-1Well, I was feeling bored and had the third installment mostly written when I noticed that part 2 got three hits in two hours, so someone out there is looking at this; so here's part three. Also I noticed that this story has been put into the "Yamajyou is in the House" group. So, thanks to Andromeda90, who manages the group, for that. So, without further ado, part the Dritte.

Part Three: The Delivery

Koushiro and Yamato were sitting in the waiting room of the local hospital. Down the hall Jou was with Miyako and a surgeon, trying to save the next generation of the Izumi family. Kou was shaking with silent tears, Yama's arm rested on his shoulders.

Miyako's pregnancy had seemed to be completely unremarkable. The child's development had progressed like clockwork. Miya had made ever lifestyle change that Jou had recommended, including giving up her precious caffeine, and never missed an appointment. Then, suddenly and without obvious reason, the fetal heart rate had plummeted. Jou had calmly called for a surgical consult, the recommendation was for an emergency C-section.

"Yama, what'll I do without her?" Kou moaned. "What about the our baby? I can't believe that this happening!"

"Koushiro," Yamato soothed. "It'll be alright. Miyako is a healthy woman, and Jou is a first rate obstetrician. Dr. Kasahara is one of the best surgeons this hospital has. Everything will work out."

Kou groaned but fell silent once more, leaning on Yamato as if he were the only source of strength he had left. For his part Yama remained silent and held him, radiating that empathy that had made him the Chosen of Friendship. His gaze went to the doors to the operating wing, and his thoughts turned to their friends in the O.R.

"Jou," Miyako panted. "Is the baby ok?" With no glasses on she was nearly blind and by now all the instrument sin the rom had blended their assorted beeps into a harmony of useless cacophony; she ahd given up trying to sort the good noises from the bad. Still she knew that Jou would tell her, would not fail her as he ahd never failed them in the past.

"Yes Miya," Jou assured her after a quick glance of the various monitoring devices. "Your child's heart rate is still a little slow, but it is holding steady."

"And the…," she groped for a comfortable word, "procedure? How is it going?" Under the effects of the epidural she felt none of the C-section as it progressed.

"Try not to talk too much Miya-chan," Jou answered. "Even though you can't feel the stress being put on your body right now, it is a fairly taxing process. You're going to need your energy; especially for caring for the little one when it comes."

Miyako frowned and closed her eyes, irritation lines marking her already haggard and careworn face. She looked so helpless, unlike the assertive girl he remembered her as. "The incision is fine and you're not bleeding too much. We should be into the uterine wall soon," he supplied, forced by that defeated posture. She nodded but kept her eyes shut, her face turned away.

"Dr. Kido," Dr. Kasahara spoke up. "We are ready to enter the uterus, if you could please lend us a hand here…"

Half an hour later a blood smeared Dr. Kido walked into the waiting room. Kou and Yama leapt to their feet, ready for the worst. Jou's face was dazed and somehow wistful. One look at the child of Knowledge, however, cleared the fog away and made him speak brightly. "Congratulations, Mr. Izumi, you're the father of a baby boy," he laughed and lifted a brow. "He's waiting for you now, Papa."

Kou's tear stopped and his face broke into joy like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "Miyako, is she ok? A boy prodigious!" He enthusiastically hugged his two friends and ran to the recovery room.

"Isn't it wonderful Jou?" Yama asked with an almost feminine glee. "Another batch of Digidestined to bring up!"

"Yeah, it's great Yama," Jou's smile was wistful again, and seemed to be hiding a deep hunger. Yamato's joy dulled a bit as he realized that Jou was in the clutched of jealousy. Yama wanted a baby too, but had given up on it when he fell for Jou.

"Listen Jou," he said desperately. "We could adopt, or something…"

"I know Yamato, I know," he sighed and hugged his husband. "Sometimes it's just tough, know?"

"Don't worry love," Yamato said with only slightly feigned confidence. "we'll figure something out."

Tbc…

Ok, a few notes here. I know that I was going to go Mpreg with this, but I felt that it would need to bring in something either supernatural or science fiction-y, and given that I've ended up with a story rather firmly rooted in the mundane I realized that I couldn't work it in. Also, after consulting with a nurse, I've been told that C-sections are performed under the influences of an epidural or other local anesthetic, since there are too many concerns with a general anesthetic, and it would interfere with the critical first few moments of the mother-child bond.