Hospitals. I really hate hospitals. Spike frowned as he followed Buffy to the
information desk. "Room 204, thank you." Buffy turned to Spike, "He's in
room 204." He followed her to the elevator.
"Hope Albert is okay." Spike said as they doors opened to the second floor.
"I'm sure he is, appendectomies are usually simple." Buffy smiled as they found the
room. Several voices came from room 204 as Buffy and Spike peeked in the room.
Albert sat up in the bed smiling as several visitors sat around the room, "Come
on in." He motioned to Buffy and Spike. Buffy sat her flowers on the bedside
table with a couple more bouquets. "How are you?" She smiled at Albert.
"Fine. Feeling pretty good, I should be at work in no time."
"Don't worry about that." Buffy told him as he began the introductions of the
other visitors.
Spike spoke up, "Glad you are okay. I think I'll wait outside." He smiled at
Albert as she left the room.
Spike found himself walking up and down the corridor - he noticed a sign "Labor, Delivery, Nursery 3rd floor" He found himself on the elevator pushing the three when the doors
opened he found himself in a waiting area full of people of all ages - families
waiting for thier newest additions he guessed as he followed the arrows on the
wall directing him to the nursery. He stepped up to the glass and looked at the
rows of tiny isolettes full of babies, some were sleeping peacefully while others were
red faced as they tested out new working lungs. He smiled at the thought of
having one of those isolettes containing a child that belonged to he and Buffy.
If only that could really happen. He was lost in thought when a voice sounded
behind him, "William is that you?" He turned to see a very frazzled Bradley
standing behind him.
"Bradley, you okay?" Spike asked concerned.
"I think I am now," Bradley sighed as he pointed towards an isolette that
contained a sleeping baby with a blue cap, "That's Mitchell my son."
"He's a handsome boy." Spike smiled at Bradley, "You must be proud."
Bradleys voice hitched, "I am very proud that he's here and okay. But it wasn't
as easy as I thought. Carma........she...she...."
"Take it easy, she's okay right?" Spike asked fear in his voice.
"She is going to be but it was a very close call. Her placenta detached and she
started hemmoraghing. I've never seen so much blood, I was so scared." Bradley
cleared his throat and looked at the sleeping baby again.
"I thought that childbirth was a piece of cake nowadays. I thought that things like
that didn't happen anymore." Spike swallowed hard.
"It's rare but sometimes things go wrong." Bradley sighed, "Thank goodness
we have a good doctor and everything is going to be okay. But that was the
scariest thing I've ever gone through. I can't even think about life without Carma."
Bradley gave a small smile.
"I know what you mean. Life without Buffy wouldn't be much of a life." Spike
patted Bradleys shoulder, "I've got to go, you take care of Carma and that
baby."
"I intend to." Bradley turned his glance back to the nursery window.
Spike got back into the elevator with a worried look on his face. He really had
been so worried about the donor he had never considered Buffy being in real
danger. He could not bear losing her to this. Now he had two things to worry about.
Buffy was coming out of Alberts room and almost ran into Spike, "You look
like you've seen a ghost, you haven't have you?" She asked with a grin.
"No, I saw Bradley."
"Oh how is Carma?" Buffy asked as they walked they took the stairs back to
the first floor.
"Okay, now. She almost died giving birth to thier son." Spike told her his
voice a bit shaky.
"Oh no! What happened?"
"Something about her placenta and blood she almost bled to death!" Spike
shook his head as they got in the car, "I didn't think that kind of thing happened
anymore. You've got docs and hospitals now."
Buffy put her hand on Spike's arm, "I really don't think it happens very often,
Spike. Carma and the baby are going to be okay right?"
"Yeah they are." He mumbled as he started the car.
"Well thats whats important. This really upset you didn't it?" Buffy scooted
closer to him as he drove home.
"Well, it made me think, Buffy I want you happy, I want a child with you but I don't
want there to be the slightest chance that I could lose you." His expression
was serious.
"Spike it's really rare that anything goes wrong with a pregnancy. I wish I could
promise that nothing would happen, but I can't. We can only take comfort in
the fact that it is really a rare thing." She kissed his cheek.
"Well, I just worry about you." He relaxed a little as he pulled the car into their
garage.
"I know you do, Sweetie." Buffy took his hand as they went into the house,
"I feel very loved knowing you worry so much." She gave his hand a squeeze
as they went to the kitchen to start supper.
***
Dr. Turner's office was full of bulletin boards that were plastered with faces
of babies. Babies of all shapes and colors some smiling and others looking
quite solemn. Spike stared at the faces on the board as Buffy signed in for
her appointment. She watched him for a moment before she walked over to
him, he had been unusually quiet all day, that worried her.
