The New Seeds
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Gundam Seed or Destiny series and their characters. If I did, then I would be the happiest girl in the world.
ooOoo
Chapter 1: The Gift
Copernicus City
Kira and Lacus had just finished their dinner after a long day of shopping for baby stuffs. Diapers, bottles, rattles, bibs, blankets, strollers, and even approved teething devices. It takes a lot of stuffs to keep modern babies in the manner to which they've become accustomed. It's been a long time since they went out together, Kira Yamato, being the General of the Orb Defense Force, while Lacus Clyne as the Chairwoman of the PLANTs Supreme Council. They haven't been spending much time with each other, due to their current positions in their nations. But because of Lacus' current "state", both had decided to take their leave and are now enjoying their time with each other.
Kira waved his hand to the waiter at the counter, and paid him the amount of which he and his wife-to-be ate. After paying the bill, Kira saw Lacus caressing her belly affectionately, her eyes were gentle and very soothing, the motherly act made him smile. He glanced at his watch, and noticed that it was already late.
"Ah Lacus, are you ready to go?" he asked, there was a slight concern in his tone, worried that Lacus must be exhausted from the all the shopping that they have been doing.
"Yes Kira, let's go." She nodded in response.
Kira then picked up the shopping bags that were lying down on the carpeted floor. More than 6 bags on each hand, and he still has to carry a box for the stroller.
"Do you need some help there, Kira?" Lacus asked, as she saw her husband struggling hard in carrying their bags.
"No dear, I can handle it." He said with a smile. He doesn't want Lacus to lift anything, not even a finger.
A waiter came to offer his services to carry the packages, in which Kira graciously accepted. He looked at his wife that is still sitting on her chair, and then nodded at her to tell her that they're ready to leave. Lacus held on the handle of her seat to give her support to stand up. She grabbed her purse, when suddenly, a gush of pain flowed down her spine. The pain began as a dull ache deep in the pit of Lacus' stomach. She didn't take them seriously and ignored the feeling. Kira saw Lacus made a slight wince and came to her side at once.
"Are you okay there, Lacus?" Kira asked as he placed his right hand on Lacus' belly, dropping the shopping bags back down on the floor.
"Yeah, probably something I ate." She said, putting her hand on top of his. She gently smiled at Kira, touched by his act of concern.
"Alright then, if you say so, Lacus." He smiled back, but somehow he knew that she was lying. He then picked the bags again that he just dropped.
"Nnnngggghhhh...Kira..." the dull pain suddenly became a searing pain ripping down her back.
"Lacus, what's wrong?" Kira rushed to her side. "Is it time?" he asked as he tries to help his wife sit back on the chair.
"Nnnngghh...y-yeah...it's time...aaaaahhhhhhh!" she said until she let out an agonizing scream. People began to gather at the site. A middle-aged woman came to Lacus' side to help her into a more comfortable position.
"Hurry! Call an ambulance!" the woman shouted at Kira.
"O-okay...hold on there, Lacus." Kira frantically pulled out his cellphone and asked the operator to send in an ambulance.
"K-Kira...my water broke!" Lacus cried out.
"Stay calm, dear. Just...just pant. Like they do on TV." Kira rushed back to Lacus and saw a puddle of water on the floor.
Lacus began to breathe in rapid short breaths.
"Hang in there, dear. They'll be here soon." He tried to calm Lacus down and held her hand to tell her that it will be alright.
The door opened and a stretcher came in together with two paramedics. "Quickly now, we'd better get her to the hospital." They helped her to the stretcher and rushed towards the door of the restaurant. Kira went along with them, not letting go of his wife's hand.
The ambulance drove swiftly through the city roads, driving for only 15 minutes before they arrive at the hospital. A doctor hurriedly came to their help together with 3 nurses as they pulled out Lacus out of the ambulance, as they wheeled her to the delivery room at once.
"Ahhhhh!" Lacus screamed loudly, wriggling on the bed in the. The doctor and the nurses were walking back and forth busily, preparing themselves for the big event.
"Only two minutes between her contractions," the doctor said.
Lacus was breathing heavily, her grey eyes wide and terrified, as she kept on squirming in agony. The doctor told her to try to remain calm and take slow, deep breaths, but it just seemed impossible. Beside her bed was a very distraught Kira, who is still holding her hand, but barely could stand still and winced every time the Lacus screamed in pain.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh! A shrill scream echoed inside, penetrating the walls of the room.
