A/N: Hey, guys! Hope you are enjoying the last few chapters. Here is the next one with a great deal of input from our real life Marci. I hope you continue to enjoy. I am loving the reviews I'm been reading, especially the ones with all the hate for Kim hahaha.
I'm off to sob to Supernatural. Any other fans here? Ugh, my heart.
Please remember to R&R!
January 4, 2005
Angel Grove, CA
It took more figuring out where to put everyone once we were out in the parking lot but we managed to get everyone in a vehicle and heading to the hospital. It turned out that Aisha's water had broken in the bathroom and she had been in there calling for help until Rocky went to check on her. He called for an ambulance and when they arrived, they quickly rushed her off to the hospital with him in tow. Zack drove Rocky's truck to the hospital while I climbed into Jason's truck with him and Trini. Marci was riding with Adam, Billy and Tommy, something I felt would be better than making him sit with me at the moment.
At the hospital, we headed up the elevator to the maternity wing. We were instructed to wait in the family waiting room which was empty when we arrived. The nurse said she would let Rocky and Aisha know we were here and have them update us when they could. We all shoved into the waiting room, Jason bringing the now cold pizza from earlier with him. Trini found some paper towels in the bathroom and she handed out pizza to everyone. I didn't bother trying to argue, taking it instead and eating it slowly. Tommy stood on the other side of the room as me, avoiding all eye contact and speaking to no one. It seemed like the only thing we were good at these days was fighting. How on Earth were we going to raise a kid together let alone try to work on being together when we can't even get along? I know I wasn't being honest with him but he wasn't being completely honest with me either. If he can't even tell me how he really feels, what was the point of trying to build something new just to have it break and crumble again?
"Hello." A nurse said, coming into the room. We all looked up. "I'm Cindy, the midwife. Aisha is requesting to see a couple of you." She said. "Especially Kimberly, Trini, and Marci."
"Oh, really?!" Marci said, hopping up from her place between Jason and Billy. I stood as well, wiping my hands off on a napkin. Trini stepped forward and we followed behind the nurse through a set of double doors. She headed to a room on the left side of the hall, stopping to let us through. Inside, I saw that Aisha was sitting in a hospital bed. There were machines hooked up to her on her left and an IV on her right. Her feet were propped up on a pillow at the foot of her bed and I saw that she was eating a jello. She smiled, waving as we walked in.
"Hey! I'm glad you guys are here." She said. She turned and looked over at Rocky who was looking out the window. "Rocky, why don't you go see the guys for a few minutes? I'll be okay for a bit."
"You sure?" He asked. She nodded. "Alright. Just yell if you need me. And no pushing until I'm back in here."
"Of course." She said. He left the room, closing the door behind him. She sighed, resting her head against the pillow. "What happened in court?"
"He was found guilty of all charges." I replied. "They sentenced him to 25 year to life with the possibility of parole in 2030. So, hopefully, he will rot in prison the rest of his life."
"Oh, thank god." She said, giving me a huge smile filled with relief. "I told Rocky I wanted to wait to leave the courthouse until I knew what happened but he wouldn't listen. I am so happy for you, girl. Now you can move on and focus on that sweet little girl you've got growing in there."
"I sure hope so." I said, sitting in the chair next to her bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Not too bad. My contractions are iffy but they said it shouldn't be too long now since my water already broke. Rocky is a nervous wreck but I'm sure he will be fine. I'm more worried about him than me."
"$20 says he faints half way through." Marci said, sitting at the foot of the bed.
"I don't know. I think he will be able to handle it. Rocky's seen some things." Trini said, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm sure nothing he saw as a Power Ranger is going to match up to that of a baby being pushed out of his wife's vagina." Marci said. Both Aisha and Trini paused, looking at what Marci had said in surprise. Then they both turned to look at me.
"Yeah. I told her." I replied, leaning back in the chair. "I figured she could handle it."
"Welcome to our secret little club, girl." Aisha said, smiling at Marci. "Just try not to blurt stuff like that out too much. People will look at you strangely."
"Yeah, that'll be the reason why." Marci mused, shaking her head. Aisha turned her attention back to me.
"Better take some notes cause you'll be next." She said, finishing her jello and setting it on the table next to her. I saw that there was some kind of little cart with a cushion on top of it on the other side of the room, cords connected to it.
"Well, if it's as easy as you're making it look, I'm not worried at all." I replied.
"I highly suggest the epidural. I can't feel a thing." She poked her leg. "Nothing."
"I need to try one of these." Marci said, tickling Aisha's feet. She didn't even move in the slightest.
"In about ten years." I said. Trini laughed, leaning against the wall behind her.
"Make it thirty." Marci replied. "Are you scared?"
"Absolutely but I know everything will be fine. Thank you all for being here, especially for Rocky. I think he's going to need some support through this."
"That's what we're good at." Trini said. There was some beeping and Aisha winced. The machine next to her showed some movement and I could see a needle going up and down on a piece of paper.
