Chris almost had a heart attack at the words that the officer had said.
Stephanie had gone into labor! Could this day get any more hectic than it
already was? He needed to go see Stephanie right now and make sure that
she and the baby were going to be alright. He picked up Regan and she
looked at him strangely.
"Daddy, I not done with my ice cream," she told him, pointing towards the bowl still sitting on the table.
"I know Princess, but Daddy needs to go see Mommy soon and so you need to come with me," he explained.
"Cause Mama got an owwie?"
"Yeah."
"Ok," she pouted, but let Chris carry her nonetheless.
Once Chris got things squared away with the officers, he brought Regan to his car and strapped her into her carseat in the back. He pulled out of the driveway, and had to refrain from speeding, considering there was still about fifty cops lingering around, and the last thing he needed was a speeding ticket at the moment.
"Princess, Daddy is going to drop you off at Grandma's alright, because I don't think you're allowed at the hospital," Chris said to Regan.
"Ok Daddy," she said as she played with the dolls that had been on the seat next to her, "I like going to Gramma's."
"Good," he said, "And then hopefully in a few hours you can meet your new brother or sister."
"A baby like Sam right Daddy?"
"Yeah, a really small baby," he said as he drove.
He tapped his fingers impatiently at every red light from there to Vince and Linda's house. Every second he wasn't with Stephanie was a second that he didn't know what the hell was going on. He knew that the baby would probably be alright, she was due in twelve days anyways, so it was only about two weeks early. But still, he wanted to be there for Stephanie.
He eventually got himself and Regan to Vince and Linda's in one piece and hopped out of the car the second he turned it off. Opening the back door and getting Regan out of her seat was also a rush job and then he found himself jogging to the door with Regan in his arms. She giggled because her daddy was being silly and he kissed her nose as he rang the doorbell.
"You're silly Daddy."
"Anything to make my Princess laugh," he told her, "I hope your grandma is here, maybe I should've called huh?"
"Uh huh."
Linda answered the door just then, "Chris, Regan, this is quite a surprise, what are you two doing here?"
"Hey Linda, I was wondering if you could watch Regan for a while, maybe overnight depending," Chris said hurriedly.
"What's wrong?" Linda asked, immediately picking up on Chris's anxiousness.
"Stephanie went into labor."
"Oh my God, and you're still here, where is she? Is she in the car," Linda said, taking Regan from his arms.
"She was taken in an ambulance, it's a really, really long story Linda, and I'll be sure to fill you in on the details, but I really want to get to Stephanie right now because she's all alone and I want to be with her and the baby."
"Oh, of course," Linda said, "Regan can stay with us as long as you need her to stay here."
"Thanks so much," he said, leaning over to kiss Regan on the cheek, "Be a good girl."
"Bye Daddy," Regan waved.
Chris waved briefly before rushing back to his car. He hopped in quickly, barely getting his seatbelt on before starting the car. Vince and Linda lived on the outskirts of town so he had to drive about twenty minutes to the hospital. The ride was not fast enough for him, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly. He reached the hospital in record time and after parking haphazardly in the parking lot he ran inside.
"Hi, I'm looking for my wife, she was brought in, she's in labor," he said, his breath coming in gasps as he had run in a dead heat to the hospital.
"What's her name?" the nurse asked.
"Jericho, Stephanie," he said, tapping his fingers against the counter.
"Um, I don't see anyone on our list under that name," the nurse responded.
"She was probably just checked in, they took her by ambulance."
"Well, usually our database is up-to-the-minute, but if she's in labor, maybe they didn't get her name in."
"Also, check under McMahon, Stephanie, she could be here under that name too," he said, wondering if this could go any slower. Every second that he was here, was one second that he wasn't with Stephanie.
"I'm sorry sir, there's no one under that name, would you like me to call up the maternity ward and asked if she's up there."
"Yes, please."
He waited while the nurse called up the maternity ward. He leaned against the counter impatiently. He didn't think this day could get any worse if he tried. Then he remembered that he hadn't called Vince and told him that he wasn't going to be there tonight. Vince would understand, he had important things to take care of.
"Sir, there was no woman by that name admitted today."