"Here's another one!" Lacus gasped and suddenly grasped Kira's hand, squeezing it hard, "It HURTS!" she whined.
Kira stood stiff opposite to Lacus, unable to move due to the unspeakable sight he's seeing now. "The Miracle of Life", that's what they call it. It's a miracle alright, to witness such an unbelievable occasion. Lacus gave another scream and blood started to ooze down her legs and something and someone was trying to get out of what looks like a tight canal.
"Oh…my…God…" Kira spoke word by word as he saw a small round head popping out of Lacus
The Ultimate Coordinator started to feel funny, as he noticed that the white hospital walls are starting to spin around him. His face looks pale and his sweats are cold.
"Lacus…," was all he could say, he couldn't really find the words. And before he got the chance to say anything, Kira fell to the ground and fainted.
"Mr. Yamato!!!" One of the nurses came and started to fan the unconscious man. Kira slightly opened his eyelids and began to recover rapidly from the fall. He subconsciously put his right hand above his face and sigh.
"Your first time in the delivery room sir?" The nurse asked, trying to help Kira to sit up. Kira nodded in response his face this looks white. The nurse let out a soft laugh and heaves Kira to stand up. "It's normal for a man to faint as he sees a woman giving birth for the first time, Mr Yamato. But you better leave now, sir. We'll take care of her from here." She said as she pushed Kira out the door.
"But…" he tried to resist the nurse.
"No buts. You'll see her when it's over. Shoo," the young woman shoved him out and closed the door behind him.
He could hear Lacus scream again, "DAMN YOU KIRA!" she shouted. He tried not to be offended with his distressed wife– she warned him that she might say something like that.
Turning around, he saw that all his friends were running through the hall towards him.
"How's she doing, Kira? We came here as fast as we could," Athrun said, somewhat nervously, while Cagalli had her arm wrapped around his.
Cagalli was fidgeting still clinging at Athrun, while Athrun was trying to make her stop.
Kira didn't reply. He leaned against the wall in the hall, looking pale – almost ill. Kira blindly paced the corridor outside the delivery room. He couldn't sit down, though the room was big enough and he could have had any chair he wanted. If he stopped walking, he thought, he might very well fall down and not be able to stand again. He hadn't known such crippling fear existed. He had never felt it this way before, not even when he looked down the barrel of weapon pointed at his face.
Murrue cleared her throat, "Come on now, everyone. There's no need to worry, it's not anything fatal, she's just going through a birth. It's a natural thing,"
That was easy for you to say, Murrue,since you had never given birth to a child yourself. Kira thought to himself. Mwu could tell even she was nervous, and he put his arms around her.
Everybody waited eagerly at the hall, while Kira was trying his best to get a grip on himself. He's still looking into space, his mind seems blank.
They could still hear Lacus' cries through the door. She sounded like she was being torn apart from inside, and he didn't even want to imagine what it was really like. All the old fear that had been there in the beginning returned. At that moment, he believed he had never before found it so hard to stand still and wait.
What if something goes wrong? What if something bad happen to her? To the babies? What if both of them die?
Then everything fell quiet. So silent, he could hear himself breathe. Everybody stared at the door. The silence was followed by new cries – but they were different. It wasn't Lacus – they were the infantile cries of a newborn.
Everybody in the hall cheered, and Kira sighed heavily and let some of the tension leave his body. Athrun went over and patted him on the back and Cagalli even kissed his cheek. She felt it was the only time she could ever allow herself to do that and took the opportunity.
Minutes later, the door to the delivery room opened, and the doctor peeked out. The doctor gave Kira a warm smile, "You can come inside and see them now."
Kira pulled himself back together, his eyes wide, "Is she…are they… okay?"
She nodded, "Ms. Lacus and the twins are fine. Congratulations."
Twins...
Taking a deep breath, Kira turned and looked at the others. All of them were smiling at him, and Athrun was grinning stupidly. Trembling ever so slightly, the young general followed the doctor inside.
Kira was in a daze. He couldn't think clearly, he was frightened and insanely curious at the same time. What was he going to say? How was Lacus doing? Was she still as upset as she had sounded earlier? Of course not, she was just in pain then. But what if-
All his thoughts were put on hold as the doctor pulled away the curtains: And there they were.
Lacus, his pink haired, gray-eyed princess, looking exhausted and sweaty, but beautiful as always. She was holding something small in her arms. No, not something… A baby, wrapped in a pink sheet, only its dark brown haired head visible. A nurse was by her side, holding another baby wrapped in a blue sheet.
