Chapter Six...it just keeps on going and going! But, I think the next chapter'll be the last one. I've pretty much got it down, but I want to change a couple of things. Small things, but I won't be happy until it's all perfect!
Kaei Kon: Rei -is- a bit sentimental, isn't he? I think he suits being pregnant, actually...don't know why, but I do...
Skimmie: Glad you like it!
Platinum Rei: You gave me a pretty picture in my head of Rei waddling- thank you!
Ellen: I agree, women rock! You said before that you like seeing Rei suffer, so this chapter might appeal to you...
Mistress-of-eternal-Darkness: I agree, poor Rei. Poor Tala too, but this chapter is more about Rei than Tala. Don't know why, it just turned out like that.
GabZ: Well, I updated, so now you can see what happens to Rei...it's not all good, though...
Lemmingsrule: Well, nasty things happen, but I couldn't be -too- nasty- I like Rei too much!
Fallenangelofwater: I'm glad you like it!
SaFire flamE: ...Well...nasty things happen...but as I said above, I couldn't be -too- nasty to Rei...he's too cute, dammit! I go to kill him off and I just get a picture of him with puppy-dog (kitty-cat?) eyes in my head...someday I'm gonna have to, because I think the best squish (cuteness) comes from angst. Actually, I think I did kill him once...once, though- I've killed off Tala about five times at least, and Kai almost as many times...
darkangelintheshadows: For some reason I keep putting an extra 'n' in your name when I type it...anyway, just wanted to say I'm glad you like the story!
LaDyFiCtIoN: Thanks. I guess it is taboo, but I really do mpregs to chew off my best friend- "Men don't get pregnant, it's impossible! IM-POSSIBLE!" So just to be annoying I write mpreg. I have to admit, this one's a lot better than the last one. I actually -researched- this one... Oh, and about the name thing, if you type '20000 names' into google, you get a names page and there's a section for Russian names...actually, they have a lot of different nationality names, so if you're stuck it's a good place to look.
I'm dedicating this chapter to my brother- I might think he's annoying, but he got jumped on and beaten up last night by a bunch of total idiots, so even though he'll probably never read this, much less appreciate it, this chapter's for him.
Tala smiled as he ticked off another day on the calendar. "Know what Bry? I'm into my thirty-sixth week!" Bryan looked up from his cereal, letting his next spoonful cascade back into the bowl. He tried to speak, then remembered he was eating. He swallowed hastily and spoke. "Th-thirty-sixth?" Tala could see that he was positively terrified.
"Stop freaking, Bryan." Tala put the lid back on the pen and put it down, curling one arm around his huge bump. "I should be the one that's freaking. I'm going to have a baby! They're going to sedate me and cut me open! I don't even get a set date for it either, 'cause I'm a man!"
"Tala..." Tala walked over and sat on the table beside Bryan's cereal. Bryan leaned over and kissed Tala's bump, making Tala laugh softly. He reached out a hand and ruffled Bryan's hair. "Do you think she'll have red hair?"
"How am I supposed to know? All I know is that she's got a kick like a mule!" He stroked his bump and sighed, reaching over and taking Bryan's spoon, stealing some of his cereal. "Not long now, huh?"
Kai looked up sharply as there was a cry from the bedroom. He went in to find Rei lying there, face twisted with pain. "Kai...phone an ambulance...AGH!" Rei screamed and clutched at his stomach as Kai fumbled in his pocket for his mobile, dialling the hospital linkup number.
"Hello, Wendelmann Hospital, how may I-"
"Please, I need an ambulance! It's Kai Hiwatari, Rei's gone into labour!"
"Right, Mr Hiwatari. Try to keep calm, and tell your partner she's going to be-"
"HE is my BOYFRIEND! Put me through to Doctor West, NOW!" There was a click, and then.
"Hello?"
"Doctor West, it's Rei! He's...something's wrong! I think he's in labour..." Rei cried out again, obviously in severe pain.
"Right, there's an ambulance on it's way. I'll see you here, okay?" Kai nodded and rang off before going to Rei. Rei grasped his shoulders tightly.
