Hello!
I wrote a whole lot over the weekend, so I'm now also done with the newest chapter of this story.
Thank you so much to alicheriee and sayyouwontletgo for the very lovely reviews!
I wish everyone enjoyment with this chapter!
It's a weird feeling to wake up to your own baby. And it's beautiful all the same.
During breakfast, Beck tells Benjamin in his crib all about how he will leave for school soon but that he will come back later.
"Your mommy will take good care of you while I'm gone," Beck tells him and glances to Jade, who watches them with a smile – her boyfriend and their son.
Beck turns back to Benjamin, shortly reaches into the crib, touching his little belly, as he says with a smile: "She of course will also take care of you while I'm here. She will be with you your whole life. You're a lucky little guy."
"Yeah, right," Jade says, and yet, she's smiling and maybe, tears come up again. Gosh. She has hoped that would stop right after the birth, all those emotions. After they already exhausted her during the pregnancy. But obviously, she will still need time for her hormones to get back to normal.
Beck leans over to her and they kiss, before he finally eats the last piece of his breakfast and then asks: "You will text me if something is up, right?"
"I will call you," she instead assures. Of course, she will call, if something is wrong. But Beck shouldn't worry at all. It's not very likely that something will come up while he's in school, so she continues: "Don't worry. We'll be fine."
Beck smiles, kisses her again, before he's up and goes to the bathroom, saying: "I'll go make myself ready."
She also finishes her breakfast, before she takes Benjamin out of the crib into her arms.
"Hey, baby," she whispers, before she drops a long kiss onto his forehead. "It will be just the two of us in a little while. That's weird, huh? But I will try my best, I promise." She always will. She wants to try so hard to be a good mother for him. She already thought so, when she felt him in her belly. She has known it's her first priority from now on, as the nurse has put the little screaming thing on her chest.
She now watches him as he yawns and closes his eyes.
She doesn't think much time has passed at all, while she watches her baby, when Beck is already back, all ready for school. He takes his bag, before he walks all up to Jade and Benjamin. He leans down and kisses Benjamin's forehead on the exact same spot Jade has before.
"Bye, baby," he whispers. "See you after school."
Jade thinks it's so weird that Beck says that to his son, but instead of his son going to school, Beck is the one going. It should be the other way around. Well... One day, it hopefully will be. Anyway...
Then, Beck turns to Jade and kisses her twice, before he gently says: "I love you."
"I love you, too," Jade answers, before she frees one of her hands from under her son to put it in Beck's neck and pull him into another kiss goodbye.
.
.
Beck feels extremely giddy, as he takes the bus to school (his car of course still at school). He feels giddy to tell the whole world that he has a beautiful son, that he is a father. At the same time, he wants to turn around right away to get back to his son, his little baby he would like to never leave. But well... he has to go to school.
As he walks into the building, he directly sees his friends waiting in front of his locker. He can't help but grin.
Surprinsingly, it's not Cat who's with him first. Instead, Andre is there, shaking his hand and pulling him into a hug at the same time, his grin as wide as Beck's: "Congrats!"
"I'm so happy," Beck hears Cat squeal the very next second and then, she hugs both of them, jumping up and down like crazy.
Promptly, Robbie decides: "Group hug!" And he also goes in, Rex hanging off his hand helplessly.
"Thanks, guys," Beck says and is still grinning brighter than he possibly ever has, as they break apart again.
Cat is still jumping up and down and now tells him: "I totally wanted to call Jade yesterday. I was so excited and directly wanted to ask her about everything. I at least wanted to text you back. But Andre called me after your text and said I should probably let both of you have some time."
Which means that Andre must have gotten the text and must have immediately thought of Cat, who was bound to call right away, and called her, so she wouldn't. Andre now also explains, shrugging, possibly unsure, as if he didn't know if it was right to keep Cat from doing so, from sharing her happiness: "I just thought Jade wouldn't need that right now."