When she noticed him arrive, Lacus looked up at him, smiling tiredly but happily, "Kira, come and meet your children."
As on instinct, he walked closer to them, his eyes locked on the tiny human being Lacus was holding. Then he saw the child the nurse is holding in her arms. The second Kira saw the babies' faces a rush of probably every emotion he ever had experienced – along with a few he couldn't recognize – washed over him. It was so overwhelming he hardly could breathe, much less speak. Sinking down to his knees next to the bed, he watched the infants with awe.
Lacus was amused by her beloved's expression – she had never seen him so utterly stunned or speechless before, "Aren't they beautiful?" she asked, looking back down at the babies. Kira could only nod.
"Want to hold him?" Lacus asked Kira, as she looked at her son being carried by the nurse.
Kira's gaze flew up to her for a second, but he didn't reply. Not bothering to ask him again, Lacus simply nodded at the nurse beside her, signaling her to handed the child over to him,
"Here. Just be careful with his head and try to hold him like I did." The nurse said, as she handed the baby over to his father.
Not seeing he had any other choice, Kira reached up and took the baby into his arms as gently as he possibly could. He was so tiny, so fragile… Kira was almost afraid he would drop him or that he would break between his fingers.
The baby squirmed a little and blinked his eyes open for the first time, looking up at Kira without focusing. His eyes were gray and thin, exact copies of Lacus'. Then he looked at his daughter, being carried by Lacus. She's so beautiful, just like their mother, she has a very peaceful face, soft brown hair...almost like an angel. That was when Lacus' words came back to Kira, and he finally began to realize it.
Their son.
Their daughter.
Their children...
I'm a father
All the emotions welled up in him again, and Kira couldn't help himself. He started to smile, then grin, and suddenly, he was laughing, "Lacus, we have a son and a daughter!" he said, as if it was news to her.
Lacus looked at him in surprise, though. She had never seen Kira this happy, and she doubted he even had laughed like this before at all, but the sight pleased her. She laughed in return and nodded, leaning forward to hug him, "Yes, we do! We do, and they're perfect."
His laugh quickly faded to a weak smile, then vanished completely as he tasted the other feelings. Kira closed his eyes for a second as Lacus pulled back from him again then looked back down at the baby.
Despite how tired she felt, Lacus noticed the sudden change, "Kira, are you all right?" she asked, holding the child tightly against her.
I don't know..
He felt dizzy again, and was getting a headache, "You probably need to rest," was all he said, changing the subject.
"So do you," Lacus said, glancing at the clock on the table, "It's past midnight…," she blinked,
Kira blinked, "What?"
"It's the 18th of May. It's your birthday," Lacus smiled.
"Oh…right...I guess I forgot...," Kira put a hand to his forehead and nodded. That was true.
She giggled, "What a birthday gift, huh? Happy birthday, Kira."
Just in that second, the doctor came in, "Ms. Lacus, you should really get some sleep now. The others can see you tomorrow," she took the infant away from the young mother and the other one from the General, and then lay them in a small baby bed next to where Lacus was lying, "Mr. Yamato, maybe you should get some rest too?"
He shook his head quickly, "I'd like to stay here with them."
The doctor frowned a little, "Well, there aren't any extra beds… And you could disturb Ms. Lacus."
This time, Lacus was the first to protest, "No, let him stay, doctor. I feel better that way."
The Doctor sighed, "As you wish. But you must sleep, Miss Lacus," with that, she left them alone.
Lacus smiled at Kira then closed her eyes. It didn't take long before her breath became slower and she slipped off to dream world.
Kira found himself a chair and sat next to the bed, watching the girl sleep, the headache pounding between his eyes. Lacus was asleep, exhausted from her long labor and then the fright and stress of having her delivery when the twins came. Her eyes were circled with fatigue, but Kira thought she had never been more beautiful. Her face, when she held the baby in her arms, had been exalted. Until he died, he would never forget that moment. The medical personnel in the room had faded away to nothing, and it had been just him and his wife and their children.
Unable to figure out whether he should be happy or upset, Kira turned to look out of the hospital's window, staring out at the dark night.
I just hope that our children will live a happy peaceful life. Not being to experience the pain and loneliness that we suffered in the past.
And then, as he looked out the window, he could have sworn that he saw a shooting star crossing the sky.
End of Chapter 1