"Kai, it hurts! AH! Oh God, Kai, it hurts...it hurts!" He was sobbing, and Kai was nothing short of terrified. Another scream spurred him into action. He picked Rei up and carried him out of the bedroom, into the hall. He could hear sirens wailing, and opened the door as an ambulance skidded to a halt outside. Two paramedics ran out but Kai was already there. Rei was incoherent with pain and fear, clinging to Kai, by turns sobbing and screaming. The paramedics helped Kai carry him into the ambulance and lay him down.
"Kai...Kai...oh God Kai..." He gasped. He screamed again and Kai felt like screaming himself. What was wrong? Was Rei going to die? Were their children? He stroked Rei's cheek and held his hand as the paramedics rushed around him. "Rei, I'm here. I'm here."
"UAGH! Oh God, Kai, I can't do this!" Rei wailed, squeezing Kai's hand so hard it hurt.
"Shh, Rei, it'll be okay, the nurses and doctors all know what they're doing." Kai gabbled, trying to reassure himself as well. Rei yelled in pain and his whole body jerked. His grip on Kai's hand tightened, but by now Kai was panicking so much he didn't notice it. "It hurts too much! I can't do this! AGH!" He started to hyperventilate, breathing uneven and shallow.
Kai cursed. They'd been supposed to be going to anti-natal classes in a week! "Rei, just calm down...breathe..."
"CALM DOWN?" Rei screeched. "Kai it hurts! It hurts!" He sobbed, calming down slightly as the sedatives he was being pumped full of took effect. "I'm scared..."
"Rei, shh, I'm here, everything's going to be okay, shh." Kai stroked Rei's hair as he fell into unconsciousness, then turned to the paramedic nearest him. "Will he be okay?" His voice was barely a whisper. The paramedic shook his head.
"We can't know until we get him to the hospital."
Somehow the journey seemed to last forever.
Tala groaned and reached out a hand for the phone. It was ringing, drilling into his skull. "Whn?"
"Tala...Tala it's Kai. Rei...Rei..." There was a choked sob from the other end of the line and Tala sat up, suddenly fully awake.
"Kai, what's wrong?" Bryan stirred beside Tala, but the redhead ignored him.
"Tala...he's premature..."
"What? But he's only twenty-eight weeks gone! He can't be -that- premature surely?"
"He's in theatre now...he might die! The babies might die! Tala I'm so scared!"
"Hey, hey, calm down. Now when you get off the phone to me, go inside and find where Rei is, and wait until you can get some news about what's going on, okay? I'd come over, but I'm not exactly in a fit state, and seeing me like this would only make you worse."
"B-But he might die!"
"Kai, you don't know that. Now go back inside, find out what's happening, keep breathing, and I'm always at the other end of the phone if you need me, okay? I'm going to go now."
"O-Okay..."
"Goodbye." Tala put down the phone. "Bryan...Rei's premature..."
"Huh?"
"He's premature...oh God Bryan..." Bryan sat up, laying an arm around Tala's shoulders. "Bryan...he might die...their kids might die...and Kai's on his own..." Bryan shook his head.
"I know it sounds callous but I'm so glad that didn't have to happen to us..."
"But Kai...Kai isn't ready for anything like this..." Tala yawned. "I'm so tired...you better wake me up if that phone rings, okay?"
"Okay..." Bryan watched Tala fall asleep in his arms, feeling horrified for Kai. He knew how truly awful he would feel if he was in that situation...and Tala was right...Kai was only just coming to terms with the fact that he was going to be a father, and now this...
Rei woke up with a start. "Kai!" Kai was in a chair by his bed, asleep, but when Rei shouted his eyes snapped open and he looked confused for a second before realising. "Oh God! You're okay!" He grabbed Rei in a crushing embrace, kissing the top of his head and crying.
"Kai...what happened...where are they?" His heart thudded in his chest when Kai didn't reply. "Oh no...no they can't be dead!" Kai straightened up, shaking his head.
"They're in those incubator things...oh God Rei I thought I was going to lose you..."
"Kai, are they okay?"
"They're not sure...they came so early..."
"Where are they?" Rei's voice was desperate. "Kai, where are they?" A nurse walked into the small room, and noticed Rei was awake.