"You're right," Beck assures him, before he turns to Cat: "But I'll tell her that youwanted to call." Jade will certainly like to hear it, even if she couldn't have stood Cat rambling about.
"Good," Cat now also says, seeming a little worried. "I don't want her to think I wasn't interested. Should I call her now?"
"We have school now," Robbie reminds her. That's also pretty much the moment, the bell rings for their first class.
"Then after school," Cat says, before she abruptly turns to Beck: "Oh, can we come home with you after school?"
Robbie finally remembers Rex and makes him say: "I also want to meet him."
But it would be of no use for them to come home with Beck. He isn't even going home. But they don't know that. They might have read up on pregnancy and birth a little, but apparently haven't thought about the possibility of staying in the hospital afterwards for safety.
So, he explains now: "Jade is still in the hospital with... our son." He directly has to smile again as he says it. Their son. Gosh.
"Is something wrong?" Cat asks with big eyes.
Robbie shakes his head though. Well, he has a little sister, that's why he must actually now: "I think that's normal procedure."
"It is," Beck confirms, while they finally go further to his locker for him to sort through his things, so he can also go to his class. "Everything is fine."
But Jade has still seemed exhausted this morning. And Beck has barely even met Benjamin. Their families will obviously show up today again, but... their friends as well? He doesn't think he wants that. Or that Jade wants it.
He continues: "I think you can't go there today though. But you will meet him soon enough. I'll talk to Jade to decide when, okay?"
They all agree, then they are on their way to their classes.
Beck walks with Andre, who says after a moment: "I can't believe you're a father now."
"Ask me," he replies. It is unbelievable. It shouldn't be. He knew for months that this day would come. He had time to get used to the thought. He isn't though.
"How does it feel?" Andre now also asks interested.
He honestly replies: "Weird. Different and yet the same. I don't know. Maybe, I can tell you in a week." Andre has to laugh.
.
.
Jade is online on her phone a lot, as she's alone in the hospital. Well... She isn't alone. Her child is right there with her. But he doesn't make any trouble at all. She lies him over her chest, while she is lying on her bed and is online. The nurses look after her every now and then.
Just now, she thinks about calling one of them, so she can possibly use the bathroom. (After all, it is possible for her to faint in the restroom and someone should watch that a little.) She puts Benjamin back in his crib, when there is a knock on the door.
"Come in," she calls out.
It's her mother that walks in.
"Hi, honey," she says with a smile.
"Hey, Mom," she answers. "You're right on time. I'm going to the bathroom. Watch him."
She doesn't even wait for her mother to nod. If there is one person next to Beck, whom she can trust with her child, it's her own mother.
When she comes back into the room, her mother has dropped her handbag on the chair next to Jade's bed and stands next to the crib, her fingers going gently over Benjamin's belly, as she talks to him quietly: "Did you enjoy your first night on earth? You are really one of the cutest babies I have ever seen."
"You can take him out, you know?" Jade says, going back to her bed and sitting back down.
"You sure?" her mother asks.
She just nods, so her mother turns back to Benjamin with a smile and does take him out.
Okay, it is weird. It's not as bad as seeing him in the arms of one of the nurses or something. But still... It's her child. Though it doesn't belong to her. Human beings can't belong to anyone. But it almost feels like Benjamin does and like she just doesn't want anyone else to have him. She knows that's ridiculous. Though she has also felt it a little with Beck. Also not nearly as strongly as with the nurses, but the feeling was there nonetheless. She will have to suck it up. At least with Beck and both their families. Beck has just as much right to hold their son as she has – and their families also should be allowed close.
And despite this weird feeling, she has been touched by Beck holding their child every single time, she has seen it until now. Despite the feeling, she loves the sight to no end.
She also likes how her mother now cradles her son, just like she did Jasper back then and probably her, Jade.
"Hi," her mother softly says to Benjamin. "It's me. Your grandmother. Can you say nana?"
