The hospital staff was on wits end from one Scottish woman who wanted more then anything to lose the extra pounds that had been in her stomach for the past nine months. Flint, with Ace and Nancy, who drove like lightening, not to mention, received two speeding tickets in the process while taking Jaye to the hospital. The staff covered their ears from the Gaelic screams and words that dominated the quiet hospital. The nurse placed the call to Dr. McCoy and put the Pediatric Unit on standby.
In the room, Flint paced back and forth, waiting for another contraction, glancing at the machine every two seconds. On the second bed in the room, Nancy sat with Ace, waiting. Jaye rested comfortably, for the moment, in the bed, glancing at her husband, who looked ready to faint, again!
"Dash, you are making me dizzy," Nancy told him, leaning against her husband, her left hand holding his, while her index finger gently touched his wedding band.
Flint stopped pacing and raked his hair with one hand. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "Does anyone need anything?" He glanced from the couple to his wife. "Allie? How you feeling?"
"I'm fine for now," Jaye answered.
"Dash, you should rest while you've got the chance," Ace pointed out.
"No, I'm fine," Flint replied to the air pilot, starting to pace once again in the room.
Nancy shook her head. "Stubborn Faireborn," she muttered.
Jaye started to get a little more uncomfortable and after a little bit Flint's pacing started to rake on her nerves. "Dash, sit down!!!"
"I would do what she says," Ace told him.
Dr. McCoy came in. "Well I see our little bundle wants to make its presence in the world."
"Everything looks all right, Henry?" Flint asked, while he continued to pace.
"Well, so far everything looks fine. We will be monitoring everything closely because of the size of the baby," the doctor told him.
Jaye rubbed her stomach as another contraction hit. They weren't extremely strong yet.
"Thank you, Henry," Flint said. He stopped for a second to shake hands with the old family friend and then started to pace once again.
"I'm going to throw a pillow at him soon," Nancy whispered to her husband.
"Dash, stop it!" Jaye growled at him as the doctor left. "You're not helping."
"I'm sorry, Allie," Flint replied, stopping for a few minutes and placing a hand on her head, stroking her hear. "I'm just nervous." He bent down, kissed her forehead, and then resumed pacing.
Nancy looked at her brother, studying him carefully. He looked nervous, maybe slightly more then nervous, almost scared. He kept walking from the beds to the door, back and forth, non-stopping. Her eyes traveled with him, watching his face, seeing his eyes turn from worry to fear to back to worry. She shook her head, finding herself dizzy from his pacing.
Jaye let out a cry of pain. "Why the hell do you keep pacing?!"
Ace pulled Nancy closer to him.
Flint stopped suddenly and went by his wife's side. "Is the contraction stronger? Should I get Henry?"
Jaye grabbed a hold of his pants and in the process pulled the hair on his leg.
"Ow!" Flint cried out, wincing from the pain.
"Allie, should I get Henry?" Nancy asked, now becoming nervous herself.
"I think you should," Ace said pointing towards the fetal monitor. The heart rate seemed to be going up and down.
"Dash...I can't do this," Jaye said as the contraction started to end.
"You did it before, and you can do it again," Flint assured his wife. He gently stroked her hair.
Nancy looked at the monitor and nodded to her husband. She jumped off the bed and rushed out of the room.
Dr. McCoy was standing at the nurses desk updating Jaye's chart.
"Henry!" Nancy cried out to him, making the man jump from her loud voice. She rushed to the old family friend. "It's Allie."
"What is it, Nancy?" Dr. McCoy asked as he put both his hands on her shoulders. Before she could say anything the monitor alarm went off at the nurses station. He looked over at it. "Amy," he said to the nurse. "Have OR prepped and get pediatrics up here." He then rushed to the room and over to Jaye. He checked her vitals and had a worried look on his face.
Jaye looked to Flint. He could see the fear in her eyes.
"Henry?" Flint asked, taking his wife's hand with his. "Is still everything all right?"
Nancy walked back into the room and sat next to her husband.
"The baby is in distress. It cannot handle the labor. We are going to have to take it," the doctor told them.
"No," Jaye said.
"Do what you need to do, Henry," Flint gave permission to the doctor, nodding in agreement. He glanced down at his wife. "Don't worry. He knows what he's doing. He's done it before and one of those before is sitting on the other bed."
Jaye started to shake and tears flowed from her eyes.
"Don't worry, Allie. I'll take good care of you. The anesthesiologist will be here in a few minutes to give you an epidermal. You'll be awake during the delivery." The doctor gently rubbed her head.