"What! What do you mean? She was taken in an ambulance, and she was taken to the hospital!"
"Sir, we have no record of her here."
"What the fuck is going on," Chris muttered as he looked around frantically.
Stephanie lay in the bed impatiently. These stupid ice chips weren't helping any, and she was so uncomfortable in this damn bed. The doctors said she was progressing nicely, but that didn't help the shooting pain she had every couple of minutes. She wanted to pelt the ice chips at the nurses for being so damn incompetent. But above everything else, she wanted Chris.
"Stephanie, let's check to see how you're doing," her doctor said as she walked over to her.
"Yeah, yeah, fine," she muttered, "Go check and say I'm doing wonderfully."
"Well you are," the doctor answered, patting her on the leg, "You're about nine centimeters, so you only have a little bit more to go and then this will be all over."
"Finally," she said, "I feel like I'm sitting on a crate of dynamite that's about ready to explode."
"It won't be as hard this time as it was the first time."
"I don't think it'll ever be a walk in the park," Stephanie told her. She felt another contraction hitting her and she groaned in pain as the doctor calmly went to the machine monitoring her stomach to see how long this would be.
"Ok Stephanie, it's almost over, just breathe."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one lying here with something trying to push its way out of your body," Stephanie grunted as she fell back against the pillows.
"You're so close, be patient. If you need anything, buzz one of the nurses."
"Fine," Stephanie said as she watched the doctor walk out of the room, "I want my fucking husband, can someone get that for me?" She grabbed the telephone off the stand next to her and sat it on her legs. Picking up the receiver she dialed Chris's cell phone number. She got a busy signal, and scowled. "Chris, where the hell are you?"
"Vince, I can't make it tonight."
"What? Why? We were counting on you to do an injury scene," Vince said to his son-in-law.
"Stephanie's in labor," Chris answered, "And I want to be with her."
"She is! Well then, of course, take the night off, take the week off, we'll figure something out. How is she?"
Chris didn't want to tell him he didn't exactly know where Stephanie was, so he lied, "She's doing great, I'll tell her that I talked to you."
"Congratulations to you both. I can't wait to see my new grandchild."
"Well, we can't wait either, we'll talk to you later Vince," Chris said, "I want to get to Stephanie."
"Of course, good luck."
"Thanks, bye."
Chris hung up the phone and paced the room again. Where could Stephanie be? This was the closest hospital there was, and she should be here. Could they have encountered traffic or something? He didn't want to think anything worse had happened, that wasn't possible, if one thing had been going well, it had been the pregnancy, but that could've go awry as well.
Stephanie dialed her mother's house, waiting for an answer. "Hello?"
"Mom, it's Stephanie."
"Oh Stephanie, where are you? How are you?"
"I'm at Stamford General, and I'm about to give birth, so I'm not doing too well physically," Stephanie said miserably, "And I'm all alone Mommy and I can't reach Chris."
"He's not there, he left here about forty-five minutes ago," Linda said.
"He did, why?"
"To drop off Regan, she's here with me sweetie, I'm sure Chris is on his way."
"Mommy," Stephanie started then was hit with another contraction, "Oww, Mommy, call...oww...him, please, oh man, I need the doctor!"
Stephanie hung up the phone as the doctor came into the room to check on her. She laid back against the bed, closing her eyes, wondering where the hell her husband could be. If he had left her parents about forty-five minutes ago, he should've been here already. She didn't think there would be traffic, it was hitting the middle of the day, when there was less traffic.
"Stephanie, you're ready."
"No, I'm not," she groaned, "My husband isn't here, and I need my husband here, so you better just wait until I'm damn ready."
"I don't think that's possible Stephanie, we can't tell it to stay in."
"You obviously don't know my family. If this is my kid, then when I say they'll stay in, they will!"
"Do you want to be in pain?"
"Well no, but I don't think you and your staff or any doctor has ever found the cure for the pain of labor, not completely, so unless you have found that cure, I think either way, I'm going to be in pain!"
"Ok, calm down Stephanie."
"Calm down! I am all alone, about to give birth here, I've already had a really, really shitty day."
