Title: Arrival

Title: Arrival

Name: Joy       

Email: SleepingBeauty2@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

            "Ouch?" Logan asked as his wife doubled over in pain. "What's wrong?"

            "I don't know… but my guess is labor," Max said shooting him a heated glare.

            "Oh my god…" Logan looked like he was about ready to faint.

            Original Cindy was by Max's side in a blink of the eye. Fiona headed for the telephone to call Jessica and then Sebastian to see if there was a location Max could have the C-section without the paper trail. Bling got his stethoscope and hurried to Max's side.

            "Boo, don't break my hand," Cindy warned as Max squeezed the life out of it.

            "Sorry."

            "Zack, take care of Logan before he is completely useless," Bling commanded as he listened at Max's stomach. "OK Hun… His heart rate is good but Liam's head has dropped, so he's intending to come out. I'd like Jess's opinion though…It could be false labor."

            "IT'S not false labor!" Cindy fussed.

            "I know she's hurting you but that doesn't mean…. Oh…" Bling said as he realized Max's water broke. "Alright where too? Logan? Zack?" Both men looked at each other with complete shock and fear. Zack had been attempting to get Logan up off the floor only to remaining sitting himself.

Fiona stood over both men and gawked. "Oh get up ya wusses. Women have babies everyday. This isn't a huge deal. Get your asses up!" Fiona commanded. The men stood up on their own two feet and was prepared to be ordered around. "We're headed to Sebastian's. Turns out he had been preparing for this little possibility. There's a 'birthing room' set up for you over there. Jess is on her way. Jondy, you'll be working as Jess's nurse for this. Bling, of course will be there to give you back rubs and annoying pep talks. The rest of us will wait…that is unless my brother can find his sea legs… The main thing we need to worry about is finding an anesthesiologist on short notice."

            "Logan," Max yelled.

            "Yeah?" he answered back with fear in his voice.

            "Find me an drug man on that computer of yours or so help me God you will never touch me again!" she demanded.

            "No problem," he said helping his wife to her feet, finally out of his shock-induced trance. Cindy grabbed a few pieces of clothing for Max while the rest stood there for a minute.

            "We should get stuff for the baby," Rachel suggested while the Cales headed out.

            "Yeah," called Fiona, "If you could get the baby's stuff and some food for us that would help a lot. Jondy, you need to come with us."

            "Can you handle the boys?" Jondy asked before abandoning Rachel with Zack and Krit.

            "No problem," she said with a smile.

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            The door shut and Rachel was in charge. "All right… Krit make sandwiches, pack fruit and drinks. Zack show me where the baby stuff is." Zack led the way into the nursery, while Krit hurried into the kitchen. Rachel's eyes sparkled when she saw the set up. "It's beautiful."

            "So are you…" Zack said before wrapping his arms around her and dropping kisses on her neck. "You arrived just in time."

            "Zack as much as I love feeling your touches and caresses, we need to get stuff together for your sister and nephew. Besides there very well could be a lot of waiting so we'll find time later to make out in a dark corner together."

            "Promise?" he said in a husky whisper before suckling her ear.

            "Oh yeah," Rachel said with passion.

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            "OK now explain to me what's happening?" Krit asked Jondy who was dressed in her scrubs by this point.

            "The baby wants out but is too big to make it out the birth canal safely. We're waiting on the substitute anesthesiologist that Logan found at a local hospital. He knows the anesthesiologist they were originally planning on using when Liam was scheduled to be born," she responded.

            "So you're actually going to help deliver the baby?" Krit asked with surprise.

            "Yeah, so?"

            "Well… I didn't know you knew anything about nursing."

            "Moron, who'd you think saved your life?" Jondy said in frustration.

            "Jess?" Krit responded.

            "Do you recall her being in the room when you were given the injection?"

            "No…"

            "Well then…" Jondy huffed and turned to leave. Krit grabbed her by the wrist and dipped her backwards into a kiss.

            "2 points for style," piped Rachel who had been watching the exchange.

            "Jondy come on… The anesthesiologist is here…" Bling called from the birthing room. Jondy kissed Krit briefly and hurried in.

            "I hate this place," Krit pouted.

            "Why?" Rachel asked.

