AN: Disclaimers, notes, explanations, and recriminations are found in Chapter 1
When: Immediately picks up from the previous chapter; Noah has stepped up as a substitute Lamaze coach for Heather in the delivery room
Other: At the start, I estimated this fic would be about 19 chapters long. The new plan is to bring it in within 30. God willing. Thanks to those who've stuck with it. :)
June 2012, continued
An hour later, Noah wasn't so sure everything was going to be fine, like he'd promised Luke. Even though the doctors assured that everything was proceeding normally, and Heather herself compared her labor favorably to her previous surrogacy, the whole process made Noah as nervous as hell. He had taken comfort in the fact that the people who'd done this before seemed relatively calm.
But as Heather followed the doctor's instructions to push, the beeping of the fetal monitor changed from a soft ping to a louder, more pronounced alert.
"What's wrong?" she and Noah asked simultaneously.
"The baby's heart rate has dropped a bit, but don't worry," the obstetrician reassured them. "There seems to be some pressure on the umbilical cord, but it's not that unusual. The monitor's just letting us know to keep a closer eye on things."
Heather smiled weakly, probably as much for Noah's sake as anyone's. She could see the worry etched into his face, and it mirrored her own. As he caught her gaze, Noah smiled back, realizing his obvious concern wasn't what Heather needed to see.
Noah continued holding Heather's hand, encouraging her progress. She was grateful for the support, and felt that Noah's steadying presence was even more helpful than her sister's welcome but excitable coaching had been. As Heather continued to follow the doctor's instructions to push on command, the fetal monitor once again changed tunes, this time to a more urgent, insistent alarm.
Before she or Noah could even ask, the doctor explained, "The pressure on the umbilical cord has caused the baby's heart rate to drop below 100 beats per minute. Heather, it's important to stay calm. We're going to give you some oxygen and fluid, and move your position to try and help relieve the pressure."
"Noah," Heather cried out, now clinging desperately to Noah's arm. He leaned in, whispering into Heather's ear, extending words of comfort that neither of them would remember later. What mattered wasn't what Noah said, but that he spoke so softly, Heather had to focus entirely on his voice to hear him, distracting her from the ominous beeping of the fetal monitor.
As Noah continued to reassure Heather, his thoughts swiftly altered to prayers for both her and the baby. Please, God, let everything be all right, Noah pleaded silently. He wasn't a church-goer, probably because the Colonel had made sure they attended church regularly to impress others with his supposed righteousness, and it had all felt hypocritical to Noah. Still, Noah believed in a higher power, and hoped fervently that God would see the baby safely through this crisis.
As the monitor continued beeping, and the hectic nature of the attempts to correct the problem increased, Noah launched another desperate prayer from his heart, not even aware he was doing it. But this one wasn't to the man upstairs. At least, not that man.
Please…, Noah implored. Help the baby… please, Reid… please…
Suddenly, Heather gave a final, exhausted push, sending the newborn into the doctor's hands. Both Noah and Heather held their breath until the fluid was suctioned from the baby's mouth, and it gave a loud, strong cry. The doctor, up to speed on the unique family situation, addressed Noah.
"Congratulations - it's a boy! Would you like to cut the cord, Mr. Snyder?"
Noah momentarily stared at the scene before him, before realizing that it was he who was being addressed. He hadn't been Mr. Snyder long enough to be accustomed to the moniker. "It should be Luke," Noah replied to the physician.
A nurse was dispatched to retrieve Luke. She returned moments later with the news that the ailing Luke was currently indisposed, and had asked that Noah proceed. While he wanted to wait for Luke, Noah understood it was probably better for his husband to avoid this particular undertaking in light of his current condition.
Tentatively, Noah took the scissors from the doctor's outstretched hand, and began cutting the cord. It felt strange - the cord was tougher than he would have anticipated. Noah also avoided looking at the baby. He wanted to try and wait for Luke at least in that.
When Noah finished the task at hand, the baby was immediately whisked away to be cleaned and have his vitals checked. Noah returned to Heather's side, praising her strength and courage through the delivery. In turn, Heather thanked Noah for his support, and congratulated him on the new arrival.
Heather was then moved to her hospital room nearby, with Noah escorting her. After a short time, the baby was brought in. The newborn had passed all tests with flying colors, seemingly no worse for the wear after the drama of his birth.
The nurse who'd been reluctant to see Noah in the delivery room now beamed at him, as she rolled the baby's bed into the room. The young man had impressed her with his steadfast demeanor and caring nature during the not-quite-routine delivery. "So, who wants to hold him first?", she queried.
Heather immediately responded, "He should meet his family first. Noah? Take that chair by the wall. He'll be easier to hold if you're sitting."
Noah wanted to decline, not wanting Luke to miss another milestone. But, he also realized that Heather was right. There was no way to know how long Luke would be, and the newborn needed to bond with his family.
Noah had married Luke, and promised him he'd be there to help care for the baby. That made Noah family, though Noah hadn't yet defined exactly what his role with the child would be, and Luke hadn't pressed him to. Luke had been thrilled just knowing they'd be a family. He completely trusted that Noah would not only love him, but the baby, too.
"Can someone please check on Luke?" Noah asked the question as he moved to sit in the chair Heather had indicated. The nurse smiled understandingly, and told Noah that someone had already been sent to inform Luke that the baby had been brought to Heather's hospital room.
She continued, "Now don't be nervous, but I'll warn you that this little guy screams no matter who holds him. Of course, after his adventure today, who could blame him?" On cue, as the baby was lifted from its bassinet, he unleashed a roar that even caused Heather to flinch. She then joined the nurse in laughter, both astounded at the impressive volume of the sound.
Finally, the nurse placed the squawking newborn into an apprehensive Noah's waiting arms. Noah looked down at the baby, and immediately, amazingly, the squealing stopped. As did life as Noah knew it.
Upon the first connection of Noah's eyes to those of the child, he was lost. No; he was found. Noah hadn't expected it, and could never have anticipated it, but holding the baby was like coming home. In the mountain of books Noah had devoured in the last months, he'd read that the vision of a newborn was limited, and blurry. Yet, Noah could swear this baby was looking right at him; sizing him up, even. And he felt powerless to do anything but return the child's gaze.
Later, Noah would wonder if either of them had even blinked in the moment. It was doubtful. Noah was simply, wholeheartedly, and irrevocably awed by the infant in his arms. The nurse might be talking to Heather. There might be sounds of passerby in the corridor. A fireworks display could be taking place right outside the window.
Noah wouldn't know. He heard nothing but the quiet sounds of the baby's breaths. He felt nothing but the soft fabric of the blanket covering the tiny weight in his hands. He saw nothing but the brightest pair of impossibly blue eyes. Somehow, the tiny human Noah held had instantly and decisively wrapped himself firmly around Noah's heart, never to let go.