"It'll get better once we get this baby out," the doctor pointed out.
"Oh, is that so? Well maybe so, but you want to hear what happened to me today?" The doctor opened her mouth to speak, but Stephanie kept on ranting, "I was held at gunpoint, I had my little girl threatened and almost shot, I stared down the barrel of a gun, I was slapped across the face, I had my head hit against a wall, and then I go into labor, now if that doesn't warrant me to have to not calm down, I don't know what the hell will!"
"Ok, Steph, that's a very, very bad day."
"No shit!"
"But if you don't start pushing, then you are putting both you and your child in danger, and I'm thinking that will send your day even lower than it is."
"Ok, fine, but can someone call my husband and tell him I'm waiting, I told one of the nurses the number."
"We'll have someone call," the doctor said, "I'll be right back."
Chris was arguing with one of the personnel people at the hospital. He couldn't figure out where the hell his wife was, and now he was getting frustrated. His cell phone rang and he picked it up angrily, not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.
"Chris, where are you?"
"Linda?"
"Yes, Stephanie is wondering where you are."
"Wait, you know where Steph is? How do you know where she is and I don't?"
"She couldn't reach you."
"Damn it, I was on the phone with Vince, where is she? I'm at the Greenwich hospital."
"She's in Stamford General Chris, not in Greenwich," Linda said, alarmed.
"What! Shit, Linda, I have to go, I'll see you later."
Chris raced out of the hospital and back down to his car, his tires screeching as he pulled out of the space. He drove as fast as he could to Stamford. He couldn't believe they had taken her to another hospital. Why had they taken her to a farther hospital? He was never going to understand the emergency people, it was so simple, take the person to the closest hospital. It made sense to him, why not to those people.
He got to Stamford in one piece and drove to where he thought the hospital was located. After getting lost once and having to stop at a gas station for directions, he found the hospital at last. Fighting off a feeling of déjà vu, he ran into the hospital. The exception this time was he was actually told the room where his wife was staying so there was none of that confusion.
She was on the third floor and he contemplated taking the stairs or the elevator. The elevator was slow, but if he ran up the steps, he'd get tired. Fuck it, he ran up the stairs, knowing he would get there faster and not have to wait for the damn elevator. He pushed the doors open to the floor and raced down the hallway, causing the nurse's heads to turn and look at him. He saw Stephanie's door a few feet ahead and raced to it.
"I'm here! Ok, Steph, breathe, you're going to do great, you are doing great," he said as he rushed into the room blindly.
"Shh Chris," Stephanie said quietly.
He froze in the doorway, staring at Stephanie. She was smiling at him sweetly and holding a little bundle in her arms. Chris couldn't move; he just stared at them. Stephanie held the baby with one arm and waved him over. Hesitantly, Chris stepped over to look at them.
"I missed it," Chris said sadly.
"Well, there was only so long I could keep it in," she told him softly, "It's ok, you didn't miss much, except me pelting the nurses with the ice chips."
"Like last time," he smiled, "I can't believe I missed it."
"Not by much, he was just born seven minutes ago."
"That's seven minutes of his life I've missed...wait, it's a he, he's a he, it's a boy," Chris said happily.
"Yeah, say hello to Bryant Vincent Jericho," Stephanie smiled, looking up at her husband, "I took the liberty of choosing a middle name, I thought it would be appropriate. Not to mention my father would probably kill us if we didn't have his name in there somewhere."
Chris sat down on the bed, "Wow, I have a son."
"You have a son," she echoed.
"We have a little boy, we have a baby, I never thought...I never thought I'd get a son, I mean, I never thought I'd have more kids, I never...well, you were gone and I never thought that," he said, his words jumbling together and failing him altogether.
"Well, you were wrong obviously," she giggled, "Do you want to hold him?"
"Hell yeah," Chris said. Stephanie handed him over and Chris held him securely in his arms, "Geez, how much does he weigh?"
"Nine pounds, six ounces," Stephanie said, "He's a big boy."
"I'll say," Chris said, staring down at his son, "Wow, this is...this brings back memories like you wouldn't believe doesn't it?"
She laid her head on his shoulder, "It does...ones I can remember clearly."