            "Well the fact that it's sterile, reminds me of Manticore, and I died in that lab comes to mind," he quipped.

            "I would think you would love it here," Zack said with a smile playing with Rachel's fingers. Krit looked at him like he was nuts. "I mean…this also marks the location of where you kissed Jondy first, she told you she loved you first, and… oh yeah… you slept together for the first time…for hours. I would think whatever hesitance you have about this place should be gone by now." Krit just stared at his brother while Rachel laughed.

            Bling, Original Cindy, and Fiona came out of the birthing room to join the others in what became the waiting room. "She looks really good for about to give birth," Bling said.

            "Yeah, Jess said that the baby looks like he's been gain about a pound a day recently. She thinks he's gonna be between nine to ten pounds… chalk it up to that revved up DNA," Fiona stated happily, snuggling into Bling's arms.

            "Boo nearly broke my hand… I still can't feel it. Let Logan hold her hand…He's the responsible party," Cindy said seating herself next to Krit.

           

            Zack watched Bling and Fiona snuggle together and asked, "So are you guys talking about kids?"

            The couple looked at each other and laughed. "You could say that…" Bling said kissing Fiona's forehead.

            "I just found out I'm pregnant… Surprise. We were planning on waiting to tell Logan and Max until after the baby was born… Now we have to," the blonde woman said with a smile that just glowed.

            "Well good. You'll be a great mom," Zack said with a smile. "Another niece or nephew… Maybe this time I'll get the middle name after me," he said nudging Krit still slightly bitter that Krit was part of Liam's name.

            "Enough with the jealousy…It ain't pretty on you, remember?" Fiona reprimanded. Zack looked up shamefaced as Rachel soothed her savage beast.

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            "Wow. This is amazing. We can watch the baby's heart rate and your contractions just with this little machine. This is just amazing," Logan was completely taken in by the gadgets in the room.

"Logan Cale, until my medicine kicks in, you're not allowed to talk…because if you do talk, I will kill you. I really don't want to be a widow or leave my child without a father, so shut up!" Max shouted.

"But honey I love you and want to say encouraging…" Logan began.

Max grabbed him by the shirt collar and looked him dead in the face; "YOU'RE GOING TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME NOW?!?! I hate you with a passion at this moment… DON'T MAKE ME KILL YOU!"

"Well that sounds like a woman in need of meds," the anesthesiologist said calmly as he entered the room. "Everything looks good so I'm going to give you this injection. Dad… Help your wife roll over… And for god's sake don't talk."

Logan helped Max roll onto her side as the doctor gave her the shot. She winced for a second then began to relax. The meds took effect almost immediately allowing the lower half of her body to become completely numb. The idea was to all but stop the contractions and allow Max to be awake for the c-section.

"Alright Max, can you feel this?" Jessica said touching the skin she would be cutting into.

"I can't feel anything below the waist… That will come back right. I mean as annoyed as I am with Logan for the pain I was in, I'd eventually like to enjoy sex again," Max asked anxiously.

Jessica chuckled, "Well you'll have feeling in your legs again before the six weeks of abstinence from sex I recommend after giving birth."

"SIX WEEKS?!" Logan stated in frustration. "But she heals so quickly? Do we really have to wait six weeks?" he pled, obviously still very attracted to his wife even in her present state of pregnancy.

"Then it will be her call but you must at least wait a month to satisfy me that she's okay. Now shall we proceed with your child's birth?"

Logan looked shamefaced at Max, cursing himself for his weakness when it came to his absolute worship of her body, mind, and soul. Maybe if he weren't so attracted to her he wouldn't come off like such a dog!

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            All heard a high-pitched squeal in the waiting room. Little Liam came into the world pissed off he didn't get to go down the birth canal, that people were wiping him off, and he wasn't with his mother. Mom was definitely the most important part of the equation because Liam didn't quit crying until he was nestled into his mother's arms.

            Max's tear stained face shown with all the love and joy she felt. Logan watched in wonder, as his small son knew instinctively who they were by the sound of their voices. Once Liam had his bearings a bit, he looked up at his mother and father as if to say 'Oh there you are.'

