On Board the Bebop
February 25th (end of week 39 of Faye's pregnancy)
Faye was exhausted, irritable, anxious, and uncomfortable. There was no position that truly alleviated her back ache, sore feet, or heartburn. There was precious little she was allowed to do or capable of doing. She was still scared of actually having the baby - both the idea of childbirth and also just having that new life in her arms and utterly dependent on her for survival.
She'd tried reading her magazines and reading books. She'd tried playing one of Ed's videogames and playing cards with the others. She'd even tried playing chess with Ein since Ed was too skilled at the game and Faye had figured maybe she'd stand half a chance against the damn dog. Eventually she'd thrown the board, sending the pieces flying, when that had not proven to be the case.
She was still able to do some of the yoga moves and had done her best to do the meditating things Jet encouraged but her worries tended to overwhelm her rather than quieting down. It was supremely frustrating, actually.
There had only been a few high points in the past few weeks.
Jet had a surprise for them when they got back from their appointment with DB earlier that month. He'd taken Ed on an adventure down memory lane apparently. While his relatives had all passed on, not everything of the Black family was gone. His father had kept a storage unit during his lifetime that he'd paid in advance for even after Jet had bailed on Ganymede. It was still paid up for a couple years yet, but Jet had already looted most of what he wanted from it.
Among the items, most of which were furniture and artwork, was a wooden wagon that Jet's parents had used to bring him along on walks when he was a toddler. It was an antique and in amazing condition all things considered.
Jet had recovered the wagon from its dusty corner of the storage unit and had gone to work making changes. He'd sanded it down to get rid of splinters. Had painted it and covered it in a clear coating to ensure the paint wouldn't chip. He'd reinforced the bottom and the rails and had removed the handle but left the wheels.
It wasn't so much a wagon any longer but rather a clever take on a baby bassinet and he'd proudly shown it off to them when they got back. Faye had found herself brought to tears yet again - if there was one thing she truly hated about pregnancy it had to be the lack of control over her emotions - and had engulfed Jet in a sobbing hug.
Spike had toyed around with the bassinet while Faye collected herself and Jet stood enduring her snotty mess of a hug. Awkward didn't begin to cover his stance and the intermittent patting of her back that he offered in attempts to soothe her. Eventually, she'd shoved away from him with an exasperated sigh.
"These are happy tears, dammit! I don't need to be pet like a dog!"
Ein and Ed, both on all fours and winding around the legs of the adults, perked up at the mention of petting. Faye had to admit it was humorous watching Ed act like Ein since the girl often portrayed a more realistic animal reaction than the dog himself.
Faye had turned away from Jet as he rubbed at the back of his head, apologizing for not knowing how to handle her moods, and had seen Spike trying to park the bassinet on one side of their bed.
"Oh! That'll be perfect! There's just enough space between the mattress and the wall to really wedge that baby in there!" Faye decided as she gauged the distance and the length of the bassinet-wagon.
"You're going to just ...leave it like that?" Jet asked in trepidation as Spike obligingly set the new piece of furniture where Faye indicated.
Spike gave it an experimental wiggle. "Seems legit." He pronounced after a few tugs and thumps.
Blanching, Jet hurried over to that side. "Geez, never mind, I'll take care of installing it here if that's where you want it."
And just like that, they now had a safe place for the baby to sleep.
Days later, after trying dozens of different methods to encourage the baby to flip - courtesy of Ed's online research turning up all sorts of videos and advice - Faye had felt the baby shifting around more than usual. His little feet had been kicking at her ribs for ages, but she thought they might be kicking higher up now.
Thankfully, his repositioning had been confirmed by DB at their most recent appointment. On the downside, with the baby having finally dropped into the 'ready' position, Faye had more pressure than ever on her bladder and that meant even more bathroom breaks.
Between dealing with the return of fatigue, occasional bouts of dizziness - especially whenever she changed from sitting or lying down to stand up - and the irregular contractions that kept plaguing her randomly throughout the days or nights, Faye was about done with the whole ordeal, to hell with her fear of labor and responsibility.
Tomorrow would mark the start of her 40th week and the baby's official due date.
Spike was a mess of nerves at this point and it was driving Faye crazy. He kept asking how she felt, if the contractions were changing like DB had warned they would, if she needed anything, what could he do for her. His hovering was nearly as aggravating as her own inability to do things herself.