"Good," he said, kissing her head, "Hey there Bry, I'm your dad, you can call me Daddy or Dad, or whatever you want. Let me tell you something though. Your mom is an incredible lady, and we are both so lucky that we have her with us."
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "Flattery will get you nowhere."
"I'm an idiot, I was at the wrong hospital," he told her, as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You didn't know," she said with a slight yawn.
"And I'm a bigger idiot that I didn't ask how you were," he said, tearing his eyes away from his son to look at his wife, "How are you?"
"Well, I just had a baby, so I'm a little bit sore," she answered.
"No, I mean, I know that, but earlier..."
She closed her eyes, "I'm fine. Now. I'm fine."
He pulled away a little and saw a bruise forming on her cheek. He bit his lip and shifted the baby to one arm to touch the bruise. She winced a little and he drew his hand back a bit. She gave him a small smile and held his hand.
"It's just a bruise."
"I would've never gotten over--"
"It's just a bruise," she repeated, rubbing his hand, "Nothing more."
"I should've been there...here, I just...I didn't take care of any of you. I failed you. I told you that nobody would hurt you and look at what happened."
"He's cute isn't he?" Stephanie said, completely ignoring what Chris had said, "He has your eyes, if he would just open them, but he's just as sleepy as I am."
"Steph..."
"They said that he was perfectly healthy. They were surprised by how big he was considering that he's early. But they said everything was normal, so they could've miscalculated my due date a little bit. If I had carried him to term, he would've been over ten pounds."
"Wow," he said, just going with what Stephanie was doing. There was nobody to blame in this situation and it was futile to try and think about it anymore. What happened, happened, but they were all safe and the only thing that either of them cared about was being with each other. Stephanie pressed her hand to his cheek and turned him so they were looking into each other's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, weighing her words.
"Bruises fade, pain is only what you let yourself feel. Whatever happened today, earlier, will fade into oblivion, leaving only the good things. Just like the memory of me dying, though I didn't, will fade in front of you, until you regard it as just something that happened. Because I'm here, right here, and today, it'll fade from memory, because we have a new baby, so forget it Chris...let it go."
It was time to let it go.
"Daddy, I not done with my ice cream," she told him, pointing towards the bowl still sitting on the table.
"I know Princess, but Daddy needs to go see Mommy soon and so you need to come with me," he explained.
"Cause Mama got an owwie?"
"Yeah."
"Ok," she pouted, but let Chris carry her nonetheless.
Once Chris got things squared away with the officers, he brought Regan to his car and strapped her into her carseat in the back. He pulled out of the driveway, and had to refrain from speeding, considering there was still about fifty cops lingering around, and the last thing he needed was a speeding ticket at the moment.
"Princess, Daddy is going to drop you off at Grandma's alright, because I don't think you're allowed at the hospital," Chris said to Regan.
"Ok Daddy," she said as she played with the dolls that had been on the seat next to her, "I like going to Gramma's."
"Good," he said, "And then hopefully in a few hours you can meet your new brother or sister."
"A baby like Sam right Daddy?"
"Yeah, a really small baby," he said as he drove.
He tapped his fingers impatiently at every red light from there to Vince and Linda's house. Every second he wasn't with Stephanie was a second that he didn't know what the hell was going on. He knew that the baby would probably be alright, she was due in twelve days anyways, so it was only about two weeks early. But still, he wanted to be there for Stephanie.
He eventually got himself and Regan to Vince and Linda's in one piece and hopped out of the car the second he turned it off. Opening the back door and getting Regan out of her seat was also a rush job and then he found himself jogging to the door with Regan in his arms. She giggled because her daddy was being silly and he kissed her nose as he rang the doorbell.
"You're silly Daddy."
"Anything to make my Princess laugh," he told her, "I hope your grandma is here, maybe I should've called huh?"
"Uh huh."
Linda answered the door just then, "Chris, Regan, this is quite a surprise, what are you two doing here?"
"Hey Linda, I was wondering if you could watch Regan for a while, maybe overnight depending," Chris said hurriedly.
"What's wrong?" Linda asked, immediately picking up on Chris's anxiousness.
