(A/N – We're coming down to the last few chapters of the story boys and girls and I just want to say that this story has been my personal favorite to write in the whole series! I really worked on this one, and I hope it meets with your seal of approval! This chapter is for Paige34! Enjoy!)
Hope, Light and Key Lime Pie – Chapter Ten
"Kido to McKnight."
Dr. McKnight reached into his lab coat and pulled out the walkie-talkie. "Excuse me." He said to the red head in front of him as he stepped back and pressed the talk button on the device.
"McKnight here, go ahead."
"Doctor, I just got a call from TK and Kari. Her water broke. Over."
"How long ago? Over?"
"About two hours ago. There's no way to get to them, and they're under a shelter in place order. Over."
Dr. McKnight sighed. " The power is out in their area? Over?"
"Affirmative. They have no power. They're in the same boat we're in. Over."
"Well, that rules out the digi-ports. I wouldn't feel right transporting Kari through the portal when we don't know how far along her labor is. How is she? Over."
"According to TK, she's cooking breakfast, laughing and doing fine. In fact, she's kinda happy with the fact she's looking at a home birth. Over."
Dr. McKnight shrugged. "Well, I don't see any problem with a home birth. Her body knows what to do and she already has kids. Tell them they can go ahead and do the home birth thing, but I'm gonna check in with them every once in a while. Over."
"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll let them know. Kido out."
"Sorry your first day here was so…eventful, Dr. Greystone." Dr. McKnight said, returning the walkie-talkie to his pocket. "It's not normally like this."
"Oh, it's fine. When I was in Australia, they would have these big dust storms that would knock out power for days at a time." Dr. Greystone said, a bright smile spreading on her face.
"Oh, that's right. You were a midwife in the Australia and New Guinea before you came here."
"Guess you could say I'm still working down under!"
The African-American doctor laughed. "Ha! Good one!"
"Steve to Greystone!"
Dr. Greystone pulled the walkie-talkie from her belt clip. "Greystone here. What's the deal, Steve? Over."
"I think I need your help! This looks like a big kid here! Over."
"Is the mother getting tired? Over."
"Yeah. She's been pushing for about two hours and the baby's head isn't moving fast enough! Over!"
"Have Julia press down on her stomach from the top, have the mother push, and yank that little critter right outta there! I'll be in there in a second. Over."
"Okay! Thanks! Steve out!"
"How did you know Julia was in there with Steve?" Dr. McKnight asked, amazed.
"Oh please. Steve want's Julia in the patient's position, if you know what I mean!" Dr. Greystone said, winking. "Well, I guess I better be going." Dr. Greystone said, clipping the walkie-talkie back on her belt. "It's a dirty job."
"But somebody's got to do it." Dr. McKnight said, nodding.
"No, it's just a dirty job. Have you tried getting afterbirth from underneath your fingernails?"
"Uhh…"
"Just kidding!" the red head said, laughing, slapping him on the back. "You know, you and I are going to be pretty good friends. Later!" she called as she walked down the dark hallway, the beam from her flashlight illuminating her path.
Dr. McKnight put a hand to his brow and shook it, a small smile grazing his lips. "Critters…"
"Joe said just relax and do what your body tells you to." TK said, slapping his phone shut, looking at the pouring rain outside.
"Not like I have much choice, do I?" Kari said, letting out a small breath.
"Mommy," Tamago said, scooting close to his mother on the couch. "Why don't we go to the hospital to have the baby?"
"Well, it's raining too hard, Tama." Kari explained, wrapping an arm around her son. "So we have to have the baby come out here."
"Does it hurt, mommy?" Karashi asked, looking up at her mother with wide eyes.
"Not really. It's like something is squeezing my tummy hard, but it's not hurting." Kari explained, smiling at her daughter.
"Does it hurt the baby?" Tamago asked.
"No…my tummy is just giving the baby a big bear hug as it comes out." Kari explained, shifting on the couch. "TK, get the blankets out of the hall closet for me please."
TK nodded and padded towards the closet. A minute later, he came back with a pile of folded blankets in his hands. "Here you go."
"Thanks. I think we should all snuggle up and get some sleep. We woke up pretty early this morning, and we could all use a nap."
TK, amidst a fit of giggles from Kari, Tamago and Karashi, squeezed on the small couch. He then covered them in a yellow and pink blanket with the crests of hope and light emblazoned in patches along the cover.
"It won't be long now." Kari whispered to TK as the two kids drifted off to sleep.
There was no alarm. There was no fear. There was hardly any pain. Just a lot of pressure and unexplained feelings of elation, longing, and desire.
Kari slowly opened her eyes, trying to keep her breathing calm so as not to alarm the three sleeping forms around her. She knew TK would be ready, but the kids…they wouldn't know what was going on and she didn't want to scare them.
Outside the storm had subsided slightly, now a heavy shower, yet soft rumbles of thunder could still be heard reverberating throughout the sky.
She gently reached over Tamago and brushed a finger on TK's cheek. She grinned as she saw his sleeping face spread into a small grin and flush scarlet.
"TK…" She whispered softly.
The blonde slowly opened his eyes, the grin still present on his face. "Mmm…" he hummed softly.
"I'm ready." She whispered, nodding silently.
TK's eyes widened slightly. "Should I…" he began, gesturing to the sleeping boy between them.
Kari shook her head. "No. I want this to be my little secret…" She whispered, looking back at her daughter. "…Just like they had theirs."
"But, what about—"
Kari squatted down on the carpeted floor where the unused blankets and quilts lay like a nest in front of the couch. She pushed the table back to give her some room. She looked back at the couch at her husband, the feeling on longing and desire growing as much as the feeling of pressure in her waist.
