Daughters Chapter 1 Expecting (Original Posting Date: June 14th, 2009)
Author's Note: Keeping a box of tissues handy would not be a terrible idea. Also, the character of Earl was introduced in the episode 'A Matter of Trust', where Dana had to protect one of Captain Mitchell's old friends from the forces of Queen Bansheera. Finally, this plot bunny came to me courtesy of the song 'Daughters' by John Mayer. It just evolved a bit since I initially thought it up. And now, on with the story...
Bill Mitchell had been stuck in the confines of the hospital's waiting room for the past seven hours, alternately standing, pacing and sitting, never once contemplating leaving the brightly lit and sterile room, afraid that the news he awaited so eagerly could arrive during the briefest of absences.
For the time being, he'd gone back to sitting down. In the chair next to him, Ryan, his son, slept soundly. Despite his worry, Bill smiled, grateful for his presence. In the current circumstances, however, and considering his own state of tiredness, he was slightly envious of Ryan's apparent ability to get some shuteye, regardless of the situation.
"One cup of hospital coffee," Earl Davis, one of his good friends, told him as he stepped into the room, offering him a steaming cup of the smoldering sludge that the cafeteria tried to pass off as coffee.
"Thank you, Earl," Bill said gratefully as he carefully accepted the hot cup. He took a sip of the liquid and grimaced from the violent assault on his taste buds and the mild burning of his tongue. Even if he couldn't fathom drinking any more of it, he figured that the horrid flavor had given him a sufficient jolt to keep him from nodding off. He exchanged looks with Earl, who had taken a seat across from him, and, without a word, they both set their coffees down on the floor, where they remained untouched as they cooled down.
Bill looked down at his watch, surprised that it had only been five minutes since he'd last checked the time. Just to be sure, he glanced up at the clock that was mounted against an otherwise bare wall of the waiting room. The same time was displayed on it. Ever since his arrival, time had seemed to be moving at a crawl.
On a small table set up nearby, various magazines were strewn about, most of which he'd already had a chance to leaf through. He randomly picked one up and started flipping through it, his mind not registering the text or the images there. It was only when he reached a page located near the end of the magazine that he realized he'd already taken a look at it. Sighing, he set it back down on the table, not bothering to select another. Almost reflexively, his gaze was drawn to the wall clock. Three more minutes had gone by.
"She's in good hands, Bill," Earl reassured him. He had noticed his furtive glance at the time. "There's no need to worry. She's a strong one."
"It's just been so long," Bill replied, managing a small smile as he tried to push the anxiety and uncertainty out of his thoughts.
"You know, you should really follow Ryan's lead" Earl suggested, pointing to Bill's son, who was still sleeping peacefully, seemingly oblivious to the stress of the situation and to the fact they'd been at the hospital for quite a while.
"How I wish I could," Bill said, letting out a good-natured chuckle as he felt his anxiety momentarily lessen.
As their brief fit of laughter slowly subsided, they returned to their quiet individual contemplations. Soon, Bill was back to glancing at the time every few minutes. When he wasn't peering at his watch or the clock, he was looking at the object he now held in his hands. He couldn't hold back a smile at the prospect of what was coming as he gently squeezed it. Eventually, his entire focus was on it, and time was forgotten. Everything was going to be okay.
About an hour later, the silence was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps. Bill's eyes were immediately drawn to the entrance of the waiting room, where the doctor he'd spoken to earlier eventually appeared. His stomach was in knots as he got up and walked over to her. Earl came up behind him. Ryan was still sleeping.
"Doctor?" Bill asked, holding his breath.
"Your daughter's doing very well, Mr. Mitchell" she announced.
He let out a relieved sigh, a wide smile breaking out on his lips. But then, his mind processed the full extent of her words, both said and unsaid. As she continued to speak, the words became a blur and the only things he registered were the empathy and sadness in her pained eyes. As his entire world collapsed around him, the object he'd been clutching in his hands for the last hour dropped to the tiled floor. The pink stuffed rabbit landed softly and quietly by his feet, in a seated position, head cocked to the side and floppy ears comically dangling outwards. As it sat there, unmoving, a single teardrop fell onto it from above, dampening the fabric just under its large black eyes.
To be continued...
So that's it for Chapter One. For anyone who hates me for the ending, you don't have to send me flames. I hate myself enough for writing that, my eyes water up whenever the visual of the rabbit pops in my head. That visual is one of the first things I thought up, it was so haunting and sad and the rest of the scene was merely a buildup to that moment.
Small note, this isn't an alternate universe. Daughters will fit in PR canon, just like it will fit into the continuity of my other major stories (PR: Countdown & PR: End of Days).