"Stephanie went into labor."
"Oh my God, and you're still here, where is she? Is she in the car," Linda said, taking Regan from his arms.
"She was taken in an ambulance, it's a really, really long story Linda, and I'll be sure to fill you in on the details, but I really want to get to Stephanie right now because she's all alone and I want to be with her and the baby."
"Oh, of course," Linda said, "Regan can stay with us as long as you need her to stay here."
"Thanks so much," he said, leaning over to kiss Regan on the cheek, "Be a good girl."
"Bye Daddy," Regan waved.
Chris waved briefly before rushing back to his car. He hopped in quickly, barely getting his seatbelt on before starting the car. Vince and Linda lived on the outskirts of town so he had to drive about twenty minutes to the hospital. The ride was not fast enough for him, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly. He reached the hospital in record time and after parking haphazardly in the parking lot he ran inside.
"Hi, I'm looking for my wife, she was brought in, she's in labor," he said, his breath coming in gasps as he had run in a dead heat to the hospital.
"What's her name?" the nurse asked.
"Jericho, Stephanie," he said, tapping his fingers against the counter.
"Um, I don't see anyone on our list under that name," the nurse responded.
"She was probably just checked in, they took her by ambulance."
"Well, usually our database is up-to-the-minute, but if she's in labor, maybe they didn't get her name in."
"Also, check under McMahon, Stephanie, she could be here under that name too," he said, wondering if this could go any slower. Every second that he was here, was one second that he wasn't with Stephanie.
"I'm sorry sir, there's no one under that name, would you like me to call up the maternity ward and asked if she's up there."
"Yes, please."
He waited while the nurse called up the maternity ward. He leaned against the counter impatiently. He didn't think this day could get any worse if he tried. Then he remembered that he hadn't called Vince and told him that he wasn't going to be there tonight. Vince would understand, he had important things to take care of.
"Sir, there was no woman by that name admitted today."
"What! What do you mean? She was taken in an ambulance, and she was taken to the hospital!"
"Sir, we have no record of her here."
"What the fuck is going on," Chris muttered as he looked around frantically.
Stephanie lay in the bed impatiently. These stupid ice chips weren't helping any, and she was so uncomfortable in this damn bed. The doctors said she was progressing nicely, but that didn't help the shooting pain she had every couple of minutes. She wanted to pelt the ice chips at the nurses for being so damn incompetent. But above everything else, she wanted Chris.
"Stephanie, let's check to see how you're doing," her doctor said as she walked over to her.
"Yeah, yeah, fine," she muttered, "Go check and say I'm doing wonderfully."
"Well you are," the doctor answered, patting her on the leg, "You're about nine centimeters, so you only have a little bit more to go and then this will be all over."
"Finally," she said, "I feel like I'm sitting on a crate of dynamite that's about ready to explode."
"It won't be as hard this time as it was the first time."
"I don't think it'll ever be a walk in the park," Stephanie told her. She felt another contraction hitting her and she groaned in pain as the doctor calmly went to the machine monitoring her stomach to see how long this would be.
"Ok Stephanie, it's almost over, just breathe."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the one lying here with something trying to push its way out of your body," Stephanie grunted as she fell back against the pillows.
"You're so close, be patient. If you need anything, buzz one of the nurses."
"Fine," Stephanie said as she watched the doctor walk out of the room, "I want my fucking husband, can someone get that for me?" She grabbed the telephone off the stand next to her and sat it on her legs. Picking up the receiver she dialed Chris's cell phone number. She got a busy signal, and scowled. "Chris, where the hell are you?"
"Vince, I can't make it tonight."
"What? Why? We were counting on you to do an injury scene," Vince said to his son-in-law.
"Stephanie's in labor," Chris answered, "And I want to be with her."
"She is! Well then, of course, take the night off, take the week off, we'll figure something out. How is she?"
Chris didn't want to tell him he didn't exactly know where Stephanie was, so he lied, "She's doing great, I'll tell her that I talked to you."
"Congratulations to you both. I can't wait to see my new grandchild."
"Well, we can't wait either, we'll talk to you later Vince," Chris said, "I want to get to Stephanie."