Ace seemed to pull Nancy tighter.
"See, no worries." Flint grinned to his wife. "They're just going to give you a needle and—" His head vibrated from the pillow that smacked right on it, then flopped down to the floor. "Nancy!"
"What?" Nancy looked innocent, now clasping her husband's hand very tightly.
Flint shook his head. "Sisters!" He rolled his eyes. "Allie, I just hope our little girl doesn't have that Faireborn gene!" He ducked from the second flying pillow from his sister.
"I don't want a needle," Jaye said in a small whine. "Why can't you just put me out?"
"It's better for the baby if you are awake. If we put you to sleep then the baby will be put to sleep as well and it will be harder to get it to cry once we get it out," the doctor explained to her gently.
"Henry, can she have the small needle that is intended for children?" Nancy asked, her brown eyes filled with worry. "That one doesn't hurt, and she can barely feel the pinch."
"It isn't a needle. It's a really small catheter that is inserted into her spine. Don't worry, Honey," he said to Jaye. "It is very tiny."
Jaye looked to Flint. "Don't leave me."
"I'm not leaving," Flint assured his wife. "It's going to be over sooner than you know it." He kissed her forehead.
"The nurse will be in shortly with a pair of scrubs for you to wear in the OR. You'll be allowed to sit at the head of the bed next to her," the doctor told him. "Now, I must get ready to operate."
"Thanks, Dr. McCoy," Flint nodded to the older man, watching him leave the room. "See Allie, everything is going to be all right. I promise."
Nancy jumped off the bed so suddenly, it caused her husband to slightly jump in surprise. She raced out of the room in top speed, letting her brown ponytail fly.
"Now where is she going?" Flint asked Ace with a perplexed face, which the pilot shared.
"I don't know," Ace said confused.
"Well, duh...go after her Nimrod," Jaye said.
"Allie, how can he go after her when he doesn't know where she went?" Flint asked, then felt a sharp pain in his hand from his wife's tight grip. "Con-contraction?"
Jaye nodded. "Go...out...and...see...if...you...can...see...her."
Ace walked out into the hall just as the anesthesiologist came in. He glanced to his left and his right, but found no indication of his wife. His blue eyes turned to worry. He started racing down the hall, heading for the nurses station and found no trace of her there either. His heart pounded, thinking something was terribly wrong. Taking a chance, he raced to the elevator and pushed the button for the main floor. What had caused his wife to bolt out of the room like that? Was it her fear? Or how her sorrow for not being able to have her own child? His mind raced, waiting impatiently until the elevetor's doors finally slid open and he ran out, nearly colliding with a nurse who was pushing a elderly woman in a wheelchair. "Sorry," he apologized quickly.
He started heading for the exit, thinking that she might be outside. He wished to find her with all his heart. The hospital's main doors manually opened for him, letting him race outside and halt. He looked around in the parking lot, hoping to spot that brown ponytail. He spotted all different color browns until THERE! Right at his car, which they used to bring Jaye. He spotted her brown ponytail. Nancy!
His feet flew from underneath him and he rushed to his wife, who had apparently opened the car door's and was rummaging inside the vehicle.
"Nancy?" Ace asked worriedly.
Nancy climbed out of the car, holding the famous large brown bear. "I forgot Brutus in here!" she said, her voice slightly shaking. "Allie needs him. She's frightened."
Ace smiled at her proudly. He pulled her into a hug. "You're amazing."
"Even if we can't be in surgery with her, at least this guy can," Nancy said, melting into his embrace. She held the bear in her arms, tightly.
"Come on," Ace told her. "The anesthesiologist came in as I left to find you."
Nancy nodded, taking his hand in hers and together they raced back into the hospital dodging nurses and bellowing, "Out of the way, emergency bear coming through!" Reaching the room, they burst in finding Flint once again pacing.
Flint looked at their direction, spotting them entering the room. "Nan!" He strode to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't do that again!" he scolded, letting her go.
"Sorry, had to." Nancy smiled at him and walked over to her sister-in-law's bedside. "Brought a friend to keep you company." She placed Brutus next to Jaye's shoulder.
Jaye started to sob a little. "Oh, Nancy. Thank you." She took the bear in her hands.
"Mr. Faireborn," the nurse said and handed Flint some scrubs to change into.
