Notes will be at the bottom of the story.
Well, the family's taking a trip to Kansas to fix up Eddie's cabin and while everyone's glad to help, Kate's really far along in her pregnancy to be traveling – too bad she wouldn't take no for an answer. It's good memories and happy times with the family. With confessions made and all the secrets out in the open, Seth and Kate are on the same page about the birth of their child everyone's breathing a sigh of relief. There's still some preparations to be done, but Kate, I'm sure that'll keep until…no? Oh sorry, carry on. I guess there's not much else left to say other than "Hello Baby Gecko."
Dear Ba…I…I love you. – Your Momma.
You are fucking perfect. Christ just looking at you…nothing, nothing I've ever done has ever matter like you do. You're better than any score; better than anything, better than everything…No one will ever hurt you. I would die before I would let anything happen you. You're goddamn amazing. I'm gonna do whatever I can to give you a good life. I'm gonna be the best father I can be. I won't get everything right, but you'll never be scared of me. I don't even know how to put it into words. Fucking hell, I love you so much. – Your Dad.
Chapter Ten: Love Always Protects, Always Trusts, Always Hopes...Hello Baby Gecko, We've Waited So Long For You
...
(37 weeks in; Tuesday)
Kate shifted on the wheeled…wait, what had they called this thing again? A floor-dolly? That sounded right. It was basically a couple of boards that Richie and Eddie had nailed together, added a cushion for her to sit on, and screwed in wheels so she could get around without killing her knees and back. Not that it was possible to get comfortable at this stage of her pregnancy, but she wasn't going to complain, because she wanted to be here and she wanted to help. She had been stuck at the motel for the last three days bored out of her mind while Eddie, Richie, and Seth had re-installed the kitchen and bathrooms and pulled up the awful carpet that had been laid over the hardwood floors. Now that there was running water and a place to cook she could be here and she wanted to be. This place was so beautiful, even with all the work that still needed to be done.
Her father and brother got here today; too bad Jess was stuck in Houston, her friend had too much classwork to travel with them to men were all on the roof, fixing it up and re-shingling; the classic rock songs were spiked with the banging of hammers and chunk-chunk noise of nail guns. From the sound of things, it was going well, at least there wasn't any yelling, so that had to be a good sign.
She wiped the back of her neck with a rag, even with all of the windows open it was unseasonably hot and stuffy. She sniffed her shirt; Dear Baby, I am so happy to be helping, but I smell awful. Yikes. I…
"It's hot as fucking hell up there." Seth interrupted her thoughts with his complaint, offering her a cold bottle of water and stealing her lukewarm one. He guzzled it down, before noticing her confusion and explained. "If I drink that cold one I'll get a headache."
"Could you not?" She requested as he knelt next to her and inspected the bucket of carpet nails she'd been pulling out of the floor.
"Get a headache? I'd rather not." He lifted his eyebrows playfully at her.
She smiled, despite the fact that it wasn't really that funny, it was just the way he said things sometimes. "Swear. Could you not swear so much? My daddy's on the roof." Kate pointed above her.
Seth snickered, palming her belly with one hand as he crowded her space and kissed his way up her neck until he nipped her earlobe, "Because swearing is the thing your dad would be mad at me for. Not all of the other things I've done to you…with you…all the things I'm looking forward to doing with you." He drew her into a long slow kiss, before pressing his forehead to hers. "How are you feeling?"
"Achy and uncomfortable, but good." She smiled and rubbed her nose against his. "How's it going up there?"
Seth sat back on his heels, "Not bad and bonus, the Padre ain't thrown me off the roof so I guess he doesn't completely hate me."
Kate winced as her calf started to cramp; she bent her toes back towards herself to try and relieve the knot before it got worse. "Huh? He would never throw you… Ouch!" She yipped as the muscle in her calf spasmed.
"Left or right?" He questioned and when Kate pointed at her left leg he started massaging her calf. It always felt so good when he did that. "I don't really think he'd actually throw me off the roof, but I could certainly have an accident."
She rolled her eyes, as her phone went off, "He would never do that. He doesn't hate you, he has no reason to. Plus, he knows how important you are to me." She picked her phone up off the ground and waved it at Seth "Your brother wants you back on the roof."
"Tough." He continued to rub her calf, "That better?"
"Yeah. Thank you." She sighed, "You should go back up there. Let's get the hard stuff done, just in case."
"You trying to tell me something? Are you not okay? Should we be seeing if it really only takes twenty minutes to get to that hospital up the road?"
"Stop. I'm fine. But we're at week thirty-seven, so I'd like to get everything done here, so we can go home at the end of the week." She shooed him, "Go help. I need to get back to my nail pulling."
Seth kissed her cheek, "Okay, Partner, stay out of trouble." He leaned down and kissed her stomach lingering for a moment, "And you be nice to your momma."
Kate touched the top of Seth's head, "We're good. I love you."
He drew her in for another long kiss and tucked her hair behind her ear, "I love you both. Take a break a break if you need to."
She gave him a mock salute and as he walked out Kate answered Richie's text.
RG: Stop molesting my brother. We're not done up here. (3:30PM)
KF: He's on his way back up. :p (3:41PM)
Kate shifted on the make-shift seat and realized that she needed to pee; crap. She rocked herself onto her hands and knees and crawled over to the wall so she could push herself up on her feet. No one was going to witness her awkward turtle roll over, she was going to make sure of that. She made her way to the half bath that was off the kitchen and smiled at the blue and tan decor that she'd helped Eddie pick out. She washed her hands and brushed through her hair before retying it into a messy bun.
She paused in the kitchen and finished off the apple that she'd started hours ago and took a bite of her ice cream before putting it back in the freezer. Kate waddled back to the floor-dolly, ugh – she hated how awkward everything was getting. She managed to herself back down onto the floor-dolly and resumed pulling nails with her crowbar. She made her way all the way back to the corner, but when she attempted the pull up the nail, part of the board started to come up.
Kate stretched out and grabbed the piece of chalk out of the can of nails, so she could mark the board as loose. But as she wrestled to get the crowbar free a section of the board popped out; really?! It was odd, though the board didn't come up by itself. It was as if a tiny little box had been built into the floor. It was no bigger than a breadbox and as she inspected it closer it seemed like the top board wasn't the same as the rest of the floor. She turned it over in her hands, it wasn't very heavy, but what was it? Oh, it could be something criminally related…that's not good.
She bit down her lip; she'd need to ask Seth about it, but maybe not in front of her father. There were things that he didn't need to know about Seth and his family. She, on the other hand, knew everything; Every Thing. No more secrets between her and Seth anymore. They were partners. Now a year ago the word 'partner' would have made her turn up her nose because she didn't understand what that word could really mean. Now she knew what it meant to Seth and what it meant to her…
.:.
She was bawling into the pillow, not elegant lady-like tears, but 'I'm-hurt -because-the-school-bully-pushed-me-down-on-the-playground' ugly crying. She didn't know how long Richie had been driving and she didn't care. Her heart ached and she didn't know what to do, so she just kept sobbing. They crossed over railroad tracks and she felt it in her lower back, but she just pulled the pillow tighter. The car slowed to a stop and Kate realized that Richie had put it in park.