"Of course, good luck."
"Thanks, bye."
Chris hung up the phone and paced the room again. Where could Stephanie be? This was the closest hospital there was, and she should be here. Could they have encountered traffic or something? He didn't want to think anything worse had happened, that wasn't possible, if one thing had been going well, it had been the pregnancy, but that could've go awry as well.
Stephanie dialed her mother's house, waiting for an answer. "Hello?"
"Mom, it's Stephanie."
"Oh Stephanie, where are you? How are you?"
"I'm at Stamford General, and I'm about to give birth, so I'm not doing too well physically," Stephanie said miserably, "And I'm all alone Mommy and I can't reach Chris."
"He's not there, he left here about forty-five minutes ago," Linda said.
"He did, why?"
"To drop off Regan, she's here with me sweetie, I'm sure Chris is on his way."
"Mommy," Stephanie started then was hit with another contraction, "Oww, Mommy, call...oww...him, please, oh man, I need the doctor!"
Stephanie hung up the phone as the doctor came into the room to check on her. She laid back against the bed, closing her eyes, wondering where the hell her husband could be. If he had left her parents about forty-five minutes ago, he should've been here already. She didn't think there would be traffic, it was hitting the middle of the day, when there was less traffic.
"Stephanie, you're ready."
"No, I'm not," she groaned, "My husband isn't here, and I need my husband here, so you better just wait until I'm damn ready."
"I don't think that's possible Stephanie, we can't tell it to stay in."
"You obviously don't know my family. If this is my kid, then when I say they'll stay in, they will!"
"Do you want to be in pain?"
"Well no, but I don't think you and your staff or any doctor has ever found the cure for the pain of labor, not completely, so unless you have found that cure, I think either way, I'm going to be in pain!"
"Ok, calm down Stephanie."
"Calm down! I am all alone, about to give birth here, I've already had a really, really shitty day."
"It'll get better once we get this baby out," the doctor pointed out.
"Oh, is that so? Well maybe so, but you want to hear what happened to me today?" The doctor opened her mouth to speak, but Stephanie kept on ranting, "I was held at gunpoint, I had my little girl threatened and almost shot, I stared down the barrel of a gun, I was slapped across the face, I had my head hit against a wall, and then I go into labor, now if that doesn't warrant me to have to not calm down, I don't know what the hell will!"
"Ok, Steph, that's a very, very bad day."
"No shit!"
"But if you don't start pushing, then you are putting both you and your child in danger, and I'm thinking that will send your day even lower than it is."
"Ok, fine, but can someone call my husband and tell him I'm waiting, I told one of the nurses the number."
"We'll have someone call," the doctor said, "I'll be right back."
Chris was arguing with one of the personnel people at the hospital. He couldn't figure out where the hell his wife was, and now he was getting frustrated. His cell phone rang and he picked it up angrily, not in the mood to talk to anyone right now.
"Chris, where are you?"
"Linda?"
"Yes, Stephanie is wondering where you are."
"Wait, you know where Steph is? How do you know where she is and I don't?"
"She couldn't reach you."
"Damn it, I was on the phone with Vince, where is she? I'm at the Greenwich hospital."
"She's in Stamford General Chris, not in Greenwich," Linda said, alarmed.
"What! Shit, Linda, I have to go, I'll see you later."
Chris raced out of the hospital and back down to his car, his tires screeching as he pulled out of the space. He drove as fast as he could to Stamford. He couldn't believe they had taken her to another hospital. Why had they taken her to a farther hospital? He was never going to understand the emergency people, it was so simple, take the person to the closest hospital. It made sense to him, why not to those people.
He got to Stamford in one piece and drove to where he thought the hospital was located. After getting lost once and having to stop at a gas station for directions, he found the hospital at last. Fighting off a feeling of déjà vu, he ran into the hospital. The exception this time was he was actually told the room where his wife was staying so there was none of that confusion.
She was on the third floor and he contemplated taking the stairs or the elevator. The elevator was slow, but if he ran up the steps, he'd get tired. Fuck it, he ran up the stairs, knowing he would get there faster and not have to wait for the damn elevator. He pushed the doors open to the floor and raced down the hallway, causing the nurse's heads to turn and look at him. He saw Stephanie's door a few feet ahead and raced to it.
