Chapter Eight – Time

It was a warm evening in late June and the Wilder household was filled with people. Food and drink was laid out on the kitchen table so people could help themselves, music was playing quietly in the background and every room hummed with conversation. The end of the semester had finally come and a party before the baby arrived was something both Joey and David wanted to do. Workmates and students mixed together in the knowledge that it was all over; they were no longer in college, unless a disaster occurred with the final exam results. Joey was positively glowing with her eight-month bump and the support of so many people around her.

"Have you thought of any names yet?" asked Jen.

"A little but we can't decide. We both want something from literature but its really hard," said Joey. Her, Jen and Audrey were sitting halfway up the staircase away from the heat and the noise of the crowded rooms.

"You must have some idea," pushed Audrey, sipping at her white wine.

"Okay," confessed Joey. "I like Beth for a girl and Jonathon for a boy but David likes Ophelia or Holden,"

"Don't call your baby Ophelia, she'll be doomed from the start," said Audrey. "I like Beth though, Little Women right?" Joey nodded and took a swig from her water bottle.

"Trust David to go for the bizarre names," sighed Jen. Joey laughed, it was true, David was desperate to find an original name for the baby.

"Where are the men in our lives?" asked Audrey, looking out over the crowd of people at the bottom of the stairs.

"I know exactly where they are," groaned Joey. "David's making a crib for the baby; I bet he's showing it off,"

"Leave them to it, I reckon," smiled Jen. The girls sat in comfortable silence for a while, each drinking their drinks and considering life after college when Joey made a sharp hissing noise. Audrey and Jen were immediately on their feet and ready for anything, Joey breathed out hard.

"Are you okay?" asked Audrey.

"I think my water just broke," laughed Joey. "Er… can someone get rid of the guests and someone get David while I get my bag,"

"Are you sure you can manage?"

"Audrey, I'm not dying. It's just labour now get rid of everyone,"

Audrey nodded and disappeared into the crowd while Jen ran into the garage. David, Dawson, Jack and Pacey were drinking beers and discussing the finer points of the crib when Jen burst into the room.

"Guys, Joey's waters just broke," she blurted out. In a flurry of movement, all bottles were dropped to the floor and they all raced back inside. The guests were gradually dissipating under Audrey's military-like orders and Joey was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase with her overnight bag sitting beside her. She stood up at the sight of David and threw her arms around him, he held her tight, whispering reassurances into her ear. Joey looked as if she could burst into tears at any moment but was trying to keep her composure in the face of company.

"What's going on? Why is she so upset?" whispered Jack to Pacey and Dawson, they all shrugged.

"She's early," whispered Jen, holding onto Jack's hand and squeezing it tightly. "But she'll be fine,"

All of the guests had finally left the house, each telling Audrey to give Joey their best. David picked up Joey's overnight bag and hustled her into the car; he thanked everybody before speeding away towards the hospital. They watched as the car disappeared before all piling into Pacey's car and following them to the hospital. Everyone was unusually quiet as they drove; each worried for the health of Joey and especially the baby.

"Does anyone know how early she is?" asked Dawson, his voice cracking with concern and upset.

"I think it's about five weeks, that's not bad is it?" said Audrey, her hand resting on Pacey's knee as he drove. She just needed some form of contact, anything to convince her that these things were happening and she wasn't stuck in some hideous nightmare.

"I don't know. It can't be good though," sighed Jen, she leaned her head on Jack's shoulder and the car was once again plunged into silence.

It didn't take them long to reach the hospital but there was no sign of David and Joey anywhere. Audrey asked at reception for directions to the obstetrics ward and the five friends walked the hospital corridors, ignoring the ill and infirm that they passed on the way, only caring about Joey.

David was sitting on a blue plastic chair outside Joey's room with his head in his hands, Jen raced over to him and fell to her knees, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her back briefly before standing and greeting them all, he explained that Joey had been given her own room but the doctors were still examining her. There was nothing else to say, they hovered in the corridor in silence until the doctor came out to update David on her progress and let them all in to see her.

Joey looked serene, all in white and pale as a ghost, she looked like an angel. David sat beside her and took her hand in his, kissing it and smiling. Joey was so pleased that everyone had managed to come to the hospital to share in hers and David's day. She was absolutely petrified, the contractions weren't hurting a lot yet but she knew that there was more to come. The obstetrician had dispelled her initial fear of a premature birth and she was starting to feel a little calmer although her painkillers probably had a lot to do with that.

"I love you, Joey Potter," whispered David into the palm of her hand. She stroked his face and smiled.

"I love you too, Professor Wilder," she grinned cheekily.

"Do you want me to call Bessie?" asked Dawson, Joey looked up at him and smiled, nodding thankfully. Everyone followed Dawson out of the small room to give David and Joey some time alone.

"How are you really feeling?" asked David, concernedly.

"Not good. I feel really weird, like I'm sick or something. I don't know what it is," shrugged Joey, David frowned and hoped that nothing else was going on that they didn't know about. They had already had enough excitement surrounding this pregnancy; surely they deserved an easy birth now?

"It's probably normal,"

"Yeah, I just hate hospitals. The sooner this is over, the better,"

"Don't rush it, Joey. He'll come out when he's ready,"

"She," smiled Joey, David laughed and kissed her cheek. Joey grabbed his hand and breathed out hard as another contraction swept over her.

"It's okay. Just breathe," soothed David, stroking her arm. The contraction passed and Joey sighed in relief, they were getting worse and she really didn't want to be in labour any more. It was just a waiting game now, interspersed with contractions and checks on her dilation.

"I couldn't get hold of Bessie or Bodie but I'll try again later," announced Dawson as he stuck his head around the doorframe.

"No, don't bother. I don't want her fussing and worrying, call her later," sighed Joey, pushing her hair back from her face. Dawson nodded and disappeared again, the gang were sitting in the corridor nursing Styrofoam cups of mud-like coffee and waiting for Joey to give birth.

After half an hour, the cups of coffee were empty and discarded, Dawson was telling everyone about his new script when David came rushing out of the room. Panicking, he grabbed a nurse as she walked past on her rounds and ushered her into the little room.

"Lights, camera, action," sighed Pacey as another nurse and Joey's doctor raced into the room from the doctor's station.