I do not own Warm Bodies. It's just awesome.

R and Julie: The Simple Life

(Rated T just to be safe. Birth is not pretty, you know.)

Chapter 9: Four Hours

And finally. . .

"R."

A whisper. A gentle nudge.

Nothing. He was dead to the world. Figuratively speaking, of course.

"R."

Slightly louder. Firm tapping.

R mumbled in his sleep and scratched his stomach.

Julie leaned over, close to his ear, and shook his shoulder roughly.

"R!"

He jerked awake and sat up.

"Wha. . . Julie? What? What do you need? What's wrong?"

She looked at him, clear-eyed and calm.

"R, it's time."

"Time?" he attempted to blink out his sleep, running a hand absently through his mussed dark hair. "Time for what?"

Julie smiled.

"My contractions are four minutes apart. The baby is coming."

R unconsciously glanced at her huge belly.

The baby's not going to burst out of her popped-out belly button, is it? Wait, what? Wake up, R. Okay.

Then he took a deep stabilizing breath, looking deep into her eyes.

"Okay. I'm ready. I love you, Julie."

Her smile grew and she placed a hand to his cheek.

"I love you, too, R."

He pressed her hand to his lips before kissing her mouth tenderly. He kissed the baby stomach. Then he leaped up and ran into the bathroom.

Julie watched him go curiously.

"R?" she called. "What are you doing?"

R yelled back, "I'm going to pee and brush my teeth before the baby comes!"

Julie had chosen to give birth at home. Marie served as her midwife, having temporarily moved in the week before in readiness. She had once worked as a nurse. She had also naturally delivered and nursed four children. Marie was rapidly becoming an essential part of Julie's new life. Nora assisted and provided additional support. R never left his wife's side.

Julie wore R's blue and yellow checked button up shirt he had worn when proposing to her, sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She said it smelled like him and was short enough for access during the birth.

Two soldiers stood alert outside the house with walkie talkies and prepared emergency transportation at the behest of the Colonel. John Grigio himself stayed in the house, pacing the floors, waiting. Marcus stayed with him, a quiet support. No smart or suggestive remarks. Just there.

A man needs some support when his daughter's giving birth to the offspring of a former Corpse, doesn't he? R thought, grateful for Marcus's quiet presence.

Julie walked. Julie talked to her dad, who seemed to have trouble holding up his end of the conversation. Julie sat. Julie lay on her left side. Julie walked up the stairs. Julie lay on her right side. Julie talked to Nora about Marcus, Ben, and Kevin. Julie walked down the stairs. Julie leaned on R. Julie walked the house several times over. Julie talked to Marcus about Nora, much to Nora's discontent. Julie showered and nearly scalded R to death with hot water because she insisted he be in the shower with her. Julie hummed. Julie put her hair up in a ponytail. Julie sang under her breath. Julie talked to R about music and baby names. Julie pulled the ponytail down because it annoyed her. Julie sipped water and nibbled small bites of food. Julie asked Nora to braid her hair. Julie talked to Marie about nursing and diaper rash. Julie danced to music. Sort of. Julie pulled the braid apart because it annoyed her. Julie walked some more.

It's exhausting to remain as relaxed as possible, R thought, watching her go.

As the contractions intensified, Julie breathed deep, regulating breaths. She rubbed her belly in a downward motion and leaned against R, who always stayed next to her or a step behind if his presence was becoming too irritating to her. At times, Julie asked R to massage her lower back or her shoulders. He used a softer or harder touch as requested, grateful to be of some use.

Except when she can't stand for me to touch her. Or look at her. Or breathe near her.

Occasionally, Julie needed to go to the bathroom and every time R was scared she'd birth to their baby right into the toilet. She didn't. A few times, Julie instinctively knelt on all fours to relieve her pain. R's inner idiot freaked and jumped out the window when she discovered that position. R didn't mind his departure at all.

Go quick, man. You can't handle this.

At one point, Julie insisted R remove his blue t-shirt so she could use his bullet wound scar from her father as a pain focal point. He did so, refusing to feel foolish.

Whatever Julie needs.

Then for some reason she couldn't verbalize, Julie became angry at the scar and demanded R put his shirt back on.

