I have no idea how they do things in Japanese hospitals...
Okay. Here's what I've decided to do. I'll end this fic with this chapter like I originally planned to do. But I will continue the story in a different fic. I just need time to write more...
"Rin?!" Haru cried when he saw her.
"Don't worry about her. She'll be fine. But the birth was hard on her, and it tired her out", the nurse told him. "And you're the father? Hatsuharu Sohma-san?"
"Yeah…how'd you know that?"
"Kazuma Sohma-san told us. He said he was Isuzu-san's guardian. He said I would know Hatsuharu Sohma-san because he would immediately burst into the room to check on Isuzu-san, and he would have white hair. I couldn't believe that when I heard it, but it's true…"
"So the baby's…already born? Is it in the nursery? Will they let me see it?"
The nurse nodded…
…and Haru was off!
"Who are you?" asked another nurse, in the nursery.
"I'm Hatsuharu Sohma. My fiancée just had a baby…Isuzu Sohma?"
"Oh, of course…I was told to look for the white hair…so do you want to see your baby?"
"Yes…I'm allowed to, right?"
"Of course. Follow me." She led him into the nursery and picked up a baby in an incubator, swaddled in a pink blanket. "Congratulations, Sohma-san…you have a daughter."
He awkwardly held out his arms as the nurse gave the baby to him to hold. He looked down into his daughter's face.
His daughter. It was strange to think of her that way. His…daughter. He was a parent. It was for real now. This baby, he--Haru Sohma--was her…father. This tiny little creature, this was a…human being? And he had contributed to its--her--existence?
Yes. It was "her" now, not "it".
He just stared at her for a few minutes. He was so big and she was so small. It felt like he could squish her. He was afraid to move. What if he dropped her?!
He gave her back to the nurse. He couldn't trust himself. What if he tripped and fell and…?
Still. He couldn't help himself. Holding her brought him a certain sense of pride and pleasure.
…
Rin groggily opened her eyes.
Haru was slouched in a chair, his legs sprawled open, his arms folded across his chest, asleep.
"Haru…?" she said wonderingly. When had he gotten there?
He opened his eyes. "You're awake…" he said, "How are you feeling?"
"Don't ask", she muttered, "Just…don't…"
"Ok. So…it's a girl."
"…yeah. Have you seen her already?" asked Rin.
"Yeah. I held her, too. She looks like you…"
"No…you don't have to flatter me…surely she looks like you."
"Nah, she--"
"Haru."
"What?"
"I want to see her."
"Oh, sure. I'll go get the nurses."
When he came back, Rin said, "…I want to hold her."
"Ok. Are you feeling up to it?"
"…yeah." Carefully, Haru picked up the baby and placed her in Rin's arms.
"…well, she's not crying, at least…" said Rin.
…
"How has Isuzu been?" queried Kazuma.
"She hasn't been feeling well. She threw up a lot and she hasn't had any appetite at all. She feels weak, but she doesn't want to sleep, and it got on her nerves whenever the baby cried."
"I see. So were you doing your fair share of the parental duties?"
"Yeah…I hold her when she gets upset and I even fed her a couple times when Rin wasn't feeling well. She eats a lot."
"She uses bottles?"
"Yeah…Rin doesn't really have the patience for the other way most of the time." Haru set the baby carrier on the kitchen table.
"She's a cute girl", said Kazuma, peering inside the carrier, "She'll no doubt grow up to be a looker like her parents."
"Maybe. But then, I don't want a bunch of guys looking at my daughter. But since she's a Sohma, you know some guys'll probably think she's cute…but I'll just have to show them their place." He looked around. "Hmm…there are plenty of things in a kitchen that would do nicely. But power tools are also good."
"Just don't do anything illegal", said Kazuma.
"Rin just isn't feeling well…and hospital stays always make her cranky. But really, she's not mad or bitter or anything. She does love her. She said…she wants to try and be a good mother to her. She said she'll never stop loving her…and I know that must sound unbelievably sappy coming from Rin, but…that's why she only says this stuff to me. Don't tell her I told you, though."
Kazuma smiled. "I won't."
Haru took the baby out of her carrier. "She's pretty popular. People already want to hold her."
"You have quite a line."
"She's so small, isn't she?" asked Haru.
Gently, Kazuma stroked one of her hands with a finger. Her tiny fist unclenched, and her tiny fingers closed around Kazuma's.
"Hey, she likes you. Want to hold her?" Before Kazuma really had a chance to reply, Haru put the newborn in his arms, then went down the hall to check on Rin.
Thank you all for your reviews, favoriting this story and putting it on your alert. Thank you all.
Alas, we've reached the end. But I will write more, so no worries. Thank you all, and good day.
(Also...I never actually named their daughter. If anyone has any suggestions, that would be appreciated).