Horatio, Kyle and Eric had taken a whole day to finish the nursery. All the walls were painted in light blue and one wall had some animated figures painted on it. Kyle had though it would be a cute thing. The crib was in place as well as an armchair and bookshelf and boxes of toys. There was also a closet filled with clothes in the room and everything was clean.
While the boys had finished the nursery, Jessica and Calleigh had enjoyed a day at a spa. That had been just five days before Jessica's due date. She was now only two days away from her due date and everyone were excited about it.
It was early Monday morning and everyone in the beach house were asleep, except Kyle who was sneaking in as quietly as he could through the door. He had been out with some friends and ended up falling asleep in his car.
"Late night?" Jessica asked from the kitchen just as Kyle was on his way upstairs.
Kyle froze. He was a grown up so there was no need to get Jessica's or his father's permission to go out at night, but it was still a little embarrassing getting caught coming home at such an early hour.
"Um, yeah." Kyle blushed as he peeked in to the kitchen.
Jessica grinned and shook her head.
"Can't sleep?" Kyle asked.
"No, not really."
"Want some company?"
"It's okay Kyle, you can go to sleep. Something tells me you need it." Jessica smiled.
Kyle nodded and yawned; he really missed his big, warm bed. He patted Jessica's shoulder and went upstairs. Jessica drank some tea and looked out the window. The baby was kicking so she couldn't sleep. Horatio was still sleeping though and as Jessica walked back to the bedroom she heard his soft snoring.
Horatio was sprawled out on the lower half of the bed and the sheets only covered his feet. How he always managed to slide down towards the foot of the bed and kick the sheet off most of his body every night, Jessica didn't know. She never felt him move around that much when she was sleeping next to him, but every morning he would wake up in the same position.
As she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek he stirred and mumbled something. Then he snored softly again and Jessica sat down on her side of the bed. She looked at her watch on the nightstand. It was only 03:30.
"This is going to be long night." She sighed and stood up to pull away her sheet.
Suddenly she stopped and looked down at her pants. Had she drank too much tea? Jessica's pants were wet and she gasped as she realized that her water had broken. She looked at herself and just took some deep breaths, it wasn't until she got her first contraction just seconds later that she woke Horatio up.
"Horatio!" She exclaimed.
The red head lifted his head up and looked at his girlfriend confused until he saw her shocked expression. Horatio had tried to prepare himself for the birth of their child as much as possible, but now that it was happening it was like everything he had learned and been told just vanished.
"Um, holy shit!" He exclaimed, "Sit down on the couch."
Horatio lead Jessica towards the living room and then called Alexx, who had told the couple that she wanted to know when Jessica went in to labor so she could help them if they needed it.
"Alexx, Jessica's water just broke!" Horatio said before he even knew who had picked up the phone.
Luckily it was Alexx who had picked up and he heard her surprised yelp as she fell out of the bed from waking up so suddenly.
"Really? How close are the contractions?" Alexx asked as she got dressed.
"She's only had one." Horatio said.
"Okay, if they come closer than 20 minutes it's time to go to the hospital. I'm coming over." Alexx said.
"Alright, see you soon."
Horatio hung up and smiled as he placed his hand on the belly. Jessica was breathing heavily to calm herself down. Alexx knew on the tone of Horatio's voice that he was completely shocked and scared. It wasn't strange at all and she didn't know anybody who hadn't reacted that way the first time they had become parents.
"Alexx is on her way." Horatio said.
"Good." Jessica panted and closed her eyes for a moment.
Horatio then woke up Kyle, who wasn't sure how he would be able to help, but at least he sat in the living room with his father and Jessica and silently supporter them.
It took fifteen minutes for Alexx to finally arrive and by then Jessica still hadn't got a second contraction. It was obvious that she wasn't going to the hospital just yet.
"Get some pillows." Alexx said to the men.
They quickly took all the pillows they could find and placed them behind Jessica so she could rest against them. Then she finally got another contraction and Horatio held her hand as she groaned in pain. Kyle just sat on a chair and watched. He was stunned. Alexx was rubbing Jessica's back softly and telling her everything would be alright. After a while Kyle got the task of calling Irene, Clark and Henry to let them now that the baby would be born sometime today.
Kyle covered his ears during his phone call to Irene. She screamed of joy and was so happy that she was rambling on about how amazing it was. Kyle had just chuckled and agreed.
After another twenty minutes Jessica got a contraction again, but it still wasn't close enough.
"Oh god, it hurts!" Jessica groaned.
She was beginning to sweat too and squeezed Horatio's hand when it hurt.
"I know sweetheart, but you'll get through this." Horatio said and kissed her cheek softly.