I'm . . . sorry?

R cooled her face, neck, and upper chest with a damp cloth. He applied warm compression to her lower back aches as she requested. When her water broke, Julie held onto her baby belly and laughed hysterically.

Our baby's gonna come flying right out here and now, R speculated.

It didn't.

After three and half very active hours, Julie felt a strong urge to push. She settled into her designated birthing spot, their bedroom. Some time ago, Nora had procured a large canvas drop cloth and a large plastic tarp to protect the floor from escaping bodily fluids. While Julie had walked the house with R and Nora shadowing her, Marie had arranged these items and otherwise prepared the room. Clean towels and other necessities lay at the ready. The bathroom was prepped and available for the post birth cleaning of mother and child.

It was game time.

Please help me be strong enough to take care of Julie, R prayed.

R placed himself in front of Julie and offered her his body for support. She gripped his forearms tightly and he gripped hers to provide extra balance. Marie positioned herself to safely catch the baby. Nora, near her, stood ready to assist.

Downstairs, Colonel John Grigio continued to wear down the floorboards, anxious step by anxious step. Marcus watched him and stayed with him, unable to think of a single thing to say. Truly a first in the world of Marcus.

When a pushing sensation hit her, Julie groaned, teeth gritted. She tried to relax and imagine her baby on a water slide. She pressed her weight forward and down, squatting instinctively. To compensate for their height difference, R went down to his knees in front of her, once again offering up his body for her support.

Dimly, he realized Nora was resetting his knees on a folded towel for comfort. Julie repositioned her hands on his shoulders for better balance and R gripped her arms to support and ground her. As she lowered herself deeper into the push, she pressed her forehead to his, groaning in pain.

R never realized it, but he mirrored his laboring wife's movements during this final stage. When she pushed her forehead into his, he pushed back into hers. When she clenched her hands into his shoulders, he pressed back on her forearms. When she gritted her teeth, he gritted his. When she squeezed her eyes shut, he did the same. He unconsciously moved with her, his entire being focusing on her and what she was doing. Pretty much the way he had always done.

Sometimes, with their foreheads pressed together, Julie stared deep into his clear blue eyes. She tried to lose her pain inside them. R locked his gaze right onto hers, trying to take the pain from her and into himself. He tried. He couldn't. But he tried. Their sweat mingled together and ran down, mixing with all the other fluids neither of them paid any heed to.

Between contractions, R helped her lower gently to the floor to rest her weary muscles. He wiped the moisture from her body with a soft cloth. He gave her small sips of water. He whispered quiet reassurances into her ears. He stroked her damp hair and kissed her forehead. He prayed silently for her and their baby. When the contractions came too fast to lay down, Julie simply held onto him. He took her weight and never complained, not even his head.

When the baby crowned, Julie pushed with all her might. Her eyes squeezing shut, face contorting terribly, and a scream ripping from her throat through her clenched teeth. Tears coursed down her face. R thought she was going to die and experienced a moment of sheer terror. For a split second he hated the baby.

Stop hurting my wife!

Julie braced herself, dug her hands painfully into R's shoulders, and pushed again with all her remaining strength. Marie caught the baby as it slipped out. Julie sagged bonelessly, gulping in huge breaths of air. R caught her in his trembling arms and cradled her precious, exhausted body against his. Her arms slid weakly around his neck as she buried her face in his throat and wept quietly in relief.

Nora quickly severed the cord and Marie nodded that the baby was clear. R carefully lowered Julie to the floor, stretched her out, and placed a folded towel under her head. Nora covered her body with a blanket to ease her tremors. Julie's eyelids fluttered and she smiled wanly behind closed eyes. R laid down on his side next to her and tenderly caressed her hair and face.

His whole world shrank to singular sound of his baby crying loudly. Julie opened her weary sky blue eyes and looked toward the sound. After cleaning and checking that all vitals were normal, Marie wrapped the child in a blanket and gently placed the newborn between R and Julie. The new parents cried happily together over their little baby, kissing and stroking the soft face and damp hair.

"It's a boy."

Yes, that is correct. Julie is Superwoman.

Thanks to Vicky Detos for all your sweet reviews!