Deviating from The Norm Chapter 2: This is not a Drill, a thomas the tank engine fanfic

Author's Notes:

Fandom: Thomas And Friends (In this story, any character's present are in a humanized state.)

Fan-fiction: Deviating from The Norm - Chapter 2: This is not a Drill

Pairings: EdwardxJames

Warning: Yaoi and Trans-MPreg. Please read Deviation before you begin reading this fan-fiction for context and continuity.

James could only hold Edward's hand when they strolled together, as opposed to having his arm around his waist. The bump weighed Edward's slender frame down but he wouldn't be aided. He kept himself as upright as he could, in the hopes that his top would ride up a little, showing his belly wasn't a pillow or a balloon, and this wasn't a hoax. Even if it was perceived to be a prank, no one saw the funny side. The sneers of rejection from other visitors and patients to the Liverpool Women's were even more damaging to the couple's pride, given that they were here for the same reasons. This whole process had made Edward feel so alienated from the norm, almost as much as when he was transitioning to the man he knew was meant to be. His exterior bore the impression he now wanted to make upon the world, bar the bump.

James was becoming increasingly agitated when he couldn't spot Victor in the main vicinity of the maternity ward. He knew they were coming. He knew the circumstances and all of the above. Why was he leaving them so exposed, knowing those circumstances? "Eddie, where the frig' is he?"

"He's probably been called to an emergency or something. He's booked us in, they know we're coming," Edward groggily replied, dragging James over to the receptionist. He pulled back slightly, indicating for Edward to sit down in the waiting area while he went up and dealt with the formalities. They shared a gentle kiss as James helped Edward set himself down, so he didn't fall too quickly. He left the impromptu birthing-bag by Edward's side and sauntered as casually as he could over to reception.

He caved in a little when the lady they'd last encountered at the hospital wasn't sat where she had been. A much older woman sat in her place, with a look of disinterest ruining her face as she stared at her monitor. James answered as chirpily as he could, hoping she would reciprocate the mood, "Hiya love. We rang in before. My… um, partner's waters have broken but he's…they're having no contractions." He chose his words carefully.

She looked up with a sweet smile, "Hiya love. What's the name?"

James felt a little more at ease, "Um, Edward Sharp-Stuart." The receptionist's eyes widened a little as she typed so James quickly continued. Perhaps, the more he told, the more feasible it might seem, "We rang Victor before we came. We're friends with him, you see? He said he'd book us in."

"Honey," James' felt his teeth twinge when he grit them together, the tone of her voice demeaning and insulting, "We are one of the busiest maternity wards in Europe. We don't have the time or the room for these kinds of pranks."

"Are you taking the piss?" James spat. It was like a reflex, with the speed of it.

"Shit," Edward hissed, bringing himself over to the counter as fast as he could hobble. Hopefully, he could clarify and change the receptionists perception of what was more important than a four letter word, "No, sorry. Listen hun, I'm trans-gender. I've not had sex-reassignment surgery or anything like that. I am pregnant…" He trailed off as the receptionist spoke over him.

"Guy, guys, the joke's still on you. You're not in the system. Please leave."

"No, we…" Edward didn't like to think that Victor had forgotten to do what he promised. But, he'd also promised to meet them in the reception and get them out of sight as soon as possible, for their sake.

"Well, can you admit him?" James urged, before Edward was just about ready to take his leave and head back home.

"This is a women's hospital," She sighed, moving back to her previous task.

"He's got a vag', what more do you want?" James gestured towards the aforementioned area.

"James," Victor called, "Why is it that whenever I join your conversations, you're almost always talking about the female genitalia?" His interruption was a godsend to Edward; he genuinely didn't know where that conversation would have gone and he didn't really want to. "Honestly, Edward, are you sure he's gay?"

"Well, it is debatable," Edward quipped, referring to his bump.

Victor gave Edward a brief look, "Wow, you're looking great, given the twins," Edward took it for a compliment. He was rather impressed; he evidently knew what he was talking about as he hadn't told Victor he was carrying twins (they'd kept it short and sweet over the phone, panicking a little). "Annette, he is on the roster. Get him admitted," Victor spoke firmly to the receptionist.

She had a quick glance at James, biting her lip from his triumphant expression, "He isn't on there. I've already tried."

"I did pu-…" Victor paused for a moment, then hissed at his reaction and how unjustified it was, "No, nope. That's my fault. Elise, it's Elise Sharp-Stuart you're looking for." He went to put his arm around Edward's shoulder but he looked a little sore, so Victor gestured for them to follow him.