"Morning Mr. Kon. I imagine you'll want to see your children." Rei nodded, unable to speak. "Give me a minute." And a minute she took before coming back in with a wheelchair. "You're still recovering from the emergency c-section, so I'm afraid you won't be able to walk just yet." With Kai's help she got Rei into the chair.
Rei touched the plastic of the box surrounding his daughter, then reached out to touch the plastic encasing his son. "Will they be okay?" He whispered, looking up at the nurse.
"There's around a sixty five percent chance of survival at this point." Rei sniffed then started to cry.
"Rei..."
"Don't! Shut up!" Rei snapped, closing his eyes. "You told me it would be okay! You promised!"
"Rei, I-"
"Get out..." Rei hissed. Kai stood up and touched his shoulder, but Rei slapped his hand away. Kai backed away, tears gathering in his eyes, then ran. The nurse shook her head sadly. "It isn't his fault, you know. And it isn't yours either." Rei didn't reply, only sobbed, feeling lost and alone.
When Kai appeared on the doorstep sobbing, Tala didn't ask questions, just pulled him inside and sat him down on the sofa. "It's m-my fault...I told him it'd be okay..."
"Kai, don't talk rubbish. Of course it isn't your fault." Kai curled up into a little ball of hurt and misery and cried. When Bryan came back with the shopping he abandoned it in the hall and made Kai a cup of strong coffee, pressing it into his shaking hands and patting his shoulder. Tala held Kai to his chest, in what could only be motherly instinctiveness. "Shh, don't cry. Everything'll be okay..."
"B-but that's what I said to him and look what happened!" Wailed Kai. "What if they d-die? He'll hate me! -I'll- hate me!"
"Kai, just calm down!" Ordered Tala. "You're being ridiculous. It's not your fault, and no-one's going to hate you. He's just hurt, and confused, and he probably feels guilty himself! Go back there right now and talk to him!"
Kai snivelled and wiped his eyes. "W-What if he tells me to get out again?"
"He's not going to, and if he does then I'm going to go over there myself and teach him a thing or two about being hormonal!" Tala stood up, pulling Kai with him. He folded his arms around Kai, hugging him tightly before letting go and leading him to the door. "Get over to that hospital and go and talk to him. They're yours as much as his and it's -not- your fault at all!"
Rei looked up as the door opened, expecting it to be the nurse. He'd been crying since he'd sent Kai away- how could he have said something like that? If it was anyone's fault it was his... "Rei..." Kai hovered in the doorway, looking petrified.
"Kai...I didn't mean it...I didn't m-mean it..." Rei burst into fresh tears and Kai ran to him, flinging his arms around him and crying as well. "I'm sorry Kai..."
"It's okay...it's okay...don't cry..." Kai sobbed, sitting down beside Rei and holding him closer against his chest. Rei wound his arms around Kai's neck and buried his face in Kai's hair. "I'm sorry Kai..."
"No, don't be sorry...shall we go and see them?"
Before long Kai had commandeered a wheelchair and they were back with their children. Rei touched the plastic again. They sat wordlessly for a few minutes before the nurse from before came in. "Mr. Kon? And...oh, you came back. Good. The doctor's just given me his report. They're going to be fine. Congratulations." Rei gaped at her, then his face split into a grin.
"Kai! Kai-kun did you hear that?" He started crying again, laughing at the same time. Kai laughed as well, kneeling down and throwing his arms around Rei. He kissed Rei's cheek and laughed again. "I knew it would be okay...I knew it..."
"Kai...what do you think of Naoko for a girl?" Kai turned and looked at the sleeping infant in question. The tiny baby was all curled up on one side, thumb in her mouth, a tiny fluff of dark hair on her head. "It's perfect..."
"I...can't think of any boy's names..."
"Stefan..." Kai said quietly. Rei nodded.
"Stefan and Naoko...I like it."
I was going to kill them...but then I just couldn't. That would have been cruel, even for me (I kill off characters left right and centre- my friends are always laughing about it).
Next (and last) chapter: Bryan panics, and you get to see all the gang fourteen years later (Stefan learns to fear Daddy Bryan!).