"I'm here! Ok, Steph, breathe, you're going to do great, you are doing great," he said as he rushed into the room blindly.
"Shh Chris," Stephanie said quietly.
He froze in the doorway, staring at Stephanie. She was smiling at him sweetly and holding a little bundle in her arms. Chris couldn't move; he just stared at them. Stephanie held the baby with one arm and waved him over. Hesitantly, Chris stepped over to look at them.
"I missed it," Chris said sadly.
"Well, there was only so long I could keep it in," she told him softly, "It's ok, you didn't miss much, except me pelting the nurses with the ice chips."
"Like last time," he smiled, "I can't believe I missed it."
"Not by much, he was just born seven minutes ago."
"That's seven minutes of his life I've missed...wait, it's a he, he's a he, it's a boy," Chris said happily.
"Yeah, say hello to Bryant Vincent Jericho," Stephanie smiled, looking up at her husband, "I took the liberty of choosing a middle name, I thought it would be appropriate. Not to mention my father would probably kill us if we didn't have his name in there somewhere."
Chris sat down on the bed, "Wow, I have a son."
"You have a son," she echoed.
"We have a little boy, we have a baby, I never thought...I never thought I'd get a son, I mean, I never thought I'd have more kids, I never...well, you were gone and I never thought that," he said, his words jumbling together and failing him altogether.
"Well, you were wrong obviously," she giggled, "Do you want to hold him?"
"Hell yeah," Chris said. Stephanie handed him over and Chris held him securely in his arms, "Geez, how much does he weigh?"
"Nine pounds, six ounces," Stephanie said, "He's a big boy."
"I'll say," Chris said, staring down at his son, "Wow, this is...this brings back memories like you wouldn't believe doesn't it?"
She laid her head on his shoulder, "It does...ones I can remember clearly."
"Good," he said, kissing her head, "Hey there Bry, I'm your dad, you can call me Daddy or Dad, or whatever you want. Let me tell you something though. Your mom is an incredible lady, and we are both so lucky that we have her with us."
Stephanie rolled her eyes, "Flattery will get you nowhere."
"I'm an idiot, I was at the wrong hospital," he told her, as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"You didn't know," she said with a slight yawn.
"And I'm a bigger idiot that I didn't ask how you were," he said, tearing his eyes away from his son to look at his wife, "How are you?"
"Well, I just had a baby, so I'm a little bit sore," she answered.
"No, I mean, I know that, but earlier..."
She closed her eyes, "I'm fine. Now. I'm fine."
He pulled away a little and saw a bruise forming on her cheek. He bit his lip and shifted the baby to one arm to touch the bruise. She winced a little and he drew his hand back a bit. She gave him a small smile and held his hand.
"It's just a bruise."
"I would've never gotten over--"
"It's just a bruise," she repeated, rubbing his hand, "Nothing more."
"I should've been there...here, I just...I didn't take care of any of you. I failed you. I told you that nobody would hurt you and look at what happened."
"He's cute isn't he?" Stephanie said, completely ignoring what Chris had said, "He has your eyes, if he would just open them, but he's just as sleepy as I am."
"Steph..."
"They said that he was perfectly healthy. They were surprised by how big he was considering that he's early. But they said everything was normal, so they could've miscalculated my due date a little bit. If I had carried him to term, he would've been over ten pounds."
"Wow," he said, just going with what Stephanie was doing. There was nobody to blame in this situation and it was futile to try and think about it anymore. What happened, happened, but they were all safe and the only thing that either of them cared about was being with each other. Stephanie pressed her hand to his cheek and turned him so they were looking into each other's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, weighing her words.
"Bruises fade, pain is only what you let yourself feel. Whatever happened today, earlier, will fade into oblivion, leaving only the good things. Just like the memory of me dying, though I didn't, will fade in front of you, until you regard it as just something that happened. Because I'm here, right here, and today, it'll fade from memory, because we have a new baby, so forget it Chris...let it go."
It was time to let it go.