James gave a subtly pissed-off Edward a nudge, whose low gaze flipped between him and Victor. Now, James was pissed off, "Victor, why did you use Edward's old name?"

He was quick to defend himself, "I'm so sorry. I thought it was the computer being picky and not letting me change his name. But, Eddie, you had your double mastectomy before you changed your name, and you've not been to hospital since so you've not had a chance to tell them, and I need official docs anyway." He meant no ill on Edward's pride. They all knew that. The fact that Victor seemed to go above and beyond what might have been necessary redeemed him as well.

They finally stopped in front of a door at the far end of a corridor, shrouded from the main bustle of the maternity ward by a wall. Edward appreciated how secluded it was but he was still not intending to stay.

James took the liberty of following Victor into the room, gently tugging Edward by the arm behind him. Victor stood to one side and let them survey the space. Edward's gaze ricocheted across the room but his expression was stiff, contorted into a scowl. It was okay. The only thing wrong was the location, the fact that his bed wasn't there and neither was Hiro and he wasn't having any contractions. It was hard to put it into perspective, considering what he and James had been through to get here but it still wasn't enough.

"Now, do you want to get yourself settled?" Victor gestured towards the birthing-bag. James nodded, pulling Edward over to the bed and helping him hoist himself and a full-term set of twins up onto it. He unpacked the bag and slid Edward's favorite pair of pajamas that he had so lovingly packed onto his lap. He'd hoped that would make him feel a little more comfortable. Edward recognized them, even with his bump obstructing them a little. He gave James a weak smile but figured that he deserved something more. He went in for a quick peck on the lips as Victor spoke gently, "Is there anything you have in your birth plan that I should know about?"

"Not really," Edward said as plainly as he could. He didn't want to seem rude. Of course, he had no doubt that Victor knew how to deliver a baby but there was no way he was doing anything to compromise his dignity. Hiro had for weeks but he was their intended midwife for their intended home-birth and Edward was used to it by now. Plus, they were paying him to do it.

"Okay," Victor droned, appreciating how uncomfortable Edward must feel. He wanted to make him feel as at ease as he could, "Do you need anything, like a yoga ball or-?"

"Fuck, no," Edward chuckled halfheartedly. It had only been a few hours and he was looking back and laughing.

A few hours earlier:

"Open your eyes!" Thomas chirruped. Edward could hear his feet tapping in anticipation, along with a strange, heavy, rubber-on-wood sound. He opened his eyes before it left too much up to the imagination.

"Ta-dah!" Percy used his jazz-hands to attract Edward's attention towards him, more specifically, what he was sitting on: a yoga ball.

Edward snorted, pleasantly surprised, "Oh! Boys, whoa! How did you…?"

"It's good for labor," Percy proudly proclaimed. Donald and Douglas were sat on the nearby couch, and only partially engrossed in their puzzle-solving game. They raised an eyebrow each, unimpressed and wanting a little more explanation from Percy before they intervened; they were two encyclopedias-worth of (potentially) useless knowledge, "Opens up your pelvis…" He cautiously gestured, looking to Thomas for clarification.

"We did some research," Thomas nodded at the twins, who had already given Percy a wink of approval.

"Tha' house needed one anyway," Donald gave Douglas a nudge.

"They ordered a second one so we can play Collision," Douglas responded plainly, still engrossed in a particularly taxing section of the game.

"Obviously, when you're a lil' more able," Donald gestured towards Edward's bump.

Edward found Donald's choice of words a little insulting, "I'm pregnant, I'm not an invalid." He coupled his statement with lifting himself from the couch without any aid, though he had to shuffle forward on his seat a little and arch his back at a cringe-worthy angle to balance himself.

"Do you want to try it?" Percy eagerly scrambled to his feet, the yoga ball almost tripping him up.

"Of course!" But first, Edward pulled them both in for a hug, either side of his bump. The boys didn't quite know where to put their hands, not wanting to rest them on the twins in case they hurt them or Edward. The detached set of twins giggled at how uncomfortable it looked, to which Percy and Thomas quickly removed themselves before Edward figured out what they were laughing at.

His descent onto the yoga ball was enough to set them off again but even Edward found it funny. He stuck one of his arms out behind him and flailed his hand in an attempt to find the ball and steady it so he could sit down, all while trying to support two full-term twins tugging at his midriff.