He plied her with food despite her appetite being reduced - though that wasn't entirely true...she was definitely still hungry but there just wasn't much room for food. He also kept refilling her water bottle to the point where Faye was thinking about just making herself a comfy nest in the bathroom so she wouldn't have to make the trek every hour or so to the toilet.
Jet had been keeping himself busy with deliveries and small fries. To Ed's delight, he'd brought the hacker along on most of his missions. Not today though - Ed had insisted on staying on board to 'mediate the madness' which Faye was both annoyed with yet appreciative of. Ed's presence was much more calming than Spike's increasingly anxious one. Not that Faye blamed him - she was just as nervous and scared and uncertain - but dammit he could at least attempt to regain his former chill.
No wonder Jet was so keen to skip out every chance he had. Spike was too jittery to deal with, Faye herself was too bitchy to talk to, and there was forever a need to be making money so his excuse was valid as well. At first, Spike's bumbling had been a source of amusement to everyone else, but after a few days it had gotten old. Faye's screeching, on the other hand, had no doubt been too much from the get go. But she wasn't about to feel guilty or apologize.
She was due every courtesy and sympathy out there. This had been the most stressful mission she'd ever undertaken. It had sapped her strength, dulled her intellect, wreaked havoc on her body, sent her spiraling through every emotion and often multiple of them at once, and yet... She had no regret. Dodging bill collectors and chasing down bounties had kept her on the go since she'd woken up in this brand new future world. It had honed her instincts and forced her to trust implicitly in herself above all others and had proven to her that she could manage on her own if need be.
And then she'd fallen in with the oddest pair of yahoos ever. True gentlemen despite all appearances. Easy going despite their protestations to her presence. She hadn't really felt welcome on board but she also hadn't felt threatened or like they'd abandon her if she dallied too long in getting back to the ship in a timely fashion.
It had been liberating - having a room of her own, a place of respite where there was often (though not always) food on the table. And then they'd gained Edward and life had begun to truly be in color. Everything prior had been so black and white to Faye...the world was full of good and bad, the gullible and the conniving, and simple facts like kill or be killed. Shoot first and don't bother with questions because everyone is a liar. Leave before anyone can leave you.
Ed was like no one else Faye had ever stumbled upon in this life or previously. Even the best of her childhood friends had their catty moments or selfish agendas or a lack of true understanding of how the universe worked. Somehow Ed not only understood the deeper meanings of life but was also somewhat exempt from being tangled up in the nonsense that tended to drag everyone else down.
She was bright - in intelligence and in personality. She was wild and carefree yet so conscientious about her role when dealing with others, whether computer entities or children or animals or adults. Her enthusiasm and optimism and capacity to both forgive and forget were staggering. And it had all rubbed off on the rest of them in the time they'd spent together. Looking at the world through her eyes had fundamentally changed everyone else's outlook.
If it wasn't for Ed's influence on Faye's perspective and for the hopeful quality that Ed had infused into Faye's subconscious... She wasn't sure if she'd have taken quite as well to pregnancy. Having an example of how delightful a child could become... Having someone so untainted by the cruelty of the world... It was humbling and inspiring. It gave Faye faith in the future and gave her a touch of confidence in her own ability to relate to and care for youth. Not that Ed had ever needed much from any of them aside from their attention and their affection. Still, good lessons to have learned.
It was also reassuring to think about having Ed's help in the upcoming weeks and months. Jet was solid and reliable and would ensure they all ate well. Spike would undoubtedly do his best to keep both Faye and the baby happy and protected. But of the lot of them, Faye knew the most qualified would be Edward. It was a comfort in these anxious hours leading up to the inevitable.
Feeling pruny from her leisurely soak in the tub, and suddenly missing Ed's cheer and nonsense, Faye called out to Spike. She knew he'd be lurking in the hallway, trying to give her privacy while also being loath to leave her unattended. All to the good, though, since it was impossible to lever herself into or out of the tub at this point.
It was time to get dry and snuggle up with the hacker and the others on the couch. Tomorrow would be a big day.
xxx
On Board the Bebop
February 26th (the due date)
"Good morning, sweet baby," Faye whispered as she stroked her stomach. It was early in the day and Spike had just left the room to fetch her some breakfast to ensure she had plenty of energy for whatever happened next. It was her due date and everyone had been walking on eggshells around her lately. Finally the anxieties could be quelled and a new series of trials begun.
Faye was taking advantage of the solitude to have a last introspective moment with her unborn son. It was madly unreal to her still, the idea that this active little passenger would be in her actual arms soon.
