6 Years, 11 Months
April 7th
The day started out relatively normal. As far as days went it wasn't shaping up to be anything spectacular or noteworthy. It was just suppose to be a day in the running number of other days.
Finnick rolled out of bed from beside Annie and got up. He took a shower, attempting to peel his eyes open. He washed up, dried his hair, shaved, and got dressed into his button up shirt and shorts he normally wore to work. He was sitting down eating breakfast as Annie walked into the room, pulling out milk for her own cereal.
"So what's on the agenda for you today?" Annie asked as she unscrewed the top of the jug and Finnick shrugged.
"You know, the regular. How about you?" Finnick asked and Annie smiled.
"The regular." Annie teased as she pulled out a bowl from the cupboard. Finnick was in the middle of sipping his coffee when suddenly Annie dropped the plate causing Finnick to jolt.
"Woah, Ann. You okay?" Finnick asked confused and Annie just frowned as if concentrating.
"Um…I think my water just broke." Annie said quietly.
"Your-wait. What?" Finnick said, not processing what was going on correctly.
"Finn, my water just broke." Annie said again, slower, and Finnick stood up.
"I thought you were supposed to get contractions!"
"I am having contractions! I've been having them for a few hours but I didn't think much of them…until well, now. They've been coming at a pretty steady interval." Annie said.
"But the due date isn't until a week from now!"
"Well you aren't in any position to be arguing with the baby. He's coming now." Annie said, "Grab the baby kit we set up from the nursery please? I'm going to go change into some dry clothes."
"Okay." Finnick said, quickly going to retrieve the bag they had packed just for this. Finnick felt shaky and faint, but took deep breaths in an effort to calm down. He needed to be strong, a pillar of unshakable support. Well…he needed to fake being a strong pillar of unshakable support. He really felt as if he was going to be sick.
"Are you going to be okay to drive?" Annie asked concerned, "You're as pale as a ghost."
"I'm totally good." Finnick said, "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." Annie said gently, touching his hand. "Let's go."
The drive to the hospital was hard. Finnick tried to be considerate about the bumps and whatnot as he drove, to not cause Annie any further discomfort. By the time they made it to the hospital, he helped Annie out of the car, carrying the duffle bag filled with supplies and they walked into the clinic together.
"Call my parents? They said they would let everyone else know." Annie asked and Finnick kissed her.
"Of course, and anything else you need?" Finnick asked and she smiled a bit wobbly.
"Water?"
"You got it sweetheart." Finnick said, and hurried off to make the call and to get Annie what she wanted.
He was out in the hallway when he called Daniel and Laurie, and of course it was Daniel who picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hi Daniel. Annie just went into labor." Finnick said and he heard a laugh on the other end.
"No kidding? That's great news-" And off to the side he heard Daniel say, "Laurie, Annie's gone into labor!"
"What?" He heard Laurie squawk in the background before Finnick imagined she grabbed the phone from Daniel's hand and said, "How far along is she?"
"The doctor was just about to come in." Finnick said.
"Alright, we'll be there as soon as we can." Laurie said, and in typical Laurie fashion hung up the phone before anything else could be said. Finnick tried to bite back his chuckles as he walked over to the vending machine. He had just put a dollar in when suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket. He dug it out of his jeans and suddenly saw it was Haymitch.
Shit. He had forgot to call in. And today he was supposed to be giving the main run down of the Aquatics spending.
"Finnick, where are you? The Board meeting is about to start!" Haymitch snapped and Finnick gulped.
"Annie went into labor, and I'm at the hospital." Finnick said, and immediately Haymitch took in a breath.
"Well you coulda said something. Now I feel like a giant ass, calling you up and being angry." Haymitch said gruffly.
"Um, ah, sorry. I'm just a little bit flustered right now." Finnick admitted, and Haymitch gave a laugh.
"Well of course you are. You're wife's having a baby. Meetings and what not should be the last thing on your mind. You go be with your wife. I'll take care of things on this end." Haymitch said and Finnick released a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, sir." Finnick said and hung up the phone.
He punched in the number for the water but to his chagrin, of course it got stuck on the way down. This annoyed him as he tried to shake the vending machine, muttering swears under his tongue. He looked around quickly, thankful for the mostly empty corridor before in a release of nerves and irritation he round-house kicked the vending machine. A loud bang resounded in the halls and to his delight, the water bottle dropped into the slot.
It was definitely worth the aching leg.