He reached into the glove compartment in front of her and handed her a few napkins. "Here." He leaned back against the driver's seat and stayed quiet.
Kate blew her nose and looked around, not quite sure where Richie had taken them. She really didn't care where they were right now. She didn't care about much right now. She hated this empty feeling. What was she going to do?
"I took the long way around to it, but the highway's right up there. Do you want to go home?"
Home? Did she want to go home? She drew in a deep breath and this earthy-warm scent filled her nostrils and she realized that Seth's shirt was under the pillowcase. She'd put Seth's shirt back on this pillow, before Jess's birthday. Where was her home? Was it Bethel? Was it Houston? Was it her childhood home, where there were marks on a doorframe for her and Scott's heights? Was it Eddie's where she had garden beds outside and a nursery full of stars? Where was her home?
Home…Home was…
Home was the feeling of waking up in Seth's arms, his breath on her neck, trying to get her to stay in bed for a few more minutes. It was Eddie's smile as he handed her, her morning tea, biding her 'Good morning, Angel.' It was the sound of Richie's laughter after he teased Seth about only being half awake. It was Seth's arm around her waist as he kissed her temple and mumbled about how it was too early. That was her home. She'd made a home there with them, with Seth…Seth…He was her home…Seth was her home.
"Kate?" Richie questioned.
She wasn't giving up her home without fight. "Richie, I want you to turn this car around, put your foot on the petal, and take me back home."
"If you're sure."
"I am."
Kate tried to compose herself on the long drive back to Eddie's as she tried to think about what she was going to say; how she was going to get her point across. All she knew was that for all her talk about being done, she didn't want to give up on this. She rubbed one hand over her belly and hugged the pillow with the other arm.
They pulled in the driveway and Kate waited for Richie to come around to help her. His car sat so low to the ground there was no way she was getting out without help. He helped her out of the car and got her steady on her feet. He hugged her for a moment, "I know he's shit at showing it, but he loves you, Kate. I know he does."
She looked up at Richie and nodded, before letting him lead her to the house. Seth was standing in the kitchen with Eddie and she crashed herself into him, before either of them had a chance to over think it.
Seth was apologizing into her hair over and over and she was attempting to explain that he was her home. She realized that neither of them were making any sense and they needed space; privacy. She gripped his hand and tugged him towards the hallway; the nursery was the safest place she could think of in that moment.
The space was peaceful; it was one of the reasons that she loved it so much. She loved the mural on the walls, the stars that could shine down from the ceiling, the framed messages, the open frames that were waiting for pictures of Baby Gecko, the crib, the changing table, the closet that she'd organized last week, and in the center of the room: her rocking chair. That chair, a gift from Seth as an indication that he truly wanted to help her; that chair, where she'd realized that maybe there was something more between her and Seth then a baby; that chair where they'd had their first kiss…
"You should sit." Seth helped her into the rocker and took the pillow from her before he sat on the bed, giving her space. "You shouldn't even be here."
"Where should I be?"
"School, partying with your friends, hell I don't know…" He ran a hand through his hair. "It's like all the shit in my life, kidnapped you out of the life you should of had."
"No." She shook her head and held out her hand, begging him silently to come to her. He stood up slowly and took her hand gingerly, as if he was scared she'd break somehow. She intertwined their fingers, "You did not do this. You did not cause this. This was done to us and keeping this baby was my choice. Staying here, becoming a part of this family was my choice, and you…you are something I choose."
He looked away. "I…"
"Just wait a second, I could have gone back to Bethel, months ago, when this all started, or just a little bit ago when Richie took me out so you and Eddie could talk. Richie offered to drive me home, and I know he meant Bethel, but that's not my home anymore…" She swallowed hard, uncertainty creeping in as she had no idea what Seth's reaction would be. Her fingers smoothed over those hidden initials on the arm of this chair; history would not repeat itself if she had anything to say about.
No fear.
"Seth," She waited until his dark eyes locked with hers. "When, I hear the word: home…you are what I see, what I hear, what I feel. You are my home."
His eyes widened and she felt tears prick in her eyes again.
"You are going to be an amazing father. I can feel it in how you treat me, I can see it in how intensely you care about the people you love, I can hear it in your voice when you talk to our child, and…I know you're scared; I know this wasn't what you planned for your life. That I'm not…" She was crying; tears trailing down her cheeks as Seth dropped to his knees in front of her. "Seth?"
"I ruin everything." He'd slipped his hand out of hers and leaned his head against her knee. "I fuck everything up. I destroy it or they leave. I ruin everyone I care about. I don't know how to…I just don't know how to have something and keep it…make someone stay."
She felt the shuddering breath he drew in as he framed his hands over her thighs. He lifted his head, tears brimming in his eyes…
"I wasn't hiding anything I did from you, Kate. I got offered a job a while back. That night I disappeared, that night you needed me and I wasn't there, I'd driven down see that guy, about that job. But I couldn't even meet him. All I could think about was the million things that could go wrong. How if it went sideways…" A single tear run down his cheek, "That I might never see you again, that the kid would grow up without me. I just paced on the beach and just…"
"Then why didn't you just tell me that?" She was dumbfounded. He hadn't told her something he hadn't done?
His hand was shaking as he pressed it to her stomach, the baby inside her belly moving instantly closer to their father. "I don't know how to have anything real…and this is so real…I want this. I want you and I want our child. I want you to stay. I'm here and I'm in. I'm one-hundred fucking percent in if you still want me to be."
Her heart stopped beating and immediately restarted. It was like the air had been pulled out of the room and before she could stop herself she whispered. "I love you."
His expression changed, it was like…he won? There was this shine to his eyes it looked sort of like the time he bought a scratch-off at a gas station and won fifty dollars, but it was infinitely more intense. He surged up, grabbing her face and pressing his lips to her forehead for a long moment as if it was just enough to breathe in her presence. "I love you, Kate. I love both of you so much."
.:.
"I agree; 'bout time for a dinner break." Her father's voice startled her out of the memory so abruptly that she dropped her crowbar. "Are you okay Katie?"
She made sure that box was hidden behind her before answering, "Oh yeah, no nail is safe from Kate Fuller and her trusty crowbar."
"If you're on wheels does that make you rolley and polley?" Scott smirked before taking a long drink from a bottle of water.
Kate arched her eyebrow, "I could text Jess and ask."
Scott winced, "Come on Kate, you know I didn't mean anything by it. I'm your little brother it's in my mission statement to pick on you. Please, don't text her, she really will beat me up when I get back to Houston."
She snickered, "I know, little brothers can't help being annoying."
"See Kate's got my back on this." Seth thumped Richie on the shoulder and Richie flipped him off as they walked through into the kitchen.
Kate shook her head, before glancing to Scott and her father "Are you two going to pick up dinner?"
"Reckin' it's our turn." Jacob nodded, "Any requests?"
"Raspberries and maybe some dry chicken?" Kate rubbed her belly. She'd had the worst heartburn all week, it didn't seem to matter what she ate.
