little two and felt the rise of that fluffy 'I'm a father' feeling. "You think you know what you're going to do or say at these moments, but it reality it seems you never do." However he brought one of his index fingers to one of his fangs, pricking his fingertip before giving his finger to his son's mouth, knowing that suckling reflex would kick in. "All the pain worth it? Or am I in for a week of shunning because I didn't do as much work?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:45 am
"Yes, welcome to the world, Thobias." Reaching over to lightly press her lips to the top of his fluffy head, too. She rocked Felicity for a moment and then repeated Xe's actions, knowing her babies needed blood and they needed it before the nurses came back in and caught them. "I just can't believe that it's over. I carried them for so many months and now they're really here. We have to call your mom and my dad." Snuggling her daughte comfortably against her breasts, she nodded. "More than worth it. You don't think it's going to be, you wonder just how anyone could willingly put themselves through it and then it all becomes...obvious." Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she let her daughter take her fill and chuckled, "I'll get back to you on that when I'm not in a floaty dreamworld, okay?"
He blinked in recognition at the voice and flailed slightly though didn't cry. Watching his father do something, he nevertheless became quite happy when something was put in his mouth and it tasted good. His sucking reflex did indeed kick in and he began to take the blood that was dripping into his mouth.
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