Obviously, Benjamin can't say anything yet. He can barely even open his own eyes. But Jade questions something else, raising her eyebrows: "Nana?"
Her mother looks up and shrugs, smiling: "That's very likely one of the first words Benjamin will be able to speak, so I'm gonna have it."
Jade has to smirk. Yeah, okay. She guesses her mother will be nana for her son then. She can live with that.
Her mother now turns back to Benjamin: "Yes, now you're not even one day old, but soon enough you'll already speak your first word and will walk and will go to school and..."
Jade can't help herself: "Stop it."
She can't imagine yet that Benjamin will ever talk and walk. She also doesn't want to imagine that right now. "For now, he'll be my baby."
Her mother isn't offended at her interrupting, but easily says: "He will always be your baby, don't worry."
And with that, she comes closer and hands Benjamin over to her. And the way she looks at her... She obviously means that Jade is also still her baby after all.
Somehow, it almost makes Jade tear up again. She is glad that her mother doesn't say anything further about it but instead asks: "Have you eaten?"
"Yeah," Jade answers bored and before her mother can asks any more: "And slept. And everything."
"Have you had a chance to get to know him?"
Jade looks down to her little son, before she shrugs: "A little. It's weird." Because she feels like she has known him since forever, but at the same time, she doesn't. It's new to have this child around, her child. She doesn't know yet, what kind of person he will be – what kind of person he already is. He isn't even a day old after all.
"I know," her mother says. "Well... Have you already left the room with him?"
"No," Jade asks, a little confused because of that question.
Her mother already explains: "A little walk would do you some good. At least up and down the floor, if you want to take him outside for the first time, when Beck is with you to see it."
.
.
They do take him on a short walk through the hospital, until Jade doesn't feel like walking anymore. Then, her mother stays for a while with her in her room, which is weird. It's not like they usually spend much time together. It's not like they usually even talk much. But suddenly, they are in a room together with not much to do.
When Beck finally comes home from school, her mother is long gone though.
Back is more than happy to see his son again. Of course also to see Jade, but his son is more special at the moment.
"Hey, babe," he greets her first though, as he walks into the room. Jade is sitting on her bed and actually has a few papers spread over her bed. Beck will find out that the school has naturally send her everything from her missed classes today and she had one of the nurses print it out, so she could try already to work through it.
She now easily puts it away, though she hasn't really done any work on it at all until now, after he has kissed her in greeting. Then, he drops his school bag, before he approaches the crib and looks at their little son, lying in there.
"And hey, baby," he says with a smile. Gosh, how he has waited to see him again. And to hold him again.
Carefully, he takes him out of the crib and just has to say: "Look at how cute he is."
Jade has already put her papers to the side and smirks at him now: "I looked at him the whole morning." Which means she doesn't need to look at him now to see how cute he is. She already knows.
He has to grin. "I understand that."
He looks back to their son, strokes his cheek with his thumb, before he turns to Jade again, sitting down on the chair next to her bed. "How was your day?"
"Pretty boring," Jade answers honestly. "You know... A one day old doesn't do all that much."
Beck can imagine that. Though he's also sure Jade enjoyed it nonetheless. He definitely would have. Just to have that time with their son...
"N'aw," he says now, in any way, adressing their son. "Have you heard? Your mommy called you boring."
"I didn't," Jade immediately says, very pointedly.
She obviously doesn't like him telling their son that she thinks he's boring, even if he won't even understand yet and will never remember this moment.
He smiles, knows she also isn't angry or something. And he changes the topic: "Was your mom here?" He would've expected to meet her here.
"For two hours," Jade answers and even continues from there: "She thought I otherwise should have a lot of time on my own with Benjamin. To truly get to know him. She said that she could understand me behaving differently around my son at first if someone would watch me. I should get comfortable on my own." She repeats her mother's words like she always does, slightly annoyed, in that sort of voice that really somehow sounds like her mother and yet doesn't at all. Yet, she adds: "Which I like, you know."