"I'm sure we can handle that." Jacob turned to leave, but Kate motioned for him to come closer. "You okay, Sweetie?"
"I am." She forced a smile, hoping she could pull this off as she lowered her voice. "I found a box and I think it might have to do with Seth and Richie's family, so if you and Scott could take the long route to town and back…"
"Give you guys some time to talk it over?" Jacob finished for her and she nodded gratefully. "No problem, Sweetie. I am so proud of you. I love you." He kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too, Daddy." She beamed up at him and pointed at Scott, "Your mission is to remember flavored sparkling water."
Her brother flashed her a grin and thumbs up. "I gotcha, Sis."
"Drive safe." She called out them as they disappeared out of the cabin.
"You know, Kate, you should be real proud of Seth. I don't think he's used so few profanities since we were kids." Richie called out from the kitchen.
"Hey, dumbass, I can be professional, thank you."
"Oh yeah, you're a professional alright just like Jean Reno or what's his name from Lolita… Ouch." Richie laughed, but Kate heard a definitive smack.
"Knock it off you two knuckleheads. We should be able to finish up that roof by tomorrow." Eddie barked as he, Seth, and Richie as they made their way into the living room where she was. "Wow Angel, you intent on showing us up? Looks like you almost got this whole room cleared."
She rolled her eyes, as she reached for the box. "It's only nails, Eddie. I'm just glad to help. Do you know what this is?" She held out the box to him, while Seth helped her to her feet.
Eddie took it from her and turned it over slowly, "Well, I'll be damned."
"So you know what it is?" Kate persisted, as Seth rubbed the lower part of her back and kissed the side of her head.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Princess." Seth teased.
"So you know what it is?" She craned her neck to look at him.
He nodded, "It's a kickbox."
"A what?" Kate wondered if she was going to be learning code words for the rest of her life with Seth. The rest of her life with Seth… That had a nice ring to it. She smiled and leaned back against him.
Richie popped a piece of gum into his mouth. "Kickboxes are a grifter trick..."
Bang. All eyes turned to Eddie, he had tapped the corner of the box with a hammer and it fell apart. "One of your mother's favorite tricks, it's how she hid money from Ray."
Two large envelopes fell onto the counter along with a VHS tape in a plastic bag. Richie snagged the tape, "That VCR in the living room might work. Any idea what's on this?"
Eddie shrugged examining the envelopes, "Probably just a surveillance tape."
"Worth a look. See how you old-timers used to do it back in the day." Richie snickered.
"Keep running that mouth of yours and I'll show you how we used to do things back in the day." Eddie groused opening the first envelope as Richie retreated to the living room with the tape.
"Anything interesting?" Seth helped Kate up onto one of the new barstools at the kitchen's island.
Eddie pulled out a stack of pictures, "Just some old memories. Though I don't know when she put these in here or put in that kickbox for that matter." He turned them so Seth and Kate could see them.
The first picture was clearly a younger Eddie and who Kate guessed was Ray, both grinning with a girl on their arm. The dark-haired girl on Ray's arm was pregnant and had her face away from the camera, but the blonde on Eddie's arm had a brilliant smile and oh goodness… the eighties were a brave time in fashion. Kate had no ideas that those colors went together, I mean they really didn't…wow.
"When was this?" Seth questioned.
"After the casino job we pulled. Took this at, The Rusty Nail, this bar we partied at all the time." Eddie lifted it up and his eyes scanning it, "She always did that; turned her face away from the camera it was…"
A laugh suddenly filled the room and if Eddie and Seth had turned their heads any faster Kate was sure the whiplash would have been audible. "I think I got this." The low-alto voice mused and they made their way into the living room with Richie, who was staring at the paused image on the screen.
The woman on the screen had short black hair and her nose was turned up as she analyzed the camera she had been speaking into, but what caught Kate's attention was her eyes. "She had a heterochromia, it's so pronounced. You normally don't see one that intense without Waardenburg Syndrome…" Kate trailed off realizing that the other three probably weren't hearing her.
"What's heteroceroma?" Seth asked, although his voice was a bit disconnected as he was focused on the image on the screen.
"It's heterochromia…it's a… a genic condition where a person has two different colored irises. There are varying degrees, from a slight discoloration of one eye to two completely different colored eyes, although Kate's right, it's rare to see it this pronounced." Richie had inclined his head to the side, as he added to the observation. He turned back and looked at Eddie, "Can we watch it? I don't remember her."
The request was quiet and Eddie nodded silently. Seth helped Kate sit between him and Eddie on the couch, but Richie stayed on the floor as he pushed play again.
"Yeah, that looks right." The woman on the screen leaned back and tucked her hair behind her ears as she grinned so wide that it raised her cheekbones enough to close her eyes.
Seth had her smile. The thought broke Kate's heart and she felt Seth's fingers thread through hers.
"My name is Jane Elizabeth McCroy; I'm the daughter of Lola Elizabeth McCroy and I'm torn as to whether or not I want you to know who that is. I never knew my father and that's okay, but Lola had this tradition in her family about passing the parent's middle name to the child, so that's why you two have the same middle name. Sorry about that."
Jane fidgeted with her hands as she drew in a deep long breath. "If you're watching this, then things didn't go as planned and…and I'm probably dead. Shit, that's so morbid. This, is not what I wanted to say. It's just…" Jane covered her heart with her hands. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I couldn't let it go and I took myself out of your lives. Oh hell…Eddie's gonna try to talk me out of this and that's not gonna work. Sorry, Blue-Eyes."
Kate glanced up at Eddie and he shifted on the couch, unshed tears in his eyes. She rubbed her hand over his forearm and he covered her hand with his.
Jane looked up and then back at the camera. "I gotta get this out quick. I've only got about five minutes. Seth, Richie…I love you, I love you both so much. You're the only things I ever did right in my whole life. The rest of my life was all chance and bad choices, but you…You two are the most amazing…" Tears ran down her face and she wiped them away quickly. "Seth, you have the most beautiful heart; your first instinct is to protect and take care of those around you. And you're always climbing up on me; you used to do this thing when you were really little, where you'd pat that the back of my neck…"
Jane swallowed and seemed to force herself to continue, "And Richie, oh sweetie, you are so smart. I've never seen anyone learn so fast and you do this thing where you watch the room and try to figure out how to make people happy. You are both so incredible. And I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I'm not a good momma to you, I tried…"
Jane clamped her eyes closed for a moment and shook her hands as if to re-center herself. "See there's this thing about cats and their kittens. If you take the kitten away too soon, then when that kitten becomes a cat she doesn't take good care of her own kittens, because she didn't learn. Lola didn't show me how to be a good mother, so I didn't have the blueprint…I didn't know how to be better, to be…" Jane looked quickly to the side and her voice completely changed. "How long have you been there?"
Jane disappeared off screen and came back with two giggling little boys in her arms.
Kate gasped at the sight of Seth and Richie as children and how happy they looked with their mom.