"Thanks," Flint took the scrubs. "I won't be long." He left the room, rushed to the bathroom and changed in lightning speed. He didn't seem to notice nor did he cared that he had worn the scrub top inside out and backwards. He came rushing out of the bathroom and collided into Dr. McCoy. "Ready Henry?"
"We're taking her in now," the doctor told him.
The nurse had started to push the bed out of the room. Jaye was hugging Brutus tightly. She was trembling.
"Hey there, gorgeous," Flint smiled down at his wife. "Ready to make this family a four?" He took her hand and walked beside the rolling bed.
"We'll be waiting outside," Nancy said gently, walking on the other side of the rolling bed. "And I got my phone ready to call everyone."
"Will you call Cayden?" Jaye asked her sister-in-law. "He's probably worried sick by now cause he hasn't gotten hold of anyone at home."
"I'll do it right away," Nancy promised, leaning down and kissed her forehead. She let go of her sister-in-law's hand as the bed rolled into surgery. She wrapped her arms around herself before feeling her husband's.
"Come on," Ace said gently and led her to the waiting room chairs.
Jaye was still trembling when they moved her to the operating table. "Dash..." she called out when she didn't see him.
"I'm right here, I'm not leaving," Flint whispered in her ear. He glanced around him, watching the doctor and his team prep.
"Alright you two, once this starts, it will happen rather quickly," the doctor said. "Ready?"
"No," came Jaye's small, frightened voice.
"Allie, you can do this," Flint encouraged her with a gentle tone. "Just keep looking in my eyes, concentrate on me. All right?" He made sure that Brutus stayed right under her arm. "Brutus is here too."
The doctor cut her open just below the bikini line.
Jaye looked right in Flint's eyes.
"Do you know how much I love you," Flint told her warmly, keeping her occupied. "I love you with each breath that I take."
"It's a girl!" Dr. McCoy exclaimed as he held the baby up for them to see. She was indeed very tiny.
"Dash, look at her," Jaye said with happy tears.
"She beautiful, just like her mother," Flint smiled at the little newborn, and then kissed Jaye tenderly.
Dr. McCoy then handed the baby over to the pediatrician in the room who began to work on her. A moment later they heard a loud cry. "She's a keeper," the pediatrician said.
"Well, Henry, you did say there's no return policy," Flint chuckled, glancing at the little baby girl. "My little peanut."
"Our little Eryn Ann," Jaye said softly then kissed her husband.
"Apgar 9, weight 3 pounds 1 ounce," the nurse called out.
"Not for long! She's going to be getting bigger each time she eats!" Flint laughed, waiting for the nurse to finish with the newborn so he can hold her in his arms.
The nurse brought the tiny baby over and handed her to her father.
Flint glanced down at the little pink face. "Hey little Peanut, I'm your Daddy." He kissed gently the baby's head and then lowered himself to place the newborn near Jaye. "And that is your Mommy."
Jaye gently touched the newborn's tiny face. "You are so beautiful." She then showed the famous stuffed bear, Brutus, to the baby. "This is for you."
"Brutus is going to take care of you, Peanut," Flint stated, smiling at the little bundle.
Jaye looked exhausted.
"Sir, we have to take her to the nursery now," the nurse said, reaching for the baby.
"Go with her..." Jaye said tiredly.
"All right, Allie," Flint replied, kissing his wife. "I'll show her to Aunt Nancy and Uncle Brad. So, if you hear screams, you know that they saw her!" He chuckled. He began following the nurse out of the delivery room, passing the waiting room. He immediately spotted his sister, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "Hey, you two!"
Nancy glanced up, spotting her brother holding the small pink blanket. "Dash!" She jumped off the chair, pulling Ace with her. "She's darling! She's perfect!" She gently touched the little newborn's cheek. "Hi there, Princess."
"She looks just like her Momm,." Ace said with a big grin.
"Yes, she does," Flint agreed. "I have to take her to the nursery. They will be wheeling Allie out at any moment, all right?"
Nancy nodded. "Don't worry." She kissed him on the cheek. "Congratulations, Dashie."
"Congrats, man," Ace said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Thanks you two," Flint smiled proudly then whispered in his sister's ear. "I know you and Eryn are going to be great buddies, you will be like a second Mom to her." He kissed Nancy on the cheek before following the nurse to the nursery.
Nancy watched her brother walk down the hall then disappear around the corner. She turned to Ace with a slight smile, knowing that he shared her thought. She took his hands in hers, "I love you, Ace." she whispered.
"And I you, Honeybear," he said as he kissed her.