            Jess surveyed the scene before saying, "Well isn't that the most beautiful & healthy baby in the world? So far his tests look good: great weight and height for a preemie. Nine pounds is unheard of for the number of weeks he was born at. I'd like to run a couple blood tests on him now to make sure things are proceeding the way we hope. Oh… Do you want him circumcised?"

            "That's not really something to ask a guy," Logan said thinking of the pain his son would endure for the procedure. Max gripped Logan's hand prompting him to say, "Yeah… go ahead."

            Max and Logan looked down at their son and realized only moments after birth he would already suffer pain. "Can I hold him while you take his blood?" Max asked.

            "Of course," Jessica said as she prepared the syringe.

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            "Why hasn't someone come out to talk to us yet?" Krit asked pacing up and down the hall worried about his namesake.

            "Lots of things have to happen right after a baby is born," Fiona said trying to calm the flustered boy.

            A high-pitched squeal was heard again in the lobby. Krit took off down the hall with Zack running after him. "Krit, Liam's probably being circumcised or something," he tried to explain before Krit burst through the doors.

            "What's wrong? Is everything okay? Is Liam okay?" Krit said in a hurry.

            "He's fine Krit. They just took some blood," Logan responded as Max comforted her small boy on her shoulder.

            "Oh…" was all the worried uncle managed to say.

            Jondy came along side him and held him to her. "He's fine. I promise. Let us get finished up OK. You can see the baby and Max real soon."

            "Krit," Max called. "Do ya want to hold him for a second."

            "I might break him."

            "Not a chance," she said with utter confidence.

Krit gathered the nine-pound, red, wiggling, alien looking thing into his arms. "I'm your Uncle Krit. You remember, your favorite uncle? Wow you're small. I promise to help you through puberty and stuff. It's a weird time… I'll have more intelligent things to say to you when I'm not fearing for your life." Krit laid the Liam in Logan's arms and left the room with his tail between his legs.

"Did ya get to see him?" Fiona asked.

"Yeah," Krit responded.

"Ya don't seem excited about it," Cindy said from her seat.

"It's weird… This whole experience… We spend our whole lives running away from each other and Manticore only to come back together for this very small person. It's just unfathomable that the little baby in there is the reason I finally feel like I have a family. It's a lot to comprehend," he said sitting down.

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            Max was sleeping soundly with Logan at her side holding Liam. Jondy was running interference with the many aunts and uncles that wanted to see the newest addition to the Cale family. These moments at the beginning of his son's life were all that Logan had wished for: quiet and serene.

            "Hey there Liam… I'm your Papa. I've been the guy talking to you at your mom's tummy. You're more perfect than I even imagined… I hope you look more like your mom and Uncle Krit. Then again if you could hang on to those blue eyes you have right now- I'd be so grateful. A little part of your appearance that would be uniquely me," Logan said to his son, who was wide-eyed and looking at his father.

            "I should have expected you to be like your mama and never sleep. It's going to be weird to have her up all night again. I got used to you two being in bed with me. I'm not sure I'm ready to give that up…" Logan paused to lean the baby closer to his Sleeping Mother. "Look at her Liam. Isn't she gorgeous? You are a lucky little boy. Your mom can teach you how to use that revved up DNA of yours in moderation. We're going to have to figure out the ethics of 'breaking and entering' now that you're here…" Liam began to fuss a little. "Oh don't worry…I'm sure your mama will still teach you how."

            "He's hungry Logan… not frustrated you won't let him break in places," Max's tired voice said as she sat up a little. "Ok, let's see if I've the instincts of an actual mama," she said with outstretched arms.

            Logan laid the little prince into his mother's arms. Max drew down the top of her gown open, exposing her breast to her son's waiting mouth. Liam latched on like nobody's business and started sucking away. "Hey…Ouch… Not so hard there Little One," she said to her son as she stroked his cheek. Max's attention turned back to her husband; "He sucks about as hard as you when you're really excited."

            "Hey!" Logan yelped as he sat on the bed next to his wife. He looked at his son's expression staring at Max, "I know the feeling Kid. It was love at first sight for me too." Max softened her expression and kissed Logan.

            "I love you so much," she whispered.

            "He made it Max. Liam's here. We've got our baby," Logan beginning to tear up as Max openly cried. "I love you." He kissed her lips and gazed lovingly at his son drinking mother's milk.

TBC