"Now Prince did you wake up your brother?" She kissed the side of Seth's head then turned to Richie kissing his temple too, although Richie wiped off his face. "Or did you wake-up first, Night-Bug? Huh? Who was it? Who woke up who?" She laughed teasing both of them, but the brothers simply pointed at each other. "Oh, that's how it's gonna be."
"Momma, what are you doing?" The little Seth on the screen questioned, looking up at Jane.
"Nothing. Just leaving a little message for us in the future." Jane kissed both of them again. "I love you and I love you. Wave goodbye." The little boys on the screen on Jane's lap waved enthusiastically and Jane bit her lip before smiling softly into the camera, "I love you too, if you're watching."
The screen went dark and it was painfully silent in the cabin for a long minute.
"She always had a flair for the dramatic." Eddie chuckled, but Kate could hear the tightness in his throat. He opened the other brown envelope and three smaller envelopes fell out each out with a name on it: Seth, Richard, and Eddie.
"What the hell is a Night-Bug?" Richie wondered aloud.
Eddie let out a real laugh, "I have no earthly idea, but she always called you that."
"It means Night-Owl." Kate offered and Eddie looked at her confused. "My mother grew up on the Louisiana/Texas border and the expression's from that area. Momma always called Scott a night-bug, because he never slept." She rubbed her hand over her belly. "What kinda nick-names are you gonna have, huh?"
Seth wrapped his arm around her shoulders and nestled her against his side. "We should probably think of an actual name first."
"Oh my god!" Kate clapped her hands over her mouth. How had they gotten this far without coming up with or even discussing a name?!
.:.
October 12; 5:22PM
Seth opened the door and was met Richie's exclamation, "Oh thank god you're fucking home."
Nope. He was out. Seth turned around like he was going to leave, but turned back to his brother, who was standing outside of the bathroom door. "Why is it so exciting that I'm home?"
"Because I was going to have to take off my glasses and go save her, 'cause I'm pretty sure she's stuck in the tub." Richie motioned the door.
"I am NOT stuck in the tub! You are NOT coming in here! And WHY would your glasses matter?!" Kate screeched from the other side of the closed door.
Richie smacked his hand to his forehead and Eddie chuckled behind his coffee cup in the living room.
"Um… what?" Seth was so confused.
"She's been in there forever. And could you remind her that in an emergency I could save her without seeing her because without my glasses I am blind." Richie leaned closer to Seth, to make sure Kate didn't hear him. "She is so stuck in the tub."
Seth suppressed his laughter and rapt his knuckles against the door, "Hey, it okay if I come in?"
"Sure." Her voice sounded melancholy.
Seth let himself into the bathroom and was staring at Kate in the tub. Now, he didn't have the best memory in the world, but he remembered a conversation about the bathtub being a deathtrap.
Her cheeks were flushed as she muttered despondently, "I'm stuck."
"It kinda looks that way." He walked over and put his hand in the water to splash it at her, but it was ice-cold. "Geeze, how long have you been in here? Why didn't you turn the water back on to warm it back up?"
"Because I am stuck. This belly makes it impossible to do anything. I feel like I'm steering a battleship." Kate huffed. "Plus my butt's so wide, it needs a separate zipcode."
Seth hit the drain on the tub, then leaned over and kissed her cheek, "You look beautiful. I'm sorry you're stuck. Do you want to warm back up before you get out?"
"Yeah, I'm super cold, but it can't be too hot." She warned.
"I remember." He turned the water back on, testing it with his forearm to make sure it wasn't too hot. "I thought you labeled the tub a trap last month. Why are you in here in the first place?"
"I um…um…" Kate started and blushed all the way down to her chest.
Oh she was embarrassed, this wasn't good…
"The baby is going to be born soon."
Um…Fucking what?! He felt his heart stop; should he be ripping her out of the tub right and getting them to the car? "Like take you to the hospital soon?"
"No. No." She assured him, before fidgeting with her hands. "But we are at week thirty-nine, so we're running out of time."
Seth took the washcloth that had been on the side of the tub and heated it with water, ringing it out before smoothing it over Kate's closer arm to try and warm her up and calm her down.
"Thank you." She managed a smile, before bit her lip as she continued her explanation. "I needed to um...to… clean up? I was just trying to shave…"
"Can you reach your legs?" He questioned.
"No, not my legs! My…" She pointed down and her blush got infinitely worse.
Oh…oh shit! What the hell?! Really? Seth resisted the urge to beeline for the door, but shut the water off and flipped up the drain to keep his hands busy. "Is that important right now?"
"I am going to have somebody, well several somebodies, constantly lifting a sheet and looking at me during the entire time I'm in labor. So, yes it is important right now."
"Do you want help?" Seth asked and immediately regretted it. Him and his big mouth; why would he offer to do that?
"No I don't want help!" She yelped, before immediately changing her mind with increasing volume, "Yes? Maybe? I don't know." She covered her chest as if remembering suddenly that she was naked in the tub.
He started to laugh and he really shouldn't have, because she was pissed and that only made it worse. He hadn't meant to laugh and he honestly wasn't laughing at her, it was just…It just struck him as funny.
"It's not funny, Seth." She growled.
"It's a little funny." He tried to defend himself and when she glared at him he tried a little harder. "Oh come on, it's a little funny. You just asked me to help you shave your…you know."
"Mhmmm." Her eyebrow arched, before she sighed in defeat. "Look it's an ugly mess down there and people are going to be looking down there. At least Dr. Block, and two to three nurses, and if there are problems then it could be more like a handful of humans that get a front row seat to my girl parts. And of course, if my labor takes forever that's gonna be more people because nurses have ten to twelve-hour shifts."
"Wait, you can be in labor that long?"
"I could be. You hear horror stories all the time about women being in labor for like twenty plus hours."
"That sounds terrible."
"Thank you, Captain Obvious."
His lip twitched as he suppressed another laugh. He didn't find the idea of her being in pain funny in the slightest, but her growling and losing her temper was adorable. He wasn't stupid to tell her that she was cute when she was angry, but she was.
"It could be short too, you know." He tried to encourage her. "You hear about, chicks sneezing and the kid basically falling out."
"I don't think we're that lucky, look at our track record."
"Exactly, we're due some good luck. Isn't that what you're always telling me?"
"Are you trying to be an optimist right now?"
"Yes. I am trying to be an optimist right now. I know that's new and different for me." He chuckled, and tucked a damp lock of hair behind her ear.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now I guess we see how steady my hand is."
"I think this might be scarier than labor."
"Thanks a lot, Princess." He rolled his eyes.
He helped her get 'cleaned up' as she so demurely put it and then helped her out of the tub. She had been stuck; there was no way that she could have gotten out of the tub without his help. He helped her into their room and grabbed a shower, before they sat down to dinner. Kate had been restless, nibbling more than eating and rubbing her back constantly.
She was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when she paused, letting out a long slow breath.
"Hey, are you okay?" Seth stepped behind her and pressed his hand to her hip. There was something about counter-pressure that was supposed to help when she was uncomfortable.
"Yeah. Just really sore, it's totally normal." She assured him, covering his hand with hers. "Maybe we can try that thing from class?"
Seth rubbed his shoulder with his free hand. "Which thing? We learned a lot of things class. Give me a hint?"