"We've been waiting for you so long it seems and yet I also feel like just yesterday I was waking up into this life all alone and so confused. It won't be like that for you, my sweet boy. You're gonna come into this world and be welcomed with so much love. You've got the best big sister...er, aunt? Uh... You've got the best Edward out there and she's gonna help you learn all the right things. And Uncle Jet - he might be scary looking at first but that's just because he's so tall and scarred. Don't worry though - he's a sweetheart with a heart of gold and he'll love you to bits." She chuckled at the image in her mind of Jet looking stricken with nerves while cradling a swaddled child.
"And your daddy? He's a goofball for sure but he's also one of the smartest and most dangerous people out there. You don't ever have to be afraid of him though either. You've already got him wrapped around your little finger and he'd move mountains for you, my sweet boy." Tears welled up in her eyes as she imagined Spike with their baby. Her voice hitched with emotion as she continued.
"And me? Oh baby...you've already changed my life in so many ways. You've given me a purpose. You've given me companionship. You're utterly reliant on me in a way no one else has ever been and it's made me into a better person. I mean... Don't get mad at me if I backtrack a bit. I miss smoking and drinking so much sometimes, but I promise I won't do either to excess. And yeah I wanna go back out to kick some ass but I've got goals with it now. Ed and I have figured out how to be bad ass but in the most effective ways where we only fuck over bad people. There's so many folks struggling like we are and they don't all deserve to be bounties. We wanna help them if we can. It's a rough and tough world and it's hard on your own. But we can make a difference for a lot of folks. I'm gonna be someone you can be proud of, my sweet boy. I'm gonna help your daddy keep you safe and raise you right and we're gonna make this universe better for you and for others. You're so fucking precious and you deserve the best life possible. And dammit we're gonna make sure you have it."
A sound came from the foot of the bed and Faye looked up from her belly, startled, and then laughed out loud.
"Oh Ein! How long have you been there listening? You silly dog." She sighed and grinned, resuming her stroking of her stomach as the baby kicked within. "I can't believe I almost forgot... But you've got a puppy dog too, my darling. One of the smartest and bravest animals I've ever known. And he's gonna take good care of you too. But you gotta take care of him as well. Don't pull his ears. Don't eat his food. Don't ride on his back. It's okay if you don't remember all these rules... We'll remind you again and again. It takes your daddy and me quite a while to appreciate lessons too, I'll be honest. But Ein is a good boy. He'll be patient with you."
The door slid open to reveal Spike, looking somewhat panicked, and bearing a tray of food and beverages.
"Are you okay?! I heard you saying something! Did it start?!"
Ein whined at his feet, still beyond Faye's sight, and she shook her head.
"No, love. I was just talking with Ein and the baby, that's all. He's kicking up a storm but that's nothing new. I'm good right now..." She sniffed at the air and smiled appreciatively. "I could definitely use some food though... What'd ya bring me?!"
xxx
On Board the Bebop
February 28th (week 40 of Faye's pregnancy)
"It's the 40th week, DB! The baby should have started to make an entrance days ago! What the fuck!" Faye snarled into the comm on the bridge.
Laughter emitted from the other end of the call and DB's face on the tiny screen was amused.
"Mami, I told you that babies make their own schedule! I warned you that the due date was just an estimate! Just because you've been going through so much discomfort this month doesn't mean that kid is ready to be evicted, unfortunately."
"But I was ready! I was expecting it to happen on the 26th and spent all day waiting and nothing! Not even those awful false contractions that have been so hit or miss lately. Oh gosh. I haven't had them lately... Is that a bad sign?"
DB regarded her with a serious look, smiling gently. "You feeling the baby move still?"
"Well, yeah. Kicking me right now actually."
"Then you're good, Faye. I'm sorry it didn't happen the other day, or yesterday - or today for that matter. But it will happen soon, when it is meant to. In the meantime...there's things you can do to try and encourage the baby to make his big entrance. Most of these methods are just old wives' tales but you never know what might do the trick. Now let's see...spicy foods, ankle and foot massage, using one of the exercise balls to loosen up those shapely hips, ooh and here's one I know you and Spike will both appreciate... The very thing that got you into this situation!"
Faye perked up. "Ohhh really? Is that doctor's orders, DB? He's been nervous about that sort of thing recently - not sure if he's more worried he'll hurt me or the baby."
"Hah! Men always are. No, you'll both be fine. In fact it could be just the thing to relax you so the baby knows it's time to go. If Spike balks just have him call me back and I'll tell him to bed you with gusto. Now go on, mami. Get you some."