"Let's go see Allie." Nancy started leading him towards the room when a commotion from behind caused her to turn.
Ace turned to see his young nephew running towards them. "Cayden?"
"Where are they?!" Cayden asked breathlessly.
"Your Mom's still in surgery." Ace answered.
"How did you get here?" Nancy asked bewildered, touching her nephew's arm.
"I took a cab when I couldn't reach anyone at home," Cayden said looking around to see if he could see his father or mother.
"Honey, why didn't you just call me?" Nancy asked gently, giving him a tight hug. "Everything is fine. Your Mom is fine, your Dad is fine, and your little sister is fine." She smiled at him watching his face.
"L...little sister?" Cayden asked. "I want to see her."
"We'll take you, they have her in the nursery," Nancy said with a smile, taking on of Cayden's arms and linking the other with her husband. They headed down the hall and turned around the corner, where they found Flint coming out of the nursery.
The warrant officer stopped dead in his tracks spotting his son. "Cayden, you all right?" he asked with great concern. "Did something happen at school?" He walked over and placed his hand on his son's shoulder.
"I got worried when I could reach no one at home so I took a cab," Cayden said looking over towards the nursery window.
Ace pulled his wife to him.
"So you panicked like me," Flint chuckled. He wrapped his arm around his son. "Front row, third one. She's the little cute peanut."
"She's so tiny." Cayden said then heard someone clear their throat behind them. It was the cab driver. "Ummmm...Dad can I borrow three hundred for the cab ride."
Ace almost choked.
Nancy smirked and poked her husband in the ribs.
Flint slowly nodded. "Sure." He took out his G.I. JOE credit card. "You take credits cards, right?" he asked the cab driver.
"G. I. Joe?" the cab driver asked, raising an eyebrow. "Like the real American hero? Fighting for freedom where ever he goes, G. I. Joe is there?"
"Uhh.. yes," Flint nodded, glancing from the cab driver to his family. "That's the one."
"Joes get free rides from Old Barnaby!" the cab driver shook the warrant officer's hand and left.
Cayden stood there admiring the newest addition. "Mom gave her Brutus.I had told her I wanted the baby to have Brutus."
"Yes," Flint smiled at his son, while looking at the bear sitting close to the newborn. "Just like she did for you and now Brutus will have another friend."
"She's so small. Are you sure she's all right? Does she have a name? Is Mom all right? Did mom get to see her? Why is mom in surgery?" Cayden asked ultra fast.
Ace chuckled slightly.
Nancy smiled and shook her head, wrapping her arms around her husband and leaned her head against his chest, watching the newborn babies in the nursery.
"Woah there!" Flint chuckled. "She's small but fine. Her name is Eryn Ann. Your Mother is fine and she saw her and she had a c-section, that's why she's in surgery."
Cayden let out a sigh of relief and they all stood there admiring their little princess for some time when a nurse walked over.
"Mr. Faireborn, your wife is back in the room now," she told them.
"Thank you," Flint replied to the nurse. "We'll see you later, Peanut." He smiled at his newborn daughter and led his son back towards the room.
Nancy smiled watching the father and son talking while they walked back to see Jaye. She took her husband's hand in hers, following the other two Faireborns. She squeezed Ace's hand slightly. "You all right?" she asked him gently.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ace squeezed her hand slightly. "He's one lucky man." He gave her a smile.
In the room, Jaye was laying in her hospital bed in a semi-sleep. She was feeling no pain from the surgery yet but knew as soon as the local anesthetic wore off she would be hurting.
Flint walked into the room with Cayden. "Hey," he said softly walking over and kissed her forehead. "How are feeling?"
"Exhausted," Jaye said to her husband with a slight smile then noticed who was standing slightly behind him. "Cayden? What are you doing here?"
"I got worried when I couldn't reach anyone at home so I took a cab." Cayden told his mother then kissed her forehead.
"I bet that was expensive," Jaye commented softly.
"Actually, it was free," Flint chuckled. "The cabdriver liked Joes."
Nancy and Ace walked in and walked to the bedside. "She's beautiful," Nancy said with a smile. "I have to get ready for her arrival!" She sent everyone a panic look. "Bye, Allie," She kissed her quickly on the cheek and yanked Ace out of the door before he could say his goodbyes.
Flint chuckled, watching the door, listening to his sister's long list on preparations fading down the hall. "I think Aunt Nancy is a little excited, don't you think?" he asked, but received no answer. He looked down and smiled, finding her asleep. "Get some restful sleep, Lady Jaye."