"The belly hold thing." Kate offered.
"Sure." He got behind her and framed her belly with his hands, lifting up slightly taking the weight off her hips. "That okay?" He asked into her hair and she nodded. They stood there quiet for a few minutes and he couldn't believe how much that kid was moving right now. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, for the one-hundredth time, I am fine." Kate pushed him away from her. "Go watch the game. I want to finish up these last two meals I'm prepping. If something is wrong or it becomes more of a thing; I'll tell you right away."
Seth Gecko wasn't aware of this yet, but Kate Fuller was a liar.
.:.
October 13; 2:20AM
It was the third time she got out of bed, somewhere around two o'clock in the fucking morning. "Seriously are you okay?"
"Yeah…" Her voice was far away.
Fuck me; are you not okay? Seth's brain was still in a fog from sleeping.
Kate let out a long slow purposeful breath as her hands clenched the comforter.
Seth wasn't an expert on this whole baby-having thing, but none of this seemed good. He ran his hands over his face trying to wake up a little more.
"I mean they're getting more consistent and longer. So we should probably go to the hospital after I'm done."
"Done with what?" He was awake now. He just heard the word hospital. Sleep was no longer a thing he was panic-induced fully alert, thank you adrenaline. Okay, this was officially happening. You said hospital, let's leave. Let's go. Because at the hospital there were doctors, nurses, and medical professionals and if they are there he doesn't have to worry about having the kid here.
He was not ashamed to admit it he had no clue what to do. He didn't want her going into labor here…NO! Fuck all of that!
He started to get out of bed, "We can just go."
Kate touched his arm, "No, not yet. I'm almost done."
"Almost done with what?" He asked again because she still hadn't told him what she was almost done with. She didn't tell him now either, instead, she walked out of the bedroom as if the word, hospital, hadn't been spoken and they didn't need to be leaving, right now.
He pulled on a shirt to go with the sleep pants he was wearing and made his way into the dark living room. He listened for a moment trying to figure out where Kate had gotten to and so fast…How did she move that fast, that pregnant? Then he heard the familiar whirring of the washing machine from the laundry room off the kitchen. Why the hell was the washer running?
The washing machine wasn't terribly loud, but the dryer made this hump-thunk sound that would wake the dead went it started up. Kate had done laundry plenty of times on Saturday mornings for it to wake him up, but that wasn't the point right now. The point right now, was why on earth was the washer running at 2AM?!
He rounded the corner to find Kate inspecting the timer on the washer. "Why are you doing laundry?"
"I have to do laundry before the baby's born." Her tone was matter-of-fact as she glanced at her cellphone, before continuing almost distracted. "And I'm in labor, so I need to get this done."
"Sorry, you're what?! How long have you been labor?"
She scrunched up nose and moved her fingers as she was apparently doing calculations in her head. "A couple hours; I think it started around eight or so."
"Why are you telling me now?!" He was flabbergasted.
"Because I had things to finish. I got that blanket done, I got a few more meals prepped, I got things unpacked in the nursery, I re-organized my hospital bag, I wanted to dust everything in the nursery – to make sure everything was clean, and then I took a few more pictures…" The washer's timer went off and Kate stared moving the clothes from the washer to the dyer while he stood there like an idiot. "…but the last time I got up, I realized that I'd forgotten about the laundry, and I have to finish it, before we can go to the hospital." Kate rambled on and he would have found it adorable if he wasn't freaking the hell out.
No. No. NoNoNo!
The dyer started up with that hump-thunk sound seeming so much louder than normal. This was going to wake Eddie up and he cared, but he didn't care. He just…Why were they not leaving? The thought stuck in his mind; Kate probably wasn't gonna budge until the laundry was done.
He was going to attempt reason; simple logic. "Eddie can finish this for you. He won't mind."
"No one is finishing this load of laundry for me." Kate folded her arms over her chest.
"Can I ask why we are doing laundry at two-thirty in the fucking morning.?" Eddie grumbled as he emerged from the hallway. His uncle was not assumed, he wasn't angry, but he was definitely not amused.
"I'm so sorry, Eddie. I'm in labor and I can't go to the hospital until I finish the laundry." Her apology was sincere, but the rest of her statement was in this nonchalant tone, as if she was talking about putting on shoes or something.
"Sorry, what?" Eddie looked about as awake and confused as Seth now.
"There's an outfit in the dryer that I want to take with me to the hospital for the baby. So I have to wait until the dryer has finished its cycle. When that is done, I will be ready to go." She explained slowly as if she was going to lose them if she didn't use small words.
"Um…" Eddie scratched his head, "I can finish this for you, Kate. I'll bring you whatever you want that's still in the dryer. No trouble."
"No, that's okay, Eddie, I really appreciate it though." Her voice was sweet with Eddie, but then she looked at him and her voice turned oddly and terrifyingly serious. "Seth, you need to stop staring at me."
He held his hands up, because he hadn't been doing anything. He had been standing there silent, watching the situation unfold. He hadn't even opened his mouth in several minutes. How was he in trouble? "I need to stop staring at you? I need to look at you, you're in labor. I'm concerned about you."
"You can look at me, but don't stare. There's a difference between you looking at me to check on me and you staring at me. When you stare at me it makes my uterus contract and I don't think it's physically possible, but it's happening. You stare too long and, bang, contraction, so stop it!" Kate turned her attention to her cellphone again, tapping it a few times with intent.
Kate was going to kill him. He came to the morbid conclusion in that moment. He had survived twenty-nine years, several bank jobs, his father, being married to Vanessa, living with Richie, and prison, but today was the day he was going to die. Fuck me.
She started to pace around the living room slowly, each step intentional. Eddie went into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee, which was just as well, because none of them were getting any more sleep tonight.
"Do you want to sit down?" Seth offered after twenty or so minutes of watching her pace.
Kate rolled her eyes, "No, sitting is bad. Sitting will bend the birth canal and make it harder for me to deliver. If I get tired you can help me by holding up my belly again."
"Say the word." Seth volunteered, because, please, give him something to do. He felt helpless and useless right now and he wasn't a fan of either emotion.
"Thank you." She smiled at him and walked back down the hallway coming back with the crib sheets, muttering something about them being on the bed too long and needing to be rewashed. She started the washer again as Eddie fell asleep in his recliner.
The dryer finished sometime between three and four, he'd dozed off on the couch and woke up to the sound of the dryer door opening. He leapt up and helped her get everything into the basket. She pointed back to the hallway and once they were in the nursery, despite her being adamant about not sitting, she sat in her rocking chair.
"So, which outfit did you want?" He started pulling things out of the basket.
"Just start handing me things, so I can fold. I'll tell you what needs to go where." She smiled again, like she wasn't in labor. Like they weren't doing a task that they didn't need to do, and weren't leaving for the hospital like they should.
However, he said nothing and did as he was instructed. She stopped twice, as they got through the basket, gripping the arms of the rocking chair and breathing slowly.
He was getting more concerned, as the time between her being in pain was shortening, and the time that she was in pain was getting longer. They finally finished folding and putting everything away, he placed the outfit that she wanted in the bag.
