Chapter 8
"In and out Ken-san, easy now."
"I…can…breathe…without…your…instruction…Megumi-dono…" Kenshin's voice came out haltingly, ground out in between pants. The contractions had sped up to about 6 minutes or so apart, and they were about 45 seconds long each.
Kaoru was still keeping Kenshin's body upright, and she was holding his hand reassuringly. He was currently keeping his chin down, breathing quickly through dry lips. The hand not holding Kaoru's was clenching in the blanket covering his body.
Kyla came forward slowly, staying back and giving Megumi the space she needed. She was anxious, but not too worried. She knew that Megumi would take good care of him.
Kenshin had become a little more irritable in the last 8 hours, into 6 at night. His temper was growing shorter as time wore on, and all in the room were treading a bit more softly around him.
Kenshin let out a sigh of relief, hand pressing to his belly. "It's stopped for now."
Megumi, still in her position between Kenshin's legs, backed up and pulled down the blanket. "About 9 centimeters. Only a little bit longer now Ken-san and you'll be ready to deliver this baby."
Kaoru raised some water to Kenshin's lips, and he gratefully sipped it slowly. Sweat was slowly darkening the rurouni's hair and yukata, but it wasn't progressing too quickly. Sano and Yahiko were currently eating in the kitchen. The two had offered to bring them something to eat, but all of them had refused. They wanted to stay with Kenshin.
Kenshin's head fell back against Kaoru's shoulder, his eyes closing in weary. He was tired, but he knew the worst was yet to come. But 8 hours was a long time, and Kenshin was more than ready for this to be over, but he knew that he wouldn't think that when it was actually time for the birth to begin.
Kaoru hummed softly in his ear, and his eyes began to grow heavy. Kaoru smiled as his head fell to the side, resting against her neck. She had been humming him to sleep in the short intervals between contractions to help him rest up for the birth, and so far it was still working.
Kyla smiled at the couple. "You're doing this really well Kaoru. I'm proud of you."
She smiled back at the older woman. "I know that Kenshin can do this, I have no doubt in him. I just wish I had been given a chance."
Megumi chuckled. "No doubt you'll get your chance Kaoru, knowing what kind of woman you are. Either you'll tell Kenshin you want another child, or it will just happen."
Kaoru blushed, knowing full well what the woman was implying. She occupied herself with twisting the fingers of her free hand in Kenshin's long red hair, now tied in a high topknot to keep it off of his neck. She loved seeing Kenshin with his hair up like that; it made him look so much better in her opinion. It was just plain sexy, even though his face was currently flushed and glistening lightly with sweat.
Kenshin suddenly came to with a soft yelp, bending forward and hugging at his stomach with one arm. Megumi carefully wiped sweat from his brow with a soft cloth, murmuring words of instruction to him. She knew that Kenshin would reprimand her again, but she couldn't help it.
To her surprise Kenshin said nothing, merely continued to breathe deeply and evenly. His face was scrunched in pain, and all of the women knew it was taking all of his will power to contain another cry of pain.
He finally settled down, although his breathing was still rough. Kaoru knew there would be no more humming him to sleep.
Indeed, within 2 more minutes Kenshin gritted his teeth and squeezed at Kaoru's hand, which she had allowed him to hold onto for reassurance.
Megumi gently pushed his knees apart again, and then frowned slightly. "It is time."
Kaoru sucked in her bottom lip, nervous already. Kenshin sighed, gathering his strength for what he knew was coming. As Megumi had said earlier, the pressure on Kenshin's hips had grown stronger, and he knew that it was time for the baby to be born. Megumi positioned herself, and then looked at Kenshin.
"Alright Ken-san, now the contractions should slow to about 4 minutes apart. Every time you feel a contraction I want you to push. Don't try to strain yourself to much, I don't want you hurt." She looked to Kyla. "I've taught you the breathing exercises Kyla, please help him with that."
Kyla nodded, moving forward to sit on Kenshin's other side, gently taking his free hand with her own. He squeezed it softly.
