Ch. 78 Expect the Freaking Unexpected

"Next stop, Twentieth And Gilman!" The bus driver's voice caught me off guard. I hadn't even realized that we were so far into the city yet.

I was going to drive to the hospital, but I decided at the last minute that I should take the bus. Being around such a concentrated number of human's would help me acclimate myself to being fully submerged in their scents for the rest of the day.

As I was riding down the road, looking out the window at all the lush scenery that Concord had to offer before entering the main downtown area, I picked up the differences in each person's scent around me. A woman to my right smelled like roses and chocolate. Another man's aroma was heavier, like sandalwood and sea salt. There was another bouquet of lavender combined with a hint of yet another person's cinnamon scent. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but not unbearable now.

Then the door's swung open as the bus came to a stop, and an exceptionally sweet scent assaulted me. I tensed but breathed through it. It was absolutely enthralling...mint and pomegranate. It reminded me of something, a shadow of a memory. I saw a man in my mind, just a face. He had a taunt jawline and bright blue eyes with sandy hair. His expression was tense, stressed, and the image was gone from my mind's eye just as quickly as it appeared. Whoa. What the hell was that?

The woman, whose aroma was wafting all around me almost making me dizzy with need, looked to be in her middle twenties. She had medium length, wavy, caramel hair and gray eyes. She almost reminded me of Esme. Her long pleated skirt trailed behind her, but she stopped when it got caught on the edge of someone's seat. Her belly was protruding outward in a way that was unmistakably a sign of pregnancy, even without my vampire super hearing which picked up the extra fluttering heartbeat from within her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" She asked when she reached my bay. I blinked back up at her, stunned from the intensity of her scent swirling around me. I stopped breathing. Bad idea or good idea? Should I be rude and tell her to bug off for her own safety or suck it up and potentially risk her life? ...Suck it up...I have to handle it. What if she's my patient later? I need to get over this now. Right. Grin and bear it.

"Sure. Have a seat." I smiled politely at her, but then I turned myself slightly toward the window, so she wouldn't notice as my eyes surely darkened. I swallowed back the venom pooling beneath my tongue. The man's face flashed in my mind again. Who was he? Why did this scent seem so deliciously familiar?

I took a slow, steady breath in trying not to crush the plastic seat which I used to anchor myself in reality. Good, Iris. Stay right here. Don't attack. This is manageable.

When the sweet smell hit my nostril's I saw the man for a third time, but he was younger, a teenager or maybe in his early twenties.

•PTaT•

"Come on. Wake up."

"Huh?" Why do I have to wake up? It's still dark outside. "Da moon's in da sky." Doesn't he know we have to sleep when the moon is out? Mommy said so.

"I know. Let's go, Iris." He's in a bad mood. Maybe he needs more sleep too. I don't want to go.

"I'm sweepy." Please let me sleep. My eyes hurt.

"I know, but we have to go. Now." He's mad. Why is he mad? He was always mad now. I like him better when he's happy. He's funny when he makes silly faces at me, but he's not making a silly face now. This is a scary face. I don't like it. "Iris, now!" Oh no.

His voice made me jump. I sat up my bed, rolling onto my tummy, so I could slide from the too tall mattress to the floor. Once my chubby feet touched the cold hardwood flooring, I reached my hands up. Maybe he will carry me if I ask. "Up. I wan' up, pwease?" I whined.

He sighed and smiled a little bit. Good. He's happy. I like it when he's happy. "Alright, sweetie. Let's get your shoes. We have to go."

•PTaT•

What the fuck was THAT?!

I was jarred from my thoughts when the bus came to a sudden halt, forcing everyone's heads forward into the backs of the next row of seats ahead of them...Well, everyone's head except for mine. I was too deep in thought to react appropriately human, so I caught myself in that freaky vampire way. Hope no one noticed my cat-like reflexes, but, seriously, where were these thoughts coming from?!

The stop was sudden enough that no one could guard themselves from hitting the seats in front of them, but there wasn't enough force to harm them. I sniffed to ensure there was no fresh blood. No. Just some bruising on the man three seats behind me. He would notice that redness turn to purple in a few hours.