He let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, ready to go?" He offered her his hand to help get up from the chair and while she accepted it and got up, she shook her head.
"I just want to finish the sheets and put them back on the crib, they're already in the dryer." She started down the hallway without him.
"No, Kate." That was it he was putting his foot down; they were going to the damn hospital. He chased behind her insisting, "Look, Eddie can finish that. I guarantee he doesn't care. It is fine."
"We. Are. Waiting." Kate glanced at him over her shoulder. "Just try and get some more sleep on the couch, we both don't need to be up."
Maybe he could sweet-talk her into this. He touched her shoulder and kissed the top of her head, breathing in deeply. "We're in this together. You're up, I'm up."
"Thank you, Seth, but will you please stop staring at me. You are making it worse."
He clenched and unclenched the fist that she couldn't see, because he was about to lose it. He just wanted to go to the hospital, where there were people who handled this labor shit. He was not prepared to deliver a baby, but Kate seemed damn determined to not go. Why him?
As the dryer continued, Kate decided that she was hungry and she should try to eat something. Seth made pancakes, but she took one bite and decided that the pain was making her nauseous. She paced slowly around the living room and kitchen area again, admitting that moving made her more comfortable. Randomly she would lean her head against the wall and make this low sound as she focused her way through the pain.
He tried to help however he could, rubbing her back, whispering to her, and holding her belly back to take the pressure off her hips and it seemed to work to a point. She would relax, until he brought up the hospital, then she would stiffen up and snap at him. She was determined not leave yet and he couldn't figure out why.
Eddie had woken up about five and was sitting at the table alternating between shooting Seth 'do- something' looks and working the crossword. Kate was very insistent that his staring was making things worse, so he tried to keep an eye on her out of the corner his eye as to not get caught.
"Just stop staring at me, you are making my uterus contract." Kate growled through her clenched teeth as the front door opened, because it was now six-thirty in the fucking morning and Richie was home.
"Physically, that's not possible." Richie pointed out.
"True, but psychosomatically, it is." Kate countered from her position, leaning her forehead on the back of the couch.
"I'll give you that." He nodded, than scanned the room, "Why is everyone awake?"
"We're all awake, because she's in labor, and she won't go to the damn hospital." Seth snarled. He knew this wasn't the time to be losing his temper, but he was at his wits-end. It had been four fucking hours of her finding things to clean, organize, and fuss at. All the while, the time between her contractions was getting shorter and they were absolutely getting longer and more drawn out. He was two minutes from just picking her up and carrying her to the damn car.
Kate arched her eyebrow and plodded up to him, sticking her finger against his chest, "Do you know what is going to happen when we get to the hospital, Seth? When we get there, they will strip me out of my comfortable clothes and put me in an itchy gown."
She huffed, "Then, for the next however long my labor takes, people are going to be wandering in and flipping up the sheet that is covering all my naked…" She waved her hands in front of her stomach, "And as I give birth I'm going to basically be on display. It's going to be bloody and painful. So forgive me, if I want to spend a few of the hours, that I am unbearably uncomfortable, in a space that makes me, happy." She exclaimed despite her strained breathing, "Instead of a hospital room, where it's going to be a parade of people looking at my who-ha!"
Seth wasn't sure who started laughing first, but one of them did and within a few seconds all four of them are laughing, although Kate's was significantly softer. She rested her head against his chest. "Okay, if it will make you feel better…we can go to the hospital."
"It really would." He wrapped his arms around her and she relaxed in the embrace for a moment, before excusing herself to use the bathroom.
"You called her OB right?" Richie questioned, pulling a coffee cup down from the cupboard.
"Doesn't the hospital do that?" Seth felt his stomach drop. Had he fucked something up already?
"They do, but she could be out of town." Richie pointed out as Eddie took a long sip of his coffee. "You want me to handle that for you?"
"Yeah, yeah, that would be good. Thanks." Seth sighed, grateful that he had family to back him up. He realized that Kate wasn't back out yet. Shit, he needed to grab her bag from the nursery. "Number's on the fridge."
He paced down the hall and noticed that the light was on in the nursery. He pushed the door opened and discovered Kate sitting in her rocking chair, hugging a pillow to her chest. She so looked small, it was the first time in a long time that he noticed how young she was. She had so much strength and maturity that sometimes he forgot that she was only twenty, but right now she looked young and terrified.
He knelt in front of her, "Everything alright?"
"I can't do this." She whispered, mostly into the pillow. She raised her head to reveal the tears streaking down her face. "Seth, I can't do this."
"We don't have much of choice at this point. Kid's like, fully baked, gotta get out of there somehow." He rubbed his hand over her knee, hoping to calm her down. "I'm sure you can change your mind about the drugs, if you're worried about the…"
"Not the labor part." She hiccupped, and he wiped the tears off her cheeks. "I can't be a mom. I won't be any good at it. I'm so scared. What if I get all post-partum depressed and hurt the baby? Or what if I can't feed the baby right? Or what if I'm just not meant to do this? I just can't be a mom! I just can't do it." She drew in a shuddering breath and let out a soft sob.
Seth lifted her up onto her feet and held her close, "Shhh. Hey, now, none of that." He pressed his lips to her forehead as her crying continued. "Kate, you are so loving and kind that I can't imagine you being anything less than an amazing mom. If you struggle, you struggle. Don't forget you've got backup. You can do this. I believe in you."
She stopped crying, but tears were clinging to her eyelashes as she gazed up at him, "But what if I can't..."
"Then you call me. We can do this together." He kissed her and he tried…he tried to focus all the confidence and bravery that he used to get right before a job into that kiss. He wanted her to feel his belief in her, his love, and how he trusted her completely.
She pulled back but gripped at his biceps, breathing out that low pained sound for far too long in his opinion. After her breathing evened out, she nodded at him.
"Ready partner?" He confirmed.
"Yeah."
.:.
October 13; 9:17AM
Seth had a bone or two to pick with those 'accuracy' people in Hollywood; 'cause this having a baby thing was nothing like it looked like in the movies. In all the movies it was: the chick's water broke, there was all kinds of yelling and screaming, and then the kid was born in a snap. This process was going to be longer and a lot more drawn out, but more peaceful; so bonus?
He'd gotten them to the West Tower of the hospital about two hours ago, and for the moment, it was just the two of them in the quiet room. Dr. Block had been in a conference in Austin and she was supposed to be there soon, thank god. Kate had not been happy with the attending doctor, in fact she had screeched at him about what was going to happen to his face if he asked her about drugs one more time.
So far that had been her one moment of hostility, now she was laying on her side, with, what the nurse called, a peanut pillow between her legs, and the pillow she'd brought from home under her head. Kate had been dosing off here and there between contractions, which made sense, she hadn't really slept all night. There was soft music playing from Kate's phone, a playlist that Scott had made for her, and she'd put it on repeat. Kate's nurse had let them dim the lights a bit, but the candles had been a 'no,' which hadn't thrilled Kate, but logically it was a fire hazard, so she'd let it go.