She looks to their son in Beck's arms, then Beck again, unsure almost. Then, she says: "I really would like to give you the chance to be on your own with him as well. But I... I don't think I can turn away from him for more than like five minutes as of now. And maybe for some time. Maybe, for forever."
She adds that last part with a smirk, but she actually feels sorry for feeling like that. And gosh, how glad is he that she feels comfortable at all to say that to him. To just tell him that she would like to leave him alone with their son, but that she just can't yet.
He knows it will be even more important with having Benjamin than ever before to be honest with each other, to keep that promise to each other. She's starting with it right away.
He's glad to know it. And the thing is that he can understand it so well. He now also tells her: "That's fine, Jade. I do get that you carried him inside of you for months."
She's already so much closer to their child; it has been a part of her for a while.
But he adds honestly, because he's actually already pretty close to their child as well, which he deems quite crazy and which he hasn't counted on before: "Though I honestly have to say that I missed him, too. After only knowing him for those few hours yesterday and in the morning, I was crazy to come back and hold him again."
Jade smiles at that, obviously likes to hear it. He can't help but stand up to lean over to her and kiss her with their baby in his arms.
She lies her hands in his neck, holding him close after they break apart. Against his lips, she whispers: "I love you, Beck."
"I love you, too."
.
.
They go outside, not long after. Jade carries their baby in her arms and Beck has his arm around her as they walk into the courtyard and sit down on a bench there.
As Beck realizes that their son actually sees the outside world for the very first time, he starts naming different things, like the sky and the ground, the trees and the gras.
Jade is amused, though also pretends quite soon that it annoys her. It certainly does get a little annoying, when Beck names more and more things. But she somehow loves listening to him talk to their son, especially with their son so securely in her arms and Beck so close.
It's after a while that Beck remembers: "Oh, Cat wants you to know she wanted to call you after my text but Andre kept her from it."
"Thank, god," Jade murmurs. She imagines Cat having called yesterday, right after giving birth... She wouldn't have been ready for it.
Beck squeezes her arm playfully. Then: "But she thought about you."
Jade actually has to smile at that. Yeah, Cat did. Andre obviously, too. And Robbie most certainly as well. It does make her a little happy.
"Anyway..." Beck continues. "All three of them of course wanted to know when they can meet him. Well... All four of them" – so Rex as well, but yeah, Robbie does take him pretty much everywhere, as much as he annoys the rest of the group; they know though that he can't help himself, that he needs Rex – "would've liked to come today, but I thought they can still wait a day or two or even longer."
Jade definitely also wouldn't have been ready to see them now, to have Cat ramble on and Rex making some dumb comment or something. Not today.
Though... If she is home, she's sure she can handle it. Not necessarily tomorrow, as she will only get home then. But Friday could be possible. As long as Beck also would be fine with it. After all, he's already in school so much and maybe, he wants some more time like this, just the three of them, being close to his son, not having too many other people interfere. Maybe, it's enough for him with their parents and he doesn't also want to have their friends around at the moment.
"Yeah," she therefore says. "Maybe, they can come to my place on Friday? If it's okay for you."
"Sure," Beck nods. "I'll tell them that. I mean... They also don't directly need to stay until the middle of the night."
"You probably also should tell them that before," Jade says, which makes Beck laugh. Yes, if they meet up with their friends, their friends like using their time until curfew (while Beck and Jade have often left the other three before to also have some time just the two of them). They certainly aren't supposed to do that this time.
.
.
They are pretty much just back in the room, when Caitlyn and Jasper come to visit.
Beck guesses that Caitlyn already got to hold Benjamin in the morning. Jasper now gets to hold him for the very first time and he looks like such a proud uncle.
His parents come half an hour later, when Benjamin is back with Beck.
"Hello, everyone," his mother says smiling. They all greet back and Caitlyn stands up and says: "I think we should go then."