"Jackass!" The driver yelled and threw his fist threateningly toward a red sports car which zipped around him. The driver of the car flicked him off and continued on his way. "Sorry folks. Everyone ok?" The older driver whose gray hair was now soaked in nervous sweat from his recent rush of adrenaline called to the riders anxiously.

"Oh no..." The deliciously scented young woman seated beside me gasped at the same time that I smelled something new.

It was a warm, sweet scent separate from—but mixed with—her blood. I looked down just in time to see a pink-tinged liquid trickle off of her seat and down her leg. Her amniotic sac broke. She was in labor. Oh shit.

"Oh no. Oh no..." she whispered over and over as her breathing picked up.

"Your water just broke." Well no shit, Captain Obvious. If her water just broke then she was probably already in labor, and knew that. You're going to be a great nurse if you keep the revelations like that coming...'your water broke...' "Uhhh...What's your name? Stay calm. We're close to the hospital." I spoke to her in a calm voice as the bus moved forward once more. Close to the hospital, my ass. We're still several miles out. Much too far for me to run her there unnoticed. Fucking shit.

"Doris. Ohhh!" She huffed out and her arm moved swiftly to guard her abdomen. A contraction. Shit, this was fast moving.

"Nice to meet you. Is this the first contraction, Doris?" Please say yes. We're still at least half an hour from the hospital...

"No, I've been having them since last night. I was waiting on my husband to come home from his business trip, but—owww!"

Ahhhhh flapping fuck waffles! That was only two minutes between contractions. "Ok, breathe. Just keep breathing." Ok, Iris, you keep breathing too. I mean, I don't need to, but I need to focus on something besides the fact that my only experience with childbirth is pretty limited. Think. Remember what you know about childbirth. What? Like having your hybrid baby rip itself out of you?! Holy shit! No. No. Stay calm. Don't freak out. This is a human. She looks healthy. Normal weight, and her heart sounds strong. Her breathing is regular when she's not moaning. Ooh! Remember that time you kind of delivered a baby in the ER because Dr. what's-her-name was too slow getting there? That worked out that one time. This could be just like that if absolutely nothing goes wrong, and you do everything exactly right...oh fuck. No...no, you can do this. Help her. Save her.

"Is this your first baby? Do you have any other health problems? I'll tell the doctor when we arrive. I'm going to the hospital too." I briefly explained. Yeah, uh, you might not make it to the hospital, but I'm not going to tell you that. I'm freaking the hell out enough for both of us.

"Yes to first baby and No to health problems...ohhhh..." a minute and thirty seconds between those two contractions. Why? Whyyyyyy me? No, get it together. Better you here now to help than someone with no medical training.

"Ok, well, here's the thing. Your water just broke and it had some blood in it. I'm sure the baby is fine..." I listened to the steady heartbeat of the baby—one hundred and forty seven per minute, good. "But the blood could indicate that your placenta detached a bit prematurely. It wasn't a lot of blood, so there's most likely still enough blood flow reaching your baby to help him or her until delivery. Your contractions are close, and we're still a few minutes—"give or take thirty...fuck..."—from the hospital, but don't worry. I'm here and I'm going to help you. I'm, Iris."

"What?" She was freaking out, and rightly so. Good going, Iris. Everyone knows that telling someone to stay calm is code for 'this is really bad, but I don't want you to scream and stress me out more while I decide on the best way to not let you die.' Ugh!

"No, look at me. I've got you. You just focus on breathing. Deep breath in and out. That's right."

"Awwwww..." she moaned again, but this time the sound was deep, guttural. She was close to baby time. Oh jeez.

"What's wrong with her?" A stout man with a too-tight bow tie and tweed trousers sitting to our right asked, finally noticing her compromised state. Doris was shaking, one hand wrapped around her belly, and the other clutching the edge of her seat even tighter than before. Poor girl...

I ignored the man's question since my next request would most likely answer it anyway. "Stop the bus! There's a medical emergency! I need everyone out! Are there any doctor's present?"