She lifted her head, her nose twitching. "Sandlewood?"
He leaned over the rail, "I ran down to my car and grabbed the air freshener, hung it from the lamp there. Not much, but I figured it would smell better than hospital."
"It does." She reached out and tugged on the tree-shaped object. "Can you grab my water cup? I just want a sip."
"Sure." He grabbed the cup and let her take a sip from the straw. "You want anything else? Since you didn't get the drugs, you're allowed to have food. I bet I can sweet-talk the nurse into finding you a milkshake."
Kate let out a humorless laugh, then requested quietly. "Could you just lay down with me?"
He wasn't sure how this was going to work, but he climbed into the bed with her anyway. He laid parallel behind her as he ran his hand up and down her upper arm. "This okay? I don't want to tangle up your IV."
"It's in the other arm." Kate's entire body tensed up and she breathed out low and pained.
He rubbed down her arm, with some pressure as he whispered into her hair. "I know you don't want to hear any advice right now, but you're supposed to keep as much of your body relaxed as you can."
Kate nodded and her fist unclenched, as she rested her hand along the line of her thigh. She kept her breathing even, but she kept making that low sound.
"That's good; you're doing so good. That crazy guy from the class said that low sounds are better." He encouraged, because that's all he could do right now. He pressed on her hip like he was supposed to, that whole counter pressure thing, which apparently was super helpful. He kissed the back of her head and kept his other hand moving on her back.
They laid there quiet until the nurse came in and Seth shifted to give Penelope enough room to work and would have gotten up, but Kate wanted him close, so close he stayed. The nurse lifted the sheet that was covering Kate's lower half and moved the pillow to the end of the bed.
"You're progressing really nicely, Kate. By the time gets here you might even be ready to push. Just keep it up and you'll be holding that baby in no time. Is there anything you need?" Penelope asked as she reached for the pillow again.
"I'm okay. Could he put his leg between my legs instead of the pillow?" Kate questioned.
Penelope nodded, "We can try it. You wanna move your leg in there, cowboy? I just need to make sure her spine's level and her pelvis is open enough."
On a scale of one to 'please-kill-me-right-now' as a measure of awkward, having a nurse move your leg between your girlfriend's was closer to the latter end of things, but Kate's body relaxed almost immediately after he was in position.
"Okay you two. I'll be back to check on you soon." Penelope disappeared out of the room and they were alone again.
"You sure this is comfortable for you?" He had to ask. It didn't matter if he was comfortable and he wasn't, but he didn't give a fuck.
"Are you?"
"I'm good, Princess. Just let me know if you need me to move at all." He kept his hands moving over her skin. There were two more long moments of her trying to stay relaxed while the pain hit her and he was so close that this time he could feel the contractions.
It struck him how strong she was in that moment. How she was doing all of this on her own and even though he was here, she was going to be doing all of the work. She had been for over twelve hours and all he could do was watch and be here. She was this marvel of strength and all he was, was the chump sitting behind her.
He just didn't know how to watch someone he cared about be in this much pain. He wasn't any good at this. He just wanted to take the pain away and he knew that he couldn't. Before he could stop himself he wondered aloud, "How are you so strong?"
Kate looked back at him, "Well…the day we met. Do you remember the day we met?"
"Burned forever in my mind for good and bad reasons." He kissed her cheek.
She smiled and started again, "Before you got to the park, I was waiting on that bench, waiting for you. I was all by myself, trying to figure out what to do, what I was going to say, and..." She paused and took in a long slow breath, letting out that pained sound again, before continuing. "I started to pray. I started to pray for this child that I already knew was growing inside me. I prayed that the parents of this child would be loving people, that they loved each other, and that they'd love this child unconditionally."
She reclined back against him and brushed her nose against his cheek, "That whole time I was praying. I was praying for us, I just didn't know it yet. I'm so strong, Seth, because I've seen prayer work, it's right in front of me. God gave me you and this child and I couldn't be happier."
He leaned over her and kissed her slow and sweet. Because never in his wild imaginations would he have ever pictured himself here; never here, and never with someone like Kate. "I love you."
"I love you." She repeated as the door opened.
"Usually we're to the 'I hate you' or the 'why did you do this to me' stage, but in your case I suppose it's a little different." Dr. Block strode into the room and examined Kate's chart, before lifting the sheet. Seth moved his leg, before he was asked. "You're further along than I thought you'd be. When did your contractions start?"
"Last night about six or seven." Kate winced as Dr. Block did something under the sheet.
Excuse you? You told me eight…
"Well, you're fully dilated, so I think it's about time to get this party started." Dr. Block snapped on her gloves and glanced at Seth, "Are you going to cut the cord?"
"Hell no." He shook his head emphatically and Kate let out a quiet laugh. "My medical expertise stops at duct tape. I'm just here for her."
"Alright." Dr. Block snickered. "You can stay there as long as you can move if she needs you to get out of the way, or if she wants to stay in this position you can hold her leg."
"I can do whatever." Seth agreed and muttered into Kate's hair. "I'm not passing out in this room."
"Can't handle a little blood?"
"I was paying attention to the movie at the baby class and that was a lot of blood." He grumbled.
It was a flurry of activity and more people. Dr. Block, Penelope and two other nurses, who he didn't know were in the room now, along with more equipment, and one of those clear plastic beds that you always see babies in. This was about to be real. This was actually happening.
"I need you with me." Kate's voice broke through his swirling thoughts. "Seth, I need you with me."
He interlocked their fingers, "I'm here. I'm right here. You're doing so good, Kate."
"Okay, Momma, real deal now; Dad hold her leg and pull it back towards her chest." Dr. Block instructed, but it was kind of white noise in his ears. "Kate, I need you give me a slow steady push. Ready? Breath out: ten, nine, eight…"
He was counting into Kate's hair along with the doctor, allowing her to relax back and rest, then push again. He kept talking nonsense, but hopefully, it was helping. Kate kept her breathing even; there wasn't one scream or shriek, just that low sound.
"You're doing amazing, Sweetie. We've got a rockstar mom here." Penelope was checking Kate's vitals.
Dr. Block nodded, "She is for sure. Just one more hard one, Kate, and then it's all downhill. You ready?"
"Yeah. I'm good." Kate confirmed.
"Alright, when you feel that next contraction…" Dr. Block was saying something else, but Seth was focused on Kate reassuring her as he felt her grip tighten again.
A few more minutes and an unladylike grunt from Kate, followed immediately by her sigh and then…then there was a baby crying.
Kate was crying too and so was he, his nose buried in her hair. He could hear talking and some medical shit, but all he cared about was that Kate was okay. Penelope was helping get the top of Kate's gown pulled down, something about skin to skin contact immediately after birth.
The squalling little baby was put on Kate's chest and his mind went blank.
"Here is your little girl." Dr. Block smiled.
"It's a girl. Hello, you." Kate was sobbing as she stared down at their little one. "Hello Baby…Oh I love you."
He had a daughter. He had a daughter. He had a daughter and she was fucking perfect. He kissed Kate's temple and put his hand on his daughter's back. Holy fucking hell, he had a daughter. He had a family. He had a family right here in his arms. "You have to marry me."