He half limped back into the room and Annie's eyebrow was raised as one of the midwives lifted up the blanket between her legs.
"Are you giving birth too, Finn?" She asked and Finnick laughed and got down on one knee, presenting the water bottle to her.
"For you, my lady." He said and Annie laughed, before wincing.
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow…no laughing." Annie said, rubbing her belly.
"You're about five centimeters. You both have a ways to go." The nurse said pulling back, "Try to get up and moving if you can."
Annie turned to get off and immediately a nurse came to aid.
"Do you want to try rolling off?"
"Hell no. I'm getting out of this bed by myself even if it kills me." Annie said and Finnick burst into laughter.
"Confidence! What confidence!"
"You shut up. You're the one who put this baby in me." Annie told him as she took his arm. She grabbed at it as he steadied her, and she winced.
"What's the name of the baby going to be?" One of the nurses asked and Annie smiled.
"Dylan."
"What a wonderful name. We haven't had a Dylan in a while. Any reason for the name?"
"Both of our grandfathers are named Dylan." Annie explained and the midwife smiled.
"That's wonderful." The nurse said, "Now when you're out walking, just remember that if you need anything we're a holler away and when you come back, we're going to ask that you don't lay down but instead you stay sitting up on the bouncy ball."
"Alright, sounds good." Annie agreed, and with his arm around her waist they were off walking.
"How are you feeling?" Finnick asked and Annie gave him a smile.
"Like a million bucks." She said sarcastically.
"Oh really?"
"My back hurts like hell." Annie admitted, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's going to be a while."
"You think so?"
"I have a feeling." Annie said, "And my feelings are normally pretty spot on."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Finnick promised her, "I'm here for you. I'll do anything. Even if you want to beat the shit out of me, that's totally fine by me."
"Oh! Oh, ow!" Annie gasped grabbing onto the railing upon the wall. "Ow, that hurt. Okay, give me a breather."
Finnick rubbed her back as Annie rested her head against the wall. Her hands were white-knuckled as she gripped it and she gasped for breath.
"Do you want to try walking it off?" Finnick asked gently.
"Yeah…yeah, sure." Annie said quietly, beginning to walk once more.
They continued to walk their lap around the hospital, once in a while Annie's coworkers would stop them and ask about how Annie was doing, but other then that, the rest of the walk went without too much of a problem.
By the time they got back into the room, the pain had started up again. Finnick was ready to help Annie upon the bed, but instead she wrapped her arms around his neck, relying on him heavily.
"Just hold me." Annie whispered.
"You're going to be fine. You're so strong, Ann." Finnick said rubbing her back. "Our son is going to have been born to the most wonderful mother on the planet."
"And father." Annie said with a weak smile.
"Yeah, that too." Finnick agreed.
It was right then when Dr. Cecelia walked into the room. She smiled at them.
"Hello Finnick, hello Annie. How are you both feeling?" She asked and Finnick gave a shrug while Annie winced next to him.
"Like I have a bowling ball in between my legs." Annie explained, rubbing her stomach.
"That's completely normal. The baby has dropped substantially. Have the contractions been happening at a constant rate?"
"Yeah, every four minutes or so."
"Alright, we're going to want to check you again." Dr. Cecelia asked as she dawned her gloves and Finnick helped Annie up on the table yet again.
"Oh joy." Annie said sarcastically.
"Let's see how far along you are Mrs. Odair." Dr. Cecelia said. Annie's nails dug into Finnick's arms as Dr. Cecelia checked her dilation. "You're just about six right about now."
"That's it?" Annie asked sounding frustrated.
"You're doing pretty good right now. If you keep on dilating at this rate you should be out of here soon. Don't worry." Dr. Cecelia promised and Finnick just intertwined his fingers with hers, kissing the back of her hand gently. "Do you think you want to walk more?"
"No. No, I don't think I want to get up." Annie said, and the pain that laced her voice made his stomach lurch.
"Just make sure you aren't staying in the same position too long, okay?" Dr. Cecelia said, patting Annie's knee comfortingly.
"Okay." Annie said quietly, and Dr. Cecelia left both of them in the room.
"Do you want me to help you get up?" Finnick asked and Annie just shook her head and tugged on his sleeve.
He knew what she wanted deep in his gut. Annie wanted comfort, she wanted reassurance. She wanted for him to be strong and someone she could rely on. Without any questions, Finnick kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed next to her. He pressed kisses to her lips, trailed his fingers up and down her arms.