The struggle was hilariously painful to watch, so Donald volunteered himself and Douglas, who was still preoccupied with a seemingly impossible puzzle, "Boys, hold the ball, we'll get Eddie." He nudged his twin.

"Donald, don't. I think I've got this," He stubbornly continued, vigorously tapping at the screen of their handheld console.

"Douggie, Stamp Stumper can wait. You cannae deny to help a pregnant man in need."

"That's a puzzle in itself," Douglas reluctantly closed the console and felt immediately relieved to be rid of the puzzle (for now). The twins smoothly linked arms with Edward, who giggled at their over-exaggerated sincerity. Thomas and Percy kept a foot each against the yoga ball to keep it steady.

"And dip!" They all said in unison and (bar Thomas and Percy) squatted until Edward was finally resting on the ball.

"Oh..." Edward, keeping two hands on his bump, gently rocked his hips, his aches and pains melting away, "That's actually really nice!" He nodded at the two younger boys, both looking very smug.

"Aye, really? Well," Douglas nudged his twin. When he had his attention, he gestured towards Edward's hips, checked to make sure they both had the quip in mind and then sung, simultaneously with Donald, "Your hips don't lie!"

"Oh!" Edward joined in with the twins' pun, chuckling at their observation. Thomas and Percy found it funny too, also astounded at how much energy Edward had, despite his tiring burden.

"Ah well, stay on that, that'll get you in tah' labor," Donald winked encouragingly.

"I can't stay on it all day! I've got baby-fat to work off and food to treat myself to afterwards," Edward tried to shift himself off the ball, attempting to balance himself and his abdomen. Trying to hide his struggle, he carried on talking, "Besides, I'm due today anyway so I might make it there under my own steam." His last words sounded a little strained as he shifted into a position the babies weren't particularly fond of and they let him know with a kick to both ends of his bump (they were 'topping and tailing', a prime position so Edward didn't need a C-Section to deliver them).

"Aye," Donald rushed over to help him, as did Douglas.

"You might," Douglas wrapped Edward's arm around his shoulders and out his own around his waist to give him his full support. When Donald did the same, they finally had the balance to bring him up comfortably. It took his own weight off his hands, giving Edward a chance to relax, a little too much for the boys to handle. But the yoga ball was there to cushion the short drop so they had a chance to get a grip.

It was a good thing that Edward was back and balanced on the ball before the twins swiftly pulled away to avoid getting wet.

The rush of the fluid gave him goose bumps. He was so dazed by the embarrassment, he couldn't comprehend what was being said around him.

Percy gasped, "Does that mean 'the babies are on their way?'" He tugged Thomas' arm excitedly, who was also a little giddy.

"No, no, no…" Donald uttered, not in reply to Percy but at the severity of the situation.

"Eddie," Douglas knelt beside Edward, rubbing his back for what little comfort he could provide, "You're not having any contractions, are you?" He didn't know why he'd asked; Edward's face was enough to tell anyone that something was wrong. It certainly wasn't the apprehension of labour. He had a high-pain threshold, from what he'd told them.

"No," Edward whimpered, biting his lip.

"Not even like, a little twinge?" Donald probed but received a blunt shake of the head, "Anything?"

Edward shook his head sharply, "Shit."

"Shit indeed," The twins chorused.

The Present Day:

"Oh, okay," Victor chuckled to try and lighten everyone's mood, "No then, no to the birthing ball."

"And then," Edward continued, a little ticked off as he'd been interrupted, "The twins rang the midwife and he said I had to come here. Did I have to come here?" He lazily gestured.

"Hiro's your midwife Edward, he has been these nine months. Do you not trust him?"

"No, I…" Edward groaned. Hiro just didn't give him the answer he wanted to hear with the same foolish optimism he had.

"He's not told you that you have to come here to purposefully make you feel uncomfortable. He knows that you don't want to be here as much as I do. I understand, I get it."

"But you don't! You don't…" Edward whined, shaking his hands in exasperation with every flick resonating his sharp tone.

"I do," He tapped Edward's thigh, " How many women do you think walk through those doors, claim they're going to do it au natural and then, five hours later, they're begging for epidural? Some come in and want one straight away but I have to tell them it's too late and they're too far along. Plans change all the time. Every labor is different."

James concurred with a nod towards Victor. He nudged Edward, urging him to take some solace in Victor's words. He tried. He really did, "It's just not fair."