"What?" The driver asked as the bus came to another screeching halt. He looked into his rear view mirror, and must have seen the severity in my expression. He turned around fully, and I watched as his eyes flicked between Doris's face and her protruding belly which she still held. "Shit." He breathed out below a human hearing level. "Everyone out. Now!" His demand was met with lots of gasps and a few grumbles, but all the passengers began making their way down the aisle nonetheless.

"Ohhhh..." Doris was groaning. She was very close. Holy baby delivery. Please be a doctor present. Pleeeeeease.

Passengers continued piling past us. Doris fell over slightly into the aisle as she was taken over with another painful contraction, but I grabbed her shoulder and supported her weight easily. Well, I take the fucking silence and bugging eyes to mean there aren't any physicians present. Holy fucking shit. Where was Carlisle when you needed him? Oh that's right, in shitty Scotland where you told him to stay, so you could go on some fucking journey to find yourself or some shit. Good going, Iris!

"Any doctors? Nurses?" I called to the now panicking passengers once more. "Hello? Anyone?" ANYONE?! Hell, I'd even take a a fucking barber like they used for surgeons back in the olden days at this point.

A particularly frightened girl shook her head no furiously as I stared her down. Good God. "Well, find a pay phone and call 9-1-1!" I demanded of her. She stared blankly back at me. "9-1-1, and bring a bowl of some hot water back here. You can get it from the restaurant right there on the corner, got it?" I clarified. She nodded her head but didn't speak, turning to run as quickly as she could down the steps and exiting the bus. Hope she comes back...There were a lot of good people in this world, but most people freaked the hell out when help was really needed.

Welp, it's just me and you, Doris. And here I was worried about it being my first day of school and controlling my bloodlust. I had been thinking about what I would do or say if the humans noticed something off about me, or what if I lost control? But apparently what I should have been preparing for was helping Doris here birth her child! Silly me! Never prepared for the inevitable plot changes which seemed to define my existence. Bullshit.

The scared girl actually returned carrying the bowl of water I had asked for.

"Here..." she said meekly, handing the bowl to me. She looked like she might pass out. Damnit.

"Thanks." I took the bowl from her before she could drop it and set it on the seat across from us. "I've got it from here. Just direct the medics in here when they arrive." I ordered. And she nodded again and disappeared.

"I...ris..." Doris gasped, bringing my attention back to the urgent situation at hand, and squeezed my arm. I barely felt it, but the pressure exerted was strong enough and her muscles were so tightly wound that I knew she was squeezing with all her strength. I looked down and my eyes met what I had already scented a fraction of a second before and knew would be there...more blood. Flying Fuck balls. Get your head in the game, Iris.

"Ohhhhhhh!" She groaned again from deep within herself. She was transitioning. The baby was coming. Shit. Shit. Shititty shit shit. No, Calm the fuck down, Iris.

"Doris, Just remember deep breaths in and slow breaths out." The bus was empty now, so I removed my coat and tossed it passed Doris to the floor. I picked her up gently in my arms much to her surprise and laid her on the splayed out coat, protecting her from the dirty floorboards. "I'm going to remove your underwear and look, Doris. Everything is ok. We're here together, remember? Do you trust me?" I'm a virtual stranger with freakishly gold-colored eyes and you have no clue that I know anything about childbirth, but do you trust me...? Hmmm...what's that saying about dressing for the job you want, not the one you have...does that apply here? Yeah, sure. Fake it 'til you make it. Ugh...

She had her eyes closed and was grimacing in pain as she inhaled through her pursed lips but nodded slightly with a whimper. Thankfully her long, pleated skirt she had chosen to wear meant easier access to where I needed to see.

I reached for the bowl of water and rinsed my hands the best I could, and I sliced easily through the fabric with my nail without touching her.

Doris was settled back, propped on someone's satchel which was left behind in their haste to be away from the discomfort of possible responsibility for helping this poor girl. Fucking humans. No, focus, Iris. They're just scared. "Are you feeling the urge to push yet, Doris?"

"Nooooo..." she moaned. This would usually be good news, but the amount of blood which was flowing from her combined with the baby's slowing heart rate was very concerning. I could hear it beating at barely a hundred beats per minute. Not good for an infant. This is when we would usually say there were 'non-reassuring fetal heart tones' and whisk her off for a cesarean. I don't think that would fly in our current location. Fuck.