"I see you are in perfect health, Buffy. That's good, after reading over
your chart, I want to suggest aritficial insemination. There are several types of AI,
but , intrauterine insemination is the most commonly used form. It is very useful if
the cause of infertility is insufficient sperm count as in your situation. We have
lots of information on donors for the procedure. Only a very small amount of
sperm deposited into the vagina, will find their way into the upper
female genital tract. IUI places the sperm into the female genital tract to increase
the likelihood that one of those sperm will fertilize an egg. IUI is ay quick
procedure that we can do right here at the clinic . A sterile
catheter containing the sperm is inserted through the cervix and into the
uterine cavity. The sperm are then injected directly into the uterus. The procedure
usually causes little to no discomfort and afterwards we wll ask you to remain lying
down with your hips elevated for about 45 minutes. " Dr.
Turner paused to take a breath and smile at the couple before her. "Any questions,
so far?"
"Its a perfectly safe procedure?" Spike asked hesitantly.
"Yes very safe, the only problem is that although IUI is relatively uncomplicated,
it does not allow the doctor to evaluate whether or not fertilization is capable of
taking place. With invitro, the fertilization can be confirmed since it takes place outside of the womb, in a lab.
With IUI, however, fertilization still takes place inside the body, more naturally,
so we have to wait to see if the egg was actually fertilized or not. So there is
a bit of waiting after the procedure."
"Does it usually work?" Buffy asked chewing on her bottom lip.
"It works on average about 15-20% per cycle when IUI is performed for the
correct indications. If everything is normal, then a reasonable length of treatment
is about three to six cycles."
"So it doesn't usually happen the first try?" Spike asked taking Buffy's hand in his.
"Sometimes it does but not very often. We need to have the best conditions for
the procedure. Buffy will need to take this ovulation chart home with her
and start taking her temperature every morning. We need to perform the procedure
at her most fertile time." Dr.Turner handed a chart
with instructions to Buffy. "So do you want to try this?"
Spike hesitated but when he saw Buffy's face light up he couldn't say anything
to ruin her excitement. Buffy looked at him and nodded he squeezed her hand,
"Yes we want to try." They said in unison.
Dr. Turner gave Buffy some more instructions on the ovulation chart and donor
information as she and Spike left the office.
"Should we tell anyone? I mean maybe Dawn but I mean anyone else?" Buffy
chattered as she and Spike cleaned up the dishes.
"That's up to you love. The doctor said it might not work the first time so maybe
we should wait till we know?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and
nuzzled her neck. She was so excited about this he would just have to shove
his insecurities aside.
"You're right. We should wait. I'm even gonna hold off telling Dawn for awhile.
This is so exciting!" She turned around and pressed herself against Spike,
"A baby, we are going to have a baby!"
"Well not quite yet, pet." Spike whispered into her hair.
"No, but soon." Buffy hugged him even tighter.
TBC
.
information desk. "Room 204, thank you." Buffy turned to Spike, "He's in
room 204." He followed her to the elevator.
"Hope Albert is okay." Spike said as they doors opened to the second floor.
"I'm sure he is, appendectomies are usually simple." Buffy smiled as they found the
room. Several voices came from room 204 as Buffy and Spike peeked in the room.
Albert sat up in the bed smiling as several visitors sat around the room, "Come
on in." He motioned to Buffy and Spike. Buffy sat her flowers on the bedside
table with a couple more bouquets. "How are you?" She smiled at Albert.
"Fine. Feeling pretty good, I should be at work in no time."
"Don't worry about that." Buffy told him as he began the introductions of the
other visitors.
Spike spoke up, "Glad you are okay. I think I'll wait outside." He smiled at
Albert as she left the room.
Spike found himself walking up and down the corridor - he noticed a sign "Labor, Delivery, Nursery 3rd floor" He found himself on the elevator pushing the three when the doors
opened he found himself in a waiting area full of people of all ages - families
waiting for thier newest additions he guessed as he followed the arrows on the
wall directing him to the nursery. He stepped up to the glass and looked at the
rows of tiny isolettes full of babies, some were sleeping peacefully while others were
red faced as they tested out new working lungs. He smiled at the thought of
having one of those isolettes containing a child that belonged to he and Buffy.
If only that could really happen. He was lost in thought when a voice sounded
behind him, "William is that you?" He turned to see a very frazzled Bradley
standing behind him.
"Bradley, you okay?" Spike asked concerned.
"I think I am now," Bradley sighed as he pointed towards an isolette that
contained a sleeping baby with a blue cap, "That's Mitchell my son."
"He's a handsome boy." Spike smiled at Bradley, "You must be proud."
Bradleys voice hitched, "I am very proud that he's here and okay. But it wasn't
as easy as I thought. Carma........she...she...."
"Take it easy, she's okay right?" Spike asked fear in his voice.
"She is going to be but it was a very close call. Her placenta detached and she
started hemmoraghing. I've never seen so much blood, I was so scared." Bradley
cleared his throat and looked at the sleeping baby again.
"I thought that childbirth was a piece of cake nowadays. I thought that things like
that didn't happen anymore." Spike swallowed hard.
"It's rare but sometimes things go wrong." Bradley sighed, "Thank goodness
we have a good doctor and everything is going to be okay. But that was the
scariest thing I've ever gone through. I can't even think about life without Carma."