Victor sighed, "I know. I know. But, just, think about it Edward. You have had a dream pregnancy, considering you're chocked up full of testosterone. Your twins are small but they're healthy which is great news for you." Victor gestured casually towards the same taboo area James had before which Edward found quite funny, "I mean, come on, I've already said this but you do look great."

"You do look amazing, and you actually have The Glow," James quickly butt in with a defensive peck to Edward's cheek, not that Victor had implied that he didn't say it enough.

There was a small smile from Edward and he gave in as James pulled him into his chest with his arm around him. Victor still sensed a little tension as Edward's eyes darted around the room, taking a particular interest in the machines that would, of course, look frightening to those who didn't know what they were for. His eyes widened as they passed over the fetal heart monitor. At that point, Victor decided that the panicking wasn't good for the mother (or the father) or the twins, "Okay, Edward, how about a compromise?" That wasn't the right word to use, really. What Victor was about to suggest was in everyone's best interests and Edward would be wise to take it, "I'm going to ask that you stay in overnight."

"Well, that was inevitable," Edward sighed. He sounded a little less disappointed than Victor had expected but, then again, he was preoccupied. Victor cocked his head, noticing him pressing his hands against his back.

"Hey, hold on. The babies are definitely ready to come. They're giving your back grief?"

"Babes, do you want me to…?" James rolled his wrists. He halted Edward before he had a chance to move and shifted himself so he was behind him. He slid his shirt up a little and then began to knead the muscles of Edward's back with his knuckles.

Victor smiled warmly, "Very good James. Good to know that you've been doing your research."

"Yeah," The couple both smirked. They were nothing if not prepared (for most things). Edward let his head roll back with the weight of his thoughts, on what they were supposed to do now. Victor was prepared though.

"Anyway, I want you here on a strict labour-inducing routine. I'm talking lots of strolls, lots of eating weird foods, all of the above, to see if we can get your contractions to kick in naturally."

Edward complimented Victor by looking at him as he spoke, "And if they do, I can-."

"You can go home."

"Woo, thank god," He sank into James' chest, finally relaxing.

James didn't reciprocate the mood, "And if nothing happens…?" He said, as a matter of fact.

"James," Edward moaned, "We can wait."

"No," Victor shook his head solemnly, "No, I'm going to have to put you on Pitocin. These twins will need to start coming. You're full-term and twins are usually born early anyway. They're healthy enough and there's no room for them to grow anymore."

"So, when the Pitocin has got me into labour, I can go?" Edward was persistent. He certainly wasn't counting on keeping himself or the twins here for another night.

"I…um," Victor hesitated. It may take some gentle persuasion (or some deceit) to get Edward discharged in the midst of his labor but this case was exceptional so, maybe, an exception could be made, "We'll see how consistent your contractions are." Again, maybe that wasn't the right word to use (when contractions get more intense and closer together) but the couple nodded in acknowledgement. Victor was impressed by how much they already knew. The same level of preparation from all expectant mothers (and fathers) would be beneficial to them and to him.

"Alright. Okay. So," Edward wafted away James hands from his back and maneuvered himself off the bed without toppling over, "What first?"

"Curry?" James confidently stated, following suit.

"I'm impressed, James," Victor chuckled, "They're great for getting you into labor. The canteen do a great curry. I nip up and get you one."

"Oh no, Victor, it's okay. I'll get it," Edward shook off his gesture, his words spiked with determination, "I need the walk. It'll help."

"Are you sure Edward? I can't imagine that everyone out there is going to be as open-minded as Annette," He quipped.

"Have you got a wig?" Edward really had brightened up.

"Ah, are you going to shave as well?" James knocked his partner's chin up with his finger.

Edward rubbed his cheeks, his stubble prickling his hands. It was still a fairly surreal sensation, "Oh dear…" Cross-dressing wasn't the answer.

"Eddie, start pacing and have a think about it, and I'll ring Emily."

Author's Note:

I really didn't want Edward to have a relatively 'normal' birth, let alone, a cliched one. It really gets on my tits when I see how childbirth is regularly portrayed in today's films and T.V. shows because I know from wanting to be a midwife not too long ago and doing a little digging that it's far from the truth. That's why I'm getting an awful lot of gratification from writing this fan-fiction and sharing it with you. Edward's birth is going to be real and gritty, but not without the uncommon complications James addressed in the previous chapter.

Please leave an in-depth review if you have the time, while this is something I've wanted so to desperately share with you for a while. I would love more than a 'I like this.' Tell me why you liked it and even better, anything you think I could improve upon.