It took two hours before Jessica was able to finally go to the hospital. Kyle was driving, while Alexx and Horatio sat with Jessica in the back, the contractions were coming closer now, but still not so close that it was time to push.
Once they arrived at the hospital, Jessica had to lie down on a gurney and she was taken to a private room. Elijah, her doctor came to examine her. Alexx and Kyle waited outside in the waiting area.
"Well, you're not dilated enough yet." Elijah said, "A few more hours to go I'm afraid."
"Hours?!" Jessica exclaimed, "Oh god."
"Sweetheart, I'll be with you the whole time and you can do this." Horatio whispered in her ear.
Jessica gave him a small smile and then panted as she got yet another contraction.
"This is not unusual for the first time." Elijah said, "The pain will be worth it in the end."
"Of that I have no doubt, but right now it doesn't sound so great to go through this for a few more hours." Jessica panted.
-I-
Jessica had been in labor since 03:30 and it was not 10:45. Calleigh was in charge while Horatio was gone and everyone were waiting for any news on how things were going for Jessica and Horatio. Alexx had gone back to the morgue, but Kyle was still at the hospital. He was calling every now and then to let everyone know what was happening.
"So what gender did Kyle say it was?" Ryan asked.
"He said it was a… nah, I'm not going to tell you." Frank smirked.
"Come on Frank, tell me!"
"Why? You'll find out later today anyway." Frank said, "If you must know then you can always call Kyle."
Ryan thought about it, but decided not to. He wasn't the kind of guy that thought it was more fun to expect a baby if you didn't know the gender, but he had just decided to wait and see. And he was going to stick to it.
In the break room Walter and Natalia were counting all the money in the jar that the winners of the baby-bet would divide between themselves.
"It's a lot of money." Walter said, "And since we know the gender we already know if we have won or not."
"Unless the doctor was wrong. When my sister was born, the doctor had told mom and dad that the baby was a boy. Sometimes they can be wrong you know." Natalia smiled.
"Yeah, but usually they're right."
Even though everyone were patiently awaiting the arrival of the baby they managed to focus on their job as well.
-I-
At 13:00 no baby had yet to come. Kyle was eating lunch by himself and looking at the clock all the time. Time seemed to have passed slowly, but at least he wasn't in any pain during the long wait. Poor Jessica had been ordered to walk around in the hallway and while she was doing this, she would stop several times as she got contractions. Elijah had told her she was more dilated now, but still not enough. Horatio was with her as she slowly made it back to her room.
"I'm so tired." Jessica sighed as she sat down in the bed.
"Oh honey, I know." Horatio said and caressed her cheek.
"We are not doing this again in at least a year or two." Jessica said and leaned back against the pillow, "It really hurts Horatio."
Jessica wiped a few tears away as they ran down her cheeks. Horatio gave her a soft kiss. He wished he could take the pain for her, but he couldn't. He admired the strength Jessica had and he was grateful that she had yet to hit him in anger.
"I love you Jessica and you are so strong." Horatio smiled, "You're the strongest woman I know."
"Are you saying that so I won't hit you?" Jessica chuckled.
"Of course not."
"Thank you." Jessica smiled and was about to give Horatio a kiss when she got another contraction.
While Horatio and Jessica were in their room, Kyle finished his lunch and went back to the waiting area. He flashed the young nurses in the hallway a smile and winked at them. He was single after all and why couldn't he flirt a little among such gorgeous girls? Some girls giggled, others glared at him, but one particular girl decided to make him blush and when he smiled at her she jumped up in his arms and gave him a kiss. Kyle was stunned and just gaped at the girl as she laughed and walked away.
"You looked like you needed a kiss!" She called back to him and disappeared around the corner.
"Flirting with the nurses, son?" Horatio asked and startled Kyle.
Kyle blushed and shook his head.
"How's it going dad?" He asked.
"Good I guess. Jessica told me to get something to eat." Horatio said.
"And I'm guessing you're not going to?"
"I'm not hungry." Horatio said.
"Dad..."
"I'm really not hungry. There is no way I can eat at a time like this." Horatio said.
Kyle smiled and the two men sat down just outside the room. They sat in silence for a while, until Kyle felt like somebody needed to say something.
"I'm happy to be a part of the family with you and Jessica." Kyle smiled, "And I'm happy to be able to protect the little bundle of joy."
"I'm happy to have you as a part of the family as well Kyle. A very important part of the family." Horatio grinned and patted his son's shoulder, "And by protection you mean fighting off all the boys with a shotgun if the baby is a girl, right?"
"That and to be the one to drive him or her to school in the Buick. Can you imagine how popular the kid will be if I do that?" Kyle chuckled, "Seriously, I will just try to be the best big brother I can and all that it means to be that."