"Oh, you don't have to leave on our account," Beck's mother says, to which Beck silently agrees. His parents presence shouldn't make Jade's mother and brother leave.
"It's fine," Caitlyn says though. "I already have been here in the morning and Jasper should go home to do his homework anyway."
Jasper pouts, obviously doesn't like that idea. He would like to stay with his sister and his newborn nephew. But his mother says it sternly enough, so he doesn't voice his protest.
"Okay," Beck's mother now says. "Have you already talked about how you will get home tomorrow?" That's obviously an important subject and she wants to make sure, everything's cleared up.
They have actually talked about it just now, therefore Beck can tell his parents, for them to also know: "I'll take them home after school."
Caitlyn will be with Jade and Benjamin again in the morning for some time, but Beck will be the one to take them home right after school.
"Ah, perfect," his mother says and Caitlyn nods: "I'll have something to eat ready and Jasper will probably be finished decorating her room."
There is a small smirk in her face that totally is like Jade's. Jasper also grins brightly and Jade rolls her eyes slightly, amused though: "Yeah, right."
Then, goodbyes are shared and Jasper and Caitlyn are gone.
Beck's mother finally walks all the way up to him and looks at the baby in his arms: "Hello. Oh, he's still as adorable as I remembered him from yesterday."
Beck has to smile. He likes his son being called adorable and alike.
"You wanna hold him?" Beck now asks her. She and his father also haven't hold him yesterday. He was in Jade's arms all through their visit. Rightfully so, as Jade also had only just born him.
He only realizes that Jade still might not want his parents to hold their son, when his mother actually looks past him to Jade, checking. His mother realizes that it could be hard for Jade. Because your own family is something completely different than the family of your partner.
"It's fine," Jade says though. "You should."
But she has just told him earlier that she can't turn away from their son for too long. She also must still feel weird about other people holding him. It has only been one day.
"I..." he starts, wants to possibly apologize and draw his offer back, but Jade pointedly repeats: "It's fine."
Okay, she means it. They look into each other's eyes and he knows she means it. She may have a little trouble with it, but she really does want his parents to hold him as well.
So, Beck turns back to his mother and hands Benjamin over carefully.
His mother takes him with a smile, has accepted Jade's words as well, and now looks at Benjamin again as if he is the best thing in the world – he is.
"Hey, Benjamin," she says softly and his father comes closer to her, looks over her shoulder at the little boy. Beck can't help but wonder if that how it looked when his mother held him sixteen years back. It's a great picture. He guesses he will position his parents like that when they visit Jade's home and he also has his camera. He does want to have pictures like this.
His mother holds the little boy for a while in her arms while she asks Jade how the first day went and then, what Beck did in school. His father also takes Benjamin for a while, while they talk, before giving him back to Beck. Beck then hurries to finally give him back to Jade, who cradles him close to her heart and looks absolutely relieved to have him back. Well, he sees that relief, his parents possibly don't.
They also don't stay much longer. Before they go, his father says: "Well... Maybe, we'll visit you over the weekend."
"You can also come by my house tomorrow," Jade says with a shrug. Neither she nor her mother like many people in the house, but they will probably okay with it under these circumstances.
"No," his father says though. "Your friends probably also want to visit soon and we don't want you to be occupied all the time. But thanks."
He means that thanks. Beck has to smile. They both do appreciate Jade allowing them to even come by tomorrow. They do understand that it means a lot, coming from Jade.
His mother now even checks: "Is it okay if we call your mother to talk about visiting or would you rather have us call you directly?"
Because they also don't want her to think they go over her head. But they don't want to stress her out by calling her all the time if she doesn't want that. Beck also imagines a call between his parents and Jade as rather weird.
Beck wants to suggest that they just call him, but... well... if they would want to talk about it Friday morning or something, to plan their weekend, they obviously couldn't talk to him as he would be in school. Also, he likes the thought of not being disturbed by calls when he finally can be with his son. Even if it would be just a short one.