"Ok, I'm going to reach inside of you and feel how much your cervix is dilated, ok?" This was not standard practice to expose her to so many germs, but she needed to deliver and soon. Please be ten centimeters. Please, God.

Doris nodded in consent, though I'm not sure how aware she really was. Her face was contorted and she grabbed the leg of the seat beside her with a screech. Thankfully the thing was bolted into the floor or else it probably would have fallen on top of her.

I reached inside of her, spreading my fingers carefully to estimate. Ten. Ten fucking centimeters and cervix also fully thinned and effaced. Yesssss!

"Doris? You need to push. Can you feel it yet? You're body is ready."

"Nooo—yes!" She said just then and bared down involuntarily. I could have cried in happiness just then if I weren't a vampire.

I gently helped support her head, pulling the bag out from behind her, and laid her flat. Then I moved back into a position so I could push her legs back and assist her body a bit, ergonomically, to get the baby out. Eighty-four beats per minute for the baby. Not good, but we could have it out soon. "Whenever you feel the urge, push, Doris. You're doing so good." Push. Please push.

"It...hurts..." she breathed, but then tensed once more and pushed. Hurry. Please. Come on!

"I know. Good. Good." I crooned as I counted Doris and the baby's heartbeats again—seventy-two and seventy-four, respectively. Good for her, bad for the baby. Shit. "I can see the baby's hair. Whoa, that's a lot. Did you have much heartburn?" I was rambling as I continued to monitor her. She took a deep breath in and bared down once more. "Good. Keep going...baby's coming! Yes, keep going...and...Head's out!" The baby wasn't moving or making any sound. Usually at this point, there would be a first breath. No no no..."Push again, Doris. One last push. A big one!" Come on come on...

"I...can't...ugghhhhh..." she groaned.

"Last one. Baby is here, but you gotta give me one more push. Please, Doris! Last one, come on!" My voice was rushed, and the facade of calm was leaving. And she heard it. Panic reached her face, but it shifted just as quickly to determination. Atta girl. "Big push!"

She bared down with so much force that her face was nearly purple. Her heart rate sped to a hundred and fifty-eight beats per minute, and she screamed. Exactly seven seconds passed, and the baby was born.

"It's a boy!" I exclaimed in triumph, and she cried in exultation. It was beautiful. But the moment passed, and I had to work. The baby still wasn't moving. No no no... "Doris. The baby is having some problems. I need for you to stay put while I help him out, ok?" I didn't wait for a response from her as I cut the umbilical cord easily in half improvising by tying eat end into a knot. I then ripped my scarf from around my neck and laid it over the bus seat. Laying the baby on the scarf, I leaned over him, pinched his nose closed, and tilted his head back so I could give him a two puffs of breath. Eighty-eight beats per minute. Good. But he was still blue and floppy. He needed more oxygen. Come on...I tried stimulating him again. Nothing. But he didn't move or breathe. I gave two more breaths of air, and his arm barely moved. Yes! Come on!

As I worked on the baby, I remained acutely aware of the fact that Doris was not doing so hot behind me. She wasn't quite finished with the birthing process. "You're going to feel contractions again. It's your body's way of helping you to deliver the placenta. You know, the after birth...push when you feel the urge. The baby is improving. Focus! We've got this. You're doing so well!" I wasn't sure who the pep talk was for...me or her? Maybe both of us.

Just as I exaggerated about the little guy's progress, he showed off by taking a deep breath of air and tensing. Thank God.

First he moved his arms, then his legs, then he grimaced, and finally—FINALLY—he let out a scream. It was the most wonderful thing I could have heard in that moment. His skin shifted gloriously from a frightening shade of gray to a perfect pink. Hell yes!

I swaddled the baby boy, listening as his heart accelerated to a whopping hundred and forty-two beats per minute. Amazing. He sounded good. It was miracle!

"Doris? How are you? The baby is perfect—" I started as I turned back to her, but then I saw a flood of blood coming out of her. She was hemorrhaging. Oh God.

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