"I just want Dylan out of me." Annie sobbed, "I know that's terrible but it just hurts so bad."
"That's not terrible, that's normal. I want him out too, so I can meet him for real. But do you want the epidural? Would that help?" Finnick asked and Annie shook her head furiously.
"I don't want drugs. I-I don't want any drugs. I want to do this naturally." Annie said, and Finnick kissed her forehead.
"You can do this. We're in this together, Annie. Always have been, always will be." Finnick promised her, pressing her forehead to his.
"I love you." Annie said quietly.
"I love you too." Finnick said before touching Annie's stomach, "And you too little man. Don't take too much longer, okay?"
Annie gave a tired laugh and buried her head into his shoulder.
For the next few hours Finnick waited in anticipation by Annie's side as she was checked again and again. The day dragged on into evening, and both Finnick and Annie were equally exhausted by the time Dr. Cecelia came in for the last time and check Annie yet again.
"Alright, you're at ten centimeters now." Dr. Cecelia said with a smile.
"Does that mean I can finally push?" Annie asked, sounding relieved.
"It certainly does, Mrs. Odair." Dr. Cecelia told Annie as she reached for the phone. "I'll ring the other nurses and then let's get this show on the road."
"That's great news." Finnick said brushing her sweat-dampened hair from Annie's face. "We're on the home stretch, Ann."
"You have no idea how relieved that makes me." Annie said with a weak laugh just as two other nurses came into Annie's hospital room. Annie's hand grasped his hand so tight Finnick could swear he felt his bones pop. Annie's face was twisted into agony as she pushed with the rhythm. The nurses counted, and Finnick just kept talking to Annie, trying to reassure her as her body convulsed and contracted as she attempted to birth their child.
Though he had wanted a big family before, he wasn't sure he would be able to handle this again. It was their son in Annie, but it was causing her such pain. Finnick was sick deep in his stomach, because he loved Annie so much and seeing her in such pain made him feel weak and shaky. It was this terrible divide inside of him, one that knew that this was the birth of his own flesh and blood, the other that fundamentally hated anything that caused Annie pain. A sudden panic over took him as another contraction ripped through Annie. What if deep down inside he hated this baby? What if he was just like his father? No, he would never leave his son. But what if he truly proved to be his own father's son? What if-What if-
"Almost there, Annie! One last push and we've got the head!" Dr. Cecelia shouted and Annie gave one last scream, her nails drawing blood from his hand, forcing him back to reality as a strange creature was pulled out of her body. She was caught between gasps and sobs as the baby was pulled away.
It was in that moment there was a small little cry, a weight was relieved off of Finnick's shoulder's. The baby was alive. Good. But Annie needed him more at the moment.
"He's okay, are you okay? God, you're so amazing Annie." Finnick told her gently, putting his arm around her to help her up.
"It wasn't so bad." Annie joked weakly.
"Six pounds, ten ounces." A nurse called from over to the left, before she walked over holding something in her arms. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Odair."
Not a shriek, but little hiccups came from the baby, and then, presented to Annie was a cleaned and swaddled bundle of blue. Annie gave a gasp of amazement and wonder as she looked on at the strange bundle, her eyes alight with joy. Soaked with sweat, pale, and bloody, but he had never seen Annie look so beautiful. It literally took the breath from his lungs right then and there.
"Oh Finn, he's beautiful." Annie whispered in awe, and Finnick finally plucked up the courage to look.
Looking upon the baby's face, he felt something so powerful wash over him, binding him to that baby. It was unconditional love, the love he felt for Annie, he knew that he felt for this child. With shaking hands Annie gave him Dylan, his son, and rearranged him in his arms. Dylan was so tiny. Finnick wondered how he himself had once been so tiny and fragile. Had he once had this baby's button nose? His tiny fingers and toes?
This was his son. A little baby made of love and spun of his dreams and filled with starlight. This baby held everything Finnick had ever wanted or needed. Finally, finally he had achieved everything he had ever wanted. He had finally reached it, the impossible goal of happiness, all because of this wondrous little child in is arms.
Finnick hadn't realized he had begun crying until Annie reached over and wiped away his tears.
"I-I'm sorry. I-I'm sorry. It's just…he's perfect." Finnick blubbered, pressing kisses to the baby's chocolate downy curls, and adorable little cheeks. Dylan looked at him with curious baby-grey eyes, eyes Finnick knew somehow would eventually turn to Annie's spring green. Finnick offered his finger to Dylan who grasped it in his tiny hand with a firm grip.