"Yeah." Kate nodded, as she touched baby's face. "Oh she's so perfect."
She really was perfect. His daughter was absolutely perfect. He registered a camera flash and remembered somewhere in the back of his mind that Kate had asked Penelope to take a couple of pictures with her camera.
"A Gecko girl, huh?" He kissed Kate's cheek again. "She is fucking perfect."
"She looks like you." They both said at the same time. Kate shifted and fussed with the quieting baby.
"We do need a name." Kate's eyes hadn't left the dark-haired infant.
They hadn't really talked about a first name, but on the trip back from Kansas, Kate said that she wanted to keep his family tradition of passing down the parent's middle name. So something, Grace…
"What about Elizabeth?" He offered, before he could over think it. "After my mom, kinda, so she gets something from both sides. Part of you and part of me."
"Elizabeth Grace Gecko." Kate spoke the name and that was that. "I want to make sure it's okay with Eddie though." She insisted.
"Yeah."
"Do you want to hold her?" Kate finally made eye-contact with him.
He hesitated; he didn't want to hurt her. Infants were extremely breakable.
"You won't hurt her." Kate assured him, handing him the baby carefully. "Support her head and neck…there you go."
He was staring at her; his daughter, his perfect little girl. "Hey Lizzie. How are you, huh?" He cradled her to him. Fucking hell how could he already love her this much?! He would never let anything hurt her, ever. Hell would freeze over before he let anything happen to his daughter.
"Two seconds and she already has a nickname." Kate touched his arm. "You should call Richie and Eddie. After we make sure the name is okay, I'll text Jess to call my Dad and Scott."
"Yeah. Sounds good." Seth leaned his nose against Lizzie's head; she was so soft, so incredible. He was aware that Kate was taking pictures and he really didn't care. Dr. Block was going through things with Kate about the next two days that she'd be in the hospital, but he couldn't focus on anything but Lizzie.
"Seth, I need to see if I can get her latch. Can I have her back, while you call home?" Kate smiled at him and he kissed her before handing Lizzie back.
"They're gonna want to come up right away."
"That's fine. It'll take Daddy a couple of hours and we'll wait to invite Jess up, until we're ready for madness." Seth moved off that bed and kissed Kate's forehead and the top of Lizzie's head, before slipping out of the room.
He took a minute to breath in the hallway, before stepping outside to get a better signal. He dialed Richie and his brother picked up halfway through the first ring. "Get your asses up here. We got a Baby Gecko. No, I'm not telling you until you get up here. Kate's good. Baby's perfect."
.:.
"Now there's a girl who knows what she wants." Penelope teased, as Kate smiled down at her daughter.
Kate smoothed Lizzie's dark hair. Oh I hope Eddie's okay with Elizabeth, because Lizzie is so already your name. She was so overwhelmed with everything, but at the same time, there was nothing, nothing but her and her daughter. "She's a natural. I can't believe she's in my arms. I can't believe she's here."
Penelope checked Kate's blood pressure and reminded her, "I'll need to take her in a minute here, clean her up, and get all of her officials for you."
"That's done in the room, right?" Kate felt her heart clench at the thought of Lizzie not being in her eyesight.
"Yup, one room for everything." Penelope wrote Kate's numbers down on the chart. "Daddy's already smitten I see. She's already got him wrapped him around her little finger."
"No doubt about that." Kate let Penelope take Lizzie and let her eyes drift closed for just a moment.
She was exhausted, it just hit her. She wasn't sure how long she dozed off, but when she woke up Seth was sitting in the chair next to her bed, holding Lizzie in his arms whispering to her. She blinked and stretched a bit, oh she was sore everywhere. It didn't matter though; it paled in comparison to how much joy she had looking at Seth and their daughter.
"Hey you."
"Hey yourself, I was hoping you'd sleep longer, you didn't really get any last night." Seth pointed out.
Kate shifted and pushed herself into a sitting position, "You didn't either. Did you get ahold of Eddie and Richie?"
Seth nodded, "They're in the waiting room. I told them they weren't allowed to come in until you woke up."
"Give her here and go get them. Did you tell them everything?"
Seth shifted the sleeping Lizzie into Kate's arms. "I told them nothing."
"You jerk." Kate could not believe this man sometimes.
"It's more dramatic this way." Seth gave her a quick kiss. "You keep telling me, we're 'make-a-fuss' kinda people."
"You are. Can you grab my phone for me please?" Kate requested and took her smartphone from him, starting her text to Jess.
Seth slipped out of the room and came back in a half a click with Eddie and Richie, "Go say hi to our Gecko girl."
They both hugged Seth and Kate distinctly heard Richie's 'I told you so.' Eddie walked up to her first and she offered Lizzie to him.
Eddie cradled the little girl in his arms. "Well thank goodness, she looks like Kate."
"Really? I think she looks like Seth." Kate arched her eyebrow.
"Naw, she's pretty like her mama. She got a name yet?" Eddie's eyes hadn't left Lizzie, unshed tears in them.
Seth sat down next to Kate on her bed. "We were thinkin' that if it's alright with you. We call her Elizabeth Grace."
Eddie smiled at his granddaughter, "I think that's a perfect name for her. Hello Lizzie, you're our first Gecko girl, how about that?"
Kate leaned against Seth and listened to Richie and Eddie gush over Lizzie with a pride she'd never felt before. She didn't even know what all these feelings were. Oh she needed to finish that text. She picked her phone up and snapped a few pictures of Eddie with Lizzie, before reopening that text to Jess.
KF: Born 10-13 at 10:23AM. 7lbs 4oz. 20.5inches. 3
KF: Elizabeth Grace Gecko.
KF: Call Daddy & Scott for me? I'm so tired.
KF: Room 702.
She attached a few pictures and sent those before putting the phone back in power save mode. She looked up at Seth, who was watching Richie take Lizzie.
"Be careful." Seth warned.
"I've held more babies then you have. I've always liked kids." Richie made a face, before addressing Lizzie. "I'm your Uncle Richie and I'm gonna be the one who spoils you. Look at those eyes, I think one's darker than the other. Did you get your namesake eyes?"
Kate couldn't keep the grin off her face. She loved being a part of this family. She poked Seth in the thigh, "You know at some point we're gonna have to make us more official. Maybe get me the same last name as my daughter?" She smirked and she meant it to be a joke, but Seth was giving her a look that she didn't know what to do with. He kinda looked confused; but why was that confusing?
"Yeah, we'll get there at some point." He agreed.
"I don't want a ring or anything yet, don't panic. I'm happy to just be here." Kate reassured and squeezed his hand. "I love you."
"I love you too."
...
Thank you guys so much for reading this story!
I cannot tell you how much all of your comments, kudos, emails, tweets, fanart & messages have meant to me. I was moved to tears over your support for the last chapter, as I had no idea how everyone would feel about my take on Eddie and Jane's story…it just touched me so much to read all of your love.
Guys, I am so excited to be bringing you then ending of this tale. I am blessed as a writer to have such kind and incredible people read my work. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!