TK gently stooped down to the floor in front of her. He covered the sleeping forms on the couch with the yellow and pink quilt and kissed them on the forehead. He then scooted and sat in front of Kari, who was now breathing softly and slowly in her squatting position.
They gazed into each other's eyes. TK brushed a strand of hair from Kari's face. Kari set her hand on TK's cheek, caressing it softly. They leaned in and kissed, each enjoying the other's taste.
Kari shifted in her squatting position. Her hand slowly moved in between her legs. She gave a small sigh. She slowly broke their kiss and smiled slightly. "My angel. Our child is emerging amidst our love." She whispered, taking her lover's hands.
TK gasped, a tear streaming down his face as Kari breathed slowly. "Help me…help me deliver our blessing." She cooed, her hands now joining his, trembling slightly as they felt their child's head slowly emerge.
Please… Kari pleaded please…come to me, my child. Come to me… Her body was trembling with yearning as she felt the top of the child's forehead slip out of her body. Come to me, my child. Please come…
The two sat there almost mesmerized by the event taking place. Kari let out a soft, small cry that was drowned out by a soft rumble of thunder. The child's head was now almost fully emerged.
Come to me, my child… she thought. She let out a small groan and a cry as the last parts of her child's head came out of her body.
TK looked up at her and laughed. "It's almost here, angel. It's almost here." He whispered, still supporting the child with his and Kari's interlocked hands.
Kari straightened her back and bent her knees better. She groaned and cried as she and TK gently guided and pulled their child's head, each almost instinctively knowing how much to pull, and how much to let her body do.
Hurry please, my child…come out of my body… Kari shouted in her head as elation swept her body. Her child's shoulders were now resting in her and TK's waiting hands. Finally, as though the waiting would blow her apart, she pushed softly and allowed her and TK's hands to guide their child out of her body and into the world.
"Oh, my god…" TK whispered, as he and Kari set their child on her bare stomach and chest. "It's a miracle. It's a miracle."
Kari leaned back and cried softly, her wet, sticky fingers now gently rubbing and caressing the newborn. The infant gave a gurgle and then a soft cry as TK covered them both in a blanket. The thunder rumbled slightly outside with the rain still pattering on the outside patio.
"You were our little surprise." Kari cooed to her infant, as she brought the child to her breast to nurse. "We don't even know if you're a boy or a girl, do we?" She looked lovingly at her two oldest kids sleeping on the couch. "Want to find out, daddy?"
"Sure, mommy." TK said, as he crawled back over to the two sleeping children. "Tamago, Karashi. Wake up. You got to wake up for daddy."
The two siblings groaned and sat up on the couch. "Daddy, what's the matter. I was sleeping." Karashi sighed, rubbing her eyes.
"Me too. I was having a great dream. I was Guilomon's partner! We DNA Digivolved, just like you and Uncle Cody!"
"You'll have to tell me about that later. Right now you two have to get up." TK whispered, standing in front of them, blocking their view. "I have a surprise for you two."
"What is it, daddy?"
"Where's mommy?"
"Mommy has been kinda busy." TK said, stepping aside to reveal Kari on the floor, nursing the newborn; a relaxed smile grazing her face. "Hi, kids…come meet your new playmate."
Tamago and Karashi dropped down to the floor and crawled over to their mother and new baby. "Oh, mommy! When did—"
"Just now, when you two were sleeping. I just said to myself, 'It's time', and me and daddy got down here and out it came." Kari said, her voice soft and pleasant.
"Now would you mind telling us what the new baby is?" TK asked, grinning.
"Do we tell 'em, Tamago?"
"Yeah! Let's tell 'em!"
Tamago and Karashi looked up into their parent's faces, wide grins spread on their faces. "It's a GIRL!" they both said, falling over laughing.
"Oh, I had a feeling it was a girl!" Kari sighed, gently kissing her nursing newborn on top of the head. "Hello my new baby girl."
"Oh, that's great, Kari! A really peaceful birth? You and TK caught him? Wow. Yeah, I read the articles on unassisted births. I once wrote a paper on it. Uh-huh? Yeah. Well, when the umbilical cord stops pulsing and turns white, then you can tie it off and wait until the placenta is delivered. Sure, just one push should do it. When you feel more contractions, just push with them and it should come out. Okay. All right, I'll see you two later. Bye!"
Joe slapped his phone shut and laughed as he picked up his walkie-talkie. "Kido to McKnight!"
"McKnight here, go ahead."
"Kari gave birth to a baby girl twenty minutes ago!"
"Whoa! That's great! Amazing!"
"Everything went well, according to Kari it was the most peaceful, loving experience she ever had. Baby is happy and healthy. No complications."
"That's wonderful, man. As soon as the weather clears and everything is back online here, we're going to check up on them."
"Aye, sir. Kido out." Joe said, pocketing the device. He picked up his flashlight and cell phone and began dialing. Funny, he thought as the phone rang on the other end. Usually the placenta comes out within fifteen minutes of birth…oh well.
"Hey, Tai! Guess what?"
To Be Continued…
(A/N – I did my research for this birth, and it is by far one of my personal favorites. I actually did research on it, and that's where I got the idea for it! I'll explain about it in the director's edition, which will be posted when the last chapter is finished! There's one more chapter left to go, so don't go leaving me now! We ain't done yet! Hit review and let me know what you think! Oh, and for those who want to communicate with me directly, you can find me on AIM under the screen name KhakiBlueThunder! I hope to hear from you soon!)