"Another contraction. I could feel that one though. There's a lot of pressure too. Don't think we have much longer to wait." I stood up.
"Then we should get Rocky in here and let you two have some privacy." I leaned in and hugged. "Next time I see you, you'll be a Mommy!"
"God, that's crazy to hear." She said, letting me go. Marci and Trini hugged her as well.
"Be safe and remember to breathe." Trini said, patting her arm. "We will see you on the other side."
"Love you guys!" She called out as we headed out the door. We headed back into the waiting room where Rocky was standing, talking to the guys. He turned when he heard us, smiling at me.
"Hey. They just told me what happened. Good news!" He gave me a hug, squeezing tightly. When he let me go, I nodded.
"Not as good as yours! You might wanna get back in there, Daddy."
"Oh. Yeah." I saw a fine layer of tears coat his eyes and he shook his head. "God, I'm gonna cry like a bitch in there."
"That's a good thing." I said, smiling up at him. Nodding, he looked back at the group.
"Alright. I guess it's time I get back. I'll let you guys know what happens." There was a round of good luck wishing from everyone before he rang the bell to be let back in. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was nearing eight. It was going to be a long night for all of us and I wondered if I should send Marci home since she had school the next day. But just looking at her pacing the room, I knew that it wasn't going to happen. Instead, I sat down in a chair near the door and rested my head back against the wall.
"We're gonna head down to the cafeteria and see if we can't find some coffee. You guys want anything?" Adam asked as him and Billy stood up.
"Coffee sounds amazing right about now." Jason said, running a hand over his face. He stood up. "I'll come with you."
"I could use a walk." Trini said, standing as well. "Marci, you want to come along?" She asked.
"Yeah. Kim, do you want some tea?" MArci asked. I nodded.
"Sure. I'll wait here though in case something happens."
"Me too." Tommy said, surprising me as he had been silent since our arrival. Zack stood up from the couch and followed behind the group.
"I need to find some pain reliever before my head pops off my shoulders." He grumbled. The group climbed onto the elevator, leaving Tommy and I by ourselves in the waiting room. I didn't look at him, wanting to give him his space. He stood up from his chair and walked over, sitting in the one next to me.
"Safe to say that our lives are never boring." He said, leaning forward in his seat. I nodded, picking at the hem of my shirt.
"That's for sure." I dared a look at him and our eyes met. He frowned, looking away.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I know you're not being selfish and that you care about the baby. I was just angry." He said.
"I'm sorry too. I know that you are just trying to help me, Tommy. I shouldn't have said what I said and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." I shifted in my seat to turn towards him. "Tommy, I want us to work out. I want it more than pretty much anything else in my life. That's why I'm so terrified of something screwing it before we're even out of the gate. I have no clue when I'm going to be ready to try again but I don't want it to be ruined before we even get the chance."
"I know. I'm worried too. And I get it if you don't want to have me sign the birth certificate. We can find another way around it or find some other way to make sure that the baby will be protected. But I want you to know that it doesn't change the fact that no matter what, I'm going to be there for you, for Marci and for the baby. I'll do whatever I need to do to protect my girls. So, it doesn't matter if I sign that paper or not, I'm still going to treat her like my own regardless."
"I think you were right." I said, softly. "I want you to sign the birth certificate." He looked at me with surprise.
"Really?" I nodded.
"Miss Kirkland made it clear and I know that it's the best way to prevent Nick from doing anything. And after hearing his threats in court, I know I need to do anything I can to keep everyone safe. And you were right. I need to start putting the baby first instead of myself. So, you should sign the birth certificate. That is if you still want to."
"I do." He replied. "Do you want me to move out still?"
"I never said I wanted you to move out." I replied, confused.
"You told me to leave."
"No. I said you could leave if you didn't want to be there anymore. I never wanted you to move out. I enjoy having you around and I'm pretty sure Marci would murder me if I messed things up with you to that leave. Like I said before, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you want, Tommy."
"Okay." We heard a scream on the other side of the doors and I recognized it as Aisha. There was some muffled yelling followed by another scream. "Damn. Sounds rough in there."
"That is absolutely terrifying." I said, my eyes wide as I stared at the door.
"I'm glad I don't have the parts needed for all of that." Tommy replied, chuckling. I glared at him.
"Oh, ha ha. MEanwhile, I'm going to be in her shoes in just a couple months and I am growing even more scared with each scream I hear from her. It sounds so painful. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this."
"Kim, you've dealt with a lot worse things than this. I'm sure that you will be fine when the time comes."
"Says the one with the penis." I muttered, shaking my head. He laughed loudly.
"I'm just saying that if you can fall out of the Megazord, face off against monsters, break several bones at once, live through some horrible beatings I think you can survive childbirth without batting an eye."
"You think I could get Billy to create me a birthing chamber like the medical bays we had in the command center? I wouldn't mind falling asleep pregnant and waking up to it all being over and done with."
"I'm afraid that he doesn't have the power for that type of thing anymore." He replied. I sighed. "But we're all going to be in the waiting room for you just like we are now. You won't have to go through it alone. I'm sure Marci and Trini will be willing to coach you through everything."