Kenshin suddenly brought his chin to his chest, straining his muscles. Megumi called out steadily. "Easy Ken-san! Alright, enough, breathe, in, out."
Kenshin did as she said, easing his grip on Kyla and Kaoru's hands. The two looked down to where Megumi was, and she looked up at them. "Alright Ken-san, 3, 2, 1, push!"
With a cry Kenshin did as he was told, flinging his head back when Megumi finally told him to ease up. Kaoru was surprised at how quiet he was; although some part of her had known he would be quiet.
Megumi smiled at them. "I can see the head Ken-san, you're doing wonderfully. Get ready…push!"
Kenshin sucked in a breath, and then threw his strength into it. Kaoru could almost see the clenching on his stomach muscles and she heard Megumi's cry. "Easy Ken-san!"
Kenshin looked down at her wearily; sweat beginning to stream down his face again. Kyla gently wiped it away as Megumi worriedly worked. "The cord is wrapped around the child's neck, that's why he went into premature labor," the lady-doctor said. She cleared the baby's nose and mouth of mucus, and then saw the beginnings of another contraction. "Push Ken-san!"
Kenshin pushed, letting out a groan of frustration. Kaoru whispered encouraging words into his ear as Megumi smiled up at him. "The hardest part is nearly over Kenshin." She dropped the honorific she had always attached on his name, but Kenshin hardly noticed. "Once we're past the shoulders this will all be a lot easier."
Kenshin nodded when he heard this, so she would know he understood. He didn't need her consent this time; he brought his chin to his chest, letting out a scream of pain. Kaoru nearly shuddered. She had never heard this sound from her husband before, and it was slightly frightening.
Kenshin was thinking firmly that next time that they were expecting a child; Kaoru was going to carry it. This was too much work for the rurouni, he would much rather deal with sword wounds than go through labor and birth again.
Outside the room Yahiko was cringing at the sounds coming from within, and Sano was pacing worriedly as though he were the father of the child coming into the world.
Yahiko flinched when Kenshin's scream pierced the air, glancing fearfully at the door to the room. "Man, am I glad that we never have to deal with that."
Sano nodded in full agreement. "You can say that one again."
They were both interrupted by the high thin wail of a child, the first cry from a baby. Sano's face broke into a wide smile, and Yahiko pumped a fist in the air. "Alright Kenshin!"
Megumi carefully cut the cord connecting child to father, taking the baby away to be cleaned and wrapped in a blanket. Kaoru wiped Kenshin's sweaty face, kissing his forehead gently. "I'm so proud of you anata, you did wonderful."
Kenshin smiled at her, closing his eyes tiredly. "I'm just glad it's over koishii, though I would gladly do it again if need be."
Kyla chuckled. "I'll bet you wouldn't be saying that if you were in the middle of the birth."
Kenshin chuckled. "Iie, I wouldn't onee-san. Arigatou for being here with me."
Kyla waved a hand. "It was my honor Shinta. I would have given anything to be here for the birth of your first child, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to do so."
At that time Megumi came back, handing Kenshin a blanket-wrapped bundle. "Congratulations Ken-san. You've got a beautiful little boy that looks just like his daddy."
Kenshin ran violet eyes over a tuft of fire-red hair on the baby's head, and curious blue-violet eyes that stared back at him curiously. He couldn't help the tears that began to stream down his cheeks as he looked at his little boy. "Our son…" he murmured, looking up at Kaoru.
His wife also had tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at this little miracle. "What do you want to name him anata?"
Kenshin thought a moment. "Kenji."
Kyla smiled. "Path of the sword. Perfect, with his family history. I'm sure he'll grow up to be a fine swordsman."
Kenshin kissed the tiny child's forehead gently, leaning back against Kaoru. "Hai, I'm sure he will." With that he passed into sleep, physically and mentally exhausted from the day and night's events.
Kenji Himura, born 6:36 on July 14, 1879.
Now that's just a guessed time that I made up, but it follows the timeline I've given in this story. I don't know Kenji's actual birthdate, so I'm going to go with this. Hope you liked it, even though it was a bit boring.