Bradley gave a small smile.
"I know what you mean. Life without Buffy wouldn't be much of a life." Spike
patted Bradleys shoulder, "I've got to go, you take care of Carma and that
baby."
"I intend to." Bradley turned his glance back to the nursery window.
Spike got back into the elevator with a worried look on his face. He really had
been so worried about the donor he had never considered Buffy being in real
danger. He could not bear losing her to this. Now he had two things to worry about.
Buffy was coming out of Alberts room and almost ran into Spike, "You look
like you've seen a ghost, you haven't have you?" She asked with a grin.
"No, I saw Bradley."
"Oh how is Carma?" Buffy asked as they walked they took the stairs back to
the first floor.
"Okay, now. She almost died giving birth to thier son." Spike told her his
voice a bit shaky.
"Oh no! What happened?"
"Something about her placenta and blood she almost bled to death!" Spike
shook his head as they got in the car, "I didn't think that kind of thing happened
anymore. You've got docs and hospitals now."
Buffy put her hand on Spike's arm, "I really don't think it happens very often,
Spike. Carma and the baby are going to be okay right?"
"Yeah they are." He mumbled as he started the car.
"Well thats whats important. This really upset you didn't it?" Buffy scooted
closer to him as he drove home.
"Well, it made me think, Buffy I want you happy, I want a child with you but I don't
want there to be the slightest chance that I could lose you." His expression
was serious.
"Spike it's really rare that anything goes wrong with a pregnancy. I wish I could
promise that nothing would happen, but I can't. We can only take comfort in
the fact that it is really a rare thing." She kissed his cheek.
"Well, I just worry about you." He relaxed a little as he pulled the car into their
garage.
"I know you do, Sweetie." Buffy took his hand as they went into the house,
"I feel very loved knowing you worry so much." She gave his hand a squeeze
as they went to the kitchen to start supper.
***
Dr. Turner's office was full of bulletin boards that were plastered with faces
of babies. Babies of all shapes and colors some smiling and others looking
quite solemn. Spike stared at the faces on the board as Buffy signed in for
her appointment. She watched him for a moment before she walked over to
him, he had been unusually quiet all day, that worried her.
"I see you are in perfect health, Buffy. That's good, after reading over
your chart, I want to suggest aritficial insemination. There are several types of AI,
but , intrauterine insemination is the most commonly used form. It is very useful if
the cause of infertility is insufficient sperm count as in your situation. We have
lots of information on donors for the procedure. Only a very small amount of
sperm deposited into the vagina, will find their way into the upper
female genital tract. IUI places the sperm into the female genital tract to increase
the likelihood that one of those sperm will fertilize an egg. IUI is ay quick
procedure that we can do right here at the clinic . A sterile
catheter containing the sperm is inserted through the cervix and into the
uterine cavity. The sperm are then injected directly into the uterus. The procedure
usually causes little to no discomfort and afterwards we wll ask you to remain lying
down with your hips elevated for about 45 minutes. " Dr.
Turner paused to take a breath and smile at the couple before her. "Any questions,
so far?"
"Its a perfectly safe procedure?" Spike asked hesitantly.
"Yes very safe, the only problem is that although IUI is relatively uncomplicated,
it does not allow the doctor to evaluate whether or not fertilization is capable of
taking place. With invitro, the fertilization can be confirmed since it takes place outside of the womb, in a lab.
With IUI, however, fertilization still takes place inside the body, more naturally,
so we have to wait to see if the egg was actually fertilized or not. So there is
a bit of waiting after the procedure."
"Does it usually work?" Buffy asked chewing on her bottom lip.
"It works on average about 15-20% per cycle when IUI is performed for the
correct indications. If everything is normal, then a reasonable length of treatment
is about three to six cycles."
"So it doesn't usually happen the first try?" Spike asked taking Buffy's hand in his.
"Sometimes it does but not very often. We need to have the best conditions for
the procedure. Buffy will need to take this ovulation chart home with her
and start taking her temperature every morning. We need to perform the procedure
at her most fertile time." Dr.Turner handed a chart
with instructions to Buffy. "So do you want to try this?"
Spike hesitated but when he saw Buffy's face light up he couldn't say anything
to ruin her excitement. Buffy looked at him and nodded he squeezed her hand,
"Yes we want to try." They said in unison.
Dr. Turner gave Buffy some more instructions on the ovulation chart and donor
information as she and Spike left the office.
"Should we tell anyone? I mean maybe Dawn but I mean anyone else?" Buffy
chattered as she and Spike cleaned up the dishes.
"That's up to you love. The doctor said it might not work the first time so maybe
we should wait till we know?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and
nuzzled her neck. She was so excited about this he would just have to shove
his insecurities aside.
"You're right. We should wait. I'm even gonna hold off telling Dawn for awhile.
This is so exciting!" She turned around and pressed herself against Spike,
"A baby, we are going to have a baby!"
"Well not quite yet, pet." Spike whispered into her hair.
"No, but soon." Buffy hugged him even tighter.
TBC
.