"He is." Annie said, holding out her arms, and so very carefully he placed Dylan back in her embrace. "He has your chin."
"He's going to have your coloring." Finnick told her confidently.
"He's going to be just as handsome as his father." Annie said with a happy smile. In the background he heard a nurse say she was going to go bring their families, but he couldn't even focus right then.
All that mattered was Annie and their son wrapped in her arms.
He watched as Dylan slept in rapture. His tiny fingers twitched, and his eyelashes nearly tickled his cheeks. Every moment his tiny chest took a moment too long to rise the world ended, but as it rose again the world was reborn. Annie sat stood next to Finnick, kissing his fingers.
"Dylan isn't going to disappear." Annie told him gently, "You should get some rest."
"What if I wake up and this was all just a dream?" Finnick croaked.
"So are you going to stay awake for the rest of your life?" Annie asked touching his cheek.
"You know what I mean." Finnick said with a tired laugh.
There was a moment's pause as Annie closed the door behind him. They sat down in the couch in the sitting room next to the nursery. Annie leaned against his shoulder resting her head there. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him. He felt as if his heart was bursting at the seams with love. The empty, dark parts that had still lingered had been filled with light. This was what he had always wanted. This is what he had always needed.
"You should see the way you look at him." Annie told him, "It's beautiful."
"It's like how I look at you." Finnick said, leaning forward to kiss her.
"I don't know about that." Annie laughed gently, rubbing her tummy, and the pausing as she realized Dylan was no longer there. This time, Finnick took Annie hand, enfolding it in his.
"I love you, you know that right?"
"I love you too." Finnick said before saying, "I always wanted to be a Dad you know."
"Really?" Annie asked as Finn pulled her closer.
"Yeah…I used to watch families in the park, I never wanted to go home you know. I would watch them with their kids. I used to be so sad. I used to think, it must be nice to be wanted. But then…as I grew a little I began to think, wouldn't be nice if I can have a family like that? And here I am…all of these years later." Finnick said, rubbing Annie's arm.
"I was always scared to have children." Annie whispered, "I always thought that I would never be able to take care of a child. But now…Now…"
"I know." Finnick agreed, intertwining his fingers with hers and squeezing tightly.
"Dylan's so perfect. I was terrified that…something would go wrong. I was so anxious, Finnick." Annie admitted, and Finnick felt as if his heart was breaking.
"Oh Ann, you should've told me if you were worried." Finnick said and Annie shook her head.
"I would wake up in the middle of the night a wait for him to move, just to make sure that he was okay. But now…now he's not in me anymore. What if I…I…"
"Nothing is going to happen. Dylan's as healthy as a baby can be. We've got baby monitors and we're right next door."
"This world is tough." Annie croaked and Finnick nodded.
"If anyone knows that it's you and me." Finnick agreed.
"We'll raise him to be able to with stand it right?"
"Not withstand it, he'll be able to rise to any challenge." Finnick said, "We'll do this together, just like we always have. We're the best parents ever, Ann."
Without another Annie embraced Finnick and rested her head against his chest until she fell asleep. Caring for his tired love, he carried her to bed and put her in, before taking it upon himself to settle into the rocking chair next to Dylan and wait for the sunrise of the new day to brush lovingly against his cheek.
"Welcome home, Dylan."
Hey Guys! I'm back! Sorta.
Here's the deal.
So college is really hectic…not anything like what you see on tv movies and whatnot. But I'm loving it so far. But unfortunately the sheer amount of work is leaving me with little time to pursue in leisure activities, i.e, fanfiction writing. Reaching You isn't over, that's for sure. But now I'm going to be tentatively saying my new schedule is to have a new chapter up every two-three weeks, but I promise, the chapters to come will be substantially longer.
Just thought that's what everyone should know. In case you've been wondering where the hell I am, that's what's going on. And what better a way to reunite with you guys then to start with the birth chapter!
Anon Review Corner:
Guest: High school reunion…hm…possibilities.
Pure Paragon: Aw, thank you! I do try
Individual: That would be pretty cold, an April Fool's chapter isn't out of the realm of possibilities.
Guest: You guys do love your high school chapters!
Song of the week: Isn't She Lovely, by Stevie Wonder
So like always leave a review, even if it's just to say hello or welcome back! And don't forget to fav/alert/Pm me to let me know how you feel. And as always, until next time ~OMGitsgreen