Jade says: "No, my mom is fine."
"Good," his mother says and turns to Beck again: "And you don't forget to text or call us if there's anything at all."
Of course, he will. They all say goodbye, and finally, it's just the three of them again.
.
.
They finally fill out some forms from the hospital that evening, sign some papers, the paternity papers for Beck as well. Jade has gotten all of those documents in the morning and apparently has went through them a little bit with her mother to know where exactly to sign and what to fill out.
The next morning, Beck of course has to go back to school.
Andre greets him at his locker again with a grin. Robbie, Rex and Cat join them as well, happily, while Andre asks: "How is your child?"
"Good," Beck says with a grin of his own. He loves the question alone. The question about his child. It sounds just awesome.
He continues, knows that will make his friends extremely happy: "And we actually think about having you guys over tomorrow if you have time."
Cat squeals so loud that several of their classmates turn. Well... They probably won't wonder too much about the topic of the conversation. Everybody guessed that Beck missed part of his classes the day before yesterday because Jade called him in labor. Many people have seen Beck being hugged by his friends then yesterday morning and quickly, the whole school has known about it.
Just like when Jade has first stopped going to school, a lot of his classmates (especially the female ones) came up to him to congratulate him and ask for pictures. He hasn't shown anyone a photo and has also told his friends to not show the photo he sent them around. Nobody needs to see their child yet, except the people important to them. If they end up taking Benjamin to school with them as soon as Jade is ready, they all will see him soon enough.
"Absolutely," Robbie says and has Rex nodding viciously as well, while Andre says: "Awesome!"
So, they all do have time tomorrow. But there's something he thinks he should mention. Especially with seeing how happy Cat is to meet Benjamin. Something he hasn't thought of with his parents, but he will consider with his friends. "Yeah. Though... You know... Don't expect to hold him yet. You have to remember that Benjamin has just been born and Jade and he are pretty much still a unity."
"Of course," Robbie says and Cat and Andre nod as well, Cat with big eyes. Well, they do seem to understand.
He smiles as he continues: "And it all depends on how today goes. Maybe, we also have to postpone it, okay?" He doesn't want them disappointed if Jade decides today that she doesn't feel ready after all to meet their friends anytime soon. It's so easy for him to invite them, but he also isn't the one who has been pregnant and has just given birth.
They also understand that though.
.
.
Jade's mother does come by in the morning again, checking on her and the baby and making sure, all the documents are alright and everything.
Two different doctors check on Benjamin and Jade before lunch, and when they both say everything looks great and they are definitely free to go without any concerns, she already packs up her and Beck's things.
When Beck comes after school, she is all ready to go. She only hasn't put Benjamin in the baby seat yet. Her mother has brought the seat when she came by in the morning.
"Hey, you two," he says with a smile as he sees her sitting on the bed with their son in her arms.
"Hey," she replies and they share a kiss, before he is the one to put the seat on the bed, directly noticing it next to their bag.
She stands up and hands him the little baby.
"How was your day?" Beck asks while he lifts Benjamin, so they are face to face. He puts a little kiss on his cheek, before he adds: "Is a baby on its second full day on earth a little more exciting than on its first?"
She smirks. "Totally. He ran around the room the whole day," she claims, before she says: "Anyway... We're ready to go. We can talk more on the way."
"Sure. Are you excited to go home, Benjamin? You are, aren't you?" he says to the little boy and how can it touch Jade every single time to watch Beck talk to Benjamin? She has seen it now several times. But she always loves to see it, loves to hear it.
While she takes their bag and checks once more that they have everything, Beck carefully lies Benjamin into the seat and secures him in it.
Then, they turn to each other again and Beck asks: "Wanna take him, and I have the bag?"
She shakes her head and kisses him, softly. He should have him.
How glad she just is to finally go home. With their son. And how glad he is to take them.