"You don't want to be in there?" I asked. His expression softened and he raised his eyebrows.
"I didn't think you would want me to be. I figured it was more of a private thing." I snorted.
"Tommy, what part of us is private anymore? And if you're willing, I would love to have you in the room with me when she's born."
"Sounds like a date to me." He said. I laughed, scrunching my nose at him.
"I think you need to get out more." Leaning in, I rest my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me and leaned back. "I'm just glad that the trial is behind us and we can start planning for the future. There's a lot to do now and I know that it'll be easier without the idea of Nick hanging around us all the time."
"That's for sure. I'm just glad he'll be making new friends that will hopefully rearrange his face for us."
"That would be nice." The elevator doors opened again and our group returned, isolated cups and snacks in hand. Marci handed me a cup, the string of a tea bag hanging out of the side of it. She also handed Tommy a cup of coffee, something he thanked her for. She sat on the other side of him, sighing as she sipped her coffee.
"Any new yet?" She asked. I shook my head, dipping my tea bag in the boiling hot water.
"Rocky hasn't been out since before you guys left." I replied. "She's going to be okay, Marci. People have babies every day. They're going to take good care of her."
"I know. This whole thing just makes me nervous. When I was like eleven, my mom was pregnant with a little boy. She didn't know who the father was or anything but I was so excited about the idea of being a big sister. When she went into labor, I had to come to the hospital and sit with a social worker because she had no one else to watch me. Something happened and the baby ended up dying and my mom came close to going herself. I was sitting there all alone, listening to it happen. Ever since, this part of the hospital just gives me such a heavy anxious feeling. I'll feel a lot better once we're out of here."
"You can head home if you want. I'm sure someone wouldn't mind it." Tommy said. Marci shook her head, waving a hand in his direction.
"You kidding? I'm not leaving until I get to hold little Papi Chulo in my arms and I see that Aisha is fine with my own eyes."
"Papi Chulo?" I asked, laughing. "Is Aisha aware you've been calling her child that?"
"Yeah! It's a term of endearment. It means Pimp Daddy in Spanish but I think it sounds sweet when you're talking about a little baby boy!"
"Pimp Daddy?" Tommy asked. He rolled his eyes, wrapping his other arm around Marci's shoulders. "What on Earth am I going to do with the two of you?" He pulled us into his sides as he leaned back.
"No clue but you might wanna come up with a game plan soon." Marci replied. "There will be three of us soon."
"That's what I'm afraid of." The doors of the maternity wing slammed open and Rocky came sprinting out of them. Sweat was pouring down his face as he stopped in the middle of the room. We all climbed to our feet, a worried feeling growing in my chest at how sweaty and pale he was.
"Rocky, what is it?" Trini asked, worry etched into her facial features.
"He's here." He breathed, a smile breaking out onto his face. "My son is here. 9 pounds, 4 ounces. 23 inches long. Both him and Aisha are doing just fine." There was a loud cheer from our group as Marci ran forward and hugged Rocky tightly. He squeezed her, kissing the top of her head before letting go.
"Congrats, man!" Tommy said, hugging his longtime friend. "How's it feel to be a dad?"
"Better now that the nurses brought me back to consciousness. I fainted right after her first push." Rocky replied.
"You owe me $20!" Marci said, pointing towards Trini who scoffed and rolled her eyes. The rest of our group took turns congratulating Rocky who was now regaining color to his face. When it was my turn, I gave him a tight hug and a clap on the back.
"Being a Dad looks good on you, Rocko." I said, kissing his cheek. He let me go and looked down at me.
"This was the easy part. Now the next 18 years will be the hard part." He said. "I was scared before but now, I'm just glad to have him here and to be able to see Aisha with him." I could see the tears in his eyes before he quickly wiped them away.
"Why don't you get back in there and spend some time with the two of them? We can wait around here a little bit more if you need anything." He nodded.
"Right. They said they are going to get both the baby and Aisha cleaned up a bit then everyone can come in and see her quickly. They told us no at first but Aisha used her charm to convince them otherwise. I'll come grab everyone when she's ready." With a wave, he headed back inside. I sighed, smiling over at Tommy. OVerhead, there was a chiming noise. It was followed by the lullaby I had heard from my time staying in the hospital.
"Please welcome Baby Boy Matteo Khamari Campbell DeSantos into the world." A woman said softly into the intercom. The lullaby played louder now and we looked at one another. It was then that I realized our group would forever be different. Aisha and Rocky were parents now, taking on a whole new role of responsibility that none of us had done before. In a way, it seemed more terrifying than Rita, Lord Zedd and Goldar rolled into one. I also realized that I would be going into that direction myself next, only I wasn't going to have a Rocky by my side. A prickle of fear ran down my spine as I thought about it. At that moment though, Tommy reached over and took my hand in his. Looking over, I realized I wasn't going to have a Rocky. I was going to have Tommy there, no matter what.