Horatio chuckled and gave his son a hug before going back inside the room to Jessica.
"Still awake?" He asked.
"Barely." Jessica mumbled.
She was breathing heavily and Horatio grabbed her hand as he sat down next to her.
-I-
"How much longer can it take?" Ryan whined as he looked at the clock in the morgue.
Alexx rolled her eyes at him.
"Ryan baby, have you even been with a woman in labor or seen a TV show about women in labor?" She asked.
"No."
"So you have no idea what it's like do you?"
"No." Ryan said.
"Ryan, labor can take one hour or it can take 24 hours." Alexx said, "It's different from each woman and there is no way of knowing how long it will take. The first time is usually long, but sometimes it's also short."
Ryan nodded and gave Alexx thumbs up.
"And to wait this long is probably harder for Jessica and Horatio then it is for you Wolfe-man." Jesse grinned, "After all, you're not the one who is in pain."
"I just want to see the baby. We've waited for nine months already." Ryan said, "Think about all the things I could teach him or her."
"I don't think teaching the kid your OCD stuff is a good idea." Jesse teased.
Alexx left the two men bickering about ways to raise children, it was quite fun think that two people who didn't even have children discussed that subject. Ryan's OCD was not a problem, if anything it helped him in cases sometimes. Jesse just couldn't resist the urge to tease him every now and then. Ryan knew this of course.
-I-
At 14:30 it was finally time for Jessica to push. She had been in labor for almost 12 hours and she was now waiting for a contraction so she could start pushing. Elijah was ready to grab the baby when it came out and Horatio held Jessica's hand.
When she got a contraction, Jessica screamed and pushed as hard as she could. Horatio winced in pain slightly as Jessica squeezed his hand, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
"Good Jessica, a little more come on!" Elijah smiled.
Jessica pushed again as she got yet another contraction and Horatio her on. When it was over she leaned back against the pillow and closed her eyes for a moment.
"Almost there Jessica." Elijah said.
"You better be honest with me when you say that or I'll smack you!" Jessica growled and waited for the next contraction.
"I am always honest with you." Elijah grinned.
"Oh god!" Jessica screamed in pain as she pushed.
As she laid back down again, Horatio caressed her cheek and gave her soft kiss. Jessica had tears falling from her eyes and she was exhausted.
"Just two more pushes." Elijah said.
"You can do this baby." Horatio smiled.
"I want Oreos after this. A big box of Oreos." Jessica panted.
Oreos was her craving and she hadn't had any for a long time now.
"I will give you as much Oreos as you want." Horatio grinned.
Jessica nodded and then pushed again as she got a contraction. Both Elijah and Horatio cheered her on.
"I can see the head now!" Elijah smiled, "One more push Jessica!"
Jessica took a deep breath and waited for a contraction, when it came she screamed and pushed. She then fell back against the pillow and groaned. She had never been so tired before.
Jessica cried as she heard the baby's cries and Horatio hugged her. A nurse put the baby on Jessica's chest.
"It's a little girl born at 14:38." The nurse smiled, "Does she have a name?"
"Sophia Caine." Jessica grinned and caressed the head of her daughter softly.
"Hi Sophia!" Horatio smiled and started crying too.
Jessica and Horatio couldn't take their eyes off their daughter. Their little baby girl!
While the baby was being cleaned, Horatio went out to tell Kyle the good news.
"It's a girl." He smiled.
"Yes!" Kyle exclaimed and hugged his father, "You won the bet together with the others in the lab who betted for a girl."
"I guess I did huh." Horatio grinned, "Her name is Sophia."
"I'll call the team!" Kyle smiled
-I-
The team wanted to give the new family some privacy and that's why decided not to visit straight away, instead they would wait until the following day. Kyle had snapped a photo of Sophia and sent it to everyone in the lab and Irene, Clark and Henry. Now he was holding his baby sister for the first time.
"So what did she weigh?" He asked as he looked down at the sleeping baby girl.
"7 pounds and she's also 19.3 inches." Jessica grinned.
It had been two hours since she had given birth and little Sophia had so far proven to be a quiet baby.
"She's so tiny." Kyle smiled widely.
"She'll get bigger fast though." Horatio said.
He and Jessica were sitting in the bed while Kyle was sitting in the chair next to the bed. Sophia stirred, but didn't wake up. She seemed to be really happy while she was in her big brother's arms.
"When can we take her home?" Kyle asked.
"Hopefully tomorrow." Jessica smiled.
Kyle nodded and gave Sophia a kiss on the cheek. It would be impossible to find a more proud and happy big brother and parents.
"You were wrong by the way." Jessica said.
"About what?" Horatio asked.
"About when you thought she would be born." Jessica smirked.
Horatio just laughed and kissed Jessica deeply.
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