Shane shut the door quietly and followed the nurse.
"Please," he begged her. "Just tell me what's wrong with my son."
It was about an hour later. Mitchie now slept peacefully in her bed. Shane was very tired, but he forced himself awake.
"Well…" The nurse sighed and adjusted her glasses. "He…he wasn't breathing. And his heart rate was too low."
Shane sucked in a breath. "How?" was the only thing he said.
"That depends. Did your wife go through extreme stress while carrying him? Perhaps during the first six months?"
Shane bit his lip.
Yes.
Yes, she had.
"Yes," Shane whispered, looking down. "She…she was kidnapped. I don't know if you…saw the stories but he…he…" He bit off, clenching his hands tightly, as well as his teeth.
The nurse nodded. "Yes. That may have done something."
Shane nodded. "But…how is he now?"
"Better," the nurse said. "He's on oxygen, and his heart rate is slowly climbing."
"When can I see him? When can we see him?" he corrected.
"I don't know. I can go and check."
"Please!"
"Yes, sir." The nurse ran off and Shane slumped against the wall.
He groaned.
The door of Mitchie's room opened and Nate peeked out. "Shane, she's awake," he said quietly. "And she wants you."
"'Kay," Shane muttered, getting up.
He went promptly to her bed. She smiled at him. "I'm hungry," she announced.
Shane stroked her cheek. "I think your gonna have to wait on that," he said softly.
Mitchie nodded.
Their friends silently slipped out. Shane didn't blame them if they went home. Elora was half asleep in Jason's arms. She was not a night person. Caitlyn and Nate just seemed tired.
"How is…the baby?" Mitchie asked.
"I don't know, actually," Shane sighed. "The nurse said he's better but I really don't know."
Mitchie nodded. "You look tired," she observed.
"So do you," Shane said.
"Yeah." Mitchie yawned quietly behind her hand.
"Sleep now," Shane encouraged. "I'll wake you if there is any change."
"I'm fine," she tried to insist, before falling back asleep.
Shane stared at the little bundle in the nurse's arms. He felt weak all over.
He slowly held out his (shaking) arms. "Please," was all he said.
The blonde nurse smiled at him, and gently passed the sleeping mini person to Shane. His mouth dropped open to the floor.
"M…Matthew," he whispered.
In his arms slept the tiniest, cutest, angelic little child Shane had ever seen. His nose was exactly like Mitchie's, only mini-sized. A little bit of dark hair, closer to Shane's but lighter, sprouted from his head.
As Shane watched, the child yawned (so cute!) and opened his deep brown eyes. Shane felt staggered, like he'd just been holding his breath for an hour.
"Can…can I take him?" he whispered. "To Mitchie?"
"Of course." The nurse held open the nursery door and Shane stumbled, thought Matthew was never safer.
He didn't notice, as the nurse led him down the hall, that his friends were all sitting on the wooden benches outside the hallway. Caitlyn and Elora leaped up, but their husbands pulled them back down in a single motion, shaking their heads silently.
The nurse opened Mitchie's door and woke her up. Shane stood outside, staring at little Matthew, while Matthew studied him back.
"Miss Torres-Gray?" the nurse asked. "Shane would like to show you something."
Shane gulped, then stepped quietly into the room. Mitchie's eyes widened.
"Oh!" she gasped.
Nate, Caitlynn, Elora, and Jason were peering in from the door. Mitchie waved them in before Shane gently put the tiny boy in her arms.
Mitchie let the tears fall as she stared down at the baby. "Oh my god," she whispered.
Everyone crowded in. For a second, e everyone was silent.
Then the exclamations began.
"Ohmigod he's soooo cuute! Congrats!"
"Why's he so tiny?"
"Start him on the music listening ASAP."
"Awwwww!!"
Shane felt so blissfully happy he couldn't speak.
Then….he fainted.
Everyone looked at their fallen friend. Mitchie leaned over the bed and sighed. "Oh, Shane…"
"I'm on it," Nate shrugged, leaning over the bed to press the little red button on the wall.
"Yes?" the high pitched voice asked.
"Can we get some smelling salts in here? My best friend fainted."
"Uhhhh…..okay…."
"Thank you!"
And everyone went back to looking adoringly at Matthew.
YAY COMPUTER FIXED!! YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAY! Omg I spent like two hours reading my emails…..oi….